Styrene is an important raw material in the chemical industry and part of many everyday products. It is primarily used in the production of plastics such as polystyrene and thus finds its way into numerous insulating materials and packaging. The best-known product is expanded polystyrene - commonly known under the brand name Styropor.

However, styrene is not harmless and rapid detection of the chemical is important. Although it is considered harmless to health when processed, styrene is highly hazardous to health in its original form. The highly volatile liquid quickly accumulates in the body via the respiratory tract and can damage the central nervous system or mucous membranes. Styrene is also suspected of being carcinogenic and impairing fertility. As styrene is used on an industrial scale, the chemical is often unintentionally released into the environment.

Faster, cheaper and more specific than previous detection methods

Existing analytical methods are time-consuming, expensive or too unspecific. In the "Styrene BioSense" project, researchers at the Institute of Biosciences now want to develop a new type of rapid test that is not only particularly cheap and easy to use, but also significantly more reliable.

"Our biosensor is based on genetically modified cells of a harmless bacterium," explains Dr Michel Oelschlägel. "These cells are able to change colour in the presence of a selected organic pollutant. The colour change should also allow a conclusion to be drawn about the amount of pollutant." The new rapid test is said to be up to 20 times cheaper than existing methods. This is particularly relevant when many samples need to be analysed in parallel. The potential fields of application are diverse: in the plastics processing industry, the test can be used to ensure that products, waste materials or exhaust air are free of pollutants. The same applies to the construction industry, where building materials containing styrene are used. Authorities can use the biosensor on a large scale for environmental monitoring and pollutant analyses, for example.

The aim is not just to detect styrene. The researchers are planning a modular system that will allow the principle of the biosensor to be transferred to other organic pollutants or heavy metals in the future. This harbours additional market and application potential - particularly in light of the fact that environmental regulations, occupational health and safety guidelines and recycling strategies are becoming increasingly important worldwide.

The project is being funded from 02/2026 - 01/2028 by the Dr. Erich Krüger Foundation.