Research activity
The activity of this research line is focused on different aspects of bioremediation of soil, waste and polluted materials for the environment restoration. The degradation of persistent pharmaceutical organic compounds in soil and waste is studied by both ligninolytic fungi and their enzymes (mycoremediation) and by plant uptake and degradation (phytoremediation).
A selection of Salicaceae clones and other plant species suitable to decontaminate soils from organic compounds and heavy metals is performed, based on physiological, biochemical and molecular traits. Phytoremediation activity is enhanced by inoculating the rhizosphere with selected microorganisms able to degrade recalcitrant organic compounds (rhizoremediation).
Coordinator: dr. Emanuela Galli
Research Staff:
Angelo Massacci
Massimo Zacchini
Fabrizio Pietrini
Daniela Di Baccio
Main scientific collaborations:
- Istituto di Metodologie Chimiche - CNR - Area della Ricerca di Roma 1;
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Tor Vergata, Roma;
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (Spagna);
- K. A. Timiryasev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences;
- CRA-Centro di Ricerca per lo Studio delle Relazioni tra Pianta e Suolo;
- CRA-Unità di Ricerca per le Produzioni Legnose Fuori Foresta;
- Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale-Università di Barcellona (Spagna);
- Centro Sviluppo Materiali SpA (Roma);