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Sea Water Quality Criteria

• Collection, transportation, acclimation and maintenance of marine organisms for toxicity bioassay experiments.
• Toxicity bioassay experiments on marine organisms for metals(Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Hg, As, Cr, Ni, Se), organics (monocrotophos, chlorpyrifos) and hydrocarbons (Anthracene and Benzo-a-pyrene)
• Derivation of toxicity values: Median lethal Concentration (LC50), Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC), No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) and Chronic values (CV).
• Measurements of the metals and pesticide of the experimental samples using the analytical instruments like Gas Chromatography (GC) fitted with FPD and FID Detectors, Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer.
• Histology: Histological observations in the tissue sections of the matine organisms after exposure to the sublethal concentrations of the selected metal/pesticide/hydrocarbons
• Biochemistry: Biochemical enzyme activities by using Multimode Reader and Native PAGE (Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis).
• Derivation of Sea Water Quality Criteria based on the Acute and Chronic toxicity values of marine organisms.

Ecological Risk Assessment

• Monitoring of metals, PAHs, TPH in water and sediment samples of Ennore, Uppanar, and Vellar Estuaries
• Monitoring of water quality parameters and nutrients from the samples of Ennore, Uppanar, and Vellar Estuaries
• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the benthos from the sediment samples of selected estuarine transects.
• Comprehensive sediment quality assessment through integrated approach by using sediment toxicity bioassay, measurement of contaminants and benthic biodiversity assessment.
• Collection and optimization of monoculture of diatoms, copepods, Polychaete larvae and barnacles from mixed culture for toxicity bioassays.
• Microcosm experiments on marine diatoms, copepods, and larvae of polychaete and barnacles for toxicity sediment extracts collected from Ennore, Uppanar, and Vellar Estuaries.
• Derivation of environmental quality indices for the assessment of extent of damage due to metal/TPH/PAH pollutants.
• Field based in situ mesocosm experiments on selected marine organisms at Ennore estuary for the risk assessment of metals of concern.

Activities and components of MEERA programme in developing the standards and threshold limits towards the control and mitigation of coastal pollution

Marine Outfall Monitoring (MOM)

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is amending the Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 based on the detailed reports submitted by National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR). A draft amendment gazette notification was published by MoEF&CC on 17^th February 2020 amending the Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986. Wherein water quality standards for marine outfall in respect of Primary Water Quality Criteria (PWQC) for class SW-III [Industrial cooling, Recreation (non-contact) and Aesthetics] and class SW-V [Navigation and Controlled Waste Disposal] waters are being amended with the inclusion of seven metals viz., cadmium, copper, mercury, zinc, lead, arsenic, chromium and pesticide, monocrotophos.

The Expert Committee of MoEF&CC felt that, identification of areas of compliance/non-compliance on implementation of the amended standards is important. In this regard, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) requested National Centre for Coastal Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai for monitoring of marine outfalls along the coastal waters of India to update the status of compliance/non-compliance in respect of existing primary water quality standards (PWQS) for SW-III and SW-III class waters. Considering this, a time bound marine outfall monitoring activity is implemented by National Centre for Coastal Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Chennai in collaboration with the CPCB involving the coastal state SPCBs and PCCs of UTs. Two marine outfall locations from each coastal state and UTs were identified from the consultation meeting with the nodal officers of SPCBs and PCCs. A total 19 marine outfall locations are monitored, sampling was carried at the identified locations involving the concerned SPCB nodal officers.

Hypoxia and Acidification in the Ocean (HAO)

NCCR is implementing a research programme address the impact of Hypoxia and Acidification in the Ocean. Ocean acidification is a direct consequence of increased human-induced carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere. Acidification happening in parallel with other climate-related stressors, including ocean warming and deoxygenation. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. In areas where most life now congregates in the ocean, the seawater is supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate minerals. This means there are abundant building blocks for calcifying organisms to build their skeletons and shells. However, continued ocean acidification is causing many parts of the ocean to become under saturated with these minerals, which is likely to affect the ability of some organisms to produce and maintain their shells. Eutrophication and other direct and indirect mechanisms can exacerbate the effects of acidification and hypoxia in coastal ecosystems, which serve as important habitats for many ecologically and economically important species of algae, fish, and shellfish (Gobler and Baumann, 2016; Baumann et al., 2015; Hofmann et al., 2010). Coastal ecosystems and their resident biota are therefore at a heightened risk to the effects of acidification and hypoxia, as these conditions are expected to increase in prevalence and magnitude throughout the next century because of continued CO₂ emissions and atmospheric concentration projected to be upwards of 1000 ppm.

Objective

• Document the extent of adverse impacts from hypoxia and ocean acidification on sensitive marine ecosystems.
• Past, present and future implications of ocean acidification on sensitive marine organisms.

Blue Belt: Building resilient coastal communities