title: Characterization and distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals in groundwater from three Italian tank farms.
abstract: The present paper highlights the utility of petroleum chemical fingerprinting in investigating known or suspected tank farm releases. A detailed characterization of groundwater was carried out in three tank farms located in north, central and south Italy. Eighteen parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene through coronene), n-alkanes (n-C(10) through n-C(36)), isoprenoids pristane and phytane, vanadium, nickel and lead were determined. Distribution profiles and diagnostic ratios of specific fuel constituents were studied in order to identify contamination sources. Data analysis shows that in the study sites multiple pollutant sources affecting the tank farms and the surrounding industrial areas are present. Both high concentrations of contaminants coming from fuel releases and noticeable concentrations of biogenic compounds were found. A detailed data analysis suggests the origin and the level of pollution of the three sites. The results demonstrate that threshold concentration approach is not always sufficient and it is necessary to carry out studies of contaminant distribution and their diagnostic ratios in order to perform a successful forensic investigation.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Safety and Health, DIPIA, Via Fontana Candida, 1, 00040 Rome, Italy. carmela.riccardi@ispesl.it
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riccardi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Filippo
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pomata
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Incoronato
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Basilio
authors.forename: Marco Petrangeli
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Papini
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spicaglia
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical