Industrial PhD with TRARGISA

This is an industrial PhD that complements the EXPOWASTE project and transforms the project’s scientific evidence into an applied methodology so that Girona can, in the future, deploy an urban wastewater-based health surveillance network that is functional, sustainable, and scalable. The central objective is to investigate, validate, and standardize all the methodological elements required for this deployment, building on existing knowledge of biomarkers and inter-neighbourhood variability.

The work first focuses on turning ICRA’s QGIS tools into operational solutions: they will be validated and documented to integrate the sewer network with social, demographic, and economic indicators, enabling the prioritization of sampling points according to public health questions. In parallel, existing sampling strategies will be assessed and, if necessary, new ones will be proposed to maximize coverage with minimal effort and cost. The total uncertainty of the process—from sample collection to analysis and population normalization—will be modelled, and quality criteria and alert thresholds will be established. Priority biomarkers for Girona (chemical and microbiological) will also be defined based on public health relevance, stability in the sewer system, and analytical feasibility. Finally, the future network will be designed, including locations, frequencies, logistics, data governance, operation and maintenance costs, and sustainability criteria, and a guideline will be produced.

The outcome will be a roadmap featuring validated GIS tools, sampling protocols, an uncertainty framework with quality criteria, a biomarker catalogue, and a set of protocols. This will leave Girona ready to activate the network when appropriate, with tested methodologies, operational efficiency, and replicability in other municipalities.