Professor Gertjan Medema from KWR Water Research Institute presented topics about the roles of water in AMR transmission, and how to assess and modify health risks of antibiotic resistance in drinking water. Doctoral Researcher Annastiina Rytkönen from University of Helsinki discussed about molecular methods targeting genes and gene products that are useful tools to study the source of fecal contamination in surface waters.
Principal Toxicologist Milou Dingemans, KWR Water Research Institute, and managing director Heiko Teuber, Het Waterlaboratorium provided a high-level overview of the bioactivity assays used in the drinking water sector in the Netherlands, as well as the approach involving EDA (effect-direct analysis) and practical applications. Professor of Practice Elin Lavonen, Aalto University and Biocell Analytica, presented a wide overview on effect-based methods and how they have been applied so far in practice in water quality monitoring in Finland and in Sweden.
Manager Technology and Sources Rona Vink, Evides Drinking Water Company, presented research outcomes of a new pilot facility on the drinking water production site of Evides. Pilot facility was built and investigated to ensure that company can continue to deliver reliable drinking water in the future. Assistant professor Raed Al-Juboori from Aalto University focused on emerging advanced oxidation processes, their optimization and how they could be applied for micropollutant removal. Tarja Pitkänen, University of Helsinki, and Renske Hoondert, KWR Water Research Institute hosted the presentation sessions of the seminar.
Anna Mikola, Aalto University, and Stefan Kools, KWR Water Research Institute, moderated the panel discussion. Panu Laurell from Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY was one of the panelists in addition to presenters Gertjan Medema, Milou Dingemans, and Elin Lavonen. Great questions and comments were received from the audience. It was interesting to hear discussion of experts from three countries with distinct approaches and challenges in drinking water management. Future challenges can feel worrying but exchanging ideas gave hopeful and exciting perspectives to solving problems using new information of water quality monitoring and development of science. There were over 30 seminar participants onsite at the university and almost 40 attending online.