Department of Environmental Sciences
Tethys Workshop on Sampling Strategy and SOP, Ljubljana

Tethys Workshop on Sampling Strategy and SOP, Ljubljana / 29.05.2024

Within the INTERREG project Tethys, Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) organized a hybrid meeting: Workshop on sampling strategy and sample preparation procedures, which was held on 27 and 28 May 2024 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

20 project partners from 10 countries attended the workshop in person, while Ukrainian partner followed a meeting on-line.

Radmila Milačič from JSI, the host of the event, opened the workshop welcoming all participants and shared a legend, which tells a story, 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 in the Danube Basin that will be carrying out as part 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.

Radmila presented a Jožef Stefan Institute and a Department of Environmental Sciences, and colleagues from the Group for Trace Element Speciation.

Then, Zsolt Jolánkai from BME presented Objective of monitoring of hazardous substances in support of MoRE emission model validation. Based on these objectives, sampling strategy and sample preparation procedures were developed, which were further presented 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, 11 PP presented their proposed sampling sites in their own countries for sampling of the river water samples, wastewater and urban stormwater runoff water samples. A fruitful discussion resulted in addition improvments of sampling sites in support of monitoring activities.

Since the PP JUVS and JCWI proposed also sampling of groundwater, this sample matrix was later on added to SOP. The PP JSI and TU Wien prepared 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.

All documents will be uploaded on Cloud, so that partners can use them for inscription of sampling sites, not later than 11.7.2024.

JSI and TU Wien will provide the PP with pre-cleaned bottles for sampling and all necessary sampling accessories.

LP TU Wien will provide to PP from non-EU countries necessary documentation for customs, so that the samples will not be retained on the country borders, and will be delivered to TU Wien and JSI as fast as possible.

Similar document will be prepared also for sending nitric acid to partners from non-EU countries. 6 partners already took nitric acid on return home.

The workshop was of great importance for successful start of sampling in September. At the end of the workshop, Radmila Milačič highlighted actions needed.

The document D1.1.1, Sampling strategy and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with three excel templates as Appendix to SOP is ready to be delivered. Only a final check by PP is necessary (deadline 30.6.2024)
JSI and TU Wien will provide partners templates for inscribing sample sites – one for metals, and another for PFAS and pharmaceuticals and one for on-line parameters needed.
Each partner fills in the information and sends both templates to Radmila, and Ottavia and Meiqi – deadline 11.7.2024.
JSI and TU Wien will supply partners with bottles and other accessories by 15.8.2024, so that the sampling can start in September 2024.
Analysis of samples will be performed as soon as possible, so that the data of monitoring are available by the end of October 2025, to be used for modelling.
Danijela Šuković from CETI announceed the next PP meeting in Montenegro, which will take place by the end of April, 2025, where first data from monitoring activities will be discussed.

The workshop was carried out in a very warm atmosphere. In the afternoon of the first day, PP visited laboratories of JSI for metal analysis, have a short trip to Ljubljana Castle and joined a dinner where further informal discussions continued.