Heavy metals as indicators for an integrated environmental monitoring system

Abstract
Heavy metals are typical micropollutants emitted by incineration processes and they were chosen as Environmental Indicator in order to assess the effects of the activity of a medium-size Italian Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator in the vicinity. An Integrated Environmental Monitoring System was applied: after the recognition of maximum deposition areas, by a dispersion model, many different environmental samples were collected in many sites around the plant. The data referring to wet and dry deposition and superficial soil are here reported. Heavy metal contents in them were measured, and compared to heavy metal fluxes emitted from plant stacks. A statistical data analysis showed some interesting correlation, in particular between contaminant pattern in emission and in soil samples.