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PlastikHUM (2022-2025): Accumulation of microplastics in wetlands. Transport and zonation of microplastics.
The goal of Plastikhum is to identify the hydrodynamic processes—sedimentation, turbulence, currents, hydraulic residence time, and compaction in the sediment—that define the dynamics and accumulation of PM in wetlands. Establish the significance of the system's key components, including the lagoons, distinctive macrophytes, sediment, and salinity level, in the capture and behavior of MPs. Look for the horizontal and vertical patterns connected to the wetlands' potential to act as an ecological buffer for MP retention. MPs should come up with pollution mitigation strategies.
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Plastics Monitoring Detection Remediation Recovery (COST ACTION, 2022-2026).
PRIORITY is a science and technology research network focused on developing, implementing, and consolidating strategies to tackle the global challenges of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment. PRIORITY stands for ‘Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY’. PRIORITY is a science and technology research network focused on developing, implementing, and consolidating strategies to tackle the global challenges of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment. PRIORITY aims to enhance the technical standards for sampling and analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment, to develop a more reliable assessment of exposure and biological effects, and to advance activities in terms of environmental remediation and recovery. The Action will support the harmonization of European regulation associated with microplastics. It will assist the European Commission in critical aspects of environmental and ecosystems protection, food safety, and life science.
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LIFE BIODAPH2O (2022-2026): Eco-efficient system for wastewater tertiary treatment and water reuses in the Mediterranean region.
LIFE BIODAPH2O is a demonstration project which main objective is the scaling-up and implementation of an eco-efficient nature-based tertiary wastewater treatment (BIODAPH) at two demo sites located in water-stressed regions of the Mediterranean area. This system will produce reclaimed water that will contribute to diminish discharges of pollutants in freshwater ecosystems and to promote agricultural reuse. The BIODAPH system, previously developed in the Innoqua project (GA 689817), is based on the depuration capacity of biological organisms: water fleas (Daphnia), microalgae and biofilms of removing pollutants (nutrients, organic carbon, suspended solids, pathogens, heavy metals, emerging and priority pollutants, and micro plastics). This compact and low-energy consumption system does not produce sludge nor use chemicals for its operation.
The implementation of this system at Quart WWTP, Spain, will reduce the impact of secondary wastewater discharges in the River Onyar while improving the chemical and ecological quality of aquatic ecosystems in this river allowing the standards set in Water Framework Directive of the EC (Directive 2000/60/EC) to be reached. In the case of Greece, the BIODAPH system will be implemented adjacent to the Antissa WWTP in Lesvos, which features modular units of the up flow anaerobic sludge blanket digestion, constructed wetlands, and an UV unit, which are being put into operation as part of the Hydrousa project (GA 776643). These modular treatments will allow BIODAPH system to be tested in different configurations to obtain reclaimed water in accordance to EU Regulation 2020/741 to irrigate 7,000 m2 of nearby agricultural land.
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WINDERS (2023-2024): The role of wind-induced sediment resuspension in the eutrophication processes of the Mar Menor.
We propose to conduct research in the Mar Menor, the largest coastal lagoon in the Iberian Peninsula and in its watershed. Many studies have been conducted in this coastal lagoon, addressing aspects such as the hydrogeology, hydrodynamics, biology, ecology and socio-economy. The lagoon is also an ideal model because the system is subject to important anthropogenic pressures that have resulted in a degradation of its ecological status, including tourism, agriculture (intensively irrigated crops in the watershed, the Campo de Cartagena) and a historic mining exploitation (Sierra de Cartagena-La Unión). In addition, in recent years (2016 and 2021) there have been several eutrophication processes due to the massive entry of nutrients whose origin is unknown and that we hypothesize in this project that may be related, at least partially, with the resuspension of sediments. The Mar Menor is subjected to intense sedimentation processes caused by summer thermal winds and, in autumn, by intense storms linked to "cold drop" events.
- Teresa Serra, Jordi Colomer, Aina Barcelona and Marçal Soler. Daphnia magna filtration and mobility in laminar and turbulent flows. Science of the Total Environment, 621, 626-633, 2018.
- Mara Müller, Teresa Serra and Jordi Colomer. Response reversibility and short-term quasi-acclimation of Daphnia magna to changing temperatures. PLoS ONE 13(12): e0209705. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209705, 2018.
- Teresa Serra, Marçal Soler, Narcís Pous and Jordi Colomer. Daphnia magna filtration, swimming and mortality under ammonium, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate. Science of the Total Environment, 656, 331-337, 2019.
- Teresa Serra, Mara Müller and Jordi Colomer. Functional responses of Daphnia magna to zero-mean flow turbulence. Scientific Reports, 9:3844, 2019.
- Jordi Colomer, Mara Müller, Aina Barcelona and Teresa Serra. Mediated food and hydrodynamics on the ingestion of microplastics by Daphnia magna. Environmental Pollution, 251, 434-441, 2019.
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Teresa Serra, Mara F. Müller, Aina Barcelona, Victòria Salvadó, Narcís Pous and Jordi Colomer. Optimal light conditions for Daphnia filtration. Science of the Total Environment, 686, 151–157, 2019.
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Victòria Salvadó, Teresa Serra, Jordi Colomer, Narcís Pous, Marc Font, Irene Pijoan and Jochen Scheerer. Reactor for wastewater treatment purification. Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, Model Utility U201931159 (U668ES00), 2019.
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Narcís Pous, Manuela Hidalgo, Teresa Serra, Jordi Colomer, Jesús Colprim and Victòria Salvadó. Assessment of zooplankton-based eco-sustainable wastewater treatment at laboratory scale. Chemosphere, 238, 124683, 2020.
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Teresa Serra, Aina Barcelona, Victoria Salvadó, Narcís Pous and Jordi Colomer. Synergistic effects of second and third order stressors on Daphnia magna. Environmental Pollution, 267, 115439, 2020.
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Narcís Pous, Aina Barcelona, Luca Sbardella, Manuela Hidalgo, Teresa Serra, Jordi Colomer, and Victòria Salvadó. Zooplankton-based reactors for tertiary wastewater treatment: a pilot-scale case study. Journal of Environmental Management, 278, 111538, 2021.
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Victòria Salvadó, Manuela Hidalgo, Narcís Pous, Teresa Serra and Jordi Colomer. Daphniafilter: a nature-based tertiary system, Chapter Book, in Innovative Wastewater Treatment Technologies - The INNOQUA Project, Bumbac, C.; Dussaussois, J-B., Schaal, A.; Tompkins, D. (Eds), ISBN 9781680837803, Now Publishers, Boston-Delft, 2021.
- Narcís Pous, Aina Barcelona, Luca Sbardella, Oriol Gili, Manuela Hidalgo, Jordi Colomer, Teresa Serra and Victòria Salvadó. Vermifiltration and zooplankton integration as a nature-based solution for wastewater treatment. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 4, 100153, 2021.
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Sergi Magester, Jordi Colomer, Aina Barcelona, and Teresa Serra. Vertical distribution of microplstics in water bodies cause sublethal effects and changes in Daphnia magna swimming behaviour. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 228, 113001, 2021.
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Teresa Serra, Aina Barcelona, Narcís Pous, Victòria Salvadó, Jordi Colomer. Disinfection and particle removal by a nature-based Daphnia filtration system for wastewater treatment. Journal of Water Process and Engineering, 50, 103228, 2022.