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Project information
Detection of microplastics in the body: from chemical characterization to 3D imaging (MicroPET)

Project Identification
MUNI/A/1450/2024
Project Period
1/2025 - 12/2025
Investor / Pogramme / Project type
Masaryk University
  • Specific research - support for student projects
MU Faculty or unit
Faculty of Pharmacy
Keywords
Microplastics, X-ray computed tomography, Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, Imaging, Dual-modality, Metal markers

The widespread release of plastic waste into the environment poses a huge challenge for the coming decades, particularly regarding the monitoring and quantification of microplastics (MPs) in various environmental matrices and biological organisms. Sources of MPs pollution are diverse and include seafood, food additives, packaging materials, and agricultural and industrial products. Despite the recent detection of MPs in many environmental media and living organisms, transmission pathways and toxicological effects on humans are not yet fully elucidated. There is growing evidence that microplastics can have a detrimental impact on human health and the environment and that they can enter the human body through contaminated food or packaging materials.
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) offers a promising analytical approach for detecting marker metals in polymers and identifying polymer changes. However, the direct application of LA-ICP-MS for MP detection remains relatively limited, focusing primarily on monitoring trace metals adsorbed onto MPs. The aim of this study is to advance the detection and imaging of MPs in biological tissues, thereby opening new possibilities for monitoring the presence of MPs in the human body and assessing their potential impacts on human health. This research underscores the critical need to understand the interactions between microplastics and biological systems in order to mitigate potential health risks.

Sustainable Development Goals

Masaryk University is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the conditions and quality of life on our planet by 2030.

Sustainable Development Goal No. 3 – Good health and well-being Sustainable Development Goal No. 6 – Clean water and sanitation Sustainable Development Goal No. 13 – Climate action Sustainable Development Goal No. 14 – Life below water Sustainable Development Goal No. 15 – Life on land

Publications

Total number of publications: 6

2026

2025

2024

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