Estuarine ecosystems

"The tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream."

Estuaries are an irreplaceable natural resource that must be managed carefully for the mutual benefit of all who enjoy and depend on them.​My research interests in estuarine ecosystems allow me to contribute to with a better knowledge of these areas, which supports a wide range of human activities and values, at the level of trace metal contamination, with an emphasis on mercury, through biogeochemistry studies of the metal cycle, its sources, toxicological effects, transport and fate and what are the impacts at the environmental level.

As a Environmental Biogeochemist, my main research interests are in salt marsh areas once these ecosystems are of vital importance due to the high biological productivity, hydrological flux regulation, biogeochemical cycling of metals and habitat for wildlife. Moreover, these coastal areas are becoming more vulnerable according to several climate change scenarios that predict marsh degradation due to sea level rise or long periods of droughts. This degradation may induce mercury remobilization, potentially impacting the surrounding aquatic systems.