Contact
Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir
Project Manager
kolbrun.sveinsdottir@matis.is
This report is closed.
Author: Kristín Edda Gylfadóttir
Contact
Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir
Project Manager
kolbrun.sveinsdottir@matis.is
This report is closed.
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Contact
Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir
Project Manager
kolbrun.sveinsdottir@matis.is
This report is closed.
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Contact
Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir
Project Manager
kolbrun.sveinsdottir@matis.is
This report is closed.
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Contact
Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir
Project Manager
kolbrun.sveinsdottir@matis.is
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Contact
Georges Lamborelle
Station manager of Matís Aquaculture Research Station
georges@matis.is
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Georges Lamborelle
Station manager of Matís Aquaculture Research Station
georges@matis.is
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Contact
Sophie Jensen
Project Manager
sophie.jensen@matis.is
This report summarizes the results of the monitoring of undesirable substances in the edible part of seafood in 2023. The monitoring began in 2003 with the assistance of the then Ministry of Maritime Affairs, now the Food Ministry, and saw Matís ohf. on collecting data and issuing reports for this systematic monitoring in the period 2003-2012. Due to the lack of funding for this monitoring project, this important data collection as well as the publication of the results was paused in the period 2013-2016. The project started again in March 2017, but due to a lack of funds, it now only covers the monitoring of undesirable substances in the edible part of seafood from the resource intended for human consumption, and not fishmeal and fish oil for feed. For the same reason, chemical analyzes of PAH and PBDE substances are no longer carried out. In 2023, measurements of PFAS substances were added.
The aim of the project is to demonstrate the status of Icelandic seafood in terms of safety and wholesomeness, and that the data can be used in the preparation of food risk assessments to ensure the interests of consumers and public health. The project builds a knowledge base on the amount of unwanted substances in economically important species and marine products, it is defined as a long-term project where expansion and revision are constantly necessary.
In general, the results obtained in 2023 were consistent with previous results from 2003 to 2012 as well as 2017 to 2022. The results showed that Icelandic seafood contains insignificant amounts of persistent organic substances such as dioxins, PCBs and pesticides. in this report, the European Union (EU) maximum levels for dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) and non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) in food according to Regulation no. 2023/915 used to assess how Icelandic seafood meets EU requirements. The results of the year 2023 show that all samples of marine products for human consumption were below the EU maximum values for persistent organic substances and heavy metals. The concentration of so-called ICES6-PCB substances was found to be low in the edible part of seafood, compared to the EU maximum value according to regulation no. 2023/915. Likewise, the results showed that the concentration of heavy metals, eg cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) in Icelandic seafood was always below the EU maximum values. The concentration of PFAS was below the EU maximum value, for all samples except cod roe.
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Contact
Sæmundur Sveinsson
Research Group Leader
saemundurs@matis.is
Objective
Sidalcea is a genus of flowering plants restricted to the west coast of North America, commonly known as checkermallows. Remarkably, of the ~ 30 recognized species, 16 are of conservation concern (vulnerable, imperiled or critically imperiled). To facilitate biological studies in this genus, and in the wider Malvaceae, we have sequenced the whole plastid genome of Sidalcea hendersonii. This will allow us both to check those regions already developed as general Malvaceae markers in a previous study, and to search for new regions.
Results
By comparing the Sidalcea genome to that of Althaea, we have identified a hypervariable approximately 1 kb region in the short single copy region. This region shows promise for examining phylogeographic patterns, hybridization and haplotype diversity. Remarkably, considering the conservation of plastome architecture between Sidalcea and Althaea, the former has a 237 bp deletion in the otherwise highly conserved inverted repeat region. Newly designed primers provide a PCR assay to determine the presence of this indel across the Malvaceae. Screening of previously designed chloroplast microsatellite markers indicates two markers with variation within S. hendersonii that would be useful in future population conservation genetics.
Contact
Björn Þór Aðalsteinsson
Project Manager
bjornth@matis.is
Chapter in Thermophilic Anaerobes (pp.3-19):
In this chapter, the main habitats of thermophiles, their discovery, and ecology are discussed. The focus of the discussion is on natural habitats associated with geothermal activity, their geological origin, and characteristics of different geothermal surface manifestations, including mud pools, solfatara fields, alkaline hot springs, and warm springs. The ecological discussion is primarily focused on strategies that thermophiles utilize to obtain energy.