Characterization of heavy metals atmospheric deposition for assessment of urban environmental quality in the Bologna city (Italy)

The suburban area of Bologna city in southeast portion of Po Valley (Northern Italy) is characterized by high emission from industrial, urban, agriculture and traffic sources. The presence of an urban waste incinerator get inhabitants to require answers about impact of its emissions on the environmental quality related to human health. The concentrations of some pollutants (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V and Zn) were determined in topsoil, plants and mosses tissues sampled in sites selected according to different falling out conditions, due to the incinerator and other sources of atmospheric emissions that affect the monitoring area. No correlation was found between metal content and the distance of the incinerator plant. The pollution load index (PLI) calculated for soil and moss indicated a low environmental pollution, while highest values in sites downwind of incinerator and in craft area indicate a moderate pollution.