@article{LeiterWohlschlaegerVersenetal.2025, author = {Leiter, Nina and Wohlschl{\"a}ger, Maximilian and Versen, Martin and Harter, Sonja D. and Kießlich, Tina and Lederer, Franziska and Clauß, Stefanie and Schlosser, Dietmar and Armanu, Emanuel Gheorghita and Eberlein, Christian and Heipieper, Hermann J. and L{\"o}der, Martin G. J. and Laforsch, Christian}, title = {Effects of defined organic layers on the fluorescence lifetime of plastic materials}, series = {Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry}, volume = {417}, journal = {Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry}, number = {16}, doi = {10.1007/s00216-025-05888-y}, pages = {3651 -- 3663}, year = {2025}, abstract = {Plastics have become an integral part of modern life, and linked to that fact, the demand for and global production of plastics are still increasing. However, the environmental pollution caused by plastics has reached unprecedented levels. The accumulation of small plastic fragments—microplastics and nanoplastics—potentially threatens organisms, ecosystems, and human health. Researchers commonly employ non-destructive analytical methods to assess the presence and characteristics of microplastic particles in environmental samples. However, these techniques require extensive sample preparation, which represents a significant limitation and hinders a direct on-site analysis. In this context, previous investigations showed the potential of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for fast and reliable identification of microplastics in an environmental matrix. However, since microplastics receive an environmental coating after entering nature, a challenge arises from organic contamination on the surface of microplastic particles. How this influences the fluorescence signal and the possibility of microplastic detection are unknown. To address this research gap, we exposed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic samples to peptides, proteins, bacteria, and a filamentous fungus to induce organic contamination and mimic environmental conditions. We analyzed the fluorescence spectra and lifetimes of the samples using fluorescence spectroscopy and frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM), respectively. Our results demonstrate that reliably identifying and differentiating ABS and PET was possible via FD-FLIM, even in the presence of these biological contaminations. These findings highlight the potential of this technique as a valuable tool for environmental monitoring and plastic characterization, offering a rapid and efficient alternative to currently used analytical methods.}, language = {en} } @article{LeiterWohlschlaegerVersenetal.2022, author = {Leiter, Nina and Wohlschl{\"a}ger, Maximilian and Versen, Martin and Laforsch, Christian}, title = {An algorithmic method for the identification of wood species and the classification of post-consumer wood using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy}, series = {Journal of Sensors and Sensor Systems}, volume = {11}, journal = {Journal of Sensors and Sensor Systems}, number = {1}, doi = {10.5194/jsss-11-129-2022}, pages = {129 -- 136}, year = {2022}, abstract = {In this contribution the frequency domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) technique is evaluated for post-consumer wood sorting. The fluorescence characteristics of several wood samples were determined, whereby two excitation wavelengths (405 and 488 nm) were used. The measured data were processed using algorithmic methods to identify the wood species and post-consumer wood category. With the excitation wavelength of 405 nm, 16 out of 19 samples could be correctly assigned to the corresponding post-consumer wood category by means of the fluorescence lifetimes. Thus, the experimental results revealed the high potential of the FD-FLIM technique for automated post-consumer wood sorting.}, language = {en} } @article{WohlschlaegerVersenLoederetal.2024, author = {Wohlschl{\"a}ger, Maximilian and Versen, Martin and L{\"o}der, Martin G. J. and Laforsch, Christian}, title = {A promising method for fast identification of microplastic particles in environmental samples: A pilot study using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy}, series = {Heliyon}, volume = {10}, journal = {Heliyon}, number = {3}, doi = {10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25133}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Microplastic pollution of the environment has been extensively studied, with recent studies focusing on the prevalence of microplastics in the environment and their effects on various organisms. Identification methods that simplify the extraction and analysis process to the point where the extraction can be omitted are being investigated, thus enabling the direct identification of microplastic particles. Currently, microplastic samples from environmental matrices can only be identified using time-consuming extraction, sample processing, and analytical methods. Various spectroscopic methods are currently employed, such as micro Fourier-transform infrared, attenuated total reflectance, and micro Raman spectroscopy. However, microplastics in environmental matrices cannot be directly identified using these spectroscopic methods. Investigations using frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) to identify and differentiate plastics from environmental materials have yielded promising results for directly identifying microplastics in an environmental matrix. Herein, two artificially prepared environmental matrices that included natural soil, grass, wood, and high-density polyethylene were investigated using FD-FLIM. Our first results showed that we successfully identified one plastic type in the two artificially prepared matrices using FD-FLIM. However, further research must be conducted to improve the FD-FLIM method and explore its limitations for directly identifying microplastics in environmental samples.}, language = {en} } @article{WohlschlaegerVersenLoederetal.2024, author = {Wohlschl{\"a}ger, Maximilian and Versen, Martin and L{\"o}der, Martin G. J. and Laforsch, Christian}, title = {Identification of different plastic types and natural materials from terrestrial environments using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy.}, series = {Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry}, journal = {Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry}, doi = {10.1007/s00216-024-05305-w}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Environmental pollution by plastics is a global issue of increasing concern. However, microplastic analysis in complex environmental matrices, such as soil samples, remains an analytical challenge. Destructive mass-based methods for microplastic analysis do not determine plastics' shape and size, which are essential parameters for reliable ecological risk assessment. By contrast, nondestructive particle-based methods produce such data but require elaborate, time-consuming sample preparation. Thus, time-efficient and reliable methods for microplastic analysis are needed. The present study explored the potential of frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) for rapidly and reliably identifying as well as differentiating plastics and natural materials from terrestrial environments. We investigated the fluorescence spectra of ten natural materials from terrestrial environments, tire wear particles, and eleven different transparent plastic granulates <5 mm to determine the optimal excitation wavelength for identification and differentiation via FD-FLIM under laboratory conditions. Our comparison of different excitation wavelengths showed that 445 nm excitation exhibited the highest fluorescence intensities. 445 nm excitation was also superior for identifying plastic types and distinguishing them from natural materials from terrestrial environments with a high probability using FD-FLIM. We could demonstrate that FD-FLIM analysis has the potential to contribute to a streamlined and time-efficient direct analysis of microplastic contamination. However, further investigations on size-, shape-, color-, and material-type detection limitations are necessary to evaluate if the direct identification of terrestrial environmental samples of relatively low complexity, such as a surface inspection soil, is possible.}, language = {en} } @article{ManiyattuGeegyWohlschlaegeretal.2023, author = {Maniyattu, Georgekutty Jose and Geegy, Eldho and Wohlschl{\"a}ger, Maximilian and Leiter, Nina and Versen, Martin and Laforsch, Christian}, title = {Multilayer Perceptron Development to Identify Plastics Using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy}, series = {EDFA Technical Articles}, volume = {25}, journal = {EDFA Technical Articles}, number = {3}, doi = {10.31399/asm.edfa.2023-3.p031}, pages = {31 -- 37}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Existing plastic analysis techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy are problematic because samples must be anhydrous and identification can be hindered by additives. This article describes a new approach that has been successfully demonstrated in which plastics can be classified by neural networks that are trained, validated, and tested by frequency domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy measurements.}, language = {en} } @article{VersenWohlschlaegerLanghalsetal.2024, author = {Versen, Martin and Wohlschl{\"a}ger, Maximilian and Langhals, Heinz and Laforsch, Christian}, title = {The detection of organic polymers as contaminants in foodstuffs by means of the fluorescence decay of their auto fluorescence}, series = {Food and Humanity}, volume = {3}, journal = {Food and Humanity}, doi = {10.1016/j.foohum.2024.100363}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Products such as food can become contaminated during their manufacture or afterwards. Depending on the type of substance causing the contamination, these contaminants can be harmful to health and difficult to detect by visible inspection. The suitability of fluorescence decay and FD-FLIM for the detection of plastics contamination in foodstuffs is demonstrated. Therefore, a procedure for the detection of contaminating organic polymers (plastics) in processed meat such as salami by means of the fluorescence decay time of auto fluorescence is described. The auto fluorescence of processed meat was found to decay according to first order with a typical time constant of about 2 ns, whereas the time constant of significant polymers for the processing of meat is generally appreciably higher (2.5 ns - 5.5 ns depending on the polymer). As a consequence, contaminating organic polymers can not only be globally detected by means of the fluorescence decay but also localised in two-dimensional imaging. The present study reports a high potential of FD-FLIM for rapidly identifying and differentiating different plastics on and in different foodstuffs. The method allows an improved quality control of foodstuffs.}, language = {en} }