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Urban geochemical mapping studies: how and why we do them

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Abstract

Geochemical mapping is a technique rooted in mineral exploration but has now found worldwide application in studies of the urban environment. Such studies, involving multidisciplinary teams including geochemists, have to present their results in a way that nongeochemists can comprehend. A legislatively driven demand for urban geochemical data in connection with the need to identify contaminated land and subsequent health risk assessments has given rise to a greater worldwide interest in the urban geochemical environment. Herein, the aims and objectives of some urban studies are reviewed and commonly used terms such as baseline and background are defined. Geochemists need to better consider what is meant by the term urban. Whilst the unique make up of every city precludes a single recommended approach to a geochemical mapping strategy, more should be done to standardise the sampling and analytical methods. How (from a strategic and presentational point of view) and why we do geochemical mapping studies is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This paper is published with the permission of the Director of the British Geological Survey (NERC). The authors grateful acknowledge contributions from other members of the G-BASE project team, particularly Fiona Fordyce and Dee Flight for a critical assessment of this contribution. Unless otherwise stated, BGS © NERC. All rights reserved. 2007.

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    Christopher C. Johnson & E. Louise Ander

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Johnson, C.C., Ander, E.L. Urban geochemical mapping studies: how and why we do them. Environ Geochem Health 30, 511–530 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-008-9189-2

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