Environmental Scientist Honored by the German Chemical Society
2026-11-02 At Leuphana University Lüneburg, Dr. Ann-Kathrin Amsel is investigating how the environmental biodegradability of ionic liquids can be taken into account as early as the development stage. Her dissertation has now been recognized with an award.
The intended functions of chemicals are usually determined early in their development. But what happens to them when they enter the environment after use? In her dissertation, Dr. Ann-Kathrin Amsel therefore focused on a relevant but as yet little-used group of chemicals to investigate potential environmental impacts even before their wider industrial use: Ionic liquids are salts that remain liquid without the addition of water. They consist of positively and negatively charged components (anions and cations). These can be combined and modified in a variety of ways. As a result, the physical and chemical properties of ionic liquids can be tailored to specific applications. “Numerous applications are being researched for this group of substances: as solvents and catalysts in chemical processes, as well as electrolytes for batteries, in photovoltaics, and in pharmaceuticals. We can therefore expect broader industrial use in the coming years,” explains Ann-Kathrin Amsel. This is where the “Benign by Design” concept comes in: Chemicals should be designed from the outset to fulfill their intended purpose while posing as few risks as possible to humans and the environment.
Ann-Kathrin Amsel tested which structural features promote biodegradation in the environment. To do this, she examined ionic liquids that had been specifically modified, for example, by coupling them with the amino acid phenylalanine. Chemists at Tallinn University of Technology synthesized the compounds. The university has long been a cooperation partner of Leuphana. “We hoped that a natural building block in particular could facilitate degradation by microorganisms in water bodies and wastewater treatment plants,” explains Ann-Kathrin Amsel.
Laboratory tests showed that the molecular structure was decisive for biodegradability. Incorporating the amino acid did not fundamentally improve biodegradability. Ann-Kathrin Amsel was thus able to demonstrate which modifications to a molecule can be useful in preventing subsequent environmental pollution.
In addition to the experiments, she collected data on the biodegradability of ionic liquids from scientific publications and analyzed it using a computer-based method. Working with the U.S. company MultiCASE, she used this dataset to develop a model designed to predict the biodegradability of ionic liquids.
“In the future, such models can help design new compounds in a more targeted manner and assess their environmental properties,” explains Ann-Kathrin Amsel. Companies that need data to evaluate and register their substances can also make use of this model.
Every two years, the GDCh Division of Sustainable Chemistry awards the Doctoral Prize for an outstanding dissertation in this field. The award comes with a cash prize of 2,000 euros.
Dr. Ann-Kathrin Amsel first completed an apprenticeship as a chemical laboratory technician at Schwartauer Werke. In 2016, she earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from Leuphana University Lüneburg. This was followed in 2018 by a master’s degree in sustainability science. Building on this, she earned her Ph.D. in 2024 at the Institute for Sustainable Chemistry under Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Dr. h. c. Klaus Kümmerer.