InPlasTwin: The First Six Months Progress
InPlasTwin, Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action project aimed at strengthening research and innovation capacity in the field of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) analysis. Running from October 2024 to September 2027, this project brings together 6 partners from 6 countries: Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) – Slovenia, Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) – Greece, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) – Belgium, The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) – Denmark, Institute of Marine Research (IMR) – Norway and Foodscale Hub (FSH) – Serbia.
As part of its transformative research, InPlasTwin will focus on the agricultural use of biodegradable mulching films. These films, which break down into MNPs through processes like photo-oxidation and mechanical abrasion, will be studied to assess their environmental impact. A particular emphasis will be placed on strawberry cultivation, where researchers will simulate real farming conditions to analyse how MNPs, released from mulching films, are absorbed by crops and how they affect yield, fruit quality (e.g., mass, color, and sugar content), and safety.
Future newsletters will provide updates on scientific progress, stakeholder events, tool releases, and emerging insights into new protocols, methodologies, and advanced analytical methods for tackling MNPs pollution in agriculture.
The InPlasTwin Specific Objective Approach to Plastic Pollution in Agriculture
● Enhancing long-term and sustainable networking activities of the JSI and AUA with project partner institutions (FSH, VITO, DTU, IMR) through knowledge transfer and exchange of best practices in the investigation of MNPs in the environment and food
● Strengthening the scientific and innovation capacity of JSI and AUA in investigating MNPs in the environment and food
● Strengthening the research profile of the JSI and AUA and their staff, including increasing management and administrative skills of the JSI and diversity inclusion and ethic practices at JSI, AUA, and FSH
● Enlarging the social impact of research and raising awareness of different target groups on the environmental and food impacts of MNPs
InPlasTwin Newscorner: Explore Our Research!
We’re studying the degradation effects of biodegradable mulching films used in strawberry farming, analyzing how MNPs affect crops and soil. Our research also examines toxic plastic additives and advances MNP analysis using cutting-edge technology.
Find detailed articles on plastic is agrifood sector, biodegradable mulching films in agriculture and strawberries in our newsroom.
Kick Off Meeting
The kick-off meeting of the InPlasTwin project took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 21stand 22nd of October. The consortium, convened to establish the scientific, technical, and administrative foundations for the project’s work for the next 36 months, as well as outlining specific tasks and activities for each work package. Hosted by Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI), the kick-off meeting launched an ambitious collaboration to strengthen MNP research in agriculture, with focus on strawberries.
Visibility & Outreach Activities
The Agricultural University of Athens team, including Prof. Dimitrios Savvas, recently conducted site visits to farms in Western Peloponnese. This crucial groundwork is for our upcoming autumn InPlasTwin experiment. With this experiment InPlasTwin will explore how different mulching films can revolutionize strawberry cultivation by improving soil health, controlling weeds, and protecting strawberries. This initiative is a key step in our mission to address MNPs in agriculture.
Boosting Project Management Skills: JSI and VITO Collaboration
Dr. Milica Velimirovic of VITO recently hosted Dr. Janja Vidmar from JSI for a week of intensive training focused on enhancing project management capabilities. This collaboration aimed to strengthen JSI’s administrative and management capacity, crucial for the successful execution of the InPlasTwin project.
The training covered essential topics, including project data management, application and management skills, and the utilization of digital solutions. Participants gained insights into VITO’s Research Support Office, learning best practices for providing comprehensive research support. Networking with VITO professionals also provided valuable connections for future InPlasTwin activities.
InPlasTwin at the European Winter Plasma Conference
Dr. Janja Vidmar recently represented the InPlasTwin project at the prestigious “European Winter Plasma Conference on Plasma Spectrometry” in Berlin. This international scientific event brought together plasma spectrochemists from across the globe to share cutting-edge research and advancements in the field. The conference covered a wide spectrum of topics in analytical plasma spectrochemistry and related techniques. Dr. Vidmar presented a poster titled “The InPlasTwin project: Investigating the uptake and impact of micro- and nanoplastics from mulching film degradation on strawberries through twinning action.” This presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the InPlasTwin project, highlighting its objectives, methodologies, and scientific capacity-building activities.
InPlasTwin Project Progress: Microplastic Degradation Study Activities Completed at DTU Sustain
Researchers from InPlasTwin consortium, Dr. Dimitrios Savvas (AUA) and Dr. Majda Nikezić (JSI), accomplished training activities at DTU. The goal of the training was to acquire practical experience in studying the degradation, fragmentation, and generation of microplastics from mulching films under real environmental conditions, including natural soil and accelerated weathering simulations. This involved working with specialised instruments to control and monitor solar radiation, temperature, and humidity. During the training, they collected and characterized soil samples from an agricultural field, set up along-term degradation experiment using various mulching films in soil-filled jars, and received comprehensive training on NTA, LDIR, and FTIR instruments. Notably, they utilized FTIR to characterize the films included in study, providing vital insights into their composition. This exchange has equipped researchers with invaluable hands-on expertise, significantly advancing their research on the environmental impacts of plastic mulching films.
Spotlight: Synergies in Action
InPlasTwin actively builds upon and collaborates with projects like GREENLand, ensuring the leveraging of results from past and parallel initiatives to maximize impact and accelerate deployment.
We warmly invite any organization, researcher, advisor, or stakeholder who recognizes the relevance of InPlasTwin’s work to connect with us, exchange knowledge, and explore collaborative opportunities. Together, we can further strengthen Europe’s capacity for MNPs research.
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