Thu
15 Apr 2010Distribution of Chemicals of Concern in the Study Area
Authors:
Graeme A. Spiers, PhD
MIRARCO, Laurentian University 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON Canada P3E 2C6
Email: gspiers@mirarco.org
Christopher D. Wren, PhD
MIRARCO, Laurentian University 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON Canada P3E 2C6
Email: cwren@mirarco.org
Dave McLaughlin
Ontario Ministry of the Environment 125 Resources Road, Toronto, ON Canada M9P 3V6
Email: dave.l.mclaughlin@ontario.ca
Metals constitute a natural component of soils, with concentrations dependent on soil mineral composition and geochemical history. Localized, strongly elevated metal concentrations have been created in surface soils by atmospheric deposition in the neighborhood of metal extraction facilities. Soils, more than any other sampling medium, reflect the total historical metal accumulation from the point source, but modified to varying degrees by soil-forming processes and erosion. The metals originating from anthropogenic sources in a soil do not behave differently from the naturally present metal ions.
