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INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

The CNR is present in various international coordination and scientific planning organizations in the Arctic and Antarctica. These include the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), the European Polar Board (EPB), the Forum of Arctic Research Operators (FARO), the Ny-Ålesund Scientific Managers Committee (NySMAC) and the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON).

Furthermore, thanks to signed treaties or political agreements, the CNR actively supports the presence of our country, with its experts, in scientific organizations, committees and working groups. CNR researchers participate to the Working and Expert Groups of the Arctic Council (AC). With regards to Antarctica, the CNR takes an active part in the various permanent committees of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).

ISP is strongly committed to guaranteeing the participation of the CNR in the SIOS (Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System) initiative whose purpose is to integrate, optimize and coordinate resources and research in the Svalbard archipelago at an international level.

In this context, the Institute of Polar Sciences (ISP) supports the CNR’s representation on international bodies with the presence of:

Acronym Organisation Name Role
AC-ACAP
Arctic Council - Arctic Contaminants Action Programme
POPs and Mercury Working group
Warren Cairns Component
AC-EGBCM
Arctic Council - Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane Stefania Gilardoni Component
AC-AMAP
Arctic Council - Arctic Monitoring & Assessment Programme Nicoletta Ademollo, Vito Vitale Components
AC-AMAP
Arctic Council - Arctic Monitoring & Assessment Programme
Mercury Working group and POPs Working group
Warren Cairns Component
APECS
Association of Polar Early Career Scientists
National Committees
Andrea Spolaor Component
ARICE
Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium Leonardo Langone CNR reprensentative
CAFF-PAME
Marine Invasive Alien Species in Arctic Waters Maurizio Azzaro National Delegate
EPB
European Polar Board Vito Vitale CNR reprensentative
FARO
Forum of Arctic Research Operators Mauro Mazzola National reprensentative
GEOTRACES
An International Study of the Marine Biogeochemical Cycles of Trace Elements and Isotopes Paolo Montagna National Delegate
IASC
International Arctic Science Committee Carlo Barbante National Delegate
IASC
International Arctic Science Committee
Cryosphere Working Group
Andrea Spolaor Component
IASC
International Arctic Science Committee
Marine Working Group
Tommaso Tesi Component
IPA
International Permafrost Association Renato R. Colucci National Delegate
NySMAC
Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee Mauro Mazzola, Andrea Spolaor, ad interim National representatives
SAON
Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks Vito Vitale Component
SAS
Synoptic Arctic Survey Scientific Steering Committee Maurizio Azzaro Component
SCAR-IMPACT
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
Input Pathways of Persistent Organic Pollutants to Antarctica
Nicoletta Ademollo Component
SIOS-BoD
Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System
Board of Director
Vito Vitale Component
SIOS-RICC
Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System
Research Infrastructure Coordination Committee
Mauro Mazzola, Stefania Gilardoni Components
SIOS-SDMS
Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System
SIOS Data Management System Working Group
Giulio Verazzo Component
WOAIII
United Nations, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea,
World Ocean Assessment III
Maurizio Azzaro Expert

Brief description
The experimental activities carried out at the BioChem Lab in Rome are focused on the study of the effects of legacy and emerging organic micropollutants on organisms belonging to different levels of the trophic web (from microbial communities to higher organisms) in the context of ongoing climate change. The analytical determinations on the biota are aimed at evaluating bioaccumulation and biomagnification processes of target pollutants. Other studies performed at the BioChem Lab focus on:
  - The degradation rates (evaluation of the half-life time - DT50 - and determination of metabolites or transformation products of target compounds) of the organic contaminants by setting up laboratory-scale experiments.
  - Evaluate the effects of organic micropollutants on specific target organisms (e.g. avoidance behaviour test in Eisenia foetida) and on the structure (PhosphoLipid Fatty Acid analysis-PLFA) and function (Community Level Physiological Profile - CLPP) of autochthonous microbial communities, through the preparation of laboratory-scale experiments and environmental monitoring.
  - Investigate the occurrence and diffusion of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the intI1 gene which is an anthropogenic impact proxy, among natural microbial communities related to the presence of antibiotics in environmental matrices.

Environmental compartments
The bioaccumulation/biomagnification studies of organic micropollutants involve biota such as fish, molluscs, terrestrial and aquatic earthworms and terrestrial and aquatic plant species. The studies on persistence and effects of pollutants on natural microbial communities are related to different environmental compartments such as surface waters and sediments (seas, rivers, lakes), snow/ice and soils.

Analytical techniques
Studies on bioaccumulation/biomagnification/persistence of organic contaminants are performed by a combination of:
  - Pre-treatment methods (e.g. freeze-drying, filtration, etc.).
  - Extraction/Clean-up methods (solid-phase extraction-SPE, pressurized liquid extraction-PLE, liquid-liquid extraction-LL).
  - Sensitive and selective analytical methods based on the coupling of chromatographic techniques (HPLC or GC) and fluorescence, FID-ECD, and mass spectrometric (MS) detection.
  - The avoidance behaviour test is based on the exposure of organisms, specifically earthworms belonging to the Eisenia foetida species, to different sub-lethal concentrations of organic contaminants, to evaluate their escape/avoidance behaviour in the contaminated area.
  - The evaluation of the composition of natural microbial communities is carried out by PLFA (PhosphoLipid Fatty Acid) profiling. This biochemical technique includes the extraction of fatty acids from microbial membrane phospholipids in the environmental matrix and a methylation reaction followed by separation and analysis with gas chromatography.
  - The analysis of microbial diversity at a functional level is performed by the determination of the metabolic/physiological profile (CLPP). This physiological assay involves the incubation of the environmental sample in specific plates and spectrophotometric measurements at fixed times.
  - The analysis of ARGs and intI1 gene is performed by DNA extraction from the environmental samples by using specific kits and subsequent analysis by qPCR.

Equipment
The BioChem Lab is equipped with the following analytical tools:
 
Benchtop lyophilizer (freeze-dryer LABCONCO) 2.5 L capacity, equipped with a touchscreen display, for the pre-treatment of solid matrices subsequently extracted with PLE.
 
Solid Phase Extraction (SPE):12 inlets of the solid phase extractor are connected to cartridges packed with specific adsorbents for the extraction of target compounds from liquid matrices through a vacuum system.
 
Syncore® Analyst (Buchi) for the simultaneous pre-concentration of liquid phase samples.
 
Rotavapor R 100 (Buchi), equipped with an electronic interface to control the vacuum system and the recirculating chiller.
 
Gas Chromatograph (Perkin Elmer, Clarus 480) coupled to a FID-ECD detector (Flame Ionization Detector- Electron Capture Detector). The instrument is connected to an autosampler (Autosystem, Perkin Elmer) and is controlled by TotalChrom Software.
 
Gas chromatograph (Thermo Fisher, Trace 3000) coupled to a mass spectrometry (MS) detector (Thermo Fisher, ISQ7000). The device is connected to an autosampler (Thermo Fisher. AI 1310) and is controlled by a Chromeleon software.
 
HPLC (quaternary pump, column Oven mod. LC-100 and Micro Pump Series 200, Perkin Elmer, USA) coupled to a fluorescence detector (Perkin Elmer Series 200a). The device is controlled by Chromeleon Software.
 
HPLC (binary pump, Vanquish TM Core HPLC system, Thermo Scientific TM, Italy) coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer (Orbitrap Exploris 120, Thermo Scientific TM, Italy). The device is controlled by XcaliburSoftware (version 5.1).
 
Spectrophotometer (Biolog Microstation System, Biolog Inc.) for the reading of microplates (96 positions). This instrument is controlled by specific software.
 
Contact person: Dr. Luisa Patrolecco – luisa.patrolecco AT cnr.it

Brief description
The experimental activities carried out at the MicroChem Lab in Rome focus on the analytical determination of legacy and emerging organic micropollutants and their metabolites, in order to understand their diffusion, distribution, persistence dynamics and fate in the environment. The studies performed at the MicroChem Lab aim also to study the relationships between the climate change and the spread of contaminants at global and local scale. For these purposes, the development and optimization of highly specific and sensitive analytical methodologies for the detection of chemicals at trace and sub-trace concentration levels in the environmental matrices, is required.

Environmental compartments
The experimental activities focus on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, therefore the environmental matrices of interest are: Surface waters and sediments (seas, rivers, lakes), snow/ice, soils, aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, biota.

Analytical techniques
The analytical determination of the organic micropollutants is performed by the combination of:
  - Pre-treatment methods (e.g. freeze-drying, filtration, etc.);
  - Extraction/Clean up methods (solid-phase extraction-SPE, pressurized liquid extraction-PLE, liquid-liquid extraction-LL);
  - Sensitive and selective analytical methods based on the coupling of chromatographic techniques (HPLC or GC) with fluorescence, FID-ECD and mass spectrometry detection.

Equipment
The MicroChem Lab is equipped with the following analytical tools:
 
Benchtop lyophilizer (freeze-dryer LABCONCO) 2.5 L capacity, equipped with a touchscreen display, for the pre-treatment of solid matrices subsequently extracted with PLE.
 
Solid Phase Extraction (SPE): 12 inlets solid phase extractor connected to cartridges packed with specific adsorbents for the extraction of target compounds from liquid matrices through a vacuum system.
 
Sonicator (Branson, mod. 2510) for the extraction of chemical compounds from solid matrices by using suitable solvents.
 
ASE 150 (Dionex, Thermo Scientific) to perform pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of organic pollutants from solid matrices.
 
Speed Extractor E-916 (Buchi) to perform simultaneous pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of 6 samples, operating in different modes.
 
Rotavapor R 100 (Buchi), equipped with an electronic interface to control the vacuum system and the recirculating chiller.
 
Gas chromatograph (Thermo Fisher, Trace 3000) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) detector (Thermo Fisher, ISQ7000). The device is connected to an autosampler (Thermo Fisher. AI 1310) and is controlled by a Chromeleon software.
 
HPLC (quaternary pump, column Oven mod. LC-100 and Micro Pump Series 200, Perkin Elmer, USA) coupled to a fluorescence detector (Perkin Elmer Series 200a). The device is controlled by a Chromeleon Software.
 
HPLC (binary pump, Vanquish TM Core HPLC system, Thermo Scientific TM, Italy) coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer (Orbitrap Exploris 120, Thermo Scientific TM, Italy). The device is controlled by XcaliburSoftware (version 5.1).
 
Contact person: Dr.Luisa Patrolecco – luisa.patrolecco AT cnr.it

Institute of Polar Science (CNR-ISP)

GIULIANA PANIERI Director

Giuliana Panieri is the new Director of the Institute of Polar Sciences, and her main interests are the study of extreme marine environments and their connections with climate change in the Arctic and elsewhere. For the last 12 years, she has been a full professor of Geology at the Department of Geosciences of the Arctic University of Norway. She has worked at ISMAR CNR (Italy) and at international universities in the USA, Spain, Germany and France. She has served as President of the Biogeosciences Division and Secretary General of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), managing and coordinating numerous national and international projects. Giuliana has published numerous scientific works, has been a book editor, and has been invited several times as a keynote speaker at international conferences. She has led numerous expeditions in the Arctic Oceans. Lately, she has been keen on developing tools for Ocean Literacy and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, implementing specific tasks and deliverables within the framework of numerous national and international projects.
ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9411-1729    Scopus - Author ID: 56135838100    Loop profile: 835890

E-mail: direttore.isp AT cnr.it
c/o Campus Scientifico - Università Ca' Foscari Venezia
Via Torino, 155
30172 VENEZIA MESTRE (VE)

 

Previous directors:
Mauro Sclavo - Interim Director (From 1st May 2024 until 31st January 2025)
Carlo Barbante (From 1st May 2020 until 30th April 2024)
Leonardo Langone - Interim Director (From 1st June 2019 until 30th April 2020)

Advisory Board

The Institute Advisory Board (Art. 13, Regolamento Organizzazione e Funzionamento CNR del 2019) consists of the Director, who presides over it, six elected representatives of the researchers and technologists of the Institute and one technical-administrative staff representative.
 
The ISP Advisory Board members are:

. . . . . . . .
Giuliana Panieri

 M.Sclavo (until 2024/31/01)
 C.Barbante (until 2024/30/04)
Warren Raymond Lee Cairns
(Representative of the
Researchers and Technologists)
Pamela Cialli
(Representative of the
Technical-Administrative staff)
Fabiana Corami
(Representative of the
Researchers and Technologists)
Francesco Filiciotto
(Representative of the
Researchers and Technologists)
Angelina Lo Giudice
(Representative of the
Researchers and Technologists)
Angelo Lupi
(Representative of the
Researchers and Technologists)
Francesca Spataro
(Representative of the
Researchers and Technologists)

 

Previous Advisory Board
December 21, 2019 - December 19, 2023
Director: Carlo Barbante
Representatives of the researchers and technologists: Maurizio Azzaro, Fabiana Corami, Federico Giglio, Elena Gregoris, Mauro Mazzola, Rosamaria Salvatori
Representative technical-administrative staff: Alessandro Cosenza

The Amundsen-Nobile Climate Change Tower (CCT) is a scientific platform dedicated to studying the thermodynamic characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer and the exchange processes between the surface and the lower layers of the atmosphere. The structure is composed of 17 modules equipped with patch boxes to provide a power supply and data connection that ends in a dedicated hut at 40 m from the tower, where the acquisition systems are located. The CCT provides continuous profiles of meteorological parameters at four levels up to 34 m, measurements of turbulent fluxes of momentum heat and moisture at two levels as well as of radiation balance components (visible and infrared). Measurement of the characteristics of the snow layer (depth and temperature) are also provided in conjunction with the atmospheric parameters.

Due to the uniqueness of such an infrastructure in Ny-Ålesund, since 2012, the CCT and the surrounding area have become a point of reference for the integrated observation of the components of the climate system. Offering access to national and international research groups, new scientific installations have been set up. In particular for the measurement of greenhouse gases (in collaboration with KOPRI); for the measurement of the snow cover index and spectral reflectivity of the snow; for remote sensing of wind profiles with SODAR and WindLIDAR (in collaboration with KOPRI); to study processes in the active layer, the vegetation, the snow cover and the permafrost temperature profiles.


  - Welcome page with real time data
    

The Institute of Polar Sciences (ISP) of the National Research Council was born on June 1st, 2019 with act n.81 on 31/05/2019 of President Inguscio. The idea of a Polar Institute has its roots in research activities, which have expanded over time, starting from the first years of Antarctic research in 1985. The construction of the Italian base in Antarctica (MZS station) before and the base in the Arctic (DI station) afterwards, has allowed the development of two generations of polar researchers who have made these remote environments their natural laboratory and their home away from home.
 

Vittuari Luca Full Professor within the Class 08/A4 - Geomatics at the University of Bologna Department DICAM. Coordinator of the PhD@DICAM Doctoral course, composed by four curricula (PhD in Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering) of DICAM. Scientific Responsible of the Land Surveying and Geomatics Laboratory (LARIG). Part of the International GNSS Service and member of the University Consortium: UNAVCO.
Main scientific and research activities in the polar regions:
- Researches in Antarctica for the study of geodynamics and for the study of glaciers movements, within the National Program of Research in Antarctica (PNRA) since 1990.
- To date he attended 10 scientific expeditions in Antarctica and one in Arctic (Svalbard Islands) in 2002.
- Responsible of the GPS geodetic network for the study of the ice surface velocity field around the site of the deep ice coring at Dome Concordia (European Project for Ice Core in Antarctica, EPICA).
- Member of the European Project H2020 Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice, with the aim to retrieve a continuous ice core to bedrock in Antarctica, covering the climate history of the Mid Pleistocene Transition and beyond.
- Responsible of the GNSS permanent station installed at Station Concordia.
- Contribution for the installation and data analysis of a tide gauge station at Italian Mario Zucchelli Station (Antarctica).

Severi Mirko He received his bachelor's degree in Chemistry at the University of Florence in 2000. From 2001 to 2004, in the framework of his PhD at the Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, he worked on the development of semi-continuous ion chromatography coupled to Flow Analysis systems within the European project EPICA (European project for Ice Coring in Antarctica). On 20 April 2004 he got his PhD in Chemical Sciences. He took part in the national research campaigns in Antarctica 2001-2002 and 2003-2004 in the bases of Dome Concordia and Baia Terra Nova running chromatographic analyses in situ on a deep ice core perforated at Dome C as part of the EPICA project.
Since June 2002, he took part to several EPICA-DML and TALDICE ice core processing campaigns at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven (D). He participated to numerous sampling campaigns in the Arctic (at the Dirigibile Italia base in Ny Alesund) for the study of climate change through the monitoring of atmospheric aerosol. From December 2004 to 31st January 2018 he was the holder of several fellowships and research grants focused on to the development and application of analytical methods on ice cores and climate archives. From 01/02/2018 to 30/11/2018 he was Fixed term Researcher (RTDa) at the "Ugo Schiff" Department of Chemistry of the University of Florence SSD CHIM / 01. Starting from 01/12/2018 he held the position of Tenure track Researcher (RTDb) at the "Ugo Schiff" Department of Chemistry of the University of Florence SSD CHIM / 01. He is associated Professor at University of Florence since 1st December 2021.

Parmiggiani Fiorigi Flavio Degree in Physics from the University of Milan. Retired since 2013, he currently works as an associate researcher at CNR-ISAC where, since 2001, he has been Research Director. Recent research activity has been mainly carried out in the participation in two European projects:
- ICE-ARC
- SPICES
The research topic for which the association with CNR-ISP was requested is the study of the characteristics and distribution of sea ice in polar areas with SAR images.

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