Radioactivity, Metals Pollution and Mineralogy Assessment of a Beach Stretch from the Ionian Coast of Calabria (Southern Italy)

Francesco Caridi, Giuseppe Paladini, Valentina Venuti, Vincenza Crupi, Salvatore Procopio, Alberto Belvedere, Maurizio D’Agostino, Giuliana Faggio, Rossella Grillo, Santina Marguccio, Giacomo Messina and Domenico Majolino
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Francesco Caridi: Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, V.le F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Giuseppe Paladini: Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, V.le F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Valentina Venuti: Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, V.le F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Vincenza Crupi: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Biologiche, Farmaceutiche e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Messina, V.le F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
Salvatore Procopio: Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Calabria (ARPACal), Dipartimento di Catanzaro, Via Lungomare (loc. Giovino), 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Alberto Belvedere: Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Calabria (ARPACal), Dipartimento di Reggio Calabria, Via Troncovito SNC, 89135 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Maurizio D’Agostino: Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Calabria (ARPACal), Dipartimento di Reggio Calabria, Via Troncovito SNC, 89135 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Giuliana Faggio: Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, delle Infrastrutture e dell’Energia Sostenibile (DIIES), Università Mediterranea, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Rossella Grillo: Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, delle Infrastrutture e dell’Energia Sostenibile (DIIES), Università Mediterranea, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Santina Marguccio: Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Calabria (ARPACal), Dipartimento di Reggio Calabria, Via Troncovito SNC, 89135 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Giacomo Messina: Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, delle Infrastrutture e dell’Energia Sostenibile (DIIES), Università Mediterranea, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
Domenico Majolino: Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, V.le F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-16

Abstract: In the present article, a case study is reported regarding an investigation carried out in order to assess radioactivity concentration, heavy metals pollution and mineralogy of a beach stretch extending from Soverato to Squillace municipalities of the Ionian coast of Calabria, South of Italy, a popular tourist destination, especially in summer. The analysis of radionuclides contents was performed by using a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray detector, in order to quantify the average specific activity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K natural radionuclides and 137 Cs anthropogenic radioisotope. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose equivalent radiological hazard indices were also estimated. Furthermore, X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry measurements were carried out for the quantitative elemental analysis of the sand, in order to investigate any possible chemical pollution by heavy metals. For this aim, different indices such as Enrichment Factor (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (I geo ), Contamination Factor (CF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were applied to estimate the level of toxicity imposed on the ecosystem by the detected heavy metals. Finally, in order to identify the crystalline mineral components of the investigated sand samples, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Micro-Raman Scattering (MRS) measurements were carried out.

Keywords: radioactivity; radiological risk; heavy metals; pollution; mineralogy; sand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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