Presence of Epsilon HCH Together with Four Other HCH Isomers in Drinking Water, Groundwater and Soil in a Former Lindane Production Site

Abstract

In the frame of a long-standing action of remediation of industrial soil and prevention of water pollution, a monitoring of the drinking water of the Italian town of Colleferro was performed by the ISS. The town has 22,000 inhabitants and is adjacent to a big industrial site where HCH was produced. Industrial wastes were buried in the site, eventually contaminating superficial aquifers, while a canal serving the industrial plant spread the contamination into the Sacco river and thence to the agricultural soil and to cow milk. The contamination of superficial aquifers engendered fears of pollution of the deep aquifers whence the town draws its drinking water. The results of the monitoring indicate that there is no risk for the population from consumption of the water. In one of the wells the ε-HCH was the main isomer reaching a concentration of 66 ng/L: so far the presence of this isomer in water was never reported. The paper also summarily reports the main features of soil and superficial groundwater pollution in the area and briefly describes the main actions taken by the authorities.