Ferrimagnetic minerals of anthropogenic origin in soils of some Polish national parks

Ferrimagnetic minerals of anthropogenic origin derived from fossil-fuel com bustion, appear not only in industrial areas but also in topsoils of areas remote from the main sources of pollution. Mineral magnetic studies of fly ashes emitted by power plants burning hard and brown coal and of soil profi les from some Polish national parks in different regions were carried out. Magnetic parameters of topsoils from national parks are quite similar to th ose in fly ashes. Structure, shape, and magnetic granulometry of the magnet ic particles in the fly ashes and in the magnetically enhanced uppermost or ganic soil horizons point to a common origin. This fact as well as the abil ity of ferrimagnetic minerals to be transported within dusts or aerosols su ggest that ferrimagnetic particles of anthropogenic origin can be responsib le also for magnetic enhancement in soils of areas remote from the main sou rces of their emission. Industrial dust deposition can be easily traced in these areas using magnetic methods, which are very sensitive, fast, and che ap. They can, and should, be used in the future as one of the routine metho ds of soil monitoring.