Background

Why is this study being conducted?

• Plastic products can be found almost everywhere on the planet today. Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 mm.
• There is little known about what happens when people are exposed to plastic particles, especially the smallest-sized particles called microplastics.
• This research is part of the European project AURORA. Het onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd door onderzoekers van het Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht en de Universiteit Utrecht. Samen met andere universiteiten gaan zij onderzoek doen naar de blootstelling aan plastic in het dagelijks leven.
• We will measure the level of microplastics in the human body. This will allow us to investigate the impact of different sources of microplastics. We also want to collect some dust from your home to measure the level of microplastics in the home. The questions in the survey will also allow us to evaluate the impact of other factors such as eating habits, food packaging, and clothing.

Who can participate?

• You are a woman between the ages of 18 and 45 years old
• You are not pregnant or do not want to become pregnant during the four month study period*
• You are not breastfeeding
• You live in the Netherlands - within an approximate radius of 70 km from Utrecht, the Netherlands

*Pregnant women and women who want to become pregnant are excluded from the study. The study does not affect the health of you or your (unborn) child but the change in blood volume during pregnancy affects our measurements.

Why participate in this research

• This study provides us with information about sources of microplastics that people are exposed to. It provides you with information about your personal exposure to microplastics.
• The results of the survey can be used to develop guidelines to help reduce microplastics. The results will also impact future studies on the potential health risks of microplastics.

What participation includes

• Participation in the full study takes 4 months and includes 3 visits to your home which last approximately 30-60 min;

We will do the following tests:

• Blood tests
• Urine analysis
• Collection and analysis of the dust in your home
• Questionnaire about plastic usage

Results

• Approximately one year after the research is complete, the researcher will let you know the main results of the study.
• In addition, the researcher will inform you what the microplastic levels found in you were in relation to the other study participants.

Will you receive compensation if you participate in the study?

• For your participation you will receive a bol.com card worth 25 euros.

What can you do now?

• You can register on this website without any obligation. This doesn't commit you to anything yet. If you do register, we will contact you.
• If you want more information about this topic, you can read this  article  about the discovery of microplastics in the blood.

What happens after enrollment?

• After enrollment, we will contact you and you will receive more information from us about the study.
• We are looking for 100 participants. We will contact you summer 2023 to schedule the first appointment. During this visit, you can ask again any questions you have.

Finally

• Thank you in advance for your interest. Please write down any questions you may have at this time so you can ask them then. You can register below. That doesn't commit you to anything yet.

Contact Information

Do you have any questions about this study?

Send an email to aurora@umcutrecht.nl

Someone from our team will get back to you as soon as possible.