Microplastics, estrogens & Co: Ship expedition for the first time investigates “new” pollutants in the Indian Ocean

On July 16, 2024, the German research vessel SONNE starts a three-week expedition to previously little-studied regions of the Indian Ocean between Singapore and Mauritius under the lead of the IOW. The aim is to determine the extent of human-induced environmental stress and, for the first time, to enable a risk assessment for this region. Newly emerging pollutants such as microplastics, artificial estrogens and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are in focus. The expedition is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and is recognised as an activity of the UN Decade of the Oceans.

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