Black Crusts as Geochemical Archives: Preliminary Results from Antwerp, Belgium

• DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu24-4340
• Publication Date: 2024-03-08T13:34:41Z
• Authors: Sofia Deboli; Silke Visschers; Blanca Astray Uceda; Adela Šípková; Katrin Wilhelm; Tim De Kock

Interaction between the historical built environment and environmental pollution can result in accumulation of weathering crust on building material surfaces. A subgroup crusts are black crusts, which consist gypsum layers formed by sulfation calcium-rich substrates. These occur more often pronounced polluted environments such as urban settings. As a result, they incorporate particulate matter, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals. Black act non-selective passive samplers, accumulating distinct air contaminants depending levels.Existing studies provide only coarse-resolution reconstruction pollution, differentiating solely inner outer layers. Just few explore correlation different periods exposure to variation composition these crusts. This study focuses stratigraphic analysis assess their potential reliable geochemical archive for past anthropogenic within settings.Following technological developments transportation combustion, pollutants atmosphere has evolved over centuries, likely reflected where accumulate. For identification signatures, lead serve useful tracer due its isotopes, presence is sources. Variations ratios isotopes means attribute differentiate among isotope analysis, high-resolution laser ablation mass spectrometry will be used distinguish 206Pb, 207Pb, 208Pb.This deepens understanding localized levels settings, allowing implementation conservation interventions including cleaning consolidation, strategies mitigate impact human health, local ecosystems, biodiversity, support planning.