The Fight to Protect the Oceans and Marine Life

Oil spills, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals are but a few of the contaminants that pollute our oceans and destroy marine life. However, one Canadian group is fighting the effects of these contaminants.

In the picturesque coastal town of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada, at the Bay of Fundy, nestled within the rolling waves and salty breeze, Dr. Benjamin de Jourdan and his team at the Huntsman Marine Science Center are orchestrating a symphony of change. As a nonprofit research institute driven by specific inquiries and sponsored projects, they stand at the forefront of environmental research, tackling pressing issues that affect marine ecosystems worldwide.

At the heart of their efforts lies a mission to understand and mitigate the impact of toxic materials on marine life, with a particular focus on oil spills. With funding from local sponsors, government agencies, and industry partners, de Jourdan and his team dive headfirst into the complexities of marine contamination, armed with cutting-edge technology and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding the environment.

de Jourdan is a researcher at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre. The center studies the effects of various contaminants on marine life, with a focus on commercially important species. Their goal is to understand the impact of pollutants and help develop mitigation strategies for economically impactful species.

"What we do here is more than just research," de Jourdan explains. "We're agents of change, responding to the needs of our sponsors and striving to make a tangible difference in the world."

The Huntsman Marine Science Centre is a non-profit organization that conducts marine research and offers educational programs for the public. It was founded in 1969 by a consortium of universities with the support of the National Research Council of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the New Brunswick Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Its work on oil spills, in particular, has garnered widespread attention for its potential to mitigate the devastating effects of these environmental disasters. By studying the impact of oil spills on commercially important species like the American Lobster, de Jourdan, and his team aim to provide crucial insights that can inform effective mitigation strategies.

“The species that are of cultural, economic, and commercial importance are often not well represented in some of these databases or effects studies,” de Jourdan said. “So, one of the ones that we really work with a lot here is American Lobster. And, you know, based in our location in the Bay of Fundy, it's a hugely important species culturally and certainly economically. So really understanding the potential impacts of oil spills and oil spill mitigation measures to this commercially important species helps to ensure that should a spill happen in the region, we would be in a position to have a good understanding of the impacts and to be able to inform mitigation options there.

"We're not just studying lab species," De Jourdan emphasizes. "We're focusing on species that are culturally, economically, and commercially significant, ensuring that our research has real-world relevance."

Their efforts extend beyond oil spills to encompass a myriad of environmental hazards, from aquaculture therapeutants to tire wear particles. Through meticulous experimentation and analysis, de Jourdan and his team seek to unravel the complexities of marine contamination.

Central to their research arsenal is the Aqualog fluorometer, a versatile tool that allows them to detect and quantify toxic compounds in water samples with unparalleled precision. This cutting-edge technology enables them to characterize the behavior of contaminants over time, providing crucial data that informs their mitigation efforts.

"The Aqualog is invaluable to our research," de Jourdan remarks. "Its ability to provide real-time data allows us to make informed decisions and adapt our strategies accordingly."

The Aqualog simultaneously collects absorbance, transmittance, and fluorescence EEMs, correcting for the inner filter effect on the fly. The workbench instrument is small and robust enough to take into field for non-destructive site analysis of samples.

But de Jourdan's journey into the world of environmental research was anything but straightforward. Reflecting on his academic trajectory, he recalls a deep-rooted passion for the environment that guided him through his studies and led him to pursue a career dedicated to environmental stewardship.

"I've always been interested in the environment," de Jourdan reflects. "But it was during my Ph.D. studies that I realized the profound impact that research could have on mitigating environmental hazards."

Some of his work has been funded to look at what would happen to the lobster if exposed to oil.

“What would happen if we chemically dispersed that oil, with the currently available dispersants,” he said.

They also work with some folks who are developing new types of dispersants that are potentially greener options that may still serve the purpose of dispersing the oil, but perhaps with some reduced toxicity.

“We look at other agents that work to constrict the spread of an oil spill that would then allow it to be burned off. And we've tested the burn residues as well. So, that's kind of where those mitigation options are.”

Canada has fewer approved methods for mitigation than the US. de Jourdan believes his teams’ work may help shape future regulations in the mitigation area for the country.

They also work with effluent from pulp and paper mills or other processing plants to again, understand those and also individual chemicals that may be of interest added to a sponsor or a government agency. Some of these are commonly used in industrial applications.

“Some of the other ones that we work with are associated with tires and tire wear particles. We want to know what it'll do to any of those organisms and we've got to be able to help answer some of those questions.”

He does a lot of work with lobster in all life stages, primarily larval, but also with the adults.

“We've done a lot of work with Atlantic Cod, various crab species, mussels, urchins, some rockweed, and algae. We work with all levels of the trophic chain just to make sure that we're covering these and not having any blind spots to a particularly sensitive organism that might be out there.”

What kinds of trends does de Jourdan see in environmental toxification and mitigation?

He first focused on oil spills.

“One of the nice things is that the number of spills is decreasing, and a lot of it has been related to improvements in tanker safety and other technological advancements. There have also been great improvements in the ability to predict and model what these effects might be. A large part of that is through the increased generation of really high-quality laboratory data that can then feed into these models and predict the aftermath of a spill. We also look at the front end as a type of contingency planning. We want to be able to identify if a rig spill happens in a certain location, we want to know what and where the most vulnerable areas are, and what the most vulnerable species would be.”

Today, de Jourdan and his team continue to push the boundaries of environmental research, striving to uncover new insights and develop innovative solutions to protect marine ecosystems for future generations. As they navigate the ever-changing landscape of environmental conservation, their dedication and resilience serve as a beacon of hope in an increasingly uncertain world.

"We're in this for the long haul," de Jourdan said. "And with the support of our sponsors and our research, I'm confident that we can overcome even the most formidable environmental challenges."

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