Seasonal variations in metal content of two Unio pictorum mancus (Mollusca, Unionidae) populations from two lakes of different trophic state

To assess the impact of lake trophy on trace element accumulation by Unio pictorum mancus, a population from the mesooligotrophic Lake Maggiore was compared with a population from the eutrophic Lake Candia. The element content in soft tissue and shell biomass, the seasonal variations of element concentrations in soft tissues and shell, and the relationship between element concentrations in the water and those in the tissues were estimated in pursuit of this objective. Thirteen mussel samplings were performed in Lake Maggiore between May 2003 and September 2004 and in Lake Candia between June 2003 and August 2004. Filtered water samples were collected seasonally. Water, shell and soft tissue samples were analysed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS for the measurement of following elements: Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, As, Pb, Co, Cr, Mo, V, Cd, Be and Ca. The element concentrations in the mussel tissues and shell from Lake Maggiore were higher than those from Lake Candia. Due to the higher population density and higher element concentrations in the mussels of Lake Maggiore, the element content in the biomass per m2 in this lake far exceeded that in Lake Candia

Elements in Tap Water. Part 3. Effect of Sample Volume and Stagnation Time on the Concentration of the Element.

Abstract not availableJRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

Sant'Imbenia (Alghero): further archaeometric evidence for an Iron Age market square

AbstractLead isotope compositions were determined for 18 metal objects from the archaeological site of Sant'Imbenia, NW Sardinia, dating to the end of the ninth century BCE onwards. The provenance of some objects is unambiguously traced to SW Sardinia; other objects could derive either from central Sardinia or the Iberian coastal ranges. The variety of the provenances attests to a wide trade network that spanned the entire island of Sardinia and extended to the Iberian sites

Correction to: Sant'Imbenia (Alghero): further archaeometric evidence for an Iron Age market square

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Radiopurity of the Borexino Scintillator

Abstract not availableNA-NOT AVAILABL

Determination of Uranium and Thorium at the Sub-PPT Levels in a Liquid Scintillator Used for Solar Neutrino Measurements

Abstract not availableNA-NOT AVAILABL

Signal Enhancement and Interference Reduction in Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry with Argon/Trifluoromethane Mixed Carrier Gas

Abstract not availableNA-NOT AVAILABL

Determination of Thallium in Antarctic Snow by Means of Laser Induced Atomic Fluorescence and High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Abstract not availableNA-NOT AVAILABL

Provenance study on coins minted at Velia (Italy): Pb isotope and Archaeometallurgy

Lead concentration and isotopes of 20 Athena/Tripod bronze coins from Velia, a Greek colony in Italy, have been analyzed by ICP-MS and TIMS at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (INFN). The coins, dated to the 1st century BC, are part of a broader project promoted by the University of Salerno that won the 2019 Art Bonus Competition. Determining Lead isotopic ratio of these coin samples (to assign/identify a reliable metal provenance) and inves- tigating the geochemistry of the mining districts, to understand the role played by low-value coins at Velia are the main targets of this research. Lead concentrations range from fractions to tens of percentages. Lead and other trace elements data suggest that the raw materials used for the coins came from different mines. Lead isotopic ratios span from 0.836 to 0.837 and from 2.076 to 2.082 for 207Pb/206Pb and 208Pb/206Pb, respectively. The lead iso- tope results were compared with lead isotope data published of ore deposits from Mediterranean areas (Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus) to fingerprint the sources of the Velia bronze coins. Almost half of the coins fall into the clusters of Spain and Tuscany, whereas only a few samples are compatible with Sifnos in Greece (four coins) and Bosa Area in Sardinia and/or Troulli mine in Cyprus (two coins). At last, six coins cannot be associated with any known source; this suggests the possibility of extensive metal recy- cling. Regarding the Spanish provenance, Velia coins overlap the cluster of South-East Spain, corresponding to the Cartagena-Mazarron mine. This information, integrated with archaeological and historical ones, helps to reconstruct the trade routes and socio-economic relationship of the city of Velia

Risultati di indagine sulla determinazione del rapporto isotopico 87Sr/86Sr in bacche e prodotti trasformati del pomodoro da industria

Scopo del presente lavoro \ue8 stato quello di verificare l\u2019idoneit\ue0 della tecnica radioisotopica per la determinazione del rapporto isotopico 87Sr/86Sr ad essere tecnica robusta per la discriminazione geografica di provenienze di lotti di campioni di pomodoro suddivisi tra bacche, pelati, passate e concentrati. Sono stati analizzati circa 90 campioni, 58 provenienti da areali italiani (province di Ferrara, Parma e Piacenza e Regione Puglia), 25 dalla Cina (provincia dello Xingjiang) e 6 \u201cblind samples\u201d. Tutti i campioni sono stati preparati in forma semiliquida per frullatura (bacche, pelati etc) oppure utilizzati tal quali (concentrati), liofilizzati e poi tritutati in mortaio ad una finezza di 1-2 mm. Successivamente essi sono stati sottoposti ai trattamenti chimici preliminari per la purificazione del campione dall\u2019isotopo 87Rb realizzato tramite passaggio su colonna con uso di resina speciale che ha l\u2019effetto di favorire il trattenimento dello ione Sr2+, mentre lo ione Rb+ viene eliminato. Quindi si ottiene il desorbimento degli ioni Sr2+ facendo passare una soluzione concentrata di HCl che rimpiazza gli ioni dai siti di scambio cationico. L\u2019eluato acido contiene tutti gli ioni Sr2+ precedentemente trattenuti; utilizzando un volume di eluente uguale al volume di campione immesso in colonna si ripristina la concentrazione iniziale. Il campione \ue8 cos\uec pronto per essere analizzato con la tecnica TIMS (Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry); sono calcolati i valori dei parametri rapporto 87Sr/86Sr e \u3b4\u2030 con l\u2019ausilio dello standard isotopico NIST SRM 987 proveniente dal National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD, USA); le determinazioni sono state tutte effettuate in doppio. L\u2019analisi della varianza (ANOVA) e un\u2019analisi cluster di tipo gerarchico hanno messo ben in evidenza la \u201crobustezza\u201d del metodo, in grado di evidenziare e separare in modo statisticamente significativo due popolazioni: i campioni dell\u2019areale italiano ed i campioni dell\u2019areale cinese, i quali mostrano valori significativamente superiori ai primi per i parametri 87Sr/86Sr e \u3b4\u2030. Le determinazioni sui \u201cblind samples\u201d ne hanno confermato l\u2019appartenenza all\u2019areale italiano. Questo studio, con la costruzione di un database, pu\uf2 rappresentare un utile strumento per il settore alimentare in quanto questi indicatori chimici possono essere in grado di discriminare prodotti provenienti da aree geografiche differenti e attualmente le problematiche del pomodoro da industria necessitano di strumenti innovativi per una migliore informazione a beneficio del consumatore ed una pi\uf9 efficace tutela del prodotto italiano tipico