Abstract
On 26 September 1976 in Manfredonia (Italy), a mixture containing arsenic (As) compounds was released into the atmosphere due to an accident in a petrochemical plant. The aim of this work is reconstructing the extent of As contamination within the framework of an epidemiological study including both workers of the plant and residents in Manfredonia. Emission consisted of two fractions. One was a liquid solution mixed together with a solid material that hits the area of the plant and mainly affected the workers. The second fraction consisted of a cloud that was dispersed and transported by the wind beyond the plant area. Contamination within the plant has been accounted for using deposition data collected after the accident. Contamination outside the plant has been determined using a dispersion model. A comparison between predictions and measurements confirms that maximum contamination occurred 1.7 km away from the plant, but the area affected by the fallout was larger than it was supposed to be in the days following the accident. Providing a gradient in the contamination, predicted deposition maps are a relevant tool in the population exposure assessment, even if some uncertainty remains regarding establishing possible exposure routes via the food chain.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ambrosi L, Amicarelli V (1982) L'incidente di Manfredonia: la cronistoria degli avvenimenti. Med Lav 73(Suppl 3):271–275
Bongers S, Janssen NA, Reiss B, Grievink L, Lebret E, Kromhout H (2008) Challenges of exposure assessment for health studies in the aftermath of chemical incidents and disasters. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 18(4):341–359
Casciani M, Attias L (1999) Expert testimony in lawsuit number 8437/96. Court of Law, Foggia, p 206
Centro Studi sulle Comunità Europee (1979a) Stato di attuazione dei programmi di disinquinamento a Manfredonia. Technical Report. In Italian, available on request at the corresponding author
Centro Studi sulle Comunità Europee (1979b) Mappa dell'inquinamento da arsenico nella zona di Manfredonia. Technical Report. In Italian, available on request at the corresponding author
Cullinan P (2002) Epidemiological assessment of health effects from chemical incidents. Occup Environ Med 59(8):568–572
De Marchi B, Biggeri A, Cervino M, Mangia C, Malavasi G, Gianicolo EA, Vigotti MA (2017) A participatory project in environmental epidemiology: lessons from the Manfredonia case study. WHO Public Health Panorama 3:321–327
Dionisio KL, Baxter LK, Burke J, Özkaynak H (2016) The importance of the exposure metric in air pollution epidemiology studies: when does it matter, and why? Air Qual Atmos Health 9:495–502
Gianicolo EAL (2018) Langfristige Auswirkungen von Arsenexposition Ergebnisse einer beruflichen Kohortenstudie. Dissertation, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Gianicolo EA, Mangia C, Cervino M, Bruni A, De Marchi B, Biggeri A, Porcu R, Vigotti MA (2016) Studio ecologico sulla mortalita dei residenti a Manfredonia dal 1970 al 2013. Epidemiol Prev 40:281–289
Kunz R, Moussiopoulos N (1995) Simulation of the wind field in Athens using refined boundary conditions. Atmos Environ 29:3575–3591
Liberti L, Polemio M (1981) Arsenic accidental soil contamination near Manfredonia. A case history. J Environ Sci Health, Part A: Environ Sci Eng 16:297–314
Luong C, Zhang K (2017) An assessment of emission event trends within the Greater Houston area during 2003–2013. Air Qual Atmos Health 10(5):543–554
Lyons WA, Pielke RA, Tremback CJ, Walko RL, Moon DA, Keen CS (1995) Modeling impacts of mesoscale vertical motions upon coastal zone air pollution dispersion. Atmos Environ 29(2):283–301
Magno M, Troiano D (1982) Introduzione. Med Lavoro 73(Suppl 3):262–264
Malavasi G (2016) Manfredonia: catastrofe continuata, cittadinanza ritrovata e rimozione. Epidemiol Prev 40:389–394
Mangia C, Cervino M, Bruni A, Gianicolo EA, Delle Noci G (2016) Modelling population exposure to arsenic release during the chemical accident occurred at Manfredonia (Italy) in 1976. 28th Annual Conference International Society for Environmental Epidemiology Old and new risks: challenges for environmental epidemiology, Vol Abstract Number: P3–299 | ID: 4203 Environ Health Persp, Rome, 2016
Pielke RA, Cotton W, Walko R, Tremback CJ, Lyons WA, Grasso L, Nicholls M, Moran M, Wesley D, Lee T (1992) A comprehensive meteorological modeling system—RAMS. Meteorl Atmos Phys 49:69–91
Scire JS, Robe FR, Fernau ME, Yamartino RJ (2000a) A user’s guide for the CALMET meteorological model. Earth Tech, Concord, p 37
Scire JS, Strimaitis DG, Yamartino RJ (2000b) A user’s guide for the CALPUFF dispersion model. Earth Tech, Inc, Concord, p 10
Vigotti MA, Mangia C, Cervino M, Bruni A, Biggeri A, De Marchi B, Gianicolo EA (2015) Epidemiological study on the health status of residents in Manfredonia (Italy). The beginning of the study told by the researchers. Epidemiol Prev 39(2):81–83
Vimercati L, Carrus A, Sciannamblo G, Caputo F, Minunni V, de Nichilo G, Bellotta MR, Gagliardi T, Bisceglia L, Assennato G (2009) A study of factors influencing urinary arsenic excretion in exposed workers. Int J Environ Health Res 19(5):369–377
Zapponi GA, Bianchi E (1980) Metodi di rilevamento di livelli di contaminazione di un territorio: Applicazione a un caso di inquinamento da arsenico. Ann Ist Super Sanita 16:295–315
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Italian Air Force Meteorological Service for the meteorological data as well as Maurizio Portaluri, Giuseppe Delle Noci, and the entire Coordinamento Ambiente e Salute for their useful support, suggestions, and comments.
We wish to thank Kathy Taylor for helping to revise and edit the English language. This original article is also part of the PhD of Emilio A. L. Gianicolo at the University of Mainz, Institute for Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics.
Funding
The work was partially supported by Comune di Manfredonia, within the project “Manfredonia Environment and Health Project.”
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interests
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Electronic supplementary material
ESM 1
(PDF 574 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mangia, C., Cervino, M. & Gianicolo, E.A.L. Arsenic contamination assessment 40 years after an industrial disaster: measurements and deposition modeling. Air Qual Atmos Health 11, 1081–1089 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-018-0610-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-018-0610-4