Harnessing the Hidden Power of Thermal Waters: Microbiomes for a Healthy Planet
Snapshot Solution
Collaborative network of the CARUSO Project in the Pyrenees.
Zeina Bourhane
The management and conservation of natural resources is a global challenge, essential for promoting both environmental and economic sustainability in rural areas. The Pyrenees region, at the border between France and Spain, is particularly rich in thermal springs and medicinal plants with well-recognized therapeutic properties. The CARUSO project aims to transfer knowledge and innovation generated by research on the valorization of natural resources to local businesses. Its ambition is to enable companies to develop innovative and sustainable dermocosmetic products that can actively contribute to the economic and social revitalization of the region. The project focuses on exploring the microbiome of Pyrenean thermal waters and identifying the bioactive metabolites produced by these unique microorganisms. This research relies on a multidisciplinary approach, combining chemical analyses, metagenomics to characterize the microbiome, and metabolomics to identify metabolites present in the waters.
Last update: 14 Oct 2025
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Impacts
The Pyrenean thermal springs are valuable natural resources with long-recognized therapeutic properties, yet they face multiple challenges that hinder their sustainable valorization.
Environmental challenges: These waters host unique microbiome with potential role in water chemistry and bioactive metabolite production. However, this biodiversity remains poorly characterized, limiting our understanding of ecosystem functions and resilience to external pressures. The absence of ecological knowledge increases the risk of unsustainable exploitation and the loss of microbial resources with potential applications.
Social challenges: The health benefits are largely acknowledged through tradition but lack scientific validation. This gap reduces public confidence in their therapeutic properties, underestimates their contribution to well-being, and weakens their cultural identity.
Economic challenges: The economic use is mostly limited to spa tourism, while local cosmetic industries often rely on chemical molecules. This lack of innovation restricts opportunities for developing local, sustainable dermo-cosmetic products and limits regional competitiveness.
Our solution addresses these issues by characterizing the microbiome and metabolites of thermal waters, linking ecological knowledge to therapeutic validation, and transferring results to local spas for sustainable environmental management and green economic growth.
Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)
GBF Target 1 – Plan and Manage all Areas To Reduce Biodiversity Loss
GBF Target 3 – Conserve 30% of Land, Waters and Seas
GBF Target 11 – Restore, Maintain and Enhance Nature’s Contributions to People
GBF Target 13 – Increase the Sharing of Benefits From Genetic Resources, Digital Sequence Information and Traditional Knowledge
GBF Target 14 – Integrate Biodiversity in Decision-Making at Every Level
GBF Target 17 – Strengthen Biosafety and Distribute the Benefits of Biotechnology
GBF Target 20 – Strengthen Capacity-Building, Technology Transfer, and Scientific and Technical Cooperation for Biodiversity
GBF Target 21 – Ensure That Knowledge Is Available and Accessible To Guide Biodiversity Action
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
SDG 5 – Gender equality
SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals
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University of Zaragoza
CITA Aragon - The Agri-Food Research and Technology Center