Ph.D. candidate in Ingegneria Civile E Ambientale , 38th cycle (2022-2025)
Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI)
Profile
PhD
Research topic
microplastics, water and soil pollution, karst systems, biodiversity, environmental sustainability
Tutors
Research interests
Biography
Since 2016 she has carried out research in the following areas: monitoring and conservation of hypogeal arthropods, karst systems, mineralogy in artificial and natural cavities, chiroptera and Canis lupus in the Italian Alps monitoring and conservation activities. From 2020: monitoring and analysis of microplastic pollution in underground environments and karst aquifers, anthropogenic impact in show caves, monitoring of environmental parameters in natural cavities, climate change. Since 2022: monitoring and analysis of microplastic pollution in marine environments, rivers and glaciers, monitoring and analysis of microfibre pollution in karst areas, monitoring and conservation of anphibians. Since 2023: monitoring of microfibre and microplastic pollution in the textile industry. Since 2024: post-operam monitoring in wind farms, monitoring of owls.
Research topics
- 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
Skills
ERC sectors
SDG
Awards and Honors
Fellowships
- Effective member - Società Geologica Italiana, Italia (2022-)
- Effective member - GEAM - Associazione Georisorse e Ambiente, Italia (2022-2023)
- 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)
Conferences
- 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
Other research or teaching roles outside Politecnico
- 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)
Other titles
- Operatore in attività di Educazione Ambientale e alla Sostenibilità, Regione Liguria (2019-)
Research networks
- COST Priority CA20101 - Plastics monitoRIng detectiOn RemedIaTion recoverY (2022-). Partecipazione
- European Cave Protection Commission (2023-). Partecipazione
- PRIN SHOWCAVE (2020-2023). Partecipazione
Publications
Last years publications
PoliTO co-authors
Publications by type
Latest publications View all publications in Porto@Iris
- 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) - 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 - Balestra, Valentina; Galbiati, Matteo; Lapadula, Stefano; Zampieri, Veronica; Cassarino, ... (2024)
Microplastic pollution calls for urgent investigations in stygobiont habitats: A case study from Classical karst. In: JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, vol. 356, pp. 1-13. ISSN 0301-4797
Contributo su Rivista - 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) - 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) - 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; 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) - 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; Lana, Enrico; Carbone, Cristina; De Waele, Jo; Manenti, Raoul; ... (2023)
Valutazione della dinamica distributiva degli invertebrati ipogei. In: XXIII Congresso Nazionale di Speleologia "La melodia delle Grotte", Ormea (IT), 2-5 June 2022, pp. 41-44. ISBN: 9788889897232
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Lana, Enrico (2023)
La macrofotografia naturalistica e le sue applicazioni nello studio della fauna ipogea. In: XXIII Congresso Nazionale di Speleologia "La melodia delle Grotte", Ormea (IT), 2-5 June 2022, pp. 477-480. ISBN: 9788889897232
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; DE REGIBUS, Claudio; Fiorucci, Adriano; Vigna, Bartolomeo (2023)
Il monitoraggio della concentrazione di CO₂ in aria nelle grotte. In: XXIII Congresso Nazionale di Speleologia "La melodia delle Grotte", Ormea (IT), 2-5 June 2022, pp. 427-428. ISBN: 9788889897232
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Lana, Enrico; Balestra, Valentina; Chesta, Michelangelo; Olivero, Dario (2023)
Hypogeal fauna of the military subterranean fortification Forte di Vernante Opera 11 "Tetto Ruinas" (Piedmont, Italy). In: Genova Hypogea 2023, Genova, 29 September - 1 October 2023, pp. 401-408. ISBN: 978 88 32241 32 7
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Conteduca, F.; Francardo, C.; Paradiso, G.; Turdo, R.; Balestra, V.; Bellopede, R.; ... (2023)
AKANoah Student Team experience: microplastics analysis technics on the Po River environment. In: 18th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology, Athens (Greece), 30 August - 2 September 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Bellopede, Rossana (2023)
L'inquinamento da microplastiche in grotta e nei sistemi carsici. In: Quaderni di monitoraggio - Seminario Nazionale monitoraggi ambientali in grotte naturali, Cala Gonone, Dorgali (NU), 29 ottobre-1novembre 2022 / S.N., S.L., Società Speleologica Italiana, pp. 121-127. ISBN: 978-88-89897-25-6
Contributo in Volume - Lana, Enrico; Balestra, Valentina (2023)
Rhagidiidae mites of the Western Italian Alps. In: 3rd International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Fiorucci, Adriano; Peano, Guido; Villavecchia, Ezechiele; Agnesod, ... (2023)
Environmental parameters monitoring in the oldest show cave of Italy: Bossea Cave. In: 3rd International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Sforzi, Laura; Tabilio, Agostina; Di Lorenzo, Tiziana; Balestra, Valentina; Chelazzi, ... (2023)
Characterisation of (micro-)plastics in groundwater bodies: insights from Italian aquifers. In: XXVII Congresso A.I.O.L. "Noi siamo acqua. Conoscere gli ecosistemi acquatici per riconnettersi alla natura", Napoli, 26-30 June 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Peruzzi, Aurora; Marini, Paola; Bellopede, Rossana (2023)
Biocorrosion of speleothems in show caves: analysis of young speleothems exposed to two years of new LED lights. In: International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Fiorucci, Adriano; Guido, Peano; Ezechiele, Villavecchia; Giovanni, ... (2023)
Environmental parameters monitoring in the oldest show cave of Italy: Bossea Cave. In: International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Galbiati, Matteo; Lapadula, Stefano; Zampieri, Veronica; Cassarino, ... (2023)
Microplastic pollution in the Trieste Karst (Italy) protected habitats: preliminary analysis of cave and spring water sediments. In: International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Enrico, Lana; Fiorucci, Adriano; Giovanni, Agnesod; Ragani Massimo ... (2023)
The Underground Karst Laboratories of Bossea Cave: more than 50 years of collaborations and research. In: International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Lana, Enrico; Balestra, Valentina (2023)
Rhagidiidae mites of the Western Italian Alps. In: International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Lana, Enrico; Balestra, Valentina (2023)
Parabathyscia dematteisi Ronchetti & Pavan, 1953: a silent invader. In: International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Vigna, Bartolomeo (2023)
COVID-19 pandemic: an opportunity to monitor the naturalness of show caves. In: International Congress of Karst, Speleology and Valorization of Natural Heritage, Rabat (MA), 2-5 November 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Barzaghi, B.; Ficetola, G. F.; Grassi, G.; Creanza, T.; Zampieri, V.; Gajdošová, M.; ... (2023)
Study on the differences of BMI between olms found in cave and the ones sampled in spring. In: XXIII European Congress of Herpetology, United Kingdom, 4-8 September 2023, pp. 94-95
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, V.; Galbiati, M.; Lapadula, S.; Zampieri, V.; Cassarino, F.; Barzaghi, B.; ... (2023)
NEW THREATS IN THE TRIESTE KARST (ITALY): POLLUTION BY MICROPLASTICS IN GROUNDWATERS AND SPRINGS. In: Congresso congiunto SIMP, SGI, SOGEI, AIV "The Geoscience paradigm: resources, risk and future perspectives", Potenza (IT), 19-21 september 2023, pp. 786-786
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, V.; Drudi, L.; Bellopede, R. (2023)
The invisible environmental impact of tourism in show caves: microplastic pollution in three Italian show caves. In: 18th International Conference on Environmental Science and Tecnology, Athens (Greece), 30 August - 2 September 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Balestra, Valentina; Fiorucci, Adriano (2022)
Studio dei parametri chimico-fisici di sei sorgenti carsiche in Piemonte. In: XXIII Congresso Nazionale di Speleologia "La melodia delle Grotte", Ormea (IT), 2-5 June 2022, pp. 365-366. ISBN: 9788889897232
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)