Technische Universität München
Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie und Wasserchemie (Prof. Elsner)
Lichtenbergstr. 4
85748 Garching b. München
Tailor-made Analysis for Environmental Challenges
We develop analytical methods to investigate the fate of chemicals and microorganisms in complex systems. Besides laser analysis, particle analysis, and bioanalytics, research at the Institute of Water Chemistry (IWC) is focused on compound-specific isotope analysis to measure isotope effects at natural abundance.
Key areas are the assessment of water quality by (i) analyzing and characterizing transformation of chemical pollutants, (ii) rapid detection of pathogens by innovative bioanalytical methods, and (iii) characterizing microorganisms and particles such as microplastics and aerosols.
Through innovation in analytical methods, our Institute contributes to improvements in the management of chemicals in the environment, helps to establish the self-purification potential of natural systems and aids in the optimization of turnover in technical systems (see research overview).
Journal of Hazardous Materials
Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in agricultural systems poses a critical “One Health” challenge, impacting animal, environmental, and human health. However, the field-scale dynamics of antibiotics…
TrAC - Trends in Analytical Chemistry
Abstract: The accelerating emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is driven by widespread antibiotic use and escalating environmental disturbances, with resistance and virulence shaped by both genetic…
Analytical Chemistry
Abstract: Electrospray ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry (ESI-Orbitrap-MS) has recently proven to be a powerful tool for compound- and position-specific stable isotope analysis, targeting isotopologues of…
ISME Communications
Abstract: Soils act as both reservoirs and filters of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs); however, the ecological and genetic traits of antibiotic-degrading bacteria (ADB) and their interactions with…
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
Abstract: Abstract: Understanding microbial metabolic functions at both bulk biomolecular and single-cell biomass levels requires precise tracing of isotope incorporation. Despite the established nature of…
Applied Soil Ecology
Abstract: The conversion of long-term rice-wheat rotation fields to greenhouse vegetable cultivation (GVC) covered by plastic film has been widely adopted in China for its economic benefits, however, its…
Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry
Abstract: The widespread presence of pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, in our aquatic environment raises important societal concerns. When studying their environmental fate, stable isotope analysis of…
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Abstract: Reducing the precious metal loading while increasing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mass activity of novel electrocatalysts constitutes one of the remaining key challenges in the widespread…
Biosensors and Bioelectronics
Abstract: Electrochemical (EC) sensing of bisphenol A (BPA), a notorious persistent contaminant, is of pressing interest. However, the state-of-the-art BPA sensors are challenged by two performance parameters:…
Analytical Chemistry
Abstract: The ubiquitous use of plastics demands thoughtfulness about their fate in the environment. Biodegradability is, therefore, a prerequisite for the future use of plastics in many applications, including…
