The mission of ONHEALTH group is to enhance the understanding of the sources, occurrence, fate and behavior of pollutants of anthropogenic and biogenic origin and their impact on the environment and human health.
The major focus is on engineered systems, aquatic environments, terrestrial habitats, and the exposure to living organisms. To achieve these goals, we employ four main research lines:
1) Chemical and biological analysis to reliably detection and measurement at ultra-trace levels of contaminants in different matrices
2) Conduct controlled conditions experiments at our research facilities
3) Assess the impact of complex mixtures in environment and humans,
4) Assess the biota and human exposure through different routes (dietary, inhalation, dermal).
Our research on organic pollutants focuses mainly on four topics:
- Sampling and Biochemical Analyses
- Impact assessment studies
- Assessment of processes, such as biomagnification or bioaccumulation
- Experiments under controlled conditions
Sampling and chemical and biological analyses to reliably detect and measure at ultra-trace levels contaminants in different matrices, developing:
- sophisticated analytical methodologies (target, suspect and non-target approaches)
- methodologies for the analysis of polymers and plastic additives
- bio and passive sampling
- biosensors
Controlled condition experiments at our research facilities:
- greenhouse for cultivation of crops and installation of nature-based solutions
- marine micro/mesocosm emulating real conditions for accumulation studies and metabolomics studies
- thermal mannequin heads with breading system for the assessment of the real impact of contaminants present in indoor/outdoor or in different materials through breathing
Impact assessment through studies of:
- toxicological studies: standardized ecotoxicity tests, cell-lines toxicological studies with high-content analysis (HCA)
- metabolomic studies based on high resolution mass spectrometry
- impact of recycling processes and recycled materials
- water reuse on agricultural crops
Assessment of different processes, such as:
- bioaccumulation and biomagnification of pollutants along aquatic and terrestrial food chains
- transformations in natural or engineered systems
- human metabolism for exposure assessment
- water-based epidemiology
- human exposure through different routes: diet, inhalation and dermal contact
Our strategic plan is based on the development of frontier research and the training of new researchers together with an intense and effective fund raising through competitive calls and collaborations with public bodies and private companies.
ONHEALTH has an extensive network of collaborations:
- At national level: ACA, Agència de Residus de Catalunya, Agència de Salud Pública de Catalunya, Banco de Leche-Banc de Sang i Teixits de Catalunya, ICMAN, ICRA, IEO, ISGlobal, UB, UAB, UV, URiV, Parque Nacional de Doñana, Parque Nacional Tablas de Daimiel, Bioinicia S.L., ARPE S.L.
- At international level: University of New York (Buffalo, USA), CAPSENZE (Sweden), CONICET (Argentina), Universidad de Jijel (Algeria), CERTE (Tunisia), Florida International University (Miami, USA), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), UFZ (Germany), Université de Montpellier (France), INL (Portugal), RWTH (Germany), TUD (Germany), NIVA (Norway), IPMA (Portugal), among others.
Research Facilities
Instrumentation for chemical analysis
Sample collection, preparation and extraction:
- Freezer/Mill
- Quechers multi vortex
- Thermo block for incubation of human assays
- Evaporator SyncorePlus Analyst to perform a fast and gentle evaporation process with vacuum-vortex evaporation
- Extraction and purification of liquid samples by off-line solid phase extraction techniques.
- On-line extraction and purification:
- Turbulent flow chromatography (TurboFlow, Thermo Fisher) coupled to LC-QqQ-MS
- EQuan (Thermo Fisher Scientific) coupled to LC-QqQ-MS
- Extraction of solid samples:
- Pressurized liquid extraction – ASE 350 (Dionex)
- ONE PSE (Applied Separations)
Analysis by means of liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS):
- Target analyses: LC-QqQ-MS, TSQ Vantage (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
- Suspect and non-target analyses: UHLPC-Orbitrap-MS, Q-Exactive (Thermo Electron)
Antropogenic particles (micro/nanoplastics and nanomaterials equipments)
- Spectrophotometer (Jenway 6062)
- Swift M10 Advanced Binocular Microscope
- Nanotracking analysis
- Pirolysis
Ecotox and biosensors lab
- Microtox® system (Azur)
- Spectrophotometer (Jenway 6062)
- ToxAlert 100 (Merck)
- Abratox Camera (Abraxis)
- Incubators with lateral illumination (Aqualytic)
- Cellular toxicity suit
- High content analysis (HCA) facilities
- Cell-lines suit access
- Cell-Insight NxT reader (Thermo)
- CellCense – Amperometric whole cell biosensor
- Microliter Plate readers and washers
Controlled conditions experiment facilities
- Greenhouse for cultivation of crops and installation of nature-based solutions
- Marine microcosms and mesocosms
- Thermal mannequin heads with breathing system
ACCIÓN
Aproximaciones científicas en la implementación de estrategias marinas: herramientas de gestión.
The main objective of the Marine Strategies Framework Directive is to protect the marine environment. To this end, Member States must develop Marine Strategies (EEMM) that include the initial assessment of the environmental status of national marine waters, the definition of the good environmental status (BEA) of the marine environment based on 11 descriptors, the establishment of environmental targets, the development and implementation of monitoring programmes designed to assess whether the BEA is being achieved, and programmes of measures aimed at achieving the BEA.
In Spain, the competent authority for the development of the EEMM is the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITERD). There is currently a need to improve scientific knowledge on the state of the marine environment at national level, its response and/or adaptation to climate change and to integrate it into decision-making on its management. The ACCIÓN project arises from this need and brings together a consortium of CSIC researchers with complementary experiences in the assessment and prediction of the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and in the development of tools for response and adaptation to future scenarios. The IDAEA coordinates Eje 6: Pollution in fishery products, directly related to EEMM Descriptor 9.
Funding: Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico: European Union-NextGenerationEU Agreement between MITERD and CSIC, through PTI OCEANS+
Start Date: 01/01/2023 – End Date: 31/12/2025
Project Leader: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag
Researchers: Maria Vittoria Barbieri
Support: Valentina Araya Piqué
Funding: European Project
BIOFUNPAPER
Development of biodegradable multifunctional coatings for paper and cardboard packaging applications
Thin film polymer coating applications are one of the most common functional applications in the packaging industry. Due to the low weight of these plastic layers, their high surface-to-thickness ratio and the difficulty to separate it from the other layers in multilayer structures, their recyclability is not technically feasible nor economically / environmentaly worthwile. BIOFUNPAPER project aims at developing thin film coatings made of organic recyclable biopolymers for the development of hydrophobic and high barrier paper and cardboard coating, fully biodegradable, free of toxic additives and with lower environmental impact than what is currently available. The materials developed in the project will be fully assessed to ensure the performance as barrier and hydrophobic packaging materials as well as the compostability and biodegradability of the concepts in the environment.
The consortium of the project is composed of a multidisciplinary research team of 4 partners: Bioinicia SL (a biotech company devoted to electro-hydrodynamic processing of materials), the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), and the University Jaume I (UJI). The project will begin in a very low TRL 2-3 with the development of new materials, and will finish in high TRL 5-6 with the validation of the protoypes at an industrial scale.
Funding: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Proyectos de colaboración Público-Privada): CPP2021-008973
Start Date: 01/06/2022 – End Date: 31/12/2025
Project Leader: Ethel Eljarrat Esebag
Researchers: Sandra Callejas Martos
Funding: National 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