Jems
An educational workshop within the Interreg VI-A IPA Programme Croatia-Serbia Project, Pioneering ecosystem-based microplastics contamination reduction and climate change resilience in the cross-border region ECO(RE)ACT, was held on March 26, 2025 at the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek. The project is implemented in partnership between the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, EDUCONS University from Sremska Kamenica and the Provincial Institute for Nature Protection from Novi Sad, with the aim of developing strategies to reduce microplastic pollution and improve resilience to climate change in the cross-border area.
The workshop explained the sources and pathways of microplastics in agriculture, their presence in soil, water and crops, and potential effects on the health of domestic animals. The impact of soil sampling methods on the accuracy of microplastic detection, as well as the efficiency of different extraction methods from animal feed, was analyzed. After the presentations, a practical laboratory workshop was held, where participants had the opportunity to see in operation the newly acquired extremely valuable device for detecting the number and composition of microplastic particles “FTIR- Lumos II”, and gain practical experience in isolating and analyzing microplastics from soil. The workshop successfully enabled the exchange of knowledge, the improvement of research methods and the strengthening of cooperation among partners in a joint effort to reduce microplastic pollution. More information about the project is available on Facebook and Instagram.
