| Summary: | <p>Canezaro, Morgan Elise. Bachelor of Science, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Fall
2015; Master of Science, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Spring 2018
Major: Geology
Title of Thesis: Magnetic Susceptibility and XRF Analysis of Soils from Baton Rouge,
Louisiana: Correlation and Implications for Heavy Metal Pollution
Thesis Director: Dr. Carl Richter
Pages in Thesis: 107; Words in Abstract: 300
Abstract
Magnetic properties such as magnetic susceptibility (MS) and saturation isothermal
remanent magnetization (SIRM) have been used in numerous studies to detect and monitor
anthropogenic pollution because of its high sensitivity, easy obtainability, and cost
efficiency. Recently, the combination with XRF analyses has been used to identify and
quantify heavy element concentrations. Results will be presented from a study that has been
conducted over the past nine years, focused in and around Baton Rouge, Louisiana covering
an area approximately 260 km2. Samples have been collected at 327 sites, including 6,540
magnetic susceptibility measurements in the field taken with a hand-held susceptibility
probe, as well as 654 samples taken from the topsoil and the subsurface for lab analysis of
SIRM, magnetic susceptibility, and XRF analysis. We selected Baton Rouge because of the
presence of rural, industrial, metropolitan, and suburban sites in close proximity, allowing for
the comparison of both magnetic properties and element concentrations in these settings,
without the influence of other factors, such as climate, soil type, or bedrock. In addition to
the magnetic properties, we measured the Mo, Zr, Sr, Ba, U, Rb, Th, Pb, Au, Se, As, Hg, Zn,
W, Cu, Cr, Ni, Co, Fe, and Mn concentrations with an XRF scanner. The results revealed that
the peak magnetic susceptibility was generally detected in the western part of the map area,
near the industrial area. The magnetic susceptibility decreased as the distance increased from
the industrial area, indicating that the source is anthropogenic. The geochemical analysis
showed that magnetic susceptibility and the elemental concentrations of barium, nickel, lead,
thorium, and zinc are statically significant. For future studies, a larger map area would be
beneficial, especially extending westward, across the Mississippi River. This would allow for
further comparison of the magnetic susceptibility distribution and the wind patterns in Baton
Rouge.
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