Volcanic emissions represent one of the most relevant natural sources of trace elements to the
troposphere. Due to their potential toxicity they may have important environmental impacts from the
local to the global scale and they can severely affect the atmospheric and terrestrial environment also
at timescales ranging from a few to million years. Etna volcano is known as one of the largest global
contributors of magmatic gases (CO2, SO2, and halogens) and particulate matter, including some toxic
trace elements. The aim of this study was to characterize the chemical composition and the
mineralogical features of the volcanogenic aerosol passively emitted from Mt. Etna. Nine samples
were collected by using the filtration technique at different sites on summer 2010 and 2011. Chemical
and mineralogical analyses allowed to discriminate two main constituents: the first is mainly referable
to the silicate component in the volcanic plume, like lithic and juvenile fragments, crystals (e.g.,
plagioclases, pyroxenes, oxides) and shards of volcanic glass; the second one is linked to the soluble
components like sulfosalts or halide minerals (sulfates, chlorides and fluorides). These investigations
are especially important in the study area because the summit of Mt. Etna is yearly visited by nearly
one hundred thousand tourists that are exposed to potentially harmful compounds