Investigating Exposure and Hazards of Micro- and NanoplasticsDuring Pregnancy and Early Life (AURORA Project):Protocol foran Interdisciplinary Study

Abstract

Background: Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging pollutants of concern with ubiquitous presence in global ecosystems.MNPs pose potential implications for human health; however, the health impacts of MNP exposures are not yet understoo Recent evidence suggests that MNPs can cross the placental barrier, underlying the urgent need to understand their impact onreproductive health and development. Objective: The Actionable eUropean ROadmap for early-life health Risk Assessment of micro- and nanoplastics (AURORA)project will investigate MNP exposures and their biological and health effects during pregnancy and early life, which are criticalperiods due to heightened vulnerability to environmental stressors. The AURORA project will enhance exposure assessmentcapabilities for measuring MNPs, MNP-associated chemicals, and plastic additives in human tissues, including placenta andblood. Methods: In this interdisciplinary project, we will advance methods for in-depth characterization and scalable chemical analyticalstrategies, enabling high-resolution and large-scale toxicological, exposure assessment, and epidemiological studies. The AURORAproject performs observational studies to investigate determinants and health impacts of MNPs by including 800 mother-childpairs from 2 existing birth cohorts and 110 women of reproductive age from a newly established cohort. This will be complementedby toxicological studies using a tiered-testing approach and epidemiological investigations to evaluate associations betweenmaternal and prenatal MNP exposures and health perturbations, such as placental function, immune-inflammatory responses,oxidative stress, accelerated aging, endocrine disruption, and child growth and development. The ultimate goal of the AURORAproject is to create an MNP risk assessment framework and identify the remaining knowledge gaps and priorities needed tocomprehensively assess the impact of MNPs on early-life health. Results: In the first 3 years of this 5-year project (2021-2026), progress was made toward all objectives. This includes completionof recruitment and data collection for new and existing cohorts, development of analytical methodological protocols, and initiationof the toxicological tiered assessments. As of September 2024, data analysis is ongoing and results are expected to be publishedstarting in 2025. Conclusions: As plastic pollution increases globally, it is imperative to understand the impact of MNPs on human health,particularly during vulnerable developmental stages such as early life. The contributions of the AURORA project will informfuture risk assessment.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/63176