Microplastic contamination in commercial fishes from the Azores – Toxicological effects and implications for human health

Abstract
The pressure of anthropogenic activities and climate change on marine ecosystems is a direct and indirect threat to the consumer of seafood. Top predators such as fish are exposed to high levels of contaminants such as heavy metals, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and pharmaceuticals that accumulate and biomagnified along the food chain. Currently, there is a new type of contamination for these already impacted species, microplastics (MP). Due to their characteristics, MP remain in the marine environment for many years and disperse through the water column, becoming potential sources of contamination for marine organisms. Monitoring studies carried out in the Autonomous Region of the Azores (RAA) prove the increase in the amount of MP found in the Azores Sea and in the coastal areas of the 9 islands of the archipelago. The impact that these PM have on fish species in the RAA is still unknown. With this thesis project the candidate will evaluate and quantify the impact of the cumulative effect of MP/contaminants on the physiology of fish species, as well as to evaluate the potential risk of contamination in human health.

Candidate profile
The candidate must preferably have a degree in the areas of biology and/or biochemistry; master’s degree in Biology and/or Toxicology and already some experience in the field of climate change/anthropogenic impacts.

Name(s) of supervisor(s)
Inês Martins, PhD, Assistant Researcher at IMS Okeanos: Marine biologist, is dedicated to interdisciplinary studies of marine ecotoxicology and physiology, namely the physiological adaptation of deep-sea organisms to extreme environments. She leads the marine ecotoxicology group and focuses her line of research on the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the deep ocean ecosystems of the RAA.

Christopher Pham, PhD, Assistant Researcher at IMS Okeanos: leads the marine litter research group and focuses his line of research on the risks of litter pollution in the marine ecosystems of the RAA and the North Atlantic.

Identification of PhD Program

PhD Programme in Sciences of the Sea, University of the Azores, Portugal, Universidade dos Açores | (uac.pt)

Notice of the call (english version)

Notice of the call ( portuguese version)

We are no longer accepting applications for this scholarship. Thank you.