Citizen Science

Here we provide highlights of Citizen Science projects that flaggship activities undertaken by researchers in close collaboration with society to support data generation and improve the quality of the data by learning from local and indigenous knowledge.

Citizen Science and Microplastics (supported by the SOOP platform)

Sailing boat at sea (Photo: Christian via Unsplash)

The issue of microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment has been in the public eye for several years. There is a great demand for accurate data on the spatial and temporal variations of global MP concentration, composition, and size distribution to understand the diverse impacts of these pollutants. On their own, marine research institutes around the world do not have the capacity to conduct such comprehensive assessments.

Therefore, various approaches aim at involving committed non-scientists/-experts to broaden the database for professional institutions. While preparing for their tour across the North Atlantic, two sailors decided to use their free time on board the center cockpit steel yacht “Beagle” (11 m/11 tons) to try and support the planet's largest ecosystem through MP research. The analysis of the volume-reduced MP-water samples was carried out under the umbrella of the SOOP | Shaping an Ocean Of Possibilities for science-industry innovation platform.

Read more on the BEAGLE Microplastics North Atlantic project

PFAS-Forever Chemicals research meets world’s first expedition swim Epic Swim Maui

Citizen science activity at Epic Swim Maui and Hereon (Photo: Torsten Fischer, Hereon)

On their challenge to circumnavigate the Hawaiian Island of Maui the best open water swimmers from 6 continents collected samples of surface seawater to be analyzed @Hereon for the presence of PFAS-Forever Chemicals.

Epic Swim Maui aims at raising awareness of the challenges facing our oceans. It brings together representatives from indigenous communities, science, politics, industry and the media. Due to recent wildfires, the coastal region on the west side of Maui is facing unprecedented challenges.

The expeditionary swim finished on 28 July after 215 km and 13 days of swimming. It offers to contribute to the Hereon’s Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry global PFAS study. The institute has been researching the so-called "Forever chemicals" for over 20 years and has published more than 80 scientific papers on the occurrence, distribution, global transport and fate of this class of substances. The researchers have been able to detect PFAS at various concentrations in remote regions such as the Arctic, the Antarctic and the Himalayas. To investigate the Pacific as part of an expedition swim, as the “purest” water sport, and improve the data availability in this part of the remote Pacific, the swimmers at the event took samples at various locations and sent them to Hereon for analysis

Read more on the Epic Swim Maui project