RESEARCH

Main Ongoing Projects

  • LIFE17 NAT/GR/000511 “Restoration, management and valorization of PRIority habitats of MEDiterranean coastal areas” (2018). Partners: Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (coordinator), ARSIAL, DEB and DICEA - Sapienza University of Rome , Management Body of Nestos Delta - Vistonida - Ismarida, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”

    • CoReIIV Project "Remote control for the security of water infrastructure in vulnerable areas" (2018). Lazio Region (Key Enabling Technologies – KETs)

  • Italy-Ghana International Workshop "Environmental and Isotope tracers applied to Groundwater Management" (2019)

Main Recent Projects

    • SECOSUD Phase II project “Conservation and equitable use of biological diversity in the SADC region (Southern African Development Community) (2016-2019)

  • ACC-DAR Project “Adapting to Climate Change in coastal Dar Es Salaam – DEVCO Project – European Commission” (2011-2013)

Research Topics

Aquifers Exploitation, Aquifers Vulnerability and Risk Assessment

  • Aquifers in different geological scenarios and in different climatic conditions

  • Karst aquifers, alluvial aquifers and coastal aquifers

  • Aquifers in desert scenarios (SSAS, South Sahara Aquifer System)

  • Groundwater sustainable exploitation

  • Groundwater quality assessment

  • Groundwater management of coastal aquifers: alluvial (Dar Es Salaam Coastal Plain) and karst (South Latium Region)

  • Hydrogeological assessment aimed at biodiversity conservation (Limpopo National Park, Mozambico; Palo Laziale Wood, Italy; Nestos River, Greece)

  • Aquifer recharge estimation

  • Vulnerability assessment methods supported by GIS

Coastal aquifers

  • Seawater Intrusion characterization by isotopical and geochemical tracers application

  • Groundwater management in Coastal Aquifers

Environmental Tracers

  • Application of 87Sr/86Sr ratio to study groundwater flow inside karst and/or coastal aquifers

  • Development of a Mg2+ based model to estimate karst spring discharge

  • Application of 18O/16O and 2H/H ratios for groundwater recharge areas identification

  • Application of temperature, coupled with electric conductivity, as environmental tracers of groundwater flow with particular attention to fractured and karst aquifers

Management and protection of aquifers from contamination

  • Environmental tracing of aquifers to environmental characterization of potentially contaminated aquifers

  • Application of isotopes and geochemical elements, such as Boron isotopes and rare earth elements, as tools to distinguish groundwater contamination from their natural enrichment

  • Contaminant diffusion in eterogeneous porous media

Patents and Technological Transfer

  • No. Patent 102016000046289 “Hybrid seismic response mapping system” Deposit Date 05/05/2016. Publication Date 23/11/2018

  • Guidelines for technical and environmental tests for ceramic tile production with the addition of MSWBA (Municipal Solid Waste Bottom Ash), approved by the Lazio Region, the Government of the Waste Cycle Management, with Determination no. G13381 of 11th November 2016