PRIORITY CA Final Conference

An overview of current and novel monitoring/sampling/analytical methods for identifying microplastics across environmental matrices.

Chair: Inta Dimante-Deimantovica
Co-Chair: Arianna Varrani

Description: Microplastics are categorised as emerging pollutant, and to date knowledge about their concentrations in the environment is scarce and scattered. One of the main reasons is that microplastic analysis is still challenging and does not follow a standardized procedure. In addition, the variety of microplastics characteristics and their ubiquity hampers unified approaches. Nowadays, many techniques for microplastic analysis have been developed, and are being applied to terrestrial, aquatic and atmospheric samples. The session will give an overview over the main approaches (e.g. spectroscopic, thermal and microscopic) and discuss the latest developments in microplastic analysis.

A dedicated session featuring invited lectures on policy developments, regulatory frameworks, and governance challenges related to micro- and nanoplastics. Priority will be given to invited talks.

Insights into the effects of micro- and nanoplastics on ecosystems and human health.

Chair: Amedeo Amedei
Co-Chair: Mónica J.B. Amorim

Description: Plastic particles, resulting from waste and other purposes, e.g. food packaging, reach us and may cause hazardous impacts. Scientists have found evidence of plastic pollution, mostly the smaller dimensions like microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) and focus on the assessment of the impacts, fate and effect, of this pollution source. The purpose of this session is to discuss the progress in the area, including the implications towards regulatory concerns, and both for human and environmental hazards, the method development to assess hazards and case studies where exposure to MPs and NPs has been assessed in human and environmental models. This may include various ecotoxicological levels of organization and complexity, across omics, biomarkers, organism, population and communities.

A special session to showcase external projects, foster collaboration, and build synergies across initiatives tackling plastic pollution.

Chairs: Stefania Federici, Aleksandra Tubic

Description: This session is dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange by showcasing ongoing projects and initiatives related to micro- and nanoplastics or other environmental challenges. It provides a unique platform for project coordinators and team members to present their objectives, methodologies, and key results to the broader PRIORITY community. By highlighting diverse research and innovation efforts beyond the COST Action PRIORITY, this session aims to create synergies, encourage partnerships, and strengthen the collective impact of micro- and nanoplastics research across Europe and beyond. We warmly invite representatives of relevant projects to submit abstracts and participate in this interactive session to expand their networks, share dissemination strategies, and explore future opportunities for collaboration.

Advances in understanding how various plastics degrade in the environment and strategies for enhancing biodegradability.

Chairs: Mariacristina Cocca, Nicolas Keller and Jean-Marie Raquez

Description: This session will provide a deep analysis of the biodegradation of polymers, including traditional, bio-based and natural polymers, highlighting their behavior in diverse environmental conditions. The main outputs will give an overview of the biodegradation of different materials and how it varies depending on the material chemical structure and formulation, on the specific environmental factors like moisture, temperature, and microbial activity. These findings will be crucial for developing effective strategies of degradation of macro- micro- and nanoplastics as well as a way to control plastics accumulation in the environment. Moreover, different strategies to tune and to trigger the degradation of polymers will emerge from this session paving the way to streamline the production of alternative to traditional polymers to ensure consistent biodegradation effectiveness, to increase sustainability of materials, to promote their correct disposal, to reduce plastic pollution.

Exploring innovative catalytic solutions for plastic waste remediation and upcycling into valuable resources.

Chair: Mariacristina Cocca, Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
Co-Chair: Nicolas Keller, Institut de chimie et procédés pour l’énergie, l’environnement et la santé (ICPEES), CNRS/University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France ; Jean-Marie Raquez, Laboratory of Polymeric and Composite Materials, University of Mons, Belgium

Description: Nowadays, the improper disposal of plastics which predominantly end up in landfills or the environ-ment, causes severe ecosystem pollution and poses significant risks to human health. Despite advances in treatment/recycling technologies, current remediation methods still remain insufficient so far.

Moreover, the need for decarbonization of our society, spurred by the depletion of fossil resources and the effects of global warming, has made the development of sustainable solutions for plastic waste reduction and valorization a critical research priority within the broader context of the energy transition and environmental protection.

Thereby, this symposium aims to showcase recent advances in the remediation of micro- and nanoplastic in water to protect ecosystems and human health, and the catalytic upcycling of plastic waste into value-added chemicals and fuels. Both research areas are in early stages, with limited catalysts, processes, and types of plastics tested, along with a still-developing mechanistic understanding.

Thus, we invite abstracts focused on sustainable remediation processes, including – but not limited to – advanced oxidation processes like photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, Fenton-type catalysis, etc. Additionally, we welcome also abstracts exploring the catalytic synthesis of fuels and chemicals from plastic waste.

Highlighting citizen science, novel monitoring tools, and data-driven approaches to track and address plastic pollution.

Chair: Dr Milica Velimirovic Fanfani
Co-Chair: Dr Nanna Bloch Hartmann

Description: Plastic pollution is a global challenge affecting ecosystems across land, water, and sea. This session focuses on innovative monitoring approaches, with an emphasis on citizen science as a powerful tool for data collection. By involving local communities in data collection, we can enhance the accuracy and reach of plastic pollution monitoring efforts. Presentations will explore how engaging communities can enhance the reliability of environmental data, while also fostering awareness and action. This session will cover novel sampling methods, the integration of technology like AI and drones, and the importance of standardized data for shaping policy. Scientists, researchers, and environmental practitioners are invited to share their experiences and strategies for advancing plastic pollution monitoring with the goal of fostering collaboration and promoting global solutions.

A session dedicated to the emerging field of nanoplastics.

Chair: Nanna Bloch Hartmann

Description: This session focuses on the latest advancements and ongoing challenges in the study of nanoplastics in the environment. Topics include emerging detection and characterization methods, understanding sources and pathways, environmental fate, and the impacts of nanoplastics on ecosystems and human health. Participants will explore innovative approaches to address analytical limitations, discuss knowledge gaps, and share perspectives on regulatory and risk assessment frameworks related to nanoplastics. We invite contributions that provide new insights into nanoplastics research, highlight interdisciplinary approaches, and propose strategies to overcome

Young Researcher Session

A platform for young researchers to present their work, receive feedback, and connect with the international community.

Moderator: Gabriela Kalčikova

This session is dedicated to early-career researchers — including MSc students, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral fellows — who are actively contributing to the field of micro- and nanoplastics. It offers a supportive space to present research findings, gain visibility, and connect with peers and senior scientists in an open and inclusive environment.

Participants can submit abstracts for either a poster presentation or an oral contribution. The session will be moderated by Gabriela Kalčíková, who will be in direct contact with the selected presenters to coordinate the structure of the session, assign session chairs, and ensure a dynamic and engaging format.

This is a unique opportunity for young researchers to practice communication skills, receive constructive feedback, and build meaningful connections within the international research community.

We warmly encourage all eligible participants to take part in this dedicated session and make their voice heard!