It is official – the implementation period of the project BSB 27 MONITOS has ended

It is official – the implementation period of the project ”Black Sea Basin interdisciplinary cooperation network for sustainable joint monitoring of environmental toxicants migration, improved evaluation of ecological state and human health impact of harmful substances, and public exposure” – MONITOX (code eMS BSB27) ended on Sunday, 19 September 2021. The project has been carried out within the Black Sea Joint Operational Program 2014-2020, financed by the European Union, program priority 2 – Promote coordination of environmental protection and joint reduction of marine litter in the Black Sea Basin. Its total budget amounted 952.6 thousand Euro.

Project has been implemented in partnership with the Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Romania (beneficiary leader), Danube Delta National Institute for R&D, Tulcea, Romania, Institute of Geology and Seismology, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova and the International Hellenic University, Kavala, Greece during 36 months.

During the project (September 2018 - September 2021), complex field and laboratory investigations were carried out, by using up to date methods and techniques, on the content and migration of toxic compounds, including radioactive ones, in the aquatic ecosystems of the Dniester River (Republic of Moldova), the Prut River (Republic of Moldova), the Danube River (Romania), the Nestos River (Greece) and in their hydrographic basins. The research results were presented at 1 international symposium (Tulcea, Romania), 2 international conferences (Galați, Romania, Kavala, Greece) and 2 regional workshops (Chisinau, Republic of Moldova), which were organized within the project.

Trainings on investigating toxic compounds in the environment and assessing their impact on the state of river-delta-marine ecosystems were organized for specialists and young researchers. The youth benefited of study visits and practical activities in the research laboratories. In order to support the training of highly qualified staff, two guides were developed in partnership within the project: “Ecotoxicological methodological guide for environmental monitoring: issues, laboratory techniques and health risk investigation” and “High-performance analytical techniques for the monitoring of toxicants in environment”. For the general public, information seminars were organized and brochures on various topics were published. Overall, the project has increased the human and logistical potential in the field of ecotoxicological investigations of toxic substances, dangerous to human and aquatic ecosystem health.

On the occasion of the project finalisation, the Institute of Zoology organized on 14 September 2021 the closing conference of the MONITOX project, which was attended by members of the project implementation team from the Institute of Zoology and the Institute of Geology and Seismology, but also by other researchers. On the same day, a press conference was held at the INFOTAG news agency, at which the carried out activities, final results of the project, impact and the benefits of cross-border cooperation were reviewed.

It should be noted that the official closing of the project took place on 13 September in Galati, Romania, and on 17 September – in Kavala, Greece.

Although the project implementation period has ended, the project execution period continues and will last until the submission of the project final report and its approval by the Management Authority of BSB JOP 2014-2020 (Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration of Romania).
 

Leaflet on the BSB 27 MONITOX project (in Romanian)      Download