INT 7021 Contribución a la monitorización mundial de la contaminación marina por plásticos en el marco de la iniciativa TECnología NUclear para el Control de la Contaminación por Plásticos (NUTEC Plastics) del OIEA

Microplastics Laboratory (LM) is one of the participating laboratories in this internatiomal project with  the mandate to implement microplastics marine monitoring programmes and, infrastructure and human resources needed to evolve through the project deliveries as a laboratory in the level II cathegory capable of sampling, counting and chemical analysis of microplastic particles from 0.3 to 5 mm - Able to report SDG14.1. The techniques used can be microFTIR or LDIR or microRAMAN or GC-MS-Pyrolysis.

Objetivo General es el implementar programas de monitoreo para MPs y de reportar al ODS14-1

Microplastic pollution is a significant environmental problem with important potential consequences for human and environmental health. The IAEA has developed the NUclear TEChnology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics) initiative to help IAEA Member States integrate nuclear technology and its derived techniques in their efforts to address plastic pollution. NUTEC Plastics will build the capacity of laboratories around the world to deploy nuclear and isotopic techniques, alongside others, to monitor and assess the impact of marine plastic pollution, and to enable the exchange of data, knowledge and best practices in this area. This interregional project aims to support Member States in integrating nuclear techniques in their efforts to address challenges of marine plastic pollution. The project will strengthen the capacities of approximately 100 laboratories with a view to enabling them to provide information on micro plastic pollution and align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 14. These laboratories will be part of a global marine plastics monitoring network with a view to exchanging experience, data, knowledge and best practices. This network will set up a NUTEC Marine Microplastics Database with accurate and comparable data from all of the world’s regions with a view to informing national, regional and interregional individuals and taking collective policy actions. The network will serve to promote and engage in coordinated and enhanced strategic partnership building, technical and financial resource mobilization. Along with the capacity building and support for the creation of a network, global awareness raising and strategic communication on NUTEC Plastics and the network are transversal components of this project. The project responds to a global and transboundary problem, and is aligned with SDG 14.1.1b.