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SANOCEAN-South Africa - Norway co-operation on ocean research including blue economy, climate change, the env

Impact of land-based activities on the coastal environment (Coast-LaB): Seawater desalination and wastewater discharge

Alternative title: Effekter av landbaserte aktiviteter på kystmiljøet (Coast-LaB): Sjøvannavsalting og utslipp av avløpsvann

Awarded: NOK 1.9 mill.

The Coast-LaB project was part of SANOCEAN, a Norway-South Africa bilateral research program on Ocean sustainability. The project studied the impact of wastewater and seawater desalination brine discharge on the South African coastal waters with a focus on the coast of Durban. The main project objective was to assess, how discharges of brine and chemicals from seawater desalination, nutrients, marine litter, pharmaceuticals from treated and untreated wastewater, affect the coastal marine environment. The project has graduated two female MSc and one Ph.D. student (including one from a historically disadvantaged Institute). A third female student is pursuing her Ph.D. Four students, all females, have benefited from the researcher exchange during the project. In toto: 1. A postdoc and a Ph.D. student from NTNU. Both carried out research visits at the CSIR partner in Durban. Their project studied the effect of brine from seawater desalination plants on benthic bacteria on the Durban Coast. 2. A female student from Wits University had a three-month research visit at NIVA labs in Oslo as part of her MSc. thesis project at the start of the project in 2019. She acquired useful knowledge on microplastic sampling and analysis that enabled her to successfully complete her MSc thesis in 2022. The work she started will result in a publication. 3. A female postdoctoral researcher, also at Wits, is continuing the microplastic work started by the MSc student with a focus on mainland pollution sources of marine litter to the coastal waters. 4. A second student completed her MSc at DUT (a historically disadvantaged institute) in 2021. Her MSc. research project was on pharmaceuticals from wastewater to the Durban coast. 5. A third female student continued Sisonke`s work on pharmaceuticals from wastewater at Wits University and successfully defended her Ph.D. in 2022 6. Coast-LaB gave rise to Salt-Mine project, a Belmont Forum collaborative research action on ocean sustainability with seven partners (including Coast-LaB partners) 7. Coast-LaB researchers are in the second application stage of the inaugural Global Research Council research call on Sustainable Development. The proposed research for that call is based on research findings from Coast-LaB and Salt-Mine. 8. Two scientific publications on analysis and occurrence of pharmaceuticals compounds in the marine environment, two MSc. and one Ph.D. theses

1. Two MSc. thesis defended 2. One Ph.D. thesis defended 3. Two publications and three more in preparation 4. One on going Ph.D. 5. Two Norwegian students had research visits at CSIR in Durban 6. Two South African students had research visits at NIVA in Oslo

The broader aim of the Coast-LaB project is to study the impact of the discharge of brine resulting from the desalination of seawater to generate potable water and wastewater discharges to the marine environment, to better protect and manage the marine and coastal environment and to protect human health (Figure 1). Coast-LaB is in line with UNEP`s Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (LBA). Coast-LaB`s study activities will focus on the impact of LBA in two coastal, freshwater-stressed mega metropolises: Durban and Cape Town. The project will extend on the work of WIO-LaB; a UNEP and Norwegian funded project on the impacts of LBA in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The project`s objectives are to:(i) assess, via measurements of selected pollutant concentrations in water, biota and sediment, how discharges of wastewater affect the marine ecosystem, ii) study the impact of seawater desalination activities; brine disposal and impingement and entrainment of marine organisms during seawater intake, and iii) provide data and information that will help strengthen the regional legal basis for preventing land-based sources of pollution that will help v) develop regional capacity and strengthen institutions for sustainable coastal development. In toto, Coast-LaB addresses sustainable development goals (SDGs) 6 and 14; on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all (SDG 6) and sustainable use of the oceans respectively (SDG14).

Funding scheme:

SANOCEAN-South Africa - Norway co-operation on ocean research including blue economy, climate change, the env

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