The Sick Lagoon

In this condensed volume, the editorial team (S.Guerzoni and S. Raccanelli) gives an accurate description of the “state of the art” of scientific research in the delicate and controversial field of environmental monitoring. In a simple manner the results of various types of research carried out both by public and private institutions are presented, all dealing with the contents of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment (air, water, sediments, soli, fish) and in foods in Venice and its surrounding area.

Uncontrolled release into the environment of such substances as dioxin, furans, chlorinated compounds and micro-pollutants in general are capable of causing the worst industrial disasters to which mankind has been subjected in recent decades: Seveso and Bophal above all. But it is not only the unexpected or casual leakage, explosion of fires which disturbs the sleep of local inhabitants exposed to “chemical risk”: a much higher level of anxiety is induced by the fear of being subject to the effects of a silent, imperceptible, but constant release into the atmosphere or water of toxic substances which may accumulate and have lasting effects, poisoning our bodies without our knowledge (from back cover)

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