EVENT CALENDAR – PHARMARINE


Date	Event	Description
December 8–9, 2020	PHARMARINE kick-off meeting and Steering Committee meeting online (MS Teams)

January 01–June 15, 2021	Designing sampling methods, scheduling the sampling campaign and training of cruise team for sampling of pharmaceuticals in sea water and in zooplankton during the research cruise of s/y Oceania to the Arctic	During video meetings and via correspondence within project teams, sample collection methods, sampling plans and tools were proposed, discussed and selected.Qualitative and quantitative investigations of human pharmaceuticals dissolved in sea water will be carried out using selected HPLC and LC-MS methods for extracts obtained from a large volume solid phase extraction device (LV-SPE) on selected resins. The unique LV-SPE device was built at SINTEF, Trondheim. It was decided to collect two types of seawater samples: (1) water (800 l) taken with a continuous surface water intake system (system with an inlet at a depth of approximately 2.7 meters below the sea) installed on s/y Oceania (this sample will be taken while the vessel is moving and approaching the coastal area sampling station in each of the designated study areas) and(2) "spot water" (400 l) taken at each sampling station. The "spot water samples" will be collected from the surface layer using the vessel's continuous water intake system and from subsurface layer ("deep") using a rosette with a dozen of 10 l bottles or a large volume (30 l) Niskin bottle. Capsules with resin with the extracted pharmaceuticals from each water layer will be frozen at -20 C for further procedures in the chemical laboratory of the University of Gdansk.Human pharmaceuticals are planned to be determined also in zooplankton that will be collected by means of plankton nets at each sampling station. Depending on density and size of zooplankton, the WP-3 net (net opening area 1 m2, filtering gauze with 1.0 mm mesh) or WP-2 net (net opening area 0.25 m2, filtering gauze with 0.180 mm mesh) will be used. Zooplankton will be sampled from the 60-0 m top layer in a vertical integrative haul. After collection, the zooplankton will be cleared off non-zooplankton debris, sorted into taxonomic fractions if possible, and stored in PE zip bags at -80 C until extraction procedures.In addition, surface seawater temperature and salinity will be measured continuously during the entire cruise and vertically at each sampling station by on-board CTD systems using Sea-Bird probes. The results of the hydrographic measurements will be collected in a central system by the oceanographic research team from the IO PAN and will be shared as part of a collaboration for the purposes of the project. What is more, extra zooplankton samples will be collected for community analysis at each station using a WP-2 net with a mesh of 0.180 mm in layered hauls from three water layers: below the pycnocline ("deep layer"), within the pycnocline ("intermediate layer") and in the mixed upper layer ("surface layer"). The zooplankton community samples will be preserved with a 4% formaldehyde solution in seawater and examined for zooplankton composition by a standard quantitative and quantitative method by the project's research team in the plankton laboratory at the IO PAN.Water and zooplankton sampling is planned in five research areas along the Norwegian coast, the western Barents shelf and the western coast of Spitsbergen. Two stations have been identified in each study area, one in the coastal zone and one in the open sea. The areas studied are assumed within the Atlantic water transport route from the temperate zone to the Arctic, with the main water currents i.e., the Norwegian Coastal Current, the Norwegian-Atlantic Current and the West Spitsbergen Current. Sampling and measurements will be performed from the deck of the IO PAS s/y Oceania research vessel during the AREX 2021 research cruise from June 15 to July 23, 2021.


January-May 2021	Design and construction of LV-SPE system for extraction of pharmaceuticals from seawater SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway	Unique LV-SPE system for extraction of dissolved pharmaceuticals from seawater was designed and constructed to sample drugs from coastal and offshore waters along the Scandinavian Peninsula and in the European Arctic of the Svalbard Archipelago. The system consists of metal frame which hosts standard home-use PP water pre-filter cartridge (50 µm) to separate large particles and chemical sorbent (resin) enclosed in two PPVC cartridges. The system is equipped with automatic flowmeter, external valves that allows regulation of flow rate and water pump. The final flow rate with a single resin-filled cartridge was 1.8 l/min.


January-June, 2021	Experiment on the effects of oxytetracycline on the bivalve Mytilus trossulus UG, Gdańsk, Poland GUMed, Gdańsk, Poland	10-day exposure experiment was performed under laboratory conditions to verify suitability of the selected biomarkers for assessment of the effects of oxytetracycline on marine benthic bivalves using mussel Mytilus trossulus from the brackish Gulf of Gdańsk (southern Baltic Sea). The following cellular level markers were measured: enzymatic activities of GST, CAT, ACrE, PO, ALP, glutathione (tGSH) level and low molecular weight antioxidants (TAC) concentration. In addition, lipid and protein peroxidation products (MDA and CBO) were quantified. Biochemical analyses were performed using microplate reads Synergy HTX, BioTek plate reader and UV-VIS Beckman Coulter Spectrophotometer.

		Genetic analyses measured the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in phase III of the detoxification process: mvp and p-glyp as well as hsp70. For this purpose, mRNA was isolated from gills, cDNA was extracted, and qPCR reactions were performed using Bio-Rad Thermal Cycler and CFX Bio-Rad Connected Real-Time PCR Detection system:

		Screening of the overall effect of the exposure to oxytetracycline on the fitness and health status of the bivalves was performed based on histological analyses of the whole individual soft tissues. The Formaldehyde fixed tissues were processed in a tissue processor (Shandon Citadel 2000) followed by cutting duplicated sections of individually paraffin embedded tissues (3.5 µm thickness) using a microtome Leica RM2245. The tissue slides were then prepared by staining according to a modified H&E staining method and fixed before final examination of tissue structures and lesions under the light microscope.




March-May, 2021	Experimental study – selection of sorbent for extracting of pharmaceuticals in LV-SPE system UG, Gdańsk, Poland	The experimental study was performed in order to select sorbent of highest recovery from seawater for a group of 32 pharmaceuticals and their metabolites, high flow rate and best price. The low-scale solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges were filled with different polymeric resins and quantification of binding capacity was performed with HPLC-DAD. The best recovery was obtained for the Amberlite XAD16 polymeric resin. In addition, potential effect of freezing of SPE column on recovery was verified. The procedure of laboratory SPE will be extrapolated to large-scale LV-SPE.


June 01, 2021	Research cruise onboard UG research vessel r/v Oceanograf in the Gulf of Gdańsk	Research cruise onboard UG research vessel r/v Oceanograf was performed in coastal waters of the Gulf of Gdańsk (southern Baltic Sea) to test LV-SPE system and its additional construction elements (tubing, connections, water pump, large-volume container, flowmeter) under marine conditions of the Baltic Sea. Field tests proved good technical performance and high efficiency of the system. Similar systems will be used to extract drugs from coastal and offshore waters in the outlet of the Danish Straits to the North Sea, coastal and offshore waters along the Scandinavian Peninsula, and coastal and offshore waters in the European Arctic of the Svalbard Archipelago.




June–July, 2021	Sampling campaign onboard IO PAN research yacht r/y Oceania along the northward transect	The first sampling campaign was performed onboard r/y Oceania in summer 2021 within WP1. The campaign aimed at collection of water and zooplankton samples in several areas along the northward transect going from the North Sea (exit from the Baltic Sea south of the Scandinavian Peninsula) through the Norwegian Coastal Current and warm North Atlantic Current to the Spitsbergen fjords (Hornsund and Kongsfjorden). Seawater (400 l) was collected from two water layers (surface and at 50 m deep i.e., at the brink of surface layer) at 10 sampling sites and from surface water layer (800 l) during sailing (see maps).

		Location of sampling sites of seawater and zooplankton during field campaign in summer 2021. Immediately after sampling, dissolved pharmaceuticals were extracted on sorbents (reisin in capsules) using the purpose-build LV-SPE system and the capsules were stored at -20°C.

		Zooplankton was collected with a WP2-180 μm net (0 – 60 m water layer) at the same sites as water samples and at several additional sites. Location of extra sites in the Arctic area was selected in order to avoid massive concentration of phytoplanktonic algae that might affect chemical analyses. Zooplankton samples were stored at -80°C and will be used to measure concentrations of plankton-bound pharmaceuticals. In addition, extra zooplankton samples were collected and preserved in buffered 4% formaldehyde for analysis of species composition and abundance.


July-August, 2021	Sampling campaign onboard IO PAN research yacht r/y Oceania in the coastal waters of Spitsbergen	In July and August 2021 samples of dominant macrobenthic fauna were collected from onboard IO PAN r/y Oceania in two Arctic fjords: Hornsund and Kongsfjorden within WP2. Sampling was performed by the IO PAN research team during the second part of the 2021 sampling campaign. Samples were taken with an epibenthic dredge and a box-corer at a total of 15 sites. After sorting and basic taxonomic identification, the animals were frozen at -80°C. They will be used to assess pharmaceutical status of the Spitsbergen fjords and its potential effects on marine Arctic biota.




August, 2021	Sampling food web compartments in Isfjorden using SCUBA	In August 2021 the SCUBA diving team from IO PAN sampled different food web components at one sampling site located in Isfjorden (Spitsbergen) in order to define trophic transfer of pharmaceuticals within WP2. The samples were collected on hard bottom below the kelp vegetation belt at water depth of 12-20 m and included several organic matter sources (POM and dominant macroalgal producers such Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissimi) and representatives of different consumers (suspension feeders such as ascidians and bivalves, detritus feeders such as chitons, omnivores such as sea urchins and hermit crabs, and carnivorous gastropods and crabs). In addition, the SCUBA divers collected extra samples of macrobenthic fauna in close proximity of the discharge point of Longyearbyen wastewater effluent in Adventfjorden (Hotelnesset). The samples, which included several representatives of soft bottom crustaceans, gastropods, bivalves and polychaetes, will be analysed for tissue concentration of drugs to assess contamination level of Adventfjorden and the effect of human settlement on the coastal environment.


August, 2021	Sampling gammarids on the coast of the Bear Island	SCUBA diving team from IO PAN sampled the amphipod gammarids Gammarus oceanicus in the coastal waters of the Bear Island - a small southernmost island of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago. The island is located in the western part of the Barents Sea, approximately halfway between Spitsbergen and the North Cape. The island was declared a nature reserve in 2002 and offers very limited access. Together with gammarids, that were collected on the coasts of Spitsbergen in summer 2021, the amphipods from the Bear Island will be used as a part of the project aimed at assessing longitudinal variation of pharmaceutical concentrations along the northward transect from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic. Supplementary collection of additional gammarid samples is planned at several coastal locations going from the North to South (e.g., Tromso, Bodo, , Trondheim, Alesund, Bergen and Oslo) in summer 2022.


September–Decembe, 2021	Extraction of pharmaceuticals from LV-SPE cartridges and test extraction from animal tissues	Department of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, UG carried out extraction of pharmaceuticals that collected on the Amberlite® XAD16N resin in the cartridges during the sampling cruise in summer 2022. The drugs were eluted with MeOH and the extracts were purified by filtration through syringe filters PET-20/25 and evaporated. The evaporated extracts from the cartridges were delivered to SINTEF for measurements of drug concentration in seawater. In addition, test extraction of pharmaceuticals from animal tissues was performed using ASE (Accelerated Solvent Extraction, Dionex) and SPE (Solid Phase Extraction) methods to assess analytical yields before extraction of zooplankton samples will start.


December 13–14, 2022	PHARMARINE annual meeting 2021 and Steering Committee meeting online (MS Teams)	The PHARMARINE annual meeting, that was held virtually between December 13-14, 2021, gathered 24 participants (researchers, technicians and students) representing all partner institutions from Norway and Poland. The meeting provided a unique opportunity to discuss and update of the improvements achieved during the first project year. For two days, the participants shared advances in the project implementation, made overview of so far activities and future plans within different work packages, and discussed the first results. The project team has managed to accomplish a great deal in difficult SARS-COV-2 circumstances. Implementation of all tasks has complied with the project plan in terms of scientific aspects and schedule, amendments to tasks and schedule of any WP are not required.

January–September 2022	Development of extraction method of pharmaceuticals from biological matrix UG, Gdańsk Poland and SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway	Because marine biological samples are extremely complex matrices and comprised of many components that can interfere with good separations and or good mass spectrometer signals, a separate extraction method of drugs from biological matrix (samples of zooplankton and macrobenthic fauna) was elaborated. Through a series of pilot studies with the use of biological samples (mixed marine algae and animals) taken in the Arctic area and internal standards extraction technique was developed and validated. The method was proven to provide: - isolation of the analytes of interest from the interfering compounds, - dissolution of the analytes in a suitable solvent and pre-concentration.

July-August, 2022	Sampling campaign onboard IO PAN research yacht r/y Oceania along the northward transect	In July-August 2022, the PHARMARINE team took part for the second time in AREX – the annual summer Arctic research cruise onboard r/v Oceania. During the cruise samples of bivalves (scallop Chlamys islandica) were collected in the Arctic fjord Kongsfjorden and delivered to the marine laboratory in Ny-Ålesund Research Station for biological experiments. In addition, supplementary samples of zooplankton from 12 locations west of Spitsbergen and along the coast of Norway were taken for quantitative analyses of pharmaceuticals within WP1.


August 2022	Laboratory exposure of the Arctic fauna to human pharmaceuticals	Biological responses to human pharmaceuticals were measured for two selected marine benthic faunal species, that inhabit commonly the Arctic coastal waters, through a series of laboratory experiments in Ny Alesund (Spitsbergen) in August 2022. The model species included the bivalve (scallop Chlamys islandica) and crustacean (gammarid Gammarus oceanicus) that both were collected in the Arctic fjord, Kongsfjorden. The bivalves were sampled at one coastal site by the IO PAN research team onboard r/v Oceania while the crustaceans were collected by hand in the intertidal zone close to the marine laboratory in Ny-Ålesund Research Station. The scallops were exposed to Carbamazepine (control, 50 ng dm-3 and 1000 ng dm-3) over 6 days and the gammarids were exposed to Carbamazepine (control, 50 ng dm-3 and 1000 ng dm-3) over 80 h and to Norfluoxetine (control, 100 ng dm-3 and 500 ng dm-3) over 72 h. After experiments, samples of tissues and entire organisms were collected, preserved and transported to Poland onboard r/v HORYZONT II. A range of possible responses to acute exposure, from genetic and biochemical responses through cellular processes, fast and effective markers (specific fingerprints of impact) will be defined in the Polish laboratories.

		Film of Gammarus

September 2022	Measurements of pharmaceutical concentrations in seawater	Measurements of seawater concentrations of selected human drugs in the samples, that were collected during the field campaign of r/v Oceania in summer 2021, were completed in chemical laboratory of SINTEF. Pharmaceuticals were first eluted from the resin (XAD-16) with 400 cm3 MeOH and concentrated up to 10 cm3. The extracts were then purified by filtration through PET-20/25 syringe filter and evaporated to dryness. Concentrations of pharmaceuticals were measured using Agilent Poroshell EC-18 (50 x 2.1 mm).


October 6, 2022	Conference promoting the Basic Research Programme (Norway Grants and EOG)	Overview, the main aims, structure and so far achievements of the PHARMARINE project were presented during the second international conference promoting the Basic Research Programme (Norway Grants and EOG).


October 2022	Extraction of pharmaceuticals from biological samples	Pharmaceuticals bound to biological matrix were extracted from samples of zooplankton, benthic macroalgae and fauna using a relatively simple method. The solid-liquid extraction with acetonitrile+methanol+water mixture was applied. The mechanical homogenization of zooplankton with liquid medium was performed by ceramic beads with high-efficient extractor. Before extraction the freeze-dried zooplankton was spiked by internal standards. After grinding, sonification was performed. Then, the samples were centrifuged and the liquid extract separated for further analysis. Parallel to analysis of the samples, extracts were the spiked by analytes for quality control i.e., recovery of analytes, precision, accuracy and, the detection limits.


December 6–7, 2022	PHARMARINE annual meeting 2022 and Steering Committee meeting hybrid format (in-person: Sealab, SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway and on-line: MS Teams)	The PHARMARINE annual meeting 2022, that was held in a tandem hybrid format between December 6-7, 2022, gathered 18 participants (researchers, technicians and students) representing all but one partner institutions from Norway and Poland. The meeting was hosted by SINTEF, Trondheim with simultaneous virtual attendance using MS Teams platform. The meeting was devoted to presenting and discussing implementation of the project tasks over the period October 2020 – November 2022. For two days, the participants made overview of so far activities and showed future plans within different work packages, and discussed the results. Implementation of all tasks has complied with the project plan in terms of scientific aspects but some tasks related measurements of pharmaceutical concentrations in zooplankton and macrobenthic fauna are delayed. Relevant amendments to the respective work packages are therefore required to conform to the realistic schedule of analytical works.


March 07, 2023	GuMED and UG researchers in popular science film	Popular science film on sources and transport of pharmaceuticals to the marine environment, including the European Arctic, environmental fate of drugs and their potential impacts on non-target marine organisms, was released in spring 2023. The movie was shot at laboratories of Medical University of Gdańsk (GuMED) and onboard the University of Gdańsk research vessel r/v “Oceanograf” within the series “Nauka to ludzie” (“Science is people”). Scientific comments describing the aims, implementation and the first results of the PHARMARINE project were given by Dr Anna Hallmann (GuMED) and Dr Katarzyna Smolarz (UG). The film is available at: https://scienceispeople.mug.edu.pl/contamination-of-waters-with-pharmaceuticals/


March 18, 2023	SINTEF researcher in new documentary from Emmy-nominated director	The Emmy-nominated Ian Cheney’s new documentary “The Arc of Oblivion” was presented in Copenhagen during the CPH:DOX film festival where the partner list included Netflix who already streams multiple of Cheney’s other documentaries. The film shows traces humanity leaves behind on our planet. In the film, SINTEF-researcher, Ida Beathe Øverjordet, talks about a research expedition to the Arctic on a search for pharmaceuticals in nature within the PHARMARINE project. Details on the film and the festival can be found at: https://www.sintef.no/en/latest-news/2023/sintef-researcher-in-new-documentary-from-emmy-nominated-director/

April 28, 2023	Shooting promotional film about the PHARMARINE project in Gdańsk and Sopot	Professional film making company from OurStories, Brussels, Belgium, visited Gdańsk and Sopot to make shoots and interviews for promotional film on the PHARMARINE project. The scenes and interviews with researchers from UG (Prof. Magda Caban, Prof. Adam Sokołowski), IO PAN (Dr Sławomir Kwaśniewski) and SINTEF (Dr Ewa Wielogórska) were recorded in chemical laboratory of UG in Gdańsk, onboard the IO PAN research vessel r/v “Oceania” in the Gdańsk harbour and in biological laboratory of IO PAN in Sopot. In addition, original video materials documenting research in the Arctic and underwater work of SCUBA divers were made available to the film makers. The film is planned to be published along with popular-science article in autumn 2023.


April 2023	Quantitative analyses of pharmaceuticals in biological samples completed	Chemical laboratories of UG and SINTEF completed extraction of drugs from biological matrices (UG) and measurements of pharmaceutical concentrations in macrobenthic plants and animals (SINTEF) that were collected in several Arctic fjords during the 2021 sampling campaign onboard r/v “Oceania”. The analytical data were verified and validated. Out of 35 target compounds 16 analytes were quantified, unrevealing novel and interesting geographical and taxonomic patterns. The results obtained will be explored to assess contamination status of the Arctic ecosystem and pharmaceutical trophic transfer in hard-bottom macrobenthic communities.

May 28, 2023	Project dissemination at Fahrenheit Science Picnic „Science with climate” (Piknik Nauki Fahrenheita „Nauka z klimatem”)	PHARMARINE was promoted to public during the Fahrenheit Science Picnic „Science with climate” that was organised by the Fahrenheit Universities and Hevelianum on the Gradowa Hill in Gdańsk on May 28, 2023. The project presented an open stand-up where the picnic visitors had the opportunity to learn about pharmaceutical pollution in the marine environment with particular focus on the Arctic ecosystem. Potential biological effects of human drugs on non-target marine organisms were demonstrated in a form of quizzes and guessing games. The PHARMARINE stand was supported by students from the Student Scientific Association of the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk. Crowds visited the picnic that attracted nearly 5000 guests!


June 17, 2023	PHARMARINE promotion at Sopot Science Picnic „Ocean of changes” (Sopocki Piknik Naukowy „Ocean zmian”)	The outcomes of the PHARMARINE project were promoted during the Sopot Science Picnic „Ocean of changes”, a part of the annual Open Science Days’ that was organised by Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN) in Sopot on June 17, 2023. The event was addressed to all interested in broadening their knowledge on the marine environment and the relationship between human and sea. On the square in front of the Institute various institutions demonstrated their scientific activities. PHARMARINE presented stand up with roll-up, leaflets, dried and preserved specimens of the Arctic fauna and a small water-pool for children. The youngest children were able to colour drawings prepared by hand. The presentation aimed at enhancing public awareness of threat to marine biota, the Arctic in particular, by extensive use and disposal of human pharmaceutical products into the marine environment. The event gathered almost 1000 guests.


August 2023	Exposure of the Arctic fauna to human pharmaceuticals - repeated laboratory experiments	Two marine macrobenthic species, the Iceland scallop Chlamys islandica (Bivalvia) and the gammarid Gammarus oceanicus (Crustacea), were exposed to human pharmaceuticals under laboratory-controlled conditions to assess biological responses of the Arctic fauna to drugs. The experiments were conducted during a short-term research visits of scientists from University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk in Ny Ålesund (Spitsbergen) in August 2023. The bivalves were sampled at one coastal site (water depth 100 m) by the IO PAN research team from onboard r/v Oceania and the crustaceans were collected by hand in the intertidal zone close to the marine laboratory in the Ny-Ålesund Research Station. The scallops were exposed to Carbamazepine (control, 50 ng dm-3 and 1000 ng dm-3) over 7 days and the gammarids were exposed to Carbamazepine (control, 50 ng dm-3 and 1000 ng dm-3) over 4 days, to Ibuprofen (control, 10 ng dm-3, 100 ng dm-3 and 1000 ng dm-3) over 4 days and Ciprofloxacin (control, 10 ng dm-3 and 10 µg dm-3 ) over 4 days. After experiments, samples of tissues and entire organisms were collected, preserved and transported to Poland onboard r/v Oceania.

September, 2023	Shooting promotional film about the PHARMARINE project in Gdańsk	Movie shoots and interviews for promotional film on the PHARMARINE project were completed in Gdańsk by the professional film making company from the National Science Centre. The film is planned to be published in spring 2024.


September 28-30, 2023	Awards for PHARMARINE presentations during international conference (Gdańsk)	Student presentations showing the results of the PHARMARINE project were awarded during the International Interdisciplinary Scientific and Training MUG Conference that was held at the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park in Gdynia, Poland between September 28-30, 2023. The First Prize for Best Poster Presentation was awarded to Julia Lisowska, Aleksandra Bieżuńska and Natalia Kilijan from the Medical University of Gdańsk for poster entitled “Concentrations of purine nucleotides and endogenous metabolites in pharmaceutical-contaminated tissues of the Iceland cockle Ciliatocardium ciliatum and the Arctic sea star Urasterias lincki from the Svalbard fjords” and the Prize for Best Oral Presentation was awarded to Dagmara Leszczyńska from the Medical University of Gdańsk for oral presentation “Optimization of solid-phase microextraction conditions to determine carbamazepine in Chlamys islandica tissue” Congratulations!

December 11–12, 2023		The PHARMARINE annual meeting 2023 was held in an on-line format (using MS Teams platform) between December 11-12, 2023 and gathered 15 participants (researchers, technicians and students) representing all partner institutions from Norway and Poland. During the meeting implementation of the project tasks over the period October 2020 – November 2023 was presented and discussed. The WP leaders made overview of so far activities and showed future plans within different work packages. It has been agreed that implementation of most tasks had complied with project plan in terms of scientific aspects but some tasks required more time and man-power. Amendments to most work packages are therefore not required.


March 20–21, 2024	PHARMARINE final meeting	The PHARMARINE final meeting was organised in a hybrid format (in-person at SINTEF, Trondheim and on-line using MS Teams platform) between March 11-12, 2024. The assembly gathered in total of 21 participants (researchers, technicians, administrative personnel and students) representing all partner institutions from Norway and Poland. During the meeting an overview of implementation of the project tasks and the relevant scientific achievements over the entire implementation period (October 2020 – March 2024) was presented by the leader and team members from each work package (WP). By checking whether the project met the initial and supplementary objectives and goals, evaluation of the project's overall success was made. In addition, the status of the project deliverables was reviewed to ensure all tasks were completed and milestones achieved. Different aspects of the project implementation (e.g., research activities, scientific outcomes, dissemination activities, the work of the Project Management Office, the role of Steering Committee, publication policy and problem resolution) were also discussed. At the end, the Principal Investigator expressed his gratitude to all members of the PHARMARINE team for their enthusiasm and open attitude, involvement in project tasks and common supportive activities. He acknowledged the value of Polish-Norwegian collaboration which not only enhanced bilateral scientific cooperation but has provided numerous added benefits such as exchange of cultural aspects and developing human relations and friendships. The project concluded at the informal joint dinner at the restaurant “Osteria Moderna”.


March 31, 2024	PHARMARINE completed	On March 31, 2024, the implementation of the PHARAMRINE project has been officially completed. Over more than three years, the project initiated a number of state-of-art research activities (e.g., sampling campaigns, laboratory experiments in the Arctic, development of new methods), provided unique empirical data and published novel results. The project outcomes were communicated in the form of 21 oral and poster presentations at eight international conferences and four national conferences, and were promoted at seven science promotion events open to the public at large. PHARMARINE involved a total of 28 Polish researchers and 23 researchers from Norway, including support to as many as 22 young researchers (i.e., BSc student, MSc students, PhD students and interns). The project achievements have been considered by the team members as satisfactory, strengthened human relations and established friendships, all with potential for new common initiatives and future collaboration.