Dr. Matteo Minghetti Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella UNEARTHING MICROPLASTIC MYSTERIES With 23 departments across the arts and humanities, social sciences, math and natural sciences, CAS faculty understand the value of varied perspectives and expertise. So, when biology’s Dr. Matteo Minghetti was invited to speak at a College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology lecture series by Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella, he gladly accepted. The two faculty members have since joined forces to research microplastics. The result? A multidisciplinary proposal that uses quantifiable approaches and innovative tools to better understand the role of environmental weathering and gastrointestinal digestion on the bioavailability and toxicity of microplastic and cadmium mixtures. “Microplastics represent an emerging human health hazard as either a direct environmental contaminant or as a component of other mixed pollutants,” said Gonzalez Estrella, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and PI on the project. “Once introduced into the environment, microplastics are exposed to degrading conditions, such as ultraviolet radiation, that change their chemical and morphological composition.” Microplastic UV-degradation is poorly understood in the context of environmental pollutants, Minghetti said. While they know that humans are mainly exposed to microplastics through contaminated food and water, “the fate of MPs during digestion is largely unknown.” “The key barrier to advancing our understanding of the health risk of MPs is a lack of information linking MPs’ environmental chemical transformations with bioaccumulation of MPs, and specific health impacts,” Minghetti said. “Investigating the environmental impact of microplastics is critical to elucidating their role as pervasive and persistent contaminants that disrupt ecosystem function, bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms, and pose emerging risks to environmental and human health.” As Minghetti and Gonzalez Estrella test their hypotheses, undergraduate students are actively involved in the process. In fact, students are why the project received R15 funding — or a Research Enhancement Award — from the National Institutes of Health. “This project directly supports the NIH-R15 mission by engaging undergraduate students in hands-on research, equipping them with critical skills in environmental toxicology and preparing them to become the next generation of scientists,” Minghetti said. “Through their work, students will contribute to a deeper understanding of microplastics’ environmental impact, particularly their bioavailability and physiological effects in aquatic organisms. “The societal benefit of this research lies in generating data that can inform science-based policies aimed at mitigating microplastic emissions and protecting both environmental and human health.” From left: Dr. Matteo Minghetti, Ben Upton, Grace Baldwin, Aryanna Carr and Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella attend Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe in Vienna in May 2025. Right: Microbiology Ph.D. student Ajagbe Damilare. 14 CONNECT 2025
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