Collaborative Laboratory "Environmental Behavior of Polymers in Soil-Water-Vegetation Compartments"

• Subject Area: Polymer Materials ; Soil Sciences ; Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management ; Ecology and Biodiversity of Plants and Ecosystems
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 533323188

The objective of the proposal is to significantly improve the equipment of the collaborative laboratory for the investigation of the environmental behaviour of anthropogenic substances in water, soil and vegetation compartments. Based on current research projects, we focus on the environmental behaviour of polymers, especially microplastics. The new equipment is intended to be used by various actors, in addition to research-strong professorships, junior researchers, scientific staff and doctoral students who are active in projects on microplastics, soil science, water systems and vegetation technology. With its research on microplastics, the development of microplastic analysis by electroseparation in combination with differential calorimetry and a new manufacturing process for microplastic standards and reference materials, HTWD has already achieved a unique selling point, which is reflected in patents and publications. The equipment selection is primarily geared towards the further development of microplastics research and its range of applications, but is also intended to promote projects for the investigation of other anthropogenic substances and the development of environmentally compatible polymer materials. The HTWD's microplastics collaborative research was developed on the basis of inter-faculty courses and comprises the core of the collaborative laboratory, the foundation of which was initially supported by the university management with special funding. Microwave digestion, flow centrifuge, TED-GC-MS, flow cytometer and thermobalance shall now close existing gaps in sample preparation and processing, providing new possibilities for analytics at high sample throughput and enabling improved detection limits for micro- and nanoplastics. The expansion strengthens environmental research in materials science, soils, water and vegetation to better understand the behavior of anthropogenic substances in complex environmental compartments and to wisely manage the impact of human interventions in the environment. Synergistic, cross-faculty research on questions of productive land and water use, energy production, contamination of soils and waters and the role of vegetation as an indicating, connecting and determining element is to generate new knowledge and technologies for sustainable development. Modern analytical equipment is absolutely essential for this. The procurement of such equipment is beyond the university's means and cannot be financed in any other way. With the requested equipment, HTWD can further develop its unique selling points and demonstrate the advantages of inter-faculty cooperation. Openness to interdisciplinary cooperation is just as much a lived practice as the consideration of new focal points and current trends, preferential support for young researchers and support through activities for equal opportunities in research in order to ensure sustainable future capability.

• DFG Programme: Major Instrumentation Initiatives
• Major Instrumentation: Durchflusszentrifuge ; Durchflusszytometer ; TED-GC-MS ; Thermowaage
• Instrumentation Group: 1220 Spezielle Zentrifugen (Verfahrenstechnik, Medizin) ; 3500 Zellzähl- und Klassiergeräte (außer Blutanalyse), Koloniezähler
• Applicant Institution: Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Dresden
• Leader: Professorin Dr. Kathrin Harre
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Arne Cierjacks; Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Grischek, Ph.D.