MicroDrink held 4th Partner Meeting in Postojna, Slovenia

The meeting was hosted by SO3 leader PP3 - University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering and with help from PP4 - Public company KOVOD Postojna, with support from the Lead Partner - the Croatian Geological Survey, and the Communication Manager PP9 - the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology. It brought together project partners to discuss progress in microplastics research.

The agenda included an overview of national sampling campaigns and analysis results. Discussions centered on the overview of initial sampling results in the drinking water resources of the Danube River Basin, and strategies to enhance institutional and technical capacities while raising public awareness of microplastic pollution.

Partners shared details of their national sampling campaigns, including laboratory challenges, compliance with expected criteria, and QA/QC protocols along with the results of these measures.

A site visit was organized to the Slovenian pilot site at the Malenščica spring in Planinsko polje, providing insights into water management practices and offering a valuable opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas as well as Planinska Cave. Participants also visited the Postojna Cave, one of the largest karst cave systems in Europe.

Dr. Manca Kovač from the Geological Survey of Slovenia gave a lecture on the topic: Challenges in the Detection of Microplastics in Groundwater Systems. Additionally, the participants of the meeting had the opportunity to see a patented microplastic sampling device developed by experts from the Geological Survey of Slovenia.

Following these activities, the meeting included sessions dedicated to project communication, led by the Communication Manager, during which all partners delivered brief presentations on their communication activities carried out in this phase of the project. All partners also presented their dissemination activities and efforts to build synergies, while the Communication Manager encouraged them to maintain strong outreach initiatives.

The meeting was concluded with a Steering Committee session, providing a comprehensive recap of all activities completed so far, reviewing the financial report, and discussing agreements and plans for the next period.

Overall, the 4^th Partner Meeting highlighted the commitment of all partners to advancing microplastics research and fostering cross-border cooperation, establishing a strong foundation for the upcoming phase of the project.