MicroDrink Project Highlights Challenges and Progress in Microplastics Monitoring in the Danube River Basin at EGU 2025

Vienna, Austria — May 2025 – At the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2025, the MicroDrink project team presented critical insights into the ongoing challenges of monitoring microplastics in drinking water across the Danube River Basin. The presentation, delivered in poster format by Dr. Mohammad Alqadi on behalf of the MicroDrink consortium, drew attention to key gaps in standardization, regional coordination, and technical capacity within the region.

The poster titled “Challenges in Monitoring Microplastics in Drinking Water Across the Danube River Basin” highlighted the urgent need for harmonized methodologies and cross-border collaboration to effectively address microplastic pollution—an emerging threat to water quality and public health.

As part of the presentation, Dr. Alqadi shared preliminary findings from the MicroDrink project and introduced the pre-release of an open-access knowledge hub, developed to support harmonization and capacity-building efforts among stakeholders in the Danube region. This platform aims to serve as a central resource for data sharing, best practices, and technical guidance.

The MicroDrink project is a multi-partner initiative dedicated to enhancing scientific understanding, policy integration, and monitoring frameworks related to microplastics in drinking water across Central and Eastern Europe.