Shortly after receiving the prestigious Humboldt Research Award, Professor Alberto Guadagnini, an expert in hydrogeology and Vice Rector for Research at the Politecnico di Milano, visited TU Hamburg (TUHH). As part of the award, he is collaborating with Professor Nima Shokri, head of the Institute of Geo-Hydroinformatics at TUHH, on new stochastic and process-based methods for predicting groundwater quality, soil salinization, and reactive transport processes in complex underground systems.
In the course of this collaboration, Prof. Guadagnini gave a lecture on the “Complexity of Mineral Dissolution at Water-Rock Interfaces.” He explained how minerals dissolve unevenly when in contact with water – a process of great significance for landscapes, groundwater, and the handling of pollutants. Using the example of the mineral calcite and the pollutant cadmium, he demonstrated that dissolved metals influence the dissolution process by blocking particularly active areas and altering the surface. “Modern nanoscopic imaging combined with probabilistic models provides new insights and enables more accurate predictions,” Guadagnini said.
The scientist emphasized that understanding these nanoscale processes can help improve models for water-rock interactions, pollutant transport, and geochemical developments. This could have crucial implications for environmental and resource protection as well as for the understanding of long-term Earth processes. His research has significantly advanced the quantitative understanding of groundwater flows, pollutant transport, and geochemical processes in complex natural systems. The theoretical and computer-based methods developed are now used worldwide in environmental applications.
A Helpful View into the Smallest Structures
“Understanding these nanoscale processes can help develop more accurate models for water-rock interactions, pollutant transport, and geochemical changes. This is important for environmental protection, resource use, and understanding long-term changes in the Earth's crust,” emphasized Alberto Guadagnini.
What began a year ago with a memorandum of understanding between TU Hamburg and the Politecnico di Milano has since evolved into concrete collaborations, new contacts, and promising ideas for joint projects. This is an impressive example of how European partnerships create opportunities for impactful research. The Politecnico di Milano has meanwhile become a significant partner. Numerous researchers are already closely networked with colleagues at the Politecnico di Milano and successfully working on joint projects. Most recently, this took place within the framework of a larger online workshop featuring six parallel sessions with about 40 participants in total—including both Vice Presidents for Research, the President of TU Hamburg, and Prof. Guadagnini.
Founded in 1863, the Politecnico di Milano is considered one of Europe’s leading technical universities, with 17 departments and approximately 43,000 students. The motto of the Politecnico di Milano corresponds to TU Hamburg’s guiding principle: Technology for Humanity.
