Magnetic signatures of biogeochemical processes in an area contaminated by hydrocarbons

Abstract

Biogeophysics has been consolidated as the area of geophysics that studies the effect of microbial activity on the signature of geophysical parameters. Advances in biogeophysics have revolutionized the field of shallow geophysics by incorporating the mechanisms of interaction between effects and due to biological processes. In recent years the magnetic properties of contaminated areas have been investigated in conjunction with the physical properties traditionally investigated in shallow (ie, electrical) geophysics. With this, the study of contaminated areas began to be inserted more broadly in the research area called "magnetism".which studies the magnetic properties related to climate and pedogenic processes. Recent studies have incorporated methods of environmental magnetism in conjunction with traditional shallow geophysical methods to understand the geophysical signatures of highly dynamic environments (e.g., biogeochemical hotspots, contamination plumes). This research project aims to determine magnetic properties of sediment samples from an area contaminated with creosote landfill oil, which allow to identify biogeochemical processes that occur in the area, in particular processes related to the biodegradation of oil compounds. It is hoped with this, help the interpretation of geophysical studies carried out in the area. (AU)