To study the pathways and fate of marine contaminants, such as anthropogenic hydrocarbons, marine litter (including plastics), heavy metals, HNSs, POPs, radionuclides, PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and other pollutants, researchers widely use oceanographic monitoring, modeling, and laboratory experiments. This session explores in situ and remote monitoring approaches, including satellite observations, aerial and marine drones, laboratory studies, computational tools, and digital applications (web- and mobile-based) to understand the distribution and impact of marine pollutants at various scales. It also welcomes emerging citizen science initiatives that help track pollution sources and validate remote observations, as well as transdisciplinary studies highlighting broader impacts on ecosystem services and related socioeconomic aspects affecting communities. Solicited topics include new and varied monitoring protocols, toxicity testing, ensemble and multi-model simulations, machine learning, and AI-based approaches.

Marine pollution and its effects on ecosystems continue to pose serious challenges for the sustainable management of coastal and open-ocean areas. Thus, studies linking marine pollution to broader ecosystem stressors, such as climate change and environmental degradation, are especially welcome. The growing human impact on the Arctic Ocean, driven by melting polar ice, underscores the need to understand the fate of marine pollutants in ice-covered waters. This session aims to answer key questions: What do we know about marine pollution sources? Which factors influence the dispersion of pollutants in the aquatic environment? What happens to contaminants in the water column, sediments, and at the sea surface? How do marine pollutants interact with biota?

The impact of other environmental stressors, such as artificial light, noise, and thermal pollution, on marine ecosystem resilience is also an important topic for discussion.