The Italian government developed a scientific model to classify soils for agricultural use based on pollution levels. The model outlines criteria to identify soil pollution risk to human, animal and environmental health. It evaluates the mobility and bioavailability of pollutants in the soil-plant-food chain. The model then classifies soils as: Class A suitable for food production with low pollution risk; Class B suitable for some food production with medium risk; or Class C unsuitable for food production with high risk. The model was applied in Campania, Italy where only 2% of lands were classified as Class A with low pollution risk.

2. The case of Italy: monitoring of soil pollution in relation to
food production
Anna Benedetti
CREA – Research Centre Agriculture and Environment
Via della Navicella, 2- 00184 Roma anna.benedetti@crea.gov.it

3. “Land of fires” is an expression coined by Roberto Saviano to
indicate a large area between Caserta and Napoli provinces
affected by illegal fires and abandonment of toxic wastes.
To assure a good environment to the population and food safety
the Italian Government, by law 23.12.2013, incharge:
CREA: Research Council for Agriculture and Economic Evaluation
ISPRA: Italian Research Institute for the Environment
ISS: Italian Research Institute for Health
ARPAC : Regional Agency for the Environment /Campania
To elaborate
State of the art

4. A scientific model tool adopted to classificate soils
• No production for food and agriculture;
• Production limited to particular product for food and
agriculture, different also from alternative energies;
• Data collection to validate and improve a management
model based on the different types of sites and different
sources of pollutants

5. The concepts of model
• CREA (Ex CRA), ISPRA, ISS, & ARPAC, with respect to the Law 6/2014,
have primarily developed a scientific tool aiming to identifying criteria
for the evaluation of agricultural land, aimed at ensuring the
healthiness and quality of agri-food products for the protection of
human health.
• The model outlines the criteria to identify, on a scientific and non-
empirical base, the extent of soil pollution and the risk to human,
animal and environmental health and has general relevance so it can
be exported and applied to other territorial realities characterized by
similar phenomena.

6. The model is constructed in to 7 different phases
The phases are
in the succession time
From 1 to 7

7. 1 - Site selection and geographic mapping
Mapping of authorized and non-dump sites, ecoballs and waste storage
sites, and other waste treatment system
Mapping of great importance fires, except forest ones;
Mapping of sites affected by waste landfills;
Mapping of farm sites interested by pollution;
Identification of baseline values in environmental matrices;
Mapping of other potential sources of pollution (industrial settlements, large vehicular traffic arteries, etc ...);
Soil maps;
Whether data;
Mapping of soil use for agricultural purposes (forests, pastures, sown, greenhouses, manufactents, waters, non-
cultivable areas);
Remote sensing data;
Geoportal;
Geographical integration

8. 2 – Finding pollutant index
Detection of soil matrix
Detection of water matrix
Detection of air matrix

9. 3 – Definition of water-soil-plant- animal-food
chain relationship
Evaluation of pollutant mobility, bioavailability and
translocation in food chain; (taking into account the
occurrence of pollutant in the water used for irrigation);
Toxicological threshold values of pollutants for different
types of food in relation to soil characteristics, climatic
environment, specificity of crop;
Assessment of the acceptable values of tolerance within
the non normed pollutants categories, potentially toxic, in
the various agricultural productions

10. 4- Assessment of an index for evaluating the risk
management for human and animal and risk
management of waste disposal sites
Index of risk for the agroecosystem and the
food chain;
Risk Index of Waste Management Sites /
leaved sites

11. 5 - Classification of soil designed for agricultural
use
Suitable for food production
Restrictions on certain agri-food
products under certain conditions
Suitable for no food production

12. 6 - Definition of remediation
Phytoremediation
phytoremediation- microorganisms
Other approach of remediation

13. 7 - Legislation aspects
Standardasized protocol
Short-term and long-term monitoring
based on standard protocol
Proposal to implement the legislation

14. Soil-plant-food chain:
Toxic elements
translocation in food
product
Occurrence of pollutants in air
and soil in bioavailable form
Occurrence of pollutants in air and soil in
total form
Soil and vulnerability
Food
quality

15. Polluting substances
Heavy metals
Aromatic PolycIyclic Idrocarbon
(IPA)
Volatil Organic Compounds
Policlorobiphenils, Dioxins, Furans
(PCDD/F)

16. Phase 3: Definition of water-soil-plant- animal-food chain
relationship
The presence of polluting substances in to the food chain.
evaluated by the bioavailability of polluting substances
from environment to food chain
The term bioavailability is a term used in pharmacology and
nutritional and environmental sciences. In pharmacology, it refers to
the degree and rate at which an administered drug is absorbed by the
body's circulatory system, the systemic circulation.
Calvét R. “Analyse du concept de biodisponibilité d’un substance dans le sol”
Science du Sol 26 n.31, 183 (1988).

17. Phase 4- Assessment of an index for evaluating the risk
management for human and animal and risk management of
waste disposal sites
Content of polluting substances in the edul
parts of the plants according to the
ecotoxicological references
Mobility and bioavailability in relation to
pedoclimatic environment, crops and
management

18. Class A – suitable for food productions
(high risk level of bioavailability)
Class B - suitable for food productions in specific
conditions and for particular productions
(medium risk level of bioavailability)
Class C – no suitable for food productions
(low risk level of bioavailability)
Risk Index Classes

19. Risk levels
• 5 Level: much high
• 4 Level: much high
• 3 Level: high
• 2 Level: medium Class B
• 1 Level: low Class C
Class A

20. Results
Risk
level
Site characteristics
5 Polluting substances concentration > 10 x CSC (o VF) + aerial photos
4 Polluting substances concentration > 10 x CSC (o VF)
3 Polluting substances concentration = 2-10 x CSC (o VF) + aerial photos
2a Polluting substances concentration = 2-10 x CSC (o VF)
2b Aerial Photos (class 2, 3, 4, 5 e 6)
1 Polluting substances concentrations < 2 x CSC (o VF)
CSC = yield treshold

21. During the period 2014 -2016 were analyzed 31
administrative districts in “Land of Fires”.
Only 2% of the lands are classified in the class of risk A.
In this case no risks of mobility and availability of heavy
metals were detected
The pollution by
Aromatic PolycIyclic Idrocarbon(IPA)
Volatil Organic Compounds
Policlorobiphenils, Dioxins, Furans (PCDD/F)
Were correlated with fall out
Risk assesment evaluation
In Land of Fires

22. In syntesis
The scientific model is suitable to monitoring polluting substances in the environment to
guarantee food safety;
Represents the first example of evinronmental monitoring according to general prefixed
criteria;
Represents a good methodology to estrapolate in other polluted sites for the evaluation of
risk assesment;
Represents a good base to esthablish an implementation of legislation on environmental
risk assessment and food production.

23. The case of Italy: monitoring of soil pollution in relation to
food production
Anna Benedetti
CREA – Research Centre Agriculture and Environment
Via della Navicella, 2- 00184 Roma anna.benedetti@crea.gov.it