Use of alkyl-trichlorosilanes and/or silsesquioxanes for the removal of microplastic particles from water and/or a body of water

A method for the removal of microplastic particles from water and/or a body of water, the method having the following steps:

• (a) dosing or adding an alkyltrichlorosilane of the following formula I
• R—SiCl3 (formula I),
• wherein
• R represents an alkyl group, Si represents a silicon atom and Cl represents a chlorine atom,
• and/or
• dosing or adding a silsesquioxane of the following formula II
• [RSiO3/2]n (formula II),
• wherein
• R represents an alkyl group,
• Si represents a silicon atom,
• O represents an oxygen atom and n represents an integer, to a microplastic particle-containing water and/or a microplastic particle-containing body of water, and
• (b) removing, from the water and/or the body of water, inclusion compounds formed after addition of the alkyltrichlorosilane and/or the silsesquioxane, wherein the inclusion compounds each comprise a hybrid silica gel and microplastic particles, wherein the hybrid silica gel is formed by reaction of the alkyltrichlorosilane and/or of the silsesquioxane in the water and/or body of water and encloses the microplastic particles at least partially.