Abstract
Heavy metals in urban soils continue to attract attention because of their potential long-term effects on human health. During a previous investigation of urban soils in Galway City, Ireland, a pollution hotspot of Pb, Cu, Zn and As was identified in the sports ground of South Park in the Claddagh. The sports ground was formerly a rubbish dumping site for both municipal and industrial wastes. In the present study, a portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analyser was used to obtain rapid in-situ elemental analyses of the topsoil (depth: about 5–10 cm) at 200 locations on a 20 × 20-m grid in South Park. Extremely high values of the pollutants were found, with maximum values of Pb, Zn, Cu and As of 10,297, 24,716, 2224 and 744 mg/kg soil, respectively. High values occur particularly where the topsoil cover is thin, whereas lower values were found in areas where imported topsoil covers the polluted substrate. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques were applied to the dataset to create elemental spatial distribution maps, three-dimensional images and interpretive hazard maps of the pollutants in the study area. Immediate action to remediate the contaminated topsoil is recommended to safeguard the health of children who play at the sports ground.
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Acknowledgements
The pilot study in this paper was supported by the Millennium Research Fund of National University of Ireland, Galway (RM4005). Background air photo data were acquired from Ordnance Survey of Ireland. Helpful comments from the two reviewers and discussions with local residents, colleagues and government officials are acknowledged.
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Carr, R., Zhang, C., Moles, N. et al. Identification and mapping of heavy metal pollution in soils of a sports ground in Galway City, Ireland, using a portable XRF analyser and GIS. Environ Geochem Health 30, 45–52 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-007-9106-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-007-9106-0