[Evaluation of pollution load in marine coastal waters]

The potential pollution loads, of both organic and eutrophicating type, along the Italian coast were evaluated with reference to census data of 1991. The methodology adopted for the indirect evaluation of loads are those developed by the Water Research Institute of the Italian National Research Council. They take into account the different sources of pollution load, namely population, industry, agriculture and cattle farming. Pollution loads were estimated at coastal provinces level. Annual riverine fluxes of pollutants were also evaluated for the main Italian rivers. Finally, the positive role played by the adoption of monitoring plans forecasted by the national law recently come into force (DL.vo 152/99) for a better evaluation of the pollution loads was stressed.