The CHEMBIO unit specializes in the development of advanced analytical methods and innovative technologies for the detection, control, and mitigation of chemical and biological contamination in industrial and natural environments. Composed of a team of chemists and chemical engineers, it addresses both emerging chemical contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, heavy metals, and personal care products, as well as biological contaminants including viruses, pathogenic bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes. Through cutting-edge technological approaches, it seeks to understand the impact and spread of these contaminants on the environment and human health, proposing sustainable solutions that contribute to environmental protection and the improvement of quality of life.
Advanced analytical capabilities for the detection of chemical and biological contaminants (mass spectrometry, sensors, liquid chromatography…).
Innovation and optimization of physicochemical and biological treatment technologies for the decontamination of water and soil.
Modeling and simulation of the dispersion and environmental impact of contaminants (computational fluid dynamics (CFD), atmospheric dispersion models…).
Statistical analysis of the dispersion and environmental impact of contaminants.
Application of methods for the control of pathogens and antibiotic resistance (sampling methods, RT-PCR, microbiological culture…).
The ARCPOL project focuses on the interplay between two global environmental issues: climate change and pollution in the Arctic, caused by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their metabolites (OH-PAHs), as well as emerging contaminants such as microplastics. The project aims to understand the fate and cycling of these pollutants under a global warming scenario.
The project addresses the threat posed by persistent and emerging contaminants (industrial plastic additives, novel flame retardants, and microplastics) in freshwater aquatic environments and their food webs, under the influence of anthropogenic disturbances such as global warming. It aims to understand their distribution, transport, and bioaccumulation processes, as well as their interactions with the carbon cycle.
Venturini, M., Bucci, P., Muñoz, R. (2025) Novel Fluidized Bed Bioreactor with Density-Graded Carriers for Bioremediation of Nitrate in Uranium Industry Effluent. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ew00077g
Abdykarimov, B., Alimzhanova, M., Syrgabek, Y., López-Serna, R. (2025) Green analytical procedure index assessment for total petroleum hydrocarbons determination methods in soil and sediments. A review. Trends in Environmental Analytical Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teac.2025.e00262
Rodríguez-Reyes, J.J., García-Depraect, O., Cantera, S., Mena-Navarro, V., León-Becerril, E. (2025) Assessment of the recovery of hydrogen production activity in dark fermentation reactors after a long period of shutdown. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.04.025
León-Vaz, A., Torres-Franco, A.F., García-Encina, P.A., Muñoz, R. (2025) Developing a microalgal-bacterial consortium for the removal of organic pollutants from petrochemical industry. Journal of Water Process Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.107663
Fernández-Delgado, M., Plaza, P.E., García-Cubero, M.T., Lucas, S., Coca, M., López-Linares, J.C. (2025) Examining mixotrophic fermentation in fed-batch mode for C1-gas valorization. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.7874
