SINERGIA

SINERGIA is a  project funded by INAIL (Istituto Nazionale per l’Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro – the Italian institute for worker health and safety). The project will be realized by the University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB) in collaboration with the University of Perugia (UNIPG).

The fundamental aim of the SINERGIA project is to expand our knowledge on structural and functional diversity of phyllosphere and airborne microbes in urban areas and to demonstrate the biotechnological potentiality of the atmo/phyllospheric microbiome. Our long term objectives are to estimate and, possibly, to enhance the biodegradation potential of microrganisms on the atmospheric particulate matter and at leaf surface to reduce air pollution.

Main activities:

• Microbial Characterization of functional/structural diversity of phyllosphere and air microbes

• Chemical characterization of atmospheric particulate matter and phyllosphere

• Creation of a collection of bacterial strains isolated from leaf surfaces and air able to degrade the target pollutants

Air and phyllosphere sampling will be performed in Milan (Lombardy) and Terni (Umbria). Two different urban parks have been selected as sampling areas. The sampling campaign will be performed in winter, spring and summer. The plant species selected are both evergreen and deciduous:  Cedar, Magnolia and Holm Oak in winter, and Linden and Platanus in the vegetative season. The first sampling campaign started on January 2016.