Plastic pollution is everywhere, it is estimated that every year eight million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans. The use of plastic is predicted still to grow, additionally considering the amount of plastic that has already ended up in the environment and is degrading into smaller pieces. Plastics are harmful to living organisms when plastic particles are smaller than a few hundred nanometers and can enter cells or tissues. Solutions to tackle plastic pollution are urgently needed. The project investigates moss-associated microorganisms that are involved in nanoplastics removal and uptake processes by the moss in cold climate conditions. The project identifies plastic removal (and biodegradation) processes by the moss-associated microorganisms, and tests novel nature-based plant-microbe nanoplastic removal method for arctic waters.
