Aquasomic is a research project funded by MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) (ref. PID2020-117686RB-C31, PID2020-117686RB-C32 and PID2020-117686RB-C33) for the period 2021-2025.

WELCOME TO AQUASOMIC

The AQUASOMIC project was based on the premise that the comprehensive application of high-throughput analytical strategies and innovative technologies could help to effectively address some of the current challenges and needs in the field of human exposomics. The main objective of this project was precisely the development, validation and application of high-throughput analytical strategies to assess environmental and human exposure to emerging contaminants.

By the end of the project, we had successfully developed and applied a considerable number of new analytical methods and strategies that enable us to address epidemiological, clinical and ecotoxicological issues. Among these, we highlight the methods for determining polar and semi-polar contaminants, and in particular persistent and mobile contaminants (PMCs) and per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), in surface water, biological fluids and biota. Furthermore, new analytical strategies have been developed, ranging from new extraction systems to new workflows for addressing non-targeted analysis. Finally, miniaturised platforms have been implemented to carry out specific bioassays or to estimate the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of contaminants.

Building on these achievements, we have been able to apply many of them in various environmental monitoring and human cohort studies, in the evaluation of more effective technologies for the treatment of wastewater and drinking water, in the assessment of the environmental risk posed by families of pollutants, and in the detection of microplastics. We have also gained an understanding of certain mechanisms of toxicity and bioavailability of pollutants present in the environment or associated with microplastics.