Projects / Programmes
Povezave med organsko snovjo in kovinami, s posebnim poudarkom na Hg, v obalnem morju (Tržaški zaliv) (Slovene)
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.08.00 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Control and care of the environment |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.05 |
Natural Sciences |
Earth and related Environmental sciences |
Researchers (11)
Organisations (2)
Significance for science
The link between speciation of Hg in organic matter and Hg biogeochemical processes in the Gulf of Trieste and coastal marine areas in general, including accumulation and magnification in food webs, is presently not well understood (and understudied) despite the imobilization of metals by organic matter is nowadays considered one of the most important factors in aquatic Hg cycling. The project outcomes enabled the understanding of interactions between Hg species and particulate (POM) and dissolved (DOM) organic matter and hence the lowered biological availability of Hg in biogeochemical processes (i.e. Hg methylation, MeHg demethylation, sediment-water exchange and transfer in food webs as well as the degradation of macromolecular (colloidal) bonded Hg and its release in solution). These outcomes helped to elucidate the complex composition of DOM and POM in aquatic environments (coastal marine and riverine waters). This is important because the composition of the majority of aquatic DOM is still obscure. The study of possible differences in behaviour of Hg and other metals and metalloids revealed that the ligands are not metal specific nor the consequence of the macromolecule conformation (sereochemistry). The formulation of models of interaction of Hg and DOM and POM and their insertion in the annotated Hg biogeochemical cycling represent a generalization of our results. Also, understanding these processes is linked to carbon cycling (organic matter) in coastal waters and, hence, to the trophic status of coastal waters (i.e. northern Adriatic Sea) influenced nowadays by climatic changes.
Significance for the country
The project outcomes are important for Slovenia because they enable the understanding of the complex Hg cycling, especially of highly toxic MeHg (neurotoxin), in the Gulf of Trieste which is an economically, i.e. fishery, mariculture, tourism, important area. This encompasses the knowledge of imobilization of Hg and other important metals and metalloids, as well as of previously formed MeHg in the river, estuary and particularly in the gulf and its tranfer and release by DOM degradation (mobilization). This findings permits to formulate better recommendations for protection of coastal areas (an example is the study of the Italy-Slovenia transborder environmental impact of planned gas terminals in the Gulf of Trieste), including estauries and riverine inflows, and safer seafood consumption to reduce the adverse consequences for local population (toxicity). This approach can be applied further in other contaminated aquatic areas in Slovenia (lakes, resrvoars, rivers) and abroad. These findings also improved the Hg, and other metal, separations and analytical methods in metal speciation studies and determination of Hg species since the routine filtration and distinction between particulate and dissolved fractions is not satisfactory enough to assess the water quality. These outcomes stimulate also the bioremediation efforts reducing the biologically (microbially) available Hg (imobilization) and the MeHg formation in situ, i.e. in the Soča/isonzo river and estuary and in the Gulf of Trieste. The scientific output was included mostly into M.Sc. and Ph.D. study programmes at the University of Ljubljana and Jozef Sefan International Postgraduate School. In this context, graduation, M.Sc. and Ph.D. thesis were produced and students and lecturers were exchanged.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
