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Clàudia Valle

Lucía Quirós

PhD Student

Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia
Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC
Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49
08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Tel: (34) 93 2309500 Ext: 445842
Fax: (34) 93 2309555
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

RESEARCH INTERESTS

It is widely known that plastics cause serious damage to marine ecosystems. In addition to the direct impact they have on marine fauna, a newer concern is the set of compounds that plastic can leach when it is in contact with seawater. Marine plastic debris releases dissolved organic matter (DOM) which some bacteria are able to degrade. One of the goals of my PhD Thesis is to understand the chemical characteristics of the leached DOM and organic volatiles, the conditions that propitiate their leaching and the possible effect on marine microorganisms, ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. I also study the biodegradation of these compounds by marine microorganisms and how they are affected by those plastic leachates.