To the great sadness of the MOMENTUM consortium, Dick Vethaak passed away in June 2024. Read the In Memoriam here.

Prof. Dick Vethaak was a biologist and toxicologist by training. He retired in 2020 from VU University Amsterdam as an emeritus professor of Water Quality and Health. His long-term employment at Deltares in Delft ended in April 2022. Afterwards, he was a senior guest scientist at Utrecht University’s Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS).

Vethaak’s areas of expertise included assessing water quality and ecosystem health, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and the fate and effects of plastic debris. Micro/nanoplastics are the subject of his recent research.

In addition to participating in various ZonMw breakthrough projects, Vethaak co-coordinated the MOMENTUM project (the Dutch Microplastics and Human Health consortium). Also, he advised ZonMw on how to proceed with its Microplastic & Health research program. His work was frequently mentioned in national and international media.