Interaction between Microplastics and Hg in a benthic microcosm

Inês Pereira is a researcher from Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, NOVA University of Lisbon. 

She will present a project that aims to investigate the ecotoxicological impacts of Microplastic-Mercury interactions on benthic ecosystems through microcosm in vivo exposures of bivalves in the presence of Mercury-resistant microbial communities in the sediment. The objectives are to assess contaminant fate, Mercury speciation, toxicity biomarkers and gut microbiota.

The expected outcomes are new insights on the interactions of Microplastics and Mercury, and on their toxicological and ecological impact on benthic ecosystems.