Recent research

Recent research at LASA includes: monitoring/modeling of nutrient loads discharged to surface water bodies (e.g. Venice lagoon, Adriatic Sea) and generated by natural/human processes in catchments; diffuse pollution of water bodies; energy, nutrient and pollutant cycling in water bodies; monitoring/modeling of aquatic primary production; eutrophication models; fishery models; food web models; ecotoxicological models of rivers; analysis of long term ecological time series; design, monitoring and modeling of multi-functional reconstructed water treatment wetlands; monitoring of river, channel and wetland waters; integrated water resources management; modeling of aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services; economic valuation of ecosystem services; integrated approaches to the management of water bodies, e.g. in coastal zones; air quality and odor dispersion modeling.

 

Facilities

LASA is equipped with chemical laboratory facilities in Padova including technical instrumentation for water quality analysis, with field sampling instrumentation and with a computer modelling laboratory.(more ….)

 

History and experiences

LASA was founded at the beginning of the 1980’s by a group of researchers working on reduction and modelling of diffuse pollution from agricultural activities. The director was prof. Franco Zingales (then director of the Institute of Industrial Chemistry). Initial research focused on nutrient loads discharged into the Lagoon of Venice generated by agricultural activities in the drainage basin of the Lagoon. Under the direction of Prof. Giuseppe Bendoricchio, research activities focused more generally on modelling and control of environmental systems. At present, LASA is coordinated by Prof. Luca Palmeri. Over its four decades of activity, LASA has carried out research on:

  • evolution of agricultural diffuse pollutant
    loads into the Lagoon of Venice
  • modelling agricultural diffuse pollution at
    field-scale;
  • evolution of pollutant loads in several lakes;
  • modelling of the nutrient loads evolution at
    field scale;
  • modelling of macroalgal and acquatic plants
    growth;
  • monitoring Ulva and Zostera growth cycle;
  • modelling eutrophication of surface waters;
  • management of groundwater level for the
    reduction of agricultural nitrogen loads;
  • wetlands reconstruction for the improvement of
    the quality of surface waters;
  • monitoring of river and lagoon waters;
  • design and fulfilment of biologic experiment at
    field- and lab-scale;
  • modelling of aquatic food webs and ecosystems to support management (e.g. of fisheries, nutrient enrichment, pollution);
  • analysis of long-term ecological time-series;
  • ecotoxicological modelling of riverine and lagoon food webs;
  • monitoring, modelling, risk assessment and management of emerging contaminants;
  • mapping, modelling and valuation of ecosystem services;
  • integrated water resources management;
  • modelling of the atmospheric dispersion of pollutants and odour emissions;
  • integrated approaches to the management of water bodies (lagoons, rivers) combining environmental conservation with socio-economic uses of ecosystems and stakeholder participation;

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International projects and other activities

LASA has been involved in several European research projects:

  • MAST 2 – Marine Universal Structural Model, for the study of structural dynamic of acquatic systems;
  • JEP TEMPUS – with Slovenian partners, for
    technology exchange in the envrionmental modelling;
  • STD 3 – with Philippines, for the ecosystemic
    study of the sustainable management of Laguna de Bay (Philippines)
  • TMR – research network between seven European laboratories on WET (Wetland Ecology
    and Technology) topic;
  • EUROCATEuropean research project (FP5) for the study of the
    interaction between river catchement and coastal zones and evaluation of
    future scenarios;
  • ELMEEuropean research project (FP6) for the
    evaluation of lifestyle impact on marine ecosystems.
  • INCOFISHEuropean research project (FP6) for the integration of multiple
    demands on coastal zones, with emphasis on aquatic ecosystems and fisheries.
  • KnowSeasEuropean research project (FP7) with the goal of providing
    a comprehensive scientific knowledge base and practical guidance
    for the application of the Ecosystem Approach to the sustainble development
    of Europe’s regional seas.
  • TRAP – an INTERREG IV C project (LASA was involved as subcontractor). The Territories of Rivers Action Plans (TRAP) project was about bringing together
    river basin and landscape protection, with regional growth models and solutions; this is called “integrated river and river territory development”.
    The overarching ambition of the TRAP project was to collect, analyse, transfer and disseminate good practices in river basin and territory management
    in the Thematic Areas of Governance, Monitoring, Aquatic Environment and River Tourism.
  • WSTORE2 – a Life+ Environment Policy and Governance project for
    reconciling agriculture with environment through a new water governance
    in coastal and saline areas; the project focused on the natural area of Vallevecchia, near Caorle (NE Italy)
    [Internal Data Server]
  • LIFE VIMINE –  A Life+ Nature project for the definition and application of an integrated approach to the sustainable conservation of the salt marshes (“barene”) of the Lagoon of Venice; the project run from 02/09/2013 to 01/09/2017 and was coordinated by LASA – DII.
  • LIFE PHOENIX –  A Life+ Environment and Resource Efficiency project aiming to demonstrate how a new interinstitutional governance system, supported through innovative forecast tools based on monitoring, can manage risks related to the diffusion of persistent mobile organic contaminants ñ with a particular focus on PerFluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) ñ more effectively and efficiently. The project started on 01/09/2017 and is ongoing.

LASA is partner of the Smart Rivers Network Action Group – European Innovation Partnership on Water (EIP Water).
Proposed by the Europe 2020 Innovation Union flagship initiative, EIP’s aim to speed up innovations that contribute to solving societal challenges, enhance Europe’s competitiveness and contribute to job creation and economic growth.
The Smart Rivers Network Action Group promotes multi-stakeholder participative governance in the management of European hydrologic basins.

LASA is partner of the project “Valorizziamo i Canali Cittadini” (2018-2019), led by the City of Padova.Among other things, this pilot project aims to demonstrate the efficacy and sustainability of a novel management system for the channel network of the historical centre of Padova which is based on regular actions of ordinary maintenance of the riparian and aquatic environment and the connected green spaces.
Examples of such actions include regular vegetation management and removal of litter and wastes. LASA monitors the benefits of the management approach, which are environmental (e.g. the regular presence of working staff allows to manage the vegetation of the water-bank interface with more care), social (e.g. creation of regular local jobs), and economic (e.g. mainly manual labour is needed, which is relatively inexpensive and particularly cost-efficient in hard-to-access locations such as the banks of the city channels). The project is co-funded by the City of Padova and Fondo straordinario di solidariet‡ per il lavoro (CARIPARO).

LASA is scientific consultant for public and private actors concerned with water quality, by means of various research contracts (Consorzio di Bonifica Adige-Bacchiglione, Consorzio di Bonifica Dese-Sile, Consorzio di Bonifica Bacchiglione-Brenta, Veneto Agricoltura, Regione Veneto, etc.).

 

People
The members of LASA are:

University permanent staff members:

    • Luca Palmeri (coordinator, full researcher)
    • Alberto Barausse (researcher at the Department of Biology at UNIPD)
    • Marco Carrer (chemical laboratory  coordinator and monitoring technician)
    • Leonardo Girardi (informatics technician)

 

Other staff members:

  • Dario Smania (field activities coordinator)
  • Marco Bonato (postdoc research fellow at the Department of Biology at UNIPD)
  • Andrea Gredelj (PhD student)
  • Alessandro Ramon (research fellow)

 

We carry out a research collaboration on air dispersion models and odor nuisance monitoring and modeling with Osmotech srl, olfactometry lab:

      • Alberto Pittarello
      • Alice Mantovani
      • Francesco Favaretto

Environmental monitoring
LASA carries out environmental monitoring programmes for the study of the main hydraulic parameters and various chemicals in aquatic ecosystems. It implements several monitoring activities, ranging from water sampling (using the best available preservation techniques for the samples) to specialized chemical analysis of the various forms of pollutants and data processing. Within the Dept. of Industrial Engineering, LASA cooperates with specialist groups for the analysis of heavy metals in the different environmental matrices and of organic micropollutants (PAHs, pesticides, PCB, etc.).

The available facilities for the monitoring of chemical processes in  aquatic environments are:

  • Equipment for water sampling in different environmental conditions
  • ISCO automatic samplers SIGMA and ENDRESS HAUSER
  • Flow ISCO
  • fluorimeter SCUFA
  • Field spectrophotometer
  • Spectrophotometer UV – visible
  • Multiparameter probes IDRONAUT and WTW
  • pH meter-ion-RADIOMETER

 

LASA is also equipped with a vehicle (field lab) to carry out environmental monitoring field activities.

 


Teaching

LASA is involved in didactic activities on Modelling and Control of Environmental Systems and Environmental Impact Assessment, and it coordinates apprenticeships and thesis projects for several Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree students in Environmental Engineering.

Check out our Ecological Processes Handbook!