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This investigation focused on topsoils ( n = 122) and vertical profiles ( n = 6) distributed over an area of 250 km 2 in the eastern-central Peloritani Mountains, northeastern Sicily. Georeferenced concentration of 53 elements (including potentially harmful ones), determined by ICP-MS after an aqua regia leach, were used to produce geochemical maps by means of a GIS-aided spatial interpolation process. Results show that there are two distinct areas: the larger, located between the Fiumendinisi, Budali and Ali villages, and the other between C. Postlioni and Femmina Morta, which contain anomalous As (up to 727 mg/kg), Sb (up to 60 mg/kg), Ag (up to 1 mg/kg) and Au (up to 0.1 mg/kg) concentrations. Most of the investigated areas have high contamination levels for As, Zn, Sb, and Pb that exceed the threshold values (As = 20 mg/kg, Zn = 150 mg/kg, Sb = 10 mg/kg and Pb = 100 mg/kg) established for soils by the Italian Environmental Law (Decreto Legislativo 2006, number 152). The isotopic ratios of 206 Pb/ 207 Pb and 208 Pb/ 207 Pb have been measured in selected soils on both leaches [using 1M HNO 3 –1.75M HCl (50:50)] and residues thereof. Soil leach reflects possible anthropogenic contamination, whereas soil residues indicate geogenic contributions. Results suggest that most of contamination in the soils is related to the presence of sulphide and sulphosalt rock-forming minerals in the surveyed area. The soil fraction contains a Pb value >1600 mg/kg and has ratios of 1.1695 for 206 Pb/ 207 Pb and 2.4606 for 208 Pb/ 207 Pb. Only one soil leach isotopic composition could reflect possible anthropogenic contamination. The correlation among As, Zn, Pb contents v. Pb isotopic signatures of 206 Pb/ 207 Pb indicates that surface and deep soils collected from profiles are dominated by geogenic compositions.

The book contain invited articles dealing with urban geochemical mapping, with contribution spanning from dedcription of sample sampling and preparation for both inorganics and organics analyses; quality of chemical data; source of anthropogenic contaminants; influence of pollution on health; regulation and administartion of soil pollution; different contribution on case histories in different urban areas of the world (Oslo, Berlin, Sachsen-Anhalt, Naples, Madrid, Tallinn, Prague, Ljubljana, Lavrion, Trondheim, Belgrade, Denver, Beira, Hong Kong, Nigeria).

The Bagnoli brownfield site, one of the largest Italian dismantled industrial areas undergoing remediation, is located in the western sector of the urban territory of the city of Naples (Southern Italy) inside the active volcanic field of Campi Flegrei. The remediation project, funded by the Italian government, started in 1996 and was extended to the coastal area sea sediments facing the brownfield site in 2001. A total of 384 sea sediment samples were collected from 128 boreholes at different depths (0–20 cm, 20–30 cm, 30–50 cm, 100–120 cm, 150–180 cm, 180–200 cm, 280–300 cm, and 380–400 cm) down the seabed along the coastline. Analyzed samples show that the coastal area facing the Bagnoli brownfield site is strongly contaminated by metals whose distribution seems to be controlled by the grain size of the sea sediments, and by the presence of organic compounds (PAHs and PCBs). Geochemical mapping and R-mode factor score analysis allowed us to identify the groundwaters, emanating from the brownfield site to the sea across an artificial structure (“Colmata a mare”) limited by two piers and filled by scum, slag and landfill material, as the main source of contaminants. Since the groundwaters metal contamination was proven to be mostly dependent on a natural hydrothermal enrichment process related to the volcanic activity of Campi Flegrei, a remediation project would be needed primarily for PAHs and PCBs, which occur well above the concentration levels permitted by the Italian Law in the sea sediments facing the Bagnoli coastline.

The Sarno River basin area is one of the most polluted in Europe and it is due to the waste products of the tomato industry, the leather tanneries and the pharmaceutical industry. This area also has been densely populated and urbanized since the Middle Bronze Age, as testified by the presence of numerous archeological sites, including the ancient Pompeii town, and environmental degradation that characterizes the area is absolutely unacceptable. This paper represents a detailed study to assess the potentially harmful element content of topsoils. In total, 283 soil samples were collected and analyzed, after an aqua regia extraction, by a combination of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for 53 elements. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to show the single-element geochemical distribution and the distribution of factor scores of the elemental associations resulting from R-mode factor analysis. Maps showing elements and the association factor score distributions have been obtained using GeoDAS and ArcGIS software. The assessment of the soil contamination was also carried out using the contamination factor and degree of contamination. The results obtained indicate that soil pollution has different anthropogenic sources. Specifically, Cr pollution derives from tanneries discharging wastewaters in the main water bodies of the basin while Cu contamination seems to depend on widespread agricultural practices. Tin, Pb, Hg, Zn, Cd, Sb anomalies are found mainly in urban and industrial areas, sometimes close to roads with high traffic levels while there is a substantial coincidence with background values for other elements (Co, Ni, Se, Tl and V).