Research
The Biogeochemistry and Ecotoxicology (BE) research unit, created in 2005, changes its name and becomes on 01/01/2022 the Chemical Contamination of Marine Ecosystems (CCEM) research unit.
Watch the Unit presentation for the 2021 HCERES evaluation (in french).
CCEM is located at Ifremer's Nantes Atlantique Center and is attached to the Biological Resources and Environment Department (RBE). The Unit develops scientific knowledge on the dynamics and biological effects of chemical contaminants in marine ecosystems. Its work helps to assess the chemical pressure of anthropogenic origin, enriches expertise in support of public policies and ultimately assesses the chemical quality of marine ecosystems.
The activity and the production of scientific knowledge of the Unit are guided by:
- the spatio-temporal dynamics of historic and emerging metallic and organic contaminants in sediments, seawater and marine organisms in a Land-Sea continuum context,
- the study of the transfer of chemical contaminants and their biological effects at the level of individuals, populations and through marine food webs.
This research work in marine Biogeochemistry and Ecotoxicology contributes to the characterization of the marine chemical exposome and its biological effects. It supports the development of observation systems and chemical risk assessment methodology also carried out within the Unit. The data resulting from this work thus enables France to meet the requirements of the European WFD and MFSD directives (Descriptor 8). The Unit also contributes via its national experts to the working groups of the two Regional Sea Conventions, OSPAR (Atlantic) and Barcelona (Mediterranean), ICES and is a member of the national reference laboratory for the monitoring of aquatic environments Aquaref.
The research project of the Chemical Contamination of Marine Ecosystems unit is divided into three axes:
CCEM's work is mainly supported by the Pays de la Loire Region, the Water and Biodiversity Department (DEB, Ministry of Ecology), the French Biodiversity Office (OFB), the Food General Directorate (DGAL, Ministry of Agriculture and Food), the French Water Agencies, the French National Research Agency (ANR) and Europe.