Microplastics

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

Plastic pollution, and especially microplastics (plastic particles of less than 150 µm ), has received increasing attention lately. Microplastic contamination of aquatic environments is expected to continue to increase in the foreseeable future. At present there are significant knowledge gaps on both the sources and occurence of microplastics in the aquatic environment, and the potential effects on seafood safety. These knowledge gaps must be filled to enable proper risk assesments on microplastics in seafood. This project aims to investigate the potential sources of microplastic contamination in the production cycle of farmed Atlantic salmon, and help mapping out the potential sources of microplastics that potentially end up in the product. These questions will be elucidated from different angels, focusing on sources and practices in salmon production where microplastic contamination would be likely. The results from this project will be of importance both in terms of revealing the potential sources and path of microplastic contamination in seafood, as well as in how we can improve to avoid microplastic contamination.