The AQUAIGNIS project investigates the impacts of wildfire-derived contaminants on drinking water supply reservoirs, with a focus on water quality, ecosystem functioning, and human health. In parallel, the project develops and tests an innovative nature-based mitigation strategy, combining biochar and phytoremediation, to reduce post-fire contamination and increase system resilience.
AQUAIGNIS adopts an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to address key questions related to the mobilisation, persistence, and effects of post-fire contaminants in reservoirs. The project evaluates how contaminants accumulate in sediments, their potential remobilisation over time, and their impacts on freshwater communities, ecosystem services, and trophic transfer. Lethal and sub-lethal effects on aquatic organisms are assessed using advanced ecotoxicological tools and early-warning biomarkers, alongside the evaluation of bioaccumulation and biomagnification processes. Human health risks are addressed by analysing exposure pathways and cytotoxic effects.
The research is centred on two strategic Portuguese reservoirs, Castelo de Bode and Cabril, which supply drinking water to more than 3.5 million people and are located in regions recurrently affected by severe wildfires. By combining chemical analyses, ecological assessments, and (eco)toxicological testing, AQUAIGNIS provides a robust environmental and human health risk assessment framework for post-fire scenarios.
The project is carried out by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Aveiro, involving researchers from CESAM and GeoBioTec, with expertise in ecology, ecotoxicology, environmental chemistry, hydrogeology, and water sciences, supported by specialised consultants. AQUAIGNIS is aligned with SDGs 6 and 15, national and regional innovation strategies, and aims to support water managers, authorities, and policy-makers through targeted dissemination and stakeholder engagement. Its outcomes are expected to contribute to safer water supply systems and to be transferable to other fire-prone regions worldwide.
