Implications of Soil Magnetic Susceptibility Measurements from the Waste Site Deposit of Independence Hall, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (K. N. U. S. T), Kumasi

The applicability of magnetic susceptibility measurements was tested to detect soil contamination from a waste site deposit in the topsoil in the vicinity of the Independence Hall, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. Magnetic susceptibility (volume specific) measurements of the near surface topsoil (~ 15 cm top layer) were taken along four radial profiles from the centre of the 100 m 2 deposit at 1 m intervals using the Bartington MS2 (MS2D Field Loop Sensor) magnetic susceptibility system. The results of the measurements showed that the near surface soil around the waste site deposit lies in the region of paramagnetic and (canted) antiferromagnetic materials. The average magnetic susceptibility values recorded along profiles taken in the direction of run-off was 35010 -5 SI, and this was about 7 times higher than that observed along the other profiles. Atmospheric particulates from vehicular emissions and other contaminants from the waste site infiltrate the soil through the agency of rainfall. This result will be useful for understanding the extent of pollution from waste deposition sites. The continuing use of the area as a waste site deposit should be discouraged since it poses a high pollution threat.