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Volume 15
Issue 11
10.3390/app15115915
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Article

Comparative Analysis of Mineralogical Composition and Radioactivity Levels in Stone Samples from the Archaeological Site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy)

by
Giuseppe Paladini
1,†,
Paola Cardiano
2,†,
Francesco Caridi
1,*,
Lorenzo Pistorino
1,
Domenico Majolino
1,
Francesco Gregorio
1,
Stefania Lanza
1,
Gabriele Lando
2,
Antonio Francesco Mottese
3,
Marco Miano
4,
Olivia Gómez-Laserna
5,‡ and
Valentina Venuti
1,*,‡
1
Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
2
Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Biologiche, Farmaceutiche e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
3
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, delle Infrastrutture e dell’Energia Sostenibile (DIIES), Università “Mediterranea”, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy
4
Dipartimento di Civiltà Antiche e Moderne, Università degli Studi di Messina, Polo Universitario dell’Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
5
Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48080 Leioa, Spain
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
‡
These authors also contributed equally to this work.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 5915; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115915 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 17 April 2025 / Revised: 19 May 2025 / Accepted: 22 May 2025 / Published: 24 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solving Environmental and Cultural Heritage Issues Through Analytical Tools)
Versions Notes

Abstract

This work presents the results of a multi-technique comparative investigation aimed at assessing the mineralogical composition and radioactivity levels of two stone fragments from different areas of the archaeological site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy). The analysis employed an integrated approach combining μ-energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (μ-EDXRF) spectroscopy, µ-Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), ion chromatography (IC), High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry, and E-PERM electret ion chamber methods. By examining the stone composition at both the elemental and molecular scales, with support from ion chromatography data, potential degradation patterns linked to post-depositional weathering and external decay agents were identified. Moreover, the specific activity of radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, and 40K) and the 222Rn exhalation rates were measured, enabling the estimation of a set of radiological indices that assess potential health hazards associated with prolonged exposure to these lithic materials. The findings highlight how a multidisciplinary approach can foster the assessment of stone deterioration mechanisms, supporting the design of optimized conservation strategies aimed at preserving the archaeological heritage of Halaesa and ensuring the safety of both the public and onsite personnel.
Keywords: archaeological site of Halaesa; argillite; mineralogical composition; radioactivity levels; weathering agents; pathological forms; conservation archaeological site of Halaesa; argillite; mineralogical composition; radioactivity levels; weathering agents; pathological forms; conservation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Paladini, G.; Cardiano, P.; Caridi, F.; Pistorino, L.; Majolino, D.; Gregorio, F.; Lanza, S.; Lando, G.; Mottese, A.F.; Miano, M.; et al. Comparative Analysis of Mineralogical Composition and Radioactivity Levels in Stone Samples from the Archaeological Site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy). Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 5915. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115915

AMA Style

Paladini G, Cardiano P, Caridi F, Pistorino L, Majolino D, Gregorio F, Lanza S, Lando G, Mottese AF, Miano M, et al. Comparative Analysis of Mineralogical Composition and Radioactivity Levels in Stone Samples from the Archaeological Site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy). Applied Sciences. 2025; 15(11):5915. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115915

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paladini, Giuseppe, Paola Cardiano, Francesco Caridi, Lorenzo Pistorino, Domenico Majolino, Francesco Gregorio, Stefania Lanza, Gabriele Lando, Antonio Francesco Mottese, Marco Miano, and et al. 2025. "Comparative Analysis of Mineralogical Composition and Radioactivity Levels in Stone Samples from the Archaeological Site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy)" Applied Sciences 15, no. 11: 5915. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115915

APA Style

Paladini, G., Cardiano, P., Caridi, F., Pistorino, L., Majolino, D., Gregorio, F., Lanza, S., Lando, G., Mottese, A. F., Miano, M., Gómez-Laserna, O., & Venuti, V. (2025). Comparative Analysis of Mineralogical Composition and Radioactivity Levels in Stone Samples from the Archaeological Site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy). Applied Sciences, 15(11), 5915. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115915

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