Microplastics can now be detected in all the world's oceans, rivers, lakes, soils and even in the air.
Source: iStock/Mario De Moya F
Materials and products interact with their environment throughout their entire life cycle, from manufacture to use and disposal. They are influenced by their environment and also exert an influence on it. In the process, materials can be altered by biotic and abiotic influences, or release pollutants or other components into their environment. BAM develops concepts and methods to describe such interactions quantitatively and qualitatively. In line with its mission of safety in technology and chemistry, BAM determines the environmental influence on materials, develops solutions for the protection of materials and facilities and researches the influence of anthropogenic materials on the environment. Using the results, BAM develops reference materials and participates in the advancement of norms and regulations. Researchers maintain close ties to a wide range of industrial and political stakeholders.
Abiotic environmental influences such as global radiation, precipitation or temperature changes can lead to the degradation of materials and the release of potentially hazardous substances. The assessment of the environmental behaviour and environmental compatibility of materials is therefore a focal point of our work. In order to carry out simulations and analyses that are as environmentally relevant as possible, the development of suitable environmental simulation methods is another focus of our research. The focus here is on the degradation behaviour, pollutant release and environmental behaviour of the following materials and chemicals:
- Plastics and their pollutant release
- Art and cultural heritage
- Nanomaterials
- Release of PFAS from products
- Biocides
The interactions of anthropogenic materials and structures with organisms in the environment are another focus. The contact of materials with organisms and the corresponding biological processes are hereby understood as the natural state of the overall system. Current research projects include:
- The influence of nanomaterials on aquatic microbial communities,
- the role of microbiomes on human-made surfaces, e.g. microplastics or building surfaces, and the associated ecosystem services,
- as well as the development and application of environmentally relevant as well as digital analysis methods.
BAM is also researching alternative and sustainable solutions for effective and environmentally compatible protection against biological material damage. This includes:
- understanding the colonisation of materials by black fungi,
- developing new biocides (material protection agents) and antimicrobial surface coatings,
- and understanding the development of resistance to biocides, in particular material protection agents in microorganisms, and possible cross-resistance to medically important antibiotics.
