Frank Menger

Dr. Frank Menger is a Researcher at the Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry (Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon). His work focuses on identifying unknown organic contaminants in aquatic environments using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), particularly in projects like P-LEACH, which investigates chemicals leaching from plastics under real-world conditions. He specializes in suspect/non-target screening strategies for pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and bioaccumulative compounds.

• Expertise: Trace analysis of organic pollutants, LC-IMS-QTof, LC-Orbitrap, suspect screening.
• Key Projects: P-LEACH, water quality assessments in Spanish Mediterranean coastal lagoons.
• Collaborations: Worked with Alberto Celma, Pablo Gago-Ferrero, and others on integrated chemical-bioanalytical studies.

Research Trends: His recent article in Environment International (2022) highlights the use of ion mobility-HRMS and bioassays to evaluate organic micropollutants in vulnerable wetlands. The study identified 91 contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and pesticides, and linked aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation to aromatic hydrocarbons, while estrogenic inhibition was predicted for 12 compounds. This work underscores the value of combining chemical analysis with toxicological endpoints for comprehensive water quality evaluation.