74 research outputs found
HYDROGEOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND ANALYTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE VENETIAN AQUIFER SYSTEM. IMPLEMENTATIONS OF SAFETY MEASURES FOR THE VENICE LAGOON AREA
No full textIn the study area (Venetian hinterland, Porto Marghera) there is an average of a few hundred artesian wells (80-350 m in depth) drilled between 1910-1970 and later abandoned. These wells represent a means through which the artesian waters rise; therefore a dispersion process takes place between the groundwaters in the Shallow Aquifer System (0-80 m) and those in the deep artesian aquifers (Artesian Aquifer System, 80-350 m below ground level), in which the hydraulic head has steadily risen for the last 40 years. In this instance the shallow aquifers (about 0-30 m) could be subjected to a recharge through the abandoned wells. This recharge effect adds itself to a hydro-geological system greatly influenced by anthropic activities, such as: safety measures by means of a drainage system made up of many pumping stations which guard both the phreatic level in wide-spread areas and the hydraulic head; diaphragm walls in the whole area of Porto Marghera both near the lagoon border and the inland. The diaphragm wall goes down to 15-20 m in depth.
These diaphragm walls should remove the superfluous groundwaters that – by passing through highly polluted lands – must necessarily be dealt with and treated in suitable plants.
The spontaneous rise of the groundwaters through abandoned wells due to the increase of the hydraulic head in the deep aquifers has not been studied in depth from a scientific point of view.
The analytical and numerical models available in scientific literature mainly deal with the definition of a system made up of abandoned deep wells, through which fluids may run because of the injection of fluid waste or carbon dioxide through injection wells.
Starting from the analytical solutions suggested by different authors new ones have been achieved which may be more effectively adapted to the unusual problems occurred in defining the vertical flow through abandoned wells.
The use of these solutions requires the analysis of a series of hydrogeological parameters. The most important is the geometrical reconstruction of the aquifers involved. An updated hydro-geological model of the whole study area is necessary. As there is no data on explorations at such depths, an updated hydrostratigraphic reconstruction has been developed of the only core drilling on which there is a lot of information: the Ve-1 drilled at 951 m in 1971. The reference hydrostratigraphic sequence required an analysis of the earliest scientific publications on Ve-1 on a sedimen-tological, palynological and magnetostratigraphic level.
The data from the stratigraphies of some wells built through full drilling has been used in a new software package completed in this paper (modalstrata). Modalstrata allows the establishment of a mean stratigraphy from a series of reference verticals in a certain area. In the areas in which there is not much stratigraphic data, the geophysical method of passive seismic was used which allows the identification of lateral continuity in the main reflectors.
This hydrostratigraphic model is confirmed by the comparison of a first hydrostratigraphic series developed for Ve-1.
Therefore the updated hydrostratigraphic model of the study area allowed the definition of the geometries included in the analytical solutions in order to identify the leakage rates in the spe-cific instance a sufficient number of hydrogeological parameters are known.
The GIS environment manages a great amount of data and information. The use of GIS means also allows the development of further geostatistical assessments.Nell’area di studio (hinterland veneziano, Porto Marghera) si segnala la presenza di alcune centinaia di pozzi artesiani (80-350 m di profondità) realizzati nel periodo 1910-1970, successiva-mente dismessi. Tali pozzi rappresentano un possibile passaggio di risalita delle acque artesiane; processo, può innescarsi pertanto un di miscelazione tra le acque sotterranee del Sistema Acquifero Superficiale (0-80 m) con quelle contenute negli acquiferi artesiani profondi (Sistema Acquifero Artesiano, 80-350 m dal piano campagna) dove il potenziale piezometrico è in continua crescita da almeno 40 anni. In tal caso gli acquiferi prossimi al piano campagna (ca 0-30 m) potrebbero essere soggetti alla ricarica attraverso questi pozzi abbandonati. Tale effetto di ricarica va ad aggiungersi ad un sistema idrogeologico fortemente condizionato dalle attività antropiche, quali: il drenaggio prodotto dal sistema di bonifiche costituito da numerose idrovore che mantengono su vaste aree il livello freatico e piezometrico al di sotto del piano campagna; la conterminazione dell’intera area di Porto Marghera, sia in corrispondenza della gronda lagunare, sia nelle aree interne (retromargina-mento). Il marginamento si spinge fino a 15-20 m di profondità.
Tale conterminazione prevede l’allontanamento delle acque sotterranee in surplus, che - attraversando terreni caratterizzati da un forte livello di contaminazione - devono necessariamente essere allontanate e trattate per un opportuno stoccaggio.
La risalita spontanea di flussi di acque sotterranee attraverso pozzi abbandonati a causa di un incremento del potenziale piezometrico negli acquiferi profondi, dal punto di vista scientifico è un argomento poco investigato.
I modelli analitici e numerici disponibili nella letteratura scientifica sono rivolti soprattutto alla definizione di un sistema composto da pozzi profondi dismessi, attraverso si possono avere flussi causati dall’iniezione di rifiuti fluidi o anidride carbonica attraverso da pozzi di re-immissione.
L’applicazione di tali soluzioni richiede la conoscenza di una serie di parametri idrogeologici. Il più importante di questi è la ricostruzione geometrica degli acquiferi coinvolti. Un modello idrogeologico aggiornato dell’intera area di studio risulta essere necessario. Poiché mancano dati di indagini dirette alle profondità di interesse, è stata effettuata una aggiornata ricostruzione idrostrati-grafica dell’unico carotaggio continuo del quale si hanno numerose informazioni: il Ve-1 realizzato a 951 m nel 1971. La successione idrostratigrafica di riferimento ottenuta ha richiesto l’analisi delle più recenti pubblicazioni scientifiche relative al Ve-1 in ambito sedimentologico, palinologico, magnetostratigrafico.
I dati provenienti dalle stratigrafie derivate da alcuni pozzi realizzati a distruzione di nucleo sono stati utilizzati all’interno di un nuovo pacchetto software, sviluppato all’interno del presente studio (modalstrata). Modalstrata consente di ottenere una stratigrafia media da una serie di verticali d’indagine in una determinata area. Nelle aree dove la distribuzione di dati stratigrafici è carente, è stato utilizzato il metodo geofisico della sismica passiva che ha consentito di individuare la conti-nuità laterale di alcuni riflettori principali.
Il modello idrostratigrafico così ottenuto è stato validato attraverso il confronto con la successione idrostratigrafica precedentemente definita per il Ve-1.
This hydrostratigraphic model is confirmed by the comparison of a first hydrostratigraphic series developed for Ve-1.
Il modello idrostratigrafico aggiornato dell’area di studio ha così consentito la definizione delle geometrie da inserire all’interno delle soluzioni analitiche per la definizione delle portate di leakage ad un caso specifico, del quale si dispone di un sufficiente numero di parametri idrogeologici.
Un ambiente GIS gestisce un elevato numero di dati ed informazioni. Il ricorso all’uso di applicativi GIS, permette anche lo sviluppo di ulteriori valutazioni geostatistiche e decisionali
A new hydrostratigraphic model of Venice area (Italy)
No full textTwo environmental problems affect the Venice
area: subsidence, which has been increasing due to the
intensive water abstraction after the Second World War,
and contamination of the soil and shallow aquifers. In order
to address these problems, which are decisive factors in the
entire Venetian ecosystem, the aquifer structure must be
known in detail. The lithologic data are abundant and of
good quality up to a depth of 50 m, whereas boreholes
beyond this depth are much rarer and more dispersed,
making their associated lithological data unreliable. This
work, which uses the available data together with fast and
low cost passive seismic measurements, provides an
improved understanding of the deeper hydrogeologic
domain. For this purpose, a MATLAB package (Modalstrata)
has been developed to improve the correlation of the
stratigraphic succession for each selected homogeneous
sub-area and applied to obtain a new, upgraded hydrostratigraphic
model. The horizontal to vertical spectral ratio
passive seismic surveys have confirmed the lateral correlations
among the sample areas at least for the two main
aquifer horizons. Analysis and comparisons of several
previous studies performed on the data related to the only
drilling continuous coring 951 m deep in the Tronchetto
Island (Venice), have allowed a satisfactory validation of
the proposed hydrogeological model
Laboratory thermal conductivity measurements on gravel sample
No full textModern Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) systems must be designed by taking into account the ground thermal properties, in order to properly plan the capability of the heat pumps to transfer calories through the Ground Source Heat Exchangers (GSHE) to the subsoil (and vice versa). As a result, in order to properly plan the best fitting Heating, Ventilation
and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, designers need to couple the energy building loads requirements to the ground thermal properties. Usually, some available information about the geological stratigraphy around the GSHE and soils’ thermal properties bibliography data could provide the preliminary estimation of the main parameters to proper design the GSHP with the related GSHE. On the other hands, alluvial plains and valley floors usually host most of the urban areas and anthropic activities such as cities, commercial districts and industrial region. As a result, for HVAC applications, thermal properties of alluvial materials should be studied more in detail since they have quite a considerable impact on the HVAC efficiency. Gravel thermal properties have been detected by the means of a guarded hot plate Taurus Instruments TLP 800, where some changes in the setup have been made in order
to finalize the thermal measurements
An Immersive Virtual Reality Training Environment for CBRN Procedures
No full textFirst responders are exposed to numerous hazards and must be well prepared to act under dangerous conditions. This is especially true for operators working in the domain of CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear), who need high-quality training to avoid fatal errors and ensure the success of operations. However, CBRN practice sessions can reproduce only approximated, low-fidelity versions of real scenarios, whereas highly detailed simulations should be preferred. To address this issue, we developed a prototype of an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) training platform in cooperation with CBRN experts from the Italian Air Force. The devised platform is an improved version of an existing tool and offers a digital training ground where operators can learn CBRN procedures and test their abilities in a realistic virtual environment without facing the risks normally associated with real hazardous scenarios
Identification of Chlamydophila pneumoniae heat shock protein 60 on atherosclerotic carotid plaque by RT-PCR
No full textClinical Microbiology & Infection
Pathogenesis of intracellular bacterial infections
(n. P1737
Identification of metabolically active Chlamydia pneumoniae in symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
No full textObjective: Recent reports suggest a causative role of Chlamydophila pneumoniae (CP) in the development of atherosclerosis and its complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of metabolically active C. pneumoniae in human carotid artery plaques retrieved at surgery, by means of tissue culture and PCR and RT-PCR.
Methods: Carotid endarterectomy (CE) specimens were obtained at time of surgery from ten patients (six males, four females; mean age: 74 years; five symptomatic) with hemodynamically significant carotid artery stenosis. Under aseptic conditions each CE specimen was divided and cut into three parts, namely: a proximal part(the common carotid artery at the upstream end, that appeared to contain diffuse atherosclerosis or fatty streaks, as well as plaque free segments), a medial part (the carotid bulb, containing raised plaque), and a distal part (the internal carotid artery, at the downstream end, i.e. above the raised plaque). The pieces obtained were immediately homogenized by freezing at -80 °C and grinding with a scalpel. DNA and total RNA extraction from homogenate aliquots was performed. C. pneumoniae 16S rRNA (coding for the small subunit of bacterial ribosomes), MOMP (major outer membrane protein) and Hsp 60 (60 kDa heat shock protein) geneexpression was investigated by means of PCR and RT-PCR.
Results: Detection of C. pneumoniae Hsp-60 and 16s rRNA gene expression was positive in only two samples, corresponding to the proximal part of CE specimens retrieved at surgery from two patients with recent symptoms of cerebral ischemia (<8 weeks before surgical intervention). Interestingly PCR and RT-PCR analysis of the specimens of other three patients with a previous, but not recent history of cerebral ischemia, resulted negative. Analysis of C. pneumoniae MOMP gene expression was negative in all samples, regardless of severity and onset of symptomaticity.
Conclusions: DNA and RNA amplification from different portions of carotid atherosclerotic plaques proved to be a useful tool to investigate C. pneumoniaelocalization and metabolic activity within carotid atheromatous tissue. The evidence of the gene expression of C. pneumoniae Hsp60 and 16-s rRNA only in the C.E. specimen of two patients with recent ischemic symptoms (i.e. "retinal arteryembolism" and transient hemiparesis) may suggest an implication of metabolically active C. pneumoniae in unstabilization of carotid atheromatous plaque
Symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic plaques in surgical patients: evalutation of a possibile link with Chlamydia pneumoniae.
No full textHigh expression of HSP-60 of CHLAMYDOPHILA PNEUMONIAE in atheromatous lesions taken from patients with severe diseases.
No full textSome difficult microorganisms, including Chlamydophila pneumoniae, are associated with the atherosclerotic tissue damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the employment of culture together molecular techniques in order to define the possible role of C. pneumoniae in the atherosclerotic tissue damage. Atheromatous carotid plaques (ACP) were obtained by endoarterectomies from 10 patients with severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery. Each specimen was divided in three parts: a proximal tract to heart, without stenosis, a medial tract, corresponding to the atheromatous plaque, and a distal tract, above the plaque. Aliquots were employed to perform cultures for C. pneumoniae on Hep - 2 cell line in DMEM. DNA and total RNA were extracted from 50-70 mg. of tissue sample and from Hep - 2 106 cultures to investigate 16S rRNA, momp and hsp60 genes. The PCR and RT-PCR resulted negative for momp gene of C. pneumoniae in all samples. PCR and RT-PCR resulted positive for 16S rRNA or hsp60 genes of C. pneumoniae in the proximal portion of two ACPs with hemorrhagic evolution in two patients, one of which complicated with a retinal tromboembolic outcome. Molecular analyses on C. pneumoniae growing from the cultures are in progress. The DNA and RNA amplification of different portions from ACP seems to be useful to evidence the effective localization of C. pneumoniae in the atheromatous arterial tissue. The highly gene expression of C. pneumoniae hsp60 in a patient with acute hemorrhagic evolution of the carotid plaque may suggest that C. pneumoniae might partecipate in the atherogenesis and induce atherosclerosis complications by inflammatory pathways (activation of cytokines, endothelial factors and matrix-degrading metalloproteinases)
Revision of hydrothermal constraints for the installation of closed-loop shallow geothermal systems through underground investigation, monitoring and modeling
No full textThe hydrothermal area of Ponte Arche (Italian Alps) hosts favorable geothermal conditions and presence of thermal water, which is used for therapeutic purposes. Political constraints are in force, since the district is classified as “potentially subject to geothermal manifestations”. The Government of the Province of Trento exceptionally approved a pilot shallow geothermal closed-loop system: underground investigations and high spatial-temporal resolution monitoring were performed in order to assess the absence of thermal interference between the installed borefield and the neighboring hydrothermal wells. Acquired thermo-geological and energetic information were conveyed into a numerical model devoted to predict the long-term thermal behavior of the system, detecting the potential arise of thermal interference towards hydrothermal wells. Before the long-term analysis (50 years), the numerical model was doubly validated against both short-term and medium-term response. The simulation of the long-term real-case scenario shows that the thermal plume developed by the system is limited to a diameter of 74 m, while for a long-term heating-only scenario it is limited to a maximum diameter of 96 m. Long-term results for both real and heating-only scenario show that under no circumstances the experimental closed-loop system would interfere with the neighboring hydrothermal wells distant 610, 1350 and 1450 m
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