A preliminary study on the effects of rainfall-related conditions on chromium increase in ultramafic-hosted springs: A possible climate change concern?

This study investigates the impact of intense rainfall on chromium concentrations in five springs discharging from ultramafic rocks in the Northern Apennines (Italy), which are used for drinking water supply through integration into the local water network. Total chromium concentration increased significantly in response to heavy rain, exceeding the WHO drinking water guideline value (up to 80 μg/L) in one spring and the forthcoming 2036 EU target of 25 μg/L in all the springs. This increase could be attributed to a synergistic combination of factors: i) the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by natural organic matter (NOM) in soil and transport as NOM-Cr(III) colloids and/or during the oxidation of magnetite to ferrihydrite in the aquifer; ii) the abundance of detrital ultramafic material in the study area, which may store Cr(III)-bearing colloids too; iii) a triggering effect of first intense rainfall after a 20 dry consecutive days period (wet-dry cycle).

A synergistic solution for fighting fraudulent practices in squid using light stable isotope ratios and lanthanide tracers.

To identify a novel optimized strategy for preventing fraudulent substitutions of squid species and origins, forty European squids (Loligo vulgaris) and forty flying squids (Todarodes sagittatus) from the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean were analyzed for δC, δN, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, and Lu using isotope ratio mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. While δC and δN variations were mainly species-related, they alone could not reliably distinguish samples. To address this issue, decision rules were developed using Classification and Regression Tree analysis.

How do turbidite systems behave from the hydrogeological point of view? New insights and open questions coming from an interdisciplinary work in southern Italy.

Turbidite successions can behave either as aquitards or aquifers depending on their lithological and hydraulic features. In particular, post-depositional processes can increase rock permeability due to fracture development in the competent layers. Thus, at a local scale, turbidite systems warrant further detailed investigations, aimed at reconstructing reliable hydrogeological models.

Combining elemental and immunochemical analyses to characterize diagenetic alteration patterns in ancient skeletal remains.

Bones and teeth are biological archives, but their structure and composition are subjected to alteration overtime due to biological and chemical degradation postmortem, influenced by burial environment and conditions. Nevertheless, organic fraction preservation is mandatory for several archeometric analyses and applications. The mutual protection between biomineral and organic fractions in bones and teeth may lead to a limited diagenetic alteration, promoting a better conservation of the organic fraction.

Isotope partitioning between cow milk and farm water: A tool for verification of milk provenance.

Rationale: The oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions of the water component of the milk from nine Italian dairy farms were studied together with the farm water for one year. The aim was to verify the importance of farm water and seasonal temperature variation on milk isotope values and propose mathematical relations as new tools to identify the milk origin.

Methods: Milk was centrifuged to separate the solids and then distilled under vacuum to separate water.