ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently ta... more ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently take various pathways and undergo different transformation processes. We first review representative types of isotopes and the roles of isotope techniques that have been or could be used for nutrient assessment and management. We then present technical, financial and logistical matters to be considered in selecting appropriate isotope techniques for nutrient assessment and management. Lastly we propose several approaches on the application of isotope techniques to make more effective the studies and management of nutrients in rivers in the near future. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
INTRODUCTION This poster presents the preliminary results of the Italian project in the framework... more INTRODUCTION This poster presents the preliminary results of the Italian project in the framework of the CRP project " Environmental isotopes and age dating methods to assess nitrogen pollution and other quality issues in rivers " at the end of the first year of activities. The motivation of the proposed research was to find a reliable methodology for water resources management in alluvial plains heavily impacted by nutrient supplies, particularly nitrates, to groundwater and surface waters focusing on the identification of contamination sources and the recycling and retention capacity of the transition zones of the riverine ecosystem (i.e. hyporheic and riparian zones).
Il presente rapporto sintetizza i risultati delle attività effettuate nell’ambito della convenzio... more Il presente rapporto sintetizza i risultati delle attività effettuate nell’ambito della convenzione tra il Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali - Rete Rurale Nazionale 2007 - 2013 ed ISPRA, finalizzata a dare una risposta a quanto richiesto nell’accordo Stato –Regioni del 5 maggio 2011 e siglata nella primavera del 2012. L’individuazione e la quantificazione dell’origine del contenuto di nitrati nelle acque sotterranee e superficiali è un operazione complessa, specialmente nel caso di sorgenti multiple e diversificate che possono avere un impatto su vaste aree. Tali valutazioni richiedono la conoscenza delle potenziali sorgenti di nitrati di origine civile, agricolo e zootecnico incidenti su un determinato territorio, la disponibilità di informazioni dettagliate sull’uso del suolo e i risultati delle attività di monitoraggio, effettuate dalle Agenzie Regionali per la Protezione dell’Ambiente, oltre alla conoscenza dei meccanismi di migrazione e/o trasformazione ...
Metals and radionuclides in water systems can be easily adsorbed on suspended matter and, finally... more Metals and radionuclides in water systems can be easily adsorbed on suspended matter and, finally, they could eventually accumulate in the aquatic environment. The assessment of the health of a water body needs also sampling of the suspended matter fraction. In this paper sampling systems to characterise contaminants associated with the suspended matter fraction are described, with a particular attention to the collection and preservation of samples. Sampling must be representative, to obtain reliable conclusions. In this context it is stressed the importance of the evaluation of the sampling uncertainty, which contributes to a large extent to the total uncertainty.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has performed a field survey at 11 sites located ... more The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has performed a field survey at 11 sites located in Kosovo, where depleted uranium (DU) ammunitions were used by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during the last Balkans conflict (1999). Soil sampling was performed to assess the spread of DU ground contamination around and within the NATO target sites and the migration of DU along the soil profile. The 234U/238U and 235U/238U activity concentration ratios have been used as an indicator of natural against anthropogenic sources of uranium. The results show that levels of 238U activity concentrations in soils above 100 Bq x kg(-1) can be considered a 'tracer' of the presence of DU in soils. The results also indicate that detectable ground surface contamination by DU is limited to areas within a few metres from localised points of concentrated contamination caused by penetrator impacts. Vertical distribution of DU along the soil profile is measurable up to a depth of 1...
ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently ta... more ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently take various pathways and undergo different transformation processes. We first review representative types of isotopes and the roles of isotope techniques that have been or could be used for nutrient assessment and management. We then present technical, financial and logistical matters to be considered in selecting appropriate isotope techniques for nutrient assessment and management. Lastly we propose several approaches on the application of isotope techniques to make more effective the studies and management of nutrients in rivers in the near future. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
ABSTRACT The study of nutrient dynamics in lotic ecosystems often requires background knowledge o... more ABSTRACT The study of nutrient dynamics in lotic ecosystems often requires background knowledge of the hydrologic processes occurring both at large scales and at small scales in order to adopt effective management practices. In particular, surface water/subsurface water interactions can significantly alter nutrient loading in streams and rivers. Two case studies are reported as examples of large scale and small scale investigations carried out by means of an integrated approach where 222Rn was used: (i) to determine fractions of groundwater inflow to total discharge of a river and to identify sections with flow-through conditions, applying a degassing corrected, two component mixing model; (ii) to estimate water residence time within the hyporheic zone by applying a solute mass balance equation based on radon disequilibrium between pore water and stream water. The two case studies demonstrate that 222Rn is an effective tool in the study of interactions between surface and subsurface waters when groundwater inputs to rivers have to be quantified and in estimating the residence time of surface water in the hyporheic zone. However, an integrated approach including other hydrological and biogeochemical measurements is always recommended when complex processes have to be elucidated. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
ABSTRACT In an effort to improve river management, numerous studies over the past two decades hav... more ABSTRACT In an effort to improve river management, numerous studies over the past two decades have supported the concept that river water and groundwater need to be considered together, as part of a hydrologic continuum. In particular, studies of the interface between surface water and groundwater (the hyporheic zone) have seen the tight collaboration of catchment hydrologists and stream ecologists in order to elucidate processes affecting stream functioning. Groundwater and surface waters interact at different spatial and temporal scales depending on system hydrology and geomorphology, which in turn influence nutrient cycling and in-stream ecology in relation to climatic, geologic, biotic and anthropogenic factors. In this paper, groundwater inputs to rivers are explored from two different and complementary perspectives: the hydrogeological, describing the generally acknowledged mechanisms of streamflow generation and the main factors controlling stream–aquifer interactions, and the ecologic, describing the processes occurring at the hyporheical and the riparian zones and their possible effects on stream functioning and on nutrient cycling, also taking into consideration the impact of human activities. Groundwater inflows to rivers can be important controls on hot moment/hot spot type biogeochemical behaviors. A description of the common methods used to assess these processes is provided emphasizing tracer methods (including physical, chemical and isotopic). In particular, naturally occurring isotopes are useful tools to identify stream discharge components, biogeochemical processes involved in nutrient cycling (such as N and P dynamics), nutrient sources and transport to rivers, and subsurface storage zones and residence times of hyporheic water. Several studies which have employed isotope techniques to clarify the processes occurring when groundwater enters the river,are reported in this chapter, with a view to highlighting both the advantages and limitations of these tracer methods. In short, isotope techniques can be a powerful tool for understanding the importance and nature of groundwater–surface water interactions on nutrient cycling in streams and rivers. The main recommendations for their use are to keep well in mind the appropriate spatial and temporal scales of the chosen technique and to use them in conjunction with other methodologies in order to better test working hypotheses and conceptual models. A multi-scale approach, from channel to catchment scale, is also recommended for the identification of the role that groundwater plays in nutrient cycling and sustaining river and floodplain habitats. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
The paper reports a methodology adopted to face problems related to quality assurance in soil sam... more The paper reports a methodology adopted to face problems related to quality assurance in soil sampling. The SOILSAMP project, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency of Italy (APAT), is aimed at (i) establishing protocols for soil sampling in different environments; (ii) assessing uncertainties associated with different soil sampling methods in order to select the "fit-for-purpose" method; (iii) qualifying, in term of trace elements spatial variability, a reference site for national and international inter-comparison exercises. Preliminary results and considerations are illustrated.
In this context, a research activity in isotope hydrology started in 2001 in the framework of the... more In this context, a research activity in isotope hydrology started in 2001 in the framework of the international PhD course Implementation and applications of isotopic methodologies in environmental sciences research at DSA-SUN. In particular, the project aimed to test the noble gas 222 ...
Negli ultimi decenni sono stati fatti molti progressi nella conoscenza dei processi idrologici, i... more Negli ultimi decenni sono stati fatti molti progressi nella conoscenza dei processi idrologici, in particolare in riferimento alla qualità delle acque. Uno dei maggiori e più recenti fattori che ha permesso il progredire nella conoscenza in questo campo è stato l'uso degli isotopi ...
Field experiments have been performed in order to obtain the needed parameters to model the degas... more Field experiments have been performed in order to obtain the needed parameters to model the degassing of 222Rn (radon) in a headwater stream. An attempt was done to determine a reliable expression for the gas exchange rate constant (time− 1) of 222Rn. For this purpose the studied stream has been intensively sampled for 222Rn, major ions, T, EC, and pH. A continuous NaCl injection has been performed to obtain the amount and the location of lateral inflows to the creek. These data were supported by discharge and rain data. The ...
National Research Fund—Program ‘Eau’. Centre de Recherche Public—Gabriel Lippmann, Département Environnement et Biotechnologies and Uniersité du Luxembourg, Laboratoire de Physique des Radiation, 2006
Journal of environmental radioactivity, Dec 31, 2002
An experiment has been performed at the nuclear power plant of Garigliano (Caserta, Italy), aimin... more An experiment has been performed at the nuclear power plant of Garigliano (Caserta, Italy), aiming at the measurement of transfer factors of 137Cs and 60Co radionuclides from the irrigation water to a soil–plant system, with particular attention to the influence on such transfers of the irrigation technique (ground or aerial). Tomato plants were irrigated weekly with water contaminated with 137Cs and 60Co (about 375Bq/m2 week), using both irrigation techniques. After 13 weeks, fruits, leaves, stems, roots and soil were sampled, and ...
ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently ta... more ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently take various pathways and undergo different transformation processes. We first review representative types of isotopes and the roles of isotope techniques that have been or could be used for nutrient assessment and management. We then present technical, financial and logistical matters to be considered in selecting appropriate isotope techniques for nutrient assessment and management. Lastly we propose several approaches on the application of isotope techniques to make more effective the studies and management of nutrients in rivers in the near future. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
INTRODUCTION This poster presents the preliminary results of the Italian project in the framework... more INTRODUCTION This poster presents the preliminary results of the Italian project in the framework of the CRP project " Environmental isotopes and age dating methods to assess nitrogen pollution and other quality issues in rivers " at the end of the first year of activities. The motivation of the proposed research was to find a reliable methodology for water resources management in alluvial plains heavily impacted by nutrient supplies, particularly nitrates, to groundwater and surface waters focusing on the identification of contamination sources and the recycling and retention capacity of the transition zones of the riverine ecosystem (i.e. hyporheic and riparian zones).
Il presente rapporto sintetizza i risultati delle attività effettuate nell’ambito della convenzio... more Il presente rapporto sintetizza i risultati delle attività effettuate nell’ambito della convenzione tra il Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali - Rete Rurale Nazionale 2007 - 2013 ed ISPRA, finalizzata a dare una risposta a quanto richiesto nell’accordo Stato –Regioni del 5 maggio 2011 e siglata nella primavera del 2012. L’individuazione e la quantificazione dell’origine del contenuto di nitrati nelle acque sotterranee e superficiali è un operazione complessa, specialmente nel caso di sorgenti multiple e diversificate che possono avere un impatto su vaste aree. Tali valutazioni richiedono la conoscenza delle potenziali sorgenti di nitrati di origine civile, agricolo e zootecnico incidenti su un determinato territorio, la disponibilità di informazioni dettagliate sull’uso del suolo e i risultati delle attività di monitoraggio, effettuate dalle Agenzie Regionali per la Protezione dell’Ambiente, oltre alla conoscenza dei meccanismi di migrazione e/o trasformazione ...
Metals and radionuclides in water systems can be easily adsorbed on suspended matter and, finally... more Metals and radionuclides in water systems can be easily adsorbed on suspended matter and, finally, they could eventually accumulate in the aquatic environment. The assessment of the health of a water body needs also sampling of the suspended matter fraction. In this paper sampling systems to characterise contaminants associated with the suspended matter fraction are described, with a particular attention to the collection and preservation of samples. Sampling must be representative, to obtain reliable conclusions. In this context it is stressed the importance of the evaluation of the sampling uncertainty, which contributes to a large extent to the total uncertainty.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has performed a field survey at 11 sites located ... more The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has performed a field survey at 11 sites located in Kosovo, where depleted uranium (DU) ammunitions were used by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during the last Balkans conflict (1999). Soil sampling was performed to assess the spread of DU ground contamination around and within the NATO target sites and the migration of DU along the soil profile. The 234U/238U and 235U/238U activity concentration ratios have been used as an indicator of natural against anthropogenic sources of uranium. The results show that levels of 238U activity concentrations in soils above 100 Bq x kg(-1) can be considered a 'tracer' of the presence of DU in soils. The results also indicate that detectable ground surface contamination by DU is limited to areas within a few metres from localised points of concentrated contamination caused by penetrator impacts. Vertical distribution of DU along the soil profile is measurable up to a depth of 1...
ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently ta... more ABSTRACT A variety of sources contribute to nutrients in rivers and nutrients may subsequently take various pathways and undergo different transformation processes. We first review representative types of isotopes and the roles of isotope techniques that have been or could be used for nutrient assessment and management. We then present technical, financial and logistical matters to be considered in selecting appropriate isotope techniques for nutrient assessment and management. Lastly we propose several approaches on the application of isotope techniques to make more effective the studies and management of nutrients in rivers in the near future. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
ABSTRACT The study of nutrient dynamics in lotic ecosystems often requires background knowledge o... more ABSTRACT The study of nutrient dynamics in lotic ecosystems often requires background knowledge of the hydrologic processes occurring both at large scales and at small scales in order to adopt effective management practices. In particular, surface water/subsurface water interactions can significantly alter nutrient loading in streams and rivers. Two case studies are reported as examples of large scale and small scale investigations carried out by means of an integrated approach where 222Rn was used: (i) to determine fractions of groundwater inflow to total discharge of a river and to identify sections with flow-through conditions, applying a degassing corrected, two component mixing model; (ii) to estimate water residence time within the hyporheic zone by applying a solute mass balance equation based on radon disequilibrium between pore water and stream water. The two case studies demonstrate that 222Rn is an effective tool in the study of interactions between surface and subsurface waters when groundwater inputs to rivers have to be quantified and in estimating the residence time of surface water in the hyporheic zone. However, an integrated approach including other hydrological and biogeochemical measurements is always recommended when complex processes have to be elucidated. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
ABSTRACT In an effort to improve river management, numerous studies over the past two decades hav... more ABSTRACT In an effort to improve river management, numerous studies over the past two decades have supported the concept that river water and groundwater need to be considered together, as part of a hydrologic continuum. In particular, studies of the interface between surface water and groundwater (the hyporheic zone) have seen the tight collaboration of catchment hydrologists and stream ecologists in order to elucidate processes affecting stream functioning. Groundwater and surface waters interact at different spatial and temporal scales depending on system hydrology and geomorphology, which in turn influence nutrient cycling and in-stream ecology in relation to climatic, geologic, biotic and anthropogenic factors. In this paper, groundwater inputs to rivers are explored from two different and complementary perspectives: the hydrogeological, describing the generally acknowledged mechanisms of streamflow generation and the main factors controlling stream–aquifer interactions, and the ecologic, describing the processes occurring at the hyporheical and the riparian zones and their possible effects on stream functioning and on nutrient cycling, also taking into consideration the impact of human activities. Groundwater inflows to rivers can be important controls on hot moment/hot spot type biogeochemical behaviors. A description of the common methods used to assess these processes is provided emphasizing tracer methods (including physical, chemical and isotopic). In particular, naturally occurring isotopes are useful tools to identify stream discharge components, biogeochemical processes involved in nutrient cycling (such as N and P dynamics), nutrient sources and transport to rivers, and subsurface storage zones and residence times of hyporheic water. Several studies which have employed isotope techniques to clarify the processes occurring when groundwater enters the river,are reported in this chapter, with a view to highlighting both the advantages and limitations of these tracer methods. In short, isotope techniques can be a powerful tool for understanding the importance and nature of groundwater–surface water interactions on nutrient cycling in streams and rivers. The main recommendations for their use are to keep well in mind the appropriate spatial and temporal scales of the chosen technique and to use them in conjunction with other methodologies in order to better test working hypotheses and conceptual models. A multi-scale approach, from channel to catchment scale, is also recommended for the identification of the role that groundwater plays in nutrient cycling and sustaining river and floodplain habitats. http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/TE-1695_web.pdf
The paper reports a methodology adopted to face problems related to quality assurance in soil sam... more The paper reports a methodology adopted to face problems related to quality assurance in soil sampling. The SOILSAMP project, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency of Italy (APAT), is aimed at (i) establishing protocols for soil sampling in different environments; (ii) assessing uncertainties associated with different soil sampling methods in order to select the "fit-for-purpose" method; (iii) qualifying, in term of trace elements spatial variability, a reference site for national and international inter-comparison exercises. Preliminary results and considerations are illustrated.
In this context, a research activity in isotope hydrology started in 2001 in the framework of the... more In this context, a research activity in isotope hydrology started in 2001 in the framework of the international PhD course Implementation and applications of isotopic methodologies in environmental sciences research at DSA-SUN. In particular, the project aimed to test the noble gas 222 ...
Negli ultimi decenni sono stati fatti molti progressi nella conoscenza dei processi idrologici, i... more Negli ultimi decenni sono stati fatti molti progressi nella conoscenza dei processi idrologici, in particolare in riferimento alla qualità delle acque. Uno dei maggiori e più recenti fattori che ha permesso il progredire nella conoscenza in questo campo è stato l'uso degli isotopi ...
Field experiments have been performed in order to obtain the needed parameters to model the degas... more Field experiments have been performed in order to obtain the needed parameters to model the degassing of 222Rn (radon) in a headwater stream. An attempt was done to determine a reliable expression for the gas exchange rate constant (time− 1) of 222Rn. For this purpose the studied stream has been intensively sampled for 222Rn, major ions, T, EC, and pH. A continuous NaCl injection has been performed to obtain the amount and the location of lateral inflows to the creek. These data were supported by discharge and rain data. The ...
National Research Fund—Program ‘Eau’. Centre de Recherche Public—Gabriel Lippmann, Département Environnement et Biotechnologies and Uniersité du Luxembourg, Laboratoire de Physique des Radiation, 2006
Journal of environmental radioactivity, Dec 31, 2002
An experiment has been performed at the nuclear power plant of Garigliano (Caserta, Italy), aimin... more An experiment has been performed at the nuclear power plant of Garigliano (Caserta, Italy), aiming at the measurement of transfer factors of 137Cs and 60Co radionuclides from the irrigation water to a soil–plant system, with particular attention to the influence on such transfers of the irrigation technique (ground or aerial). Tomato plants were irrigated weekly with water contaminated with 137Cs and 60Co (about 375Bq/m2 week), using both irrigation techniques. After 13 weeks, fruits, leaves, stems, roots and soil were sampled, and ...
Il Quaderno vuole essere una sintesi dell'utilizzo di una tecnica di indagine versatile e innovat... more Il Quaderno vuole essere una sintesi dell'utilizzo di una tecnica di indagine versatile e innovativa i cui campi di applicazione molto vasti spaziano dagli studi geologici e idrogeologici a studi di carattere ambientale fino alla individuazione delle sofisticazioni alimentari, alla salvaguardia del patrimonio artistico e alla diagnostica medica.
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http://www.isprambiente.gov.it/it/pubblicazioni/quaderni/laboratorio/isotopi-dalla-teoria-alla-pratica