The MicroDrink Final Conference held in Belgrade, Serbia

The MicroDrink project successfully organized its Final Conference on May 20th, 2026, at the Faculty of Mining and Geology, University of Belgrade, Serbia.

The conference gathered researchers, experts, project partners, and representatives of related initiatives, bringing together 61 experts from 29 relevant institutions and organizations to exchange knowledge and experiences regarding the presence of microplastics in drinking water, present project achievements, and discuss approaches for the effective management of this increasingly important environmental challenge.

The conference was opened by Prof. Dr. Kristina Šarić, Vice Dean for Science and Marketing at the Faculty of Mining and Geology, University of Belgrade, followed by Dr. Jasmina Lukač Reberski from the Croatian Geological Survey, Lead Partner of the project. Gusztáv Csomor, Project Officer for Interreg DRP MA/JS, gave a speech about the Interreg program and successful ongoing projects.

Throughout the conference, participants attended presentations focused on:

• Transnational knowledge development,

• Harmonisation of monitoring methodologies,

• Analytical approaches for microplastics detection, and

• Management strategies for drinking water systems across the Danube Region.

Andrea Vranovská presented activities within the EUSDR PA4 Water Quality framework, while Dr. sc. Mohammad Al-qadi from FAU Germany presented "Developing Transnational Knowledge Base on Microplastics in Danube Region Drinking Water Resources."

Prof. Dr. Tanja Ćirković Veličković from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Chemistry, delivered a lecture on analytical approaches for microplastics in different matrices, while Dr. Bence Prikler from Eurofins Environment Testing Hungary presented lessons on monitoring microplastics in drinking water systems.

The conference continued with presentations by:

• Dr. Anja Torkar from the University of Ljubljana – Towards Better Management of Microplastics in Drinking Water: A Capacity-Building Approach

• Dr. Alba García-Rodriguez from the Autonomous University of Barcelona – Micro-/nanoplastics and Health Risks: From Evidence to Action – Plasticheal Project

• Prof. Dr. Stefan Krause from the University of Birmingham – Small particles - big challenges: Lessons learned from the 100 Plastic Rivers global participatory science programme

• Prof. Dr. Sanja Bijelović from the Institute of Public Health Vojvodina – The Preliminary Results of the MICROPLASTICS Project

• Prof. Dr. Dejan Ubavin from the University of Novi Sad – Aquatic Plastic Project Overview and Achievements

• Prof. Dr. Johannes Barth from GeoZentrum Nordbayern (FAU) – Greetings from the DALIA - Danube Region Water Lighthouse Action: Project Overview and Some Selected Results

The Final Conference provided an important platform for discussing the latest scientific findings, exchanging experiences, and strengthening cooperation among institutions working on the protection of drinking water resources and the management of microplastic pollution.

Overall, the conference highlighted the importance of transnational collaboration, harmonised methodologies, and continued research efforts in addressing microplastics contamination in drinking water systems throughout the Danube Region and beyond.