News

We are delighted to announce the publication of our new article: “Pollutants in urban runoff: Scientific evidence on toxicity and impacts on freshwater ecosystems” in the journal Chemosphere.

We are pleased to announce the conference “Urban runoff pollutants: Occurrence and impacts on freshwater ecosystems, and mitigation strategies”, which will be held on June 12 and 13, 2025, in Donostia-San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain, organized within the framework of the CityPoll project.

Postdoctoral researcher Isabel Cadena 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.

We are pleased to announce that you can now access the full video explaining the CityPoll project! To make it easier for everyone to understand, we have made the video available in four languages: English, Spanish, Catalan, and Basque.

Urban runoff carries contaminants from roofs, roads, and soils into streams, affecting ecosystem biodiversity and functioning, particularly during rainfall and after dry periods. To examine these effects, urban first flush samples were collected during rainfall and tested on freshwater biofilms.

Urban streams are exposed to pollution from stormwater runoff, which carries various pollutants like oils, heavy metals, and pet waste. What is more, prolonged dry periods and extreme weather events facilitate the mobilization of these pollutants.

Increasing urbanization has led to contaminants being washed into freshwater ecosystems through stormwater runoff. Additionally, prolonged dry periods and extreme weather events facilitate the mobilization of these pollutants.

In a recent episode of the EITB (Basque Public Television) program “Teknopolis,” an important topic was discussed regarding the quality of rainwater. Often considered a natural and pure source, rainwater carries a variety of contaminants and particles from exposed surfaces such as roads, roofs, and gutters, which flow directly into rivers, potentially impacting river ecosystems.

On Monday, May 6th, experts and stakeholders from around the world gathered at the 34th Annual SETAC Europe Meeting. Among the presentations, Núria de Castro’s session stood out, titled “The tire rubber-derived contaminant 6-PPD-quinone and increased temperatures: too much for the freshwater snail Radix balthica”.

The 34th Annual SETAC Europe Meeting, held in Seville in May, brought together experts and stakeholders from around the world and provided a platform for robust discussions and the exchange of knowledge on urgent environmental issues.