CSIC – CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CINETIFICAS
The CSIC is the largest public body in Spain . Between the main activities of CSIC are, the performance of multidisciplinary scientific and technical research, providing scientific and technical advice, transferring the results to the private sector, contributing to the creation of technology-driven companies, training specialized personnel, management of infrastructure and large facilities and foresting scientific culture. As a multidisciplinary research body it covers all fields of knowledge, in more than 50 different institutes and eight scientific areas. Particularly, two institutes participating in this project, IDAEA (Instituto de Diagnostico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua) and IQAC (Instituto de Química Avanzada de Catalunya) participate in this project providing the know-how and experience in different fields.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
The group of the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC) focuses its activity on the development and application of analytical techniques for the investigation of organic pollution in food and environmental matrices. The research of the group leader by Prof. Damià Barceló has identified two major problem areas: (i) the need of the trace determination of environmental pollutants in food and the environment and (ii) the complexity of these matrices.
The investigation is focused on the development of new analytical techniques for the determination of organic contaminants, with a special emphasis on transformation products. Some of the techniques, such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the identification of emerging contaminants, became referent methods at the European level. In addition, in the last several years the group has been working in the field of development and application of biological tools including biosensors, immunoassays, and bioassays for the assessment of contaminants in food and complex environmental samples.
The Applied Molecular Receptors group (AMRg) of the IQAC focuses its research on the development of novel molecular diagnostic tools to provide alternatives to the actual methods used the clinical and food safety areas. Novel molecular diagnostic approaches to improve efficiency and/or to refine and extend the limits of detection can be developed by combining the latest micro(nano)technological and biotechnological advances through the construction of functional hybrid materials consisting of organic (biomolecules) and inorganic components. In this context, immunosensors using antibodies as biorecognition elements are between the potential applications of these nanobiotechnological approaches. Research on the unique properties of certain nanomaterials combined with the excellent features of the antibodies allows envisaging novel exquisitely sensitive chemical and biological sensors.
MAIN TASKS WITHIN CONFFIDENCE
WP1b: Develop harmonised simplified mass spectrometric methods for perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in different matrices (fish feed, fish, and dairy products).
Assess the toxicity of individual PFCs using a standard method based on Vibrio fischeri .
Validate the analytical procedures according to European quality standard methods, using a step by-step approach based on development, method exchange, and interlaboratory studies.
Finally, the main inputs of PFCs through diet will be assessed and evaluated together with the toxicological data.
WP1c: Development of an electrochemical immunosensor for pesticide analysis
WP2b: Electrochemical immunosensor to the analysis of antibiotic residues in honey (deputy WP leader)
PROJECT TEAM
Contact:
Prof. Damià Barceló
Jordi Girona, 18-26
08034-Barcelona
Spain
Phone: +34934006100
FAX: +34932045904
e-mail: web: www.csic.es
Staff:
Prof. Damià Barceló :
Research Professor and Head of the Environmental Chemistry Department. Coordinator of the Waste Water Cluster (2002-2004), EMCO (2004-2007) and six FP6 projects. 25 years of experience in analytical chemistry, emerging pollutants endocrine effect studies.
CONffIDENCE: WP1b
Prof. M.-Pilar Marco :
Senior Researcher and Head of the Applied Molecular Research group (AMRg) of the Chemical and Biomolecular Nanotechnology Department of the National Council of Scientific Research (CSIC). Her research interests have been focused on the development of immunoreagents and immunochemical methods, including immunosensors based in nobel transducing principles.
CONffIDENCE: responsible for AMRg contribution to WP1c and WP2b (Deputy leader )
Dr. Francisco Sanchez :
Senior Researcher and Head of the NMR facilities of the of the institute Principal investigator of Spanish research projects. He has 20 years experience in organic chemistry and theoretical chemistry.
CONffIDENCE: responsible for AMRg contribution to WP1c and WP2b in electrochemistry
Dr. Marinella Farre :
Researcher at Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC) . She is involved in development, application of new techniques of analysis of micro organic pollutants in food and environmental matrices using biological approaches (biosensors and immunoassays) and chromatographic techniques (LC-QqQ-LIT-MS , LC-Q-TOF-MS, and GC-MS).
CONffIDENCE: WP1b leader, and responsible for IDÆA-CSIC.
Mr. Alejandro Muriano :
Junior researcher of AMRg-CSIC. Research on immunosensors based on new transducer principles for veterinary drug residue analysis
CONffIDENCE: implementation of a magneto immunosensor to the analysis of sulfonamide residues in honey (WP2b)
Mr. Raül García Febrero :
Junior researcher of AMRg-CSIC. Research on pesticide residue immunochemical analytical methods
CONffIDENCE: development of immunoreagents and development of an immunosensor for paraquat/diquat (WP1c)