Hazard Assessment of Marine Mixtures and New Pollutant Synergies

HARMONY addresses the cumulative threats of chemical pollution, emerging contaminants, marine litter, and climate change on marine ecosystems and human health. The novelty of the approach is the dual benefit offered by both advancing scientific understanding of the marine exposome and providing actionable knowledge to support sustainable management. It directly addresses these urgent issues through robust, innovative and mixture-based approaches to clarify and predict the cumulative impacts of various types of marine pollutants on organisms, ecosystems and ultimately human health, including their interactions with climate-related stressors. With this aim, the project will develop and apply unique analytical tools, effect-based methods, biosensors and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven predictive models, focusing on pollutant mixtures, bioaccumulation, biomagnification and toxicity pathways across multiple biological levels and species. Field validation across eight EU and Indian pilot sites enables context-specific risk assessments and strengthens EU–India scientific cooperation through joint research, data sharing, and co-development of innovative tools. The integration with environmental economics and business models will aim to promote the zero-pollution vision through training, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder engagement, reaching early-career researchers, policymakers, and civil society. Alignment with EU–India joint research priorities and policy is pursued via co-developed indicators, dashboards, and policy briefs, enhancing implementation of environmental strategies and international marine governance.