Primary and secondary microplastics have become the focus of global concern due to their pervasive nature and omnipresence in different environmental compartments and human bodies. Despite significant policy and research efforts made in the last few years, there is still an urgent need to standardise methodologies and have harmonised guidelines to sample, quantify, and report microplastics in different matrices (water, sediment, biota) so that comparisons can be made and actions and measures can take place. Moreover, major knowledge gaps in the scientific understanding of their risks and impacts still remain, calling for additional research to enhance the knowledge on potential health impacts and establish proper measures.
This session aims to exchange knowledge related to the presence of microplastics in the environment. To this end, a series of presentations will be made related to the impact that can generate; the progress that has been made so far in monitoring and sampling; the main identification and analysis techniques being used; the need to harmonize methodologies and the main knowledge gaps in the field.
These presentations will lay the groundwork for a participatory debate to share lessons learned and identify the main challenges and needs, as well as the potential for improvement.
