Luigi Tranchina | Università degli Studi di Palermo (original) (raw)

Papers by Luigi Tranchina

Natural Product Research, 2016

The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Si... more The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Sicilian photographer E. Interguglielmi in 1912. They are nine matte-collodion prints mounted on the original cardboard supports and all of them show foxing stains affecting the paper surface. In order to characterise the chemical composition of the supports and investigate foxing spots, non-destructive and micro-destructive analysis were carried out. X-rays fluorescence (XRF) analysis was used to characterise the elemental composition of all the mounting boards, allowing a comparison between the foxing spots and non-affected areas. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy was used to investigate the presence of lower atomic number elements, not detectable by XRF, while SEM imaging allowed the investigation of surface appearance and nature of original paper samples from the cardboards.

… Acta Part B: Atomic …, Jan 1, 2011

The investigations on structure and micro-chemical composition of archaeological metal alloys are... more The investigations on structure and micro-chemical composition of archaeological metal alloys are needed in archaeometry. The aim of this study is devoted both to acquire information about their provenance and production technology, and to improve our understanding about the corrosion processes. In this paper we present the study of the corrosion phenomena of bronze samples, laboratory-made according to binary, ternary and quaternary alloys typical of Roman archaeometallurgical production through an integrated methodology based on the use of non or micro invasive physical techniques. Among the analysed samples, two were artificially aged through burial in the archaeological site of Tharros, along the west coast of Sardinia (Italy). The corrosion products, typical of the bronzes in archaeological sites near the sea, have been characterized by non invasive and micro-destructive measurements. In particular, the corrosion patinas were examined through optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis, X-ray fluorescence and laser ablation spectroscopy. The use of integrated technologies allowed us to determine both the elemental composition and surface morphology of the patina, highlighting the correlation between patina nature and chemical composition of the burial context. Moreover, data obtained by the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy along the depth profile on the samples, have yielded information about the stratigraphic layers of corrosion products and their growth. Finally, the depth profiles allowed us to verify both the chemical elements constituting the patina, the metal ions constituting the alloy and the occurrence of migration phenomena from bulk to the surface.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2017

Natural Product Research, 2016

The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Si... more The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Sicilian photographer E. Interguglielmi in 1912. They are nine matte-collodion prints mounted on the original cardboard supports and all of them show foxing stains affecting the paper surface. In order to characterise the chemical composition of the supports and investigate foxing spots, non-destructive and micro-destructive analysis were carried out. X-rays fluorescence (XRF) analysis was used to characterise the elemental composition of all the mounting boards, allowing a comparison between the foxing spots and non-affected areas. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy was used to investigate the presence of lower atomic number elements, not detectable by XRF, while SEM imaging allowed the investigation of surface appearance and nature of original paper samples from the cardboards.

ART'14.11 th International Conference on non-destructive investigations and microanalysis for the diagnostics and conservation of cultural and environmental heritage. ISBN: 978-84-697-0522-3

Different treatments (consolidation and water-repellent) were applied on samples of marble and gr... more Different treatments (consolidation and water-repellent) were applied on samples of marble and granite from the Front stage of the Roman Theatre of Merida (Spain). The main goal is to study the effects of these treatments on archaeological stone material, by analyzing the surface changes. X-Ray Fluorescence and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy techniques, as well as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance have been used in order to study changes in the surface properties of the material, comparing treated and untreated specimens. The results confirm that silicon (Si) marker tracking allows the detection of applied treatments, increasing the peak signal in treated specimens. Furthermore, it is also possible to prove changes both within the pore system of the materialand in the distribution of surface water, resulting from the application of these products.

FOREWORD This volume collects the technical and scientific contributions presented in the occasio... more FOREWORD This volume collects the technical and scientific contributions presented in the occasion of the "Meeting on Sciences and Technologies for the Environment: Environmental problems in Sicily and Lorraine regions: case studies and solution proposals", held on the 2 nd of March, 2010 at the Maggio Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences of the Palermo University. The meeting, organized by the same Faculty and supported by AMAP, has represented the ideal conclusion of an intense program of visits and excursions performed in Sicily by a numerous group of teachers, researchers and students belonging to the "Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL)" of Nancy, France. Their program included, among others, technical trips to the Bellolampo landfill, the Rosamarina dam, the Scillato springs and the Acqua dei Corsari water depuration plant. Therefore, these notes summarize the excursion outcomes as well as a group of scientific contributions relevant to recent researches carried out in the respective regions of Sicily and Lorraine. So, it seems clear the intent to pose the bases of an auspicial cooperation between the involving institutions, i.e. the Palermo University and this French public University of Technology of Nancy. This represents also a further knowledge opportunity for the students of both countries along their study and formation curricula. Indeed, it is opportune to remember that cultural exchanges among prestigious university and scientific organizations constitute the fundaments of all the European educational and research strategies, to which the Palermo University itself acknowledges the highest importance.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2014

Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2014

ABSTRACT Fricke infused gel matrices offer several features making them suitable for dosimetric a... more ABSTRACT Fricke infused gel matrices offer several features making them suitable for dosimetric applications; among these there are tissue equivalence, low cost and ease of preparation. Their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation properties can be used as a radiation detector for the dosimetry of beams used in cancer therapy. In recent years neutron capture therapy has been resumed for the treatment of various types of cancer and it requires three-dimensional mapping of the neutron fields. In this work, we investigated this particular application through NMR relaxometry and MR imaging of Fricke gels exposed to neutrons. We analyzed both the R1 and R2 relaxation rates, which relate to the longitudinal T1 and transversal T2 relaxation times. In particular, we found that the relaxation rate R2 does not depend on the neutron fluence, whereas the relaxation rate R1 increases linearly with the fluence. The magnetic resonance imaging acquisitions showed that T1-weighted images allow the characterization of samples exposed to different neutron fluences.

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2013

This paper reports on results obtained by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements and ... more This paper reports on results obtained by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation on a blend of alanine added with low content of gadolinium oxide (5 % by weight) to improve the sensitivity to thermal neutron without excessively affecting tissue equivalence. The sensitivity is enhanced by this doping procedure of more an order of magnitude. The results are compared with those obtained with the addition of boric acid (50 % by weight) where boron is in its natural isotopic composition in order to produce low-cost EPR dosemeters. The gadolinium addition influences neutron sensitivity more than the boron addition. The presence of additives does not substantially change the fading of the EPR signal induced by neutrons. The MC simulations agree the experimental results in case of gadolinium addition.

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2014

ABSTRACT This paper continues analyses on organic compounds for application in neutron dosimetry ... more ABSTRACT This paper continues analyses on organic compounds for application in neutron dosimetry performed through electron spin resonance (ESR). Here, the authors present the results obtained by ESR measurements of a blend of ammonium tartrate dosemeters and gadolinium oxide (5 % by weight). The choice of low amount of Gd is due to the need of improving neutron sensitivity while not significantly influencing tissue equivalence. A study of the effect of gadolinium presence on tissue equivalence was carried out. The experiments show that the neutron sensitivity is enhanced by more than an order of magnitude even with this small additive content. Monte Carlo simulations on the increment of energy release due to gadolinium presence were carried, and the results were in good agreement with the experimental data.

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2011

The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique is often used as atomic spectroscopic t... more The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique is often used as atomic spectroscopic technique for elemental analysis of materials. However, it presents some drawbacks that make an accurate quantitative analysis difficult. Since the plasma properties, such as spatial inhomogeneity and plume stoichiometry strongly depend on the experimental conditions, the measurements are less reproducible. In order to evaluate the measurement fluctuations, we

Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2013

Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2014

ABSTRACT Spectrophotometric and colorimetric data obtained during a measurement campaign aimed at... more ABSTRACT Spectrophotometric and colorimetric data obtained during a measurement campaign aimed at supporting the Roman “Villa del Casale” (Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy) conservation activities, are presented. Special attention was paid to the possible variation of the chromatic coordinates, possibly due to the interventions of cleaning, consolidation, and protection. Data have been analyzed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) statistical technique, with the attempt to investigate its role in data variability reduction and verify its effectiveness in interpreting the phenomena occurring on the mosaic surface of the Villa, through grouping the observations into homogenous clusters. Effectiveness in the use of the information provided by the spectrophotometric and colorimetric analyses is strongly related to the immediacy and ease of data reading by the restoration operators for whom the issues concerning the color measurement and its representation are often unfamiliar. This paper analyses data of different mosaic tesserae before/after the cleaning intervention and presents data clustering with PCA. This statistical technique has provided a synoptic scheme capable of improving data interpretation concerning the chromatic behavior of the materials. Moreover, the cluster distribution highlighted by the multivariate analysis made it possible to identify, more clearly, the parameters that mostly contribute to the chromatic shift and to monitor the behavior of variously colored tesserae.

Geosciences Journal, 2009

We attempted to evaluate variations in the properties of sediments at a waste disposal site in th... more We attempted to evaluate variations in the properties of sediments at a waste disposal site in the Yellow Sea resulting from the last 17 years of ocean dumping. The comparison between the affected surface sediment by ocean dumping and unaffected bottom sediment properties revealed that the mean grain size, Loss on ignition (LOI), and mineralogy were only slightly influenced by the ocean dumping, while some stations in the study area exhibited a heavy metal anomaly. Enrichment of heavy metals also has influenced inflow of waste since 1994 and rapidly increased after 1999, and the heavy metals in the surface sediment were controlled by anthropogenic sources such as ocean dumping, while the heavy metals in the bottom sediment were controlled by the weathering process. Also, Metal enrichment in the study area may have been caused by ocean dumping, because the time of heavy metal enrichment corresponds to the increasing time of ocean dumping. Furthermore, enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index suggested that the concentrations of heavy metals besides Cd and Pb were not significant, but the sediment accumulated after 1994 at some sites exhibited Pb and Cd anomalies.

Environmental Geology, 2008

Vertical electrical sounding (VES') surveys and chemical analyses of groundwater have been execut... more Vertical electrical sounding (VES') surveys and chemical analyses of groundwater have been executed in the coastal plain of Acquedolci (Northern Sicily), with the aim to circumscribe seawater intrusion phenomena. This urbanized area is representative of a more general problem interesting most of Mediterranean littoral areas, where intensive overdraft favors a heavy seawater intrusion through the coastline. Aquifer resistivity seems decisively to be conditioned by the chlorine and magnesium content in the main aquifer of the region. Schlumberger VES', together with piezometric and chemical-physical information of groundwater, allowed us to perform hydrogeological and geophysical elaborations, to propose the occurrence of a relatively narrow belt marked by fresh-salt water mixing. In the considered plain, pollution risk studies have been already realized by authors with the proposal to identify-by parametric and synthetic zoning of significant hydrogeological elements-the most vulnerable sectors. In detail, an intrinsic vulnerability mapping has been already performed, applying the well-known SINTACS system. This paper intends to give-in this sector of Sicily-an example of integration of different methodologies, showing the role of geophysics to describe the degradation of aquifers on the whole as well as to assess their pollution risk better.

Chemistry and Ecology, 2004

This paper presents measurements of major, minor, metal trace elements and radionuclides in sedim... more This paper presents measurements of major, minor, metal trace elements and radionuclides in sediments and in Posidonia oceanica samples from north-western Sicily (Italy). The mineralogical and chemical composition of sediments were determined by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence techniques, respectively. A flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in P. oceanica samples and in sediments. Specific activities of selected radionuclides have been determined by high-resolution gamma spectrometry. Standard statistical analysis was used to assess correlations between different elements and different sample types.

Natural Product Research, 2016

The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Si... more The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Sicilian photographer E. Interguglielmi in 1912. They are nine matte-collodion prints mounted on the original cardboard supports and all of them show foxing stains affecting the paper surface. In order to characterise the chemical composition of the supports and investigate foxing spots, non-destructive and micro-destructive analysis were carried out. X-rays fluorescence (XRF) analysis was used to characterise the elemental composition of all the mounting boards, allowing a comparison between the foxing spots and non-affected areas. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy was used to investigate the presence of lower atomic number elements, not detectable by XRF, while SEM imaging allowed the investigation of surface appearance and nature of original paper samples from the cardboards.

… Acta Part B: Atomic …, Jan 1, 2011

The investigations on structure and micro-chemical composition of archaeological metal alloys are... more The investigations on structure and micro-chemical composition of archaeological metal alloys are needed in archaeometry. The aim of this study is devoted both to acquire information about their provenance and production technology, and to improve our understanding about the corrosion processes. In this paper we present the study of the corrosion phenomena of bronze samples, laboratory-made according to binary, ternary and quaternary alloys typical of Roman archaeometallurgical production through an integrated methodology based on the use of non or micro invasive physical techniques. Among the analysed samples, two were artificially aged through burial in the archaeological site of Tharros, along the west coast of Sardinia (Italy). The corrosion products, typical of the bronzes in archaeological sites near the sea, have been characterized by non invasive and micro-destructive measurements. In particular, the corrosion patinas were examined through optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis, X-ray fluorescence and laser ablation spectroscopy. The use of integrated technologies allowed us to determine both the elemental composition and surface morphology of the patina, highlighting the correlation between patina nature and chemical composition of the burial context. Moreover, data obtained by the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy along the depth profile on the samples, have yielded information about the stratigraphic layers of corrosion products and their growth. Finally, the depth profiles allowed us to verify both the chemical elements constituting the patina, the metal ions constituting the alloy and the occurrence of migration phenomena from bulk to the surface.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2017

Natural Product Research, 2016

The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Si... more The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Sicilian photographer E. Interguglielmi in 1912. They are nine matte-collodion prints mounted on the original cardboard supports and all of them show foxing stains affecting the paper surface. In order to characterise the chemical composition of the supports and investigate foxing spots, non-destructive and micro-destructive analysis were carried out. X-rays fluorescence (XRF) analysis was used to characterise the elemental composition of all the mounting boards, allowing a comparison between the foxing spots and non-affected areas. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy was used to investigate the presence of lower atomic number elements, not detectable by XRF, while SEM imaging allowed the investigation of surface appearance and nature of original paper samples from the cardboards.

ART'14.11 th International Conference on non-destructive investigations and microanalysis for the diagnostics and conservation of cultural and environmental heritage. ISBN: 978-84-697-0522-3

Different treatments (consolidation and water-repellent) were applied on samples of marble and gr... more Different treatments (consolidation and water-repellent) were applied on samples of marble and granite from the Front stage of the Roman Theatre of Merida (Spain). The main goal is to study the effects of these treatments on archaeological stone material, by analyzing the surface changes. X-Ray Fluorescence and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy techniques, as well as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance have been used in order to study changes in the surface properties of the material, comparing treated and untreated specimens. The results confirm that silicon (Si) marker tracking allows the detection of applied treatments, increasing the peak signal in treated specimens. Furthermore, it is also possible to prove changes both within the pore system of the materialand in the distribution of surface water, resulting from the application of these products.

FOREWORD This volume collects the technical and scientific contributions presented in the occasio... more FOREWORD This volume collects the technical and scientific contributions presented in the occasion of the "Meeting on Sciences and Technologies for the Environment: Environmental problems in Sicily and Lorraine regions: case studies and solution proposals", held on the 2 nd of March, 2010 at the Maggio Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences of the Palermo University. The meeting, organized by the same Faculty and supported by AMAP, has represented the ideal conclusion of an intense program of visits and excursions performed in Sicily by a numerous group of teachers, researchers and students belonging to the "Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL)" of Nancy, France. Their program included, among others, technical trips to the Bellolampo landfill, the Rosamarina dam, the Scillato springs and the Acqua dei Corsari water depuration plant. Therefore, these notes summarize the excursion outcomes as well as a group of scientific contributions relevant to recent researches carried out in the respective regions of Sicily and Lorraine. So, it seems clear the intent to pose the bases of an auspicial cooperation between the involving institutions, i.e. the Palermo University and this French public University of Technology of Nancy. This represents also a further knowledge opportunity for the students of both countries along their study and formation curricula. Indeed, it is opportune to remember that cultural exchanges among prestigious university and scientific organizations constitute the fundaments of all the European educational and research strategies, to which the Palermo University itself acknowledges the highest importance.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2014

Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2014

ABSTRACT Fricke infused gel matrices offer several features making them suitable for dosimetric a... more ABSTRACT Fricke infused gel matrices offer several features making them suitable for dosimetric applications; among these there are tissue equivalence, low cost and ease of preparation. Their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation properties can be used as a radiation detector for the dosimetry of beams used in cancer therapy. In recent years neutron capture therapy has been resumed for the treatment of various types of cancer and it requires three-dimensional mapping of the neutron fields. In this work, we investigated this particular application through NMR relaxometry and MR imaging of Fricke gels exposed to neutrons. We analyzed both the R1 and R2 relaxation rates, which relate to the longitudinal T1 and transversal T2 relaxation times. In particular, we found that the relaxation rate R2 does not depend on the neutron fluence, whereas the relaxation rate R1 increases linearly with the fluence. The magnetic resonance imaging acquisitions showed that T1-weighted images allow the characterization of samples exposed to different neutron fluences.

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2013

This paper reports on results obtained by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements and ... more This paper reports on results obtained by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation on a blend of alanine added with low content of gadolinium oxide (5 % by weight) to improve the sensitivity to thermal neutron without excessively affecting tissue equivalence. The sensitivity is enhanced by this doping procedure of more an order of magnitude. The results are compared with those obtained with the addition of boric acid (50 % by weight) where boron is in its natural isotopic composition in order to produce low-cost EPR dosemeters. The gadolinium addition influences neutron sensitivity more than the boron addition. The presence of additives does not substantially change the fading of the EPR signal induced by neutrons. The MC simulations agree the experimental results in case of gadolinium addition.

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2014

ABSTRACT This paper continues analyses on organic compounds for application in neutron dosimetry ... more ABSTRACT This paper continues analyses on organic compounds for application in neutron dosimetry performed through electron spin resonance (ESR). Here, the authors present the results obtained by ESR measurements of a blend of ammonium tartrate dosemeters and gadolinium oxide (5 % by weight). The choice of low amount of Gd is due to the need of improving neutron sensitivity while not significantly influencing tissue equivalence. A study of the effect of gadolinium presence on tissue equivalence was carried out. The experiments show that the neutron sensitivity is enhanced by more than an order of magnitude even with this small additive content. Monte Carlo simulations on the increment of energy release due to gadolinium presence were carried, and the results were in good agreement with the experimental data.

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2011

The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique is often used as atomic spectroscopic t... more The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique is often used as atomic spectroscopic technique for elemental analysis of materials. However, it presents some drawbacks that make an accurate quantitative analysis difficult. Since the plasma properties, such as spatial inhomogeneity and plume stoichiometry strongly depend on the experimental conditions, the measurements are less reproducible. In order to evaluate the measurement fluctuations, we

Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2013

Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2014

ABSTRACT Spectrophotometric and colorimetric data obtained during a measurement campaign aimed at... more ABSTRACT Spectrophotometric and colorimetric data obtained during a measurement campaign aimed at supporting the Roman “Villa del Casale” (Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy) conservation activities, are presented. Special attention was paid to the possible variation of the chromatic coordinates, possibly due to the interventions of cleaning, consolidation, and protection. Data have been analyzed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) statistical technique, with the attempt to investigate its role in data variability reduction and verify its effectiveness in interpreting the phenomena occurring on the mosaic surface of the Villa, through grouping the observations into homogenous clusters. Effectiveness in the use of the information provided by the spectrophotometric and colorimetric analyses is strongly related to the immediacy and ease of data reading by the restoration operators for whom the issues concerning the color measurement and its representation are often unfamiliar. This paper analyses data of different mosaic tesserae before/after the cleaning intervention and presents data clustering with PCA. This statistical technique has provided a synoptic scheme capable of improving data interpretation concerning the chromatic behavior of the materials. Moreover, the cluster distribution highlighted by the multivariate analysis made it possible to identify, more clearly, the parameters that mostly contribute to the chromatic shift and to monitor the behavior of variously colored tesserae.

Geosciences Journal, 2009

We attempted to evaluate variations in the properties of sediments at a waste disposal site in th... more We attempted to evaluate variations in the properties of sediments at a waste disposal site in the Yellow Sea resulting from the last 17 years of ocean dumping. The comparison between the affected surface sediment by ocean dumping and unaffected bottom sediment properties revealed that the mean grain size, Loss on ignition (LOI), and mineralogy were only slightly influenced by the ocean dumping, while some stations in the study area exhibited a heavy metal anomaly. Enrichment of heavy metals also has influenced inflow of waste since 1994 and rapidly increased after 1999, and the heavy metals in the surface sediment were controlled by anthropogenic sources such as ocean dumping, while the heavy metals in the bottom sediment were controlled by the weathering process. Also, Metal enrichment in the study area may have been caused by ocean dumping, because the time of heavy metal enrichment corresponds to the increasing time of ocean dumping. Furthermore, enrichment factor and geoaccumulation index suggested that the concentrations of heavy metals besides Cd and Pb were not significant, but the sediment accumulated after 1994 at some sites exhibited Pb and Cd anomalies.

Environmental Geology, 2008

Vertical electrical sounding (VES') surveys and chemical analyses of groundwater have been execut... more Vertical electrical sounding (VES') surveys and chemical analyses of groundwater have been executed in the coastal plain of Acquedolci (Northern Sicily), with the aim to circumscribe seawater intrusion phenomena. This urbanized area is representative of a more general problem interesting most of Mediterranean littoral areas, where intensive overdraft favors a heavy seawater intrusion through the coastline. Aquifer resistivity seems decisively to be conditioned by the chlorine and magnesium content in the main aquifer of the region. Schlumberger VES', together with piezometric and chemical-physical information of groundwater, allowed us to perform hydrogeological and geophysical elaborations, to propose the occurrence of a relatively narrow belt marked by fresh-salt water mixing. In the considered plain, pollution risk studies have been already realized by authors with the proposal to identify-by parametric and synthetic zoning of significant hydrogeological elements-the most vulnerable sectors. In detail, an intrinsic vulnerability mapping has been already performed, applying the well-known SINTACS system. This paper intends to give-in this sector of Sicily-an example of integration of different methodologies, showing the role of geophysics to describe the degradation of aquifers on the whole as well as to assess their pollution risk better.

Chemistry and Ecology, 2004

This paper presents measurements of major, minor, metal trace elements and radionuclides in sedim... more This paper presents measurements of major, minor, metal trace elements and radionuclides in sediments and in Posidonia oceanica samples from north-western Sicily (Italy). The mineralogical and chemical composition of sediments were determined by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence techniques, respectively. A flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in P. oceanica samples and in sediments. Specific activities of selected radionuclides have been determined by high-resolution gamma spectrometry. Standard statistical analysis was used to assess correlations between different elements and different sample types.