Mattrygghet: Effects of micro/nanoplastics and contaminated micro/nanoplastics on food safety of fish

Overflaten til plast binder seg lett til fettløselige miljøgifter. Mikroplast har en stor overflate i forhold til volum, og kan derfor fungere som en "vektor" for forurensning, fange miljøgifter og la dem bevege seg rundt i miljøet og bli spist av dyr. Prosjektet skal delvis svare på spørsmålet om hvordan miljøgiftene binder seg til mikroplast, om de små mikroplastene tar opp mer forurensende stoffer enn større mikroplast, og hvor rask mikroplast tar opp organiske forurensninger. Mikroplast kan hemme vekst og kroppsutvikling, påvirke fiskens næringsopptak og atferd, være skadelig for reproduksjon og immunsystem, forårsake genetisk skade etc. Disse observasjonene mangler imidlertid ofte systematisk undersøkelse under kontrollerte forhold. For å vitenskapelig dokumentere denne effekten, skal prosjektet bruke mikroplast med kjente kjemiske tilsetninger og kvantitativt studere effekten av disse stoffene og mikroplast på fiskens vekst.

According to the statistics by FAO, fish as a source of food provides 15% high-quality protein for 4.3 billion people. The living environment of fish is increasingly affected by micro/nanoplastics (MNPs), which leads to issues in food safety. Therefore, understanding MNPs contamination is urgent. In this proposal, the adsorption of pollutants by MNPs and their toxicity to fish will be systematically studied through elegant experimental designs. We have selected four plastics with different chemical nature, and using laboratory simulated aging, we study how MNPs particle size is related to the different chemical nature of the plastics, so as to further study the adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics of chosen pollutants on MNPs. We further plan to investigate the influence of MNPs on the growth development of crucian carp. Meanwhile, we will compare the influence of pollutant-adsorbed-MNPs on the growth development of crucian carp and analyze the distribution and enrichment characteristics of MNPs in fish tissues. MNPs are difficult to isolate and characterize. Therefore, we will further explore the possibility of developing new methodologies for quantitative analysis of MNPs. In this regard, we focus on using NMR and GPC. Norway has ambition to intensify aquaculture production to fulfill a growing demand, and a large number of Norwegian seafood will appear on dining tables in China. Therefore, it is necessary for both countries to understand the pollution degree and regularity of MNPs in fish, and guarantee the food safety. This study is composed of three main units, and all parties will use their strength to systematically study the physicochemical properties of MNPs, their developmental toxicity to fish, and their new separation and analysis methods under ideal controlled conditions in our laboratories. The research results will make a breakthrough contribution to the elaboration of the pollution mode, pollution enrichment rule and analysis methods of MNPs.