Exposures in Indoor Air Affecting Health Maria Hartiala, Varpu Elenius, Alicia Aguado Pesquera, Silas Androulakis, Isabella Annesi‐Maesano, et al. Allergy European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2026 Indoor air quality (IAQ) is influenced by a wide range of chemical, biological and physical agents that can negatively impact physical, immunological and mental health. Adverse health effects depend on the type and concentration of pollutants, duration of exposure, and individual susceptibility. The availability of data on IAQ is limited, as are standardized approaches for evaluating its health impact. This expert review aims to describe the most important indoor air determinants affecting health, and present the IDEAL cluster, which comprises seven EU‐funded scientific projects on the topic of IAQ and human health. Across the IDEAL projects, knowledge is generated on exposure to a wide range of indoor air pollutants, including well‐known hazards and more explorative chemical and microbiological determinants. The projects will also contribute to the implementation of low‐cost and/or real‐time sensors on IAQ, as well as advanced chemical and microbiological analyses, and evaluate various interventions to improve IAQ. Several of them focus on particularly vulnerable groups. Raising public awareness and implementing measures to reduce pollutant levels are essential for safeguarding health, particularly in urban areas with elevated pollution levels.
Occurrence and risks of pharmaceuticals in Mahdia’s coastline (Tunisia): distribution, antibiotic resistance, and ecotoxicological impact Ferdaws Fenni, Adrià Sunyer-Caldú, Hedi Ben Mansour, Maria Silvia Diaz-Cruz Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2025 Pharmaceutical active compounds (PHACs) pose a significant risk to aquatic ecosystems due to their persistence and potential toxic effects. Despite their documented presence in various coastal environments, their occurrence along the Mahdia coastline remains largely unexplored. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), we analyzed seawater and sediment samples collected over six consecutive months from Mahdia’s marine environment. Results revealed that antibiotics were the most prevalent PHACs, with ofloxacin reaching 401 ng/L in seawater. Other consistently detected compounds included flumequine, nalidixic acid, oxytetracycline, and N4-acetylsulfamerazine, with maximum concentrations of 16 ng/L, 17.1 ng/L, 12.1 ng/L, and 59.2 ng/L, respectively. Additionally, carbamazepine was detected at 5.2 ng/L, while caffeine concentrations ranged from 12.6 ng/L to 638 ng/L in seawater and up to 6.87 ng/g in sediment. The study also assessed antibiotic resistance risks, expressed as resistance risk quotients (RRQs) and indicating that ofloxacin and flumequine pose a medium-risk threat to bacterial communities. Ecotoxicological evaluations through calculation of ecotoxicological risk quotient (ERQs) and hazard indexes (HI) classified ofloxacin as a low-to-moderate risk for fish populations. These findings provide the first comprehensive mapping of PHAC contamination and potential risks along the Mahdia coast, emphasizing the urgent need for improved wastewater treatment and monitoring programs to mitigate environmental risks. Graphical Abstract
Assessing the Fate of Benzophenone-Type UV Filters and Transformation Products during Soil Aquifer Treatment: The Biofilm Compartment as Bioaccumulator and Biodegrader in Porous Media Sònia Jou-Claus, Paula Rodríguez-Escales, Lurdes Martínez-Landa, M. Silvia Diaz-Cruz, Jesús Carrera, et al. Environmental Science and Technology, 2024 The fate of selected UV filters (UVFs) was investigated in two soil aquifer treatment (SAT) systems, one supplemented with a reactive barrier containing clay and vegetable compost and the other as a traditional SAT reference system. We monitored benzophenone-3 (BP-3) and its transformation products (TPs), including benzophenone-1 (BP-1), 4,4'-dihydroxybenzophenone (4DHB), 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4HB), and 2,2'-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (DHMB), along with benzophenone-4 (BP-4) and avobenzone (AVO) in all involved compartments (water, aquifer sediments, and biofilm). The reactive barrier, which enhances biochemical activity and biofilm development, improved the removal of all detected UVFs in water samples. Among monitored UVFs, only 4HB, BP-4, and AVO were detected in sediment and biofilm samples. But the overall retained amounts were several orders of magnitude larger than those dissolved. These amounts were quantitatively reproduced with a specifically developed simple analytical model that consists of a mobile compartment and an immobile compartment. Retention and degradation are restricted to the immobile water compartment, where biofilm absorption was simulated with well-known compound-specific Kow values. The fact that the model reproduced observations, including metabolites detected in the biofilm but not in the (mobile) water samples, supports its validity. The results imply that accumulation ensures significant biodegradation even if the degradation rates are very low and suggest that our experimental findings for UVFs and TPs can be extended to other hydrophobic compounds. Biofilms act as accumulators and biodegraders of hydrophobic compounds.
Exposures in Indoor Air Affecting Health M Hartiala, V Elenius, AA Pesquera, S Androulakis, I Annesi‐Maesano, ... Allergy 81 (3), 700-719 , 2026 2026 Citations: 6
Enhancing the removal of contaminants of emerging concern from wastewater effluents using recharge-dependent soil aquifer treatment with reactive barriers G Quintana, A Sunyer-Caldú, C Valhondo, L Martínez-Landa, ... Journal of Environmental Management 401, 128830 , 2026 2026
Silicone-Foam Passive Air Samplers for Combined Target and Nontarget Chemical Profiling and Toxicity Assessment of Airborne Exposomes A Sunyer-Caldú, H Xie, B Bonnefille, F Raptopoulou, E Pesquet, MB Rian, ... Environmental Science & Technology 60 (7), 5628-5644 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Longitudinal Chemical Exposomics by Gas Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry in Blood Plasma Sampled Over 2-Years in a Multiomic Wellness Cohort H Xie, A Sunyer-Caldú, S Papazian, B Bonnefille, K Sdougkou, U Mathias, ... 2026
Two-for-One Chemical Exposomics in Human Plasma by an Integrated Sample Preparation Workflow for Target and Nontarget Analysis by both GC-and LC-HRMS H Xie, B Bonnefille, A Sunyer-Caldú, K Sdougkou, X Chen, MB Rian, ... 2026
Eliminación de Fármacos y Productos de Cuidado Personal de Aguas Residuales mediante Tratamiento Suelo-Acuífero: Evaluación de Riesgos para el Agua Potable y la Reutilización … S Diaz-Cruz, G Quintana, A Contreras, A Sunyer-Caldú, L Martinez-Landa, ... 2025
Occurrence and risks of pharmaceuticals in Mahdia’s coastline (Tunisia): distribution, antibiotic resistance, and ecotoxicological impact F Fenni, A Sunyer-Caldú, HB Mansour, MS Diaz-Cruz Environmental Science and Pollution Research 32 (30), 18419-18433 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Early-life chemical exposome: Comprehensive strategies for wide-scope screening of organic compounds C Guerrini, A Sunyer-Caldú, R Gil-Solsona, J Escribano, M Vinaixa, ... TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry 180, 117903 , 2024 2024 Citations: 12
Screening of Biological Samples with HRMS to Evaluate the External Human Chemical Exposome A Sunyer-Caldú, M Marquès, R Gil-Solsona, P Gago-Ferrero Screening of Pollutants in the Environment: Non-target Strategies and Latest … , 2024 2024 Citations: 4
Assessing the fate of benzophenone-type UV filters and transformation products during soil aquifer treatment: the biofilm compartment as bioaccumulator and biodegrader in … S Jou-Claus, P Rodríguez-Escales, L Martínez-Landa, MS Diaz-Cruz, ... Environmental science & technology 58 (12), 5472-5482 , 2024 2024 Citations: 15
Efficient removal of toxicity associated to wastewater treatment plant effluents by enhanced soil aquifer treatment C Sanz, A Sunyer-Caldú, M Casado, S Mansilla, L Martinez-Landa, ... Journal of hazardous materials 465, 133377 , 2024 2024 Citations: 17
[Dataset] Assessing the Fate of Benzophenone-Type UV Filters and Transformation Products during Soil Aquifer Treatment: The Biofilm Compartment as Bioaccumulator and … S Jou-Claus, P Rodríguez-Escales, L Martínez-Landa, MS Diaz-Cruz, ... American Chemical Society , 2024 2024
Factors driving PPCPs uptake by crops after wastewater irrigation and human health implications A Sunyer-Caldú, G Quintana, MS Diaz-Cruz Environmental research 237, 116923 , 2023 2023 Citations: 40
Biofilms as a new environmental compartment: how most of the Ultraviolet Filters are retained in biofilm and soil in the context of Managed Aquifer Recharge P Rodríguez-Escales, J Sonia, L Martínez-Landa, S Diaz-Cruz, J Carrera, ... European Association of Geochemistry , 2023 2023
The role of biofilm as a bio-accumulator of Ultraviolet Filters in porous media P Rodriguez-Escales, S Jou, J Carrera, L Martinez, S Diaz-Cruz, A Sunyer, ... EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, EGU-12632 , 2023 2023
Using integrative samplers to estimate the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in a WWTP and by soil aquifer treatment enhanced with a reactive barrier A Sunyer-Caldú, B Benedetti, C Valhondo, L Martínez-Landa, J Carrera, ... Science of the Total Environment 867, 161466 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
Target analysis and suspect screening of UV filters, parabens and other chemicals used in personal care products in human cord blood: Prenatal exposure by mother-fetus transfer A Sunyer-Caldu, A Peiro, M Díaz, L Ibanez, R Gil-Solsona, ... Environment international 173, 107834 , 2023 2023 Citations: 38
Occurrence and fate of contaminants of emerging concern and their transformation products after uptake by pak choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) A Sunyer-Caldú, O Golovko, M Kaczmarek, H Asp, KJ Bergstrand, ... Environmental Pollution 319, 120958 , 2023 2023 Citations: 20
Distribution in marine fish and EDI estimation of contaminants of emerging concern by vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion and HPLC-MS/MS KL Soares, A Sunyer-Caldú, EG Primel, G Fillmann, MS Diaz-Cruz Marine pollution bulletin 187, 114530 , 2023 2023 Citations: 11
Combinació de l’anàlisi dirigida i no dirigida per a la identificació i determinació de contaminants A Sunyer Caldú Universitat de Barcelona , 2023 2023
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Oxybenzone contamination from sunscreen pollution and its ecological threat to Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, USA CA Downs, E Bishop, MS Diaz-Cruz, SA Haghshenas, D Stien, ... Chemosphere 291, 132880 , 2022 2022 Citations: 97
Contaminants of emerging concern in marine areas: first evidence of UV filters and paraben preservatives in seawater and sediment on the eastern coast of Tunisia F Fenni, A Sunyer-Caldú, HB Mansour, MS Diaz-Cruz Environmental Pollution 309, 119749 , 2022 2022 Citations: 78
Simultaneous degradation of 30 pharmaceuticals by anodic oxidation: Main intermediaries and by-products W Calzadilla, LC Espinoza, MS Diaz-Cruz, A Sunyer, M Aranda, ... Chemosphere 269, 128753 , 2021 2021 Citations: 58
Reclaimed water in agriculture: A plot-scale study assessing crop uptake of emerging contaminants and pathogens A Sunyer-Caldú, P Sepúlveda-Ruiz, M Salgot, M Folch-Sánchez, ... Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 10 (6), 108831 , 2022 2022 Citations: 45
Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica accumulates sunscreen UV filters NSR Agawin, A Sunyer-Caldú, MS Díaz-Cruz, A Frank-Comas, ... Marine pollution bulletin 176, 113417 , 2022 2022 Citations: 45
Development of a QuEChERS-based method for the analysis of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in lettuces grown in field-scale agricultural plots irrigated with … A Sunyer-Caldú, MS Diaz-Cruz Talanta 230, 122302 , 2021 2021 Citations: 45
Bioremediation of emerging micropollutants in irrigation water. The alternative of microalgae-based treatments L Vassalle, A Sunyer-Caldú, E Uggetti, R Díez-Montero, MS Díaz-Cruz, ... Journal of environmental management 274, 111081 , 2020 2020 Citations: 43
Factors driving PPCPs uptake by crops after wastewater irrigation and human health implications A Sunyer-Caldú, G Quintana, MS Diaz-Cruz Environmental research 237, 116923 , 2023 2023 Citations: 40
Target analysis and suspect screening of UV filters, parabens and other chemicals used in personal care products in human cord blood: Prenatal exposure by mother-fetus transfer A Sunyer-Caldu, A Peiro, M Díaz, L Ibanez, R Gil-Solsona, ... Environment international 173, 107834 , 2023 2023 Citations: 38
Rapid and cost-effective multiresidue analysis of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and antifouling booster biocides in marine sediments using matrix solid phase dispersion KL Soares, A Sunyer-Caldú, SC Barbosa, EG Primel, G Fillmann, ... Chemosphere 267, 129085 , 2021 2021 Citations: 34
First application of carbon-based screen-printed electrodes for the voltammetric determination of the organic UV filters oxybenzone and octocrylene A Sunyer, A González-Navarro, MP Serra-Roig, N Serrano, MS Díaz-Cruz, ... Talanta 196, 381-388 , 2019 2019 Citations: 27
Behavior of UV filters, UV blockers and pharmaceuticals in high rate algal ponds treating urban wastewater L Vassalle, A Sunyer-Caldú, MS Díaz-Cruz, LT Arashiro, I Ferrer, M Garfí, ... Water 12 (10), 2658 , 2020 2020 Citations: 26
Using integrative samplers to estimate the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in a WWTP and by soil aquifer treatment enhanced with a reactive barrier A Sunyer-Caldú, B Benedetti, C Valhondo, L Martínez-Landa, J Carrera, ... Science of the Total Environment 867, 161466 , 2023 2023 Citations: 22
Occurrence and fate of contaminants of emerging concern and their transformation products after uptake by pak choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) A Sunyer-Caldú, O Golovko, M Kaczmarek, H Asp, KJ Bergstrand, ... Environmental Pollution 319, 120958 , 2023 2023 Citations: 20
Efficient removal of toxicity associated to wastewater treatment plant effluents by enhanced soil aquifer treatment C Sanz, A Sunyer-Caldú, M Casado, S Mansilla, L Martinez-Landa, ... Journal of hazardous materials 465, 133377 , 2024 2024 Citations: 17
Development of a sensitive analytical method for the simultaneous analysis of Benzophenone-type UV filters and paraben preservatives in umbilical cord blood A Sunyer-Caldú, A Peiró, M Díaz, L Ibáñez, P Gago-Ferrero, ... MethodsX 8, 101307 , 2021 2021 Citations: 16
Assessing the fate of benzophenone-type UV filters and transformation products during soil aquifer treatment: the biofilm compartment as bioaccumulator and biodegrader in … S Jou-Claus, P Rodríguez-Escales, L Martínez-Landa, MS Diaz-Cruz, ... Environmental science & technology 58 (12), 5472-5482 , 2024 2024 Citations: 15
A protocol for wide-scope non-target analysis of contaminants in small amounts of biota using bead beating tissuelyser extraction and LC-HRMS R Gil-Solsona, S Rodriguez-Mozaz, MS Díaz-Cruz, A Sunyer-Caldú, ... MethodsX 8, 101193 , 2021 2021 Citations: 15
Early-life chemical exposome: Comprehensive strategies for wide-scope screening of organic compounds C Guerrini, A Sunyer-Caldú, R Gil-Solsona, J Escribano, M Vinaixa, ... TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry 180, 117903 , 2024 2024 Citations: 12
Distribution in marine fish and EDI estimation of contaminants of emerging concern by vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion and HPLC-MS/MS KL Soares, A Sunyer-Caldú, EG Primel, G Fillmann, MS Diaz-Cruz Marine pollution bulletin 187, 114530 , 2023 2023 Citations: 11
