Metropolitan Area Of Milan Research Articles

Effects of pollution, low temperature and influenza syndrome on the excess mortality risk in winter 2016\u20132017

BackgroundIn the winter of 2016–2017, the number of deaths recorded in the north-west Europe was significantly higher than that in previous years. This spike in mortality was attributed principally to an influenza epidemic, but the contribution of air pollution and cold temperature has not been investigated. Information on the combined effect of low temperatures, influenza epidemic, and air pollution on mortality is inadequate. The objective of this study was to estimate the excess mortality in the winter of 2016–2017 in the metropolitan area of Milan, and to evaluate the independent short-term effect of 3 risk factors: low temperatures, the influenza epidemic, and air pollution.MethodsWe used a case-crossover, time-stratified study design. Mortality data were collected on all people aged > 65 years who died of natural causes, due to respiratory diseases or cardiovascular diseases, between December 1, 2016 and February 15, 2017. Environmental data were extracted from the Regional Environmental Protection Agency. The National Surveillance Network provided data on influenza epidemic.ResultsAmong the 7590 natural deaths in people aged > 65 years, 965 (13%) were caused by respiratory conditions, and 2688 (35%) were caused by cardiovascular conditions. There were statistically significant associations between the minimum recorded temperature and deaths due to natural causes (OR = 0.966, 95% CI: 0.944–0.989), and cardiovascular conditions (OR = 0.961, 95% CI: 0.925–0.999). There were also statistically significant association between the influenza epidemic and deaths due to natural causes (OR = 1.198, 95% CI: 1.156–1.241), cardiovascular conditions (OR = 1.153, 95% CI: 1.088–1.223), and respiratory conditions (OR = 1.303, 95% CI: 1.166–1.456). High levels of PM10 (60 and 70 μg/m3) were associated with a statistically significant increase in natural and cause-specific mortality. There were statistically significant interactions between PM10 and influenza for cardiovascular-related mortality, and between influenza and temperature for deaths due to natural causes.ConclusionsExcess of mortality in Milan during winter 2016–2017 was associated with influenza epidemic and concomitant environmental exposures, specifically, the combined effect of air pollution and low temperatures. Policies mitigating the effects of environmental risk factors should be implemented to prevent future excess mortality.

How alternative food networks work in a metropolitan area? An analysis of Solidarity Purchase Groups in Northern Italy

Our paper focuses on Solidarity Purchase Group (SPG) participants located in a highly urbanized area, with the aim to investigate the main motivations underlining their participation in a SPG and provide a characterization of them. To this end, we carried out a survey of 795 participants involved in 125 SPGs in the metropolitan area of Milan (Italy). Taking advantage of a questionnaire with 39 questions, we run a factor analysis and a two-step cluster analysis to identify different profiles of SPG participants. Our results show that the system of values animating metropolitan SPG practitioners does not fully conform to that traditionally attributed to an alternative food network (AFN). In fact, considerations linked to food safety and healthiness prevail on altruistic motives such as environmental sustainability and solidarity toward small producers. Furthermore, metropolitan SPGs do not consider particularly desirable periurban and local food products. Observing the SPGs from this perspective, it emerges as such initiatives can flourish also in those places where the lack of connection with the surrounding territory is counterbalanced by the high motivation to buy products from trusted suppliers who are able to guarantee genuine and safe products, not necessarily located nearby.

Integrating green infrastructure into spatial planning regulations to improve the performance of urban ecosystems. Insights from an Italian case study

Traditional land-use planning models have been unable to completely address environmental protection concerns without taking into account the suitability of the land to host a specific function or its consistency within a wider territorial context. Nowadays, new Planning approaches tend to a new paradigm considering a qualitative dimension of the public city based on performance standards considering the possible provision of multiple benefits in terms of regulating, supporting, provisioning and cultural services. The paper provides the results of an experience conducted in the municipality of Rescaldina, located in the northern part of the Milan Metropolitan area, where traditional quantitative standards were overpass towards a performance standards approach based on Ecosystem Services (ES) provision. ES provision via spatial planning has been advocated through Green infrastructure (GI) while NBS are considered as the greening design actions that can contribute to developing GI. The areas (public and private) included in the GI have a specific planning regulation for its implementation and its operability. The GI strategy was defined in the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as a support tool for setting Planning strategies.

Residential distance from high-voltage overhead power lines and risk of Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease: a population-based case-control study in a metropolitan area of Northern Italy.

BackgroundThe association between the extremely low-frequency magnetic field generated by overhead power lines and neurodegenerative disease is still a matter of debate.MethodsA population-based case-control study was carried out on the residents in the Milan metropolitan area between 2011 and 2016 to evaluate the possible association between exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields generated by high-voltage overhead power lines and Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease. A statistical analysis was performed on cases and controls matched by sex, year of birth and municipality of residence (with a case to controls ratio of 1 : 4) using conditional logistic regression models adjusted for socio-economic deprivation and distance from the major road network as potential confounders.ResultsOdds ratios for residents <50 m from the source of exposure compared with residents at ≥600 m turned out to be 1.11 (95% confidence interval: 0.95–1.30) for Alzheimer's dementia and 1.09 (95% confidence interval: 0.92–1.30) for Parkinson's disease.ConclusionsThe finding of a weak association between exposure to the extremely low-frequency magnetic field and neurodegenerative diseases suggests the continuation of research on this topic. Moreover, the low consistency between the results of the already existing studies emphasises the importance of increasingly refined study designs.

Imitation and entrepreneurial learning: Insights from academic spin-offs

The subject of this article is the inheritance of the parent university of academic spin-offs through imitation and entrepreneurial learning. Building on a capability perspective, the article adds to the literature on university spin-offs and presents insights into the academic spin-off phenomenon that may be useful in supporting academic entrepreneurship. The study is based on four universities, all located in the metropolitan area of Milan. The authors followed the start-up processes of 74 spin-off ventures over the period 2004–2013, obtaining economic data for 61 of the ventures. The analysis we carried out shows that parent universities influence the industry distribution of spin-offs, since most spin-offs showing a positive performance were concentrated in industries that (1) could benefit from the most advanced research of the parent university and (2) were those in which previous start-ups had also tended to concentrate. Thus, a focus on the parent (university)–progeny (spin-off) dyad as the unit of analysis reveals that the specific capabilities available and previous spin-off experience developed in the university play an important role in facilitating spin-off ventures and influencing new firms’ behaviour in their start-up and development phases.

Urban groups: behavior and dynamics of social groups in urban space

The tendency of people to form socially cohesive groups that get together in urban spaces is a fundamental process that drives the formation of the social structure of cities. However, the challenge of collecting and mining large-scale data able to unveil both the social and the mobility patterns of people has left many questions about urban social groups largely unresolved. We leverage an anonymized mobile phone dataset, based on Call Detail Records (CDRs), which integrates the usual voice call data with text message and Internet activity information of one million mobile subscribers in the metropolitan area of Milan to investigate how the members of social groups interact and meet onto the urban space. We unveil the nature of these groups through an extensive analysis, along with proposing a methodology for their identification. The findings of this study concern the social group behavior, their structure (size and membership) and their root in the territory (locations and visit patterns). Specifically, the footprint of urban groups is made up by a few visited locations only; which are regularly visited by the groups. Moreover, the analysis of the interaction patterns shows that urban groups need to combine frequent on-phone interactions with gatherings in such locations. Finally, we investigate how their preferences impact the city of Milan telling us which areas encourage group get-togethers best.

Enhanced CAMx source apportionment analysis at an urban receptor in Milan based on source categories and emission regions

Abstract Source apportionment results from CAMx/PSAT v6.3 model simulation at an urban receptor placed in Milan city centre are presented. CAMx was run over a domain covering the Po valley for the calendar year of 2010. Model simulations considered nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and its primary and secondary components, i.e.: elemental carbon (EC) and nitrate (NO3−). Source apportionment results are separately reported with respect to emission regions (e.g.: local, urban, metropolitan areas, counties) and emission categories (e.g.: transport, space heating, industrial activities) and to the combination of emission regions and categories. Five emission regions were considered, starting from a narrow region covering Milan city centre, up to Milan municipality, Milan metropolitan area, Lombardy region, and to the entire Po valley. In terms of emission region contributions, Milan municipality, its metropolitan area, and Lombardy region account for about 60% of PM2.5 total mass at the selected receptor. However, local scale emissions contribute for more than 50% to EC ambient levels at this receptor. Conversely, the sources located in the farthest emission regions (Lombardy and Po valley) and long range transport determine the largest contribution (80%) to NO3− concentration. For NO2, local scale emissions are responsible for more than 60% of the ambient concentration levels in Milan city centre. In terms of source categories, traffic is the main contributor to NO2 and NO3−, biomass burning and traffic to EC and PM2.5 mass. The emission categories contributions to PM2.5 estimated by CAMx/PSAT for the selected receptor show a rather good agreement with Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) source apportionment results available for Milan area. However, the two approaches provide similar estimations only for biomass burning and traffic contributions (24% and 20%, respectively) whereas CAMx gives remarkably lower estimates for the share of secondary organic aerosol (SOA), likely because of missing formation processes in CAMx chemical module.

Source apportionment of black carbon (BC) from fossil fuel and biomass burning in metropolitan Milan, Italy

In this study, the temporal variations of sources of black carbon (BC) concentrations were evaluated in the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy, during three distinct seasons over 2017–2018. We measured BC concentrations using Aethalometers at two sampling sites, one in the city center of Milan, and one in the less densely populated suburb of Bareggio, approximately 14 km to the west of Milan's urban center. PM samples were also collected for elemental carbon (EC) and 14C analyses. The Aethalometer model was used to apportion BC concentrations to the fossil fuel combustion (BCff) and biomass burning (BCbb) originated BC. Additionally, radiocarbon 14C analysis was performed on the PM samples, allowing us to refine our estimates of the contributions of both BCff and BCbb to total BC concentrations and assess the dependence of the mass absorption cross section (MAC) of BC on its source. Overall, our results indicated that the annually averaged BC concentrations were higher at the Bareggio site (2763 ± 1050 ng m−3) than at the Milan site (1921 ± 876 ng m−3). The Aethalometer model results demonstrated that in all of the sampling seasons, fossil-fuel-originated BC (BCff) concentrations were slightly higher in Milan (e.g., a summertime average of 1045 ± 150 ng/m3) than in Bareggio (e.g., a summertime average of 940 ± 89 ng/m3); however, black carbon (BCbb) concentrations from biomass burning were considerably higher at Bareggio (e.g., a wintertime average of 3284 ± 713 ng/m3) than in Milan (e.g., a wintertime average of 1154 ± 103 ng/m3). Diurnal variation plots indicated that both in Milan and Bareggio, BCff peaked during the morning and, to a lesser extent, afternoon traffic rush hours, while BCbb peaked during nighttime when residential wood burning for heating purposes is prominent. Our results also highlight the significant impact of residential wood burning on ambient BC concentrations in the Milan metropolitan area.

Environmental and economic assessment of electro-dewatering application to sewage sludge: A case study of an Italian wastewater treatment plant

The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing electro-dewatering (EDW) as an add-on unit to the existing conventional dewatering units with the aim of increasing the final dry solids content and reducing the subsequent handling and energy costs of sewage sludge management. The assessment was carried out by focusing on a case study, a small wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the Milan metropolitan area. Various indicators were used to evaluate the environmental impact and economic performance. Primary data, such as operating data from the case study WWTP and economic data from an EDW equipment manufacturer, were extracted and used in the modelling. Four scenarios were set up and compared, which address the current and future sludge management schemes in Italy.The results suggest that it is environmentally and economically feasible to implement the EDW upgrade if the sludge disposal follows the incineration route. More specifically, when small WWTPs deliver their EDW-dewatered sludge to a centralised incineration facility, this will enable to reduce the global warming impact of the system up to 135 kg CO2-eq. per dry tonne of sludge. In addition, good profitability (incremental return on investment > 15.1%) can be obtained when the market disposal cost is above 30.5–39.6 € per wet tonne of sludge. Based on our recent market survey, the sludge disposal price is well above the break-even values.

1) Bridge: a piloting project of social enterprise to enhance reablement and social inclusion for people with physical disabilities

The paper presents a piloting project aimed to set up a new service delivery model for people with physical disabilities, either acquired or inherited, named “Bridge”. The service can be defined as a personalised care plan PCP placed at intermediate care level, time-limited and home based, and based on a multi-disciplinary approach and care team. Bridge’s objectives are to support these frail persons by assessing their multiple needs and provide a PCP, which is conceived as complementary to the health and social care services they should already receive, and enhance their reablement and social inclusion. The project has been developed by Spazio Vita, a social enterprise aka a Community Interest Company that derives from a hospital’s patient association for people with Spinal Cord Injury. The paper provides an in-depth analysis on tools developed and results achieved for organising the service delivery model, based on the data collection from the 50 patients enrolled in the first pilot one year. The multi-disciplinary team is made up of clinicians, phycologists, social workers, occupational therapists OT, peer-counsellor and other therapists with different specialisations delivering creative laboratories art or music therapies, informatics and computing, pet therapies, mindfulness etc.. Eligible patients could be identified either from the Spinal Unit of the adjunct hospital either from other care units of the Metropolitan area of Milan or from community services or directly from the patients’ communities surrounding Spazio Vita. Eligible patients are screened by an integrated need assessment through a newly scale that joins up clinical, psychological, social, functional and individual factors to assess the beginning condition against a score from 0 to 30. The latter evaluation allows to value the patients’ enrolment and assign a care level based on the severity of the condition low, mild or high and the PCP for a limited period from 6 months to 1 year. The PCP plan is supported by a personalised case manager: based on the major needs in fact the case manager could be the psychologist or the social worker or the OT. PCP have been build up on a different mix of three care packages: clinical and OT, psychological and social, and social inclusion. Patients enrolled vary from 0 to almost 70 years, while families and carers have been involved based on individual needs. Results show the relevance of this service and all objectives were achieved: from avoiding clinical exacerbations at home, reducing hospitalisation, enhance reablement and self-management up to improve socialisation and individual psychological and social inclusion. Patient Report Outcome measures quality of life scale SF36 and PACIC questionnaire were completed for all cases, at the entrance and closure of any individual project. Finally, the piloting project allows to design the service delivery model in order to identify detailed tools assessing scale, evaluating criteria and scores, outcome measures, care packages, the role and intervention of each professional, and an economic evaluation and estimation of the PCP based with bundle payments relying on the severity level assigned and the mix of care packages.

Latent tuberculous infection among foreign-born individuals applying to shelters in the metropolitan area of Milan.

Screening for latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) of groups at high risk of active tuberculosis (TB) is a key component of the End TB Strategy. To conduct a retrospective descriptive analysis of LTBI rates among foreign-born individuals applying to shelters in the metropolitan area of Milan, Italy. All foreign-born individuals registering for accommodation centres in the city of Milan from November 2009 to April 2017 were screened for active TB and LTBI. Individuals aged <36 years with a tuberculin skin test (TST) induration of >10 mm were offered confirmatory testing with QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT). Of the 2666 TST-positive migrants aged <36 years who underwent LTBI confirmation testing, 1322 (49.6%) tested negative, 1339 (50.2%) were positive and five (0.2%) had indeterminate results. In the multivariate analysis, TB incidence in the country of origin and age were significantly associated with QFT-GIT positivity. Although estimated TB incidence in Eritrea, Morocco and Romania was 100/100 000 person-years (py), the probability of being QFT-GIT-positive in individuals from these countries were not statistically significantly different from individuals from countries with TB incidence > 250/100 000 person-years. Our data showed a high proportion of LTBI among individuals coming from intermediate TB burden countries.

Intensive monitoring of conventional and surrogate quality parameters in a highly urbanized river affected by multiple combined sewer overflows

Abstract The paper reports results of four intensive campaigns carried out on the Seveso River (Milan metropolitan area, Italy) between 2014 and 2016, during intense precipitation events. Laboratory analyses were coupled with on-site, continuous measurements to assess the impact of pollutants on water quality based on both conventional and surrogate parameters. Laboratory data included total suspended solids, caffeine, total phosphorus and nitrogen, and their dissolved forms. Screening of trace metals (Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cd) and PBDEs (polybromodiphenylethers) was carried out. Continuous measurements included water level, physico-chemical variables and turbidity. Nutrient concentrations were generally high (e.g. average total phosphorus &amp;gt; 1,000 μg/L) indicating strong sewage contributions. Among monitored pollutants Cr, Cu, Pb, and Cd concentrations were well correlated to TSS, turbidity and discharge, being bound mostly to suspended particulate matter. A different behavior was found for Ni, that showed an early peak occurring before the flow peak, as a result of first flush events. PBDEs correlated well to nutrient concentrations, showing the highest peaks soon after activation of the combined sewer overflows, likely because of its accumulation in sewers. In addition to showing the existing correlations between quality parameters, the paper highlights the importance of surrogate parameters as indicators of anthropic pollution inputs.

Phosphorus content in a deep river sediment core as a tracer of long-term (1962–2011) anthropogenic impacts: A lesson from the Milan metropolitan area

Reconstructions of past fluvial contamination through the analysis of deep sediment cores are rarely reported in literature. We examined the phosphorus fractions in a deep (2.6 m) sediment core of the Lambro River downstream of the highly anthropized Milan metropolitan area and upstream of the Po river the main Italian watercourse. The core covered the period 1962–2011. Total phosphorus concentrations resulted typical of a strongly impacted environment (4788 mg P kg DW−1 on average) with the highest concentrations related to the 1960s (7639 mg P kg DW−1) reflecting the period of maximum demographic growth. Afterwards, phosphorus concentrations decreased thanks to the infrastructural and legislative initiatives carried out in the 1980s and the 1990s to reduce the impact of urban point sources. Subsequently, total phosphorus concentrations stabilized on values around 3000 mg P kg DW−1 and did not diminish further, even after the second phase of infrastructural interventions carried out in the second half of the 2000s. This was related to the increasing relative impact of the combined sewer overflows in the sewage system and to the strong phosphorus enrichment of the basin. Most of the phosphorus was in inorganic forms (86% of the total) that have been identified as the final target of the domestic effluent inputs. The contribution of organic phosphorus was lower but constant over the period 1962–2011. It likely originated from the agricultural areas located south of the city of Milan. In conclusion, this study underlines how past interventions have been effective in reducing urban point sources but it also highlights the current difficulties related to the growing importance of other sources influenced by the surface runoff (i.e., combined sewer overflows and agriculture). The study also emphasizes a general phosphorus enrichment of the Lambro River basin and its impact on the Po River and the Adriatic Sea.

Urban geoheritage as a resource for Earth Sciences education: examples from Milan metropolitan area

Fieldwork has a great importance in fixing knowledge and acquiring skills and competences in Earth Sciences education; it also represents a starting point for the discovery of geodiversity and geoheritage. Educational activities in urban and suburban areas offer great opportunities and an unique training ground to recognize the role of different processes and landforms after the human reworking.Moreover, they favour interdisciplinary approaches, which evidence the relationship among geological and geomorphological processes, human activities and culture. Here two different experiences in the Milan (Italy) urban and suburban areas are proposed, to highlight the importance of open-air laboratory for students and future teachers: i) an itinerary in the inner city to classify lithologies used for buildings and street floors in order to recognize not only geological elements butalso the role of geology within human history and life, the materials provenance areas in the framework of Alps geology and water ways used to move them, and ii) a hydrological itinerary, from Milan city to the Chiaravalle Abbey and the nearby village, to approach present and past characteristics of fluvial geomorphology and its link with surface- and ground-waters.

Birds biodiversity in urban and periurban forests: environmental determinants at local and landscape scales

A significant decline in biodiversity is associated with the current and upcoming degree of urbanization. A challenging strategy to address this conflict is to make urban growth compatible with biodiversity protection and in this context urban parks can play a crucial role. Urban systems are highly dynamic and complex human-shaped ecosystems, where the relationship between species and environment may be altered and make the preservation of biodiversity within them a challenging goal. In this study, we analysed how different environmental features affect bird biodiversity in one of the most urbanized areas of Italy (the metropolitan area of Milan) at different spatial scales. Bird surveys were conducted in fifteen urban and peri-urban parks and environmental variables at landscape and local scale recorded. Results showed that a mixture of land covers and the presence of water bodies inside urban parks favoured species occurrence and abundance at landscape scale, but a surrounding dense urban matrix deflated biodiversity. At local scale, woodland cover and presence of water bodies were key determinants in ensuring overall high biodiversity but local-specific vegetation management produced an unusual pattern for forests species. In particular, the maintenance of large trees may not result in biodiversity support for forest bird species if large trees are not located in woodland areas with a significant tree density. To understand biodiversity patterns and provide useful information for urban planning and design, we need to provide insights into species/environment relationships at multiple scales in the urban environment.

Assessment of pressure-driven electro-dewatering as a single-stage treatment for stabilized sewage sludge

The pressure-driven electro-dewatering (EDW) of sewage sludge was assessed using a lab device. The sludge samples were supplied from four different Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) around the metropolitan area of Milan (Italy), including both aerobically and anaerobically stabilised samples. The test results show that the EDW treatment enabled to dewater the sludge samples to a dry solids content of 18.4–31.1% (wt%), which means 2.0–12.7% improvement as compared to the conventional mechanical dewatering treatment used in these WWTPs. A follow-up test was carried out with the sample giving the best dewatering performance. A dry solids content of 39.3% (wt%) was achieved. Apart from the technological performance, the economic feasibility of EDW was evaluated. The energy consumption and sludge treatment cost associated with the EDW process were compared with the reference case (the corresponding WWTP currently operating with mechanical dewatering line). It was found that for the best performance case, technology upgrade from the conventional mechanical dewatering to the EDW dewatering will enable the WWTP to reduce its sludge management cost up to 35% per year.

Mapping air filtering in urban areas. A Land Use Regression model for Ecosystem Services assessment in planning

The control of air quality in urban areas is drawing attention, as it generates significant benefits. Land use planning directly affects Ecosystem Services, particularly on air quality. Nonetheless, scientific knowledge of the effects derived by Land Use Changes on air quality is inadequate for planning proposals.This paper proposes an analytical application in the metropolitan area of Milan (North-west of Italy), one of the highly air-polluted areas of Europe. A spatial-based methodology to predict Particulate Matter concentration is tested using the regional emission inventory as a benchmark. The paper assumes that different dynamics cause of air pollution: (i) atmospheric emissions due to different kinds of land use sources; (ii) the rebound/resuspension of particles caused by the impervious degree of soil, and (iii) the absorption through green areas and trees.The methodological innovations introduced by this paper are related to (i) the small gridded distribution of values, and (ii) the emissions dynamics mix up with those on resuspension and absorption.This study experiments the upgrade of the existent Land Use Regression approach for Particulate Matters prediction and establishes a new methodology with a newer set of inputs. Compared to traditional approaches, the study can support the decision-making process for local planning.

The institutional history of Milan metropolitan area

ABSTRACTThe institutional history of Milan metropolitan area. Territory, Politics, Governance. This paper highlights the long-term institutional trajectory of the Milan metropolitan area in Italy using comparative-historical analysis. Although technical and political proposals of metropolitan institutions in Milan have been debated over the last 70 years, empirical evidence shows that the Milan metropolitan area still lacks clear rules for political integration and effective spatial tools for policy-making. In order to explain this outcome, the paper adopts a narrow definition of ‘path dependency’ and tests it in two different processes of institutional change: land-use planning at the metropolitan scale, and the organization of local governments in metropolitan areas. The paper finds that in both processes, initial episodes of institutional change, promoted by reformist coalitions, were co-determined by ‘contingent events’: unpredictable circumstances exceeding the control of reformers. It also finds that, in both processes, outcomes of subsequent episodes of institutional change were co-determined by ‘increasing returns’: the reinforcement of previously crystallized configurations of powers and interests. Therefore, the paper reveals the historical events and socio-political dynamics that determined the ‘path dependency’ of institutional outcomes at the metropolitan scale in Milan. It argues that ongoing metropolitan institutional dynamics can be better explained by the absence of a land-use reform and the persistence of direct election of mayors.

Convenience food with environmentally-sustainable attributes: A consumer perspective

The use of chemicals in agriculture poses risks on both human health and the environment. Regulatory measures, both mandatory and voluntary, have been introduced to promote a reduction in the use of pesticides. The proliferation of such standards is related to the gradual shift of consumer preferences towards food with reduced negative health and environmental impacts. Beside consumer demand for sustainable food products, convenience food is also assuming an increasingly important role in developed countries. Among such products, minimally-processed vegetables are showing a growing positive trend, but their production has also negative effects on the environment.The goal of this study is to investigate the interaction between environmentally-friendly and healthy convenience food, and to investigate the determinants behind the purchase of healthy convenience food products with environmentally-sustainable attributes, focusing on minimally-processed vegetables labelled with voluntary standards related to integrated agriculture.To do so, we started from the Theory of Planned Behaviour and tested the efficacy of an extended model by considering also other variables which were found to affect significantly food choices. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews with 550 consumers in charge of grocery shopping in the metropolitan area of Milan, in northern Italy. Structural equation modelling was performed to analyse the relative importance of the constructs on consumer behaviour. Results confirm the relations of Ajzen's theory and reveal positive relations with consumer food shopping habits, food-related environmental behaviour, gender, income and knowledge. A negative relation with agricultural practices concern also emerges, highlighting that the most concerned consumers may prefer other more stringent environmental certifications.

Hydrogeochemical characterization and Natural Background Levels in urbanized areas: Milan Metropolitan area (Northern Italy)

Although aquifers in densely populated and industrialized areas are extremely valuable and sensitive to contamination, an estimate of the groundwater quality status relative to baseline conditions is lacking for many of them. This paper provides a hydrogeochemical characterization of the groundwater in the Milan metropolitan area, one of the most densely populated areas in Europe. First, a conceptual model of the study area based on the analysis of the spatial distribution of natural chemical species and indicator contaminants is presented. The hydrochemical facies of the study area depend on the lithology of catchments drained by the main contributing rivers and on the aquifer settings. The anthropogenic influence on the groundwater quality of superficial aquifers is studied by means of probability plots, concentration versus depth plots and spatial–temporal plots for nitrate, sulfate and chloride. These allow differentiation of contaminated superficial aquifers from deep confined aquifers with baseline water quality. Natural Background Levels (NBL) of selected species (Cl, Na, NH4, SO4, NO3, As, Fe, Mn and Zn) are estimated by means of the pre-selection (PS) and the component separation (CS) statistical approaches. The NBLs depend on hydrogeological settings of the study area; sodium, chloride, sulfate and zinc NBL values never exceed the environmental water quality standards. NBL values of ammonium, iron, arsenic and manganese exceed the environmental water quality standards in the anaerobic portion of the aquifers. On the basis of observations, a set of criteria and precautions are suggested for adoption with both PS and CS methods in the aquifer characterization of highly urbanized areas.