A multidisciplinary and multifactorial integrated approach for the understanding of the problem of the atmospheric mercury pollution

In the last decades the awareness of scientists, decision makers and citizens about the ubiquitous and toxic nature of mercury in the environment has considerably grown. The complexity of the environmental problem related to mercury is increased because of the volatile nature of this metal, which results in global dispersion through the atmosphere and deposition in the sea and freshwater bodies (LINDQVIST et al., 1991). Moreover its capability for methylation and bioaccumulation in the aquatic food chain have increased the necessity to carry out intensive researches and multidisciplinary studies on the matter of mercury pollution. In general, it is more and more recognized that a good solution of environmental problems requires a systematic and multi-factorial vision involving technical, biomedical and environmental issues. A new approach to face environmental problems is suggested by the EMECAP project (European Mercury Emission from Chlor-Alkali Plants), a European R&D project, recently co-funded by the European Commission in the framework of the “Quality of Life” Research and Development programme. The project involves nine partners from four European countries (Italy, Sweden, Slovenia and Norway) and it explicitly targets the Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali (MCCA) sector, which is one of the most important anthropogenic metallic mercury source (FERRARA & MASERTI, 1992). Nevertheless, the approach of the EMECAP project can be applied to a wide spectrum of real scenarios where the monitoring of mercury concentration over large areas is required (incinerators, crematories, dumps, mining sites to be remediated or in remediation phase) and around small areas which, because of their destination (hospitals, schools, retirement homes, etc), demand particular attention. Specifically the project emphasises the importance of investigating possible direct relationships between mercury emissions, environmental damages and onset of pathologies in human population living in the neighbourhood of chlor-alkali plants. Its objective is to improve the tools at regulatory bodies disposal to plan, manage and carry out the actions for the safeguard of the citizens health from mercury pollution. The goal of the project will be reached through two parallel and synergetic lines, respectively focused on biomedicalenvironmental and technological issues.