Current methods for the identification of environmental microplastics and their associated contaminants

Only by combining both environmental detection and exposure assessment can we begin to understand and quantify the risks of microplastics and their associated contaminants in the environment. Here, I go over my background and how it led to my working with the microplastics group to understand the techniques, advancements and challenges faced in environmental microplastic detection. By looking at a variety of environmental matrices and how plastics behave in them, the research at QAEHS is at the forefront of understanding the complex fates of these contaminants of emerging concern.

Visiting research student Joe Clokey from the Wageningen University.