Multiple magnetic proxies as a source for atmospheric pollution monitoring
Abstract
The availability of robust and high quality air pollution data with representative spatial coverage is a main prerequisite for studying the impact of atmospheric pollution. Magnetic measurements are increasingly deployed to evaluate the impact of airborne particulate matter (PM), as they provide the advantage of establishing an efficient, more spatially comprehensive monitoring network. The enhanced magnetic properties of combustion-related PM are readily reflected in the magnetic records of different PM receptors near the earth's surface. Consequently, the magnetic signal of such receptors can be a proxy for the impact of air pollution. In this study, the potential of five different receptors was evaluated in a 80 km² area downwind of an industrial harbor. In tandem with a citizen science project, strawberry plants and sticky cardboards were distributed throughout the study area to collect airborne PM over a predefined period of time. Additional sample data were taken from grass leaves and traffic signs, and soil magnetic susceptibility measurements were made across the study area. To ensure reliable spatial coverage, different land cover types (residential zones, forests, pastures and arable lands) were used as exhaustive secondary information to support a stratified random sampling design. We evaluated the practical limitations of the considered biological, geological and anthropogenic receptors and discuss the potential for their integrative approach. While the interpretation of soil magnetic records at fine spatial resolutions was complicated by the influence of land use, these did provide valuable insight into long-term regional pollution impacts. Short-term impacts, on the other hand, were readily revealed through biomagnetic monitoring of grass and strawberry leaves, and through magnetic remanence measurements of sticky cardboards and traffic signs. Together, spatial analysis of both long and short-term magnetic receptors enabled to discern historical from recent PM pollution impacts, while unveiling pollution patterns on a regional scale.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFM.B53F2457D
- Keywords:
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- 0406 Astrobiology and extraterrestrial materials;
- BIOGEOSCIENCES;
- 0418 Bioremediation;
- BIOGEOSCIENCES;
- 1505 Biogenic magnetic minerals;
- GEOMAGNETISM AND PALEOMAGNETISM;
- 1835 Hydrogeophysics;
- HYDROLOGY