Metal and non-metal micro-pollutants in cultivated soils of Lecce and Brindisi districts (Apulia, Southern Italy)

To estimate the presence of metal and non-metal micro-pollutants in the soi ls of the Lecce and Brindisi districts, an analytical study has been carrie d out on samples of surface soils taken from agricultural areas. The resear ch has concerned the determination of the following micro-pollutants: Cu, N i, Cr, Zn, Pb. Be. Cd. As. Hg, Sb e Tl. Statistical techniques, such as Pri ncipal Component Analysis and Clustering Analysis, have been utilised to ex amine the correlations among the different parameters and to define contami nation areas. The results show that the amount of micro-pollutants in the s uperficial stratum of the examined soils is in the range permitted by the r egulations in force, with the exception of arsenic and thallium. Arsenic co ncentrations are near to the maximum admissible value, while thallium conce ntrations are in 56% of the samples higher than the admissible value both i n the soil and underground. The most significant parameter from a toxicolog ical point of view is thallium, which has its maximum concentration in the soils located near the industrial area of Brindisi.