Marine pollution

Marine pollution

Trace Metals

We study the water and sediment pollution from heavy and toxic metals in relation to anthropogenic pressures. The metaliferous geological substratum of the Greek peninsula along with the increased mining activity, make the understanding of the natural background vs anthropogenic increases particularly important. Our research focuses (a) on selected trace metals (Cd, Cu, Co, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in the dissolved state: Inventories, background values and pollution hot spots in the marine environment; (b) on the geochemical cycles of major and trace metals, their background values in the seafloor sediments and their fate in various marine environments, from the coast to the deep sea; (c) on bioaccumulation in marine organisms; and (d) on sedimentation processes, which we study using natural radionuclides (Pb-210). Our interest is also focused on new potential pollutants like the rare earth elements.

  • Marine-Pollution-Fig-1
  • Marine-Pollution-Fig.-2

Organic Pollutants

This scientific field focuses on: Study of water and sediment pollution from organic compounds as petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides and insecticides, organochlorinated compounds etc; Study of the composition, sources, transport pathways and fate of organic contaminants in the marine environment; interactions of organic pollutants with natural organic matter in their transport pathways; Bioaccumulation of organic pollutants in marine biota.

Moreover, this scientific field contributes to reach the aims of AQUA-GAPS network including the investigation of the global distribution of POPsusing state of the art passive sampling methodologies and study the process (air sea exchange) govern the fate of POPs in marine boundary layer.

Engineered Nanoparticles

Study and understanding the mechanisms of natural and engineered nanomaterial (ENPs) governing their fate in the marine ecosystem and deepen the knowledge on toxicity in coastal plankton community.

Ecotoxicity of silver nanoparticles on plankton organisms
Ecotoxicity of silver nanoparticles on plankton organisms by Kalantzi et al. 2019
Nutrient dynamics – Eutrophication Marine pollution Organic Biogeochemistry Diagenetic and sedimentation processes in marine sediments Dissolved and greenhouse gasses and their role to the biogeochemistry of sea water Climate and human-driven changes and associated impacts on the biogeochemical cycles in the marine ecosystems Study of Extreme Environments Paleo-environmental and paleo-climatic changes Marine litter, macro- and micro-plastics in seawater and sediments Marine biotoxins