TY - JOUR A1 - Kittner, Maria A1 - Kerndorff, A. A1 - Ricking, M. A1 - Bednarz, M. A1 - Obermaier, N. A1 - Lukas, M. A1 - Asenova, M. A1 - Bordós, G. A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Hohenblum, P. A1 - Hudcova, H. A1 - Humer, F. A1 - István, T. G. A1 - Kirchner, M. A1 - Marushevska, O. A1 - Nemejcová, D. A1 - Oswald, P. A1 - Paunovic, M. A1 - Sengl, M. A1 - Slobodnik, J. A1 - Spanowsky, K. A1 - Tudorache, M. A1 - Wagensonner, H. A1 - Liska, I. A1 - Braun, U. A1 - Bannick, C. G. T1 - Microplastics in the Danube River Basin: A First Comprehensive Screening with a Harmonized Analytical Approach N2 - In this study, carried out within the Joint Danube Survey 4, a comprehensive microplastic screening in the water column within a large European river basin from its source to estuary, including major tributaries, was realized. The objective was to develop principles of a systematic and practicable microplastic monitoring strategy using sedimentation boxes for collection of suspended particulate matter followed by its subsequent analysis using thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. In total, 18 sampling sites in the Danube River Basin were investigated. The obtained suspended particulate matter samples were subdivided into the fractions of >100 μm and <100 μm and subsequently analyzed for microplastic mass contents. The results showed that microplastics were detected in all samples, with polyethylene being the predominant polymer with maximum contents of 22.24 μg/mg, 3.23 μg/mg for polystyrene, 1.03 μg/mg for styrene-butadiene-rubber, and 0.45 μg/mg for polypropylene. Further, polymers such as different sorts of polyester, polyacrylates, polylactide, and natural rubber were not detected or below the detection limit. Additional investigations on possible interference of polyethylene signals by algae-derived fatty acids were assessed. In the context of targeted monitoring, repeated measurements provide more certainty in the interpretation of the results for the individual sites. Nevertheless, it can be stated that the chosen approach using an integrative sampling and determination of total plastic content proved to be successful. KW - Thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS), monitoring KW - Microplastics KW - River KW - Suspended particulate matter (SPM) KW - Sedimentation box (SB) PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-551444 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.1c00439 VL - 2 IS - 7 SP - 1174 EP - 1181 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-55144 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scales, B. S. A1 - Hasenrück, C. A1 - Moldaenke, L. A1 - Hassa, J. A1 - Rückert-Reed, C. A1 - Rummel, C. A1 - Völkner, C. A1 - Rynek, R. A1 - Busche, T. A1 - Kalinowski, J. A1 - Jahnke, A. A1 - Schmitt-Jansen, M. A1 - Wendt-Potthoff, K. A1 - Oberbeckmann, Sonja T1 - Hunting for pigments in bacterial settlers of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch N2 - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a significant collection of plastic introduced by human activities, provides an ideal environment to study bacterial lifestyles on plastic substrates. We proposed that bacteria colonizing the floating plastic debris would develop strategies to deal with the ultravioletexposed substrate, such as the production of antioxidant pigments. We observed a variety of pigmentation in 67 strains that were directly cultivated from plastic pieces sampled from the Garbage Patch. The genomic analysis of four representative strains, each distinct in taxonomy, revealed multiple pathways for carotenoid production. These pathways include those that produce less common carotenoids and a cluster of photosynthetic genes. This cluster appears to originate from a potentially new species of the Rhodobacteraceae family. This represents the first report of an aerobic anoxygenic photoheterotrophic bacterium from plastic biofilms. Spectral analysis showed that the bacteria actively produce carotenoids, such as betacarotene and beta-cryptoxanthin, and bacteriochlorophyll a. Furthermore, we discovered that the genetic ability to synthesize carotenoids is more common in plastic biofilms than in the surrounding water communities. Our findings suggest that plastic biofilms could be an overlooked source of bacteria-produced carotenoids, including rare forms. It also suggests that photoreactive molecules might play a crucial role in bacterial biofilm communities in surface water. KW - Microplastics KW - Biofilm KW - Pigment KW - Microorganisms PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-605725 DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16639 SN - 1462-2912 VL - 26 IS - 6 SP - e16639 PB - John Wiley & Sons Ltd. AN - OPUS4-60572 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Oberbeckmann, Sonja T1 - The Microplastic Microbiome N2 - Microplastics represent man-made and newly emerging surfaces in our ecosystems, where they interact with microorganisms. The ecosystem in focus of this presentation will be the aquatic environment. It will be portrayed, which microorganisms use microplastics as a habitat, how environmental factors shape this colonization, and why the biodegradation of plastics in the ocean is an overall unlikely process. We will also discuss whether potentially pathogenic microorganisms use microplastics as a raft. Finally, possible adaptation mechanisms of plastic-colonizing microorganisms will be presented, such as the production of photoreactive molecules. The microplastic microbiome has a large potential to harbor so far unknown species with curious traits, representing an exciting research topic for the future. T2 - Geomicrobiological and Geochemical Colloquium, GFZ CY - Potsdam, Germany DA - 20.02.2024 KW - Microplastics KW - Microbiome KW - Biofilm PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60203 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Song, Jessica T1 - (micro)Plastic biofilms: Keeping afloat by carving out a new niche N2 - As pervasive and persistent pollutants, microplastics exist alongside vast microbial communities in nature. These hardy substrates accumulate rich polymeric matrices from their surroundings that in turn offer nutrition and protection to diverse communities and their theatre of activity, representing a new ecological niche. In our research to date, biofilm communities demonstrate no specificity to plastic polymers but appear rather to be more strongly shaped by spatial and temporal factors. Other synthetic substrates such as tyre wear, however, signal towards some form of community selection that may manifest in the presence of leachates from the polymer itself. Contrary to these biofilms, polyaromatic hydrocarbons appear to observe the opposite pattern, with adsorbed concentrations on plastic more strongly dictated by the type of plastic polymer than the environment itself. Although community specificity has not yet been evidenced among different plastic polymers, our studies show that microplastics might shape communities in a different way. As suggested by our detection of carotenoid synthesis pathways and photosynthetic gene clusters among microplastic biofilms, we postulate this new niche to shape a specific functional toolkit adaptive among its members as a product of prolonged exposure to UV radiation at the sea’s surface. This opens exciting new avenues for further research into the functional capabilities of these biofilms and offers new perspective on their potential beyond subordinate processes such as biodegradation. Here, we present a synthesis of our collective research on microplastic biofilms, the factors that shape them, and their interactions with nature. T2 - MICRO 2024 Conference CY - Lanzarote, Spain DA - 23.09.2024 KW - Biofilms KW - Microplastics KW - Microbial ecology KW - 16S amplicon KW - Pollutants PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61990 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Drago, Claudia T1 - Sweetening the (microplastics) pill: PET tablets (1-100µm) as candidate reference material for the validation of microplastics measurement N2 - The lack of validation and standard procedures in microplastics studies has led to the inability to compare and harmonise data from different analytical methods, laboratories and time scales. To monitor and regulate exposure to microplastics in the environment and in food for human health, it is crucial to ensure their comparability and to validate the analytical methods used in microplastics studies. Monitoring microplastics requires complex approaches for accurate determination otherwise it can lead to an over- or underestimation in environmental and food-relevant matrices. Moreover, to support the need of reliable measurement required by the European legislation directive on drinking water (EU 2020/2184) or the revision of the urban waste water directive, which will be finalised in 2024 the production and validation of polymeric reference materials with environmentally relevant concentrations, irregular shapes, defined aging status and different sizes is essential. The production of reference material with acceptable uncertainties in homogeneity need to be balanced, considering the low microplastics concentrations detected in the environment and in food. The aim of the project PLASTICTRACE and of this study, is to propose a “easy-to-use PET tablet ” (PET particle size mainly 1-100 µm) for routine applications as a candidate general reference material for detection methods. Batches of water-soluble matrix containing different concentrations of PET powder were produced. Results of imaging and counting methods (SEM, Laser diffraction), including production´s challenges; together with thermo-analytical methods (TED-GC/MS and Py-GC/MS) and vibrational spectroscopy (µ-Raman and µ-FTIR), will be presented. These data are useful to assess homogeneity and stability of the particles over time according to ISO 33405:2024. In addition, we will show some insights on the application of the PET-tablets in complex matrices, as milk powder and suspended solid from surface water, that could be easily used for routine microplastics analysis. T2 - MICRO 2024 CY - Arrecife, Spain DA - 23.09.2024 KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials KW - Polymer 3R KW - TED-GC/MS PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61274 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Oberbeckmann, Sonja T1 - Microplastic-microbiome interactions in aquatic ecosystems: a complex story N2 - As pervasive and persistent pollutants, microplastics exist alongside diverse microbial communities in nature. These hardy substrates accumulate rich polymeric matrices from their surroundings that in turn offer nutrition and protection to diverse communities and their theatre of activity, representing a new ecological niche. With our work, we aim to establish a holistic understanding of the interactions between microplastics and microorganisms within aquatic systems, and how these interactions shape their surrounding environment. In our research, we combine field sampling with in situ experiments, and apply high-throughput sequencing technologies to 16S genes and whole bacterial genomes. We demonstrate through our studies that biofilm communities exhibit no specificity to plastic polymer type but appear rather to be opportunistic colonizers more strongly shaped by spatial and temporal factors. While the polymer surface does not appear to elicit a selective effect on associated biofilms, our studies show that microplastics might shape communities in a different way. Based on our detection of carotenoid synthesis pathways and photosynthetic gene clusters among plastic biofilms, we postulate this new niche to shape a specific functional toolkit, adaptive among its members as a product of prolonged exposure to UV radiation at the sea’s surface. To fully assess the interactions between microplastics and microorganisms, however, one cannot consider plastics singularly but as a component within a more complex and interconnected system. It is known, for instance, that plastics can sorb significant concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the environment. We show, in our work, that the PAH sorption patterns of microplastics correlate significantly with the structure of associated biofilm communities. Elevated concentrations of specific PAHs on microplastics coincided with the enrichment of selected taxa reportedly capable of hydrocarbon utilisation as well as a reduced diversity among associated biofilm communities. Here, we present a synthesis of our collective research on microplastic biofilms in the aquatic environment, the factors that shape them, and their interactions with nature. To fully comprehend how microplastics impact ecosystems, the entire substrate must be considered, including all chemicals integrated into the polymeric matrix as well as associated biofilms. T2 - SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting CY - Vienna, Austria DA - 11.05.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Biofilms KW - PAH PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63154 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Oberbeckmann, Sonja T1 - The microplastic microbiome – an example for the intersection of biology and material research N2 - Biofilms live on the interface between human-made materials and the environment. Using aquatic plastics as an example, we explore their composition, their interactions with the plastic substrate, and their potentially useful functional roles. The presentation will further discuss the importance of considering plastic-associated pollutants in the investigation of such biofilms. T2 - Microbiological Colloquium ICBM CY - Oldenburg, Germany DA - 10.07.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Microbiome KW - Biofilm PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63836 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wander, Lukas A1 - Vianello, A. A1 - Vollertsen, J. A1 - Westad, F. A1 - Braun, Ulrike A1 - Paul, Andrea T1 - Exploratory analysis of hyperspectral FTIR data obtained from environmental microplastics samples N2 - Hyperspectral imaging of environmental samples with infrared microscopes is one of the preferred methods to find and characterize microplastics. Particles can be quantified in terms of number, size and size distribution. Their shape can be studied and the substances can be identified. Interpretation of the collected spectra is a typical problem encountered during the analysis. The image datasets are large and contain spectra of countless particles of natural and synthetic origin. To supplement existing Analysis pipelines, exploratory multivariate data analysis was tested on two independent datasets. Dimensionality reduction with principal component analysis (PCA) and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) was used as a core concept. It allowed for improved visual accessibility of the data and created a chemical two-dimensional image of the sample. Spectra belonging to particles could be separated from blank spectra, reducing the amount of data significantly. Selected spectra were further studied, also applying PCA and UMAP. Groups of similar spectra were identified by cluster analysis using k-means, density based, and interactive manual clustering. Most clusters could be assigned to chemical species based on reference spectra. While the results support findings obtained with a ‘targeted analysis’ based on automated library search, exploratory analysis points the attention towards the group of unidientified spectra that remained and are otherwise easily overlooked. KW - Microplastics KW - FTIR KW - Exploratory analysis PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c9ay02483b VL - 12 IS - 6 SP - 781 EP - 791 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-50396 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Wiesner, Yosri T1 - Sample preparation methods of food and environmental matrices for microplastics analysis using TED-GC-MS N2 - Microplastic determination in food and surface waters will be increasingly carried out in the course of future directives and regulations, such as EU drinking water directive and wastewater directive. In addition to unique identification, this also includes reliable quantification. Two different methodological approaches are used for the quantification. With vibrational spectroscopic techniques such as µ-FTIR and µ-Raman, results are obtained in the form of particle number, size and shape. Instead, with thermal analytical technics as TED-GC/MS and Py-GC-MS the results are expressed as mass concentration.. Both concepts offer different information variables. In terms of routine monitoring, it is necessary to obtain a rapid sequence from sampling to the detection result. For this reason, this study focuses on TED-GC/MS and Py-GC-MS. Even though thermal analytical methods generally require less sample preparation, some matrices require it. This is usually done if the analyte concentration is too low or if strong matrix effects such as signal suppression and false positive signals occur. This talk presents advanced sample preparation for baby milk powder as food example and density separation for microplastic analysis in surface waters. A preparation protocol based on citric acid was selected for the milk to remove as much as possible of the matrix. The low pH value leads to a fast and effective protein precipitation and minimizes filter cake formation, making filtration possible, reduces the number and the amount of compounds in detection and hence, simplifies the evaluation. Microplastics in surface waters and sediments must be concentrated not only because of their low microplastics mass content but also in terms of homogeneity. For this purpose, a density separation was carried out using a concentrated sodium iodide solution, which led to a high reduction of the inorganic mineral matrix and made possible to obtain a representative subsample of initial masses of up to 80 g. T2 - 22nd European Symposium on Polymer Spectroscopy (ESOPS 24) CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 08.09.2024 KW - Microplastics KW - Harmonization KW - Preparation method microplastics KW - Detection method microplastics PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61015 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Heller, C. A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Braun, U. A1 - Kerndorff, A. A1 - Bannick, C.-G. A1 - Fuchs, M. A1 - Thamsen, P. U. T1 - Garment ageing in a laundry care process under household‐like conditions N2 - This study reflects typical consumer textile washing behaviour while taking into account existing standards in the household appliance and garment industries. Two garments were washed repeatedly with artificial dirt and detergent 30 times. The collected washing water was separated using fractional filtration. Textile physical tests were used to follow property changes of the garments, the microplastic release is determined using thermoextraction/desorbtion–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the total organic carbon was measured as a sum parameter for the organic bonded carbon. This article shows the importance of a reality‐based approach when investigating microplastics of textile origin in the laundry care process. Deposits of detergent and dirt on the textiles were detected. The total mass of sieve residues was much higher than the release of synthetic polymers. The cotton content of the garments causes a much higher fibre release than synthetic fibres. Both will lead to false results by purely gravimetric analysis because nonpolymer fibres will be included microplastic mass. The results cannot be generalised only by the main polymer type, knowledge of the textile construction must be included for final evaluation. KW - Fibre release KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Washing machine PY - 2023 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/appl.202200086 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Wiley online library AN - OPUS4-56976 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Needs, concepts and state of the art: Top-down production of reference materials for micro- and nanoplastics and their use in harmonisation processes N2 - The talk explains the top-down production of materials suitable for mircoplastics and nanoplastics and the use in ILCs. T2 - EUROLAB webinar: MICROPLASTICS: regulations, standards and the role of laboratories CY - Online meeting DA - 15.02.2023 KW - Microplastics KW - Nanoplastics KW - ILC KW - Milling PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-57008 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - PlasticsEurope - plastic powders - Reference materials N2 - The talk gives ideas about possible collaboration between BAM and PlasticEurope and their BRIGID project. T2 - Project meeting of BRIDGIT project of PlasticsEurope CY - Online meeting DA - 01.02.2023 KW - Microplastics KW - PlasticEurope PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-57012 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schütz, Désirée A.-M. T1 - Feasibility Study on the Adsorption of Environmental Contaminants onto Fresh and Aged Microplastics N2 - Microplastics (MPs) refer to plastic particles, fibers, or beads with sizes ranging from 100 nm to 5 mm in size. Their pervasive distribution as environmental contaminants have escalated into a significant global concern. Primary MPs are intentionally produced particles for industrial and commercial applications, such as exfoliants in personal care and cosmetic formulations. In contrast, secondary MPs are generated through the fragmentation and degradation of larger plastic materials, due to environmental weathering processes. [1] Due to their high surface area-to-volume ratio and hydrophobic nature, MPs have the potential to serve as vectors for the accumulation and transport of diverse organic contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), as well as trace metals such as silver, cadmium, chromium, and copper. In the environmental, MPs are subject to aging processes driven by factors such as temperature, ultraviolet radiation, oxygen, and chemical interactions with environmental toxins. This aging can induce significant alterations in their physicochemical properties, which, in turn, can affect the adsorption behavior. [2] Classical and alternative analytical methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ambient desorption/ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (ADI-HR-MS) can help to study the adsorption potential. ADI-HR-MS allows rapid sample analysis with minimal preparation, providing results in under a minute, much faster than traditional chromatographic techniques. [3] This study aims to investigate the influence of aging and particle size on the ability of microplastics to act as vectors for environmental contaminants. Microplastics were prepared in-house and subjected to controlled aging conditions for 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours. Subsequently, the aged MPs were exposed in plastic-free containers to model solutions to simulate co-contaminants in the environment. Adsorption onto synthesized secondary microplastics, varying in size and aging status, was investigated at different time intervals with ambient MS and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. T2 - ANAKON 2025 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2025 KW - Mass Spectrometry KW - FAPA-MS KW - Microplastics KW - TOF-SIMS KW - Surface Analysis PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63606 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Song, Jessica T1 - Close encounters on a micro scale: Dynamics and interactions of microplastic biofilms in aquatic ecosystems. N2 - Microplastics circulate freely throughout aquatic ecosystems and, due to their interactive nature, accumulate complex polymeric matrices consisting of rich organic compounds and inorganic pollutants. Simultaneously, these hardy substrates offer nutrition and protection to diverse microbial communities and their theatre of activity, representing a new ecological niche. In our work, we investigate the interactions of microplastics in aquatic systems and characterise the effects of these interactions on associated microbial communities to better understand how these substrates might impact surrounding ecosystems. Demonstrating no specificity to polymer type, microplastic biofilms are shaped more by the strong influence of spatial and temporal factors. Microplastic sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in contrast, appear to be more strongly dictated by substrate type, with different polymers observed to sorb varying levels of different PAHs. These interactions between the different emerging contaminants were found in our study to have a significant effect on associated substrate biofilms. Elevated levels of specific 3- and 4-ring PAHs on polyethylene and polystyrene were found to coincide with a notable shift in community composition and structure, as well as a reduced diversity among biofilm communities. The findings in our study illustrate the importance of investigating the collective effect of pollutants in combination and their complex interactions in assessing their environmental impact. To fully understand how microplastics interact and alter surrounding ecosystems, the entire substrate must be considered, including all chemicals integrated into the polymeric matrix. T2 - Biofilms 11 Conference CY - Cardiff, Wales, UK DA - 13.05.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Biofilms KW - PAHs PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63389 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schütz, Désirée A.-M. T1 - Feasibility Study on the Adsorption of Environmental Contaminants onto Fresh and Aged Microplastics N2 - Microplastics (MPs) refer to plastic particles, fibers, or beads with sizes ranging from 100 nm to 5 mm in size. Their pervasive distribution as environmental contaminants have escalated into a significant global concern. Primary MPs are intentionally produced particles for industrial and commercial applications, such as exfoliants in personal care and cosmetic formulations. In contrast, secondary MPs are generated through the fragmentation and degradation of larger plastic materials, due to environmental weathering processes. [1] Due to their high surface area-to-volume ratio and hydrophobic nature, MPs have the potential to serve as vectors for the accumulation and transport of diverse organic contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), as well as trace metals such as silver, cadmium, chromium, and copper. In the environmental, MPs are subject to aging processes driven by factors such as temperature, ultraviolet radiation, oxygen, and chemical interactions with environmental toxins. This aging can induce significant alterations in their physicochemical properties, which, in turn, can affect the adsorption behavior. [2] Classical and alternative analytical methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ambient desorption/ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (ADI-HR-MS) can help to study the adsorption potential. ADI-HR-MS allows rapid sample analysis with minimal preparation, providing results in under a minute, much faster than traditional chromatographic techniques. [3] This study aims to investigate the influence of aging and particle size on the ability of microplastics to act as vectors for environmental contaminants. Microplastics were prepared in-house and subjected to controlled aging conditions for 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours. Subsequently, the aged MPs were exposed in plastic-free containers to model solutions to simulate co-contaminants in the environment. Adsorption onto synthesized secondary microplastics, varying in size and aging status, was investigated at different time intervals with ambient MS and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. T2 - 56th Annual Conference of the DGMS CY - Göttingen, Germany DA - 04.03.2025 KW - FAPA-MS KW - Mass Spectrometry KW - Microplastics KW - Surface Analysis KW - TOF-SIMS PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63644 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Scharek, Vera T1 - A new elemental analytical approach for microplastic sum parameter analysis in environmental samples – ETV/ICP-MS with CO2 N2 - Plastics are indispensable in our daily lives. Due to their easy processability, durability, and lightweight properties, they are the base material of many consumer and industry products. However, with reported amounts of millions of tons per year, plastic pollution has become a globally emerging problem. In the environment, plastic waste undergoes degradation, leading to the formation of persistent, synthetic particles smaller than 5 mm, known as microplastics (MPs). Toxicological concerns mainly arise from MP uptake by various organisms, including humans. MPs act as transport vectors for hazardous chemicals, e.g., polymer additives, bacteria, and other environmental pollutants. Existing approaches for MP analysis focus on particle size, number, and information on the polymer types. However, there is a lack of analytical tools for a fast and comprehensive assessment of the pollution situation based on the MP mass without limitations to size and polymer types. In this context, a new mass balance approach for the MPs analysis in environmental samples via electrothermal vaporization coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ETV/ICP-MS) has been developed as a complementary screening tool to existing methods. With ETV/ICP-MS, the bulk detection of MPs via the 13C isotope as a sum parameter of common polymer types was achievable relatively unaffected by the respective size across the nano-to-micrometer scale. A new mass-based approach through an external gas calibration with carbon dioxide enabled the fast quantification of the MP content in MP-soil mixtures of different portions. By this, the analysis was achievable within a few minutes of analysis time per sample. Furthermore, the potential of polymer heteroatoms and contaminants for the sensitive detection in carbon-rich matrices was investigated. T2 - ANAKON 2025 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Soil KW - Electrothermal Vaporization KW - Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry KW - Sum parameter analysis PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-62828 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Li, Changchao A1 - Jin, Ling N. A1 - Bank, Michael S. A1 - Fan, Chunlan A1 - Gillings, Michael R. A1 - Zhao, Tingting A1 - Han, Yong A1 - Chen, Tian A1 - Gao, Meng A1 - Zhu, Dong A1 - Chen, Qinglin A1 - Zhu, Guibing A1 - Wang, Jie A1 - Wang, Lei A1 - Liu, Jian A1 - Yuan, Xianzheng A1 - Huang, Qishen A1 - Wang, Xiaofei A1 - Jahnke, Annika A1 - Brahney, Janice A1 - Allen, Steve A1 - Arp, Hans Peter H. A1 - Oberbeckmann, Sonja A1 - Bergmann, Melanie A1 - Pointing, Stephen B. A1 - Zhang, Daizhou A1 - Rillig, Matthias C. T1 - Potential planetary health impacts of the airborne plastisphere N2 - Microplastics are a ubiquitous yet long-overlooked component of airborne particulate matter. The surface of these plastic particles provides a unique niche for microorganisms, collectively known as the plastisphere. The plastisphere in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems harbors microbial communities with distinct compositions, structures, and functional profiles, posing potential planetary health risks. The characteristics, fate, and impacts of the microbiome associated with airborne microplastics, however, remain largely unknown. In this review, we fill the knowledge gaps by exploring how airborne microplastics serve as key habitats for microorganisms and the potential planetary health implications. We show that microplastics are expected to carry and sustain microorganisms over long distances and timescales in air, potentially dispersing pathogens, antibiotic-resistance genes, and other bioactive agents across ecosystems. These interactions may perturb ecological processes and biological health on a planetary scale. Interdisciplinary research and innovative methodologies are urgently required to better understand and mitigate the airborne plastisphere risks. KW - Microplastics KW - Microbiome KW - Plastisphere PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-645551 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101446 SN - 2590-3322 VL - 8 IS - 10 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-64555 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Scharek, Vera T1 - A new elemental analytical approach for microplastic sum parameter analysis in environmental samples – ETV/ICP-MS with CO2 N2 - Plastics are indispensable in our daily lives. Due to their easy processability, durability, and lightweight properties, they are the base material of many consumer and industry products. However, with reported amounts of millions of tons per year, plastic pollution has become a globally emerging problem. In the environment, plastic waste undergoes degradation, leading to the formation of persistent, synthetic particles smaller than 5 mm, known as microplastics (MPs). Toxicological concerns mainly arise from MP uptake by various organisms, including humans. MPs act as transport vectors for hazardous chemicals, e.g., polymer additives, bacteria, and other environmental pollutants. Existing approaches for MP analysis focus on particle size, number, and information on the polymer types. However, there is a lack of analytical tools for a fast and comprehensive assessment of the pollution situation based on the MP mass without limitations to size and polymer types. In this context, a new mass balance approach for the MPs analysis in environmental samples via electrothermal vaporization coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ETV/ICP-MS) has been developed as a complementary screening tool to existing methods. With ETV/ICP-MS, the bulk detection of MPs via the 13C isotope as a sum parameter of common polymer types was achievable relatively unaffected by the respective size across the nano-to-micrometer scale. A new mass-based approach through an external gas calibration with carbon dioxide enabled the fast quantification of the MP content in MP-soil mixtures of different portions. By this, the analysis was achievable within a few minutes of analysis time per sample. Furthermore, the potential of polymer heteroatoms and contaminants for the sensitive detection in carbon-rich matrices was investigated. T2 - European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectroscopy CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 02.03.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Soil KW - Electrothermal Vaporization KW - Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry KW - Sum parameter analysis PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-62824 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 - Oberbeckmann, Sonja T1 - On the intersection of microbiome and material research: what can be achieved? N2 - Any surface in the environment acts as hotspot for microbial attachment and activity. These biofilms represent the interface between humans and the environment. While in the past biofilms were often seen as disturbance, we now start to understand the enormous potential of beneficial biofilms. They can be used in a broad range of applications and are sources for new microorganisms and traits. After all, biofilms represent a great example for a collaborative lifestyle. T2 - Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival, Hereon CY - Teltow, Germany DA - 14.03.2024 KW - Biofilm KW - Microbiome KW - Sustainability KW - Biosphere KW - Microplastics PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60202 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shovo, Redoy Gazi A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Katcharava, Zviadi A1 - Marinvo, Anja A1 - Hoppe, Richard A1 - Woltersdorf, Georg A1 - Du, Mengxue A1 - Androsch, Rene A1 - de Souza e Silva, Juliana Martins A1 - Busse, Karste A1 - Binder, Wolfgang H. T1 - Generating Tagged Micro- and Nanoparticles of Poly(ethylene furanoate) and Poly(ethylene terephthalate) as Reference Materials N2 - Detecting nanoplastic particles in environmental samples and biological tissues remains a significant challenge, especially in view of newly emerging polymers, not yet commercially exploited. Fluorescent labeling provides a tagging strategy to overcome this limitation by reducing the detection limit of individual particles, especially for small-sized particles. We present a method for producing labeled nanoparticles (NP/MP) of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF), tagged with Alexa Fluor 633 or Alexa Fluor 647. Our preparations used mechanical grinding or solvent-based approaches (confined impinging jet mixing, ((CIJ, precipitation), generating particles with hydrodynamic diameters of 200–700 nm, displaying long-term stability in water of up to 57 days. Stable suspensions with concentrations of the particles ranging from 10 µg/mL (surfactant-free, by solvent mixing) to 5.88 mg/mL (precipitation, containing surfactant) were generated with zeta-potentials from −5 to −50 mV. Characterization of the nanoparticles by SEC, DSC, and XRD showed no significant changes in molecular weight, thermal behavior, or crystallinity via the solvent-based methods, compared to the pristine polymer, highlighting their suitability for producing standardized nanoparticle dispersions. Fluorescence spectroscopy of the Alexa-dye-labeled particles confirmed the successful incorporation of the Alexa dyes, so improving monitoring of their biological profiles of the PEF-MP/NPs. s-SNOM (near field imaging) could identify individual PEF-particles sized ∼200 nm by direct imaging. KW - Reference Materials KW - Nanoplastics KW - Microplastics KW - Polymer KW - Fluorescence PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-655531 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.202500839 SN - 1521-3927 VL - 47 IS - 4 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Wiley VHC-Verlag CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-65553 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lackmann, C. A1 - Velki, M. A1 - Šimić, A. A1 - Müller, Axel A1 - Braun, U. A1 - Ečimović, S. A1 - Hollert, H. T1 - Two types of microplastics (polystyrene-HBCD and car tire abrasion) affect oxidative stress-related biomarkers in earthworm Eisenia andrei in a time-dependent manner N2 - Microplastics are small plastic fragments that are widely distributed in marine and terrestrial environments. While the soil ecosystem represents a large reservoir for plastic, research so far has focused mainly on the impact on aquatic ecosystems and there is a lack of information on the potentially adverse effects of microplastics on soil biota. Earthworms are key organisms of the soil ecosystem and are due to their crucial role in soil quality and fertility a suitable and popular model organism in soil ecotoxicology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain insight into the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on the earthworm Eisenia andrei on multiple levels of biological organization after different exposure periods. Earthworms were exposed to two types of microplastics: (1) polystyrene-HBCD and (2) car tire abrasion in natural soil for 2, 7, 14 and 28 d. Acute and chronic toxicity and all subcellular investigations were conducted for all exposure times, avoidance behavior assessed after 48 h and reproduction after 28 d. Subcellular endpoints included enzymatic biomarker responses, namely, carboxylesterase, glutathione peroxidase, acetylcholinesterase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase and catalase activities, as well as fluorescence-based measurements of oxidative stress-related markers and multixenobiotic resistance activity. Multiple biomarkers showed significant changes in activity, but a recovery of most enzymatic activities could be observed after 28 d. Overall, only minor effects could be observed on a subcellular level, showing that in this exposure scenario with environmentally relevant concentrations based on German pollution levels the threat to soil biota is minimal. However, in areas with higher concentrations of microplastics in the environment, these results can be interpreted as an early warning signal for more adverse effects. In conclusion, these findings provide new insights regarding the ecotoxicological effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics on soil organisms. KW - Microplastics KW - Earthworms KW - Toxicity KW - Biomarker KW - oxidative stress PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-545423 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107190 VL - 163 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-54542 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Preliminary results of an interlaboratory comparison on microplastics organised by plasticsfate N2 - Microplastics are everywhere in the environment, but analytics is challenging. Since harmonisation is missing as well es suitable reference materials, BAM did under th umbrella of VAMAS funded by the EU Horizon 2020 project PlasticsFate a ILC for microplastic detection methods. Methods adressed were IR, Raman, Py-GC/MS and TED-GC/MS. The talk gives a first presentation and evaluation on the results. T2 - CUSP annual meeting and conference CY - Utrecht, Netherlands DA - 12.09.2023 KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Polymer 3R KW - Reference material KW - ILC on detection methods PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-60036 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Giovannozzi, A T1 - Standardization and Harmonization Effort on Microplastics Analysis by Spectroscopic Methods N2 - This talk presents the EU funded project PlasticTrace. It shows the challenges in micro- and nanoplastic reference materials and gives some solutions regarding spectroscipc methods such as Raman or IR microscopy to determine the particle numbers. Materials are prepared by cryo milling to get some powder that is later pressed into tablets. The polymer type used is PET, because that is highly important for drinking water directive of EU commission. T2 - International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy (ICORS) CY - Roma, Italy DA - 28.07.2024 KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials KW - Polymer 3R PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60881 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kieserling, Helena A1 - Sieg, Holger A1 - Heilscher, Jasmin A1 - Drusch, Stephan A1 - Braeuning, Albert A1 - Thünemann, Andreas A1 - Rohn, Sascha T1 - Towards Understanding Particle-Protein Complexes: Physicochemical, Structural, and Cellbiological Characterization of β-Lactoglobulin Interactions with Silica, Polylactic Acid, and Polyethylene Terephthalate Nanoparticles N2 - Nanoplastic particles and their additives are increasingly present in the food chain, interacting with biomacromolecules with not yet known consequences. A protein corona forms around the particles in these usually complex matrices, primarily with a first contact at surface-active proteins. However, systematic studies on the interactions between the particles and proteins –especially regarding protein affinity and structural changes due to surface properties like polarity – are limited. It is also unclear whether the protein corona can "mask" the particles, mimic protein properties, and induce cytotoxic effects when internalized by mammalian cells. This study aimed at investigating the physicochemical properties of model particle-protein complexes, the structural changes of adsorbed proteins, and their effects on Caco-2 cells. Whey protein β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) was used as a well-characterized model protein and studied in a mixture with nanoparticles of varying polarity, specifically silica, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The physicochemical analyses included measurements of the hydrodynamic diameter and the zeta potential, while the protein conformational changes were analyzed using Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and intrinsic fluorescence. Cellular uptake in Caco-2 cells was assessed through flow cytometry, cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium-bromide (MTT) assay, and cellular impedance was analyzed with xCELLigence® technology. The results indicated that β-Lg had the highest affinity for hydrophilic silica particles, forming silica-β-Lg complexes and large aggregates through electrostatic interactions. The affinity decreased for PLA and was lowest for hydrophobic PET, which formed smaller complexes. Adsorption onto silica caused partial unfolding and refolding of β-Lg. The silica-β-Lg complexes were internalized by Caco-2 cells, impairing cell proliferation. In contrast, PLA- and PET-protein complexes were not internalized, though PLA complexes slightly reduced cell viability. This study enhances our understanding of protein adsorption on nanoparticles and its potential biological effects. KW - Nanoplastics KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials KW - Scattering KW - DLS PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-630093 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114702 SN - 1873-4367 VL - 253 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Elsevier BV CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-63009 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Goedecke, Caroline A1 - Bannick, C.-G. A1 - Abusafia, A. A1 - Scheid, C. A1 - Steinmetz, H. A1 - Paul, Andrea A1 - Beleites, C. A1 - Braun, U. T1 - Identification of microplastic pathways within a typical European urban wastewater system N2 - In recent years, thermoextraction/desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) has been developed as a rapid detection method for the determination of microplastics (MP) mass contents in numerous environmentally relevant matrices and, in particular, for the measurement of polymers in water samples without time-consuming sample preparation. The TED-GC/MS method was applied to investigate a typical European municipal wastewater system for possible MP masses. Such investigations are important in view of the recent revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Four different representative sampling sites were selected: greywater (domestic wastewater without toilet), combined sewer, and influent and effluent of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). All samples were collected by fractional filtration. Filtration was carried out over mesh sizes of 500, 100, 50, and in some cases, 5 µm. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) were detected in all samples, with the PE fraction dominating in all cases. Styrene-butadiene rubber which serves as an indication of tire abrasion, was only found in the influent of the WWTP. The highest MP mass contents were found in the combined sewer, so MP can become a source of pollution during heavy rain events when the capacity limits of the effluent are reached, and the polluted effluent is released uncontrolled into the environment. Based on the studies, MP retention from the WWTP could be estimated to be approximately 96%. Few trends in polymer type or mass contents were detected within the different fractions of the samples or when comparing samples to each other. KW - Microplastics KW - Microplastic analysis KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Microplastic pathways KW - Mass contents PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-568289 DO - https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1002/appl.202200078 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-56828 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Oksal-Kilinc, Sefine A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Seiwert, Bettina A1 - Reemtsma, Thorsten A1 - Ruess, Liliane T1 - Grinding method and oxidative aging modulate the impact of tire wear microplastics on the reproduction of the nematode C. elegans N2 - Rationale Tire abrasion is one of the largest sources of microplastic in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Despite this fact, research on tire wear microplastic (TWP) and its effects on soil ecosystems is scarce, especially regarding natural weathering processes. This leaves a large knowledge gap on the interactions of TWP with soil biota. Methodology Cryo-milled tire tread (CMTT) and diamond-ground tire tread (DGTT) were artificially weathered through dry ozone treatment and heat exposure. Particles were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, particle size distribution, and shape characterization. TWP leachate composition was examined using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The impact on the reproduction of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a widely used toxicological model, was tested for leachate concentration, exposure duration and TWP aging status, using offspring per adult as the endpoint. Results The comminution method significantly influenced TWP particle size distribution, with diamond grinding yielding smaller particles and a more structured surface morphology than cryo-milling. Aging with ozone (180 min) and heat (20 min at 100 °C) reduced DGTT particle sizes by 27-58%, but not in CMTT. Additionally, aging increased carboxylic functional groups and led to a brittle structure in both TWP types. Leachate composition varied with comminution method and aging. Benzothiazole, N-Cyclo-N-phenylurea, and aniline were more abundant in pristine and aged CMTT and aged DGTT. Diphenylguanidine had the highest concentration in all leachates. Aged TWP leachates, regardless of comminution, had significant toxic effects on C. elegans. Leachate from pristine CMTT was more toxic than from pristine DGTT. Nematode offspring correlated negatively with ozone exposure duration in aged DGTT. Tests with aged CMTT leachate showed even short-term exposure reduced offspring numbers. Discussion The results underscore the importance of oxidative and mechanical weathering in TWP toxicity and challenge the use of pristine particles in toxicological assays for risk assessment in the natural environment. KW - Microplastics KW - Tire abrasion KW - Environment PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-654672 DO - https://doi.org/10.1071/EN25051 SN - 1448-2517 VL - 23 IS - 2 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - CSIRO Publishing AN - OPUS4-65467 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan T1 - Micro and Nano Plastics in the Environment N2 - The VAMAS/TWA 45 Project 2 “Development of standardized methodologies for characterisation of microplastics with microscopy and spectroscopy methods” involving 85 participants around the world is primarily discussed with respect to the results received and a first data evaluation. Status of the Project "Guidelines for defining reference materials for plastic degradation in marine environment" is reported and two new project proposals are presented: "Development of standardized methodologies for characterisation of nanoplastics (starting soon, BAM as leader?) and "Development of analytical protocols for the identification and quantification of microplastics of fibrous shape (still in negotiation)". T2 - Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) 48th Steering Committee Meeting CY - New Delhi, India DA - 09.10.2023 KW - Microplastics KW - Nanoplastics KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - VAMAS KW - Reference materials KW - ISO PY - 2023 UR - https://www.nplindia.org/index.php/amcsnzt_2023/ AN - OPUS4-58539 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Haugen, Øyvind P. A1 - Polanco-Garriz, Itziar A1 - Alcolea-Rodriguez, Victor A1 - Portela, Raquel A1 - Bæra, Rita A1 - Sadeghiankaffash, Hamed A1 - Hildebrandt, Jana A1 - Ciornii, Dmitri A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Barbero, Francesco A1 - Fenoglio, Ivana A1 - Reinosa, Julián J. A1 - Fernández, José F. A1 - Katsumiti, Alberto A1 - Camassa, Laura M.A. A1 - Wallin, Håkan A1 - Zienolddiny-Narui, Shan A1 - Afanou, Anani K. T1 - Activation of Toll-like receptor 2 reveals microbial contamination beyond endotoxins on micro- and nanoplastics N2 - Current literature on health hazards associated with micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) is largely influenced by studies that insufficiently account for potential microbial contamination of their test materials. This may lead to misinterpretation of outcomes, as the test materials may be incorrectly considered pristine MNPs. The present study screened eight MNP test materials for microbial contaminants using Toll-like receptor (TLR) reporter cells for TLR2 and TLR4 and the commonly used Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. Our results show that MNPs testing negative for endotoxins, based on the absence of TLR4 activation and negative LAL results, may still contain microbial ligands that selectively activate TLR2. Moreover, five of the eight MNP test materials contained microbial ligands capable of activating TLR2 and/or TLR4. Compared to the LAL assay, TLR4-based screening effectively detected endotoxin contamination. Overall, we found that the TLR reporter cell assay provides broader coverage than the LAL assay in detecting microbial ligands, which appear to be highly prevalent in MNP test materials. KW - Nanoplastics KW - Microplastics KW - Microbial contamination PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-653286 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tiv.2025.106190 SN - 0887-2333 VL - 112 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-65328 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Putzu, Mara A1 - Wiesner, Yosri A1 - Weimann, Christiane A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan A1 - Muniategui Lorenzo, Soledad A1 - Fernández-Gonzáles, Verónica A1 - Booth, Andy M. A1 - Igartua, Amaia A1 - Benismail, Nizar A1 - Coïc, Laureen A1 - Chivas-Joly, Carine A1 - Fenoglio, Ivana A1 - Rossi, Andrea Mario A1 - Giovannozzi, Andrea Mario A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Optimization of tablet processing as a reference material for microplastic detection methods N2 - Reference materials (RMs) are essential and highly demanded tools for the development and validation of methods for microplastic (MP) quantification in complex matrices, to ensure comparable and harmonized approaches aligned with EU commission criteria for monitoring MPs (e.g., Drinking Water Directive and Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive). This study investigates different approaches for optimizing the production of polypropylene (PP) RMs in the form of water-soluble tablets, which were carefully evaluated for their homogeneity and stability according to ISO Guide 30, ISO 33401, and ISO 33405. PP particles (1–100 μm) were produced by cryomilling and embedded in a lactose/PEG matrix, then pressed into tablets (18 µg theoretical PP mass). The production process was optimized by varying (i) the size distribution of the matrix components and (ii) the mixer instrument. The materials obtained were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis to assess the homogeneity distribution of MPs with respect to PP mass in the individual tablets and their stability over a 4-month period. The most promising approach, with a homogenous mass of 19 μg (standard deviation of 4 μg), relative standard deviation of 19%, was further investigated for homogeneity by comparison with thermo-analytical mass determination methods, such as TED-GC/MS (thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) and Py-GC/MS (pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry), and for number-based characterization using micro-Raman spectroscopy. Material characterization was also examined using laser diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and ATR-FTIR. Based on the results, the optimized processing protocol yields a PP RM suitable for quality control and method performance studies supporting standardization. KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Reference materials KW - Polypropylene PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-653290 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-025-06271-7 SN - 1618-2642 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC AN - OPUS4-65329 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Putzu, Mara A1 - Barbaresi, Marta A1 - Fadda, Marta A1 - Sacco, Alessio A1 - Piergiovanni, Maurizio A1 - Masino, Matteo A1 - Bianchi, Federica A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Benismail, Nizar A1 - Coïc, Laureen A1 - Fenoglio, Ivana A1 - Mattarozzi, Monica A1 - Rossi, Andrea Mario A1 - Careri, Maria A1 - Giovannozzi, Andrea Mario T1 - Accuracy assessment of a micro-Raman spectroscopy method for small microplastic particles in infant milk formula N2 - The presence of microplastics (MPs) in the food chain is increasingly documented, raising concerns over potential risks to human health. Despite growing efforts, standardized methods for MPs detection in food matrices remain limited. This study presents an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) aimed at assessing the accuracy and comparability of an analytical approach for the identification and quantification of small MPs (5–100 μm) in infant milk powder using μ-Raman spectroscopy and a representative polyethylene terephthalate (PET) reference material (RM). The RM, formulated as water-soluble tablets, was designed to replicate the morphology, size distribution, and polymer composition of environmentally relevant MPs, and was previously assessed for homogeneity and stability for mass fraction and particle numbers. The approach was assessed using two PET RM batches with different MPs particle numbers (high load batch: 1759 ± 141 MPs; low load batch: 160 ± 22 MPs), subjected to an enzymatic–chemical digestion, followed by μ-Raman analysis performed independently in two laboratories with different instruments and operators. Results are reported as absolute particle counts per analyzed sample and demonstrated excellent recovery across all size classes, including the smallest particles (down to 5 μm), with recovery rates ranging from 82 % to 88 %, in good agreement with the RM reference values. The analytical approach proved to be robust, reproducible, and suitable for low-level MPs quantification in complex food matrices, supporting ongoing efforts toward method harmonization and standardization for reliable MPs monitoring in the food sector. KW - Microplastics KW - Milk KW - Raman microspectroscopy PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-646239 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talo.2025.100586 SN - 2666-8319 VL - 12 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-64623 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wiesner, Yosri A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - One Year Observation of Microplastic Concentrations in the River Rhine N2 - In recent years, the quantification of microplastics (MP) in aquatic environments has gained increasing attention, particularly regarding their environmental distribution and potential exposure levels. Environmentally relevant exposure data are still essential for a realistic risk assessment of the harmful health potential of microplastics in freshwater systems. This study addresses a large data set of MP concentrations analyzed and processed under statistical aspects and provides mass concentrations as well as associated size fractions of the detected MP. Over a 12 month period, samples were collected at three locations and analyzed across three particle size fractions (100−500 μm, 50−100 μm, and 10−50 μm) using thermalextraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS). The most prevalent polymers identified were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), styrene−butadiene rubber (SBR), and natural rubber (NR). Statistical analyses, including principal component and cluster analysis, revealed size-dependent patterns,minor seasonal variation and spatial variations. These findings are particularly significant for ecotoxicological research and regulatory development, especially regarding tire abrasion a rarely quantified but potentially harmful MP source. The study contributes aluable data for future environmental monitoring and supports EU directives on wastewater and drinking water quality KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Microplastics KW - Environment KW - Monitoring KW - Reference data PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-654669 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.5c00530 SN - 2690-0637 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-65466 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Dailey, L. A. A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Ćirković Veličković, Tanja T1 - Exposition und Detektionstechniken: Der Weg zur Harmonisierung N2 - Der Vortrag gibt einen Überblick über Erkenntnisse der WG 1 und WG 3 des CUSP Clusters der Horizon Europe Projekte von Mikroplastik (2020-2025). Die Frage ist wie hoch ist die Exposition und ist das dann eine gesundheitliche Gefahr. Diskutiert werden Mechanismen, die helfen richtig und genau zu messen, z.B. Prozesskontrollen oder Referenzmaterialien. Es wird ein Weg zu mehr Harmonisierung im Bereich der Mikroplastik-Analytik aufgezeigt. T2 - Mikroplastik – Was wissen wir heute? BfR-Forum Verbraucherschutz CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 02.12.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials KW - Harmonisation PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-65330 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Textile Fibers as Reference Materials for Microplastic Release N2 - Fibers of textile origin are named as high contributor for microplastic pollution in the environment next to e.g. plastics from packaging, tire wear and paints. Small fibers and fragments (microplastics: 1-1000 µm) can be released from textiles by mechanical abrasion during application (e.g. wearing) or washing. To date, the occurrence, transport pathways, and impacts of such small fibers on the environment and human health remain unclear. The European Commission revised the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/3019) and made monitoring of microplastics mandatory in the next years. Additionally, standards for microplastic detection are developed in the ISO standardization body ISO/TC 147/SC 2 with the documents ISO/DIS 16094-2 and ISO/DIS 16094-3. Detection mainly occurs by thermoanalytical methods for mass or vibrational methods with microscopes for numbers. Such standards and regulatory efforts need validated methods, which themselves need reference materials for validation. Reference materials are well characterized materials that are produced for a specific purpose and are homogeneous and stable within one property of interest. The shape and the composition of the reference particles/fibers will affect the detection, hence it is important to validate the instruments with fibers, if this is the task for monitoring campaigns. This work describes the production of realistic fibers as reference material for microplastic analysis. The individual samples contain of a small number (< 1000) and mass (< 20 µm) of fibres. Homogeneity and stability control occurred by thermogravimetric analysis and µ-Raman. Further characteristics were determined for type, shape and size distribution. T2 - TEXTEH CY - Bucharest, Romania DA - 23.10.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials KW - Microfibers KW - Microfiber release PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64620 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Production of reference materials using a quality by design approach N2 - Accurate analysis of microplastics is based on validated methods and the use of standardized protocols. Therefore, reference materials are essential to determine recovery rates and optimise the existing workflows. The reference materials should mimic the reality in terms of particle properties and concentration and are intended for a special use. The Quality-by-Design approach helps to select the users need and defines a target product profile with mandatory and desired particle properties. We will address different reference material top-down production processes with their limits and challenges for production of materials varying in size ranges of micro- and nanoplastics. T2 - OECD Workshop on Nanoplastics CY - Paris, France DA - 12.11.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials KW - Nanoplastics KW - Quality-by-Design PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64717 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 - JOUR A1 - Dorau, Kristof A1 - Rückamp, Daniel A1 - Weber, Christian A1 - Scheeder, Georg A1 - Reßing, Ronja A1 - Peth, Stephan A1 - Otto, Philipp A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Fries, Elke A1 - Hoppe, Martin T1 - Characterization and spatial distribution of mesoplastics in an arable soil N2 - AbstractExtraction of plastic particles from soil is challenging and, thus, exceptionally little spatial information on plastic distribution at the field scale has been gathered. However, for environmental risk assessment, adequate sampling should complement coherent plastic profiling. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of mesoplastics (MePs; from 5 mm up to 130 mm) in arable soil (Haplic Cambisol) managed intensively by 12 years of compost application. Geo‐referenced samples (n = 128) and five different sampling designs (n = 45) of variable sampling volume (from 2 to 300 L) were collected at a three hectare study site in Northern Germany (0–30 cm soil depth). Soil properties such as pH and soil organic carbon (SOC) were measured to evaluate dispersion measures of these data. In total, we found 259 MePs with a predominance of transparent packaging foils made of polyethylene and coloured fibres of polypropylene. Average particle metrics were a projection area of 47 (3–400) mm2, a Feret diameter of 18.5 (5.4–130) mm and a mass of 1.89 (0.11–221) mg. Caution is advised when measuring the particle mass due to still strongly adhering soil material, especially for fibre bundles with 0.544 mg soil mg−1 particle. We recommend using a 0.1 mol L−1 tetrasodium pyrophosphate solution to purify MePs by removing attached soil before weighing for further environmental risk assessment. The MePs count with a median value of 0.50 (0–3.2) particles kg−1 and median mass of 2.26 (0–221) mg kg−1 featured the highest coefficient of variation (CV) with 103% and 187%, respectively. This is 10–20 times larger in comparison to the CV of SOC (9.2%) and even 50–93 times larger than CV of soil pH (2.2%). This leads to the need of larger sample numbers to delineate plastic metrics in comparison with soil properties to identify a reliable mean value of the field within a predefined allowable error. Mesoplastics in the soil were characterized by a pure nugget effect variogram (no spatial correlation), revealed no intrafield variability and the sample volume yielded inconclusive results. Sampling for plastics in soil should either (i) drastically increase the sample number for a single field or (ii) communicate transparently that the allowable error is by far enhanced in comparison with classical soil properties like pH and SOC. More systematic studies featuring geo‐spatial analysis of MePs and smaller‐sized plastics in soils are required to propose adequate sampling designs across multiple land uses and plastics fingerprints. A larger database would, thereupon, pave the way for best‐practice guides on how to treat ‘outliers’ and search for robust estimators for spatial mapping of plastics in soils. KW - Large microplastics KW - Microplastics PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-617772 DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70016 VL - 75 IS - 6 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-61777 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wimmer, L A1 - Hoang, M V N A1 - Schwarzinger, J A1 - Jovanovic, V A1 - Adelkovic, B A1 - Velickovic, T C A1 - Meisel, T C A1 - Waniek, T A1 - Weimann, Christiane A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Dailey, L A T1 - A quality-by-design inspired approach to develop PET and PP nanoplastic test materials for use in in vitro and in vivo biological assays N2 - Micro- and nanoplastics have become environmental pollutants of concern, receiving increased attention from consumers, scientists, and policymakers. The lack of knowledge about possible impacts on wildlife and human health requires further research, for which well-characterized testmaterials are needed. A quality-bydesign (QbD) driven approachwas used to produce sterile, endotoxinmonitored nanoplastics of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) with a size fraction of >90% below 1 μm and high yield of >90%. Glycerol was used as a versatile and biocompatible liquid storage medium which requires no further exogenous dispersing agent andmaintained colloidal stability, sterility (0 CFU mL−1), and low endotoxin levels (<0.1 EU mL−1) for more than one year of storage at room temperature. Further, the glycerol vehicle showed no biological effect on the tested human bronchial cell line Calu-3 up to 0.8% (w/v). Given the concentration of 40 mg g−1 nanoplastics in the glycerol stock, this corresponds to a nanoplastic concentration of 320 μg mL−1. The surfactant-free nanoplastics are dispersible in bio-relevant media from the glycerol stock without changing size characteristics and are suitable for in vitro and in vivo research. KW - Microplastics KW - Reference materials KW - Nanoplastics KW - Polymer 3R KW - Glycerol PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-629934 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EN01186D SN - 2051-8161 VL - 12 IS - 5 SP - 2667 EP - 2686 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-62993 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Visileanu, Emilia A1 - Catalin Grosu, Marian A1 - Tiberiu Miclea, Paul A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Brossell, Dirk T1 - Methods for the collection and characterization of airborne particles in the textile industry N2 - Airborne particulate matter is one of the main air pollutants. Their impact on mortality, and the occurrence of pulmonary and cardiovascular complications, have been the subject of numerous studies. Airborne particles are complex mixtures of organic and inorganic substances from different sources of particle emissions. Particulate Matter (PM) particles are classified according to their aerodynamic diameter expressed in µm and can vary from coarse (PM 10) to fine (less than PM 2.5). These diameter considerations are fundamental because they condition the penetration of particles into the bronchopulmonary system and the body. In recent years, there has been an interest in so-called “ultra-fine” particles, with a diameter of 0.1 µm (or 100 nm), or PM 0.1. They are nanoparticles and their impact on human health is not yet clear.With more than 1.5 million employees, textiles and clothing is a diverse sector that plays an important role in the European manufacturing industry, producing a turnover of €162 billion.An important component of the solid particles that generate air pollution in the textile industry is microplastics (MP) and nano plastics (NP), which also include microfibers (<5mm) and nanofibers (<100 nm), respectively. The particles released into the air during fiber and yarn processing range from 1 µg/m3 to 50 µg/m3.The paper presents the results of the determination of indoor and outdoor air concentration levels in textile companies, to identify the areas with the highest concentration level, by using an online recording system such as the Laser Aerosol Spectrometer MINI LAS model 11-E. The total concentration level TSP (µg/m3), the fractions PM 10(µg/m3), PM 2.5(µg/m3), PM1(µg/m3), as well as the total number of particles TC (1/l), were shown. It was noted that TSP is approximately at the same level both indoors and outdoors, but the fractions of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 have much higher values indoors than outdoors with possible consequences on workers' health.The next step was the collection of fibers, namely micro and nano plastic particles from the vicinity of the workplaces of polyester, polyamide, and polypropylene fibers processing units in the textile industry in Romania, to obtain a sufficient quantity for laboratory analysis to determine the size and shape of the particles as well as their chemical composition. Two types of pumps were used, differentiated by their operating parameters: TECORA SKYPOST with airflow of 38 l/min and GILAIRPLUS with airflow 2l/min. Filters made of different materials with different diameters and pore sizes were used, namely: quartz filters (ø 47 mm, and ø 37 mm) on a TECORA SKYPOST type pump, polycarbonate nucleopore coated with a gold membrane (ø 25 mm) and silica filter (ø 9 mm) on GILAIRPLUS type pump.Using descriptive statistics, the calculation of correlation coefficients highlighted a strong correlation between the variables: "Collected mass/ Air concentration" and "Collected mass/ Air volume" for all diameters of the filters.The highest collected particle volume, determined by weighing the filters before and after collection, was obtained with the quartz filters (ø 47 mm) at an airflow of 38 l/min. The particles collected (polyester, polyamide, polypropylene) in the first stage were analyzed by SEM and thermogravimetric and it was found that the quartz filters absorbed the particles inside, with very few remaining on the surface. Thus no known methods can be used to perform analysis for particles collected on quartz filters. The number of particles on the filters was insufficient for analysis either because of the collection parameters used or because of the loss of particles during transport. As a result, in the next step, the use of 9 mm Si filters using the GILAIRPLUS pump at an airflow rate of 2l/min was chosen.To improve the transport conditions and avoid the loss of the particles and keep them on the surface of the filters, two methods were applied:- after weighing the filters were reintroduced into the collection pump holder;- a filtration system for airborne micro-nano plastics was designed and manufactured to selectively collect and transport PM10 and PM1 particles collected on SI filters.In both cases, SEM, Raman mapping, and GS-MS microscopy were used for analysis.Several times more PM10 than PM1 (74.5µg compared to 12.5 µg) was found. In all cases, both particles and fibers showed the same Raman fingerprint.The GS-MS analyses showed some contamination of the workspaces with particles other than the processed fibers. The presence of non-notifiable substances was also observed.The most viable filters are Si filters with a pore size of 10 microns to 1 micron and the use of the selected collection and transport filter system. In the following a filter system will be applied for collection on Au membrane-coated polycarbonate filters. T2 - 5th International Conference on Human Systems Engineering and Design: Future Trends and Applications (IHSED 2023) KW - Microplastics KW - Textiles PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-624442 DO - https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1004132 VL - 112 SP - 212 EP - 223 PB - AHFE International AN - OPUS4-62444 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Wiesner, Yosri T1 - Microplastics in composts - Identification and quantification of microplastic contents using a thermal decomposition method N2 - The ubiquitous presence of unintended plastics in the environment has been an issue in scientific studies and public debate. Recent studies on MP findings are focused mainly on aquatic systems, while little is known about MP in terrestrial ecosystems. Fermentation residues, sewage sludge and compost are secondary raw material fertilizers and represent a possible input path of plastics in soils. Soils are final sinks for micro plastics. In this context, samples were taken in a combined fermentation and composting plant in Germany to get real compost samples which were investigated. Existing regulations include requirements for total contents of plastics in combination with visual determination methods. In order to avoid possible underdeterminations, precise detection methods should be used in the future from a scientific point of view. For this reason, the use of thermoanalytical detection is an appropriate way. Spectroscopic methods such as Raman or FTIR are not suitable for determining the mass content of microplastic, as these output a particle number. In Germany, compost is a potential vector for MP in soil due to its use as fertilizer. Therefore, we show the application of TThermoExtractionDesorption-GasChromatography-MassSpectrometry (TED-GC-MS) as a fast, integral analytical technique, which in contrast to the spectroscopic methods does not measure the number of particles but a mass content. In a nitrogen atmosphere the sample is pyrolyzed to 600 °C and an excerpt of the pyrolysis gases is collected on a solid phase adsorber. Afterwards, the decomposition gases are desorbed and measured in a GC-MS system. Characteristic pyrolysis products of each polymer can be used to identify the polymer type and determine the mass contents in the present sample. For the first time the work represents a routine procedure for the determination of plastics in composts and fermentation residues. This current study will also give inside in various important aspects of sample preparation, which include a meaningful size fractionation, a necessary density separation regarding the removal of inorganic contents and at finally a homogenization. T2 - SETAC Copenhagen – SETAC Europe 32nd Annual Meeting CY - Copenhagen, Denmark DA - 15.05.2022 KW - Microplastics KW - Soil KW - Pathway KW - Detection PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-56293 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittmar, Stefan A1 - Weyrauch, Steffen A1 - Reemtsma, Thorsten A1 - Eisentraut, Paul A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Ruhl, Aki S. A1 - Jekel, Martin T1 - Settling Velocities of Tire and Road Wear Particles: Analyzing Finely Graded Density Fractions of Samples from a Road Simulator and a Highway Tunnel N2 - The terminal settling velocity is considered the most critical parameter determining the transport of tire and road wear particles (TRWP) in aquatic environments. Nonetheless, no respective empirical data has been reported so far. In this study, particle samples from a road simulator and a highway tunnel were investigated with a validated imaging method. Different density and size fractions of both samples were measured separately, acquiring sizes and settling velocities of more than 30,000 individual particles. In addition, tire marker polymers were analyzed for each fraction via thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Finally, the acquired particle data was combined according to the fractions’ estimated tire contents in order to deduce detailed probability distributions of particle size and settling velocity for the actual TRWP from both samples. Weighted by TRWP-incorporated tire mass, median diameters of 54 and 44 μm as well as median settling velocities of 0.65 and 0.22 mm/s were found for TRWP from the road simulator and highway tunnel, respectively. This study thus provides the first ever empirical data on TRWP settling velocities in water, which can be highly valuable input for modeling the environmental transport of TRWP and for dimensioning TRWP retention systems. KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Sinking velocities KW - Transport PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-635449 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c04165 SN - 0013-936X VL - 59 IS - 26 SP - 13434 EP - 13446 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-63544 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Visileanu, Emilia A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Stepa, Raluca A1 - Haiducu, Maria A1 - Miclea, Paul Tiberiu A1 - Vladu, Alina A1 - Dondea, Felicia A1 - Grosu, Marian Catalin A1 - Scarlat, Razvan T1 - Comparative Analysis of Airborne Particle Concentrations in Textile Industry Environments Throughout the Workday N2 - This paper addresses the growing concern surrounding microplastic pollution, particularly within the textile industry, and the associated potential health risks linked to the inhalation and ingestion of microplastic particles. Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than five millimeters, are increasingly found not only in aquatic environments, but also in soils, air, and food. Although research on the health impacts of microplastics is still emerging, early studies indicate that these particles could contribute to health issues, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and cardiovascular diseases. Notably, individuals with higher concentrations of plastics in arterial plaques are more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes. In the textile industry, synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic release microplastics into the air during production. The paper discusses a study conducted in a textile company that processes polyester yarns, where airborne microplastic concentrations were measured at various locations throughout the day. Particle sizes ranging from 0.3 nm to 10 nm were analyzed, revealing the presence of polyester polymers in the particulate matter. These findings underscore the widespread nature of microplastic pollution, particularly in industrial settings, and raise concerns about the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to airborne microplastics. While further research is necessary to fully understand the extent of these health impacts, preliminary data suggest a troubling link between microplastic inhalation and cardiovascular conditions. KW - Microplastics KW - Textiles KW - Airborne particles PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-635269 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/microplastics4020034 SN - 2673-8929 VL - 4 IS - 2 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - MDPI AG AN - OPUS4-63526 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wiesner, Yosri A1 - Bednarz, Marius A1 - Braun, Ulrike A1 - Bannick, Claus Gerhard A1 - Ricking, Mathias A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - A promising approach to monitor microplastic masses in composts N2 - Inputs of plastic impurities into the environment via the application of fertilizers are regulated in Germany and the EU by means of ordinances. Robust and fast analytical methods are the basis of legal regulations. Currently, only macro- and large microplastic contents (>1 mm) are measured. Microplastics (1–1,000 µm), are not yet monitored. Thermal analytical methods are suitable for this purpose, which can determine the mass content and can also be operated fully automatically in routine mode. Thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) allows the identification of polymers and the determination of mass contents in solid samples from natural environments. In accordance with the German or European Commission (EC) Fertiliser Ordinance, composting plants should be monitored for microplastic particles with this method in the future. In this context a compost plant was sampled. At the end of the rotting process, the compost was sieved and separated in a coarse (>1 mm) and a fine fraction (<1 mm). The fine fraction was processed using density separation comparing NaCl and NaI as possible salt alternative and screened for microplastic masses by TED-GC/MS with additional validation and quality assurance experiments. With TED-GC/MS total microplastics mass contents of 1.1–3.0 μg/mg in finished compost could be detected with polyethylene mainly. What differs much to the total mass of plastics in the coarse fraction with up to 60 μg/mg, which were visually searched, identified via ATR-FTIR and gravimetrically weighted. KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Compost KW - Monitoring KW - Soil PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-586688 DO - https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvc.2023.1281558 SN - 2673-4486 VL - 4 SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne AN - OPUS4-58668 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dittmar, Stefan A1 - Ruhl, Aki S. A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Jekel, Martin T1 - Settling Velocities of Small Microplastic Fragments and Fibers N2 - There is only sparse empirical data on the settling velocity of small, non-buoyant microplastics thus far, although it is an important parameter governing their vertical transport within aquatic environments. This study reports the settling velocities of 4031 exemplary microplastic particles. Focusing on the environmentally most prevalent particle shapes, irregular microplastic fragments of four different polymer types (9–289 µm) as well as five discrete length fractions (50–600 µm) of common nylon and polyester fibers were investigated, respectively. All settling experiments were carried out in quiescent water using a specialized optical imaging setup. The method has been previously validated in order to minimize disruptive factors, e.g. thermal convection or particle interactions, and thus enable the precise measurements of the velocities of individual microplastic particles (0.003–9.094 mm/s). Based on the obtained data, ten existing models for predicting a particle’s terminal settling velocity were assessed. It is concluded that models, which were specifically deduced from empirical data on larger microplastics, fail to provide accurate predictions for small microplastics. Instead, a different approach is highlighted as a viable option for computing settling velocities across the microplastics continuum in terms of size, density and shape. KW - Microplastics KW - Microplastic fibers KW - Settling velocity KW - Sinking velocity KW - Sedimentation PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-597455 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c09602 SN - 0013-936X VL - 58 IS - 14 SP - 6359 EP - 6369 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-59745 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wiesner, Yosri A1 - Hoffmann, Thomas A1 - Range, David A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Microplastics in sediments of the river Rhine—A workflow for preparation and analysis of sediment samples from aquatic river systems for monitoring purposes N2 - AbstractMicroplastics (MP) can be detected in all environmental systems. Marine and terrestrial aquatic systems, especially the transported suspended solids, have often been the focus of scientific investigations in the past. Sediments of aquatic river systems, on the other hand, were often ignored due to the time‐consuming sample preparation and analysis procedures. Spectroscopic measurement methods counting particle numbers are hardly suitable as detection methods, because there are plenty of natural particles next to a small number of MP particles. Integral methods, such as thermoanalytical methods are determining the particle mass independently of the inorganic components.In this study, a workflow for sample preparation via density separation and subsequent analysis by thermal extraction desorption‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is presented, which leads to representative and homogeneous samples and allows fast and robust MP mass content measurements suitable for routine analysis. Polymers were identified and quantified in all samples. Polyethylene and styrene‐butadiene rubber are the dominant polymers, besides polypropylene and polystyrene. Overall, total polymer masses between 1.18 and 337.0 µg/g could be determined. Highest MP concentrations in riverbed sediment are found in sites characterized by low flow velocities in harbors and reservoirs, while MP concentrations in sandy/gravelly bed sediments with higher flow velocities are small. KW - Microplastics KW - Density separation KW - TED-GC/MS KW - NaI PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-597335 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/appl.202200125 VL - 3 IS - 2 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Wiley VHC-Verlag AN - OPUS4-59733 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Becker, Roland A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Sommerfeld, Thomas A1 - Braun, Ulrike T1 - Quantification of microplastics in a freshwater suspended organic matter using different thermoanalytical methods – outcome of an interlaboratory comparison N2 - A sedimented freshwater suspended organic matter fortified with particles of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was employed in an interlaboratory comparison of thermoanalytical methods for microplastics identification and quantification. Three laboratories performed pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS), three others provided results using thermal extraction desorption followed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS). One participant performed thermogravimetry-infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) and two participants used thermogravimetry coupled to mass spectrometry (TGA-MS). Further participants used differential scanning microscopy (DSC), a procedure based on micro combustion calorimetry (MCC) and a procedure based on elemental analysis. Each participant employed a different combination of sample treatment, calibration and instrumental Settings for polymer identification and quantification. Though there is obviously room for improvements regarding the between-laboratory reproducibility and the harmonization of procedures it was seen that the participants Performing Py-GC-MS, TED-GC-MS, and TGA-FTIR were able to correctly identify all polymers and to report reasonable quantification results in the investigated concentration range (PE: 20.0 μg/mg, PP: 5.70 μg/mg; PS: 2.20 μg/mg, PET: 18.0 μg/mg). Although for the other methods limitations exists regarding the detection of specific polymers, they showed potential as alternative approaches for polymer quantification in solid environmental matrices. KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - Microplastics KW - Suspended organic matter KW - Pyrolysis PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2020.104829 VL - 148 SP - 1 EP - 6 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-50977 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Monikh, Fazel A. A1 - Materić, Dušan A1 - Valsami-Jones, Eugenia A1 - Grossart, Hans-Peter A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Holzinger, Rupert A1 - Lynch, Iseult A1 - Stubenrauch, Jessica A1 - Peijnenburg, Willie T1 - Challenges in studying microplastics in human brain N2 - Human exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) is an emerging concern with potential implications for health. As awareness of this issue grows, it has prompted increasing scientific attention toward understanding if, and how, MNPs accumulate in human tissues. In a recent study, Nihart et al.1 used the analytical technique of pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC–MS) to detect MNPs in human liver, kidney and brain, reporting the highest concentrations in the brain, with polyethylene as the predominant polymer. The study as reported appears to face methodological challenges, such as limited contamination controls and lack of validation steps, which May affect the reliability of the reported concentrations. In this Matters Arising, we highlight methodological limitations that have General relevance for advancing robust and reproducible MNP detection in human biomonitoring studies. KW - Microplastics KW - Nanoplastics KW - Py-GC-MS PY - 2025 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-04045-3 SN - 1078-8956 VL - 31 IS - 12 SP - 1 EP - 3 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC AN - OPUS4-64698 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Seasonal microplastic concentrations along the rivers Rhine and Danube N2 - Over the last 20 years, many researchers, politicians and citizens have become increasingly aware of the growing plastic problem of our time. A lack of recycling concepts and plastic collection points as well as careless dumping lead to accumulation of plastic products in the environment. Natural weathering can cause these plastics to degrade and fractionate, meaning that microplastics (1 1,000 µm, ISO/TR 21960:2020) and nanoplastics (< 1 µm, ISO/TR 21960:2020) of various synthetic polymer materials can now be detected in all parts of the world. Whether microplastics or nanoplastics pose a toxicological hazard is being investigated in a variety of ways. Valid results are still pending. However, the EU precautionary principle applies to micro- and nanoplastics. Monitoring of microplastics is already required in the revision of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Framework Directive. Reliable monitoring of rivers can be carried out by sampling with sedimentation boxes and microplastic detection by using thermal extraction desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) in routine operation (Figure 1). The river Rhine was sampled for microplastic masses at three different sampling locations over a period of one year and in addition the Danube at randomized sampling locations The TED-GC/MS results showed that various synthetic polymers frequently produced in industry, such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polystyrene as well as the tire compound styrene-butadiene rubber were found. The work not only shows a possible workflow for monitoring concepts, but also provides information on environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics and tire components in surface waters. This in turn is necessary for ecotoxicological studies. T2 - ESOPS CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 09.09.2024 KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Polymer 3R PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61016 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Béalu, Zoé A1 - Walther, Johanna A1 - Abusafia, Attaallah A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Meurer, Maren A1 - Gretzschel, Oliver A1 - Schäfer, Michael A1 - Steinmetz, Heidrun T1 - Removal of Organic Micropollutants and Microplastics via Ozonation Followed by Granular Activated Carbon Filtration N2 - Discharge from Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) can result in the emission of organic micropollutants (OMPs) and microplastics (MPs) into the aquatic environment. To prevent this harmful release, a pilot plant consisting of an ozonation followed by a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter was operated at a WWTP in Germany, and its side-effects on the concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) compounds were measured. Over 80% of OMPs and transformation products were removed during the operating time (around 6000 bed volumes) no matter the ozone dose (from around 0.1 to 0.5 mgO3/mgDOC), except for Diatrizoic acid, whose breakthrough appeared at 3500 BV. Formation of the oxidation by-product, NDMA, increased with higher ozone doses, but the concentration remained below 100 ng/L. Bromate was formed at a higher ozone dose (0.4 mgO3/mgDOC) but at a low concentration—below 10 µg/L. The MP particles detected in the inflow (PE, SBR, PP, and PS) were effectively eliminated to a high degree, with a removal rate of at least 92%. Carbon parameters (COD, DOC, and SAC254) were removed further by the pilot plant, but to different extents. As expected, nitrate was formed during ozonation, while nitrite’s concentration decreased. Further, nitrite decreased and nitrate increased within the GAC filter, while ammonium was eliminated by at least 90%. Total P concentration decreased after the pilot, but the concentration of PO4-P increased. KW - Microplastics KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Granular Activated Carbon Filtration KW - Removal of Organic Micropollutants KW - Wastewater treatment plant PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-615209 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11110241 VL - 11 IS - 11 SP - 1 EP - 38 PB - MDPI AG AN - OPUS4-61520 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Update from ISO/TC 61/SC14/WG4 N2 - This talk is an update from ISO/TC 61/SC14/WG4. It describes the production of microplastic test material for the use in an interlaboratory comparison. IWe report the first results of an ILC on microplastic detection methods organized under the pre-stantdardisation plattform of VAMAS (www.vamas.org/twa45/) as Project 2 “Development of standardized methodologies for characterisation of microplastics with microscopy and spectroscopy methods”, within the Technical Working Area TWA 45 “Micro and Nano Plastics in the Environment”. The ILC has gathered 84 participants all over the world representing all continents. Reference materials were developed by BAM to test the main methods for MPs detection as addressed in ISO/TR 21960:2020: thermo-analytical methods (Py-GC/MS and TED-GC/MS) and vibrational methods (µ-IR and µ-Raman). As far as the mass fraction is concerned, accurate results with quite a good precision were achieved with the thermo-analytical methods. Number-based results are not adressed here. T2 - ISO/TC 147/SC 2/JWG CY - Online meeting DA - 03.06.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - ILC KW - Reference materials PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63340 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ciornii, Dmitri A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan A1 - Wachtendorf, Volker A1 - Fengler, Petra A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Interlaboratory Comparison Reveals State of the Art in Microplastic Detection and Quantification Methods N2 - In this study, we investigate the current accuracy of widely used microplastic (MP) detection methods through an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) involving ISO-approved techniques. The ILC was organized under the prestandardization platform of VAMAS (Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards) and gathered a large number (84) of analytical laboratories across the globe. The aim of this ILC was (i) to test and to compare two thermo-analytical and three spectroscopical methods with respect to their suitability to identify and quantify microplastics in a water-soluble matrix and (ii) to test the suitability of the microplastic test materials to be used in ILCs. Two reference materials (RMs), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE) as powders with rough size ranges between 10 and 200 μm, were used to press tablets for the ILC. The following parameters had to be assessed: polymer identity, mass fraction, particle number concentration, and particle size distribution. The reproducibility, SR, in thermo-analytical experiments ranged from 62%−117% (for PE) and 45.9%−62% (for PET). In spectroscopical experiments, the SR varied between 121% and 129% (for PE) and 64% and 70% (for PET). Tablet dissolution turned out to be a very challenging step and should be optimized. Based on the knowledge gained, development of guidance for improved tablet filtration is in progress. Further, in this study, we discuss the main sources of uncertainties that need to be considered and minimized for preparation of standardized protocols for future measurements with higher accuracy. KW - Microplastics KW - Interlaboratory comparison KW - PlasticsFatE KW - PET KW - PE KW - Reference materials KW - VAMAS KW - Thermo-analytical methods KW - Spectroscopical methods PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-630462 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c05403 SN - 1520-6882 VL - 97 SP - 8719 EP - 8728 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-63046 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kittner, Maria A1 - Coesfeld, Bianca A1 - Schlau, Sven A1 - Werischak, Thomas A1 - Altmann, Korinna A1 - Kalbe, Ute T1 - Simultaneous sampling for microplastics and environmental contaminants from artificial turf: development of a new integrated microplastics eluate lysimeter N2 - To get a better understanding of potentially harmful contaminant emissions from soils or materials into the environment, politics demand practical and holistic sampling concepts for environmental samples such as leachates containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) or heavy metals, and hazardous particulate matter like microplastics (MP). Of particular concern are MP emissions from artificial turf sports pitches. So far, there has been only very limited data on MP mass emissions from artificial turf potentially posing a risk to the groundwater and no sampling device that allowed simultaneous sampling for dissolved and particulate contaminants. In this study, a novel integrative microplastics eluate lysimeter was developed to determine contaminant emissions from three artificial turf systems at different ageing states (fabric-new, artificially aged, real-time aged). For the accelerated ageing, all environmental simulation parameters were based on Central German conditions and simulated outdoor stress during the turf service lifespan of 15 years. MP masses from eluates were analysed using thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, PAH concentrations using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and heavy metals using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Results showed that no PAH or heavy metal concentrations from the seepage water were above German legal limits for alternative granular construction materials considering soil and groundwater protection. Furthermore, it was found that only minimal MP emissions were released from new turf systems into the seepage water (< 1 mg/m2). Ageing of the artificial turf increased MP formation, especially from rubber infill and grass fibres, which are then carried into the seepage water. The highest total MP emissions over a simulated turf lifespan of 15 years were detected in two real-time aged turf systems ranging from 136.4–252.5 mg/m2. Considerably less total MP emissions were detected in accelerated aged artificial turf systems, one of which contained a synthetic rubber infill (5.4–8.0 mg/m2) and one without rubber infill (0.2–5.3 mg/m2). In summary, it was demonstrated that the newly developed MEL generated reliable and reproducible data and has thus proven itself as an integrated, straightforward and automated sampling device for simultaneous monitoring of particulate and dissolved pollutant emissions from simple soil matrices. KW - Lysimeter KW - Microplastics KW - Artificial turf KW - Thermal extraction desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry KW - TED-GC/MS KW - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons KW - PAH KW - Heavy metals KW - Soil samples PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-645301 DO - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01235-1 SN - 2190-4715 VL - 37 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - Springer Open AN - OPUS4-64530 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Production of small micro- and nanoplastic reference materials supporting harmonization and standardization N2 - The MICROPLASTICdays at Ljubliana, Slowenia, were organized in cooperation with the PRIORITY cost action. The topic has been reference materials this time. The talk gives an idea of the preparation of reference materials in micro- and nanoplastic topic to support standardisation and regulation. It defines the term of micro-and nanoplastics and presents different case studies and critical attributes to the production depending on the enduser needs. T2 - MICROPLASTICdays CY - Ljubljana, Slovenia DA - 25.03.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Nanoplastics KW - Reference materials PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-62801 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Kittner, Maria T1 - Development of a new Lysimeter System to assess Microplastic, PAH & Heavy Metal Emissions from Artificial Turf Sports Pitches N2 - Since September 2023, the European Commission introduced a new regulation to reduce emissions of microplastics (MP) into the environment, including the sale and use of intentionally added MP. Therein, the use of synthetic rubber granules in artificial turf is explicitly mentioned and banned for future use. Additionally, abrasions of grass fibres and other turf components are also considered as MP sources. Artificial turf pitches are multi component systems: e. g. grass fibres made of polyethylene (PE), synthetic infill made of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), carpet backing of polypropylene (PP) glued with polyurethane (PU), winding yarn of polyethylene terephthalate or elastic layer of Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) bound with PU. While the ban has great impact on recreational sports, there is so far no sufficient data to estimate the MP emissions from artificial turf sports pitches into the environment and thus their relevance as a source of MP pollution. To close this gap, three artificial turf scenarios in different ageing states (unaged, artificially aged and aged in real time) were analysed in this study: the past (old turf: fossil based, synthetic infill), present (most commonly installed in Germany: fossil based, synthetic infill) and future (turf with recycled grass fibres, no synthetic infill). To simulate outdoor weathering during the service life of approx. 15 years, accelerated ageing by UV weathering and mechanical stress was carried out. The newly developed and in-house manufactured Microplastic Eluate Lysimeter (MEL) simulates contaminant transfer into the groundwater and allows the simultaneous sampling for MP and dissolved contaminants, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) or heavy metals (HM). MP mass contents were analysed using smart microfilter crucibles (mesh size: 5 µm) and Thermal Extraction Desorption Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and PAH and HM concentrations were determined using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry or Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, respectively. T2 - MICRO2024: Plastic Pollution from Micro to Nano CY - Arrecife, Spain DA - 23.09.2024 KW - Microplastics Eluate Lysimeter KW - Microplastics KW - Heavy Metals KW - PAH KW - TED-GC/MS PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61160 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Drago, C A1 - Wiesner, Yosri A1 - Braun, U A1 - Giovannozi, A A1 - Fadda, M A1 - Putzu, Mara A1 - Lorenzo, S A1 - Moscoso-Pérez, C A1 - Benismail, N A1 - Palma, C A1 - Almeida, J A1 - Mattarozzi, M A1 - Barbaresi, M A1 - Piergiovanni, M A1 - Masino, M A1 - Bianchi, F A1 - Careri, M A1 - v Bavel, B A1 - Maltseva, A A1 - Sillanpää, M A1 - Pröfrock, D A1 - Wippermann, D A1 - Altmann, Korinna T1 - Harmonisation of sample preparation for microplastic analysis: Recovery rates of tablets containing microplastics as reference material for food and environmental matrix N2 - Microplastic are found ubiquitarians in the environment and food products. Up to now, their impact of risks on health and environment is still controversially discussed, but based on the precautionary principle alone, their presence should be monitored and emission should be reduced (see here also the status of existing EU regulations ). The crucial point is not only the reduction of microplastics pollution but also the introduction of legally binding, standardized procedures for their analysis. The limited availability of certified reference material as well as absence of standard operating procedures to identify, characterize and quantify microplastics according to number and mass have generated lack of comparability between different analytical methods and laboratories; but also, the need of time-consuming development of own protocols for each laboratory. Further on, harmonisation and standardisation of microplastics analysis requires specific reference materials that are used to validate the measurement and to ensure the comparability of results. In the first step, we developed tablets of a water-soluble matrix, containing defined numbers of microplastic particles or mass contents. These can be solved in water and can be handled as reference materials in bottled drinking water without additional sample preparation. These samples can be measured, using mass-based methods as thermo-analytical methods like thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) or pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and using umber-based methods as vibrational spectroscopy like Infrared and Raman directly after filtration. The aim of this work was to delevop standard operating procedure to measure microplastics in more complex matrices and to harmonise and compare different detection and characterization methods. In fact, these matrices require different additional treatments to allow a reliable quantification and identification of microplastics. T2 - SETAC Europe 2025 CY - Vienna, Austria DA - 11.05.2025 KW - Microplastics KW - Nanoplastics PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63366 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -