Funding Period: 20.04.2022 – 20.07.2022

Plastics have become an indispensable part of today's society. Through abrasion and carelessness, microplastics (MP) enter our environment and pose an increasing risk to the soil ecosystem. In metropolitan areas, parks, sports facilities, and roadsides are becoming hotspots of MP accumulation. MP research in soils has just started and faces researchers around the world with new challenges to process and measure MP. Our research group will at first examine recent developments in MP research. Thereafter, participants will carry out specific laboratory analytical processing steps, document and discuss their research results and compile them in the form of an educational video.

Participants: Students (BSc from 3rd semester/MSc) of geography/geosciences, biology, chemistry, agricultural sciences, nice-to-have: interest in soil science/analytics. The seminar will take place at the Pedological Lab of (Geography Department, HU Berlin) under consideration of the valid COVID-19 regulations.

Course language: German
Schedule: Introductory session: Wednesday, 20.04.2022, 1-3 p.m. via ZOOM, further attendance dates.

Contact: g.rauwolf@tu-berlin.de