PRE2023-Interaction of chemical and microbiological pollutants in the biosolid-soil-plant system. Agricultural and human health risks. PID2022- 143135OB-I00

Food security has been recognized as the second UN SDG by 2030. However, in the context, of global population increase and global warming, agriculture should increase its yield in a sustainable manner to cope with the food demand worldwide. An alternative method to traditional fertilization is the use of biosolids from solid residues generated during the sewage treatment processes. Nowadays, in EU-28, 50% of sewage sludge produced is spread on agricultural soils. Nevertheless, the application of biosolids in agriculture may pose a risk to crops and human health by the presence of chemical and microbial pollutants. In this regard, the safe use of biosolids as fertilizers has recently increased the attention in the context of Circular Economy and Green Deal approaches promoted by the EU. The Ph.D. candidate will explore challenges at the intersection of sustainable agriculture and public health. The PhD project research aims to understand and mitigate the escalating concern of pollutants in agriculture due to the use of biosolids. The project consist of 4 main objectives: i) field-scale studies for the determination of the impact of biosolids application on the crop yield and uptake of chemical and microbiological pollutants, ii) greenhouse studies for assessing the interaction of chemical and microbiological pollutants in the biosolid-soil-plant system, iii) assessment of different agricultural practices to mitigate the plant uptake of pollutants from biosolids.