Our laboratory in the field of waste management and resource management focuses on inorganic analytics. We primarily engage in the characterization of materials resulting from anthropogenic processes within waste management. Our mission is to provide reliable analytical results and develop new methods for this purpose.

Our three areas of activity:

- Execution of our own research projects
- Contract analytics with research relevance for universities as well as private enterprises
- Education for students

Overview of our service portfolio:

•  Sampling and sample preparation

•  Analytical-instrumental equipment

Examples of in-house developed measurement methods

Determination of the climate relevance of substitute fuels:

Substitute fuels typically contain plastic waste (fossil-based) as well as biogenic waste components (paper, wood, etc.). The fossil (climate-relevant) CO2 produced during combustion in industrial or waste incineration plants can be easily determined inexpensively using our method (adapted balance method) based on elemental analysis.

Determination of plastic content in environmental samples:

Our internally developed methodology - Elemental Analysis Overdetermined Equation Method (EA-OEM) - enables us to conduct (micro)plastic analyses and determine the mass-related proportion of plastics. A wide particle size spectrum (5mm to 10 µm) can be covered.

Device list

Inventory of laboratory equipment (pdf), opens a file in a new window

Poster

(Micro)plastic determination (pdf), opens a file in a new window

Determination of the climate relevance of substitute fuels (pdf), opens a file in a new window

Characterization of waste incineration residues and construction waste (pdf), opens a file in a new window

Analysis of heterogeneous (waste) mixtures (pdf), opens a file in a new window

Publications / References

• Kladnik, V., Dworak, S., & Schwarzböck, T. (2024). Composition of public waste - a case study from Austria. Waste Management, 178, 210–220. doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2024.02.031
• Fricko, N., Wanek, W., & Fellner, J. (2022). Applying the 15N labelling technique to material derived from a landfill simulation experiment to understand nitrogen cycle processes under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Biodegradation, 33(6), 557–573. doi.org/10.1007/s10532-022-10000-7
• Huber, F., Blasenbauer, D., Aschenbrenner, P., & Fellner, J. (2020). Complete determination of the material composition of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash. Waste Management, 102, 677–685. doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.11.036
• Spacek, S., Mallow, O., Schwarzböck, T. et al. A new method for the determination of the microplastic mass proportion in environmental samples. Österr Wasser- und Abfallw 72, 403–409 (2020). doi.org/10.1007/s00506-020-00697-2
• Huber, F., Blasenbauer, D., Aschenbrenner, P., & Fellner, J. (2019). Chemical composition and leachability of differently sized material fractions of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash. Waste Management, 95, 593–603. doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.06.047
• Schwarzböck, T., Rechberger, H., Aschenbrenner, P., Spacek, S., Szidat, S., & Fellner, J. (2018). Climate relevance of substitute fuels – Application and comparison of various determination methods. Österreichische Wasser- Und Abfallwirtschaft, 70(3–4), 179–193. doi.org/10.1007/s00506-018-0466-8
• Schwarzböck, T., Aschenbrenner, P., Rechberger, H., Brandstätter, C., & Fellner, J. (2016). Effects of sample preparation on the accuracy of biomass content determination for refuse-derived fuels. Fuel Processing Technology, 153, 101–110. doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2016.07.001
• Trinkel, V., Mallow, O., Aschenbrenner, P., Rechberger, H., & Fellner, J. (2016). Characterization of Blast Furnace Sludge with Respect to Heavy Metal Distribution. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 55(19), 5590–5597. doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.6b00617
• Kleemann, F., Lederer, J., Aschenbrenner, P., Rechberger, H., & Fellner, J. (2014). A method for determining buildings’ material composition prior to demolition. Building Research & Information, 44(1), 51–62. doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2014.979029
• Skutan, S., & Aschenbrenner, P. (2012). Analysis of total copper, cadmium and lead in refuse-derived fuels (RDF): study on analytical errors using synthetic samples. Waste Management & Research the Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy, 30(12), 1281–1289. doi.org/10.1177/0734242x12462276
• Aschenbrenner, P., Fellner, J., & Rechberger, H. (2009). Determination of the biogenic carbon content of substitute fuels using a CHNSO elemental analyzer. In K. J. Thomé-Kozmiensky & M. Beckmann (Eds.), Renewable Energy (pp. 3–14). TK Verlag Karl Thomé-Kozminsky. hdl.handle.net/20.500.12708/60010