Department of
Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics

Ice cores, Isotopic and Environmental Geochemistry

The laboratory has a multidisciplinary approach, peculiar of Environmental Sciences, encompassing research topics on geology, chemistry, glaciology, biology, epidemiology, and modeling.

  • The first research topic focuses on paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatological studies, in particular the climatic interpretation of the records of stable isotopes (δ18O, δD, excess of deuterium) in the water of ice cores, snow and firn collected in Antarctica, Arctic and Alpine areas for the understanding and the reconstruction of the climate of the past. Principles of isotopic geochemistry are also applied to hydrological and oceanographic studies.
  • The second research topic focuses on the chemistry of the atmosphere, such as the chemical-physical characterization of aerosols and air pollution, the identification and quantification of emission sources, the development of chemometric techniques for spatial and temporal data analyses, time series analysis, and community exposure analysis to pollutants.
  • The third research topic investigates the spatial distribution of aerosol-related impurities in ice cores, using laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). With 2D imaging we study ice-impurity interactions and post-depositional changes to the layer stratigraphy in order to obtain an improved interpretation of the high-resolution signals afforded by LA-ICP-MS.
  • The group also deals with the geochemistry and pollution in different environmental matrices, such as rocks, sediments, fertilizers, biomass, seagrass, fish species, etc.
Research group

Collaborators

  • Flavia Visin (Technical Staff)
  • Giancarlo Rampazzo (Senior Researcher)
  • Giuliano Dreossi (Researcher CNR-ISP)
  • Mirco Peschiutta (Research Fellow)
  • Marco Calvi (PhD Student Environmental Sciences)
  • Agnese Petteni (PhD Student Polar Sciences)
  • Stefania Squizzato (Subject Expert)
  • Daniele Zannoni (Subject Expert; Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, Norway)
  • Elena Innocente (Subject Expert; ARPA Veneto)
  • Ilaria Crotti (Subject Expert; European Commission, Joint Research Centre in Ispra)

Collaborations

Publications

  • Masiol, M., Zannoni, D., Stenni, B., Dreossi, G., Zini, L., Calligaris, C., Karlicek, D., Michelini, M., Flora, O., Cucchi, F. and Treu, F., 2021. Spatial distribution and interannual trends of δ18O, δ2H, and deuterium excess in precipitation across North-Eastern Italy. Journal of Hydrology, 598, 125749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125749
  • Landais, A., Stenni, B., Masson-Delmotte, V., Jouzel, J., Cauquoin, A., Fourré, E., Minster, B., Selmo, E., Extier, T., Werner, M. and Vimeux, F., 2021. Interglacial Antarctic–Southern Ocean climate decoupling due to moisture source area shifts. Nature Geoscience, 14(12), 918-923. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00856-4
  • Masiol, M., Squizzato, S., Formenton, G., Khan, M.B., Hopke, P.K., Nenes, A., Pandis, S.N., Tositti, L., Benetello, F., Visin, F. and Pavoni, B., 2020. Hybrid multiple-site mass closure and source apportionment of PM2. 5 and aerosol acidity at major cities in the Po Valley. Science of the Total Environment, 704, 135287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135287
  • Masiol, M., Squizzato, S., Rich, D.Q. and Hopke, P.K., 2019. Long-term trends (2005–2016) of source apportioned PM2.5 across New York State. Atmospheric Environment, 201, 110-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.12.038
  • Stenni, B., Curran, M.A., Abram, N.J., Orsi, A., Goursaud, S., Masson-Delmotte, V., Neukom, R., Goosse, H., Divine, D., Van Ommen, T. and Steig, E.J., 2017. Antarctic climate variability on regional and continental scales over the last 2000 years. Climate of the Past, 13(11), 1609-1634. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1609-2017
  • Bohleber, P., Roman, M., Šala, M., Delmonte, B., Stenni, B., and Barbante, C.: Two-dimensional impurity imaging in deep Antarctic ice cores: snapshots of three climatic periods and implications for high-resolution signal interpretation, The Cryosphere, 15, 3523–3538, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3523-2021, 2021
  • Bohleber, P., Roman, M., Šala, M., and Barbante, C.: Imaging the impurity distribution in glacier ice cores with LA-ICP-MS. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0JA00170H, 2020

Case studies

  • Antarctic climate variability through the analysis of stable isotopes in ice core samples
  • Isotopic composition of the precipitations collected at the Concordia station, East Antarctica
  • Isotopic composition of the precipitations collected in north-eastern Italy
  • Harmful elements in phosphate fertilizers: compliance with the new European Regulation 2019/1009
  • Source apportionment of aerosol pollution
  • Biomass burning emissions and their aging in the atmosphere
  • Long-term trends of air pollution in remote and anthropized environments
  • Analysis of heavy metals in fish species, shellfishes, marine phanerogams
  • Analysis of air pollution and the hydrological cycle in mountain environments
  • Two-dimensional impurity and trace element analysis in ice cores by LA-ICP-MS
  • Close association between soluble impurities and grain boundary locations in ice cores revealed by 2D chemical imaging
  • Analysis of particulate impurities and dust in ice cores using an inter-method comparison of 2D LA-ICP-MS and cryo-Raman spectroscopy

Equipment

  • IRMS (Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer) Delta Plus Advantage con Finnigan MAT HDO 1086, brand Thermo-Fisher
  • CRDS (Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy) L2130-i Isotope and Gas Concentration Analyzer (con Induction Module), brand PICARRO
  • CRDS (Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy) L2140-i Isotope and Gas Concentration Analyzer, brand PICARRO
  • ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry) Optima 5300 DV, brand Perkin-Elmer
  • ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry) NexION 350X, brand Perkin-Elmer
  • Granulometer Laser Mastersizer 3000, brand Malvern Panalytical
  • Vibro-sieve AS200 control, brand Retsch
  • Microwave oven Ethos UP, brand Milestone
  • Weather stations, brand DAVIS
  • PM samplers Skypost HV, brand Tecora

Research projects

  • Project iNEST "Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem", submitted under the PNRR program "Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza", Proposer: Università degli Studi di Padova, affiliation Spoke: 1.
  • H2020-MSCA-ITN-2020 project “Research and training network on understanding Deep icE corE Proxies to Infer past antarctiC climatE dynamics – DEEPICE / Duration: 48 months / Project starting in January 2021. (https://deepice.cnrs.fr/)
  • Marie Sklodowska-Curie Global Fellowship (H2020 - IF, 101018266, MICRO-CLIMATE), at Ca' Foscari University, Venice, Italy and the Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, USA. Duration: 36 months. Running project. www.unive.it/micro-climate
  • Project "Abrupt climate change and Greenland ice cover in a high-resolution ice core record", funded by Programma di Ricerche in Artico / Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy. Duration: 24 months. Running project.
  • Marie Curie "plus one" extension grant by Ca’Foscari University of Venice, Duration: 12 months, Project concluded.
  • Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020 - IF, 790280, GOLD-ICE), at Ca' Foscari University, Venice, Italy. Duration: 24 months. Project concluded. www.unive.it/gold-ice
  • PNRA18_00098-A Project "TALDEEP - Paleoclimate reconstruction from the deep part of the TALDICE ice core"/Duration: 24 months / Funded by MIUR in the frame of the National Research Program in Antarctica / Running project.
  • Project INTERREG IT-SLO – ACQUAVITIS “Innovative solutions for the efficient use of water in cross-border viticulture” / Funded EU / Duration: 24 months / Running project. (https://www.ita-slo.eu/en/acquavitis)
  • Project EU Beyond EPICA / Duration: 6 years / EU funded (RIA EU grant agreement No. 815384) - Third Party Contract with UniVE/ Running project. (https://www.beyondepica.eu/en/)
  • PNRA16_00049 – B Project “East Antarctic International Ice Sheet Traverse (EAIIST) / Duration: 24 months / Funded by MIUR in the frame of the National Research Program in Antarctica / Running project.
  • Project PNRA16_00008 – A2 “Study of the Solar Forcing over the Holocene from a new Dome C Ice Core – SOLARICE” / Duration: 24 months / Funded by MIUR in the frame of the National Research Program in Antarctica / Running project at CNR.
  • PNRA 2013/B2.11 Project “IPICS-2kyr-Italy second phase: the climate reconstruction” / Duration: 24 months / Project concluded.
  • PNRA 2013/AC3.05 Project “Precipitation Retrieval at Concordia (PRE-REC)” / Duration: 24 months / Project concluded.
  • Project CHEERS “Chemical and Physical Properties and Source Apportionment of Airport Emissions in the context of European Air Quality Directives” / Duration: 24 months / Funded by the European Community under the FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF (Marie Curie IEF project no. 328542) / Project concluded.
  • European Science Foundation Project n. 09-PolarCLIMATE-FP-012 "HOLOCLIP" (Holocene climate variability at high-southern latitudes: an integrated perspective) / Duration: 36 months / Project concluded.
  • Project n. 2009/A2.09 “IPICS-2kyr-Italy” – National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA) / Duration: 24 months / Project concluded.
  • PRIN 2009 “Variability and geographic provenance of eolian dust in Antarctica during the late Quaternary: a multi-parametric approach with the use of cutting-edge techniques. / Duration: 24 months / Project concluded.
  • Joint PNRA-IPEV project CONCORDIA AIR-GlaCS – Aerosol studies at Station Concordia, Dome C, Antarctica “Present day sources, transport and air-to-snow interactions of atmospheric gases and aerosols at Dome C (Antarctica) and implications for ice core studies” (2008-2011). Scientific activities funded by PNRA / Duration: 48 months / Project concluded.
  • Project “TALDICE” (Talos Dome Ice core Project) 2008 - PNRA / Duration: 24 months / Project concluded. (http://www.taldice.org/data/)
  • PRIN-2007 "Geochemical balance for the evaluation of the agroenvironmental quality in a complex territorial system: the case study from the Ravenna area” / Duration: 24 months / Project concluded.
  • Project “EPICA MIS - New Paleoreconstructions from Antarctic Ice and Marine Records”. E.U. funded project, FP6 project 003868 (GOCE) / Duration: 42 months / Project concluded.
  • Project n. 2004/5.01 “Paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental reconstructions from chemical, physical and isotopic ice cores records” - PNRA / Duration: 36 months / Project concluded.
  • Project n. 2004/5.02 “Surface mass balance of Dome C and Talos Dome drainage area (SURFMASS)” - PNRA / Duration: 36 months / Project concluded.
  • Project n. 2004/5.03 “Permafrost and Climate Change in Antarctica: study and monitoring of the impacts of Climate Change on permafrost and related terrestrial ecosystem and use of permafrost as paleoclimate archive” - PNRA / Duration: 36 months / Project concluded.
  • Project E.U. Life04-ENV/IT/000500 “CAMI - Water-bearing characterization with integrated methodologies” / Duration: 30 months / Project concluded.
  • Project “EPICA III- European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica”. E.U. funded project EVK2-CT-2000-0077 / Duration: 36 months / Project concluded.
  • Project n. 2002/5.1 “Paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental reconstructions from chemical, and physical ice cores records” - PNRA / Duration: 24 months / Project concluded.
  • Project “EPICA II- European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica”. E.U. funded project ENV4-CT98-00702 / Duration: 28 months / Project concluded.
  • Project E.U. “ALPCLIM - Environmental and Climate Records from High Elevation Alpine Glaciers” - Environment and Climate Program/ Duration: 36 months / Participant; project concluded.
  • Project OROMBE7 “Paleoclimate and paleoenvironment from ice core and glacial archives” - PNRA / Duration: 36 months / Participant; project concluded.
  • Project “EPICA - European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica”. E.U. funded project ENV4-CT95-0074 / Duration: 36 months / Participant; project concluded.
  • Project 2a.1.1 “Surface mass balance, monitoring and paleoclimate study of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet – Pacific sector” - PNRA / Duration: 36 months / Participant. project concluded.

Last update: 06/11/2024