Standardized microplastic sampling and detection
30. April 2025
OPEN HOUSE 2025 – Introduction of exhibitors
6. June 2025
More than 200 people take part in microplastic mapping of the River Queich - and find pollution at the source
Together with seven school classes from Germersheim and Landau and with the active support of the Baden/Pfalz Surfrider Foundation Europe Germany e.V. group, we collected more than 30 water samples to gather important data on water pollution from microplastics. We found microplastics in all samples - even at the source in Hauenstein where there were four microplastic particles per liter.
Microplastic mapping with Surfrider Foundation Baden-Pfalz. ©Surfrider Foundation Europe | Baden Pfalz
The fact that we found microplastics at the source is not atypical, as they occur in water, soil, and air and can also enter spring water via these routes.
It is exciting to see how the concentrations change depending on the population density. In urban areas, along busy roads, or near agricultural land or sewage treatment plants, the values spike and reach a peak value of 944 microplastic particles per liter at one sampling point.
Over the entire length of the Queich, we found an average of 240 microplastic particles per liter, which is significantly higher than in the 55 km long Alb, which was sampled at the beginning of March. “These values are not yet a cause for maximum concern,” Schuhen concludes, “but it is important to use the data to investigate the causes and take action. Identifying hotspots is one thing, providing meaningful solutions is another.”
We have a microplastics problem!
For years, communication and reporting on microplastics in water has been based primarily on estimates. Although it has long been recognized that microplastics are a global environmental problem, there has been a lack of standardized analysis that not only enables sound data collection but also ensures the comparability of results worldwide. This is because effective political measures can only be derived from reliable and comparable data.
“Our rivers are the lifelines of our planet. They are among the most species-rich habitats and have supplied us with water and food since time immemorial. However, they have long ceased to be genuine, carefree habitats. We humans have tamed them by damming, dredging and diverting them and, last but not least, polluting them with millions of chemicals every day,” explains Katrin Schuhen, who published the non-fiction book ‘Rebellin des Wassers’ in 2024.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation's Wasseratlas has already sent out alarming signals. For years, our rivers have no longer been able to counteract the chemical cocktail with their self-cleaning power. More and more new chemicals, whose effects on humans and the environment are still unknown, are ending up in our waters. There is hardly any comprehensive or long-term monitoring. Many pollutants, including microplastics, have not yet been analyzed, or only to a limited extent.
Closing gaps in data and knowledge is the fundamental work of the non-profit company Wasser 3.0 from Karlsruhe
Funded by donations and sponsorship, our research team, together with school classes, local organizations and associations and with the help of individual citizens, has been able to sample regional rivers and streams for microplastics along their entire course since this year - from the mouth to the source, upstream, comprehensively, and within a few days. This comparative data collection is made possible by a standardized procedure based on the citizen science approach.
Making problems visible and taking responsible action more quickly
“The sampling is unique in its form. Thanks to a validated and standardized protocol, everyone can help,” summarizes Katrin Schuhen. “The water samples are analyzed in the microplastics laboratory. The fast and efficient analysis is made possible by innovative fluorescent markers developed by the researchers. These markers attach themselves to microplastic particles. Under a fluorescence microscope, they glow green or red depending on the fluorescence. The highlight: natural particles do not glow! “This allows us to visualize microplastics and easily and quickly evaluate real data, putting an end to the previous blind flight mode around the pollution of our waters and thus take action. The proximity creates a direct connection and motivates students and supporters to actively participate in finding solutions beyond simply taking samples.”
Labeling the water bottles ©Surfrider Foundation Europe | Baden Pfalz
Collecting data with the Wasser 3.0 app ©Surfrider Foundation Europe | Baden Pfalz
All data on microplastics is presented to the general public in the Global Map of Microplastics.
The Global Map of Microplastics is the hub of data communication. This is where Wasser 3.0 gGmbH's fields of action come together - the educational activities WASoMI and current research in the field of microplastics detection. “We use the Global Map of Microplastics to address stakeholders by communicating microplastic pollution and at the same time working on solutions for water without microplastics,” explains Schuhen.
The results of the microplastic mapping are a first step: solutions must not be rolled out across the board; they must take effect where the pollution is greatest. The identified hotspots offer the decisive starting point for this. Together with relevant stakeholders, the next step is to develop targeted measures that have a local impact. The Landau wastewater treatment plant is a beacon for technological innovation. Here, we have been researching solutions to avoid microplastic inputs for many years. However, it is not just about microplastics in wastewater, but also plastic waste on the shore. Here, we rely on collaboration and networks, for example with voluntary organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation e.V. “We believe that the focus should be much more on communicating solutions and raising awareness, coupled with concrete action on the ground, e.g. taking part in microplastic mapping, clean-up campaigns, and measures to reduce waste - directly on the river, in everyday life, in our own environment.
This is the River Queich
The River Queich is an approximately 55-kilometer-long river that rises south of Hauenstein in the Palatinate Forest and flows into the Rhine near Germersheim. With its Queich meadows between Landau and Germersheim, the River Queich forms the largest contiguous meadow irrigation system in Germany and was recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage site in 2023. The meadows serve as a habitat for numerous bird species and are also a local recreation area for many people in the region. The Queich is an important river in the region whose water quality has a direct impact on the environment and biodiversity.
Drone view of the Queich ©Surfrider Foundation Europe | Baden Pfalz, Daniel Kern
On our own behalf
Our educational work is made possible 100 percent by donations and sponsorship. Only with this support can we implement projects such as “ALLES IM FLUSS”, involve pupils, collect data, and empower people to act. Many thanks to all the helping and supporting hands.
We are organizing the second OPEN HOUSE at the wastewater treatment plant in Landau in der Pfalz on 26 and 27 June 2025. Interested citizens as well as experts and individuals from the environmental industry are cordially invited to find out about solutions to the microplastics crisis directly on site. Registration is possible via Eventbrite.
