Trace element fingerprinting as a means of contaminant source apportionment in road surface deposits

Abstract
This investigation seeks to quantify the potential of multi-element fingerprinting as a method for contaminant source apportiomnent in road surface deposits. The concentrations of metals in roadside deposits are usually a result of anthropogenic activity, elemental-fingerprinting may provide a method by which pollutant sources may be differentiated. Samples from both test-track environments, with negligible traffic and real road systems were taken and digested for analysis by ICP-MS (trace elements) and ICP-OES (major elements). Significant differences were observed in the fingerprint patterns for samples taken from high traffic roads and roads with no traffic. The results provide an indication of the potential for source identification using elemental fingerprinting.