<ul data-eligibleForWebStory="true"><li>Helgoland is hosting the Helgoland 2025 meeting to commemorate Werner Heisenberg's quantum mechanics development 100 years ago.</li><li>The island is also home to the Biological Institute Helgoland (BAH) where Sebastian Primpke researches microplastics and microfibres in the oceans.</li><li>Microplastics, ranging from one micron to about 5mm, pose a significant threat to marine life.</li><li>Primpke studies microplastics using biofilms in a tank with water from the North Sea under dark conditions to simulate the ocean environment.</li><li>Samples are analyzed in the lab using infrared and Raman microscopes to understand the physical characteristics of microplastic particles.</li><li>Researchers at Helgoland lab also investigate microfibres, derived from cellulose and artificial plastics, using electron microscopy.</li><li>Primpke, who has been on Helgoland for a decade, highlights the small community dynamics with 1500 residents but ample amenities due to tourism.</li><li>Living and working on Helgoland presents challenges in finding accommodation despite the influx of tourists.</li></ul>

Helgoland researchers seek microplastics and microfibres in the sea

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