Biotox Lab

29/04/2026

🐟 "Is eating salmon dangerous?" — a question that reached newsrooms and science in equal measure.

A new Swedish study showed that co***ne entering rivers via wastewater alters the behaviour of salmon. The question landed with the press — and with Vanessa Fonseca (Biotox Lab Co-PI), researcher at MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente (ARNET - Aquatic Research Network) and Professor at the Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa.

Her response is a masterclass in science communication: no dramatisation, no oversimplification — just rigour and context.

Yes, Portugal has evidence of co***ne in the Tagus and Douro estuaries. Yes, neuroactive pharmaceuticals accumulate in fish from our coastal waters. But no, there is no reason for alarm about eating salmon — the direct risk to consumers is very low based on current evidence.

What is genuinely concerning is the ecological impact: fish whose behaviour is altered may migrate, reproduce and survive differently. And co***ne is just the tip of the iceberg — antidepressants, antibiotics and other compounds complete a picture of aquatic chemical pollution that urgently needs systematic monitoring.

As Vanessa puts it: keeping ecosystems healthy is also keeping ourselves healthy.

Well done, Vanessa — for the work and for the way you communicate it. 👏

🔗 https://versa.iol.pt/salmao/cocaina/estudo-alerta-para-efeitos-da-cocaina-no-salmao-e-quem-come-o-peixe-a-ciencia-responde-sem-duvidas/20260428/69f08b7cd34e28842c836ac5



Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network

Foi publicado um novo estudo que alerta para os efeitos que os resíduos de co***na que entram por águas residuais podem ter nos salmões. É uma preocupação real? E pode afetar quem come este tipo de peixe? Esclarecemos as dúvidas com Vanessa Fonseca, Professora de Ciências ULisboa e investig...

26/04/2026

Today marks exactly 40 years since reactor nº4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded in the early hours of April 26, 1986. Within days, the radioactive plume had crossed most of Europe — reaching Scandinavia by April 28, Central Europe by early May, and the Iberian Peninsula by mid-May. The cloud left an invisible but permanent signature across the continent's ecosystems.

One of the most remarkable legacies of that catastrophe is scientific, and it has nothing to do with the exclusion zone. The Chernobyl accident deposited a sharp, continent-wide pulse of caesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) into soils, wetlands, and estuarine sediments — effectively tagging the year 1986 in the geological record with a precision that few natural tracers can match.

In work we published back in 2013, we exploited exactly this — alongside the earlier 1963 ¹³⁷Cs peak from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing — to date sediment cores from two salt marshes in the Tagus estuary. Those two radiometric markers, separated by 23 years, allowed us to calculate sediment accretion rates for distinct time intervals and link them directly to sea level rise data from the Cascais tidal gauge (1880–2001). The result was a clear inverse relationship: periods of higher mean sea level corresponded to lower accretion rates, pointing to erosion as the dominant marsh response during high tidal flooding — yet both marshes still maintained a positive net balance against rising seas.

Chernobyl's ¹³⁷Cs pulse, carried by wind from Ukraine to Portugal, ended up buried quietly in the mud of a Tagus salt marsh, telling us something important about the resilience — and the limits — of one of Europe's most productive coastal ecosystems in the face of sea level rise.

Full paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.05.015



Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network

25/04/2026

🌿 The Marbiome Biobank just got bigger — and saltier.

We are thrilled to announce the addition of 55 new bacterial isolates to our Marine Bacteria Collection, all sourced from estuarine salt marshes — one of the most biodiverse and ecologically critical coastal ecosystems on the planet. These aren't just any bacteria — they come from estuarine salt marshes, ancient coastal ecosystems that act as carbon sinks, nursery grounds, and pollution buffers. And hidden in their sediments? A treasure trove of microbial life with untapped potential for biotechnology, bioremediation, and beyond.

From Pseudomonas and Bacillus to the rare Guptibacillus hwajinpoensis and Salinicola endophyticus, this new batch reflects the remarkable phylogenetic breadth hiding in the sediments of salt marshes along the Portuguese coast.

These isolates were obtained through a culturomic approach and fully characterized using a biochemical and genomic pipeline — ensuring that each entry in our collection is a well-documented biological resource, ready for research and innovation.

Salt marshes are under increasing pressure from pollution, sea-level rise, and habitat loss. Preserving and studying their microbial communities isn't just scientifically exciting — it's urgent.

📌 Whether you are a researcher, a biotech company, or simply curious about the invisible life that sustains our coasts — come explore what's in the collection.

🔬 Explore the full collection 👉 https://marbiomebiobank.wixsite.com/home

Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network
Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes - ce3c
BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute

19/03/2026

🌊 A new type of plastic developed at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science in Japan has been making headlines — and for good reason. Unlike conventional plastics that persist in the ocean for decades and fragment into microplastics, this new supramolecular material is designed to break down completely in seawater, decomposing into its basic monomers, which can then be processed by natural bacteria.

Bernardo Duarte was recently invited by Versa to comment on the relevance of this discovery for marine pollution, and here is my take:

This is a genuinely promising development — but we need to be measured in our expectations. The material's key advantage is not simply that it degrades faster, but that it is designed to have a much less harmful end of life. It does not fragment into persistent microplastic particles that enter food chains, including the fish species we consume. Its components can even be recovered for recycling, pointing toward a more circular model.

However, this discovery does not remove the plastic already present in our oceans. It is still at a stage that requires further development, rigorous testing, and industrial-scale production. The most accurate framing is this: it may be an important piece in containing and reducing future plastic pollution — but it is not, on its own, a definitive solution to reverse the damage already done.

Science gives us tools. Using them wisely — and communicating them honestly — is equally our responsibility.

🔗 Read the full article (in Portuguese): https://versa.iol.pt/plastico/poluicao/e-o-fim-do-plastico-e-da-poluicao-no-mar-investigador-portugues-esclarece-descoberta-no-japao/20260318/69baa130d34edcee7c620409



Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network

Os oceanos estão sob pressão crescente devido à poluição por plásticos, mas a ciência poderá ter encontrado uma solução. Em resposta à VERSA, o Investigador e Professor Bernardo Duarte, Faculdade de Ciências ULisboa, esclarece esta descoberta.

17/03/2026

Last Friday, 13 March, we participated in the Fórum para a Investigação no Oceano (FIO) / Ocean Research Forum, held at the Universidade de Aveiro, where Bernardo Duarte was responsible for presenting the results of the working group on Pollution and Coastal Impacts and the challenges for the next 10 years within this area.

This forum was an important opportunity to bring together the scientific community, including the 5 major research centres in Ocean Science (MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Ciimar, CESAM - Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Centro de Ciencias do Mar (CCMAR), Okeanos - Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar) and decision-makers around a shared goal: defining a strong and forward-looking vision for ocean research in Portugal over the next decade.

Within the Pollution and Coastal Impacts working group, the message was clear: addressing the multiple pressures affecting our coastal and marine ecosystems requires a shift from reactive responses to a more predictive, preventive, and restorative approach. This means strengthening long-term monitoring, investing in innovation, improving collaboration across institutions and sectors, and ensuring that scientific knowledge effectively supports public policy and coastal management.

It is very encouraging to see that the discussions held during this forum were echoed in the national and regional press, reinforcing the urgent need for a coordinated strategy for marine research, stronger scientific collaboration, and greater investment in the knowledge base needed to support a truly sustainable Blue Economy.

Our congratulations to all colleagues and institutions involved in organizing and contributing to this important initiative. The ocean needs science — but it also needs strategic vision, political commitment, and the collective ability to translate knowledge into action and impact.

Follow-up news coverage:
- Science points the way toward a sustainable Blue Economy (https://www.jn.pt/pais/artigo/ciencia-aponta-caminho-para-economia-azul-sustentavel/18061943)
- Strategy for ocean research over the next decade discussed in Aveiro (https://www.jn.pt/pais/artigo/estrategia-para-investigar-o-mar-na-proxima-decada-discutida-em-aveiro/18061037)
- Scientists call for more collaboration and resources for marine sciences (https://www.diarioaveiro.pt/2026/03/14/cientistas-querem-mais-colaboracoes-e-recursos-para-as-ciencias-do-mar/)



Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network

15/03/2026

Proud to see our group co-leader Vanessa Fonseca featured in SIC Notícias’ Essencial, helping bring a critical but still under-discussed issue into the public spotlight: antibiotics in the environment and the rise of antimicrobial resistance in our coastal ecosystems.

Antibiotic resistance is not only a hospital problem. It is a One Health challenge that connects human health, environmental quality, food safety, and ecosystem integrity. When antibiotic residues and resistant bacteria reach aquatic systems, they can persist in water, sediments, and biota, with potential implications for fish for human consumption and for the spread of resistance across environmental microbial communities.

This is why monitoring antibiotics and resistant bacteria in coastal environments is so important. Estuaries and nearshore ecosystems are not just recipients of pollution — they can also become spaces where resistance is maintained, transferred, and amplified.

This interview is an important reminder that tackling antimicrobial resistance requires more than clinical stewardship alone. It demands integrated surveillance, stronger wastewater management, better control of environmental contamination, and cross-sector collaboration linking science, policy, healthcare, and environmental management.

A true One Health response starts by recognizing that the health of people, animals, and ecosystems is inseparable.

Link for the full episode: https://sicnoticias.pt/programas/essencial/2026-03-13-video-portugal-lidera-ranking-europeu-de-infecoes-hospitalares-com-mais-de-100-mortes-mensais-86c7ad9b



Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network

12/03/2026

🌊 1st Ocean Research Forum
📅 13 March 2026 | 10:00
📍 University of Aveiro, Renato Araújo Auditorium

Tune in to hear about how the five major Portuguese Marine Research Centres (MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, CESAM - Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Ciimar, Centro de Ciencias do Mar (CCMAR) and Okeanos - Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar) teamed up to discuss the Portuguese Marine Science in the Next Decade.

For those who cannot be present in person, there will be a live transmission available at https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/32158735583111?p=NxrtLyc06YPOcdbysO

Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network

05/03/2026

🔎 Expression of Interest | FCT 2026 PhD Scholarships — BIOTOX Lab

The Biomonitoring and Ecotoxicology Laboratory (BIOTOX) is collecting expressions of interest from potential applicants to the FCT 2026 Academic Environment PhD Scholarships, aiming to develop their doctoral research project at BIOTOX.

After reviewing submissions, selected candidates will be contacted to prepare and submit their applications.

🧪 Three project tracks:
Ecotoxicology — developing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to assess exposome ecotoxicity of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) using marine sentinel organisms.
Seafood Traceability — applying optical and biochemical tags to evaluate the provenance of seafood products from the Portuguese Coast.
Marine Microbiology — isolating and testing marine bacteria and fungi consortia from contaminated environments as biosolutions for plastic degradation in marine ecosystems.

✅ Eligibility: Master’s degree (Portuguese institution or recognized in Portugal).
⭐ Preferred: at least one scientific publication.
📄 Submit via the form: Motivation letter + CV (recommendation letter optional).

➡️ Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/260621563784057



MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network
Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa

Por favor, clique no link para preencher este formulário.

01/03/2026

🌊🌱 World Seagrass Day | New BIOTOX Deep Dive Episode

Today we celebrate one of the ocean’s most important ecosystems: seagrass meadows — the marine forests of our planet.

In this special episode, we explore how climate change impacts seagrasses, from ocean warming and acidification to Arctic light adaptation. We discuss how these ecosystems balance physiological acclimation with long-term adaptation potential — key to protecting blue carbon, biodiversity, and coastal resilience.

This episode was produced using recent AI advances in science communication and storytelling.

🎧 Listen now:
🇬🇧 English → https://open.spotify.com/episode/0IvQWGLfFIiyKHMwrV2Uk2?si=mMvSq7EIS5WTC0J9DSn66w
🇵🇹 Português → https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vaTJK8GBAYphvikiFZ9ln?si=8IDkZVyhRbWvAtSdUiYtwQ
🌐 All episodes → https://biotoxlab.wixsite.com/home/podcasts



Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network

27/01/2026

🌱 Num contexto em que o restauro de ecossistemas degradados assume um lugar central na agenda científica, ambiental e política, o projeto investiga microrganismos marinhos associados às plantas de sapal.

🦠 Estes microrganismos são isolados a partir dos sapais, caracterizados e testados quanto ao seu potencial bioestimulante, avaliando a sua capacidade de aumentar a tolerância das plantas a condições ambientais adversas.

🗃️ Os microrganismos selecionados são preservados no , um biobanco que garante que este conhecimento científico não se perde e pode ser reutilizado em futuras estratégias de restauro ecológico.

🎯 No , o contribui para integrar o conhecimento científico em soluções de restauro ecológico baseadas na ciência, apoiando decisões informadas na gestão de ecossistemas aquáticos degradados.

🔗 Sabe mais em:
https://marbiomebiobank.wixsite.com/home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgdluNpcSWQ&feature=youtu.be

💶 Financiamento:
Projeto µRESTART financiado pelo Programa Operacional MAR2030
Marbiome apoiado pelo Programa MAR2030 através do contrato MAR-016.9.1-FEAMPA-00006



📍 .Center 📍 .ualg 📍 .uminho 📍 de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa 📍 for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes - ce3c 📍 - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute 📍 Lab

18/01/2026

🎙️ New Episode | BIOTOX Deep Dive Podcast

After a Xmas break we are back with our podcasts!

Our latest episode focuses on the ecological impacts of invasive Spartina species in salt marsh ecosystems, with particular emphasis on Portuguese estuaries. We discuss how Spartina simultaneously functions as an ecosystem engineer and a major invasive driver, altering sediment biogeochemistry, increasing heavy-metal bioavailability, and displacing native marsh vegetation.

Climate-change projections indicate a likely global expansion of Spartina, while Mediterranean case studies highlight the negative effects of Spartina patens on ecosystem functioning and phytoremediation capacity.

The episode also presents ecoengineering-based control strategies, including artificial waterlogging, offering sustainable, non-chemical management solutions.

Developed using recent AI-supported audio and storytelling tools, this episode bridges cutting-edge research and accessible science communication.

Episode 3 🇬🇧: https://open.spotify.com/episode/33bwch4wCVb9u5nZ2aMIPb?si=nWhtT9O8SYe7BodowiCwlA

Episódio 3 🇵🇹: https://open.spotify.com/episode/33bwch4wCVb9u5nZ2aMIPb?si=nWhtT9O8SYe7BodowiCwlA

🎧 Listen and explore all episodes:
🌐 https://biotoxlab.wixsite.com/home/podcasts



Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa
MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
ARNET - Aquatic Research Network