Civil Engineering (2025)

Welcome to: Hands-On Analysis of Microplastics in complex matrices (2025)

Description: Analyzing microplastics requires thorough knowledge on analytical techniques and approaches, but also a deep understanding the practical implementation of the procedures in the field and the lab. This PhD course focuses on the hands-on part of the work.

The course will start with a short introduction to selected sampling methods, after which we go sampling. The participants will collect a marine or freshwater sample by means of filtering devices or nets, and sample marine or freshwater sediments by grabs or corers. The samples are taken to the lab and analysis begins. As microplastics analysis takes many weeks per sample, we supplement the analysis of the sample you have collected with pre-prepared samples – a cooking show approach. After having prepared the samples, you will get hands-on experience in FTIR analysis of large and small particles (ATR-FTIR and µFTIR imaging, respectively) as well as introductions to µRaman spectroscopy and Pyr-GC/MS. The course will be concluded by interpreting the obtained data. We provide our solution for it in the software siMPle, which is used for (semi-)automated µFTIR imaging and Raman imaging data interpretation. You will be taught how it works and will get first-hand experience during our practice session. 

Prerequisites: This course requires that you document the necessary theoretical background. For example, by having attended the PhD course “Microplastic Research - Analytical Methods for Microplastic Quantification (2025)” also held at Aalborg University, attained one of the previous year’s courses on microplastics analysis at Aalborg University, or similar activities and backgrounds.

Learning objectives:

This hands- On PhD course aims to provide PhD students at both national and international level with the practical skills and in-depth knowledge essential to conducting microplastic research in field and laboratory settings. By the end of the course the participants will be able to:

·        Master Sampling techniques for environmental microplastics

·        Hands-on experience in sample preparation in the lab following a multi-step protocol under QA/QC conditions.

·        Understand and practically explore Analytical techniques for microplastic detection and characterization.

·        Conduct data Interpretation using siMPle Software.

Teaching methods: lectures, field and laboratory work, demonstrations and exercises. The course will be structured as follows:

Day 1 – Monday 9:00 to 17:00:

·        Welcome to AAU-BUILD.

·        Introduction and Sampling for microplastics at AAU campus or at Skudehavnen.

Day 2 – Tuesday 9:00 to 17:00:

·        Lecture: Microplastic Extraction: “Sample Preparation à la AAU”

·        Laboratory work – Opening up the Matrix – Water and sediment samples.

Day 3- Wednesday 9:00 to 17:00:

·        Laboratory work – Getting the samples ready to Microplastic Characterization

Day 4 – Thursday 9:00 to 17:00:

·        Hands- on Analytical techniques:

o   FPA - µFT-IR Imaging

o   ATR- FT-IR

o   µRaman

o   Pyr-GCMS

Day 5- Friday 9:00 to 13:00:

·        Systematic Identification of microplastics with siMPle – Will you catch them all?

·        Time for One-to-One meetings with the AAU microplastic researchers

Criteria for assessment:

·        Attendance to all the activities scheduled for the course

·        Submit a brief report – Participant’s perception on the Opportunities and Limitations on the Implementation of the AAU Approach for Microplastic Research

·        Survey completion

Organizer: Alvise Vianello, Laura Simon Sanchez, Fan Liu, Jes Vollertsen

Lecturers: Alvise Vianello, Laura Simon Sanchez, Fan Liu, Nanna Dyg Rathje Klemmensen, Jes Vollertsen

ECTS: 3

Time: one full week in October 2025 – Exact week TBA

Place: Section of Civil Engineering, BUILD, Aalborg University, Thomas Manns Vej 23, 9220 Aalborg Øst, Denmark

Number of seats: 15

Deadline: TBA

Key literature:

Ivleva, N. P. (2021). Chemical Analysis of Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Challenges, Advanced Methods, and Perspectives. Chemical Reviews, 121(19), 11886–11936. https://doi.org/10.1021/ACS.CHEMREV.1C00178

Liu, F., Vianello, A., & Vollertsen, J. (2019). Retention of microplastics in sediments of urban and highway stormwater retention ponds. Environmental Pollution, 255, 113335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113335

Löder, M. G. J., Imhof, H. K., Ladehoff, M., Löschel, L. A., Lorenz, C., Mintenig, S., Piehl, S., Primpke, S., Schrank, I., Laforsch, C., & Gerdts, G. (2017). Enzymatic Purification of Microplastics in Environmental Samples. Environmental Science and Technology, 51(24), 14283–14292. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b03055

Primpke, S., Cross, R. K., Mintenig, S. M., Simon, M., Vianello, A., Gerdts, G., & Vollertsen, J. (2020). Toward the Systematic Identification of Microplastics in the Environment: Evaluation of a New Independent Software Tool (siMPle) for Spectroscopic Analysis. Applied Spectroscopy, 74(9), 1127–1138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003702820917760/ASSET/IMAGES/LARGE/10.1177_0003702820917760-FIG6.JPEG

Simon, M., van Alst, N., & Vollertsen, J. (2018). Quantification of microplastic mass and removal rates at wastewater treatment plants applying Focal Plane Array (FPA)-based Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) imaging. Water Research, 142, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.WATRES.2018.05.019

Vianello, A., Jensen, R. L., Liu, L., & Vollertsen, J. (2019). Simulating human exposure to indoor airborne microplastics using a Breathing Thermal Manikin. Scientific Reports 2019 9:1, 9(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-45054-w

Important information concerning PhD courses: 

There is a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start of the course.

We cannot ensure any seats before the deadline for enrolment, all participants will be informed after the deadline, approximately 3 weeks before the start of the course.

To attend courses at the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology you must be enrolled as a PhD student.

For inquiries regarding registration, cancellation or waiting list, please contact the PhD administration at phdcourses@adm.aau.dk  When contacting us please state the course title and course period. Thank you.

Welcome to Lifecycle assessment (LCA) in building construction

Description: 

This course aims at advancing knowledge and skills in life cycle assessment in the building construction domain. In our problem based-learning environment (PBL), the students will be actively involved in shaping their experience and outcomes. Activities include group work, problem defining and solving based on real-world cases, illustrative practical exercises and critical discussions.

Prior to the course the students will work in groups on a main subject of assessment and will prepare it for the further analysis during the course. This may be a theoretical subject or a specific assignment related to the student’s own activities. After the course, the report or paper will collect the study in a presentable manner. These deliverables will be shared among all participants for extending learnings across the groups.

Preliminary schedule:

Prerequisites: The target audience of the course includes academics (PhDs, postdoc, other) or professionals who already have basic experience with LCA and intend to bring their LCA competences to an advanced level. Basic experience may include having carried out simple LCAs in practice or education or having elementary knowledge of LCA theory.

Learning objectives: The student will acquire advanced skills and knowledge in LCA related to construction and buildings and will be able to perform LCA to analyse a building’s life cycle impacts, propose mitigation measures and navigate in the most relevant methodological approaches critically.

Teaching methods: Lectures, workshops, exercises, group activities, reading, report writing.

Form of evaluation: Final report or paper, delivered two weeks after the final module.

Key literature: TBA

Organizer: Associate prof. Kai Kanafani, kak@build.aau.dk

Lecturers: 

Associate prof. Endrit Hoxha, BUILD

Associate prof. Kai Kanafani, BUILD

Postdoc Maria Balouktsi, BUILD

Postdoc Regitze Kjær Zimmermann, BUILD

Research Assistant Camilla Ernst Andersen, BUILD

Research Assistant Rasmus Nøddegaard Hansen, BUILD

ECTS: 3

Time: 21 May, 4 June 2025 

Place: Aalborg University

Zip code: 

City: Copenhagen

Maximal number of participants: 25

Deadline: 30 April 2025

Important information concerning PhD courses: 

There is a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start of the course.

We cannot ensure any seats before the deadline for enrolment, all participants will be informed after the deadline, approximately 3 weeks before the start of the course.

To attend courses at the Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology you must be enrolled as a PhD student.

For inquiries regarding registration, cancellation or waiting list, please contact the PhD administration at aauphd@adm.aau.dk When contacting us please state the course title and course period. Thank you.