According to the “BUND”, in 2016, 38 kg of plastic packaging waste was produced in Germany per capita (Plastic Atlas 2019, ISBN 978-3-86928-200-8). Since plastic is mostly a non-biodegradable or only slowly degradable material, it accumulates in the environment.
Humans and animals come into contact with plastic every day, for example through packaging and everyday objects. Particularly the influence of nanoplastics (<1µm) on our environment, human and animal health has been little researched. Using cell culture models and the assessment of cell morphology by Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing technology (=ECIS), we investigate possible effects of nanoplastics, especially in gastrointestinal tract: on cell growth, viability, morphology and gene expression. The project is funded by BMBF, is part of the joint project Subµtrack, and involves interdisciplinary project partners in science and industry.