Head of Laboratory – PhD in Agronomy, Soil bioremediation technologies for soils polluted with organic compounds – Senior Scientific Researcher, Grade I

Dr. Anca-Rovena LĂCĂTUȘU

Email: anca.lacatusu@icpa.ro
Phone: 021.318.43.49, ext. 163

1. Biodiversity, soil, and ecosystem services
   • Assessing the role of biodiversity as the foundation of ecosystem services;
   • Assessing biodiversity in Romania;
   • Integrating ecosystems and biodiversity into societal decision-making by considering ecosystem services as the link between biodiversity, ecosystems, species, services, and human well-being;
   • Providing data for model-based assessment of ecosystem and biodiversity adaptation to climate change and other drivers of biodiversity loss;
   • Developing smart tools to quantify soil microbiota biodiversity as a provider of ecosystem services, to safeguard the natural soil resource in the context of climate change.
2. Sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems
   • Assessing soil quality and establishing measures for its protection, improvement, and conservation;
   • Providing the scientific basis for integrating monitoring systems for soil, groundwater, biological diversity, and air at national, regional, and local levels to address complex environmental issues;
   • Research on the valorization of organic waste with long-term persistence in the environment;
   • Assessing the impact of biotechnologies on soil microbial diversity under experimental conditions;
   • Research on the use of non-conventional resources of plant biomass to obtain feed for poultry farming;
   • Development of biotechnologies for pathogen control of soil origin using edaphic microorganisms;
   • Optimizing plant growth in protected areas and in the field by influencing processes mediated by microorganisms;
   • Research on plant immunization against phytopathogenic agents using fungal elicitors;
   • Monitoring the behavior of fungal microflora in soils within organic farming systems and in soils polluted with heavy metals or sludge and wastewater subjected to rehabilitation technologies.
3. Remediation of contaminated soils
   • Ecological rehabilitation / restoration of soils contaminated with potentially polluting inorganic and/or organic compounds through various methods, including biological and microbiological ones;
   • Improving the bioremediation biotechnology of soils polluted with crude oil and petroleum products; research on the use of environmentally friendly, biodegradable products to increase the efficiency of bioremediation;
   • Production of bioinoculants for bioremediation of soils polluted with petroleum hydrocarbons.

What We Offer

• Conducting soil microbiology analyses;

• Impact assessment studies for contaminated sites;

• Collection and centralization of soil- and land-specific data from the field;

• Production of one-off items and small series (biopreparations used in the decontamination of soils polluted with crude oil and petroleum products);

• Development of bioremediation technologies for soils/sites contaminated with organic compounds;

• Specialized consultancy and support;

• Transfer of bioremediation technologies to private economic operators in the field of environmental protection;

• Microbiological safety cabinet, SafeFAST CLASSIC 212 model, FASTER;
• Optical microscope with video interface, QuickPHOTO MICRO 2.3, CX31 model, OLYMPUS Corporation;
• Refrigerated incubator, MIR 253 model, SANYO Gallenkamp;
• Drying oven MOV-112, SANYO;
• Autoclave AES 75, RAYPA;
• Gallenkamp drying oven, OHF097.XX2.5 model;
• Sample refrigerator;
• Orbital shaker, ROTAMAX 120 model, HEIDOLPH;
• Bactericidal lamp 15 W, BIOCOMB;
• Venticell drying oven 111 L, BMT;
• pH meter, Consort C561 model;
• Optical microscope MC5 A;
• Drying oven 50, ITM;
• Mechanical shaker, ITM;
• Centrifuge T24, Jometyki;
• BIO-PRINT 3026 imaging system, Vibber Lourmet;
• Magnetic stirrer MC50U type, OVAN;
• Orbital shaker OL30-M type, OVAN;
• Refrigerated display cabinet, WHIRLPOOL;
• Vacuum pump, BIOBASE;
• Magnetic stirrer, IKA;

Services Provided by the Laboratory