Paper Withdrawn
Monday, November 13, 2006 - 3:15 PM
124-9
Chromium Distribution and Speciation of Urban Soils in the West End of Portland, Maine.
Charity West, Nancy Gordon, and Samantha Langley-Turnbaugh. Univ of Southern Maine, 40 Top Hill Road, Naples, ME 04055
Manufacturing and industry were prevalent in Portland ’s West End during the 1800’s, including a tannery; however, chromium is one of the effluents. A research project conducted in the West End found soil chromium levels that exceed the critical limits. Due to the prior land-use history, there is concern that chromium in the hexavalent form may be present. Chromium is susceptible to redox reactions in soils making the element easily oxidized/reduced under variable soil conditions. Chromium in the hexavalent (Cr (VI)) form is toxic and mobile in the soil. This oxidation from Cr (III) to Cr (VI) represents a potential hazard in the environment. The purpose of this research was to examine chromium concentration, speciation and spatial distribution in urban residential soils in the West End in order to assess the extent of contamination level of toxicity and evaluate the relationship between prior land-use and Cr concentration and dominant form. Maps of Cr distribution will be presented. A method, developed to determine the speciation, will be reported, as well as speciation results for soils containing Cr limits that exceed the critical limit recognized by the Maine DEP.