Butterflies as bioindicators of metal contamination.

Anthropogenic trace metal contamination has significantly increased and has caused many hazardous consequences for the ecosystems and human health. The Terni basin valley (Central Italy) shows a heavy load of pollutants from industrial activities, while the characteristic orography structure of the valley favours air stagnation, thus limiting air pollution dispersal. The present study conducted in 2014 aimed to determine the concentration of ten metals in five species of butterflies at nine sites in the Terni valley along a 21-km-long transect, including both relatively pristine and industrial areas.

Long-range transport and deposition on the Arctic snowpack of nuclear contaminated particulate matter.

The primary environmental concern related to nuclear power is the production of radioactive waste hazardous to humans and the environment. The main scientific and technological problems to address this are related to the storage and disposal of the nuclear waste and monitoring the dispersion of radioactive species into the environment. In this work, we determined an anomalously high C activity, well above the modern natural background, on surface and seasonal snow sampled in early May 2019 on glaciers in the Hornsund fjord area (Svalbard).

Sources and trends of trace elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a shallow lake in the Mediterranean area from sediment archives of the Anthropocene.

In this study, the anthropogenic contamination in Trasimeno lake (Central Italy) was investigated using three sediment cores spanning over the last 150 years (Anthropocene) to identify the primary sources of pollution and quantify the level of contaminant enrichment in the basin. First, based on the relative cumulative frequency and linear regression methods, we obtained a geochemical baseline for the lake using the deeper parts of the sediment cores. The geochemical baseline allowed us to determine the values of trace elements enrichment factors.

Characterization of long-range transported bioaerosols in the Central Mediterranean.

Airborne bacteria were characterized over a 2-y period via high-throughput massive sequencing of 16S rRNA gene in aerosol samples collected at a background mountain European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) Network site (Monte Martano, Italy) located in the Central Mediterranean area. The air mass origin of nineteen samples was identified by air mass modelling and a detailed chemical analysis was performed. Four main origins (Saharan, North-western, North-eastern, and Regional) were identified, and distinct microbial communities were associated with these air masses.

Spatiotemporal correlation of urban pollutants by long-term measurements on a mobile observation platform.

We conducted a three-year campaign of atmospheric pollutant measurements exploiting portable instrumentation deployed on a mobile cabin of a public transport system. Size selected particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen monoxide (NO) were measured at high temporal and spatial resolution. The dataset was complemented with measurements of vehicular traffic counts and a comprehensive set of meteorological covariates.

Deposition processes over complex topographies: Experimental data meets atmospheric modeling.

The present paper describes the assessment of the atmospheric deposition processes in a basin valley through a multidisciplinary approach based on the data collected within an extensive physico-chemical characterization of the soils, combined with the local meteorology. Surface soil cores were collected on a NNW-SSE transect across the Terni basin (Central Italy), between the Monti Martani and the Monti Sabini chains (956 m a.s.

Evaluation of geochemical baselines and metal enrichment factor values through high ecological quality reference points: a novel methodological approach.

In this study, we propose a new approach to estimate geochemical local baselines and enrichment factor values for metals in riverine sediments. The goal is to describe catchment areas characterized by intensive and spread anthropogenic activities, for which it is challenging to identify undisturbed sites to utilize as reference. The case study is the Nestore river basin (Central Italy).

Airborne bacteria and persistent organic pollutants associated with an intense Saharan dust event in the Central Mediterranean.

In this paper, we present a comprehensive taxonomic survey of the bacterial community and accurate quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with an intense Saharan dust advection, which impacted Central Mediterranean area in the whole 2014-2015 period. This work is part of an intensive field campaign at the EMEP regional background site of Monte Martano (Central Italy), considered well representative of long-range transport in the Central Mediterranean area. 22 samples have been characterized in their provenance region and have been considered for the chemical and biological characterization.

Functional exploratory data analysis for high-resolution measurements of urban particulate matter.

In this work we propose the use of functional data analysis (FDA) to deal with a very large dataset of atmospheric aerosol size distribution resolved in both space and time. Data come from a mobile measurement platform in the town of Perugia (Central Italy). An OPC (Optical Particle Counter) is integrated on a cabin of the Minimetrò, an urban transportation system, that moves along a monorail on a line transect of the town.

Exposure vs toxicity levels of airborne quartz, metal and carbon particles in cast iron foundries.

Aerosol dust samples and quartz raw materials from different working stations in foundry plants were characterized in order to assess the health risk in this working environment. Samples were analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy coupled with image analysis and microanalysis, and by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. In addition, the concentration and the solubility degree of Fe and other metals of potential health effect (Mn, Zn and Pb) in the bulk samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).

Fungal colonization on stoneworks. Interaction fungi-powdered stone samples.

The microbial activity plays an important role in the biodegradative processes implied in stonework decay. In natural environments it is not possible to separate the damage produced by microorganisms from damage caused by physical and chemical agents. In vitro assays carried out with microbes isolated from weathered stones are required in order to understand the biological mechanisms involved in stone deterioration.