The BIOMA Institute welcomes Frank Sznaider with a scholarship Skłodowska-Curie scholarship

Frank Sznaider, researcher Argentine researcher , is joining the Biodiversity and Environment Institute at the University of Navarra thanks to a prestigious scholarship Skłodowska-Curiescholarship to develop the project Reconstructing Emerging Pollution in Air and Assessing Inhalation Risk (REPAIR). This research supervised by researchers Yasser Morera Gómez and David Elustondo, and will address one of the major challenges currently facing environmental health: the presence and impact of emerging pollutants in the atmosphere.

In recent years, atmospheric microplastics (MPs) and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have raised growing scientific concern due to their persistence, toxicity, and potential effects on human health. However, there is little information on their historical presence in the atmosphere, their coexistence with particulate matter, or their long-term effect on exhibition .

The project (Reconstruction of Emerging Air Pollution and Inhalation assessment ) will be the first initiative to reconstruct atmospheric pollution from microplastics and PFAS over the last five decades. To do this, it will analyze unique archives of aerosol filters collected from 1968 to the present in Montreal (Canada) and at various locations in Europe. These valuable sample archives have been made accessible thanks to the strong partnership network researchers at the BIOMA Institute and their supervisors.

Using state-of-the-art methodologies combined with advanced data processing, air mass trajectory analysis, polymer usage statistics, and regulatory frameworks, the project will reconstruct historical trends in particle size distribution, polymer composition, and chemical profiles. REPAIR places a special focus on fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), which is directly linked to inhalation risks. For the first time, the coexistence of microplastics and PFAS in atmospheric particles will also be evaluated, a core topic understanding possible combined health effects.

Based on this information, REPAIR will provide the first assessment of the risk of inhaling these emerging pollutants, estimating exhibition levels exhibition risks for different population groups, with special attention to vulnerable groups. As part of project, an open-access visualization platform will be developed at the University of Navarra that will allow policymakers, interest groups, and citizens to access the results, facilitating more effective regulation and decision-making based on scientific evidence.

The research carried out using state-of-the-art Centri and LDIR equipment at the BIOMA Institute, infrastructure obtained thanks in particular to the support of the Government of Navarra. This equipment will enable in-depth analysis of emerging pollutants in the air. The researcher also researcher his work the BIOMA Institute with a stay at the environmental laboratories of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Monaco, which also have specialized equipment for the study of microplastics.

By combining atmospheric sciences, Chemistry , and environmental assessment , the project aims to significantly advance our understanding of emerging air pollutants and will directly contribute to the development Goals, reinforcing the BIOMA Institute's position at the forefront of research .