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Microplastics

Projects

Health
Emerging contaminants
Water Quality Knowledge Impulse

Over the past four years, work in the Water Quality Knowledge Impulse has focused on learning more about the quality of groundwater and surface water, and the factors that affect that quality. The aim of the Water…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Microplastics in water treatment

Plastics are a ubiquitous part of everyday life and they are found in fresh water throughout the Netherlands. In this project, we describe the nature and levels of microplastics (20 - 500 µm) at different stages of…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Nanoplastics in drinking water

It is becoming increasingly clear that plastic is everywhere. That has been demonstrated in numerous environmental compartments, including soil, sediment, surface water and air. Data about the presence of microplastic particles in surface water are sparse, and…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Water-soluble polymers – Eyes and ears for Chemical Safety 2019-2020

Water-soluble polymers are often neglected because they are not covered by the definition of microplastics and are not visible. As a result, very little is still known about…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Chain Explorer – fewer emissions

If it isn’t in the water, you won’t need to remove it. Besides end-of-pipe measures aimed at improving water quality, it is also advisable to study how emissions of substances earlier in…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Microplastics in water

To acquire more understanding of microplastics and even smaller particles, KWR is currently conducting research involving the measurement of the smallest possible particles present in surface water and drinking water, among others. WHO recently published a report…

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Health
Emerging contaminants
Preventing the flow of microplastics via effluent into surface water

Microplastics are small (< 5mm), synthetic particles that can have a big impact if they flow into large surface water bodies. Larger pieces of plastic waste cause harm…

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Experts

Renske Hoondert PhD
Scientific researcher Project manager
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Renske Hoondert PhD

Scientific researcher Project manager

Renske Hoondert works as a researcher and project manager in the Chemical Water Quality and Health group. She studied Biology at Radboud University in Nijmegen, after which in 2020 she…

030-6069709

renske.hoondert@kwrwater.nl

06-21692814

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Peer Timmers
Scientific researcher
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Peer Timmers

Scientific researcher

Peer Timmers is trained in microbial ecophysiology. He applies as broad a range of chemical and molecular biological techniques as possible to determine which microorganisms are responsible for a particular…

030-6069636

peer.timmers@kwrwater.nl

06-15403473

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Stefan Kools PhD
Manager Scientific researcher
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Stefan Kools PhD

Manager Scientific researcher

Stefan Kools works at KWR as a researcher and team leader. He has more than 20 years' experience in the water sector, both as a scientific researcher and ecotoxicology advisor.…

030-6069539

stefan.kools@kwrwater.nl

06-46818786

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Patrick Bäuerlein PhD
Senior scientific researcher Project manager
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Patrick Bäuerlein PhD

Senior scientific researcher Project manager

Patrick Bäuerlein is a chemical researcher in the Chemical Water Quality and Health team, and his main field of expertise is the chemical quality of the entire water cycle. He…

030-6069702

patrick.bauerlein@kwrwater.nl

06-54296020

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News

News

More MOMENTUM for research into micro- and nanoplastics

05 April 2024 — The research on micro- and nanoplastics continues in MOMENTUM 2.0 and breakthrough projects. KWR contributes on various fronts,…

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News

Award for KWR presentation on the use of machine learning to classify microplastics

18 July 2022 — KWR has developed a new approach to the challenge of identifying microplastics. The presentation of the approach by…

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Blog

Microplastics, toxic substances and new approaches

20 June 2022 — Many challenges lie ahead of us due to a fast-changing environment and increasing anthropogenic pressure. The Society of…

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Blog

Microplastics and human health research in the Netherlands – Symposium MOMENTUM

16 November 2021 — Micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) can be found nearly everywhere; in the air we breathe, in food and…

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News

Handles to determine the occurrence of microplastics in the urban water cycle

04 August 2021 — The doctoral thesis, ‘Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Urban Water Cycle’, by Svenja Mintenig helps the water sector…

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News

New BTO Water Matters Podcast

21 June 2021 — The Dutch water utilities, the Flemish De Watergroep and the branch association Vewin, together with KWR, carry out…

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News

Do microplastics have an effect on our bodies?

07 June 2021 — Working with other research institutes and business, KWR is moving ahead with a three-year study of micro- and…

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News

Learning together in the fight against microplastics

04 June 2021 — Even if research cannot immediately demonstrate that a technology works in practice, the TKI approach pays off. This…

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News

Hazards of consumer products to the water cycle

30 March 2021 — An investigation of twenty types of consumer products makes it clear that we are still far from the…

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News

Sources and effects of microplastics in water still not sufficiently known

22 February 2021 — The Deltafact Microplastics of the Chain Explorer, a project within the Water Quality Knowledge Impulse programme, was recently…

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News

Clean water, now and in the future

31 December 2019 — KWR is a specialist in the detection, research and removal of undesirable substances, such as pharmaceutical residues and…

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Blog

Conference on emerging contaminants and micropollutants

11 November 2019 — From 20 to 23 October the 11th Micropol & Ecohazard conference was held in Seoul, South-Korea. The Micropol…

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Water Sector

Research into microplastics in purified wastewater in full swing

13 September 2019 — The research into microplastics in purified wastewater by drinking water company PWN, Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier (HHNK), The Great…

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News

What is the status of plastics in water?

11 July 2019 — It was recently reported on the news that people ingest a teaspoon, that is 5 grams, of microplastics…

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Water Sector

Consortium researches impact of ‘Bubble Barrier’ on microplastics in treated wastewater

06 May 2019 — A research consortium, comprising the water utility PWN, Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Authority (HHNK), The Great Bubble Barrier and…

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News

Water Quality Knowledge Impulse: room for acceleration

30 October 2018 — The participants in the Water Quality Knowledge Impulse are the national government, provinces, Water Authorities, water utilities, knowledge…

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Blog

EMCON 2018 Conference on emerging contaminants

05 July 2018 — The 6th International Conference on Emerging Contaminants was held in Oslo, Norway, from 25 to 28 June, 2018.…

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Blog

New Dutch and EU strategies on plastic

24 January 2018 — This week the European-wide strategy on plastics was launched, as was the Dutch transition agenda for plastics. Both…

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Water Sector

Research into microplastics in Dutch water

07 September 2017 — On 6 September The Guardian published an article on research into plastic fibres in tap water. The research…

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Water Sector

Rossella Messina finalist in Dopper Changemaker Challenge

16 March 2017 — Rossella Messina, master thesis intern at KWR, has reached the final round of the Dopper Changemaker Challenge. With…

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Article

Launch of research into nanoplastics pollution in inland waters

24 April 2015 — In 2015 a new research project, party financed by Technology Foundation STW, began mapping the extent to which…

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Subjects

Health

Emerging contaminants

Emerging contaminants are a possible threat to the public health and environment. KWR develops smarter,…

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Our expertises

Chemical water quality

Collaboration

Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC)

Read more

Microplastics

Water Quality Knowledge Impulse

Microplastics in water treatment

Nanoplastics in drinking water

Water-soluble polymers – Eyes and ears for Chemical Safety 2019-2020

Chain Explorer – fewer emissions

Microplastics in water

Preventing the flow of microplastics via effluent into surface water

More MOMENTUM for research into micro- and nanoplastics

Award for KWR presentation on the use of machine learning to classify microplastics

Microplastics, toxic substances and new approaches

Microplastics and human health research in the Netherlands – Symposium MOMENTUM

Handles to determine the occurrence of microplastics in the urban water cycle

New BTO Water Matters Podcast

Do microplastics have an effect on our bodies?

Learning together in the fight against microplastics

Hazards of consumer products to the water cycle

Sources and effects of microplastics in water still not sufficiently known

Clean water, now and in the future

Conference on emerging contaminants and micropollutants

Research into microplastics in purified wastewater in full swing

What is the status of plastics in water?

Consortium researches impact of ‘Bubble Barrier’ on microplastics in treated wastewater

Water Quality Knowledge Impulse: room for acceleration

EMCON 2018 Conference on emerging contaminants

New Dutch and EU strategies on plastic

Research into microplastics in Dutch water

Rossella Messina finalist in Dopper Changemaker Challenge

Launch of research into nanoplastics pollution in inland waters

Emerging contaminants

Global Water Research Coalition (GWRC)