On November 24, 2025, the new Christian Doppler Laboratory for Biodegradation of Water-Soluble Polymers will open at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University of Vienna (CeMESS). Under the lead of Michael Zumstein, the chemical and microbiological processes underlying biological polymer degradation will be investigated. In parallel, scientists at BOKU University, led by Teresa Steininger-Mairinger, are working on the development of polymer- and environment-specific analytical methods. BASF SE is the industrial partner in this interdisciplinary collaboration between experts from the fields of chemistry, microbiology, and environmental sciences. The most important public funding body is the Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (BMWET).
Water-soluble polymers are important high-performance components in many personal care and household products, with a global annual production of more than one million tons. After these products are used, the water-soluble polymers they contain end up in wastewater, which prevents their recollection and recycling. The sustainable management of these polymers at the end of their life cycle is a major challenge. Biodegradable polymers are of particular interest in this context. "However, our understanding of the biodegradation of water-soluble polymers in the affected environmental systems is still very limited," explains Michael Zumstein, head of the new CD laboratory.
Federal Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer explains the relevance of the research project: "Research is the key to combining competitiveness and sustainability. The field of polymer research in particular shows how scientific findings can lead to practical solutions. With the new Christian Doppler Laboratory, we are laying the foundation for innovation in Austria that generates added value here as well. This is how we combine economic strength and ecological responsibility – through excellent research and targeted location policy."
Ministry of Economy promotes application-oriented basic research
The aim of the new Christian Doppler Laboratory is to understand the chemical and microbiological processes underlying the biodegradation of water-soluble polymers, thereby creating the urgently needed scientific basis for the development and sound regulation of biodegradable high-performance polymers. The research focuses on key factors influencing degradation, interactions between degradation and the environmental microbiome, and specific chemical analysis methods. Michael Zumstein (laboratory head, CeMESS, University of Vienna), Teresa Steininger-Mairinger (module head, BOKU University), and their research groups are working closely with scientists from the industrial partner BASF SE on these endeavors. "The transformative insights required can only be gained through interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration, as practiced in our Christian Doppler Laboratory," Michael Zumstein is convinced.
About Christian Doppler Laboratories
Christian Doppler Laboratories conduct high-level application-oriented basic research, with outstanding scientists collaborating with innovative companies. The Christian Doppler Research Association (CDG) is internationally recognized as a best-practice example for promoting this type of collaboration.
Christian Doppler Laboratories are jointly financed by the public sector and the participating companies. The most important public funding body is the Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (BMWET).
About Michael Zumstein
Michael Zumstein is a biochemist and received his doctorate from ETH Zurich (Switzerland) in 2017. He then worked at Cornell University (USA) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag, Switzerland) on enzymatic processes in wastewater. Since 2021, he has been researching and teaching at the Department of Environmental Geosciences at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS) at the University of Vienna. He is a member of the University of Vienna's Research Network for Environment and Climate and the FWF Cluster of Excellence "Microbiomes Drive Planetary Health."
Tirelessly curious. Since 1365.
The University of Vienna is one of the oldest and largest universities in Europe and thus the largest research institution and educational institution in Austria. Around 7,500 scientists work in networks at 20 faculties and centers on new solutions and make an important contribution to the further development of society. The University of Vienna cooperates with business, culture, and society. Researchers, students, and teachers are united by the goal of discovering innovations with tireless curiosity. With a diverse range of 187 courses, the University of Vienna prepares around 9,000 graduates for their careers each year and encourages them to think critically and act independently.
About Teresa Steininger-Mairinger
Teresa Steininger-Mairinger is an analytical chemist and has been an assistant professor at the Institute of Analytical Chemistry at BOKU University since 2023. Her research focuses on the development of analytical methods in the fields of chromatography, mass spectrometry, and ion mobility. Her work is applied in various areas of environmental and life sciences. At BOKU, Steininger-Mairinger teaches the fundamentals of chemistry and is the scientific director of the Core Facility Mass Spectrometry. She is currently a member of the board of the Austrian Society of Analytical Chemistry and the Austrian delegate to the European Chemical Society – Division of Chemistry and the Environment.
Science for Life
With 2,200 scientists and more than 10,000 students, BOKU University is one of the leading Life Sciences universities in Europe. Thanks to the combination of natural sciences, technology and social and economic sciences, research and teaching are characterized by a holistic approach to problems. Sustainability, climate impact, scarcity of resources, environmental protection, food and health security: the challenges and problems of our time are interconnected in many ways and can only be solved in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary manner. BOKU maintains 18 agreements worldwide in the form of network memberships and around 360 multi- and bilateral partnerships with universities and research institutions and is part of the European University EPICUR.
BASF research on biodegradable polymers: "Understanding biodegradability in detail"
"For us, sustainability also means knowing exactly how and why microorganisms in the environment break down our products after their use," says Andreas Künkel, Vice President Research Biopolymers at BASF. Biodegradability means that microorganisms completely metabolize complex organic compounds into energy, water, carbon dioxide, and biomass.
In order to use this method of nature and to develop completely biodegradable products, a fundamental understanding of not only the chemistry but also the biological processes is necessary. That is why BASF has significantly expanded its research and development activities in the field of biodegradability over the past ten years. "This incredibly complex topic can only be mastered by an interdisciplinary team," emphasizes Künkel. In addition to internal cooperation, external cooperation with customers, universities, and research institutes, with whom BASF conducts extensive laboratory and field studies, is also important.
An important field of application for biodegradable materials is in the ingredients of detergents, dishwashing formulations, and cosmetics, which end up in wastewater treatment plants at the end of their life cycle. Here, too, it is crucial to understand exactly how the structure of the material influences its biodegradability. The new Christian Doppler Laboratory for the Biodegradation of Water-Soluble Polymers will make a very important contribution to this understanding.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: we want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers' green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and societal responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all industries and in almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises the core businesses Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; the standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion worldwide in 2024.
