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Application This research demonstrates to us that the industrial activity has a direct impact on the levels of manganese in the soil. While manganese is an essential element in human health, if found in high quantities manganese has negative impacts on the health and psychology of those exposed. The results of this experiment can be used to research the impact industrial activities have on local communities. Conclusion Based on XANES, it appears that the concentration of manganese in the soil increased as the soil samples got closer to the industrial activity as shown in Graph 1 and Figure 1. In addition, when each sample is equally scaled, there is a similar shape as shown in Graph 2. This leads us to conclude that in each sample the same type of manganese was found, which can possibly indicate the manganese in the soil samples is originiating from one or a few similar sources. Materials and Methods Samples of soil around the Chicagoland area, varying in their proximity to industrial activities, were taken to the APS in March 2018. Each soil sample was prepared by creating small pellets pressed with 10,000 pounds of pressure, placed into sample molds and covered with scotch tape. XANES was used in order to determine the elemental composition and structure of the manganese in the samples. Knowing this information was important as it allowed us identify and quantify the presence of manganese at each site, which we then compared to find a correlation between the levels of manganese in soil and the proximity of that soil to industrial activities. Abstract X-Ray fluorescence was used to estimate the concentration of manganese in soil. Soil was taken from six separate residences in the city of Chicago which are in the vicinity of industrial activities involving manganese. A background soil sample was also taken at a location in Naperville away from suspected industrial use of manganese. XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) scans were collected to estimate the oxidation state of manganese and to compare and contrast the types of manganese compounds present in the different soil samples. Focusing Question Is there a connection between levels of manganese in soil and the proximity of that soil to industrial activities? Hypothesis As the samples get closer to the industrial activities, the manganese levels should rise in the soil samples. Manganese levels in soil directly correlate with distance of samples from the industrial activities. Results The data showed that each sample exhibited a unique manganese level as shown below in Graph 1. As the samples got closer to the industrial source, each sample demonstrated an increase in manganese level relative to the background level illustrated in Figure 1. A foil sample of pure manganese was measured at the beamline in the same way and the edge of manganese was seen to be around 6,550 electron volts. Graph 2 shows all the results scaled to a maximum value and each sample results in an absorption edge of approximately 6,550 electron volts. The shape of each sample line is similar, showing they are all a very similar type of manganese compound. Further Research Further research could include analysis of specific manganese form. We could also collect additional samples in varying locations of the industrial activity. Acknowledgments Thanks to: Louis Harnisch from the Exemplary Student Research Program and Dr. Denis Keane, Dr. Qing Ma and Mr. William Guise from DND- CAT. This research was made possible through the Exemplary Student Research Program, supported by Argonne National Laboratory’s Educational Programs (CEP), the APS User Office, Neuqua Valley teacher, Daria Prawlocki and supported by the use of the Advanced Photon Source, an Office of Science User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory, and was supported by the U.S. DOE under Contract No. DE- AC02-06CH11357. We are grateful for the use of sector 5 DND-CAT facilities at the APS which are operated by DuPont, Northwestern University, and Dow. Argonne National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC. Thanks also to our partnership with: Deborah Chizewer and Kristie Shu of Northwestern Pritzker Law, Gina Ramirez of NRDC Chicago and Olga Bautista of the Southeast Environmental Task Force. ESRP: Study of Manganese in soils collected from Chicago residential areas ESRP: Study of Manganese in Soils Collected From Chicago Residential Areas Samaksh Goyal 1 , Girik Jain 1 , Gillen Nelson 1 , Catherine O’Reilly 1 , Noah Simandl 1 , Joyce Zhou 1 Daria Prawlocki 1 ,,William Guise 2 , Qing Ma 2 , Denis T. Keane 2 Deborah Chizewer 3 , Kristie Shu 3 , Gina Ramirez 4 , Olga Bautista 5 1 Neuqua Valley High School, Naperville, IL 60564 2 DND-CAT, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 3 Northwestern Pritzker Law, Chicago, IL 60611 4 Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), Chicago, IL 60606 5 Southeast Side Coalition, Chicago, IL 60633 Graph 1: Fluorescence Signal Photo 3: Pressured Pellets mounted on the beamline. Graph 2: Scaled Fluorescence Signal Figure 1: Soil Collection Map Industrial Activity Photo 2: Students and Gina Ramirez collecting samples. Photo 1: Students and Dr. Keane at the beamline.
