Three students from La Salle College of Bilbao took part in the workshop "Environmental Accident", developed by the Central Analysis Service Bizkaia, Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis of Materials and the Raman LASPEA Laboratory, all belonging to the General Research Services (SGIker) of the UPV/EHU.

Through this activity we have tried to convey the concepts of environmental pollution, toxicity of contaminants and methods of analysis used to dealing with a problem of analytic type (sampling, sample handling, analysis and discussion).

The appearance of dead flora and fauna in the riverbed has been the starting point of a workshop in which young Ane Cortabarria, Galder Sasía and Mikel Calonge  have acted as technical personnel involved the City environment, being responsible for ascertain the cause of the simulated environmental disaster. Using different methods of analysis (pH, conductivity, specific reactions, SEM-EDX) have determined the presence of several toxic metals as well as  the water quality of effluents from different river courses. Finally after analyzing the results, have discussed whether there has been a spill, what type and who made it.

This initiative responds to the line of action developed by SGIker of the UPV/EHU, to encourage among younger the inclination towards scientific careers, showing different facets of research activity.