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(T/MF176) Fluorine impact around ceramic industries: single procedures for chemical analysis. Vicente, Ana1, Gomez, Eva1, Sanfeliu, Teofilo1, Queralt, Ignasi2, 1 2 ABSTRACT- In the Spanish Mediterranean coastal region co-exist both important agricultural activities and large ceramic production centres. Atmospheric emissions from ceramic factories contains variable quantities of several pollutants coming either from ceramic raw materials, from chemicals used in the process or from the combustible. Fluorine is a typical element found in atmospheric emissions from such industrial activities. The environmental role and health contribution of fluorine has been largely discussed Continuos ingestion by animals of excessive amounts of fluorine can lead to health effects. On the other hand, fluorine excess is accumulated in rich calcium soils and several types of herbaceous plants. Soils around ceramic factories in the studied area contain high amounts of calcium carbonate. Atmospheric fluorine within the area was determined by the SPADNS method with a U-VIS spectrometer. The samples were collected by means high volume captors (Total Suspended Particles, TSP filter samples) and bulk dust collectors (bulk dust deposition, BDD). Analyses of data have been performed taking in account the distance from non-polluted areas, the seasonal variability and the weekly working cycles. During the last two years fluorine content in atmospheric dust around factories has been determined. The range obtained were from 42 to 1151 ng m-3 for total suspended particles. The upper concentrations were obtained near the ceramic industrial area in summer. For dust bulk samples the values ranged from 0.032 to 0.216 mg m-2 day-1, the upper concentrations were obtained near ceramic industrial area, but the maximum values were in spring. Key words: Fluorine, emmision, ceramic, industry |
