Postdoctoral researcher Isabel Cadena, from ICRA-CERCA, recently attended the 28th International Symposium on Separation Sciences (ISSS 2024), where she presented her latest findings on urban runoff and its impact on freshwater ecosystems, as part of the CityPoll Project.

Her poster, titled “Determination of Micropollutants and Transformation Products in Urban Runoff: An Application of Target and Suspect Screening with LC-HRMS”, offered a detailed analysis of how urban runoff acts as a significant non-point source of pollutants, affecting nearby aquatic environments.

The study used solid-phase extraction (SPE) and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS), combining both target and suspect screening methods to identify a wide range of contaminants. The results showed that industrial compounds, particularly those related to tires, were the most prevalent pollutants in the three Spanish cities studied (Barcelona, Girona and San Sebastián).

One of the most concerning substances identified was 6PPD-quinone, which was detected at levels as high as 386 ng/L. This compound is known to be toxic to aquatic life, with levels exceeding the LC50 threshold (95 ng/L) for coho salmon. The study highlights the environmental threat that urban runoff poses to aquatic ecosystems.