Final AURORA project event took place in Maastricht on the sidelines of the SETAC Europe meeting on May 21, 2026; AURORA researchers presented key results and lessons learned; Recordings and slides publicly available
Author archives: joel.scheuchzer
Scientists highlight importance of monitoring plastic’s health impacts
In a commentary, The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics outlines the multiple harms of plastic, including micro- and nanoplastics; describes necessary interventions and tracking of measures over time; explains why constructive debate is essential for advancing the science
Consumer plastics can release billions of microplastics, report finds
Report from Plastic Soup Foundation reviews scientific literature on microplastics; highlights sources in five consumer product categories, including food; shares FCMiNo as searchable resource for evidence on microplastics in food from food contact articles; describes challenges with quality of scientific studies; asserts need for action
AURORA consortium meets in person for the final time
AURORA partners met in Utrecht, the Netherlands for the final in-person full project meeting; partners discussed research progress; planned upcoming dissemination efforts; key outcomes to be presented publicly during final stakeholder in Maastricht on May 21, 2026
Analytical challenges in measuring micro- and nanoplastics using pyrolysis
AURORA scientists investigate the accuracy and reliability of applying Pyrolysis-GC/MS as a method to quantify plastic particles in samples; conclude that previously proposed indicators are not specific enough; call for caution when interpreting results obtained by Py-GC/MS
“Microplastics in food” number one health concern
Consumer survey by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) shows that 67% and 15% of German consumers are very or medium concerned about “microplastics in food, respectively; only 39% feel well informed about it
AURORA scientists review the field of analytical and synthesis chemistry for fluorescent (micro- and) nanoplastics
New study highlights the need for better development of fluorescent nanoplastic particles and proposes roadmap to help researchers find best methods for future studies
Science article summarizes learnings from 20 years of microplastic research
Research demonstrates widescale environmental microplastic contamination and human exposure, effects on all levels of biological organizations, and emerging evidence of negative human health impacts; review’s authors foresee data gaps to be closed within next ten years but call for immediate policy action based on precautionary principle to minimize unintended consequences
A call for robust science on microplastics
Nature commentary highlights common limitations of microplastic studies in human samples: small sample sizes, lack of controls, lack of biological plausibility; proposes international working group to advance microplastic research focused on transparency, collaboration, and rigorous standards
Majority of German consumers are very concerned about “microplastics in foods”
Consumer survey by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) shows that 68% and 16 % are very or medium concerned about “microplastics in food; “plastics” were rated as the second greatest health risk for consumers