Cristina Caldelas Molina

Cristina Caldelas Molina

Lecturer Professor

ORCID: 0000-0003-0270-2279
Scopus Author ID: 15020384400
Researcher ID: N-1958-2014
Knowledge area: Fisiologia Vegetal

Research group: Ecofisiologia de conreus mediterranis

Contact Information
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Av. Diagonal, 643

criscaldelas(a)ub.edu

Academic Training

Biologia . Universitat de Barcelona . 07/2001 . (Diploma / Degree / Activities)
Biologia Vegetal . Universitat de Barcelona . 20/03/2011 . (Ph.D.)

Research interests

Zinc isotopic fractionation in plants. Plants discriminate the stable isotopes of metals, a capacity that depends on the environmental conditions and physiological status of the plant. Zinc stable isotopes are useful to characterise the mechanisms of zinc uptake, translocation, and compartmentation in plants. I study zinc isotopic fractionation in plants to advance our knowledge of zinc deficiency in crops, zinc toxicity in wetland plants, and biomonitoring of atmospheric pollution
Characterising zinc-efficiency in crops. Zinc deficiency is the most common crop micronutrient deficiency and causes malnutrition to millions of people. However, our poor understanding of the mechanisms of zinc uptake, transport, and efficiency in plants hampers the work of crop breeders to obtain tolerant varieties. This area of my research focuses on characterising the mechanisms underlying zinc-efficiency and tolerance to zinc deficiency in crops, especially rice, and zinc accumulation in the grain
Toxicity of nanoparticles for aquatic plants. Nanoparticles are particles smaller than 100 nanometers that have unique physic-chemical properties and many industrial applications. However, their toxicity in aquatic plants is poorly known. My research in this area focuses on studying the uptake, accumulation, and toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles by plants. I am also interested in their solubility and aggregation in aqueous media, that is important to understand their fate in aquatic environments
Phytoremediation of metals. Phytoremediation is the use of plants for environmental cleanup. Surface water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and wetlands are often polluted with metals from mining activities, industrial effluents, agriculture, road run-off, etc. I investigate phytoremediation solutions to remove metals from road run-off and prevent them from reaching the environment

Projects

Developing stable isotopes technologies for the study of plant metallomics: zinc deficiency in rice (STABLEPLANT) . 2012 - 2015 . Ref.FP7/2007-2013/299473 . European Commission . PI: Dominik J Weiss
Advanced Technologies for the Treatment of Industrial and Coastal Waters of the Mediterranean Region (MEDINDUS) . 2004 . Ref.INCO-CT-2004-509159 . European Commission . PI: Jordi Bort Pie and Anna Febrero
Improvement of native perennial forage plants for sustainability of mediterranean farming systems (PERMED) . 2004 . Ref.INCO-CT-2004-509140 . European Commission . PI: Dr. Salvador Nogués
Development of Viable Technologies and Monitoring Systems for the Remediation/Detection of Mercury in South American waters. Designs of Chelators with Therapeutical Properties (MERCURY) . 2002 . Ref.ICA4-CT-2002-10055 . European Commission . PI: Dr. Jordi Bort Pie

Journal Publications

A. Martín; C. Caldelas; D. Weiss; I. Aranjuelo; E. Navarro (2018). Assessment of metal immission in urban environments using elemental concentrations and Zinc isotope signatures in leaves of Nerium oleander. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(4), pp. 2071 - 2080 . Institutional Repository . ISSN: 0013-936X
Cristina Caldelas; Dominik Jakob Weiss (2016). Zinc Homeostasis and isotopic fractionation in plants: a review. Plant and Soil, 411(1-2), pp. 17 - 46 . Institutional Repository . ISSN: 0032-079X
Dominik J. Weiss; Kristin Boye; Cristina Caldelas; Scott Fendorf (2014). Zinc Isotope Fractionation during Early Dissolution of Biotite Granite. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 78(1), pp. 171 - 179 . https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2012.0426 . ISSN: 0361-5995
Caldelas, C.; Araus, J.L.; Febrero, A.; Bort, J. (2012). Accumulation and toxic effects of chromium and zinc in Iris pseudacorus L. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 34(3), pp. 1217 - 1228 . Institutional Repository . ISSN: 0137-5881
Caldelas, C.; Bort, J.; Febrero, A. (2011). Ultrastructure and subcellular distribution of Cr in Iris pseudacorus L. using TEM and X-ray microanalysis. Cell Biology and Toxicology, 28(1), pp. 57 - 68 . Institutional Repository . ISSN: 0742-2091
Caldelas, C.; Iglesia-Turiño, S.; Araus, J.L.; Bort, J.; Febrero, A. (2009). Physiological responses of Eichhornia crassipes [Mart.] Solms to the combined exposure to excess nutrients and Hg. Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology, 21(1), pp. 1 - 12 . Institutional Repository . ISSN: 1677-9452
de la Iglesia-Turiño, S.; Febrero, A.; Jauregui, O.; Caldelas, C.; Araus, J.L.; Bort, J. (2006). Detection and quantification of unbound Phytochelatin 2 (PC2) in plant extracts of Brassica napus grown with different levels of mercury. Plant Physiology, 142, pp. 742 - 749 . https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.106.085068 . ISSN: 0032-0889