co(MP)ost

Microplastics in the environment have become a strong focus of scientific discourse as well as public perception in recent years. After numerous papers on marine microplastics, limbic systems are now represented in a large number of research projects. In order to gain insight into the extent of microplastic input to terrestrial systems, a method must first be developed to determine microplastic in such complex matrices. Therefore, the Department of Material Flow Management and Resource Economics is working on an instrumental-analytical method to characterize and quantify microplastics in composts. Composts produced on household biowaste can contain a significant amount of plastic contamination in the form of, for example, garbage bags or food packaging. The reprocessing and composting process can reduce this material below a size of 5 millimeters. Funded by the Fritz and Margot Faudi Foundation, the “co(MP)ost” project plans to create a method for pre-analytical digestion and instrumental determination of the plastic fraction in composts, by means of which compost streams can be reliably and representatively analyzed. In this way, the microplastic potential of different plant types can be compared. This should provide insight into the microplastic input into agricultural and horticultural soils that are fertilized with compost.