Control of Soil and Water Pollution (CONSOWAT)

The CONSOWAT group works on the design of strategies to minimise soil and water pollution, contributing to the development of new environmentally friendly technologies that lead to a more sustainable management of the soil-water system. In relation to soils, we apply chemical, biological and omic techniques both for the prevention of soil contamination and for the recovery of contaminated soils. In water remediation processes, we develop methods for the removal of organic pollutants and pathogenic microorganisms in water.

Components

Research staff

Esmeralda Morillo González Senior Researcher, CONSOWAT Head Group morillo@irnase.csic.es	Tomás Undabeytia López Senior Researcher undabeyt@irnase.csic.es
Jaime Villaverde Capellán Researcher jvillaverde@irnase.csic.es	Fernando Madrid Díaz Researcher fmadrid@irnase.csic.es

Laboratory staff

Fellowship

Antonio Vargas (JAE fellowship for Introduction to Research)

Elena Romano (JAE fellowship for Introduction to Research)

Chiara Pizzo (JAE fellowship for Introduction to Research)

Visiting People

The group regularly receives researchers from other institutions and students to carry out Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree Final Projects, Work Placements or the Erasmus Programme.

Our visitors in the year 2021:

Mattijs Quartier (Belgium, Erasmus Programme).

Ángela Sofía Ocampo Amaya (Curricular Internships of the Master of Advanced Studies in Chemistry, University of Seville)

Antonino Martino (Italy, Erasmus Programme)

External (non CSIC) members of the Reseach Group

María del Carmen Florido Fernández. University Professor. Departament of Cristalography, Mineralogy and Agricultural Chemistry of University of Seville.

Pollutant Biodegradability and Ecotoxicity Laboratory

The IRNAS Pollutant Biodegradability and Ecotoxicity Laboratory, created in December 2018 and staffed by CONSOWAT Group personnel, offers a full range of standardised test methods (OECD technical guidelines) for the assessment of the biodegradability and toxicity of organic compounds in aquatic, soil and sludge environments.

This service carries out aquatic, soil and sludge biodegradation and toxicity tests for internal use and for external clients from industry, public administration, universities and other research organisations.

Appropriate technology and qualified and experienced personnel guarantee the quality of the results.

Description of the Laboratory

The Laboratory offers the evaluation of ecotoxicity using MICROTOX 500 ACUTE TOXICITY ANALYSER equipment, which is based on the determination of toxicity through the inhibition of bacterial bioluminescence generated by the species Vibrio fischeri, through the monitoring of changes in the natural light emissions of the luminescent bacteria in the presence of selected substances.

On the other hand, the laboratory offers the performance of biodegradation tests of different organic pollutants (pesticides, hydrocarbons, drugs, alkylphenols, etc.) in different matrices (soils, water and sludge) by means of respirometry tests (OXITOP system or mineralisers with ¹⁴CO₂ detection). Various liquid chromatography systems are available for the determination of the concentration of these pollutants. In this way, parameters related to both the oxygen consumption (respiration) of the micro-organisms present in the study matrix and the degradation rate of the pollutant under study can be obtained.

In this way, the Laboratory will provide its clients with information on the degradability of the pollutants existing in an ecosystem, as well as the possible toxicity to the environment resulting from the action of the micro-organisms native to the environment on these pollutants. Where possible, our team can suggest techniques that increase the degradability of these pollutants and can accelerate their elimination.