Monitoring campain in Tethys, example of Slovenia

In support of the MoRE emission model validation, monitoring of hazardous substances (HS) will be conducted through several sampling campaigns in both EU countries (Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and Hungary) and non-EU countries (Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Ukraine). The goal of analyzing HS is to increase the number of data points in major rivers and tributaries for model validation and enhance data availability regarding specific emission pathways.

Hazardous substances studied:

Metal(oid)s – Cd, Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn, As (referred as metals)
PFAS (PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUdA, PFDoA, PFTrDA, PFTeDA, PFHxDA, PFODA, PFBS, PFPeS, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS, PFNS, PFDS, 4:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS, 8:2 FTS, PFOSA, MeFOSA, EtFOSA, N-MeFOSAA, N-EtFOSAA, HFPO-DA, Gen X, ADONA)
Pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diclofenac,…..)

River water will be sampled at key locations along country borders as part of the Transnational Monitoring Network and at the outlets of tributaries to major rivers.

Wastewater samples will be collected from effluents of industrial, municipal, industrial–municipal, and mining wastewater treatment plants.

Urban stormwater runoff samples will be gathered in countries where sampling equipment is available.

Groundwater will be sampled at hotspot locations.

In EU countries, 25 water samples will be collected, while in non-EU countries, 100 water samples will be gathered for analysis. The samples will be transported to laboratories conducting the analyses: the Technical University of Vienna will analyze PFAS and pharmaceuticals, the Jožef Stefan Institute will focus on metals, and the Center for Ecotoxicological Researches of Montenegro will perform the analysis of HS collected in Montenegro.

The selection of sampling sites for model validation was done jointly for main sampling sites, hotspots and background locations. The sampling campaign started in September 2024 and will continue until the end of August 2025.

Today we are presenting you the sampling sites selected by the Slovenian project partner, Jožef Stefan Institute, Slovenia:

1 – Mojstrana, Sava Dolinka River (46.463514, 13.942997). Background location in the pristine area, with no known sources of pollution. HS measured: metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.

2 – Beričevo, Kamniška Bistrica River – before the confluence with the Sava River (46.089849, 14.624218). The sampling site is impacted by the dense population of the Domžale municipality with 40,000 inhabitants and well-developed industry: (Tosama Domžale – sanitary material) Induplati (textile industry), local electroplating workshops, Novartis Mengeš (pharmaceutical industry), Pig farm Ihan (50000 animals), WWTP Domžale-Kamnik (Municipal-industrial WWTP with 149,000 PU). HS measured: metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.

3 – Zalog, Ljubljanica River – before the confluence with the Sava River (46.062122, 14.621801). The sampling site is impacted by the dense population of the Ljubljana municipality with 300,000 inhabitants. HS measured: metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.

4 – Zidani Most, Savinja River – before the confluence with the Sava River (46.085046, 15.173129). The sampling site is impacted by the by the dense population of the Celje municipality with 70,000 inhabitants and well-developed industry (Cinkarna – chemical industry, Štore – metalworks, Libela Elsi – weighing scales, EMO – enamelware, Aero – paint factory, Zlatarna Celje – goldsmith's, Laško municipality with 15,000 inhabitants with developed industry and tourism activities: Laško brewery, Thermal Spa Laško, Thermal Spa Rimske Terme). HS measured: metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.

5 – Krška vas, Krka River – before the confluence with the Sava River (45.863471, 45.863471). The sampling site is impacted by the Military airport Cerklje and by the dense population of the Novo mesto municipality with 37,000 inhabitants and well-developed industry (Krka, Pharmaceutical industry, Revoz, Car industry – Renault group). HS measured: metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.

6 – Brežice, Sava River (45.897832, 15.592064). The sampling site on the Sava River before the Croatian border is impacted by 5 up-stream Hydroelectric power plants with dams and Nuclear power plant Krško. HS measured: metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.

7 – WWTP Domžale-Kamnik (46.117488, 14.610632). The receiving river of the WWTP effluents is Kamniška Bistrica. The WWTP receives discharges from households and industry (Municipal-industrial WWTP with 149,000 PU). It is impacted by the population of 40,000 inhabitants and industrial activities Tosama Domžale – sanitary material, Induplati – textile industry, Local electroplating workshops. HS measured: metals, PFAS, pharmaceuticals.

Map of the sampling sites in Slovenia