PFAS and pharmaceuticals in focus: workshop in Rostock

On 12 February 2025, the DWA Regional Group North-East and the University of Rostock, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, organised a workshop on ‘PFAS and pharmaceuticals – Micropollutants in the water cycle’ at the University of Rostock.

This event was organised as part of the Interreg projects EMPEREST and APRIORA, both dealing with micropollutants, in particular PFAS (EMPEREST) and pharmaceutical residues (APRIORA) in wastewater.

With around 100 participants from practice (wastewater disposal and drinking water supply companies), authorities (state authorities, lower water authorities), private industry and research, the event was a great success.

After a welcome and introduction to the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme by Orsolya Schulz (project manager at Interreg), the topic of PFAS was explained in detail at the beginning and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Tränckner, University of Rostock, presenting the situation regarding pharmaceutical residues in the water cycle.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Tränckner presenting the key topics of EMPEREST and APRIORA. Photo © DWA-LV Nord-Ost

Mr Ingo Warnke from the Federal Centre for Micropollutants (SZB UBA) then presented the water legislation side and Ms Angela Nawrocki (LUNG MV) the current situation of pharmaceutical findings in surface waters in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

This was followed with highlights from the two projects EMPEREST and APRIORA: PFAS monitoring and assessment recommendations from the EMPEREST project in the Baltic Sea region (Markus Raudkivi from HELCOM, the BSR intergovernmental organisation), the remediation of a PFAS-contamination of the groundwater in Berlin (Ms Regina Gnirß, BWB), possibilities for advanced wastewater treatment (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Barjenbruch, TU Berlin) and the operation, purification performance and costs of fourth treatment steps in practice (Dr. Lyko, Emmschergenossenschaft und Lippeverband).

Organisers and presenters of the workshop. Photo © DWA-LV Nord-Ost

The interest from the various sectors showed that the discussion about trace substances in the water cycle is very topical and these substances represent a major challenge that can only be solved together. Regulations are needed to limit contamination at source, technical standards for cleaning wastewater, reliable data to record environmental concentrations and the involvement and sensitisation of the public.

Written by: Vanessa Ingold, DWA German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste Regional Group North-East

Video © Universität Rostock, Professur Wasserwirtschaft/ Projekt APRIORA, kofinanziert vom EU-interreg Programm Baltic Sea Region

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