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‘Catanese’ artichoke quarters were packaged in active modified atmosphere (5% O2+10% CO2) in four different materials or in air in macro-perforated bags used as control (CTRL), and stored at 4°C. Materials used for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were: polylactic acid (PLA), polylactid acid with one line of micro-perforation (PLA MF1), polypropilene with two lines of micro-perforations (PP MF2), and polypropylene + polyamide with two lines of microperforations (PP+PA MF2). Initially and after 2, 4, and 9 days, overall artichoke appearance, color and weight loss were monitored. O2 and CO2 concentrations within the packages were detected initially and after 1, 2, 17, 24.5, 41.5, 49.5, 120 and 216 h (end of the experiment). Also, at the last sampling date ethanol and acetaldehyde accumulations in artichoke tissue were measured. All the micro-perforated films maintained gas levels within the range of O2>3% and CO2, Advances in Horticultural Science, Vol 29 No 1 (2015)

Baby lettuce leaves have recently been developed for the unwashed fresh-cut and ready-to-eat markets. The aim of this research was to characterize this product by sensory, physicochemical and microbiological analyses performed during storage at 4 and 10°C. Products were analysed at sampling times chosen on the basis of 5 sensory visual quality (VQ) levels. Samples scoring VQ5 and VQ4 were considered acceptable (Ac), whereas the remaining scores were defined as unacceptable (UAc). Each VQ level was then characterized for physicochemical (colour, ammonia, antioxidant activity, electrolytic leakage, phenols, chlorophyll, respiratory activity) and microbiological (total viable count, Pseudomonas spp, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, yeast and moulds) parameters. UAc samples also proved unsatisfactory from a microbiological point of view (total viable count >=107 CFU/g). Partial Least Square (PLS) regression analysis allowed to identify colour change (?E*) and total chlorophyll (TC) as X-variables to predict the microbial load (TVC) (Y-variable) associated with each sensory VQ level. The model obtained showed R2CV=0.94, RMSECV=0.41 and a relative error of 5.61%. In conclusion, the use of these parameters as quality indicators could be a new strategy for discriminating green leafy vegetables into acceptable or unacceptable products.

Low oxygen controlled atmosphere was reported to be useful for fresh-cut broccoli raab cold storage in maintaining freshness and qualitative traits, whereas excessive accumulation of CO2 (10-15%) should be avoided. Starting from these finding the aim of this work was to individuate the proper modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for fresh-cut broccoli raab in order to reach at the equilibrium the target atmosphere composition with low oxygen (3%) during cold storage. Broccoli raabs harvested from a commercial farm, were selected for defects and were cut from the stalks, obtaining the ready-to-use product. After washing the product was packaged in plastic trays sealed in bags of different plastic materials. Two commercially available polymeric coupled films (polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate, PP/PET, and polypropylene/polyamide, PP/PA microperforated, MF), were used as packaging materials with or without the inclusion of a CO2 absorbers (used in 5-g sachets). For each packaging condition a passive (P-MAP) and an active atmosphere with 5% O2 in nitrogen (A-MAP) were used. Unpackaged samples were used as control and stored with all packages at 5 °C. Initially, and after 3 and 8 days samples were taken and quality attributes (overall appearance, odor, color analysis and weight loss) were evaluated. Gas concentrations (O2 and CO2) inside packages were also monitored. Among the packaging treatments tested the combination using PP/PA in A-MAP with the use of CO2 absorbing sachets reached equilibrium condition very close to optimal for broccoli raab. Fresh-cut broccoli raab stored in this condition for 8 days showed negligible reduction of appearance and odor scores, compared to the fresh samples resulting significantly higher than for the samples stored in all other packaging combinations.

Male zucchini flowers (Cucurbita pepo L.) are greatly appreciated by consumers although, due to their high perishability, they are destined only to local markets. The effects of four different atmosphere compositions (air, 3% O2 in nitrogen, 3% O2 + 10% CO2 in air, and 10% CO2 in air) on quality attributes of fresh male zucchini flowers (color, weight loss, respiration, fermentative volatiles, and vitamin C) were studied. Storage in controlled atmosphere significantly (P

The atmosphere is a carrier on which some natural and anthropogenic organic and inorganic chemicals are transported, and the wet and dry deposition events are the most important processes that remove those chemicals, depositing it on soil and water. A wide variety of different collectors were tested to evaluate site-specificity, seasonality and daily variability of settleable particle concentrations. Deposition fluxes of POPs showed spatial and seasonal variations, diagnostic ratios of PAHs on deposited particles, allowed the discrimination between pyrolytic or petrogenic sources. Congener pattern analysis and bulk deposition fluxes in rural sites confirmed long-range atmospheric transport of PCDDs/Fs. More and more sophisticated and newly designed deposition samplers have being used for characterization of deposited mercury, demonstrating the importance of rain scavenging and the relatively higher magnitude of Hg deposition from Chinese anthropogenic sources. Recently biological monitors demonstrated that PAH concentrations in lichens were comparable with concentrations measured in a conventional active sampler in an outdoor environment. In this review the authors explore the methodological approaches used for the assessment of atmospheric deposition, from the analysis of the sampling methods, the analytical procedures for chemical characterization of pollutants and the main results from the scientific literature.

Several epidemiological studies have shown the negative effect of Particulate Matter (PM) on human health; in particular, it was shown that the finer fractions of PM (PM2.5 and PM1) can penetrate deeply into the lung and cause negative effects which ranges from cardiovascular and neurotoxic effects to cancer (Künzli and Perez, 2009). For this reason, plans to suggest right policy controls for human health protection have to taken into account the most relevant emission sources for the area under investigation and how PM concentrations at receptors can be influenced by transport, mixing and transformation processes. In this work, the collaboration among different partners, such as Apulian Agency for Environmental Protection, University of Bari, University of Lecce, CNR-ISAC, allowed to obtain important results by a PM monitoring campaign performed in Apulia Region. PM10 has been collected in five different sampling sites (Torchiarolo, Galatina, Taranto- Tamburi, Palagiano e Montalbano-Ostuni) at different distance from the iron and steel pole of Taranto. The main interest on Taranto is due to the presence of several activities of high impact as very wide industrial area close to the town and the numerous maritime and military activities in the harbour area (Amodio et al., 2008). Therefore, the aim of this study was the chemical characterization of PM10 samples in order to estimate emission sources contributions and to evaluate how these sources influence pollutants concentrations at the sampling sites. Fifteen daily samples have been collected in the period from February 2009 to March 2009. The chemical characterization of the samples has been performed to determine inorganic components, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, carbonaceous fractions and metals. It was found that the sampling site close to the steel plant (Taranto-Tamburi) was affected by iron and manganese concentrations greater than those observed in other sites (an order of magnitude) when the wind direction allowed the transport from the plant to the receptor. The contribution of crustal matter source has been evaluated by means of titanium and silicon concentrations: almost the same values were observed in the different sites and it was explained according to a regional contribution of this source. On the contrary, the chemical concentrations of sodium and chlorine allowed to highlight the local contributions of marine aerosol. Finally, the relevance of biomass burning for domestic heating in the sampling site of Torchiarolo e Galatina has been shown by high concentrations of PAHs and potassium, in agreement with high aluminium concentrations. Moreover, SEM - EDS analysis allowed the morphological characterization of PM: the collected images were used both to obtain particles statistical size and shape distributions and to characterize chemical species. In the sampling period, Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions (CAMX) was used to evaluate meteorological dispersion condition of the atmosphere. Starting and edge domain concentrations of chemical species have been evaluated by taking into account data obtained by CHIMERE model. Source emissions data, available in Apulia Region Emission Inventory, were processed by means of GEM-PP code. Measured pollutants concentrations were compared to those obtained by applying the model and the underestimation of real concentrations were observed. It was explained taking into account some sources not considered in Emission Inventory and the chemical mechanism, performed by the model, for the simulation of secondary particulate matter formation. Künzli, N., Perez, L., (2009). Swiss Medical Weekly 139(17-18), 242-250. Amodio, M. et al., (2008). ChemiChemical Engineering Transactions 16, 193-199.

ITALIANO: Lo scavo di cavità artificiali in Campania risale ad epoca remota e si richiama ad una radicata tradizione che ha visto nel tempo susseguirsi e talora intrecciarsi diverse modalità di utilizzo. Tra la tarda antichità e il medioevo si verifica un notevole incremento della frequentazione degli spazi ipogei, soprattutto come luoghi di sepoltura e di culto. La ricca e ampia documentazione campana comprende al suo interno una pluralità di situazioni differenti. Ad essa corrisponde, però, uno stato degli studi molto disomogeneo. In questo contributo, partendo dall’individuazione e dalla localizzazione delle cavità artificiali campane in uso tra tarda antichità e medioevo, vengono esaminati in parallelo luoghi di culto e aree sepolcrali, che spesso convivono nello stesso monumento. Si procede non tanto ad una capillare disamina dei singoli siti, quanto ad una preliminare classificazione dei diversi tipi di impianti, attraverso l’analisi delle soluzioni planimetriche, delle modalità di trasformazione degli ambienti, delle scelte decorative, delle tecniche di scavo e delle testimonianze documentarie. / ENGLISH: The excavation of artificial cavities in Campania dates back to remote ages and refers to a deep-rooted tradition and to a different modalities of use. Between Late Antiquity and Middle Ages there was a significant increase in use of the hypogea, especially as burial and worship places. In Campania the rich and extensive documentation includes a great number of different situations. The connected studies, however, are very uneven. In this essay, starting from identification and location of artificial cavities in use between Late Antiquity and Middle Ages in Campania, the places of worship and the burial areas, which often coexist in the same monument, are examined contemporaneously. We don’t propose a capillary analysis of the sites, but a preliminary classification of different types of plants, analysing the planimetric solutions, the modalities of changes of the places, the decorative choices, the techniques of excavation and the documentary evidences.

In order to studying the concentration and the chemical characterization of atmospheric particulate in the different season in all the Italian territory, inside the SITECOS project (PRIN 2004), a gravimetric sampling campaigns have been conducted. The PM10 and PM2.5 samplings were placed at the same time in different sites along the Italian peninsula. The sampling sites were: Bari, Taranto, Pollino (m.1800, remote site), Catania, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Arezzo, Grosseto, Capannori-LU, Prato, Montale-PT (rural site), Bologna and Monte Cimone (m.2100, remote site on Italian Apennines), Padua, Milan, San Colombano (m.2300, remote site on Italian Alps), Trieste and San Rocco a Muggia (TS). Daily PM2.5 and PM10 samples have been collected, to do a “sampling bank “, available for a further chemical / physical / toxicological characterization of atmospheric particulate Samples have been chemically characterized according to their main species: PAHs, inorganic ions and EC/OC in the PM2.5 samples; elements in the PM10 samples. In the Padana plain (Milan, Bologna, Padua) the PM concentration is uniform and a strong seasonal trend is observed, with the highest values in winter time and the lowest values in summer while PM concentration in S. Colombano and Monte Cimone sites show an opposite seasonality, with the highest values in summer and the lowest ones in winter. These data show a slight evolution during the winter’s day because of the height of the dispersion layer, in connection with microclimatic parameters; for example in Milan city during acute cases of pollution, the height is no more that 300m (Ferrero et al., 2006). Remote sites of S. Colombano and Monte Cimone in the winter time are above the boundary layer while during summer period they are on it. In the center of Italy PM seasonality concentration is less important while in the South Italy and in Sicily there is any seasonal trend. The reasons are, in part, linked to the different meteoclimatic features present in the Italian peninsula. Chemical composition data show a significant differences. In the North of Italy there is a strong seasonality of ionic component; in particular, during the winter, the Nitrate concentration is higher than the Sulfate one while the situation is opposed in summer. Ammonium does not show a strong seasonality, but it remains pretty constant; the same applies to Carbon. In the South of Italy cities, SO , NO 3 - and NH 4 + , primary component of inorganic ions, they do not show a seasonality with a Sulfate concentration that is always higher than Nitrates. In the center of Italy the seasonality is less marked thanks to the inorganic ions. Sulfate and Nitrate are similar from a percentage point of view. Also PAHs (expressed in weight/weight, quality of particulate), in the Padana plain, shows a strong seasonality, with a high percentage in the winter season and a lower one in summer (Ravindra et al., 2006). Over the year concentrations are constant in South of Italy, while in the center area, the seasonality is less strong. The vehicles traffic source is estimated to be one of the main PM source in the Padana plain, while in the South of Italy there are other sources like photochemistry reactivity, Saharan Dust events, etc. These results show a different role of PM sources along the Italian peninsula and they carry fundamental information for a correct management of the complex problem on a national scale. Ferrero, L., Lazzati, Z., Lo Porto, C., Perrone, M.G., Petraccone, S., Sangiorgi, G., Bolzacchini, E., (2006) Vertical distribution of particulate matter in the urban atmosphere of Milan. Poster. International Aerosol Conference 2006. Ravindra, K., Bencs, L., Wauters, E., Hoog, J., Deutsch, F., Roekens, E., Bleux, N., Berghmans, P., Van Grieken, R., (2006) Seasonal and sitespecific variation in vapour and aerosol phase PAHs over Flanders (Belgium) and their relation with anthropogenic activities. Atmospheric Environment 40 (2006) 771-785.