NEWS
New protocol to test nanoplastics ecotoxicity
Finnish researchers have published what they say is the first harmonised exposure protocol for ecotoxicity testing of micro- and nanoplastics. Existing ecotoxicity studies often use commer- cial spherical particles as models for micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), said the researchers – even though, in nature, they occur in variable shapes, sizes and chemical compositions. “Moreover, protocols developed for chemicals that dissolve or form stable dispersions are currently
used for assessing the ecotoxicity of MNPs,” said the researchers, from the University of East Finland. “These protocols are not optimal for studying MNPs, as plastic particles do not dissolve and also show dynamic behaviour in the exposure medium.” The new exposure
protocol considers the particle-specific properties of MNPs and their dynamic behaviour in exposure systems. It enables, for instance, the production of more realistic MNPs that resemble those in nature.
The protocol also describes exposure system develop- ment for short- and long- term toxicity tests for soil and water organisms. The researchers give
examples of using the protocol to test, for example, MNP toxicity in marine rotifers, freshwater mussels, daphnids and earthworms. The protocol takes between 24 h and two months, depending on the test of interest, said the researchers. The research was pub-
lished in Nature Protocols. �
www.uef.fi
IN BRIEF...
September’s Plast exhibi- tion in Milan, Italy, attracted 38,000 visitors, according to event organiser Proma- plast. Attendance was down by around 40% on the previous show in 2018, which took place before the Covid pandemic. .
www.plastonline.org
Covestro reported a “persistently difficult market environment with low demand in all regions” in Q3. It experienced a sales decline of nearly 23% to €3.6bn (US$3.9bn) due mainly to lower selling prices and volumes. Profitability (EBITDA) fell 8% to €277m (US$302m).
www.covestro.com
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