Antarctic Expedition: CFE researchers return with essential data on contamination in marine ecosystems
Two months after the start of the expedition reported by TERRA, researchers José Xavier and José Seco return from Antarctica with new observations and samples that are fundamental to understanding the impacts of pollution on marine ecosystems.
After a 66-day scientific mission in Antarctica, researchers from the Marine Research Lab at the CFE and members of the TERRA Associate Laboratory, José Xavier and José Seco, returned to Portugal with a set of data that is fundamental to understanding the effects of contamination on polar marine ecosystems.
During more than a month of fieldwork on Livingston Island, the team collected biological and environmental samples that will provide deeper insight into the health of Antarctic ecosystems. The samples collected will now be analyzed in Portugal, where it will be possible to assess in detail the presence and effects of contaminants.
The campaign was carried out as part of the ICECAP 2025 project, funded by the Portuguese Polar Program, the Bulgarian Antarctic Program, and the University of Coimbra, and aimed to assess the cumulative impact of different contaminants—including microplastics, heavy metals, rare earth elements, and pathogens—on key species in the Southern Ocean.
The ICECAP 2025 expedition demonstrates how the work of TERRA researchers is essential to polar science, advancing our understanding of global environmental impacts and monitoring regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change and pollution.
All updates on this project can be followed on the expedition blog: cientistapolarjxavier.blogspot.com
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