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 - Nordholt, Niclas T1 - The disinfectant glutaraldehyde induces antibiotic tolerance underpinned by a Disrupted Cellular State and Heterogenous Regrowth Dynamics N2 - Glutaraldehyde is widely used as a disinfectant and preservative, but little is known about its effects on bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and the selection of tolerant phenotypes. We found that short-term exposure to sub-inhibitory levels of glutaraldehyde makes E. coli resistant to high doses of bactericidal antibiotics from different classes. This tolerance is associated with delayed, heterogeneous regrowth dynamics and global transcriptome remodeling. We identified over 1200 differentially expressed genes, including those related to antibiotic efflux, metabolic processes, and the cell envelope. The cells entered a disrupted state likely due to the unspecific mode-of-action of glutaraldehyde. Despite this unregulated response, we identified several differentially expressed genes not previously associated with antibiotic tolerance or persistence that induce antibiotic tolerance when overexpressed alone. These findings highlight how the unspecific mode-of-action of disinfectants can make bacteria temporarily resistant to antibiotics. They have implications for settings where disinfectants and antibiotics are used in close proximity, such as hospitals and animal husbandry, and for the selection dynamics of tolerant pheno- and genotypes in fluctuating environments where microorganisms are exposed to these substances, such as sewage systems. A trade-off arises from overcoming the disrupted state as quickly as possible and maintaining antibiotic tolerance. T2 - Molecular Mechanisms in Evolution (GRS) Gordon Research Seminar CY - Easton, Massachusetts, USA DA - 24.06.2023 KW - Glutaraldehyde KW - Biocides KW - Tolerance KW - Bacteria KW - Disinfection KW - Heterogeneity KW - Antibiotics KW - AMR PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58032 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Nordholt, Niclas T1 - The disinfectant glutaraldehyde induces antibiotic tolerance underpinned by phenotypic heterogeneity and transcriptome remodeling N2 - Glutaraldehyde is widely used as a disinfectant and preservative, but little is known about its effects on bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics and the selection of tolerant phenotypes. We found that short-term exposure to sub-inhibitory levels of glutaraldehyde makes E. coli resistant to high doses of bactericidal antibiotics from different classes. This tolerance is associated with delayed, heterogeneous regrowth dynamics and global transcriptome remodeling. We identified over 1200 differentially expressed genes, including those related to antibiotic efflux, metabolic processes, and the cell envelope. The cells entered a disrupted state likely due to the unspecific mode-of-action of glutaraldehyde. Despite this unregulated response, we identified several differentially expressed genes not previously associated with antibiotic tolerance or persistence that induce antibiotic tolerance when overexpressed alone. These findings highlight how the unspecific mode-of-action of disinfectants can make bacteria temporarily resistant to antibiotics. They have implications for settings where disinfectants and antibiotics are used in close proximity, such as hospitals and animal husbandry, and for the selection dynamics of tolerant pheno- and genotypes in fluctuating environments where microorganisms are exposed to these substances, such as sewage systems. A trade-off arises from overcoming the disrupted state as quickly as possible and maintaining antibiotic tolerance. T2 - µClub Seminar Series CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 26.05.2023 KW - Glutaraldehyde KW - Biocides KW - Tolerance KW - Bacteria KW - Disinfection KW - Heterogeneity PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58031 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Nordholt, Niclas T1 - The disinfectant glutaraldehyde induces antibiotic tolerance underpinned by Phenotypic Heterogeneity and transcriptome remodeling N2 - Glutaraldehyde (GTA) is commonly used to disinfect medical equipment, in animal husbandry and in hydraulic fracturing. Its wide use bears the risk that microorganisms in different environments are exposed to potentially non-lethal doses of glutaraldehyde. To date, little is known about the effects of glutaraldehyde on the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics and its role in the selection of tolerant phenotypes. Objectives • To determine the effect of glutaraldehyde exposure on the survival of E. coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa to antibiotics • To find the mechanistic basis for antibiotic tolerance upon glutaraldehyde exposure Materials & Methods Four bacterial isolates were exposed to sub-inhibitory glutaraldehyde. Antibiotic tolerance was determined by time-kill assays. Regrowth dynamics (lag times) were determined with ScanLag. E. coli was further investigated, using RNAseq to identify genes and processes involved in antibiotic tolerance. Mutants of candidate genes were screened for their antibiotic tolerance and heterogeneous target gene expression under stressed and unstressed conditions. Results Short-term exposure to sub-inhibitory levels of glutaraldehyde induced tolerance to high doses of bactericidal antibiotics. Tolerance to antibiotics was associated with highly heterogeneous regrowth dynamics and global transcriptome remodeling. Differentially expressed genes represented diverse biological functions and cellular components, including antibiotic efflux, metabolic processes, and the cell envelope. The heterogeneous regrowth dynamics and the diversity of the differentially expressed genes are likely related to the unspecific mode-of-action of glutaraldehyde. Among the many differentially expressed genes, several genes were identified that were not previously associated with antibiotic tolerance or persistence, which, when overexpressed alone, increased antibiotic tolerance. Conclusion Our results highlight how the big advantage of a disinfectant, its unspecific mode-of-action, can induce transient tolerance to antibiotics in bacteria. These findings have implications for 1.) settings where disinfectants and antibiotics are used in proximity, such as hospitals and animal husbandry, and 2.) for the selection dynamics of tolerant bacteria in fluctuating environments because of the trade-off that arises from overcoming the lag phase as fast as possible and maintaining antibiotic tolerance. T2 - VAAM Jahrestagung 2023 CY - Göttingen, Germany DA - 10.09.2023 KW - Glutaraldehyde KW - Disinfectants KW - Biocides KW - Antibiotics KW - Bacteria PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58439 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Koerdt, Andrea T1 - The impact and potential of halophilic microorganisms on alternative fuels N2 - As more industrial interests focusing on using salt caverns and repurposed gas or petroleum reservoirs for alternative fuel storage, i.e. CO2/H2, the question raises whether microorganisms may impact the infrastructure, gas purity and storage condition over time. Environments with high salinity (> 1.5 Meq of NaCl) are resided by halophiles (salt-loving microorganisms). To compensate for the intensive osmotic stress, they have resorted to two main adaptation strategies: 1) production of compatible solutes and 2) accumulation of intracellular KCl. Microbial community analysis of several high salinity environments revealed a number of recurring genera, including Halomonas and Halanaerobium. However, the impact of halophiles on the overall integrity and stability of the storage facilities remain largely unknown. To evaluate the suitability and stability of saline storage facilities, several model halophilic microorganisms, such as members of Halomonas, will be selected as testing subjects. First, the impact of halophiles on the infrastructure will be determined using an integrative approach by combining a number of techniques, including electrochemistry, TOF-SIMS, SEM/FIB/EDS and FIB-TEM. Second, the abilities of halophiles to alter the fuel composition (i.e. increase/decrease the fractions of H2) will be monitored using gas chromatography by growing them under high pressure. As a result of climate change and the accompanying mandatory shift to renewable energy resources, microorganisms will continue to play an important role in the energy sector, both to their benefit and detriment. Thus, it is important to achieve a certain level of understanding regarding the activities and mechanisms of halophiles prior to large-scaled excursions. T2 - ISMOS-8 CY - Online meeting DA - 07.06.2021 KW - Microbiologically influenced corrosion KW - Hydrogen KW - Gas storage KW - Contamination PY - 2021 AN - OPUS4-52891 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schoknecht, Ute T1 - The Impact of Weather Conditions on Biocides in Paints N2 - Aim. The European biocidal products regulation requires environmental risk assessments for biocidal products under service conditions. This is only possible, if processes that lead to biocide emissions into the environment are understood and can be reasonably predicted. Actual emissions due to leaching result from different processes that are affected by material properties and environmental conditions. Transformation of biocides can affect emissions considerably. Leaching and possible transformation of the film preservatives carbendazim, diuron, OIT and terbutryn in paints was observed under laboratory and field conditons in order to investigate the influence of different factors, e.g. water contact and radiation on biocide emissions. The paints contained either white titanium dioxide or a red iron oxide pigment to check whether pigments affect leaching processes. Methods. Test specimens of a water-based styrene acrylic dispersion paint on glass were exposed to UVA-radiation in a UV weathering device and/or exposed to water contact by immersion events on the basis of the European standard EN 16105. Plywood panels were coated and exposed to natural weather conditions in a semi-field experiment. Concentrations of biocides and transformation products were analysed in leachates from laboratory tests, runoff samples and remaining coatings. Results. The impact of weathering conditions on transformation processes differs for the investigated active substances. Water contact, radiation as well as pigments in the paints determine the pattern and amount of transformation products on coatings, leachates and runoff water. Observations from laboratory and field experiments were compared. It proved that results from laboratory tests support understanding of data from field experiments. Detailed knowledge on the fate of active substances under environmental conditions supports manufacturers to develop safe applications of film preservatives and authorities to evaluate its environmental impact. T2 - European Technical Coatings Congress 2022 CY - Kraków, Poland DA - 12.07.2022 KW - Paints KW - Biocides KW - Transformation KW - Emission PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-55274 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Nordholt, Niclas T1 - The interplay between biocides, phenotypic heterogeneity and resistance evolution N2 - An overview of the interplay between biocides, phenotypic heterogeneity and resistance evolution presented at the University Wroclaw. T2 - Invited seminar at the Department of Molecular Microbiology CY - Wroclaw, Poland DA - 08.04.2024 KW - Disinfectants KW - Biocide resistance KW - Phenotypic heterogeneity KW - Evolution PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61173 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 - 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 - CONF A1 - Auersch, Lutz T1 - The response of different buildings to free-field excitation – a study using detailed finite element models N2 - A study on building vibrations has been performed by finite element calculations. Family houses, multi-storey residential buildings, office buildings and office towers have been modelled in detail. The frequency-dependent response due to a free-field excitation has been evaluated for walls, columns and floors. The ratio of building amplitudes to free-field amplitudes starts with uB/u0 = 1 at zero frequency and is usually lower than 1 at 50 Hz, the end of the frequency range considered here. In between, amplifications occur due to several reasons. There are „soil resonances“ where the whole building is vibrating on the compliant soil, “column resonances” where the upper storeys are vibrating on the compliant columns, and the “floor resonances” where the floors are vibrating excited by their supports. Results are presented for all building types, but a special focus is set on office buildings. A parameter study shows the influence of the stiffness of the soil, the number of storeys, and the width of the building. It has been found that the “soil resonance” is strongly modified by the low-frequency floor resonances for the normal office building. The main resonance of a twenty-storey office tower is determined equally by the “soil mode” and the “column mode”. It is an important observation for these office buildings that the resonances can differ for different parts of the building such as the centre, the edge, the corner, and the core of the building. This leads to non-uniform vibration modes across the building, which look like another type of “floor resonance” and which have been observed in several real building projects. Experimental results will be shown which can confirm the calculated phenomena. T2 - EURODYN 2020 XI International Conference on Structural Dynamics CY - Online meeting DA - 23.11.2020 KW - Building vibration PY - 2020 AN - OPUS4-51679 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -