Traces of carcinogenic substances in the groundwater of Campania. This is the picture that emerged from a study by the Federico II University of Naples which pushed the Campania Region to activate urgent checks in the provinces of Caserta, Naples, Avellino and Salerno.
Above all, trichlorethylene (Tce) and tetrachlorethylene (Pce) are in the spotlight, industrial solvents used in the past in numerous production processes and today associated with serious health risks. Tce is classified as a definite carcinogen and is linked to kidney, liver and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, while PCe is considered a probable carcinogen.
According to the Campania region and local health authority, the contamination threshold concentrations established by law have been exceeded in several sites. The highest critical issues concern the Tierra dei Fuochi, but the phenomenon affects all the provinces of Campania.
Where are the contaminations?
In the Caserta area, the most worrying situation concerns Villa Literno, where exceedances were detected several times between 2023 and May 2025. The contaminated substances would have been identified not only in private wells, but also in public areas close to municipal structures, schools and sports facilities.
Other cases have emerged in Aversa, Casal di Principe, Casapesenna, Castel Volturno and Succivo.
In the Neapolitan area, however, values above the threshold were recorded in Acerra, Giugliano in Campania, Boscoreale and Striano. Acerra itself is of particular concern due to the high levels of Tce, in an area already marked for years by environmental emergencies and anomalous tumor incidences.
In the province of Avellino the problem is concentrated in Montoro, where the contamination would also involve components of the water network, including wells, tanks and filters. Finally, in the Salerno area, exceedances were detected in Scafati, Angri and Sarno.
The risks to health and agriculture
The Campania Region speaks of possible environmental and health risks linked to the use of contaminated water.
The concerns include:
According to experts, Tce and PCe can accumulate in ecosystems and reach humans indirectly through contaminated food and water.
After the alarm, the Caserta Local Health Authority announced an extraordinary health monitoring plan called “Villa Literno Salute”.
The project includes:
Immediate bans on the use of water will also be issued for contaminated private wells.
Legambiente Campania asks for rapid interventions. According to the regional president Mariateresaprendito, it is essential to precisely delimit the areas at risk and launch a public information campaign.
The objective is to allow citizens to take immediate precautions, especially in areas where groundwater is still used for domestic or agricultural use, while awaiting the necessary reclamation.
