New challenges of marine ecotoxicology in a global change context

Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 May:166:112242. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112242. Epub 2021 Mar 8.

Abstract

Currently, research agenda in marine ecotoxicology is facing new challenges with the emergence of newly and complex synthetized chemicals. The study of the fate and adverse effects of toxicants remains increasingly complicated with global change events. Ecotoxicology had provided for a decades, precious scientific data and knowledge but also technical and management tools for the environmental community. Regarding those, it is necessary to update methodologies dealing with these issues such as combined effect of conventional and emergent stressors and global changes. In this point of view article, we discuss one hand the new challenges of ecotoxicology in this context, and in the other hand, the need of updating agenda and methodologies currently used in monitoring programs and finally recommendations and future research needs. Among recommendations, it could be cited the necessity to perform long-term experiments, the standardization of sentinel species and taking benefit from baseline studies and omics technologies.

Keywords: Aquatic ecotoxicology; Baselines; Biomarkers; Global change; Omics tools; Stress biology.

MeSH terms

  • Ecotoxicology*