Research project Contaminants of emerging concern: An integrated approach for assessing impacts on the marine environment

General introduction

Which new chemical contaminants do we find in the sea (and the marine environment) and which are more or less harmful? That is the basic question in the CONTRAST project. Currently, only a limited number of synthetic chemicals on the European market are routinely monitored in the marine environment. Thus, for many chemicals there is no or limited information about exposure or hazards. Action plans for a clean ocean or biodiversity protection are consequently difficult to realize. The project builds knowledge about the properties, occurrence and effects of these new contaminants, in order to develop integrated and effect-based assessment methods within an efficient monitoring of the marine environment.

Research approach

We optimize methods to measure chemical concentrations and biological effects in marine matrices. We then apply these methods to more accurately measure the presence of the new contaminants and their effects in the marine environment. We draw up prioritization schemes that indicate which substances are most relevant in the marine environment linked to various toxicity mechanisms. Existing and new biomarkers are optimized or developed, which can then be incorporated in effect-based monitoring schemes. We will apply these in a series of case studies across Europe.

Relevance/Valorization

The Contrast project creates an integrated scheme for effect-based monitoring of new contaminants. This scheme can be used within European environmental policy, such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive or the Water Framework Directive. The developed scheme should make it possible to assess to what extent the marine environment is in Good Environmental Status. The project results will increase our knowledge about new substances in the marine environment and their interaction with marine organisms.

Financing

EU Horizon Europe