Urban soil waste composting

 Funded by BIOMAN S.p.A.

The project aims to study the physico-chemical characteristics of compost produced from solid urban wastes, and the benefits of its use in the open field, carried out through agronomic tests in the field. The ESF group has been working on these topics for years, with a fruitful research activity that has led to the registration of two patents!

Soil mercury potential uptake by crops

 Funded by Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia

Our group has been involved for years in monitoring the mobility of mercury in soil and its potential bioaccumulation in plants. Given the toxicity of mercury on organisms and humans, our research has increasingly moved towards the study of its potential accumulation in the edible parts of cultivated species. Furthermore, our studies try to predict the future mobility of mercury in soils, as a function of the expected sea level rise and salinity of the Mediterranean basin.

Root iron plaques in flooded soils

 Funded by MUR-PNRR and by PRIN 

The project is supported by two main funds: a 3-year grant on iron plaque role against salt stress in plants (MUR-PNRR) and a 2-year project focusing on plaque role in regulating phosphorous uptake in rice and soil organic matter decomposition, the latter project led by the University of Turin and in collaboration with the University of Bari. 

Role of humic substances on soil redox state

Humic substances are a fraction of the organic matter resistant to degradation. They are important for the stability of soil C sequestration and are involved in multiple reactions, including redox reactions. This entails, for example, their main role in the availability of elements such as iron, which is of difficult uptake for plants inhabiting calcareous soils. A different soil management and a choice on the type of fertilizers can improve the redox activity of humic substances.

Organic matter-allophane interactions for green roof substrates

 Funded by. Applicant: HARPO S.p.A. 

The project aims to study the interaction mechanisms between organic matter and substrates of volcanic origin, mostly made up of allophane. This material is essential for the construction of green roofs due to its lightness. The large porosity of this material offers a large contact surface that can interact with the organic fraction and improve the performance of these substrates.