The mission of ONHEALTH group is to enhance the understanding of the sources, occurrence, fate and behavior of pollutants of anthropogenic and biogenic origin and their impact on the environment and human health.
The major focus is on engineered systems, aquatic environments, terrestrial habitats, and the exposure to living organisms. To achieve these goals, we employ four main research lines:
1) Chemical and biological analysis to reliably detection and measurement at ultra-trace levels of contaminants in different matrices
2) Conduct controlled conditions experiments at our research facilities
3) Assess the impact of complex mixtures in environment and humans,
4) Assess the biota and human exposure through different routes (dietary, inhalation, dermal).
Our research on organic pollutants focuses mainly on four topics:
- Sampling and Biochemical Analyses
- Impact assessment studies
- Assessment of processes, such as biomagnification or bioaccumulation
- Experiments under controlled conditions
Sampling and chemical and biological analyses to reliably detect and measure at ultra-trace levels contaminants in different matrices, developing:
- sophisticated analytical methodologies (target, suspect and non-target approaches)
- methodologies for the analysis of polymers and plastic additives
- bio and passive sampling
- biosensors
Controlled condition experiments at our research facilities:
- greenhouse for cultivation of crops and installation of nature-based solutions
- marine micro/mesocosm emulating real conditions for accumulation studies and metabolomics studies
- thermal mannequin heads with breading system for the assessment of the real impact of contaminants present in indoor/outdoor or in different materials through breathing
Impact assessment through studies of:
- toxicological studies: standardized ecotoxicity tests, cell-lines toxicological studies with high-content analysis (HCA)
- metabolomic studies based on high resolution mass spectrometry
- impact of recycling processes and recycled materials
- water reuse on agricultural crops
Assessment of different processes, such as:
- bioaccumulation and biomagnification of pollutants along aquatic and terrestrial food chains
- transformations in natural or engineered systems
- human metabolism for exposure assessment
- water-based epidemiology
- human exposure through different routes: diet, inhalation and dermal contact
Our strategic plan is based on the development of frontier research and the training of new researchers together with an intense and effective fund raising through competitive calls and collaborations with public bodies and private companies.
ONHEALTH has an extensive network of collaborations:
- At national level: ACA, Agència de Residus de Catalunya, Agència de Salud Pública de Catalunya, Banco de Leche-Banc de Sang i Teixits de Catalunya, ICMAN, ICRA, IEO, ISGlobal, UB, UAB, UV, URiV, Parque Nacional de Doñana, Parque Nacional Tablas de Daimiel, Bioinicia S.L., ARPE S.L.
- At international level: University of New York (Buffalo, USA), CAPSENZE (Sweden), CONICET (Argentina), Universidad de Jijel (Algeria), CERTE (Tunisia), Florida International University (Miami, USA), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), UFZ (Germany), Université de Montpellier (France), INL (Portugal), RWTH (Germany), TUD (Germany), NIVA (Norway), IPMA (Portugal), among others.
Research Facilities
Instrumentation for chemical analysis
Sample collection, preparation and extraction:
- Freezer/Mill
- Quechers multi vortex
- Thermo block for incubation of human assays
- Evaporator SyncorePlus Analyst to perform a fast and gentle evaporation process with vacuum-vortex evaporation
- Extraction and purification of liquid samples by off-line solid phase extraction techniques.
- On-line extraction and purification:
- Turbulent flow chromatography (TurboFlow, Thermo Fisher) coupled to LC-QqQ-MS
- EQuan (Thermo Fisher Scientific) coupled to LC-QqQ-MS
- Extraction of solid samples:
- Pressurized liquid extraction – ASE 350 (Dionex)
- ONE PSE (Applied Separations)
Analysis by means of liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS):
- Target analyses: LC-QqQ-MS, TSQ Vantage (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
- Suspect and non-target analyses: UHLPC-Orbitrap-MS, Q-Exactive (Thermo Electron)
Antropogenic particles (micro/nanoplastics and nanomaterials equipments)
- Spectrophotometer (Jenway 6062)
- Swift M10 Advanced Binocular Microscope
- Nanotracking analysis
- Pirolysis
Ecotox and biosensors lab
- Microtox® system (Azur)
- Spectrophotometer (Jenway 6062)
- ToxAlert 100 (Merck)
- Abratox Camera (Abraxis)
- Incubators with lateral illumination (Aqualytic)
- Cellular toxicity suit
- High content analysis (HCA) facilities
- Cell-lines suit access
- Cell-Insight NxT reader (Thermo)
- CellCense – Amperometric whole cell biosensor
- Microliter Plate readers and washers
Controlled conditions experiment facilities
- Greenhouse for cultivation of crops and installation of nature-based solutions
- Marine microcosms and mesocosms
- Thermal mannequin heads with breathing system
Permanent Researchers
Farré Urgell, Marinella
934006173 - int: 437905
Llorca Casamayor, Marta
934006162 - int: 437900
Pérez Solsona, Sandra
934006187 - int: 437901
Postdoc Researchers
PhD Students
Balasch García, Aleix
437786
Bautista Gea, Arianna
437871
Callejas Martos, Sandra
437786
Fernández Arribas, Julio
437786
Garcia Torné, Maria
437903
Gómez Navarro, Olga
437895
Labad Roig, Francesc
437895
Lledó Garrido, Iván
437903
Manjarrés López, Diana
437903
Peris Domes, Andrea
437897
Poch Gregori, Laura
437904
Sala Solà, Berta
437786
Segura Abarrategui, Julen
437895
Vega Herrera, Albert
437895
Technical
Administration
Communication and Outreach
Projects and Fundraising

BIOplasticMENT
Biodegradation and interaction of BIOplastic residues with the environMENT
The BIOplasticMENT project will address the emerging issues related to the presence of bioMNPLs in the environment. It will evaluate the main exposure routes for the aquatic organism to respond to the multiple shortcomings and different innovative strategies for the decontamination of waters will be tested.
Start Date: 01/09/2023 – End Date: 31/08/2025
Project Leader: Marta Llorca Casamayor
Researchers: Marinella Farré Urgell
Support: Xavier Borrell Díaz , Arianna Bautista Gea (Ari) , Clara Serrano Lorigados
Funding: National Project

ACCIÓN
Aproximaciones científicas en la implementación de estrategias marinas: herramientas de gestión.
The main objective of the Marine Strategies Framework Directive is to protect the marine environment. To this end, Member States must develop Marine Strategies (EEMM) that include the initial assessment of the environmental status of national marine waters, the definition of the good environmental status (BEA) of the marine environment based on 11 descriptors, the establishment of environmental targets, the development and implementation of monitoring programmes designed to assess whether the BEA is being achieved, and programmes of measures aimed at achieving the BEA.
In Spain, the competent authority for the development of the EEMM is the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITERD). There is currently a need to improve scientific knowledge on the state of the marine environment at national level, its response and/or adaptation to climate change and to integrate it into decision-making on its management. The ACCIÓN project arises from this need and brings together a consortium of CSIC researchers with complementary experiences in the assessment and prediction of the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and in the development of tools for response and adaptation to future scenarios. The IDAEA coordinates Eje 6: Pollution in fishery products, directly related to EEMM Descriptor 9.
Funding: Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico: European Union-NextGenerationEU Agreement between MITERD and CSIC, through PTI OCEANS+
Start Date: 01/01/2023 – End Date: 31/12/2025
Project Leader: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag
Researchers: Maria Vittoria Barbieri , Lara Cioni
Support: Valentina Araya Piqué
Funding: European 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 , Victoria Osorio Torrens , Mònica Escolà Casas , Clara Laguna Marín , Sergio Santana Viera
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
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/

BIOFUNPAPER
Development of biodegradable multifunctional coatings for paper and cardboard packaging applications
Thin film polymer coating applications are one of the most common functional applications in the packaging industry. Due to the low weight of these plastic layers, their high surface-to-thickness ratio and the difficulty to separate it from the other layers in multilayer structures, their recyclability is not technically feasible nor economically / environmentaly worthwile. BIOFUNPAPER project aims at developing thin film coatings made of organic recyclable biopolymers for the development of hydrophobic and high barrier paper and cardboard coating, fully biodegradable, free of toxic additives and with lower environmental impact than what is currently available. The materials developed in the project will be fully assessed to ensure the performance as barrier and hydrophobic packaging materials as well as the compostability and biodegradability of the concepts in the environment.
The consortium of the project is composed of a multidisciplinary research team of 4 partners: Bioinicia SL (a biotech company devoted to electro-hydrodynamic processing of materials), the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), and the University Jaume I (UJI). The project will begin in a very low TRL 2-3 with the development of new materials, and will finish in high TRL 5-6 with the validation of the protoypes at an industrial scale.
Funding: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Proyectos de colaboración Público-Privada): CPP2021-008973
Start Date: 01/06/2022 – End Date: 31/12/2025
Project Leader: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag
Researchers: Sandra Callejas Martos , Lara Cioni
Funding: National Project

InChildHealth
Identifying determinants for indoor air quality and their health impact in environments for children: Measures to improve indoor air quality and reduce disease burdens.
3. InChildHealth will integrate health, environmental, technical and social sciences research to identify determinants for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and evaluate their impact in environments occupied by school children. We will focus on chemicals, particle concentrations, microorganisms and physical parameters in schools, homes, sports halls and transport. The IAQ of these environments determines the dose received by the children and may directly influence their health and well-being. An environmental epidemiological study and controlled interventions conducted in schools in three European cities will assess the health effects of multipollutant airborne exposures on respiratory infections, allergies, and neurological and cognitional symptoms. In addition, dose-response Will be evaluated with a novel cytotoxicity testing pipeline using in-vitro approaches. The InChildHealth consortium will cover an impressive variety of geographical and cultural diversity, with targeted exposure measurement campaigns and citizen involvement in seven European countries from Northern, Central and Southern Europe and interventions in Australia.
Horizon Europe, ref.: HORIZON-HLTH-2021-ENVHLTH-02-02
Start Date: 01/06/2022 – End Date: 31/05/2026
Researchers: Mar Viana Rodríguez , Ethel Eljarrat Esebag , Barend L. van Drooge , Lara Cioni
Support: Judith Desmet , Maria Antonia Aretaki (Μarianda)
Funding: European Project
PARC
Partnership for the Assessment of Risk from Chemicals
The European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (#EU_PARC) aims to advance research, share knowledge, and improve skills in chemical risk assessment. By doing so, it will help support the European Union's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, paving the way for the "zero pollution" ambition announced in the European Green Deal.
Main objectives:
- Develop the scientific skills needed to address current and future challenges in chemical safety
- Provide new data, methods, and innovative tools to those responsible for assessing and managing the risks of chemical exposure
- Strengthen the networks which bring together actors specialised in the different scientific fields contributing to risk assessment
PARC represents a campaign of unprecedented scale, since it brings together 200 partners from 28 countries, as well as three EU agencies (the European Environment Agency – EEA, the European Chemicals Agency – ECHA, and the European Food Safety Authority – EFSA). The partnership encompasses all aspects of chemical risk assessment, aiming in particular to: better anticipate emerging risks, better account for combined risks, and underpin the concrete implementation of new orientations in European public policies to safeguard the health and the environment in response to important issues for health, the ecology and citizens' expectations.
The Spanish coordination was assigned to the IDAEA's Geochemistry and Pollution group (Joan Grimalt) and the Instituto Carlos III.
HORIZON-HLTH-2021-ENVHLTH-03: 101057014
Start Date: 01/05/2022 – End Date: 30/04/2029
Project Leader: Joan Grimalt Obrador
Researchers: Sandra Pérez Solsona , Marinella Farré Urgell , Marta Llorca Casamayor , Nicola Montemurro , Mercè Garí de Barbarà
Support: Arianna Bautista Gea (Ari) , Julen Segura Abarrategui
Funding: European Project
https://www.eu-parc.eu/

Exploring the environmental quality and toxicity profiles of soils from major e-waste sites in West Africa
West Africa has been the recipient of used electrical and electronic equipment imported onto the African continent with Nigeria, Republic of Benin and Ghana as the main import hub. Only 25% of the imported equipment is reportedly functional while 75% are either unserviceable or waste and hence, ends up in informal e-waste sites. The informal recycling of e-waste as practiced in West Africa has the potential to release a large quantity of contaminants into the recycling sites and the surrounding environment. Environmental matrices such as soil in the vicinity of the e-waste sites could be contaminated following informal e-waste recycling practices. Many children and adolescents work in these e-waste sites, risking negative impacts on their health. The number of harmful substances that humans could be directly or indirectly exposed to by e-waste is vast. The concentrations of these materials are variable but often are notably high, especially within the actual e-waste sites. Endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity and genotoxicity are among the health threats that can be expected from the diverse materials that are handled and that contaminate soil in such areas. Therefore in this present study, we will explore the environmental quality and toxicity profile of soil from major e-waste sites in West Africa using several endpoints which represent well established methods of routine testing in substance safety assessment. Moreover, we will analyse some families of persistent organic pollutants such as halogenated flame retardants and plasticizers, whose high presence has already been detected in e-waste. The study will contribute to sustaining research into understanding how exposure to mixture of e-waste chemicals trigger and contribute to diseases. The study is timely and novel considering the need to obtain accurate scientific data on the effects of exposure to hazardous chemicals in single and joint form. The outcome of this study will be used to generate an initial environmental health risk assessment report comparing the observed toxicity of soil from major e-waste sites in West Africa in order to inform and focus monitoring plans and risk management strategies.
Programa CSIC de Cooperación Científico para el Desarrollo I-COOP 2022, ref.: COOPB22064
- Non-IDAEA personnel:
- Eze, Chukwuebuka, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (Nigeria)
Start Date: 01/01/2022 – End Date: 31/12/2024
Project Leader: Cinta Porte Visa
Researchers: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag , Mahboubeh Hosseinzadeh Soureshjani
Support: Tiantian Wang
Funding: National Project
PROMISCES
Preventing Recalcitrant Organic Mobile Industrial chemicalS for Circular Economy in the Soil-sediment-water system
PROMISCES will identify how industrial pollution prevents the deployment of the circular economy in the EU and which strategies help overcome key bottlenecks to deliver the ambitions of the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. Funded as an H2020 project, PROMISCES considers specific circular economy routes including (i) semi-closed water cycles for drinking water supply at urban and catchment scale; (ii) wastewater reuse for irrigation in agriculture; (iii) nutrient recovery from sewage sludge; (iv) material recovery from dredged sediment and (v) land remediation for safe reuse in urban areas.