Subgroup 1 – Human health

Leader: Dr. Amedeo Amedei, Florence University, Italy (amedeo.amedei@unifi.it)
Dr. Manosij Ghosh, KU LEUVEN, Belgium (manosij.ghosh@kuleuven.be)

Subgroup 2 – Environment

Leader: Dr. Janeck J. Scott-Fordsmand, Aarhus University, Denmark (jsf@ecos.au.dk)

WG1 kick-off meeting, 24th January 2022, on-line

This meeting aimed at introducing to WP1 participants the general goals and the activities of the WG. Disscussion related to the WG1 aims and how to define the tasks for the first grant period as well as for the entire project.

2nd WG1 meeting, 4th July 2022, hybrid (during 1st Full Action meeting, Brescia, Italy)

The presentation of the Questionary/Survey results was made related to sector in which participants are coming from, PRIORITY WG involvement, career stage, main area of research, expertise, related projects involvement, on-going related activities they are involved, WG1 structure, suggestion of the role in which they can participate more, main challenges, WG1 research priorities, initiatives, opportunities, knowledge transfer.

3rd WG1 meeting, 25th October 2022, on-line

During this meeting the main subgroups were formed as Human health and Environment and leaders named. Survey on training facilities available and that can be offered was presented: completed (20 members answered) and results summarised as Name and surname; E-mail; Web page(s); Institution; Country; Priority WG Expertise; Training can be offered; Facilities available; Experience required.

4th WG1 meeting, 16th January 2023, on line (SG1: 11-12 h CET; SG2: 14-15 h CET)

During the meeting, subgroups presentation of aims and expectations was made. Common aims across were defined, as well as outline of the main points, activities and future plans.

5th WG1 meeting, 19th September 2023, hybrid (during 2nd Full Action meeting, Brussels, Belgium)

Several lectures were made during the meeting related to human health and environmental health impact of the MP/NPs:

• Microplastics and human health
  Amedeo Amedei, Paola Pontecorvi // University of Florence, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; “Assessing the impact of Polyethylene Nano/Microplastic Exposure on Human Vaginal Keratinocytes”

• Microplastics and the environment
  
  Dana Kühnel // Helmholtz – Center for Environmental research, Germany; “Microplastics and the environment”
  Miguel Oliveira // University of Aveiro, Portugal; “Assessing the impact of microplastics in the environment”

6th WG1 meeting, 18th June 2024, hybrid (Novi Sad, Serbia)
The WG1 meeting focused on exploring the interconnected impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on human health and the environment through dedicated presentations and open discussions.

• Microplastics and Human Health – Helena Niccolai, University of Florence (Italy)
  Presentation on the emerging interactions between micro- and nanoplastics and the human microbiome, focusing on the gut–lung axis as a novel pathway of systemic response. The talk explored how nanoplastic exposure can influence microbiome dynamics, inflammation, and host health, highlighting recent experimental findings and research needs.

• Discussion
  Open exchange among participants on the mechanisms linking MNP exposure to physiological and immune responses, data gaps in exposure assessment, and strategies for integrating toxicological, biomedical, and metagenomic approaches in future studies.

• Microplastics and the Environment – Janeck J. Scott Fordsmand, Aarhus University (Denmark)
  Presentation on the role of plastics in soils, addressing key challenges such as persistence, accumulation, and biological interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. The discussion emphasized the implications for soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning, as well as the need for standardized methodologies and long-term monitoring.

• Overall Discussion & Future Perspectives
  The session concluded with a collective reflection on the cross-linkages between human and environmental impacts, identifying future research priorities and collaborative opportunities within WG1 to advance integrated risk assessment and mitigation frameworks.