As in other livestock species, the annual per capita consumption of rabbit meat is currently estimated as the ratio of the total weight of carcasses available for consumption to the number of inhabitants of a certain region. The aim of this work was to establish conversion coefficients from carcass to edible lean meat and estimate real rabbit meat consumption in Italy. Accordingly, a total of 24 rabbits were slaughtered at 2 different ages to obtain carcasses representative of the main market categories in Northern Italy: medium-size (carcass weight of about 1.4 kg) and heavy-size (carcass weight of about 1.8 kg). Chilled carcasses were used to determine offal, dissectible fat, bone and meat weights and yields. Experimentally obtained conversion factors from carcass to edible lean meat and estimated meat waste percentage at retail and consumption levels were subsequently used to estimate the real per capita amount of rabbit meat consumed in Italy. The finding of this study revealed that, if compared to the medium-size group, heavysize carcasses had higher lean meat yield for both intermediate (92.9 vs. 92.4%; P<0.05) and hind parts (84.3 vs. 79.1%; P<0.001). On the contrary, the meat yield of fore part was higher in the medium-size group (66.2 vs. 65.5%; P<0.001) compared to heavy-size carcasses. Eventually, overall meat yield was higher in heavy-size carcasses compared to medium-size ones (64.4 vs. 63.2%; P<0.001). By using these conversion factors and estimated overall losses at retailing and home-consumption (15%), we estimated that real per capita annual rabbit meat consumption is 0.50 kg in Italy, which is only 54% compared to the estimated apparent consumption (0.90 kg).

Abstract. Groundwater catchment located in peri-urban areas may be impacted by many pollutants coming from different types of point or diffuse sources such as accidental spills, continuous hidden leaks in drainage networks, old landfills, treated/untreated wastewater and watercourses. In the scope of the CASPER project, a new methodological approach has been developed based on field survey and interpretation of the collected data in order to distinguish between the different sources of contamination and mixtures of pollutants. First, the groundwater catchment area corresponding to the land surface perimeter in which abstracted groundwater is recharged is determined and characterised in hydrogeological terms. The possible sources of pollution are identified. In a second step, a groundwater and surface water monitoring survey is established, and water samples are collected focusing on a combination of physicochemical parameters and set of various hydrochemical indicators. In particular, different stable isotopes are considered. The NO3- and Boron stable isotopes are used to distinguish between inputs linked to urban effluents, agricultural fertilisers and manure. Stable isotopes of SO42- are used to distinguish between sulphide minerals oxidation, sulphur-carbon compounds mineralisation, lixiviation and human pollution. Moreover, the occurrence of specific molecules like pharmaceutical and lifestyle products (carbamazepine, caffeine, etc.) are used as effective tracers of anthropogenic contamination. Microbiological analyses are also undertaken to identify microbial populations associated with specific sources of pollution or specific biochemical reactions occurring in soil and groundwater. The resulting hydrochemical dataset is then processed using multivariate and clustering analyses. In this context, the objective here is to describe the rigorous methodological approach to assess pollution sources and to illustrate the first steps of this process using a case study corresponding to a groundwater catchment is a chalk aquifer in Western Belgium.

&lt;p&gt;Groundwater catchment located in peri-urban areas may be impacted by many pollutants coming from different types of point or diffuse sources such as accidental spills, continuous hidden leaks in drainage networks, old landfills, treated/untreated wastewater and watercourses.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the scope of the CASPER project, a new methodological approach has been developed based on field survey and interpretation of the collected data in order to distinguish between the different sources of contamination and mixtures of pollutants. First, the groundwater catchment area corresponding to the land surface perimeter in which abstracted groundwater is recharged is determined and characterised in hydrogeological terms. The possible sources of pollution are identified. In a second step, a groundwater and surface water monitoring survey is established, and water samples are collected focusing on a combination of physicochemical parameters and set of various hydrochemical indicators. In particular, different stable isotopes are considered. The NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;- and B stable isotopes are used to distinguish between inputs linked to urban effluents, agricultural fertilisers and manure. Stable isotopes of SO&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2-&lt;/sup&gt; are used to distinguish between sulphide minerals oxidation, sulphur-carbon compounds mineralisation, lixiviation and human pollution. Moreover, the occurrence of specific molecules like pharmaceutical and lifestyle products (carbamazepine, caffeine, etc.) are used as effective tracers of anthropogenic contamination. Microbiological analyses are also undertaken to identify microbial populations associated with specific sources of pollution or specific biochemical reactions occurring in soil and groundwater. The resulting hydrochemical dataset is then processed using multivariate and clustering analyses.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this context, the objective here is to describe the methodological approach developed for source identification and to illustrate this using a case study corresponding to a groundwater catchment is a chalk aquifer in Western Belgium.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

Abstract. In 2020, the European Union has established a recast of the 1998 EU Directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption, hereafter called Drinking Water Directive – DWD. One of the most significant innovative point in this recast is the introduction of an innovative “complete risk-based approach to water safety, covering the whole supply chain from the catchment area, abstraction, treatment, storage and distribution to the point of compliance” (article 7). In practice, a 3-level risk assessment and risk management is expected: (1) at the level of the catchment area (article 8), (2) at the level of the water supply systems (article 9) and (3) at the level of the domestic distribution system (article 10). In this context, the CASPER project, funded by SPGE in the Walloon Region of Belgium, aims at developing an integrated approach for the evaluation and management of pollution risks for peri-urban groundwater catchments. The approach, which fully complies with the requirements of the DWD recast, consists of several key components. First, point and diffuse pollution sources are identified in the groundwater catchment area based on a mapping of hazardous activities combined with a specific groundwater monitoring survey aiming at identifying specific tracers of such sources of pollution. In a second step, risks associated to each of the identified source of pollution is estimated based on the measurement of pollutant mass fluxes and mass discharges downgradient these sources. Finally, a groundwater flow and transport model is developed at the scale of the groundwater catchment area, with the aim of evaluating the cumulative effect of the multiple sources on groundwater quality deterioration in the catchment and at the abstraction points. The objective here is to describe the CASPER approach and to illustrate it using ongoing investigations in a peri-urban groundwater catchment exploiting groundwater from a chalk aquifer in Western Belgium.

&lt;p&gt;In 2020, the European Union has established a recast of the 1998 EU Directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption, hereafter called Drinking Water Directive - DWD. One of the most significant evolutions in this recast is the introduction, through articles 7 of &amp;#8216;a complete risk-based approach to water safety, covering the whole supply chain from the catchment area, abstraction, treatment, storage and distribution to the point of compliance&amp;#8217;. In practice, a 3-level risk assessment and risk management is expected: (1) at the level of the catchment area (article 8), (2) at the level of the water supply systems (article 9) and (3) at the level of the domestic distribution system (article 10). In this context, the CASPER project, funded by SPGE in the Walloon Region of Belgium, aims at developing an integrated approach for the evaluation and management of pollution risks for peri-urban groundwater catchments. The approach, which fully complies with the requirements of the DWD recast, consists of several key components. First, point and diffuse pollution sources are identified in the groundwater catchment area based on a mapping of hazardous activities combined with a specific groundwater monitoring survey aiming at identifying specific tracers of such sources of pollution. In a second step, risks associated to each of the identified source of pollution is estimated based on the measurement of pollutant mass fluxes and mass discharges downgradient these sources. Finally, a groundwater flow and transport model is developed at the scale of the groundwater catchment area, with the aim of evaluating the cumulative effect of the multiple sources on groundwater quality deterioration in the catchment and at the abstraction points. The objective here is to describe the CASPER approach and to illustrate it using ongoing investigations in a peri-urban groundwater catchment exploiting groundwater from a chalk aquifer in Western Belgium.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;