The Geochemistry and Pollution group studies natural organic matter and contaminants as a source of knowledge of the evolution of ecosystems, including climate change and transport processes, distribution, transformation and effects of organic pollution in organisms, including humans. These approaches also include the study of molecules of viral activity, and, in the present times, contributing to understanding the environmental occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
The overall goal includes the development of analytical methods to study the concentrations of deleterious molecules, their transfer flows between environmental compartments and their incorporation into organisms. It also covers the investigation of how organic compounds can provide geochemical information on past and present ecosystems and molecules that are useful to describe the health status of organisms.
• Analysis of trace organic compounds in environmental samples
• Pollutants in the atmosphere
• Pollution processes in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems
• Paleoclimatology
• Pollutants and human health
An Integrated and Comparative Health Risk Assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals across European Populations
The project aims to enhance the quality, scope and efficiency of the assessment of human health risks posed by the use and presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment. For that purpose, the project will design and employ an innovative analytical methodology, based on a new generation of instruments (HRMS), compare the exposure levels across different population groups from Eastern, Central and Southern Europe, and assess the health risks related to these toxic compounds. This proposal is therefore in line with the EU strategy for Human Biomonitoring in Europe.
Funding: AGAUR. Beatriu de Pinós Programme. 2021_BP_00152
Start Date: 01/04/2023 – End Date: 31/03/2026
Project Leader: Mercè Garí de Barbarà
Funding: Regional Project
PARC
Partnership for the Assessment of Risk from Chemicals
The European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (#EU_PARC) aims to advance research, share knowledge, and improve skills in chemical risk assessment. By doing so, it will help support the European Union's Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, paving the way for the "zero pollution" ambition announced in the European Green Deal.
Main objectives:
- Develop the scientific skills needed to address current and future challenges in chemical safety
- Provide new data, methods, and innovative tools to those responsible for assessing and managing the risks of chemical exposure
- Strengthen the networks which bring together actors specialised in the different scientific fields contributing to risk assessment
PARC represents a campaign of unprecedented scale, since it brings together 200 partners from 28 countries, as well as three EU agencies (the European Environment Agency – EEA, the European Chemicals Agency – ECHA, and the European Food Safety Authority – EFSA). The partnership encompasses all aspects of chemical risk assessment, aiming in particular to: better anticipate emerging risks, better account for combined risks, and underpin the concrete implementation of new orientations in European public policies to safeguard the health and the environment in response to important issues for health, the ecology and citizens' expectations.
The Spanish coordination was assigned to the IDAEA's Geochemistry and Pollution group (Joan Grimalt) and the Instituto Carlos III.
HORIZON-HLTH-2021-ENVHLTH-03: 101057014
Start Date: 01/05/2022 – End Date: 30/04/2029
Project Leader: Joan Grimalt Obrador
Researchers: Sandra Pérez Solsona , Marinella Farré Urgell , Marta Llorca Casamayor , Nicola Montemurro , Mercè Garí de Barbarà
Support: Arianna Bautista Gea (Ari) , Julen Segura Abarrategui
Funding: European Project
https://www.eu-parc.eu/
InChildHealth
Identifying determinants for indoor air quality and their health impact in environments for children: Measures to improve indoor air quality and reduce disease burdens.
3. InChildHealth will integrate health, environmental, technical and social sciences research to identify determinants for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and evaluate their impact in environments occupied by school children. We will focus on chemicals, particle concentrations, microorganisms and physical parameters in schools, homes, sports halls and transport. The IAQ of these environments determines the dose received by the children and may directly influence their health and well-being. An environmental epidemiological study and controlled interventions conducted in schools in three European cities will assess the health effects of multipollutant airborne exposures on respiratory infections, allergies, and neurological and cognitional symptoms. In addition, dose-response Will be evaluated with a novel cytotoxicity testing pipeline using in-vitro approaches. The InChildHealth consortium will cover an impressive variety of geographical and cultural diversity, with targeted exposure measurement campaigns and citizen involvement in seven European countries from Northern, Central and Southern Europe and interventions in Australia.
Horizon Europe, ref.: HORIZON-HLTH-2021-ENVHLTH-02-02
Start Date: 01/06/2022 – End Date: 31/05/2026
Researchers: Mar Viana Rodríguez , Ethel Eljarrat Esebag , Barend L. van Drooge
Support: Judith Desmet , Maria Antonia Aretaki (Μarianda)
Funding: European Project
LIFE RESQUE ALPYR
Restoration of aquatic ecosystems of protected areas from the Alps and Pyrenees
LIFE RESQUE ALPYR aims at recovering mountain aquatic habitats improving conservation of several target habitats/species in four Nature 2000 sites from the alpine biogeographical regions of the Pyrenees (NE Spain) and the Alps (NW Italy).
In the Alps and the Pyrenees, specific aquatic and water-related species and habitats (lakes, bogs, mires and meadows) of mountain areas have an ‘unfavourable/inadequate’ conservation status or a decreasing status trend. This is because they have been subjected to long-standing and significant anthropogenic alterations, such as the proliferation of invasive fish species, overgrazing and trampling by livestock. More recently, mires afforestation and land abandonment have emerged as additional conservation issues in mountain areas.
LIFE programme (LIFE20 NAT/ES/000369)
Coordinator: Ventura Oller, Marc (CEAB-CSIC)