The Global Change and Genomic Biogeochemistry group focuses its research on the anthropogenic organic component of the carbon and nutrient cycles at regional and global scale. This research is focused on the marine environment, from coasts to global oceans, and in polar environments, mainly in Antarctica.
The research approach combines the use of intensive field work in oceanographic campaigns, combining chemical analysis of anthropogenic compounds in seawater and organisms (plankton, bacteria, krill), characterization of the sources (atmospheric, currents…), the biogeochemistry of anthropogenic organic compounds, and the microbial-pollutant mutual interactions addressed through metagenomic and molecular approaches. The group is international leader on Oceanic and Antarctic research, with contributions addressing the transport, occurrence and fate of anthropogenic chemicals in all oceans, the role of biodegradation mitigating marine pollution, the comparison of the fate of plastics and plasticizers, and the influence of organic pollutants on microbiome’s structure and function. The research group has also made important contributions on the atmospheric deposition of organic compounds in the oceans and the polar regions (both Arctic and Antarctica).
The research group combines scientists with expertise on environmental organic chemistry and microbial biogeochemistry and environmental genomics, and its evolution in recent years has involved the merging of chemical and metagenomic approaches to study the biogeochemistry of anthropogenic organic chemicals, their biodegradation by natural microbiomes and their effects on the major anthropogenic cycles of carbon and phosphorus.
- The general scientific objective of the “Global Change and Genomic Biogeochemistry” group is to characterize the anthropogenic component of the carbon and nutrient cycles and its biogeochemical relevance at regional and global scale, with especial emphasis in the marine and polar regions.
- Characterization and relevance of atmosphere-ocean exchange of organic matter and nutrients.
- Long-range transport of organic matter from land (urban, rural) to the oceans and Antarctica.
- Influence of atmospheric inputs of anthropogenic organic compounds on microbial communities as bases of marine food-webs and engineers of the biogeochemistry of the oceans
- Microbial biodegradation of anthropogenic organic compounds.
- Sources, transport and biogeochemistry of organic pollutants in Antarctica.
- Plastics and plasticizers in the ocean. Comparative biogeochemistry and role of microbial degradation.
Permanent Researchers
Dachs Marginet, Jordi
934006169 - int: 437798
Vila Costa, Maria
934006170 - int 437777
Postdoc Researchers
Sanz Sáez, Isabel
437798
PhD Students
Casas Papell, Gemma
437778
Dautzenberg Sans, Frank
437778
Iriarte Martínez, Jon
437778
Losada Carrillo, Mapis
437795
Luna Manteca, Mar
437795
Patrone, Jessica
437778
Serrano Lorigados, Clara
437795
Trilla Prieto, Núria
437778
Technical
Administration
Communication and Outreach
Projects and Fundraising
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
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
Bac4Zink
Biorecovery of Zn using microbial electrolysis cells from Cu wastes
The Copper (Cu) industry sector has been in the need of exploiting low Cu quality deposits with high impurities as most of the existing mines are near to an end-exploitation, which offers the opportunity to be used as well as secondary sources of raw and critical materials. This is the case of Zinc (Zn). Zn is a base-metal in the Europe´s strategy to shift away from today’s fossil fuels system towards clean energy technologies1 . By 2050, Europe will require new demand equivalent to 11% of Zn today’s consumption for manufacturing of electric vehicles, electricity networks, solar panels, and hydrogen. Recycling provides between 40% and 55% of Europe’s Zn supply. However, in the wake of supply disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s lack of resilience for its growing metals such as Zn, needs have become a strategic concern. To meet demand, it is crucial that attention shifts to secondary sources of Zn as the by-products generated during Cu primary production which is a target of this project.
Sinergia-Innovación Project 2023
Start Date: 15/07/2022 – End Date: 14/07/2023
Project Leader: Maria Vila Costa , Patricia Córdoba Sola
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
COPEPOBIOME
Effect of pollution on marine eDNA and copepod-associated microbioma composition across a latitudinal oceanic transect
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.
Sinergia Project 2020
Start Date: 01/06/2020 – End Date: 31/12/2022
Project Leader: Carlos Barata Martí , Maria Vila Costa
Researchers: Claudia Sanz Lanzas
Funding: National Project
Linkages
Understanding the role of dissolved organic carbon in modulating marine microbiome
Marine microbiomes are the main engines driving the main global biogeochemical cycles, today under threat by global change. Our understanding on the role played by dissolved organic carbon, both biogenic and specially anthropogenic, modulating microbiome functioning, has been hampered by limited analytical techniques.
This project aims to apply meta-omic approaches to disentangle the linkage between chemical, functional and taxonomical diversities in the upper ocean.