a project to join

My research expertise focuses on aquatic pollution, microplastics, plastisphere, heavy metals, and water quality assessment in freshwater, marine, and coastal ecosystems. My work includes monitoring and characterisation of microplastics, investigation of microplastic–heavy metal interactions and plastisphere-associated processes, environmental risk assessment, and the application of advanced statistical and AI-based approaches to aquatic pollution monitoring and modelling.

Topic 1. Integrated Monitoring and Assessment for Sustainable Water Management

We are developing a proposal focused on Mediterranean river basins and coastal waters, investigating the occurrence, transport and interactions of microplastics and heavy metals, with particular emphasis on the plastisphere as a potential carrier and mediator of metal accumulation and transport. The project will examine how microplastic characteristics, plastisphere development, hydrological conditions and environmental pressures influence microplastic–metal interactions along the river-to-sea continuum.

Harmonised field monitoring, laboratory analyses, environmental and hydrological data, remote sensing and AI-based modelling will be integrated to develop a pollution risk prediction, early-warning and decision-support system for sustainable water management in Mediterranean basins.

microplastics, plastisphere, heavy metals, mediterranean river basins, source-to-sea pollution, water quality monitoring, emerging contaminants, microplastic–metal interactions, integrated monitoring, artificial intelligence

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