0000000000392412
AUTHOR
Parello Francesco
The history of Ludovico Sicardi and the birth of geochemical
Ludovico Sicardi was a chemist and a pharmacist, and a passionate researcher, enthusiastic about phenomena related to volcanic activity. Due to a field survey within a project of mining research committed by a private company, he has the opportunity to visit the island of Vulcano (Eolie - Sicily), from December 1921 to June 1922. He was completely fascinated by the wild island of Vulcano and its gas manifestations. During several successive field trips in Vulcano, he observed and described the fumarolic field on a systematic basis, measuring the temperatures and recording their variations over time. He was one of the first to perform chemical analysis of fluids emitted by fumaroles in Vulca…
Major and trace elements characterization of atmospheric deposition in volcanic, urban, and industrial areas of Sicily (Italy): preliminary results
The source of chemical elements dissolved in rainwater can be both natural and anthropogenic. A group of trace elements has been recently brought to attention for their possible environmental impacts, the Technology-critical elements (TCEs). The current knowledge about the geochemical cycle of TCEs is still scarce, nevertheless recent studies [e.g. Brugnone et al., 2020] evidenced a contribution from the volcanic activity for some of them (Te, Tl, and REE). Our research aims to produce a geochemical database on major and trace element depositions in different areas of Sicily: a volcanic area (Etna), two urban areas (Palermo, Catania), two industrial areas (Milazzo, Priolo), and a rural moni…
Geochemical investigation of trace metal pollutants in the Oreto river, Palermo (Italy)
In the past, three main rivers, named Kemonia, Papireto and Oreto, were present in the plain of Palermo, in northwestern Sicily. Today, only the latter one has been preserved from the unregulated urban expansion. Fortunately, over the last ten years, attention and consciousness towardsthe Oreto river and its delicate ecosystem has grown considerably, also thanks to many associations and citizens’ committees involved in protecting, preserving and valorising the precious area. In this context, our study is focused on a hydrogeochemical investigation of its surface water quality. The Oreto river flows for about 20 km within a catchment area of about 130 km2. Over the past three years, numerous…
The impact of Mt. Etna's ash plume on the chemical composition of meteoric deposition
Mt. Etna, in eastern coast of Sicily (Italy), is one of the most active and most intensely monitored volcanoes of the planet. It is the biggest volcanic point source of volcanic gases and particles to the troposphere in the Mediterranean basin. On the morning of December 24th 2018, a new lateral eruption of the Mount Etna started. This eruption was related to an intrusion of a magmatic dike on the high eastern flank of the volcano, which a two kilometers long fracture in the NNW - SSE direction. At the same time, the summit craters also produced a continuous strombolian activity generating a very dense dark ash plume, dispersed by the wind into the southeastern direction. This volcanic even…
Mount Etna volcanic emissions signature on the chemical composition of bulk atmospheric deposition in Sicily, Italy.
Mt. Etna, on the eastern coast of Sicily (Italy), is one of the most active and most intensely monitored volcanoes on the Earth, widely recognized as a big source of volcanic gases, such as CO2, SO2, halogens, and many trace elements, including technological critical elements (TCEs), to the atmosphere on a regional and global scale. Mt. Etna emissions account for a significant percentage of the worldwide average volcanic budget and especially during eruptive periods, its products can be dispersed over great distances and they influence the chemical composition of the atmosphere of other continents too. The current knowledge about the geochemical cycle of TCEs is still scarce, nevertheless, …
Impact of geogenic degassing on C-isotopic composition of dissolved carbon in karst systems of Greece
The Earth C-cycle is complex, where endogenic and exogenic sources are interconnected, operating in a multiple spatial and temporal scale (Lee et al., 2019). Non-volcanic CO2 degassing from active tectonic structures is one of the less defined components of this cycle (Frondini et al., 2019). Carbon mass-balance (Chiodini et al., 2000) is a useful tool to quantify the geogenic carbon output from regional karst hydrosystems. This approach has been demonstrated for central Italy and may be valid also for Greece, due to the similar geodynamic settings. Deep degassing in Greece has been ascertained mainly at hydrothermal and volcanic areas, but the impact of geogenic CO2 released by active tect…
Impact of Etna’s volcanic emission on major ions and trace elements composition of the atmospheric deposition
Mt. Etna, on the eastern coast of Sicily (Italy), is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet and it is widely recognized as a big source of volcanic gases (e.g., CO2 and SO2), halogens, and a lot of trace elements, to the atmosphere in the Mediterranean region. Especially during eruptive periods, Etna’s emissions can be dispersed over long distances and cover wide areas. A group of trace elements has been recently brought to attention for their possible environmental and human health impacts, the Technology-critical elements. The current knowledge about their geochemical cycles is still scarce, nevertheless, recent studies (Brugnone et al., 2020) evidenced a contribution from the vol…
Major ions and trace elements composition of rainwater around the two industrial areas of Milazzo and Priolo Gargallo (Sicily - Italy)
This database shows the concentration of major ions and trace elements in rainwater from two polluted industrial areas of Sicily, Milazzo and Priolo Gargallo, collected from June 2018 to July 2019, through a network of 11 bulk collectors to sample bulk atmospheric deposition, for a total of 131 samples collected. Different sources, both natural and anthropogenic, for both major ions and trace elements have been recognised. This study also highlighted some critical issues with common methods of sampling and analysing atmospheric deposition. The analysis and comparison of two different aliquots, filtered and unfiltered rainwater, has shown that the filtration method removes from the sample a …