Fluorine speciation in topsoils of three active volcanoes of Sicily (Italy)

Abstract

Fluorine is one of the many environmental harmful elements released by volcanic activity. The content of total, oxalate extractable and water extractable fluorine was determined in 96 topsoils of three active volcanic systems of southern Italy (Mt. Etna, Stromboli and Vulcano). Total fluorine content (FTOT) ranges from 112 to 7430 mg kg-1, F extracted with oxalate (FOX) ranges from 16 to 2320 mg kg-1 (2 – 93 % of FTOT) and F extracted with distilled water (FH2O) ranges from 1.7 to 159 mg kg-1 (0.2 – 40 % of FTOT). Fluorine in the sampled topsoils derives both from the weathering of volcanic rocks and ashes and from enhanced deposition due to volcanic gas emissions either from open-conduit passive degassing (Mt. Etna and Stromboli) or from a fumarolic field (Vulcano). Fluorine accumulation in the studied soils does generally not present particular environmental issues except for a few anomalous sites at Vulcano where measured contents could be dangerous both for vegetation and for grazing animals.