Marine Bioanalytical Chemistry

Coastal zones are impacted by a wide range of human activities. In particular, animals and plants in coastal waters can be affected by persistent, bio-accumulating and toxic (PBT) substances, which originate from riverine and partly from atmospheric inputs. The commissions and international conventions responsible for the marine environment such as the WFD*, KDM*, ICES* and OSPAR* have therefore made the determination of PBT substances as well as their possible biological effects a main priority.

Within the framework of the coastal observation system COSYNA, the work of the Department of Marine Bioanalytical Chemistry is concerned with the determination of the spatial and temporal distribution of selected PBTs in the North Sea. Indications of possible effects in marine organisms are of special interest. Currently, the focus is on poly-brominated diphenyl ethers and heavy metals such as cadmium and nickel as well as elements and element species (e.g. arsenic, tributyltin) and protein biomarkers (detoxification enzymes e.g. CYP450 and stress markers e.g. HSP).

A major objective is to develop new integrative methods to enable a spatially and temporally resolved determination of hazardous compounds together with an effect-oriented quantitative measurement of biochemical parameters. This should provide a new basis for improved assessment of contamination levels in the marine environment in terms of the impacts of anthropogenic inputs and activities (water quality).

In order to obtain time-integrated and therefore more representative results, passive samplers (e.g. polymer sheets) as well as active samplers (caged, pre-conditioned, blue mussels) will be used for the enrichment of PBT substances. The deployment of active samplers will allow the measured chemical parameters and biological effects to be linked and thus substance-related effects to be revealed by the use of biomarkers.


*WFD Water Framework Directive
*KDM Konsortium Deutsche Meeresforschung
*ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
*OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic