1. Opportunities in Italy and Europe
M E D I C A L G E O L O G Y :
Opportunities in Italy and Europe

2. Opportunities in Italy and Europe
1 - Baseline geochemical studies
FOREGS Geochemistry Program
Atlante Geochimico-Ambientale - Campania
and other regions
2 - Possible geochemical anomalies that correlate with
epidemiologically related unusual disease incidence. .
3 - Volcanic smog = VOG volcano or fumarole-produced
vapors, gases, and aerosols.

3. FOREGS Geochemical Mapping Program
involves 26 European countries
FOREGS sample protocol involves
Water - Humus - Top and sub-soils and Floodplain
stream sediments
From Plant et al., 2005

4. Geochemical image showing the distribution of As in water
prepared by the FOREGS Geochemistry Program.

5. Geochemical image showing the distribution of Se in water
prepared by the FOREGS Geochemistry Program.

6. Geochemical image showing the distribution of Ni in topsoil
prepared by the FOREGS Geochemistry Program.

7. Hg Campania Geochemical Baseline Study Anomaly Values Distribution
Stream sediment
De Vivo et al.,2003

8. Hg Campania Geochemical Baseline Study Geochemical Risk Map Stream
sediment
De Vivo et al.,2003

9. Possible geochemical anomalies that correlate with epidemiologically-related unusual disease incidence.

11. VOG
volcanic smog
Dense vog as seen
from Hilo Bay, Hawai’i

12. VOG = volcanic smog
Vog is a mixture that includes gases but is predominately aerosols
(tiny particles and droplets) formed when volcanic gas reacts with
moisture, oxygen, and sunlight.
High SO2 concentrations in volcanic or fumarole emissions creates
a particularly hazardous type of vog that can profoundly affect
people with chronic asthma, small children, or individuals with
respiratory impairments or circulatory problems.
With regard to volcanic risk, a population exposed to vog may have
more cumulative risk than from an acute volcanic hazard = eruption.
What are the risks for VOG related to the Italian volcano and
fumarole areas??