MONITOX international network for monitoring of environmental toxicants and risk assessment in the Black Sea basin: research and interdisciplinary cooperation dimensions

Abstract

The paper presents the main tackled issues and results concerning the monitoring of the toxic substances (TOXs) in the network established in the frame of BSB27 MONITOX project, implemented by «Dunarea de Jos» University of Galati, Romania (Leader Partner) in partnership with Institute of Zoology, Republic of Moldova, International Hellenic University (IHU), Greece, Institute of Geology and Seismology, Republic of Moldova (IGS), and “Danube Delta” National Institute for Research and Development, Tulcea, Romania. Maps of pollution of water, sediments, soils and biota with TOXs built using ArcGIS and Q-GIS highlight their levels and spatial-temporal distribution in the target zones in the three countries: Danube River (Lower sector), Prut and Dniester Rivers, Danube Delta, Black Sea coast, Nestos River and delta and Northern Aegean Sea coast. The strategy designed and results of the interdisciplinary studies performed in the period 2018-2021 on a large range of toxic pollutants in the Black Sea Basin (including NE part of Greece) are emphasized, as well as the assessment of toxicants’ impact upon human health using a health risk calculator developed as ICT tool.