Spatial analyses in environmental studies: I. Lead pollution in soils at different spatial scales in Ireland

Spatial analyses play an important role in environmental studies by providing not only the mapping functions, but also analyses of the spatial patterns and influencing factors of environmental variables. This study... [ view full abstract ]

Spatial analyses play an important role in environmental studies by providing not only the mapping functions, but also analyses of the spatial patterns and influencing factors of environmental variables. This study investigates the associations between sources and their corresponding spatial patterns of Pb in soils at different spatial scales in Ireland: the national scale, a regional scale of Galway City, site scales of green areas of a roadside ground, a historical rubbish dumping site and a bonfire site. At the national scale, the spatial patterns of elevated concentrations of Pb in soils are in line with the locations of major urban areas and mining sites, affected by the anthropogenic sources of urbanization and mining activities. At the regional scale of Galway City, elevated concentrations of Pb is found in the city centre areas with high density of road network, related to the source of historical traffic emissions. Elevated Pb concentrations along the roadsides of a ground also showed the sources of historical traffic emissions. The rubbish dumping associated elevated Pb concentrations were located at areas where the rubbish was exposed in the air or the top soil cover was thin. The bonfire associated elevated Pb concentrations were found as scattered spatial outliers. Spatial patterns at large spatial scales are helpful for the identification of sources at large scales, and vise versa. Such associations between spatial patterns and sources of pollutants help to improve our knowledge of soil pollution processes and pollution management.