1,721,042 research outputs found
Mapping Co–Cr–Cu and Fe Occurrence in a Legacy Mining Waste Using Geochemistry and Satellite Imagery Analyses
Full text linkAbandoned mining wastes are both an environmental challenge and a possible secondary raw material source. The characterization and monitoring of these sites are often expensive and cumbersome because of the need of repeated field surveys. Remote sensing data are a cost-effective alternative that helps in producing multiscale maps of mining wastes. These maps can be used to investigate and monitor the spatial patterns of different elements within the mining wastes. In this work, Sentinel-2 images are combined with the geochemical samples in order to map the distribution of iron, copper, chromium, and cobalt. The target area was the Vigonzano mining wastes in Northern Apennines (Italy) where there are a small number of geochemical analyses but a large amount of satellite image data. We used the multivariate geostatistical estimation method (Co-Kriging) that exploit the meaningful spatial correlation between the elements of interest and band ratios (obtained from Sentinel-2 images). The concentration maps highlighted subareas for Cu and Cr with an estimated grade of about 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. In addition, the critical element Co showed an enrichment in the south-east part of the mining wastes, in a similar pattern as Cr. Instead, the obtained maps show Ce, La, Rb, and Nb depletion compared to the surrounding agricultural areas. The concentration maps were intended as a prefeasibility study to determine enriched areas for further detailed investigation
sj-xlsx-1-hol-10.1177_09596836231200435 – Supplemental material for Paleoecological reconstruction during the Holocene in the Middle Branch of Bue Marino Cave (Sardinia, Italy)
No full textSupplemental material, sj-xlsx-1-hol-10.1177_09596836231200435 for Paleoecological reconstruction during the Holocene in the Middle Branch of Bue Marino Cave (Sardinia, Italy) by Elena Romano, Daniele Sechi, Stefano Andreucci, Luisa Bergamin, Andrea D’Ambrosi, Chiara De Santis, Letizia Di Bella, Enrico Dinelli, Virgilio Frezza, Vincenzo Pascucci, Giancarlo Pierfranceschi and Claudio Provenzani in The Holocene</p
Physiological Responses of Marine Animals Towards Adaptation to Climate ChangesThe Mediterranean Sea
No full textAccording to climatic models, the Mediterranean basin will be one of the regions most affected by the ongoing warming trend and increase in extreme events. The Mediterranean is already one of the most impacted seas in the world, where climate change interacts with many other stressors. Coastal lagoons, in particular, represent critical areas for their importance in terms of land use, economic importance and anthropogenic pressure, and are the main objects of our analysis. A concept emerged in recent studies on climate changes, suggesting that the only environmental signals that matter to an organism are those that the organism experiences. Thus, animal responses may be very different from those expected at a large-scale, and the impacts of climate change can be different according to a number of local/organismal conditions. This review is focused on the effects of climate change-driven factors on animal physiology, considering that physiology bridges the gap between mechanistic molecular understanding and the larger scale ecosystem responses. Indeed, adaptive responses to large-scale perturbations, such as climate change, affect all biological levels but they initially take place at the cellular and individual levels, and are then integrated and translated to upper levels of biological organization. The geochemical features that may influence animals responses are also addressed
Productivity-generated annual laminae in mid-Pliocene sapropels deposited during precessionally forced periods of warmer Mediterranean climate
No full textHydrofacies and metal contents in carbonate groundwaters from Southern Apennines, Italy.
No full textChapter 1: Selenium in the environment
No full textSelenium contamination of air, aquatic environments, soils and sediments is a serious environmental concern of increasing importance. Selenium has a paradoxical feature in bringing about health benefits under the prescribed level, but only a few fold increase in its concentration causes deleterious effects to flora and fauna, humans and the environment.
This book Environmental Technologies to Treat Selenium Pollution: Principles and Engineering:
presents the fundamentals of the biogeochemical selenium cycle and which imbalances in this cycle result in pollution.
overviews chemical and biological technologies for successful treatment of selenium contaminated water, air, soils and sediments.
explores the recovery of value-added products from selenium laden waste streams, including biofortication and selenium-based nanoparticles and quantum dots.
This book may serve both as an advanced textbook for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in environmental sciences, technology or engineering as well as as a handbook for tertiary educators, researchers, professionals and policy makers who conduct research and practices in selenium related fields. It is essential reading for consulting companies when dealing with selenium related environmental (bio)technologies
Geochemical atlas of agricultural and grazing land soil of Italy
No full textGeochemical Mapping of Agricultural Soils (GEMAS) is a cooperation project between the Geochemistry Expert Group of EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) and Eurometaux. The GEMAS project aim was to produce soil geochemical data at the continental-scale consistent with the EU regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals). All GEMAS project samples were analysed by variety of methods, including ICP-AES and ICP-MS following an aqua regia extraction, XRF and an MMI leach. The Italian Atlas contains colour surface maps displaying interpolated data and graduated dots, maps for regional variability of factor scores of elemental associations, and 15 baseline maps of selected elements following the Italian statutory intervention criteria. The maps in the Italian Geochemical Atlas show that the spatial distribution of chemical elements in the agricultural and grazing land soil is governed mostly by geogenic factors, even though the concentration levels of many of the investigated elements are well above the intervention limits set by the Italian environmental law (D.L. 152/2006). Regional-scale maps show that the element distribution patterns reflect the geochemistry of the major lithological units and structural lineaments, even using a very low sampling density grid of 1 sample site/2500 km2. Areas are easily detectable on the produced maps
Environmental relevance of solid by-products from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration assessed by combining magnetic and mineralogical analysis
No full textBottom (BA) and Fly Ashes (FA) from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) represent huge amounts of solid by-products that still pose environmental and health problems. Some routes for MSWI ashes management/reuse have been proposed (e.g., inertization, landfilling, reuse as filler, geopolymers), but not all of BA and FA hazardous components are fully understood. Precise identification of minerals from BA and FA is challenging due to several factors: high number of phases, MSWI combustion temperature, and variable chemical composition of feedstock materials. In addition, (trans)formation of magnetic iron oxides, which have been correlated with heavy metals pollution and the presence of toxic ultrafine superparamagnetic (SP) grains in a range of materials, occurs during incineration and quenching.
We have undertaken the study of BA and FA samples from Italian MSWI plants by combining magnetic and mineralogical analysis for probing mineralogy and the extent of SP grains. The BA and FA samples are characterized by narrow hysteresis curves and low coercivity (Bc, 7.2 – 14.1 mT), suggesting significant reversible component of magnetization. Also, the analysis of thermomagnetic properties shows that both BA and FA gain magnetization during cooling. The Low temperature remanent curves by Magnetic Properties Measurement System (MPMS) show magnetite-like shapes for most of samples, but the Vervey transition in FA samples is not clear probably due to the presence of oxidized/impure magnetite or unblocking of SP grains. Measurements of AC susceptibility by MPMS might support the fact of a significant contribution of SP grains in FA (FA show larger frequency dependence than BA). We performed XRD analysis on FA and BA samples, including different magnetic extracts of BA in order to shed some light on iron oxides phases. The main mineralogical phases found in BA are quartz, calcite-vaterite, melilite group minerals and plagioclase; FA contain Ca-aluminosilicates and more sulphates and chlorides with respect to the BA. Iron oxides such as wurstite, hematite, and the magnetic spinel-type iron oxides are noted both in BA and FA. The XRD pattern on BA magnetic extracts confirms that magnetite or impure spinel-type iron oxides (e.g., Mg-magnetite, Ti-magnetite, and maghemite) are in charge of their strong magnetic response. However, on the basis of previously obtained chemical analysis, the presence of impure magnetite containing Cr, Zn, Mn, and Cu cannot be ruled out neither in BA nor in FA. Rietveld refinement to assess the extent of minor metals substitution is ongoing. These preliminary observations emphasise the metastable nature of MSWI ashes and might lead to a better assessment of the environmental impact related to iron oxides
Sedimentological, geochemical and biogeochemical facies, and sediment provenance in Central and Southern Adriatic Sea.
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