research area: Ecological aspects
project status: ongoing
MicroDetec
Plastics have become an integral part of our everyday lives, but as microplastics they accumulate in soil and water and have become au ubiquitous problem. The MicroDetec project is investigating whether and to what extent acrylic resin-based coating polymers contribute to microplastic pollution in the environment. The focus is on possible entry into the terrestrial environment as part of product ageing, whether bio-based polymers exhibit more favourable biodegradation behaviour than petroleum-based polymers, and whether any microplastics that may form are absorbed by plants and can thus enter our food supply.
Funded by Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism
Research partners: Holzforschung Austria (HFA), Lebensmittelversuchsanstalt (LVA), Zentrum für Elektronenmikroskopie Graz (ZFE)
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