Chemical exposure

In the marine environment organisms are exposed to a range of substances, many of which can cause metabolic disorders, an increase in disease prevalence, and may affect even the population by changes in e.g., growth, reproduction, and survival. From field investigations and lab experiments it is known that exposed organisms take up explosive chemicals from the surrounding water. Samples of biota are analyzed for biological effects on different organismal levels using multi-biomarker and molecular approaches. Measured effects are correlated with the detected level of explosives and their metabolites in the respective tissue, as well as with the concentrations of these compounds in the surrounding water and sediment.