The research team is being led by a team of scientists and experts at Newcastle University and the University of Liverpool.
They are also being assisted by volunteers and other regional organisations such as Environment Agency, Tyne Rivers Trust and Groundwork North East and Cumbria.
Over the course of the year the research will also look to map the travel of the plastic pellets.
The nurdles have been found in beaches across Tyneside, Wearside and Teesside, with experts suggesting they may have reached the coast of Denmark.
Dr Geoffrey Abbott, a reader in geochemistry at Newcastle University, said: “We hope to visit Denmark to determine if the pellets found are the nurdles from the Port of Tyne spill.
“There have been cases where they can travel great distances, for instance a spill in South Africa led to nurdles washing up in Perth, Australia, in no time at all.”
Members of the public are being asked to continue to send pictures of nurdles to help with the research.
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