1.Spectroscopic and photophysical research on the electronic properties of aromatic polymers, especially on Poly-N-vinylcarbazole, and of suitable monomeric model compounds.

2.Research on the abiotic degradation and transformation of organic compounds with environmental relevance and on other physico-chemical properties needed for understanding,     modeling and predicting the fate of such compounds in the environment.

The main result of (1) was the elucidation of the energy-  migration process in aromatic polymers (“exciton-hopping”),  which was found to be limited by “excimer-forming sites”    acting as traps.

The emphasis of (2) was on abiotic degradation in the air      -mostly by OH-radicals- and the role of semivolatile compounds (now a central research field in studying the “Persistent Organic Pollutants or POPs”).

In addition to the experimental research at Battelle, several   studies on the criteria for assessing the environmental hazard of chemicals were performed. It turned out that the persistence of chemicals is the central criterion for assessing the environmental hazard posed by anthropogenic organic substances in the       same sense as human toxicity is the central criterion for   assessing the risk at the work-place. This work was mainly performed for the federal environmental agency of Germany    (UBA Berlin).

In the final phase at Battelle (1988-1991), Life Cycle  Assessment began to gain importance for the environmental assessment of products and services. Several LCA-studies     were performed for industrial sponsors in those years.