Neutron Activation Analysis in Urban Geochemistry: Impact of Traffic Intensification after Opening the Blanka Tunnel Complex in Prague

Opening of the Blanka Tunnel Complex (BTC) in Prague, Czech Republic, longest city tunnel Europe, significantly increased traffic on a connected main road, V Holešovičkách street (VHS). To study environmental changes VHS with BTC opening, sampling road dust and airborne particulate matter vicinity started 3 years before opening continued until pilot operation. The enrichment factors calculated for collected samples from elemental compositions determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) have shown significant Se, Sb, Hg, Br, Mo, Zn, As, W, Cr, Ba, Fe, but not their increase after starting Principal Component Analysis allowed distinguishing between detrital anthropogenic, probably related, origin elements samples. demonstrated potential INAA multielement trace minute (28 down to 20 μg, detection limits sub-ng level) its application urban geochemistry studies.