Project Page Views: [ 790 ]
| Project Metadata Element | Details |
| Project Title | Biological Effects and Chemical Measurements for the Assessment of Pollution in Irish Marine Waters |
| Research Area | Water |
| Project Acronym | BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS |
| Principal Investigator or Lead Irish Partner | Prof. James Wilson |
| Lead Institution or Organisation | University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD) |
| Lead Country | Ireland |
| Latitude, Longitude (of Lead Institution) | 53.34449, -6.25867 |
| Lead Funding Entity | Environmental Protection Agency; Marine Institute |
| Approximate Project Start Date | 01/02/2008 |
| Approximate Project Finishing Date | 31/12/2012 |
| Project Website (if any) | |
| Links to other Web-based resources | |
| Project Keywords | Pollution; Bio-monitoring; Contaminants; Marine environment |
| Project Abstract | It is widely accepted that chemical monitoring is no longer sufficient to assess pollution impacts in the marine environment and should be undertaken in conjunction with biological monitoring as recommended by the Oslo and Paris commission (OSPAR) and Workshop for integrated Monitoring of Contaminants (WKIMON) and within the Water Framework Directive (WFD). At present, assessment of the marine environment is reliant mostly on chemical analysis and there is not the expertise necessary to undertake a complete bio-monitoring programme. Through this project we shall develop these skills in both the chemical and biological analysis, enabling us to measure and monitor the impact of various contaminants on the marine environment therefore the overall objective of this project is to develop the methodology and techniques set out in WKIMON and necessary to allow for the full chemical and biological monitoring of the Irish marine environment for both traditional and more novel contaminants to meet these new challenges in monitoring the quality of the Irish marine environment. This shall enable Ireland to contribute to the valuable work undertaken by ICES. Biomarkers and supporting chemical measurement methodologies shall be established for selected novel contaminants such as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals. This study shall allow for an integrated biological effects/chemical assessment for selected test and reference sites in Irish waters by trialling chemical/biological response indices to support overall classification of ecosystem health, (pollution pressures and ecological relevance). This will be linked to with current pollution monitoring commitments to ensure cost-effectiveness of this research activity. |