Study Suggests Radon Presence in Houses on Etna Slopes

By Alberto Lunetta/NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Experts from the Catania Volcanology and Geophysics National Institute have recently released the results of the first-ever soil radon gas measurements at seven different locations located along or near fault lines in an attempt to begin to map out a new geohazard zone of the Etna area.

Map elaboration by Dr. Marco Neri and Alessandro Lo Piccolo

A recent study by National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) researchers, published in the open-access scientific journal Frontiers of Public Health, has pointed out the potential exposure to elevated radon in homes located along the faults of Mt. Etna.

Radon is an inert, radioactive, colorless, and odorless gas that is naturally present in the atmosphere in trace amounts where it disperses rapidly. It is also a reliable indicator of volcanic tectonic activity. Because radon comes naturally from the earth, people are always exposed to it. However, if radon enters through cracks in houses’ floors, walls, pipes and even electrical wires in high enough concentrations and over a long enough period of time, it can harm the health of residents by possibly causing serious illnesses such as lung cancer.

INGV researchers conducted the first ever multi-year study by continuously monitoring indoor radon levels to see if there could be a possibility of higher radon accumulation inside homes located near active faults. Measurements were performed during periods ranging from a few months to over three years in seven houses distributed on the eastern, southern and south-western flanks of the volcano, located at different distances from seismogenic faults.

Radon testing was performed in the towns of Giarre, Zafferana Etnea, Aci Catena, Aci Castello, and Paternò. Fortuitously, the timing of data collection allowed for the measurement of radon concentrations during and after the 4.8-magnitude Dec. 26, 2018 earthquake, which struck the Acireale area and caused heavy damage to buildings and roads located along or near fault lines.

Results indicate that the highest concentration of indoor radon was recorded in locations closer to active faults and above volcanic substrates. Marco Neri, a senior researcher at the Catania INGV, explained that these fracture zones create an ideal pathway for the rising of abundant amount of radon to the surface. Researchers contend that preliminary results demonstrate the need to continue studying and monitoring radon concentrations around Etna, whose surrounding population amounts to about one million people.

Far-Right League Becomes Italy’s Largest Party After EU Elections

From Reuters

The far-right political party, League, became Italy’s largest party in Sunday’s European parliamentary election, surging past its coalition partner party, 5-Star Movement, which saw its own support slump.

The vote looks certain to alter the balance of power within the deeply divided government, giving greater authority to League leader Matteo Salvini, who is pushing for swinging tax cuts in possible defiance of EU budget rules.

“Thank you Italy. We will use your trust well. The first party in Italy will change Europe,” a beaming Salvini said in a video posted on Facebook.

With well over half the ballots counted, state broadcaster RAI forecasted that the League would win 33.8% of the vote against 17.7% for 5-Star, an almost exact inversion of the results of national elections a year ago. The League took just 6.2% in the last EU ballot in 2014 and has seen its support surge higher since then, thanks largely to Salvini’s uncompromising stance against illegal immigration.

Voting projections also indicated that the opposition party, pro-Europe Democratic Party (PD), also leapfrogged above 5-Star, winning 22.5%, compared with 18.7% in 2018 and 40.8% in 2014.

“We are back,” said the PD’s new leader Nicola Zingaretti.

Relations between the League and 5-Star deteriorated during the election campaign and there has been speculation that the coalition could collapse following the vote because of insurmountable differences over issues such as taxes and regional autonomy.

Salvini has said repeatedly the election would have no bearing on the makeup of the government and has denied suggestions that he would demand more ministerial positions for his party in the event of victory. However, he has also said that he expects 5-Star leaders to drop their resistance to projects close to his party.

League priorities include a desire to introduce a flat tax in the 2020 budget, regardless of fears this would push the deficit beyond EU limits. He has also called on 5-Star to drop objections to major infrastructure programs, including a costly trans- Alpine rail link known as the TAV.

“Deciding the priorities of the government will now be up to Matteo Salvini and the League,” said the League’s parliamentary leader, Riccardo Molinari.

5-Star has traditionally fared better at general elections, when turnout is much higher, and it looked to have been hit on Sunday by low voter numbers in its southern Italian stronghold.

“We have been penalized by abstentions, especially in the south. But now we must put our heads down and work,” 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio said in a brief comment after the scale of the defeat became clear.

5-Star’s loss to the PD party represented a painful blow and means that Di Maio is likely to face pressure from party faithful not to make any major concessions to Salvini, which might further erode grassroot support.

Partial results also showed that former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party won just 8.9% of the vote, its worst performance since it was formed 25 years ago. The nationalist Brothers of Italy party took 6.4%. Both parties were longstanding allies of the League at a national level until last year, when Salvini split from them to form a cabinet with 5-Star. However, they still stand together in local votes and their candidate triumphed in a separate regional election on Sunday in Piedmont home to the TAV rail project with the center-left coming second and 5-Star trailing badly in third place.