Environmental quality
Environmental quality
This research line focuses on evaluating the quality of coastal ecosystems and the environmental risk posed by anthropogenic pollution sources, both point and diffuse. It employs an interdisciplinary and integrated approach that combines contaminant analysis, determination of acute and chronic toxicity of compounds, effluents, and complex mixtures across different taxonomic groups, and the assessment of exposure and risk to human health.
This research is constantly evolving due to technological advancements, which allow for more sensitive analytical methods, lower detection limits, improved contaminant evaluation techniques on biota, and the emergence of new substances. This ongoing evolution justifies the need for continuous updates to environmental regulations and for studying the behavior, effects, and monitoring of both traditional and emerging contaminants.
Furthermore, this research line investigates the impact of groundwater discharges into coastal environments (submarine estuaries). These can be a significant source of nutrients (N, P, K) from agricultural fertilizers, affecting aquifers and leading to coastal algal blooms of unknown origin.
Therefore, this research line is fundamental for understanding the state of coastal and marine ecosystems and for applying international environmental regulations aimed at their protection and sustainable use.
INMAR researchers associated with this line
Past collaborators
| Researcher | Contact |
| María Isabel Arufe Martínez | – |