Within the scope of the "Integrated Marine Pollution Monitoring Project" supported by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, oceanographic studies were carried out in the Black Sea between July 1 -11, 2015 with the R/V TÜBİTAK Marmara Research vessel.
The aim of the project is to monitor the pollution and its effects and biological quality status in all our seas, including the Black Sea, Marmara Sea and Straits, Mediterranean and Aegean Sea, and to form the basis for determining/reviewing national marine and coastal management policies and strategies and monitoring the effects of the measures taken.

The project started in 2014 and the 3rd Black Sea expedition was carried out between July 1 -11, 2015. In our Black Sea field study, CTD device physical parameter measurements were made in 81 stations starting from İğneada to Hopa. Seawater samples were taken from different depths at all stations and sediment samples were taken at 12 stations to measure organic pollutants and heavy metals. Phytoplankton and benthic samples were taken at 20 stations to monitor the biological quality status. In addition, radioactivity sampling was carried out at 6 stations and microplastic studies were carried out at 2 sites. By looking at pollutants and biological parameters, the situation in marine waters will be determined and quality classification will be made. Based on the quality classification, the situation in coastal water bodies will be determined.
Within the scope of the project, oceanographic studies in the Marmara Sea are planned to be carried out between July 27 and August 7, 2015, in the Aegean Sea between August 10 and 20, 2015, and in the Mediterranean Sea between August 15, 2015 and September 15, 2015.