Project Structure
Considering the EDA analytical complexity and the scope of the planned work the project envisages several phases, which will be defined and executed as sub-projects (see Fig. 2). These are:
1) Identification and characterization of inputs and selection of sampling sites
The main goal of the project is the implementation of the EDA approach for the characterisation of hazardous chemical contamination in the Sava River and the first task to achieve this goal will be the selection and characterization of sampling sites. The task will include the identification of the most important wastewater discharges as point sources of hazardous chemical contaminants, with a special emphasis on the most densely populated and heavily industrialized sections of the basin, such as the wider areas of the of the cities of Zagreb and Sisak (Fig. 1).
2) Improvement of analytical infrastructure and method development
Along with the work described in the sub-project 1, the sub-project 2 will start with the procurement of new analytical equipment in the participating IRB laboratories. The installation of the new equipment should facilitate the development, optimization and standardization of chemical and bioassay methods for the qualitative and quantitative determinations, needed for successful implementation of the EDA procedures.
3) Standardization of the EDA procedure and application to the Sava River samples
The central task in this phase will be the EDA exercises on the real matrices, including wastewater, sediment and river water from the selected locations. All extraction procedures, chemical analytical detection methods and bioassays developed and/or standardized in the sub-projects 1 and 2 will be applied and their usability critically evaluated with respect to specific matrices such as water, sediments and complex effluents, detection sensitivity, HTS capacity, cost-benefit ratio and potential to detect various classes of hazardous environmental contaminants.
4) Development of modified region- or site-specific EDA protocols
Based on the feedback from the previous phases in the final phase of the project, the chemical analytical procedures and bioassay protocols will be re-evaluated and/or modified. Development of modified EDA protocols and their optimisation should take into account possible region- or site-specific characteristics of the hazardous chemical contaminant composition, reflecting the impact of some specific industries (technologies) and/or some war-related contamination as well as different sample matrices.
5) Use of results and dissemination of knowledge
Use of the achieved results and dissemination of knowledge represent an important issue in this project. Apart from the research goals, the main purpose of the project is to make the EDA methodology available to potential end-users in Croatia and abroad. The main prerequisite for that goal is the education of the staff participating in the project, in particular by the education of master (MSc) and PhD students, which will be supervised by the leading NIVA and RBI scientists. This project web page is established in order to make achievements of the studies available to end-users, policy makers and general public. In addition, upon successful completion of the research part of the project, a dedicated international workshop/conference will be organized in order to inform all stakeholders and potential end-users about the main results achieved with a special emphasis on the importance of the EDA methodology for the development of a comprehensive and cost-effective scientifically-funded monitoring and environmental protection strategy in the Sava River basin.
And finally, the scientific achievements of the study will be reported on scientific meetings and published as at least four peer-reviewed papers in internationally renowned journals.