Abstract
Anthropogenic influence, mainly due to urban and industrial activities and traffic exhaust, may affect urban topsoil via atmospheric contamination and solid waste. Magnetic susceptibility measurements were conducted on 21 urban topsoil samples from the city of Xuzhou, China. High intensities of magnetic susceptibility were detected in the majority of the samples. SEM analysis shows that magnetic minerals are in the form of spherules and mainly due to anthropogenic inputs. The heavy metals Pb, Cu, Zn, Se, Sc, Mo, Fe, and Bi show strong correlations with magnetic susceptibility, and Ag, Ba, Cd, Ni, Cr, Sb, and Sn, on the other hand, show a weak correlation with magnetic susceptibility. Whereas, of these metals studied, only Hg has no significant correlation with the susceptibility. The Tomlinson pollution load index (PLI) also shows significant correlation with the susceptibility (χ). The present study shows that magnetic susceptibility is a fast, inexpensive, and non-destructive method for the detection and mapping of contaminated soils.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alloway BJ (1990) Heavy metals in soils. Blackie, London
Angulo E (1996) The Tomlinson pollution load index applied to heavy metal “Mussel-Watch” data: a useful index to assess coastal pollution. Sci Total Environ 187:19–56
Chan LS, Ng SL, Davis AM et al (2001) Magnetic properties and heavy metal contents of contaminated seabed sediments of Penny’s Bay, Hong Kong. Mar Pollut Bull 42(7):569–583
Chan LS, Yeung CH, Yim WWS et al (1998) Correlation between magnetic susceptibility and distribution of heavy metals in contaminated sea-floor sediments of Hong Kong Harbour Environ Geol 36(1–2)
Chaparro MAE, Bidegain JC, Sinito AM et al (2003) Preliminary results of magnetic measurements on stream sedimentsfrom Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Stud Geophys Geod 47:53–77
Culbard EB, Thornton I, Watt J et al (1988) Metal contamination in British urban dusts and soils. J Environ Qual 17:226–234
Durza O (1999) Heavy metals contamination and magnetic susceptibility in soils around metallurgical plant. Phys Chem Earth (A) 24(6):541–543
Flanders P.J. (1994) Collection, measurement and analysis of airborne magnetic particulates from pollution in the environment. J.Appl.Phys.75:5931–5936
Hanesch M, Scholger R (2002) Mapping of heavy metal loadings in soils by means of magnetic susceptibility measurements. Environ Geol 42:857–870
Heller F, Strzyszcz Z, Magiera T (1998) Magnetic-record of industrial pollution in soils of Upper Silesia. Polland J Geophys Res 103(B8):17767–17774
Hulett LD, Weinberger AJ, Northcutt KJ et al (1980) Chemical species in fly ash from coal-burning power plants. Science 210:1356–1358
Kapička A, Jordanova N, Petrovský E et al (2000) Magnetic stability of power plant fly ash in different soil solutions Phys. Chem Earth (A) 25(5):431–436
Kapička A, Jordanova N, Petrovský E et al (2001) Low field susceptibility: a proxy method of estimating increased pollution of different environmental systems. Environ Geol 39(34):312–318
Kapička A, Jordanova N, Petrovský E et al (2003) Magnetic study of weakly contaminated forest soils Water. Air and Soil Pollut 148:31–44
Kapička A, Petrovský E,Ustjak S et al (1999) Proxy mapping of fly-ash pollution of soils around a coal-burning power plant: a case study in the Czech republic. J Geochem Explor 66:291–297
Kelly J,Thornton I, Simpson PR (1996) Urban geochemistry: a study of influence of anthropogenic activity on heavy metal content of soils in traditionally industrial and non-industrial area of Britain. Appl Geochem 11:363–370
Li XD, Poon CS, Liu PS (2001) Heavy metal contamination of urban soils and street dusts in Hong Kong. Appl Geochem 16:1361–1368
Maher BA, Thompson R, Hounslow MW (1999). Introduction. In: Maher BA, Thompson R (eds.). Quaternary climates environments and magnetism. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 1–48
Manta DS, Angelone M, Bellanca A et al (2002) Heavy metals in urban soils: a case study from the city of Palermo (Sicily). Italy Sci Total Environ 300: 229–243
Petrovský E, Kapička A, Jordanova N et al.(2000) Low field magnetic susceptibility: a proxy method of estimating increased pollution of different environmental systems. Environ. Geol.39:312–318
Steinmann M, Stille P (1997) Rare earth element behaviour and Pb, Sr, Nd isotope systematic in a heavy metal contaminated soil. Appl Geochem 12:607–623
Strzyszcz Z, Magiera T, Heller F (1996) The influence of industrial immisions on the magnetic susceptibility of soils in Upper Silesia. Studia Geophys Geod 40:276–286
Thornton I (1991) Metal contamination of soils in urban areas.In: Bullock P, Gregory PJ (Eds) Soils in the urban environment. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 47–75
Varrica D, Dongarra G, Sabatina G et al (2003) Inorganic geochemistry of roadway dust from the metropolitan area of Palermo, Italy. Environ Geol 44:222–230
Versteeg JK, Morris WA, Rukavina NA (1995) The utility of magnetic properties as a proxy for mapping contamination in Hamilton Harbour sediments. J Great Lakes Res 21:71–83
Wilcke W, Muller S, Kanchanakool N et al (1998) Urban soil contamination in Bangkok: heavy metal and aluminium partitioning in topsoils.Geoderma 86:211–228
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
WANG, X.S., QIN, Y. Correlation between magnetic susceptibility and heavy metals in urban topsoil: a case study from the city of Xuzhou, China. Environ Geol 49, 10–18 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0015-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0015-1