The onset and rise of urban and industrial pollution in the Mumbai region was reconstructed from an anthropogenically contaminated mudflat sediment profile from the adjacent Thane creek using magnetic parameters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) data, metal contents, and the 210Pb dating technique. The 1.8 m vertical section at Airoli (Navi Mumbai) reveals an increase of magnetic susceptibility (χ) from background values of (20−50) to (75−100) × 10−8 [m3 kg−1] in the anthropogenically affected zone above ∼93 cm. A sharp rise of χ from (75−100) to (130−215) × 10−8 [m3 kg−1] subdivides the anthropogenically affected zone at a depth of ∼63 cm. Characterization with rock magnetic parameters (SIRM, Soft IRM, and S-ratio) reveals a significant contribution of ferri(o)magnetic phases in the upper zone. Based on the magnetic classification sampling intervals for cost-intensive PAH and metal analyses were determined. Steadily increasing contents of PAH and metals of anthropogenic origin are observed above the boundary depth at ∼93 cm. A sediment accumulation rate of 1.2 ± 0.3 cm/yr provided by 210Pb dating dates the ∼63 cm boundary to 1951. Increasing industrial activity, including the establishment of a coal-fired power plant in 1956, and refineries between 1955 and 1960, correlates well with the substantial increase of χ, PAH, and metal contents. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation on magnetic extracts from the contaminated zone reveals the presence of magnetic spherules derived from industrial high-temperature processes.

10.1021/es1025905

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Age constraints, sedimentology, and tectonics from a well bedded sequence of Feuerstätter Sandstein south of Balderschwang, Allgäu Alps, Bavaria

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts (2014)

U. Blaha Herbert Scholz H. v. Rochow Frans Lebsanft

Sequence (biology)

Source

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Magnetic response to atmospheric heavy metal pollution recorded by dust-loaded leaves in Shougang industrial area, western Beijing

Science Bulletin (2008)

Shouyun Hu XueMei Duan Mingjie Shen U. Blaha Wolfgang Roesler

Environmental Magnetism

Saturation (graph theory)

10.1007/s11434-008-0140-9

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Spatial Magnetic Analysis of Dusts from Sealed Urban Surfaces for Estimation of Particulate Matter Accumulation in the Mega-city of Mumbai, India

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (2011)

N. Basavaiah U. Blaha Parthapratim Das D. Kannan

Megacity

Mega-

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A Magnetic Study of a Polluted Soil Profile at the Shijingshan Industrial Area, Western Beijing, China

Chinese Journal of Geophysics (2006)

Mingjie Shen Shouyun Hu U. Blaha Hai-Tao YAN Wolfgang Rösler

A soil profile of 74 cm length was sampled in the hillside close to Beijing Muslim's cemetery, which is located in the Yingshan Forest Park near the Shijingshan industrial area. Coal-fired power plants, a steel mill, and a cement factory are located close to the sampling site. Gray-black pollutants can be found within the uppermost part of the soil. Magnetic measurements, grain size and geochemical analysis, as well as multivariate statistics were performed. Magnetic proxies show similar trends compared to heavy metal elements with higher concentrations at the top and lower concentrations in the lower part. The anthropogenic dust input from industrial activity is the predominant cause for strong magnetic signals in the uppermost soil horizon (0~3 cm). The main magnetic component is magnetite contained in the grain size fractions of 4~16μm and 16~32μm. These pollutants are observed up to about 10 cm depth. Below 10 cm, there is little pollution in soil with lowest concentration of magnetic minerals and heavy metals comparable to natural background values. Multivariate statistics and fuzzy C-means cluster analysis show positive correlation of χ, ARM, SIRM and Mn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Al, Sr. Based on the results, it can be concluded that magnetic parameters can be used as a sensitive indicator for screening heavy metal pollution.

Soil test

Environmental Magnetism

10.1002/cjg2.980

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Environmental magnetic approach towards the quantification of pollution in Kathmandu urban area, Nepal

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth Parts A/B/C (2004)

Pitambar Gautam U. Blaha Erwin Appel Ghanashyam Neupane

Urban area

Massif

10.1016/j.pce.2004.02.001

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Citations (97)