“We care for the water we drink and the air we breathe”
H2-BR
Biohydrogen production and bioremediation
H2-BR aims to develop efficient microbial electrocatalytic cells (MEC) for the simultaneous production of hydrogen, compound with the highest specific energy density of any known fuel, and the bioremediation of marine waters and sediments affected by organic pollutants. This is a multidisciplinary project, where cutting-edge technology will be combined for the nanotechnological development of high-performance electrolyzers with molecular techniques for the characterization of microbial communities and analytical techniques for evaluating the efficiency of bioremediation.
Funding: Proyectos de Transición Ecológica y Digital 2021, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. TED2021-132070B-C22
Start Date: 01/01/2023 – End Date: 31/12/2024
Project Leader: Maria Vila Costa , Jordi Dachs Marginet
Researchers: Naiara Berrojalbiz Castrillejo
Funding: National Project
UPWATER
Understanding groundwater Pollution to protect and enhance WATERquality
Groundwater plays a key role in providing water supplies and livelihoods to respond the pronounced water scarcity. Groundwater pollution is a widespread worldwide problem. The scientific and technological goals of the UPWATER project are:
-To provide scientific knowledge on identification, occurrence and fate of pollutants in the groundwater with cost-efficient sampling methods based on passive samplers.
-To develop sources apportionment methods to identify and quantify the pollution sources.
-To validate and assess the performance of bio-based engineered natural treatment systems designed as mitigation solutions.
The monitoring and mitigation solutions will be validated in 3 case studies (Denmark, Greece and Spain), representing different climate conditions and a combination of rural, industrial and urban pollution sources. Expected outcomes include amongst others updating the EU chemical priority lists, scaling-up the pilot bio-based solutions to demonstration scale, the adoption of some preventive measures in the case studies and the close-to-market development of the passive sampling devices.
Start Date: 01/11/2022 – End Date: 30/11/2024
Project Leader: Enric Vázquez Suñé
Researchers: Sandra Pérez Solsona , Víctor Matamoros Mercadal , Sergi Díez Salvador , Sílvia Lacorte Bruguera , Eike Marie Thaysen
Funding: European Project
Be Plastic Free
Fes el Canvi, Be Plastic Free
The "Fes el Canvi, Be Plastic Free" project is a citizen science project, which consists of the assessment and social awareness of human exposure to chemical compounds added to plastics, the plasticizers, through the participation of students aged 12 to 16 from Escola Solc in Barcelona. The starting point is to evaluate the amount of these plasticizer additives to which their bodies are exposed by wearing a bracelet for 24 hours and taking of a urine sample. In this way, the incorporation of inhaled and ingested plasticizer compounds is made visible and related to the daily life habits of the students. Once the results are obtained, several co-creative workshops will be held to reduce the use and exposure to plasticizing chemical compounds from plastics.
"Fes el canvi, Be Plastic Free" is presented as a collaborative project between the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), the Solc School, and the Zero Waste BCN organization.
This project has as an innovative element the fact that the students do not only provide and analyze data but are their own subjects of scientific study, also contributing to co-creating activities and dynamics to reduce the use of plastic materials.
Funded by the Barcelona City Council:
Convocatòria de subvencions per al desenvolupament de projectes en el marc de l’emergència climàtica de la ciutat de Barcelona 2022(22S06957-001)
Start Date: 01/11/2022 – End Date: 31/10/2023
Project Leader: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag
Researchers: Sandra Callejas Martos
Support: Ana Sotres Fernández , Alejandro Rodríguez Bermejo , Alicia Arroyo
Funding: Regional Project
EPIBOOST
BOOSting excellence in environmental EPIgenetics (EPIBOOST) joins a widening partner and two internationally-leading partners that will steer a solid capacitation strategy towards tackling the challenges to the recently proposed uptake of epigenomics by Environmental Assessment frameworks. Capacitation activities cover for 5 specific objectives. The 1st is to optimize research protocols, enhancing the practical skills and research profile of the Widening partner for the development of excellent Science in the field of environmental epigenetics. The 2nd objective is focused on the seeding of the talent that will sustain the European critical mass at the best world-class standards in the field, through the organization of several training events (advanced courses, summer schools and short courses in scientific meetings) targeting young EU researchers. The 3rd and 4th objectives regard the absolute need of a capacitated science management and administrative support to effectively grow world-class research in the field. The fifth addresses network growing and will be achieved through a systematic strategy for involving international flagship experts in capacitation activities and stakeholders in the project, which will strengthen the Consortium for new research and innovation ventures.
Start Date: 01/10/2022 – End Date: 30/09/2025
Project Leader: Laia Navarro Martín
Researchers: Benjamí Piña Capó
Support: Marta Casado Belloso , Alicia Arroyo
Funding: European Project
https://epiboost.web.ua.pt/
FOCI
FOCI Project on „Non-CO2 Forcers and Their Climate, Weather, Air Quality and Health Impacts“.
The main goal of the new EC Horizon Europe project FOCI is to assess the impact of key radiative forcers other than CO2, where and how they arise, the processes of their impact on the climate system, to find and test an efficient implementation of these processes into global Earth System Models and into Regional Climate Models coupled with Chemistry Transport Models.
To constrain numerical sensitivity simulations a long-term comprehensive observational dataset of different climate-relevant species will be compiled using available information from a suite of observational networks/programmes/infrastructures such as GAW, ACTRIS, AERONET, EARLINET, among others.
Call: HORIZON-CL5-2021-D1-01-0
Start Date: 01/09/2022 – End Date: 31/08/2026
Project Leader: Marco Pandolfi
Researchers: Andrés Alastuey Urós , Xavier Querol Carceller
Support: Jordi Rovira Carpi
Funding: European Project
Plastic Pirates Go Europe!
Plastic Pirates is a European project led by Germany’s DLR Projektträger and funded by the European Union Commission within the Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters by 2023 program
Educational centers from Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Germany and Slovenia participate in the Plastic Pirates initiative.
The objectives of Plastic Pirates are:
- involve young people in research projects and train them in the scientific procedures of taking, analyzing and interpreting data
- involve young people in research projects to raise awareness of environmental degradation and promote environmental preservation values
- expand the data on the presence of plastic waste in European aquatic ecosystems,
- improve scientific understanding and knowledge
- help develop systematic solutions for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of marine and river pollution, especially by plastics
Involved partners in Spain: Universidad de Burgos and Centre Tecnològic BETA (UVic-UCC) – coordinators in Spain.
Funding agency: European Union Commission within the Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters by 2023 program
Start Date: 01/09/2022 – End Date: 30/08/2023
Project Leader: Marinella Farré Urgell , Marta Llorca Casamayor
Support: Xavier Borrell Díaz
Funding: European Project
https://www.plastic-pirates.eu/en
MIQAS
Microbiomes as integrative indicators of the impact of organic pollutants in water quality
MIQAS will explore global indicators of chemical pollution by using microbial bioindicators as new efficient methods of assessing water quality and organic pollution impacts.
Funding: Convocatoria 2021 - «Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento», Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. PID2021-128084OB-I00
Start Date: 01/09/2022 – End Date: 31/08/2025
Project Leader: Maria Vila Costa , Benjamí Piña Capó
Support: Núria Trilla Prieto , Mapis Losada Carrillo , Claudia Sanz Lanzas , Naiara Berrojalbiz Castrillejo , Marta Casado Belloso
Funding: National Project
Hydrochemical coupled processes affecting contaminants of emerging concern in urban groundwater
Freshwater resources are suffering increasing pressure in urban areas due to several factors, such as growing population and climate change. Urban aquifers are an alternative to obtain freshwater, but they are commonly polluted by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, etc.). The research challenge that this research will answer is: Are CECs a water management challenge as they might limit the use of groundwater as safe drinking-water in urban areas? To answer this question, the understanding of the behaviour of CECs in groundwater at field scale is required. CECs’ behaviour is controlled by occurrence of the coupled hydro-chemical processes in the subsurface; which has been mainly studied at laboratory scale, missing the complex hydrochemical conditions inherent to urban aquifers. In groundwater, the attenuation of CECs seems to occur mainly through microbial degradation, because adsorption is reversible and only retards their transport. Biodegradation of some CECs is a redox-dependent process; however, the redox state of urban groundwater is not described in many CECs field-scale investigations.
The aim of this project is: the quantification of the hydrochemical processes affecting CECs in urban aquifers at field scale paying special attention to redox conditions. The study of these coupled processes is necessary for a sustainable management of groundwater in urban areas. This project will open new research avenues and will significantly advance on the state-of-art of this relevant topic, which will be transferable to worldwide urban areas suffering from water scarcity.
Funding: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and CSIC
Start Date: 05/08/2022 – End Date: 04/08/2024
Project Leader: Anna Jurado Elices
Researchers: Olha Nikolenko
Funding: National Project
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
Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) include numerous chemicals that are not subjected to routine monitoring or emission control, but pose a global threat due to potential negative impact on the environment and human health. Surveillance of CECs and improvement of removal technologies are aligned with the European Green Deal commitment to become climate-neutral by 2050 and support a toxic free environment. The EU-funded TwiNSol-CECs project enhances the capacity of the Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, Serbia, in CEC research through twinning with two of the leading western European research institutions in this area.
Surveillance of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) has important role in protection of both humans and the environmental resources, which is a goal in compliance to the European Green Deal (EGD) commitment for transition of EU to zero-pollution, toxic free environment. However, there is a significant gap between countries and regions in terms of the scientific and innovative capacities needed to tackle the challenge that CECs in the environmental compartments present.
Overall objective of TwiNSol-CECs is to raise scientific and innovation excellence of the Faculty of Technology Novi Sad (TFNS), Serbia, in various aspects of the CECs research, integrated in broader EU networks of excellence, and contributing to national and regional scientific and economic growth and well-being. Specific TwiNSol-CECs objectives are: 1. Stepping up the excellence of the TFNS scientific capacity and resources in field of the wide-range CECs’ surveillance and innovative removal technologies, contributing to the stronger R&I system in Serbia and WBs integrated in the EU networks of excellence, 2. Intensification of strategic networking activities of TFNS with 2 top-class leading research institutions at EU level: Spanish National Research Council, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (CSIC), Spain, and NOVA University Lisbon, NOVA School of Science and Technology (UNL), Portugal, 3. Raising reputation, research profile and attractiveness of TFNS and its staff, 4. Strengthening the research management and administration skills of TFNS, and 5. Improving the TFNS creativity in new R&I approaches for the CECs’ wide range surveillance and removal with increasing mobility of qualified scientists.
The project represents a coherent set of knowledge-, skills-, experience-, and awareness- raising activities, dissemination, communication, networking, coordination, etc. for successful achieving of the project objectives.
Funded by the European Union. Grant agreement ID: 101059867
Coordinator: TFNS
Start Date: 01/08/2022 – End Date: 31/07/2025
Project Leader: Marinella Farré Urgell
Researchers: Marta Llorca Casamayor , Sandra Pérez Solsona , Olga Gómez Navarro , Nicola Montemurro
Funding: European Project
http://twinsol-cecs.com/
BIODAPH2O
Eco-efficient system for wastewater tertiary treatment and water reuses in the Mediterranean region
The LIFE BIODAPH2O project (LIFE21-ENV-ES-BIODAPH2O) is funded within the LIFE program, which is the only financial instrument of the European Commission entirely dedicated to environmental protection and climate action. The project has a duration of 42 months, ending in January 2026 with a total budget of € 2.1 M.
The project is coordinated by the University of Girona (UdG) and the partners are ACSA (Sorigué Group), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), MINAVRA Techniki, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), BETA Technological Centre (UVic-UCC) and Catalan Water Partnership (CWP).
LIFE BIODAPH2O is a demonstration project with the main objective of scaling-up and implementing an eco-efficient nature-based tertiary wastewater treatment (BIODAPH) at two demo sites located in two water-stressed regions of the Mediterranean area. This system will produce reclaimed water that will contribute to diminish discharges of pollutants to freshwater ecosystems and to promote agricultural reuse. The BIODAPH system, previously developed during the INNOQUA project, is based on the depuration capacity of biological organisms: water fleas (Daphnia), microalgae and biofilms for removing pollutants (nutrients, organic carbon, suspended solids, pathogens, heavy metals, emerging and priority pollutants, and micro plastics). This compact and low-energy consumption system does not produce sludge nor use chemicals for its operation.
The implementation of this system at Quart Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), Spain, will reduce the impact of secondary wastewater discharges to the Onyar River, while improving the chemical and ecological quality of aquatic ecosystems in this river and allowing reaching the standards set in Water Framework Directive of the EC (Directive 2000/60/EC). In the case of Greece, the BIODAPH system will be implemented adjacent to the Antissa WWTP in Lesvos, which features modular units of the up flow anaerobic sludge blanket digestion, constructed wetlands, and a UV unit, put into operation as part of the HYDROUSA project. These modular treatments will allow BIODAPH system to be tested in different configurations to obtain reclaimed water in accordance with EU Regulation 2020/741 to irrigate 7,000 m2 of nearby agricultural land.
The main expected results / public deliverables of the project are listed below:
• Policy Assessment report with the policy and legislation assessment and contact with administrations (D2.1).
• Guidelines for setting-up and operating the BIODAPH reactor (design, construction, operation, testing and optimization), as well as the monitoring requirements to assess its efficiency (D3.2).
• Graphic report with pictures, schemes and maps of the two demo-plants (Spanish-site and Greek-site) and their main characteristics (D3.3).
• Results from the assessment of the demonstration plants in three different periods: after the first six first months (D4.1), after the BIODAPH demonstration plants optimized in each site (D4.2), and after long time operation at optimal conditions (D4.3).
• Sustainability assessment reports (D4.4 – Environmental impact assessment (LCA) and Techno-economic assessment (LCC) Intermediate report and D4.5 – LCA and LCC assessment final report).
• Impact of the BIODAPH on the ecological and chemical status of the river ecosystem after action (D4.6).
• Impact of BIODAPH reclaimed water on the agricultural productivity and quality after action (D4.7)
• Reports of key indicators collected in a matrix concerning the performance of the project (D4.8 & D4.9).
• Dissemination Plan, document describing a thorough plan for all dissemination activities of the project and providing dissemination guidelines to be followed by all partners (D5.1), and websites (D5.2).
• BIODAPH2O manual and guidelines with data sheet of design to implement the technology full-scale (D6.2).
Reference: LIFE21-ENV-ES-BIODAPH2O/101074191
Acronym: LIFE21-ENV-ES-BIODAPH2O
Project coordinator: Victoria Salvadó (UdG)
Total Eligible Budget: 2.128.772 €
EU Contribution: 1.277.263 €
Start Date: 01/08/2022 – End Date: 31/01/2026
Project Leader: Víctor Matamoros Mercadal
Researchers: Jessica Subirats Medina , Mònica Escolà Casas
Funding: European Project
ARGUS
Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Urban atmospheric Sites
Para evaluar la exposición humana y los riesgos para la salud que supone los ARGs transportados por el aire es fundamental entender los factores que tienen un impacto en la aparición, diversidad y dispersión de los ARGs en el aire. Por lo tanto, el objetivo del presente estudio es revelar 1) el perfil de ARGs en el PM de regiones urbanas de Barcelona expuestas a diferente grado de contaminación antropogénica, 2) los efectos de contaminantes orgánicos, factores fisicoquímicos, meteorológicos y comunidades bacterianas en la diversidad y abundancia de los ARGs transportados en el aire, 3) las correlaciones entre los ARGs y bacterias presentes en el aire, y 4) las correlaciones entre las comunidades bacterianas y contaminantes / trazadores orgánicos atmosféricos.
Sinergia Project 2022
Start Date: 01/01/2022 – End Date: 31/12/2022
Project Leader: Jessica Subirats Medina , Barend L. van Drooge
Funding: National Project
NeuroHiPo
Impact of air pollution on childhood neurodevelopment in a highly-polluted European country.
This study aims to assess whether air pollution exposures during vulnerable periods (pregnancy, early childhood) affects cognitive and psychomotor development of school-age children. For this purpose,
the analysis will be focused in Poland, one of the most highly-polluted countries in Europe.
Sinergia Project 2022
Start Date: 01/01/2022 – End Date: 31/12/2022
Project Leader: Aurelio Tobías Garces , Mercè Garí de Barbarà
Funding: National 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
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
Support: Xavier Borrell Díaz
Funding: European Project
ASSET-WATER
Assessing Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems efficiency to reduce urban runoff water contamination
Due to the current global change, there is a need to look for improved urban water management. Especially in urban areas, where most of the population is concentrated. These high dense areas require improvements in water quantity and quality, and Barcelona city is not an exception. Barcelona City Council installed different green infrastructures called Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems. These installations reduce the extreme runoff events by promoting and facilitating the recharge of the aquifers. The installation of these systems is increasing, but there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the quality of the water infiltrated in the aquifer and their effects on the state of the groundwater bodies of the city, which can reduce the current quality of groundwater.
The main objective of ASSET-WATER is to evaluate the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems implemented in the city of Barcelona and provide improvements so that these systems are more efficient and fulfill the purpose of said facilities and advance toward efficient and sustainable use of water, improving the adaptation capacity of the city to the current Climate Change and promoting the use of green infrastructures in their urban plans.
Funding institution: Barcelona City Council (Àrea de Cultura, Educació, Ciència i Comunitat). Premis de Recerca científica "Fons COVID"
Start Date: 26/10/2021 – End Date: 26/10/2022
Project Leader: Marc Teixidó Planes , Laura Scheiber Pagès , Rotman A. Criollo Manjarrez
Funding: Regional Project
https://assetwater.wixsite.com/my-site-2
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
PMOC-SUB
Presencia e impacto de contaminantes orgánicos persistentes y móviles en aguas subterráneas
Los medios acuáticos se enriquecen progresivamente en PMOCs. Entre los diferentes grupos de PMOCs, hay algunos que exhiben toxicidad (PMT), y su liberación pone en riesgo la calidad de los recursos hídricos y limita sus usos. Consecuentemente, es fundamental investigar su presencia y comportamiento en los medios acuáticos. Sin embargo, los PMOCs son muy difíciles de analizar en agua debido a su elevada polaridad, en consecuencia, hay muy poca información disponible. En la actualidad, hay más de 1800 substancias de uso frecuente que se engloban como PMOCs. Entre los que hay que destacar las substancias per y polifluoradas emergentes; aditivos plásticos utilizados en procesos de polimerización; compuestos farmacéuticos; adhesivos, selladores y productos de revestimiento; compuestos utilizados en tratamientos de agua y polímeros solubles en agua. Además, algunos productos de degradación también son PMOCs, por lo que el número de sustancias que alcanzan el medio acuático es mucho mayor.
Sinergia Project 2022
Start Date: 01/01/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2022
Project Leader: Marinella Farré Urgell , Estanislao Pujades Garnes
Funding: National Project
MASCOVID
Impacto en la Salud Humana y en el Medio Ambiente del uso de Mascarillas faciales de protección ante el COVID-19
En este proyecto evaluaremos el impacto del uso de las mascarillas faciales de protección contra el COVID-19 desde dos ámbitos diferentes. Por un lado, el impacto en la salud humana que pueden causar los compuestos químicos (algunos de ellos muy nocivos) presentes en las mascarillas debido al contacto e inhalación durante el tiempo de uso de dichas mascarillas. Por otro lado, el impacto medioambiental debido a la generación de grandes cantidades de residuos que pueden afectar tanto por su contenido en plástico como en contaminantes químicos. Estos residuos no pueden ser reciclados, por lo que su destino solo puede ser vertedero o incineración. Actualmente, existe una gran variedad de mascarillas en el mercado a disposición de la población. Sin embargo, estas mascarillas son distintas en cuanto a grado de protección frente al COVID-19 se refiere, así como diferentes por su composición, peso, precio, etc. El objetivo principal de esta propuesta es evaluar, dentro de este abanico de posibilidades, qué mascarillas son más “seguras”, ya no por la protección frente al virus, sino frente a la composición química de las mismas. Así, se trata de emitir unas recomendaciones claras a la sociedad para que utilice las mascarillas más seguras. De esta manera, estaremos contribuyendo a implementar unas medidas de mejora en la sanidad pública.
Proyecto “Plataforma de abordaje integral de pandemias desde la I+D+I - NextGenerationEU”, del WP6 “Línea estratégica de transmisión y contención” y del WP6.3 “EPIs: nuevos materiales para mascarillas y tratamientos viricidas”, Proyecto SGL2103036.
Start Date: 01/01/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2022
Project Leader: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag
Researchers: Rafael Bartrolí Solé , Sandra Callejas Martos , Teresa Moreno Pérez
Funding: National Project
PLANKTONPOPs
Characterization of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Oceanic plankton using HRMS and single-cell approaches
The objective of PLANKTONPOPs is to address the suspect and non-target analysis of organic pollutants in plankton (bacteria, phyto and zoo-plankton) of the global Oceans, as well perform exploratory work of the potential of single-cell and nano-sample approaches for POP analysis in planktonic organisms. Specific objectives are:
i) expanding the knowledge on the presence and distribution of new (or novel) pollutants in oceanic plankton by taking advantage of the full new analytical capacity of IDAEA (LC-TOF-MS and nano-capillary-µ-LC Eclipse-Orbitrap). The identified chemicals will be further confirmed and quantitated with standards when feasible.
ii) Evaluation of the differences (longitudinal and decadal) in the profiles of POPs in plankton from different oceans by analysing samples collected in three oceanic campaigns (Malaspina 2010 and ANTOM-1 and ANTOM-2 2020-2021) under the hypothesis that POPs in plankton reflect changes in primary sources from land.
iii) Assessing the potential of “single-cell” or “nano-samples (small number of particles)” approaches for POPs in phytoplankton and bacteria using the latest “single-cell analysis” technology (cell sorter - sample extraction- HRMS approaches) adapting and modifying the procedure reported for marine single-cell and –particle lipidomics.7 This will be applied to samples appropriately taken and conserved from the coastal Mediterranean and Southern Ocean.
Sinergia Project 2022
Start Date: 01/01/2021 – End Date: 31/12/2022
Project Leader: Pablo Gago Ferrero , Jordi Dachs Marginet
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)