Authors:

Camryn Slappey

Date Created:

Not specified

Course Title:

Professor:

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About Paper:

Many public spaces in Providence were once home to factories, mills, or other industrial facilities. While those buildings are no longer here, the soil beneath them may still hold legacy pollutants. This project explores the impact of industrial activity on the soil across Providence, Rhode Island. The goal is to 155 determine whether harmful metals remain in the soil decades later and to evaluate any potential risk to the public who use these areas today. Former industrial sites across Providence, including old jewelry factories, were selected using historical land maps. Soil samples were collected from several of these locations, including areas that have since been converted into parks and green spaces. The collected soil samples were analyzed using XRF (X-ray fluorescence) technology to detect the presence of heavy metals linked to industrial pollution. We are primarily interested in metals such as lead, arsenic, and other potentially harmful contaminants that may remain in the soil from past industrial activities. Preliminary results show elevated levels of these metals, including lead, arsenic, and zinc. Continuing work includes analyzing additional samples across sites with varying legacy applications to better understand the spread and concentration of these contaminants. Identifying legacy pollution sites with the highest concentrations will also help predict what other areas might be contaminated. This phase of the project is important in determining whether these legacy pollutants remain in the soil at levels that could be a risk to human health. It also shows the importance of tracking former industrial areas transformed into public spaces. This project highlights potential hidden environmental hazards and raises awareness about public health in historical industrial areas in Providence.

Source:

Albany State University / Leadership Alliance-Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP)

Topics:

No topics listed

Co-authors:

Camryn Slappey