27 Environmental Geochemistry and Health (Posters)

We invite presentations on the environmental fate of contaminants and their impact on human and environmental health. Transdisciplinary contributions are encouraged, especially those examining the rock-soil-water-human nexus at all scales with strong public outreach or societal impact.

Sunday, 19 October 2025
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, Hall 1

Initial Pollution Investigation of Road Sediment Near Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada

Paper number: 27-11
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Authors

Abstract

Road sediment is complex due to a mixture of both geogenic and anthropogenic sources and is a unique environmental media that can be used to evaluate the nature of pollution introduced into a community. Although metal pollution contributions from specific sources such as steel industry, coal-fired power plants, and traffic paint, have been identified in some U.S. midwestern (Gary, Indiana; Hamilton, Ohio) and east coast (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) settings, a specific investigation relating to road sediment near airport facilities has not been conducted. A road sediment sample set collected in January 2025 near Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada will be part of  the first known airport facility centered investigation of road sediment in the US. The site was selected owing to a comparatively high volume of air traffic, the arid climate, and a larger existing road sediment data set of the Las Vegas area for comparison. Here we report initial findings from powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and high resolution-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) analyzes. Common and abundant minerals detected in PXRD include, quartz, calcite, dolomite, feldspar, mica and are consistent with geogenic contributions ultimately from nearby paleozoic sedimentary rocks. HR-ICP-MS data shows concentrations of Pb (17.76 to 68.24 ppm, Avg. 34.77 ppm) and Zn (73.19 to 214.72 ppm, Avg. 153.19 ppm) which are above upper continental crust values and Cu (23.42 to 63.44 ppm, Avg. 39.92 ppm) which was below the upper continental crust values. Hg concentrations varied from 0.18 to 0.95 ppm, (Avg. 0.41 ppm) and Cd values varied from 0.08 to 0.17 ppm and were generally above upper continental crust values. Siderophile elements Cr, Ni, and Co were generally below upper continental crust values. In comparison to other road sediment studies, no specific metal pollutant seems unique to the airport setting, however there is clear evidence of pollution in road sediment, especially with respect to Zn and Hg. This investigation provides the first specific constraints on road sediment associated with airports and serves as an example for comparison to other specific urban environments in the Las Vegas area.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-413057

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