MicroDrink Project Hosts Roundtable Discussion

On May 22nd, 2025, project MicroDrink convened an online roundtable discussion led by SO1 Leader Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, with organizational support from the Lead Partner Croatian Geological Survey.

The event gathered 20 participants, representatives of EU projects and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), to share experiences and address challenges related to water quality and the monitoring of microplastics (MP).

The session opened with an overview of key activities within project MicroDrink, including the MicroDrink Knowledge Base – an open-access, evolving platform aimed at consolidating MP-related research and fostering knowledge exchange.

A key contribution was the presentation by Dr. Claudia Cella (JRC), who provided a comprehensive overview of the European Commission’s recommended methodology for MP monitoring in drinking water. The methodology was outlined in the Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2024/1441 supplementing the Drinking Water Directive (EU) 2020/2184, and the presentation covered the four-stage filtration sampling system, detailed protocols for sample treatment, analytical techniques, and a structured reporting framework. Dr. Cella emphasized the need for standardization while maintaining flexibility, given the evolving state of microplastics science and infrastructure across member states.

Further inputs were provided by representatives of EU projects LifeCascade, Upstream, and DALIA, showcasing the diverse approaches to microplastics research from textile wastewater analysis and monitoring in wastewater treatment plants, to fundamental water quality characterization through carbon-oxygen ion analysis.

An interactive discussion followed, tackling critical challenges such as equipment standardization, contamination prevention, data reliability and comparability, and the need for scalable, cost-effective analytical techniques. Notably, shared concerns arose around limited laboratory capacity and expertise in vibrational spectroscopy—an issue recognized even in more developed regions. The session encouraged open dialogue and cooperation, supported knowledge exchange, and strengthened joint efforts to improve water quality across the Danube Region and beyond.