The Environmental Geochemistry and Atmospheric Research (EGAR) group investigates the chemical and physical processes responsible for the emission, transport, fate and removal of atmospheric pollutants that impact on human health and ecosystems. A major objective is to investigate measures (technological and non-technological) to improve air quality and reduce human exposure to air pollution. Main research lines include, air quality research, source apportionment assessment, atmospheric processes affecting air quality, aerosols and climate change (interpreting optical aerosol radiative effects), human exposure to air pollutants, including commuting, schools, occupational and other indoor and outdoor environments, industrial emissions and industrial wastes (environmental impact and utilisation).
https://www.idaea.csic.es/egar/
EGAR research on Air Quality aims at understanding the chemical and physical processes responsible for the emission, transport, fate and removal of atmospheric pollutants with impact on human health and vegetation. The main objective is to investigate measures (technological and non-technological) to reduce emissions, concentrations or human exposure.
Atmospheric aerosols affect the radiative balance of the Earth-atmosphere system and the Earth’s climate directly through scattering and absorption of solar radiation. Indirectly, by acting as cloud condensation nuclei, atmospheric aerosols can modify cloud properties and precipitation. Our aim is interpreting optical aerosol radiative effects as a function of their chemical and physical patterns and source contributions.
Major knowledge gaps remain regarding exposure to fine and ultrafine particles in indoor, commuting and outdoor environments. Our aim is investigating the pathways of human exposure to air pollutants in both types of environments, and to understanding and quantifying the contribution of different sources to outdoor, commuting and indoor exposure.
Industrial emissions from large industrial facilities (coal-fired power plants, ceramic and cement industry, refineries) are important sources of air pollutants (SOx, NOx, and particulate matter (PM)) producing also significant emissions to water and soil. We develop research on characterising emissions of trace pollutants with a major environmental impact and devising and testing the efficiency of emission abatement controls.
Since the earlier 1980s we develop research on environmental valorisation of industrial wastes with special emphasis on coal combustion/gasification residues. These wastes may be hazardous and we devise and test the efficiency of valorisation processes as well as pollutants immobilisation strategies in case of waste disposal.
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Projects and Fundraising
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
RI-URBANS
Research Infrastructures Services Reinforcing Air Quality Monitoring Capacities in European Urban & Industrial AreaS
The project aims to demonstrate how service tools from atmospheric research infrastructures can be adapted and enhanced to better address the challenges and societal needs concerning air quality in European cities and industrial hotspots. RI-URBANS responds to urgent needs to substantially reduce air pollution across the European Union by providing enhanced air quality observations in support of advanced air quality policy assessment.
We develop and enhance synergies between Air Quality Monitoring Networks (AQMNs) and research infrastructures in the atmospheric domain and combine advanced scientific knowledge and innovative technologies to develop pilot service tools. These will enhance the AQMNs capacity to evaluate, predict and support policies for abating urban air pollution. RI-URBANS deploys tools and information systems in the hands of citizens and communities to support decision-making by AQ managers and regulators. The focus is on ambient nanoparticles and atmospheric particulate matter, their sizes, constituents, source contributions, and gaseous precursors. RI-URBANS will evaluate novel air quality parameters, source contributions, and their associated health effects to demonstrate the European added value of implementing such service tools.
Funded by the European Commission’s call “European Research Infrastructures capacities and services to address European Green Deal challenges (LC-GD-9-1-2020)”
Start Date: 01/10/2021 – End Date: 30/09/2025
Project Leader: Xavier Querol Carceller
Researchers: Teresa Moreno Pérez , Fulvio Amato , Andrés Alastuey Urós , Angeliki Karanasiou , María Cruz Minguillón , Mar Viana Rodríguez , Marco Pandolfi , Joan Grimalt Obrador , Barend L. van Drooge
Funding: European Project
NATURE
Nature-based solutions to reduce antibiotics, pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance in aquatic ecosystems
An array of nature-based solutions including conventional and high-end constructed wetlands, river re-naturalization, and restoration of wetlands will cover the continuum from urban sources to coastal biota in estuaries. We propose a comprehensive quantification of the fate of antibiotics, pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance in these systems together with ecotoxicological and human health assessments. Nature-based solutions performance will be analyzed using multivariate modeling techniques to identify parameters with the greatest empirical influence on the attenuation of targeted pollutants.
Start Date: 01/09/2021 – End Date: 30/08/2024
Project Leader: Víctor Matamoros Mercadal
Researchers: Josep Maria Bayona Termens , Mònica Escolà Casas , Enric Vázquez Suñé
Funding: European Project
https://www.jpiamr.eu/projects/nature/
NeuroTICs
New generation of drugs protecting against neurotoxic industrial chemicals
Human brain is a great target for chemical terrorism, so NATO nations should be prepared to respond effectively to terrorist threats involving neurotoxic industrial chemicals (neuroTICs). The main objective of this project is to assess the therapeutic potential of AD4 and thioredoxin-mimetic peptides, blood-brain barrier permeable drugs targeting oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation, on acute neurotoxic syndromes induced by three common TICs (organophosphorus compounds, acrylamide, organic mercury). Moreover, specific combinations of drugs derived from the analysis of potential therapeutic targets for each toxidrome will be also tested.
This project is supported by: The NATO Science for Peace and Security programme
Start Date: 03/06/2021 – End Date: 02/06/2024
Project Leader: Demetrio Raldúa Pérez
Researchers: Melissa Faria , Juliette Bedrossiantz , Carlos Barata Martí , Benjamí Piña Capó
Funding: International Project
https://neurotics-project-nato.com/
nPETS
Nanoparticle Emissions from the Transport Sector: Health and Policy Impacts
Air pollution in European cities is still threatening human health, even though EU emission directives have been sharpened over the last 25 years. Adverse health effects of airborne particles are strongly linked to their size. A major fraction of outdoor ultrafine particles is traffic generated from road, rail, air, and sea transportation. The story that nPETS aims to communicate is the life of the sub 100 nm emissions from its creation to its potential path to human beings and animals. The nPETS consortium aims to improve the knowledge of transport generated exhaust and non-exhaust nanoparticle emissions and their impacts on health and new public policies.
It aims to monitor and sample with state-of-the-art particle instruments the sub 100 nm transport generated emissions from shipping, road, rail, and aviation both in field and controlled laboratory environments. Both aged and fresh aerosols will be considered, including primary and secondary volatile and non-volatile particles. Characterising the emissions will be done from shipping, road, rail, and aviation by linking their sizes, chemical compositions, and morphologies to its specific emission sources such as engines, brakes, clutches, and tyres to increase the understanding of the mechanisms behind adverse risks posed by different types and sources of the identified sub 100 nm particles. The effects of nanoparticles from various transport modes and fuels, as well as specific emission sources, will be compared with a focus on markers of relevance for carcinogenesis and inflammation. Living cells will be exposed to collected and real-world primary and aged aerosols as well as primary and aged aerosols generated in the laboratory.
Furthermore, it also aims to evaluate the possible future impact of new policies in this area on public health and linking the impacts with specific emission sources. This should lead to an understanding and quantification of the risks posed by different types and sources.
Start Date: 01/06/2021 – End Date: 31/05/2024
Researchers: Fulvio Amato , Benjamí Piña Capó , José Portugal Minguela , Barend L. van Drooge , Xavier Querol Carceller , Andrés Alastuey Urós , Teresa Moreno Pérez
Funding: European Project
https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/954377/es
LIFE REMY
Reducing Emission Modelling uncertaintY
REMY project, through a detailed quantitative modelling analysis in three EU critical areas (Po Valley -IT, Catalonia - E, Southern Poland - PL), investigates the impact of uncertainty in pollutants emission and air dispersion models that could negatively affect air quality plan, both on the regional and the local scale, leading to the identification of ineffective emission abatement strategies.
Entidad financiadora: European Commission (LIFE program)
Start Date: 01/05/2021 – End Date: 30/04/2024
Project Leader: Fulvio Amato
Researchers: Federica Ippolito , Teresa Moreno Pérez , Aurelio Tobías Garces , Marco Pandolfi
Funding: European Project
https://liferemy.eu/
MAGO
MAGO is the new 3-year PRIMA-funded project that aims at developing Mediterranean wAter management solutions for a sustainable aGriculture supplied by an Online collaborative platform. The project kicked off on the 1st of May, 2021. The overarching objective of the project is to make this connection between research results and real market needs and end-user demands, in the field of food security and water management in the Mediterranean region, especially focusing on the challenge of climate change. MAGO will develop WEMED, a collaborative platform with WEb applications for agriculture in the MEDiterranean.
It will introduce novel participatory processes for better water and innovation governance, enhance monitoring and modelling for better water use efficiency and soil conservation, and improve planning and operation of wastewater reuse systems in agriculture.
Funded by EC, PRIMA (Horizon 2020)
Start Date: 01/04/2021 – End Date: 31/03/2024
Project Leader: Miren López de Alda Villaizán
Funding: European Project
https://www.mago-prima.eu/
RECOPPs
RECOPPs: REcovery of Added-Value Raw Materials from Copper Primary Production
RECOPPs (REcovery of Added-Value Raw Materials from Copper Primary Production) aims to transition the environmentally and economically sustainable recovery of added-value raw materials Bismuth (Bi) and Antimony (Sb) and removal and inertisation of Arsenic (As) from the residues and by-products generated during the pyrometallurgical production of Copper (Cu), based on RECOPP fast track proven technologies (TRL 5), to a TRL of 7(pilot scale) to validate this technological solution at such operational environment.
Funded by: EIT RawMaterials Horizon Europe
Start Date: 01/01/2021 – End Date: 31/03/2024
Project Leader: Patricia Córdoba Sola
Researchers: Samanta Rojas Castro
Funding: European Project
https://recopps.com/
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
ESAR-Net 2.0
Exploración de las aguas residuales como indicador complementario, rápido y objetivo sobre el consumo de sustancias de abuso.
The main aim of this project is to implement the sewage water based epidemiology as a tool, complementary to the classic epidemiological indicators, to estimate the consumption of substances of abuse, including illegal (cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine and ecstasy), legal (alcohol and tobacco), and new psychoactive substances, in Spain. The objective is to include in the study a large number of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) giving service to different types of populations (in terms of size and main economic activity), located in different autonomous communities, representing a large part of the Spanish population. The research team includes 33 researchers from 12 different centers, many of which have already worked together, and with public entities such as the Observatory European Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the Spanish Observatory on Drugs and Addictions, on this issue through the ESAR-Net network
Funded by: Ministerio de Sanidad. Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (Exp. Núm. 2020I009).