PhD Defense of Wajid Ali
Soutenance de thèseThe defense will take place on Tuesday, the 26th of November 2024, at 9:30 AM in the Amphitheatre de l'institut chevreul, Cité Scientifique, 59650 Villeneuve-d'Ascq. The title of the theses is « Assessing the toxicity of plastic fragments on zooplankton ecology ».
The jury of my defense is composed of:
| Dr. Isabella Buttino | Reviewer | ISPRA |
| Dr. Davide Degli Esposti | Reviewer | UR Riverly, INRAE |
| Pr. Jean-Marie Raquez | Examiner | LPCM, Université de Mons |
| Pr. Philippe Zinck | Thesis Director | UCCS–CNRS, Université de Lille |
| Pr. Sami Souissi | Invited member | LOG–CNRS, Université de Lille |
Key words
| Zooplankton; (Bio)plastic; Pollution; microplastics; toxicity. |
Summary
| Plastic production exceeded 400 million tons by 2022, with projections estimating an increase to 800 million tons by 2050. By 2015, only 9% of all plastics produced was recycled, 12% incinerated, and 60% landfilled. Due to their slow degradation, plastics fragment into microplastics (MPs), adversely affecting aquatic biota. Bioplastics, designed to mitigate pollution, reached a production of 2.18 million tons in 2023, with forecasts predicting 7.4 million tons by 2028. However, bioplastics, including polylactic acid (PLA), have been shown to fragment into MPs under aquatic settings, potentially leading to toxic effects on aquatic biota. Herein, PLA MPs have shown gender-specific toxicity in copepods, along with effects on marine rotifers and brackish water fleas. Comparisons of various MP types indicated similar toxic effects on zooplankton, with oxidative stress identified as a key mechanism. |
After the defense, a get-together party will follow in Chevreul Institute Hall.
I hope to see you there!
Kind regards,
Wajid Ali