Distribution of inorganic and organic pollutants in river sediments in Campania, Italy

Abstract

Giovanni Melluso, Agostino Esposito,* Marco Guida, Francesco Maurano, Norman M Trieff,** and Giovanni Pagano #1 University of Naples Federico II, Department of General and Environmental Physiology, Section of Hygiene and Microbiology, 1-80134 Naples, Italy; *CNUPI, viale Michelangelo, 1-83100 Caserta, Italy; **University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, Division of Environmental Toxicology, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA; and ~National Tumor Institute, "G. Pascale" Foundation, 1-80131 Naples, Italy The aim of the present study was to investigate the pollution status of sediment in two Campania rivers, by focusing both on chemical analysis of some major contaminants, and on sediment-induced toxicity in sea urchin fertilization and embryogenesis. Here we report the data of pollutant distribution in a number of selected sampling sites, whereas toxicity data are reported elsewhere (Pagano et al. 1993). The rivers investigated were the Sarno River and its tributary, the Solofrana Stream, and the Volturno River and its drainage system, the Regi Lagni, as depicted in Figure 1. The Sarno River and Solofrana Stream are affected by multiple pollution sources of industrial, domestic and agricultural origin, and are located in a densely populated area. The Volturno River was expected to be less polluted, since wastewater from the Volturno River lowland is disposed of in its drainage system, the Regi Lagni. An earlier report by Amodio-Cocchiari and Arnese (1988), however, provided evidence for chemical pollution in the Volturno River; thus it appeared worthwhile to extend available information on the pollution status of these water bodies. In particular, the study was both aimed at providing comparative information on pollution and toxicity of water and sediment in the two rivers, and to obtain up-to-date information that could be used as a reference for future clean-up interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of ten sampling sites in the Volturno (V) and the Sarno (S) River were located in the Campania region (Southern Italy) in the provinces of Naples, Salerno and Caserta; the sites were the following: 1) Ciorlano (V.1, a relatively "pristine" site); 2) Alife (V.2); 3) Capua (V.3); 4) Grazzanise (V.4); 5) Castelvolturno (V.5, Volturno River estuary); 6) Villa Literno (V.6, Regi Lagni mouth); 7) Mercato S. Severino (S.1, a very polluted site in the Solofrana Stream); 8) Nocera Inferiore (S.2); 9) S. Marzano (S.3, an agricultural site), and 10) Castellammare di Stabia (S.4, Sarno River mouth). Topographic details and pollution sources of sampling sites have been described by Pagano et al. (1993). Water samples were collected year-round, biweekly (1 July 1988 to 30 June 1989) by using an iron sampler (made in the workshop of GM's institute). The sampler, containing 0.5-L polypropylene bottles, was immersed midstream at a 20- to 50-cm depth (except for sites S.1 and S.2). Sampling bottles were washed in hot tap water, soaked in distilled water overnight and rinsed 3x in river water just prior to sampling. Samples were carried at 4~ to the laboratory and processed within 5 hr upon arrival. 1 Send reprint requests to: Dr. Giovanni Pagano, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Fondazione "G. Pascale", v. M. Semmola, 1-80131 Naples, Italy. 13