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Faculty Advisor

James Montgomery

Abstract

Pb is a pervasive metal with toxicity linked to numerous human health issues. Urban soil is a well-documented environmental sink for Pb, persisting as a legacy pollutant decades after the phaseout of leaded gasoline. This study measured, mapped, and analyzed the spatial distribution of total soil Pb concentrations across seven Chicago Community Areas (CCAs). The objectives were to: (1) assess the relationship between mean soil Pb concentration and mean Community Environmental Justice Index (CEJI) score per CCA, (2) determine the relationship between soil Pb levels and the percentage of industrial land use, and (3) quantify and compare the percentage of census tracts exceeding geogenic background concentrations using a geo-accumulation index. Spatial analysis using geographically weighted regression in ArcGIS Pro found no significant relationship between CEJI score and Pb concentration, although Pullman exhibited a potentially weak positive association (coefficient range: -2.1 to 0.3). Spearman rank correlation in RStudio similarly showed no significant association between mean Pb levels, CEJI score, or industrial land use percentage. Across all tracts, 40% exceeded the EPA’s 200 ppm soil Pb standard. Geo-accumulation results indicated that all CCAs were moderately to heavily contaminated, though spatial patterns varied, with several tracts showing high-Pb hotspots. These findings underscore the persistence and uneven distribution of soil lead in post-industrial urban landscapes, highlighting its continued relevance as an environmental justice concern.

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