Dario Tedesco - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Dario Tedesco
Applied Geochemistry, 2020
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2019
E3S Web of Conferences, 2019
The “Antica Fonte” mineral water is a valuable resource with well-known therapeutic effects due t... more The “Antica Fonte” mineral water is a valuable resource with well-known therapeutic effects due to its high magnesium and sulphate contents. Hydrochemical and isotopic data indicate that the water is recharged at an elevation exceeding 1000 m asl, derives its mineral content by dissolution of Triassic gypsum and dolomite, and partially mixes with present day recharge from the alluvial aquifer. The results of this investigation provide valuable information for a sustainable development of the resource.
Environmental Earth Sciences, 2019
Hydrological Processes, 2016
The present work aims to study the main chemical and physical water parameters in the upper and m... more The present work aims to study the main chemical and physical water parameters in the upper and middle Volturno river catchment (southern Italy), between the Capo Volturno springs and the confluence with the Calore river. This study makes use of morphology, geolithology, tectonic, land use, and physico‐chemical (pH, electrical conductivity, redox potential, temperature, major ions, and 222Rn) data for the identification of the main sources of surface and groundwaters in the Volturno catchment and of their evolution and mixing both in base flow and peak flow conditions. The study was also performed to assess whether the alteration due to potential anthropogenic contamination may hamper the identification of natural “primitive” sources of surface waters, especially in the populated and farmed plains far from the river headwaters. Our data suggest that water chemistry of this stretch of the Volturno river is dominated mainly by lithology and, only marginally, by the intense exogenous activities and that this trend is appreciable in both base flow and peak flow conditions. The proposed simple geochemical approach based on easy‐to‐sample matrices and on cost‐effective standard methods is a valuable tool to address catchment functionality especially in upland areas, where complex geologic and structural settings, heterogeneous groundwater flow, and logistical issues are the rule rather than the exception. Because the upper and middle Volturno catchment is comparable with numerous valleys of the Mediterranean area, this study could be a reference for analogous applications.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020
Scientific Reports
The development of a resilient society is a major challenge for growing human population faced wi... more The development of a resilient society is a major challenge for growing human population faced with abundant natural hazards. During and after the May 22, 2021 eruption of Nyiragongo, the local population was surprised and scared by the subsequent seismicity and associated surface fracturing, coupled with the alert of a possible new eruptive vent opening in Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo) and/or Gisenyi (Rwanda). The creation of a toll-free phone number enabled the population to record fractures and gas/thermal anomalies affecting the area. Such work was fundamental in enabling scientists and authorities to assess the associated risks. Crucially, gas data showed that the degassing through fractures did not represent direct transfer of magmatic volatiles but was more likely of superficial origin. Surprisingly, this participatory work revealed that the first fractures appeared several weeks before the eruption and their opening was not detected by the monitoring system. This firml...
The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers in agricultural fields and the increasing urbanization are am... more The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers in agricultural fields and the increasing urbanization are among the most important non-point sources of pollutants. Efforts to identify and reduce N loads percolating towards shallow aquifers led scientists to develop various tools for groundwater vulnerability assessment. The aim of the study is to propose an integrated approach for vulnerability assessment combining indices of low data requirements to describe the vulnerability to nitrogen species for a) the topsoil using LOS (Aschonitis et al. 2013), b) the unsaturated zone using AVI (Van Stempvoort et al. 1992) and c) the aquifer system using SINTACS (Civita and De Maio 2004). This attempt aims to change the current perspective of the vulnerability maps from two-dimensional (latitude, longitude) to four-dimensional visualization by adding the dimensions of depth and time. The Caserta Plain (IT), was selected as case study due to its high population density and to the intensive agricultural ac...
Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2021
The Riardo basin hosts groundwater exploited for the production of high quality, naturally sparkl... more The Riardo basin hosts groundwater exploited for the production of high quality, naturally sparkling, bottled water (e.g., Ferrarelle water), and circulating in a system constituted by highly fractured Mesozoic carbonates, overlain by more impervious volcanic rocks of the Roccamonfina complex. The two formations are locally in hydraulic connection and dislocated by deep-rooted faults. The study aimed at elucidating groundwater origin and circulation, using isotopic tracers (δ18O, δ2H, δ11B and 87Sr/86Sr) coupled to groundwater dating (Tritium, CFCs and SF6). Besides recharge by local precipitation over the Riardo hydrogeological basin, stable isotope ratios in water indicated an extra-basin recharge, likely from the elevated surrounding carbonate reliefs (e.g., Maggiore and Matese Mts.). The mineralization process, promoted by the deep CO2 flux, controls the B and Sr contents. However, their isotopic ratios did not allow discriminating between circulation in the volcanic and in the ...
Annals of Geophysics, 2015
Volcanoes are well known as an impressive large natural source of trace elements into the troposp... more Volcanoes are well known as an impressive large natural source of trace elements into the troposphere. Etna (Italy) and Nyiragongo (D.R. Congo) are two stratovolcanoes located in different geological settings, both characterized by persistent passive degassing from their summit craters. Here, we present some results on trace element composition in volcanic plume emissions, atmospheric bulk deposition (rainwater) and their uptake by the surrounding vegetation, with the aim to compare and identify differences and similarities between these two volcanoes. Volcanic emissions were sampled by using active filter-pack for acid gases (sulfur and halogens) and specific teflon filters for particulates (major and trace elements). The impact of the volcanogenic deposition in the surrounding of the crater rims was investigated by using different sampling techniques: bulk rain collectors gauges were used to collect atmospheric bulk deposition, and biomonitoring technique was carried out to collec...
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 2018
Shallow aquifers are the most accessible reservoirs of potable groundwater; nevertheless, they ar... more Shallow aquifers are the most accessible reservoirs of potable groundwater; nevertheless, they are also prone to various sources of pollution and it is usually difficult to distinguish between human and natural sources at the watershed scale. The area chosen for this study (the Campania Plain) is characterized by high spatial heterogeneities both in geochemical features and in hydraulic properties. Groundwater mineralization is driven by many processes such as, geothermal activity, weathering of volcanic products and intense human activities. In such a landscape, multivariate statistical analysis has been used to differentiate among the main hydrochemical processes occurring in the area, using three different approaches of factor analysis: (i) major elements, (ii) trace elements, (iii) both major and trace elements. The elaboration of the factor analysis approaches has revealed seven distinct hydrogeochemical processes: i) Salinization (Cl, Na); ii) Carbonate rocks dissolution; iii)...
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2016
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2014
Applied Geochemistry, 2020
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2019
E3S Web of Conferences, 2019
The “Antica Fonte” mineral water is a valuable resource with well-known therapeutic effects due t... more The “Antica Fonte” mineral water is a valuable resource with well-known therapeutic effects due to its high magnesium and sulphate contents. Hydrochemical and isotopic data indicate that the water is recharged at an elevation exceeding 1000 m asl, derives its mineral content by dissolution of Triassic gypsum and dolomite, and partially mixes with present day recharge from the alluvial aquifer. The results of this investigation provide valuable information for a sustainable development of the resource.
Environmental Earth Sciences, 2019
Hydrological Processes, 2016
The present work aims to study the main chemical and physical water parameters in the upper and m... more The present work aims to study the main chemical and physical water parameters in the upper and middle Volturno river catchment (southern Italy), between the Capo Volturno springs and the confluence with the Calore river. This study makes use of morphology, geolithology, tectonic, land use, and physico‐chemical (pH, electrical conductivity, redox potential, temperature, major ions, and 222Rn) data for the identification of the main sources of surface and groundwaters in the Volturno catchment and of their evolution and mixing both in base flow and peak flow conditions. The study was also performed to assess whether the alteration due to potential anthropogenic contamination may hamper the identification of natural “primitive” sources of surface waters, especially in the populated and farmed plains far from the river headwaters. Our data suggest that water chemistry of this stretch of the Volturno river is dominated mainly by lithology and, only marginally, by the intense exogenous activities and that this trend is appreciable in both base flow and peak flow conditions. The proposed simple geochemical approach based on easy‐to‐sample matrices and on cost‐effective standard methods is a valuable tool to address catchment functionality especially in upland areas, where complex geologic and structural settings, heterogeneous groundwater flow, and logistical issues are the rule rather than the exception. Because the upper and middle Volturno catchment is comparable with numerous valleys of the Mediterranean area, this study could be a reference for analogous applications.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020
Scientific Reports
The development of a resilient society is a major challenge for growing human population faced wi... more The development of a resilient society is a major challenge for growing human population faced with abundant natural hazards. During and after the May 22, 2021 eruption of Nyiragongo, the local population was surprised and scared by the subsequent seismicity and associated surface fracturing, coupled with the alert of a possible new eruptive vent opening in Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo) and/or Gisenyi (Rwanda). The creation of a toll-free phone number enabled the population to record fractures and gas/thermal anomalies affecting the area. Such work was fundamental in enabling scientists and authorities to assess the associated risks. Crucially, gas data showed that the degassing through fractures did not represent direct transfer of magmatic volatiles but was more likely of superficial origin. Surprisingly, this participatory work revealed that the first fractures appeared several weeks before the eruption and their opening was not detected by the monitoring system. This firml...
The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers in agricultural fields and the increasing urbanization are am... more The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers in agricultural fields and the increasing urbanization are among the most important non-point sources of pollutants. Efforts to identify and reduce N loads percolating towards shallow aquifers led scientists to develop various tools for groundwater vulnerability assessment. The aim of the study is to propose an integrated approach for vulnerability assessment combining indices of low data requirements to describe the vulnerability to nitrogen species for a) the topsoil using LOS (Aschonitis et al. 2013), b) the unsaturated zone using AVI (Van Stempvoort et al. 1992) and c) the aquifer system using SINTACS (Civita and De Maio 2004). This attempt aims to change the current perspective of the vulnerability maps from two-dimensional (latitude, longitude) to four-dimensional visualization by adding the dimensions of depth and time. The Caserta Plain (IT), was selected as case study due to its high population density and to the intensive agricultural ac...
Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2021
The Riardo basin hosts groundwater exploited for the production of high quality, naturally sparkl... more The Riardo basin hosts groundwater exploited for the production of high quality, naturally sparkling, bottled water (e.g., Ferrarelle water), and circulating in a system constituted by highly fractured Mesozoic carbonates, overlain by more impervious volcanic rocks of the Roccamonfina complex. The two formations are locally in hydraulic connection and dislocated by deep-rooted faults. The study aimed at elucidating groundwater origin and circulation, using isotopic tracers (δ18O, δ2H, δ11B and 87Sr/86Sr) coupled to groundwater dating (Tritium, CFCs and SF6). Besides recharge by local precipitation over the Riardo hydrogeological basin, stable isotope ratios in water indicated an extra-basin recharge, likely from the elevated surrounding carbonate reliefs (e.g., Maggiore and Matese Mts.). The mineralization process, promoted by the deep CO2 flux, controls the B and Sr contents. However, their isotopic ratios did not allow discriminating between circulation in the volcanic and in the ...
Annals of Geophysics, 2015
Volcanoes are well known as an impressive large natural source of trace elements into the troposp... more Volcanoes are well known as an impressive large natural source of trace elements into the troposphere. Etna (Italy) and Nyiragongo (D.R. Congo) are two stratovolcanoes located in different geological settings, both characterized by persistent passive degassing from their summit craters. Here, we present some results on trace element composition in volcanic plume emissions, atmospheric bulk deposition (rainwater) and their uptake by the surrounding vegetation, with the aim to compare and identify differences and similarities between these two volcanoes. Volcanic emissions were sampled by using active filter-pack for acid gases (sulfur and halogens) and specific teflon filters for particulates (major and trace elements). The impact of the volcanogenic deposition in the surrounding of the crater rims was investigated by using different sampling techniques: bulk rain collectors gauges were used to collect atmospheric bulk deposition, and biomonitoring technique was carried out to collec...
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 2018
Shallow aquifers are the most accessible reservoirs of potable groundwater; nevertheless, they ar... more Shallow aquifers are the most accessible reservoirs of potable groundwater; nevertheless, they are also prone to various sources of pollution and it is usually difficult to distinguish between human and natural sources at the watershed scale. The area chosen for this study (the Campania Plain) is characterized by high spatial heterogeneities both in geochemical features and in hydraulic properties. Groundwater mineralization is driven by many processes such as, geothermal activity, weathering of volcanic products and intense human activities. In such a landscape, multivariate statistical analysis has been used to differentiate among the main hydrochemical processes occurring in the area, using three different approaches of factor analysis: (i) major elements, (ii) trace elements, (iii) both major and trace elements. The elaboration of the factor analysis approaches has revealed seven distinct hydrogeochemical processes: i) Salinization (Cl, Na); ii) Carbonate rocks dissolution; iii)...
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2016
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2014