2nd Partner Meeting in Budapest

The MicroDrink project held its 2nd Partner Meeting in Budapest, Hungary, from October 8th to 10th, 2024. Organized by Project Partner 8, Eurofins, and supported by the Lead Partner, the Croatian Geological Survey, along with the Communication Manager, the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology, the meeting brought together all project partners to advance their collaborative research on microplastics.

Specific Objective leaders provided updates on the progress of activities within their specific objectives, focusing on harmonizing microplastics approach across EU and non-EU countries, building the MicroDrink Knowledge database, and initiating pilot activities to monitor microplastic pollution in the drinking water resources of the Danube River Basin. Efforts were also addressed to enhance institutional, managerial, and technical capacity among practitioners, decision-makers, and policy-makers while raising public awareness about this critical environmental issue. The Communication Manager outlined necessary steps to strengthen internal and external communication efforts, and Partners presented their communication activities from the first project period, highlighting achievements and future goals for dissemination. 

The meeting featured a guided tour of the Eurofins laboratory. Participants had the opportunity to observe the entire process of sample collection, storage, preparation and analysis for the detection of microplastics in water. The FTIR microscope that will be used for analyses of all parallel samples collected throughout the project's sampling campaigns was presented, and the analytical methodology was demonstrated in detail.

The meeting concluded with all partners receiving the necessary sampling equipment for monitoring microplastics in drinking water resources. This equipment will be used to collect samples for analysis at both the central laboratory and each country's contracted laboratory. The next significant task is the upcoming first sampling events, which will take place at designated pilot action sites in each participating country. During these events, project partners, associated partners, and interested practitioners will gain hands-on experience in microplastics sampling from experts of the central laboratory.