We are a research group led by Prof. Massimo Coltorti (University of Ferrara, Italy) working on 360-degree sustainable agriculture.

Soil, water and atmosphere wellness are our pillars.

Our research focus on:
1.    Treatment methodologies for the removal and recycling of nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater produced by agricultural activities (livestock manure, digestates), implying both the adsorption properties of zeolites and the precipitation of struvite from the wastewater.
2.    Zeolites as soil amendment: Investigation of the nitrogen cycling in soil, the impact of zeolite minerals (both at the natural state or modified) on nitrogen cycling, relationships with soil microbial biomass and agricultural gas emissions.
3.    Applications of pulverised zeolites (both natural and enriched in beneficial microorganisms) as a foliar treatment for the control of parasitic diseases caused by insects, fungi and bacteria, to allow the reduction of chemical and copper-based pesticides.
4.    Zeolites applied for traceability of agri-food products.

Research topics

Wastewater Treatment

Livestock manure and derivate products (as digestates from biogas production) are valuable organic fertilizers, as they contain organic matter, nitrogen (mainly in the form of ammonium ion), phosphorous, potassium and other important micronutrients. However, incorrect management leads to severe environmental drawbacks, deteriorating the soil, water and atmosphere quality with the destruction of soil organic matter, eutrophication of water bodies, and greenhouse gas emissions. It is thus fundamental to find innovative solutions for mitigating nutrient losses after the application of livestock wastewater to the soil.
Our approach is to remove nitrogen and phosphorous, converting them into a slow-release form: the struvite. To do that, we use zeolites in the treatment process, thus reducing the costs and the application of external factors that may alter the quality of the treated wastewater.
By treating the wastewater we produce valuable and potentially slow-releasing fertilizers (struvite and nitrogen enriched zeolites), that allow more efficient uptake by plants (improved nitrogen use efficiency) and lower dispersion of nutrients in the surrounding environmental compartments, thus lowering the ecological, environmental and economic impacts. The materials produced are more easy to transport and manage than the “mother” wastes, and are usable for fertilization, greatly improving the retention time of nutrients in the soil and several other beneficial effects.

Our Patents:
•    MO2013A000190
•    MO2013A000354
•    PCT/IT2022/050075

Relevant Publications in Scientific Journals:
•    Ferretti, G., Galamini G., Medoro V., Coltorti M., Di Giuseppe D & Faccini B. (2020) Impact of Sequential Treatments with Natural and Na-Exchanged Chabazite Zeolite-Rich Tuff on Pig-Slurry Chemical Composition. Water 2020. Vol 12, issue 2. Pag. 310

•    Galamini, G., Ferretti, G., Medoro, V., Tescaro, N., Faccini, B., and Coltorti, M. Reduction of Nitrogen Load in a Zootechnical Wastewater Using a Natural Chabazite Zeolite: An Investigation on Sorption Mechanisms. Environ. Sci. Proc. 2020, 2(1), 42. Doi:10.3390/environsciproc2020002042

•    Galamini, G.; Ferretti, G.; Medoro, V.; Tescaro, N.; Faccini, B., and Coltorti, M. Isotherms, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics of NH4+ adsorption in Raw Liquid Manure by Using Natural Chabazite Zeolite-Rich Tuff. Water 2020, 12, 2944. Doi:10.3390/w12102944

Soil Fertility and nutrient cycling

The knowledge of the biotic and abiotic processes involved in the transformation of nutrients in agricultural soil systems is fundamental to us. We are interested in the dynamics that occur within the soil system, in particular, regarding the transformations and fluxes of nitrogen species and how these are affected by different land management and fertilization practices, particularly the use of different types of zeolitic tuffs as soil amendment, N-enriched zeolitic tuff by wastewater treatment, struvite fertilizers, different animal by-product wastewaters as manures or digestates and conventional and unsustainable fertilizers as urea.
To effectively assess the efficiency of innovative fertilization practices, and promote better management, the knowledge of the undergoing processes in the soil is essential. Starting from the dynamics of the essential elements in the soil (mainly nitrogen, but also phosphorous and carbon) we study alternative fertilization materials, trying to reduce the environmental impact of conventional agriculture that affect the atmosphere, with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and unbalance the ecosystems of soil and water bodies.
We also investigate the nutrient behaviour in the soil-plant system, e.g. in the framework of the ZeOliva project we’ve investigated with isotopic techniques the N absorbed by olive trees and the quality of olive oils. We’ve measured the allocation of nitrogen in maize crops under different fertilization management, the effects on the root system development and the effect of the zeolitic tuff to prevent drought stress.

Relevant Publications in Scientific Journals:
•    Medoro V., Ferretti G., Galamini G., Rotondi A., Morrone L., Faccini B. and Coltorti M. (2022) Reducing N fertilization in olive growing by the use of natural chabazite-zeolitite as soil improver. Land 2022. Issue 11. Doi:10.3390/land11091471

•    Ferretti, G., Galamini, G., Deltedesco, E., Gorfer, M., Fritz, J., Faccini, B., Mentler, A., Zechmeister-Boltenstern, S., Coltorti, M. and Keiblinger, K.M. Gross Ammonification and Nitrification Rates in Soil Amended with Natural and NH4-Enriched Chabazite Zeolite and Nitrification Inhibitor DMPP. Applied Sciences 2021, 11, 2605.

Foliar Treatment

The practice of foliar coating is used in agriculture for many reasons, from protection against sun damage, the defence against pathogenic attacks, biostimulation and nutrient supply. We have experience in using natural micronized zeolites for the protection of plants against insects. In the framework of the “ZeOliva” project, we have obtained good results for the control of the olive fly (Batrocera oleae), which is one of the most terrible pests for olive cultivation in the Mediterranean region.
In the “LIFE Microfighter” Project we will test zeolite powder coating treatment in association with active microorganisms (microbial biocontrol agents, mBCA) to contrast some of the most damaging diseases in grapevine, olive groves and tomato crops (downy mildew, bacterial speck and bacterial spot in tomato crop, olive knot and Peackok eye) in Italy, Croatia and Spain. The project aims to the reduction of the application of copper for pest control via its partial substitution with the “ZeoBiopesticide”.

Food Traceability

In the last decade, the development of new methodologies for the identification of the Geographical Origin of Agri-Food products is needed. Food traceability is the key to assuring sustainability in production methods and guaranteeing food quality, avoiding fraud and obtaining quality certifications. Indeed the geochemical and isotopic composition in plants and final products strongly depend on the pedologic, geologic, climatic and agronomic features. Our research is focused on all stages of production in olive growing and grapevine, analyzing soil, leaf and final product, to identify specific chemical and isotopic markers that may identify the specific crop and origin.