Dr. Federica Tamburini

ETH, Group of Plant Nutrition, D-USYS, Eschikon, Lindau
  • I have always been fascinated by landscapes and this is the reason why I wanted to study geology over math or economics. I got a Geology degree at
    the University of Urbino, then I continued my education at the ETH in Zurich, where I moved to the marine realm, studying foraminifers.
    Always in Switzerland but in Neuchâtel, I got my PhD on marine geochemistry, more precisely phosphorus in marine sediments with the late Prof Karl Föllmi. Those were intense years, getting familiar with wet chemistry, learning new techniques, and participating to an ODP cruise (Ocean drilling Program Leg 184) in the South China Sea. Incredible memories, especially of the people I met and of those supervising me.
    My next steps brought me first to Woods Hole (WHOI) for a SNF-funded Post-Doc and then back to ETH Zurich, at D-GEOL. Since 2008, I am part of the Group of Plant Nutrition (D-USYS). I shifted from the sea to the terrestrial ecosystem, always focusing on phosphorus, but with a new perspective : looking at the stable isotopes of oxygen bound to P in phosphate to better understand P cycling. Beside continuing my own research, I now supervise young scientists, I teach, and I am in charge of the stable isotope facility, running the IRMS of the group for internal and external users.
    Since October 2022, I am PI of an SNF project on microbial phosphate metabolism, together with colleagues from the ETH, Eawag, FGCZ and University of Bern.



  • Analytical methods, approaches, tools

    * OpenBis
    * Purification of phosphate for oxygen isotopes in phosphate anylsis; IRMS.
    * Phosphorus SEDEX and SPEM-SEDEX extraction methods.
    * Colorimetric methods for phosphate and iron.
    * Low pressure chromatography; Akta Prime