Professorship for Sustainable Chemistry and Material Resources

Organisational unit: Section

Organisation profile

RESEARCH AND TEACHING

Chair for Sustainable Chemistry and Material Resources

We research and train in the field of sustainable chemistry and pharmacy.

We focus on environmental questions as well as on sustainable questions going beyond that such as social and ecological aspects in the context of the life cycle of chemical substances and products. This includes the extraction of raw material, its use as well as the fate after its use. We are also interested in the material flow associated with the extraction and use of the raw material. On top of the experimental work and modeling, we also develop concepts as for example Benign by Design intended dissipation.

Our research and teaching is carried out on an intra- and transdisciplinary scale within the Faculty of Sustainability together with national and international co-operations.

 

Topics

We are interested in environmental affairs and all questions concerning the sustainability within the context of the life cycle of chemicals, starting with the raw material itself and going on to the synthesis, the use to end up with the environmental fate of chemical substances and products after their use. Beyond the chemical substances and products themselves, we are also interested in the associated material flows, especially when it comes to the so-called strategic resources (e. g. phosphate, seldom metals).

We investigate the fate (e. g. identification of relevant sources) in the environment as well as the spread and the behavior of chemicals (e. g. spread, biological and photochemical degradation) in the aquatic environment in the sense of a sustainable water management. This is why we want to record their effects (e. g. genotoxicity, mutagenity, and bacteria toxicity).At present we are focusing on pesticides, pharmaceuticals, textile auxiliary agents and nanoparticles.

Service offers

Examination of (bio)-degradability of chemicals and pharmaceuticals  
according to OECD/DIN/ISO and others:
 
•    
Closed Bottle-Test (OECD 301 D)
•    Manometric Respirometry (OECD 301 F)
•    Zahn-Wellens-Test (OECD 302 B)
•    Waste water treatment plant simulation (OECD 303 A)
•    Water Sediment Test
•    Photochemical degradation
•    Photocatalytic degradation
•    Electro coalugation
•    and other
 
Toxicity
Acute and chronic toxicity in bacteria:
•    Luminescent bacteria test with Vibrio fischeri (30 minutes and 20h)
•    Growth-inhibition test with Pseudomonas putida (16h) and Vibrio fischeri (20h)
•    Growth-inhibition test with Enteroccus faecalis      

Genotoxicity:
•    Ames-Test with Salmonella typhimurium TA 98/TA 100
•    Umu-Test with Salmonella typhimurium TA 1535/ psK 1002
•    Mikronucleus-Test with CHO-Cells by FACS-Analysis
•    Green Screen-Assay with TK6-cells

Chemical informatics
Structure property relationships
•    Calculation of physicochemical properties of molecules
•    Calculation of quantum chemical parameters of molecules
•    Calculation of toxicity and mutagenicity
•    Calculation of the biological degradation
•    Calculation of metabolites (mammalia bacteria)
•    Targeted design of chemicals and pharmaceuticals
•    Support in purchasing decisions
•    Product optimization
•    REACH
 
Water flux based reactive mass transport modelling and assessment
•    Spatio-temporal analysis of discharge and water quality (R-Statistics, SigmaPlot, ArcGIS)
•    Assessment of water quality by combined water quality and quantity indices (WQI, WQQI, WAI)
•    Water quality modelling in lakes and reservoirs in 1D, 2D and 3D (LAC, MOHID Water, Ce-qual)
•    Catchment modelling of hydrology, erosion and sedimenttransport, phosphorus discharge, pesticides and transformation product discharge (ZIN-Sed, MOHID Land, reservoir models)
•    River channel modelling of water, sediment, phosphorus, pesticide and transformation product discharge (ZIN-Sed, MOHID Stream)
•    Scenario modelling and assessment
•    System analysis and management assessment
•    Integrated water ressources management
   
Analytics
•    Liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap mass spectrometry
•    HPLC with UV and fluorescence detection
•    Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry
•    Ion chromatography

  1. Published abstract in conference proceedings › Research › Peer-reviewed
  2. Published

    Identification and initial toxicity assessment of Thalidomide and its phototransformation products

    Mahmoud, W. M. M., Toolaram, A. P., Menz, J., Leder, C., Schneider, M. & Kümmerer, K., 2013, 14th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment. European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences / Division of Organic Chemistry, p. 366 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxypyridazine with TiO2, FeCl3 and TiO2/FeCl3: Biodegradability, toxicity assessment, and LC-UV-MS/MS identification of the photodegradation products in aqueous and sewage treatment plant effluent

    Khaleel, N. D. H., Mahmoud, W. M. M., Hadad, G. M., Abdel-Salam, R. A., Leder, C. & Kümmerer, K., 2013, 14th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment. European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences / Division of Organic Chemistry, p. 365 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Photodegradation of thalidomide: Identification of transformation products by LC-UV-FL-MS/MS, assessment of biodegradability, cytotoxicity and mutagenicity.

    Mahmoud, W. M. M., Toolaram, A. P., Schneider, M. & Kümmerer, K., 2012, 4th EuCheMS Chemistry Congress: Abstract book. Association of Czech Chemical Societies, Vol. 106. p. 650 1 p. (Chemické listy; vol. 106, no. S4).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Simulating the fate and release of metazachlor and its transformation products metazachlor oxalic acid and sulfonic acid in a small-scale agricultural catchment

    Vollert, D., Gassmann, M., Lange, J., Kümmerer, K. & Olsson, O., 04.2018, Proceedings from the 20th EGU General Assembly: Geophysical research abstracts 20. European Geosciences Union (EGU), Vol. 20. p. 19569 1 p. (Geophysical Research Abstracts (GRA); vol. 20).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Simulation of the fate of Boscalid and its transformation product 4-Chlorobenzoic acid in a vineyard-terraces catchment

    Vollert, D., Gassmann, M., Olsson, O. & Kümmerer, K., 04.2017, Proceedings from the 19th EGU General Assembly, EGU2017. Copernicus Publications, Vol. 19. p. 15167 1 p. (Geophysical research abstracts; vol. 19).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  7. Article in conference proceedings › Transfer › Peer-reviewed
  8. Published

    LED und Ressourcen - kleine Mengen, große Wirkung

    Kümmerer, K., 2013, Schutz der Nacht - Lichtverschmutzung, Biodiversität und Nachtlandschaft: Grundlagen, Folgen, Handlungsansätze, Beispiele guter Praxis . Held, M., Hölker, F. & Jessel, B. (eds.). Bonn: Bundesamt für Naturschutz, p. 101-104 4 p. (BfN-Skripten; vol. 336).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransferpeer-review

  9. Article in conference proceedings › Transfer › Not peer-reviewed
  10. Published

    Einträge von Bioziden und Transformationsprodukten aus Fassadenauswaschungen in urbane Oberflächengewässer und Grundwasser

    Olsson, O., 10.09.2019, Emissionsminderung von Punktquellen im ländlichen Raum: 12. Rostocker Abwassertagung. Tränckner, J. (ed.). Rostock: Universität Rostock, Vol. 88. p. 152-158 7 p. (Schriftenreihe Umweltingenieurwesen ; vol. 88).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  11. Published

    Gebäude als Stoffquelle: Erkenntnisse aus dem BMBF-Projekt MUTReWa

    Olsson, O., Hensen, B., Lange, J., Jackisch, N. & Kümmerer, K., 02.2019, Stadt und Land im Fluss - Starke Kommunen!: Tagungsband Münster, 26. und 27. Februar 2019. Münster: Institut für Infrastruktur, Wasser, Ressourcen, Umwelt der Fachhochschule Münster, Vol. 6. p. 121-128 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  12. Published

    Pestizidrückstände in ländlichen und urbanen Grund- und Oberflächengewässern

    Olsson, O., Hensen, B., Lange, J., Ulrich, U., Pfannerstill, M., Steinmann, F. & Kümmerer, K., 2018, 51. Essener Tagung für Wasserwirtschaft „Wasserwirtschaft im Umbruch": Tagungsband. Pinnekamp, J. (ed.). Aachen: Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft an der RWTH Aachen e.V., Vol. 247. p. 55/1-55/11 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  13. Published

    Umgang mit Pestiziden und deren Transformationsprodukten bei der Regenwasserbewirtschaftung

    Olsson, O., Hensen, B., Kümmerer, K., Lange, J. & Jackisch, N., 20.03.2019, Gewässerschutz Wasser Abwasser: 52. Essener Tagung für Wasserwirtschaft. Pinnekamp, J. (ed.). Aachen: Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft an der RWTH Aachen e.V., Vol. 250. p. 24/1 - 24/8 8 p. (Gewässerschutz, Wasser, Abwasser ; vol. 250).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer