As part of Activity 1.1 of the Interreg Aquatic Plastic project, the Water Research Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (IzVRS) organised a two-day expert workshop in Maribor on 10 and 11 September 2025, entitled ‘Comparative sampling of micro-litter in the River Drava’.
The aim of the workshop was to harmonise the various approaches to sampling micro-litter in rivers, with a view to ensuring consistency and comparability of results among project partners. Such an approach and the exchange of experiences are crucial for reliable project results across all pilot areas. The workshop was attended by project partners from Slovakia (VÚVH), Austria (BOKU), Slovenia (IzVRS) and representatives of Eurofins.
As part of the event, comparative field sampling was carried out on the closed section of the Melje Bridge in Maribor. The partners took samples simultaneously, using different approaches – manta nets for sampling micro-litter in the surface layer and water pumps for samples from the water column. The data obtained in this way will enable a direct comparison of results and further optimisation of the methodology.
This event marks a significant milestone for the Aquatic Plastic project in the development of a standardised methodology for monitoring micro-litter in rivers across the entire region. The initial results of the laboratory analyses will be published in the coming months – and we look forward to sharing them with you.