Airborne magnetic particles may be harmful because of their composition, morphology, and association with potentially toxic elements that may be observed through relationships between magnetic parameters and pollution indices, such as the Tomlinson pollution load index (PLI). We present a fuzzy-based analysis of magnetic biomonitoring data from four Latin American cities, which allows us to construct a magnetic index of contamination (IMC). This IMC uses four magnetic parameters, i.e., magnetic susceptibility χ, saturation isothermal remanent magnetization SIRM, coercivity of remanence Hcr, and SIRM/χ, and proposes summarizing the information to assess an area based exclusively on magnetic parameters more easily. The fuzzy inference system membership functions are built from the standardization of the data to become independent of the values. The proposed IMC is calculated using the baseline values for each case study, similar to the PLI. The highest IMC values were obtained in sites close to industrial areas, and in contrast, the lowest ones were observed in residential areas far from avenues or highways. The linear regression model between modeled IMC and PLI data yielded robust correlations of R2 > 0.85. The IMC is proposed as a complementary tool for air particle pollution and is a cost-effective magnetic approach for monitoring areas.
Airborne magnetic particles (AMPs) are associated with potentially toxic elements, and their size, mineralogy, and concentration can significantly impact both the environment and human health. However, their spatial analysis is often limited by small datasets, non-normality, and pronounced local variability. In this work, two sites with distinct demographic and geographic characteristics, the city of Mar del Plata (Argentina) and the Aburrá Valley region (Colombia), were analyzed using the fuzzy Magnetic Pollution Index (IMC) as an indicator of the concentration of AMPs. Moreover, an original methodological framework that explicitly incorporates measurement uncertainty through fuzzy numbers, combined with an approach modeling fuzzy semivariances via α-cuts, performs spatial prediction via ordinary kriging. This study produces maps that simultaneously reflect the magnitude of IMC and its associated uncertainty. Unlike classical geostatistics, the fuzzy-based model captures the inherent imprecision of magnetic measurements and reveals spatial patterns where uncertainty becomes informative about the type and origin of pollution. In particular, this approach demonstrates that areas with higher IMC levels are associated with high anthropic activity (near industrial zones, main avenues, slow traffic). In contrast, lower values were found in residential areas. Overall, the fuzzy-driven approach provides an additional layer of information not accessible through traditional methods, improving spatial interpretation and supporting the identification of priority areas for environmental monitoring.