Application of an integrated environmental monitoring system to an incineration plant

An integrated environmental monitoring system is an innovative approach which allows remarkable understanding of impacts due to a contamination source. Here we report results from environmental monitoring near a typical Italian incinerator plant. By means of mathematical dispersion models, zones of maximum pollutant depositions were determined; according to these simulations, a defined monitoring network was established. Heavy metals, chosen as environmental indicators, showed a wide flux range in gas emissions from the incinerator, over different sampling years. In particular, emissions in the year 2000 were marked by high Pb and Cd concentrations. Correspondingly, soil samples also exhibited a greater concentration of the same metals in 2000, than in previous years. Principal component analysis allowed a better visualisation of these similarities, also showing an interesting correlation between heavy metals observed both in gas emissions and in soil samples. Soil distant from the incinerator was found to be less affected by heavy metal contamination. Also atmospheric wet and dry depositions indicated a significant dependence on distance from incinerator, though extremely variable metal fluxes were registered during different months. Finally, vegetation samples, seasonal or evergreen, did not provide evidence of a significant heavy metal enrichment, apart from an apparent dependence on contamination source distance.