Soil Mineralogy and Soil Chemistry
Welcome to the Department of Soil Mineralogy and Soil Chemistry
Soils are the interface of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere and fulfill multiple functions in the ecosystem, but also for mankind. Soils do not only form the basis for human food production and purify our drinking water, they also protect us from pollutants released into the environment.
Prof. Dr. Moritz Bigalke,
Head of the Department of Soil Mineralogy and Soil Chemistry
Soil is the basis of our life. It must be preserved and protected. Therefore, our working group investigates the behavior and effects of pollutants in soil.
Our research
Our research focuses on the biogeochemistry of contaminants in soils to contribute towards the preservation of essential soil functions. We primarily investigate (trace) metals and plastics particles at macro, micro and nano sizes within the soil system, their interactions with the soil solution and their uptake by plants. We develop innovative methods to identify, quantify and characterize these substances in the environment, and investigate processes from the nano to the field scale through field investigations and experimental approaches.
News from our department
-
![]()
![]()
Article published on small-scale plastic fluxes in rivers
December 17, 2024
Spatio-temporal dynamics of (micro)plastic transport in low-order rivers
-
![]()
Picture: Klaus Mai![]()
Picture: Klaus MaiAthene Department Award for Good Teaching to Jürgen Mutzl and Dr. Kai Nitzsche
December 02, 2024
The institute congratulates the two award winners
Award given on the TU's annual Teaching Day on November 20, 2024, for the 'Project Seminar' in the international master's program TropHEE – Innovative teaching format for technical and interdisciplinary skills.
-
![]()
Picture: Alexandra Foetisch![]()
Picture: Alexandra FoetischShort-Term Scientific Mission in Sicily
October 30, 2024
Implementation of Raman spectroscopy on micro- and nano-plastic analysis in the SMSC lab – Collaborative mission at the CNR-ICPF NanoSoftLab
Alexandra Foetisch, a researcher at TU Darmstadt’s Soil Mineralogy and Soil Chemistry (SMSC) Lab, has returned from a productive Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) at the NanoSoftLab of Italy’s CNR-ICPF, where she learned the application of Raman spectroscopy techniques for micro- and nanoplastic analysis. This collaborative mission, made possible through the PRIORITY COST Action, aimed to add state-of-the-art Raman scattering methods to TU Darmstadt’s tools allowing to identify and analyze environmental micro- and nanoplastics.
-
![]()
Picture: Julian Bornemann![]()
Picture: Julian BornemannArticle published!
October 30, 2024
New method developed for identifying tire wear particles in soil using optical microscopy and machine learning
-
![]()
Picture: Moritz Bigalke![]()
Picture: Moritz BigalkeProject start IsoMulch
October 29, 2024
The aim of the project is to investigate biodegradable mulch films and the effects of released carbon
The ‘IsoMulch’ project, funded by the RMU Initiative Fund for Research, starts in cooperation between the Department of Soil Mineralogy and Soil Chemistry (IAG) and the Soil Geography and Ecosystem Research Group (Goethe University Frankfurt).
