『Abstract
In this paper are discussed the baseline geochemical maps of
elements harmful to human health, using concentration values of
2389 stream sediment samples collected over the Campania region
(Southern Italy). Each sample was digested in aqua regia
and analysed by ICP-MS. For compilation of baseline geochemical
maps, a recently developed multifractal inverse distance weighted
(IDW) interpolation method and spectral analysis (S-A) was applied,
using a new geochemistry dedicated GIS software (GeoDAS). The
aim of this study is to discriminate between the geogenic natural
content (background) and the anthropogenic contribution in the
collected sediments. The definition of background values, in contrast
to baseline values, is very important in determining the extent
of polluted areas in countries like Italy, where environmental
legislation has not yet established intervention limits for stream
sediments.
In the Campania region, baseline and background values are often
coincident, where the samples represent catchment basins away
from urban or industrial areas. Potential polluted areas are often
very small in size, except for some sites where the anthropogenic
influence on sediments is clearly evident, due to the wide extent
of local industrial and agricultural activities (e.g., the Sarno
River catchment basin).
R-mode factor analysis has proved very useful in distinguishing
geochemical data, clearly dominated by anthropogenic in comparison
to geogenic sources.
Keywords: Background; Baselines; Harmful elements; Stream sediments;
Environmental pollution』
1. Introduction
2. Study area
2.1. Geology
2.2. Economy
3. Sampling methods
4. Chemical analyses and quality control
5. Statistical analyses
6. Method to generate geochemical maps
7. Results and discussion
7.1. Single element distributions
7.2. Arsenic
7.3. Cadmium
7.4 Chromium
7.5. Copper
7.6. Lead (Pb)
7.7. Mercury (Hg)
7.8. Zinc (Zn)
7.9. R-mode factor analysis
8. Concluding remarks
Acknowledgements
References