Ecotoxicology of Polymetallic Nodule Seabed Mining: The Effects of Cobalt and Nickel on Phytoplankton Growth and Pigment Concentration.

In order to improve the understanding of the environmental impacts of polymetallic nodule mining, ecotoxicological studies were conducted on the growth of model phytoplankton species and using cobalt and nickel. This study evaluated various physiological and ecological indicators, such as cell proliferation, chlorophyll , pigments, total protein, and antioxidant enzyme markers. The results show that the introduction of low amounts of cobalt or nickel increased the growth rate of phytoplankton.

Simulation Experiment of Environmental Impact of Deep-Sea Mining: Response of Phytoplankton Community to Polymetallic Nodules and Sediment Enrichment in Surface Water.

In this paper, simulation experiments were conducted to study the response of phytoplankton biomass and community composition to the influence of polymetallic nodules and sediment at four stations in the western Pacific in 2021. Chlorophyll , pico-phytoplankton cell abundance, and metal concentration were measured before and after 24 h of deck incubation. The results show that there were three different patterns of response, namely, restrained, stimulated, and unaffected patterns.