Univ.-Prof. Dr. Thilo Hofmann

Environmental contamination has become a planetary boundary that humanity is now crossing. Thilo Hofmann’s group explores how emerging contaminants behave in natural systems and seeks pathways towards more sustainable solutions. His research investigates the dynamics, fate, and transformations of both organic and inorganic pollutants, including plastics and nanoparticles, and develops strategies for their remediation. Current projects address “forever chemicals” such as PFAS, plastic pollution including tyre wear particles, plastic additives of concern, the impact of chemicals on the human microbiome, nanoparticles emissions from break-wear, and high-resolution mass spectrometry and transformation processes. 

Thilo is also Co-Director of the University of Vienna’s Environment and Climate Research Hub, which brings together over 70 leading experts from the natural sciences, humanities, law, and economics to tackle today’s most pressing environmental challenges. He has received awards from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation, the Technical University of Berlin, and the German Chemical Society for Water Chemistry. He is Adjunct Professor at Duke University (USA) and Nankai University (China). 

Plastic pollution poses a global challenge, even though plastics remain vital in sectors ranging from healthcare to agriculture. Our group studies plastic additives, tyre wear particles, and biodegradable plastics to understand how these materials behave once released into the environment. We examine the persistence and transformation of microplastics in industrial compost and agricultural soils, aiming to develop reliable extraction methods that can support future environmental standards. These studies provide essential insights into the life cycle of plastics and guide efforts to reduce their long-term accumulation. 

Microbiome – Contaminant Interactions of Plastic Additives and Forever Chemicals: Chemical pollution can significantly impact microbial communities, with consequences for biodiversity, ecosystems, and human health. Our research examines the environmental fate of tire additives in natural and engineered aquatic systems through biodegradation experiments, investigating how microbiome composition influences degradation outcomes and, conversely, how chemical exposure alters microbial community structure. Furthermore, we study the effects of these contaminants, including tire additives and PFAS, as well as their mixtures, on human gut bacteria, assessing toxicity, bioaccumulation, and microbiome-level responses. This comprehensive approach aims to advance understanding of the cross-system impacts of chemical contaminants on both human and environmental microbiomes. 

Heteroaggregation of Microplastics in Environmental Waters: After their release into natural waters and wastewater treatment systems, microplastics interact with naturally occurring particles and flocs. These interactions, known as heteroaggregation, can strongly influence how microplastics move and accumulate in the environment. Our research investigates the mechanisms and kinetics of these aggregation and adsorption processes under environmentally relevant conditions. Using laboratory simulations and advanced analytical techniques, we examine how particle size, surface chemistry, and water composition affect aggregation dynamics. This work provides essential insights into the physical and chemical behavior of microplastics and supports the development of more reliable models and mitigation strategies for managing plastic pollution in aquatic systems. 

Tire Additives, Sorption and River Sediment Monitoring: Tire-derived additives are an emerging class of contaminants in surface waters, where they have the option to bind to fine particles and accumulate in riverbeds. Their partitioning and transformation processes are poorly constrained. Our research quantifies sorption to soils and sediments and monitors occurrence in river sediments across the Danube. We assess the influence of chemical structure and matrix properties that govern retention, mobility, and potential remobilisation. Through harmonised sampling, extraction, and targeted suspect screening, we are generating comparable datasets to find hotspots and track transformation products. These insights allow risk assessments and practical guidance for sustainable sediment management. 

Thilo Hofmann regards science communication as an essential component of scholarly practice. In his capacity as Co-Director of the Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH) at the University of Vienna, he prioritises the dissemination of complex environmental research to diverse societal audiences. Under his direction, the ECH has established initiatives such as the international and interdisciplinary open online course 'Environmental Emergencies – Navigating Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Environmental Pollution' (iMOOX), the public lecture series 'Environment, Climate, Sustainability: From Knowledge to Action', and the series of events, 'Environmental Dialogue' ("Umwelt im Gespräch"), which address current environmental and climate issues and encourage discussion from different perspectives in a public-facing format. Furthermore, Hofmann is a frequent presenter at policy institutions and professional organisations, addressing a range of topics including sustainable food systems, resource use and climate change, thereby connecting rigorous research with pressing global challenges.