1,721,029 research outputs found
Identification of present-day and historical sources of mercury in a complex industrial area
No full textMercury levels were measured in soils and earthworms on behalf of a long-term
surveillance program of the emissions from the industrial area of Scarlino
(Southern Tuscany, Central Italy), where a municipal solid waste incinerator and
two main chemical plants are currently operating. The study aimed at establishing
preliminary soil data to be used as baseline for long-term monitoring of mercury
contamination of soil and soil biota and to assess eventual contribution of the
industrial emissions. Overall total mercury concentration of superficial soils (0-5
cm), collected from 44 sampling sites randomly selected within a circular area up to
1.5 km from the center of the industrial area, was in average 0.29 ± 0.27 μg g-1
. This
value, which remains well below the screening values (1 μg g-1
) for contaminated
soils set by the Italian regulatory framework for residential areas, is approximately
4-5 times higher than the European topsoil baseline (FOREGS) for mercury and
highlights a general enrichment of the metal in the area. This is mainly attributable
to widespread geochemical anomalies characterizing the Southern Tuscany and to
the historical mineral processing and smelting activities that have been carried out
in the Scarlino area until the mid-90s. The highest mercury concentrations were
found in soils from sampling sites in direct proximity of industrial/artisanal
activities, where concentrations up to 1.59 μg g-1 were reached. Average mercury
concentrations (0.25 ± 0.10 μg g-1
) from agricultural and grazing land soils were
also noticeable, although earthworms from the same sites did not show a significant
bioaccumulation of the metal (0.11 ± 0.09 μg g-1
). The generally elevated
concentrations and the high variability (overall coefficient of variation = 93%) of
mercury soil data from the Scarlino area are questioning the possibility to isolate the
influence of a single source of contamination in an environment with a long
industrialization history. This is currently prompting further research supported by
techniques for monitoring atmospheric depositions (i.e. biomonitoring, passive
sampling) to improve estimation of mercury contamination arising from different
possible sources in the Scarlino are
Valutazione delle concentrazioni di elementi in tracce in esemplari di Stenella coeruleoalba spiaggiati nei settori tirrenico e balearico del Mare Mediterraneo
No full textElementi in tracce in esemplari di Stenella coeruleoalba spiaggiati sulle coste del Mediterraneo
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Rilevazione strumentale e mediante biomonitors della contaminazione da elementi in tracce negli ambienti urbani
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The holm oak canopy as interceptor of airborne contaminants and the environmental fate of major and trace elements in an urban ecosystem
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