Project Portugal 2030

Summary

MAIN OBJECTIVE: AQUAIGNIS aims to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the impacts of post-fire contaminants on water supply reservoirs. Additionally, it seeks to develop and implement a natural-based barrier to mitigate these impacts, safeguarding water quality, ecosystem health, and human health. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: 1. Investigate Post-Fire Contaminant Mobilization: Examine the patterns of post-fire contaminant mobilization in reservoirs and assess their accumulation in hotspots, considering the long-term role of sediments as potential sources of contaminants. 2. Assess Freshwater Community Impacts: Evaluate the responses of freshwater communities to post-fire contaminants, particularly focusing on algal blooms, and analyze their implications for ecosystem functioning and the provision of ecosystem services. 3. Study Lethal/Sub-lethal Effects on Aquatic Organisms: Investigate the potential lethal and sub-lethal effects of post-fire contaminants on aquatic organisms in reservoirs. Utilize innovative biomarkers to detect early warning signals of biological damage and explore bioaccumulation and biomagnification along the trophic chain. 4. Evaluate Human Exposure and Cytotoxicity: Assess the risks posed to humans through various exposure routes, such as water consumption and fish ingestion, and investigate the cytotoxic effects of post-fire contaminants on human health. 5. Estimate Overall Risk Assessment: Synthesize research findings to comprehensively assess the overall risk posed by post-fire contaminants to water supply reservoirs. Integrate results from various tasks to gain a comprehensive understanding of short-term and long-term risks associated with wildfire-induced contamination. 6. Implement Mitigation Measures: Develop and implement a natural-based barrier utilizing biochar and phytoremediation techniques at the water-soil interface to serve as a biofilter, aiming to mitigate risks to water quality, ecosystem health, and human health. Aligned with the United Nations SDG and national and regional strategies, the outcome of AQUAIGNIS will represent an advancement in the state-of-the art covering important research gaps, and providing novel findings for assessing and mitigating the risks of post-fire contamination to water supply reservoirs.