1Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
2Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Geography, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
*Address for correspondence David C. Weindorf, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA, E-mail: david.weindorf@ttu.edu
Online published on 23 November, 2015.
Soil pollution with heavy metals is a common environmental concern in many Eastern European towns where ore extraction and refinement historically occurred. Pollution from these activities was often dispersed over larger areas by sending smoke and dust up large dispersant smokestacks. Today, the pollution remains in the soil, posing health threats to residents; many of whom have no idea of the danger underfoot. This pilot study was undertaken to determine the viability of using portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry for rapid assessment of soil heavy metal concentrations in-situ. Seven soil samples were evaluated at the abandoned smelter site and showed the soils were rife with pollution. Both Cu and Pb were more than 30 times the Romanian action limit for remediation; Zn was five times the action limit. As such, a high resolution survey will be undertaken in the summer of 2015 whereby 100–150 points will be scanned, high resolution maps of pollution rendered, and association with documented health problems (developmental delay, mental retardation, cancer, etc.) will be undertaken.
Heavy Metal, X-ray flourescence spectrometry, in-situ
