In order to assess the toxic risks of manganese nodule mining for the benthic fauna, a comprehensive ecotoxicological study will be carried out.

A holistic approach using geochemical and biological methods will be chosen, integrating results on laboratory experiments under atmospheric pressure and under high pressure (>100 bar), physico-chemical speciation of metals, concentration of bioaccumulated potentially toxic metals in organs and tissues of key organisms, biomarker investigations. The aim is to specify risks and identify suitable monitoring strategies