Moniaqua

The Hydrographic Institute (HI) in the context of its activities as responsible for the Sea Sciences Sector and framed in the Ocean Observation theme, counts, in its history, with the carrying out of several environmental monitoring programs.

Following these programmes, the MONIAQUA programme currently takes place, focused on the study of transitional and coastal waters under national jurisdiction, in order to contribute to the Marine and Water Strategy Framework Directives (DQEM and DQA).

The main objective of the programme is to monitor the environmental quality of these water bodies by measuring various physicochemical parameters of water and sediments, namely classical parameters such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, particulate matter in suspension and nutrients, but also parameters that even at low concentrations are considered pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), pesticides and heavy metals. It is also worth mentioning the monitoring of microplastics, pollutants of concern in the aquatic environment, particularly in the marine environment, since they are bioaccumulators and biomagnified along the trophic chain, and are susceptible to sorption phenomena of various substances such as heavy metals, and to transport priority pollutants such as PAHs and PCBs to the aquatic environment.

As additional objectives, the programme also aims to study the phenomenon of oceanic acidification, with a view to contributing to the study of climate change and its impact assessment, as well as to increase knowledge in strategic areas of national interest and to promote technological development and scientific research activities associated with Sea Sciences.

The program is ensured by the laboratory capacity of the IH together with the regular realization of scientific cruises dedicated on board the oceanographic ships of the Portuguese Navy and also by the acquisition of opportunity data under other programs and projects.