Leandro TEIXIEIRA

Ecotoxicological effects of copper and sulphide mineral particles in hydrothermal vent shrimps of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Deep-sea mining (DSM) has the potential to become the next great extractive industry, focusing of exploration of metal resources. During DSM metals will be released from sediment plumes into solution, remaining suspended for hours due to the fine sediment size. Organisms show mixed effects in the presence of mixtures of metals, making it very difficult to predict how organisms might react during DSM activities. Rimicaris exoculata and Mirocaris fortunata are key shrimp species for studying toxicity and adaptations to deep-sea vents, yet knowledge gaps persist. This study will investigate the toxicity of Cu and sulphide dust from hydrothermal vent sites of the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR) of deep-sea shrimps. Tolerance to exposures will be assessed by chemical, biochemical and gene expression techniques. The team aims to produce relevant data that can be used by policy makers to develop the best exploration (and exploitation) regulations for DSM.