Knowledge Portal Munitions in the Sea
Knowledge Portal Munitions in the Sea

Environment and toxicity

Munition containers having lost their integrity are leaking chemical compounds and heavy metals, polluting sea waters and sediment. By digestion of marine flora and fauna these compounds of concern are introduced to the marine food web. The disposal of dangerous munition objects also involves risks especially for marine mammals and the ecosystem as a whole.

New measurement methods allowing to assess and monitor environmental pathways and toxicity of munition compounds in the seas and to understand the associated risks which leads to accurate prediction of the foreseeable risk development.

KMCW’21: Environmental & Societal Impacts

Blast and noise impacts

Extreme shock waves emanate from underwater detonations. They spread almost undamped and at different velocities in water and seabed. Impact forces and shear forces have tearing effects on tissues of marine creatures, having air or fat in exposed organs.

Here are the results of scientific studies on modern methods for minimizing the risks of detonations for ammunition disposal presented. For example, for more than 10 years the bubbling is proven to protect porpoises in the North and Baltic Sea.

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Methodology

For the detection of chemical compounds released from ammunition in the water, in the sediment and in biota suitable methods for sampling, analysing explosive and chemical warfare agents and the transformation and decomposition products are available today. Research is being carried out into the development of biomarkers and sensors with bioactive surfaces.

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Environmental
distribution

The contamination of sediment and seawater in the immediate environment of Munitions in the Sea is undisputed. However, whether there is a threat of large-scale environmental pollution is the subject of research. To do this, many possibilities for the distribution of relevant chemical compounds in the ecosystem must be understood. The importance of the distribution of particles, solutions and metabolized munitions ingredients are the subject of research. Initial results indicate a risk potential.

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Environmental risks

Environmental risks from Munitions in the Sea are diverse, but far too abstract to derive a clear mandate from society to governments. In order to be able to open up scientific results and industry solutions for comprehensive risk assessment, relevant findings are assigned to professional criteria.

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Human seafood
consumption

Evidence of respective toxins in the marine food web suggests that seafood or processed foods from the ocean may also contain heavy metals and/or munition compounds.

The JPI Knowledge Hub assembles the current state of research and asks important questions that also need to be addressed with respect to MSFD's Desciptor 9.

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