PlasticsFatE partners defied the challenges of airport chaos, staff shortages, baggage disappearances, delays and cancellations to finally meet at the Palace Grand Hotel, Varese, Italy on 7th to 10th June, 2022, for our first face-to-face project meeting, prior to a two-day CUSP Assembly hosted by JRC in Ispra. Although some project members still had to participate online instead, all agreed that a hybrid meeting was a step in the right direction.
The meeting began with a warm welcome from Project Scientific Coordinator, Rudolf Reuther in which he summarised the project's progress and achievements in our first year. PlasticsFatE is fully on track and progressing well in a number of areas, including test material selection, fabrication and distribution; planning, preparing and testing of methodologies for sampling and measurement of MNPs in complex matrices; planning and preparing human and bio-monitoring of health effects in various industrial workplaces alongside the set up and selection of sampling and measurement strategies as well as appropriate exposure and early effects biomarkers. The project is also on track for developing a concept and platform or our planned integrated human health risk assessment strategy.
Following this, Damjana Drobne, PlasticsFatE's Data Manager, took to the lectern to present and discuss the project's plans for data management and data reuse. This included a focus on collaboration with our CUSP sibling projects and Working Groups (2). The eNanoMapper will play a key role in this and in the FAIRification of project data.
In the final session, an open discussion provided partners with the opportunity to address and discuss plans for test and reference materials, protocols for sample preparation and testing in different media and matrices, accurate toxicity testing, and streamlining analytical complexities.
The next project meeting will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 27th-28th September, where project partners will be able to enjoy the unparalleled experience of dining on haggis, neeps and tatties. Watch this space!
