UROP Project

Assessment of toxicity resulting from plastic mulches and adherent pesticides on soil fauna

Contact

Name

Jan Müller

Program Director UROP

Telephone

workPhone
+49 241 80-90299

E-Mail

Key Info

Basic Information

Project Offer-Number:
1099
Category:
Keine eindeutige Zuordnung
Field:
Biology
Faculty:
1
Organisation unit:
Insitute of Environmental Research
Language Skills:
fluent english
Professor:
Henner Hollert

MoveOn

The project is embedded in the project iMulch, which investigates the effects of agricultural mulch films on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Plastic and especially microplastic have gained a lot of attention in ecotoxicology, however mostly considering aquatic systems. Terrestrial ecosystems are insufficiently investigated concerning their (micro-)plastic burden, which can impede organisms like earthworm or collembola through internal injuries, release of toxic substances, constipation etc. Further (micro-)plastics can absorb lipophilic substances from the environment, such as applied pesticides, and act as carrier of those substances into the animals. In this internship, we want to focus on behavioural changes of earthworm/collembola resulting from exposition to mulch film (micro-)plastic with and without adherent pesticides.

Task

Execution of ecotoxicological tests with earthworm and/or collembola, preparation of samples and dilutions, controlling exposition parameters, statistical assessment and evaluation of test results

Requirements

Knowledge about ethics in laboratory work, basics in laboratory work