An interview with Annemijne van den Berg
“It’s hard to imagine life without plastic these days. Tiny plastic particles are now in our food, water, and even in the air. This means we’re constantly exposed to them,” says Annemijne van den Berg, PhD researcher at the Institute of Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, a POLYRISK partner.
For Annemijne, this raises an important question: “Do these micro- and nanoplastic particles harm our health?”
She is doing her part to answer that question by investigating how these plastic particles might affect our immune system after we ingest them. “I look into whether they damage our intestines, if they can cross the intestinal barrier, and what their impact is on important immune cells across this barrier,” she explains.
Alongside colleagues from 15 partner institutions in seven countries, her research is crucial to understanding how our daily exposure to plastic may be harming our health and wellbeing. “I hope our research will help improve how we assess the risks of micro- and nanoplastics, so we can make better, science-based decisions about the global plastic pollution problem,” she says.
This is no small feat – these plastic particles are very diverse, therefore, more difficult to study. “Unlike chemicals, which are often more uniform, these particles vary greatly and behave in ways that require entirely new research approaches designed just for this purpose,” Annemijne says.
This has made it difficult to pinpoint their health impacts. Although there are indications that these particles may be harmful to us, there still a lot we do not know, according to Annemijne. “Given the widespread exposure and the fact that we can’t easily eliminate these particles, ongoing research is vital,” she adds.
The challenges are also what fascinates Annemijne about this field: “My work feels like a giant complex puzzle and, by solving it, we will hopefully improve public health.”
Annemijne also credits her research partners for keeping her motivated. “I’m excited to be part of a big consortium with dedicated researchers from across Europe who are deeply invested in this important issue,” she says.
When asked whether working on this topic has changed her lifestyle, she says that she feels a responsibility to raise awareness about plastic pollution and the risk it poses to people and the environment. “It’s crucial for people to know how their actions can help tackle the plastic pollution crisis,” she says, “By reducing our plastic use and adjusting our consumptions habits accordingly, we can all do our part to make a difference.”
Find out more about Annemijne’s and POLYRISK’s work on micro and nano-plastics