14 Expert Partners Researching Micro- and Nanoplastic Pollution.
Our Consortium
The RESPONSE consortium is composed of fourteen research partners from across Europe. Learn about each partner’s role below.
Above image: CIM-UVigo
Polytechnic University of Marche Department of Life and Environmental Sciences
The Polytechnic University of Marche is the coordinator of the project, and will also be involved in the sampling and characterisation of microplastics, mesocosm exposures, analyses of biomarkers, weighted elaboration of bioassays, filter-feeders and transfer of microplastics to sediments, Weight of Evidence model elaboration, smart hub organisation, and dissemination activities.
Tallinn University of Technology
Department of Marine Systems
TalTech’s main contribution will be leading sampling activities in the Gulf of Finland and modelling circulation, as well as providing input to procedures for sampling, extracting and characterising microplastics. They will also contribute to the effects of mussels on microplastics in sediments, data analyses and weighted elaboration, the Weight of Evidence model, and stakeholder engagement.
University of Bordeaux
Laboratory EPOC
The University of Bordeaux will participate in sampling activities and characterisation of microplastics in Arcachon Bay (Bay of Biscay) and the surrounding area. They will also analyse the toxicity of environmental samples of microplastics using embryo-larval assays on bivalves and fish.
CIM - Universidade de Vigo
CIM - UVigo will contribute to mesocosm exposures and studies on zooplankton behaviour and microplastics in food webs, as well as analyses on cellular and molecular biomarkers and elaboration of toxicity hazard indices; physiological and behavioral bioassays; and and evaluation of HQ for organism effects of microplastics and nanoplastics.
National Institute of Aquatic Resources (DTU) Section for Ocean and Arctic
The National Institute of Aquatic Resources will focus on investigating the fate and ecological impact of microplastics in marine food webs by small-scale video observations; mesocosms, lab experiments; field sampling; and evaluation of Hazard Quotients for ecological effects of microplastics and nanoplastics.
University of Algarve
Centre for Marine and Environmental Research
UAlg will participate in sampling activities on the Portuguese coast as well as assess biomarkers of oxidative stress, neurotoxicity and genotoxicity in bivalves from the field and mesocosms. The role of floatability and sedimentation on the fate and accumulation of microplastics will be investigated, implementing microplastic vertical behaviour on the Lagrangian models.
University College Cork
MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute
UCC’s MaREI are leading the Communication and Dissemination of RESPONSE and run the project’s website and social media accounts. Their focus is on increasing science-based knowledge in the public domain through stakeholder engagement, fact sheets, e-newsletters, and the communication of microplastic and nanoplastic information to the public on social media.
Ifremer
Ifremer will contribute to the study of modulation in fish larvae microplastic ingestion, determining methods for tracking the smallest micro- and nanoplastics, and the assessment of fish early life stages and physiological/behavioural bioassays.
Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR)
CIIMAR will contribute to sampling activities; mesocosm exposures; biomarkers; bioassays and the weighted elaboration of data; microplastic and nanoplastic effects on the plankton food web; Hazard Quotients and the Weight of Evidence elaboration; participation to the smart hub laboratory; and dissemination activities.
National Research Council Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS)
CNR will undertake the sampling of water, sediment and biota in Mediterranean Sea and laboratory identification of microplastics and nanoplastics. They will also contribute to laboratory investigation of ecotoxicological effect of microplastics and nanoplastics and in the assessment of their ability to affect key ecological processes. They will also contribute in awareness raising on the ecological relevance of microplastics.
University of Oslo
Department of Biosciences
The University of Oslo will undertake sampling activities for microplastics, including characterization in North Sea; studies on microplastic/nanoplastic ingestion in mesocosm species; and experiment exposures to MPs and other stressors.
Örebro University School of Science and Technology
MTM Research Centre
Örebro University will conduct sampling of microplastics in the Gulf of Bothnia and undertake the chemical characterization and effect-directed analyses of plastic leachates. They will also participate in the smart hub laboratory activities.
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Aquatic Ecology & Toxicology; Center for Organismal Studies
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg will assess the effects of nanoplastics and pollutant-spiked nanoplastics in fish and Identify desorption conditions from microplastics and nanoplastics for selected organic pollutants under physiological conditions in the gut of fish. They will also identify the effects of leachates from field collected microplastics, develop methods to trace the uptake and translocation of very small microplastics and nanoplastics, and attempt to develop a tool to estimate the contribution of microplastics and nanoplastics to the uptake of organic pollutants in fish.
University of Antwerp, ECOSPHERE
The University of Antwerp will conduct field activities, characterise the uptake/release kinetics of contaminants, construct species sensitivity distributions, and conduct dynamic modelling. They will contribute to the Weight of Evidence model, build the literature database, characterise microplastics and nanoplastics and associated contaminants, and contribute to dissemination activities.