NCN POLONEZ BIS-3,
Project No. 2022/47/P/ST10/01013
Foraminifera as marine pollution sensors with short-term to long-term responses
Akronym: FORAM SENSORS
PI: dr Michael Lintner
contact details: ndlintne@cyfronet.pl
Mentor: prof. dr hab. Jarosław Tyszka
Uncontrolled pollution of the seas and oceans has been increased dramatically in recent decades. This phenomenon is most visible in coastal areas on a macroscopic scale, in the form of countless fragments of garbage. No less important is the microscopic scale of water contamination, with dispersed micro- and nanoparticles and dissolved chemicals. Exactly these contaminants can particularly harm many microorganisms and disrupting the base of the food chain. As a result, the effect of decreasing oxygen concentrations in the sea leading to ecological imbalance and declining fish stocks. The following project investigates the relationship between man-made pollution and important living microorganisms, foraminifera, in the marine coastal habitat. For this purpose, samples will be taken from the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. These marine areas are key fishing zones which are directly linked to the health and lives of many people. The research focuses on analyzing contaminants such as microplastics, heavy metals, pesticides, sunscreens and antibiotics that enter the sea as a result of human activities. We test the impact of these pollutants - on different time scales - on benthic foraminifera, which inhabit the seafloor in high numbers. These single-celled organisms, which leave a record in the sediments in the form of microfossils, are extremely sensitive indicators of environmental changes, both on the modern scale and in the geological past. Based on the results of experimental studies, we will determine which substances are most harmful to marine microorganisms, and therefore which ones should be eliminated or reduced in the future.
This research is part of the project No. 2022/47/P/ST10/01013 co-funded by the National Science Centre and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 945339.
Achievements
Within the first year of this project we were ablt to show that foraminifera react sensitively to the selected pollutants. We tested various pesticides and it turned out that the metabolism of the foraminifera and their symbionts is damaged by even the smallest concentrations of pesticides. In addition, we discovered that heavy metals that are adsorbed on algae (so-called biosorption) are more harmful to foraminifera than their couterparts dissolved in water.
Events
Lintner, M, Polovodova Asteman, I, Wanek W, Goleń J, and Tyszka, T: From cars to the oceans: do water-soluble fuel compounds impact widespread marine microorganisms? TMS-CFFR Foraminifera Spring Meeting 2024
Lintner M., Balzano, S., Keul, N., Heinz, P., Manecki, M., Klimek, A., Wanek, W., Goleń, J., Tyszka, J.: From Algae to Foraminifera: The journey and impact of biosorbed toxic metals. TMS Annual Meeting in Krakow.
Media presence
First results and the experimental setup were presented during the night of science (27.11.2024) at the Institute of Geosciences (ING PAN = host institution) in Krakow. For that purpose, we created a small presentation which was shown to the guest on the laptop and the content was presented as an oral presentation.
Publications
Lintner, M., Schagerl, M., Lintner, B., Wanek, W., Goleń, J., Tyszka, J., & Heinz, P. (2024). Impact of pesticides on marine coral reef foraminifera. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 201, 116237.
Lintner, M., Balzano, S., Keul, N., Heinz, P., Maneckie, M., Klimek, A., ... & Tyszka, J. (2025). Biosorption of heavy metals by microalgae: Hazardous side effects for marine organisms. Chemosphere, 372, 144080.
Lintner, M., Henkel, C., Peng, R., Heinz, P., Stockhausen, M., Hofmann, T., ... & Keul, N. (2025). Tire-derived compounds, phthalates, and trace metals in the Kiel Fjord (Germany). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 212, 117581.
