Aarhus University Seal

Possibilities for master projects

- master projects within the section MITO (Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology)


In connection to projects within MITO’s research areas there are possibilities to do a master thesis in the section. The list below gives examples of this, but you can also contact us for other possibilities.

Sorption of persistent organic pollutants to plastic materials in the sea

Persistent organic pollutants are hydrophobic and will sorb to organic phases in seawater. Thus, plastic materials can act as passive samplers and sorb persistent organic pollutants (and other organic chemicals) over time. As part of the PlastiCod project, polyethylene has been placed at ten locations along the coast of Norway. This project aims to quantify the contaminants sorbed to the polyethylene over a period of several months. The target compounds are persistent organic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated pesticides and brominated flame retardants, additionally, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) will be of interest. The results will be assessed in terms of a spatial trend and the potential risks for Atlantic cod if the plastics are ingested.

Master thesis in Environmental Chemistry. The project is part of the research project PlastiCod: Digestion and maternal/paternal transfer of microplastic contaminants in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) food web. Funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

Contact persons

Pia Lassen

Senior Researcher - Deputy head of department

Leaching of potentially harmful chemicals from plastic polymers

Plastic materials are a major pollutant of the sea and have been recognized as a threat to marine animals, which can, for example, become entangled in the materials or mistake them for food. Besides these physical impacts, chemicals may play a role as they are taken up together with the plastics. These chemicals can be present in the materials themselves or be sorbed from the seawater. This project aims to determine the intrinsic concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals in different plastic polymers, i.e. additives or plastic monomers. In addition, the leaching from the materials will be studied in the laboratory under environmentally relevant conditions.

Master thesis in Environmental Chemistry. The project is part of the research project PlastiCod: Digestion and maternal/paternal transfer of microplastic contaminants in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) food web. Funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

Contact persons

Pia Lassen

Senior Researcher - Deputy head of department

Sorption of organic chemicals to plastic materials – laboratory studies

Plastic materials in the sea are believed to act as passive samplers by sorbing hydrophobic chemicals over time. The project PlastiCod studies the hypothesis that the accumulation of harmful chemicals over time can reach critical concentrations if Atlantic cod are exposed to these plastics. In this context, this project aims to study the sorption process in detail and under controlled conditions. The sorption to polyethylene will be studied for representatives of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated pesticides, brominated flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or other relevant organic compounds. Temperature and salinity will be varied. Furthermore, the sorption process will also be addressed in a three-phase-system of seawater, polyethylene and particles (sediment).

Master thesis in Environmental Chemistry. The project is part of the research project PlastiCod: Digestion and maternal/paternal transfer of microplastic contaminants in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) food web. Funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

Contact persons

Pia Lassen

Senior Researcher - Deputy head of department

Passive sampling of hydrophobic contaminants in the sea – a proxy to contaminant sorption on plastics?

Passive sampling is a method for determining freely dissolved concentrations of e.g. hydrophobic contaminants which occur at low concentrations in seawater. Due to their hydrophobicity they partition strongly into organic phases, which can be polymers like silicone or polyoxymethylene (POM). As such, the process is the same as the sorption to polyethylene or other polymers present as plastic pollutants in the sea. This project aims to study analogies between passive sampling and the contaminant sorption to plastics in the sea. It will use samples available from the PlastiCod project, i.e. silicone and POM passive samplers deployed alongside polyethylene particles in the sea over several months. In addition, laboratory studies will be performed to achieve a better qualitative and quantitative process understanding. Target compounds could be representatives of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlorinated pesticides, brominated flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or other relevant organic compounds.

Master thesis in Environmental Chemistry. The project is part of the research project PlastiCod: Digestion and maternal/paternal transfer of microplastic contaminants in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) food web. Funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

Contact persons

Pia Lassen

Senior Researcher - Deputy head of department