Publications

Dissemination of project’s objectives and results:

• Oral presentation by Stefania Federici. “Exploring fragmentation techniques for the preparation of test microplastics”. International conference IEEE MetroSea 2023, held in Malta from 4th to 6th October 2023.

• Invited oral presentation by Stefania Federici. “Advancing Microplastic Research with Environmentally Relevant Particles”. International Summit on Materials Science and Nanoscience, held in Lisbon (Portugal) from 23rd to 24th November 2023.

• Poster presentation by Stefania Federici. “Sviluppo di materiali test ad elevata rilevanza ambientale per l’analisi di micro- e nanoplastiche”. Workshop "Plastiche e ambiente", held in Ravenna (Italy) from 5th to 6th June 2024.

• Invited oral presentation by Stefania Federici. “Analisi di microplastiche in diverse matrici e le opportunità di networking europeo”. National conference “Nephroplastics”, held in Alessandria (Italy) on 10th July 2024.

• Oral presentation by Stefania Federici. “Evaluating the Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics Using True-To-Life Materials”. International conference IEEE MetroSea 2024, held in Portoroz (Slovenia) from 14th to 16th October 2024.

• Oral presentation by Stefania Federici. “Sviluppo di materiali test per micro- e nanoplastiche per studi di interazione con sistemi biologici e ambientali”. National congress “Micro(nano) plastiche in ambiente”, held in Milan (Italy) on 29th April 2025.

• Poster presentation by Mario Rigo. “Bridging laboratory and nature: exploring the adsorption behaviours on true-to-life microplastics”. National congress “Micro(nano) plastiche in ambiente”, held in Milan (Italy) on 29th April 2025.

• Poster presentation by Stefania Federici. “Advancing microplastic research through true-to-life micro- and nanoplastics for environmental and biological studies”. International conference SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting, held in Vienna (Austria) from 11th to 15th May 2025.

• Poster presentation by Mario Rigo. “Bridging laboratory and nature: exploring the adsorption behaviours on true-to-life microplastics”. Workshop "Plastiche e ambiente", held in Ravenna (Italy) from 4th to 6th June 2025.

• Poster presentation by Enrico Stuani "From Material to Organism: A Comprehensive Pipeline for “True-to-Life” Micro- and Nanoplastics Characterization and Biological Interaction", held in Ljubljana (Slovenia) from 3rd to 5th February 2026. Download

• Oral presentation by Stefania Federici. “True-to-life microplastics: bridging laboratory and environmental relevance”. International conference μMED, held in Ischia (Italy) from 19th to 22nd October 2025.

• Invited oral presentation by P.G. Gucciardi, “Micro and nanoplastics detection in air and water environments”. XXVIII Congresso della Società di Chimica Italiana, 26 – 30 August, 2024, Milano (Italy).

• Invited oral presentation by S. Bernatova, A. Foti, M. G. Donato, A. Magazzù, O. M. Maragò, and P. G. Gucciardi, “Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy in optical and acoustic traps for the detection of small microplastics and nanoplastics”. 3rd International Conference on Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, 28 – 30 November 2025, Xiamen (China).

• Invited oral presentation by P.G. Gucciardi, “Micro and nanoplastics detection in seawater and complex liquids”. OPTICS & PHOTONICS International Congress 2025, 21 – 25 April 2025, Yokohama (Japan).

• Oral presentation by M.G. Donato, Antonino Foti, Silvie Bernatova, Onofrio M. Maragò, Andrea Mandanici, Felice Torrisi, Pietro G. Gucciardi, “Raman Acoustic Tweezers”, 28th International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy ICORS XXVIII. From July 28th to August 2nd, 2024, Roma (Italy).

• Oral presentation by Raymond Gillibert, Alessandro Magazzù, Silvie Bernatova, Antonino Foti, Maria Grazia Donato, Agnese Callegari, Onofrio Maragò, Giovanni Volpe, Marc Lamy de La Chapelle, Fabienne Lagarde, Pietro Giuseppe Gucciardi, “Optical Tweezers combined with Raman spectroscopy for micro/nanoplastics and car tyres micro/nanoparticulate analysis in liquid ambient”. 28th International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy ICORS XXVIII, from July 28th to August 2nd, 2024, Roma (Italy).

• Oral presentation by Alessandra Di Natale, Luca Nalbone, Raffaele Condò, Rachele Castaldo, Mariacristina Cocca, Filippo Giarratana & Antonio Panebianco. “Valutazione del bioaccumulo e della depurazione di microfibre PET in esemplari Mytilus galloprovincialis: studio preliminare”. XXXIV Congresso nazionale Associazione Italiana Veterinari Igienisti (A.I.V.I.), 10-12 Settembre 2025, Parma (Italia).

• Oral presentation by L. Fambri, C. Gavazza, S. Bernatova, K. Abid, D. Spadaro, A. Foti, M.G. Donato, P.G. Gucciardi, L. Nalbone, F. Giarratana, M. Cocca, R. Castaldo, S. Ducoli, S. Federici. “Assessment of micro- and nanoplastic impacts through more realistic test materials”. XV Convegno Italiano di Scienza e Tecnologia delle Macromolecole (AIM), held in Naples (Italy) from 8th to 11th of September 2024.

• Oral presentation by Luca. “Four years monitoring plastics contamination in freshwater of Lake Garda with Seabin. Seasonal effects, microplastics and alien species”. IV MicroMed. International conference on Microplastics pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, held in Ischia (Italy) from 19th to 22nd of October 2025.

In addition, activities of PLASTACS project resulted in two thesis works:

• Enrico Stuani. Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Ingegneria Meccanica, Curriculum Innovazione del Materiale e del Prodotto, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, Università degli Studi di Brescia. A.A. 2024/2025. Tesi dal titolo: Development and characterization of true-to-life micro- and nano-plastics for biological interaction studies.

• Alessandra Di Natale. Scuola di Specializzazione in Ispezione degli Alimenti di Origine Animale, Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università degli Studi di Messina. 2025. Tesi dal titolo: Valutazione del bioaccumulo e della depurazione di microfibre PET in esemplari Mytilus galloprovincialis: studio preliminare.

Information and communication activities:

1. Dissemination activities conducted by Luca Fambri with high school students (Liceo Maffei, Riva del Garda 19.03.2024; Liceo STEAM, Rovereto, 18.11.204 and Bologna, 21.11.2024; Gardascuola, Arco 01.04.2025 and 16.01.2026): collection of plastic samples from the environment, laboratory analysis. 

2. 2024. Public meeting to present microplastics (MP) and the Sea Bin monitoring system in Lake Garda during Youth World Sailing – Riva del Garda July 12-19, 2024: i) Event Sustainability Talk 12.07.2024 (Microplastics, plastics…to Seabin..and now YOU); ii) stand of University of Trento with equipment (FTIR and analytical balance), materials, posters, and daily MP collection/separation from Seabin for all the period. 

3. 2025. Public meeting to present filters for sampling and FTIR analysis of microplastics during Clean Up Day – You are Patron (Porto S.Nicolò, Riva del Garda, 11.04.2025): theoretical and practical experience with 3 classes of high school ENAIP Caproni, Arco.

4. 2025 July 12. Sustainability Meeting - Fraglia della Vela, Riva del Garda “Garda Lake and Plastics and Microplastics (from Vaia to Seabin)”

5. 2025, February 4. Ecoforum, 1st edition Trento “Riciclo di materie plastiche e monitoraggio di microplastiche in ambiente”

6. 2024 July 12. Sustainability Meeting - Fraglia della Vela, Riva del Garda “Garda Lake and Plastics and Microplastics (from Vaia to Seabin)”

7. 2024 March 22. World Water Day – Spiaggia degli Olivi, Riva del Garda. Presentation in public meeting “Microplastiche e plastiche e lago di Garda (da Vaia a Seain ed oltre)”

8. 2024 March 24. Suzuki Day - Fraglia della Vela, Riva del Garda “Microplastiche e lago di Garda. Filtro Suzuki”

9. DII News Online (University of Trento). L. Fambri Microplastics a Macro Problem. Available online: https://diinews.unitn.it/en/microplastics-a-macro-problem/ (accessed on 6 February 2026).

• S. Ducoli, S. Federici, M. Cocca, G. Gentile, A. Zendrini, P. Bergese, L.E. Depero. Characterization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA) true-to-life nanoplastics and their biological interactions. Environmental Pollution 343 (2024) 123150.

• S. Ducoli et al., "Evaluating the Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics Using True-to-life Materials," 2024 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for the Sea; Learning to Measure Sea Health Parameters (MetroSea), Portorose, Slovenia, 2024, pp. 334-337.

• Malloggi, C., Nalbone, L., Bartalena, S., Guidi, M., Corradini, C., Foti, A., ... & Armani, A. (2024). “The occurrence of microplastics in Donax trunculus (Mollusca: Bivalvia) collected along the Tuscany Coast (Mediterranean Sea).” Animals, 14, 618 (2024).

• Bernatova, S., Foti, A., Kizovsky, M., Donato, M., Marago, O., Magazzu, A., ... & Gucciardi, P. G. (2024). “Detection of microplastics and nanoplastics: Are Raman tweezers and enhanced Raman methods the solution for sub 20 μm particles?” EPJ Web of Conferences 309, 10001 (2024).

• S. Ducoli, M. Rani, C. Marchesi, M. Speziani, A. Zacco, G. Gavazzi, S. Federici, L.E. Depero. Comparison of different fragmentation techniques for the production of true-to-life microplastics. Talanta 283 (2025) 127106.

• Ducoli, S., Kalčíková, G., Velimirovic, M. et al. Production, characterization, and toxicology of environmentally relevant nanoplastics: a review. Environ Chem Lett 23, 649–675 (2025).

• S. Ducoli, G. Dumont, M. Velimirovic, D. Mehn, M. Cocca, L.E. Depero, S. Federici. Quantitative evaluation of true-to-life nanoplastics using UV-visible spectroscopy and comparative analytical techniques. Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2025, 12, 4935.

• S. Ducoli, C. Marchesi, M. Rigo, A. Zacco, E. Caianiello, R. Castaldo, M. Cocca, S. Federici, L.E. Depero. Developing environmentally relevant test materials for microplastic research through UV-induced photoaging. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 20 (2025) 100905.

• Santonicola S, Volgare M, Cocca M, Colavita G. Study of fibrous microplastic and natural microfiber levels in branded milk samples from Italy. Ital J Food Saf. 2025 May 27;14(2):13523. doi: 10.4081/ijfs.2025.13523. Epub 2025 Mar 26. PMID: 40152942; PMCID: PMC12186631.

• M. Papparotto, C. Gavazza, P. Matteotti, L. Fambri. Seasonal comparative monitoring of plastic and microplastic pollution in Lake Garda (Italy) using Seabin during Summer–Autumn 2024. Microplastics, 2025, 4, 44.

• M. Papparotto, A. Fonnesu, J. K. R. Pidapa, P. Matteotti, L. Fambri. Simultaneous sampling of plastic waste and alien species in the northernmost part of Lake Garda (Italy) using Seabin during Winter season. Microplastics, 2026, 5, 57.

• S. Sacchet, G. P. Lolato, F. Valentini, M. Grigiante, L.Fambri. Expanded polystyrene for building insulation: Effect of graphite and moisture on thermophysical properties. Energies, 2026, 19(6), 1558.

• Fambri, M. Papparotto, J. K. R. Pidapa, A. Fonnesu, P. Matteotti, L., C. Gavazza. Five years monitoring plastics contamination in freshwater of Lake Garda with Seabin. Seasonal effects, microplastics and alien species. Proceedings of the IV MicroMed International Conference on Microplastics pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, 2026. 978-3-032-23846-7, 662059_1_En, (Chapter 14), Springer Water, Gennaro Gentile et al. (Eds): Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Microplastic Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.

• E. C. Muñoz, C. Marchesi, M. Rigo, S. Ali, L. E. Depero, G. A. de Lucia, A. Camedda, S. Prati, D. Ballabio, G. Sciutto, S. Federici. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for quantitative modelling of quaternary microplastic mixtures and the effect of interferents. Microchemical Journal, under revision.

• M. P. Pierro, M. Valentino, S. Ducoli, L. Miccio, V. Bianco, S. Federici, P. Ferraro. Discerning Pristine and Aged True-to-life Microplastics through Polarization-resolved Digital Holography and Machine Learning. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, under revision.

• Ducoli, S., Rani, M., Marchesi, C., Federici, S., & Depero, L. E. (2023, October). Exploring fragmentation techniques for the preparation of test microplastics. In 2023 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for the Sea; Learning to Measure Sea Health Parameters (MetroSea) (pp. 238-242). IEEE.

• Rani, M., Ducoli, S., Depero, L. E., Prica, M., Tubić, A., Ademovic, Z., ... & Federici, S. (2023). A complete guide to extraction methods of microplastics from complex environmental matrices. Molecules, 28(15), 5710.

• Vasiljević, S., Vujić, M., Agbaba, J., Federici, S., Ducoli, S., Tomić, R., & Tubić, A. (2023). Efficiency of Coagulation/Flocculation for the Removal of Complex Mixture of Textile Fibers from Water. Processes, 11(3), 820.

• Marchesi, C., Rani, M., Federici, S., Alessandri, I., Vassalini, I., Ducoli, S., ... & Depero, L. E. (2023). Quantification of ternary microplastic mixtures through an ultra-compact near-infrared spectrometer coupled with chemometric tools. Environmental Research, 216, 114632.

• Federici, S., Ademovic, Z., Amorim, M. J., Bigalke, M., Cocca, M., Depero, L. E., ... & Velimirovic, M. (2022). COST action priority: an EU perspective on micro-and nanoplastics as global issues. Microplastics, 1(2), 282-290.

• Ducoli, S., Federici, S., Nicsanu, R., Zendrini, A., Marchesi, C., Paolini, L., ... & Depero, L. E. (2022). A different protein corona cloaks “true-to-life” nanoplastics with respect to synthetic polystyrene nanobeads. Environmental Science: Nano, 9(4), 1414-1426.

• Vencato, S., Montano, S., Saliu, F., Coppa, S., Becchi, A., Liotta, I., ... & de Lucia, G. A. (2024). Phthalate levels in common sea anemone Actinia equina and Anemonia viridis: A proxy of short-term microplastic interaction?. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 200, 116125.

• Liotta, I., Avolio, R., Castaldo, R., Gentile, G., Ambrogi, V., Errico, M. E., & Cocca, M. (2024). Mitigation approach of plastic and microplastic pollution through recycling of fishing nets at the end of life. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 182, 1143-1152.

• Santonicola, S., Volgare, M., Cocca, M., & Colavita, G. (2023). Abundance and Characteristics of Fibrous Microplastics and Microfibers Isolated in Mullus barbatus from the Adriatic Sea—Preliminary Investigation. Microplastics, 2(4), 411-421.

• Viel, T., Cocca, M., Manfra, L., Caramiello, D., Libralato, G., Zupo, V., & Costantini, M. (2023). Effects of biodegradable-based microplastics in Paracentrotus lividus Lmk embryos: morphological and gene expression analysis. Environmental Pollution, 334, 122129.

• Santonicola, S., Volgare, M., Cocca, M., Dorigato, G., Giaccone, V., & Colavita, G. (2023). Impact of fibrous microplastic pollution on commercial seafood and consumer health: a review. Animals, 13(11), 1736.

• Santonicola, S., Volgare, M., Di Pace, E., Mercogliano, R., Cocca, M., Raimo, G., & Colavita, G. (2023). Research and characterization of fibrous microplastics and natural microfibers in pelagic and benthic fish species of commercial interest. Italian Journal of Food Safety, 12(1).

• Magazzù, A., Gillibert, R., Ciriza, D. B., Musolino, A., Donato, M. G., Foti, A., ... & Gucciardi, P. G. (2023, April). Optical and Raman tweezers for the manipulation and characterization of cosmic dust and sea microplastics. In Optical Manipulation and Its Applications (pp. AW3D-4). Optica Publishing Group.

• Volpe, G., Maragò, O. M., Rubinsztein-Dunlop, H., Pesce, G., Stilgoe, A. B., Volpe, G., ... & Swartzlander, G. A. (2023). Roadmap for optical tweezers. Journal of Physics: Photonics, 5(2), 022501.

• Gillibert, R., Magazzù, A., Callegari, A., Bronte-Ciriza, D., Foti, A., Donato, M. G., ... & Gucciardi, P. G. (2022). Raman tweezers for tire and road wear micro-and nanoparticles analysis. Environmental Science: Nano, 9(1), 145-161.

• Gillibert, R., Balakrishnan, G., Deshoules, Q., Tardivel, M., Magazzù, A., Donato, M. G., ... & Gucciardi, P. G. (2019). Raman tweezers for small microplastics and nanoplastics identification in seawater. Environmental science & technology, 53(15), 9003-9013.

• Foti, A., Nalbone, L., Donato, M. G., Maragò, O. M., Giarratana, F., & Gucciardi, P. G. (2021, October). Detection of microplastics in a digested complex organic medium by Raman Tweezers. In 2021 International Workshop on Metrology for the Sea; Learning to Measure Sea Health Parameters (MetroSea) (pp. 224-228). IEEE.

• Ziino, G., Nalbone, L., Giarratana, F., Romano, B., Cincotta, F., & Panebianco, A. (2021). Microplastics in vacuum packages of frozen and glazed icefish (Neosalanx spp.): A freshwater fish intended for human consumption. Italian journal of food safety, 10(4).

• Nalbone, L., Panebianco, A., Giarratana, F., & Russell, M. (2021). Nile Red staining for detecting microplastics in biota: Preliminary evidence. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 172, 112888.

• Nalbone, L., Cincotta, F., Giarratana, F., Ziino, G., & Panebianco, A. (2021). Microplastics in fresh and processed mussels sampled from fish shops and large retail chains in Italy. Food Control, 125, 108003.

• Rigotti, D., Fambri, L., & Pegoretti, A. (2022). Bio-composites for fused filament fabrication: effects of maleic anhydride grafting on poly (lactic acid) and microcellulose. Progress in Additive Manufacturing, 7(4), 765-783.

• Fambri, L., Dorigato, A., & Pegoretti, A. (2020). Role of surface-treated silica nanoparticles on the thermo-mechanical behavior of poly (lactide). Applied Sciences, 10(19), 6731.

• Rigotti, D., Checchetto, R., Tarter, S., Caretti, D., Rizzuto, M., Fambri, L., & Pegoretti, A. (2019). Polylactic acid-lauryl functionalized nanocellulose nanocomposites: Microstructural, thermo-mechanical and gas transport properties. Express Polymer Letters, 13(10), 858-876.

• Fambri, L., Dabrowska, I., Ceccato, R., & Pegoretti, A. (2017). Effects of fumed silica and draw ratio on nanocomposite polypropylene fibers. Polymers, 9(2), 41.

• Fambri, L., Dabrowska, I., Pegoretti, A., & Ceccato, R. (2014). Melt spinning and drawing of polyethylene nanocomposite fibers with organically modified hydrotalcite. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 131(10).