Glaukos Project general meeting in Vigo

The Glaukos project celebrates its meeting in Vigo with researchers from nine European countries. 

The project focuses on the development of environmentally friendly textile fibers and coatings for fishing gear and clothing that are biodegradable and biorecyclable. The Ecotox team has devised a faster laboratory and mesocosm-based method for assessing the biodegradability and ecotoxicity of microplastics in marine environments. Currently, most additives and coatings used in fishing gear and textiles are petroleum-based, but the Glaukos project aims to achieve a significant advancement by producing coatings with a minimum of 30% bio-based content. To accomplish this, the CECOTOX team has designed a comprehensive material analysis system consisting of three tests: biodegradation, mechanical degradation, and ecotoxicity. The results from these tests determine whether a material is environmentally friendly or not in marine settings. Moreover, these standardized methods can be extended to assess the biodegradability and ecotoxicity of microplastics in other plastic materials, facilitating progress in this field.

For more information follow the coverage of this event by our colleagues of CIM https://www.uvigo.gal/en/university/communication/duvi/proxecto-glaukos-celebra-vigo-sua-reunion-anual-persoal-investigador-nove-paises-europeos or check GLAUKOS Project web https://glaukos-project.eu/