This study reports the data on the contamination caused by heavy metals in the groundwater of the Campania Plain (CP) in Southern Italy. A total of 1093 groundwater samples were obtained from the following aquifers: coastal plains (GAR, VCP, VES, SAR, and SEL), volcanic districts (PHLE and VES), and carbonate massifs (MAS and LAT). In this study, the investigation depth ranged from 5 m (GAR) to 200 m (PHLE). The sequence of heavy metal content in groundwater samples was B > Fe > Al > Mn > Zn > Ba > Ni > As > Cu > V > Se > Pb > Cd. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and heavy metal evaluation (HEI) demonstrated that the study areas in which groundwater samples were sampled are not risk zones. Moreover, health risk assessment shows that hazard index (HI) values for heavy metals were found to be significantly low in groundwater samples. In non-carcinogenic risk evaluation for the adult group, the risk was low, whereas for children and infants, the risk was >1 for arsenic alone. Carcinogenic risk assessment (CR) was found lower for adults, children, and infants. The Jenks optimization method was used to evaluate the distribution of heavy metals in the groundwater of CP, and the principal component analysis technique (PCA) was employed to determine the source of heavy metals, and it was found that mixed sources (natural and anthropogenic) may be responsible for heavy metals presence.

The Sele River, located in the Campania Region (southern Italy), is one of the most important rivers and the second in the region by average water volume, behind the Volturno River. To understand the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Sele River, water sediment samples were collected from areas around the Sele plain at 10 sites in four seasons. In addition, the ecosystem health risk and the seasonal and spatial distribution of PAHs in samples of water and sediment were assessed. Contaminant discharges of PAHs into the sea were calculated at about 1807.9 kg/year. The concentration ranges of 16 PAHs in surface water (DP), suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sediment were 10.1–567.23 ng/L, 121.23–654.36 ng/L, and 331.75–871.96 ng/g, respectively. Isomeric ratio and principal component analyses indicated that the PAH concentrations in the water and sediment near the Sele River were influenced by industrial wastewater and vehicle emissions. The fugacity fraction approach was applied to determine the trends for the water-sediment exchange of 16 priority PAHs; the results indicated that fluxes, for the most part, were from the water into the sediment. The toxic equivalent concentration (TEQ) of carcinogenic PAHs ranged from 137.3 to 292.6 ngTEQ g⁻¹, suggesting that the Sele River basin presents a definite carcinogenic risk.

The concentrations, possible sources, and ecological risk of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were studied by analyzing water column (DP), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment samples from 10 sites on the Sele River. Total PCBs concentration ranged from 2.94 to 54.4 ng/L and 5.01 to 79.3 ng/g in the seawater and sediment samples, with OCPs concentration in the range of 0.51 to 8.76 ng/L and 0.50 to 10.2 ng/g, respectively. Pollutants loads in the seaside were measured in approximately 89.7 kg/year (73.2 kg/year of PCBs and 16.5 kg/year of OCPs), indicating that the watercourse could be an important cause of contamination to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Statistical analysis indicates that all polychlorinated biphenyls analytes are more probable to derive from surface runoff than an atmospheric deposition. The results explain that higher concentrations of these pollutants were built in sediment samples rather than in the other two phases, which are evidence of historical loads of PCBs and OCPs contaminants. The Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs), the Ecological Risk Index (ERI) and the Risk Quotient (RQ) show that the Sele river and its estuary would reputedly be a zone possibly at risk.

The intensive use of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) causes concern among authorities in different countries, as many of them, remaining unchanged for a long time, pose a threat to environmental sustainability. This study assessed the spatio-temporal trends of nine OPPs in the water dissolved phase (WDP), suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sediment samples from the Sele River estuary, Southern Italy. Samples were collected in 10 sampling sites during four seasons. The highest levels were found at the mouth (mean value 28.25 ng L⁻¹ as WDP + SPM) and then decreased moving southwards to the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, highest concentrations were detected in the warm season (July) with a mean value of 27.52 ng L⁻¹. The load contribution to the Mediterranean Sea was evaluated in about 61.5 kg year⁻¹, showing that the river was an important source of OPPs through discharge into the sea. The risk assessment revealed that no high-risk indices for the general-case scenario were observed, but for the worst-case scenario, potential risks were associated with chlorpyrifos, pyrimifos-methyl, and parathion, suggesting that OPP contamination should not be neglected. This study makes up the first record of OPPs in the surface waters of the Sele River and provides helpful data as a starting point for future studies.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 1168 groundwater samples of the Campania Plain (Southern Italy), taken using a municipal environmental pressure index (MIEP), and to analyze the distribution of these compounds to determine source PAHs using ratios of isomers diagnostic. Lastly, this study also aimed to estimate the potential health cancer risk in groundwaters. The data indicated that the highest concentration of PAHs was found in groundwater from Caserta Province and the contents of BghiP, Phe, and Nap were detected in the samples. The spatial distribution of these pollutants was evaluated using the Jenks method; moreover, the data indicated that incremental lifetime cancer risk ILCR_ingestion ranged from 7.31 × 10⁻²⁰ to 4.96 × 10⁻¹⁹, while ILCR_dermal ranged from 4.32 × 10⁻¹¹ to 2.93 × 10⁻¹⁰. These research findings may provide information about the Campania Plain’s groundwater quality and aid in the development of preventative measures to lessen PAH contamination in groundwater.

Legionella is a pathogen that colonizes soils, freshwater, and building water systems. People who are most affected are those with immunodeficiencies, so it is necessary to monitor its presence in hospitals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of Legionella in water samples collected from hospitals in the Campania region, Southern Italy. A total of 3365 water samples were collected from January 2018 to December 2022 twice a year in hospital wards from taps and showers, tank bottoms, and air-treatment units. Microbiological analysis was conducted in accordance with the UNI EN ISO 11731:2017, and the correlations between the presence of Legionella and water temperature and residual chlorine were investigated. In total, 708 samples (21.0%) tested positive. The most represented species was L. pneumophila 2–14 (70.9%). The serogroups isolated were 1 (27.7%), 6 (24.5%), 8 (23.3%), 3 (18.9%), 5 (3.1%), and 10 (1.1%). Non-pneumophila Legionella spp. represented 1.4% of the total. Regarding temperature, the majority of Legionella positive samples were found in the temperature range of 26.0–40.9 °C. An influence of residual chlorine on the presence of the bacterium was observed, confirming that chlorine disinfection is effective for controlling contamination. The positivity for serogroups other than serogroup 1 suggested the need to continue environmental monitoring of Legionella and to focus on the clinical diagnosis of other serogroups.