Marzena Rachwał

Magnetic anomalies of forest soils in the Upper Silesia–Northern Moravia region

Previous investigations revealed a strong magnetic anomaly due to soil magnetic enhancement in the industrialized cross-border area of Upper Silesia (Poland) and Northern Moravia (Czech Republic). Since industrial and urban dusts contain magnetic particles, this soil magnetic enhancement is assumed to be of anthropogenic origin, caused by a high concentration of atmospherically deposited magnetic particles, accumulated in topsoil layers. This assumption is proved by investigations of vertical profiles of magnetic susceptibility along a transect crossing the border area of the two countries. The results show that the population of magnetic minerals in the organic horizon is different from that in the mineral horizons. The vertical distribution of magnetic susceptibility and thermomagnetic analysis suggests negligible lithogenic contribution. The observed relationship between magnetic susceptibility and some heavy metals, confirmed by micromorphological observations and microchemical analysis of magnetic particles separated from the organic horizons of forest topsoil, has proved the usefulness of soil magnetometry for pollution study.

Coke industry and steel metallurgy as the source of soil contamination by technogenic magnetic particles, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Application of integrated magnetic, geochemical and mineralogical methods for qualitative and quantitative assessment of forest topsoils exposed to the industrial emissions was the objective of this manuscript. Volume magnetic susceptibility (κ) in three areas of southern Poland close to the coke and metallurgical plants was measured directly in the field. Representative topsoil samples were collected for further chemical and mineralogical analyses. Topsoil magnetic susceptibility in the studied areas depended mainly on the content of technogenic magnetic particles (TMPs) and decreased downwind at increasing distance from the emitters. In the vicinity of coking plants a high amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was observed, especially the most carcinogenic ones with four- and five-member rings. No significant concentration of TMPs (estimated on the base of κ values) and heavy metals (HM) was observed in area where the coke plant was the only pollution source. In areas with both coke and metallurgical industry, higher amounts of TMPs, PAHs and HM were detected. Morphological and mineralogical analyses of TMPs separated from contaminated soil samples revealed their high heterogeneity in respect of morphology, grain size, mineral and chemical constitution. Pollution load index and toxicity equivalent concentration of PAHs used for soil quality assessment indicated its high level of pollution.

Application Of Magnetic Susceptibility of Soils for Identification of Potential Sources of Secondary Dust Emmision in Urban Parks

Abstract Urban forests and parks, besides a recreation function, play significant role in pollution removal by tree canopies. Main sources of dust emissions in cities are industry (steelworks, power plants, coking plants, cement plants) and traffic. The most of dusts, stored in tree crowns, are deposited on soil surface as litterfall (leaves, needles) or are washed into soil by stemflow and throughfall. However, certain amount of dusts can be released into atmosphere as secondary dust emission. The presented studies were conducted on areas of four urban parks and both magnetic and chemical analyses of topsoil were employed. Results show topsoil contamination by heavy metals in urban parks and cumulative role of vegetations (trees) in processes of distribution of air pollution into soil surface. Magnetic susceptibility measurements allow for discrimination of areas for being the potential sources of secondary dust emission in urban parks.

Iron-containing phases in metallurgical and coke dusts as well as in bog iron ore

Abstract Several samples of dusts from steel and coke plants (collected mostly with electro filters) were subjected to the investigation of content of mineral phases in their particles. Additionally, sample of bog iron ore and metallurgical slurry was studied. Next, the magnetic susceptibility of all the samples was determined, and investigations of iron-containing phases were performed using transmission Mössbauer spectrometry. The values of mass-specific magnetic susceptibility χ varied in a wide range: from 59 to above 7000 × 10−8 m-3·kg−1. The low values are determined for bog iron ore, metallurgical slurry, and coke dusts. The extremely high χ was obtained for metallurgical dusts. The Mössbauer spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns point to the presence of the following phases containing iron: hematite and oxidized magnetite (in coke and metallurgical dusts as well as metallurgical slurry), traces of magnetite fine grains fraction (in metallurgical dusts), amorphous glassy silicates with paramagnetic Fe3+ and Fe2+ ions, traces of pyrrhotite (in coke dusts), α-Fe and nonstoichiometric wüstite (in metallurgical slurry), as well as ferrihydrite nanoparticles (in bog iron ore). For individual samples of metallurgical dusts, the relative contributions of Fe2+/3+ ions in octahedral B sites and Fe2+ ions in tetrahedral A sites in magnetite spinel structure differs considerably.

Magnetic susceptibility of spider webs as a proxy of airborne metal pollution

The purpose of this pilot study was to test spider webs as a fast tool for magnetic biomonitoring of air pollution. The study involved the investigation of webs made by four types of spiders: Pholcus phalangioides (Pholcidae), Eratigena atrica and Agelena labirynthica (Agelenidae) and Linyphia triangularis (Linyphiidae). These webs were obtained from outdoor and indoor study sites. Compared to the clean reference webs, an increase was observed in the values of magnetic susceptibility in the webs sampled from both indoor and outdoor sites, which indicates contamination by anthropogenically produced pollution particles that contain ferrimagnetic iron minerals. This pilot study has demonstrated that spider webs are able to capture particulate matter in a manner that is equivalent to flora-based bioindicators applied to date (such as mosses, lichens, leaves). They also have additional advantages; for example, they can be generated in isolated clean habitats, and exposure can be monitored in indoor and outdoor locations, at any height and for any period of time. Moreover, webs are ubiquitous in an anthropogenic, heavily polluted environment, and they can be exposed throughout the year. As spider webs accumulate pollutants to which humans are exposed, they become a reliable source of information about the quality of the environment. Therefore, spider webs are recommended for magnetic biomonitoring of airborne pollution and for the assessment of the environment because they are non-destructive, low-cost, sensitive and efficient.

Integration of soil magnetometry and geochemistry for assessment of human health risk from metallurgical slag dumps

The main objective of the study was an assessment of the pollution level of agricultural land located close to dumps of industrial waste remaining after former Zn and Pb ore processing in Poland. The integrated geophysical-geochemical methods were applied for assessment of soil quality with respect to trace element pollution. Additionally, human health risk induced by the contaminated arable soil and dusting slag heap was estimated. The investigations pointed out that soils in the vicinity of the metallurgical slag dump in Piekary were heavily polluted. Spatial distribution of magnetic susceptibility corresponding well with distribution of the content of potentially toxic elements indicated the local “pollution hotspots.” Proper geophysical and geochemical data interpretation supported by statistical factor analysis enabled identification of three different sources of pollution including metallurgical slug dump as a main source, but also traffic pollution influencing the area located along the busy road and relatively strong influence of the geochemical background. Computed health hazard index revealed no adverse health effect to the farmers cultivating arable soil, but in the direct vicinity of dusting, slag dump health risk occurred, caused mostly by very toxic elements as As and Tl. In the future, investigation should be focused on contribution of different sources to the heavy metal pollution in soil-crop system in this area. It should be highlighted that a site-specific approach should be taken in order to redevelop this kind of area in order to reduce ecological and human health threat. The study proved the integrated two-stage geophysical-geochemical method to be a feasible, reliable, and cost-effective tool for identification of the extent of soil pollution and areas at risk.