World's Oceans: Opportunities and Challenges Looking Under the Sea

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Background

With around 70% of its surface covered by water, Planet Earth surely warrants the name Planet Ocean. The Earth's oceans are home to a vast subsurface biodiversity offering a wealth of opportunities that remain mostly untapped. In recent years, interest in marine organisms as a renewable and sustainable source of biomolecules with potential biotechnological applications has surged. However, the numerous pollutants found in marine ecosystems, from emergent contaminants like microplastics and nanoparticles to heavy metals and nutrients, all pose a threat to our oceans. The unique, resource-rich coastal and marine biodiversity is in danger of degradation owing to the high population density, the high pollutant load and poor public policies addressing these issues.

terms of emerging opportunities, challenges and constraints, with a view to coordinating efforts towards sustainable development. The particular focus will be on marine organisms as sources of potential pharmacological, food and cosmetic bioactive compounds, aquaculture, renewable energy, sewage treatment mechanisms, soil fertilizers and sea-based biotechnology. We encourage the submission of articles showing the current state of the oceans in terms of pollution, marine biotoxins and marine microplastics and recent research findings and review articles on the impact of human activities on the marine biodiversity.

The Guest Editors encourage the submission of articles with the latest research findings as well as review articles addressing the following topics in relation to marine biodiversity:
• Living marine resources of potential industrial interest: pharmacology, food, bioenergy, aquaculture, wastewater treatment, soil fertilization.
• Sustainable aquaculture: advances in aquaculture practices that minimize the negative environmental impact of this activity or that are beneficial for marine ecosystems.
• Ocean-based biotechnology: application of science and technology to create products and processes from aquatic organisms.
• Ocean pollutants affecting marine biodiversity: biotoxins, toxic compounds, microplastics, heavy metals, nanoparticles, etc.

Keywords: Latin America, marine resources, biomolecules, biotechnology, marine pollution

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