Project description
Th interrelation of eutrophic discharge into marine environments and microbial mercury cycling
Mercury (Hg) moves easily between the atmospher, water, soil, and sediment, a process called the mercury cycle. In the marine environment, microbes can convert Hg into methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin. Nutrient-rich (eutrophic) submarine groundwater discharges (SGDs) may increase microbial activity and decrease oxygen availability. This can modify biogeochemical processes and the Hg cycle with long-term consequences for the marine food web. However, the factors affecting microbial Hg transformations in coastal aquifers are poorly understood. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MIMOA project will explore the effects of SGD-related oxygen depletion on these transformations via a combined microbial and chemical approach.
Objective
Coastal aquifers are sensitive land-ocean transitional zones receiving nutrient-rich water due mainly to fertilizing practices that may increase microbial activity and reduce oxygen (O2) availability. The diverse microbial communities inhabiting these systems may have a crucial role in biogeochemical cycles including metal transformations such as mercury (Hg). Yet, the factors determining the microbial Hg transformations in coastal aquifers is poorly understood. The increasing depletion of O2 in coastal waters from submarine groundwater discharges (SGDs) may modify the biogeochemical processes and hence modulates the Hg speciation and its export to the sea. To shed light on this, the MIMOA project aims at defining the role of nutrient-enriched SGDs in microbial Hg cycling of coastal areas by combining microbial, chemical, and educative dimensions. This project will rely on the synergy of my background in biogeochemical cycles and anoxic environments with extensive expertise in Hg biogeochemistry and metagenomics of the host (Dr. Bravo). This will be complemented by the essential expertise in biochemistry of low O2 zones and analytic/environmental chemistry of the two secondment supervisors (Dr. Garcia-Robledo and Dr. Amouroux). By getting trained in bioinformatic analyses, gene detection and chemistry, I will explore the effects of O2 depletion from SGDs on microbial Hg transformations in an eutrophication context and transfer this knowledge to the general audience through science outreach and education assisted by Plncton company as a placement. MIMOA outcomes will significantly contribute to global Hg budget by revealing the importance of Hg export through depleted O2 SGDs, having long-term consequences on marine food web contamination and improve awareness of general audience on their anthropic footprint in coastal zone; boosting my career opportunities as a prominent researcher in microbial ecology and biogeochemistry, after my research period in Latin America.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistry
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecology
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeochemistrybiogeochemistry
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Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
28006 Madrid
Spain