TY - CONF A1 - Julseth, Mara Jean T1 - Multivalent Myteries: How Termite Chromosome Chains Shape Evolution N2 - Termites challenge long-standing assumptions about insect social evolution. One important difference compared to the social ants, bees and wasps lies in their chromosomes: termites are diploid, with X/Y sex differentiation observed in most species and males playing active roles across all castes and life stages. Adding to their uniqueness, termites exhibit multivalent chromosome chains during male meiosis—an intriguing and seldom seen feature of eukaryote evolution. These chains, in addition to other chromosomal formations, such as bivalent rings and rods, may serve to suppress recombination, thereby mitigating against the potentially harmful effects of inbreeding. Again, this positions termites as an important contrasting study system to other social insect groups, where recombination rates tend to be elevated. Multivalent chromosome chains may also play a significant role in speciation processes by increasing the likelihood of chromosomal translocations and promoting genomic islands of divergence. In European Reticulitermes, variability in chain length and stability both between and within species provides a compelling model system for studying the evolutionary importance of multivalent chromosome chains at intra- and interspecific levels and at different evolutionary time scales. To investigate these dynamics, we collected over 200 colonies of Reticulitermes species across the Mediterranean, generating de novo reference genomes, comprehensive population genomic as well as karyotypic data from three recently diverged species. Our findings shed light on the intricate relationship between chromosomal architecture and evolutionary mechanisms in termites, offering new insight into how genome structure shapes species evolution. T2 - ESEB 2025 Congress CY - Barcelona, Spain DA - 17.08.2025 KW - Termites KW - Chromosome evolution PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-65059 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Dehkohneh, Abolfazl T1 - Effect of Carbon and Nitrogen on Growth of the Oligotrophic and Extremotolerant Fungus Knufia petricola N2 - Introduction: Rock-inhabiting black fungi are renowned for their constitutive melanin production, extremotolerance and ubiquitous colonization of oligotrophic, natural or anthropogenic subaerial surfaces, including marble monuments and solar panels. Knufia petricola is a model for these fungi as it is genetically amenable and has their typical characteristics. It is capable of colonizing and deteriorating minerals and produces extracellular polymeric substances that facilitate attachment. Objectives: The objective of this study is to understand how such an organism is able to grow in environments depleted of C and/or N. Method: K. petricola growth parameters (colony extension and thickness, biomass, CO2 respiration and carbon-use efficiency (CUE)) were analysed for different C to N ratios (C:N), changing both the C and N concentrations and sources. The study utilized a dual-scale approach, examining biofilm formation on agar (macroscale) and growth of a single cell into a microcolony in a microfluidic device (microscale). This methodology provided insights into the nutritional requirements and growth behaviours of K. petricola across different spatial scales. Findings: Our macroscale analysis indicated optimal growth at the C:N ratio of 60. The morphological analysis demonstrated that when nitrate is utilized as the N source, colonies tend to exhibit filamentous growth at their edges, especially when glucose is available as C source. In contrast, when ammonium is the N source, the colony surface appears smooth (Fig. 1A). Moreover, C or N depletion led to higher substrate penetration, mostly through filaments at the edge of the biofilm. Notably, the lowest carbon concentration yielded reduced biomass C:N ratio and the peak biomass C:N ratio was observed at the medium C:N ratio of 60, suggesting a potential correlation between C:N ratio and optimal growth (Fig. 1B). The CUE was however quite low, ca. 0.4-0.6, being lowest when C and N were limiting. Concurrently, microscale analyses of single cells revealed that increasing the C:N ratio from 0.6 to 60 caused (1) shorter cell cycles and (2) more branching, no branching formed without C and N (Fig. 1C). This led to a denser colony at optimal conditions and a rather extended morphology under C or N limitations. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the depletion of either carbon or nitrogen results in enhanced substrate penetration, predominantly through edge filaments. Notably, the optimal growth and peak biomass C:N ratio of 60 suggest both a correlation with and importance of the medium C:N ratio. Specifically, the lowest carbon input led to a reduced biomass C:N ratio, while the peak biomass C:N ratio was achieved at the medium C:N ratio of 60. T2 - FEMS MICRO conference CY - Milano, Italy DA - 14.07.2025 KW - Black fungi KW - Carbon-use efficiency KW - Polyextremotolerant KW - Oligotrophs KW - Rock-inhabiting fungi PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-65038 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Frelih, Milena T1 - Material-Microbiome Interactions N2 - Estimations show that the anthropogenic mass, the technosphere, already exceeds the biomass on Earth. Understanding the technosphere-environment interactions and their impacts is key to safe and healthy ecosystems and human societies. At BAM, we aim at promoting awareness for microorganisms living and evolving in contact with human-made materials and technical systems. We are creating datasets of biofilms on plastic and other anthropogenic materials and in the context of important technical challenges (e.g. microbially influenced corrosion or biocide-induced antimicrobial resistance). This enables us to identify and examine key organisms in the investigated systems that potentially harbor new, also industrially relevant, species and traits. Further, we explore material effects on aquatic microbial communities, aiming at the development and establishment of innovative and environmentally relevant methodologies. By using bioinformatic and molecular tools and interdisciplinary research, we enhance the understanding of material-microbiome interactions for a safe and sustainable future. T2 - NFDI4Microbiota Annual Conference CY - Cologne, Germany DA - 30.09.2025 KW - Microbiome KW - Microplastics KW - Black fungi KW - Nanoparticles PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64637 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Nordholt, Niclas T1 - Bacterial resistance evolution on antimicrobial surfaces: Mechanistic insights from a standardizable method N2 - Introduction: Antimicrobial surfaces and coatings (AMCs) are important to prevent the spread of pathogens, especially in hygiene-sensitive areas. However, the evolution and selection of bacterial resistance to AMCs may threaten their efficacy in the long term. In addition, resistance evolution to AMCs may pose the risk for the development of cross-resistance to antibiotics. The assessment of unacceptable resistance risks during the authorization of AMCs is hampered by the lack of standardized test methods that quantify the adaptability of exposed bacteria to AMCs. Objectives: • To develop a standardizable method to determine resistance evolution of bacteria on AMCs (ALEE-AMC) • To assess performance and robustness of ALEE-AMC in a ring trial • To uncover the mechanisms underlying evolution of resistance to a metallic copper AMC • To use ALEE-AMC to assess the evolution of resistance on a novel, nano-particle-based AMC Methods: ALEE-AMC was developed based on an international standard to determine the efficacy of antimicrobial surfaces (ISO 22196). In the ALEE-AMC test, adaptive laboratory evolution is conducted by repeated cycles of AMC exposure and re-growth of surviving cells, selecting for increased survival, followed by isolation of evolved clones. Metallic copper was used as a reference AMC and Escherichia coli as a model microorganism in the ring trial. Evolved E. coli populations from the ring trial partners were subjected to phenotypic (antimicrobial susceptibility testing, ISO 22196) and genotypic (whole genome sequencing) characterization. ALEE-AMC will be used to assess the evolution of resistance on a novel, nano-particle-based AMC currently under development. Findings: The results of the ALEE-AMC ring trial show that repeated exposure to a metallic copper AMC can reproducibly select for reduced copper susceptibility in individual evolutionary lineages across ring trial participants. However, failure to adapt in individual lineages was also observed in all trials. Isolated evolved E. coli clones exhibited increased survival upon exposure to copper surfaces. Adaptation to copper did not induce cross-resistance to antibiotics because the antibiotic susceptibility of copper-adapted clones did not increase above the clinical breakpoint. Whole genome sequencing of the evolved E. coli revealed a high diversity of mutations, including mutations in genes involved in survival to antibiotics. These results indicate the existence of multiple, underexplored evolutionary pathways towards increased survival of antimicrobial copper surfaces. Conclusion: ALEE-AMC offers a standardizable platform to assess the risk of resistance development towards novel and existing AMCs, including nano-particle-based and metallic copper AMCs. Specifically, using ALEE-AMC provided insights into evolvable survival mechanisms to copper AMCs and its consequences for antimicrobial resistance. T2 - FEMS MICRO 2025 CY - Mailand, Italy DA - 14.07.2025 KW - Biocides KW - Antimicrobial surfaces KW - Biocide resistance KW - Standardization KW - ISO 22196 KW - Evolution PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63837 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Bonse, Jörn T1 - Bacterial adhesion on ultrashort pulse laser processed surfaces ― more than size matters! N2 - Bacterial biofilms are aggregates of bacterial cells, often attached to a surface and enclosed by a self-produced extracellular matrix which confers increased stress tolerance and resistance to cleaning. Biofilm formation leads to biofouling which gives rise to high costs in numerous technical settings due to biocorrosion and biodegradation. However, biofilms can also be attractive for industrial settings such as wastewater treatment systems or for soil bioremediation processes. Hence, the control of bacterial adhesion to a surface is of major concern. Surface topography strongly influences bacterial adhesion. Therefore, one promising way to achieve bacteria-guiding surfaces lies in the contactless and aseptic large-area laser processing of technical surfaces. We used short and ultrashort pulsed laser systems to generate different surface textures, mainly high-spatial-frequency and low-spatial-frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures, LIPSS (HFSL and LFSL), on Ti, Ti-alloy, steel, and polymers (PET and PE). Pristine (polished) and laser processed samples were subjected to bacterial adhesion experiments with two different Escherichia coli strains and Staphylococcus aureus as test organisms. The bacterial strains differed in their cell wall structure (grampositive vs. gramnegative strains), in size, shape, the occurrence of cell appendages, and in their biofilm forming capabilities. Adhesion patterns were analyzed microscopically and compared regarding the respective test strain and surface topography. Our results revealed that adhesion behavior strongly depends not only on the material’s topography and chemistry, but also on the specific bacterial strain, the presence of cell appendages, and ambient growth conditions. T2 - 13th International Conference on Photoexcited Processes and Applications, ICPEPA-13 CY - Lecce, Italy DA - 14.09.2025 KW - Biofilm KW - Bacterial adhesion KW - Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) KW - Ultrashort laser pulses PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64166 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Bonse, Jörn T1 - Bacterial adhesion on ultrashort pulse laser processed surfaces ― more than size matters! N2 - Bacterial biofilms are aggregates of bacterial cells, often attached to a surface, and enclosed by a self-produced extracellular matrix which confers increased stress tolerance and resistance to cleaning. Biofilm formation leads to biofouling which gives rise to high costs in numerous technical settings due to biocorrosion and biodegradation. However, biofilms can also be attractive for industrial settings such as wastewater treatment systems or for soil bioremediation processes. Hence, the control of bacterial adhesion to a surface is of major concern. Surface topography strongly influences bacterial adhesion. Therefore, one promising way to achieve bacteria-guiding surfaces lies in the contactless and aseptic large-area laser processing of technical surfaces. We used short and ultrashort pulsed laser systems to generate different surface textures, mainly high-spatial-frequency and low-spatial-frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures, LIPSS (HFSL and LFSL), on Ti, Ti-alloy, steel, and polymers (PET and PE). Pristine (polished) and laser processed samples were subjected to bacterial adhesion experiments with two different Escherichia coli strains and Staphylococcus aureus as test organisms. The bacterial strains differed in their cell wall structure (grampositive vs. gramnegative strains), in size, shape, the occurrence of cell appendages, and in their biofilm forming capabilities. Adhesion patterns were analyzed microscopically and compared regarding the respective test strain and surface topography. Our results revealed that adhesion behavior strongly depends not only on the material’s topography and chemistry, but also on the specific bacterial strain, the presence of cell appendages, and ambient growth conditions. T2 - 13th International LIPSS Workshop CY - Enschede, Netherlands DA - 29.10.2025 KW - Bacterial adhesion KW - Biofilm KW - Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) KW - Ultrashort laser pulses PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64632 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Nordholt, Niclas T1 - Evolution and mechanistic basis of disinfectant tolerance in E. coli N2 - Disinfectants are important to provide hygiene in sensitive areas, to prevent the spread of infections and to preserve materials from biodeterioration. Bacteria can survive disinfection through phenotypic and genotypic adaptation. Phenotypic heterogeneity may be linked to the ability to evolve disinfectant tolerance. The genetic factors which determine the survival of disinfection remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the effects of phenotypic heterogeneity on the evolvability of disinfectant tolerance. Furthermore, using a whole-genome CRISPRi-library, we uncover genetic determinants that are important for the survival of disifenction. T2 - µClub Seminar Berlin CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 23.05.2025 KW - Biocides KW - Heterogeneity KW - Biocide resistance KW - Evolution KW - Disinfectants PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63833 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Kanaris, Orestis T1 - Consequences of benzalkonium chloride tolerance on the development of antibiotic resistance in E. coli N2 - Biocides are used in large amounts in industrial, medical, and domestic settings. Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a commonly used biocide, for which previous research revealed that Escherichia coli can rapidly adapt to tolerate BAC-disinfection, with consequences for antibiotic susceptibility. However, the consequences of BAC-tolerance for selection dynamics and resistance evolution to antibiotics remain unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of BAC-tolerance in E. coli on its response upon challenge with different antibiotics. Competition assays showed that subinhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin - but not ampicillin, colistin and gentamicin - select for the BAC-tolerant strain over the BAC-sensitive ancestor at a minimal selective concentration of 0.0013-0.0022 µg∙mL-1. In contrast, the BAC-sensitive ancestor was more likely to evolve resistance to ciprofloxacin, colistin and gentamicin than the BAC-tolerant strain when adapted to higher concentrations of antibiotics in a serial transfer laboratory evolution experiment. The observed difference in the evolvability of resistance to ciprofloxacin was partly explained by an epistatic interaction between the mutations conferring BAC-tolerance and a knockout mutation in ompF encoding for the outer membrane porin F. Taken together, these findings suggest that BAC-tolerance can be stabilized in environments containing low concentrations of ciprofloxacin, while it also constrains evolutionary pathways towards antibiotic resistance. T2 - µClub Seminar CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 23.05.2025 KW - Biocides KW - AMR KW - Resistance evolution PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64658 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Jaut, Valerie T1 - Antibiotic tolerance of biofilms emerging from multicellular effects of antibiotic efflux N2 - Efflux pumps play an important role in the context of antimicrobial resistance, which is the ability to grow in the presence of antimicrobials. Many of these transporters can be categorized into multidrug efflux pumps, extruding various antimicrobials out of the cells, and thereby leading to antimicrobial resistance. It has been shown that efflux pumps can be linked by global regulators that regulate efflux pump expression affecting cell-to-cell-interactions, membrane integrity and biofilm formation. The aim of this study is to investigate the survival of cells in biofilms upon exposure to antimicrobials through the interplay of efflux-mediated spatial interactions . To this end, we generated fluorescently labeled E. coli strains that differ in their levels of AcrAB-TolC efflux pump activity and an acrB knockout-strain. The strains were characterized in terms of their antimicrobial susceptibility of three antibiotics, tetracycline, kanamycin, ampicillin, and the biocide benzalkonium chloride. The knockout strain shows higher susceptibility than the wildtype strain, with highest difference observed upon exposure to benzalkonium chloride. The results were confirmed with an efflux activity assay, which showed decreased efflux for the knockout strain as compared to the wildtype. Interestingly, adding the efflux inhibitor PAβN at intermediate concentrations induced bimodality in efflux activity in the wildtype. To investigate the link between colony structure and spatial patterns of efflux pump gene expression, strains with different fluorescent labels and efflux activity were mixed in a 1:1 ratio and grown on agar supplemented with antimicrobials at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Analysis of the colonies with fluorescence microcopy shows that the absence of the AcrAB efflux pump affects the structure of sector formation and morphology within the colony. We observed relatively large sectors with similar surface area for high efflux and low efflux cells in the absence of antimicrobials and at low concentrations. In contrast, sectors are disappearing due a strong intermixing of high and low efflux strains with increasing antibiotic concentration, specifically upon exposure to tetracycline and kanamycin. As next steps, we will perform quantitative analysis of colony images, to better interpret the results, develop a mathematical model of interacting cell types and investigate efflux-based interactions at the single-cell level. Taken together, out data suggest that efflux shapes cell-to-cell interactions and these interactions affect the spatial arrangement and the morphology of biofilms. Understanding the dynamics can provide insights into the emergence of resistance of bacterial communities to antimicrobial environments, the complex interplay of resistance, efflux, and biofilm formation, which potentially gives information to combat biofilm resistance. T2 - Multi-Drug Efflux Systems Gordon Research Conference CY - Lucca, Italy DA - 26.04.2025 KW - Antimicrobial KW - Resistance KW - Tolerance KW - Efflux KW - E. coli PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64561 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Jaut, Valerie T1 - Antibiotic tolerance of biofilms emerging from multicellular effects of antibiotic efflux N2 - Biofilms are multicellular assemblages of bacteria living in a self-produced extracellular matrix. Different mechanisms, like the development of highly tolerant persister cells or increased expression of efflux pumps make them tolerant. Here we want to investigate the emergency of antimicrobial tolerance of multicellular bacterial populations, through the interplay of efflux-mediated spatial interactions and efflux-linked persistence. To this end, we are combining computational modelling with experimentally observations gained from three types of multicellular assemblages, i.e. colonies on agar, multicellular populations grown in a monolayer microfluidic device, and 3D biofilms grown in flow chambers. We generated fluorescently labeled E. coli strains that differ in their levels of AcrAB-TolC efflux pump activity, an acrB knockout-strain and a strain with inducible expression of acrAB. All strains were characterized in terms of their antimicrobial susceptibility of three antibiotics, tetracycline, kanamycin, ampicillin, and the biocide benzalkonium chloride. The knockout strain shows higher susceptibility than the wild type strain, with highest difference when using benzalkonium chlorid e. To investigate the link between colony structure and spatial patterns of gene expression, the strains were mixed equimolar and grown on agar supplemented with antimicrobials. First results show, antimicrobials affect the structure of sector formation and morphology. Cells grown on tetracycline agar show a more finer sector formation. While kanamycin changes the overall colony structure . We will develop a mathematical model and additional experiments with multicellular assemblages to explain the observed interactions and extrapolate the results to more realistic biofilm models. T2 - SPP Conference CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 06.01.2025 KW - Antimicrobial KW - Resistance KW - Tolerance KW - Efflux KW - E. coli PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64563 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Koerdt, Andrea T1 - Exploring Microbial Impacts on Hydrogen Storage: - A Novel System for Corrosion Testing of Gas- and Material Degradation N2 - Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is a strategic step towards implementing the hydrogen economy. Achieving the required infrastructure by 2050 necessitates advancements in hydrogen-dedicated assets and the evaluation of existing infrastructure. The unique conditions in UHS require an experimental set-up to simulate UHS operating conditions, which allows to assess the readiness of current storage and transmission for hydrogen, and develop new technologies for material-resistance, operational-simulations, and risk-assessments. In addition to the physical/chemical conditions in UHS (e.g., salinity, hydrogen concentration, operating temperature/-pressure, water content), biological threats must also be considered. Therefore, we present here a high-pressure-set-up, developed for research/-industrial testing purposes. Currently, UHS-experiments for microbiologically-influenced-corrosion (MIC) are performed in standard autoclaves with relatively high volumes/pressures; they were primarily designed for material-specific investigations. While these methods provided some useful information for biological questions, they had significant limitations. The novel UHS-simulation-set-up presented here is designed with a controlled independently temperature and pressure. Field samples can be used to mimic geology, water chemistry, construction materials, and microbiological conditions. Most significant advantages of the set-up are: 1. It allows for liquid addition during the test, enabling the study of biocides or the evaluation of operating setups. 2. It permits liquid/-gas sampling during the test, allowing for more efficient monitoring of testing conditions and a better understanding of the process over time. Additionally, a low-release function is added, which is particularly important for studying MIC to avoid negative side effects, on the material (e.g. polymers/corrosion product-layer/cells itself) which might occur due to the fast pressure release T2 - ISMOS10 CY - Nashville, TN, USA DA - 11.08.2025 KW - MIC KW - MISTRAL KW - Corrosion KW - Environmental simulation KW - Metall KW - Polymer PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64297 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Misra, Archismita T1 - Polyoxometalate Ionic Liquids as Protective Coatings for Industrial Infrastructure and Cultural Heritage against Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) N2 - Corrosion of stone and metal due to acid rain and biodeterioration poses significant challenges for industrial and residential infrastructure, as well as cultural heritage, including statues and historical artefacts. A promising mitigation strategy involves thin, transparent films of polyoxometalate-based ionic liquids (POM-ILs) as chemical shields. Stone samples coated with acid-resistant, biocidal POM-ILs exhibited negligible corrosion when exposed to simulated acid rain, in stark contrast to the severe deterioration of unprotected samples. Additionally, their biocidal properties effectively prevent biofilm formation on coated surfaces. Following studies successfully explored the effectiveness of the coating against lampenflora growing in the Pommery Champagne cellar; and the long-term performance of POM-ILs under outdoor environmental conditions. So, POM-ILs have already demonstrated remarkable anticorrosion and antimicrobial properties against aerobic microorganisms and, being water-insoluble, do not leach into aquatic ecosystem. The current research project repurposes the POM-ILs, extending their application to metals, specifically targeting microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in cultural heritage artefacts made of brass, carbon steel, cast iron, and bronze. This involves optimizing nanocoating adhesion to the metal surface and evaluating its protective efficacy against MIC caused by anaerobic microorganisms such as methanogenic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). This presentation will highlight POM-ILs as sustainable, high-performance nanocoatings for biocorrosion mitigation. It will showcase published success stories, discuss ongoing research and proof-of-concept results, and explore future prospects for these advanced materials in safeguarding metal infrastructure and artefacts across different industrial sectors as well as in the context of cultural heritage conservation. T2 - 10th International symposium on applied microbiology and molecular biology in oil systems (ISMOS10) CY - Nashville, Tennessee, USA DA - 11.08.2025 KW - Polyoxometalates KW - Corrosion KW - Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion KW - Ionic Liquid PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64548 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Kalbe, Ute T1 - Assessment of Microplastic and Contaminant Emissions from Artificial Turf Sports Pitches N2 - Due to their advantages over natural gras, artificial turf sports pitches are well established in popular sports and their number is increasing every year. This raises questions about potential pollutant emissions and possible risks to the environment due to its transfer to soil and groundwater. The main sources of emissions are the rubber infill granules and the abrasion of grass fibers. While estimates on the transfer of pollutants to the soil are already available, there is still insufficient data on the discharge of microplastics from artificial turf systems and thus on the assessment of its relevance for the soil. To close this gap, the pollutant emissions of three artificial turf scenarios - past (fossil-based, rubber infill), present (most frequently installed in Germany, rubber infill) and future (turf with recycled grass fibers, no rubber infill) - were compared in different ageing states (unaged, accelerated, and real time aged). Accelerated ageing consisting of UV weathering and mechanical stress was applied to simulate the outdoor weathering of turf systems during their service life span of approx. 15 years. Emissions of microplastics and environmentally relevant pollutants were sampled simultaneously using newly developed, innovative lysimeters. The microplastics contents were determined using Thermal Extraction-Desorption Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (TED-GC/MS). In addition, the concentrations of PAH and heavy metals were determined. T2 - Jahrestag der Deutschen Bodenkundlichen Gesellschaft CY - Tübingen, Germany DA - 14.09.2025 KW - Artificial Turf KW - Microplastics KW - Contaminants PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-65022 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Misra, Archismita T1 - Polyoxometalate Ionic Liquids as Protective Coatings for Industrial Infrastructure and Cultural Heritage against Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) N2 - Corrosion of stone and metal due to acid rain and biodeterioration poses significant challenges for industrial and residential infrastructure, as well as cultural heritage, including statues and historical artefacts. A promising mitigation strategy involves thin, transparent films of polyoxometalate-based ionic liquids (POM-ILs) as chemical shields. Stone samples coated with acid-resistant, biocidal POM-ILs exhibited negligible corrosion when exposed to simulated acid rain, in stark contrast to the severe deterioration of unprotected samples. Additionally, their biocidal properties effectively prevent biofilm formation on coated surfaces. Following studies successfully explored the effectiveness of the coating against lampenflora growing in the Pommery Champagne cellar; and the long-term performance of POM-ILs under outdoor environmental conditions. So, POM-ILs have already demonstrated remarkable anticorrosion and antimicrobial properties against aerobic microorganisms and, being water-insoluble, do not leach into aquatic ecosystem. The current research project repurposes the POM-ILs, extending their application to metals, specifically targeting microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in cultural heritage artefacts made of brass, carbon steel, cast iron, and bronze. This involves optimizing nanocoating adhesion to the metal surface and evaluating its protective efficacy against MIC caused by anaerobic microorganisms such as methanogenic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). This presentation will highlight POM-ILs as sustainable, high-performance nanocoatings for biocorrosion mitigation. It will showcase published success stories, discuss ongoing research and proof-of-concept results, and explore future prospects for these advanced materials in safeguarding metal infrastructure and artefacts across different industrial sectors as well as in the context of cultural heritage conservation. T2 - Euro-MIC COST Action - Closing Workshop Conference CY - Horsens, Denmark DA - 17.09.2025 KW - Polyoxometalates KW - Corrosion KW - Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion KW - Ionic Liquid PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64549 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Frelih, Milena T1 - Impact of Engineered Nanomaterials on Microbial Communities in the Aquatic Environment N2 - Engineered nanoparticles have garnered significant attention for their unique properties and potential applications across various industries. They were extensively examined for their toxicological effect in vitro and in vivo, but their effects on environmental and biological systems remain underexplored. A key area of concern is how nanoparticles interact with microbial communities in natural ecosystems, since these communities are vital for processes such as nutrient cycling, biodegradation, and maintaining ecosystem health and functioning. Currently, environmental risk assessments of nanoparticles majorly involve higher organisms (e.g. algae, zooplankton), but omit the effects on complex communities and ecosystems as a whole. This research aims to investigate the impact of nanomaterials on aquatic microbial communities using a combination of laboratory experiments and field-sampling along a gradient from low to highly anthropogenically impacted aquatic ecosystems around Berlin, Germany. To holistically assess changes in microbial composition and functional activity in response to nanomaterial exposure, we will apply molecular, microbiological, analytical as well as OMIC methods. We hypothesize that nanoparticles induce significant compositional changes in microbial community structures, potentially leading to alterations in stress responses and other functional effects. Nanomaterials have the potential to benefit the environment by contributing to energy and resource efficiency, remediation of contaminated sites, or water treatment. In order to represent truly sustainable products, though, a safe use for humans and ecosystems must be assured. Ultimately, this research will contribute to more accurate environmental risk assessments and help guide the responsible use of nanotechnology in various industries. T2 - SETAC Europe CY - Vienna, Austria DA - 11.05.2025 KW - Microbial Communities KW - Aquatic Environment KW - Nanomaterials PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63164 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Ulbricht, Alexander T1 - Do Microbes like Additively Manufactured Aluminium? N2 - The use of laser-additively manufactured metallic components in the industrial sector is gaining traction, with the process now entering its application phase. Consequently, the materials are exposed to corrosive microbes, which this study examines in order to determine the implications of this exposure. Specifically, the study examines the exposure of laser powder bed fused AlSi10Mg (PBF-LB/AlSi10Mg) components to sulphate-reducing bacteria in an anaerobic environment. Is the specific PBF-LB microstructure a potential factor in determining or aiding biocorrosion? A prismatic specimen was exposed to sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) for two weeks. The sample was scanned by X-ray computed tomography (XCT) before and after SRB exposure. The two data sets were registered to each other (using the internal void distribution as markers, due to the corrosion of the specimen’s surface) to enable the evaluation of the corrosion damage. Virtual cuts of the 3D XCT reconstructions show a loss of volume and localised damage. The damage distribution aligns with the hatching pattern of laser exposure from laser powder bed fusion. T2 - Konferenz iCT 2026 CY - Linz, Austria DA - 10.02.2026 KW - Computed tomography KW - Biokorrosion KW - Additive manufacturing KW - PBF-LB KW - Laser powder bed fusion KW - Sulphate-reducing bacteria PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65570 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Vogel, Christian T1 - Investigating the Thermal Decomposition of PFAS in a Full-Scale Commercial Hazardous Waste Incinerator N2 - Effective and safe treatment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-laden waste in full-scale hazardous waste facilities is currently the only commercial method for large-scale PFAS destruction, but concerns remain about incomplete combustion and harmful byproducts. Therefore, the fate of fluorine during incineration was investigated in a full-scale hazardous waste incinerator to assess the viability and potential risks of this method. The project involves developing advanced analytical tools, including real-time infrared spectroscopy, and conducting trial burns under varied conditions. Conditions that influence incineration performance are identified, analyzing for products of incomplete destruction (PIDs), exploring the role of fly ash and surfaces in PFAS breakdown, and evaluating the potential formation of polyfluorinated dioxins and furans. Collectively, these tasks aim to deliver practical tools and guidance for scientists and engineers, while informing policymakers and the public on the benefits and potential risks of PFAS incineration. T2 - DoW Applied Innovation Workshop CY - Washington, DC, USA DA - 02.03.2026 KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) KW - Incineration PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65638 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Wu, Shu-Han T1 - MOF-derived Synthetic Carbon Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries N2 - Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), particularly the zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) family, are attractive precursors for advanced energy-storage materials. Upon pyrolysis, ZIFs can be transformed into electrically conductive carbon materials while preserving their original particle morphology, which is crucial for achieving high-performance sodium-ion battery anodes. Despite these advantages, large-scale implementation remains challenging due to the need for synthesis routes that balance performance, cost, and sustainability. The present study addresses these challenges by developing environmentally benign and economically feasible strategies for the scalable production of ZIF-8-derived carbon anodes suitable for industrial applications. T2 - Batterieforum Deutschland 2026 CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 20.01.2026 KW - Sodium-ion battery KW - Negative electrode KW - Metalorganic frameworks PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65644 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -