By Madeline Binkley

Faculty Mentor: Melanie Szulczewski

Abstract

Bricks preserve a geochemical record of the environments in which they were produced, reflecting source clay composition, manufacturing processes, firing temperature, and ambient contamination. Previous studies, including Rohit Shrivastav, demonstrate that bricks can incorporate heavy metals present in soils at the time of manufacture, while more recent work by Ting Chen shows that these metals are largely immobilized when bricks are properly sintered. Together, these findings support the use of bricks as stable, time-stamped environmental archives.
This undergraduate research project applies portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) to non-destructively analyze brick samples from the University of Mary Washington campus in Fredericksburg. Twelve buildings were selected to represent three construction periods: pre-1915 (pre-industrial/early industrial), 1930–1950 (mid-industrial), and post-1990 (modern). By comparing trace metal concentrations, particularly heavy metals associated with industrial activity such as lead and arsenic, across these time intervals, this study aims to reconstruct changes in environmental contamination over time.
Because bricks are durable, datable, and typically manufactured from locally sourced clay, they offer a unique advantage over soils, which are often mixed or disturbed. This project attempts to deepen our understanding of localized pollution history in Fredericksburg and provide insight into the spatial and temporal impacts of industrialization on environmental quality.