PhD student Marta Barone spent 3 months at the microplastics department of the University of Bayreuth to learn about methods used by their research team
Knowledge exchange for microplastic pollution research in Germany
PhD student Marta Barone spent the 3 three months of this year in Germany, at the microplastics department of the University of Bayreuth. There Marta learned about the methods used by other researchers in microplastic research.
During the stay, Marta processed microplastic samples from the upper layers of rivers using enzymatic, oxidative and physical particle extraction. Polymer analysis was performed by micro-fourier transform infrared light (µFTIR) spectroscopy, supplemented with a specially created and adapted data interpretation computer program. This method has not been applied in for microplastic research in Latvia. In addition, recognition of the chemical spectra of microplastic particles was improved.
Knowledge was not only received and brought to Latvia, but Marta also shared her experience, presented the research conducted and results obtained from microplastic pollution research at the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology.
Knowledge exchange was carried out with partial support from Baltic Research Program project no. EEZ/BPP/LZP/2023/3 “Strategic initiative to improve research performance and strengthen cooperation in microplastic pollution field (ImproveMicro)”.
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