Valentina Balestra

Research topic

microplastics, water and soil pollution, karst systems, biodiversity, environmental sustainability

Tutors

• Rossana Bellopede
• Adriano Fiorucci

Research presentation

Poster

• Anphibians monitoring and conservation activities
• Biominerals
• Chiropterofauna monitoring and conservation activities
• Climate Change
• Environment analysis and management
• Environmental parameters monitoring in caves
• Environmental sustainability
• Howl monitoring and conservation activities
• Human impact in show caves
• Hydrogeology in karst areas
• Hypogeal artropods monitoring and conservation activities
• Microfibre pollution in natural environments
• Microplastic evidence of presence in fauna
• Microplastic pollution in fresh water environments
• Microplastic pollution in glaciers
• Microplastic pollution in karst systems
• Microplastic pollution in marine environments
• Microplastic pollution in protected habitats and species
• Microplastic sampling and analysis
• Micropollutants in fresh waters
• Palaeontological finds taphonomic analysis
• Secondary minerals in mine and cave environments
• Subterranean biology
• Textile pollution and mitigation
• Wind farms post-operam monitoring
• Wolves monitoring and conservation activities

ERC sectors

SDG

• Short Term Scientific Mission Grant E-COST-GRANT-CA20101-87d163c1 (2025)
• Borsa di Studio per lo svolgimento della ricerca “Studio di distribuzione e comportamento dei palpigradi ipogei (genere Eukoenenia) del Piemonte”, stanziata dal Comitato del Congresso Nazionale di Biospeleologia, Cagliari 7-9 Aprile 2017 (2017)

• President - Biologia Sotterranea Piemonte - Gruppo di Ricerca, Italia (2025-2027)
• Effective member - GEAM - Associazione Georisorse e Ambiente, Italia (2022-2023)
• Effective member - Società Geologica Italiana, Italia (2022-2024)
• Effective member - Associazione Naturalistica Piemontese, Italia (2020-)
• Scientific Committee member - S.O. CAI Bossea - Laboratorio Carsologico Sotterraneo Grotta di Bossea, Italia (2020-)
• Effective member - Associazione Italiana Naturalisti, Italia (2019-)
• Vice-President - Biologia Sotterranea Piemonte - Gruppo di Ricerca, Italia (2018-2024)

• Measurements and Applications in Veterinary and Animal Sciences 2025 (28/4/2025-30/4/2025), Certified auditor
• Measurements and Applications in Veterinary and Animal Sciences 2025 (28/4/2025-30/4/2025), Chairman
• Geology for a sustainable management of our Planet, SGI-SIMP Congress 2024 (2/9/2024-5/9/2024), Convener
• EuroKarst 2024 (10/6/2024-14/6/2024), Chairman
• Geosciences for a sustainable future, SGI-SIMP Congress 2022 (19/9/2022-21/9/2022), Convener

• Dottorando, presso Università degli Studi di TORINO (8/4/2024-8/4/2024)
• Dottorando, presso Università degli Studi di TORINO (26/4/2023-26/4/2023)
• Assegnista, presso Università degli Studi di TORINO (21/4/2022-21/4/2022)
• Assegnista, presso Università degli Studi di TORINO (1/4/2021-1/4/2021)
• Specializzando, presso Università degli Studi di TORINO (1/4/2020-1/4/2020)

• Operatore in attività di Educazione Ambientale e alla Sostenibilità, Regione Liguria (2019-)

• European Cave Protection Commission (2023-). Partecipazione
• PRIN SHOWCAVE (2020-2023). Partecipazione
• COST ICPLASTIC CA23131 - ISO compatible, efficient and reproducible protocols/equipment for mICro-nanoPLASTIC detection through machine-learning (2024-2028). Partecipazione
• COST Priority CA20101 - Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY (2022-2025). Partecipazione

Master of Science

• Sistemi aperti (modulo di Procedure per la sostenibilità ambientale). A.A. 2024/25, DESIGN SISTEMICO. Collaboratore del corso

• Balestra, Valentina; Bellopede, Rossana (2025)
  Explorations in the dark continent: Did microplastics and microfibres get here before us?. In: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, vol. 977. ISSN 0048-9697
  Contributo su Rivista
• Balestra, Valentina; Galbiati, Matteo; Lapadula, Stefano; Zampieri, Veronica; Cassarino, ... (2025)
  Microplastic and microfiber pollution in the Classical Karst Region. Springs and caves preliminary assessment. In: MicroplasticDays 2025, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 25-27 March 2025
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Manenti, Raoul; Zampieri, Veronica; Pacinotti, Giulia; Cassarino, Filippomaria; ... (2025)
  Back from the underworld: the exploitation of spring habitats by stygobiont species. In: HYDROBIOLOGIA, vol. 852, pp. 43-53. ISSN 0018-8158
  Contributo su Rivista
• Balestra, Valentina; Galbiati, Matteo; Lapadula, Stefano; Barzaghi, Benedetta; Manenti, ... (2024)
  The problem of anthropogenic microfibres in karst systems: assessment of water and submerged sediments. In: CHEMOSPHERE, vol. 363, pp. 1-13. ISSN 0045-6535
  Contributo su Rivista
• Balestra, Valentina; Fiorucci, Adriano; Marini, Paola; Bellopede, Rossana (2024)
  Monitoring of microfiber pollutants in karst environments. In: EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, 14–19 April 2024, pp. 1-2
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Sforzi, Laura; Tabilio Di Camillo, Agostina; Di Lorenzo, Tiziana; Galassi, Diana Maria ... (2024)
  (Micro-)Plastics in Saturated and Unsaturated Groundwater Bodies: First Evidence of Presence in Groundwater Fauna and Habitats. In: SUSTAINABILITY, vol. 16, pp. 1-21. ISSN 2071-1050
  Contributo su Rivista
• Akyildiz, SINEM HAZAL; Balestra, Valentina; Marini, Paola; Bellopede, Rossana (2024)
  Microfiber Waste Assessment for an Italian Textile Dyeing Company. In: 7th EurAsia Waste Management Symposium (EWMS 2024), Istanbul, Turkey, 21-23 October, 2024, pp. 45-51. ISBN: 978-605-72074-2-5
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Actis Dato, Giacomo; Balestra, Valentina; Capurro, Matteo; Ciuffardi, Luca; Oneto, ... (2024)
  OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRESENCE OF Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) IN LIGURIAN KARST ENVIRONMENTS AND THE DISCOVERY OF LIVE INDIVIDUALS IN THE BORGIO VEREZZI CAVES. In: XIX Convegno Nazionale A.I.I.A.D. "Conservation of freshwater fish fauna in Mediterranean basins"", Parma, 17-19 October 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Galbiati, Matteo; Lapadula, Stefano; Zampieri, Veronica; Cassarino, ... (2024)
  Microplastic and microfiber pollution in the Proteus anguinus habitats. Preliminary investigations in the Classical Karst Region. In: 5th International conference SOS Proteus: PROTEUS AND ITS KARST GROUNDWATER HABITAT. Research methods and data to assess its conservation status., Kranj, Slovenia, 7-8 December 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Messina, Valeria; Manenti, Raoul; Francesco Ficetola, Gentile; Grassi, G; Creanza, T; ... (2024)
  SMI variations in olms: a comparison between cave and spring populations. In: 5th International conference SOS Proteus: PROTEUS AND ITS KARST GROUNDWATER HABITAT. Research methods and data to assess its conservation status., Kranj, Slovenia, 7-8 December 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Lapadula, Stefano; Lo Parrino, Elia; Barzaghi, Benedetta; Falaschi, Mattia; Balestra, ... (2024)
  Rhythmic response of cave animals to external cycles. In: 5th International conference SOS Proteus: PROTEUS AND ITS KARST GROUNDWATER HABITAT. Research methods and data to assess its conservation status., Kranj, Slovenia, 7-8 December 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• ACTIS DATO, Giacomo; Balestra, Valentina; Capurro, Matteo; Ciuffardi, Luca; Oneto, ... (2024)
  OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRESENCE OF Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758) IN LIGURIAN KARST ENVIRONMENTS AND THE DISCOVERY OF LIVE INDIVIDUALS IN THE BORGIO VEREZZI CAVES. In: XIX Convegno Nazionale A.I.I.A.D. "Conservation of freshwater fish fauna in Mediterranean basins"", Parma, 17-19 October 2024, pp. 86-87
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Bellopede, Rossana (2024)
  Microplastic and microfibre pollution in ponor Kovači – izvor Ričina karst system (BiH). In: SKUP SPELEOLOGA 2024 BOSNE I HERCEGOVINE, Tomislavgrad (BiH), 18-20 October 2024, pp. 25-25
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Bellopede, Rossana (2024)
  Microplastic and microfibre pollution in ponor Kovači – izvor Ričina karst system (BiH). In: SKUP SPELEOLOGA 2024 BOSNE I HERCEGOVINE, Tomislavgrad (BiH), 18-20 October 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Trunfio, Federica; Akyildiz, Sinem Hazal; Marini, Paola; Bellopede, ... (2024)
  Microparticles of anthropogenic origin (microplastics and microfibers) in sandy sediments: A case study from calabria, italy. In: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT, vol. 196, pp. 1-14. ISSN 0167-6369
  Contributo su Rivista
• Balestra, Valentina; Akyildiz, SINEM HAZAL; Baietto, Oliviero; DE REGIBUS, Claudio; ... (2024)
  Preliminary investigations on microplastic and microfibre pollution in NW Italian Alps glaciers. In: MICRO2024 Plastic Pollution from Macro to Nano, Lanzarote, 23-27 September 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Akyildiz, SINEM HAZAL; Wadhams, Peter; Bellopede, Rossana (2024)
  Microplastic and microfibre pollution in Greenland: a preliminary study. In: MICRO2024 Plastic Pollution from Macro to Nano, Lanzarote, 23-27 September 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, V.; Peruzzi, A.; Marini, P.; Bellopede, R. (2024)
  Monitoring of lampenflora growth on speleothems exposed to LED lights in show caves. In: SGI-SIMP Congress "Geology for a sustainable management of our Planet",, Bari, 2-5 September 2024, pp. 734-734
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Comino, E.; Balestra, V.; Bellopede, R.; Fazli, M.; Tamietto, M.; Treves, A.; Zambrotta, ... (2024)
  Building bridges between academia and high school: the experience of “Open river Laboratory” ( in the framework of Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e l’Orientamento). In: SGI-SIMP Congress "Geology for a sustainable management of our Planet",, Bari, 2-5 September 2024, pp. 850-850
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Vigna, B.; Balestra, V. (2024)
  Relationship between air-rock-water temperatures in karst caves and surface temperatures. In: SGI-SIMP Congress "Geology for a sustainable management of our Planet",, Bari, 2-5 September 2024, pp. 746-746
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, V.; Fiorucci, A.; Marini, P.; Bellopede, R. (2024)
  A research to study the unstoppable subterranean journey of microplastics. In: SGI-SIMP Congress "Geology for a sustainable management of our Planet",, Bari, 2-5 September 2024, pp. 733-733
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Lapadula, S.; Balestra, V.; Barzaghi, B.; Falaschi, M.; Ficetola, G. F.; Manenti, R. (2024)
  Rhythmic response of cave animals to external cycles. In: SGI-SIMP Congress "Geology for a sustainable management of our Planet", Bari, 2-5 September 2024, pp. 1138-1138
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Vigna, B.; Balestra, V. (2024)
  Anthropogenic impact assessment in show caves through environmental parameters monitoring. In: SGI-SIMP Congress "Geology for a sustainable management of our Planet",, Bari, 2-5 September 2024, pp. 747-747
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Lana, Enrico; Balestra, Valentina (2024)
  Biospeleologia. Guida alle tecniche di ricerca e atlante fotografico.. Verona, WBA Project, P. 576. ISBN: 978-88-906379-8-8
  Libro
• Balestra, Valentina; Galbiati, Matteo; Lapadula, Stefano; Barzaghi, Benedetta; Manenti, ... (2024)
  Microfiber pollution in surface and subterranean aquatic environments: investigations in the Classical Karst Region. In: Eurokarst 2024, Rome, 10-14 June 2024, pp. 187-188
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Fiorucci, Adriano; Marini, Paola; Bellopede, Rossana (2024)
  Monitoring of microfiber pollutants in karst environments. In: EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, 14–19 April 2024
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Vigna, Bartolomeo; Fiorucci, Adriano; Balestra, Valentina (2024)
  Karst system conceptual models based on the aquifer recharge. In: Eurokarst 2024, Rome, 10-14 June 2024, pp. 239-240
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• FRANCESCO FICETOLA, Gentile; Lunghi, Enrico; Falaschi, Mattia; Barzaghi, Benedetta; ... (2023)
  LONG-TERM TRENDS OF CAVE SALAMANDERS (SPELEOMANTES STRINATII) IN LIGURIA AND PIEDMONT. In: I Congresso Nazionale “Biologia e Conservazione degli Urodeli, Chiavari (GE), Italy, 26-27 October 2023, pp. 22-22
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Vigna, Bartolomeo; Bellopede, Rossana (2023)
  Groundwater: An Endangered Invisible Resource. Microplastic Pollution in Underground Karst Systems, from Surface Watercourses to Cave Waters. In: 3rd International Conference on Microplastic Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, Naples, 25-28 September 2022, pp. 89-95. ISSN 2364-6934. ISBN: 978-3-031-34454-1
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)
• Balestra, Valentina; Trunfio, Federica; Caione, Cassandra; Tsymbaliuk, Evgenia; Marini, ... (2023)
  Detection of Microplastics in Marine Sediments: Results from Three Italian Coasts. In: 3rd International Conference on Microplastic Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, Napoli, 25-28 September 2022, pp. 67-74. ISSN 2364-6934. ISBN: 978-3-031-34454-1
  Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)