Gis for data management of environmental surveys, carried out in Biancavilla (CT) superfund experience

Abstract

Biancavilla town has been included by the Italian Environmental Ministry in the Italian Superfund to remediate over the problem of contamination. The contamination is produced by fibrous fluoroedenite, a carcinogen mineral. Since the 1990s many environmental monitoring campaigns have been made in Biancavilla town by private and public Institutions charged to guarantee the safety of human health and environmental protection, such as Italian INAIL-EX-ISPESL, National Institute of Health (ISS), Regional Environmental Agency (ARPA), Local Health Agency (AUSL), University of Catania, Circum-Etna Railway. The Environmental Ministry charged INAIL-EX-ISPESL to create a specific Geographic Information System (GIS) dedicated to the management and consultation of all data collected in Biancavilla town (Catania Sicily), in order to properly handle the large amount of data, in continuous acquisition. The GIS is a tool based on a continuously evolving repository, i.e. an alphanumeric database and digital map updated in real time, through which managing the information about the different monitoring campaigns. GIS Basic function is to associate a geo-referenced location to a descriptive alphanumeric database and to relate such information to events that have happened in the territory. It is also possible to process all data with a complex query associated to geographic position. This paper discusses the GIS, specifically made to collect all monitoring data in Biancavilla town regarding: excavation activities; street cleaning; building operations; human activities. Using this GIS, it is possible to detect trends and increases in the concentration of dangerous fibres in Biancavilla. With this tool it is possible to highlight any exceeding the threshold limit value, concerning the concentration of fibrous airborne particulate. The aim of this paper is to present a useful instrument to quickly identify risk situations and to adopt prevention measures of diffusion of hazardous contaminants. Finally the GIS, using some standardized formats, ensures the continuous updating of data and the information exchange among all subjects involved (institutions, experts, citizens). © 2011 WIT Press.