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Heavy Metals in Archaeological Soils

The Application of Portable X-Ray Fluorescence (pXRF) Spectroscopy for Assessing Risk to Human Health at Industrial Sites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2021

Sarah A. Kennedy Open the ORCID record for Sarah A. Kennedy [Opens in a new window]  and
Sarah J. Kelloway
Sarah A. Kennedy*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, 3302 WWPH, Pittsburgh, PA15260, USA
Sarah J. Kelloway
Affiliation:
Sydney Analytical, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW2006, Australia (sarah.kelloway@sydney.edu.au)
*
(sak201@pitt.edu, corresponding author)
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Abstract

Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy is commonly used for testing toxic levels of heavy metals in modern industrial waste sites, and it has seen growing applicability in the context of archaeological survey and soils. In this study, we present the results of our pXRF analysis of surface soils at a historic silver refinery located near Puno, Peru, in the western Lake Titicaca Basin. The results of our analysis identified hazardous levels of antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in excavation soils, necessitating the relocation of planned excavation units and the use of personal protective equipment. This study highlights the advantages of rapid, in situ pXRF analysis of surface soils in contaminated industrial archaeology sites to assess potential harm to human health.

La espectroscopía portátil de fluorescencia de rayos X (pFRX) se usa comúnmente para probar niveles tóxicos de metales pesados en sitios industriales modernas, y se ha visto aumentada aplicabilidad en contextos arqueológicos, como prospección y suelos. En este estudio, presentamos los resultados de nuestro análisis pFRX de suelos superficiales de una refinería histórica de plata ubicada cerca de Puno, Perú, en la cuenca occidental del lago Titicaca. Los resultados de nuestro análisis identificaron niveles peligrosos de antimonio (Sb), arsénico (As), mercurio (Hg) y plomo (Pb) en los suelos de excavación, lo que requiere la reubicación de las unidades de excavación planificadas, y el uso del equipo de protección personal. Este estudio recalca las ventajas del análisis rápido e in situ de pFRX de suelos superficiales en sitios de arqueología industrial con contaminación para evaluar los daños posibles a la salud humana.

Keywords

heavy metal contaminationpXRFindustrial archaeologysilver refiningcontaminación por metales pesadospFRXarqueología industrialrefinacioón de plata
Type
Article
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , May 2021 , pp. 145 - 159
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for American Archaeology

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