Lead quantitation in soils surrounding Salem Harbor

CHED 184

Tarik Husejinovic and Christine E. MacTaylor, christine.mactaylor@salemstate.edu. Department of Chemistry and Physics, Salem State College, 352 Lafayette ST, Salem, MA 01970
A study was conducted to compare the concentrations of lead found in soil around Salem Harbor, in Salem and Marblehead, Massachusetts. Eight soil samples were obtained and digested with repeated additions of nitric and hydrochloric acid. They were then analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The samples were obtained near a known lead contaminated area. A map is used to show how the lead concentration varies as the distance from the lead contaminated area increases.