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MER-CURE: Using global marine metagenomics to understand MERcury microbial associated processes: finding a CURE for mercury contaminated environments
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Anthropogenic perturbations have alarmingly tripled the mercury content of surface Earth reservoirs (atmosphere, ocean, or terrestrial) compared to pre-anthropogenic conditions. Nowadays, millions of people are exposed to harmful levels of this potent neurotoxin, concretely to the organic form methylmercury that bio-accumulates in organisms and biomagnifies in marine food webs. Understanding mercury transformations within the oceanic water column remains a critical issue because fish harvested for commercial use originates largely from marine ecosystems, and are a primary source of methylmercury to humans globally. In order to increase the knowledge on mercury cycling in the ocean, MER-CURE is structured around four objectives:
a) To identify key microbial prokaryotic populations involved in Hg processes in the marine environments at a global ocean scale
b) To provide quantitative data of the amount of methylmercury and inorganic mercury that can be degraded/eliminated in the sea
c) To quantify mercury detoxification rates in bacterial cultures and marine contaminated sediments to develop a pilot-system for Hg removal
d) To engage stakeholders in the management process, to develop and implement a communication strategy based on formative purposes to effectively translate and share research achievements from objectives "a" to "c"
a) To identify key microbial prokaryotic populations involved in Hg processes in the marine environments at a global ocean scale
b) To provide quantitative data of the amount of methylmercury and inorganic mercury that can be degraded/eliminated in the sea
c) To quantify mercury detoxification rates in bacterial cultures and marine contaminated sediments to develop a pilot-system for Hg removal
d) To engage stakeholders in the management process, to develop and implement a communication strategy based on formative purposes to effectively translate and share research achievements from objectives "a" to "c"
