David Elustondo - School of Science
"The increase in plastic production for different uses has been unstoppable in recent decades, exceeding 400 million tons in 2024"
Do you consider it important to focus on the fight against plastic pollution?
Yes, this is undoubtedly one of the major environmental problems facing the world today. The increase in the production of plastic for different uses has been unstoppable in recent decades, exceeding 400 million tons in 2024, and its use continues to grow, which could exceed 1000 tons in 2050. A large part of this plastic will end up in the environment, generating micro and nanoplastics that will affect biodiversity and the health of the population and ecosystems.
How can this problem be addressed from your research area ?
Currently, there is an urgent need to obtain accurate information on the distribution of micro- and nanoplastics in the different environmental compartments because, although 60% to 80% of the waste in the marine environment is plastic, it has also been detected in the rest of the environmental matrices. Therefore, it is essential to develop and apply standardized measurement methodologies to adequately identify these contaminants, quantify their concentration and estimate their impact on human health and ecosystems.
Are you participating in any project related to this issue? Tell us briefly! If not, what project or idea would you like to implement to tackle plastic pollution from your discipline?
Yes, we are currently developing a project focused on circular Economics , in which, among other objectives, we seek to evaluate the degradation of commercial plastics once discarded, analyzing how different environmental parameters influence their physical transformation and Chemistry until they become microplastics. In addition, we have participated in a national project that estimated the atmospheric concentration of microplastics from their presence in rainwater. Our intention is to continue this line of research by monitoring microplastics in different environmental matrices and identifying their possible effects on human health and ecosystems.
* David Elustondo belongs to the School of Science. Learn more about his research.
