Project funded by Compagnia di San Paolo in the framework of the 2015 Call for Joint research projects with top universities.
Duration: February 2016-August 2017.
The project involves DIATI – Politecnico di Torino and McGill University (Montreal, Canada).
Polito’s participants: Dr Tiziana Tosco (Principal Investigator), Prof. Silvia Fiore, Eng. Silvia Cordero, DIATI;
McGill’s participants: Prof. Nathalie Tufenkji (co-PI) and Eng. Kerwin Wong from the Biocolloids and Surfaces Laboratory in the Chemical Engineering Department, Prof. Subhasis Ghoshal and Dr. Ali Akbari from the Civil Engineering Department.
The project focuses on understanding the mechanisms controlling the mobility of nanopesticides in the subsurface. In particular, the impact of subsurface environmental conditions on the enhanced/reduced mobility of the nano-formulations, compared to a standard formulations of the same pesticide, is assessed. The research is being carried out jointly at Politecnico di Torino and McGill University, thanks to extended visiting periods of the partners. The collaboration of Polito’s Master students at McGill for their final thesis is also progress.
Beside research in the lab, the groups are active in the dissemination of the results. The activities included the organization of two joint workshops during the first year of the project:
- “Nanoparticles and water resources””, Politecnico di Torino, 11 th-12th July 2016;
- “Smart technologies, agriculture and environment: challenges and perspectives”, Politecnico di Torino, 16th January 2017.
