River research: the international scientists protecting the Danube's delicate ecosystems

The REXDAN project is a multidisciplinary, integrated research initiative aiming to keep the Danube's waters safe from and safe for humans.

Transcript

00:00The Danube is the longest river in the European Union, flowing through 10 countries.

00:07What impact do human activities have on this delicate river ecosystem?

00:11How can its biodiversity be protected?

00:15That's the mission of REXDAN, a multidisciplinary European research project with laboratories

00:20on land and on board this ship, the largest of its kind in continental European waterways.

00:26But what are they measuring?

00:29We measure the quality of the atmosphere up to 15 km.

00:32We measure the quality of water, the quality of biota,

00:35that is, everything that lives from small microscopic things to large animals.

00:40We want to know what's going on here, what are the dangers for the extended ecosystem.

00:53The Danube Delta is a biosphere reserve.

00:56Climate change and human actions are having an impact on the state of its waters,

01:00its sediments and all its ecosystems.

01:04The European REXDAN project brings together specialists like Stefan on land and on the water.

01:11He studies the stress of four sturgeon species, three of which are on the red list.

01:18Nowadays there are many emerging contaminants

01:21and we don't really know which is their effect on the sturgeon.

01:26The goal is to create a complex and integrated analytical framework

01:31which will serve as a decision support tool for the decision makers

01:35to adopt proper solutions for conservation of those species which are endangered.

01:42We're in international waters between Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.

01:46These Romanian researchers are taking samples that are being analysed in the nine laboratories on board the boat

01:52and in the nine other REXDAN laboratories at the UGAL University in Galati.

01:57Here they're studying microplastics.

02:17The European Commission proposes that by 2030,

02:21the pollution with microplastics should be reduced by 30%.

02:25REXDAN's total budget is over 19.5 million euros,

02:2985% of which has been financed by the EU's cohesion policy and 15% by national funds.

02:36Here in Romania alone, the Danube provides water for 6 million people.

02:41This water is life.

02:43With polluted water, life is harder, more complicated and more difficult.

02:48This is what we do.

02:50The impact of the pollution that is happening now will affect people's health in 10 years.