“We care for the water we drink and the air we breathe”
TwinSol-CECs
Twinning for Enhancing the Scientific Excellence of Faculty of Technology novi sad for innovative solutions to protect environmental resources from contaminants of emerging concern
Start Date: 01/08/2022 – End Date: 31/07/2025
Project Leader: Marinella Farré Urgell
Researchers: Marta Llorca Casamayor
Funding: European Project
NEXT
Non-EXhaust emissions from road Transport: Developing cost-effective measures based on impact on air quality, health and the implications of electric vehicles uptake.
During the last two decades, particulate matter (PM) emissions from vehicles exhaust have been reduced progressively (from 80-90% for Europe) to less than 50%, through the implementation of the EUROx (or similar) directives. Non-exhaust emissions instead (which consist of brake/tire/road wear and road dust resuspension), did not decrease or have even growth due to the lack of policies and increase of transport activity, representing now the dominant source of PM from traffic. The growing concern on non-exhaust PM is aggravated by three relevant aspects:
– the expected small benefit posed by electric vehicles penetration.
– the increase of average curb weight of new vehicles, mostly due to the penetration of SUV
– the expected high toxicity related to the oxidative stress induced by transition metals and redox active organics present in non-exhaust PM.
While immediate and long-run actions are needed in order to reduce their adverse effects, the scientific knowledge on non-exhaust emissions is scarce hampering a proper assessment of these emissions from both the technological and policy points of view. This proposal addresses key aspects where an improved scientific knowledge could be directly transferred to policy makers and industry in order to tackle non-exhaust emissions.
Start Date: 05/05/2022 – End Date: 30/04/2024
Project Leader: Fulvio Amato , Angeliki Karanasiou
Funding: National Project
EXaMINA
Characterizing oral exposure to micro- and nanoplastics and their translocation into human gastro-intestinal barriers. EXaMINA.
Nano- and microplastics (NMP) constitute an emerging environmental and health concern. Since plastic has low degradability and long-life, the continued accumulation of NMPs in the environment and their potential impacts on human health has emerged as an urgent planetary health problem. However, the magnitude of human exposure is widely unknown. The assessment of human exposure remains challenging because the analytical methods for NMPs are not fully developed. Human exposure to NMPs can occur through drinking water, food, dermal contact and inhalation.1 However, none of these exposure pathways have been studied in detail yet. EXaMINA proposes to evaluate human exposure to NMPs focusing on the ingestion route and specifically through drinking water.
Funding agency: ANSES (ref: ANSES-21-EST-077)
Start Date: 01/01/2022 – End Date: 31/12/2022
Project Leader: Marinella Farré Urgell
Funding: European Project
FishOnChip
FishOnChip project proposes to use a microfluidic multi-chamber microchip (MIMUC) coupled to a NanoporousElectrode Array (NEAR) chip able to measure transcriptomic responses resulting from multi-cell interactions mimicking toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic processes occurring in the MIMUC.
FishOnChip project aims to use a microfluidic multi-chamber microchip (MIMUC) coupled to a NanoporousElectrode Array (NEAR) chip able to measure transcriptomic responses resulting from multi-cell interactions mimicking toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic processes occurring in the MIMUC. The MIMUC will include different fish cell lines, mimicking the physiological connections between different tissues implicated in the toxicant uptake (gills, gut), the xenobiotic metabolism in liver, and the toxic effects on reproductive organs. Following exposures, selected transcriptomic responses will be measured using a NEAR chip obtained by merging the high throughput multiplexing capacity of microelectrode arrays with the unmet sensitivity of nano- biosensors, functionalized with custom cDNA probes for direct mRNA detection. This will allow for a risk assessment of chemicals based on transcriptomic responses of key genes linked to molecular initiating and key events selected across existing adverse outcome pathways (AOPs). We will first develop a simple MIMUC and the NEAR chip technology as a proof-of-concept, that could be scalable to more complex devices incorporating multi cell culture layers, 3D cell cultures and denser electrode arrays. Transcriptomic effects will be complemented with cell hallmarks of toxicity linked to cell viability, proliferation (growth) and reproduction. Validation of cell-based responses will be based on in silico analyses of existing AOPs, for specific reproductive effects using the placenta cell line JEG-3 – an established endocrine model, and for some mode of actions using Daphnia magna toxicogenomic assays.
Start Date: 01/01/2022 – End Date: 20/06/2022
Project Leader: Carlos Barata Martí
Researchers: Cinta Porte Visa , Benjamí Piña Capó , Demetrio Raldúa Pérez , Laia Navarro Martín , Gemma López Llaó
Funding: International Project
NANOHEALTH
Reducing nanoparticle exposures in industrial workplaces
The main objective of the LIFE NANOHEALTH project is to reduce occupational exposure to process-generated nanoparticles from permanently releasing industrial processes by optimising the performance of Risk Management Measures in indoor exposure scenarios. The aim is to clearly define the levels of concentration and risks posed by process-generated nanoparticles generated in industrial processes, as well as develop models for simulating the dispersion of these particles in indoor air and draw up engineering measures for minimising process-generated nanoparticles in industrial environments.
The project will contribute to meeting EU legislation on the health and safety of workers regarding the risk of nanomaterials at work in a cost-effective way, providing policymakers, authorities, professionals, and workers with a set of tools and technologies that will offer adequate solutions for addressing these risks.
LIFE Programme: LIFE20 ENV/ES/000187
Start Date: 01/01/2022 – End Date: 31/12/2024
Researchers: Mar Viana Rodríguez
Funding: European Project
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/details/5727
REMAR
Reactive barriers for water renaturalization during managed aquifer recharge in the Baix Camp region
The overall goal of REMAR is to demonstrate the feasibility of a nature-based MAR technology to remove CECs, pathogens and microplastics and to reduce ARGs from treated wastewater to re-naturalize it, and thus increase the reserves of water for various uses. The basic concept is to supplement Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) with a reactive barrier (rbMAR) to create a broad range of sorption sites to retain solutes and colloids, while adding organic carbon to favour a sequence of redox states to promote degradation of recalcitrant compounds. This should allow not only water quality to improve beyond standards for water reuse (like the recent European Parliament Decision of 13 May 2020), but also to replenish aquifers and improve ecosystem status in a safe way.
The demo site is the Cambrils WWTP (Tarragona, Spain). Hopefully, the method will be applicable throughout Med countries, including also other regions of Spain.
Funding: LIFE programme of the European Union
Start Date: 01/12/2021 – End Date: 30/11/2025
Project Leader: Silvia Díaz Cruz
Researchers: Gerard Quintana López
Funding: European Project
FIRE-RES
Innovative technologies and socio-ecological-economic solutions for fire resilient territories in Europe
Extreme wildfire events (EWE) are becoming a major environmental, economic and social threat in Southern Europe and increasingly gaining importance elsewhere in Europe. As the limits of fire suppression-centered strategies become evident, practitioners, researchers and policymakers increasingly recognise the need to develop novel approaches that shift emphasis to the root causes and impacts of EWE, moving towards preventive landscape and community management for greater resilience. FIRE-RES integrates existing research, technology, civil protection, policy and governance spheres related to wildfires to innovate processes, methods and tools to effectively promote the implementation of a more holistic fire management approach and support the transition towards more resilient landscapes and communities to EWE.
Grant agreement ID: 101037419
Funding: EU H2020
Start Date: 01/12/2021 – End Date: 30/11/2025
Researchers: Mar Viana Rodríguez , Barend L. van Drooge , Stefan Platikanov , Aurelio Tobías Garces , Andrés Alastuey Urós
Funding: European Project
https://fire-res.eu/
COGNITOX
Biological organisms are chronically exposed to low concentrations of neuroactive chemicals, including pharmaceutical compounds. This is especially dramatic in water due to the input of both diffuse and on-site specific contaminant sources for wastewater treatment effluents, which are the main contaminant source of these chemicals. Furthermore, drinking water is one of the main routes of chemical exposure (apart from occupational exposure), where epidemiological approaches have shown causal links between chemical intoxications and neurological related effects in humans. There is a need for both human and environmental health risk assessment to predict sublethal chronic neurotoxic effects of chemicals. COGNITOX project aims to identify hazardous neuroactive chemicals in real samples using the existing behavioural toolbox implemented with new behavioural assays to detect an extensive number of neuroactive chemicals. The project will also allow to relate the chemical fingerprints detected by targeted and non-targeted procedures with behavioral and metabolomics responses using state-of-the-art passive sampling and chemical analyses, chemometric and multivariate data analyses, working with model organisms, such as zebra fish and Daphnia.
Grant PID2020-113371RB-C21 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
Start Date: 01/12/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2023
Project Leader: Demetrio Raldúa Pérez , Carlos Barata Martí
Funding: National Project
VideoAquaLAB
We are currently living in the so-called chemosphere, surrounded by chemical compunds that may have important repercussions in the ecosystems or in the pollution of water resources, even affect seriously human health (risk of cancer, allergies or disruption of the hormonal system or effects in the nervous system). Neuroactive compounds are of particular concern since they are widely present in common products such as pesticides, medicines or industrial products and they are known to play a fundamental role in serious diseases. VideoAquaLab project aims to evaluate the effects of neuroactive products on living organisms, using model organisms, such as zebra fish (by the response of adults models to vibrational stimuli) and Daphnia (with phototaxis). The results can be directly extrapolated to other living organism including humans. This project is a collaboration with IRI-CSIC, who will be in charge of automation and software development of the experiments, using a high-speed Photron Fastcam Mini UX100 (Photron USA Inc., San Diego, CA, USA), with a Sigma 50 mm F1.4 DG lens and recording at 1280 × 1280 pixel resolution and 1000 frames per second (fps) for zebra fish, and a software to measure the vertical phototactic response of Daphnia to light, which mimics natural conditions of zooplankton vertical migration.
Grant PDC2021-120754-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and European Union Next GenerationEU/ PRTR
Start Date: 01/12/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2023
Project Leader: Demetrio Raldúa Pérez , Carlos Barata Martí
Funding: National Project
Uncovering the importance of the interaction between VOCs and rainwater
A novel and innovative approach integrating technologies to quantify the role of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in rainwater
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can directly influence in the physio-chemical characteristics of rainwater, since VOC dissolve into rain drops. This process can have important implications at ecosystem scale, since these chemically altered raindrops can alter soil and freshwater acidity, as well as the nutrient content, consequently affecting forest and crop productivity, surface water chemical composition and biodiversity loss. Therefore, I propose a novel and innovative approach integrating technologies to quantify the role of VOCs in rainwater. This project is aimed to design and construct an automatic rainwater VOC sampler prototype to be deployed for 1 year at a Mediterranean forest. Laboratory plant and soil experiments will also be performed to explore the effects of chemically modified rainwater in the ecosystems at the process level. At last, an integrated assessment and review will be performed to assess the impacts of VOCs in rainwater at a landscape and regional level.
Funded by: La Caixa Foundation Junior Leader Retaining fellowship
Start Date: 01/11/2021 – End Date: 30/11/2024
Project Leader: Ana María Yáñez Serrano
Funding: National Project
ConfortMask
Proyecto científico-tecnológico “Investigación y desarrollo de filtros tipo EPI y de estándares de caracterización para mascarillas faciales de alta capacidad filtrante, seguras para la salud y con propiedades anticongestivas, balsámicas y ergonómicas”
Proyecto estratégico del sector de la salud y el bienestar para la investigación de nuevas mascarillas faciales protectoras y funcionalizadas de tipo equipos de Protección Individual (EPI). Con este proyecto, se pretende desarrollar y fabricar mascarillas protectoras por su rango de filtración y respirabilidad, funcionalizadas con aceites esenciales balsámicos y anticongestivos, y ergonómicas adaptando el diseño de la mascarilla según las bases de datos de antropometría y ergonomía que el IBV pondrá al servicio del proyecto. A día de hoy, el mercado de las mascarillas no dispone de productos que sean cómodos durante largos periodos de tiempo a la par que eficientes en cuanto a la protección del usuario contra viruses como el SARS-CoV-2. De igual modo, la normativa de mascarillas actual tampoco dispone ni de protocolos de medida del confort del usuario durante largos periodos de usabilidad ni de la seguridad en cuanto a la composición química de los materiales empleados (como puedan ser compuestos volátiles y nanopartículas cancerígenas).
IDI-20210547
Start Date: 01/05/2021 – End Date: 30/04/2022
Project Leader: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag
Researchers: Teresa Moreno Pérez , Sandra Callejas Martos , Rafael Bartrolí Solé
Funding: National Project
Biological dynamics of CO2 in classrooms given the current context of climate change and pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (CoViD-19 disease)
The project studies how the natural ventilation required during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic influences air quality in classrooms, in line with the recommendations of the guide published by CSIC (https://www.ciencia.gob.es/stfls/MICINN/Ministerio/FICHEROS/Guia_para_ventilacion_en_aulas_CSIC_v4.pdf). CO2, PM2.5 and NO2 are measured in different classrooms of urban and rural schools of Barcelona province during 2021 and placed into the context of anthropogenic climate change concerning seasonal variation of CO2, temperature, humidity, wind speed-direction, precipitation and surrounding vegetation cover.
SINERGIA Project (Severo Ochoa)
Start Date: 01/01/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2021
Project Leader: Natalia Moreno Palmerola , Belen Martrat
Researchers: Jordi López Fernández
Funding: National Project
Caucho granulado y contaminación atmosférica: un aspecto medioambiental del reciclaje de neumáticos
El fin último de este estudio es continuar ampliando nuestro conocimiento sobre la calidad del aire que respiramos en diferentes ambientes. Hasta la fecha no se ha realizado ningún estudio tan detallado sobre exposición a material de neumáticos reciclados en ambientes tan sensibles como parques infantiles o pistas deportivas. Este conocimiento debe transferirse no solo a las autoridades pero especialmente al ciudadano. La colaboración entre la Fundación ACS y el CSIC continuará divulgando resultados y mostrando a todos la necesidad de realizar estos estudios y el beneficio social que producen.
Entidad financiadora: Fundación ACS
Start Date: 01/12/2020 – End Date: 01/12/2021
Project Leader: Teresa Moreno Pérez
Funding: National Project
MixUQ
Quantification of mixing and dynamic uncertainty for transport in heterogeneous porous media
Natural and engineered porous systems exhibit heterogeneity across several spatial scales leading to complex flow fields with strong fluctuations. We here propose to predict mixing within a unified framework which leverage on the lamellar description of transport and capture the early and late time impact of fluctuations.
Start Date: 16/09/2020 – End Date: 15/09/2021
Project Leader: Marco Dentz
Funding: European Project
COPEPOBIOME
Effect of pollution on marine environmental DNA and copepod-associated microbiome
The aim of this project is to study the effects of environmental relevant concentrations of pollutants on marine environmental DNA (eDNA) and copepod-associated microbiome composition across a longitudinal and latitudinal oceanic transect.The field work will be performed taking advantage of the trans-oceanic surveillance project to study the concentrations, dynamics and effects of contaminants present in the upper ocean (atmosphere-surface water and plankton).
Start Date: 01/06/2020 – End Date: 31/05/2021
Project Leader: Carlos Barata Martí , Maria Vila Costa , Claudia Sanz Lanzas
Funding: National Project
Evaluación de la presencia y de la eficiencia de desinfección de SARS-CoV-2 en superficies y aire de autobuses de transporte público
Se pretende determinar la carga vírica en el aire y en superficies en autobuses del transporte público, y proponer actuaciones para minimizar las posibilidades de infección en su interior, añadidas a las actuales obligaciones de uso de mascarillas. Así mismo se pretende comprobar el efecto de las posibles acciones a implementar en la reducción de la probabilidad de contagio tanto en aire como superficies.
En este proyecto tratamos de evaluar y aplicar-optimizar unos mínimos para reducir al máximo posible el contagio. Estamos ante un problema general de transporte metropolitano y si consensuamos acciones apropiadas según lo expuesto serán de gran interés no solo para las empresas de transporte sino evidentemente para la población en general.
Funding: CSIC (COVID funding) and TMB
Start Date: 04/05/2020 – End Date: 03/05/2021
Project Leader: Teresa Moreno Pérez
Researchers: Xavier Querol Carceller , Andrés Alastuey Urós , Natalia Moreno Palmerola , María Cruz Minguillón
Funding: National Project
INCSA
Inorganic nanoparticles and commercial sunscreens in Antarctica: fate and effects on natural microbial communities
Due to its remoteness and extreme weather conditions, Antarctica has remained as the “last untouched wilderness”. Today, around 50,000 people (tourists, scientists) visit Antarctica annually. Associated with the growth of human presence is the use of sunscreens. The proposed project seeks to deepen our understandings of the relationships between emerging organic and inorganic UV filters and the functioning of key microbial communities in Antarctica.
Funding: Instituto Antártico Chileno (INACH). Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Chile)
Start Date: 01/02/2020 – End Date: 01/02/2022
Project Leader: Silvia Díaz Cruz
Funding: International Project
AiguaBCN
El proyecto AiguaBCN construirá un mapa con las concentraciones de los contaminantes emergentes presentes en el agua de consumo de Barcelona y servirá para estudiar sus efectos sobre la salud.
Medirá estos contaminantes emergentes en el agua potable de la ciudad de Barcelona y creará un mapa de concentraciones. Para hacerlo, tomará muestras de agua del grifo de 42 hogares (uno por código postal), de modo que quede representada la geografía de la ciudad.
Cuantificará la contribución del agua potable a la dosis interna de PFASs y HAAs recogiendo muestras de orina de 42 personas voluntarias residentes en los puntos de muestreo de agua del grifo.
Evaluará la neurotoxicidad del agua del grifo mediante ensayos in vitro y cuantificará la contribución de PFASs, BPA, NP, HAAs, clorado y clorito a la neurotoxicidad in vitro de muestras de agua potable.
Funding: El proyecto está financiado por el Ayuntamiento de Barcelona y la Fundación ”la Caixa” (Plan de Ciencia de Barcelona), y está coordinado por ISGlobal junto con el Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua (IDAEA-CSIC) y la Universidad Rovira i Virgili. También cuenta con la colaboración del Instituto Catalán de Investigación del Agua (ICRA) y el Centro de Investigación Ambiental de Helmholtz (UFZ), Alemania.
Start Date: 01/01/2020 – End Date: 31/10/2021
Project Leader: Cintia Flores Rubio
Funding: Regional Project
ACUISTAR
ACUISTAR plantea varias estrategias para la valorización de las estrellas de mar, que están generando problemas en los ecosistemas marinos de las cosas de Galicia. Actualmente son el principal depredador de moluscos bivalvos, suponiendo un gran problema en cuanto a la explotación del mejillón, la almeja o la navaja. Los cambios en la temperatura y salinidad del mar ocasionados en parte por el cambio climático, así como la disminución en la cantidad de fitoplancton del que se alimentarían los bivalvos, ocasionan un desequilibrio en el ecosistema que culmina también con la proliferación de estrellas de mar. La valorización de este recurso marino, principal objetivo de este estudio, daría lugar al desarrollo de planes de explotación racionales que tendrían como resultado la disminución de la superpoblación de estrellas, contribuyendo al mantenimiento de la sostenibilidad de los ecosistemas marinos costeros en los que se alojan las zonas de producción marisqueras.
Funded: Ministerio de Transición Ecológica
El proyecto cuenta con un consorcio multidisciplinar formado por 30 entidades de Galicia y Cataluña, mayoritariamente ligadas al ámbito de la pesca y acuicultura, apoyadas por entidades de otros campos.
Start Date: 01/10/2019 – End Date: 31/10/2021
Project Leader: Sergi Díez Salvador
Funding: National Project
https://www.proyectoacuistar.es/
MARadentro
Managed aquifer recharge: addressing the risks of recharging regenerated water
Severe shortage in good quality water reserves is a global problem that will increase with a growing world population. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) will contribute to replenish depleted aquifers. However, there are risks associated to the occurrence of pathogens and emerging pollutants in groundwater. MARadentro aims to assess and minimize these risks, and to increase the benefits of MAR guaranteeing human health and environment protection through the development of affordable and effective permeable reactive layers. The transfer of the knowledge to policy makers will also help in EU regulation on MAR.
Funding: Water JPI (Horizon2020-JPI) + MINECO