Master Thesis

Microplastics in the atmospheric deposition of Bayreuth, Germany

Myriam Younes (03/2023-11/2023)

Support: Anke Nölscher, Eva Lehndorff

Microplastics are small pieces of synthetic polymers with particle sizes of less than 5000 µm. These particles can be transported through the atmosphere and subsequently be deposited far away from their sources, leading to contamination of even remote areas. To date, the relative importance of wet and dry desposition processes for microplastic removal from air remains poorly understood. To address this research gap, we collected and analyzed monthly deposition samples in 2022 and 2023 in Bayreuth, Germany.