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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20251202T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20251202T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163850Z
CREATED:20251127T061049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163850Z
UID:14076-1764673200-1764680400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Jordina Gili
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Jordina Gili\, from the EGAR group\, will defend her thesis on 2nd December at 11:00h in Aula Eduard Fontserè\, Facultat de Física\, Universitat de Barcelona. \nDirectors: Mar Viana and Barend L. van Drooge \nThesis Committee: Brigite Botequim\, Amalia Muñoz and Jordi Dachs. \nAbstract:\nWildland fires—both wildfires and prescribed burns—are becoming increasingly frequent and intense across Southern Europe due to climate and land-use changes\, posing growing threats to air quality and human health. This thesis aims to assess the impacts of smoke emissions on ambient air and firefighters’ personal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5)\, black carbon (BC)\, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Between 2022 and 2024\, field monitoring campaigns were conducted in two of Spain’s most fire-prone areas: Galicia (NW Spain) and Catalonia (NE Spain)\, using a combination of fixed monitors and portable sampling devices. Calibrated monitors revealed substantial PM2.5 increases in ambient air and\, combined with source-apportionment tools\, enabled high-resolution characterization of wildfire smoke. Firefighters showed high and comparable exposures during wildfires and prescribed burns\, supporting the use of prescribed burns as practical proxies for wildfire exposure assessments. Task-based characterization revealed different profiles: mop-up tasks were identified as a relevant contributor to PM2.5 exposures\, while torchers were more influenced by fossil-fuel emissions and specific carcinogenic PAHs. BC–PAH correlations indicated that BC may be used as an effective proxy for PAH exposure. Estimated cancer risks exceeded safety thresholds for ignition tasks\, supporting the classification of occupational exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic to humans\, highlighting the need for task-specific exposure mitigation strategies.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-jordina-gili/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/jordinagili_phdthesis.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20251107T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20251107T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163822Z
CREATED:20251103T055508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163822Z
UID:14069-1762513200-1762520400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Alicia Cano López
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Alicia Cano López\, from the Exposomics\, Pollution and Agriculture group\, will defend her thesis on 7th November at 11:00h in Sala d’Actes de l’Edifici Vèrtex (Campus Nord\, UPC). \nDirectors: Victor Matamoros and Mònica Escolà \nThesis Committee: Victoria de los Ángeles Salvadó Martín\, Tao Lyu and Gianluigi Buttiglieri \nAbstract:\nWater scarcity is one of the most pressing global challenges\, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Mediterranean basin. In countries like Spain\, where agriculture is a major consumer of water resources\, the use of reclaimed water has become essential for ensuring both water and food security. However\, treated wastewater effluents and even groundwater can contain organic micropollutants that are partially removed in conventional water treatments. Among these\, persistent\, mobile\, and toxic (PMT) substances are especially concerning due to their resistance to degradation\, mobility through water systems\, and their toxicity potential in the environment\, posing risks to ecosystems\, crops\, and human health.\nThis PhD thesis explores both the reduction and impact of PMT substances across four experiments. Two focus on treatment technologies\, a chemical approach (advanced oxidation process\, AOP) and a biological system (nature-based solution\, NBS)\, to eliminate PMT substances from groundwater and wastewater. The other two assess the effects of PMT-contaminated irrigation water on crops\, using both hydroponic and soilbased systems. Chapter 3 compares eight oxidation treatments for removing chlorinated solvents from contaminated groundwater\, coupled with a human health risk assessment. Chapter 4 investigates four NBS configurations for removing short-chain PFAS and other PMT substances from groundwater and wastewater\, focusing on the influence of factors like filter media\, grain size\, vegetation\, and microbial communities. Chapter 5 evaluates PMT uptake and bioaccumulation in lettuce grown in a hydroponic setup\, alongside assessments of plant health\, metabolomic responses\, and implications for food safety. Chapter 7 explores an ongoing soil-based irrigation study comparing secondary and pilot-scale quaternary effluents\, analysing suspect PMT uptake\, and crop quality\, complementing the hydroponic findings.\nOverall\, this thesis provides novel insights into PMT substances in water resources and agricultural systems\, offering both treatment evaluations and risk-based perspectives that may inform future water reuse strategies and regulatory frameworks.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-alicia-cano-lopez/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/aliciacano_phd.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20251006T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20251006T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163808Z
CREATED:20251002T052935Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163808Z
UID:14066-1759748400-1759755600@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Marjan Savadkoohi
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Marjan Savadkoohi\, from the EGAR group\, will defend her thesis on 6th October at 11:00h in Sala Multimèdia B3 Escola Tècnica Superior d´Enginyeria de Telecomunicació de Barcelona (UPC-Campus Nord). \nDirectors: Marco Pandolfi and Andrés Alastuey \nThesis Committee: Angela Marinoni\, Jesús Yus and Oriol Jorba \nAbstract:\nThis thesis addresses the challenges of determining black carbon (BC) mass concentration\, an emerging air quality metric with significant impacts on climate and public health. Since BC cannot be directly measured\, its estimation relies on indirect optical absorption methods that vary across instruments and monitoring networks. The work focuses on harmonizing in situ observations and improving source apportionment methodologies. Advanced computational methods are applied to enhance the accuracy\, consistency\, and interpretability of BC reporting\, thereby contributing to the development of standardized practices for air quality assessment.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-marjan-savadkoohi/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/phdthesis_marjansavadkoohi.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250912T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250912T123000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163804Z
CREATED:20250909T114820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163804Z
UID:14065-1757673000-1757680200@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:Defensa de Tesi de Clara Jaén Flo
DESCRIPTION:La investigadora predoctoral Clara Jaén Flo del grup Geochemistry and Pollution\, defensa la seva tesi doctoral el 12 de setembre a les 10:30h en l’Aula Magna Enric Casassas de la Facultat de Química\, Universitat de Barcelona \nDirectors: Barend L. van Drooge i Joan O. Grimalt \nTribunal: Andrés Alastuey\, Ana Gòmez Gutiérrez and Joaquim Rovira \nAbstract:\nAquesta tesi aborda la identificació de fonts d’emissió\, processos de transformació i patrons de distribució vertical de l´aerosol orgànic (OA) a la troposfera baixa. Per mitjà d’una metodologia innovadora basada en GC-MS d’alta resolució i en el mostreig amb globus captius\, s’analitzen compostos orgànics en diversos entorns i altituds. Els resultats mostren que l’OA primari tendeix a acumular-se a prop de superfície durant les inversions hivernals\, mentre que l’OA secundari presenta una distribució més homogènia i concentracions sovint més elevades a la capa residual nocturna. Les relacions entre els compostos oxidats i els seus precursors apunten\, a més\, a una oxidació més intensa en alçada. L’anàlisi conjunta de la composició i la toxicitat de l’OA revela una major afectació cel·lular associada a la crema de biomassa en zones rurals i suburbanes. Finalment\, la tesi posa de manifest la influència del transport a mitjana i llarga distància en la composició dels aerosols en regions d’alta muntanya.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/defensa-de-tesi-de-clara-jaen-flo/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/phd_clarajaen.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250725T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250725T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163755Z
CREATED:20250711T052328Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163755Z
UID:14063-1753437600-1753444800@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Olga Gómez Navarro
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Olga Gómez Navarro\, from the ONHEALTH group\, will defend her thesis on 25th July at 10:00h in Aula Eduard Fontseré (Faculty of Chemistry\, Universitat de Barcelona) \nDirectors: Sandra Pérez and Nicola Montemurro \nThesis Committee: Juan Vicente Sancho\, Carlos Gonçalves and Barend Van Drooge \nAbstract:\nIntermittent streams\, characterized by variable and discontinuous flow regimes\, are becoming increasingly common in the Mediterranean region due to climate change\, land use changes\, and population growth\, which further decrease water availability. As a result\, their natural dilution capacity is limited\, making them highly vulnerable to both anthropogenic pressures and climate-driven hydrological variability. This thesis developed and applied robust analytical techniques for the detection\, quantification\, and characterization of contaminants of emerging concern and transformation products\, and assessed their potential environmental risks in Mediterranean intermittent freshwater systems. Through an integrated approach combining chemical\, hydrological\, and ecological indicators\, this thesis highlighted the impact of wastewater discharges on aquatic ecosystems and the need for region-specific monitoring frameworks. The importance of considering hydrological variability\, particularly in low flow situations\, where the natural dilution capacity of streams is limited\, was also emphasized\, especially as water scarcity increases. Suspect and non-target screening approaches\, supported by open-source tools\, expanded the target analysis and revealed a broader understanding of the contaminant profiles in intermittent streams.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-olga-gomez-navarro/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/og_thesis.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250717T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250717T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163748Z
CREATED:20250710T053323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163748Z
UID:14062-1752746400-1752753600@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Verónica Moreno
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Verónica Moreno\, from the EGAR group\, will defend her thesis on 17th July at 10:00h at Universitat de Barcelona (Aula Magna\, Facultat de Biologia) \nDirectors: Mar Viana and Marcel Macarulla \nThesis Committee: Jordi Poblet\, Ana Sofia Godinho and Julio Bastos \nAbstract:\nNanoparticles (NPs) differ from other pollutants by their dynamic transformations and dominance in particle number despite low mass. They penetrate the respiratory system\, causing inflammation and toxicity risks. Incidental nanoparticles (INPs)\, unintentionally released in industries\, are often overlooked in occupational exposure. \nThis Thesis studies INPs in the ceramic sector by examining emission sources\, worker exposure including physicochemical and toxicological characterisation\, and using Reduced Order Models (ROMs) to optimise industrial ventilation. Three processes were analysed: tile cutting\, firing\, and thermal spraying. Results show INP properties and toxicity depend on formation mechanisms. In situ sampling provided essential aerosol data. ROMs reduced INP exposure by 73%\, energy use by 15%\, and CO₂ emissions by 12%. \nCurrent regulations inadequately address NP risks\, emphasising the need for international exposure limits\, detailed aerosol characterisation\, and ROMs to improve occupational safety and efficiency. \n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-veronica-moreno/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/vmm_thesis_.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250709T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250709T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163745Z
CREATED:20250625T043930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163745Z
UID:14061-1752058800-1752066000@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis by Sharon Ridolfo
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Sharon Ridolfo\, from the EGAR group\, will defend her thesis on 9th July at 11:00h at Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (Sala Multimèdia Professor Pedro Vicente del Fraile\, Edificio B3 – Campus Nord UPC) \nDirectors: Fulvio Amato and Xavier Querol \nThesis Committee: Jesús Damián de la Rosa Díaz\, Eleonora Simona Cuccia and Xavier Gamisans Noguera \nAbstract:\nUltrafine particles (UFP)\, defined as airborne particulates with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 100 nm\, are of particular concern due to their ability to penetrate deep into the respiratory system and even reach the brain directly via the olfactory bulb\, with the potential to cause a wide range of adverse health effects. In response to the growing evidence of health risks associated with UFP\, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently issued ‘Good practice statements’ emphasizing the need to integrate UFP in terms of particle number concentration (PNC) into existing air quality monitoring systems (WHO\, 2021). In line with these recommendations\, the new European Air Quality Directive (AQD\, 2024/2881/EC) requires the monitoring of PNC and particle number size distribution (PNSD) in urban supersites and of PNC in rural supersites and pollution hotspots\, including traffic\, harbors\, airports\, and industry\, among others (EU\, 2024). In this context\, the present PhD thesis investigates the concentrations\, size\, and some chemical patterns and source contributions of UFP in transport environments\, including a review of existing literature on PNC-PNSD\, as well as experimental studies conducted at an airport\, harbor\, road traffic and urban background (UB) in Barcelona (NE Spain) and a subway in Valencia (E Spain). The review aimed to assess the instruments used\, analyze results\, and identify knowledge gaps in PNC-PNSD across transport environments. It highlighted understudied areas needing further investigation and provided key insights for the field campaigns. The findings identified road traffic as the main contributor to PNC in urban areas\, with commuting modes influenced by proximity to traffic and meteorological conditions. It also emphasized the need for harmonizing measurement protocols due to significant variations in methods\, particularly in lower (finer) particle size detection limits. The experimental studies revealed substantial variability in PNC and PNSD\, driven by differences in emission sources and site-specific conditions. The airport recorded the highest PNC\, dominated by aircraft activity\, particularly taxiing and takeoff\, while the subway exhibited the lowest. Nucleation mode particles (<25 nm) were especially elevated at the airport and road traffic site\, indicating the influence of fresh emissions and secondary formation from gaseous precursors. In contrast\, the harbor showed a dominant Aitken mode (25-100 nm) linked to ship emissions. Diurnal trends further reflected localized source activity\, with distinct peaks observed in line with transport operations\, except in the subway\, where PNC remained relatively stable. PNSD was unimodal below 20 nm at the airport and traffic sites\, unimodal around 20-30 nm at the harbor\, and flatter at the subway\, suggesting a lack of significant local sources of UFP. Notably\, no second mode (40-90 nm)\, commonly associated with diesel emissions\, was observed at the road traffic site\, indicating a possible decline in larger diesel-related particles due to the implementation of EURO 5 and 6/V and VI standards and the Barcelona Low Emission Zone (LEZ). Source apportionment analyses confirmed aviation and shipping as dominant contributors to UFP at the airport and harbor\, respectively\, while chemical characterization revealed specific racers such as aluminum (airport)\, chromium and barium (traffic)\, vanadium and nickel (harbor)\, and copper (subway)\, among others.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-by-sharon-ridolfo/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250521T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250521T123000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163719Z
CREATED:20250516T052943Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163719Z
UID:14055-1747823400-1747830600@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis by Jon Iriarte
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Jon Iriarte\, from the Global Change and Genomic Biogeochemistry group\, will defend his thesis on 21st May at 10:30h at the Aula Magna Enric Casassas of the Faculty of Chemistry (University of Barcelona) \nDirectors: Maria Vila-Costa and Jordi Dachs \nThesis Committee: Barend L. van Drooge\, Eva Ortega Retuerta and Marta Sebastián Caumel \nAbstract:\nThis thesis investigates the effects of background levels of contaminants on marine microbes and their potential role in the biodegradation of these compounds\, focusing on remote regions such as the Antarctic coast and the open ocean. To do so\, it integrates chemical data with compositional and functional data of microbial communities\, along with other physicochemical parameters obtained through field measurements and experiments conducted during various sampling campaigns. The resulting datasets were analyzed using data analysis tools\, statistical tests\, and bioinformatics software. \nThis thesis demonstrates that the simultaneous characterization of organic contaminants and microbial communities through field measurements provides new insight into the complexity of processes occurring under real environmental conditions. It reveals that background levels of organic contaminants\, while not the main drivers\, can significantly influence marine microbial communities. Furthermore\, microbial degradation was observed to potentially act as an oceanic sink for emerging contaminants at the ocean surface. \n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-by-jon-iriarte/
LOCATION:Aula Magna\, Facultat Química (UB)
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/tesis_joniriarte.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250509T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250509T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163712Z
CREATED:20250428T050938Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163712Z
UID:14054-1746784800-1746792000@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis by Francesc Labad Roig
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Francesc Labad Roig\, from the ONHEALTH group\, will defend her thesis on 9th May at 10:00h at the aula Eduard Fontseré of the Faculty of Chemistry (University of Barcelona) \nDirectors: Sandra Pérez and Enric Vázquez-Suñé \nThesis Committee: José Benito Quintana\, Alberto Celma and Oscar Nuñez \nAbstract:\nAquesta tesi doctoral estudia la presència de contaminants orgànics de traça (TrOCs)\, especialment els polars\, en aigües urbanes de Barcelona. S’han desenvolupat diverses metodologies analítiques per detectar TrOCs en diferents tipus d’aigua\, destacant dues tècniques d´extracció i l’ús de cromatografia de líquids i espectrometria de masses d’alta resolució. Els resultats mostren una contaminació significativa de l’aigua subterrània per aigües residuals\, de pluja i superficials\, i s’avalua el risc ambiental i per a la salut humana\, subratllant la necessitat de millorar el tractament i la gestió de l’aigua urbana
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-by-francesc-labad-roig/
LOCATION:Aula Eduard Fontserè\, Facultat de Física i Química (UB)
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_francesc.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250425T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250425T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163705Z
CREATED:20250408T053730Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163705Z
UID:14052-1745575200-1745582400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Núria Trilla i Prieto
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Núria Trilla i Prieto\, from the Global Change and Genomic Biogeochemistry group\, will defend her thesis on 25th April at 10:00h at the aula Magna of the Faculty of Biology (University of Barcelona) \nDirectors: Jordi Dachs and Begoña Jiménez \nThesis Committee: Assumpció Borrell\, Antonio Tovar and Andre G. Bravo \nAbstract:\nLarge-scale oceanic assessments provide key knowledge on the persistence and potential for long-range transport of organic pollutants. This thesis investigates the latitudinal and depth distribution and biogeochemical cycling of dissolved black carbon (DBC)\, organophosphate esters (OPEs)\, and perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in the ocean. The assessment of DBC occurrence and cycling in the ocean was based on a meta-analysis\, while OPEs and PFAAs were analyzed for samples collected during two oceanographic expeditions covering a latitudinal transect from 42ºN to 71ºS in the Atlantic and Southern oceans. It is shown that semivolatile aromatic hydrocarbons account for ~16% of oceanic DBC\, implying that DBC is less persistent than previously thought\, and that there are important atmospheric inputs of semivolatile DBC to the ocean. OPE concentrations decreased from the Northern Atlantic toward Antarctic waters\, but showed unexpected enrichment in the sea surface microlayer (SML)—particularly in the Southern Ocean—likely linked to its surfactant and hydrophobic properties. Depth distribution of OPEs were clearly influenced by the biological pump and other biogeochemical processes. In contrast\, PFAAs showed similar concentrations in the remote Southern Ocean than in the open north Atlantic\, while concentrations were lower in the tropical south Atlantic. PFAAs concentrations in the Southern Ocean are currently larger than two decades ago\, suggesting that Antarctic waters are a long term sink and reservoir for PFAAs. This accumulation is consistent with PFAAs sea-spray driven aerosolization followed by wet deposition. These results shows that persistence is a key property explaining the long-range transport and accumulation of emerging contaminants in remote oceanic regions.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-nuria-trilla-i-prieto/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PhDThesis_NuriaTrilla.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250321T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250321T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163649Z
CREATED:20250317T081743Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163649Z
UID:14047-1742551200-1742558400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Diana Manjarrés
DESCRIPTION:The predoctoral researcher Diana Manjarrés\, from the ON HEALTH group\, will defend her thesis on 21st March at 10:00h in the Aula de Grados – Faculty of Biology\, University of Barcelona \nTitle: Biomonitoreo de contaminantes de preocupación emergente en especies invasoras y nativas para la evaluación del riesgo ecológico en ecosistemas acuáticos \nDirectors: Sandra Pérez and Nicola Montemurro  \nThesis tutor: Encarnación Moyano \nThesis Committee: Serge Chiron\, Sara Rodríguez Mozaz and Pablo Lara \nAbstract:\nLa contaminación acuática por actividades antrópicas afecta la calidad del agua y la biodiversidad. Esta tesis evaluó la presencia y bioacumulación de 173 contaminantes de preocupación emergente (incluidos PhACs\, OPFRs\, PFAS y plaguicidas) en peces\, cangrejos y almejas de agua dulce\, mediante el uso de técnicas avanzadas de LC-HRMS/MS. Se priorizaron la carpa común y la almeja asiática como especies invasoras eficaces para el biomonitoreo de CECs en ecosistemas sensibles como el río Llobregat y el Parque Natural de la Albufera \n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-diana-manjarres/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/DianaManjarres_PhD.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250115T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20250115T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163559Z
CREATED:20250113T060909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163559Z
UID:14035-1736938800-1736946000@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Álvaro Moyano Salcedo
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Álvaro Moyano Salcedo\, from the Surface Hydrology\, Ecology and Erosion group\, will defend his thesis on 15th January at 11:00h in Aula de Graus – Edifici Durfort (Faculty of Biology\, University of Barcelona) \nDirectors: Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles and Humbert Salvadó \nThesis Committee: Eugènia Martí\, Francesc de Paula and Juan David González \nAbstract:\nFreshwater salinization (FS) is a global challenge impacting aquatic ecosystems. This thesis compiles the GlobSalt database\, which includes ~15M records on salinity parameters globally. It examines FS in Spanish rivers\, focusing on temporal variability and key human-driven sources. It also explores the interactive effects of nutrient and salt pollution on aquatic ecosystems. Finally\, it assesses how salinity affects wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and their contributions to river salinity. The findings highlight FS drivers\, impacts\, and management strategies\, providing a foundation for future research and solutions.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-alvaro-moyano-salcedo/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/phd_thesis_alvaromoyano.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241118T113000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241118T133000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163547Z
CREATED:20241106T071032Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163547Z
UID:14032-1731929400-1731936600@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Carlos Pérez López
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Carlos Pérez López\, from the Chemometrics for Environmental Omics group\, will defend his thesis on 18th November at 11:30h in Facultat de Ciències at Universitat de Girona. \nTitle: Development of comprehensive non-target bioinformatics and chemometric tools for data filtering and management of mass spectrometry datasets and the chemical compound identification in environmental omics (proteomics\, metabolomics\, and exposomics) \nDirectors: Romà Tauler\, Antoni Ginebreda and Damià Barceló \nThesis Committee: Victoria de los Ángeles Salvadó Martín\, Guillermo Quintas Soriano and Antonio Checa Gómez \nAbstract:\nEnvironmental omics is a valuable source of knowledge concerning the chemical compounds and biomolecules occurring in the environment and their molecular effects on the exposed biota. Mass spectrometry (MS)\, usually coupled to a chromatographic instrument to separate the analytes of a sample\, is the most widely used analytical technique in environmental omics studies. However\, MS instruments generate a large amount of data\, some unrelated to analytes and associated with instrumental interferences or noise background. Filtering MS signals\, selecting those belonging to analytes\, and identifying these chemical compounds remain challenging tasks in analytical chemistry. These procedures are even more demanding when there is a total lack of knowledge of the sample´s composition\, a typical scenario in the untargeted analytical approach. In the last decades\, chemometrics and bioinformatics methods have been proposed\, some based on feature detection and a few others on the direct resolution of chemical compounds. \nThis PhD Thesis has been focused on studying the so-called Regions of Interest-Multivariate Curve Resolution (ROIMCR) chemometrics method to resolve the chemical compounds present in environmental omics samples\, following a direct non-target analytical approach. Data from different sources and MS acquisition modes have been analyzed using the ROIMCR method to validate its performance\, (including strengths and limitations). Datasets related to mixtures of small (exposomics and metabolomics) and large (proteomics) molecules have been successfully analyzed using full-scan\, Data Dependent acquisition (DDA)\, and Data independent acquisition (DIA) modes. The possibilities of ROIMCR using DIA mode have confirmed its application to the analysis of MS data structures including MS2 information (even considering simultaneously positive and negative ionization modes). Some tools were developed to overcome certain limitations (generally related to the lack of automatization of the process) of the ROIMCR methodology. Such developments were implemented in two related MATLAB software packages\, the SigSel package used for the visualization\, filtering\, and extraction of ROIMCR-results information\, and the MSident program for annotating the resolved chemical compounds. Additionally\, a rapid and cost-effective methodology\, so-called Aquasearch\, has been proposed to perform proteomic biomarkers profiling in wastewater samples using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption /Ionization-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF). The Aquasearch program developed in this Thesis is proposed as a convenient tool for routine biomarker monitoring\, instead of other possible methods that are more resource-demanding and time-consuming.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-carlos-perez-lopez/
LOCATION:AYUDAS RAMÓN Y CAJAL 2022
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PhD-Thesis-Defence_cpl.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241029T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241029T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163528Z
CREATED:20241021T122024Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163528Z
UID:14026-1730199600-1730206800@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Jordi Massagué
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Jordi Massagué\, from the EGAR group\, will defend his thesis on 29th October at 11:00h in Escola de Camins (Building C1. Classroom: 002) at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya \nTitle: Tendencias y dinámica de los episodios de contaminación por ozono troposférico en España \nDirector: Xavier Querol\, and Miguel Escudero  \nThesis Committee: Célia Alves\, Amalia Muñoz\, Xavier Gamisans \nAbstract:\nEl ozono (O3) troposférico es un contaminante secundario gaseoso fotoquímico con efectos adversos en la salud\, los ecosistemas y los materiales\, y que contribuye al efecto invernadero. El 94% de la población urbana europea está expuesta a niveles nocivos de O3\, especialmente en el sur y países mediterráneos como España\, donde se superan sistemáticamente los valores normativos. La reducción de los niveles de O3 es compleja debido a las reacciones no lineales entre sus precursores clave -óxidos de nitrógeno (NOx) y compuestos orgánicos volátiles (COVs)-\, y la influencia de la meteorología y de procesos de transporte atmosférico a diferentes escalas. El objetivo de esta tesis es ampliar el conocimiento de la dinámica del O3 en España y contribuir al futuro Plan Nacional de Ozono\, destinado a reducir sus niveles. La investigación se basa en el análisis de datos experimentales de calidad del aire y meteorológicos. Se ha propuesto una regionalización del territorio según la severidad de la contaminación por O3. Las zonas críticas (hotspots) registran los niveles más altos de O3 y\, por tanto\, son las áreas a priorizar en la implementación de políticas de reducción. Estas incluyen: la cuenca de Madrid\, el norte de Barcelona (NdB)\, la cuenca cerrada de Puertollano\, el interior de la Comunidad Valenciana y la cuenca del Guadalquivir (CdG). En estos hotspots\, los aportes de O3 externos a España y Europa se suman a la considerable producción de O3 generado a partir de emisiones locales/regionales de precursores\, causando superaciones de los valores normativos. La gestión adecuada de estas emisiones podría reducir marcadamente los niveles de O3 durante episodios. Se han estudiado dos hotspots en profundidad: (i) la CdG\, donde se han estimado algunas contribuciones de O3. El control de emisiones locales/regionales podría reducir hasta el ~50% de los niveles de O3 durante episodios agudos. (ii) Eje Barcelona-NdB\, donde se han analizado tres episodios excepcionales de O3 en la ciudad\, identificando sus causas (mayormente comunes): acumulación previa de O3\, efecto fin de semana\, condiciones meteorológicas específicas\, con Tramontana en altura y muy altas temperaturas\, y convergencia multirregional de masas de aire. Se ha analizado la evolución de los niveles de O3 durante tres fases: antes (2008-2019)\, durante (2020-2021) y después (2022- 2023) de la pandemia de COVID-19\, debido al impacto que ésta tuvo en la emisión de precursores. En 2008-2019\, los niveles de O3 en los hotspots mostraron tendencias divergentes. En la cuenca de Madrid\, aumentaron de forma generalizada\, debido a la meteorología\, la reducción de emisiones de NOx del tráfico rodado\, y al leve aumento de COVs\, en un régimen de formación de O3 COV-limitado. En contraste\, Sevilla registró descensos de O3\, atribuidos a un régimen de formación urbano atípico (más limitado por NOx). Otros hotspots no mostraron tendencias claras\, debido a variaciones leves en las emisiones de precursores y a la ausencia de variaciones meteorológicas. En pandemia\, los niveles de O3 decrecieron ampliamente en el país\, especialmente en el litoral Mediterráneo\, donde por primera vez no se superaron valores normativos\, debido a la reducción sin precedentes de las emisiones de precursores a diversas escalas (local\, regional\, europea y hemisférica)\, y a condiciones meteorológicas desfavorables para la producción/acumulación de O3. En postpandemia\, los niveles de O3 aumentaron respecto a la pandemia\, aunque generalmente no alcanzaron los niveles de prepandemia\, a pesar de las múltiples e intensas olas de calor\, propicias para el O3. En los tres periodos\, los niveles de O3 aumentaron en zonas urbanas afectadas por emisiones de tráfico\, indicando varias causas. Los resultados sugieren una convergencia a largo plazo entre los niveles de O3 en entornos rurales y urbanos. Además\, destacan la importancia de analizar la dinámica de O3 a escala local/regional y de aplicar una gestión diferenciada para los distintos hotspots.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-jordi-massague/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/tesis_jordimassague.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241018T120000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241018T140000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163110Z
CREATED:20241003T045748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163110Z
UID:13959-1729252800-1729260000@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Tiantian Wang
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Tiantian Wang\, from the Environmental Toxicology group\, will defend her thesis on 18th October at 12:00h in Aula de Graus\, Facultat de Biologia\, at Universitat de Barcelona \nTitle: Development of 3D spheroids from fish liver cells as in-vitro models to assess the effects of plastics in aquatic systems \nDirector: Cinta Porte \nThesis Committee: Miren Pilare Cajaraville\, Ricardo Beiras García-Sabell and Carmen Bedia \nAbstract:\nLa contaminació per plàstic és una amenaça ambiental important\, especialment als ecosistemes aquàtics\, on els articles d´un sol ús es degraden en mesoplàstics\, microplàstics i nanoplastics (MNP)\, causant danys físics i químics als organismes. Tot i que els plàstics biodegradables i compostables (BP) estan dissenyats per ser ecològics\, encara requereixen additius que poden ser tòxics abans que es degradin completament. Aquesta tesi ha investigat la toxicitat dels BP\, plàstics convencionals i mesoplàstics de les platges espanyoles\, examinant com la fotodegradació i el compostatge afecten les respostes tòxiques de les cèl·lules PLHC-1. A més\, s’ha avaluat la toxicitat cel·lular en ZFL dels micro i nanoplàstics de poliestirè\, centrant-se en el metabolisme dels lípids i les vies antioxidants. També s’han desenvolupat esferoides de fetge de peix (PLHC-1\, ZFL) per emular condicions in vivo\, caracteritzant patrons de creixement\, signatures lipidòmiques i expressió gènica i l´efecte del suplement sèric (FBS) sobre el lipidoma i la modulació de la toxicitat.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-tiantian-wang/
LOCATION:DISTINTIVO MENTO EN EL IDAEA- MENTORES ERC-COG-2025 – Tomás Aquino
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_tiantianwang.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241007T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20241007T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163506Z
CREATED:20240906T050549Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163506Z
UID:14022-1728295200-1728302400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Adolfo González
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Adolfo González\, from the EGAR group\, will defend his thesis on 7th October at 10:00h in Escola de Camins (Building C1. Classroom: 002) at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya \nTitle: Understanding sediment formation processes\, properties and dust emission potential in desert dust hotspot regions \nDirector: Xavier Querol \nThesis Committee: Jesús de la Rosa\, Claudia di Bagio and Sonia Castillo Fernández \nAbstract:\nDesert dust\, primarily composed of mineral particles from arid and semiarid regions\, impacts the Earth´s atmosphere\, climate\, ecosystems and human health. To better evaluate these impacts\, desert dust models must reduce uncertainties. n this study\, samples were collected from four regions and analysed for particle size\, aggregation\, mineralogy and Fe modes of occurrences. Four different conceptual models have been developed to understand sediment properties and their impact on emitted dust and will guide future studies and improve desert dust emission models. \n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-adolfo-gonzalez/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_adolfogonzalez.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240920T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240920T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163511Z
CREATED:20240909T074402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163511Z
UID:14023-1726830000-1726837200@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:Defensa de Tesi de Bernat Oró Nolla
DESCRIPTION:L’investigador predoctoral Bernat Oró Nolla\, del grup Chemometrics for Environmental Omics\, defensa la seva tesi doctoral el 20 de setembre a les 11:00h en la Facultat de Física i Química de la Universitat de Barcelona (Sala de Graus\, aulari) \nTítol: Noves estratègies analítiques per a la determinació de contaminants orgànics en ocells \nDirectora: Sílvia Lacorte \nTribunal: Romà Tauler i Ferré\, Rosa Maria Marcé i Recasens\, i Fran Ramírez Benítez \nAbstract:\nAquesta Tesi Doctoral s’ha centrat en l’ús de les aus marines i les rapinyaires com a espècies bioindicadores dels contaminants orgànics persistents i emergents ja que els acumulen a través de la dieta als seus teixits interns. S´han desenvolupat diversos mètodes d´anàlisi i s´ha estimat la incertesa de la mesura analítica. S´han estudiat les espècies següents: el petrell de les Bermudes (Pterodroma cahow)\, la gavina corsa (Larus audouinii)\, el gavià de potes grogues (Larus michahellis)\, el flamenc (Phoenicopterus roseus) i el pigarg cuablanc (Haliaeetus albicilla) que habiten i crien en diverses zones naturals d´interès com l´Arxipèlag de les Bermudes\, el Delta de l´Ebre\, les Illes Medes o en illes remotes de Noruega. Les matrius seleccionades han estat la sang\, els ous i el fetge d´aquestes aus. Els mètodes desenvolupats han permès determinar quantitativament les concentracions dels OCP\, dels PCB\, dels PBDE i dels PAH a través de GC-HRMS-Orbitrap; dels bisfenols\, de les benzofenones i dels ftalats mitjançant LC-MS/MS i dels PFAS mitjaçant LC-Q-ToF. S´ha fet èmfasi també en l´anàlisi no dirigida (suspect i non-targeted analysis) per determinar qualitativament contaminants orgànics nous en aquests teixits biològics. Aquesta Tesi Doctoral destaca l´amenaça i l´impacte generalitzat dels contaminants orgànics en espais naturals protegits i ecològicament fràgils.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/defensa-de-tesi-de-bernat-oro-nolla/
LOCATION:Sistemas avanzados de exposición celular en interfase aire-líquido y enfoques multi-ómicos para evaluar los efectos de los aerosoles atmosféricos sobre la salud pulmonar
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PhD-Thesis-Defence_jds.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240711T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240711T123000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163500Z
CREATED:20240709T044709Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163500Z
UID:14020-1720693800-1720701000@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Albert Vega
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Albert Vega\, from the ONHEALTH group\, will defend his thesis on 11th July at 10:30h in Aula Magna Enric Casassas\, Faculty of Chemistry (University of Barcelona) \nTitle: Micro and nanoplastics in the environment: development of mass-quantitative analytical methodologies for the global impact assessment \nDirectors: Marinella Farré and Esteban Abad \nThesis Committee: Oscar Núñez\, Enrico Bergamaschi and Ricard Marcos \nAbstract:\nMicro and nanoplastics (MNPLs) are considered contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) due to their detrimental environmental and human health effects already reported in recent literature and because current legislation applied in developed countries is not able to regulate these effectively enough or simply does not exist in most developing countries. Plastic pollution concerns the scientific community because of its continuous introduction to the environment and the poor consensus regarding the impact at global scale and its potential toxic effects associated with living organisms that are still poorly understood. Moreover\, there is a lack of harmonised quantitative analytical methodologies able to estimate plastic pollution’s impact in terms of mass concentration. The main current scientifc advances published for these purposes are related to microscopy\, spectroscopy or nanometric techniques that are more suitable for successful particle characterisation (nature\, size and shape) and qualitative extrapolations based on plastic particle-counting approaches which are unsuitable to provide real quantitative measurements. \n\nIn the present context of climate change\, circular economy processes acquire increased importance and there is a need to understand what micro(nano)plastics are\, as well as their different origin sources\, their occurrence\, fate\, behaviour in the environment\, and the different human exposure routes. In this sense\, in this doctoral thesis\, mass-quantitative analytical methodologies based on liquid and pyrolysis-gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry have been developed and applied to samples collected from different environmental compartments and marine biota in order to assess the plastic pollution by MNPLs abundance and to give a comprehensive global view. Target and suspect screening approaches have been applied to obtain the polymeric and plastic additives composition. Moreover\, various MNPLs human exposure routes have been also evaluated through contaminated food (mussels previously exposed)\, drinking water taken from household taps located in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area\, and bottled water in single-use plastic bottles from the 20 most popular commercial brands in Spain.\n\nThus\, this thesis contributes to enhance the understanding and knowledge about MNPLs pollution\, putting special emphasis on the occurrence\, fate\, and behaviour of these contaminants in atmospheric and aquatic ecosystems from areas close to populated zones to remote regions\, the potential exposure to marine biota\, and ultimately\, to humans. In addition\, the analytical methodologies presented here will help to address the scientific community regarding the current lack of mass-quantitative methods available in order to tackle plastic pollution through real and more accurate MNPLs-polymers abundances at ultra-trace levels\, and finally\, to obtain a more comprehensive view of the real impact of these contaminants on the environment and the subsequent potential threats associated with living organisms through the main exposure pathways.\n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-albert-vega/
LOCATION:Aula Magna\, Facultat Química (UB)
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PhD-Thesis-Defence_AlbertVega.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240430T150000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240430T170000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163355Z
CREATED:20240403T061555Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163355Z
UID:14003-1714489200-1714496400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Juliette Bedrossiantz
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Juliette Bedrossiantz\, from the Environmental Toxicology group\, will defend her thesis on 30th April at 15:00h in Sala d’Actes IDAEA. \nTitle: Development of screening methodologies for chemical risk assessment: behavioral effects and neuropathological mechanisms in aquatic species \nDirectors: Demetrio Raldua\, Carlos Barata and Jérôme Cachot  \nThesis Committee: Vincenzo Di Donato\, Marija Stevanovic and Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles \nAbstract:\nWith the incessant growth of the chemical industry and the development of new molecules\, there is an urgent need to evaluate the toxicity of many chemicals and their safe levels of exposure to ensure the protection of the environment and human health Currently\, regulations on environmental risk assessment of chemicals are based on three main criteria for decision-making: lethality\, growth\, and reproduction. However\, by adopting sublethal endpoints\, such as considering changes in essential behaviors\, we could improve the accuracy of risk assessment due to exposure to contaminants through the environment and\, therefore\, minimize these risks. \nThis thesis focuses on developing effective screening strategies through methodological advancements and validation of behavioral assays in aquatic models\, specifically zebrafish\, Japanese medaka\, and Daphnia magna. \nThe methods outlined in this thesis are meticulously detailed to ensure reproducibility and ease of replication. Automation of tests and the use of video tools offer several advantages\, including objective evaluations\, reduced variability\, and minimized error factors\, facilitating their application in toxicological studies. \nThe research initially explores the use of automated behavioral assays in the Daphnia magna model for screening emerging pollutants\, particularly neuroactive drugs. Subsequently\, behavioral assays are used to identify environmentally relevant adverse effects induced by insecticides in zebrafish larvae. Pharmacological validation and target profiling are employed to decipher potential modes of action. \nThe thesis also investigates neurotoxic effects in adult zebrafish exposed to environmental levels of glyphosate and methamphetamine. Mechanistic approaches are utilized to understand adverse pathways leading to observed behavioral changes. Additionally\, the zebrafish neurotoxidrome model is validated for testing potential therapeutic drugs\, exemplified by N-acetyl cysteine’s protective effects against oxidative damage induced by acrylamide. \nComparative toxicology analysis is employed to highlight similarities and differences in neurotoxic responses between organisms exposed to insecticides and a fungicide. The reproducibility of assays and the varying sensitivity of organisms to chemical compounds underscore the importance of studying multiple model organisms for comprehensive risk assessments. \nIn conclusion\, this thesis introduces innovative screening methodologies and provides valuable insights into chemical risk assessment in aquatic species. By incorporating behavior as a new endpoint in One Health assessments and extending research to non-mammalian models\, it contributes to advancing toxicology\, environmental conservation\, and human health protection. These findings hold significant implications for regulatory frameworks\, guiding decisions to ensure the safe and sustainable use of chemicals in our environment. \n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-juliette-bedrossiantz/
LOCATION:Salón de actos IDAEA\, c/Jordi Girona\, 18\, Barcelona
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_juliette.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240202T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240202T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163248Z
CREATED:20240111T115013Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163248Z
UID:13986-1706871600-1706878800@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Joan Botey i Bassols
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Joan Botey i Bassols\, from the Groundwater and Hydrogeochemistry group\, will defend his thesis on 2nd February at 11:00h in Sala de tesines – Escola de Camins UPC Campus Nord\, C1-002. \nIf you want to attend online\, please click on this link \nTitle: Exploring the potential of satellite InSAR in geological engineering: new opportunities in land monitoring and hydrogeological characterisation \nDirectors: Enric Vázquez-Suñé\,Pierre Gerard and Michele Crosetto \nThesis Committee: Giorgia Giardina\, Rudy Rosetto and Marcel Hürlimann \nAbstract:\nInterferometry with Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a remote sensing technique to measure displacements of the observed surface\, either the ground or any structure on it. Although the systematic acquisition of SAR data from satellites started in the 1990s\, InSAR is a technique still in development. The continuous improvement of the successive SAR satellite constellations in terms of reliability\, revisit time\, spatial resolution and data accessibility\, and the processing techniques of SAR data in the estimation of the surface displacement are improving the performance of InSAR. Thus\, this doctoral thesis aims to explore the new opportunities that InSAR offers today. In particular\, the objectives are\, first\, to explore novel contributions of InSAR in geological engineering\, more specifically\, in land monitoring and the hydrogeological characterisation of the ground; and\, second\, to do so while covering both qualitative and quantitative approaches at both regional and local scales. These goals are addressed through four questions. The first question aims to investigate whether InSAR’s spatial resolution and precision are high enough today to monitor ground deformation at such a local scale and in such a changing environment as a construction site. Applied to the ground deformation induced by the dewatering of civil engineering works\, InSAR provides a much more complete view and understanding of the observed phenomena than more common alternative techniques such as levelling. However\, levelling usually provides more precise measurements. Thus\, a combination of both techniques will improve and make the monitoring of civil engineering works more reliable. The second question is whether\, because of its spatial data density and its precision\, InSAR is suitable for the numerical modelling of extensive ground deformation phenomena. The results achieved thanks to InSAR data in the hydromechanical numerical modelling of regional and long-term ground subsidence related to the overexploitation of confined aquifers prove to be significantly better than the results obtained with other data sources. InSAR data can\, first\, cover the whole extent of the aquifer system and identify several different deformation phenomena and\, second\, improve the design of the numerical models and the calibration of the ground parameters\, thus achieving a significantly better reproduction and understanding of the observed ground subsidence that enable the design of more adequate and effective policies for land planning and the management of (ground)water resources. The third question turns to a novel InSAR technique: coherence-change detection (CCD)\, a method to detect and map\, under certain conditions\, changes in the observed surface. In particular\, the question is whether InSAR coherence can indeed remotely detect torrential sediment transport events in arid environments. The conclusion is that InSAR coherence is not only able to detect the occurrence of such events but shows a greater detection capacity than the meteorological data\, being much more operative and economical than field campaigns. Finally\, the fourth question is whether InSAR coherence can remotely map these events\, aiming to evaluate the uncertainty that other factors that may also affect InSAR coherence introduce in the CCD maps. The comparison of several mapping methods with different sensitivity to each component of the coherence changes show that CCD methods are able to locate the areas affected by such events\, although rugged areas require a thorough analysis and the precise delimitation of the affected areas still presents some uncertainty. All in all\, despite the weaknesses that are still to be resolved\, InSAR already offers valuable contributions to geological engineering.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-joan-botey-i-bassols/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_joanbotey-4.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240124T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20240124T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163246Z
CREATED:20240109T115709Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163246Z
UID:13985-1706094000-1706101200@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Maria Dulsat i Masvidal
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Maria Dulsat i Masvidal\, from the Chemometrics for Environmental Omics group\, will defend her thesis on 24th January at 11:00h in Sala de Graus II – Facultat Biociències (UAB). You can attend the defence online on this link. \nTitle: The impact of organic contaminants in Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas: monitoring for and with birds \nDirectors: Sílvia Lacorte and Rafael Mateo Soria \nThesis Committee: Carola Sampere\, Carlos Barata and Clàudia Fontàs \nAbstract:\nChemical pollution is an underestimated threat to biodiversity conservation. This Thesis aims to quantify for the first time the impact of organic pollutants on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs)\, designated as key biodiversity conservation areas. Pollution pressure was assessed by monitoring organic pollutants in water\, soil\, and sediment in 140 IBAs in Spain. Organic contamination was detected in all IBAs. The most frequently detected contaminant families in water were pharmaceuticals\, lifestyle compounds\, and OPEs. The agricultural surface around the sampling points was associated with significantly higher concentrations of all compounds\, especially pesticides. Lifestyle compounds and PFASs were associated with proximity to urban areas and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)\, which were also identified as a source of pharmaceuticals in water. Soils were impacted for diffuse sources of contamination. OCPs were the most detected group of contaminants in soils followed by PAHs. PCBs were detected in low concentrations\, and the highest levels were found in areas with high artificial surface influence. In the sediment samples\, PAHs were the most detected group of contaminants\, followed by OCPs. The results show that soils and sediments in natural areas act as reservoirs for persistent pollutants. Pollution in natural areas poses a risk to organisms and biodiversity. \nIn this Thesis\, birds have been proposed as sentinel species for assessing pollution exposure in organisms. The feasibility of the proposed European biomonitoring programme for pollutants in birds of prey was demonstrated by identifying the limitations and solutions for obtaining samples from birds of prey for pollutant analysis. For the first time\, exposure to organic pollutants has been analysed in flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) from the breeding colony of the Ebro Delta. The results showed a high exposure of the breeding colony to PFASs\, with PFOA being the compound detected at the highest levels. Exposure to environmental contaminants was also determined in the livers of five species of nocturnal roadkill raptors\, including eagle owl (Bubo bubo)\, long-eared owl (Asio otus)\, tawny owl (Strix aluco)\, barn owl (Tyto alba)\, and little owl (Athene noctua) from Portugal. All individuals analysed were exposed to organic pollutants. In addition\, different exposure patterns were determined according to the trophic level and habitat of the species studied.\nOverall\, this thesis provides evidence on the threat of chemical pollution in natural areas and its impact on biodiversity. The results demonstrate the importance of contaminant monitoring studies for the successful implementation of biodiversity conservation strategies.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-maria-dulsat-i-masvidal/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_mariadulsat.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20231129T120000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20231129T140000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163234Z
CREATED:20231117T083618Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163234Z
UID:13982-1701259200-1701266400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Marten In't Veld
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Marten In’t Veld\, from the EGAR group\, will defend his thesis on 29th November at 12:00h in Escola de Camins UPC (Classroom 002\, Building C1) \nTitle: Secondary Air Pollutants in Urban and Rural Catalonia\, Spain: Characterizing the Precursors\, Source-contributions\, and Toxicity. \nDirectors: Xavier Querol and Nicolas Marchand \nThesis Committee: Jesús Damian de la Rosa\, Amalia Muñoz and Maria Piñeiro \nAbstract:\nAir pollutants can be classed as either primary or secondary pollutants. Primary air pollutants are those that are directly emitted into the atmosphere\, whereas secondary air pollutants are generated in the atmosphere from chemical reactions of precursors. This thesis focusses on two specific secondary air pollutants\, secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and tropospheric ozone (O3). SOA is formed in the troposphere by the oxidation of precursor volatile organic compounds (VOCs)\, which are a group of over 1.000 species with high vapor pressure and limited water solubility\, emitted from a variety of sources. SOA contributes considerably to atmospheric particulate matter (PM). O3 on the other hand is formed in the troposphere by photolysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). NO2 is primarily emitted from anthropogenic activities but is also formed in the atmosphere by the oxidation of nitrogen oxide (NO) by hydroperoxyl and organic radicals (HO2 ?and RO2?\, respectively). Both radicals are formed in the atmosphere during the oxidation of VOCs by hydroxyl radicals (OH?). The formed NO2 will consequently photolyze to NO\, producing an activated oxygen (O?)\, which in turn will react with oxygen (O2) to form O3. The aim of this thesis was to identify and quantify SOA’s contributions to PM\, as well as to examine temporal trends for both SOA levels and relative contributions to PM. In addition\, measurements and a source apportionment were performed on VOCs mixing ratios as these are essential precursors to both SOA and O3 formation. Finally\, the levels and major variables of the oxidative potential (OP) of PM (with a emphasis on SOA) were determined to ascertain the impact each variable has on human health. All these studies were carried out at an urban background site in Barcelona (BCN) (Catalonia\, NE Spain) and a rural background station at the nearby Montseny natural park (MSY). The comparison of the two sites will reveal which sources are more local and which are more regional\, and how BCN emissions can affect regional air quality. \nThe results indicated that the relative OA mass contribution to PM2.5 has increased with 12% in BCN and 9% in MSY between 2009 and 2018\, becoming the dominant component of PM. The offline Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) identified five common sources of the OA fraction\, of which 51% was SOA in BCN and 53% in MSY. However\, the composition of SOA differed between the two stations\, with summer oxygenated OA (SOOA\, being primarily biogenic SOA) being the main driver of SOA in MSY (46% of total OA)\, while in BCN the contribution of SOOA and winter oxygenated OA (WOOA\, being anthropogenic SOA) was roughly equal in BCN (24% and 27% respectively)\, favoring SOOA during the summer and WOOA in the winter. The OP analysis showed a significant difference between the two stations\, with 2.42 nmol DTT min-1 m-3 in PM10 at BCN\, compared to 0.52 nmol DTT min-1 m-3 at MSY. The OP levels of PM10\, PM2.5\, and PM1 were similar in MSY\, but in BCN only PM2.5 and PM1 were similar\, with the levels of PM10 being substantially higher. The OP analysis concluded that the OA and the non-exhaust vehicle emissions were major drivers of the OP of PM in BCN\, which indicated that anthropogenic SOA has a higher OP compared to biogenic SOA. The anthropogenic SOA was mostly formed from aromatic VOCs\, especially toluene and C8 aromatics (xylenes and ethyl benzene)\, which in the study area generally have a major anthropogenic origin\, specifically traffic & industries. Aromatic VOCs were also the main contributors to the O3 formation potential in BCN\, with also a relevant summer contribution from biogenic VOCs (BVOCs) and a yearlong contribution from oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs)\ngenerated from the oxidation of primary VOCs. MSY on the other hand\, showed a less worrying case\, with a lower SOA and O3 formation potential compared to BCN.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-marten-int-veld/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_marten.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20231123T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20231123T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163057Z
CREATED:20231120T103219Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163057Z
UID:13957-1700733600-1700740800@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Daniela Campos Durán
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Daniela Campos Durán will defend her thesis on 23rd November at 10:00h in the Aula Magna Ramon Parés of the Faculty of Biology at the University of Barcelona \nTitle: Volcanic risk assessment at Irazú volcano\, Costa Rica \nDirectors: Joan Martí Molist and Guillermo Alvarado Induni \nThesis Committee: Carmen López Moreno\, Gerardo Aguirre and Xavier de Bolós \nAbstract:\nThis Doctoral Thesis carries out an evaluation of the long-term volcanic hazard at the Irazú volcano\, the highest volcano in Costa Rica (3427 m.a.s.l.) and one of the most active and potentially most dangerous volcanoes in Central America\, which has historically presented important eruptions in 1723-1724\, 1917-1921\, 1924\, 1928-1930\, 1933\, 1939-1940 and 1963-1965. For this\, the tephrochronostratigraphy of the last 2.6 ka of the Irazú volcano has been established\, based on detailed field work and C14 radiometric dating\, as well as a review of the geological and historical records. This has allowed us to establish its eruptive recurrence\, which is 23 and 100 years\, with a major event every 85 years (VEI 3). The hazard analysis indicates that the most probable area for the location of new vents is the Main Crater area\, from where all historical eruptions have been originated. Likewise\, it points out that the most probable scenario is an eruption with VEI ≥1 (that is\, VEI between 1 and 3)\, with pyroclastic falls\, short PDCs\, ballistics and lahars (mainly on the south and southwest flanks)\, similar to the eruptions of 1723-1724\, 1939-1940\, or 1963-1965. These results have been used to perform an exposure analysis on population\, land use and critical infrastructure. Finally\, we provide an essential contribution to territorial planning and development of emergency plans\, which should be applied in an area threatened by active volcanoes. \n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-daniela-campos-duran/
LOCATION:Public Policy
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/danielacd_thesis.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230929T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230929T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163047Z
CREATED:20230928T044425Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163047Z
UID:13954-1695985200-1695992400@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:Defensa de Tesis de Siday Marrugo-Madrid
DESCRIPTION:La investigadora predoctoral Siday Marrugo-Madrid\, del grupo Environmental Pollution and Agriculture (EPA)\, defenderá su tesis el 29 de septiembre a las 11:00h en el Aula Eduard Fontseré\, de la Facultat de Química de la Universitat de Barcelona. \nTítulo: Nuevos materiales en el uso de la técnica de gradiente de difusión en la capa fina (DGT) en estudios de la contaminación por mercurio en ambientes impactados por la minería de oro \nDirectores: Sergi Díez \nTribunal: Jean Remy Davee Guimarães\, Àngels Sahuquillo Estrugo\, Arne Bratkic \nAbstract:\nEl mercurio (Hg) es uno de los contaminantes más tóxicos en el medioambiente. En esta tesis doctoral se ha priorizado la implementación in situ de la técnica de gradiente de difusión en capa fina (DGT) con el propósito de cuantificar la fracción biodisponible de Hg en medio acuático\, es especial en aquellos impactados por La minería de oro artesanal y en pequeña escala (MAPE). Asimismo\, se ha llevado a cabo una exhaustiva exploración y evaluación de nuevos materiales poliméricos y derivados de biomasa residual\, con el objetivo de incorporarlos a esta técnica como alternativas para la captación del Hg lábil. Estos esfuerzos han sido orientados hacia el desarrollo de una estrategia eficiente y confiable para la evaluación y el monitoreo del Hg en sistemas acuáticos de áreas remotas y de difícil acceso. \nEn la primera parte de la tesis\, se presentan los resultados de la evaluación del nivel de contaminación\, el riesgo para la salud humana y el riesgo carcinogénico por consumo de alimentos contaminados con Hg y As en áreas de difícil acceso altamente impactadas por MAPE en la selva tropical colombiana. En términos generales\, los resultados de los índices de peligrosidad (HI) para Hg y As a través del consumo de frutas\, tubérculos y pescado superaron el nivel aceptable (HI>1) y también se muestra el riesgo carcinogénico relacionado con As. En cuanto a la cuantificación de la fracción biodisponible de Hg\, se desplegaron dispositivos DGT a lo largo del río Atrato (Colombia) y en pozas mineras abandonadas (AMPs) por la MAPE cercanas a poblaciones locales. Estos dispositivos DGT fueron manufacturados y calibrados en el laboratorio usando sílica funcionalizada con 3-mercaptopropilo (3MFS) como gel para el Hg. Además\, se consideró relevante cuantificar la fracción biodisponible de otros metales traza (Pb\, Cu\, Zn\, Cd\, Ni\, Mn y Cr) utilizando dispositivos DGT de tipo comercial con Chelex-100. Los resultados presentados fueron coherentes con otros estudios de Hg en el río Atrato y AMPs\, y fueron comparados con otros estudios con métodos similares\, lo que nos permitió concluir que la aplicación de la técnica DGT es eficiente para la cuantificación y monitoreo del Hg biodisponible en sistemas acuáticos altamente vulnerables y de difícil acceso. \nLa segunda parte de la tesis se enfocó en la exploración y evaluación de nuevos materiales para su incorporación en la técnica DGT mediante la revaloración de residuos agroindustriales y la aplicación de nuevos materiales poliméricos para la determinación de la fracción lábil de Hg en el medio acuático. Los materiales derivados de biomasa (biocarbón\, plumas de pollo\, corcho\, cáscara de arroz y canola) fueron evaluados en cuanto a su capacidad de captación del Hg\, la facilidad de preparación de las capas de unión (hidrogeles de agarosa y poliacrilamida)\, y su eficacia en la determinación de la fracción lábil de Hg. Para este fin se diseñaron experimentos de serie temporal en medio acuoso\, en ausencia y presencia de otros elementos traza (Mn\, Cu\, Zn\, Ni\, Pb\, Cd y As) y en condiciones controladas de laboratorio. De manera similar\, se evaluaron tres polímeros sintetizados a partir de la benzoiltiourea (BTP1\, BTP2 y PBTU) con demostrada afinidad con el Hg para su uso en la técnica DGT. En esta búsqueda de nuevos materiales\, el polímero BTP1 demostró una mayor efectividad en la captación y cuantificación del Hg lábil\, y la eficacia de los dispositivos DGT-BTP1 fue comparada con la de dispositivos DGT preparados con 3MFS en mediciones in situ de Hg en el río Quito (Colombia). Los resultados mostraron un buen rendimiento en la cuantificación de la fracción de Hg lábil y\, a su vez\, se demostró que los dispositivos DGT-BTP1 son una herramienta útil para la monitorización in situ de Hg biodisponible en aguas dulces. En conclusión\, los resultados obtenidos a través de la inclusión de nuevos materiales en la técnica DGT podrían considerarse satisfactorios y prometedores.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/defensa-de-tesis-de-siday-marrugo-madrid/
LOCATION:Aula Eduard Fontserè\, Facultat de Física i Química (UB)
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/sidaymarrugo_tesis-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230919T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230919T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163035Z
CREATED:20230905T111322Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163035Z
UID:13950-1695117600-1695124800@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Marta Via
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Marta Via\, from the EGAR group\, will defend her thesis on 19th September at 10:00h in the Aula Eduard Fontserè of the Faculty of Physics at the University of Barcelona. \nTitle: Towards a better characterisation of the submicron aerosol in the mediterranean basin  \nDirectors: María Cruz Minguillón and Andrés Alastuey \nThesis Committee: Stefania Gilardoni\, David Green and Yolanda Sola \nAbstract:\nParticulate Matter (PM) affects Earth climate and human health differently according to its size and composition. Concerning health effects\, PM regulation aiming to protect the population do not establish target limits for the smaller particles or for specific PM components due to the lack of sufficient monitoring of these pollutants and their impact on health. This Ph.D. thesis aims to characterise the submicronic PM composition in Barcelona during the last decade concerning its composition\, potential origins and trends. With this purpose\, source apportionment techniques were applied to high resolution data\, focusing on the organic aerosol\, an ensemble of pollutants of diverse origin. The source description of such OA and submicronic PM has enabled the understanding of formation mechanisms of such PM and its potential effects on climate and health.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-marta-via/
LOCATION:Aula Eduard Fontserè\, Facultat de Física i Química (UB)
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/tesis_martavia.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230915T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230915T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T163033Z
CREATED:20230905T110615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T163033Z
UID:13949-1694775600-1694782800@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:Defensa de Tesis de Maria López Olivé
DESCRIPTION:La investigadora predoctoral Maria López Olivé\, del grupo EGAR\, defenderá su tesis el 15 de septiembre a las 11:00h en el Aula Magna Enric Cassassas de la Facultat de Química de la Universitat de Barcelona. \nTítulo: Liberación de partículas atmosféricas en escenarios industriales reales y su impacto en la exposición humana y ambiental. Casos de estudio: actividades portuarias y reciclaje de residuos electrónicos \nDirectores: Mar Viana y Eliseo Monfort \nTribunal: Jesús D. de la Rosa\, Sónia A. Teixeira Fraga y Núria Serrano \nAbstract:\nLa liberación de material particulado en la industria genera impacto en la salud humana y al medio ambiente es por eso la relevancia del estudio de la liberación de este contaminante durante la exposición profesional. El objetivo principal de esta Tesis Doctoral es caracterizar los aerosoles generados y liberados en escenarios industriales reales complejos\, en especial las nanopartículas (NP)\, y su impacto en la salud humana y el medioambiente. Para ello se han combinado una gran variedad de técnicas e instrumentos además de la realización de distintos análisis en el laboratorio. La detección de NP en todos los escenarios estudiados hace aún más significativa la importancia de estudiar este contaminante para implementar estrategias de mitigación adecuadas\, tanto para reducir el impacto en la salud humana como en el medioambiente.   
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/defensa-de-tesis-de-maria-lopez-olive/
LOCATION:Aula Magna\, Facultat Química (UB)
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/tesis_mariaolive.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230707T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230707T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T162959Z
CREATED:20230621T084153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T162959Z
UID:13940-1688727600-1688734800@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Atefeh Vafaie
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Atefeh Vafaie\, from the Groundwater and Hydrogeochemistry group\, will defend her thesis on 7th July at 11:00h in the Aula Carmina Virgili of the Faculty of Earth Sciences at the University of Barcelona. \nTitle: Experimental and numerical study of chemo-hydro-mechanical effects of CO2 injection on permeable limestone \nDirectors: Jordi Cama and Josep M. Soler \nThesis Committee: Maarten Saaltink\, Enrique Gómez Rivas and Fidel Grandia \nAbstract:\nGeological carbon storage (GCS) in saline aquifers is a means required to arrive at the net-zero CO2 emission target and climate change neutrality. Injected CO2 in aquifers acidifies the resident brine\, inducing mineral dissolution and precipitation. ‎These reactions may alter the pore structure and hydromechanical properties of the rock\, particularly in carbonate reservoirs with considerable amounts of fast-reacting calcite. \nImproving the current understanding of the form\, extent\, and governing mechanisms of such interactions is central to optimizing and securing the implementation of GCS which is the main goal of this thesis. To achieve this goal\, this study combines (i) percolation experiments with CO2-saturated water and HCl solutions on highly permeable limestone cores with (ii) 3D Darcy-scale reactive transport simulations. \nEffluent chemistry analyses\, X-ray Micro Computed Tomography (XMCT) imaging\, and measurements of the hydromechanical properties of cores are used to quantify acid-induced alterations in these two acid-rock systems. Further\, a digital rock physics method is developed to construct heterogeneous permeability maps of intact specimens that feed into reactive transport models to consider the effect of pore space heterogeneities on carbonate rock response to acidic fluid percolations.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-atefeh-vafaie/
LOCATION:Aula Carmina Virgili\, Facultat Ciències de la Terra (UB)\, Martí i Franquès\, s/n\, Barcelona\, 08028\, Spain
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/atefehvafaie_thesisdefence.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230613T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230613T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T162954Z
CREATED:20230612T052724Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T162954Z
UID:13938-1686654000-1686661200@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Manuel García Vara
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Manuel García Vara\, from the ENFOCHEM group\, will defend his thesis on 13 June at 11:00h in the Sala Eduard Fontseré of the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Barcelona. \nTitle: Agriculture-related organic contaminants: occurrence in edible crops\, potential transfer from reclaimed water used for irrigation and bioremediation approaches \nDirectors: Miren López de Alda and Cristina Postigo \nThesis Committee:  Yolanda Picó\, Mercè Granados and Lubertus Biljsma. \nAbstract: \nEsta tesis doctoral tiene por objeto proporcionar nuevas herramientas analíticas para el control medioambiental de los contaminantes emergentes (CECs) en aguas y cultivos y generar nuevos conocimientos sobre i) la presencia y el destino de los CECs en el entorno agrícola\, y ii) la eficacia de los métodos de biorremediación para eliminar pesticidas del agua. Para ello\, se emplearon diferentes técnicas basadas en la cromatografía líquida acoplada a la espectrometría de masas en tándem (LC-MS/MS). \nEn primer lugar\, se desarrollaron y validaron metodologías analíticas para la determinación de hasta 42 pesticidas en cinco matrices alimentarias de origen vegetal (maíz\, uvas\, alfalfa\, aceitunas y semillas de girasol). Los métodos desarrollados\, basados en la extracción por QuEChERS y análisis por LC-MS/MS de baja resolución\, permitieron detectar la mayoría de los pesticidas seleccionados por debajo de sus correspondientes límites permitidos. Los análisis de muestras reales detectaron algunos pesticidas de gran relevancia ecotoxicológica. Por otro lado\, se desarrolló y aplicó un procedimiento de análisis suspect screening (basado en LC-MS/MS de alta resolución) en un sistema de riego a base de agua regenerada en una zona agrícola en Cataluña\, España\, para\, posteriormente\, llevar a cabo una priorización de los contaminantes más relevantes a nivel ecotoxicológico. Los resultados evidenciaron la presencia de más de cien CECs en el agua de riego con un alto riesgo ecotoxicológico. Por último\, se investigó la viabilidad del uso del hongo Trametes versicolor y de sistemas basados en microalgas para la eliminación de varios pesticidas (bentazona\, acetamiprid y propanil) en aguas residuales mediante análisis non-target por LC-MS/MS de alta resolución. Se evaluó la eficacia de eliminación de dichos compuestos y se elucidaron las vías de biodegradación mediante la identificación de los productos de transformación. \nLos resultados obtenidos en los diferentes estudios incluidos en esta tesis contribuyen al conocimiento sobre la presencia y comportamiento de los CECs en el entorno agrícola y su posible eliminación en las plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales\, ayudando a la actual y futura gestión de estos contaminantes en el medio ambiente. \n 
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-manuel-garcia-vara/
LOCATION:Aula Eduard Fontserè\, Facultat de Física i Química (UB)
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/manuelgarcia_thesis.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230525T100000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230525T120000
DTSTAMP:20261018T162915Z
CREATED:20230511T043017Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T162915Z
UID:13928-1685008800-1685016000@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Ashkan Hassanzadeh
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Ashkan Hassanzadeh\, from the Groundwater and Hydrogeochemistry group\, will defend his thesis on 25 May at 10:00h in the Sala d’Actes IDAEA-CSIC. If you want to attend online\, click on this link. \nTitle: Novel algorithms for geological and hydrogeological assessments \nDirectors: Enric Vázquez Suñé and Mercè Corbella Cordomí \nThesis Committee: Luis Sebastián Vives\, María del Mar García Alcaraz and Aline Concha Dimas \nAbstract: \nGroundwater numerical modeling is essential for sustainable water management as it helps understand the behavior of groundwater resources and their interaction with surface water. These models can predict the impacts of water manipulation on the environment\, aid in developing sustainable management scenarios\, and help in understanding the impacts of climate change on groundwater resources. Generating numerical groundwater models require various input data and boundary conditions\, including geological models\, surface water input\, and groundwater recharge. By combining different modeling approaches\, a comprehensive understanding of groundwater resources can be developed to support sustainable groundwater management\, decision-making\, and water resource planning. This thesis is based on open-source tools to aid in the different stages of groundwater studies: geological 3D modeling\, isotopic modeling\, and soil water balance spatial-temporal modeling.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-ashkan-hassanzadeh/
LOCATION:Sala d’Actes IDAEA-CSIC\, c/ Jordi Girona\, 18-26\, Barcelona
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://idaea.csic.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/thesis_ashkan.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230124T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/Madrid:20230124T130000
DTSTAMP:20261018T162739Z
CREATED:20230118T053035Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261018T162739Z
UID:13900-1674558000-1674565200@idaea.csic.es
SUMMARY:PhD Thesis Defence by Juan Pinos
DESCRIPTION:The PhD student Juan Pinos\, from the Surface Hydrology and Erosion group\, will defend his thesis on 24 January at 11:00h in Sala de Grados (C1/070-1) at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. \nTitle: Multi-approach investigation of the dynamics of rainfall partitioning fluxes and their implications in a Mediterranean environment \nDirectors: Pilar Llorens and Jérôme Latron \nThesis Committee: Antonio del Campo\, Ilja van Meerveld\, Teresa Gimeno \nAbstract: \nRainfall interception by forest canopies prevents rainfall from immediately reaching the soil\, redistributing it in the form of throughfall and stemflow. The aim of the present research was to investigate the role of forest cover on the spatial and temporal distribution of both flows in a Mediterranean forest. The dissertation aimed to fill some knowledge gaps by using novel ecohydrological approaches in a Scots pine forest in the Vallcebre research catchments\, a representative area of Mediterranean middle mountain environments. High temporal resolution monitoring of rainfall\, throughfall\, stemflow\, meteorological variables\, and soil water content\, as well as water sampling of the different fluxes for the determination of the stable water isotopes signatures in the period 2018-2020\, were used to improve the mechanistic understanding of forest-water interactions. \nWith this information\, we investigated the throughfall partitioning into splash throughfall\, free throughfall\, and canopy drip by means of rainfall and throughfall drop size distributions\, and their relationships with the observed shift in their isotopic composition. Throughfall types were characterized according to different rainfall classes based on duration and intensity. We found that during rainfall events\, splash throughfall was greater at the beginning of the events\, as well as the vapour pressure deficit. This initial stage coincided also with the greater throughfall isotopic enrichment with respect to rainfall isotopic signal. Higher splash throughfall and vapour pressure deficit indicated that the isotopic enrichment was caused by splash droplet evaporation. Moreover\, isotopic differences among rainfall\, throughfall\, and stemflow were analysed. Throughfall was more enriched than rainfall and stemflow more than throughfall. Seasonal differences in isotopic shift were also observed\, with throughfall being more depleted during the growing season whereas stemflow was more enriched. Meteorological variables did not show a relationship with either throughfall or stemflow isotopic shifts. Isotopic fractionation was caused by a combination of factors occurring throughout the event\, with evaporation being more relevant during the initial stage of the events\, whereas canopy selection processes (i.e.\, the possibility of intercepted rainfall to be retained and transmitted asynchronously) dominated towards the end of the events. Nevertheless\, intra-event mixing of waters could occur during the same event. \nStemflow is a spatially-concentrated and chemically-enriched water flux input\, altering soil moisture and chemistry in near-stem areas when infiltrating in the vicinity of tree trunks. While many studies have examined stemflow production among tree species\, no known research examined the stemflow distribution around the trunk before reaching the ground. Moreover\, only a few studies explored its infiltration dynamics (the double funnelling effect). The results of our study clearly show a non-uniform distribution of stemflow down in the trunk surface\, meaning that stemflow distribution shows preferential flow paths. These flow paths are related to biotic factors (trunk lean\, bark morphology\, and tree neighbourhood)\, and to a lesser extent to abiotic factors (rainfall intensity peaks). By conducting a field experiment simulating stemflow\, labelled with a dual-tracer approach\, we were able to determine the influence of stemflow in the soil moisture response at the base of the tree. We observed that stemflow primarily infiltrated along the surface of coarse roots and through macropores\, and demonstrate\, by a set of metrics\, the prevalence of preferential flow. Knowledge of above- and below-ground stemflow distribution and its implications is therefore emphasized. \nThe insights and findings presented in this dissertation will enable forest hydrologists to better characterize the hydrological processes in Mediterranean forest landscapes. In addition\, future research lines that could extend and complement our results are also discussed.
URL:https://idaea.csic.es/event/phd-thesis-defence-by-juan-pinos/
CATEGORIES:Thesis Defence
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