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International audience; The contribution presents data part of a wider interdisciplinary project focused on the study of ceramics from excavations carried out in 1980-81 by P. Arthur in the forum of Pompeii and coordinated by one of the authors (D. Cottica) in collaboration with the local Soprintendenza. Ceramic study allowed identifying a local black-glazed production of fine wares, including black glaze ware, characterized by a distinctive light brown clay. Of great interest is a deposit (X 11B) containing black glaze finished and unfinished fragments, together with kiln spaces, dating to the late IV early III century B.C. From a macroscopic point of view, among the ceramics from the forum area (all strata) it was possible to identify two sub-groups (or series) of BG characterized by some differences in clay and glaze appearance, as well as in chronology and morphological repertoire. These two series have been conventionally termed “Pompeii Forum A” and “Pompeii Forum B”. From the chronological point of view, this BG production spans from the IV and the II-I century B.C. and is attested by more than 4000 fragments. The proposed contribution will illustrate and discuss the archeological data together with results from a recent archaeometric project of analysis and characterization of this BG pottery production, carried out by the University of Calabria. Furthermore, in order to identify the likely provenance area of raw material used at Pompeii, Mio-Pliocenic clayey samples collected in the Salerno area have been analyzed by XRF and PXRD analysis and compared with chemical and mineralogical data related to kiln spacers and ceramics of BG production series A-B. In addition, specific archaeometric analyses performed on fabric and glaze of fragments belonging to the series A and B allowed to acquire information on the technological changes that characterize the manufacture of these BG vessels through time.

International audience; Il contributo affronta la questione della diffusione delle ceramiche a vernice nera nel sud della Francia, con particolareattenzione per la diffusione in queste regioni di ceramica a «pasta chiara» non attribuibili alla produzione comunementedenominata Campana A, a sua volta riconducibile alle, pur diversificate, produzioni della Baia di Napoli. A partire da alcunistudi recenti sulla produzione di ceramica a vernice nera in area vesuviana e più in generale campana, che hanno evidenziatola presenza in Campania di una pluralità di centri di produzione di questa classe ceramica, è iniziata una revisionedei dati relativi alle esportazioni di ceramica a vernice nera dalla Campania verso le Gallie. Questi ultimi evidenziano lapresenza di ceramiche a vernice nera non riconducibili alla cosiddetta Campana A ma pur sempre di probabile produzionecampana (sulla base delle informazioni edite) che necessitano di essere maggiormente indagate, anche attraverso mirati studiarcheometrici, al fine di meglio precisare i centri campani fornitori di vasellame fine a vernice nera alle regioni galliche.Al contempo, dalla distribuzione dei dati quantitativi disponibili emerge un interessante quadro composito e diversificatodella diffusione delle ceramiche a vernice nera nel Sud-Ovest della Francia.

This paper describes the position of the Joint Working Group of the Italian Association of Industrial Hygienists (AIDII), the Italian Society of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene (SIMLII) and the Italian Society of Toxicology (SITOX) on "Analysis of Parliamentary Act D.Lgs 25/02 and role of the Scientific Societies in the definition of Limit Values". The positive aspects of the new law which implements the European Directive 98/24 are discussed, including the abolition of the rigid periodicity of medical examinations as stated by the old rule D.P.R. 303/56. The Authors also address various parts of the law which appear to be unclear and controversial and highlight the expected difficulties arising for the employers and the safety and health professionals during the application of this new piece of legislation. Moreover, a number of discrepancies are noted between the new Italian law and the original Directive or other current Italian rules such as i. the translation of the term "slight risk", as from the original Directive, into "moderate risk", and the resulting non compulsoriness of health surveillance and biological monitoring of the workers in presence of a "moderate risk", ii. the concurrent exclusion, under the same circumstances, of the occupational physician from risk assessment procedures and iii. the upward modification of the previously established (D.Lgs 277/91) occupational exposure limits for lead. Moreover, the Authors examine and criticize--both in semantic and in toxicological terms--a recent proposal for the definition of "moderate risk" made by an ad hoc Consulting Committee of the Labour Ministry, in which the term "moderate" has been interpreted either as "low" or as "irrelevant for health effects", clearly two very different meanings. Besides, it would be inappropriate to define the conditions of a moderate risk based only on the level of exposure to the chemical (expressed as a fraction of the corresponding limit value), without considering the two other components of risk assessment for that chemical (hazard and susceptibility). Even worse would be the use of simplified models based on "algorithms", which might be useful in a preliminary phase of risk assessment, but easily could lead to an under- or over-estimation of risk, particularly when used by non professionals. In conclusion, the Working Group recommend that the new law be amended in order to clarify its most controversial aspects, whose misinterpretation could severely jeopardize the protection of the workers' safety and health at work.

The presence of chemical agents in construction is certainly relevant in terms of quality, quantity and toxicity. Their manipulation can result in potential exposure as inhaled and/or through the skin. It is therefore possible and necessary to identify a list of substances to be considered relevant for the risk assessment and the possible environmental monitoring to verify the adequacy of the estimate made. The many variables inherent in construction make it extremely difficult to apply the usual methods of the industrial hygiene because it would not very significant conclusions in terms of space-time representation. SIMLII in one of its guidelines have proposed a "indexes" method that can provide useful information to the figures of prevention for the actions of their competence. The subsequent introduction of the REACH Regulation and exposure scenarios may help to further sharpening the assessment of chemical hazards in construction.

After emphasizing the characteristics of the sector and the difficulty of applying traditional industrial hygiene methods for assessing exposure to chemical agents in the construction industry, we have reviewed the major experiences of environmental and biological monitoring that can be derived from the literature. Although the determination of exposure through environmental measures should be considered the most appropriate instrument, it should be paid for the study of specific activities, while it is preferable in many situations the use of simplified tools (such as algorithms and databases) that allow the risk estimation and enable the adoption of safe work procedures and environmental and individual protection devices.

Risk assessment for occupational exposure to antiblastic chemotherapeutic drugs (ACD) is carried out by means of environmental and biological monitoring. These practices are not widespread and furthermore their results are frequently difficult to interpret. This paper discusses some of the most important aspects of risk assessment for ACD and in particular for their exposure evaluation. The following guidelines are proposed: a) working rooms, working procedures, type and quantity of drugs, and preventive measures must be checked using a standardized scheme for collecting data: an example of a check list experimented in some Italian hospitals is presented; b) cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and Pt coordination compounds have been identified as tracers of drug mixtures usually administered, and their determination is recommended both in environmental and biological samples; c) for a correct evaluation of exposure, ACD should be determined firstly on the contaminated surfaces or on work clothes and secondly in urine of workers; the measurement of ACD in air must be limited to well documented conditions of high exposure and the urinary mutagenicity tests should be avoided; d) the biological monitoring practices should be enhanced, in particular the determination of ACD adducts to proteins and nucleic acids as promising indicators of effective dose.