Lab in a tube: Monitoring soil chemistry without disturbing it

27-May-2025 - A team of researchers has developed a portable and automatic laboratory that can monitor soil chemistry in real time – and without expensive components. The aim is to give us easier access to follow the processes that usually take place hidden beneath our feet. Imagine inserting a camera into the ...

Detect 'forever chemicals' in under 3 minutes

New lab-based method to detect traces of PFAS from food packaging material, water and soil samples

12-Feb-2024 - PFAS have earned the name “forever chemicals” with good reason — the man-made compounds, which can take thousands of years to degrade and are found in everything from grease-resistant food packaging to water-repellent clothing, have made their way into nearlyhalf the U.S. tap water supply. Now, ...

Microplastics in soil: Tomography with neutrons and X-rays shows where particles lay in soil

21-Nov-2023 - It really is a problem: Microplastics are everywhere. Now, an HZB and University Potsdam team developed a method that for the first time enables us to precisely localise microplastics in soil. The 3D tomography shows exactly the location of particles and the change in structure of the soil – ...

Biodegradable microplastics in soils cause CO₂ emissions to rise

The increase in CO₂ emissions goes hand in hand with the increase in microbial biomass

11-Nov-2022 - Biodegradable microplastic particles in soils can lead to an increased rise in CO₂ emissions to the Earth's atmosphere. This is shown by an interdisciplinary study published in "Applied Soil Ecology" by the Collaborative Research Centre 1357 "Microplastics" at the University of Bayreuth. In this ...

Synthetic chemicals in soils are 'ticking time bomb'

13-Feb-2020 - A growing health crisis fueled by synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in groundwater has garnered much attention in the last few years. The reported levels could be "just the tip of the iceberg," as most of the chemicals are still migrating down slowly ...

First field measurements of laughing gas isotopes

Greenhouse gas emissions from soil

09-Dec-2019 - Thanks to a newly developed laser spectrometer, Empa researchers can for the first time show which processes in grassland lead to nitrous oxide emissions. The aim is to reduce emissions of this potent greenhouse gas by gaining a better understanding of the processes taking place in the soil. ...

Melting ice sheets release tons of methane into the atmosphere

08-Jan-2019 - Melting ice sheets release tons of methane into the atmosphere, study finds The Greenland Ice Sheet emits tons of methane according to a new study, showing that subglacial biological activity impacts the atmosphere far more than previously thought. An international team of researchers led by the ...

Using espresso machines to do chemistry

17-Jun-2016 - Many chemists are familiar with taking trips to the espresso machine while running late-night experiments, but until now these excursions were merely undertaken for the caffeine boost. A group recently reported however, that espresso machines can quickly and inexpensively perform some complex ...

Soil crusts emit nitrogen oxides and nitrous acid

Study shows that biological soil crusts release large quantities of reactive nitrogen compounds

03-Dec-2015 - For a long time now, researchers have been racking their brains over the large quantities of reactive nitrogen compounds observed in arid regions after periods of rainfall without being able to identify the source. A study is now bringing light into the darkness. Bettina Weber and her colleagues ...

Scientists develop new soil moisture sensor

Innovative measuring device enables the water content of biological soil crusts to be measured for the first time

15-Sep-2015 - Biological soil crusts comprising lichens, algae and mosses play an important role in the earth’s ecosystems. They fix carbon dioxide and nitrogen while giving off significant amounts of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Information on soil moisture is of vital importance to investigate their ...