The Environmental Pollution & Agriculture (EPA) is part of the Environmental Chemistry Department at the IDAEA. This research group is focused on the natural processes affecting to the fate of contaminants in the environment to find nature based approaches to mitigate chemical pollution and the associated impact of human activity on the ecosystems. The research lines range from environmental chemistry to environmental forensics to identify the pollution sources and the key processes affecting to their fate in the environment. Non target screening and metabolomic methods are developed to get further insight into the contaminant degradation pathways and their impacts into the downstream environment.
- Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Systems
- Biogeochemistry of Mercury in Ecosystems
- Fate of Contaminants in Agroecosystems
Permanent Researchers
Postdoc Researchers
PhD Students
Technical
Administration
Communication and Outreach
Projects and Fundraising
EXSIMBIO
Use of simulated exudates to enhance the biodegradation of trace organic pollutants in biofilm reactors
Plants are able to stimulate soil microorganisms to degrade xenobiotics (trace organic contaminants) via their root exudates. Due to this, constructed-wetlands microorganisms are highly efficient in removing trace organic contaminants from wastewater. However, such stimulation occurs only within the reach of the plant-roots and therefore big extensions of land are needed to remove trace organic contaminants from wastewater.
Funding: Beatriu de Pinós 2018 Grant
Start Date: 01/02/2020 – End Date: 31/01/2023
Project Leader: Mònica Escolà Casas
Researchers: Víctor Matamoros Mercadal , Yolanda Rodríguez Espelta , Sandra Pulgar Garcia
Funding: National 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/
DSWAP
Decision support-based approach for sustainable water reuse application in agricultural production (DSWAP)
The main goal of DSWAP is to develop modular cost- and energy-efficient wastewater treatment systems. By adopting a circular economy approach, it aims for safe and sustainable valorization of wastewater for irrigation, with minimized ecological and agronomic impacts.
Start Date: 01/07/2019 – End Date: 30/06/2023
Project Leader: Josep Maria Bayona Termens
Researchers: Benjamí Piña Capó , Víctor Matamoros Mercadal , Sylvia Mansilla Barrado
Funding: European Project
https://www.dswap-prima.eu/
LIFESpot
Green solutions for treating groundwater pollution to meet drinking water directive standards
The main objective of LIFE SPOT is to develop a new treatment process able to remove nitrates and micropollutants from polluted groundwater to produce drinking water of
good quality that meets the Directive 98/83/EC requirements. This will be applied in rural areas (50 inhabitants or <10m3/d, very small water supplies (VSWS)) of the
Mediterranean region, promoting the sustainability and resilience of rural areas, agriculture and tourism sectors.
Funding: LIFE programme (LIFE18 ENV / ES / 000199) UE
Start Date: 01/07/2019 – End Date: 30/06/2023
Project Leader: Víctor Matamoros Mercadal
Researchers: Josep Maria Bayona Termens , Benjamí Piña Capó
Funding: European Project
https://lifespotproject.eu/
ICOOP-MAPE
Reducción del uso de mercurio en comunidades dedicadas a la minería artesanal y en pequeña escala en Colombia (MAPE)
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining represents the largest source of anthropogenic mercury contamination. The final objective of the project is to promote sustainable processes to improve the environmental situation and living conditions of artisanal mining communities. As an indicator of success, a control of mercury concentrations in the population will be carried out before and after the training of miners in safety measures and alternative techniques.
Start Date: 01/04/2019 – End Date: 31/12/2021
Project Leader: Sergi Díez Salvador
Funding: International Project
http://icoop-mape.com/
ATRATO
Evaluación del grado de contaminación por mercurio y otras sustancias tóxicas, y su afectación en la salud humana en las poblaciones de la cuenca del río Atrato, como consecuencia de las actividades de minería
Evaluación del grado de contaminación por mercurio y otras sustancias tóxicas, y su afectación en la salud humana en las poblaciones de la cuenca del río Atrato, como consecuencia de las actividades de minería. (ATRATO)
Project Leaders: Coordinator: JL Marrugo, IP Spain: S. Díez
Start Date: 01/01/2019 – End Date: 01/07/2021
Project Leader: Sergi Díez Salvador
AGRICLOSE
Improvement and disclosure of efficient techniques for manure management towards a circular and sustainable agriculture
Improvement and disclosure of efficient techniques for manure management towards a circular and sustainable agriculture
https://agriclose.eu/