Application of Electrical Conductivity Profiling for the Characterization and Textural Discretization of a Technosol

Soil characterization usually involves highly invasive actions, such as the opening of trenches for the collection of samples, which is a great challenge in urban areas, because of the intense use and occupation of soil. Due to their intrinsic characteristics, the presence of clays has a direct correspondence with the values of electrical conductivity in the subsurface, representing an indirect way of characterizing the stratigraphy of the soil. This study presents the results of the characterization of a Technosol by the penetrometric method of electrical conductivity profiling. The aim was to evaluate the potential for the identification and discretization of the layers of a Technosol in profile and in section, in an old wood treatment plant in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil. The electrical conductivity profiling results showed great similarity with the distribution of the fine soil particles, being able to discretize thin layers in soil horizons, in addition to identifying the modifications caused by the presence of hydrocarbon-derived contaminants in soil. The method was sensitive to the spatial distribution of grain sizes with small intervals of data acquisition. Soil electrical characteristics, under appropriate circumstances, offer the potential for the application of non-invasive environmental characterization tools, with penetrometric methods of electrical profiling being an interesting alternative for obtaining data in restricted access areas.