A Community-Level Investigation of Heavy Metal Pollution in Street Sediments from Terre Haute, Indiana

Urban environments contain environmental legacy issues that can have long-term negative public health consequences. Investigating these legacy issues can help constrain potential sources and their impact on communities. This study focuses on street sediment found in Terre Haute, Indiana, a city with an extensive history of coal-fired power production, high-traffic volumes, steel manufacturing, and Pb-based paint usage. This research specifically focuses on Terre Haute’s Sheridan Park community. Six bulk street sediment samples were analyzed by pXRF at DePauw University. This analysis revealed elevated concentrations of Pb (22-152 ppm), As (8-15 ppm), Cu (35-237 ppm), and Zn (149-634 ppm) in all six samples. Street samples collected near automotive buildings had the highest concentrations of heavy metals, with some concentrations seven times higher than background concentrations reported for natural soils in the area. Particle types found within the street sediment were identified using a standard stereomicroscope. This revealed four main categories: geogenic sediments, organic matter, anthropogenic debris (e.g., plastic), and metal particles. A more detailed investigation of the particle types was completed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). This analysis revealed Fe-rich spheres, silica-rich micro-beads, and other minor heavy metal-bearing particles. This study confirms the presence of heavy metal pollution within this community. Present-day sources of these metals include the automotive industry (e.g., mechanic shops) and vehicle transportation. The Fe-rich spheres may be a byproduct of past steel manufacturing and coal-combustion within the city.