Scientific visits to the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco are a key part of harmonizing analytical protocols. (Photo: E. McDonald/ IAEA)
The IAEA training also helps to harmonize data collection methods, so that data collected in the Galapagos is comparable to data gathered by monitoring programs around the world which helps to develop policy measures.
“Worldwide, NUTEC Plastics partners and members of its Global Marine Monitoring Network are working in a wide variety of marine and coastal environments, so monitoring protocols will vary accordingly,” said Carlos Alonso-Hernandez, an IAEA research scientist and technical officer for NUTEC. “Harmonizing these protocols enables us to compare data globally, which gives countries the whole picture of microplastic pollution.”
