Croatian Science Foundation Research Project

      

 

MIcroplastic and Nanosilver InteractiONs in terrestrial and freshwater plants and algae (MINION)

Project leader: Prof. Biljana Balen, PhD

Project duration: 15.12.2023. – 14.12.2027.

 

News and activities on the project

 

23. 10. 2026.

Project collaborators Prof. Petra Peharec Štefanić, President of the Croatian Microscopy Society, and Bruno Komazec, PhD, Secretary of the Society, organised the 5th Croatian Microscopy Congress (CMC2026), held in Osijek from 16 to 18 September 2026 (https://mikroskopija.hr/cmc2026/), in cooperation with the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek and the Faculty of Medicine Osijek. Bruno Komazec presented research results obtained within the MINION project via a poster titled “Microplastics Modulate Silver Nanoparticle-Induced Oxidative Stress in Chlorella vulgaris: TEM Insights into Particle-Cell Interactions”. Doctoral student Dona Vuković also participated in the congress, presenting her results in a poster titled “Microplastics Modulate the Toxicity of CTAB-Coated Silver Nanoparticles in Chlorella vulgaris: Evidence from Oxidative Stress and Ultrastructural Changes” (https://mikroskopija.hr/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/CMC2026_Book_of_Abstracts.pdf).

    

 

23. 10. 2026.

PhD candidate Dorian Loknar participated in the international scientific conference “Imaging Principles of Life 2026”, held on 30 September and 1 October 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic (https://www.czech-bioimaging.cz/activities/conference/). He presented the results of his research – conducted within the framework of the MINION and MOBDOK-2023-8690 projects – in an oral presentation titled “Two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging reveals coating-dependent interactions between silver nanoparticles and microplastics in Allium cepa roots” (https://www.czech-bioimaging.cz/files/2026/08/Final_program_IPL_2026.pdf).

 

23. 10. 2026.

Project leader Prof. Biljana Balen and project collaborator Prof. Mirta Tkalec took part in the international scientific conference “MICRO 2026”, held from 12 to 16 October 2026 in Cádiz, Spain (https://micro2026.sciencesconf.org/). Prof. Balen presented research results obtained within the MINION project in an oral presentation titled “Microplastics modulate the bioavailability and phytotoxicity of coated silver nanoparticles in Allium cepa roots”, while Prof. Tkalec presented a poster titled “Phytotoxic effects of differently coated silver nanoparticles co-exposed with microplastics on the aquatic plant Lemna minor” (https://micro2026.sciencesconf.org/resource/page/id/15).

  

 

22. 09. 2026.

PhD student Dorian Loknar took part in the international scientific conference EUROTOX 2026, held from 13 to 16 September 2026 in Vienna, Austria (https://www.eurotox2026.com/), where he presented his research in a poster titled “Interactive effects of silver nanoparticles and microplastics on oxidative stress and DNA damage in Allium cepa roots” (https://toxlet-423-s.elsevierdigitaledition.com/10/).

 

17. 07. 2026.

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Friday, 17 July 2026, Valerija Stanec, a student of the Graduate Study of Molecular Biology, completed her studies and graduated with a dissertation entitled "Physiological response of onion (Allium cepa) roots to microplastics and silver nanoparticles combined exposure" under the supervision of Prof. Biljana Balen, PhD, and the co-supervision of Petra Cvjetko, PhD.

 

16. 07. 2026.

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Thursday, 16 July 2026, Lucija Brautović, a student of the Graduate Study of Experimental Biology, completed her studies and graduated with a dissertation entitled "Physiological and biochemical response of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris to polystyrene microparticles exposure" under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Petra Peharec Štefanić, PhD, and the co-supervision of Bruno Komazec, PhD.

 

14. 07. 2026.

A new master's thesis has been completed within the framework of the MINION project. On Monday, 13 July 13,2026, Lucija Mikulić, a student of the integrated undergraduate and graduate study programme in Biology and Chemistry, graduated with a thesis titled "The impact of silver nanoparticles and microplastic interaction on oxidative stress and antioxidant mechanisms in duckweed (Lemna minor)," under the mentorship of Prof. Mirta Tkalec, PhD.

 

09. 07. 2026.

Project team members and PhD students, Dona Vuković and Dorian Loknar, participated in the international summer workshop Fate and Impact of (Micro- and Nano-) Plastics on Health, held from June 29 to July 2, 2026, at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands (https://www.rug.nl/education/summer-winter-schools/micro-and-nano-plastics/), during which they presented the MINION project by short talk.

The workshop brought together young researchers and experts in the field of micro- and nanoplastics and their impact on health and the environment, and through various activities and lectures provided participants with the opportunity to acquire new knowledge, exchange experiences and establish international collaborations. 

  

 

24. 06. 2026.

Members of the project team participated in the international scientific conference, the 20th Central and Eastern European Proteomic Conference (20th ceepc), which took place from 14 to 17 June 2026 in Zagreb (https://20ceepc.com/), where they presented the results of their research.

The project leader, Prof. Biljana Balen, gave an oral presentation entitled SURFACE COATING-DEPENDENT PHYTOTOXICITY OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES: ANTIOXIDANT AND PROTEOMIC RESPONSES IN PLANTS AND GREEN ALGAE.

Project associate Bruno Komazec, PhD presented his results in a poster titled STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF EXTRACELLULAR POLYMERIC SUBSTANCES (EPS) GLYCANS FROM Chlorella vulgaris USING MALDI-MS AND MS/MS, for which he won first prize for the best poster.

Prof. Petra Peharec Štefanić presented her results in a poster titled SURFACE FUNCTIONALIZATION SHAPES THE PROTEOMIC RESPONSE OF Chlorella vulgaris TO POLYSTYRENE NANOPARTICLES. The co-author of this poster is our new PhD student, Dona Vuković, who also attended this scientific conference.

 

 

 

 

18. 05. 2026.

Doctoral student Dorian Loknar participated in the 11^th International Doctoral Students' Conference  in Life Sciences, which was held on 14 and 15 May 2026 at the University of Lodz, Poland (https://www.uni.lodz.pl/bioopen/11th-edition) and presented his research in a lecture entitled VISUALIZATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES AND MICROPLASTICS IN ALLIUM CEPA ROOTS USING TWO-PHOTON CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY (https://www.uni.lodz.pl/fileadmin/user_upload/Konferencje/BIOOPEN/2026/Program_BioOpen_2026_30.04.2026.pdf).

 

07. 05. 2026.

Doctoral student Dorian Loknar participated in the 10^th Symposium of Doctoral Students of the Faculty of Science (10^th SSDS), which was held on 24 and 25 April 2026 at the Department of Physics of the Faculty of Science in Zagreb (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MmeKuuW5ZTSz3tmHGn8U0k7hyTxHK5yc/view) and presented his research in a lecture entitled VISUALIZATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES AND MICROPLASTICS IN ALLIUM CEPA ROOTS USING TWO-PHOTON CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BYf5LWBX6oIiMGDqjV4ufWCLY1Is69-2/view)

 

09. 03. 2026.

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Friday, 20 February 2026, Anamarija Furlić, a student of the Graduate Study of Experimental Biology, completed her studies and graduated with a dissertation entitled "The impact of silver nanoparticles and microplastics on oxidative stress in the freshwater green alga Chlorella vulgaris" under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Petra Peharec Štefanić, PhD, and the co-supervision of Bruno Komazec, PhD.

 

 

11. 02. 2026.

Bruno Komazec, PhD, a collaborator on the MINION project, presented the results of his research on the MINION project and the training undertaken in the Proteomics Group at the Central European Institute of Technology – Brno University of Technology (CEITEC-BUT), Czech Republic, in a lecture entitled "Molecular characterisation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the algae Chlorella vulgaris" for members of the Croatian Plant Biology Society on Monday, 9 February 2026, in Zagreb.

 

 

 05. 02. 2026.

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Thursday, 5 February 2026, Ana Bazarota, a student of the Graduate Study of Experimental Biology, completed her studies and graduated with a dissertation entitled "The impact of microplastic and silver nanoparticles interaction on growth, biochemical indicators and gene expression in duckweed (Lemna minor)" under the supervision of Prof. Mirta Tkalec, PhD, and the co-supervision of Sandra Vitko, PhD.

 

20. 01. 2026.

On January 20, 2026, Dona Vuković, mag.biol. mol. joined the MINION project as a member of the research group. Dorian is employed on the project within the Croatian Science Foundation program "Career development of young researchers - training of new PhD students" (DOK-2025-02)" and will prepare her PhD thesis within the project. Welcome Dona!

 

 

19 . 12. 2025.

The members of the MINION research group thank all collaborators and business partners for their successful cooperation and the trust shown. We wish you happy holidays, good health, and business success in the New Year 2026.

 

19 . 12. 2025.

Dorian Loknar, a doctoral student on the MINION project, presented the results of his training conducted at the IPHYS Bioimaging Facility of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. This training was carried out through the mobility program for assistants (MOBDOK-2023) of the Croatian Science Foundation and the Czech Bioimaging program, at the Symposium of the Croatian Society for Plant Biology held on Friday, 12 December 2025 in Zagreb. He gave a lecture entitled “Visualization of silver nanoparticles and microplastics using two-photon confocal microscopy in terrestrial and aquatic plants”.

https://www.hdbb.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Program-Simpozija-HDBB-2025.pdf

 

09 .12. 2025.

Dorian Loknar, PhD student at the MINON project, spent 33 days (20 October – 21 November 2025) at the IPHYS Bioimaging Facility of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague through the assistant mobility program (MOBDOK-2023) of the Croatian Science Foundation and the Czech Bioimaging program. As part of his doctoral dissertation, under the supervision of Dr Daniel Hadraba and Dr Davide Basello, he used two-photon confocal microscopy to simultaneously localize silver nanoparticles and microplastics in onion roots (Allium cepa) under experimental conditions. During his stay, he gained practical experience in two-photon excitation microscopy with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), including sample preparation, optimization of imaging parameters, and image data processing. The mobility enabled a deeper understanding of the behaviour of microplastics and nanoparticles at the tissue level. The stay in the international laboratory provided his first practical experience of working in a foreign research environment, facilitated knowledge exchange, and established cooperation between partner institutions. The collected results and acquired skills form the basis for continued research as part of his doctoral dissertation.

 

08 .12. 2025.

Research Training at CEITEC, Brno, Czech Republic

Dr. Bruno Komazec participated in a three-month scientific training programme at the Proteomic Core Facility, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC-MU), Brno, from 17 August to 19 November 2025.

The main objective of the training was the development and application of advanced glycomics methods for the detailed analysis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from the microalga Chlorella vulgaris. The work focused on optimising partial hydrolysis, selective SPE purification, and MALDI-MS and MALDI-MS/MS analyses for the structural and functional characterisation of polysaccharides.

The results enabled the identification of four structurally distinct types of polysaccharide chains, with alginic acid clearly emerging as the dominant component, representing an important contribution to understanding the molecular composition of algal EPS.

In addition to glycomics, a basic protocol for the preparation of EPS proteins was established and will be further developed in Zagreb.

The expertise gained and the collaboration established with Dr. Erika Lattová and Prof. Zbyňek Zdráhal provide a solid foundation for continuing research on EPS and future project activities.

 

 

03. 12. 2025.

From 20 to 23 November 2025, project leader Biljana Balen participated in the 15th Croatian Biological Congress with International Participation, held in Zagreb, presenting a poster titled "CAN MICROPLASTICS REDUCE THE UPTAKE OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES IN ONION ROOTS?".

https://www.hbd-sbc.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/15HBK-zbornik-sazetaka.pdf

Biljana Balen participated in the 15th Croatian Biological Congress

 

 

Participation in the Croatian Radio show "Scientific Concentrate"

 

The project leader, Biljana Balen, Prof., participated in the show "Scientific Concentrate" on the third programme of Croatian Radio on 20 October 2025 with the topic "What do microplastics and nanosilver do to plants and algae?" She presented the scientific issues of the MINION project, the research team, collaborating institutions, and the methods used in the research.

You can listen to the show at the link https://radio.hrt.hr/slusaonica/znanstveni-koncentrat?epizoda=202510201300

 

 

 

 

 

03. 10. 2025 Congress "7 MCM, Portorož, Slovenia"

associate professor Ph.D. Petra Peharec Štefanić, president of the Croatian Microscopy Society, was a member of the International Advisory Board and head of the "Structure and function of cells and organelles" section at the 17th MCM, Portorož, Slovenia.

Ph.D. Bruno Komazec presented the results of the Minion project at the 17th Multinational Congress on Microscopy, which took place from September 7 to 12, 2025 in Portorož, Slovenia, through the poster presentation "Visualizing the algal response on polystyrene particles: A focus on EPS production".

  

 

02. 10. 2025.

As part of the project, the scientific paper entitled Multi-Parameter Analysis of Photosynthetic and Molecular Responses in Chlorella vulgaris Exposed to Silver Nanoparticles and Ions was published, which contains the results of the research conducted in the first and second year of the project. The paper was published in the journal Toxics and can be viewed at https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13080627.

 

September 24, 2025

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, David Bendelja, student of the Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate Study of Biology and Chemistry, completed his studies and graduated with a dissertation on "THE IMPACT OF MICROPLASTIC AND SILVER NANOPARTICLE INTERACTION ON THE GROWTH AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN DUCKWEED (Lemna minor)" under the supervision of Prof. Mirta Tkalec, Ph.D.

 

September 23, 2024

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Sara Šrepfler, student of Molecular Biology Graduate Study, completed her studies and graduated with a dissertation on "The impact of microplastics and silver nanoparticles on oxidative stress in onion roots" under the supervision of Prof. Biljana Balen, Ph.D. and the co-supervision of Petra Cvjetko, PhD.

 

01. 07. 2025.

 

From June 25 to 28, 2025, PI Biljana Balen and team member Mirta Tkalec participated in the Plant Biology Europe 2025 congress organized by Federation of the European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB), which took place in Budapest, Hungary.

Biljana Balen gave a presentation entitled „Interactive effects of silver nanoparticles and microplastics on oxidative stress in Allium cepa roots“, while Mirta Tkalec participated with a poster presentation entitled „Combined toxicity of silver nanoparticles and microplastics on the aquatic plant Lemna minor“.

Both contributions presented the results of the MINION project.

https://pbe2025-budapest.org/

https://pbe2025-budapest.org/PBE2025_book_of_abstracts.pdf

 

 

 

 

13. 05. 2025.

PhD student Dorian Loknar delivered a popular science lecture titled "Molecular Networks" as part of the 2025 Science Festival (https://www.festivalznanosti.hr/2025/cabar/?eventId=5962) at the 'Petar Zrinski' Elementary School in Čabar. Speaking to students in grades 5 through 8, he introduced key topics from the MINION project, including what microplastics are, how they are formed, the most common types found in nature and in everyday use, as well as what model organisms are and their importance in research. He also discussed the specific model organisms used in our studies. The goal of the lecture was to introduce students to scientific concepts they haven't yet encountered in school, but that are present in their everyday lives, and to spark their interest in science.

 

 

13. 05. 2025.

Dorian Loknar, PhD student participated in the 9th Symposium of Doctoral Students of the Faculty of Science (9th SSDS), which took place on April 28 and 29, 2025 at the Department of Physics and Mathematics of the Faculty of Science in Zagreb (https://phdss.pmf.unizg.hr/), and presented his research work in a poster presentation.

 

12. 05. 2025.

Bruno Komazec, PhD and Dorian Loknar, PhD student, participated in MICROPLASTICdays (https://planterastics.fkkt.uni-lj.si/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MICROPLASTICdays_program-1.pdf) workshop which took place at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, from March 25-27, 2025. During the workshop, they presented the MINION project in a short presentation.

 

24. 03. 2025.

As part of the project, the first scientific paper entitled Physiological responses of Lemna minor to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics was published, which contains the results of two diploma theses by Ana Matešković and Luka Kobelščak, which were made and defended in the first year of the project. The paper was published in the journal Current Plant Biology and can be viewed at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100473.

 

From November 6 to 9

From November 6 to 9, 2024, PI Biljana Balen and team member Petra Cvjetko participated in the 5th International Congress on Food Safety and Quality „Safe food, today and tommorow“, which took place in Poreč.

Biljana Balen gave a presentation entitled „Phytotoxic effects of polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics on the floating freshwater plant Lemna minor“, while Petra Cvjetko participated with a poster presentation entitled „Microplastics mediate the toxicity of silver nanoplastics in Allium cepa roots“.

Both contributions presented the results of the MINION project.

 

 

 

October 15, 2024

On October 15, 2024, Dorian Loknar, mag.biol. mol. joined the MINION project as a member of the research group. Dorian is employed on the project within the Croatian Science Foundation program "Career development of young researchers - training of new PhD students" within the framework of investment C 3.2. R2-I1 "Development of an incentive model for promoting the careers of researchers and conducting top scientific research in STEM and ICT fields (NPOO-DOK-2023-10)" and will prepare his PhD thesis within the project. Welcome Dorian!

 

14 - 16 October 2024

Assoc. prof. Ph.D. Petra Peharec Štefanić, collaborator of the project, participated with an oral presentation entitled Polystyrene particles impair photosynthesis in Chlorella vulgaris at the scientific conference INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PLANT NANOTECHNOLOGY (ICPN2024), which took place 14 - 16 October 2024 in Poznan, Poland, where she presented the research results of the MINION project.

 

 

 

September 25 to 28, 2024

From September 25 to 28, 2024, postdoctoral researcher Bruno Komazec, PhD attended the FEBS3+ MEETING – EXPLORING MOLECULAR FRONTIERS conference, where he participated with a poster presentation entitled PLASTICS IN FOCUS: THE INFLUENCE OF POLYSTYRENE ON THE FITNESS OF FRESHWATER ALGAE and presented the results of the MINION project.

 

 

September 19, 2024

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Thursday, September 19, 2024, Ana Matešković, student of Molecular Biology graduate study, completed her studies and graduated with a dissertation on "The effects of microplastics on the growth and photosynthesis of Lemna minor" under the supervision of Prof. Mirta Tkalec, Ph.D. and the co-supervision of Sandra Vitko, PhD.

 

 

July 19, 2024

The new thesis was completed as part of the MINION project. On Friday, July 19, 2024, Mihaela Jakopčić, student of Environmental Sciences, completed her studies and graduated with a dissertation on " THE EFFECT OF MICROPLASTICS ON OXIDATIVE STRESS APPEARANCE AND ACTIVITY OF ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES IN ONION (Allium cepa L.) ROOTS" under the supervision of Prof. Biljana Balen, Ph.D. and the co-supervision of Renata Biba, PhD.

 

 

May 29, 2024

On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, the principal investigator B. Balen and team members from the Division of Biology of the Faculty of Science M. Tkalec, D. Pavoković, P. Peharec Štefanić, P. Cvjetko i B. Komazec participated in the first meeting of nano- and microplastics researchers from Croatia "Microplastics for Breakfast with Andreja Palatinus" at the premises of the Institute of Medical Research and Occupational Medicine. A total of 62 researchers took part in the workshop, and the PI gave a short presentation on the work of the research group and the research project of the Croatian Science Foundation "MINION".

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 22, 2024

    Within the MINION project, the first graduation thesis was made. On Thursday, February 22, 2024, Luka Kobelščak, a graduate student of Environmental sciences, completed his studies and graduated with a dissertation on the topic " THE EFFECT OF MICROPLASTICS ON OXIDATIVE STRESS APPEARANCE AND ACTIVITY OF ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES IN DUCKWEED (Lemna minor)" under the supervision of Prof. Biljana Balen, Ph.D. and the co-supervision of Karla Košpić, PhD.

 

 

December 15, 2024

  The MINION project started on December 15, 2024, and the first working meeting of the project team took place on December 21 at the Division of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. The meeting was attended by researchers from the Faculty of Science and colleagues from the Croatian Institute of Public Health and the Teaching Institute of Public Health "Dr. Andrija Štampar" participated. The project leader, Prof. Biljana Balen, Ph.D., introduced all collaborators and researchers, explained the work and financial plan and pointed out the additions to the work plan that were made at the request of the reviewers. An activity plan for the first few months was also drawn up and the responsibilities of all collaborators were agreed.