Mentor: Mark Krekeler, Ph.D.

This environmental geochemistry study focused on lead (Pb) pollution in a post-industrial city. Post-industrial cities are integral factors in understanding pollution as they are interconnected by anthropogenic practices such as urbanization and transportation. Pb pollution from leaded gasoline, lead-based paint, and industrial waste/combustion is spread both naturally via air and water and anthropogenically via transportation. To determine the extent of Pb pollution, soil (n = 30), road (n = 10), and sidewalk (n = 3) sediment samples were collected from a vacant residential property in Hamilton, Ohio and subsequently analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), clay and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and ArcGIS Pro. Through comparison of mineralogical compositions of the samples, it was determined that there was minimal variation in mineralogy across the property. Pb concentrations from all samples (227 - 8,216 ppm) were found to exceed the EPA maximum levels of 200 ppm. Using this data, a map of the property was constructed in ArcGIS Pro using inverse distance weighted interpolation to show the spatial distribution of Pb concentrations on the property. The map, coupled with SEM images, indicates a gradient of higher concentrations near the house and lower concentrations toward the road. Based on the data collected, Pb-paint is the highest contributing factor to the pollution present with significant secondary influence from previous industries in Hamilton.

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