Environmental and Water Chemistry for Human Health (ONHEALTH)

Desarrollo de un método de análisis para la determinación de cloroparafinas en muestras de biota marina

Programa CSIC de Movilidad Internacional para Personal Predoctoral

Start Date: 14/08/2025 – End Date: 31/07/2026

Desarrollo de un método non-target para la evaluación de la exposición humana a contaminantes emergentes.

Programa CSIC de Movilidad Internacional para Personal Predoctoral

Start Date: 01/01/2024 – End Date: 31/12/2026

La evaluación y gestión de los riesgos naturales y su impacto ambiental

Itinerario Cicerón

Los riesgos naturales (como terremotos, inundaciones, deslizamientos, incendios forestales y sequías) forman parte de los procesos naturales de la Tierra. Sin embargo, su impacto se ha intensificado debido al
cambio climático, el crecimiento poblacional, la urbanización no planificada y la deforestación. Estos eventos pueden generar consecuencias devastadoras tanto ambientales como sociales, afectando ecosistemas,
infraestructuras y la salud y bienestar de las comunidades.

El desafío principal consiste en evaluar y gestionar estos riesgos para reducir sus efectos. La gestión debe abarcar todas las fases: prevención, preparación, respuesta y recuperación, incorporando dimensiones
ambientales, económicas y sociales.

La evaluación de los riesgos naturales requiere identificar los fenómenos que afectan una región determinada, analizar la vulnerabilidad y exposición de las poblaciones y territorios, y valorar su capacidad de
adaptación. Este proceso se apoya en modelos científicos avanzados que integran información geoespacial, meteorológica, hidrológica y climática, permitiendo comprender la probabilidad de ocurrencia y la magnitud
del impacto potencial.

El objetivo de esta propuesta es evidenciar que el CSIC, principal organismo público de investigación en España, dispone de las capacidades científicas, tecnológicas y humanas necesarias para contribuir de forma
decisiva a la evaluación y gestión de los riesgos naturales y a la mejora de la calidad ambiental. A través de la integración de distintos departamentos y centros especializados, el CSIC puede ofrecer soluciones
innovadoras y basadas en la ciencia para afrontar los desafíos asociados a los desastres naturales.

Financiación: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

Start Date: 01/01/2026 – End Date: 31/12/2026

Aditivos de caucho para neumáticos en el medio ambiente y la vida silvestre y sus implicaciones para la salud humana

Proyecto PID2022-138623OA-I00 financiado por MICIU/AEI/10.13039/5011000110033

Start Date: 03/01/2023 – End Date: 31/08/2026

DesNitraqua

Strategies for alternative water resources based on the application of electrodialysis for the treatment of groundwater contaminated by nitrates

In Osona (Catalonia, NE Spain), groudwaters exceed the limit of nitrates established by the WHO for drinking water. This contamination comes from livestock manure used as fertiliser, which seeps into the soil and reaches aquifers. To find alternative water resources, the BETA TC will test the feasibility of electrodialysis to treat contaminated groundwater.

While nitrates pollution is regularly monitored in groundwater sources, the levels of chemical contaminants of emerging concern of anthropogenic origin are overlooked in this region. IDAEA – CSIC co-leads this project investigating the occurrence of organic chemical mixtures by targeted and non-targeted chemical analytical approaches to provide first scientific evidence of chemical pollution in the aquifer system of Osona. Finally, the potential of electrodialysis will be tested for the removal of chemical contaminants identified in groundwaters assessed.

Co-financed by the EU, the aim is to obtain safe water for human consumption, irrigation or industrial uses, maximising the available water resources.

Action of the Pla estratègic de la PAC 2023-2027 co-financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Spain, the European Union, and the Government of Catalonia.

Start Date: 01/11/2025 – End Date: 30/06/2026

SYBERAC aims to better understand the terrestrial routes and patterns of exposure and the associated, potential toxicological and ecological impacts of chemical pollution (excluding industrial contamination) on terrestrial biodiversity, ecosystems, and ecosystem services. The SYBERAC vision is to deliver the underpinning science, methods and tools that can support a transition of terrestrial chemical risk assessment into a systems-based ERA (sb-ERA) designed to protect genetic and functional diversity and ecosystem services.

At the core of SYBERAC there is a collaborative knowledge-building process that integrates expertise and knowledge from relevant actors to improve understanding of how chemicals impact terrestrial ecosystems.

Funded by the European Union under Grant agreement ID: 101135213.

Start Date: 01/01/2024 – End Date: 31/12/2027

https://www.syberac.eu/

Mejorando la caracterización molecular de mezclas complejas en estudios ambientales, humanos y toxicológicos mediante un enfoque integrado utilizando espectrometría de masas y movilidad iónica

Este equipamiento es parte de la ayuda EQC2024-008517-P, financiada por MCIN/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ y FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa.

Start Date: 01/01/2024 – End Date: 30/06/2026

Integrated approach to assess the levels and impact of contaminants of emerging concern on blue health and biodiversity modulated by climate change drivers

The ONE-BLUE project aims to address the growing concerns about emerging contaminants (CECs) in marine environments. CECs can be found in pharmaceuticals, personal care products, flame retardants, pesticides, plastic additives, and micro- and nanoplastics. These contaminants pose a significant risk to marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Moreover, climate change exacerbates these risks by altering marine conditions, contaminant behaviour, and ocean acidification. The project seeks to enhance understanding of the presence, behaviour, and impacts of CECs in marine ecosystems under the influence of climate change.

ONE-BLUE focuses on developing new monitoring tools, advanced methodologies, and a comprehensive database (CECsMarineDB) to support effective management and policy decision-making. The studies include sampling campaigns in selected marine areas—the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic, and the Mediterranean Sea—as well as controlled marine mesocosm experiments to investigate the interactions between CECs and climate change. Additionally, the project employs machine learning-based predictive models to assess and forecast future impacts. The project outcomes will be widely disseminated, and exploitation plans will be established to ensure the effective application of the developed technologies.

Funding: European Union’s HORIZON-CL6-2023-ZEROPOLLUTION-01 Ref No. 101134929

Start Date: 01/01/2024 – End Date: 30/06/2028

Funding: European Project

https://one-blue.eu/

Estat sanitari de les anguiles europees d’estanys i cursos fluvials de la Mediterrània occidental: desenvolupament de mètodes no invasius d’estudi de fonts de contaminació i proposta de mesures de restauració

El projecte AnguillaMed analitzarà l’estat sanitari de les poblacions d’anguila europea (Anguilla anguilla) a la Mediterrània occidental, desenvolupant mètodes no invasius per a l’estudi de fonts de contaminació i fent propostes de mesures de restauració del seu estat sanitari. Des de mitjans del s. XX, la població d’anguila europea s’ha reduït a tot el món fins a tenir una presència mínima. Es calcula que els últims 50 anys els efectius d’aquesta espècie tan vulnerable s’han reduït a menys del 95%. Les causes principals en són la sobrepesca, la ruptura de la connectivitat ecològica, l’elevada la contaminació química de l’aigua i infestacions parasitàries, entre altres. Aquest projecte farà un estudi de camp que inclourà 12 llocs d’estudi, que corresponen a diverses masses d’aigua. D’entrada, a la demarcació dels Pirineus Orientals, a la de Girona i a la de Barcelona.

Els resultats del projecte permetran conèixer els nivells de degradació i l’estat ecològic dels ambients o hàbitats aquàtics continentals, llacunes costaneres i cursos fluvials i centrar-se en les causes del declivi de la biodiversitat: l’alteració de la hidromorfologia i la hidrodinàmica, la contaminació difusa d’origen agrari o industrial, etc. A partir d’aquí, i tenint en compte que l’anguila és una espècie indicadora de la qualitat del medi aquàtic, la intenció és proposar les mesures de restauració més adequades per a aquests hàbitats, de comú acord amb els grups socials d’interès de cada lloc d’estudi. Els resultats de la recerca també es considera que puguin ser extrapolables a altres regions mediterrànies i europees.

Start Date: 01/01/2024 – End Date: 31/12/2026

Funding: European Project

https://anguillamed.eu/

Developing strategies for controlling anthropogenic and geogenic pollutants in groundwater

The sustainability of freshwater resources is one of the most important challenges of the Mediterranean region and European Union, constituting a social, economic, and technological challenge, as pressure on these resources is increasing rapidly due to sharp population growth and industrial and agricultural activities. This situation will be especially dramatic in urban areas, which are expected to amass 70% of the world's population by 2050. Moreover, water resources will be also affected by climate change, especially in the south of Europe, where droughts will be more frequent, intense, and long. Combining both chemical and quantitative status assessments show that 29% of the total groundwater body area lacks sufficient capacity to meet the needs of ecosystems or society. Consequently, it is essential to preserve groundwater resources from overexploitation, but also from anthropogenic pollution.

WATERPOLLUT is focused on the newest classes of contaminants (organic contaminants of emerging concern, microplastics, geogenic trace elements and inorganic elements of emerging concern), investigating their presence, their hydrodynamic behaviour and natural attenuation through modelling and identification of their transformation products in groundwater, and also the potential risk associated with the consumption of drinking water produced from contaminated groundwater. In addition, the project aims at identifying pollution sources of emerging contaminants and at distinguishing between anthropogenic and geogenic origins in case of inorganic pollutants. Studies will be conducted in the deltas of two Mediterranean with distinct characteristics.

WATERPOLLUT will consist of two sub-projects: ATTENUATION and GEOTHROP-H₂O, which are executed by two research institutes. the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA) and Desertification Research Centre (CIDE) with recognized expertise in water quality analysis, risk assessment of contaminants in human health and environment, the assessment urban groundwater quality and evaluation of the impact of climate change on freshwater resources. To achieve the demanding objectives of this project, subject matter experts from the fields of analytical chemistry, hydrogeochemistry and numerical modelling will team up to design and execute the project in order to generate meaningful quality results. The need for such multidisciplinarity has been the driver for the collaboration between the two Centers coordinating the two subprojects that constitute the project WATERPOLLUT.

Funding: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades; PID2022-138556OB-C21

Start Date: 01/09/2023 – End Date: 31/08/2026

Funding: National Project

https://waterpollut.csic.es/