ABSTRACT A Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator located in Rimini province (Italy) has been monitore... more ABSTRACT A Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator located in Rimini province (Italy) has been monitored for 15 years in order to assess its environmental impact. An integrated environmental monitoring system was designed and implemented over the years. Furthermore, the impact assessment was supported by other tools, such as life cycle analysis (LCA) and risk assessment. In order to fulfil new rules, over the years, the plant underwent several revamping processes. The environmental monitoring was activated in 1997 an involved the analysis of several matrices: soil, atmospheric deposition, vegetation and particulate airborne matter. Based on the obtained results, the monitoring evolved and the sampling sites, analites, matrices and/or sampling techniques were modified. LCA application to the plant was carried out both to investigate the contribution of the incinerator to different environmental categories and to evaluate the effect of the revamping process on plant impacts. In order to assess health effects connected to plant activity, risk assessment applied to air emissions was evaluated for the period 1997–2006. All the study results show that incineration plant emissions do not appreciably affect the contaminant load in the study area. Source apportionment techniques demonstrated that the main sources in the study area are vehicular traffic and regional contribution. LCA indicates quantitatively the lower environmental impact resulting from structural upgrade operations. Risk
In order to assess the contribution of a Municipal Solid Waste incinerator to the area&am... more In order to assess the contribution of a Municipal Solid Waste incinerator to the area's total contamination, metals and soluble ions have been determined in bulk deposition collected at sites affected by different levels of plant emissions, according to the results of the Calpuff air dispersion model. Results show that in general fluxes monitored at the different sites during the same period are quite similar for each analyte. Deposition fluxes of nitrite and ammonium are significantly lower at the more distant site, while copper is significantly higher at this site, possibly because of copper fungicide used on the nearby agriculture land. The presence of sea spray and resuspended soil dust can be inferred from Pearson correlation coefficients, while enrichment factors indicate that Cu, Pb and Zn have a probable anthropogenic origin. A more complete evaluation of the sources affecting the area was obtained with PMF analysis. The sources associated with each factor were identified from the source profile and temporal trends. Six factors were identified, three sources associate with natural matrices, while three factors represent anthropogenic sources. The greatest contribution of heavy metals, the most toxic and persistent components determined, is associated with resuspended soil dust, especially when weighted according to their toxicity. The anthropogenic source contribution is similar at all sites, and therefore the incinerator's relative contribution to the total pollutant load appears to be negligible compared to other sources affecting the area.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2014
In order to determine the pollution sources in a suburban area and identify the main direction of... more In order to determine the pollution sources in a suburban area and identify the main direction of their origin, PM2.5 was collected with samplers coupled with a wind select sensor and then subjected to Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis. In each sample, soluble ions, organic carbon, elemental carbon, levoglucosan, metals, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined. PMF results identified six main sources affecting the area: natural gas home appliances, motor vehicles, regional transport, biomass combustion, manufacturing activities, and secondary aerosol. The connection of factor temporal trends with other parameters (i.e., temperature, PM2.5 concentration, and photochemical processes) confirms factor attributions. PMF analysis indicated that the main source of PM2.5 in the area is secondary aerosol. This should be mainly due to regional contributions, owing to both the secondary nature of the source itself and the higher concentration registered in inland air masses. The motor vehicle emission source contribution is also important. This source likely has a prevalent local origin. The most toxic determined components, i.e., PAHs, Cd, Pb, and Ni, are mainly due to vehicular traffic. Even if this is not the main source in the study area, it is the one of greatest concern. The application of PMF analysis to PM2.5 collected with this new sampling technique made it possible to obtain more detailed results on the sources affecting the area compared to a classical PMF analysis.
ABSTRACT A Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator located in Rimini province (Italy) has been monitore... more ABSTRACT A Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator located in Rimini province (Italy) has been monitored for 15 years in order to assess its environmental impact. An integrated environmental monitoring system was designed and implemented over the years. Furthermore, the impact assessment was supported by other tools, such as life cycle analysis (LCA) and risk assessment. In order to fulfil new rules, over the years, the plant underwent several revamping processes. The environmental monitoring was activated in 1997 an involved the analysis of several matrices: soil, atmospheric deposition, vegetation and particulate airborne matter. Based on the obtained results, the monitoring evolved and the sampling sites, analites, matrices and/or sampling techniques were modified. LCA application to the plant was carried out both to investigate the contribution of the incinerator to different environmental categories and to evaluate the effect of the revamping process on plant impacts. In order to assess health effects connected to plant activity, risk assessment applied to air emissions was evaluated for the period 1997–2006. All the study results show that incineration plant emissions do not appreciably affect the contaminant load in the study area. Source apportionment techniques demonstrated that the main sources in the study area are vehicular traffic and regional contribution. LCA indicates quantitatively the lower environmental impact resulting from structural upgrade operations. Risk
In order to assess the contribution of a Municipal Solid Waste incinerator to the area&am... more In order to assess the contribution of a Municipal Solid Waste incinerator to the area's total contamination, metals and soluble ions have been determined in bulk deposition collected at sites affected by different levels of plant emissions, according to the results of the Calpuff air dispersion model. Results show that in general fluxes monitored at the different sites during the same period are quite similar for each analyte. Deposition fluxes of nitrite and ammonium are significantly lower at the more distant site, while copper is significantly higher at this site, possibly because of copper fungicide used on the nearby agriculture land. The presence of sea spray and resuspended soil dust can be inferred from Pearson correlation coefficients, while enrichment factors indicate that Cu, Pb and Zn have a probable anthropogenic origin. A more complete evaluation of the sources affecting the area was obtained with PMF analysis. The sources associated with each factor were identified from the source profile and temporal trends. Six factors were identified, three sources associate with natural matrices, while three factors represent anthropogenic sources. The greatest contribution of heavy metals, the most toxic and persistent components determined, is associated with resuspended soil dust, especially when weighted according to their toxicity. The anthropogenic source contribution is similar at all sites, and therefore the incinerator's relative contribution to the total pollutant load appears to be negligible compared to other sources affecting the area.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2014
In order to determine the pollution sources in a suburban area and identify the main direction of... more In order to determine the pollution sources in a suburban area and identify the main direction of their origin, PM2.5 was collected with samplers coupled with a wind select sensor and then subjected to Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis. In each sample, soluble ions, organic carbon, elemental carbon, levoglucosan, metals, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined. PMF results identified six main sources affecting the area: natural gas home appliances, motor vehicles, regional transport, biomass combustion, manufacturing activities, and secondary aerosol. The connection of factor temporal trends with other parameters (i.e., temperature, PM2.5 concentration, and photochemical processes) confirms factor attributions. PMF analysis indicated that the main source of PM2.5 in the area is secondary aerosol. This should be mainly due to regional contributions, owing to both the secondary nature of the source itself and the higher concentration registered in inland air masses. The motor vehicle emission source contribution is also important. This source likely has a prevalent local origin. The most toxic determined components, i.e., PAHs, Cd, Pb, and Ni, are mainly due to vehicular traffic. Even if this is not the main source in the study area, it is the one of greatest concern. The application of PMF analysis to PM2.5 collected with this new sampling technique made it possible to obtain more detailed results on the sources affecting the area compared to a classical PMF analysis.
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