
Direct microplastic exposure via foodstuff and food packaging - plastic leachables and their health effects (diMPex)
Project
01.09.2020 - 31.08.2024
Department of Technical Physics, Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology
Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
Funder: Academy of Finland
Leaders
Contact persons
The aim of the project is to study the effects of microplastics and plastic additives to human colonic microbiota. The study is conducted with in vitro methods, which model the human gastrointestinal tract: INFOGEST simulates salivary, gastric and intestinal phases, and colon fermentation model contains colonic microbes. The results will reveal possible changes in the structure of microplastics caused by conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, and release of plastic additives during human digestion. Moreover the effects to colonic microbiota are studied. In addition to the colon model, migration of microplastics from plastic packages is studied to estimate the oral exposure to microplastics.
Leaders
Professors
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Marjukka Kolehmainen
ProfessorSchool of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition -
Hani El-Nezamy
ProfessorSchool of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition -
Seppo Auriola
ProfessorFaculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy -
Jouko Vepsäläinen
ProfessorFaculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy
Senior Researchers
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Marko Lehtonen
Research DirectorFaculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy -
Carlos Gomez Gallego
Senior ResearcherSchool of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition
Post-doctoral Researchers
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Emilia Uurasjärvi
Postdoctoral ResearcherFaculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, Department of Technical Physics -
Kaisa Raninen
Postdoctoral ResearcherSchool of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition