Investigation of unrecognized former secondary lead smelting sites: confirmation by historical sources and elemental ratios in soil

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 117; no. 2; pp. 273 - 279
• Main Authors: Eckel, William P., Rabinowitz, Michael B., Foster, Gregory D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antimony; Antimony - analysis; Applied sciences; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Historical research; Industry; Lead; Lead - analysis; Lead - chemistry; Metallurgy; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Pollution, environment geology; Secondary lead smelting sites; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants - analysis; United States; North America; Maryland; America; Pennsylvania; Lead; Antimony; Historical research; Secondary lead smelting sites; Cadmium; Chemical analysis; Arsenic; Industrial wasteland; Content; Metallurgical industry; Ratio; Sampling; Soil pollution; Heavy metal
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/S0269-7491(01)00195-6

An association between antimony and lead was used to determine secondary lead smelting sites.
Twelve suspected former secondary lead smelting sites were investigated. Ten of the sites were confirmed to be former secondary lead smelters or lead works by historical fire insurance maps and contemporaneous metal industry trade directories. At eight sites sampled, the ratio Sb:Pb was closer to ratios from 10 known lead smelting sites than were the As:Pb and Cd:Pb ratios. Data from the 10 known lead smelting sites showed that the Sb:Pb ratio is most characteristic of secondary lead smelting sites. This is because the primary alloy smelted at such sites is antimonial lead. Lead contamination at the eight sites investigated here can be attributed at least in part to the former smelters because of the association between Sb and Pb.