AQUASOMIC
Our main objective is to develop and apply high-throughput analytical strategies to assess environmental and human exposure to emerging contaminants
The main tools that we will develop in the framework of Aquasomics are:
- Validated target and reliable nontarget methods of analysis of emerging contaminants in surface waters and biofluids
- Millifluidic devices to run innovative sample treatments and bioassays
These tools, among many others, will be applied in a large variety of cases to:
a. Assess the effects of identified CECs in waters and strategies for mitigation.
b. Estimate the bioaccessible and bioavailable fractions of CECs
c. Support millifluidic devices to run innovative in-vitro bioassays
d. Study the relationships between certain diseases with the exposure to CECs
e. Assess
the exposure to CECs through urine analysis and wastewater-based epidemiology
Research methodology
The main strategy to study
the external and the internal doses is the (bio)monitoring of target chemicals
in biofluids and tissues and in the environment. The combined application of target
and nontarget analysis (NTA) in human biofluids, organisms' tissues and in
water samples will allow us to tackle those biomonitoring requirements. In
addition to this, it is necessary to understand the way the contaminants can
reach to the vascular system. In this sense, bioaccesibility and
bioavailability concepts must become reliable and measurable.
Project Work Packages (WP)
There are 4 work packages in AQUASOMIC, which are all interconnected. WP1 will be monitoring and in contact with all of these work packages.
WP1. Coordination and Project management, Formation and Outreach Activities
Task 1.1. Project and Data Management Plan
Task 1.2. Project Coordination
Task 1.3. Formative activities
Task 1.4. Outreach activities
WP2. Development and validation of high-throughput analytical methods
Task 2.1. Development of target and nontarget methods
Task 2.2. Development of more efficient pipelines to annotate and identify compounds
Task 2.3. Development of 3D printed flow-injection platforms for miniaturized bioassays
Task 2.4. Novel sorptive composite materials based on 3D printing and periodic porous solids for on-line sample preparation
WP3. Environmental health assessment
Task 3.1. Occurrence, fate, and risk of emerging pollutants in aquatic ecosystems
Task 3.2. Development of 3D dispersal models of microfibers and microplastics (MP) in coastal waters
Task 3.3. Integrative optimization of a drinking water treatment pilot plant (DWTP)
Task 3.4. Millifluidic platforms for on-line oral bioaccessibility testing of additives from MPs and food-borne MPs
Task 3.5. In-vitro bioavailability tests of organic species associated to microplastics using lipid nanovesicles
Task 3.6 In-vivo bioavailability tests and advanced biochemical assays for microplastic additives using murine models
Task 3.7. Miniaturized 3D printed fluidic platforms for in-vitro cytotoxicity and ecotoxicity testing
WP4. Human health monitoring
Task 4.1. Toxicity of emerging contaminants onto human leukocyte populations using a 3D printed blood vessel
Task 4.2. Case study A: PFAS and xenobiotics in children plasma samples
Task 4.3. Case studies B and C: exposure to xenobiotics via urine analysis
Task 4.4. Case study D: Exposure effects on congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract
Task 4.5. Case study E: Determination of xenobiotics in breast milk
Task 4.6 Human exposure assessment through Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE)