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In the first part of this study, the most frequently professional lead exposure observed since 1984 at the Occupational Health Clinic of Turin University are summarized and compared with exposure observed in the past. The second part analyzes the present blood lead levels in the general (non-occupationally exposed) population observed in a screening campaign carried out in Piedmont in 1993-94 within the framework of the national programme by biology surveillance prescribed by Presidential Decree no. 496 of 1982. Results agree with literature data and show a reduction in blood lead levels markedly below the Italian legal limits. Nevertheless, lead pollution in non-exposed subjects still represents a major hygienistic problem, because a relevant number of children have blood lead concentrations above 10 micrograms/ 100 ml, which is considered a safe level for avoiding irreversible injury to nervous system.

A case of acute lead poisoning caused by drinking wine that had been kept in a decorative amphora is reported. Chomico-physical analysis of the internal surface of the recipient evidenced a layer of lead paint very soluble in wine. It is hoped that this report will draw the attention of the practising physician and Preventive Medicine Departments to this unusual cause of saturnism. The craft production of earthenware recipients that have been inadequately glazed and their improper use as containers of drings of foods could be commoner than might be thought on the basis of the sporadic reporting of such cases of lead poisoning.

The proportion of proline in tested wines, has given values between 670 and 1110 mg/1, with 920 mg/1 on an average. The tests have been executed with Ough's method replacing the mixture Isopropanolo diluited 1 : 1 by water, with N-Butanolo, by which we have obtained the best reproductivity of values in time.

A method is described for the determination of lead in musts, wines and vinegars by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The method, already proposed as an official method both in Italy and at the O.I.V., gives sufficiently accurate and reproducible results and is particularly suitable for routine analysis. It has been tested on 120 white and red italian wines and has shown that lead pollution in wines has not reached dangerous limits.

We have determined the level and the stability of the resistance of SO2 of yeast strains isolated in highly sulfitated musts. The resistance to antiseptic decreases during the storage and successive transfers of strains.

Lead is added into the environment by the production, use and deposited a variety of lead-containing materials. This pollution is increasing during the last years. The major source for the human intake of lead is the food chain. The people who very hardly drinks (especially wine) have been found have very high blood lead levels. 184 hospitalized patients for alcoholic liver diseases were examined and the Pb-B levels were 36,3 +/- 10,2 micrograms/100 ml. Smoking habits are another factor that increases the blood lead levels.

It has been carried out a study relating the contained in Prolina of Sardinian wines. By the results obtain it has been possible to record that the 5% of samples has a contained in Prolina below 100 mg/1, 29% between 100 and 300 mg/1, an other 29% between 300 and 500 mg/1, the 30% between 500 and 800 mg/1 and 7% has a contained in Prolina superior 800 mg/1.

A wide investigation has been carried out in order to evidenciate the differences of composition between "artificial wines" and genuine wines. "Artificial wines" have been produced by fermentation of mixtures of different amounts of wine making by-products (less, pomaces and press-wines), water and sucrose. The results showed, in particular, that "artificial wines" have a very low content of both malic acid and proline and a high content of nitrates. Significant differences have been also found in the content of polyphenols, alkaline and alkaline earth metals and citric acid.

A rapid method for sorbitol and sucrose determination by gaschromatography of their trimethylsilylderivatives is proposed. Gaschromatographic constants of these compounds are given and method riproducibility has been evaluated.

The Author after having examined the present acquirements of the native enzymes of the grapes, summarizes the enologic uses of the enzyme preparations at various degrees of purity with the point of view of the influence on the organoleptic (color, aromatic composition) ad rheologic (yield, filtrability) characteristics of the musts and wines besides some microbiological implications. Subsequently the Author exposes the original results extrapolated from the pilot and industrial trials on the use of different hydrolases (pectinase, cellulase, hemicellulase, acid protease, xylanase) on the wine-making processes (traditional red wine-making, heating red-wine-making, white wine-making). From the comparison of the last data with those of the reference are drawed conclusive considerations on some aspects of the subject.

It has been defined, in a previous work, a procedure for the "head space" gas chromatographic analysis. This method allowed the separation of 17 volatile constituents, utilizing Porapak Q, either as trap or chromatographic adsorbent. A series of new experiences have improved this precedure, adopting as trap two polymers (Porapak Q, copolymer of the ethyl-vinyl-benzene divinyl-benzene; Tenax GC porous polymer 2,6-diphenyl-p-phenilene oxide) and two different chromatographic phases. Furthermore, it has been entirely modified the introduction of the sample into the gas chromatographic column simplifying the handling and improving the operative conditions (times and temperature of desorption). The analysis of the "head space" carried out on wines of different aromatic compositions (Riesling) and on wines at different degree of ageing (Rubesco), besides having allowed the separation of 61 volatile components, 27 of which have identified, has put in evidence the sensitivity of this procedure.

A method is proposed for the differentiation of natural red wines from those obtained by addition of oenocyanine to white wines. The procedure is based on the determination of tannin phenolics and nontannin phenolics by selective precipitation with methyl cellulose and subsequent estimation of the intensity of absorption at 450 nm and 520 nm. The sum of ratio: mg/1 non tannin phenolics/absorption at 450 nm X 1000 and mg/1 tannin phenolics/absorption at 520 nm X 1000, furnishes values which are in correlation with the origin of two wines and such as to consent their differentiation.

Three cases of lead poisoning of non occupational origin as result of drinking contaminated homemade wine are described. The source of lead most likely was the ceramic inner surface of the container used for wine fermentation and/or the cement used for filling up slots between ceramic tiles. The lead content of wine was found to be 40 mg/l whereas maximum allowed level in Italy is 0.3 mg/l. Treatment with calcium versenate given intravenously solved gastroenteric symptoms. Further investigations were reassessed six months after the acute episode showing both blood and urine parameters still below the normal range for adults occupationally not exposed to lead. Awareness of family physicians in early recognition of these episodes is recommended. Furthermore such hazard should be considered when choice of materials for containers delegated to wine fermentation is made, since home wine making is a widespread practice in our country.

Proline content of genuine wines from different areas is usually over 200 mg/1; a sample contained 1.920 mg/1; some samples has shown a lower content, with a minimum of 76 mg/1. No correlationship has been established between proline content and wine origin and age. Spectrophotometric method gives results markedly higher, in some cases, than give ion-exchange chromatogrpahy.