Understanding pollutants in aquatic ecosystems

Andreu Rico is a researcher at the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology of the University of Valencia

I am Andreu Rico, CIDEGENT Distinguished Researcher at the University of Valencia. I work at the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, where my field of research is ecotoxicology. I analyse how potentially toxic substances such as pesticides, metals, or microplastics affect ecosystems, especially aquatic ones like lakes, rivers, and wetlands. We are currently involved in several projects, including the ERAHUMED project, funded by the Valencia regional government. In this project, a team of technicians, PhD students, and doctors evaluate the pollutants emitted by agricultural and urban activities. We are also analysing how these pollutants are distributed in the environment and how they affect living organisms. We carry out part of this work at the Albufera Biological Station, where we have an aquatic mesocosm facility. Mesocosms are experimental tanks containing a representation of the phytoplankton, zooplankton and macroinvertebrates found in the Albufera Natural Park, which allow us to study the direct and indirect effects of pollutants on this ecosystem. Thanks to these studies, we can identify which species are most sensitive to different types of contaminants, define indicator species and establish reference levels to derive environmental quality standards.

Our research has shown that coastal wetlands such as the Albufera Natural Park are subject to multiple pressures. We have detected up to 70 different pollutants from agricultural, urban, and industrial activities in the samples we have analysed. We aim to identify those that pose the most significant risk to the ecosystem. We have concluded that certain pesticides used in rice cultivation and some drugs widely used in urban areas (such as ibuprofen) are mainly responsible for the ecotoxicological risk in the Park. For example, fungicides such as azoxystrobin, used at the end of rice cultivation, can affect key functional processes such as the decomposition of organic matter and cause damage to macrocrustacean populations such as several shrimp species. We also have a new project funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. In this project, we assess how chemical contamination could affect essential processes such as carbon sequestration, which is crucial for mitigating the effects of global climate change.

Andreu Rico at the Albufera Biological Station / Photo: Laura García.

Another line of research concerns the impact of extreme events, such as the storm surge of September 2024, on water quality and biodiversity in the Park. The data available is limited, so the limnology group has prepared a document in which we specify the parameters necessary for a complete initial diagnosis of the situation. Once we make this diagnosis, it will be essential to monitor the pollutants in the different environmental matrices to assess not only their accumulation in living organisms but also the safety of the products derived from hunting, fishing or agriculture in the area.

The headquarters of the Albufera Biological Station, promoted by Valencia City Council, the Regional Government and the University of Valencia, are located in the Technical Management Office of the Natural Park in El Palmar. From here, we carry out fundamental and applied research to protect the flora and fauna of the Park. We also collaborate with researchers from other universities and centres and organise dissemination activities so society and students can learn about our scientific work. The results and activities of the Biological Station are available on our website. We invite you to visit and participate!

Interview conducted by Marta Gutiérrez and Anna Mateu. Edited by Marta Gutiérrez.

© Mètode 2025
PhD in Environmental Sciences, specialising in aquatic ecotoxicology, from Wageningen University (the Netherlands). In 2015, he joined the ecotoxicology group at IMDEA Water, where he is now an associate researcher. His work assesses the ecological risks of emerging contaminants (pesticides, pharmaceuticals, microplastics) on aquatic ecosystems, including their interaction with other stressors related to global climate change. He has participated in over 15 competitive projects and published over 90 scientific papers. He is currently a CIDEGENT distinguished researcher at the University of Valencia (Spain) and participates in various academic activities at the University of Valencia and the University of Alcalá, including supervising several PhD theses. He is a member of SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) and editor of the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.