Dr. María Isabel López Heras

She holds a Degree in Chemistry from Complutense University of Madrid (2007). She received her PhD in Analytical Chemistry in 2013. Her Thesis is focused on metal speciation in biological samples and inorganic nanoparticles studies. During her PhD studies, she achieved experience in chromatographic separation techniques coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS), as well as in nanoparticles characterization methodologies (AF4-ICP-MS). She worked as postdoctoral research at Department of Material in Imperial College University in London (2013-2014) where she was involved in the functionalization of nanoparticles and in the evaluation of their antibacterial mechanisms.

She joined IMDEA Water as laboratory staff in 2014 to work in the development on analytical methodologies based on high resolution mass spectrometry techniques (LC-QTOF) and triple quadrupole (LC-ICP-MS and LC-MS/MS). At present, she has broad experience in the identification and quantification of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in environmental samples (water, soil and biota), designing and optimizing screening screening and extraction methodologies. As an analytical specialist, she joins research projects focused on the presence, transport, attenuation and transformation of CECs in environment. Her works are reported in scientific articles (> 80% in Q1) as well as national and international congress. In addition,  she is involved in the organization of seminars and workshops on methodological advances in mass spectrometry field as PhD Head of the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory.