13/11/2014
Initial results of a River Rhine sampling
campaign of the special kind were introduced by Prof. Dr. Andreas Fath at the ‘Hansgrohe
Wassersymposium’ on 13 November 2014 in Schiltach, Germany. In July and August, samples of Rhine
water had been taken along the entire course of the river. Preliminary analyses demonstrated
that, while critical values are not being exceeded, the River Rhine carries an extensive cocktail
of chemicals. Artificial sweeteners, anti-corrosives, residual pharmaceuticals – anything that is
being used at high dosages along the river, was found in the samples.
The analysis of the water samples collected is
only in its first steps. Prof. Fath intends to investigate how such substances could be disintegrated
before being released into rivers.
A couple of German media tips:
A 13 November report on SWR Landesschau
aktuell on the results:
http://www.swr.de/landesschau-aktuell/bw/suedbaden/professor-praesentiert-forschungsergebnis-suessstoff-im-rhein/-/id=1552/nid=1552/did=14527356/xqpo5b/index.html
A comprehensive view on the project was
presented by the WDR broadcast Planet Wissen on
26. November:
http://www.planet-wissen.de/natur_technik/fluesse_und_seen/rhein/rheinschwimmer.jsp
Something to listen to:
Deutschlandfunk: A swimming water tester – the
River Rhine is cleaner than previously thought:
http://www.deutschlandfunk.de/schwimmender-wassertester-der-rhein-ist-sauberer-als-gedacht.697.de.html?dram:article_id=303079