The researchers from Ghent University found that the seabed of the North Sea is covered in thousands of ship and aircraft wrecks, warfare agents, and millions of tons of conventional munition such as shells and bombs.
The wrecks typically contain hazardous substances that may harm the marine environment. Yet there is a lack of information about the location of the wrecks and the effect they might have on the environment.
The hazardous chemicals emanating from one shipwreck on which the research team conducted their experiments were found to be influencing the marine microbiology around it and having a negative effect on the nearby environment.
“The general public is often quite interested in shipwrecks because of their historical value, but the potential environmental impact of these wrecks is often overlooked,” said PhD candidate Josefien Van Landuyt.
For example, it is estimated that World War I and II shipwrecks around the world collectively contain...
