To address plastics and other problems that could affect human health, the
Millions of tons of small pieces of plastic, referred to as microplastics are finding their way into the world's oceans. These microplastics, ranging from the size of a width of a pencil to smaller than a sesame seed, often get eaten by fish and shellfish and are passed to humans through seafood consumption. They also act as microscopic sponges, attracting, concentrating, and carrying pollutants into new environments. These plastic particles and other factors, including a warming climate and more extreme weather events, are affecting the health of our waterways, and, in turn, the health of our citizens.
'We know very little about what these microplastics or even smaller pieces of plastics, known as nanoplastics, can do to human health in the short-or long-term, or even what they can do to the health of the sea turtles and other animals that live in the ocean,' said
Nanoplastics measure under one micrometer in length, the width of a spider web or virus, making it very easy for them to enter the human body through eating, breathing, and absorption through the skin. Once inside the body, they may leach harmful chemicals that may impact development, reproduction, and immune system responses.
'The connection among ocean pollution, climate change, and human health are problems that we are only beginning to understand,' said Dzierlenga. 'People rely on oceans and lakes for jobs, food, tourism, recreation. These centers will help bring researchers and community groups together to study and take action to protect public health in coastal regions and around the
'We're excited to continue this long-standing partnership with NIEHS. Bringing geoscientists, health scientists, and community partners together to address these important questions has far-ranging impacts beyond what either agency can support alone,' said
NIEHS-NSF Oceans and Human Health Center Awardees
The centers foster interdisciplinary collaborations among biomedical researchers, physical and oceanographic scientists, and community partners. The following institutions, listed alphabetically along with the project name, lead researcher, and brief description of project, are newly funded.
Principal Investigator:
This center, which was awarded at the end of February, will help lay the groundwork for how cyanobacterial (blue-green algae) blooms in estuaries or coastal waters impact seafood safety and public health. This research will help inform guidelines for the safe consumption of water and seafood. NC C-CAPE will also actively engage with community experts and stakeholders to guide the translation and application of research findings.
Principal Investigator:
Principal Investigators:
This new center will be the first center within the Oceans and Human health Centers to focus solely on plastic pollution and microplastics. The Research organizations will collaborate to study the life cycle of plastic in
Principal Investigator:
Funding for this center has been renewed in 2024 and will build off its prior research to address how a changing climate could influence harmful algal bloom (HAB) dynamics and human exposure to HAB toxins, a serious and global human health threat. The center will also work to improve awareness of emerging HAB issues for the public health community and develop new educational materials and interactive activities for K-12 classrooms, and for health care providers.
About the
NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of the
About the
About the
Contact:
Tel: 984-287-3355
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