Partnership
https://www.iss.it/centro-nazionale-sicurezza-delle-acque - censiahttps://www.iss.it/centro-nazionale-sicurezza-delle-acque-censia
ISS represents the main technical-scientific body of the National Health System and is responsible for protecting public health through research, surveillance and technical support to health policies. It promotes and coordinates national and international research projects, working in collaboration with public institutions, research organizations and supranational bodies.
As part of the activities of the National Center for Water Safety, ISS conducts interdisciplinary studies on health, environment and climate change using the Planetary Health approach. ISS contributes to the development and validation of analytical protocols for monitoring anthropogenic contaminants in the marine environment, with a focus on microplastics, organic and inorganic pollutants, endocrine disruptors, and environmental pathogens. His role also includes the application of advanced chemical-analytical and microbiological methodologies, and the analysis of environmental and health risk associated with anthropogenic contamination of the seawater matrix.
The Navy's primary responsibilities include safeguarding the country's maritime interests, ensuring security in areas of national strategic importance, and protecting an economy that is heavily reliant on maritime trade routes and critical underwater infrastructure. In this context, the Armed Forces ensure daily surveillance of the main maritime areas, combining operations with realistic training and consolidated international cooperation. In 2022, the ISS signed a memorandum of understanding with the Navy called "Sea Care". This memorandum aimed to facilitate research, scientific and health collaboration, training, the exchange of survey data, projects of mutual interest and initiatives related to shared needs. This collaboration focuses on the development of projects related to the sea, the effective collection of hydro-oceanographic environmental data, the prediction and monitoring of marine pollution, the development of innovative detection and research systems at sea, and the development of training projects and activities. Furthermore, the collaboration encompasses the study of contamination profiles for specific persistent anthropogenic chemicals of relevance, including perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS), pesticides, hydrocarbons, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, surfactants and microplastics, in various marine areas around the world. The results will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the contamination of our seas and the associated health implications, including the impact of climate change. At the same time, the collaboration will enable us to deepen our understanding of the distribution and biodiversity of environmental microorganisms, which may include pathogenic species, in different aquatic environments and climatic scenarios around the world. It will also allow us to study possible associations between bacterial communities and microplastics, and any associated risk conditions. Italian Navy ships, including the training ship Amerigo Vespucci, periodically host ISS research teams working on the Sea Care project. Find out more: link marina.difesa.it
Arpae is the Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Its primary objectives are the monitoring and protection of the state of the environment, aimed at safeguarding human health and promoting sustainable human activities. Arpae plays a key role in meteorological and climatological observation, forecasting, research and development, addressing the knowledge issues underlying climate change adaptation and mitigation policies. It also conducts important epidemiological and toxicological research related to the complex environmental health nexus. Arpae studies, monitors and controls qualitative and quantitative aspects of the Adriatic sea along the Emilia-Romagna coast, developing innovative studies on marine ecosystems and emerging pollutants, focusing on the conservation of habitats and marine water quality.
https://www.uniroma1.it/it/struttura/dipartimento-di-chimica
The Department of Chemical Sciences at the University of Rome 'La Sapienza' has a research group that is working on developing pioneering analytical methods for characterising unknown organic and inorganic substances in water.
The Department of Chemical Sciences at the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’ is collaborating with the ISS on the ‘Development of research activities for the protection and management of water resources’. The research activities focus particularly on assessing the chemical risks associated with pollutants and environmental contaminants in aqueous matrices, within the framework of the 'Sea Care' Memorandum of Understanding on research, health, the environment and climate, and planetary health, between the ISS and the Italian Navy.
https://wwwdisc.chimica.unipd.it/ACN/
The ISS and the Department of Chemical Sciences have launched a scientific collaboration focused on developing advanced research activities for the protection and sustainable management of water resources, with a strong emphasis on chemical risk assessment related to pollutants and environmental contaminants in water intended for human consumption and marine waters. The collaboration prioritizes the development of innovative analytical methods for the detection and identification of chemicals and emerging contaminants, including endocrine-disrupting compounds and cyanobacterial toxins. It also involves cutting-edge monitoring strategies to assess water quality in both drinking water chain and marine environments. These efforts are closely aligned with the research activities of the Analytical Chemistry group at the University of Padova. (https://wwwdisc.chimica.unipd.it/ACN/).
The University of Genoa Sea Study Centre, established in 2019, aims to enhance the University’s role in marine studies at national and international levels. It serves as a strategic hub that coordinates interdisciplinary expertise across various sea-related fields, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and public entities. The Centre's mission includes promoting research networks, joint projects, and integrated educational pathways, positioning it as a key reference point for marine research, training, and innovation.
The Centre’s interdisciplinary approach enables it to address complex marine challenges such as sustainable resource management, ecosystem protection, and climate change impacts. It oversees the PhD in Marine Sciences and Technologies, Italy's most extensive program in this field.
Focusing primarily on the Western Mediterranean, the Centre also engages in international cooperation projects across different ocean basins, aligning its vision with the Decade of the Oceans initiative. This commitment emphasizes the importance of a sustainable ocean that supports human survival and economic development, while promoting environmental responsibility.
Notable collaborations include a partnership with the Italian Navy General Staff on a research project aboard the Vespucci ship during its world tour from 2023 to 2025, in collaboration with the Navy Hydrographic Institute. Overall, the University of Genoa Sea Study Centre strives to be a leader in marine science, advocating for a cleaner, healthier, and more accessible ocean.
