Department of Marine Chemistry

Research tasks

Which new contaminants are emerging in the Baltic Sea? What happens to plastic in the marine environment? What role do coastal seas play today and in the future as sources and sinks of climate-relevant gases? Can the success of international measures to protect the Baltic Sea already be detected? And how do methods need to be further developed to enable reliable assessments of changes in a highly variable system such as the Baltic Sea?
These are just some of the questions addressed by the Department of Marine Chemistry at IOW.

We investigate how chemical substances and elements are distributed, transported, and transformed in the marine environment – and what significance these processes have for the environment. A particular focus is placed on coastal seas. In the Baltic Sea, all working groups within Marine Chemistry are active in research on different aspects of these research questions.

Our research focuses on natural and anthropogenic constituents of seawater, including environmentally relevant gases, nutrients, inorganic and organic carbon compounds, organic contaminants, and microplastics. We investigate where these substances occur, how they change, and how they are transported through the marine ecosystem.

We primarily study the water column, suspended particulate matter, and sediments, but also the atmosphere. Particular attention is given to very shallow coastal areas and the land–sea continuum, with our research closely embedded within the Shallow Water Processes research cluster (S2B).

To identify changes across space and time, we rely on long-term observations and advanced measurement techniques. The Department participates in the Baltic Sea Long-Term Observation Programme and in the implementation of European infrastructures such as Euro-Argo and ICOS. At the same time, we continuously develop and advance chemical analytical methods, oceanographic infrastructure, and sensor technology. Precise and innovative measurement approaches are essential for reliably detecting changes in highly variable coastal seas.

Our goal is to identify and quantify material fluxes, detect long-term changes in chemical variables, and understand and quantitatively describe the underlying biogeochemical processes. In doing so, we provide important foundations for the modelling of marine ecosystems.

A central question connects many of our research activities: How are climate change and human activities altering the biogeochemical functioning of the oceans? To understand these changes, we combine observations, experiments, measurement techniques, and modelling, working closely with researchers from other disciplines.

This interdisciplinary approach is a defining feature of the Department of Marine Chemistry. Our research contributes to all research areas of IOW and helps to improve our understanding of changes in the Baltic Sea and other coastal seas – providing a sound scientific basis for assessing and documenting their development.