Workshop on sampling and sample preparation strategy

In May 2024, Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) organized a hybrid meeting: the Tethys Workshop on sampling strategy and sample preparation procedures, which was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia. 

20 colleagues from the Tethys project team, coming from 10 institutions and 10 countries attended the workshop in person, while Ukrainian partner followed the meeting on-line. Radmila Milačič from the JSI, the host of the event, opened the workshop welcoming all participants with a legend about how Ljubljana was founded. 

The legend says that Jason, the hero of Greek mythology, stole the golden fleece and escaped by ship with the Argonauts across the Black Sea to the Danube Delta. They continued their journey along the Danube to the Sava River and along the Sava to the Ljubljanica River.  The voyage of the Argonauts is actually the main sampling area of the Tethys project. 

Near Ljubljanica source, Jason defeated and killed the dragon monster. The symbolism of the dragon, gradually changed from a monster to a protector of the city, personifying strength, courage, and wisdom. Ljubljana, called also a City of dragons has the symbol of a dragon in the coat of arms, and a Dragon bridge across the Ljubljanica River with four monumental dragons.

Sampling strategy and sample preparation procedures, developed to meet those objectives, were further shown by Radmila Milačič (JSI) and Meiqi Liu (TU Wien) for metals, and PFAS and pharmaceuticals, respectively. Radmila and Meiqi also provided technical aspects of sample transport, sample labelling and bottles delivery. All the above presentations resulted in the SOP for sampling, storage and transport of samples.

In the afternoon and in the second day, all project partner organisations presented the proposed sampling sites in their own countries for sampling of the river water, wastewater and urban stormwater runoff water. A fruitful discussion resulted in improvements of the selection of the sampling sites in support of monitoring activities. Since two partners (Public Institution “Vode Srpske” from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jaroslav Černi Water Institute from Serbia) proposed also sampling of groundwater, this sample matrix was later added to the SOP. 

JSI and TU Wien prepared the templates for inscriptions of sampling sites for analysis of metals and another for analysis of PFAS and pharmaceuticals. In addition, a template for inscription of on-site parameters, necessary to support monitoring, was also prepared.  Based on fruitful partners’ discussion, this template was optimized during the workshop.

Beside the discussions, the participants had the chance to see laboratories of JSI for metal analysis and jointly visited the Ljubljana Castle. The workshop was of great importance for successful start of sampling that will take place in September this year.