The platform provides technological tools for assessing and promoting the aquatic ecosystems sustainability. By applying advanced analytical techniques the platform characterizes freshwaters environments (lakes, rivers) from the chemical, physical and biological points of view. High quality data are then used for scientific purposes and for planning recovery strategies of impacted water bodies.

The Hydrochemistry platform activities are:

• Hydrochemistry: determination of pH, conductivity, alkalinity, major anions and cations (chloride, sulphate, fluoride, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium), nitrogen content (total, inorganic, nitric, nitrous, ammonia), phosphorous content (total, soluble reactive), silica content, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, suspended matter.
• Toxicological chemistry: determination of cyanobacterial toxins (microcystins, nodularins, cylindrospermopsins, anatoxin-a) in water and aquatic organisms (phytoplankton, zooplankton, fishes) by LC-MS technology.
• Hydrobiology: phytoplankton microscopic identification and counting, chlorophyll determination.
• In the field operations: “in lake” collection of physical, chemical, biological and climatic parameters through portable instruments and/or permanent monitoring stations.