DEMETRA in action: on field activities, protocols and next visit calendar

On field visits for data collection and sampling

stage of the DEMETRA DSS project has officially started

Sampling activities of DEMETRA DSS project was started in March, after carrying out a preliminary inspection phase in all the study areas during the previous months.

The sampling campaign aims to carry out an analysis of the initial status of the identified monitoring area, through chemical and biomolecular analysis on the water and soil samples taken carried out by the CNR-IRSA.

Sampling protocol

Once the exact sampling point has been identified, through GPS, following samples are taken for each of the sites:

1 sample of groundwater,

2 soil samples positioned upstream and downstream, in relation to the flow of the groundwater, following the guidelines set out in the handbook for taking samples of water and soil.

Soil sample to be analyzed (as final sample) is made up with the homogenization of multiple elementary samples, taken at the same depth and of similar volume along the line perpendicular to the groundwater flow.

On field, parameters such as temperature, water and soil pH are directly measured and for the latter the humidity measurement will also be determined.

Immediately after the sampling procedures, samples are transported to the laboratory for analysis.

On 2/03/2021 two CNR-IRSA teams carried out the first sampling of the soil and water matrices in study area 2 (North Bari).

Next steps

From May sampling activity will proceed in each of the study areas identified and envisaged by the DEMETRA DSS project, according to the procedures adopted for Area 2.

At the end of this first sampling campaign, and the expected chemical and biomolecular analisys, we will have an overall picture of the initial condition of all study areas, which will allow a first analysis of the data collected.