{"id":3393,"date":"2026-01-19T14:40:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T13:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/portale2.unime.it\/coastalengineering\/?page_id=3393"},"modified":"2026-03-22T18:10:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T17:10:04","slug":"minosse-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/portale2.unime.it\/coastalengineering\/en\/minosse-project\/","title":{"rendered":"MINOSSE PROJECT"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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ManagIng plastic traNspOrt in riverS and coaStal arEas (MINOSSE)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The transport and accumulation of plastic waste in aquatic environments are complex phenomena, determined by the interaction between the physical properties of plastic materials and the hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes that characterize rivers and coastal zones. Despite growing scientific interest in the topic, the understanding of the mechanisms governing plastic dynamics in these contexts remains limited. In particular, the numerical models currently available have seldom been systematically compared and validated using experimental data or field observations.<\/p>

The MINOSSE project<\/strong><\/span> primarily focuses on the development of reliable and predictive numerical models to describe the transport and accumulation of plastic waste in riverine and coastal environments. To support this objective, the project synergistically integrates numerical modeling<\/span><\/strong> activities with laboratory experiments<\/span><\/strong>, field monitoring campaigns<\/span><\/strong>, and citizen science initiatives<\/span><\/strong>, conceived as complementary tools for collecting data useful for model calibration, validation, and verification.<\/p>

The laboratory experiments were designed to reproduce controlled flow conditions and to isolate the main physical mechanisms governing the interaction between plastic objects and water flow. In parallel, the field activities allowed data collection in real-world contexts, enabling the evaluation of plastic behavior under complex hydrodynamic<\/span><\/strong> and morphological conditions<\/span><\/strong>. The citizen science initiatives further expanded the spatial<\/span><\/strong> and temporal<\/span><\/strong> coverage of observations, contributing to the creation of extensive and up-to-date datasets on the presence, transport, and accumulation of plastic waste.<\/p>

The results obtained from laboratory experiments, field campaigns, and citizen science initiatives were integrated to improve the parameterization of numerical models and to assess their performance in real scenarios. This integration enhanced the accuracy and predictive capability of the modeling tools developed within the project.<\/p>

The multidisciplinary approach<\/span><\/strong> adopted in MINOSSE, based on the integration of numerical modeling with experimental and field observations, represents a key element for the development of reliable<\/span><\/strong> quantitative tools, capable of supporting the prediction<\/span><\/strong> of plastic pathways, the identification of accumulation areas, and the definition of effective strategies for the mitigation and removal of plastic pollution in aquatic environments<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Research Unit<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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University of Messina (UniME)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Claudio IUPPA (Principal Investigator) <\/div><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t\t
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Claudio Iuppa was born in Enna on August 7, 1985. On July 19, 2011, he earned a Master\u2019s Degree in Environmental and Land Engineering from the University of Catania, graduating with full marks and honors (110\/110 cum laude). In January 2016, he obtained a PhD in Hydraulic, Sanitary-Environmental, and Transport Infrastructure Engineering (28th Cycle) from the University of Catania, defending a thesis entitled \u201cOptimization of Cast Marine Dams for Wave Energy Extraction.\u201d<\/em> Since March 2023, he has been a Fixed-term Researcher in the Scientific-Disciplinary Sector ICAR\/01 at the Department of Engineering, University of Messina. He teaches in various courses and has served as principal investigator of research projects and in consultancy roles.<\/p>

His research activity is primarily focused on coastal hydrodynamics, wave energy devices, wave motion forecasting, and the dispersion of pollutants in the sea. These research activities are carried out through laboratory experiments, numerical modeling, and the application of neural networks.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Carla Faraci is a Full Professor at the University of Messina. She is the Scientific Director of the Hydraulics Laboratory, which she designed and helped establish. She is a member of the Technical-Scientific Committee of the Basin Authority of the Sicily Hydrographic District \u2013 Presidency of the Sicily Region, a member of the PhD Board in Engineering, and an external expert on the Technical-Administrative Committee of the Interregional Public Works Authority for Sicily \u2013 Calabria.<\/p>

She has served as scientific coordinator of the European projects EU TA HY+ WINGS (2018) and INTERREG Italy\u2013Malta 2020-27 MAESTRI, the national projects PRIN2022 PLATONE (2024-2026) and BAC RAISE Passport (2025), as well as numerous agreements with public and private institutions.<\/p>

Her research interests, documented in over 60 publications indexed in major databases, focus primarily on marine hydraulics and coastal engineering, wave\u2013current interactions, wave-induced effects on coastal structures, wave energy extraction, the application of neural networks for wave forecasting, plastic transport in coastal environments, and the marine propagation of oil spills.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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University of Firenze (UniFI)<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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University of Pavia (UniPV)<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Andrea Fenocchi has been an Associate Professor of Hydraulics at the University of Pavia since 2025. He was born in 1987, earned his degree in Environmental and Land Engineering in 2011, and completed his PhD in Hydraulic Engineering in 2015. From 2015 to 2017 he worked as a postdoctoral researcher, and from 2017 to 2024 he was a Researcher in Hydraulics at the University of Pavia. Since 2015, he has collaborated with CNR-IRSA, where he worked as an Associate Researcher.<\/p>

He is currently the Deputy Principal Investigator of the PRIN 2022 PNRR MINOSSE project and the University of Pavia coordinator for the INTERREG Italy\u2013Switzerland project WINCA4TI. He has also led multiple research contracts for the University of Pavia on environmental management of lakes and hydraulic risk with public institutions such as the Lombardy Region, the PO River District Authority, and ARPA Lombardia.<\/p>

His research interests focus on environmental hydraulics, limnology, and ecohydrology, both through numerical modeling and field-based observational studies.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Water Research Institute\u00a0(CNR-IRSA)<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Rosa Zullo is a researcher at the National Research Council, Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA). She holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and a PhD in Materials Engineering. Her research focuses on biodegradable and sustainable polymers, including their formulation, processing, and characterization. She also works on plastic pollution in the environment, with particular emphasis on the study and monitoring of micro- and macroplastic pollution in both freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Silvia Galafassi holds a degree in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology and a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is a researcher at the Water Research Institute of the National Research Council (CNR-IRSA). Her research focuses on the monitoring of microplastics in aquatic environments, the development of strategies for the recovery and valorization of plastic materials, and the assessment of the ecological effects of plastic degradation products, with particular attention to freshwater ecosystems.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/details>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Objectives<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The main objectives of the project are:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

O1)<\/strong> Develop 1D and 2D numerical modeling tools to simulate the transport of plastics in rivers, accounting for the main physical properties of plastic debris (size, density, and shape) that influence resuspension, transport, and deposition processes;<\/p>

O2)<\/strong> Identify and implement models capable of assessing the effects of coastal meteorological and marine forcings on plastic dynamics;<\/p>

O3)<\/strong> Understand and model the transport processes of plastic pollutants, using laboratory data for the initial application and validation of the developed numerical models;<\/p>

O4)<\/strong> Develop a database for storing both existing and newly acquired strategic data on the sources, transport, distribution, and degradation of plastics in river\u2013coastal basins, including data from citizen science initiatives and field monitoring campaigns;<\/p>

O5)<\/strong> Validate the developed numerical models through comparison with field data;<\/p>

O6)<\/strong> Disseminate the project results through scientific communication and outreach activities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Conducted Research<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The MINOSSE project focuses on studying the transport, accumulation, and fate of plastics (micro- and macroplastics) in riverine and coastal systems. The research integrates advanced numerical modeling, laboratory experiments, field monitoring, and citizen science, aiming to fill current gaps in the understanding of the physical processes governing the dynamics of plastic waste in aquatic environments.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Numerical Modeling<\/strong><\/p>

The research involved the development and application of 1D, 2D, and 3D numerical models capable of simulating the transport of plastics in rivers and coastal areas.
In riverine systems, the following were used:<\/p>