Objective
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that accumulates in marine food webs, threatening ecosystem health and human populations dependent on seafood. In the rapidly changing Arctic, sea ice acts as a barrier, reservoir, and transporter of Hg, yet fundamental gaps remain on how much Hg it contains, when it is released, and how it impacts polar ecosystems. The project PETITS Hg CHATS will address these gaps by investigating the seasonal cycling and speciation of Hg in Arctic sea ice, combining archived samples, new seasonal field observations, and advanced modelling.
The project will test four hypotheses on how ice age, seasonality, and Hg speciation influence storage, fluxes, and risks to polar ecosystems. Archived sea ice cores and newly collected samples from the TARA Polar Station expedition will be analysed for total Hg and methylmercury (MeHg), generating the most comprehensive dataset of its kind. Hg interpretation and fieldwork will incorporate the expertise and network of host Dr. Heimburger-Boavida. Novel Hg tracers will be incorporated into the open-source CICE+Icepack sea ice model with help from secondment supervisor Dr. Duarte, to simulate Hg biogeochemical behavior, transport and release, with model outputs compared to field data. The resulting datasets will be combined with biological indicators to assess the timing, mechanisms, and ecological consequences of Hg delivery from sea ice to the ocean.
By doubling the number of published Hg sea ice cores and providing the first seasonal dataset for MeHg, this project will significantly advance understanding of contaminant dynamics in polar regions. Outcomes will inform international bodies such as AMAP and the Arctic Council, supporting risk assessments for fisheries, food security, and the Minamata Convention. PETITS Hg CHATS will also strengthen the researcher’s interdisciplinary expertise in biogeochemistry, polar fieldwork, and modelling, providing a strong foundation for an independent research career.
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. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries fisheries
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geochemistry biogeochemistry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
13284 Marseille
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.