Pas d'enregistrements
Ana Rita Silva
2022
TERRA - Climate change impacTs in EstaRRejA region
Although great efforts have been made over the last years, climate change continues to impact our planet. According to IPCC predictions, atmospheric CO2 levels and mean temperature are expected to continue rising jointly with the frequency/intensity/duration of extreme weather events (e.g., droughts and floods). The impact of climate change may be exacerbated in metal(loid)-contaminated areas, such as the Estarreja municipality, where ecosystems have been under stress for decades. TERRA aims to understand the effects of climate change alterations on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, using contaminated soils from Estarreja. For that, extreme climate events/predicted climate change scenarios (including changes in combined climate factors according to IPCC) will be simulated to evaluate their effects on the ecotoxicity in terrestrial and aquatic inhabitants. Moreover, soil/water properties, e.g. pH, metal(loid) content, soil organic carbon, will be evaluated to establish the link between soil/water properties and effects under changing climate factors. Considering that extreme climate events have been reported in the last years in Portugal, the project intends to understand the dynamics behind contamination in this region after these events, by evaluating contamination level in Estarreja region five years later (by comparing with previous works). TERRA will provide crucial data for Portugal and worldwide regarding the consequences of climate changes in contaminated areas. The present project will also promote an easy and active communication with the society, with the final aim of increasing awareness about climate change and its environmental impacts.
Nuno Durães
2022
TracEnviSoil - Tracing metal(loid) and rare earth elements contents in alluvial soils of Baixo Vouga Lagunar: Origin, availability and environmental issues
The Baixo Vouga Laugar (BVL) is a very particular example of the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. This region, characterised by highly productive soils, enticed humankind to take advantage of its land and surface water reservoirs for the development of various agricultural practices (e.g., rice paddies, cornfields, pasture, among others). The high fertility of BVL's soils is owed to their development under the influence of alluvial deposits, materials with loamy texture, high porosity and marked organic matter enrichment. However, as demonstrated by the results obtained in other OHM projects, some of these soils are enriched in several potential toxic elements (PTEs). For this reason, the TracEnviSoil project intends to obtain a screening of the distribution of metal(loid)s of greater concern, as well as of rare earth elements (REEs), in order to ascertain the most probable sources (geogenic versus anthropogenic) of these trace elements, but also their (bio)availability and eco-toxicity in agriculture soils. This would allow to infer the potential risks for soil productivity, by creating harmful conditions for the soil microbiome and plant growth. Finally, the bioaccumulation of PTEs in the edible parts of plants will be evaluated in order to estimate the risk of their entry into the food chain, namely of animals and humans that feed on the vegetable products grown on these soils.
Pas d'enregistrements
Sofia Bento
2020
AGORARISK - Dialogue sur les risques et l’environnement à Estarreja
Le projet AGORARISK propose une recherche-action destinée à favoriser le dialogue entre chercheurs, citoyens et agents de l’Etat autour des incertitudes et des risques environnementaux et sanitaires sur le Complexe Chimique d'Estarreja. Plus précisément, il vise à comprendre les conditions de possibilité de dialogue et de travail en commun entre mondes différents pour expérimenter et coproduire des outils susceptibles de réduire le clivage existant entre savoirs scientifiques et savoirs citoyens. La région d'Estarreja a fait l’objet de nombreuses études, mais des recherches récentes ont mis en évidence des lacunes importantes en matière de communication à propos des risques. Les situations de débat avec la population impliquant élus, scientifiques et agents de l’Etat sont rares. Les conséquences sont des tensions et une perte de confiance. Alors que côté scientifique, des données sont bien disponibles puisque plusieurs équipes nationales et internationales de chercheurs s’intéressent aux problèmes de contamination à Estarreja. Nous désirons œuvrer à faciliter le rapprochement des différents acteurs locaux qui vivent avec la pollution au quotidien en créant de façon expérimentale les conditions d’un dialogue sur les incertitudes et les risques de contamination. L’implication des populations est une dimension urgente dans ce contexte précis et ne peut exister qu’à travers de nouvelles formes d’organisation du débat adaptées au contexte sociohistorique. Notre projet propose une approche expérimentale participative de façon à encourager les chercheurs à travailler avec les acteurs locaux et à inciter les populations à découvrir le monde de la recherche sous un nouveau regard.
Patrícia Santos
2020
ChemREs2 – PAHs and inorganic contaminants in Estarreja’s rainwater: sources, spatial-temporal changes, and implications for the environment and human health
The atmospheric pollution in Estarreja is a matter of concern, and its impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as on human health, are still unknown. A previous project studied the chemical composition of rainwater in Estarreja and identified that local rainwater contains some contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals, with higher content at the industrial area than at a nearby background site, suggesting that industrial area may be a focus of contaminant emissions.
Heliana Teixeira
2020
FITA - FIghting Towards restoration Actions for Zostera marina L.
The eelgrass Zostera marina L. once covered large areas in the Ria de Aveiro coastal but is reported locally extinct since 2010. A recent discovery of a new patch of Z. marina, locally known as “Fita”, reinitiates the history of local extinction-recolonisation episodes for this emblematic species in Ria de Aveiro Natura 2000 coastal lagoon. The FITA project proposes five passive restoration actions to bring together local stakeholders and protect the new population from eminent stressors in the short-term. FITA will gather knowledge on the local population dynamics and species features, for improving conservation in the mid-term. Finally, it will promote participatory approaches for reducing conflicts and promote sustainable use of space and natural resources in the long-term. FITA goal is to trigger action towards the protection and restoration of this vulnerable species, considered a priority habitat under EU Habitats Directive.
Ruth Pereira
2020
Is4RISK- derivation of soil reference values for potentially toxic elements (As, Pb and Cu) by using a regosol representive of Estarreja soils
Soil Reference Values (SRV) for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are of utmost importance for the first tier of risk assessment of contaminated sites. The Portuguese Environmental Agency has recently proposed SRV for soil, based on their used, but the type of soil was not taken into account. However, and giving the role of soil properties on the mobility and bioavailability of contaminants it is widely recognized that SRV should be defined for different types of natural soils, or at least, they should allow readjustments based in the content of organic matter and clay of the target soil. In this context, to refine the ability of predicting the risks of contaminants affecting the soils, nearby the Estarreja Chemical Complex (ECC), this project aims to derive SRV for the main PTEs of concern in the area (As, Pb and Cu), by using a reference regosol, which is the particular type of soil that can be found in the area. This reference regosol will be the deliverable that will increase the afterlife duration of the project, as it will be useful for the future derivation of SRV for other PTEs, including organic contaminants.
Flavio Silva
2020
MOSAIC – Application of microbial-laden biochar as a proxy for long-term sustainability of contaminated soils
Over ten years the OHM-E has unravelled negative impacts of the industry on the quality of soils surrounding Estarreja. Yet, it is not all bad news. Previous research (DRuMBEAT) has conceptualized and tested a path for bioremediation of contaminated soils based on exploitation of their indigenous microbiomes coupled with biochar (pyrolysed biomass). Model organic contaminants in Estarreja-surrounding soils were successfully biodegraded by biochar-attached biofilms naturally engineered from contaminated soils, which proved them to be better adapted to inhibitory environments than those retrieved from “clean” sites. Though the hypotheses were successfully demonstrated, the biochar-microbial synergisms in contaminated soils surpassed the initial expectations by significantly boosting the biochemical activity, thus anticipating further benefits in development of a broader quality strategy for Estarreja soils. Additionally, biochar production can be tuned to target local-based feedstocks management, yield optimal porosity and redox chemistry to carry biofilms and immobilise contaminants, and provide further long-lasting fertilisation.
Renata Tavares
2020
Reproduction@Estarreja: is female reproductive potential at risk?
Exposure to toxicants generated from (or used in) industrial processes has contributed towards the decrease of female fertility and reproductive potential worldwide. Considering the increased risk of exposure in the modern world due to industrial growth, it is crucial the assessment of the reproductive potential of women living in an industrial-related area, particularly if there is already a history of local contamination.
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.
