Wastewater treatment boom changes nutrient balance in lakes A vast number of new wastewater treatment plants in developing countries has led to an imbalance between phosphorous and nitrogen in surface waters. The result could be excessive growth of potentially poisonous algae with a preference for nitrogen. A new study calls for better nutrient reduction in order to maintain ecosystem biodiversity.
Microplastics found in 4 of 5 bivalve species investigated in Nordic waters A new research project has looked at microplastics in marine bivalves from 100 sites spread throughout much of the Nordic waters. Microplastics were found in 4 of the 5 bivalve species investigated, and there was a huge variation in the occurrence and type of microplastics.
Report 26.01.2021 Lower levels of contaminants along the Norwegian coast – but still high concentrations of mercury in cod in some urban areas The contaminant concentrations in the marine environment are decreasing along the Norwegian coastline – but there are some exceptions. In many urban areas, long-term trends for mercury in cod fillet are upwards. In the Inner Oslofjord, mercury levels in cod fillet have increased over the past 35 years, but leveled out during the past 10 years.
News Article 06.01.2021 NIVA and REV Ocean links up to coordinate ocean actions REV Ocean and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) coordinate actions against plastic pollution, action for blue forests, and collection of ocean data through marine drones and FerryBox ships of opportunity.
News Article 20.11.2020 Standardization of methods to measure plastic pollution by 2024? EUROqCHARM faces up to the challenge To establish harmonized methodologies for the monitoring and assessment of macro-, micro- and nanoplastics in the environment, as well as blueprints for standards and recommendations for policy and legislation, is the ambitious goal of a newly started European project, EUROqCHARM.
Publication 26.10.2020 The environmental effects of offshore produced water discharges A new overview article on produced water describes Norwegian environmental research in the area over the past 30 years. The article looks at, among other things, whether fish and other animals are harmed by produced water discharges, and whether the ecosystems in the Barents Sea may be extra vulnerable to discharges.
News Article 02.02.2021 NIVA first Norwegian lab in EU-network NIVA's ecotox laboratory is the first lab in Norway to be accepted as a formal member of the EU-NETVAL (European Union Network of Laboratories for the Validation of Alternative Methods).
