Toxicity effects assessment of plastic litter buried in soil

The overall aim of the project is to increase knowledge about the effect of plastic in the environment with special focus on the freshwater and terrestrial environments. Through studies of biological effects of plastics accumulation in these environments, we will understand about the consequences of plastic as threatening agent to freshwater and terrestrial organism and whether there is a beneficial effect of reducing plastic in the environment. The project drives to a better insight into the plastic degradation process under natural terrestrial ecosystem conditions, as well as the associated release of chemicals (leachates) in soil and their chemical characterization. We aim at increasing the knowledge about marine sourced MPs effects in terrestrial ecosystems unveiling toxicity mechanisms in terrestrial and freshwater organisms with potential implication to soil biodiversity loss. The obtained results provide baseline knowledge about the environmental risk associated to plastic pollution in terrestrial environment and promote the establishment of criteria for handling plastic litter buried in soil in heavily contaminated terrestrial environment considering all associated costs and environmental impact implications. Knowledge about the soil induced toxicity of buried plastic waste is expected to create a stronger pressure toward its reduction in the environment and its appropriate handling either through removal or remediation directed actions.