Search results for " Trace Elements"

Weathering of evaporites: natural versus anthropogenic signature on the composition of river waters

2015

Weathering of evaporites strongly influences the chemistry of continental runoff, making surface waters poorly exploitable for civil uses. In south-central Sicily, this phenomenon is worsened by the occurrence of abandoned landfills of old sulphur and salt mines. The industrial evolution of the Bosco-S. Cataldo mining site leaved two landfills from the early exploitation of a sulphur mine followed by that of a kainite deposit. In particular, the weathering of these landfills leads the dissolved salt (TDS) values up to about 200 g l−1 in the Stincone–Salito Stream waters. This process induces the V, Cr and Fe desorption from sediments and particulates in the aqueous phase under reducing cond…

The first archaeometric characterization of obsidian artifacts from the archaeological site of Samshvilde (South Georgia, Caucasus)

2019

This paper presents the first results about the provenance of obsidian fragments recovered in the archaeological site of Samshvilde (South Georgia, Caucasus) with the aim to obtain knowledge related to the network distribution and procurement of obsidian in Georgia. The geochemical characterization of thirty archaeological finds was obtained by the LA-ICP-MS method, an almost non-destructive technique capable of chemically characterizing the volcanic glass. A comparison of geochemical results obtained on both archaeological artefacts and geological samples collected from Chikiani outcrop in Georgia, together with literature data of southern Caucasus and eastern Turkey, allowed us to define …

CHEMICAL AND MINERALOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ETNEAN VOLCANIC EMISSIONS USING ACTIVE BIOMONITORING TEC HNIQUE (MOSS-BAGS)

2011

Trace elements and stable isotopes in penguin chicks and eggs: A baseline for monitoring the Ross Sea MPA and trophic transfer studies.

2021

Multi-tissue trace elements (TEs), C, N concentrations and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) of chick carcasses and eggs of Adelie and Emperor penguins were studied to i) provide reference data before the recent institution of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area (Antarctica), and ii) provide conversion factors that allow estimating C, N, δ13C and δ15N in edible tissues from non-edible ones, thus improving the use of stable isotopes in contamination and trophic transfer studies. Higher concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn and Pb were found in chick carcasses than in eggs, suggesting increasing contamination in recent decades and high toxicity risks for penguin consumers. Isotopic conversion fa…

Metabolite and mineral profiling of “Violetto di Niscemi” and “Spinoso di Menfi” globe artichokes by 1H-NMR and ICP-MS

2016

Globe artichoke has been long considered a nutraceutical food for its valuable content of bioactive compounds. However, beside a well-known polyphenol profile, poor information is available about its metabolite and mineral composition. The aim of this study was to investigate edible parts of Sicilian artichokes, ‘Spinoso di Menfi’ and ‘Violetto di Niscemi’, by 1H NMR and ICP-MS for elucidating these compositional aspects. Although bracts and hearts of both artichokes shared a very similar metabolite pattern, ‘Spinoso di Menfi’ showed a higher number of metabolites, such as amino acids and polyphenols, than ‘Violetto di Niscemi’. ‘Spinoso di Menfi’ was also marked by higher levels of macro- …

Plants as biomonitors for volcanic emissions

2014

Biomonitoring techniques have been widely used in environmental studies to monitor anthropogenic pollutant. Recently such techniques have been applied also to ascertain the impact of contaminants naturally released by volcanic activity. In the present study a biomonitoring surveys has been performed in many different active volcanic systems: Mt. Etna and Vulcano (Italy), Nisyros (Greece), Nyiragongo (DRC), Masaya (Nicaragua), Gorely (Kamchatka, Russia). We sampled leaves of different species Betulla aethnensis, Pinus nigra, Populus tremula, Senecio aethnensis and Rumex aethnensis on Etna, Cistus creticus and salvifolius on Vulcano and Nisyros, Senecio ssp. on Nyiragongo, a Fern on Masaya an…

Chemistry and fluxes of major and trace element from worldwide passive degassing volcanoes: a critical review

2015

Volcanic emissions represent one of the most important natural sources of trace elements (e.g. As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, Tl and Zn) into the atmosphere, sequentially influencing the hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. The human health hazard during episodic volcanic eruptions generally follows from deposition of coarse and fine particles (2.5-10 and < 2.5 μm) that produces effects such as asthma and lung and respiratory disease. Regarding passive degassing volcanoes, the harmful effects of fluorine fumigation are known both for vegetation (foliar necrosis) and human/animals (fluorosis), but only a few studies have been focused on the effects of potentially toxic trace elements. From a …

New data on the exploitation of obsidian in the mediterranean basin: The harbour of pyrgi and the trade in neolithic age

2020

The contribution shows the first results of ongoing research on the origins and prehistoric assumptions of the well-known Etruscan and Roman harbour of Pyrgi, an ancient Ceretan harbour in southern Etruria. In the light of recent land and submarine investigations, traces of ancient frequentations and contacts dating back to the Neolithic era are emerging when the coastal morphology and environmental characteristics of the site were very different from the current ones. The Etruscan port of Pyrgi, which continues its historical history in Roman and Medieval times, appears as the heir of one or more landing points frequented perhaps already in the Middle Neolithic. As part of this contributio…

Major and trace elements characterization of atmospheric deposition in volcanic, urban, and industrial areas of Sicily (Italy): preliminary results

2022

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…

New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal

2019

The interpretation of lichen bioaccumulation data is of paramount importance in environmental forensics and decision-making processes. By implementing basic ideas underlying previous interpretative scales, new dimensionless, species-independent &ldquo