High Performance Liquid Chromatograph Agilent 1100 Series HPLC Systems

Brief description
The HPLC-MS/MS system allows to quantitatively determine polar organic compounds in several environmental and vegetable matrices and biota samples. It is commonly used to investigate specific markers of sources or environmental processes in samples collected in polar regions. It is used to determine levoglucosan, key tracer of biomass burning, in ice core samples to provide historical profiles of fire regimes in paleoclimatic studies. Several water soluble organic compounds (free and combined amino acids, phenolic compounds) are determined using HPLC-MS/MS in aerosol samples to define chemical composition of atmosphere in urban and polar samples. Polar pesticide or toxins are commonly determined with HPLC-MS/MS in fresh water, sea water, biota or vegetable samples.

Instrument
High Performance Liquid Chromatograph Agilent 1100 Series HPLC Systems (Waldbronn, Germany) with a binary pump, vacuum degasser, autosampler and thermostated column compartment coupled with an API 4000 Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (Applied Biosystem/MSD SCIEX, Concord, Ontario, Canada) using a TurboV source.
Contact person: Dr. Roberta Zangrando - roberta.zangrando AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice Headquarters

Matrix and type of measurement
Analysis of discrete samples of several matrices: ice, snow, atmospheric aerosol, lacustrine water, fresh water, sea water, sediment, vegetable and biota samples. Analysis of polar organic compounds such as for example anhydrosugars, amino acids, phenolic compounds, organic acids.

Agilent 1100 series HPLC system coupled with API 4000, High Performance Liquid Chromatograph coupled with tandem mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS/MS). (IMAGE)

Liquid chromatograph UHPLC mod. Dionex Ultimate 3000 Dual Pump RS
Brief description
This instrument is the key system to perform semicontinuous analysis of organic compounds in ice core samples.

Instrument
Liquid chromatograph UHPLC mod. Dionex Ultimate 3000 Dual Pump RS (Thermo ScientificTM) with vacuum degasser, column thermostat.
Contact person: Dr. Elena Barbaro - elena.barbaro AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice Headquarters

Matrix and type of measurement
Semicontinuos analysis of ice cores. This system is coupled with continuous flow analysis (CFA).

Dionex Ultimate 3000 Dual Pump RS Thermo Scientific, Liquid chromatograph UHPLC Dual Pump (IMAGE)

Mercur Plus - Analytik Jena AG, cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS).
Brief description
Cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS) is an analytical technique used for the quantification of mercury at trace/ultra-trace levels. This technique is mainly used on “clean” aqueous matrices (eg ice, snow, and water) from remote and uncontaminated areas.
The sensitivity of the instrument is fully harnessed by using official methods such as USEPA1631 version E or UNI-EN 15853: 2010. The Hg present in the matrix is oxidized to Hg²⁺ with BrCl solution and then reduced to elemental mercury(Hg⁰) con SnCl₂. The Hg⁰ is stripped from the aqueous matrix using an inert carrier gas (argon) and successively transported to gold traps for the pre-concentration by amalgam formation. Following thermal desorption at T between 450-500 °C, the Hg⁰ is desorbed from the gold traps and is transported into a quartz cell.
Light from a mercury vapor lamp passes through the quartz cell that contains the sample mercury in a flow of argon carrier gas and excites all the mercury atoms which then emit a characteristic fluorescence radiation at 253.7 nm. The amount of light emitted by the mercury atoms in the sample is proportional to the amount of mercury passing through the quartz cell. The CV-AFS of the CNR-ISP is located inside a dedicated clean room.

Instrument
Mercur Plus - Analytik Jena AG, cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS).
Contact person: Dr. Massimiliano Vardè - massimiliano.varde AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice Headquarters

Matrix and type of measurement
Aqueous matrices: atmospheric deposition, snow, ice, drinking water, mineral water, natural water, seawater. Mercury, as total mercury, or as dissolved, filtered and unfiltered after sample pre-treatment.

Mercur Plus - Analytik Jena AG, cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CV-AFS). (IMAGE)

Gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometer (GC-MS)

Brief description
The GC-MS system allows the quantification of volatile apolar compounds in environmental matrices. In the environmental field GC-MS finds main application in the determination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as PCBs, PBDEs, PAHs, pesticides, in environmental matrices both in urban and remote areas such as polar areas. As well as it used in the determination of personal care products such as fragrances that have been observed not only in urban areas but also in Antarctica.
In the ISP-CNR there are 3 GC-MS systems. Among these, the system equipped with a cryogenic trap allows the preconcentration of volatile compounds (allowing the quantification of volatile compounds difficult to analyze in GC even at very low levels). There is also a GC-MS system equipped with a pyrolyser that allows the analysis of non-volatile materials such as plastic materials.

Instrument

• GC-MS 7890A-5975C (Agilent) /
• GC-MS GC7890A+MS5975C (Agilent) with cryogenic trap (MARKES Int)
• GC-MS GC6890+MS5973 (Agilent) with Pyrolysis system Pyroprobe 5000 Series
Contact person: Dr. Elena Argiriadis - elena.argiriadis AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice Headquarters

Matrix and type of measurement
Analysis of discrete samples of several matrices: ice, snow, atmospheric aerosol, lacustrine water, fresh water, sea water, sediment, vegetable and biota samples. Compounds analyzed: Apolar volatile compounds such as PCBs, PBDEs, PAHs, pesticids, fragrances, sterols.

GC-MS 7890A-5975C Agilent (IMAGE)

Brief description
Microplastics are considered emerging pollutants and they are present in different environmental compartments (e.g. seawater, soil, atmosphere, etc.). In 2019 the European Chemical Agency has clearly defined microplastics and their sizes: “a material composed of solid polymer-containing particles, to which additives or other substances may have been added, with particle dimensions ranging from 1 nm to 5 mm and with fiber lengths ranging from 3 nm to 15 mm and length to diameter ratio of >3. ECHA has also firmly stated the need of polymer identification when analyzing microplastics. Microplastics can be primary and secondary, according to their sources; sources of primary microplastics are discharges from household washing machines, road dust, tire wear and cosmetics. Particles and fibers of plastics can be vector of other pollutants and pathogens. An accurate quantification and characterization of microplastics allow evaluating the environmental risk assessment and designing future actions of environmental management and recovery.

Instrument
Micro-FTIR Nicolet™ iN™10 Infrared Microscope Thermo Scientific, it couples optic microscopy with IR spectroscopy. Two different detectors are present: DTG (Deuturate Triglycine sulfate) detector enables room temperature analysis, and MCT (Mercury Cadmium Telluride ) detector works with liquid nitrogen and allows the analysis of samples down to 10 µm. Samples can be analyzed on transmittance mode, reflectance mode and ATR mode.

Matrix and type of measurement
Non-destructive analysis of microplastics in different environmental samples (seawater, sediments, soil, permafrost, aerosol, snow, raw and treated water, discharges from household washing machines, etc.) and in different biota (crustaceans, mollusks, fish, etc.). Micro-FTIR allows quantification and simultaneous polymer identification of plastic particles and fibers and of additives, plasticizers. and other synthetic and natural fibers. It can be employed for analysis of microplastics, but also for analysis of microfossils, artistic handiworks, etc.
Contact person: Dr. Fabiana Corami - fabiana.corami AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice headquarters

Open administration

The section Open Administration is organized according to Legislative Decree no. 33 of 14 March 2013 Reorganization of the discipline concerning the obligations for advertisement, transparency and diffusion of information by the public administration (GU Serie Generale n. 80, 05/04/2013), as amended by D.lgs. 25 May 2016 n. 97 (GU Serie Generale n. 132, 08/06/2016).

The manager of transparency and bribery prevention of Institute of Polar Sciences is Dr. Giulia Panieri, Director ISP-CNR (email direttore.isp AT cnr.it).
Provision of nomination (no.16 Date: 28/01/2025)

Invitations to tender and contracts

- year 2024
- year 2023
- year 2022
- year 2021
- year 2020
- year 2019

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)

ANTONELLI GIUSEPPE - Segretario amministrativo
E-mail: giuseppe.antonelli AT cnr.it

CESTER VALENTINA
E-mail: valentina.cester AT cnr.it

CIALLI PAMELA
E-mail: pamela.cialli AT cnr.it

COSENZA ALESSANDRO
E-mail: alessandro.cosenza AT cnr.it

DI LEO GUGLIELMO
E-mail: guglielmo.dileo AT cnr.it

NOGAROTTO ALESSIO
E-mail: alessio.nogarotto AT cnr.it

SACCHETTO ALESSIO
E-mail: alessio.sacchetto AT cnr.it

ZANELLA JACOPO
E-mail: jacopo.zanella AT cnr.it

ZANOTTO EMANUELA
E-mail: emanuela.zanotto AT cnr.it

Mass Spectroscopy Laboratory (SpeM)

Brief description

In the SpeM laboratory, at the Venice headquarters, the researchers carry out the chemical (trace elements) and isotopic (δD, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O) characterization of natural matrices and the determination of the total carbon and nitrogen content (in soils and sediments).

Trace elements are all those elements in the periodic table present in natural matrices with concentrations of less than 1 ppm (parts per million). The quantification of these elements allows, in addition to the chemical characterization of the samples examined, an evaluation of any contamination problems, including those arising from human activities. This allows us to study the exchanges that may take place between different compartments of the different ecosystems, and the origin of the elements, as well as allowing us to reconstruct temporal variations related to current and past climate changes.
Per Isotopes are atoms belonging to the same chemical element, therefore with the same atomic number but which differ by mass number (that is, they differ by the number of neutrons contained within the nucleus). Isotopes are therefore chemically equal but different from a physical point of view. They differ in nuclear stability and instability meaning that some can be radioactive. Among the most studied stable isotopes are oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. The study of stable isotope relative abundances between the various isotopes of an element, gives a measure of the ratio of one of the heavier isotopes to the lighter isotope (the most abundant in nature) of a given element. This ratio in nature is not constant but may vary as a result of chemical, physical and biological processes that can lead to an impoverishment or an enrichment of one isotope compared to the other in the various phases of a natural system: we speak of this as isotopic fractionation. Stable isotopes have fundamental applications for environmental and paleoenvironmental studies. For example, the measurement of δ¹⁸O in snow/ice cores allows a reconstruction of the temperature trends in the past.

Instrument

                            Element XR                                                                      DeltaV Advantage                                                                     Elemental Analyzer Flash2000HT

ICP-SFMS Element XR Thermo Scientific equipped with various sample introduction systems (Scott-type spray-chamber in PFA; cyclonic spray-chamber in glass or PFA, cooled by a Peltier system; APEX-ESI system equipped with heated cyclonic spray-chamber (both in glass and in PFA) and a cooling system for the reduction of interferences from oxides and doubly charged ions, resistant to hydrofluoric acid; ARIDUS-CETAC system equipped with heated spray-chamber in PFA and a heated membrane, for the reduction of oxides and doubly charged ions). The instrument is also equipped with an auto-sampler protected by a laminar flow hood that keeps the samples clean during the analysis sessions.
Contact person: Dr. Giulio Cozzi - giulio.cozzi AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice headquarters

IRMS DeltaV Advantage Thermo Scientificequipped with: Gas-Bench (with autosampler), Elemental Analyzer Flash HT with double furnace, two autosamplers for solid samples and one autosampler for liquid samples and ConFloIV, and Gas chromatograph (GC Trace with auto-sampler).
Contact person: Dr. Clara Turetta - clara.turetta AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice headquarters

EA Elemental Analyzer Flash2000HT Thermo Scientific with double furnace, two autosamplers for solid samples and one autosampler for liquid samples.
Contact person: Dr. Clara Turetta - clara.turetta AT cnr.it - CNR-ISP Venice headquarters

Matrix and type of measurement
ICP-SFMS: snow/ice, sea water, surface and groundwater, interstitial water. Determination of trace elements (at ppb to ppq level).

IRMS - Gas-Bench: water (snow/ice, sea water, surface and groundwater, interstitial water), carbonates (foraminifera, carbonates s.s.). δD, δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O measurements,
IRMS - EA: soils, sediments, biota. δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N measurements.

EA: soils, sediments, biota. Determination of total nitrogen (TN), total carbon (TC) and organic carbon (OC).

Where we are:The secondary office of Institute of Polar Sciences of Padova is located at the CNR Research Area of Padova, Corso Stati Uniti,4 - 35127 Padova. Map
 
How to find us:
- by train: from the Padova train station take bus n. 7;
- by car: from the A4 highway, exit at Padova Est and take the direction Piove di Sacco/Chioggia for a couple of kilometers. Take the exit n. 13 which brings to Corso Stati Uniti. After an U turn the CNR entrance is about 100 m after the underpass. From A13 highw, exit at Padova Zona Industriale and turn left in Corso Stati Uniti. The CNR entrance is at about 2 km on the left side (go up to the U turn);
- by plane: from the Venice or Treviso airport, take the train from Venezia-Mestre (or Treviso) to Padova and follow the indications given above for train.

Where we are: the Institute of Polar Sciences occupies the 2nd floor of the DELTA building in the new Scientific Campus of Ca’ Foscari University (address: via Torino, 155, Venezia-Mestre). The new Scientific Campus of Mestre is a modern building complex consisting of five new buildings, two existing buildings and a new university residence.
 
How to find us: GPS coordinates: Lat. 45, 477790 - Long. 12, 254480 - UTM 33N 285419-5039695 - MAP
- by train: Venezia-Mestre railway station, bus Nr. 31H, stop Torino-Università, or bus Nr. 43, stop Torino-Università. From Institute to railway station, bus Nr. 32H, or Nr. 43. Porto Marghera railway station, 10-15 min walk;
- by car: the Institute can be reached by car with the possibility of parking temporarily inside the campus. Coming from Padua, take exit Venezia, 8 min, 5.3 Km;
- by plane: the nearest airport is Venice Marco Polo Airport. From the airport, bus Nr. 15 (to railway station of Venezia-Mestre), then bus Nr. 31H, stop Torino-Università, or Nr. 43, stop Torino-Università.

Research activities are not only based on the observatories, there is a network of laboratories, located at the various branches of the Institute, which allow researchers to develop ISP research topics. In the laboratories, samples taken in polar areas are analysed. These samples, given the difficult environmental conditions in which we operate during the field campaigns, as well as the considerable logistical effort involved in their collection, are always precious and often unrepeatable. Therefore, the availability of equipment that allows the researcher to obtain the maximum possible information from each sample becomes fundamental so we can advance knowledge of these extreme environments.

The laboratories also perform services on behalf of third parties and in the context of contracts, agreements and research collaborations with companies, universities and national and international institutions. For more information, contact the representatives of the laboratories / instruments.

The Institute can provide paid services, in compliance with the current Regulations for the Generation, Management and Enhancement of Intellectual Property on the results of CNR research, for services on behalf of third parties (Contractual research).
 
The laboratories of the Institute of Polar Sciences carry out chemical, chemical-physical, microbiological analyzes on various environmental matrices, issuing the relevant certificate or technical / scientific reports.
 
The analyzes are performed ONLY UPON REQUEST sent by email to the address of the Laboratory / Instrumentation Contact and in cc to the Director of the Institute (direttore.isp AT cnr.it) for the Venice headquarters and the secondary site of Padua or to Head of branches (responsabile_bo AT cnr.it; responsabile_me AT cnr.it; responsabile_rm AT cnr.it) for the secondary sites of Bologna, Messina and Rome, containing the name, address and signature of the Applicant. The analyzes to be carried out, the number of samples and everything else to be requested must be listed.
 
By the mere fact of submitting the request, the rules and consequent charges are understood to be known and accepted by the Applicant. After receiving the request, the Contact Person, having obtained the clearance from the Director / Head of the branches, will send a cost quotation and indicate an expected date of delivery of the results.
 
The samples to be analyzed must be sent, free of all charges, to the branches of the contact person according to the methods indicated in the quotation. The rates that will be communicated are net of VAT and include the execution of the analyzes and the sending of a form containing the related results. No interpretation and / or evaluation of the analysis results will be made by the laboratory involved.

The mission of the ISP is to contribute to increasing the quality of Italian scientific and technological research in the polar regions, and to provide knowledge on global changes in support of Italian and European environmental policies by the development of new technologies and survey methodologies.

The Institute aims to be a reference point for:

- CNR polar research; as ISP has extensive links to universities as well as national and international public and private bodies. ISP offers multidisciplinary skills and technologies that are essential to studying and protecting the environment;

- scientific personnel, able to make qualified contributions to the National Antarctic Research Programme (PNRA), the Arctic Research Programme (PRA) and European Commission projects through the development of research and monitoring activities;

- interdisciplinary polar cooperation and research, including the development of meetings, publications, research opportunities and complementary activities, and interacting with society;

- the standardisation of measurements and preparation methods to improve the quality of results, and the development of coordinated measures aimed at common research plans and/or general common objectives;

- the training of the next generation of polar scientists.

Fulfilling our mission will allow us to improve our understanding of the climatic changes taking place in the Arctic and Antarctic environments and possible future developments at both polar and global levels. Our studies address research issues related to both the chemical/geochemical and physical aspects of the poles using a multidisciplinary approach to protect these vulnerable extreme environments. The repercussions of climate change on these dynamics are still largely unknown and will require integrated research using long term multidisciplinary methods to understand them fully.