News

MEDSEA’s work within GRRinPort2, the project funded under the Interreg Italy–France Maritime Programme, is progressing.

In recent days, the team led by Andrea Alvito, MEDSEA marine biologist, carried out the second field survey at the mouth of the Rio Foxi, a river flowing into the Gulf of Cagliari. Surveys aimed at assessing the level of water pollution are conducted both through sample collection, later analysed in the laboratory by experts from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (DICAAR) of the University of Cagliari, and through an innovative drone-based method.

The drone, piloted by Alvito himself, flew at an altitude of 25 metres along the final stretch of the Rio Foxi, reaching the river mouth. Thanks to thermal cameras, the one-kilometre stretch is now documented through a long sequence of overlapping photographs: some depicting the environment through conventional imagery, others interpreting it through heat patterns. The images provide a dynamic “geography” of the water flow, where certain rivulets appear as areas of more intense colour. Detailed laboratory analyses will then describe the overall health status of the watercourse and identify any potential presence of pollutants.

Similar surveys are also being carried out in Tuscany, in the waters of the Tonfano and Fiumetto streams, led by the engineering team of the University of Pisa (DESTEC-UNIPI), the lead partner of GRRinPort2.

The project builds on the experience of GRRinPort (2018–2021) and aims to address the environmental challenges affecting port areas and river mouths by reducing pollution and promoting sustainability. The innovative approach that combines traditional analyses with drone-based monitoring represents the core of Work Package 1 (WP1), dedicated to water monitoring. This methodology will also be applied to other watercourses, including Muraglione (Viareggio), Canale Palma (Cagliari), Saint-Florent and Centuri (Corsica).

Watch the interview with Andrea Alvito on Radio Kalaritana about the GRRinPort2 project:

The other two lines of action focus on beached waste management (WP2) and marine sediment decontamination (WP3). In the first case, following the analysis of waste flows and existing collection and treatment systems, thermochemical and biological technologies will be applied to transform waste into value-added materials. For contaminated sediment samples, innovative treatments will be implemented, including biological processes, advanced oxidation, and the use of hydrochar (carbon obtained from wet biomass through hydrothermal carbonisation) as an additive in recovery processes.

The MEDSEA Foundation, which is also responsible for communication activities within GRRinPort2, will play a role in WP3, which will be mainly developed during the third year of the project.