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Environmental magnetism can provide simple and fast methods to semi-quantify the contamination levels by heavy metals in urban areas from the relationships between the magnetic properties and the heavy metal concentrations. The aim of this study is to explore the interpretation of selected magnetic parameters as proxies for the evaluation of heavy metal contamination in urban dusts. Dust samples were collected from different districts of Nanjing, Southeast China. The magnetic properties of dusts were analysed and heavy metal (Fe, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V and Zn) concentrations were measured. Magnetic minerals, mainly from anthropogenic activities, are dominated by coarse stable single domain-grained ferrimagnetic minerals. The κ–T curves indicated that the main magnetic minerals are magnetite and hematite. Magnetic properties exhibited similar spatial distribution and significant positive correlations with the concentrations of most metals and with the pollution load index. Magnetic properties had a strong link with the abundance of heavy metals derived from industrial emission and traffic activities, whereas there was a poor correlation with the concentrations of metals from multi-sources such as commercial/domestic sources and natural processes. Besides the low-frequency magnetic susceptibility (χLF) and the saturation isothermal remanent magnetization, other magnetic parameters can be considered as efficient indicators in the assessment of heavy metal contamination. The linkage between the magnetic properties and heavy metal concentrations in street dusts depends on the sources and nature of their magnetic fraction. Environmental magnetism analyses may provide simple and rapid methods for the assessment of heavy metal contamination in urban street dusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]