Levels of trace elements in human hair samples of adolescents living near petrochemical plants.

The aim of the study is a comparative analysis to investigate human hair metal profiles of adolescents residing near petrochemical plants (Sicily, Italy). We selected the small town of Augusta, Gela, and Pace del Mela, and a control area made up of the towns characterized by low anthropogenic activity. Twenty trace elements were measured in samples of scalp hair from adolescents (11-14 years old) of both genders. Hair samples were cleaned using a rigorous cleaning method, mineralized, and processed for analyses by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In industrial sites, zinc was always the most abundant element, ranging from186 to 217 µg g-1. Following zinc, the elements Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, and Sr were in the range 1-20 µg g-1. The remaining elements had concentrations < 1 µg g-1. The comparison with adolescents living in suburban area highlighted that As, Ba, Mn, Sr, U, and V have the highest median concentrations in an industrial location. An industrial factor (As, Mn, Sr, U, and V) and an urban factor (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, and Sb) were distinguished by the multivariate statistical analysis between a cohort residing in urban and industrial areas. Statistically significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.05) between the genders were found for Ba, Mn, Ni, Sr, and V in all industrial sites with median concentrations higher in females' hair than males'. The data confirm that the study areas are heavily affected by industrial and urban emissions of metals and metalloids, representing a potential hazard to the local population.

The mineral contents of some Boletaceae species from Sicily (Southern Italy).

Data on the accumulation of metals in wild edible and inedible macrofungi of the Boletaceae family are discussed here and compared with data reported in literature from northern Italy and other European countries, as well as from China, Brazil, and Africa. The results show a significant difference in the values detected in Sicilian fungi compared to those reported in the literature.

Platinum and Palladium Accumulation in Edible Mushroom Boletus aereus Bull. Growing in Unpolluted Soils of Sicily Region (Italy).

Human exposure to certain metals occurs indirectly through diet. This study was conducted to determine the content of Pt and Pd in fruiting bodies of Boletus aereus Bull. collected from several wooded areas of Sicily with different substrates (sedimentary and volcanic) with limited anthropogenic influence. Determinations were performed by coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to quantify Pt and Pd. The concentrations of investigated Pt and Pd in mushroom samples ranged from 0.31 to 3.09 ng g-1 for palladium and 0.21 to 4.22 ng g-1 for platinum. The results of the present study suggest that commonly consumed Boletus aereus mushrooms do not accumulate significant levels of Pt and Pd as demonstrated by bioconcentration factor (BCF) values, and their content is lower than in other food products. Additionally, based on the calculated daily intake rates of Pt and Pd, it can be concluded that occasional consumption of fruiting bodies of B. aereus collected in Sicily is safe. The proposed methodological approach appears to be fully adequate for the reliable quantification of Pt and Pd. The data obtained in this investigation confirm that mushrooms are probative of a significant portion of the total exposure to PGEs due to the diet.

Determination of Water-Soluble Trace Elements in the PM10 and PM2.5 of Palermo Town (Italy).

This study contributes to the current knowledge on the solubility of trace elements in the atmospheric particulate matter of the urban area of Palermo. Daily sample filters of PM10 and PM2.5 were collected in monitoring stations within and outside the urban area, characterized by variable traffic density. The bulk of compositions in PM10 and PM2.5 were determined by ICP-MS. The water-soluble trace elements (WSTE) and major ion components of particulate matter were determined by ICP-MS and ion chromatography, respectively. A significant difference in the metals content was observed between the samples taken in urban areas and those from suburban areas. The calculated enrichment factor highlights the high values for Cu, Mo, Sb, V, and Zn, confirming the contribution of human activities. The leaching test was applied to PM10 and PM2.5 filters and showed different behaviors and transport of metals and metalloids. The calculated leaching coefficient highlights the metals typically produced by anthropic activities, compared to those of geogenic origin, are much more soluble in water and have greater mobility. The factor analysis was used to identify the sources of water-soluble ions. The main sources are anthropic, geogenic, and sea spray. The final objective of this study is to obtain, with the aid of leaching experiments on PM2.5 and PM10 filter samples, information about the bioavailability and mobility of the different metals and metalloids that could be used as the scientific basis for public health intervention and to raise the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution in the urban environment, especially in densely populated areas.

Air Quality Assessment by the Determination of Trace Elements in Lichens (Xanthoria calcicola) in an Industrial Area (Sicily, Italy).

This study provides data on variation in the content of metals and metalloids measured in the lichens (Xanthoria calcicola Oxner) collected in the Syracusan petrochemical complex (Sicily, Italy) which is considered one of the largest in Europe. Concentrations of eighteen trace elements measured in the lichens that were collected from 49 different points were analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) device. The concentrations of the typical elements of industrial emissions (As, Cr, Ni, and V) highlight the environmental criticality that exists in the study area. The interpretation of the data in terms of multi-element statistical analysis (FA) and enrichment factor (EFs) proved to be particularly useful in identifying several sources that contribute to the presence of trace elements in the atmospheric particulate between anthropogenic emissions and geogenic emissions. The results of this study reveal the versatility of the lichen species Xanthoria calcicola Oxner in the search for trace elements in highly anthropized environments, so the approach followed in this study can also be applied to other industrial contexts.

Recognition of Trace Element Contamination Using Ficusmacrophylla Leaves in Urban Environment.

Urban areas are characterized by numerous pollutants emitted by anthropic sources both in the form of solid and gaseous particulates. Biomonitoring is an easy, economical, and accessible approach for the determination of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, we used the leaves of Ficusmacrophylla Desf. ex Pers., collected in the city of Palermo (Italy), to determine major and trace elements. Geogenic elements exhibited the highest concentrations, making up 99% of the weight of the analyzed elements (Ca, K, Mg, P, S, Na, Fe, and Al); they range 21,400 (Ca) to 122 µg g-1 (Al). The remaining elements showed median concentrations in the range 47.5-0.05 µg g-1 in the following order of abundance: Sr > Cu > Mn > Zn > Br > Rb > Ba > Pb > Cr > Sb > As > Mo = Sc. Cluster analysis, with Spearman's coefficient to measure sample similarity, identified five main groups, namely, three clusters related to the geogenic background and marine spray; one cluster linked to elements essential to plants, and a final group attributed to the influence of traffic emissions. Calculated enrichment factors (EF) showed that the enrichments found for P and K were linked to plant metabolism; Na and Mg confirmed the role of sea spray; Cu and Zn underlined the contribution linked to anthropic processes and the role of micronutrients in plants.. As, Cr, and Mo had EF values ranging from 10 and 20, and Sb had EF > 90. From geochemical distribution maps of As, Cr, Mo, and Sb it was observed that metal and metalloid concentrations were higher in urban areas and immediately decreased as one moved away from these areas. Local pollution sources play a great role in trace element concentrations in airborne particulate matter. The present study confirms that Ficusmacrophylla leaves are suitable for screening an urban environment to identify concentrations of inorganic chemicals, since they have high tolerance to pollution.

Impact on Air Quality of the COVID-19 Lockdown in the Urban Area of Palermo (Italy).

At the end of 2019, the first cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported in Wuhan, China. Thereafter, the number of infected people increased rapidly, and the outbreak turned into a national crisis, with infected individuals all over the country. The COVID-19 global pandemic produced extreme changes in human behavior that affected air quality. Human mobility and production activities decreased significantly, and many regions recorded significant reductions in air pollution. The goal of our investigation was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the concentrations of the main air pollutants in the urban area of Palermo (Italy). In this study, the trends in the average concentrations of CO, NO2, O3, and PM10 in the air from 1 January 2020 to 31 July 2020 were compared with the corresponding average values detected at the same monitoring stations in Palermo during the previous five years (2015-2019). During the lockdown period (10 March-30 April), we observed a decrease in the concentrations of CO, NO2, and particulate matter (PM)10, calculated to be about 51%, 50%, and 45%, respectively. This confirms that air pollution in an urban area is predominantly linked to vehicular traffic.

Stress-induced injuries and trace element concentrations in vascular leaf plants from an urban environment (Palermo, Italy).

We examined leaf injuries and measured trace element concentrations in vascular plants from an urban ecosystem with distinct stress valences (the city of Palermo), and compared them with samples of the same species from sites where the stress potential is lower. Urban pollution influences macro-, micro- and toxic element concentrations in leaves. Therefore these leaves can be used as markers of the chemical and biological effects of atmospheric pollution. We studied the trace element content in the leaves of two species, oleander and oak, both fairly tolerant plants and good indicators and bio-monitors of pollution contaminants. Samples were collected at various sites in different periods.