The Siele mine and its smelting plant are part of the world class Monte Amiata mining district (MAMD – Tuscany, Italy). The mine is located close to the Siele creek (c.), which drains the mining area, then flows to the Paglia River (R.), which in turn is an affluent of Tiber River, flowing through the city of Rome to the Mediterranean Sea. After closure in 1981, the mining area was subjected to the first reclamation in the district (and at the worldwide scale), completed in 2001. In this study, we present new data on Hg concentrations in soils, stream sediments, and air in the Siele mining area and along the Siele c., and we review all previously available data, with the aim of quantifying the Hg contribution from the Siele c. into the Paglia R., and of documenting the evolution of the system following mine reclamation. Hg concentrations (up to 5400 mg/kg) in stream sediments are comparable to pre-reclamation values in the first 500 m downstream the mine site. They decrease downstream to the confluence with the Paglia R., but remain anomalous (i.e., above the 1 mg/kg Italian law limit for residential soil). Comparison of pre- and post-remediation data of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) in air shows that Hg0 emissions in most of the sites within the Siele mining area are lower than pre-reclamation values, but in few outdoor sites, levels are still high (up to 9500 ng/m3), exceeding the existing regulatory limits (“Norma Amiata”: 300 ng/m3 in outdoor sites). On the other hand, Hg mobility, determined by leaching tests, is mostly below the limits defined by pending regulations (1 μg/L), and methyl-Hg concentrations are mostly below 1 ng/kg (with a single value of 6 ng/kg). Results show the Siele c. plays a role by no means negligible in the general picture of the contributions of Hg in the Paglia R. basin, proving to be one of the most critical areas of the entire MAMD. Indeed, concentrations of Hg in sediments and soils in the Siele c. are comparable to those of the Pagliola c., draining the Abbadia S.S. mine (the main site of the MAMD), where reclamation is still under way. Moreover, despite remediation works, Hg emissions from contaminated soil will represent a significant contribution to the atmospheric load of Hg in the future, if no further remediation action is taken. The Siele system has a low resilience and natural recovery will take many years (probably decades), during which the area will remain an important source of Hg for the Paglia and Tiber River systems, and eventually for the Mediterranean Sea. This study provides important background data for local authorities to implement monitoring strategies and find new remediation plans based on the identified critical area. Further, at a global scale, this work contributes additional data to the assessment of the global Hg budget to the atmosphere and the hydrosphere.

Low resilience of a mercury mining area after reclamation: the case of the Siele mine (Mt. Amiata Mining District, Italy)

In this paper we report on CO2 Meter, a do-it-yourself carbon dioxide measuring device for the classroom. Part of the current measures for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is proper ventilation in indoor settings. This is especially important in schools with students coming back to the classroom even with high incidents rates. Static ventilation patterns do not consider the individual situation for a particular class. Influencing factors like the type of activity, the physical structure or the room occupancy are not incorporated. Also, existing devices are rather expensive and often provide only limited information and only locally without any networking. This leaves the potential of analysing the situation across different settings untapped. Carbon dioxide level can be used as an indicator of air quality, in general, and of aerosol load in particular. Since, according to the latest findings, SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted primarily in the form of aerosols, carbon dioxide may be used as a proxy for the risk of a virus infection. Hence, schools could improve the indoor air quality and potentially reduce the infection risk if they actually had measuring devices available in the classroom. Our device supports schools in ventilation and it allows for collecting data over the Internet to enable a detailed data analysis and model generation. First deployments in schools at different levels were received very positively. A pilot installation with a larger data collection and analysis is underway.

CO2 Meter: A do-it-yourself carbon dioxide measuring device for the classroom

The amount of people living in severely hazardous air quality conditions is rapidly increasing due to climate change, wildfires and pollution. Many affected people can not afford air purifiers to protect themselves and those that can are unaware of when is the optimal time to activate theirs. In response to these issues, we create an affordable air purifier that alerts users when the optimal time is to activate their filters and is universally accessible.

Making Healthy Air More Affordable: A Smart Air Purifier with Filter Availability Detection

Background: Dysfunctional of alveolar microvascular endothelial cells drives microangiopathies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tobacco smoking and air pollution are two major causes of COPD. We hypothesized that cigarette smoke (CS) and diesel exhaust particles (DEP) might impact on pulmonary microvascular endothelial repair in vitro.
Methods: Immortalized human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) were starved for 24 h followed by treatments with either vehicle control, CS extract (CSE) (1%, 2.5%, 5%), DEP (50, 100, 200 µg/ml), or IL-1ß (0.1, 1ng/ml) for 24h. Post-analyses comprised PCR analysis and scratch wound healing assays. 
Results: In the wound healing assay, 83% closure was observed within the vehicle group at 12h, which was reduced to 76%, 59% and 57% by 1%, 2.5%, and 5% CSE respectively; 87%, 89% and 82% by 50-, 100-, and 200 µg/ml DEP respectively; and increased to 93% and 97% by IL-1ß (0.1-, 1ng/ml). After 24h treatments, the wound closed 96-100% in vehicle, IL-1ß (0.1-, 1ng/ml) and DEP (50-, 100 µg/ml) groups; however, the wound closed 95%, 85%, 73% and 91% by 1%, 2.5%, 5%CSE and DEP (200 µg/ml) respectively. The wound closed slower when cells were first pretreated for 24 h with DEP. The gene expression levels of the pro-inflammatory IL-6 and CXCL8/IL-8 were increased in HPMECs treated with DEP (100 µg/ml) or IL-1ß (0.1-, 1ng/ml) but not by CSE; the gene expression of the aging associated marker P16 decreased by CSE (2.5%, 5%) or DEP (50-, 200 µg/ml) whereas the expression of P21 increased by IL-1ß (0.1-, 1ng/ml). The expression level of the oxidative stress responsive gene MGST1 increased by CSE, DEP or IL-1ß in a concentration-dependent manner.
Conclusions: Both CSE and DEP exposure impair the wound repair function of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and this dysfunction was associated with changes in markers of oxidative stress, and to a lesser extent senescence and inflammation. 


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Low resilience of a mercury mining area after reclamation: the case of the Siele mine (Mt. Amiata Mining District, Italy)

CO2 Meter: A do-it-yourself carbon dioxide measuring device for the classroom

Making Healthy Air More Affordable: A Smart Air Purifier with Filter Availability Detection

Cigarette smoke and air pollution induce dysfunctional pulmonary microvascular endothelial repair

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