Venezia 2021

The Venezia 2021 project is an ambitious scientific research program, coordinated by CORILA, that aims to understand the implications of its regulation on the functioning of the Venice lagoon, following the construction and operation of the MOSE system against high tides. The goal of the program is to provide decision makers with scientific knowledge to protect the natural ecological functioning of the lagoon while safeguarding the benefits to society (ecosystem services).

The involvement of the Limnology and Environmental Geology research group in this project focuses on potential changes in mercury methylation rates in the sediments and the release of metal contaminants into the lagoon waters. Temporary closure of the lagoon may induce water stagnation leading to anoxic conditions, favorable to the activity of anaerobic bacteria known to methylate mercury.

• Funding : CORILA, Venezia
• 2019-2021
• UNIGE Principal Investigators : Jean-Luc Loizeau
• Collaboration: ISMAR Venezia -CNR (R. Zonta, J. Dominik), Uni Reims (C. Cosio), ICM Barcelona (A. Garcia Bravo)