Pas d'enregistrements
Anabela Cachada
2020
SSTemWater – Sources and Short-term TEMporal evolution of GroundWATER contamination in Estarreja region
The Estarreja Chemical Complex (ECC), composed essentially by chemical plants that produce, among others, aniline, nitrobenzene, PVC, isocyanide polymers of aromatic base and polystyrene polymers for thermal isolation, has been pointed as a major threat to the environment and to public health in the region. For decades, the different ECC industries disposed off solid wastes directly on the permeable sands without containment, and untreated liquid effluents were discharged directly on streams connected to the coastal lagoon. Due to the geological features (unconsolidated detritic sedimentary rocks) of this region, that allows the contaminant’s dispersion, there is a high vulnerability of the aquifer to environmental hazards. Although waste management practices improved significantly in the last years, there are still signs of groundwater contamination. Indeed, previous studies indicate that the ECC is a vulnerable area due to the presence of multiple pressures (agriculture, industry and urban activities) and hotspots of organic and inorganic contaminants were already identified. However, there is a space-temporal variation of these hotspots that was not yet fully understood and it is not clear yet how contaminants are reaching the aquifer. Thus, this project aims at understand the dynamics behind the groundwater contamination and the processes that result in specific hotspots, and consequently identify sources and pathways of contaminants. Moreover, since some of the contaminants previously identified are classified as carcinogenic and highly toxic, the potential risks to the environment and human health will be also evaluated.
Paula Marinho
2017
DIGSOIL - Digital geochemical soil mapping in the areas of Estarreja, Vicdessos, Gardanne and Marseille: georeferenced stacking layers of geochemical mapping integrating environmental, urban planning, ecological and health data
The main aim of the project is to carry out a systematic geochemical soil mapping in the areas of Estarreja, Vicdessos, Gardanne and Marseille. Geochemical soil mapping is needed in order to understand the sources, transport, transformations, and fate (including human and ecosystem health) of chemical constituents in the settings of the different Observatoires Hommes-Milieux (OHMs). Geochemical soil maps will be produced by the regional interpolation of element concentration data obtained from samples collected from georeferenced sites and the digital soil maps (DSM) will be made publicly available on the Internet to potential end-users. Elemental concentrations in the soil will be determined using a field-portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (FPXRF). Given the multiplicity of anthropogenic sources that are characteristic of urban and industrial environments under study, isotopic studies will be carried out for tracing and quantifying mixed sources of certain potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils.
OHM Bassin Minier de Provence OHM Estarreja OHM Haut-Vicdessos OHM Littoral Méditerranéen
Ruth Pereira
2017
NAMELESs - Nanomaterials for the Remediation of agriculture Metal contaminated soils surrounding the Estarreja chemical complex
Estarreja Chemical Complex (ECC) is the second largest chemical complex in Portugal and has been classified by the Portuguese Environmental Agency as a "site of priority actions in terms of rehabilitation". Previous studies found that potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in Estarreja agricultural soils are associated with labile fractions, which results in their bioaccumulation and translocation in plant tissues of commercial interest, and a potential risk of transfer to the food web.
