###### Abstract  
In recent years, studies on climate change have focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions emitted by various civil and industrial processes. This study highlights the importance of characterizing the total deposition rates of airborne particles (bulk atmospheric deposition) in the surroundings of an industrial area along the north cost of the Lazio Region in Italy, to deepen knowledge about the potential impact of emissions from the coal-fired thermoelectric (CTE) power plant and other possible sources existing in the surrounding area. Four sampling sites were identified, and the monitoring plan was performed a yearlong with monthly collecting observation. The deposition samples were collected monthly and processed for determining organic (polychlorinated dibenzo-_para_-dioxins, PCDDs; polychlorinated dibenzofurans, PCDFs; dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, DL-PCBs; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) and inorganic (metals) substances. The samples were collected monthly and sent for chemical characterization. In Europe and Italy, no reference values have been given for the deposition rates of chemicals, while some European countries have determined reference/guide values to which the authors will refer in this study. Therefore, the analytical results show that the deposition rates for PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs are lower with respects guide values defined by Germany and Belgium; PAHs values are in line with those measured in other rural-type sites, while for metals the analytical results show a situation between rural and urban area. The approach used in this study can help to identify reference values for Italy in deposition rates, with the aim both to characterize the dynamic of pollution in area with multiple risk factors and to describe and protect human health from environmental exposures caused by the contamination of the food chain. deposition rate; sedimentable dust; air quality; climate change; FOPs; PCDD/Fs; DL-PCBs; PAHs; metals; industrial area; fossil fuel; emissions; greenhouse effect; chemometric +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
to surfaces (e.g., soil, vegetation, water, buildings, etc.) in a given area within a given time\" [4,5]. The deposition rate is expressed as surface mass for a given reference period, generally in \(\upmu\)g of pollutant per m\({}^{2}\) per day (\(\upmu\)g m\({}^{-2}\)d\({}^{-1}\)). At present, in Italy there are no regulations, guidelines and limits for airborne pollutant depositions. However, we can refer both to measures in similar areas, to the scientific literature and to guidelines and/or rules in force in other countries. For example, about polychlorinated dibenzo-_para_-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs), Belgium suggests a maximum value of 8 pg World Health Organization-Toxic Equivalent concentrations (WHO-TE) m\({}^{-2}\)d\({}^{-1}\) based on the human tolerable weekly intake (TWI) [6]; while Germany, using a guideline approach, for PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs only, suggests 4 pg WHO-TE m\({}^{-2}\)d\({}^{-1}\)[7]. Different studies were performed for investigating organic [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16] and inorganic micropollutants [17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32] in atmospheric deposition using bulk deposition methods. The total depositions (bulk) are collected by passive exposure of a \"bottle/cylindrical funnel\" system with standardized dimensions, for weekly and/or monthly collecting period in annual monitoring studies. Deposition rates of some atmospheric pollutants measured by means of bulk deposimeter (passive exposure of a \"bottle/cylindrical funnel\" system of standardized dimensions) is an important tool to evaluate environmental pollution levels and to assess population exposure [33, 34]. Deposition samples are particularly suitable to measure the environmental concentration of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), as PCDD/F, PCB and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) [34, 35, 36, 37, 38].