Intership by: Mélida Melania Amores Mena, Environment and Development Department

Mélida did her internship in the Agriculture and Environment Department of Udine University in Italy.  Several topics related to research of agriculture and the environment are done at the Soils Department Laboratory, including natural soil fertility, its use and handling, as well as environmental problems which affect its fertility.

Specialized technicians trained and explained to Mélida step-by-step the different analysis and uses of equipment, thereby expanding her knowledge. She also worked analyzing soil samples collected near Udine, and examined their texture using the Bouyocus method, water retention capacity, and evaluation of the microbial soil activity for which she used equipment such as TOC.  TOC measures the quantity of total organic carbon (“TOC”) in liquid and solid samples. Also determined total carbon (“TC”), dissolved organic carbon (“DOC”) and nitrogen, phosphorus and organic carbon (“NPOC”)