[The Integrated Environmental Health Impact of emissions from a steel plant in Taranto and from a power plant in Brindisi, (Apulia Region, Southern Italy)]. / L'impatto ambientale e sanitario delle emissioni dell'impianto siderurgico di Taranto e della centrale termoelettrica di Brindisi.

OBJECTIVES: to estimate the environmental and health impact attributable to PM2.5 emissions from the ex-ILVA steel plant in Taranto and the ENEL power plant in Brindisi (Apulia Region, Southern Italy). DESIGN: a SPRAY Lagrangian dispersion model was used to estimate PM2.5 concentrations and population weighted exposures following the requirements of the Integrated Environmental Authorization (IEA) of the two plants under study. Available concentration-response functions (OMS/HRAPIE and updates) were used to estimate the number of attributable premature deaths. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: residents in the 40 municipalities of the domains of the VDS (assessment of health damage, according to the Regional Law n. 21/2012) of Brindisi (source: Italian National Institute of Statistics 2011 Census) and residents in Taranto, Statte, and Massafra (source: cohort study). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: mortality from natural causes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and lung cancer attributable to PM2.5. Incremental lifetime cumulative risks (ILCRs) for lung cancer associated to PM2.5 exposure. RESULTS: there was a reduction of the estimated impacts from the pre to the post IEA-scenarios in both Taranto and Brindisi. In Taranto, ILCRs greater than 1x10-4; were estimated in 2010 and 2012; the ILCR was greater than 1x10-4; in the district of Tamburi (near the plant) also for the 2015 scenario. ILCRs estimated for Brindisi were between 1x10-6; and 4x10-5;. CONCLUSIONS: the Integrated Environmental Health Impact Assessment confirmed the results of the VDS conducted according to the toxicological risk assessment approach. An unacceptable risk was estimated for Tamburi also for the 2015 scenario, characterized by a production of 4.7 million tons of steel, about half compared to one foreseen by the IEA (8 mt.).

Angiogenic activity in vivo of the particulate matter (PM10).

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter (PM) is the most efficient vehicle for the inhalation and absorption of toxic substances into the body. METHOD: The present study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that PM10 samples collected on quartz filters exert an angiogenic activity in vivo in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. RESULTS: When the low, medium, and high PM10 concentrations filters were tested in the CAM assay, an increasing number of microvessels was detectable after 4 days of applications of the filters. Moreover, at histological level, numerous microvessels and a dense inflammatory infiltrate were recognizable in the CAM mesenchyme. CONCLUSION: Our data show a clear dose-response relationship between the dose variable (PM10 and Bap) and the outcome variable. So far, the PM10 target value is determined on the basis of regulatory agreements and is not health-based. In addition, the mere gravimetric measure of PM10 cannot be considered a fully reliable surrogate of the overall toxicity of the mixture.

[Cancer risk for coke-oven workers in the Taranto steel plant]. / Rischio da cancerogeni nella cokeria dello stabilimento siderurgico di Taranto.

Taranto coke oven batteries create a carcinogenic risk because of workers' exposure to PAHs, benzene and asbestos. Because of the vicinity to the city and the inadequacy of measures of pollution control, a risk also exists for the general population. Although the issue of environmental reclaim had been addressed by a specific law (DPR 23.04.1998), the solution to close the oldest batteries had been adopted through and enforced by the city administration and the Court. However, a recent agreement between ILVA and the Apulia Regional Administration has allowed to restart the use of some ovens, after simple revamping.