At this year’s SETAC Europe Annual Meeting in Vienna, Imptox researchers from the University of Belgrade, Ghent University and Sciensano shared new findings on micro- and nanoplastics and their potential health effects, contributing to global discussions on environmental safety and public health.

From May 11–15, 2025 the Austria Center Vienna hosted the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe Annual Meeting - a major event bringing together scientists, policymakers, and industry representatives from around the world. This year’s theme, “Innovation for Tomorrow: Progress in Safe and Sustainable Concepts,” offered a strong focus on how to advance safer and more sustainable materials and practices. Imptox contributed to this effort with research on how micro- and nanoplastics interact with allergens, contaminants, and biological systems - work that feeds directly into more informed risk assessment and supports the broader goal of safer materials and more sustainable living.

Four presentations showcased Imptox contributions to the field. In a well-attended platform session on MNPs and health, Imptox Coordinator Tanja Ćirković Veličković (University of Belgrade) presented new findings on how nanoplastics can bind to ragweed pollen proteins, revealing previously unidentified allergens. This phenomenon - where plastics interact with allergens and potentially enhance immune reactions - offers a new perspective on how environmental pollution could influence allergic disease.

Also featured was a platform presentation by Elien Alderweireldt (Ghent University), who contributed to the session on Prospective Life Cycle Assessment for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Innovations. Her talk, titled Biological Evaluation of Binding of Toxins to Microplastics, explored how plastic particles may serve as carriers for environmental toxins - an important consideration for life cycle safety evaluations and SSbD strategies.

Two poster presentations added further depth. Maxime Vankoningsloo (Sciensano, Belgium) discussed dietary exposure to microplastics from seafood, focusing on age-specific differences that may heighten risks for children. Dragana Stanic-Vucinic (University of Belgrade) presented toxicological data on linear PET oligomers and their interactions with human cells and biomolecules - an important step in understanding how plastic particles might influence cellular health.

Imptox is part of CUSP, the European research cluster on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) and human health, and other CUSP-affiliated scientists also took part in the conference. Together, these efforts reinforce the importance of collaborative research when it comes to evaluating the health implications of MNPs - especially considering their ability to carry not only added plastic chemicals but also pollutants and microbes, potentially amplifying their effects in the body.

The SETAC Annual Meeting was a clear reminder that understanding and addressing the complex impacts of micro- and nanoplastic pollution requires both strong science and strong collaboration. Through its contributions, Imptox continues to play an important role in shaping the future of environmental health research in Europe and beyond.

From top: Tanja Cirkovic Velickovic, Elien Alderweireldt, Dragana Stanic-Vucinic (left), Maxime Vankoningsloo (right)