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## The IUPA of the Universitat Jaume I: scientific research on public health and the environment at the service of society

18/09/2024 |
SCP

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![Aerial view of the campus](//static.uji.es/templates/uji2016_plantillas/static/images/campusaerea.jpg)

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The University Institute of Pesticides and Water Resources has established itself as a benchmark for research into food safety, sustainable water management and the protection of the environment and public health.

The study and research of current problems such as shellfish poisoning, drug use or water pollution are some of the main challenges that the [University Institute of Pesticides and Water Resources (IUPA)](https://www.uji.es/institucional/estructura/instituts/iupa/base/larp/instalacions/) of the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló (UJI) is trying to meet. Research and development in these areas has positioned the IUPA as one of the most important research centres that seeks to have a positive impact on society.

Since its beginnings, the IUPA has stood out for its research work in food safety, environmental protection and public health, thanks to the analysis of pesticides in plant and animal products. For example, its Analytical Chemistry in Public Health and Environment (Q-AMS) research group has patented a method for detoxifying and purifying organic pollutants in shellfish using N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a pharmaceutical salt.

Another branch of their research is the study of pollutants in water, soil and food, and the estimation of the consumption of drugs, hormones and pharmaceuticals by the population through the analysis of wastewater for epidemiological purposes. In this way, they are able to measure the use of drugs in the population and study the presence of antibiotics in wastewater previously treated in sewage treatment plants and the emergence of possible microbial resistance.

However, research into new psychoactive substances (NPS) is one of the priorities on which the group has been working for more than 10 years. NPS are chemical compounds designed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine or ecstasy. These substances are not regulated like traditional illegal drugs, and users face unknown risks with unpredictable effects ranging from adverse reactions to addiction. Therefore, analysis of these products and urine samples from users are essential in the fight against NPS, which often go undetected in routine controls.

In addition, metabolomics approaches are being used to identify biomarkers of advanced disease, authenticate the origin of food and detect food fraud. A current study compares plant and animal proteins to assess the impact of meat alternatives on gut health. In addition, IUPA is working with medical researchers, such as the Hospital de Mar Research Institute (IMIM) in Barcelona, to develop methods to determine clinically relevant metabolites and establish early diagnosis of some diseases. They are currently collaborating on studies for the early diagnosis of anxiety, pancreatic and gastric cancer, as well as the discovery of metabolic mechanisms in autism spectrum disorders and hormonal processes during the menstrual cycle.

In terms of public health safety, IUPA is currently developing the projects: “Food quality and safety in aquaculture as new sources of protein (AQUASURE)” of the ThinkInAzul programme of the Valencian Government and “Health risk assessment of chemical exposure during pregnancy (ExpoGChem)” of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

**Sustainable water resources management**

The group's research in recent years has focused on determining the impact of climate change on coastal aquifers and assessing whether artificial intervention can be a good method against marine intrusion. They have also looked at improving water management at local, provincial and regional levels.

A practical example of the application of these studies has been the presentation of Water UJI, a technological centre in the water sector of Castelló, created together with the FACSA-UJI Chair, which aims to address the challenges of water scarcity and quality through collaboration between the university, companies and administrations, prioritising innovation and sustainability. The IUPA has also studied the possibility of reusing wastewater for irrigation after detecting the presence of emerging pollutants.

In the same line of research, the NEPMTUNE project “Towards the protection of the circular water economy from the threat posed by persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) chemical compounds” analyses the use of PMT-contaminated water for irrigating crops in greenhouses, using tomatoes and endive as a model; and the DIFERA project “Agricultural digitisation for fertigation and management of water reclamation stations” is investigating the use of wastewater treated at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for citrus irrigation, assessing the presence of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides and their possible accumulation on irrigated crops.

**Innovation in analysis and technology**

IUPA is innovative in the use of advanced technologies such as instrumental chromatography and mass spectrometry coupling. These techniques enable applied research in areas as diverse as food safety, environmental pollution, toxicological studies, biomedical research and doping control in sport. The “Advanced high resolution mass spectrometry techniques for the discovery and identification of organic compounds in environmental and food samples” (DIOhR-MS) of the Spanish Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research is one of the latest research projects carried out by the group using these methods.

One of the places where the IUPA team studies and works is the Laboratory for the Analysis of Pesticide Residues (LARP), the first Spanish laboratory to obtain Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) certification in the field of phytosanitary products in 2001. It was subsequently designated as a reference laboratory by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 2005. The LARP is one of the main sources of the IUPA's activities, thanks to contracts with external companies and services that carry out studies at the request of national and international promoters, using methodologies based on liquid chromatography or gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The purpose of GLP studies is to support the authorisation of plant protection products and the implementation of EU legislation in this field, which affects the environment and human and animal health. For example, GLP studies carried out by the LARP are used to set Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) in food throughout the EU.

The LARP is currently carrying out numerous analyses to determine the safety of the use of plant protection products on foods such as bananas, oranges, olives and oil. Other projects aim to determine residues in air and water samples. They also participate in the analytical phases of ecotoxicology studies, which assess safety on organisms and plants that are not the main target of crop protection products, such as bees.

**A team with an excellent research track record**

The IUPA has a very diverse and professionally trained team, comprising 17 formalised research staff, three support staff and nine trainee researchers. Some of these members also stand out in the list of the most cited UJI researchers in the world, which includes both the Institute's director, Félix Hernández, and research members Juan V. Sancho and Maria Ibáñez, according to the organisation Research.com.

In addition, since 2009, the Generalitat Valenciana has awarded them an Excellence in Research Award to support their projects on the application of chromatography and mass spectrometry in the field of public health and the environment. It is also worth mentioning the wide national and international participation that the group has received in its research (a detailed list of these projects and the group's publications can be found [in the following link](https://www.uji.es/institucional/estructura/instituts/iupa/base/larp/instalacions/)).

One of the most important milestones in IUPA's international development was the creation of the SCORE network, a pan-European interdisciplinary network that brings together experts from relevant disciplines interested in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to assess lifestyle, health and toxic exposure on a community level.

**Video (with subtitles)**

IUPA, investigación científica al servicio de la sociedad

<https://youtu.be/qyArdGYIApM>

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