Proiecte

The proposed project has as main objectives the management and monitoring of the marine environment in the context of anthropogenic and climatic changes, the area of interest being the north of the Black Sea continental shelf near the maritime border with Ukraine. The northern extremity of the Romanian part of the Black Sea is economically and geo-strategically important, being also the least known area in the maritime area of Romania. The project will provide data of scientific and economic interest, for example – the existence of marine resources (including biological, sedimentological – sands, limestones at various depths), concentrations of heavy minerals, etc, data on existing pollution in the area, as well as genetic changes (based on DNA analysis of marine organisms) under anthropogenic and climatic pressure. Geophysical data will involve deciphering the marine substrate (geomorphology, bathymetry), but also possible buried metal objects, geomorphological changes. The backscattering geophysical method will be used for the first time in Romania (as the main indicator of the physical variability of the upper marine sediments), and the geochemical characteristics of superficial sediments (content in organic matter, calcium carbonate, heavy metals, etc.), the diversity and abundance of benthic organisms will also be studied. The final goal of the project is the good management of the Romanian continental shelf of the Black Sea, meaning that oceanographic maps at 1:50 000 scale will be made – digital maps with many levels of information (layers in format Geographic Information System – GIS). These products represent the cornerstones for the spatial planning of the Romanian Black Sea shelf. Considering that the current Core Project (Program NUCLEU) will last more than 4 years, and the investigated area will be the northern one, the monitoring will also be carried out geo-ecologically. Innovative techniques and methodologies will be used. Finally, a database will be created for the northern part of the Black Sea continental shelf.

Although in recent years, due to the growing awareness of the effects of climate change, the annual production of plastic objects has decreased, the amount of microplastics in nature is constantly increasing. This fact is caused by the high amounts of waste already in the natural terrestrial or aquatic environment, as well as by the numerous deposits stored not according to standards, that, by disaggregation and under the influence of the natural factors, are generating micro and nano-plastic particles. The plastic polymers texture itself allows the storage of other toxic pollutants (heavy metals, POPs, PAHs, etc.), the longer these objects remain in nature their concentrations increasing all the more.

The ingestion of microplastics by aquatic and terrestrial species has been indicated as one of the factors that modify the pathology of various organs, changes in the degree of the lipids absorption or the dysfunction of the reproductive system being reported, for example. Although the medical trials on the impact of microplastics on living beings, especially mammals, are at a preliminary stage, there are clear signals that the other types of pollutants stored in the polymer texture are harmful as well.

Given the fact that, in recent years, the presence of microplastics in high quantities in all types of samples – water, sediment and fauna, has been demonstrated, it is considered necessary to have a monitoring project on the variation of macro and microplastic concentrations in the key areas, as well as the monitoring of economically important aquatic species. The project’s first component aims to monitor plastic objects and particles pollution from the key areas of the Romanian coastal and shelf area, the tourism areas, the commercial ports, the marine fish farming, the protected areas within the coastal area of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, the area of the bay, as well as other locations where worrying concentrations of waste have been and will be identified.

The second component of the project represents the development and technology of the different methods to identify or collect plastics, depending on their size, from various natural environments. The need to eliminate plastic objects from the aquatic environment is all the more important as these objects have the ability to absorb pollution, and by being ingested by the aquatic life, the pollution is then transferred into the food chain. Among the examples of technologies that will be proposed and developed within this project are devices to collect macro and microplastics from dry beach sediments and CHIRP type sonar to identify the artificial objects accumulated at the substrate level.

The main objective of the project is to improve the current monitoring program of the Romanian continental shelf by introducing and developing new monitoring methodologies, in order to increase the capacity to assess and predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic multi-stressors on ecosystem services and, implicitly, on the well-being of coastal communities. The project will include 11 phases, 3 phases each in the first three years, when the services of Climate Regulation, Seawater Chemical Conditions and Physical, Chemical and Biological Conditions of Habitats will be addressed, in order, and 2 phases in the last year of implementation. For each of these services, the associated pressures and risks, as well as indicators for assessing ecosystem services, will be identified in advance. These indicators will be tested during the annual oceanographic expeditions and then analyzed and mapped. Finally (phase 10), a model will be developed to assess and predict the cumulative impact of natural and anthropogenic stressors on the Regulation and Maintenance ecosystem service. In addition to this model, the project will also bring other novelties to the monitoring program by proposing a new method for sampling pollutants, especially of the emerging ones. A series of passive contaminant sampling equipment will be designed and built and the results obtained will be used both for the elaboration and publication of a Register of Emerging Contaminants, as well as for the development of a method for estimating the risk of the presence of emerging contaminants on ecosystem components. In the last phase of the project, the new monitoring methodologies will be tested and demonstrated.

The project “Applied research in recent deltaic sedimentary structures to highlight/parametrize the accumulations of marine mineral/energy resources” aims to implement the latest technologies of in situ and laboratory investigation, as well as to process the obtained information for the investigation of the marine sediments, in order to develop and diversify the blue economy in Romania.

Until now, no such applied marine research had ever been conducted in Romania. In the European context of stimulating the development of blue economies (in close connection with the marine domain), it is desirable that Romania promote this type of applied research. Applied research through very high-resolution seismo-acoustic methods and geochemical methods is considered, aiming to identify and characterize the deltaic submarine sedimentary bodies, the areas where both mineral and non-conventional energy resources can accumulate. Compared to the classical seismic methods used (in industrial hydrocarbon prospecting), the vertical resolution envisaged is between 0.4 and 3m, compared to 10-15m in the case of classical methods. Considering the high-resolution capacity of the methods that will be used, we appreciate that recent sedimentary structures, of shallow depth and thickness, capable of hosting accumulations of mineral substances (heavy minerals-placers and/or unconventional biogenic methane) will be discovered.

The project will contribute to the formation of a demand-driven economy, which is estimated according to the information related to the production and consumption of healthy and sustainable food and which will provide an extensive platform for the development of products that help increase the transparency and addresses the key challenges identified within the Blue Economy. Together with the interested companies, it will provide fertile ground for ideas and solutions for startups to thrive within the new strategy. The project will provide important information on the structure, functions and dynamics of the marine ecosystem in the Romanian area of the Black Sea to identify and map the pelagic and benthic habitats with economic potential, establish their health status and carrying capacity, carry out the assessment of non-fish resource stocks and identify areas allocated for mariculture.

The project will provide scientific support in the development of start-ups in the Romanian Black Sea region, contributing with updated information on the status of non-fish resources and available stocks, and will develop/improve/test the technological methods for the processing of the valuable ingredients, such as collagen from marine gelatinous zooplankton, which is taken from the shore and introduced as secondary raw material or from accidental catch during pelagic fishing; calcium carbonate from waste generated in the processing of molluscs and vegetable charcoal from macrophyte algae aggregations on the Romanian Black Sea beaches. The developed processing methods will be compared with traditional methods to obtain optimized processing lines for the ecological and sustainable use of resources. The initiative involves new products and processes that make it possible to capitalize on national marine resources, promoting sustainability, decarbonization and circularity of the economy. The project is ambitious, but also realistic, based on current knowledge and the expertise of key and non-key members.

The project meets the current trend of developing blue economy technologies, in accordance with European Union directives regarding prioritizing  the implementation of green energy production systems. The EU directives target reducing the overall dependence on conventional energies having a negative impact on ecosystem. In this respect, Black Sea Romanian coast presents a definite potential for both marine and wind dynamics, therefore pointing to major near future investments and development. Currently, there are no specific studies concerning the evaluation of favorable locations and availability for wind/wave farming, hence the novelty of the proposed project.

INEVO pursues to determine the areas of optimal potential as future locations for energy conversion systems from renewable energy sources.  Based on geological, morphological, geophysical, oceanographic and climatic data, the project will deepen the already existing geological and morphological studies by collecting and including new data to validate the potential areas of interest. Planning and conducting new acquisitions of geophysical, geological, oceanographic and meteorological data will include the development of an innovative and integrative methodology with significant efficiency of operational costs, benefiting from the optimal use of the EMSO-EUXINUS infrastructure. The integrated data interpretations provided by the project, including geological and morphological thematic maps, as well as oceanographic models for the target areas, will constitute turnkey solutions for future investors.

The project will develop the first “Digital Twin” of the Romanian coastal area by integrating geomorphological, remote sensing and bathymetric data with sedimentological analyzes results and numerical modeling. This information will be organised in a database adhering to Open Access and FAIR principles, and visualized  in a GIS instance, making it available to a wide range of end users.

The geomorphological field measurements of the coastal area will be coordinated with the acquisition of remote sensing data from satellites and drones. New bathymetric data will be integrated into a grid required for the hydrodynamic numerical modeling of the Romanian coastline. A system will be developed to integrate all types of data  for collection, storage and access them within the FAIR framework. The database, hosted on a dedicated server, will facilitate the development of a first “Digital Twin” focused on the Romanian coast. This Digital Twin will integrate, data from  direct measurements,  remote sensing and the updated numerical model, in line with Open Access and FAIR policies. It will reflect the significant changes of the Romanian coast,  after the  restoration interventions. An important tool will be therefore created for the identification and update of the areas of the Romanian coast that are prone to natural hazards, as well as which of those areas may allow the development of the Blue Economy activities. The “Digital Twin” of the Romania’s coast will provide valuable insights into the area’s dynamics, particularly focusing on low-lying shores (beaches) to a wide range of users (citizens, entrepreneurs, scientists and policy makers), by offering an innovative set of interactive and visualization tools, useful for informative, educational and coastal zone management purposes.

The research project, which has immediate applicability, highlights a significant topic in the study and assessment of the quality of the deltaic natural aquatic ecosystem components. Generally, the project’s relevance derives from fundamental principles and concepts related to preserving and conserving natural ecosystems, particularly due to unique ecosystems such as those of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. To prevent the degradation of the Danube Delta’s natural environment – a valuable eco-region, internationally recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, Biosphere Reserve and Wetland of International Importance – it is important to promote sustainable measures aimed at protecting fauna and flora, reducing water pollution, combating fish poaching, promoting sustainable fishing practices, supporting nature-based tourism, and developing strategies for mitigating and adapting to unavoidable climate change. The integrative and systematic approach shapes the foundation for achieving the project’s objectives. A rigorous assessment of the current changes occurring in the unique ecosystems of the Danube Delta will be conducted using a multidisciplinary scientific and technical approach, deriving from various domains and fields. The research project database will be augmented with relevant information on real scientific and socio-economic interests that can be used to develop sustainable environmental and socio-economic restoration programs for the Danube Delta region. Several tools and methods will be used for interdisciplinary integration, including hydrological, sedimentological, biological, and geophysical surveys, including applications of geomorphological field mapping and topo-bathymetric measurements. The project outcomes will contribute to sustainable development and conservation strategies for the deltaic area, which is vulnerable to both natural (e.g., climate warming, floods, droughts) and anthropogenic (e.g., pollution, agriculture, uncontrolled conventional tourism) impacts.

The climate and land use changes have a major impact on the hydrological system, and the population growth and infrastructure development generate even greater dependence on the hydrological system. Pressure on the water resources can eventually lead to periods of scarcity, jeopardizing people’s access to water, energy and food, hindering the economic development, causing social and geopolitical tensions, and irreversible damage to the environment. To manage the water resources more effectively, a paradigm shift is needed, from a sectoral to a holistic approach, in order to optimize water use without any negative effect on other sectors.The current project aims to develop the solutions for optimizing the resource in the Danube River area, to satisfy both the economic-societal needs and the ecological functions of the river ecosystem. To achieve this goal, the project aims to deliver a series of results such as – the development and testing of new methodologies for the hydromorphological and water quality assessment of the Danube, the adaptation and development of nature-based solutions for flood risk reduction, improved navigation, as well as water quality and ecosystem status; the quantification of water resource use in the lower Danube; and the development of recommendations to improve water resource management and increase the ecosystem resilience.

The abiotic (the water and sediment fluxes, the physico-chemical properties of water and sediment) and biotic ( the biodiversity, structure and functionality of food webs) characteristics of deltaic systems depend on the level of hydrological connectivity with the main river channel. The Danube Delta bears the imprint of the evolution of climatic and anthropogenic conditions that in recent centuries have intensely transformed the natural conditions of the Danube river basin. These changes (morphological, hydrological, sedimentological, ecological, etc.) at the scale of the receiving basin have been amplified by the recent anthropogenic developments (in the last 200 years) within the delta; these have affected the hydrological connectivity, producing local readjustments of the riverbed morphology and, implicitly, interruptions in the trophic chain caused by the decrease in the liquid and solid transport capacity on the anthropogenically rectified meanders and, also implicitly, towards the interdistributary depressions.Therefore, the need to monitor hydrological connectivity descriptors, which mainly include the frequency, duration, time and rate of exchange of different water bodies and sediments, must be taken into account in order to avoid ecological and economic disaster. In this regard, the development of an Intelligent Hydrological Connectivity Monitoring System dedicated to the anthropized ecosystems in the Danube Delta becomes necessary, because it would help prevent and manage correctly, quickly and efficiently the emergency situations that may occur following the degradation or even the interruption of hydrological connectivity. This Intelligent Monitoring System will significantly reduce the costs related to the field campaigns for measurements. An integrated method for monitoring the hydrological connectivity of the Danube Delta will be developed, allowing the real-time detection of both the interruptions in water and the sediment flows and, thus, the blockages in the food chain, as well as the possible pollution. The installation of this system in vulnerable locations will help the local and national administrations, the environmental authorities and other stakeholders to make timely decisions, in order to restore the hydrological connectivity so that both the ecological disasters (interruptions in the functionality of the food chain, pollution) and the economic difficulties (navigation difficulties or even interruptions in river circulation caused by reduced water flows or siltation of riverbeds) can be avoided.

The aim of this project is to increase the responsibility for the protection of natural and cultural heritage by directly involving the general public in scientific observations. The project will monitor natural reserves and assess geosites and archaeological sites in Romania included in sustainable development territories – geoparks and characterize the state of geoconservation and the anthropogenic and natural threats to them using a Citizen Science platform. The general objective of the project is the holistic approach to the natural and cultural heritage in UNESCO International Geoparks and UNESCO Aspiring Geoparks in Romania with the direct involvement of citizens in geoconservation. The project aims to develop the tools and products for assessing the pressures and threats to natural and cultural heritage in Geoparks, enriching the knowledge base on the link between the abiotic/biotic environment and human habits and activities, based on an updated inventory of cultural heritage, developing means of monitoring the relationships between the natural environment and cultural heritage elements specific to the territory, as well as the threats. It also aims to create the tools and strategies dedicated to communication, heritage education, awareness of the importance of natural and cultural heritage and a socio-economic environment friendly to natural and cultural values, as well as the development of a strategy for aspiring geoparks, based on the balance between nature management, environmental protection and economic development of the Romanian and foreign UNESCO geoparks.

The proposal “Organization of the INCD GeoEcoMar database for the operationalization of the Fair Data concept” aims to organize the scientific data collected within the research activities of INCD GEOECOMAR according to the FAIR Data concept, promoted at European level through the recommendation of the European Commission and at national level through the “Law on Open Data and Reuse of Public Sector Information”. Historical scientific data will be migrated from the current database to a database attached to a web portal accessible from both the intranet and the internet. An analysis of existing standards in the field will be made and the portal’s data and metadata catalog will be developed according to FAIR principles. The functionalities of the portal will be improved through extensions that best meet the needs of users, while respecting the defined standards at the same time. A final test of the catalog and the possibilities of data harvesting from a reference portal to the portal developed within the project, as well as from it to the reference portal, will be carried out. The final result is the consolidated database with INCD GEOECOMAR historical scientific data, which can be accessed by interested users and offer possibilities for automatic data retrieval by other data portals that respect the FAIR principles.

Hydrocarbon and wastewater contamination of land and groundwater in the vicinity of refineries, fuel depots, oil fields and even pipelines is one of the biggest environmental protection problems. The localization and determination of the spatio-temporal distribution of contamination is currently based exclusively on the use of direct biochemical analysis methods of soil samples and water taken from the surface or from boreholes. The information thus obtained is punctual and, for this reason, cannot provide an overall picture of the contamination of the land and, in particular, of the groundwater. The integration of punctual information into a three-dimensional spatio-temporal image of areas contaminated with hydrocarbons and wastewater becomes possible through the appropriate use of geophysical and hydrogeophysical methods. The main purpose of the project is to carry out a geophysical research program for the spatio-temporal monitoring of contamination with hydrocarbons and/or wastewater, resulting from the refining, storage and transport activities of petroleum products in the vicinity of the Petromidia refinery, and in the Port Constanta – Oil Terminal area, respectively. The implementation of this program requires the simultaneous performance of highly detailed hydrogeological and geophysical investigations at different time periods (time-lapse investigations), both in areas with high potential for contamination with oil and wastewater, as well as in the uncontaminated areas. The program will allow the implementation of a specific geophysical investigation strategy in accordance with the nature of the pollutants, the nature of the pollution source and the local hydrogeological conditions. It will also be used in the observation, prevention and spatio-temporal assessment of pollutant plumes in the area of refineries and oil depots.

In the context of the preparation of a CCS project in Romania, this project aims to develop an innovative environmental monitoring methodology for potential CO₂ geological storage projects.

This methodology supports storage operators who must implement monitoring in all phases of the storage project, based on the monitoring plan (mandatory according to Law 114/2013 for the geological storage of CO₂ in Romania), resulting from the risk analysis.

The innovative methodology will be based on the implementation of geophysical, geochemical and biological methods of environmental analysis to highlight potential CO₂ leakages from the storage reservoir. The project will also demonstrate the feasibility of less-used geophysical methods for monitoring the geological storage of CO₂. With the testing of the methodology on natural analogues of the geological storage of CO₂ for CO₂ geological storage, areas with natural CO₂ emissions and natural CO₂ reservoirs, the project aims to understand the mechanisms that ensure the integrity of a storage site, as well as the mechanisms for migration of CO₂ to the surface.

The results of the project will be integrated into a database developed according to FAIR principles.