PACO supports school project on microplastics

In the 2023/24 school year, an elective course for the 10th grade on the topic of "Microplastics on the Coasts of the Baltic Sea" started at the Gymnasium am Mühlenberg in Bad Schwartau in cooperation with the Physics Department and Prof. Dr. Martin Koch from the Philipps University of Marburg. The project was financially supported by the school's support association, and PACO provided the necessary materials in the form of various metallic filter media free of charge.

 

In the first half of the year, the young researchers dealt with the different types and sources of microplastics as well as the scientific methods for their detection and identification. Understanding the physical backgrounds on the topic of light and fluorescence microscopy was also important. To examine the sand samples, the students built separators, and the University of Marburg helped set up the microscopes. This was followed by sampling and analysis. The subject of the research was sediment samples from the beaches of East Holstein and samples from Lake Ratzeburg. These were analyzed using the separators and fluorescence microscopy. The results were documented and presented as part of a final presentation. In summary, the students came to an alarming conclusion: microplastics were found in all samples. Prof. Dr. Martin Koch from the Philipps University of Marburg praised the students' scientific approach. Teacher Marcel Muth plans to continue the project: "The young people have become more sensitive to the issue of coastal pollution and microplastics."

 

We are pleased that we could support this great project. It is inspiring to see how dedicated and diligently the students have worked. Projects like this not only promote scientific understanding but also raise awareness among young people about important environmental issues. We at the PACO Group have also made it our mission to develop high-precision filter solutions that effectively remove even the smallest plastic particles from water and air. By using our innovative technologies in sewage treatment plants, industrial processes, and household appliances, we support the cleaning of natural and artificial water cycles, thereby actively contributing to environmental protection and the preservation of biodiversity.

 

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