Issue 9, 2009

Analysis of settled dust with X-ray Fluorescence for exposure assessment of metals in the province of Brescia, Italy

Abstract

Ferroalloy industries have been active for more than a century in the province of Brescia, Northern Italy. Air emission and water discharge have contaminated the environment in the surroundings of four plants with several metals including manganese. The presence of manganese in this region is especially interesting, because of the observed relationship between manganese exposure and Parkinsonism in a previous epidemiological survey. The aim of this study was represented by an initial screening of metal exposure in this area, using a geographic information system. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was applied to identify heavy metals in deposited dust samples, collected in representative residential households throughout the province. The results were interpreted through a systematic mapping of all municipal districts of the Brescia province. A more frequent distribution of manganese and other metals was observed in the municipalities where the plants were located and differences in the geochemical and anthropogenic origin of metals were discussed, according to the point sources.

Graphical abstract: Analysis of settled dust with X-ray Fluorescence for exposure assessment of metals in the province of Brescia, Italy

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Apr 2009
Accepted
01 Jul 2009
First published
11 Jul 2009

J. Environ. Monit., 2009,11, 1579-1585

Analysis of settled dust with X-ray Fluorescence for exposure assessment of metals in the province of Brescia, Italy

A. Zacco, S. Resola, R. Lucchini, E. Albini, N. Zimmerman, S. Guazzetti and E. Bontempi, J. Environ. Monit., 2009, 11, 1579 DOI: 10.1039/B906430C

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