Author(s)

P. Costagliola, M. Benvenuti, M. G. Benvenuti, A. Innocenti, L. Mascaro, M. Paolieri, L. Rossato & G. Tanelli

Abstract

Southern Tuscany hosts a number of ore deposits which have been actively exploited since the Etruscan period until very recently. Natural processes of mineral and rock weathering and almost 3000 years of ore mining and metallurgical activity led to the dispersion in the environment (mainly soils and waters) of toxic elements, among which arsenic is one of the most hazardous. In this paper we present the first results of a geological and geochemical survey carried out in the middle portion of the Pecora valley (MPV), aimed at establishing different contributions (\“geogenic” vs. \“anthropogenic”) to the observed arsenic enhancement in soils (2-335 ppm As, mean value = 70 ppm) and waters. The study area is part of a lar

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