High resolution mapping of anthropogenic pollution in the Giant Mountains National Park using soil magnetometry

Soil magnetometry was used for detailed mapping of immission load over the territory of the Giant Mountains National Park. This project is a continuation of our previous study, which suggested that low-field magnetic susceptibility of topsoils in this region is controlled by atmospherically deposited anthropogenic ferromagnetic particles. In the present study, we have compiled a map of topsoil magnetic susceptibility on the basis of measurements on more than 460 sites. Elevated values of magnetic susceptibility can be attributed to local sources of pollution, located within and at the margins of the Park. We have identified a group of heavy metals of anthropogenic origin, present in the topsoils, and found a positive correlation between the concentration of Pb and magnetic susceptibility. Our results prove that magnetic mapping is a sensitive, fast and robust method, which can be advantageously applied to regions with relatively low degree of pollution, such as the Giant Mountains National Park.