Danube

The Danube, the second longest river in Europe, is the most international river in the world as it is shared by not less than 19 countries. Together with its tributaries, the Danube serves as a resource for various water uses, such as supply of drinking water, irrigation in agriculture, industry and energy production, fishing, tourism and recreation, navigation and waste water disposal. The Danube Region is host to numerous important nature reserves, including wetlands and floodplains with high environmental value. It is home to 81 million people with a wide range of cultures, languages and historical backgrounds.

Substances studied: PAH, Mercury, Cadmium, Nonylphenol, Hexachlorobenzene, DEHP.

Too much waste water that is inadequately treated still ends up in the Danube, putting at risk the drinking water supply for millions of people, and also leading to problems for irrigation, industry, fishing, and tourism. The main pollution problems are the excessive volumes of nutrients entering the river, mainly from agricultural fertilisers, and untreated or inadequately treated municipal sewage generated by industrial facilities and households. Toxic substances are also a major threat, made worse by occasional industrial accidents or floods when toxicants are flushed directly into water courses.