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Gewählte Master / Diploma Thesis:

Nicolas Fischer (2016): ERFASSUNG DES KUNSTSTOFFTRANSPORTES IN DER DONAU BEI BAD DEUTSCH-ALTENBURG UND IM ABLAUF EINES KUNSTSTOFFHERSTELLERS.
Master / Diploma Thesis - Institut für Wasserwirtschaft, Hydrologie und konstruktiven Wasserbau (IWHW), BOKU-Universität für Bodenkultur, pp 207. UB BOKU obvsg

Data Source: ZID Abstracts

Abstract:: Plastic is a synthetic polymer with a large range of advantages in practical usage. Because of its high resistance plastic debris may remain in the environment for a long time. In this context especially oceans are decisive plastic sinks, where rivers can be seen as essential input-pathways. However, there are just few studies addressing this topic until now. In order to measure the amount of transported plastic material in rivers, in a first step a device had to be developed, which detects the distribution of the plastic concentrations and transport over the width and the depth of a river. Based on five measurements at the Danube bridge near Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, it could be seen that 6-66 kg/d and 3-98 mio. p/d of microplastics (<5 mm) had been transported in a discharge range of 1500-3000 m³/s. The transport values rise to 19-160 kg/d and 4-102 mio. p/d when considering all size classes of plastic particles (total plastics). It also could be proven that the amount of transported plastics and the concentration increased for higher discharges. Although most of the material tends to be measured at the water surface and near the river banks, turbulences lead to a mixing of the plastic particles within the water column. Additionally a high number of point sources for plastic input are expected alongside of rivers. To determine the amount of plastic particles yielded by a primary producer, samples were taken at the outlet channel into the river Schwechat on five different days. Besides raw material (pellets) an even higher amount of fine abraded plastic fibres (fines) was caught, depending on the actual flow rate in the channel. The daily load for the five measurement days lay between 0,01 and 0,35 kg/d for the pellets. These values are far below the allowed limits. Therefore, this master thesis is one of the first studies describing the characteristics and magnitude of plastic transport in rivers, as well as determining the input of a primary plastic producer.; Beurteilende(r): Habersack Helmut; 1.Mitwirkender: Gmeiner Philipp