Description
The main goal of the project is to investigate various marine freshwater organisms as bioindicators for chemical pollution of the Black Sea, Danube River and other freshwater basins and assessment of their safety as food sources. To accomplish the project objective different tasks will be performed: purchasing new laboratory equipment; developing of highly sophisticated methods for analysis of various chemical contaminants in water and biota and subsequent monitoring; establishing cooperation with universities and/or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from donor states; establishment of “Center for Transfer of Knowledge and Innovation”; assuring project transparency. Expected results include increase capacity and leading role of the Laboratory in scientific researches of aquatic resources, for evaluation of their possible utilization as bioindicatiors for chemical pollution and their safety as food sources. Establishment of relations with universities and NGOs from the donor states.
Summary of project results
A laboratory for Marine Resources and Aquaculture is set up. It is equipped with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), Spectrophotometer UV/Vis – double ray , microwave digestion system and other equipment. The laboratory is operational, team is trained. It is the first in Bulgaria performing chemical analyzes of marine resources and aquaculture. Documents for accreditation were submitted in Bulgarian Accreditation Service Developed and applied are methods for determination of priority persistent chlororganic pollutants by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detector and toxic elements in biota by ICP-OES One-year monitoring of pollution was held in 2015. Studied are different marine and freshwater species, fish and shellfish as bio-indicators of chemical pollution of the Black Sea, the Danube river and coastal lakes - Varna, Bourgas Lake and Mandra lake. Through ICP-OES spectrometer the elements arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, zinc, mercury, etc. in the Black Sea and freshwater fish as well as in shellfish - cultivated and natural populations are defined. The results showed higher levels in samples seaside fish compared to the studied freshwater species from the Danube River and coastal lakes. The content of toxic elements in the studied mussels is higher than the results for the fish species. Chlororganic contaminants in Black Sea fish species, in freshwater species and in Black Sea mussels are determined. The results for chlororganic contaminants showed that Black sea species contain higher levels compared with the freshwater species of lakes. Mussels research shows lower levels of chlororganic contaminants in comparison with the Black Sea fish. For all biota species tested results are below the maximum levels specified in the EU. The results fo chlororganic contaminants and toxic elements are used to assess the safety of fish as food by calculating: daily allowance, risk quotient (RQ), hazard index (HI) and toxic equivalent concentration (TEQ). The assessment of safety showed that consumption of the Black Sea fish poses no risk to human health A Center for knowledge and innovation transfer, is established. The center will support the work of lab and trough training programs It is bilateral cooperation with Matis Institute in Reykjavik, Iceland established for exploring and implementation of their experiences and developing future projects. For publicity press conference, two workshops and conference to present the project results held
Summary of bilateral results