Transport of Pollutants around a High Building: Integrated Magnetic, Mineralogical and Geochemical Study

We studied the degree and distribution of traffic induced pollution at a 40 m high building at the side of a major road in Budapest by making magnetic, mineralogical and geochemical analysis on settled dust samples collected at different levels and at the front and back sides of the building. We observed strong seasonal dependence of the amounts of anthropogenic pollutants, which were highest during summer. This season was also characterized by strong vertical variation of the amounts of dust, of the magnetic susceptibilities (reflecting best the traffic induced pollution) and of the concentrations of Pb. All these have maximum values at 9 m, on both sides of the building. The pattern of the distribution does not correspond to what is predicted by an air flow model published for high buildings with similar morphology and wind conditions.