Dr Sara M Losada Rivas
Analytical Chemist
My current focus and interest at work is on the fate and remediation of a range of environmental pollutants in the marine environment (both physical and chemical pollutants). I’m also interested in methodologies and techniques for their analysis (passive samplers, GCxGC, SPME, high resolution MS, analysis of unknown, untargeted screening, etc.).
My interest since little has been the sea and its preservation. I wanted to be a marine scientist, so I did a degree in Marine Science. I thought a field that could make a difference regards marine preservation was the one around pollution. So my focus since my degree has been Marine Pollution.
I graduated in 2002 and started to work straight after in the Spanish Institute of Oceanography in the area of Marine Contamination. I worked as lab technician and collaborated in sea surveys. My work started analysing heavy metals in fish. After the accident on an oil tanker in the Spanish coast, my work focused on the analysis of hydrocarbons in marine water, sediment and biota. These experiences made me realize that I needed more knowledge on how to better analyze chemicals. So in 2004 I started a PhD in Analytical Chemistry in the University of Barcelona, developing analytical methods for newly regulated flame retardants. During this time, I did a stay in a lab in Belgium with a renowned scientist and collaborating with other scientists, where I learned new methodologies and new ways of working. During my PhD, I also worked as assistant teacher in the department and as lab assistant in a certified analytical laboratory, learning the importance of the quality aspects of analysis.
In 2010 I got my PhD and I started to work in Cefas. I started as research chemist developing methods for novel flame retardants and plasticizers. I have worked in the development and validation of analytical methods for other compounds and in the analysis of those chemicals in marine samples. I have been involved in GLP, in advice for ICES and in different aspects of the contamination issue, such as Ecotoxicology, commercial trade of contaminated fish and passive sampling of pollutants.
Publications:
Selected Projects:
- “Methods of detecting cyanide, thiocyanate and other by-products in seawater. A desk-based assessment”
- “New methods for analysis of PFCs and dioxins in marine samples. Analytical method improvement and validation for monitoring perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) and dioxins in marine samples, an impending requirement for WFD/MSFD”
- “Project ME4117 – Development and Improvement of Analytical Methods for Marine Monitoring. 3.3b - Development of analytical methods for monitoring organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticisers in marine biota samples”
Selected Publications:
- “Alternative flame retardants, Dechlorane Plus and BDEs in the blubber of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded or bycaught in theUK during 2008”,R.J. Law, S. Losada, J.L. Barber, P. Bersuder, R. Deaville, A. Brownlow, R.Penrose, P. D. Jepson, Environ.Int., 2013, 60, 81–88
- “A review of the analysis of novel brominated flame retardants”, A. Papachlimitzou, J.L. Barber, S. Losada, P. Bersuder, R.J. Law, J. Chromat. A, 2012, 1219, 15-28
- “Anthropogenic and naturally occurring organobrominated compounds in two deep-sea fish species from the Mediterranean Sea”, A. Covaci, S. Losada, L. Roosens, W. Vetter, F.J. Santos, H. Neels, A. Storelli, M.M. Storelli; Environ. Sci. Technol., 2008, 42 (23), 8654-8660
