Research team finds new method to detect pollutants in seawater

A research group from the University of Cordoba has developed a new method to detect cosmetics pollutants in seawater.

Led by the university’s analytical chemistry professor Marisol Cárdenas, the team has upgraded a lab-on-valve system by adding carbon-coated titanium dioxide nanotubes, enabling them to synthesise nanoparticles.

The research team partnered with the University of the Balearic Islands for the research, which focused on identifying substances that are used as preservatives in personal hygiene products such as soap, lotions and deodorant.

Parabens and triclosan were identified to affect the marine ecosystem if released into the sea.

The University of Cordoba’s researcher and primary author of the study María Teresa García Valverde said: “The combination of the lab-on-valve system, titanium nanotubes modified with amorphous carbon as phase extraction and the measuring tool connected to the system, allows for quantifying parabens and triclosan at very low concentrations.”

“For the most part, these pollutants come from personal hygiene products such as soap, sunscreen, toothpaste and other toiletries. All of them have very negative effects on the environment.

“With the lab-on-valve system, nanotubes are manipulated automatically, which reduces errors in measurement and their nanometric size makes them more efficient than other adsorbent solid materials on the market. This method is faster, more practical and more efficient.”