Chlorinated compounds and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected from Apulia Region coasts

This project was carried out to assess the levels and spatial distribution of organochlorine compounds in the coastal marine environment, using mussels as bioindicators to evaluate the coastal water quality. Levels of polychlorobiphenils (PCB), chlorinated pesticides (DDT isomers, HCH isomers, Aldrin, Dieldrin, alfa-Endosulfan, Hexachlorobenzene, Pentachlorobenzene) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in tissues from mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) collected along the Apulia Region coasts (Mediterranean Sea). Results indicate that contamination by organochlorine compounds is higher in mussels sampled in the Ionian Sea than in those from the Adriatic Sea, with PCB levels up to seven times higher in mussels from Ionian than from the Adriatic Sea. Although PCB levels were above the maximum values indicated by both European Community (EC) and National regulation in several sample sites, the PCB concentrations were particularly high in some stations, suggesting that these locations require a much specific attention. Conversely, results on the mussel contamination by PBDEs highlight their ubiquitous environmental distribution, and underline the need to establish the maximum level for these compounds in foodstuff, according to European Regulations.     

Ostreopsis cf. ovata bloom in the northern Adriatic Sea during summer 2009: ecology, molecular characterization and toxin profile

Intense blooms of the benthic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata have occurred in the northern Adriatic Sea since 2006. These blooms are associated with noxious effects on human health and with the mortality of benthic organisms because of the production of palytoxin-like compounds. The O. cf. ovata bloom and its relationships with nutrient concentrations at two stations on the Conero Riviera (northern Adriatic Sea) were investigated in the summer of 2009. O. cf. ovata developed from August to November, with the highest abundances in September (1.3 × 10⁶ cells g⁻¹ fw corresponding to 63.8 × 10³ cells cm⁻²). The presence of the single O. cf. ovata genotype was confirmed by a PCR assay. Bloom developed when the seawater temperature was decreasing. Nutrient concentrations did not seem to affect bloom dynamics. Toxin analysis performed by high resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed a high total toxin content (up to 75 pg cell⁻¹), including putative palytoxin and all the ovatoxins known so far.     

A review of undulated sediment features on Mediterranean prodeltas: distinguishing sediment transport structures from sediment deformation

Most Mediterranean prodeltas show undulated sediment features on the foresets of their Holocene wedges. These features have been described all along the Mediterranean for the last 30 years and interpreted as either soft sediment deformation and incipient landsliding, and more recently, as sediment transport structures. We perform a review and detailed analysis of these undulated sediment features using ultrahigh-resolution seismic and bathymetric data as well as geotechnical information and hydrodynamic time series and hydrographic transects. In this study we show that the characteristics of the sediment undulations (configuration of the reflections down section and between adjacent undulations and overall morphologic characteristics) are incompatible with a genesis by sediment deformation alone and do not show evidence of sediment deformation in most cases. Various processes in the benthic boundary layer can be invoked to explain the variety of features observed in the numerous areas displaying sediment undulations.     

Application of Compositional Techniques in the Field of Crystal Chemistry: A Case Study of Luzonite, a Sn-Bearing Mineral

Out-of-equilibrium crystallization often produces complex compositional variability in minerals, generating zoning and other mixing phenomena. The appropriate microchemical characterization of the resulting out-of-equilibrium patterns is of critical importance in understanding the overall physical and chemical properties of the host crystalline phases. In this framework, the modeling of compositional changes assumes a fundamental role. However, when compositional data are used, their management with standard exploratory, statistical, graphical, and numerical tools may give misleading results attributable to the phenomenon of induced correlations. To avoid these problems, methods able to extract compositional data from their constrained space (the simplex) in order to apply standard statistics, have to be adopted. As an alternative, the use of tools having properties able to work in the simplex geometry has to be considered. A luzonite single crystal (ideal composition, Cu₃AsS₄) exhibiting concentric and sector zoning was studied using electron probe microanalysis in order to understand the mechanisms which give rise to chemical variability and conditions in the developing environment. Compositional variations were determined by collecting data along three different transects. The major and minor elements (Cu, As, S, Fe, Sb, Sn) were analyzed with the aim of characterizing their patterns of association in the crystal and, hence, crystal evolution. The whole covariance structure as well as the chemical relationships between the successive zones was investigated by means of compositional methods, considering both data transformation and the stay in the simplex approach. Results indicate that the crystal grew under quiescent conditions, where chemical control was primarily exercised by the mineral’s surface and only minor effects were due to changes in the composition of the surrounding fluid. Consequently, an oscillatory uptake of chemical components occurred in which a competition between famatinite-like (Cu₃SbS₄) and kuramite-like (Cu₃SnS₄) domains characterized the As-poor zones.     

Vent conditions for expected eruptions at Vesuvius

Determining consistent sets of vent conditions for next expected eruptions at Vesuvius is crucial for the simulation of the sub-aerial processes originating the volcanic hazard and the eruption impact. Here we refer to the expected eruptive scales and conditions defined in the frame of the EC Exploris project, and simulate the dynamics of magma ascent along the volcanic conduit for sub-steady phases of next eruptions characterized by intensities of the Violent Strombolian (VS), Sub-Plinian 2 (SP2), and Sub-Plinian 1 (SP1) scale. Sets of conditions for the simulations are determined on the basis of the bulk of knowledge on the past history of Vesuvius [Cioni, R., Bertagnini, A., Santacroce, R., Andronico, D., Explosive activity and eruption scenarios at Somma–Vesuvius (Italy): towards a new classification scheme. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, this issue.]. Volatile contents (H₂O and CO₂) are parameterized in order to account for the uncertainty in their expected amounts for a next eruption. In all cases the flow in the conduit is found to be choked, with velocities at the conduit exit or vent corresponding to the sonic velocity in the two-phase non-equilibrium magmatic mixture. Conduit diameters and vent mixture densities are found to display minimum overlapping between the different eruptive scales, while exit gas and particle velocities, as well as vent pressures, largely overlap. Vent diameters vary from as low as about 5 m for VS eruptions, to 35–55 m for the most violent SP1 eruption scale. Vent pressures can be as low as less than 1 MPa for the lowest volatile content employed of 2 wt.% H₂O and no CO₂, to 7–8 MPa for highest volatile contents of 5 wt.% H₂O and 2 wt.% CO₂ and large eruptive scales. Gas and particle velocities at the vent range from 100–250 m/s, with a tendency to decrease, and to increase the mechanical decoupling between the phases, with increasing eruptive scale. Except for velocities, all relevant vent quantities are more sensitive to the volatile content of the discharged magma for the highest eruptive scales considered.     

The 1997 Umbria-Marche (Italy) earthquake sequence: analysis of the data recorded by the local and temporary networks

We present some preliminary results obtained from thejoined analysis of the data collected by the permanentand the temporary networks operating in the area ofthe earthquake sequence that followed (andanticipated) the 26 September, Central Italy, mainshocks. In particular, these earthquake data haveallowed us to determine a well constrainedwave-velocity model (both P and S) with stationcorrections which demonstrated to produce robusthypocentral locations. These velocity modelswith station corrections have been used forre-locating the whole September 1997–July 1998subset of data of the permanent network, and theprevious background seismicity, starting from May1996. The focal mechanisms of the largest events werealso obtained from an analysis of the first-motionpolarities.Our results indicate that 1) the seismic activityaligns on a SE-NW trend for a total length of about50 km of extension; 2) the focal depth of theseevents is restricted to the range 0–9 km; 3) mostevents can be related to sub-parallel SW dipping faultplanes; 4) focal mechanisms of the largest shocks(M_L > 4) show a coherent behaviour, withnormal fault solution on SSE-NNW striking, SW dippingplanes; 5) the space-time evolution of the activitydisplays a discontinuous mode of energy release, withdifferent episodes of activation and an apparentclustering of aftershocks at the edges of the areaswhich presumably ruptured in the main shocks.     

Neo-deterministic definition of seismic input for residential seismically isolated buildings

This paper deals with the neo-deterministic definition of the seismic input in the municipality of Nimis (Italy), aimed at the design of residential seismically isolated buildings. The seismic input is defined by the computation of realistic synthetic seismograms considering different levels of detail for the earthquake source, both for a bedrock model and taking into account the specific site conditions. The horizontal response spectrum, calculated in the centre of the municipality by modelling the most dangerous source, advises against the construction of a building with a fixed base, but it is compatible with the seismic isolation, and it has been, therefore, used for the design of a residential seismically isolated building. The maximum displacement for the isolation system has been estimated about 17 cm, a value much lower than that provided by the code design response spectrum (28 cm). The importance of the realistic modelling, which permits the generalization of empirical observations by means of, physically sound, theoretical considerations, is evident, as it allows for the optimisation of the structural design with respect to the site of interest.     

A closing Ligurian Sea?

Two earthquakes occurred in the Ligurian Sea in December 1989 and April 1990. Both were widely felt along the French and Italian Rivieras, thus reminding us of the seismic risk in this region. The significant increase in the number of seismic stations in the area facilitated the study of these two shocks and their related aftershocks. Using different techniques (absolute and relative hypocentral locations, doublet analysis and waveform modeling), we computed accurate hypocentral locations and estimated the location-error range for earthquakes in this area. We also computed the focal mechanisms for both mainshocks, and we present here a synthesis that integrates previous data. The reactivation in compression of the Ligurian Sea sphenochasm is confirmed, which would eventually result in the closing of an aborted oceanic domain. As the seismic activity is clearly restricted to the northern margin, we suggest it locally results from the lateral expulsion of the south-western Alps along the Apulian indenter.