River Alb sampled for microplastics
21. March 2025
Textile materials and microplastic release
22. April 2025
Holistic, precise and extremely efficient: Microplastic analysis for industrial processes, municipal wastewater, and waters.
The analytics team, including Michael, Anika and Pieter, works around the clock in the field of microplastic analysis. In the microplastic laboratory, many microplastic analyses are carried out on different types of water. For many years, thousands of samples have been analysed and evaluated, from process control to water monitoring, but also standardized wastewater treatment plant analysis.
In recent years, new standards for microplastic monitoring and continuous process control have been developed, validated and cross-validated. The team began with the development of the standardized detection method. Research was carried out on new fluorescent markers that make it possible to distinguish synthetic particles from natural particles. The entire process is now available for all types of municipal or industrial wastewater, seawater and water monitoring. There are protocols for all areas in which step-by-step guidance is provided from sampling through to the final analysis.
With every wastewater, every water sample and every test, you want to know what you're dealing with. And that's exactly where we come into play.
From the idea to the standard protocol for continuous monitoring
Conventional methods for analyzing microplastics are complex, time-consuming, and require sophisticated and expensive measuring equipment. This results in a low sample throughput and high costs for microplastic measurements. Wasser 3.0 has recognized this problem and developed a special method based on fluorescent markers to measure microplastics quickly and cost-effectively to obtain comparable results.
Many years of research have led to the development of special fluorescent markers that specifically bind to microplastics and cause them to glow under fluorescence microscopy. This means that they can then be easily counted using automated software and extrapolated to microplastics per liter.
Michael Sturm was already researching a method for removing microplastics from water during his doctoral thesis. This inevitably brought microplastic detection into focus © Wasser 3.0
The special feature here lies in the innovative fluorescent markers and the standardized measurement protocol. The trick: the fluorescent markers only stain microplastics, not other particles such as sand, algae, or plant residues. This innovative solution considerably reduces the effort involved in detecting microplastics. Furthermore, standardized measurement protocols have been created and validated in long-term research projects, which are field-tested and thus provide comparable data.
We follow a set protocol when analyzing microplastics. We must work meticulously and cleanly, which is why we also wear dust suits, protective goggles and gloves. Contamination must be avoided at all costs.
The standard sampling protocols can be downloaded free of charge from our website. The procedure is explained step by step with the help of illustrations. There are also standardized protocols for processing the samples from sample collection, preparation, and for measuring them, both for special industrial wastewater and for municipal wastewater.
You can read about the next steps after water analysis in industry here.
At Wasser 3.0, we are already keeping an eye on water today and will continue to do so in the future.
In general, the aim of water analysis is to find out what is contained in the water, e.g. chemicals, nutrients or microorganisms. Our focus is on microplastics, micropollutants such as pharmaceutical residues, PFAS, and organophosphorus compounds. Several research projects are currently underway in this area. We can also screen for inorganic contaminants such as heavy metals, but leave the so-called target analysis to specialist laboratories, which then carry out more targeted testing in accordance with DIN standards. Microplastics have not been the focus of water analysis until now because the analysis was either too expensive, not standardized or too complicated. We are closing the gap with our water standard for microplastics. Not only is it new that everyone can help with the sampling, but also that entire rivers can be analyzed within a short time to get a real view - an inventory.
Microplastics as a parameter for water quality
Pieter Ronsse originally comes from Belgium. He completed his bachelor's degree in chemistry with a focus on environmental sciences. Even there, he worked a lot with water. He has been working in the analytics laboratory at Wasser 3.0 since 2024 © Wasser 3.0
The continuous collection of data and monitoring of water quality has many advantages. If water bodies are permanently monitored, changes and anomalies can be noticed quickly, and action can therefore be taken rapidly and in a targeted manner. As most bodies of water are also used by people, whether for drinking water production, local recreation, or aquaculture, monitoring always protects human health.
In addition, federal states and local authorities require regular water analyses and reports to monitor and comply with legal requirements. Regular monitoring allows long-term trends and changes to be identified and short-term fluctuations or rarely occurring events to be recorded. Another advantage is that up-to-date data can be used to implement targeted measures to improve water quality and check their effectiveness. Sources of environmental pollutants can also be recorded and material flows traced.
We already know how to do it
In the future we would like to expand water monitoring to include microplastics and, by providing our data, help to ensure that microplastics are also used when determining the water quality. The water quality describes the general condition of the water body based on various water parameters and ranges from quality class I = unpolluted, to very slightly polluted, to quality class V = ecologically destroyed.
With the help of the classification, it is easy to see how our waters are doing and where there is an urgent need for action. At the beginning of March, we showed how microplastic monitoring of entire rivers works. The focus was on the Alb around Karlsruhe. The project was made possible with the help of donations and sponsorship.
In addition to our waters, we are also looking at issues relating to the detection of microplastics in everyday life (including water bottles and washing machines).
Transparent communication thanks to the Global Map of Microplastics
The results of our water monitoring are made available in the Global Map of Microplastics. The interactive map shows the type of water body and the microplastic concentration per liter. Thanks to the standardization of sampling and analysis, everyone can participate in data collection and become part of the solution.
With the help of an analytics kit and the instructions in the Wasser 3.0 app, microplastic mapping can be significantly expanded. In combination with the scientifically published data sets available online, this provides a comprehensive view of the problem.
Interested in joining in?
