Ambient air quality and drug aftermaths of the Notte Bianca (White Night) holidays in Rome.

The environmental impact of Notte Bianca (White Night) holidays held during September 2007 in Rome, Italy, was investigated by measuring aerial concentrations of several genotoxic, psychotropic or source-dependent organic pollutants. Chemical characterization of airborne particulates collected concurrently at Montelibretti RM (semi-rural locality lying approximately 30 km NE of Rome centre) was used as a reference. n-Alkanes, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nitrogen/oxygen-containing polyaromatic compounds (PAC) did not seem to undergo important enhancements during the holiday celebration, whilst recreational drugs peaked downtown (87 vs 41 pg m(-3), on the average, of cocaine, and 5.

Simultaneous determination of formic acid and lower carbonyls in air samples by DNPH derivatization.

The classical derivatization method of carbonyls based on 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)-coated silica cartridges was tested to concurrently measure lower carbonyls and carboxylic acids in air samples. The performance of these cartridges with respect to formic and acetic acids was evaluated in a number of laboratory measurements on collection and reaction efficiencies. The results showed that HCOOH appeared to have been efficiently collected and derivatized (at 80 degrees C for 8 h) up to air-flow rates of 350 mL/min, while CH(3)COOH was almost completely lost from the cartridge above 100 mL/min.