Integrated quality assessment of sediments from harbour areas in Santos-São Vicente Estuarine System, Southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buruaem, Lucas Moreira; de Castro, Ítalo Braga; Hortellani, Marcos Antonio; Taniguchi, Satie; Fillmann, Gilberto; Sasaki, Silvio Tarou; Varella Petti, Mônica Angélica; Sarkis, Jorge Eduardo de Souza; Bícego, Márcia Caruso; Maranho, Luciane Alves; Davanso, Marcela Bergo; Nonato, Edmundo Ferraz; Cesar, Augusto; Costa-Lotufo, Leticia Veras; Abessa, Denis Moledo de Souza

2013-09-01

Santos-São Vicente Estuarine System is a highly populated coastal zone in Brazil and where it is located the major port of Latin America. Historically, port activities, industrial and domestic effluents discharges have constituted the main sources of contaminants to estuarine system. This study aimed to assess the recent status of sediment quality from 5 zones of Port of Santos by applying a lines-of-evidence approach through integrating results of: (1) acute toxicity of whole sediment and chronic toxicity of liquid phases; (2) grain size, organic matter, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, trace metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, linear alkylbenzenes and butyltins; (3) benthic community descriptors. Results revealed a gradient of increasing contamination for metals and organic compounds, alongside with their geochemical carriers. Sediment liquid phases were more toxic compared to whole sediment. Low number of species and individuals indicated the impoverishment of benthic community. The use of site-specific sediment quality guidelines was more appropriate to predict sediment toxicity. The integration of results through Sediment Quality Triad approach and principal component analysis allowed observing the effects of natural stressors and dredging on sediment quality and benthic distribution. Even with recent governmental efforts to control, pollution is still relevant in Port of Santos and a threat to local ecosystems.

The combined use of the PLHC-1 cell line and the recombinant yeast assay to assess the environmental quality of estuarine and coastal sediments.

PubMed

Schnell, Sabine; Olivares, Alba; Piña, Benjamin; Echavarri-Erasun, Beatriz; Lacorte, Silvia; Porte, Cinta

2013-12-15

Sediment contamination poses a potential risk for both ecosystems and human health. Risk assessment is troublesome as sediments contain complex mixtures of toxicants, and traditional chemical analyses can neither provide information about potential hazards to organisms nor identify and measure all present contaminants. This work combines the use of the PLHC-1 cell line and the recombinant yeast assay (RYA) to assess the environmental quality of estuarine and coastal sediments. The application of multiple endpoints (cytotoxicity, generation of oxidative stress, presence of CYP1A inducing agents, micronucleus formation and estrogenicity) revealed that the organic extracts of those sediments affected by industrial activities or collected near harbours and untreated urban discharges showed significant cytotoxicity, micronuclei and CYP1A induction. The study highlights the usefulness of the applied bioassays to identify those sediments that could pose risk to aquatic organisms and that require further action to improve their environmental quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Climate change and the impact of increased rainfall variability on sediment transport and catchment scale water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancock, G. R.; Willgoose, G. R.; Cohen, S.

2009-12-01

Recently there has been recognition that changing climate will affect rainfall and storm patterns with research directed to examine how the global hydrological cycle will respond to climate change. This study investigates the effect of different rainfall patterns on erosion and resultant water quality for a well studied tropical monsoonal catchment that is undisturbed by Europeans in the Northern Territory, Australia. Water quality has a large affect on a range of aquatic flora and fauna and a significant change in sediment could have impacts on the aquatic ecosystems. There have been several studies of the effect of climate change on rainfall patterns in the study area with projections indicating a significant increase in storm activity. Therefore it is important that the impact of this variability be assessed in terms of catchment hydrology, sediment transport and water quality. Here a numerical model of erosion and hydrology (CAESAR) is used to assess several different rainfall scenarios over a 1000 year modelled period. The results show that that increased rainfall amount and intensity increases sediment transport rates but predicted water quality was variable and non-linear but within the range of measured field data for the catchment and region. Therefore an assessment of sediment transport and water quality is a significant and complex issue that requires further understandings of the role of biophysical feedbacks such as vegetation as well as the role of humans in managing landscapes (i.e. controlled and uncontrolled fire). The study provides a robust methodology for assessing the impact of enhanced climate variability on sediment transport and water quality.

Quality Assurance Project Plan for Verification of Sediment Ecotoxicity Assessment Ring(SEA Ring)

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of the verification is to test the efficacy and ability of the Sediment Ecotoxicity Assessment Ring (SEA Ring) to evaluate the toxicity of contaminants in the sediment, at the sediment-water interface, and WC to organisms that live in those respective environments.

An Integrated Assessment of Sediment Remediation in a Midwestern U.S. Stream Using Sediment Chemistry, Water Quality, Bioassessment and Fish Biomarkers

EPA Science Inventory

A comprehensive biological, sediment and water quality study of the lower Little Scioto River near Marion, Ohio, USA was undertaken in July 2007 to evaluate the effectiveness of removal of creosote-contaminated sediment. The study area covered 7.5 river miles (RMs) of the river, ...

Sediment Toxicity Testing

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment toxicity testing has become a fundamental component of regulatory frameworks for assessing the risks posed by contaminated sediments and for development of chemical sediment quality guidelines. Over the past two decades, sediment toxicity testing methods have advanced co...

ASSESSING WATER QUALITY CHANGES IN THE LAKES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES USING SEDIMENT DIATOMS

EPA Science Inventory

Diatom assemblages were selected as indicators of lake condition and to assess historical lake water quality changes in 257 lakes in the northeastern United States. The "top" (surface sediments, present-day) and "bottom" (generally from >30 cm deep, representing historical condit...

Use of sediment quality guidelines and related tools for the asssessment of contaminated sediments: Executive summary sooklet of a SETAC Pellston Workshop

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wenning, R. J.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.

2002-01-01

This publication summarizes the results of a Pellston Workshop sponsored by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), held 17-22 August 2002 in Fairmont, Montana, USA. The full technical proceedings of the workshop will be published separately by SET AC in 2003. Previous SETAC workshops have focused on sediment ecological risk assessment (ERA) (Dickson et al. 1987; Ingersoll et al. 1997) and porewater toxicity testing (Carr and Nipper 2003). Another recent workshop addressed the application of weight-of-evidence (WOE) methods in ERA (Burton et al. 2002). These previous workshops focused on how, when, and why ERAs are needed in sediment assessments. However, more focused discussion among scientists, environmental regulators, and environmental managers is now needed to build on this previous work. Specifically, additional guidance is needed on procedures that can be used to integrate the information derived from multiple chemical and biological lines of evidence (LOE). These LOE, which are developed through the application of different assessment tools, often include the use of chemically based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) to evaluate sediment contamination and to help practitioners in sediment assessment and management formulate risk management decisions. This workshop focused on evaluation of the scientific foundations supporting different chemically based numeric SQGs and methods to improve the integration of SQGs into different sediment quality assessment frameworks that include information derived from multiple chemical and biological LOE.

Invertebrate-Based Water Quality Impairments and Associated Stressors Identified through the US Clean Water Act

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govenor, Heather; Krometis, Leigh Anne H.; Hession, W. Cully

2017-10-01

Macroinvertebrate community assessment is used in most US states to evaluate stream health under the Clean Water Act. While water quality assessment and impairment determinations are reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is no national summary of biological assessment findings. The objective of this work was to determine the national extent of invertebrate-based impairments and to identify pollutants primarily responsible for those impairments. Evaluation of state data in the US Environmental Protection Agency's Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Load Tracking and Implementation System database revealed considerable differences in reporting approaches and terminologies including differences in if and how states report specific biological assessment findings. Only 15% of waters impaired for aquatic life could be identified as having impairments determined by biological assessments (e.g., invertebrates, fish, periphyton); approximately one-third of these were associated with macroinvertebrate bioassessment. Nearly 650 invertebrate-impaired waters were identified nationwide, and sediment was the most common pollutant in bedded (63%) and suspended (9%) forms. This finding is not unexpected, given previous work on the negative impacts of sediment on aquatic life, and highlights the need to more specifically identify the mechanisms driving sediment impairments in order to design effective remediation plans. It also reinforces the importance of efforts to derive sediment-specific biological indices and numerical sediment quality guidelines. Standardization of state reporting approaches and terminology would significantly increase the potential application of water quality assessment data, reveal national trends, and encourage sharing of best practices to facilitate the attainment of water quality goals.

An evaluation of contaminated estuarine sites using sediment quality guidelines and ecological assessment methodologies.

PubMed

Fulton, M; Key, P; Wirth, E; Leight, A K; Daugomah, J; Bearden, D; Sivertsen, S; Scott, G

2006-10-01

Toxic contaminants may enter estuarine ecosystems through a variety of pathways. When sediment contaminant levels become sufficiently high, they may impact resident biota. One approach to predict sediment-associated toxicity in estuarine ecosystems involves the use of sediment quality guidelines (ERMs, ERLs) and site-specific contaminant chemistry while a second approach utilizes site-specific ecological sampling to assess impacts at the population or community level. The goal of this study was to utilize an integrated approach including chemical contaminant analysis, sediment quality guidelines and grass shrimp population monitoring to evaluate the impact of contaminants from industrial sources. Three impacted sites and one reference site were selected for study. Grass shrimp populations were sampled using a push-netting approach. Sediment samples were collected at each site and analyzed for metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides. Contaminant levels were then compared to sediment quality guidelines. In general, grass shrimp population densities at the sites decreased as the ERM quotients increased. Grass shrimp densities were significantly reduced at the impacted site that had an ERM exceedance for chromium and the highest Mean ERM quotient. Regression analysis indicated that sediment chromium concentrations were negatively correlated with grass shrimp density. Grass shrimp size was reduced at two sites with intermediate levels of contamination. These findings support the use of both sediment quality guidelines and site-specific population monitoring to evaluate the impacts of sediment-associated contaminants in estuarine systems.

An overview of the refinements and improvements to the USEPA’s sediment toxicity methods for freshwater sediment

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment toxicity tests are used for contaminated sediments, chemical registration, and water quality criteria evaluations and can be a core component of ecological risk assessments at contaminated sediments sites. Standard methods for conducting sediment toxicity tests have been...

PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINATION OF SEDIMENT PARTICLE SIZE (GRAIN SIZE)

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment quality and sediment remediation projects have become a high priority for USEPA. Sediment particle size determinations are used in environmental assessments for habitat characterization, chemical normalization, and partitioning potential of chemicals. The accepted met...

Sediment quality assessment in tidal salt marshes in northern California, USA: An evaluation of multiple lines of evidence approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hwang, Hyun-Min; Carr, Robert S.; Cherr, Gary N.; Green, Peter G.; Grosholz, Edwin G.; Judah, Linda; Morgan, Steven G.; Ogle, Scott; Rashbrook, Vanessa K.; Rose, Wendy L.; Teh, Swee J.; Vines, Carol A.; Anderson, Susan L.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of integrating a traditional sediment quality triad approach with selected sublethal chronic indicators in resident species in assessing sediment quality in four salt marshes in northern California, USA. These included the highly contaminated (Stege Marsh) and relatively clean (China Camp) marshes in San Francisco Bay and two reference marshes in Tomales Bay. Toxicity potential of contaminants and benthic macroinvertebrate survey showed significant differences between contaminated and reference marshes. Sublethal responses (e.g., apoptotic DNA fragmentation, lipid accumulation, and glycogen depletion) in livers of longjaw mudsucker (Gillichthys mirabilis) and embryo abnormality in lined shore crab (Pachygrapsus crassipes) also clearly distinguished contaminated and reference marshes, while other responses (e.g., cytochrome P450, metallothionein) did not. This study demonstrates that additional chronic sublethal responses in resident species under field exposure conditions can be readily combined with sediment quality triads for an expanded multiple lines of evidence approach. This confirmatory step may be warranted in environments like salt marshes in which natural variables may affect interpretation of toxicity test data. Qualitative and quantitative integration of the portfolio of responses in resident species and traditional approach can support a more comprehensive and informative sediment quality assessment in salt marshes and possibly other habitat types as well.

USING THE SEDIMENT QUALITY TRIAD (SQT) APPROACH TO ASSESS SEDIMENTARY CONTAMINATION IN THE ANACOSTIA RIVER, WASHINGTON

EPA Science Inventory

Using the Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) Approach to Assess Sedimentary Contamination in the Anacostia River, Washington, D.C. Velinsky, DJ*1, Ashley, JTF1,2, Pinkney, F.3, McGee, BL3 and Norberg-King, TJ.4 1Academy of Natural Sciences-PCER, Philadelphia, PA. 2Philadelphia Universi...

The role of biomarkers to assess oil-contaminated sediment quality using toxicity tests with clams and crabs.

PubMed

Morales-Caselles, Carmen; Martín-Díaz, María Laura; Riba, Inmaculada; Sarasquete, Carmen; Delvalls, Tomás Angel

2008-06-01

A 28-d bioassay was conducted with two invertebrate species with different feeding habits, the clam Ruditapes philippinarum and the shore crab Carcinus maenas. The purpose of the present study was to assess the quality of sediments affected by oil spills in different areas of the Spanish coast. The organisms were exposed to environmental samples of oil-contaminated sediments during four weeks and, after the experiment, a suite of biomarkers of exposure was measured: The phase one detoxification system was assessed by ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity; glutathione-S-transferase (GST) is a phase-two detoxification enzyme but also is implicated in oxidative stress events; glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), and the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay were analyzed to determine the antioxidant activity of the tissues. The biomarker results were correlated with the chemical compounds bound to sediments (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Co, V) and a principal component analysis was carried out with the purpose of linking all the variables and to detect those contaminated sediments potentially harmful to the biota. Results showed induction of biomarkers in both invertebrate species and significant differences (p < 0.05; p < 0.01) were established among sediments affected by different spills. The use of the selected biomarkers together with the sediment chemical analysis assesses the bioavailability of contaminants and has proven to be a suitable tool to monitor the environmental quality of sediments affected by oil spills.

SEDIMENT HABITAT ASSESSMENT FOR TARGETED NEAR-COASTAL AREAS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO: A SUMMARY

EPA Science Inventory

Lewis, Michael A. In press. Sediment Habitat Assessment for Targeted Near-Coastal Areas of the Gulf of Mexico: A Summary. In: Estuarine Indicators Workshop Proceedings. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 25 p. (ERL,GB 1201).

Sediment chemical and biological quality is summarized ...

The sediments of the Venice Lagoon (Italy) evaluated in a screening risk assessment approach: part I--application of international sediment quality guidelines.

PubMed

Apitz, Sabine E; Barbanti, Andrea; Bocci, Martina; Carlin, Anna; Montobbio, Laura; Bernstein, Alberto Giulio

2007-07-01

A number of studies carried out in recent years have shown the presence of a wide range of contaminants in the Venice Lagoon. It is important to have a good understanding of the ecological quality of Venice Lagoon sediments in order to 1) define and locate areas where a threat to the environment is present and therefore an intervention is needed (i.e., in situ assessment and management); and 2) define sustainable and environmentally correct ways of managing sediments that are to be dredged for navigational purposes or in relation to other interventions (i.e., ex situ management). This study reports on a critical comparison of chemical quality of sediments in Venice Lagoon and its subregions. Data on the Venice Lagoon were compiled from several studies conducted during the past decade on surface sediment contamination; temporal variation and risks for contaminants at depth were not addressed. The comparison of observed pollutant concentrations with local and internationally used sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) was used as a tool to benchmark different sites and for a tier I (screening) ecological risk assessment. Meaning and relevance of a number of SQGs are discussed, together with the options available for carrying out the comparison with sediment data. The screening of the Venice Lagoon sediment quality is discussed from a risk-assessment perspective and appropriate values for use in an in situ-ex situ management framework are suggested. Although there were some differences depending upon which specific SQGs were applied, different SQGs provided the same general picture of screening risk in Venice Lagoon: Although there are geographic differences, median levels for several contaminants in surface sediments exceeded a number of SQGs. Many contaminants exceed threshold effects SQGs, and Hg exceeds probable effects SQGs in most sub-basins except the southern Lagoon. Venice Lagoon south has the lowest screening risk levels, Venice Lagoon central/north has the highest (and is nearest to the Porto Marghera and Venice City Canals sites). Ranges are high in all areas, therefore any remedial or disposal decision should use site-specific data.

Development and evaluation of consensus-based sediment quality guidelines for freshwater ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacDonald, D.D.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Berger, T.A.

2000-01-01

Numerical sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) for freshwater ecosystems have previously been developed using a variety of approaches. Each approach has certain advantages and limitations which influence their application in the sediment quality assessment process. In an effort to focus on the agreement among these various published SQGs, consensus-based SQGs were developed for 28 chemicals of concern in freshwater sediments (i.e., metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides). For each contaminant of concern, two SQGs were developed from the published SQGs, including a threshold effect concentration (TEC) and a probable effect concentration (PEC). The resultant SQGs for each chemical were evaluated for reliability using matching sediment chemistry and toxicity data from field studies conducted throughout the United States. The results of this evaluation indicated that most of the TECs (i.e., 21 of 28) provide an accurate basis for predicting the absence of sediment toxicity. Similarly, most of the PECs (i.e., 16 of 28) provide an accurate basis for predicting sediment toxicity. Mean PEC quotients were calculated to evaluate the combined effects of multiple contaminants in sediment. Results of the evaluation indicate that the incidence of toxicity is highly correlated to the mean PEC quotient (R2= 0.98 for 347 samples). It was concluded that the consensus-based SQGs provide a reliable basis for assessing sediment quality conditions in freshwater ecosystems.

Fluvial sediment in the environment: a national challenge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larsen, Matthew C.; Gellis, Allen C.; Glysson, G. Douglas; Gray, John R.; Horowitz, Arthur J.

2010-01-01

Sediment and sediment-associated constituents can contribute substantially to water-quality impairment. In the past, sediment was viewed mainly as an engineering problem that affected reservoir storage capacity, shipping channel maintenance, and bridge scour, as well as the loss of agricultural soil. Sediment is now recognized as a major cause of aquatic system degradation in many rivers and streams as a result of light attenuation, loss of spawning substrate due to fine-grained sediment infilling, reduction in primary productivity, decreases in biotic diversity, and effects from sediment-associated chemical constituents. Recent advances in sediment measurement, assessment, source-identification, and analytical protocols provide new capabilities to quantify sediment and solid-phase chemical fluxes in aquatic systems. Developing, maintaining, and augmenting current sediment- and water-quality-monitoring networks is essential for determining the health of U.S. waterways and for evaluating the effectiveness of management actions in reducing sediment-related problems. The application of new scientific capabilities that address the adverse effects of sediment and sediment- associated constituents represents a major step in managing the Nation’s water quality. A robust Federal, national-scale eff rt, in collaboration with vested stakeholders, is needed to address these sediment-related water-quality issues across the United States.

Comparison of solid-phase and pore-water approaches for assessing the quality of marine and estuarine sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Robert Scott; Chapman, Duane C.

1992-01-01

As part of our continuing evaluation of the pore-water approach for assessing sediment quality, we made a series of side-by-side comparisons between the standard 10-day amphipod whole sediment test with the corophiid Grandidierella japonica and a suite of tests using pore water extracted from the same sediments. the pore-water tests evaluated were the sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) sperm cell test and morphological development assay, the life-cycle test with the polychaete Dinophilus gyrociliatus, and acute exposures of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) embryo-larval stages. Sediment and surface microlayer samples were collected from contaminated sites. Whole-sediment, pore-water, and surface microlayer toxicity tests were performed. Pore-water toxicity tests were considerably more sensitive than the whole-sediment amphipod test, which is currently the most sensitive toxicity test now recommended for determining the acceptability of dredged material for open ocean disposal.

Comparative performances of eggs and embryos of sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) in toxicity bioassays used for assessment of marine sediment quality.

PubMed

Khosrovyan, A; Rodríguez-Romero, A; Salamanca, M J; Del Valls, T A; Riba, I; Serrano, F

2013-05-15

The potential toxicity of sediments from various ports was assessed by means of two different liquid-phase toxicity bioassays (acute and chronic) with embryos and eggs of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Performances of embryos and eggs of P. lividus in these bioassays were compared for their interchangeable applicability in integrated sediment quality assessment. The obtained endpoints (percentages of normally developed plutei and fertilized eggs) were linked to physical and chemical properties of sediments and demonstrated dependence on sediment contamination. The endpoints in the two bioassays were strongly correlated and generally exhibited similar tendency throughout the samples. Therein, embryos demonstrated higher sensitivity to elutriate exposure, compared to eggs. It was concluded that these tests could be used interchangeably for testing toxicity of marine sediments. Preferential use of any of the bioassays can be determined by the discriminatory capacity of the test or vulnerability consideration of the test subject to the surrounding conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Results of sampling and analysis : preliminary sediment quality assessment Martha Lake Snohomish County Washington

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-10-18

This report presents the results of sediment sampling and analysis conducted in support of proposed dredging activities of Martha Lake Sediments. The characterization of the sediments will be used in support of permitting applications and exploring v...

EFFECTS OF URBANIZATION ON THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CHEMICAL QUALITY OF THREE TIDAL BAYOUS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

EPA Science Inventory

Water and sediment quality in three tidal bayous located near Pensacola, Florida, were assessed during 1993-1995. The primary objective was to determine the environmental condition of the relatively small urban bayous by comparing the chemical quality of the sediments and surface...

Tracking acid mine-drainage in Southeast Arizona using GIS and sediment delivery models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Norman, L.M.; Gray, F.; Guertin, D.P.; Wissler, C.; Bliss, J.D.

2008-01-01

This study investigates the application of models traditionally used to estimate erosion and sediment deposition to assess the potential risk of water quality impairment resulting from metal-bearing materials related to mining and mineralization. An integrated watershed analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based tools was undertaken to examine erosion and sediment transport characteristics within the watersheds. Estimates of stream deposits of sediment from mine tailings were related to the chemistry of surface water to assess the effectiveness of the methodology to assess the risk of acid mine-drainage being dispersed downstream of abandoned tailings and waste rock piles. A watershed analysis was preformed in the Patagonia Mountains in southeastern Arizona which has seen substantial mining and where recent water quality samples have reported acidic surface waters. This research demonstrates an improvement of the ability to predict streams that are likely to have severely degraded water quality as a result of past mining activities. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007.

USING SEDIMENT QUALITY GUIDELINES IN DREDGED MATERIAL ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) are not formally included in the frameworks described in the Inland Testing manual and the Green Book because these frameworks are biologically based. The SQGs are often used informally, however, to help put the results of biological testing in ...

A preliminary evaluation of sediment quality assessment values for freshwater ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Sherri L.; MacDonald, Donald D.; Keenleyside, Karen A.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Field, L. Jay

1996-01-01

Sediment quality assessment values were developed using a weight of evidence approach in which matching biological and chemical data from numerous modelling, laboratory, and field studies performed on freshwater sediments were compiled and analyzed. Two assessment values (a threshold effect level (TEL) and a probable effect level(PEL)) were derived for 23 substances, including eight trace metals, six individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and eight pesticides. The two values defined three ranges of chemical concentrations; those that were (1) rarely, (2) occasionally, and (3) frequently associated with adverse biological effects. An evaluation of the percent incidence of adverse biological effects within the three concentration ranges indicated that the reliability of the TELs (i.e., the degree to which the TELs represent concentrations within the data set below which adverse effects rarely occur) was consistently good. However, this preliminary evaluation indicated that most of the PELs were less reliable (i.e., they did not adequately represent concentrations within the data set above which adverse effects frequently occur). Nonetheless, these values were often comparable to other biological effects-based assessment values (which were themselves reliable), which increased the level of confidence that could be placed in our values. This method is being used as a basis for developing national sediment quality guidelines for freshwater systems in Canada and sediment effect concentrations as part of the Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) program in the Great Lakes.

The application of profile imaging for monitoring organic and metal pollution in the Venice lagoon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bona, F.; Maffiotti, A.

1995-12-31

Since 1993 the technique of Sediment Profile Imaging (SPI) has been applied in monitoring the Venice Lagoon. The purposes of the monitoring were several, ranging from an initial baseline survey of sediment quality, to the control of Ulva rigida proliferation, to sediment quality assessment for dredging and capping activities in restricted areas of the lagoon. Data resulting from each computer image analysis have been summarized in one index which takes into consideration the mutual interactions between the physical and chemical conditions and the benthic community. In this way a spatial and seasonal gradient in the quality Venice Lagoon sediments hasmore » been established and the key roles of the organic enrichment and of the ecosystem hydrodynamics have been confirmed. The underwater camera and image analysis have also been an effective screening tool to address further investigations in those areas of particular concern for sediment contamination. On the basis of the SPI indices a selection of stations has been made in order to sample and perform sediment toxicity tests and chemical analyses to assess contamination levels.« less

Sediment quality criteria: A review with recommendations for developing criteria for the Hanford Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Driver, C.J.

1994-05-01

Criteria for determining the quality of liver sediment are necessary to ensure that concentrations of contaminants in aquatic systems are within acceptable limits for the protection of aquatic and human life. Such criteria should facilitate decision-making about remediation, handling, and disposal of contaminants. Several approaches to the development of sediment quality criteria (SQC) have been described and include both descriptive and numerical methods. However, no single method measures all impacts at all times to all organisms (U.S. EPA 1992b). The U.S. EPA`s interest is primarily in establishing chemically based, numerical SQC that are applicable nation-wide (Shea 1988). Of the approachesmore » proposed for SQC development, only three are being considered for numerical SQC on a national level. These approaches include an Equilibrium Partitioning Approach, a site-specific method using bioassays (the Apparent Effects Threshold Approach), and an approach similar to EPA`s water quality criteria (Pavlou and Weston 1984). Although national (or even regional) criteria address a number of political, litigative, and engineering needs, some researchers feel that protection of benthic communities require site-specific, biologically based criteria (Baudo et al. 1990). This is particularly true for areas where complex mixtures of contaminants are present in sediments. Other scientifically valid and accepted procedures for freshwater SQC include a background concentration approach, methods using field or spiked bioassays, a screening level concentration approach, the Apparent Effects Threshold Approach, the Sediment Quality Triad, the International Joint Commission Sediment Assessment Strategy, and the National Status and Trends Program Approach. The various sediment assessment approaches are evaluated for application to the Hanford Reach and recommendations for Hanford Site sediment quality criteria are discussed.« less

Rapid Assessment of Logging-Associated Sediment-Delivery Pathways in an Intensively-Managed Forested Watershed in the Southern Cascades, Northern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coe, D. B.; Wopat, M. A.; Lindsay, D.; Stanish, S.; Boone, M.; Beck, B.; Wyman, A.; Bull, J.

2012-12-01

The potential for water-quality impacts in intensively-managed forested watersheds depends partly upon the frequency of overland flow paths linking logging-related hillslope sediment sources to the channel network, as well as the volume of sediment delivered along these flow paths. In response to public concerns over perceived water-quality impacts from clearcut timber harvesting, the Battle Creek Task Force, composed of subject-matter experts from 4 different state agencies, performed a rapid assessment for visible evidence of sediment delivery pathways from multiple logging-associated features in the upper Battle Creek watershed - an area underlain predominantly by Holocene- and Late Pleistocene-aged volcanic rock types, with highly permeable soils, and relatively few streams. Logging-associated features were selected for assessment based on erosion potential and proximity to stream channels. Identified sediment-delivery pathways were then characterized by dominant erosion process and the relative magnitude of sediment delivery (i.e., low, moderate, and high) was estimated. Approximately 26 km of stream buffers adjacent to 55 clearcut harvest units were assessed, and the single detected instance of sediment delivery was found to be of low magnitude and the result of illegal encroachment by logging equipment into a 5-m wide stream-adjacent equipment-limitation zone. The proportion of sampled sites delivering sediment was found to be highest for tractor-stream crossings, followed by road-stream crossings, stream-adjacent road segments, stream-adjacent landings, and clearcut harvest units, respectively. All 5 tractor-stream crossings delivered sediment, but were generally delivering a low magnitude of sediment derived from sheetwash and rilling. Road-stream crossings (n=39) and stream-adjacent road segments (n=24) delivered observable sediment 69 and 67 percent of the time, respectively. The highest magnitudes of sediment delivery from roads were associated with substandard design or maintenance practices (e.g., poor road drainage) and/or poor location (e.g., roads less than 15 m from a stream), but the magnitude of sediment delivery was generally low or unobservable where Best Management Practices (BMPs) had been implemented. Conceptually, water-quality impacts are limited by the low density of streams in the watershed, relatively low hillslope gradients, relatively high permeability of the soils, and the implementation of BMPs. Assessment results suggest that direct water-quality impacts from overland flow paths in these types of watersheds are best minimized by disconnecting flow paths linking roads to streams, and by implementing BMPs.

Weight-of-evidence approach in assessment of ecotoxicological risks of acid sulphate soils in the Baltic Sea river estuaries.

PubMed

Wallin, Jaana; Karjalainen, Anna K; Schultz, Eija; Järvistö, Johanna; Leppänen, Matti; Vuori, Kari-Matti

2015-03-01

Acidity and leaching of metals from acid sulphate soils (ASSs) impair the water quality of receiving surface waters. The largest ASS areas in Europe are found in the coasts of the northern Baltic Sea. We used weight-of-evidence (WoE) approach to assess potential risks in 14 estuary sites affected by ASS in the Gulf of Finland, northern Baltic Sea. The assessment was based on exposure and effect profiles utilizing sediment and water metal concentrations and concurrent pH variation, sediment toxicity tests using the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri and the midge Chironomus riparius, and the ecological status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Sediment metal concentrations were compared to national sediment quality criteria/guidelines, and water metal concentrations to environmental quality standards (EQSs). Hazard quotients (HQs) were established for maximum aluminium, cadmium and zinc concentrations at low pH based on applicable US EPA toxicity database. Sediment metal concentrations were clearly elevated in most of the studied estuaries. The EQS of cadmium (0.1 μg/l) was exceeded in 3 estuaries out of 14. The pH-minima were below the national threshold value (5.5) between good and satisfactory water quality in 10 estuaries. V. fischeri bioluminescence indicated toxicity of the sediments but toxic response was not observed in the C. riparius emergence test. Benthic invertebrate communities were deteriorated in 6 out of 14 sites based on the benthic invertebrate quality index. The overall ecotoxicological risk was assessed as low in five, moderate in three and high in five of the estuary sites. The risk assessment utilizing the WoE approach indicated that harmful effects of ASSs are likely to occur in the Baltic Sea river estuaries located at the ASS hotspot area. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating water quality ecosystem services of wetlands under historic and future climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Records, R.; Arabi, M.; Fassnacht, S. R.; Duffy, W.; Ahmadi, M.; Hegewisch, K.

2013-12-01

Potential hydrologic effects of climate change have been assessed extensively; however, possible impacts of changing climate on in-stream water quality at the watershed scale have received little study. We assessed potential impacts of climate change on water quantity and quality in the mountainous Sprague River watershed, Oregon, USA, where high total phosphorus (TP) and sediment loads are associated with lake eutrophication and mortality of endangered fish species. Additionally, we analyzed water quality impacts of wetland and riparian zone loss and gain under present-day climate and future climate scenarios. We utilized the hydrologic model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) forced with six distinct climate scenarios derived from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) General Circulation Models to assess magnitude and direction of trends in streamflow, sediment and TP fluxes in the mid-21st century (2030-2059). Model results showed little significant trend in average annual streamflow under most climate scenarios, but trends in annual and monthly streamflow, sediment, and TP fluxes were more pronounced and were generally increasing. Results also suggest that future loss of present-day wetlands and riparian zones under land use or climatic change could result in substantial increases in sediment and TP loads at the Sprague River outlet.

MEASURING THE ACUTE TOXICITY OF ESTUARINE SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Estuarine sediments frequently are repositories and sources of anthropogenic contaminants. Toxicity is one method of assessing the environmental quality of sediments, yet because of the extreme range of salinities that characterize estuaries few infaunal organisms have both the p...

Habitat-based PCB environmental quality criteria for the protection of endangered killer whales (Orcinus orca).

PubMed

Alava, Juan José; Ross, Peter S; Lachmuth, Cara; Ford, John K B; Hickie, Brendan E; Gobas, Frank A P C

2012-11-20

The development of an area-based polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) food-web bioaccumulation model enabled a critical evaluation of the efficacy of sediment quality criteria and prey tissue residue guidelines in protecting fish-eating resident killer whales of British Columbia and adjacent waters. Model-predicted and observed PCB concentrations in resident killer whales and Chinook salmon were in good agreement, supporting the model's application for risk assessment and criteria development. Model application shows that PCB concentrations in the sediments from the resident killer whale's Critical Habitats and entire foraging range leads to PCB concentrations in most killer whales that exceed PCB toxicity threshold concentrations reported for marine mammals. Results further indicate that current PCB sediment quality and prey tissue residue criteria for fish-eating wildlife are not protective of killer whales and are not appropriate for assessing risks of PCB-contaminated sediments to high trophic level biota. We present a novel methodology for deriving sediment quality criteria and tissue residue guidelines that protect biota of high trophic levels under various PCB management scenarios. PCB concentrations in sediments and in prey that are deemed protective of resident killer whale health are much lower than current criteria values, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of high trophic level marine mammals to persistent and bioaccumulative contaminants.

Compilation, quality control, analysis, and summary of discrete suspended-sediment and ancillary data in the United States, 1901-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Casey J.; Glysson, G. Douglas

2013-01-01

Human-induced and natural changes to the transport of sediment and sediment-associated constituents can degrade aquatic ecosystems and limit human uses of streams and rivers. The lack of a dedicated, easily accessible, quality-controlled database of sediment and ancillary data has made it difficult to identify sediment-related water-quality impairments and has limited understanding of how human actions affect suspended-sediment concentrations and transport. The purpose of this report is to describe the creation of a quality-controlled U.S. Geological Survey suspended-sediment database, provide guidance for its use, and summarize characteristics of suspended-sediment data through 2010. The database is provided as an online application at http://cida.usgs.gov/sediment to allow users to view, filter, and retrieve available suspended-sediment and ancillary data. A data recovery, filtration, and quality-control process was performed to expand the availability, representativeness, and utility of existing suspended-sediment data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in the United States before January 1, 2011. Information on streamflow condition, sediment grain size, and upstream landscape condition were matched to sediment data and sediment-sampling sites to place data in context with factors that may influence sediment transport. Suspended-sediment and selected ancillary data are presented from across the United States with respect to time, streamflow, and landscape condition. Examples of potential uses of this database for identifying sediment-related impairments, assessing trends, and designing new data collection activities are provided. This report and database can support local and national-level decision making, project planning, and data mining activities related to the transport of suspended-sediment and sediment-associated constituents.

Using sediment particle size distribution to evaluate sediment sources in the Tobacco Creek Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Cenwei; Lobb, David; Li, Sheng; Owens, Philip; Kuzyk, ZouZou

2014-05-01

Lake Winnipeg has recently brought attention to the deteriorated water quality due to in part to nutrient and sediment input from agricultural land. Improving water quality in Lake Winnipeg requires the knowledge of the sediment sources within this ecosystem. There are a variety of environmental fingerprinting techniques have been successfully used in the assessment of sediment sources. In this study, we used particle size distribution to evaluate spatial and temporal variations of suspended sediment and potential sediment sources collected in the Tobacco Creek Watershed in Manitoba, Canada. The particle size distribution of suspended sediment can reflect the origin of sediment and processes during sediment transport, deposition and remobilization within the watershed. The objectives of this study were to quantify visually observed spatial and temporal changes in sediment particles, and to assess the sediment source using a rapid and cost-effective fingerprinting technique based on particle size distribution. The suspended sediment was collected by sediment traps twice a year during rainfall and snowmelt periods from 2009 to 2012. The potential sediment sources included the top soil of cultivated field, riparian area and entire profile from stream banks. Suspended sediment and soil samples were pre-wet with RO water and sieved through 600 μm sieve before analyzing. Particle size distribution of all samples was determined using a Malvern Mastersizer 2000S laser diffraction with the measurement range up to 600μm. Comparison of the results for different fractions of sediment showed significant difference in particle size distribution of suspended sediment between snowmelt and rainfall events. An important difference of particle size distribution also found between the cultivated soil and forest soil. This difference can be explained by different land uses which provided a distinct fingerprint of sediment. An overall improvement in water quality can be achieved by managing sediment according to the identified sediment sources in the watershed.

Comprehensive Characteristics of Bottom Sediments of Water Bodies of Various Types in the Kiliya Delta of the Danube River

EPA Science Inventory

The "triad" approach, including analysis of the total content of toxicants, bioassay of bottom sediments, and the study of the structure of zoo- and phytobenthos communities, was used in assessing the quality of bottom sediments. It has been found that the studied bottom sediment...

Characterization of heavy-metal-contaminated sediment by using unsupervised multivariate techniques and health risk assessment.

PubMed

Wang, Yeuh-Bin; Liu, Chen-Wuing; Wang, Sheng-Wei

2015-03-01

This study characterized the sediment quality of the severely contaminated Erjen River in Taiwan by using multivariate analysis methods-including factor analysis (FA), self-organizing maps (SOMs), and positive matrix factorization (PMF)-and health risk assessment. The SOMs classified the dataset with similar heavy-metal-contaminated sediment into five groups. FA extracted three major factors-traditional electroplating and metal-surface processing factor, nontraditional heavy-metal-industry factor, and natural geological factor-which accounted for 80.8% of the variance. The SOMs and FA revealed the heavy-metal-contaminated-sediment hotspots in the middle and upper reaches of the major tributary in the dry season. The hazardous index value for health risk via ingestion was 0.302. PMF further qualified the source apportionment, indicating that traditional electroplating and metal-surface-processing industries comprised 47% of the health risk posed by heavy-metal-contaminated sediment. Contaminants discharged from traditional electroplating and metal-surface-processing industries in the middle and upper reaches of the major tributary must be eliminated first to improve the sediment quality in Erjen River. The proposed assessment framework for heavy-metal-contaminated sediment can be applied to contaminated-sediment river sites in other regions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and methods of the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA), 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheibley, Rich W.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Journey, Celeste A.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Bell, Amanda H.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Button, Daniel T.; Qi, Sharon L.

2017-08-25

In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project conducted the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA) to investigate stream quality across the western part of the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the PNSQA was to assess the health of streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to in-stream aquatic life and by evaluating the relation between these stressors and the condition of biological communities. The effects of urbanization and agriculture on stream quality for the Puget Lowland and Willamette Valley Level III Ecoregions were the focus of this regional study. Findings will help inform the public and policymakers about human and environmental factors that are the most critical in affecting stream quality and, thus, provide insights into possible strategies to protect or improve the health of streams in the region.Land-use data were used in the study to identify and select sites within the region that ranged in levels of urban and agricultural development. A total of 88 sites were selected across the region—69 were on streams that explicitly spanned a range of urban land use in their watersheds, 8 were on streams in agricultural watersheds, and 11 were reference sites with little or no development in their watersheds. Depending on the type of land use, sites were sampled for contaminants, nutrients, and sediment for either a 4- or 10-week period during April, May, and June 2015. This water-quality “index period” was immediately followed with an ecological survey of all sites that included stream habitat, benthic algae, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish. Additionally, streambed sediment was collected during the ecological survey for analysis of sediment chemistry and toxicity testing.This report provides a detailed description of the specific study components and methods of the PNSQA, including (1) surveys of stream habitat and aquatic biota, (2) discrete water sampling, (3) deployment of passive polar organic chemical integrative samplers for pesticides and pharmaceuticals, and (4) sampling of streambed sediment. At selected study sites, toxicity testing of streambed sediment, continuous water-quality monitoring, and daily pesticide sampling also were conducted and are described.

River sediment metal and nutrient variations along an urban-agriculture gradient in an arid austral landscape: implications for environmental health.

PubMed

Dalu, Tatenda; Wasserman, Ryan J; Wu, Qihang; Froneman, William P; Weyl, Olaf L F

2018-01-01

The effect of metals on environmental health is well documented and monitoring these and other pollutants is considered an important part of environmental management. Developing countries are yet to fully appreciate the direct impacts of pollution on aquatic ecosystems and as such, information on pollution dynamics is scant. Here, we assessed the temporal and spatial dynamics of stream sediment metal and nutrient concentrations using contaminant indices (e.g. enrichment factors, pollution load and toxic risk indices) in an arid temperate environment over the wet and dry seasons. The mean sediment nutrient, organic matter and metal concentration were highest during the dry season, with high values being observed for the urban environment. Sediment contaminant assessment scores indicated that during the wet season, the sediment quality was acceptable, but not so during the dry season. The dry season had low to moderate levels of enrichment for metals B, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mg, K and Zn. Overall, applying the sediment pollution load index highlighted poor quality river sediment along the length of the river. Toxic risk index indicated that most sites posed no toxic risk. The results of this study highlighted that river discharge plays a major role in structuring temporal differences in sediment quality. It was also evident that infrastructure degradation was likely contributing to the observed state of the river quality. The study contributes to our understanding of pollution dynamics in arid temperate landscapes where vast temporal differences in base flow characterise the riverscape. Such information is further useful for contrasting sediment pollution dynamics in aquatic environments with other climatic regions.

Selenium in Reservoir Sediment from the Republican River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

1998-01-01

Reservoir sediment quality is an important environmental concern because sediment may act as both a sink and a source of water-quality constituents to the overlying water column and biota. Once in the food chain, sediment-derived constituents may pose an even greater concern due to bioaccumulation. An analysis of reservoir bottom sediment can provide historical information on sediment deposition as well as magnitudes and trends in constituents that may be related to changes in human activity in the basin. The assessment described in this fact sheet was initiated in 1997 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), U.S. Department of the Interior, to determine if irrigation activities have affected selenium concentrations in reservoir sediment of the Republican River Basin of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska.

Conceptualizing the role of sediment in sustaining ecosystem services: Sediment-ecosystem regional assessment (SEcoRA).

PubMed

Apitz, Sabine E

2012-01-15

There is a growing trend to include a consideration of ecosystem services, the benefits that people obtain from ecosystems, within decision frameworks. Not more than a decade ago, sediment management efforts were largely site-specific and held little attention except in terms of managing contaminant inputs and addressing sediments as a nuisance at commercial ports and harbors. Sediments figure extensively in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment; however, contaminated sediment is not the dominant concern. Rather, the focus is on land and water use and management on the landscape scale, which can profoundly affect soil and sediment quality, quantity and fate. Habitat change and loss, due to changes in sediment inputs, whether reductions (resulting in the loss of beaches, storm protection, nutrient inputs, etc.) or increases (resulting in lake, reservoir and wetland infilling, coral reef smothering, etc.); eutrophication and reductions in nutrient inputs, and disturbance due to development and fishing practices are considered major drivers, with significant consequences for biodiversity and the provision and resilience of ecosystem functions and services. As a mobile connecting medium between various parts of the ecosystem via the hydrocycle, sediments both contaminated and uncontaminated, play both positive and negative roles in the viability and sustainability of social, economic, and ecological objectives. How these roles are interpreted depends upon whether sediment status (defined in terms of sediment quality, quantity, location and transport) is appropriate to the needs of a given endpoint; understanding and managing the dynamic interactions of sediment status on a diverse range of endpoints at the landscape or watershed scale should be the focus of sediment management. This paper seeks to provide a language and conceptual framework upon which sediment-ecosystem regional assessments (SEcoRAs) can be developed in support of that goal. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing the impacts of sediments from dredging on corals.

PubMed

Jones, Ross; Bessell-Browne, Pia; Fisher, Rebecca; Klonowski, Wojciech; Slivkoff, Matthew

2016-01-15

There is a need to develop water quality thresholds for dredging near coral reefs that can relate physical pressures to biological responses and define exposure conditions above which effects could occur. Water quality characteristics during dredging have, however, not been well described. Using information from several major dredging projects, we describe sediment particle sizes in the water column/seabed, suspended sediment concentrations at different temporal scales during natural and dredging-related turbidity events, and changes in light quantity/quality underneath plumes. These conditions differ considerably from those used in past laboratory studies of the effects of sediments on corals. The review also discusses other problems associated with using information from past studies for developing thresholds such as the existence of multiple different and inter-connected cause-effect pathways (which can confuse/confound interpretations), the use of sediment proxies, and the reliance on information from sediment traps to justify exposure regimes in sedimentation experiments. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SEDIMENT AND PERIPHYTON ASSESSMENT AS INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION IN THE FLORIDA BAY-EVERGLADES TRANSITIONAL ZONE

EPA Science Inventory

Florida Bay and its watershed are currently the focus of numerous investigations designed to assess the extent and cause of deterioration in environmental quality observed during recent years. Periphyton and sediment bioassessment were used in a multiyear study to compare the rel...

Quality control considerations for the determination of acid-volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals in sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brumbaugh, William G.; Arms, Jesse W.

1996-01-01

The determination of acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEMs) in sediment by treatment with dilute HCl shows promise as a tool for predicting the potential for metal toxicity to sediment-dwelling organisms. Effective quality control measures must be developed if this method is to become a reliable procedure and to ensure comparability of data. However, establishing quality control measures that assess procedural errors for an operationally defined method can be problematic. For example, preextraction spikes added for assessing the accuracy of AVS and SEMs may be poorly recovered due to adsorption or reaction with sediment constituents. For a variety of sediment types, we found preextraction spikes of sulfide, mercury, and copper to be prone to variable recoveries for the AVS/SEM procedure; recoveries averaged 76.3% (SD, 20.9) for sulfide, 61.9% (39.6) for Hg, and 90.1% (12.7) for Cu. The average recovery was near 100% for preextraction spikes of sediments for Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn, and the recoveries of preextraction blank spikes for all analytes were consistently 95 to 105%. Binding of Cu or Hg with sulfides is sufficiently strong that 1 N hydrochloric acid will not necessarily keep the spiked metal in the dissolved state. This does not mean that the SEM procedure is invalid for these metals, only that the quality control of procedural error is difficult to assess. However, Hg will generally not be detected when measured as an SEM because of its tendency to adsorb onto sulfide minerals even at extremely low pH. Some reference sediments may be useful for assessing consistency of AVS determinations; we measured 5.97 ± 0.65 μmol/g in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 1645 and 1.34 ± 0.14 μmol/g in NIST 2704 for repeated determinations conducted over the past 3 years. Apparently, some sediments may contain an oxidation-resistant sulfide component that can release low to moderate AVS when treated with dilute HCl.

SEDIMENT HAZARD ASSESSMENT FOR NEAR-COASTAL AREAS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment contamination is a major problem in many coastal areas in the U.S. and has emerged as an important ecological issue for several geographic areas. Sediment chemical and biological quality is unknown in many areas of the Gulf of Mexico. To provide some information on this ...

EVALUATION OF SAMPLING FREQUENCIES REQUIRED TO ESTIMATE NUTRIENT AND SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOADS IN LARGE RIVERS

EPA Science Inventory

Nutrients and suspended sediments in streams and large rivers are two major issues facing state and federal agencies. Accurate estimates of nutrient and sediment loads are needed to assess a variety of important water-quality issues including total maximum daily loads, aquatic ec...

The inland water macro-invertebrate occurrences in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Vannevel, Rudy; Brosens, Dimitri; Cooman, Ward De; Gabriels, Wim; Frank Lavens; Mertens, Joost; Vervaeke, Bart

2018-01-01

The Flanders Environment Agency (VMM) has been performing biological water quality assessments on inland waters in Flanders (Belgium) since 1989 and sediment quality assessments since 2000. The water quality monitoring network is a combined physico-chemical and biological network, the biological component focusing on macro-invertebrates. The sediment monitoring programme produces biological data to assess the sediment quality. Both monitoring programmes aim to provide index values, applying a similar conceptual methodology based on the presence of macro-invertebrates. The biological data obtained from both monitoring networks are consolidated in the VMM macro-invertebrates database and include identifications at family and genus level of the freshwater phyla Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Mollusca, and Arthropoda. This paper discusses the content of this database, and the dataset published thereof: 282,309 records of 210 observed taxa from 4,140 monitoring sites located on 657 different water bodies, collected during 22,663 events. This paper provides some background information on the methodology, temporal and spatial coverage, and taxonomy, and describes the content of the dataset. The data are distributed as open data under the Creative Commons CC-BY license.

Sediment-quality assessment of the Lower Oconee River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lasier, P.J.; Winger, P.V.; Shelton, J.L.; Bogenrieder, K.J.

2004-01-01

Sediment quality was assessed at multiple sites in the lower Oconee River, GA to identify contaminants potentially affecting the survival of an endemic ?At-Risk? species of fish, the robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum). Five major tributaries that drain urban and agricultural watersheds enter this stretch of river and several carry permitted municipal and industrial effluents containing Cd, Cu, and Zn. Sediments for chemical analyses and toxicity tests with Hyalella azteca (Amphipoda) were collected at 12 locations that included sites above and below the major tributaries. Compared to national data bases and to the nearby Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint watershed, sediments from the Oconee River had elevated concentrations of Cr, Cu, Hg and Zn. Zinc concentrations showed a marked increase in sediment downstream of the confluence of Buffalo Creek demonstrating contributions from permitted municipal and industrial effluents discharged to that tributary. When exposed to these sediments, growth of H. azteca was significantly reduced. Amphipod growth was also reduced when exposed to sediments collected from another site due to toxicity from Cr. Sediments in the lower Oconee River appear to be impaired due to metal contamination and could pose a threat to organisms, such as the robust redhorse, that are closely associated with this matrix during their life cycle.

Effects-based spatial assessment of contaminated estuarine sediments from Bear Creek, Baltimore Harbor, MD, USA.

PubMed

Hartzell, Sharon E; Unger, Michael A; McGee, Beth L; Wilson, Sacoby M; Yonkos, Lance T

2017-10-01

Estuarine sediments in regions with prolonged histories of industrial activity are often laden to significant depths with complex contaminant mixtures, including trace metals and persistent organic pollutants. Given the complexity of assessing risks from multi-contaminant exposures, the direct measurement of impacts to biological receptors is central to characterizing contaminated sediment sites. Though biological consequences are less commonly assessed at depth, laboratory-based toxicity testing of subsurface sediments can be used to delineate the scope of contamination at impacted sites. The extent and depth of sediment toxicity in Bear Creek, near Baltimore, Maryland, USA, was delineated using 10-day acute toxicity tests with the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus, and chemical analysis of trace metals and persistent organic pollutants. A gradient of toxicity was demonstrated in surface sediments with 21 of 22 tested sites differing significantly from controls. Effects were most pronounced (100% lethality) at sites proximate to a historic industrial complex. Sediments from eight of nine core samples to depths of 80 cm were particularly impacted (i.e., caused significant lethality to L. plumulosus) even in locations overlain with relatively non-toxic surface sediments, supporting a conclusion that toxicity observed at the surface (top 2 cm) does not adequately predict toxicity at depth. In seven of nine sites, toxicity of surface sediments differed from toxicity at levels beneath by 28 to 69%, in five instances underestimating toxicity (28 to 69%), and in two instances overestimating toxicity (44 to 56%). Multiple contaminants exceeded sediment quality guidelines and correlated positively with toxic responses within surface sediments (e.g., chromium, nickel, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), total petroleum hydrocarbon). Use of an antibody-based PAH biosensor revealed that porewater PAH concentrations also increased with depth at most sites. This study informs future management decisions concerning the extent of impact to Bear Creek sediments, and demonstrates the benefits of a spatial approach, relying primarily on toxicity testing to assess sediment quality in a system with complex contaminant mixtures.

[Distribution Characteristics and Pollution Status Evaluation of Sediments Nutrients in a Drinking Water Reservoir].

PubMed

Huang, Ting-lin; Liu, Fei; Shi, Jian-chao

2016-01-15

The main purpose of this paper is to illustrate the influence of nutrients distribution in sediments on the eutrophication of drinking water reservoir. The sediments of three representative locations were field-sampled and analyzed in laboratory in March 2015. The distribution characteristics of TOC, TN and TP were measured, and the pollution status of sediments was evaluated by the comprehensive pollution index and the manual for sediment quality assessment. The content of TOC in sediments decreased with depth, and there was an increasing trend of the nitrogen content. The TP was enriched in surface sediment, implying the nutrients load in Zhoucun Reservoir was aggravating as the result of human activities. Regression analysis indicated that the content of TOC in sediments was positively correlated with contents of TN and TP in sediments. The TOC/TN values reflected that the vascular land plants, which contain cellulose, were the main source of organic matter in sediments. The comprehensive pollution index analysis result showed that the surface sediments in all three sampling sites were heavily polluted. The contents of TN and TP of surface sediments in three sampling sites were 3273-4870 mg x kg(-1) and 653-2969 mg x kg(-1), and the content of TOC was 45.65-83.00 mg x g(-1). According to the manual for sediment quality assessment, the TN, TP and TOC contents in sediments exceed the standard values for the lowest level of ecotoxicity, so there is a risk of eutrophication in Zhoucun Reservoir.

Sediment quality triad assessment survey of the Galveston Bay, Texas system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, R. Scott; Chapman, Duane C.; Howard, Cynthia L.; Biedenbach, James M.

1996-01-01

To characterize the quality of sediments at key sites in the Galveston Bay Estuary, sediment samples were collected concurrently for chemical and physical analyses, toxicity testing and an assessment of benthic community structure. Significant toxicity, as determined by the sea urchin (Arbacia punetulata) pore water embryological development assay, was observed at 12 of the 24 sites investigated in this study. No toxicity was observed at any of the sites with the amphipod (Grandidierella japonica) solid-phase test. There were a number of sites with elevated levels of trace metals and petroleum hydrocarbons. The chemistry, toxicity and benthic data were ranked by station and a scaled rank sum was calculated to facilitate comparisons among the stations. Five sites exhibited strong evidence of contaminant-induced degradation, while 15 stations showed no evidence of contaminant-induced degradation. At eight additional sites the sediment quality triad (SQT) data indicated that unmeasured chemicals or conditions were stressing the system. Contaminant impacts could be reduced or eliminated by alternative regulatory and management practices, including the restriction of produced water discharges into coastal estuaries and the use of dredge material disposal practices that minimize the reintroduction of sediment-associated contaminants to the bays.

Importance of background values in assessing the impact of heavy metals in river ecosystems: case study of Tisza River, Serbia.

PubMed

Štrbac, Snežana; Kašanin Grubin, Milica; Vasić, Nebojša

2017-11-30

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate how a choice of different background values may affect assessing the anthropogenic heavy metal pollution in sediments from Tisza River (Serbia). The second objective of this paper is to underline significance of using geochemical background values when establishing quality criteria for sediment. Enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (I geo ), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (PERI) were calculated using different background values. Three geochemical (average metal concentrations in continental crust, average metal concentrations in shale, and average metal concentrations in non-contaminated core sediment samples) and two statistical methods (delineation method and principal component analyses) were used for calculating background values. It can be concluded that obtained information of pollution status can be more dependent on the use of background values than the index/factor chosen. The best option to assess the potential river sediment contamination is to compare obtained concentrations of analyzed elements with concentrations of mineralogically and texturally comparable, uncontaminated core sediment samples. Geochemical background values should be taken into account when establishing quality criteria for soils, sediments, and waters. Due to complexity of the local lithology, it is recommended that environmental monitoring and assessment include selection of an appropriate background values to gain understanding of the geochemistry and potential source of pollution in a given environment.

Water-quality characteristics, trends, and nutrient and sediment loads of streams in the Treyburn development area, North Carolina, 1988–2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fine, Jason M.; Harned, Douglas A.; Oblinger, Carolyn J.

2013-01-01

Streamflow and water-quality data, including concentrations of nutrients, metals, and pesticides, were collected from October 1988 through September 2009 at six sites in the Treyburn development study area. A review of water-quality data for streams in and near a 5,400-acre planned, mixed-use development in the Falls Lake watershed in the upper Neuse River Basin of North Carolina indicated only small-scale changes in water quality since the previous assessment of data collected from 1988 to 1998. Loads and yields were estimated for sediment and nutrients, and temporal trends were assessed for specific conductance, pH, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen, suspended sediment, and nutrients. Water-quality conditions for the Little River tributary and Mountain Creek may reflect development within these basins. The nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations at the Treyburn sites are low compared to sites nationally. The herbicides atrazine, metolachlor, prometon, and simazine were detected frequently at Mountain Creek and Little River tributary but concentrations are low compared to sites nationally. Little River tributary had the lowest median suspended-sediment yield over the 1988–2009 study period, whereas Flat River tributary had the largest median yield. The yields estimated for suspended sediment and nutrients were low compared to yields estimated for other basins in the Southeastern United States. Recent increasing trends were detected in total nitrogen concentration and suspended-sediment concentrations for Mountain Creek, and an increasing trend was detected in specific conductance for Little River tributary. Decreasing trends were detected in dissolved nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, total ammonia plus organic nitrogen, sediment, and specific conductance for Flat River tributary. Water chemical concentrations, loads, yields, and trends for the Treyburn study sites reflect some effects of upstream development. These measures of water quality are generally low, however, compared to regional and national averages.

Modeling sedimentation-filtration basins for urban watersheds using Soil and Water Assessment Tool

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sedimentation-filtration (SedFil) basins are one of the storm-water best management practices (BMPs) that are intended to mitigate water quality problems in urban creeks and rivers. A new physically based model of variably saturated flows was developed for simulating flow and sediment in SedFils wi...

Assessment of heavy metal impact on sediment quality of the Xiaoqinghe estuary in the coastal Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea: inconsistency between two commonly used criteria.

PubMed

Zhuang, Wen; Gao, Xuelu

2014-06-15

Surface sediments in the Xiaoqinghe estuary, southwestern coastal Laizhou Bay, were examined to assess the bio-toxic risk of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) with the effects range-low and effects range-median guidelines (ERL-ERMs) and the concentration ratio of simultaneously extractable metals to acid volatile sulfides ([SEM]/[AVS]). Based on the ERL-ERM guidelines, bio-toxic effect caused by Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn could be expected in the riverine surface sediments of the Xiaoqinghe estuary; and the surface sediments in the marine area were in good quality and only Ni might cause bio-toxic effect occasionally. The AVS-SEM guidelines revealed that no bio-toxic effect could be caused by any of the studied metals in both the riverine and marine sediments, since there were excess sulfides in surface sediments which could form water-insoluble substances with free metal ions and reduce the bioavailability of heavy metals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ASSESSING THE CONDITION OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S ESTUARIES: A NEW APPROACH INVOLVING INTEGRATED MEASURES OF CONDITION

EPA Science Inventory

The South Carolina Estuarine and Coastal Assessment Program (SCECAP) was initiated in 1999 to assess the condition of the state's coastal habitats using multiple measures of water quality, sediment quality, and biological condition. Sampling has subsequently been expanded to incl...

Assessing the condition of bayous and estuaries: Bayou Chico Gulf of Mexico demonstration study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dickson, K.; Acevedo, M.; Waller, T.

1995-12-31

A demonstration study was conducted in May 1994 on Bayou Chico to assess the utility of various assessment and measurement endpoints in determining the condition of bayous and estuaries. Bayou Chico has water quality problems attributed to its low flushing rate and urban/industrial land use in its watershed. The sampling scheme assessed the within-sampling station and spatial variability of measurement endpoints. Fourteen sampling stations in Bayou Chico and 3 stations in Pensacola Bay were selected based on an intensified EMAP sampling grid. Time and space coordinated sampling was conducted for: sediment contaminants and properties, sediment toxicity, water quality, benthic infauna,more » zooplankton and phytoplankton populations. Fish and crabs were also collected and analyzed for a suite of biomarkers and organic chemical residues. Primary productivity was measured via the light bottle dark bottle oxygen method and via diurnal oxygen measurements made with continuous recording data sondes. Stream sites were evaluated for water and sediment quality, water and sediment toxicity, benthic invertebrates and fish. Watershed analyses included assessment of land use/landcover (via SPOT and TM images), soils, pollution sources (point and non-point) and hydrography. These data were coordinated via an Arc/Info GIS system for display and spatial analysis. 1994 survey data were used to parameterize environmental fate models such as SWMM (Storm Water Management Model), DYNHYD5 (WASP5 hydrodynamics model) and WASP5 (Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program) to make predictions about the dynamics and fate of chemical contaminants in Bayou Chico. This paper will present an overview, and report on the results in regards to within-site and spatial variability in Bayou Chico. Conclusions on the efficacy of the assessment and measurement endpoints in evaluating the condition (health) of Bayou Chico will be presented.« less

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals from the surficial sediments of a shallow coastal lagoon, Egypt.

PubMed

Abdallah, Maha Ahmed Mohamed

2011-07-01

Sediment quality of Lake Maryout (one of the four Nile Delta shallow brackish water lakes on the south-eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea) is of concern as this lake is used for land reclamation and aquaculture and is an important fishing source. The magnitude and ecological relevance of metal pollution in Lake Maryout Main Basin was investigated by applying different sediment quality assessment approaches. The aim of this study was to estimate ecological risk of trace elements (Cd, Ni, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn) in the surficial sediments (<63 jtm fraction) of Lake Maryout. Heavily contaminated sediments were evaluated by the Sediment Quality Guideline (SQG) of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The degree of contamination (Cd) was estimated as very high for each site. Two sets of SQGs effect range-low/effect range-median values and threshold effect concentration (TEC) and probable effect concentration (PEC) values were used in this study. Sediments from each site were judged toxic when more of the PEC values exceeded EPA guidelines. Based on the geoaccumulation index (Ieo) of target trace elements, the Main Basin of Lake Maryout has to be considered as extremely polluted with Cd (Igeo > or =5), strongly polluted with Zn (2 < or = Igeo < or =3), moderately polluted with Cu (1 < or = Igeo < or = 2), unpolluted to moderately polluted with Cr and Pb (0 < or = Igeo < or = 1 for each) and unpolluted with Ni (Igeo < or = 0). Lake Maryout sediments had heavy accumulations of Cd, which apparently come from drains that include industrial and raw domestic wastes. Therefore, a sequential extraction technique was applied to assess the five fractions (exchangeable, metals bound to carbonate, acid-reducible, oxidizable-organic and residual) of Cd in surface sediments. The Cd concentration in most sampling stations was dominated by the non-resistant fraction (anthropogenic). The result showed that those stations located in the vicinity of municipal and mixed waste drains posed a high potential risk to fauna and flora of Maryout Lake.

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of rivers Niger and Benue confluence, Lokoja, Central Nigeria.

PubMed

Ekere, Nwachukwu; Yakubu, Newman; Ihedioha, Janefrances

2017-08-01

The concentrations of six heavy metals (HMs) and 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples of the confluence of rivers Niger and Benue were investigated. The ecological risk assessment of the contaminants was carried out. The results showed that the sediment samples were heavily polluted with iron and moderately polluted with Cd while other metals posed no pollution problem when compared with USEPA sediment quality guidelines. Only six out of the 16 priority PAHs were detected in the samples, and source apportionment of the PAHs indicated that they are of pyrogenic origin. The ∑PAHs in the samples were lower than many of similar studies and were of no pollution risk. The ecological risk assessment result of the heavy metals showed that the sediments were of considerable risk due majorly to Cd levels. The HM concentration results statistically showed significant difference between seasons at probability value (P < .05). Data analysis by PCA classified the metals into three different components according to sources. The levels of HMS and PAHs detected in the sediments were correlated for source identification, and the correlation showed that the majority of the pollutants were mainly from anthropogenic sources. There is increasing level of anthropogenic activities at the vicinity of the confluence due to urbanization which may call for periodic monitoring of the sediment quality.

Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments from the Yanghe River, China

PubMed Central

Li, Jing

2014-01-01

The magnitude and ecological relevance of metal pollution from the upstream of water sources after emergency pollution events was investigated by applying a set of complementary sediment quality assessment methods: (1) geochemical assessment based on background value (the geoaccumulation index); (2) comparisons with sediment quality guidelines (SQGs); (3) an evaluation of the combined pollution according to the risk index (RI); and (4) investigation of the chemical patterns of target heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Cr, Pb, Ni). The geoaccumulation indices (Igeo) suggested that the magnitude of heavy metal pollution of the sediment of Yanghe River decreased in the order of Cd > Zn > Pb > Cr > Ni. Risk analysis also suggested that Cd and Zn concentrations were sufficiently elevated as to cause adverse biological effects in this study area. According to the RI values, 27% of total sampling sites showed considerable ecological risk for the water body, and 53% of total sampling sites showed very high ecological risk for the waterbody. Sediment-bound Cd was found to be predominantly associated with the exchangeable phase of the sediment (25%–68%), while Cr, Ni, Zn and Pb showed the strongest association with the residual fractions (60%–92%, 53%–67%, 24%–85% and 35%–67%, respectively). PMID:25464136

Assessment of streambed sediment contamination by heavy metals: The case of the Gabes Catchment, South-eastern Tunisia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahri, Noura; Atoui, Abdelfattah; Ellouze, Manel; Abida, Habib

2018-04-01

This study deals with the assessment of the behaviour of seven heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr and As) in streambed sediments within the Gabes Catchment, located in South-eastern Tunisia. To understand the effect of intense human activities in the Gabes Basin on the quality of the environment, 22 sediment samples, spread all over the study basin, were taken and analyzed for heavy metals. Heavy metal concentrations were shown to vary in the following order: Zn > Pb > Cu > Cr > Ni > Cd > As. Sediment quality was assessed based on the evaluation of various indices. A total of 27% of the sampling stations are characterised by sediment Enrichment Factors (EF) exceeding 40, reflecting extremely severe pollution. This result was also confirmed by different indices, including Sediment Pollution Index (SPI), Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Geo-accumulation index. The calculation of Mean Effect Range-Median Quotient (M-ERM-Q) indicated that in stream discharge, all metals have a probability of 21% to be toxic. The ecological toxicity risk of heavy metals increases close to urban (traffic activity) and industrial activities (industrial complex of Gabes). Close to Gabes City, the situation and the degree of contamination that may be transferred into marine ecosystems is worrisome and requires immediate intervention.

Combining contamination indexes, sediment quality guidelines and multivariate data analysis for metal pollution assessment in marine sediments of Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba.

PubMed

Peña-Icart, Mirella; Pereira-Filho, Edenir Rodrigues; Lopes Fialho, Lucimar; Nóbrega, Joaquim A; Alonso-Hernández, Carlos; Bolaños-Alvarez, Yoelvis; Pomares-Alfonso, Mario S

2017-02-01

The purpose of the present work was to combine several tools for assessing metal pollution in marine sediments from Cienfuegos Bay. Fourteen surface sediments collected in 2013 were evaluated. Concentrations of As, Cu, Ni, Zn and V decreased respect to those previous reported. The metal contamination was spatially distributed in the north and south parts of the bay. According to the contamination factor (CF) enrichment factor (EF) and index of geoaccumulation (I geo ), Cd and Cu were classified in that order as the most contaminated elements in most sediment. Comparison of the total metal concentrations with the threshold (TELs) and probable (PELs) effect levels in sediment quality guidelines suggested a more worrisome situation for Cu, of which concentrations were occasional associated with adverse biological effects in thirteen sediments, followed by Ni in nine sediments; while adverse effects were rarely associated with Cd. Probably, Cu could be considered as the most dangerous in the whole bay because it was classified in the high contamination levels by all indexes and, simultaneously, associated to occasional adverse effects in most samples. Despite the bioavailability was partially evaluated with the HCl method, the low extraction of Ni (<3% in all samples) and Cu (<55%, except sample 3) and the relative high extraction of Cd (50% or more, except sample 14) could be considered as an attenuating (Ni and Cu) or increasing (Cd) factor in the risk assessment of those element. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Design and methods of the Midwest Stream Quality Assessment (MSQA), 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrett, Jessica D.; Frey, Jeffrey W.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Journey, Celeste A.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Button, Daniel T.; Nowell, Lisa H.

2017-10-18

During 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA), in collaboration with the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA), and the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs assessed stream quality across the Midwestern United States. This Midwest Stream Quality Assessment (MSQA) simultaneously characterized watershed and stream-reach water-quality stressors along with instream biological conditions, to better understand regional stressor-effects relations. The MSQA design focused on effects from the widespread agriculture in the region and urban development because of their importance as ecological stressors of particular concern to Midwest region resource managers.A combined random stratified selection and a targeted selection based on land-use data were used to identify and select sites representing gradients in agricultural intensity across the region. During a 14-week period from May through August 2013, 100 sites were selected and sampled 12 times for contaminants, nutrients, and sediment. This 14-week water-quality “index” period culminated with an ecological survey of habitat, periphyton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish at all sites. Sediment was collected during the ecological survey for analysis of sediment chemistry and toxicity testing. Of the 100 sites, 50 were selected for the MSQA random stratified group from 154 NRSA sites planned for the region, and the other 50 MSQA sites were selected as targeted sites to more evenly cover agricultural and urban stressor gradients in the study area. Of the 50 targeted sites, 12 were in urbanized watersheds and 21 represented “good” biological conditions or “least disturbed” conditions. The remaining 17 targeted sites were selected to improve coverage of the agricultural intensity gradient or because of historical data collection to provide temporal context for the study.This report provides a detailed description of the MSQA study components, including surveys of ecological conditions, routine water sampling, deployment of passive polar organic compound integrative samplers, and stream sediment sampling at all sites. Component studies that were completed to provide finer scale temporal data or more extensive analysis at selected sites, included continuous water-quality monitoring, daily pesticide sampling, laboratory and in-stream water toxicity testing efforts, and deployment of passive suspended-sediment samplers.

Comparison of estimated and measured sediment yield in the Gualala River

Treesearch

Matthew O’Connor; Jack Lewis; Robert Pennington

2012-01-01

This study compares quantitative erosion rate estimates developed at different spatial and temporal scales. It is motivated by the need to assess potential water quality impacts of a proposed vineyard development project in the Gualala River watershed. Previous erosion rate estimates were developed using sediment source assessment techniques by the North Coast Regional...

Assessing remediation of contaminated sediments using multiple biological endpoints: sediment toxicity, food web tissue contamination, biotic condition and DNA damage.

EPA Science Inventory

The Ottawa River is a component of the Maumee River Area of Concern (AOC) as defined by the International Joint Commission’s Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. A sediment remediation project took place in the lower 14.2 km of the river where urban and industrial activitie...

A critical comparison of different approaches to sediment-quality assessments in the Santos Estuarine System in Brazil.

PubMed

Torres, Ronaldo J; Cesar, Augusto; Pastor, Victor A; Pereira, Camilo D S; Choueri, Rodrigo B; Cortez, Fernando S; Morais, Rodofley D; Abessa, Denis M S; do Nascimento, Marcos R L; Morais, Cassia R; Fadini, Pedro S; Casillas, Tomas A Del Valls; Mozeto, Antônio A

2015-01-01

This study focuses on the discussion of different lines of evidence (LoEs) applied to a sediment-quality assessment that considered the following: chemical concentrations of metals; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in estuarine waters, sediments, and oysters (native and caged Crassostrea brasiliana); PAHs in semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs); simultaneously extracted metals-acid volatile sulfides (SEM-AVS); benthic community assessment (the exploratory benthic index and the relative benthic index); chronic toxicity tests with the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus; and bioaccumulation models. Significantly contaminated sediments from the Santos Estuarine System and the consequent toxicity of tested organisms were measured. Caged oysters presented bioaccumulation rates ≤2,500% of total PAH content and 200% of metal content when compared with control organisms from an uncontaminated area. SPMD results presented the same bioaccumulation pattern as caged oysters but at lower concentrations. Benthic communities presented some alterations, and there was a predominance of tolerant species in the inner part of the estuary. According to the SEM-AVS approach, metals should be assumed to be nonbioavailable, but experiments with transplanted C. brasiliana showed metal bioaccumulation, particularly in the cases of chromium, copper, mercury, and zinc. The weight-of-evidence approach was applied to compare and harmonize LoEs commonly used in sediment-quality assessments and to then classify estuary environments according to both their potential for having adverse effects on the biota and their possible ecological risks. All of the results of these approaches (except for SEM-AVS) were found to complement each other.

Assessment of injury to fish and wildlife resources in the Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor Area of Concern, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacDonald, D.D.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Smorong, D.E.; Lindskoog, R.A.; Sparks, D.W.; Smith, J.R.; Simon, T.P.; Hanacek, M.A.

2002-01-01

This article is the second in a series of three that describes the results of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) conducted in the Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor Area of Concern (IHAOC). The assessment area is located in northwest Indiana and was divided into nine reaches to facilitate the assessment. This component of the NRDA was undertaken to determine if fish and wildlife resources have been injured due to exposure to contaminants that are associated with discharges of oil or releases of other hazardous substances. To support this assessment, information was compiled on the chemical composition of sediment and tissues; on the toxicity of whole sediments, pore water, and elutriates to fish; on the status of fish communities; and on fish health. The data on each of these indicators were compared to regionally relevant benchmarks to assess the presence and extent of injury to fish and wildlife resources. The results of this assessment indicate that injury to fish and wildlife resources has occurred throughout the assessment area, with up to five distinct lines of evidence demonstrating injury within the various reaches. Based on the frequency of exceedance of the benchmarks for assessing sediment and tissue chemistry data, total polychlorinated biphenyls is the primary bioaccumulative contaminant of concern in the assessment area. It is important to note, however, that this assessment was restricted by the availability of published bioaccumulation-based sediment quality guidelines, tissue residue guidelines, and other benchmarks of sediment quality conditions. The availability of chemistry data for tissues also restricted this assessment in certain reaches of the assessment area. Furthermore, insufficient information was located to facilitate identification of the substances that are causing or substantially contributing to effects on fish (i.e., sediment toxicity, impaired fish health, or impaired fish community structure). Therefore, substances not included on the list of COCs cannot necessarily be considered to be of low priority with respect to sediment injury (e.g., metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, alkenes, organochlorine pesticides, phthalates, dioxins, and furans, etc.).

The Study of Heavy Metals on Sediment Quality of Kuala Perlis Coastal Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubir, A. A. Ahmad; Saad, F. N. Mohd; Dahalan, F. A.

2018-03-01

The contamination of heavy metals gives bad implications to the aquatic environment. Thus, a study was conducted to assess the sediment quality by using different contamination indices such as Enrichment Factor (EF), Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), and Pollution Load Index (PLI). Each sediment sample was collected at the surface (0-15cm) at 5 locations based on the land use activity; jetty port (A), seaside restaurant (B), roadside area (C), power plant (D) and residential area (E). All samples were undergoes acid digestion and analyzed with AAS. Four elements identified from the sediment samples which are Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were used to calculate the respective indices. Results show that, the highest EF value of Pb which categorized as very severe enrichment was at point E. Meanwhile minor enrichment was detected at point B for Cu while Cr and Zn at point A. Based on Igeo value the sediment quality along Kuala Perlis was in the unpolluted-moderately polluted condition (class 1). As for PLI it shows that the sediment of the coastal area is unpolluted (PLI<1). Therefore, this study revealed that, the main contributor of heavy metals in this area is Pb while the sediment quality of Kuala Perlis was in minor pollution condition.

A preliminary assessment of the spatial sources of contemporary suspended sediment in the Ohio River basin, United States, using water quality data from the NASQAN programme in a source tracing procedure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Y.-S.; Collins, A.L.; Horowitz, A.J.

2012-01-01

Reliable information on catchment scale suspended sediment sources is required to inform the design of management strategies for helping abate the numerous environmental issues associated with enhanced sediment mobilization and off-site loadings. Since sediment fingerprinting techniques avoid many of the logistical constraints associated with using more traditional indirect measurement methods at catchment scale, such approaches have been increasingly reported in the international literature and typically use data sets collected specifically for sediment source apportionment purposes. There remains scope for investigating the potential for using geochemical data sets assembled by routine monitoring programmes to fingerprint sediment provenance. In the United States, routine water quality samples are collected as part of the US Geological Survey's revised National Stream Quality Accounting Network programme. Accordingly, the geochemistry data generated from these samples over a 10-year period (1996-2006) were used as the basis for a fingerprinting exercise to assess the key tributary sub-catchment spatial sources of contemporary suspended sediment transported by the Ohio River. Uncertainty associated with the spatial source estimates was quantified using a Monte Carlo approach in conjunction with mass balance modelling. Relative frequency weighted means were used as an alternative way of summarizing the spatial source contributions, thereby avoiding the need to use confidence limits. The results should be interpreted in the context of the routine, but infrequent nature, of the suspended sediment samples used to assemble geochemistry as a basis for the sourcing exercise. Nonetheless, the study demonstrates how routine monitoring samples can be used to provide some preliminary information on sediment provenance in large drainage basins. ?? 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of hydrology, suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon transport in a large agricultural catchment using SWAT model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chantha, Oeurng; Sabine, Sauvage; José-Miguel, Sánchez-Pérez

2010-05-01

Suspended sediment transport from agricultural catchments to stream networks is responsible for aquatic habitat degradation, reservoir sedimentation and the transport of sediment-bound pollutants (pesticides, particulate nutrients, heavy metals and other toxic substances). Quantifying and understanding the dynamics of suspended sediment transfer from agricultural land to watercourses is essential in controlling soil erosion and in implementing appropriate mitigation practices to reduce stream suspended sediment and associated pollutant loads, and hence improve surface water quality downstream. Gascogne area, southwest France, has been dominated by anthropogenic activities particularly intensive agriculture causing severe erosion in recent decades. This leads to a major threat to surface water quality due to soil erosion. Therefore, the catchment water quality has been continuously monitored since January 2007 and the historical data of hydrology and suspended sediment has existed since 1998. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT 2005) was applied to assess hydrology, suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon in this catchment Agricultural management practices (crop rotation, planting date, fertilizer quantity and irrigations) were taken into the model for simulation period of 11 years (July, 1998 to March, 2009). The investigation was conducted using a 11-year streamflow and two years of suspended sediment record from January 2007 to March 2009. Modelling strategy with dominant landuse and soil type was chosen in this study. The SWAT generally performs satisfactorily and could simulate both daily and monthly runoff and sediment yield. The simulated daily and monthly runoff matched the observed values satisfactorily (ENash>0.5). For suspended sediment simulation, the simulated values were compared with the observed continuous suspended sediment derived from turbidity data. Based on the relationship between SSC and POC (R2 = 0.93), POC was modelled by simulated SSC from SWAT. The model predicted that the average annual catchment rainfall of the 11-year evaluation period (726 mm) with evapotranspiration (78.3%), percolation/groundwater recharge (14.1%), transmission loss (0.5%), and yielding surface runoff (7.1%). The simulated average total water yield of 11 years accounted for 138 mm (observed=133mm) and annual sediment yield varying from 4766 t to 123000 t (Mean= 48 t km-2). The annual yield of particulate organic carbon ranged from 120 t to 3100 t (Mean=1.2 t km-2).

TOXICITY TESTS FOR SEDIMENT QUALITY ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Toxic sediments have contributed to a wide-variety of environmental problems around the world. The observed effects include direct toxic effects to aquatic life, bio-magnification of toxicants in the food chain, and economic impacts. This chapter discusses the use of toxicity...

TRENTON CHANNEL/DETROIT RIVER SEDIMENT ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION

EPA Science Inventory

The Detroit River has experienced over a century of discharges from industry and municipalaties. Demonstrable improvements have been made in water quality, loadings, and biota. Common with other International Joint Commission Areas of Concern, sediment of the Detroit River still...

Sediment toxicity assessment in the Lagoon of Venice (Italy) using Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) fertilization and embryo bioassays.

PubMed

Volpi Ghirardini, A; Arizzi Novelli, A; Tagliapietra, D

2005-09-01

The capacity of two toxicity bioassays (fertilization and embryo toxicity tests) to discriminate sediment toxicity using the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus was tested in five stations with different levels of pollution in the Lagoon of Venice. Two stations were located in estuarine sites, two in the industrial zone, and one in a site at the top of our quality gradient (reference). Elutriate was chosen as sediment matrix to assess the potential effects of bioavailable pollutants in the water column as a consequence of sediment resuspension (dredging and dumping, fishing gear, etc.). An experimental design based on Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures (QA/QC) was adopted in order to set the methodological basis for an effective use of these bioassays in monitoring programs. Results revealed both higher embriotoxicity than spermiotoxicity in all stations and the efficacy of combined use of both toxicity bioassays in discriminating differing pollution/bioavailability between stations and periods. The good representativeness of the integrated sampling scheme and the standardization of all experimental phases yielded high precision of results. Clear Toxicity Fingerprints were evidenced for the investigated sites through the combined use of both bioassays. A good fit between ecotoxicological data and chemical contamination levels was found, except for unnatural sediment texture.

Aquatic assessment of the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site, Vershire, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seal, Robert R.; Kiah, Richard G.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Besser, John M.; Coles, James F.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Argue, Denise M.; Levitan, Denise M.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.

2010-01-01

The information was used to develop an overall assessment of the impact on the aquatic system that appears to be a result of the acid rock drainage at the Ely Mine. More than 700 meters of Ely Brook, including two of the six ponds, were found to be severely impacted, on the basis of water-quality data and biological assessments. The reference location was of good quality based on the water quality and biological assessment. More than 3,125 meters of Schoolhouse Brook are also severely impacted, on the basis of water-quality data and biological assessments. The biological community begins to recover near the confluence with the Ompompanoosuc River. The evidence is less conclusive regarding the Ompompanoosuc River. The sediment data suggest that the sediments could be a source of toxicity in Ely Brook and Schoolhouse Brook. The surface-water assessment is consistent with the outcome of a surface-water toxicity testing program performed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Ely Brook and Schoolhouse Brook and a surface-water toxicity testing program and in situ amphibian testing program for the ponds.

The Assessment of Sediment Heavy Metal Pollution in Begej Canal (Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krčmar, Dejan; Trickovic, Jelena; Grba, Nenad; Becelic Tomin, Milena; Pesic, Vesna; Varga, Natasa; Dalmacija, Bozo

2016-04-01

Accumulation of heavy metals in aquatic systems has received huge concern due to their toxicity, persistence and subsequent accumulation in aquatic sediments. One of the most crucial properties of the metals, which differentiate them from organic pollutants, is that they are not biodegradable in the environment. Metals are part of biogeochemical cycles with aquatic sediments acting as their ultimate sinks for longer periods of time. However, when environmental conditions change (pH, redox potential, etc.) sediments act as secondary sources of metal pollution. The toxicity and mobility of metals depend strongly on the way they are associated with sediments. Therefore, information on the total concentrations of metals in sediment alone should not be used to assess the environmental impact of polluted sediments. The Begej Canal is navigation canal between Romania and Serbia and it is a part of Danube-Tisa-Danube hydrosystem in Vojvodina (Northern Province of Serbia). Approximately, 500,000 m3 of sediment is accumulated in Begej canal which currently prevents canal's primary function - navigability. The objective of the present study was to assess the chemical quality of Begej canal sediments regarding heavy metals content. The concentrations of heavy metals were as follows: Cd - 2.4-4.9 mg/kg, Cr - 125-349 mg/kg, Cu - 65-124 mg/kg, Pb - 47-113 mg/kg, Ni - 45-88 mg/kg and Zn - 362-602 mg/kg. According to Serbian legislation (Official gazette, no. 50/12), sediment of Begej canal is the third class sediment which means that special measures should be taken in case of its removal from watercourse and final disposal in order to prevent contamination of other environmental compartments (soil, ground waters, surface waters, wildlife). Therefore, determination of third class has important economic and social implications. Additional tests to assess sediment quality included determination of contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and enrichment factor (EF). In addition, identification of the main binding sites and phase associations of heavy metals in sediments is carried out by employment of sequential extraction procedure and determination of ratio of acid volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals (AVS/SEM). Results of all of these additional chemical tests showed that risk is overestimated if sediment quality standards alone are used as pass/fail criteria. The obtained results are invaluable for future activities regarding dredging of Begej canal and future monitoring of sediment status. This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Projects III43005 and TR37004). The authors would like to thank the Provincial Secretariat for Science and Technological Development of the Province of Vojvodina for their financial support in realization of COST Action ES1205.

Assessing effects of changing land use practices on sediment loads in Panther Creek, north coastal California

Treesearch

Mary Ann Madej; Greg Bundros; Randy Klein

2012-01-01

Revisions to the California Forest Practice Rules since 1974 were intended to increase protection of water quality in streams draining timber harvest areas. The effects of improved timber harvesting methods and road designs on sediment loading are assessed for the Panther Creek basin, a 15.4 km2 watershed in Humboldt County, north coastal...

Assessing Sedimentation Issues Within Aging Flood Control Reservoirs in Oklahoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennet, Sean J.; Cooper, Charles M.; Ritchie, Jerry C.; Dunbar, John A.; Allen, Peter M.; Caldwell, Larry W.; McGee, Thomas M.

2002-10-01

Since 1948, the USDA-NRCS has constructed nearly 11,000 flood control dams across the United States, and many of the reservoirs are rapidly filling with sediment. To rehabilitate these structures, the impounded sediment must be assessed to determine the volume of accumulated sediment and the potential hazard this sediment may pose if reintroduced to the environment. An assessment of sedimentation issues within two reservoirs, Sugar Creek No. 12, Hinton, Oklahoma, and Sergeant Major No. 4, Cheyenne, Oklahoma, is presented. Sediment cores obtained using a vibracoring system were composed of alternating layers of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Stratigraphic analysis coupled with 137Cs dating techniques enabled the discrimination of pre-construction sediment from post-construction deposition. An acoustic profiling system was unencumbered by the relatively shallow water depth at Sugar Creek No. 12 and the seismic horizons agreed well with the sediment core data. Total sediment volume determined from the acoustic survey and the sediment core data for comparable areas differed by only 1.4 percent. The seismic profiling system worked well in the relatively deeper lake of Sergeant Major No. 4 and showed good correspondence to the collected core data. Detailed chemical analyses showed that overall sediment quality was good at both locations and that chemical composition was spatially invariant. Implementation of these techniques will aid action agencies such as the USDA-NRCS in their assessment and effective management of aging flood control reservoirs.

Water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River basin, Kentucky; results of investigations of surface-water quality, 1987-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haag, K.H.; Garcia, Rene; Jarrett, G.L.; Porter, S.D.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey investigated the water quality of the Kentucky River Basin in Kentucky as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment program. Data collected during 1987-90 were used to describe the spatial and temporal variability of water-quality constituents including metals and trace elements, nutrients, sediments, pesticides, dissolved oxygen, and fecal-coliform bacteria. Oil-production activities were the source of barium, bromide, chloride, magnesium, and sodium in several watersheds. High concentrations of aluminum, iron, and zinc were related to surface mining in the Eastern Coal Field Region. High concentrations of lead and zinc occurred in streambed sediments in urban areas, whereas concentrations of arsenic, strontium, and uranium were associated with natural geologic sources. Concentrations of phosphorus were significantly correlated with urban and agricultural land use. The high phosphorus content of Bluegrass Region soils was an important source of phosphorus in streams. At many sites in urban areas, most of the stream nitrogen load was attributable to wastewater-treatment-plant effluent. Average suspended-sediment concentrations were positively correlated with discharge. There was a downward trend in suspended-sediment concentrations downstream in the Kentucky River main stem during the study. The most frequently detected herbicides in water samples were atrazine, 2,4-D, alachlor, metolachlor, and dicamba. Diazinon, malathion, and parathion were the most frequently detected organophosphate insecticides in water samples. Detectable concentrations of aldrin, chlordane, DDT, DDE, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan, heptachlor, and lindane were found in streambed-sediment samples. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations were sometimes below the minimum concentration needed to sustain aquatic life. At some sites, high concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria were found and water samples did not meet sanitary water-quality criteria.

Integrative assessment of sediment quality in lower basin affected by former mining in Brazil.

PubMed

Bonnail, Estefanía; Buruaem, Lucas M; Morais, Lucas G; Araujo, Giuliana S; Abessa, Denis M S; Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Ángel DelValls, T

2017-06-13

The Ribeira de Iguape River (Southeast Brazil) is metal contaminated by mining activities. Despite it has been cataloged as "in via of restoration" by the literature, this basin is still a sink of pollution in some segments of the fluvial system. This study aimed to assess the sediment quality in the lower part of the RIR basin. The employed approach was based on biological responses of the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea after 7-day exposure bioassays using as the reference site the Perequê Ecological Park. Toxic responses (burial activity and lethality) and biochemical biomarkers (GST, GR, GPx, LPO, MTs, AChE and DNA damage) were evaluated and then integrated with metal bioavailability and chemical concentrations to address the sediment quality in the area through the weight-of-evidence approach. A multivariate analysis identified linkages between biological responses and contamination. Results pointed that, despite being below the benchmarks of the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is slight metal contamination in the lower part of the basin which induces oxidative stress in C. fluminea; other toxic responses were sometimes attributed to As and Cr bioaccumulation. The sediment quality values (TEL-PEL values in mg/kg) were calculated for the current study for As (0.63-1.31), Cr (3.5-11.05), Cs (1.0-1.17), Cu (6.32-7.32), Ni (6.78-7.46), Ti (42.0-215), V (1.77-8.00). By comparison with other international guidelines, the sediment quality of the lower basin of the Vale de Ribeira does not identify a significant environmental risk.

Applicability of ambient toxicity testing to national or regional water-quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elder, J.F.

1989-01-01

Comprehensive assessment of the quality of natural waters requires a multifaceted approach. Based on experimentation designed to monitor responses of organisms to environmental stresses, toxicity testing may have diverse purposes in water quality assessments. These purposes may include identification that warrant further study because of poor water quality or unusual ecological features, verification of other types of monitoring, or assessment of contaminant effects on aquatic communities. A wide variety of toxicity test methods have been developed to fulfill the needs of diverse applications. The methods differ primarily in the full selections made relative to four characteristics: (1) test species, (2) endpoints (acute or chronic), (3) test enclosure type, and (4) test substance (toxicant) that functions as the environmental stress. Toxicity test approachs vary in their capacity to meet the needs of large-scale assessments of existing water quality. Ambient testing is more likely to meet these needs than are the procedures that call for exposure of the test organisms to known concentrations of a single toxicant. However, meaningful interpretation of ambient test results depend on the existence of accompanying chemical analysis of the ambient media. The ambient test substance may be water or sediments. Sediment tests have had limited application, but they are useful because of the fact that most toxicants tend to accumulate in sediments, and many test species either inhabit the sediments or are in frequent contact with them. Biochemical testing methods, which have been developing rapidly in recent years, are likely to be among the most useful procedures for large-scale water quality assessments. They are relatively rapid and simple, and more importantly, they focus on biochemical changes that are the initial responses of virtually all organisms to environmental stimuli. Most species are sensitive to relatively few toxicants and their sensitivities vary as conditions change. One of the most informative approaches for toxicity testing is to combine biochemical tests with other test methods in a ' battery or tests ' that is diversified enough to characterize different types of toxicants and different trophic levels. (Lantz-PTT)

Water quality, sediment, and soil characteristics near Fargo-Moorhead urban areas as affected by major flooding of the Red River of the North.

PubMed

Guy, A C; Desutter, T M; Casey, F X M; Kolka, R; Hakk, H

2012-01-01

Spring flooding of the Red River of the North (RR) is common, but little information exits on how these flood events affect water and overbank sediment quality within an urban area. With the threat of the spring 2009 flood in the RR predicted to be the largest in recorded history and the concerns about the flooding of farmsteads, outbuildings, garages, and basements, the objectives of this study, which focused on Fargo, ND, and Moorhead, MN, were to assess floodwater quality and to determine the quantity and quality of overbank sediment deposited after floodwaters recede and the quality of soil underlying sediment deposits. 17β-Estradiol was detected in 9 of 24 water samples, with an average concentration of 0.61 ng L. Diesel-range organics were detected in 8 of 24 samples, with an average concentration of 80.0 μg L. The deposition of sediment across locations and transects ranged from 2 to 10 kg m, and the greatest mass deposition of chemicals was closest to the river channel. No gasoline-range organics were detected, but diesel-range organics were detected in 26 of the 27 overbank sediment samples (maximum concentration, 49.2 mg kg). All trace elements detected in the overbank sediments were within ranges for noncontaminated sites. Although flooding has economic, social, and environmental impacts, based on the results of this study, it does not appear that flooding in the RR in F-M led to decreased quality of water, sediment, or soil compared with normal river flows or resident soil. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Heavy metal in sediments of Ziya River in northern China: distribution, potential risks, and source apportionment.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaolei; Shan, Baoqing; Tang, Wenzhong

2016-12-01

The concentration partitioning between the sediment particle and the interstitial water phase plays an important role in controlling the toxicity of heavy metals in aquatic systems. The aim of this study was to assess the sediment quality in a polluted area of the Ziya River, Northern China. The contamination potential and bioavailability of six metals were determined from the concentrations of total metals and the bioavailable fractions. The results showed that the concentrations of Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb exceeded the probable effect concentration at several sites. The high geoaccumulation indices showed that the sediments were seriously contaminated by Cd. The ratio of acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) to simultaneously extracted metal (SEM) was higher than 1, which indicated that the availability of metals in sediments was low. The risk assessment of interstitial waters confirmed that there was little chance of release of metals associated with acid-volatile sulfide into the water column. Values of the interstitial water criteria toxicity unit indicated that none of the concentrations of the studied metals exceeded the corresponding water quality thresholds of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Positive matrix factorization showed that the major sources of metals were related to anthropogenic activities. Further, if assessments are based on total heavy metal concentrations, the toxicity of heavy metals in sediment may be overestimated.

Periodic sediment shift in migrating ripples influences benthic microbial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zlatanović, Sanja; Fabian, Jenny; Mendoza-Lera, Clara; Woodward, K. Benjamin; Premke, Katrin; Mutz, Michael

2017-06-01

Migrating bedforms have high levels of particulate organic matter and high rates of pore water exchange, causing them to be proposed as hot spots of carbon turnover in rivers. Yet, the shifting of sediments and associated mechanical disturbance within migrating bedforms, such as ripples, may stress and abrade microbial communities, reducing their activity. In a microcosm experiment, we replicated the mechanical disturbances caused by the periodic sediment shift within ripples under oligotrophic conditions. We assessed the effects on fungal and bacterial biomass ratio (F:B), microbial community respiration (CR), and bacterial production (BCP) and compared with stable undisturbed sediments. Interactions between periodic mechanical disturbance and sediment-associated particulate organic matter (POM) were tested by enriching sediments collected from migrating ripples with different qualities of POM (fish feces, leaf litter fragments and no addition treatments). F:B and BCP were affected by an interaction between mechanical disturbance and POM quality. Fish feces enriched sediments showed increased F:B and BCP compared to sediments with lower POM quality and responded with a decrease of F:B and BCP to sediment disturbance. In the other POM treatments F:B and BCP were not affected by disturbance. Microbial respiration was however reduced by mechanical disturbance to similar low activity levels regardless of POM qualities added, whereas fish feces enriched sediment showed short temporary boost of CR. With the worldwide proliferation of migrating sand ripples due to massive catchment erosion, suppressed mineralization of POM will increasingly affect stream metabolism, downstream transport of POM and carbon cycling from reach to catchment scale.

Integrative assessment of coastal pollution: Development and evaluation of sediment quality criteria from chemical contamination and ecotoxicological data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellas, Juan; Nieto, Óscar; Beiras, Ricardo

2011-04-01

Elutriate embryo-larval bioassays with sea-urchins ( Paracentrotus lividus) were conducted concurrently with chemical analyses of sediments and biota as part of an integrative assessment of pollution in highly productive coastal regions. High metal contents and organic compounds in sediments and mussels were found in localised areas from the inner part of the estuaries indicating a clear anthropogenic influence. In particular, average maximum concentrations of 2803 mg Cu/kg dw, 776 mg Pb/kg dw, 2.5 mg Hg/kg dw and 5803 μg ∑ 7PAHs/kg dw were measured in sediments from the most polluted sites. Significant correlations were observed between sediment chemistry and toxicity bioassays. Moreover, the Mantel test revealed a significant correlation ( rM=0.80; p<0.01) between sediment pollutant concentrations and toxicity data profiles. In addition, sediment quality criteria were used to help in the ecological interpretation of sediment chemistry data and to identify pollutants of concern. The toxicity bioassays identified polluted sites and quantified the level of toxicity, providing a cost-effective tool to complement the routine chemical monitoring currently conducted in European coastal waters with ecologically relevant information. This is in line with the recent European legislation that advocates the use of biological tools with the ultimate aim of protecting marine resources from anthropogenic substances that will affect their sensitive early life stages.

Toxicity of sediment collected upriver and downriver of major cities along the lower Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winger, P.V.; Lasier, P.J.

1998-01-01

The Lower Mississippi River contributes significantly to the biodiversity and ecological stability of the alluvial valley. Agricultural, industrial and municipal developments have historically impacted environmental quality of the river. Toxicity of sediment and sediment pore water was used to assess the current effects of major cities on sediment quality along the Lower Mississippi River. Composite sediment samples were collected from four sites upriver and four sites downriver of five major cities: Cairo, IL; Memphis, TN; Vicksburg, MS; Baton Rouge, LA; and New Orleans, LA. Following EPA's standard methods for acute toxicity testing of freshwater solid-phase sediment, Hyalella azteca were exposed to the sediments for 10 d with two water renewals per day. Hyalella azteca were also exposed for 96 h to pore water extracted from the sediments. After the initial tests, the animals were exposed to ultraviolet light for 12 h. Sediments were analyzed for organics (organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, organophosphate insecticides, and PAHs) and metals (Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn). With the exception of upriver from Memphis, solid-phase sediments were not toxic to H. azteca. Pore water from sediments collected upriver of Memphis showed slight toxicity. Exposure of H. azteca to ultraviolet light did not increase the toxicity of the sediment or pore-water samples, indicating a lack of PAH toxicity. Chemical analyses did not reveal any contaminant levels of concern in the sediments. Based on toxicity testing and chemical analyses, quality of sediments collected from the Lower Mississippi was good, with the exception of sites sampled upriver of Memphis.

The occurrence and potential ecological risk assessment of bauxite mine-impacted water and sediments in Kuantan, Pahang,Malaysia.

PubMed

Kusin, Faradiella Mohd; Rahman, Muhammad Syazwan Abd; Madzin, Zafira; Jusop, Shamshuddin; Mohamat-Yusuff, Ferdaus; Ariffin, Mariani; Z, Mohd Syakirin Md

2017-01-01

Recent bauxite mining activities in the vicinity of Kuantan, Pahang, have been associated with apparent environmental quality degradation and have raised environmental concerns among the public. This study was carried out to evaluate the overall ecological impacts on water and sediment quality from the bauxite mining activities. Water and sediment samples were collected at seven sampling locations within the bauxite mining areas between June and December 2015. The water samples were analyzed for water quality index (WQI) and distribution of major and trace element geochemistry. Sediment samples were evaluated based on geochemical indices, i.e., the enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (I geo ). Potential ecological risk index was estimated to assess the degree to which sediments of the mine-impacted areas have been contaminated with heavy metals. The results showed that WQIs of some locations were classified as slightly polluted and contained metal contents exceeding the recommended guideline values. The EFs indicated minimal to moderate enrichment of metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, and Sr) in the sediments. I geo showed slightly to partially polluted sediments with respect to As at some locations. The potential ecological risk index (RI) showed that As posed the highest potential ecological risk with RI of 52.35-60.92 at two locations, while other locations indicated low risk. The findings from this study have demonstrated the impact of recent bauxite mining activities, which might be of importance to the local communities and relevant authorities to initiate immediate rehabilitation phase of the impacted area.

Water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River basin, Kentucky; nutrients, sediments, and pesticides in streams, 1987-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haag, K.H.; Porter, S.D.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey investigated the water quality of the Kentucky River Basin in Kentucky as part of the National Water Quality Assessment program. Data collected during 1987-90 were used to describe the spatial and temporal variability of nutrients, suspended sediment, and pesticides in streams. Concentrations of phosphorus were signifi- cantly correlated with urban and agricultural land use. The high phosphorus content of Bluegrass Region soils was an important source of phosphorus in streams. At many sites in urban areas, all of the stream nitrogen load was attributable to wastewater- treatment-plant effluent. Tributary streams affected by agricultural sources of nutrients contained higher densities of phytoplankton than streams that drained forested areas. Data indicate that a consid- erable percentage of total nitrogen was transported as algal biomass during periods of low discharge. Average suspended-sediment concentrations for the study period were positively correlated with dis- charge. There was a downward trend in suspended- sediment concentrations downstream in the Kentucky River main stem during the study. Although a large amount of suspended sediment originates in the Eastern Coal Field Region, contributions of suspended sediment from the Red River and other tributary streams of the Knobs Region also are important. The most frequently detected herbicides in water samples were atrazine, 2,4-D, alachlor, metolachlor, and dicamba. Diazinon, malathion, and parathion were the most frequently detected organo- phosphate insecticides in water samples. Detectable concentrations of aldrin, chlordane, DDT, DDE, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, and lindane were found in streambed- sediment samples.

PAH occurrence in chalk river systems from the Jura region (France). Pertinence of suspended particulate matter and sediment as matrices for river quality monitoring.

PubMed

Chiffre, Axelle; Degiorgi, François; Morin-Crini, Nadia; Bolard, Audrey; Chanez, Etienne; Badot, Pierre-Marie

2015-11-01

This study investigates the variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in surface water, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment upstream and downstream of the discharges of two wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. Relationships between the levels of PAHs in these different matrices were also investigated. The sum of 16 US EPA PAHs ranged from 73.5 to 728.0 ng L(-1) in surface water and from 85.4 to 313.1 ng L(-1) in effluent. In SPM and sediment, ∑16PAHs ranged from 749.6 to 2,463 μg kg(-1) and from 690.7 μg kg(-1) to 3,625.6 μg kg(-1), respectively. Investigations performed upstream and downstream of both studied WWTPs showed that WWTP discharges may contribute to the overall PAH contaminations in the Loue and the Doubs rivers. Comparison between gammarid populations upstream and downstream of WWTP discharge showed that biota was impacted by the WWTP effluents. When based only on surface water samples, the assessment of freshwater quality did not provide evidence for a marked PAH contamination in either of the rivers studied. However, using SPM and sediment samples, we found PAH contents exceeding sediment quality guidelines. We conclude that sediment and SPM are relevant matrices to assess overall PAH contamination in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, we found a positive linear correlation between PAH contents of SPM and sediment, showing that SPM represents an integrating matrix which is able to provide meaningful data about the overall contamination over a given time span.

A risk assessment approach to contaminants in Port Curtis, Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Jones, Mary-Anne; Stauber, Jenny; Apte, Simon; Simpson, Stuart; Vicente-Beckett, Vicky; Johnson, Rod; Duivenvoorden, Leo

2005-01-01

Port Curtis is one of Australia's leading ports for which substantial industrial expansion is proposed over the next decade. However, there has been little attempt to date to assess the extent of contamination in waters, sediments and biota or to characterize the potential impacts of contaminants on aquatic biota. Contaminants of potential concern to biota and human health were investigated in the Port Curtis estuary using a screening-level risk assessment approach. Dissolved metal concentrations in waters were below [ANZECC/ARMCANZ, 2000. Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, Vol. 1. The Guidelines, Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand] trigger values, suggesting low risk of these contaminants. In sediments, arsenic, nickel and chromium concentrations exceeded interim sediment quality guidelines-low (ISQG-low), but were also high in the reference zone suggesting a natural origin. Historical data on naphthalene in Harbour sediments showed that it was also of potential concern. Bioaccumulation of contaminants in a range of biota was also used as an indicator of contaminant exposure. Biota were generally enriched in metals and tributyltin, which was also elevated in water and sediments. Although not unique to Port Curtis, mercury in barramundi was identified as a potential risk to human health.

Assessment of sediment contamination at Great Lakes Areas of Concern: the ARCS Program Toxicity-Chemistry Work Group strategy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ross, P.E.; Burton, G.A.; Crecelius, E.A.; Filkins, J. C.; Giesy, J.P.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Landrum, P.F.; Mac, M.J.; Murphy, T.J.; Rathbun, J. E.; Smith, V. E.; Tatem, H. E.; Taylor, R.W.

1992-01-01

In response to a mandate in Section 118(c)(3) of the Water Quality Act of 1987, a program called Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) was established. Four technical work groups were formed. This paper details the research strategy of the Toxicity-Chemistry Work Group.The Work Group's general objectives are to develop survey methods and to map the degree of contamination and toxicity in bottom sediments at three study areas, which will serve as guidance for future surveys at other locations. A related objective is to use the data base that will be generated to calculate sediment quality concentrations by several methods. The information needed to achieve these goals will be collected in a series of field surveys at three areas: Saginaw Bay (MI), Grand Calumet River (IN), and Buffalo River (NY). Assessments of the extent of contamination and potential adverse effects of contaminants in sediment at each of these locations will be conducted by collecting samples for physical characterization, toxicity testing, mutagenicity testing, chemical analyses, and fish bioaccumulation assays. Fish populations will be assessed for tumors and external abnormalities, and benthic community structure will be analyzed. A mapping approach will use low-cost indicator parameters at a large number of stations, and will extrapolate by correlation from traditional chemical and biological studies at a smaller number of locations. Sediment toxicity testing includes elutriate, pore water and whole sediment bioassays in a three-tiered framework. In addition to the regular series of toxicity tests at primary mater stations, some stations are selected for a more extensive suite of tests.

Applying a two-dimensional morphodynamic model to assess impacts to Chinook salmon spawning habitat from dam removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, A. A.; Crosato, A.; Omer, A. Y. A.; Bregoli, F.

2017-12-01

The need for accurate and robust predictive methods of assessing fluvial ecosystems is highlighted by the accelerating practice of dam removal. Dam removal can be a restorative measure, but the sudden release of impounded sediment and change in flow regime may negatively impact aquatic biota and their habitat. This study assesses the performance of a quasi-three-dimensional morphodynamic numerical model, coupled with habitat suitability indices, to predict short-term impacts to Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawning habitat from dam removal. The 2007 removal of Marmot Dam on the Sandy River (Oregon, U.S.A.) is used as a case study. Delft3D-FLOW is employed to simulate changes in river channel topography, sediment composition and hydrodynamic conditions for a 20-kilometer reach of the Sandy River. The transport of non-uniform sediment and three-dimensional flow effects are included in the model. Output parameters such as flow depth, velocity and substrate are processed to evaluate habitat quality in the year following the Marmot Dam removal. Impacts are evaluated across four life-stages of Chinook salmon. As a hindcast analysis, the morphodynamic model sufficiently reproduces the evolution of river morphology at the reach-scale while requiring only a low level of calibration. The model performs well in predicting impacts to fish passage, but carries more uncertainty for developing life stages. By coupling flow-sediment-biota interactions, this method shows strong potential for habitat assessment in unsteady and non-uniform environments. Computation time is a primary constraint, as it limits grid-cell resolution, modelling of suspended sediment and capacity to characterize the sediment grain size distribution. Research on the effects of suspended sediment on habitat quality is ongoing, and further research is recommended for modelling reservoir erosion processes numerically.

Artificialized land characteristics and sediment connectivity explain muddy flood hazard in Wallonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Walque, Baptiste; Bielders, Charles; Degré, Aurore; Maugnard, Alexandre

2017-04-01

Muddy flood occurrence is an off-site erosion problem of growing interest in Europe and in particular in the loess belt and Condroz regions of Wallonia (Belgium). In order to assess the probability of occurrence of muddy floods in specific places, a muddy flood hazard prediction model has been built. It was used to test 11 different explanatory variables in simple and multiple logistic regressions approaches. A database of 442 muddy flood-affected sites and an equal number of homologous non flooded sites was used. For each site, relief, land use, sediment production and sediment connectivity of the contributing area were extracted. To assess the prediction quality of the model, we proceeded to a validation using 48 new pairs of homologous sites. Based on Akaïke Information Criterion (AIC), we determined that the best muddy flood hazard assessment model requires a total of 6 explanatory variable as inputs: the spatial aggregation of the artificialized land, the sediment connectivity, the artificialized land proximity to the outlet, the proportion of artificialized land, the mean slope and the Gravelius index of compactness of the contributive area. The artificialized land properties listed above showed to improve substantially the model quality (p-values from 10e-10 to 10e-4). All of the 3 properties showed negative correlation with the muddy flood hazard. These results highlight the importance of considering the artificialized land characteristics in the sediment transport assessment models. Indeed, artificialized land such as roads may dramatically deviate flows and influence the connectivity in the landscape. Besides the artificialized land properties, the sediment connectivity showed significant explanatory power (p-value of 10e-11). A positive correlation between the sediment connectivity and the muddy flood hazard was found, ranging from 0.3 to 0.45 depending on the sediment connectivity index. Several studies already have highlighted the importance of this parameter in the sediment transport characterization in the landscape. Using the best muddy flood probability of occurrence threshold value of 0.49, the validation of the best multiple logistic regression resulted in a prediction quality of 75.6% (original dataset) and 81.2% (secondary dataset). The developed statistical model could be used as a reliable tool to target muddy floods mitigation measures in sites resulting with the highest muddy floods hazard.

Distribution of heavy metals and environmental assessment of surface sediment of typical estuaries in eastern China.

PubMed

Bi, Shipu; Yang, Yuan; Xu, Chengfen; Zhang, Yong; Zhang, Xiaobo; Zhang, Xianrong

2017-08-15

Estuary sediment is a major pollutant enrichment medium and is an important biological habitat. This sediment has attracted the attention of the marine environmental scientists because it is a more stable and effective medium than water for monitoring regional environmental quality conditions and trends. Based on a large amount of measurement data, we analyzed the concentrations, distribution, and sources of seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) in the surface sediment of typical estuaries that empty into the sea in eastern China: the Liaohe River Estuary, Yellow River Estuary, Yangtze River Estuary, Minjiang River Estuary, and Pearl River Estuary. The heavy metal concentrations in the sediments vary considerably from one estuary to the next. The Liaohe River Estuary sediment contains elevated levels of Cd, Hg, and Zn. The Yellow River Estuary sediment contains elevated levels of As. The sediments in the Yangtze River and Minjiang River estuaries contain elevated levels of Cd and Cu and of Pb and Zn, respectively. The sediment in the Pearl River Estuary contains elevated levels of all seven heavy metals. We used the Nemerow index method to assess the environment quality. The heavy metal pollution in the Liaohe River and Pearl River estuaries is more severe than that in the other estuaries. Additional work indicates that the heavy metal pollution in the Liaohe River and Pearl River estuaries is caused mainly by human activity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

On the use of the partitioning approach to derive Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in sediments: a review of existing data.

PubMed

Dueri, Sibylle; Castro-Jiménez, Javier; Comenges, José-Manuel Zaldívar

2008-09-15

A review of experimental data has been performed to study the relationships between the concentration in water, pore water and sediments for different families of organic contaminants. The objective was to determine whether it is possible to set EQS for sediments from EQS defined for surface waters in the Daughter Directive of the European Parliament (COM (2006) 397). The analysis of experimental data showed that even though in some specific cases there is a coupling between water column and sediments, this coupling is rather the exception. Therefore it is not recommendable to use water column data to assess the chemical quality status of sediments and it is necessary to measure in both media. At the moment EQS have been defined for the water column and will assess only the compliance with good chemical status of surface waters. Since the sediment toxicity depends on the dissolved pore water concentration, the EQS developed for water could be applied to pore water (interstitial water); hence, there would be no need of developing another set of EQS. The partitioning approach has been proposed as a solution to calculate sediment EQS from water EQS, but the partitioning coefficient strongly depends on sediment characteristics and its use introduces an important uncertainty in the definition of sediment EQS. Therefore, the direct measurement of pore water concentration is regarded as a better option.

Harmonised framework for ecological risk assessment of sediments from ports and estuarine zones of North and South Atlantic.

PubMed

Choueri, R B; Cesar, A; Abessa, D M S; Torres, R J; Riba, I; Pereira, C D S; Nascimento, M R L; Morais, R D; Mozeto, A A; DelValls, T A

2010-04-01

This paper presents a harmonised framework of sediment quality assessment and dredging material characterisation for estuaries and port zones of North and South Atlantic. This framework, based on the weight-of-evidence approach, provides a structure and a process for conducting sediment/dredging material assessment that leads to a decision. The main structure consists of "step 1" (examination of available data); "step 2" (chemical characterisation and toxicity assessment); "decision 1" (any chemical level higher than reference values? are sediments toxic?); "step 3" (assessment of benthic community structure); "step 4" (integration of the results); "decision 2" (are sediments toxic or benthic community impaired?); "step 5" (construction of the decision matrix) and "decision 3" (is there environmental risk?). The sequence of assessments may be interrupted when the information obtained is judged to be sufficient for a correct characterisation of the risk posed by the sediments/dredging material. This framework brought novel features compared to other sediment/dredging material risk assessment frameworks: data integration through multivariate analysis allows the identification of which samples are toxic and/or related to impaired benthic communities; it also discriminates the chemicals responsible for negative biological effects; and the framework dispenses the use of a reference area. We demonstrated the successful application of this framework in different port and estuarine zones of the North (Gulf of Cádiz) and South Atlantic (Santos and Paranaguá Estuarine Systems).

Sediment-quality assessment of Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and the upstream reach of the Columbia River, Washington, 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bortleson, Gilbert Carl; Cox, S.E.; Munn, M.D.; Schumaker, R.J.; Block, E.K.

2001-01-01

Elevated concentrations of trace elements were found in bed sediment of Lake Roosevelt and the Columbia River, its principal source of inflow. Trace-element concentrations in whole water samples did not exceed criteria for freshwater organisms. Bed sediments of Lake Roosevelt were analyzed for organic compounds associated with wood-pulp waste. Dioxins and furans were found in suspended sediment and water of the Columbia River. Abundance and diversity of benthic invertebrate communities were analyzed.

COMPARATIVE TOXICITY TESTING OF SELECTED BENTHIC AND EPIBENTHIC ORGANISMS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEDIMENT QUALITY TEST PROTOCOLS

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment contamination has resulted in the need to develop an appropriate suite of toxicity tests to assess ecotoxicological impacts on estuarine ecosystems. Existing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols recommend a number of test organisms, including amphipods, polych...

Toxicities and risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments of Taihu Lake, China, based on sediment quality guidelines.

PubMed

Zhang, Yanfeng; Han, Yuwei; Yang, Jinxi; Zhu, Lingyan; Zhong, Wenjue

2017-12-01

The occurrence, toxicities, and ecological risks of five heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, Zn and Ni) in the sediment of Taihu Lake were investigated in this study. To evaluate the toxicities caused by the heavy metals, the toxicities induced by organic contaminants and ammonia in the sediments were screened out with activated carbon and zeolite. The toxicities of heavy metals in sediments were tested with benthic invertebrates (tubificid and chironomid). The correlations between toxicity of sediment and the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) derived previously were evaluated. There were significant correlations (p<0.0001) between the observed toxicities and the total risk quotients of the heavy metals based on SQGs, indicating that threshold effect level (TEL) and probable effect level (PEL) were reliable to predict the toxicities of heavy metals in the sediments of Taihu Lake. By contrast, the method based on acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM), such as ∑SEM/AVS and ∑SEM-AVS, did not show correlations with the toxicities. Moreover, the predictive ability of SQGs was confirmed by a total predicting accuracy of 77%. Ecological risk assessment based on TELs and PELs showed that the contaminations of Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn in the sediments of Taihu Lake were at relatively low or medium levels. The risks caused by heavy metals in the sediments of northern bay of the lake, which received more wastewater discharge from upper stream, were higher than other area of the lake. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Aquatic assessment of the Pike Hill Copper Mine Superfund site, Corinth, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piatak, Nadine M.; Argue, Denise M.; Seal, Robert R.; Kiah, Richard G.; Besser, John M.; Coles, James F.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Levitan, Denise M.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.

2013-01-01

The Pike Hill Copper Mine Superfund site in Corinth, Orange County, Vermont, includes the Eureka, Union, and Smith mines along with areas of downstream aquatic ecosystem impairment. The site was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Priorities List in 2004. The mines, which operated from about 1847 to 1919, contain underground workings, foundations from historical structures, several waste-rock piles, and some flotation tailings. The mine site is drained to the northeast by Pike Hill Brook, which includes several wetland areas, and to the southeast by an unnamed tributary that flows to the south and enters Cookville Brook. Both brooks eventually drain into the Waits River, which flows into the Connecticut River. The aquatic ecosystem at the site was assessed using a variety of approaches that investigated surface-water quality, sediment quality, and various ecological indicators of stream-ecosystem health. The degradation of surface-water quality is caused by elevated concentrations of copper, and to a lesser extent cadmium, with localized effects caused by aluminum, iron, and zinc. Copper concentrations in surface waters reached or exceeded the USEPA national recommended chronic water-quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life in all of the Pike Hill Brook sampling locations except for the location farthest downstream, in half of the locations sampled in the tributary to Cookville Brook, and in about half of the locations in one wetland area located in Pike Hill Brook. Most of these same locations also contained concentrations of cadmium that exceeded the chronic water-quality criteria. In contrast, surface waters at background sampling locations were below these criteria for copper and cadmium. Comparison of hardness-based and Biotic Ligand Model (BLM)-based criteria for copper yields similar results with respect to the extent or number of stations impaired for surface waters in the affected area. However, the BLM-based criteria are commonly lower values than the hardness-based criteria and thus suggest a greater degree or magnitude of impairment at the sampling locations. The riffle-habitat benthic invertebrate richness and abundance data correlate strongly with the extent of impact based on water quality for both brooks. Similarly, the fish community assessments document degraded conditions throughout most of Pike Hill Brook, whereas the data for the tributary to Cookville Brook suggest less degradation to this brook. The sediment environment shows similar extents of impairment to the surface-water environment, with most sampling locations in Pike Hill Brook, including the wetland areas, and the tributary to Cookville Brook affected. Sediment impairment is caused by elevated copper concentrations, although localized degradation due to elevated cadmium and zinc concentrations was documented on the basis of exceedances of probable effects concentrations (PECs). In contrast to impairment determined by exceedances of PECs, equilibrium-partitioning sediment benchmarks (based on simultaneously extracted metals, acid volatile sulfides, and total organic carbon) predict no toxic effects in sediments at the background locations and uncertain toxic effects throughout Pike Hill Brook and the tributary to Cookville Brook, with the exception of the most downstream Cookville Brook location, which indicated no toxic effects. Acute laboratory toxicity testing using the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the midge Chironomus dilutus on pore waters extracted from sediment in situ indicate impairment (based on tests with H. azteca) at only one location in Pike Hill Brook and no impairment in the tributary to Cookville Brook. Chronic laboratory sediment toxicity testing using H. azteca and C. dilutus indicated toxicity in Pike Hill Brook at several locations in the lower reach and two locations in the tributary to Cookville Brook. Toxicity was not indicated for either species in sediment from the most acidic metal-rich location, likely due to the low lability of copper in that sediment, as indicated by a low proportion of extractable copper (simultaneously extracted metal (SEM) copper only 5 percent of total copper) and due to the flushing of acidic metal-rich pore water from experimental chambers as overlying test water was introduced before and replaced periodically during the toxicity tests. Depositional habitat invertebrate richness and abundance data generally agreed with the results of toxicity tests and with the extent of impact in the watersheds on the basis of sediment and pore waters. The information was used to develop an overall assessment of the impact of mine drainage on the aquatic system downstream from the Pike Hill copper mines. Most of Pike Hill Brook, including several wetland areas that are all downstream from the Eureka and Union mines, was found to be impaired on the basis of water-quality data and biological assessments of fish or benthic invertebrate communities. In contrast, only one location in the tributary to Cookville Brook, downstream from the Smith mine, is definitively impaired. The biological community begins to recover at the most downstream locations in both brooks due to natural attenuation from mixing with unimpaired streams. On the basis of water quality and biological assessment, the reference locations were of good quality. The sediment toxicity, chemistry, and aquatic community survey data suggest that the sediments could be a source of toxicity in Pike Hill Brook and the tributary to Cookville Brook. On the basis of water quality, sediment quality, and biologic communities, the impacts of mine drainage on the aquatic ecosystem health of the watersheds in the study area are generally consistent with the toxicity suggested from laboratory toxicity testing on pore water and sediments.

Water quality assessment of the San Joaquin--Tulare basins, California; analysis of available data on nutrients and suspended sediment in surface water, 1972-1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kratzer, Charles R.; Shelton, Jennifer L.

1998-01-01

Nutrients and suspended sediment in surface water of the San Joaquin-Tulare basins in California were assessed using 1972-1990 data from the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Information System and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's STOrage and RETrieval database. Loads of nutrients and suspended sediment were calculated at several sites and the contributions from point and nonpoint sources were estimated. Trends in nutrient and suspended-sediment concentrations were evaluated at several sites, especially at the basin outlet on the San Joaquin River. Comparisons of nutrient and suspended sediment concentrations were made among three environmental settings: the San Joaquin Valley--west side, the San Joaquin Valley--east side, and the Sierra Nevada.

Accumulation of trace metals in sediments in a Mediterranean Lagoon: Usefulness of metal sediment fractionation and elutriate toxicity assessment.

PubMed

Zaaboub, Noureddine; Martins, Maria Virgínia Alves; Dhib, Amel; Béjaoui, Béchir; Galgani, François; El Bour, Monia; Aleya, Lotfi

2015-12-01

The authors investigated sediment quality in Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia) focusing on geochemical characteristics, metal sediment fractionation and elutriate toxicity assessment. Nickel, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd partitioning in sediments was studied; accumulation and bioavailability were elucidated using enrichment factors, sequential extractions, redox potential, acid volatile sulfide and biotest procedures in toxicity evaluation. Results revealed an accumulation for Pb and Zn, reaching 99 and 460 mg kg(-1) respectively. In addition, the acid volatile sulfide values were high in both eastern and western lagoon areas, thus affecting metal availability. Mean enrichment factor values for Pb and Zn were 4.8 and 4.9, respectively, with these elements as the main contributors to the lagoon's moderate enrichment level. Toxicity levels were influenced by accumulation of Zn in different surface sediment areas. Core sediments were investigated in areas with the highest metal concentrations; metal fractionation and biotest confirmed that Zn contributes to sediment toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glomalin accumulated in seagrass sediments reveals past alterations in soil quality due to land-use change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Merino, Lourdes; Serrano, Oscar; Adame, María Fernanda; Mateo, Miguel Ángel; Martínez Cortizas, Antonio

2015-10-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), symbionts with most terrestrial plants, produce glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), which plays a major role in soil structure and quality. Both fungi hyphae and protein production in soils are affected by perturbations related to land-use changes, implying that GRSP is a sensitive indicator of soil quality. Unfortunately, GRSP degrades within years to decades in oxic environments, preventing its use as palaeoecological proxy. However, GRSP is transported to marine, near-shore anoxic sediments, where it accumulates and remains non-degraded, enabling the assessment of its potential as a palaeoecological proxy for soil ecosystem's health. Exploiting this fact, we have obtained for the first time a long-term record (c. 1250 years) of GRSP content using a Posidonia oceanica seagrass mat sediment core from the Western Mediterranean (Portlligat Bay, Spain). The trends in GRSP content matched well with land-use changes related to agrarian activities reconstructed by pollen analysis. In periods of cultivation, GRSP accumulation in the mat decreased. Given the role played by GRSP, the results suggest that agrarian intensification may have resulted in perturbations to soil quality. Thus, GRSP in seagrass mat sediments can be used to assess long-term trends in continental soil quality induced by human activities. These findings open new possibilities in long-term ecology research, as other anoxic environments could be potentially valid too. Testing them would open the possibility to identify long-term patterns in soil quality and other environmental stressors that could also affect AMF and GRSP production in soils.

Guidelines for collecting and processing samples of stream bed sediment for analysis of trace elements and organic contaminants for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shelton, Larry R.; Capel, Paul D.

1994-01-01

A major component of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program is to assess the occurrence and distribution of trace elements and organic contaminants in streams. The first phase of the strategy for the assessment is to analyze samples of bed sediments from depositional zones. Fine-grained particles deposited in these zones are natural accumulators of trace elements and hydrophobic organic compounds. For the information to be comparable among studies in many different parts of the Nation, strategies for selecting stream sites and depositional zones are critical. Fine-grained surficial sediments are obtained from several depositional zones within a stream reach and composited to yield a sample representing average conditions. Sample collection and processing must be done consistently and by procedures specifically designed to separate the fine material into fractions that yield uncontaminated samples for trace-level analytes in the laboratory. Special coring samplers and other instruments made of Teflon are used for collection. Samples are processed through a 2.0-millimeter stainless-steel mesh sieve for organic contaminate analysis and a 63-micrometer nylon-cloth sieve for trace-element analysis. Quality assurance is maintained by strict collection and processing procedures, duplicate samplings, and a rigid cleaning procedure.

Trace Elements in Bed Sediments and Biota from Streams in the Santee River Basin and Coastal Drainages, North and South Carolina, 1995-97

Treesearch

Thomas A. Abrahamsen

1999-01-01

Bed-sediment and tissue samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of trace elements from 25 sites in the Santee River Basin and coastal drainages study area during 1995-97 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program, Sediment trace-element priority-pollutant concentrations were compared among streams draining water-...

ASSESSING RELATIVE BED STABILITY AND EXCESS FINE SEDIMENTS IN STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Excess fine sedimentation is recognized as a leading cause of water quality impairment in surface waters in the United States. We developed an index of Relative Bed Stability (RBS) that factors out natural controls on streambed particle size to allow evaluation of the role of hu...

DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF EQUILIBRIUM PARTITIONING SEDIMENT GUIDELINES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF SEDIMENT PAH CONTAMINATION

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency used insights and methods from its water quality criteria program to develop ESGs. The discovery that freely-dissolved contaminants were the toxic form led to equilibrium partitioning being chosen to model the distribution of contaminants...

ASSESSING THE WATER QUALITY OF MINE-IMPACTED STREAMS USING HYPERSPECTRAL DATA

EPA Science Inventory

Streoan degradation by mining activities is a wide spread problem in the eastern US. Drainage from coal and ferrous metal mines can produce large quantities of sediment and acidity, which can have a deleterious impact an receiving waters. The mineralogy of these sediments is ...

USING LONG-TERM CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS TO ASSESS STREAM HEALTH IN THE UPPER OCONEE RIVER WATERSHED

EPA Science Inventory

Macroinvertebrates are commonly used as biological indicators of stream water and habitat quality. Sediment is a common pollutant in streams, and high levels of sediment are linked with decreased dissolved oxygen (DO) in stream ecosystems. Many aquatic macroinvertebrates are se...

Hyalella azteca Responses to Coldwater River Backwater Sediments in Mississippi, USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As part of an environmental quality assessment, sediment from four sites in three Coldwater River, Mississippi backwaters was examined using 28 d Hyalella azteca bioassays and chemical analyses for 33 pesticides, 7 metals and 7 PCBs. Mortality occurred in the DeSoto County backwater while growth imp...

ASSESSING MINE DRAINAGE WATER QUALITY FROM THE COLOR AND SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE OF CHEMICAL PRECIPITATES

EPA Science Inventory

The pH and dissolved sulfate concentrations of mine impacted waters were estimated on the basis of the spectral reflectance of resident sediments composed mostly of chemical precipitates. Mine drainage sediments were collected from sites in the Anthracite Region of eastern Pe...

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Environmental Dredging in South Lake, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiao Yu; Feng, Jiang

2007-08-01

Environmental dredging is a primary remedial option for removal of the contaminated material from aquatic environment. Of primary concern in environmental dredging is the effectiveness of the intended sediment removal. A 5-year field monitoring study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the environmental dredging in South Lake, China. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphors, and heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Hg, and As) before and after dredging in sediment were determined and compared. Multiple ecological risk indices were employed to assess the contamination of heavy metals before and after dredging. Our results showed that the total phosphorus levels reduced 42% after dredging. Similar changes for Hg, Zn, As Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, and Ni were observed, with reduction percentages of 97.0, 93.1, 82.6, 63.9, 52.7, 50.1, 32.0, and 23.6, respectively, and the quality of sediment improved based on the criterion of Sediment Quality Guidelines by USEPA and contamination degree values (Cd) decreased significantly (paired t-test, p < 0.05). Unexpectedly, the TN increased 49% after dredging compared to before dredging. Findings from the study demonstrated that the environmental dredging was an effective mechanism for removal of total phosphorus and heavy metals from South Lake. Nevertheless, the dredging was ineffective to remove total nitrogen from sediment. We conclude that the reason for the observed increase in TN after dredging was likely ammonia release from the sediment impairing the dredging effectiveness.

Impacts of urbanization on surface sediment quality: evidence from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminations in the Grand Canal of China.

PubMed

Hong, Youwei; Yu, Shen; Yu, Guangbin; Liu, Yi; Li, Guilin; Wang, Min

2012-06-01

Organic pollutants, especially synthetic organic compounds, can indicate paces of anthropogenic activities. Effects of urbanization on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) distributions in surface sediment were conducted in urban sections of the Grand Canal, China, consisting of a four-level urbanization gradient. The four-level urbanization gradients include three countryside towns, two small-size cities, three medium-size cities, and a large-size city. Diagnostic ratio analysis and factor analysis-multiple linear regression model were used for source apportionment of PAHs. Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of USA and Canada were employed to assess ecological risks of PAHs and PCBs in surface sediments of the Canal. Ranges of PAH and PCB concentrations in surface sediments were 0.66-22 mg/kg and 0.5-93 μg/kg, respectively. Coal-related sources were primary PAH sources and followed by vehicular emission. Total concentration, composition, and source apportionment of PAHs exhibited urbanization gradient effects. Total PCB concentrations increased with the urbanization gradient, while total PAHs concentration in surface sediments presented an inverted U Kuznets curve with the urbanization gradient. Elevated concentrations of both PAHs and PCBs ranged at effect range low levels or interim SQG, assessed by USA and Canadian SQGs. PAHs and PCBs in surface sediments of the Grand Canal showed urbanization gradient effects and low ecological risks.

Water-quality assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas; organic compounds and trace elements in bed sediment and fish tissue, 1992-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, L.F.; Anderholm, S.K.

1997-01-01

The occurrence and distribution of contaminants in aquatic systems are major components of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Bed-sediment samples were collected at 18 sites in the Rio Grande Valley study unit between September 1992 and March 1993 to characterize the geographic distribution of organic compounds, including chlorinated insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, and also trace elements. Two-millimeter-size- fraction sediment was analyzed for organic compounds and less than 63-micron-size-fraction sediment was analyzed for trace elements. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 33 percent of the bed-sediment samples. With the exception of DDT-related compounds, no other organochlorine insecticides or polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in samples of bed sediment. Whole-body fish samples were collected at 11 of the bed- sediment sites and analyzed for organic compounds. Organic compounds were reported more frequently in samples of fish, and more types of organic compounds were found in whole-body fish samples than in bed-sediment samples. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 91 percent of whole-body fish samples. Polychlorinated biphenyls, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, trans- nonachlor, and hexachlorobenzene were other organic compounds detected in whole-body samples of fish from at least one site. Because of the extent of mineralized areas in the Rio Grande Basin arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc concentrations in bed-sediment samples could represent natural conditions at most sites. However, a combination of natural conditions and human activities appears to be associated with elevated trace-element concentrations in the bed-sediment sample from the site Rio Grande near Creede, Colorado, because this sample exceeded the background trace-element concentrations calculated for this study. Fish-liver samples were collected at 12 of the bed-sediment sites and analyzed for trace elements. Certain trace elements were detected at higher concentrations in fish-liver samples than in bed-sediment samples from the same site. Both bed-sediment and fish-tissue samples are necessary for a complete environmental assessment of the occurrence and distribution of trace elements.

Assessing sediments from Upper Mississippi River navigational pools using a benthic invertebrate community evaluation and the sediment quality triad approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Canfield, T.J.; Brunson, E.L.; Dwyer, F.J.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Kemble, N.E.

1998-01-01

Benthic invertebrate samples were collected from 23 pools in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) and from one station in the Saint Croix River (SCR) as part of a study to assess the effects of the extensive flooding of 1993 on sediment contamination in the UMR system. Sediment contaminants of concern included both organic and inorganic compounds. Oligochaetes and chironomids constituted over 80% of the total abundance in samples from 14 of 23 pools in the UMR and SCR samples. Fingernail clams comprised a large portion of the community in three of 23 UMR pools and exceeded abundances of 1,000/m2 in five of 23 pools. Total abundance ranged from 250/m2 in samples from pool 1 to 22,389/m2 in samples from pool 19. Abundance values are comparable with levels previously reported in the literature for the UMR. Overall frequency of chironomid mouthpart deformities was 3% (range 0-13%), which is comparable to reported incidence of deformities in uncontaminated sediments previously evaluated. Sediment contamination was generally low in the UMR pools and the SCR site. Correlations between benthic measures and sediment chemistry and other abiotic parameters exhibited few significant or strong correlations. The sediment quality triad (Triad) approach was used to evaluate data from laboratory toxicity tests, sediment chemistry, and benthic community analyses; it showed that 88% of the samples were not scored as impacted based on sediment toxicity, chemistry, and benthic measures. Benthic invertebrate distributions and community structure within the UMR in the samples evaluated in the present study were most likely controlled by factors independent of contaminant concentrations in the sediments.

Water-quality assessment of the Trinity River Basin, Texas - Analysis of available information on nutrients and suspended sediment, 1974-91

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Reutter, David C.

1995-01-01

Only limited suspended-sediment data were available. Four sites had daily sediment-discharge records for three or more water years (October 1 to September 30) between 1974 and 1985. An additional three sites had periodic measurements of suspended-sediment concentrations. There are differences in concentrations and yields among sites; however, the limited amount of data precludes developing statistical or cause-and-effect relations with environmental factors such as land use, soil, and geology. Data are sufficient, and the relation is pronounced enough, to indicate trapping of suspended sediment by Livingston Reservoir.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; data on agricultural organic compounds, nutrients, and sediment in water, 1988-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, D.J.; Terrio, P.J.

1994-01-01

This report describes the sampling design and methods and presents data collected to determine the distribution of agricultural organic compounds, nutrients, and sediment in selected areas of the upper Illinois River Basin as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment program. Four stations in small watersheds (two urban, two agricultural) were sampled in 1988 and 1989. Seventeen stations in an agricultural subbasin were sampled in 1990. Samples were collected before, during, and after runoff events from late spring to midsummer to determine concentrations of agricultural organic compounds in surface waters resulting from storm runoff, as well as background concentrations. Over 200 water samples were analyzed for agricultural organic compound, nutrient, and suspended-sediment concentrations. The agricultural organic compounds included triazine and chlorophenoxy-acid herbicides, and organo-phosphorus insecticides.

Heavy metals in surface sediments of the Jialu River, China: their relations to environmental factors.

PubMed

Fu, Jie; Zhao, Changpo; Luo, Yupeng; Liu, Chunsheng; Kyzas, George Z; Luo, Yin; Zhao, Dongye; An, Shuqing; Zhu, Hailiang

2014-04-15

This work investigated heavy metal pollution in surface sediments of the Jialu River, China. Sediment samples were collected at 19 sites along the river in connection with field surveys and the total concentrations were determined using atomic fluorescence spectrometer and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer. Sediment samples with higher metal concentrations were collected from the upper reach of the river, while sediments in the middle and lower reaches had relatively lower metal concentrations. Multivariate techniques including Pearson correlation, hierarchical cluster and principal components analysis were used to evaluate the metal sources. The ecological risk associated with the heavy metals in sediments was rated as moderate based on the assessments using methods of consensus-based Sediment Quality Guidelines, Potential Ecological Risk Index and Geo-accumulation Index. The relations between heavy metals and various environmental factors (i.e., chemical properties of sediments, water quality indices and aquatic organism indices) were also studied. Nitrate nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations in sediments showed a co-release behavior with heavy metals. Ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, total phosphate and permanganate index in water were found to be related to metal sedimentation. Heavy metals in sediments posed a potential impact on the benthos community. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Approaches for derivation of environmental quality criteria for substances applied in risk assessment of discharges from offshore drilling operations.

PubMed

Altin, Dag; Frost, Tone Karin; Nilssen, Ingunn

2008-04-01

In order to achieve the offshore petroleum industries "zero harm" goal to the environment, the environmental impact factor for drilling discharges was developed as a tool to identify and quantify the environmental risks associated with disposal of drilling discharges to the marine environment. As an initial step in this work the main categories of substances associated with drilling discharges and assumed to contribute to toxic or nontoxic stress were identified and evaluated for inclusion in the risk assessment. The selection were based on the known toxicological properties of the substances, or the total amount discharged together with their potential for accumulation in the water column or sediments to levels that could be expected to cause toxic or nontoxic stress to the biota. Based on these criteria 3 categories of chemicals were identified for risk assessment the water column and sediments: Natural organic substances, metals, and drilling fluid chemicals. Several approaches for deriving the environmentally safe threshold concentrations as predicted no effect concentrations were evaluated in the process. For the water column consensus were reached for using the species sensitivity distribution approach for metals and the assessment factor approach for natural organic substances and added drilling chemicals. For the sediments the equilibrium partitioning approach was selected for all three categories of chemicals. The theoretically derived sediment quality criteria were compared to field-derived threshold effect values based on statistical approaches applied on sediment monitoring data from the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The basis for derivation of predicted no effect concentration values for drilling discharges should be consistent with the principles of environmental risk assessment as described in the Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment issued by the European Union.

Sediment Quality and Comparison to Historical Water Quality, Little Arkansas River Basin, South-Central Kansas, 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.; Rasmussen, Patrick P.

2008-01-01

The spatial and temporal variability in streambed-sediment quality and its relation to historical water quality was assessed to provide guidance for the development of total maximum daily loads and the implementation of best-management practices in the Little Arkansas River Basin, south-central Kansas. Streambed-sediment samples were collected at 26 sites in 2007, sieved to isolate the less than 63-micron fraction (that is, the silt and clay), and analyzed for selected nutrients (total nitrogen and total phosphorus), organic and total carbon, 25 trace elements, and the radionuclides beryllium-7, cesium-137, lead-210, and radium-226. At eight sites, streambed-sediment samples also were collected and analyzed for bacteria. Particulate nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon concentrations in the streambed sediment varied substantially spatially and temporally, and positive correlations among the three constituents were statistically significant. Along the main-stem Little Arkansas River, streambed-sediment concentrations of particulate nitrogen and phosphorus generally were larger at and downstream from Alta Mills, Kansas. The largest particulate nitrogen concentrations were measured in samples collected in the Emma Creek subbasin and may be related to livestock and poultry production. The largest particulate phosphorus concentrations in the basin were measured in samples collected along the main-stem Little Arkansas River downstream from Alta Mills, Kansas. Particulate nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon content in the water and streambed-sediment samples typically decreased as streamflow increased. This inverse relation may be caused by an increased contribution of sediment from channel-bank sources during high flows and (or) increased particle sizes transported by the high flows. Trace element concentrations in the streambed sediment varied from site to site and typically were less than threshold-effects guidelines for possible adverse biological effects. The largest copper, lead, silver, and zinc concentrations, measured for a sample collected from Sand Creek downstream from Newton, Kansas, likely were related to urban sources of contamination. Radionuclide activities and bacterial densities in the streambed sediment varied throughout the basin. Variability in the former may be indicative of subbasin differences in the contribution of sediment from surface-soil and channel-bank sources. Streambed sediment may be useful for reconnaissance purposes to determine sources of particulate nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon, and other sediment-associated constituents in the basin. If flow conditions prior to streambed-sediment sampling and during water-quality sampling are considered, it may be possible to use streambed sediment as an indicator of water quality for nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic carbon. Flow conditions affect sediment-associated constituent concentrations in streambed-sediment and water samples, in part, because the sources of sediment (surface soils, channel banks) can vary with flow as can the size of the particles transported.

The use of acoustic doppler meters to estimate sediment and nutrient concentrations in freshwater inflows to Texas coastal ecosystems

Treesearch

Zullmar Lucena; Micheal Lee

2016-01-01

Excessive sediment and nutrient loading are among the leading causes of impairment in water bodies of the United States due to their effect on biologic productivity, water quality, and aquatic food webs. Understanding the nutrient and suspended sediment loads affecting estuarine waters is fundamental to the assessment of the physical, chemical, and biological processes...

Watershed reliability, resilience and vulnerability analysis under uncertainty using water quality data.

PubMed

Hoque, Yamen M; Tripathi, Shivam; Hantush, Mohamed M; Govindaraju, Rao S

2012-10-30

A method for assessment of watershed health is developed by employing measures of reliability, resilience and vulnerability (R-R-V) using stream water quality data. Observed water quality data are usually sparse, so that a water quality time-series is often reconstructed using surrogate variables (streamflow). A Bayesian algorithm based on relevance vector machine (RVM) was employed to quantify the error in the reconstructed series, and a probabilistic assessment of watershed status was conducted based on established thresholds for various constituents. As an application example, observed water quality data for several constituents at different monitoring points within the Cedar Creek watershed in north-east Indiana (USA) were utilized. Considering uncertainty in the data for the period 2002-2007, the R-R-V analysis revealed that the Cedar Creek watershed tends to be in compliance with respect to selected pesticides, ammonia and total phosphorus. However, the watershed was found to be prone to violations of sediment standards. Ignoring uncertainty in the water quality time-series led to misleading results especially in the case of sediments. Results indicate that the methods presented in this study may be used for assessing the effects of different stressors over a watershed. The method shows promise as a management tool for assessing watershed health. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of erosion and sedimentation associated with tracked vehicle training

Treesearch

Jackie F. Crim; Jon E. Schoonover; Karl W.J. Williard; John W. Groninger; James J. Zaczek; Charles M. Ruffner

2011-01-01

A project was designed to assess erosion and sedimentation associated with tracked vehicle training in the Ft. Knox Military Reservation in Kentucky. The project provided an extensive physical and biotic characterization of the training area, including hydrology, water quality, soils, and vegetation. To determine any changes in channel morphology, cross sections were...

Assessment and Prediction of Biostabilization of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sediments

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

32. Gratwohl, P. Envioron . Sci. Techno!. 24, 1687-1693 (1990). 33. EPA watch: Corps, EPA agree on sediment quality criteria. Envioron . Sci. Techno...33. 192A-193A (1999). 34. Renner, R. Envioron . Sci. Techno!. 32, 306A (1998). Abstract Section 4 Thermal Program Desorption of PAHs From Mineral

THE USE OF GEOMORPHOLOGY AND STREAM STABILITY IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK OF STREAM IMPAIRMENT FROM SEDIMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The evaluation of the current condition is critical to the management of streams impaired by sediment and other non-point source stressors, which adversely affect both physical habitat and water quality. Several rating and classification systems based on geomorphic data exist for...

Assessment of sediment quality in the Mediterranean Sea-Boughrara lagoon exchange areas (southeastern Tunisia): GIS approach-based chemometric methods.

PubMed

Kharroubi, Adel; Gargouri, Dorra; Baati, Houda; Azri, Chafai

2012-06-01

Concentrations of selected heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Fe) in surface sediments from 66 sites in both northern and eastern Mediterranean Sea-Boughrara lagoon exchange areas (southeastern Tunisia) were studied in order to understand current metal contamination due to the urbanization and economic development of nearby several coastal regions of the Gulf of Gabès. Multiple approaches were applied for the sediment quality assessment. These approaches were based on GIS coupled with chemometric methods (enrichment factors, geoaccumulation index, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis). Enrichment factors and principal component analysis revealed two distinct groups of metals. The first group corresponded to Fe and Mn derived from natural sources, and the second group contained Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu originated from man-made sources. For these latter metals, cluster analysis showed two distinct distributions in the selected areas. They were attributed to temporal and spatial variations of contaminant sources input. The geoaccumulation index (I (geo)) values explained that only Cd, Pb, and Cu can be considered as moderate to extreme pollutants in the studied sediments.

Ecological risk assessment of trace metal accumulation in sediments of Veraval Harbor, Gujarat, Arabian Sea.

PubMed

Sundararajan, S; Khadanga, Mukunda Kesari; Kumar, J Prince Prakash Jeba; Raghumaran, S; Vijaya, R; Jena, Basanta Kumar

2017-01-15

In this study, different types of indices were used to assess the ecological risk of trace metal contamination in sediments on the basis of sediment quality guidelines at Veraval Fishery Harbor. Sediment samples were collected from three sectors in pre-, post-, and monsoon seasons in 2006. Trace metal concentrations were higher in the inner sector during post-monsoon, and it showed the highest statistical significance (p<0.01) among the stations. Pollution load index was higher than unity, indicating alternation by effluent discharge from industries. Enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index showed that Cd, Pb, and Zn were enriched in the northern part of the harbor and Pb had accumulated in the harbor sediment. The ecological risk assessment index revealed that Ni, Zn, and Pb were higher than the effect range median values, indicating their potential toxicity to the aquatic environment in the Veraval Harbor. Hence, the harbor is dominated by anthropogenic activities rather than natural process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of trace metal pollution in sediments and intertidal fauna at the coast of Cameroon.

PubMed

Ngeve, Magdalene N; Leermakers, Martine; Elskens, Marc; Kochzius, Marc

2015-06-01

Coastal systems act as a boundary between land and sea. Therefore, assessing pollutant concentrations at the coast will provide information on the impact that land-based anthropogenic activities have on marine ecosystems. Sediment and fauna samples from 13 stations along the whole coast of Cameroon were analyzed to assess the level of trace metal pollution in sediments and intertidal fauna. Sediments showed enrichment of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn. However, pollution of greater concern was observed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn at the northern stations. Some sites recorded trace metal levels higher than recommended in sediment quality guidelines. Species diversity was low, and high bioaccumulation of trace metals was observed in biological samples. Some edible gastropod species accumulated trace metals above the safety limits of the World Health Organization, European Medicine Agency, and the US Environment Protection Agency. Although industrial pollution is significant along Cameroon's coast, natural pollution from the volcano Mount Cameroon is also of concern.

Water Quality Indicators Guide [and Teacher's Handbook]: Surface Waters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrell, Charles R.; Perfetti, Patricia Bytnar

This guide aids in finding water quality solutions to problems from sediment, animal wastes, nutrients, pesticides, and salts. The guide allows users to learn the fundamental concepts of water quality assessment by extracting basic tenets from geology, hydrology, biology, ecology, and wastewater treatment. An introduction and eight chapters are…

Data Used in Analyses of Trends, and Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Loads for Streams in the Southeastern United States, 1973-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Staub, Erik L.; Peak, Kelly L.; Tighe, Kirsten C.; Sadorf, Eric M.; Harned, Douglas A.

2010-01-01

Water-quality data from selected surface-water monitoring sites in the Southeastern United States were assessed for trends in concentrations of nutrients, suspended sediment, and major constituents and for in-stream nutrient and suspended-sediment loads for the period 1973-2005. The area of interest includes river basins draining into the southern Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Tennessee River-drainage basins in Hydrologic Regions 03 (South Atlantic - Gulf) and 06 (Tennessee). This data assessment is related to studies of several major river basins as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program, which was designed to assess national water-quality trends during a common time period (1993-2004). Included in this report are data on which trend tests could be performed from 44 U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (NWIS) sampling sites. The constituents examined include major ions, nutrients, and suspended sediment; the physical properties examined include pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and streamflow. Also included are data that were tested for trends from an additional 290 sites from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Storage and Retrieval (STORET) database. The trend analyses of the STORET data were limited to total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations. Data from 48 U.S. Geological Survey NWIS sampling sites with sufficient water-quality and continuous streamflow data for estimating nutrient and sediment loads are included. The methods of data compilation and modification used prior to performing trend tests and load estimation are described. Results of the seasonal Kendall trend test and the Tobit trend test are given for the 334 monitoring sites, and in-stream load estimates are given for the 48 monitoring sites. Basin characteristics are provided, including regional landscape variables and agricultural nutrient sources (annual variations in cropping and fertilizer use). The data and results presented in this report are in tabular format and can be downloaded and used by environmental researchers and water managers, particularly in the Southeast.

Applications of turbidity monitoring to forest management in California.

PubMed

Harris, Richard R; Sullivan, Kathleen; Cafferata, Peter H; Munn, John R; Faucher, Kevin M

2007-09-01

Many California streams have been adversely affected by sedimentation caused by historic and current land uses, including timber harvesting. The impacts of timber harvesting and logging transportation systems on erosion and sediment delivery can be directly measured, modeled, or inferred from water quality measurements. California regulatory agencies, researchers, and land owners have adopted turbidity monitoring to determine effects of forest management practices on suspended sediment loads and water quality at watershed, project, and site scales. Watershed-scale trends in sediment discharge and responses to current forest practices may be estimated from data collected at automated sampling stations that measure turbidity, stream flow, suspended sediment concentrations, and other water quality parameters. Future results from these studies will provide a basis for assessing the effectiveness of modern forest practice regulations in protecting water quality. At the project scale, manual sampling of water column turbidity during high stream flow events within and downstream from active timber harvest plans can identify emerging sediment sources. Remedial actions can then be taken by managers to prevent or mitigate water quality impacts. At the site scale, manual turbidity sampling during storms or high stream flow events at sites located upstream and downstream from new, upgraded, or decommissioned stream crossings has proven to be a valuable way to determine whether measures taken to prevent post-construction erosion and sediment production are effective. Turbidity monitoring at the project and site scales is therefore an important tool for adaptive management. Uncertainty regarding the effects of current forest practices must be resolved through watershed-scale experiments. In the short term, this uncertainty will stimulate increased use of project and site-scale monitoring.

A simple control for sediment-toxicity exposures using the amphipod, Hyalella azteca

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lasier, Peter J.; Urich, Matthew L.

2014-01-01

Sediment-toxicity exposures comparing survival and growth of the freshwater amphipod, Hyalella azteca, are often components of aquatic-habitat assessments. Standardized exposure methods have been established and require evaluations for quality assurance. Test acceptability using performance-based criteria can be determined from exposures to control sediments, which are collected from the environment or formulated from commercially available components. Amending sand with leached alfalfa solids provided a simple formulated sediment that elicited consistently acceptable survival and growth in 28-day exposures with and without a daily feeding regime. A procedure is described for preparing the sediment along with results from comparisons among sand, amended sand, and field-collected sediments that incorporated three feeding regimes.

Water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; major and trace elements in water, sediment, and biota, 1978-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, F.A.; Scudder, B.C.; Crawford, J.K.; Schmidt, A.R.; Sieverling, J.B.

1995-01-01

The distribution of 22 major and trace elements was examined in water, sediment, and biota in the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin as part of a pilot National Water-Quality Assessment project done by the U.S. Geological Survey from 1987 through 1990. The 22 elements are aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, selenium, silver, strontium, vanadium, and zinc. Concentrations of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) priority pollutants among the 22 elements were elevated in the Chicago area in all three aquatic components (water, sediment, and biota). Further, some of the priority pollutants also were found at elevated concentrations in biota in agricultural areas in the basin. Cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc concentrations in water exceeded USEPA acute or chronic water-quality criteria at several sites in the Chicago area. Correlations among concentra- tions of elements in water, sediment, and biota were found, but the correlation analysis was hindered by the large proportion of observations less than the minimum reporting level in water. Those sites where water-quality criteria were sometimes exceeded were not always the same sites where concentrations in biota were the largest. This relation indicates that accumulation of these pollutants in biota is confounded by complex geochemical and biological processes that differ throughout the upper Illinois River Basin.

Use of Sediment Budgets for Watershed Erosion Control Planning: A Case Study From Northern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, M.; McDavitt, W.

2002-05-01

Erosion, sedimentation and peak flow increases caused by forest management for commercial timber production may negatively affect aquatic habitat of endangered anadromous fish such as coho salmon ({\\ it O. kisutch}). This paper summarizes a portion of a Watershed Analysis study performed for Pacific Lumber Company, Scotia, CA, focusing on erosion and sedimentation processes and rates and downstream sediment routing and water quality in the Freshwater Creek watershed in northwest California. Hillslope, road and bank erosion, channel sedimentation and sediment rates were quantified using field surveys, aerial photo interpretation, and empirical modeling approaches for different elements of the study. Sediment transport rates for bedload were modeled, and sediment transport rates for suspended sediment were estimated based on size distribution of sediment inputs in relation to sizes transported in suspension. The resulting sediment budget was validated through comparison using recent short-term, high-quality estimates of suspended sediment yield collected by a community watershed group at a downstream monitoring site with technical assistance from the US Forest Service. Another check on the sediment budget was provided by bedload yield data from an adjacent watershed, Jacoby Creek. The sediment budget techniques and bedload routing models used for this study provide sediment yield estimates that are in good agreement with available data. These results suggest that sediment budget techniques that require moderate levels of fieldwork can be used to provide relatively accurate technical assessments for use in the TMDL process. The sediment budget also identifies the most significant sediment sources and suggests a framework within which effective erosion control strategies can be developed.

Heavy metal pollution in sediments of the largest reservoir (Three Gorges Reservoir) in China: a review.

PubMed

Zhao, Xingjuan; Gao, Bo; Xu, Dongyu; Gao, Li; Yin, Shuhua

2017-09-01

The Three Gorges Dam in China is the world's largest dam. Upon its completion in 2003, the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) became the largest reservoir in China and plays an important role in economic development and national drinking water safety. However, as a sink and source of heavy metals, there is a lack of continuous and comparative data on heavy metal pollution in sediments. This study reviewed all available literatures published on heavy metals in TGR sediments and further provided a comprehensive assessment of the pollution tendency of these heavy metals. The results showed that heavy metal concentrations in TGR sediments varied spatially and temporally. Temporal variations indicated that Hg in tributaries, as well as As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the mainstream, exhibited a higher probability to exceed background values after the impoundment of TGR. Pollution assessments by contamination factor, geoaccumulation index, and potential ecological risk were similar. High Cd and Hg concentrations in both the mainstream and tributaries are a cause for much concern. However, sediment quality guidelines produced different results, as most previous studies adopted different sampling and measurement strategies. The data inconsistencies and lack of continuity regarding the reservoir confirm the need for a continuous monitoring network and the development of quality criteria relevant to the sediments of the TGR in the future.

Comparison of Erosion Rates Estimated by Sediment Budget Techniques and Suspended Sediment Monitoring and Regulatory Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, M.; Eads, R.

2007-12-01

Watersheds in the northern California Coast Range have been designated as "impaired" with respect to water quality because of excessive sediment loads and/or high water temperature. Sediment budget techniques have typically been used by regulatory authorities to estimate current erosion rates and to develop targets for future desired erosion rates. This study examines erosion rates estimated by various methods for portions of the Gualala River watershed, designated as having water quality impaired by sediment under provisions of the Clean Water Act Section 303(d), located in northwest Sonoma County (~90 miles north of San Francisco). The watershed is underlain by Jurassic age sedimentary and meta-sedimentary rocks of the Franciscan formation. The San Andreas Fault passes through the western edge of watershed, and other active faults are present. A substantial portion of the watershed is mantled by rock slides and earth flows, many of which are considered dormant. The Coast Range is geologically young, and rapid rates of uplift are believed to have contributed to high erosion rates. This study compares quantitative erosion rate estimates developed at different spatial and temporal scales. It is motivated by a proposed vineyard development project in the watershed, and the need to document conditions in the project area, assess project environmental impacts and meet regulatory requirements pertaining to water quality. Erosion rate estimates were previously developed using sediment budget techniques for relatively large drainage areas (~100 to 1,000 km2) by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and US EPA and by the California Geological Survey. In this study, similar sediment budget techniques were used for smaller watersheds (~3 to 8 km2), and were supplemented by a suspended sediment monitoring program utilizing Turbidity Threshold Sampling techniques (as described in a companion study in this session). The duration of the monitoring program to date spanned the winter runoff seasons of Water Years 2006 and 2007. These were unusually wet and dry years, respectively, providing perspective on the range of measured sediment yield in relation to sediment budget estimates. The measured suspended sediment yields were substantially lower than predicted by sediment budget methods. Variation in geomorphic processes over time and space and methodological problems of sediment budgets may be responsible for these apparent discrepancies. The implications for water quality policy are discussed.

Managing sewer solids for the reduction of foul flush effects--Forfar WTP.

PubMed

Fraser, A G; Sakrabani, R; Ashley, R M; Johnstone, F M

2002-01-01

In times of high sewer flow, conditions can exist which enable previously deposited material to be re-entrained back into the body of the flow column. Pulses of this highly polluted flow have been recorded in many instances at the recently constructed wastewater treatment plant (WTP) in Forfar, Scotland. Investigations have been undertaken to characterise the incoming flows and to suggest remedial measures to manage the quality fluctuations. Initial visits to the works and incoming pipes indicated a high degree of sediment deposition in the two inlet pipes. Analyses were carried out and consequently, changes to the hydraulic regime were made. Measurements of sediment level, sediment quality, wall slime and bulk water quality were monitored in the period following the remedial works to observe any improvements. Dramatic alterations in each of the determinands measured were recorded. Analyses were then undertaken to determine long term sediment behaviour and to assess the future usefulness of existing upstream sediment traps. It was concluded that with proper maintenance of the traps, the new hydraulic regime is sufficient to prevent further significant build up of sediment deposits and reduce impacts on the WTP. Further investigations made by North of Scotland Water Authority highlighted trade inputs to the system which may also have contributed to the now managed foul flush problem.

Using Sediment Profile Imagery (SPI) to Quantify ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We present the results of monthly sediment and water quality surveys to evaluate the impact of intermittent, seasonal hypoxia on benthic habitat condition. This study was conducted in the Pensacola Bay (Florida) estuary across nine sites extending from the mouth of the Escambia River down-estuary to the outlet into the Gulf of Mexico. The sites span the full salinity gradient and cover a range of sediment types and dissolved oxygen statuses. Monthly sediment profile imagery (SPI) was captured from each site in conjunction with water column conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiles and sediment grabs to evaluate sediment characteristics and macrobenthic community composition. The results of this study will be used to evaluate the use of SPI to determine effects of water quality on the health of benthic communities in Gulf Coast estuaries. Whereas recent water quality management efforts in Florida (e.g., numeric nutrient criteria, marine dissolved oxygen standard) assumed linkages between dissolved oxygen and aquatic life use attainment based on laboratory tests, SPI methods can potentially provide an assessment of these relationships in realistic field settings. The work presented here is in support of better indicators and endpoints and will help improve quantitative relationships between nutrient pollution and ecosystem condition. The audience that would be interested in this presentation includes scientists and managers from across the southeastern U

Characterization of organic chemical contaminants in sediments from Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico.

PubMed

Pait, Anthony S; Whitall, David R; Dieppa, Angel; Newton, Sarah E; Brune, Lia; Caldow, Chris; Mason, Andrew L; Apeti, Dennis A; Christensen, John D

2012-08-01

Jobos Bay, located on the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico, contains a variety of habitats including mangroves, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs. The watershed surrounding the bay includes a number of towns, agricultural areas, and the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). Jobos Bay and the surrounding watershed are part of a Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), involving the Jobos Bay NERR, the US Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess the benefits of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) on the terrestrial and marine environments. As part of the Jobos Bay CEAP, NOAA collected sediment samples in May 2008 to characterize over 130 organic chemical contaminants. This paper presents the results of the organic contaminant analysis. The organic contaminants detected in the sediments included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls, and the pesticide DDT. PAHs at one site in the inner bay near a boat yard were significantly elevated; however, all organic contaminant classes measured were below NOAA sediment quality guidelines that would have indicated that impacts were likely. The results of this work provide an important baseline assessment of the marine environment that will assist in understanding the benefits of implementing BMPs on water quality in Jobos Bay.

A Synopsis of Technical Issues for Monitoring Sediment in Highway and Urban Runoff

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bent, Gardner C.; Gray, John R.; Smith, Kirk P.; Glysson, G. Douglas

2000-01-01

Accurate and representative sediment data are critical for assessing the potential effects of highway and urban runoff on receiving waters. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified sediment as the most widespread pollutant in the Nation's rivers and streams, affecting aquatic habitat, drinking water treatment processes, and recreational uses of rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Representative sediment data are also necessary for quantifying and interpreting concentrations, loads, and effects of trace elements and organic constituents associated with highway and urban runoff. Many technical issues associated with the collecting, processing, and analyzing of samples must be addressed to produce valid (useful for intended purposes), current, complete, and technically defensible data for local, regional, and national information needs. All aspects of sediment data-collection programs need to be evaluated, and adequate quality-control data must be collected and documented so that the comparability and representativeness of data obtained for highway- and urban-runoff studies may be assessed. Collection of representative samples for the measurement of sediment in highway and urban runoff involves a number of interrelated issues. Temporal and spatial variability in runoff result from a combination of factors, including volume and intensity of precipitation, rate of snowmelt, and features of the drainage basin such as area, slope, infiltration capacity, channel roughness, and storage characteristics. In small drainage basins such as those found in many highway and urban settings, automatic samplers are often the most suitable method for collecting samples of runoff for a variety of reasons. Indirect sediment-measurement methods are also useful as supplementary and(or) surrogate means for monitoring sediment in runoff. All of these methods have limitations in addition to benefits, which must be identified and quantified to produce representative data. Methods for processing raw sediment samples (including homogenization and subsampling) for subsequent analysis for total suspended solids or suspended-sediment concentration often increase variance and may introduce bias. Processing artifacts can be substantial if the methods used are not appropriate for the concentrations and particle-size distributions present in the samples collected. Analytical methods for determining sediment concentrations include the suspended-sediment concentration and the total suspended solids methods. Although the terms suspended-sediment concentration and total suspended solids are often used interchangeably to describe the total concentration of suspended solid-phase material, the analytical methods differ and can produce substantially different results. The total suspended solids method, which commonly is used to produce highway- and urban-runoff sediment data, may not be valid for studies of runoff water quality. Studies of fluvial and highway-runoff sediment data indicate that analyses of samples by the total suspended solids method tends to under represent the true sediment concentration, and that relations between total suspended solids and suspended-sediment concentration are not transferable from site to site even when grain-size distribution information is available. Total suspended solids data used to calculate suspended-sediment loads in highways and urban runoff may be fundamentally unreliable. Consequently, use of total suspended solids data may have adverse consequences for the assessment, design, and maintenance of sediment-removal best management practices. Therefore, it may be necessary to analyze water samples using the suspended-sediment concentration method. Data quality, comparability, and utility are important considerations in collection, processing, and analysis of sediment samples and interpretation of sediment data for highway- and urban-runoff studies. Results from sediment studies must be comparable and readily transf

Assessing the impact of preload on pyrite-rich sediment and groundwater quality.

PubMed

Karikari-Yeboah, Ohene; Addai-Mensah, Jonas

2017-02-01

Pyrite-rich sediments would, invariably, undergo redox reactions which would lead to acidic aqueous environment containing solubilized toxic metal species. When such sediments are subjected to preload, a technique employed by geotechnical engineers to improve the load-bearing capacity of highly compressible formation, transient flow of pore water, accompanied by acidity transfer, would occur as a response. Despite the concomitant environmental and socio-economic significance, to date, there has been limited interdisciplinary research on the underpinning geotechnical engineering and geo-environmental science issues for pyrite-rich sediments under preload. In this study, we investigate the effect of pyrite-rich sediment pore water transfer under preload surcharge on the receiving environment and the impact on the groundwater speciation and quality. Sediment samples were obtained at close depth intervals from boreholes established within pristine areas and those subjected to the preload application. Soil and pore water samples were subjected to solid/solution speciation, moisture contents, soil pH and the Atterberg Limits' analyses using standard analytical techniques and methods. Standpipes were also installed in the boreholes for groundwater sampling and in situ monitoring of water quality parameters. It is shown that the imposition of preload surcharge over pyritic sediment created a reducing environment rich in SO 4 2- , iron oxide minerals and organic matter. This reducing environment fostered organic carbon catabolism to generate excess pyrite and bicarbonate alkalinity, which would invariably impact adversely on soil quality and plant growth. These were accompanied by increase in pH, dissolved Al, Ca, Mg and K species beneath the surcharge.

Design, implementation, and initial results from a water-quality monitoring network for Atlanta, Georgia, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Elrick, K.A.; Smith, J.J.

2005-01-01

In cooperation with the City of Atlanta, Georgia, the US Geological Survey has designed and implemented a water-quantity and quality monitoring network that measures a variety of biological and chemical constituents in water and suspended sediment. The network consists of 20 long-term monitoring sites and is intended to assess water-quality trends in response to planned infrastructural improvements. Initial results from the network indicate that nonpoint-source contributions may be more significant than point-source contributions for selected sediment associated trace elements and nutrients. There also are indications of short-term discontinuous point-source contributions of these same constituents during baseflow.

Particulate organic matter quality influences nitrate retention and denitrification in stream sediments: evidence from a carbon burial experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stelzer, Robert S.; Scott, J. Thad; Bartsch, Lynn; Parr, Thomas B.

2014-01-01

Organic carbon supply is linked to nitrogen transformation in ecosystems. However, the role of organic carbon quality in nitrogen processing is not as well understood. We determined how the quality of particulate organic carbon (POC) influenced nitrogen transformation in stream sediments by burying identical quantities of varying quality POC (northern red oak (Quercus rubra) leaves, red maple (Acer rubrum) leaves, red maple wood) in stream mesocosms and measuring the effects on nitrogen retention and denitrification compared to a control of combusted sand. We also determined how POC quality affected the quantity and quality of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved oxygen concentration in groundwater. Nitrate and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) retention were assessed by comparing solute concentrations and fluxes along groundwater flow paths in the mesocosms. Denitrification was measured by in situ changes in N2 concentrations (using MIMS) and by acetylene block incubations. POC quality was measured by C:N and lignin:N ratios and DOC quality was assessed by fluorescence excitation emission matrix spectroscopy. POC quality had strong effects on nitrogen processing. Leaf treatments had much higher nitrate retention, TDN retention and denitrification rates than the wood and control treatments and red maple leaf burial resulted in higher nitrate and TDN retention rates than burial of red oak leaves. Leaf, but not wood, burial drove pore water to severe hypoxia and leaf treatments had higher DOC production and different DOC chemical composition than the wood and control treatments. We think that POC quality affected nitrogen processing in the sediments by influencing the quantity and quality of DOC and redox conditions. Our results suggest that the type of organic carbon inputs can affect the rates of nitrogen transformation in stream ecosystems.

CARIDEAN GRASS SHRIMP (PALAEMONETES PUGIO HOLTHIUS) AS AN INDICATOR OF SEDIMENT QUALITY IN FLORIDA COASTAL AREAS AFFECTED BY POINT AND NON-POINT SOURCE CONTAMINATION

EPA Science Inventory

Grass shrimp are one of the more widely distributed estuarine benthic organisms along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts, but they have been used infrequently in contaminated sediment assessments. Early life stages of the caridean grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio (Holthuis), ...

Assessing ecological conditions in the Great Lakes Connecting Channels using National Coastal Condition Assessment protocol

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Office of Water’s National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) helps satisfy the assessment and antidegradation provisions of the Clean Water Act by estimating water, sediment, and benthic quality conditions in the Great Lakes nearshore on a five-year cycle starting...

Agar Sediment Test for Assessing the Suitability of Organic Waste Streams for Recovering Nutrients by the Aquatic Worm Lumbriculus variegatus.

PubMed

Laarhoven, Bob; Elissen, H J H; Temmink, H; Buisman, C J N

2016-01-01

An agar sediment test was developed to evaluate the suitability of organic waste streams from the food industry for recovering nutrients by the aquatic worm Lumbriculus variegatus (Lv). The effects of agar gel, sand, and food quantities in the sediment test on worm growth, reproduction, and water quality were studied. Agar gel addition ameliorated growth conditions by reducing food hydrolysis and altering sediment structure. Best results for combined reproduction and growth were obtained with 0.6% agar-gel (20 ml), 10 g. fine sand, 40 g. coarse sand, and 105 mg fish food (Tetramin). With agar gel, ingestion and growth is more the result of addition of food in its original quality. Final tests with secondary potato starch sludge and wheat bran demonstrated that this test is appropriate for the comparison of solid feedstuffs and suspended organic waste streams. This test method is expected to be suitable for organic waste studies using other sediment dwelling invertebrates.

Agar Sediment Test for Assessing the Suitability of Organic Waste Streams for Recovering Nutrients by the Aquatic Worm Lumbriculus variegatus

PubMed Central

Laarhoven, Bob; Elissen, H. J. H.; Temmink, H.; Buisman, C. J. N.

2016-01-01

An agar sediment test was developed to evaluate the suitability of organic waste streams from the food industry for recovering nutrients by the aquatic worm Lumbriculus variegatus (Lv). The effects of agar gel, sand, and food quantities in the sediment test on worm growth, reproduction, and water quality were studied. Agar gel addition ameliorated growth conditions by reducing food hydrolysis and altering sediment structure. Best results for combined reproduction and growth were obtained with 0.6% agar-gel (20 ml), 10 g. fine sand, 40 g. coarse sand, and 105 mg fish food (Tetramin). With agar gel, ingestion and growth is more the result of addition of food in its original quality. Final tests with secondary potato starch sludge and wheat bran demonstrated that this test is appropriate for the comparison of solid feedstuffs and suspended organic waste streams. This test method is expected to be suitable for organic waste studies using other sediment dwelling invertebrates. PMID:26937632

Evaluation of potential relationships between benthic community structure and toxic metals in Laizhou Bay.

PubMed

Wu, Bin; Song, Jinming; Li, Xuegang

2014-10-15

The objective of the present study was to examine the relationships between benthic community structure and toxic metals using bivariate/multivariate techniques at 17 sediment locations in Laizhou Bay, North China. Sediment chemical data were evaluated against geochemical background values and sediment quality guidelines, which identified Cu and As as contaminants of concern with a moderate potential for adverse effects. Benthic community data were subjected to non-metric multidimensional scaling, which generated four groups of stations. Spearman rank correlation was then employed to explore the relationships between the major axes of heavy metals and benthic community structure. However, weak and insignificant correlations were found between these axes, indicating that contaminants of concern may not be the primary explanatory factors. Polychaeta were abundant in southern Laizhou Bay, serving as a warning regarding the health status of the ecosystem. Integrated sediment quality assessment showed sediments from northern central locations were impaired, displaying less diverse benthos and higher metal contamination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contamination of port zone sediments by metals from Large Marine Ecosystems of Brazil.

PubMed

Buruaem, Lucas M; Hortellani, Marcos A; Sarkis, Jorge E; Costa-Lotufo, Leticia V; Abessa, Denis M S

2012-03-01

Sediment contamination by metals poses risks to coastal ecosystems and is considered to be problematic to dredging operations. In Brazil, there are differences in sedimentology along the Large Marine Ecosystems in relation to the metal distributions. We aimed to assess the extent of Al, Fe, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn contamination in sediments from port zones in northeast (Mucuripe and Pecém) and southeast (Santos) Brazil through geochemical analyses and sediment quality ratings. The metal concentrations found in these port zones were higher than those observed in the continental shelf or the background values in both regions. In the northeast, metals were associated with carbonate, while in Santos, they were associated with mud. Geochemical analyses showed enrichments in Hg, Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn, and a simple application of international sediment quality guidelines failed to predict their impacts, whereas the use of site-specific values that were derived by geochemical and ecotoxicological approaches seemed to be more appropriate in the management of the dredged sediments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data on Mercury in Water, Bed Sediment, and Fish from Streams Across the United States, 1998-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bauch, Nancy J.; Chasar, Lia C.; Scudder, Barbara C.; Moran, Patrick W.; Hitt, Kerie J.; Brigham, Mark E.; Lutz, Michelle A.; Wentz, Dennis A.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) and Toxic Substances Hydrology Programs conducted the National Mercury Pilot Study in 1998 to examine relations of mercury (Hg) in water, bed sediment and fish in streams across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Water and bed-sediment samples were analyzed for total Hg (THg), methylmercury (MeHg), and other constituents; fish were analyzed for THg. Similar sampling was conducted at additional streams across the country in 2002 and 2004-05. This report summarizes sample collection and processing protocols, analytical methods, environmental data, and quality-assurance data for stream water, bed sediment, and fish for these national studies. To extend the geographic coverage of the data, this report also includes four regional USGS Hg studies conducted during 1998-2001 and 2004. The environmental data for these national and regional Hg studies are provided in an electronic format.

Assessing pollution in a Mediterranean lagoon using acid volatile sulfides and estimations of simultaneously extracted metals.

PubMed

Zaaboub, Noureddine; Helali, Mohamed Amine; Martins, Maria Virgínia Alves; Ennouri, Rym; Béjaoui, Béchir; da Silva, Eduardo Ferreira; El Bour, Monia; Aleya, Lotfi

2016-11-01

Bizerte Lagoon is a southern Mediterranean semi-enclosed lagoon with a maximum depth of 12 m. After assessing sediment quality, the authors report on the physicochemical characteristics of the lagoon's surface sediment using SEM (simultaneously extracted metals) and AVS (acid volatile sulfides) as proxies. Biogeochemical tools are used to investigate the environmental disturbance at the water-sediment interface by means of SEM and AVS to seek conclusions concerning the study area's pollution status. Results confirm accumulation of trace elements in sediment. The use of the SEM-AVS model with organic matter in sediment (ƒOC) confirms possible bioavailability of accumulated trace elements, especially Zn, in the southern part of the lagoon, with organic matter playing an important role in SEM excess correction to affirm a nontoxic total metal sediment state. Individual trace element toxicity is dependent on the bioavailable fraction of SEM Metal on sediment, as is the influence of lagoon inflow from southern water sources on element bioavailability. Appropriate management strategies are highly recommended to mitigate any potential harmful effects on health from this heavy-metal-based pollution.

Assessing sediment hazard through a weight of evidence approach with bioindicator organisms: a practical model to elaborate data from sediment chemistry, bioavailability, biomarkers and ecotoxicological bioassays.

PubMed

Piva, Francesco; Ciaprini, Francesco; Onorati, Fulvio; Benedetti, Maura; Fattorini, Daniele; Ausili, Antonella; Regoli, Francesco

2011-04-01

Quality assessments are crucial to all activities related to removal and management of sediments. Following a multidisciplinary, weight of evidence approach, a new model is presented here for comprehensive assessment of hazards associated to polluted sediments. The lines of evidence considered were sediment chemistry, assessment of bioavailability, sub-lethal effects on biomarkers, and ecotoxicological bioassays. A conceptual and software-assisted model was developed with logical flow-charts elaborating results from each line of evidence on the basis of several chemical and biological parameters, normative guidelines or scientific evidence; the data are thus summarized into four specific synthetic indices, before their integration into an overall sediment hazard evaluation. This model was validated using European eels (Anguilla anguilla) as the bioindicator species, exposed under laboratory conditions to sediments from an industrial site, and caged under field conditions in two harbour areas. The concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace metals were much higher in the industrial compared to harbour sediments, and accordingly the bioaccumulation in liver and gills of exposed eels showed marked differences between conditions seen. Among biomarkers, significant variations were observed for cytochrome P450-related responses, oxidative stress biomarkers, lysosomal stability and genotoxic effects; the overall elaboration of these data, as those of standard ecotoxicological bioassays with bacteria, algae and copepods, confirmed a higher level of biological hazard for industrial sediments. Based on comparisons with expert judgment, the model presented efficiently discriminates between the various conditions, both as individual modules and as an integrated final evaluation, and it appears to be a powerful tool to support more complex processes of environmental risk assessment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fort Cobb Reservoir Watershed, Oklahoma and Thika River Watershed, Kenya Twinning Pilot Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moriasi, D.; Steiner, J.; Arnold, J.; Allen, P.; Dunbar, J.; Shisanya, C.; Gathenya, J.; Nyaoro, J.; Sang, J.

2007-12-01

The Fort Cobb Reservoir Watershed (FCRW) (830 km2) is a watershed within the HELP Washita Basin, located in Caddo and Washita Counties, OK. It is also a benchmark watershed under USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project, a national project to quantify environmental effects of USDA and other conservation programs. Population in south-western Oklahoma, in which FCRW is located, is sparse and decreasing. Agricultural focuses on commodity production (beef, wheat, and row crops) with high costs and low margins. Surface and groundwater resources supply public, domestic, and irrigation water. Fort Cobb Reservoir and contributing stream segments are listed on the Oklahoma 303(d) list as not meeting water quality standards based on sedimentation, trophic level of the lake associated with phosphorus loads, and nitrogen in some stream segments in some seasons. Preliminary results from a rapid geomorphic assessment results indicated that unstable stream channels dominate the stream networks and make a significant but unknown contribution to suspended-sediment loadings. Impairment of the lake for municipal water supply, recreation, and fish and wildlife are important factors in local economies. The Thika River Watershed (TRW) (867 km2) is located in central Kenya. Population in TRW is high and increasing, which has led to a poor land-population ratio with population densities ranging from 250 people/km2 to over 500 people/km2. The poor land-population ratio has resulted in land sub-division, fragmentation, over- cultivation, overgrazing, and deforestation which have serious implications on soil erosion, which poses a threat to both agricultural production and downstream reservoirs. Agricultural focuses mainly on subsistence and some cash crops (dairy cattle, corn, beans, coffee, floriculture and pineapple) farming. Surface and groundwater resources supply domestic, public, and hydroelectric power generation water. Thika River supplies 80% of the water for the city of Nairobi. A dam was constructed in 1994 with a water reservoir of 70 million m3. Thika River also supplies water to Masinga Reservoir to supply the seven forks dams, which together supply 75% of the nation's electricity. The quantity of water in rivers and reservoirs is decreased due to sedimentation while water quality is degraded by sediments, and sediment-borne nutrients and pesticides. The focus of this pilot twinning project is watershed erosion and reservoir sedimentation assessment. This will be accomplished by (1) a rapid watershed/catchment erosion assessment using ground based measurements and remote sensing/GIS techniques, 2) use of Acoustic Profiling Systems (APS) for reservoir sedimentation measurement studies, and 3) advanced water quality modeling using the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model. Data acquired will be used for sediment transport modeling to1) determine sediment "hot spots" and management practices that will minimize sediments into reservoirs in order to 2) maintain the reservoirs on which many farmers depend for their livelihood and a cleaner environment. This project will provide an opportunity for 1) sharing knowledge and experience among the stakeholders, 2) building capacity through formal and informal education opportunities through reciprocal hosting of decision makers and water experts, and 3) technology transfer of pilot results with recommended management practices to reduce reservoir sedimentation rates.

Defining chemical status of a temporary Mediterranean River.

PubMed

Skoulikidis, Nikolaos Th

2008-07-01

Although the majority of rivers and streams in the Mediterranean area are temporary, no particular attention is being paid for such systems in the Water Framework Directive (WFD). A typical temporal Mediterranean river, draining an intensively cultivated basin, was assessed for its chemical status. Elevated concentrations of nitrates and salts in river water as well as nutrients and heavy metals in river sediments have been attributed to agricultural land uses and practices and point sources of organic pollution. A scheme for the classification of the river's chemical status (within the ecological quality classification procedure) was applied by combining pollution parameters in groups according to related pressures. In light of the temporal hydrological regime and anthropogenic impacts, sediment chemical quality elements were considered, in addition to hydrochemical ones. Despite the extensive agricultural activities in the basin, the majority of the sites examined showed a good quality and only three of them were classified as moderate. For the classification of the chemical quality of temporary water bodies, there is a need to develop ecologically relevant salinity and sediment quality standards.

Borehole density on the surface of living Porites corals as an indicator of sedimentation in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Xie, James Y; Wong, Jane C Y; Dumont, Clement P; Goodkin, Nathalie; Qiu, Jian-Wen

2016-07-15

Borehole density on the surface of Porites has been used as an indicator of water quality in the Great Barrier Reef. We assessed the relationship between borehole density on Porites and eight water quality parameters across 26 sites in Hong Kong. We found that total borehole densities on the surface of Porites at 16 of the studied sites were high (>1000individualsm(-2)), with polychaetes being the dominant bioeroders. Sedimentation rate was correlated positively with total borehole density and polychaete borehole density, with the latter relationship having a substantially higher correlation of determination. None of the environmental factors used were significantly correlated with bivalve borehole density. These results provide a baseline for assessing future changes in coral bioerosion in Hong Kong. This present study also indicates that polychaete boreholes can be used as a bioindicator of sedimentation in the South China Sea region where polychaetes are numerically dominant bioeroders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of Effect Thresholds for the Development of Water Quality Criteria

EPA Science Inventory

Biological and ecological effect thresholds can be used for determining safe levels of nontraditional stressors. The U.S. EPA Framework for Developing Suspended and Bedded Sediments (SABS) Water Quality Criteria (WQC) [36] uses a risk assessment approach to estimate effect thre...

WATER QUALITY STATUS REPORT, VINYARD CREEK, JEROME COUNTY, IDAHO. 1986

EPA Science Inventory

During 1986, a survey was done on Vinyard Creek (17040212) to assess water quality conditions and beneficial use impairment due to agricultural pollutants. During the 1986 irrigation season, Vinyard Creek transported an estimated 780 tons of sediment to the Snake River. Most of...

Surface water quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin : geochemical data for fine-fraction streambed sediment from high- and low-order streams, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, John A.; Sanzolone, R.F.

1991-01-01

Geochemical data are presented from a synoptic survey of 46 elements in fine-fraction streambed sediments of the Upper Illinois River Basin during the fall of 1987. The survey was a component study of the Illinois pilot project of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Most of the sampling sites were randomly chosen--135 on main stems of rivers and 238 on first- and second-order streams. In addition, 196 samples were collected for quality-assurance and special-study purposes. The report includes element concentration data and summary-statistics tables of percentiles, nested analysis of variance, and correlation coefficients. All concentration data are included in tabular form and can be selected by map reference number, latitude and longitude, or remark code indicating purpose for collecting sample.

Relation between different metal pollution criteria in sediments and its contribution on assessing toxicity.

PubMed

Alves, Cristina M; Ferreira, Carlos M H; Soares, Helena M V M

2018-05-14

Several tools have been developed and applied to evaluate the metal pollution status of sediments and predict their potential ecological risk assessment. To date, a comprehensive relationship between the information given by these sediment tools for predicting metal bioavailability and the effective toxicity observed is lacking. In this work, the possible inter-correlations between the data outcoming from using several qualitative evaluation tools of the sediment contamination (contamination factor, CF, the enrichment factor, EF, or the geoaccumulation index, Igeo), metal speciation on sediments (evaluated by the modified BCR sequential extraction procedure) and free metal concentrations in pore waters were studied. It was also our aim to evaluate if these assessment tools could be used for predicting the pore waters toxicity data as toxicity proxy. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis revealed that two quality indices used (CF and EF) were highly correlatable with the more labile fractions from BCR sediment speciation. However, neither of these parameters did correlate with the toxicity of pore waters measured by the chronic toxicity (72 h) in Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. In contrast, the toxic effects of the given total metal load in sediments were better evaluated by using an additive metal approach using pore water free metal concentrations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of sediment-organic matter quality on growth and polychlorobiphenyl bioavailability in Echinodermata (Amphiura filiformis)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gunnarsson, J.S.; Granberg, M.E.; Nilsson, H.C.

Sediment total organic carbon (TOC) content is considered to be a primary food source for benthic invertebrates and a major factor influencing the partitioning and bioavailability of sediment-associated organic contaminants. Most studies report that both toxicity and uptake of sediment-associated contaminants by benthic organisms are inversely proportional to sediment TOC content. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of the TOC quality for the bioavailability of sediment-associated organic contaminants and the growth of benthic macrofauna. The common infaunal brittle star Amphiura filiformis was exposed to a base sediment covered by a {sup 14}C-polychlorobipenyl (3,3{prime}4,4{prime}-{sup 14}C-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB)) contaminatedmore » top layer (0--2 cm), enriched to the same TOC content with 31 g TOC/m{sup 2} of different quality and origin. The following carbon sources, ranging from labile to refractory, were used: (1) green macroalga (Ulva lactuca), (2) brown macroalga (Ascophyllum nodosum), (3) eelgrass (Zostera Marina), (4) phytoplankton (Ceratium spp.), and (5) lignins of terrestrial origin. Characterization of the organic matter quality was accomplished by measuring the content of amino acids, lipids, C, N, and polyphenolic compounds. The reactivity of the sedimentary organic matter was assessed by means of respiration and dissolved inorganic nitrogen flux measurements. The experiment was carried out in 1-L glass jars, each containing four brittle stars and the contaminated and enriched sediment. The jars were circulated in a flow-through mode with filtered seawater. Somatic growth (regeneration of a precut arm) and bioaccumulation of {sup 14}C-TCB were measured at 10 sampling occasions during 48 d of exposure. Growth rates, TCB uptake rates, and steady-state concentrations differed significantly between treatments and were correlated to the qualities of the organic substrates. The greatest TCB accumulation and growth were observed in treatments with the most labile organic substrates and the lowest accumulation and growth were seen with the most refractory substrates. Results from this experiment suggest that the bioaccumulation of organic contaminants in benthic infauna is dependent on the nutritional quality of the sedimentary organic matter.« less

Watershed scale assessment of the impact of forested riparian zones on stream water quality

Treesearch

J. A. Webber; K. W. J. Williard; M. R. Whiles; M. L. Stone; J. J. Zaczek; D. K. Davie

2003-01-01

Federal and state land management agencies have been promoting forest and grass riparian zones to combat non-point source nutrient and sediment pollution of our nations' waters. The majority of research examining the effectiveness of riparian buffers at reducing nutrient and sediment inputs to streams has been conducted at the field scale. This study took a...

Assessment of pathogenic bacteria in water and sediment from a water reservoir under tropical conditions (Lake Ma Vallée), Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Mwanamoki, Paola M; Devarajan, Naresh; Thevenon, Florian; Atibu, Emmanuel K; Tshibanda, Joseph B; Ngelinkoto, Patience; Mpiana, Pius T; Prabakar, Kandasamy; Mubedi, Josué I; Kabele, Christophe G; Wildi, Walter; Poté, John

2014-10-01

This study was conducted to assess potential human health risks presented by pathogenic bacteria in a protected multi-use lake-reservoir (Lake Ma Vallée) located in west of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Water and surface sediments from several points of the Lake were collected during summer. Microbial analysis was performed for Escherichia coli, Enterococcus (ENT), Pseudomonas species and heterotrophic plate counts. PCR amplification was performed for the confirmation of E. coli, ENT, Pseudomonas spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from samples. The results reveal low concentration of bacteria in water column of the lake, the bacterial quantification results observed in this study for the water column were below the recommended limits, according to WHO and the European Directive 2006/7/CE, for bathing water. However, high concentration of bacteria was observed in the sediment samples; the values of 2.65 × 10(3), 6.35 × 10(3), 3.27 × 10(3) and 3.60 × 10(8) CFU g(-1) of dry sediment for E. coli, ENT, Pseudomonas spp. and heterotrophic plate counts, respectively. The results of this study indicate that sediments of the Lake Ma Vallée can constitute a reservoir of pathogenic microorganisms which can persist in the lake. Possible resuspension of faecal indicator bacteria and pathogens would affect water quality and may increase health risks to the population during recreational activities. Our results indicate that the microbial sediment analysis provides complementary and important information for assessing sanitary quality of surface water under tropical conditions.

Identification of water-quality trends using sediment cores from Dillon Reservoir, Summit County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greve, Adrienne I.; Spahr, Norman E.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Wilson, Jennifer T.

2001-01-01

Since the construction of Dillon Reservoir, in Summit County, Colorado, in 1963, its drainage area has been the site of rapid urban development and the continued influence of historical mining. In an effort to assess changes in water quality within the drainage area, sediment cores were collected from Dillon Reservoir in 1997. The sediment cores were analyzed for pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and trace elements. Pesticides, PCBs, and PAHs were used to determine the effects of urban development, and trace elements were used to identify mining contributions. Water-quality and streambed-sediment samples, collected at the mouth of three streams that drain into Dillon Reservoir, were analyzed for trace elements. Of the 14 pesticides and 3 PCBs for which the sediment samples were analyzed, only 2 pesticides were detected. Low amounts of dichloro-diphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and dichloro-diphenyldichloroethane (DDD), metabolites of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), were found at core depths of 5 centimeters and below 15 centimeters in a core collected near the dam. The longest core, which was collected near the dam, spanned the entire sedimentation history of the reservoir. Concentrations of total combustion PAH and the ratio of fluoranthene to pyrene in the core sample decreased with core depth and increased over time. This relation is likely due to growth in residential and tourist populations in the region. Comparisons between core samples gathered in each arm of the reservoir showed the highest PAH concentrations were found in the Tenmile Creek arm, the only arm that has an urban area on its shores, the town of Frisco. All PAH concentrations, except the pyrene concentration in one segment in the core near the dam and acenaphthylene concentrations in the tops of three cores taken in the reservoir arms, were below Canadian interim freshwater sediment-quality guidelines. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc in sediment samples from Dillon Reservoir exceeded the Canadian interim freshwater sediment-quality guidelines. Copper, iron, lithium, nickel, scandium, titanium, and vanadium concentrations in sediment samples decreased over time. Other elements, while no trend was evident, displayed concentration spikes in the down-core profiles, indicating loads entering the reservoir may have been larger than they were in 1997. The highest concentrations of copper, lead, manganese, mercury, and zinc were detected during the late 1970's and early 1980's. Elevated concentrations of trace elements in sediment in Dillon Reservoir likely resulted from historical mining in the drainage area. The downward trend identified for copper, iron, lithium, nickel, scandium, titanium, and vanadium may be due in part to restoration efforts in mining-affected areas and a decrease in active mining in the Dillon Reservoir watershed. Although many trace-element core-sediment concentrations exceeded the Canadian probable effect level for freshwater lakes, under current limnological conditions, the high core-sediment concentrations do not adversely affect water quality in Dillon Reservoir. The trace-element concentrations in the reservoir water column meet the standards established by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. Although many trace-element core-sediment concentrations exceeded the Canadian probable effect level for freshwater lakes, under current limnological conditions, the high core-sediment concentrations do not adversely affect water quality in Dillon Reservoir. The trace-element concentrations in the reservoir water column meet the standards established by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission.

Assessment of sediment quality based on acid-volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals in heavily industrialized area of Asaluyeh, Persian Gulf: concentrations, spatial distributions, and sediment bioavailability/toxicity.

PubMed

Arfaeinia, Hossein; Nabipour, Iraj; Ostovar, Afshin; Asadgol, Zahra; Abuee, Ehsan; Keshtkar, Mozhgan; Dobaradaran, Sina

2016-05-01

Sediment samples from the coastal area of Asaluyeh harbor were collected during autumn and spring 2015. The acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEMs) were measured to assess the sediment quality and potential ecological risks. The average concentrations (and relative standard deviation (RSD)) of AVS in the industrial sediments were 12.32 μmol/g (36.91) and 6.34 μmol/g (80.05) in autumn and spring, respectively, while in the urban area, these values were 0.44 μmol/g (123.50) and 0.31 μmol/g (160.0) in autumn and spring, respectively. The average concentrations of SEM (and RSD) in the industrial sediments were 15.02 μmol/g (14.38) and 12.34 μmol/g (20.65) in autumn and spring, respectively, while in the urban area, these values were 1.10 μmol/g (43.03) and 1.06 μmol/g (55.59) in autumn and spring, respectively. Zn was the predominant component (34.25-86.24 %) of SEM, while the corresponding value for Cd, much more toxic ingredient, was less than 1 %. Some of the coastal sediments in the harbor of Asaluyeh (20 and 47 % in autumn and spring, respectively) had expected adverse biological effects based on the suggested criterion by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), while most stations (80 and 53 % in autumn and spring, respectively) had uncertain adverse effects.

Larval development ratio test with the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa as a new bioassay to assess marine sediment quality.

PubMed

Buttino, Isabella; Vitiello, Valentina; Macchia, Simona; Scuderi, Alice; Pellegrini, David

2018-03-01

The copepod Acartia tonsa was used as a model species to assess marine sediment quality. Acute and chronic bioassays, such as larval development ratio (LDR) and different end-points were evaluated. As a pelagic species, A. tonsa is mainly exposed to water-soluble toxicants and bioassays are commonly performed in seawater. However, an interaction among A. tonsa eggs and the first larval stages with marine sediments might occur in shallow water environments. Here we tested two different LDR protocols by incubating A. tonsa eggs in elutriates and sediments coming from two areas located in Tuscany Region (Central Italy): Livorno harbour and Viareggio coast. The end-points analyzed were larval mortality (LM) and development inhibition (DI) expressed as the percentage of copepods that completed the metamorphosis from nauplius to copepodite. Aims of this study were: i) to verify the suitability of A. tonsa copepod for the bioassay with sediment and ii) to compare the sensitivity of A. tonsa exposed to different matrices, such as water and sediment. A preliminary acute test was also performed. Acute tests showed the highest toxicity of Livorno's samples (two out of three) compared to Viareggio samples, for which no effect was observed. On the contrary, LDR tests with sediments and elutriates revealed some toxic effects also for Viareggio's samples. Results were discussed with regards to the chemical characterization of the samples. Our results indicated that different end-points were affected in A. tonsa, depending on the matrices to which the copepods were exposed and on the test used. Bioassays with elutriates and sediments are suggested and LDR test could help decision-makers to identify a more appropriate management of dredging materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pollution Assessment of the Biobío River (Chile): Prioritization of Substances of Concern Under an Ecotoxicological Approach.

PubMed

Alonso, Álvaro; Figueroa, Ricardo; Castro-Díez, Pilar

2017-05-01

The water demand for human activities is rapidly increasing in developing countries. Under these circumstances, preserving aquatic ecosystems should be a priority which requires the development of quality criteria. In this study we perform a preliminary prioritization of the risky substances based on reported ecotoxicological studies and guidelines for the Biobío watershed (Central Chile). Our specific aims are (1) reviewing the scientific information on the aquatic pollution of this watershed, (2) determining the presence and concentration of potential toxic substances in water, sediment and effluents, (3) searching for quality criteria developed by other countries for the selected substances and (4) prioritizing the most risky substances by means of deterministic ecotoxicological risk assessment. We found that paper and mill industries were the main sources of point pollution, while forestry and agriculture were mostly responsible for non-point pollution. The most risky organic substances in the water column were pentachlorophenol and heptachlor, while the most relevant inorganic ones were aluminum, copper, unionized ammonia and mercury. The most risky organic and inorganic substances in the sediment were phenanthrene and mercury, respectively. Our review highlights that an important effort has been done to monitor pollution in the Biobío watershed. However there are emerging pollutants and banned compounds-especially in sediments-that require to be monitored. We suggest that site-specific water quality criteria and sediment quality criteria should be developed for the Biobío watershed, considering the toxicity of mixtures of chemicals to endemic species, and the high natural background level of aluminum in the Biobío.

Assessing contamination in Great Lakes sediments using benthic invertebrate communities and the sediment quality triad approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Canfield, Timothy J.; Dwyer, F. James; Fairchild, James F.; Haverland, Pamela S.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Kemble, Nile E.; Mount, David R.; La Point, Thomas W.; Burton, G. Allen; Swift, M. C.

1996-01-01

Sediments in many Great Lakes harbors and tributary rivers are contaminated. As part of the USEPA's Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediment (ARCS) program, a number of studies were conducted to determine the nature and extent of sediment contamination in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC). This paper describes the composition of benthic invertebrate communities in contaminated sediments and is one in a series of papers describing studies conducted to evaluate sediment toxicity from three AOC's (Buffalo River, NY; Indiana Harbor, IN; Saginaw River, MI), as part of the ARCS Program. Oligochaeta (worms) and Chironomidae (midge) comprised over 90% of the benthic invertebrate numbers in samples collected from depositional areas. Worms and midge consisted of taxa identified as primarily contaminant tolerant organisms. Structural deformities of mouthparts in midge larvae were pronounced in many of the samples. Good concurrence was evident between measures of laboratory toxicity, sediment contaminant concentration, and benthic invertebrate community composition in extremely contaminated samples. However, in moderately contaminated samples, less concordance was observed between the benthos community composition and either laboratory toxicity test results or sediment contaminant concentration. Laboratory sediment toxicity tests may better identify chemical contamination in sediments than many commonly used measures of benthic invertebrate community composition. Benthic measures may also reflect other factors such as habitat alteration. Evaluation of non-contaminant factors are needed to better interpret the response of benthic invertebrates to sediment contamination.

Mercury contamination of riverine sediments in the vicinity of a mercury cell chlor-alkali plant in Sagua River, Cuba.

PubMed

Bolaños-Álvarez, Yoelvis; Alonso-Hernández, Carlos Manuel; Morabito, Roberto; Díaz-Asencio, Misael; Pinto, Valentina; Gómez-Batista, Miguel

2016-06-01

Sediment is a great indicator for assessing coastal mercury contamination. The objective of this study was to assess the magnitude of mercury pollution in the sediments of the Sagua River, Cuba, where a mercury-cell chlor-alkali plant has operated since the beginning of the 1980s. Surface sediments and a sediment core were collected in the Sagua River and analyzed for mercury using an Advanced Mercury Analyser (LECO AMA-254). Total mercury concentrations ranged from 0.165 to 97 μg g(-1) dry weight surface sediments. Enrichment Factor (EF), Index of Geoaccumulation (Igeo) and Sediment Quality Guidelines were applied to calculate the degrees of sediment contamination. The EF showed the significant role of anthropogenic mercury inputs in sediments of the Sagua River. The result also determined that in all stations downstream from the chlor-alkali plant effluents, the mercury concentrations in the sediments were higher than the Probable Effect Levels value, indicating a high potential for adverse biological effects. The Igeo index indicated that the sediments in the Sagua River are evaluated as heavily polluted to extremely contaminated and should be remediated as a hazardous material. This study could provide the latest benchmark of mercury pollution and prove beneficial to future pollution studies in relation to monitoring works in sediments from tropical rivers and estuaries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal enrichment and ecological risk assessment of surface sediments in Khorramabad River, West Iran.

PubMed

Rastmanesh, F; Safaie, S; Zarasvandi, A R; Edraki, M

2018-04-11

The ecological health of rivers has often been threatened in urbanized catchments due to the expansion of industrial activities and the population growth. Khorramabad River which flows through Khorramabad city, west of Iran, is an example of such settings. The river water is used for agricultural purposes downstream. In this study, the effect of Khorramabad city on heavy metal and metalloid (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, and As) loads in Khorramabad River sediments was investigated. To evaluate sediment pollution and potential adverse biological effects, surface sediment samples were collected at selected locations along the river and were characterized for their geochemical properties. Contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), and ecological risk assessment (RI) were calculated. Also, sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) were used to screen contaminants of concern in the study area. The results showed that sediments were moderately polluted, with stations located in more densely populated areas showing higher pollution indicators. Copper, Zn, and Pb sources could be attributed to urban wastewater, whereas Ni, Cr, and As had both natural and anthropogenic sources. Moreover, ecological risk assessments showed that sediments could be classified in the category of low risk. The results of the present study showed the effect of anthropogenic activities on heavy metal loads of the river sediments and these findings can be used to mitigate potential impacts on the environment and human health.

The influence of the scale of mining activity and mine site remediation on the contamination legacy of historical metal mining activity.

PubMed

Bird, Graham

2016-12-01

Globally, thousands of kilometres of rivers are degraded due to the presence of elevated concentrations of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) sourced from historical metal mining activity. In many countries, the presence of contaminated water and river sediment creates a legal requirement to address such problems. Remediation of mining-associated point sources has often been focused upon improving river water quality; however, this study evaluates the contaminant legacy present within river sediments and attempts to assess the influence of the scale of mining activity and post-mining remediation upon the magnitude of PHE contamination found within contemporary river sediments. Data collected from four exemplar catchments indicates a strong relationship between the scale of historical mining, as measured by ore output, and maximum PHE enrichment factors, calculated versus environmental quality guidelines. The use of channel slope as a proxy measure for the degree of channel-floodplain coupling indicates that enrichment factors for PHEs in contemporary river sediments may also be the highest where channel-floodplain coupling is the greatest. Calculation of a metric score for mine remediation activity indicates no clear influence of the scale of remediation activity and PHE enrichment factors for river sediments. It is suggested that whilst exemplars of significant successes at improving post-remediation river water quality can be identified; river sediment quality is a much more long-lasting environmental problem. In addition, it is suggested that improvements to river sediment quality do not occur quickly or easily as a result of remediation actions focused a specific mining point sources. Data indicate that PHEs continue to be episodically dispersed through river catchments hundreds of years after the cessation of mining activity, especially during flood flows. The high PHE loads of flood sediments in mining-affected river catchments and the predicted changes to flood frequency, especially, in many river catchments, provides further evidence of the need to enact effective mine remediation strategies and to fully consider the role of river sediments in prolonging the environmental legacy of historical mine sites.

Assessing the status of sediment toxicity and macroinvertebrate communities in the Eighteenmile Creek Area of Concern, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

George, Scott D.; Duffy, Brian T.; Baldigo, Barry P.

2017-01-01

In 1972, the governments of Canada and the United States committed to restoring the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the Laurentian Great Lakes under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Through this framework, the downstream-most section of Eighteenmile Creek, a tributary to the south shore of Lake Ontario in New York, was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) because water quality and bed sediments were contaminated by past industrial and municipal discharges, waste disposal, and pesticide usage. Five beneficial use impairments (BUIs) have been identified in the AOC including the degradation of the “benthos”, or the benthic macroinvertebrate community. This investigation used sediment toxicity testing and macroinvertebrate community assessments to determine if the toxicity of bed sediments in the AOC differed from that of an unimpacted reference stream. Results from 10-day toxicity tests indicated that survival and growth of the dipteran Chironomus dilutus and the amphipod Hyalella azteca did not differ significantly between sediments from the AOC and reference area. Analyses of benthic macroinvertebrate community integrity and structure also indicated that macroinvertebrate communities, while impacted across most sites on both streams, were generally similar between the AOC and reference area. Despite these findings, the upstream-most AOC site consistently scored poorly in all analyses, which suggests that localized sediment toxicity may exist in the AOC, even if large scale differences between the AOC and a comparable reference stream are minimal.

Biomass production in the Lower Mississippi River Basin: Mitigating associated nutrient and sediment discharge to the Gulf of Mexico.

PubMed

Ha, Miae; Zhang, Zhonglong; Wu, May

2018-04-24

A watershed model was developed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) that simulates nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loadings in the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB). The LMRB SWAT model was calibrated and validated using 21 years of observed flow, sediment, and water-quality data. The baseline model results indicate that agricultural lands within the Lower Mississippi River Basin (LMRB) are the dominant sources of nitrogen and phosphorus discharging into the Gulf of Mexico. The model was further used to evaluate the impact of biomass production, in the presence of riparian buffers in the LMRB, on suspended-sediment and nutrient loading discharge from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. The interplay among land use, riparian buffers, crop type, land slope, water quality, and hydrology were anlyzed at various scales. Implementing a riparian buffer in the dominant agricultural region within the LMRB could reduce suspended sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus loadings at the regional scale by up to 65%, 38%, and 39%, respectively. Implementation of this land management practice can reduce the suspended-sediment content and improve the water quality of the discharge from the LMRB into the Gulf of Mexico and support the potential production of bioenergy and bio-products within the Mississippi River Basin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental Assessment for Clean and Stabilize Ditches at the Golf Course and C Street

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-08-01

proposed action would require the disturbance of installation property, minimal decrease in storm water quality during the cleaning and a temporary...increase in noise levels during construction. Storm water quality would improve following the cleaning and stabilization. Erosion and sediment controls

Indices of benthic community tolerance in contaminated Great Lakes sediments: Relations with sediment contaminant concentrations, sediment toxicity, and the sediment quality triad

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wildhaber, M.L.; Schmitt, C.J.

1998-01-01

We evaluated the toxic-units model developed by Wildhaber and Schmitt (1996) as a predictor of indices of mean tolerance to pollution (i.e., Lenat, 1993; Hilsenhoff, 1987) and other benthic community indices from Great Lakes sediments containing complex mixtures of environmental contaminants (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls – PCBs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – PAHs, pesticides, chlorinated dioxins, and metals). Sediment toxic units were defined as the ratio of the estimated pore-water concentration of a contaminant to its chronic toxicity as estimated by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) or other applicable standard. The total hazard of a sediment to aquatic life was assessed by summing toxic units for all contaminants quantified. Among the benthic community metrics evaluated, total toxic units were most closely correlated with Lenat's (1993) and Hilsenhoff's (1987) indices of community tolerance (TL and TH, respectively); toxic units accounted for 42% TL and 53% TH of variability in community tolerance as measured by Ponar grabs. In contrast, taxonomic richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity were not correlated (P > 0.05) with toxic units. Substitution of order- or family-level identifications for lowest possible (mostly genus- or species-) level identifications in the calculation of TL and TH indices weakened the relationships with toxic units. Tolerance values based on order- and family-level identifications of benthos for artificial substrate samples were more strongly correlated with toxic units than tolerance values for benthos from Ponar grabs. The ability of the toxic-units model to predict the other two components (i.e., laboratory-measured sediment toxicity and benthic community composition) of the Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) may obviate the need for the SQT in some situations.

Trace metal in sediment from a deep-sea floor of Makassar Strait

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budianto, F.; Lestari

2018-02-01

Makassar Strait is located in the entrance of Indonesian Through Flow (ITF). However, the geochemistry of metals in sediment within Makassar Strait remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of metals in sediment and to assess the sediment quality based on those metals concentrations. The sediment was collected from 632-4730 m in depth using giant piston corer on R/V Baruna Jaya VIII in December 2014. In each observation point, three layers of sediment were sub-sampled from the core i.e. surface layer (0-5 cm), middle layer (45-55 cm) and bottom layer. The metals were analyzed using acid digestion procedure followed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The result indicated that the metal has spatially insignificant differences in sediment and the increase of metal concentration by depth was noticed. The Enrichment factor presented as no enrichment to minor enrichment of metal in sediment.

Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyl residues in sediments and blue mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Port Elizabeth Harbour, South Africa.

PubMed

Kampire, E; Rubidge, G; Adams, J B

2015-02-15

Sediment and Mytilus galloprovincialis samples collected from the Port Elizabeth Harbour were analysed for six indicator PCB congeners to assess their contamination status. The concentrations of total PCBs in sediments and M. galloprovincialis ranged from 0.56 to 2.35 ng/g dry weight and 14.48 to 21.37 ng/g wet weight, respectively. Congeners 138 and 153 were dominant and accounted for an average of 29% and 24% of total PCBs in M. galloprovincialis; 32% and 30% in sediments, respectively. Sediments are home to a wide variety of aquatic life. None of the sediments analysed exceeded the PCB limits recommended the Canadian interim sediment quality guideline and the South African recommended sediment guidelines (21.6 ng/g). Both humans and aquatic life are sensitive to the toxic effects of PCBs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments—a Review

PubMed Central

Hassard, Francis; Gwyther, Ceri L.; Farkas, Kata; Andrews, Anthony; Jones, Vera; Cox, Brian; Brett, Howard; Jones, Davey L.; McDonald, James E.; Malham, Shelagh K.

2016-01-01

The long term survival of fecal indicator organisms (FIOs) and human pathogenic microorganisms in sediments is important from a water quality, human health and ecological perspective. Typically, both bacteria and viruses strongly associate with particulate matter present in freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. This association tends to be stronger in finer textured sediments and is strongly influenced by the type and quantity of clay minerals and organic matter present. Binding to particle surfaces promotes the persistence of bacteria in the environment by offering physical and chemical protection from biotic and abiotic stresses. How bacterial and viral viability and pathogenicity is influenced by surface attachment requires further study. Typically, long-term association with surfaces including sediments induces bacteria to enter a viable-but-non-culturable (VBNC) state. Inherent methodological challenges of quantifying VBNC bacteria may lead to the frequent under-reporting of their abundance in sediments. The implications of this in a quantitative risk assessment context remain unclear. Similarly, sediments can harbor significant amounts of enteric viruses, however, the factors regulating their persistence remains poorly understood. Quantification of viruses in sediment remains problematic due to our poor ability to recover intact viral particles from sediment surfaces (typically <10%), our inability to distinguish between infective and damaged (non-infective) viral particles, aggregation of viral particles, and inhibition during qPCR. This suggests that the true viral titre in sediments may be being vastly underestimated. In turn, this is limiting our ability to understand the fate and transport of viruses in sediments. Model systems (e.g., human cell culture) are also lacking for some key viruses, preventing our ability to evaluate the infectivity of viruses recovered from sediments (e.g., norovirus). The release of particle-bound bacteria and viruses into the water column during sediment resuspension also represents a risk to water quality. In conclusion, our poor process level understanding of viral/bacterial-sediment interactions combined with methodological challenges is limiting the accurate source apportionment and quantitative microbial risk assessment for pathogenic organisms associated with sediments in aquatic environments. PMID:27847499

Water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River Basin, Kentucky; distribution of metals and other trace elements in sediment and water, 1987-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Porter, Stephen D.; White, Kevin D.; Clark, J.R.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program is designed to provide a nationally consistent description of the current status of water quality, to define water-quality trends, and to relate past and present water-quality conditions to natural features, uses of land and water, and other water-quality effects from human activities. The Kentucky River Basin is one of four NAWQA pilot projects that focused primarily on the quality of surface water. Water, sediment, and bedrock samples were collected in the Kentucky River Basin during 1987-90 for the purpose of (1) describing the spatial distribution, transport, and temporal variability of metals and other trace elements in streams of the basin; (2) estimating mean annual loads, yields, and trends of constituent concentrations and identifying potential causes (or sources) of spatial patterns; (3) providing baseline information for concentrations of metals in streambed and suspended sediments; (4) identifying stream reaches in the Kentucky River Basin with chronic water-quality problems; and (5) evaluating the merits of the NAWQA pilot study-approach for the assessment of metals and other trace elements in a river system. The spatial distribution of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediments of the Kentucky River Basin is associated with regional differences of geology, land use and cover, and the results of human activities. Median concentrations of constituents differed significantly among physiographic regions of the basin because of relations to bedrock geochemistry and land disturbance. Concentrations of potentially toxic metals were large in urban and industrial areas of the basin. Elevated concentrations of certain metals were also found in streambed sediments of the Knobs Region because of the presence of Devonian shale bedrock. Elevated concentrations of lead and zinc found in streambed sediments of the Bluegrass Region are likely associated with urban stormwater runoff, point-source discharges, and waste-management practices. Concentrations of cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, and silver were elevated in streambed sediments downstream from wastewater-treatment plant discharges. Streambed-sediment concentrations of barium, chromium, and lithium were elevated in streams that receive brine discharges from oil production. Elevated concentrations of antimony, arsenic, molybdenum, selenium, strontium, uranium, and vanadium in streambed sediments of the Kentucky River Basin were generally associated with natural sources. Concentrations of metals and other trace elements in water samples from fixed stations (stations where water-quality samples were collected for 3.5 years) in the Kentucky River Basin were generally related to stream discharge and the concentration of suspended sediment, whereas constituent concentrations in the suspended-sediment matrix were indicative of natural and human sources. Estimated mean annual loads and yields for most metals and other trace elements were associated with the transport of suspended sediment. Land disturbance, such as surface mining and agriculture, contribute to increased transport of sediment in streams, thereby increasing concentrations of metals in water samples during periods of intense or prolonged rainfall and increased stream discharge. Concentrations of many metals and trace elements were reduced during low streamflow. Although total-recoverable and dissolved concentrations of certain metals and trace elements were large in streams affected by land disturbance, concentrations of constituents in the suspendedsediment matrix were commonly large in streams in the Knobs and Eastern Coal Field Regions (because of relations with bedrock geochemistry) and in streams that receive wastewater or oil-well-brine discharges. Concentrations and mean annual load estimates for aluminum, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, and mercury were larger than those obtained from data collected by a State agency, probably because of differences in sample-collection methodology, the range of discharge associated with water-quality samples, and laboratory analytical procedures. However, concentrations, loads, and yields of arsenic, barium, and zinc were similar to those determined from the State data. Significant upward trends in the concentrations of aluminum, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc were indicated at one or more fixed stations in the Kentucky River Basin during the past 10 to 15 years. Upward trends for concentrations of aluminum, iron, and manganese were found at sites that receive drainage from coal mines in the upper Kentucky River Basin, whereas upward trends for zinc may be associated with urban sources. Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or the State of Kentucky for concentrations of aluminum, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, silver, and zinc were exceeded at one or more fixed stations in the Kentucky River Basin. On a qualitative basis, dissolved concentrations of certain metals and trace elements were large during low streamflow at sites where (1) concentrations of these constituents in underlying streambed sediments were large, or (2) dissolvedoxygen concentrations were small. Concentrations of barium, lithium, and strontium were large during low streamflow, which indicates the influence of ground-water baseflows on the quality of surface water during low flow. The effects of point-source discharges, landfills, and other wastemanagement practices are somewhat localized in the Kentucky River Basin and are best indicated by the spatial distribution of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediments and in the suspended-sediment fraction of water samples at stream locations near the source. It was not possible to quantify the contribution of point sources to the total transport of metals and other trace elements at fixed stations because data were not available for wastewater effluents. Quantification of baseline concentrations of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediments provides a basis for the detection of water-quality changes that may result from improvements in wastewater treatment or the implementation of best-management practices for controlling contamination from nonpoint sources in the Kentucky River Basin.

Ecological risk assessment of boreal sediments affected by metal mining: Metal geochemistry, seasonality, and comparison of several risk assessment methods.

PubMed

Väänänen, Kristiina; Kauppila, Tommi; Mäkinen, Jari; Leppänen, Matti T; Lyytikäinen, Merja; Akkanen, Jarkko

2016-10-01

The mining industry is a common source of environmental metal emissions, which cause long-lasting effects in aquatic ecosystems. Metal risk assessment is challenging due to variations in metal distribution, speciation, and bioavailability. Therefore, seasonal effects must be better understood, especially in boreal regions in which seasonal changes are large. We sampled 4 Finnish lakes and sediments affected by mining for metals and geochemical characteristics in autumn and late winter, to evaluate seasonal changes in metal behavior, the importance of seasonality in risk assessment, and the sensitivity and suitability of different risk assessment methods. We compared metal concentrations in sediment, overlying water, and porewater against environmental quality guidelines (EQGs). We also evaluated the toxicity of metal mixtures using simultaneously extracted metals and an acid volatile sulfides (SEM-AVS) approach together with water quality criteria (US Environmental Protection Agency equilibrium partitioning benchmarks). Finally, site-specific risks for 3 metals (Cu, Ni, Zn) were assessed using 2 biotic ligand models (BLMs). The metal concentrations in the impacted lakes were elevated. During winter stratification, the hypolimnetic O2 saturation levels were low (<6%) and the pH was acidic (3.5-6.5); however, abundant O2 (>89%) and neutral pH (6.1-7.5) were found after the autumnal water overturn. Guidelines were the most conservative benchmark for showing an increased risk of toxicity in the all of the lakes. The situation remained stable between seasons. On the other hand, SEM-AVS, equilibrium partition sediment benchmarks (ESBs), and BLMs provided a clearer distinction between lakes and revealed a seasonal variation in risk among some of the lakes, which evidenced a higher risk during late winter. If a sediment risk assessment is based on the situation in the autumn, the overall risk may be underestimated. It is advisable to carry out sampling and risk assessment during periods in which metals are assumed to be the most environmentally harmful. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:759-771. © 2015 SETAC. © 2015 SETAC.

Distribution, Source, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediment of Liaodong Bay, Northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shuang; Tao, Ping; Li, Yuxia; Guo, Qi; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Man; Jia, Hongliang; Shao, Mihua

2018-01-01

Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in surface sediments from Liaodong Bay, northeast China. The concentration levels of total PAHs (Σ16PAHs) in sediment were 11.0˜249.6 ng·g-1 dry weight (dw), with a mean value of 89.9 ng·g-1 dry weight (dw). From the point of the spatial distribution, high PAHs levels were found in the western areas of Liaodong Bay. In the paper, sources of PAHs were investigated by diagnostic ratios, which indicated that pyrogenic sources were the main sources of PAHs in the sediment of Liaodong Bay. Therefore, selected PAH levels in sediments were compared with Sediments Quality Guidelines (ERM-ERL indexes) for evaluation probable toxic effects on marine organism.

Environmental effects of hydrothermal alteration and historical mining on water and sediment quality in Central Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Church, S.E.; Fey, D. L.; Klein, T.L.; Schmidt, T.S.; Wanty, R.B.; deWitt, E.H.; Rockwell, B.W.; San, Juan C.A.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted an environmental assessment of 198 catchments in a 54,000-km2 area of central Colorado, much of which is on Federal land. The Colorado Mineral Belt, a northeast-trending zone of historical base- and precious-metal mining, cuts diagonally across the study area. The investigation was intended to test the hypothesis that degraded water and sediment quality are restricted to catchments in which historical mining has occurred. Water, streambed sediment, and aquatic insects were collected from (1) catchments underlain by single lithogeochemical units, some of which were hydrothermally altered, that had not been prospected or mined; (2) catchments that contained evidence of prospecting, most of which contain hydrothermally altered rock, but no historical mining; and (3) catchments, all of which contain hydrothermally altered rock, where historical but now inactive mines occur. Geochemical data determined from catchments that did not contain hydrothermal alteration or historical mines met water quality criteria and sediment quality guidelines. Base-metal concentrations from these types of catchments showed small geochemical variations that reflect host lithology. Hydrothermal alteration and mineralization typically are associated with igneous rocks that have intruded older bedrock in a catchment. This alteration was regionally mapped and characterized primarily through the analysis of remote sensing data acquired by the ASTER satellite sensor. Base-metal concentrations among unaltered rock types showed small geochemical variations that reflect host lithology. Base-metal concentrations were elevated in sediment from catchments underlain by hydrothermally altered rock. Classification of catchments on the basis of mineral deposit types proved to be an efficient and accurate method for discriminating catchments that have degraded water and sediment quality. Only about 4.5 percent of the study area has been affected by historical mining, whereas a larger part of the study area is underlain by hydrothermally altered rock that has weathered to produce water and sediment with naturally elevated geochemical baselines. 

Field Observations of Hydrodynamics, Sediment Transport, and Water and Sediment Quality in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruno, M. S.; Glenn, S.; Chant, R.; Rankin, K.; Korfiatis, G.; Dimou, N.; Creed, E.; Fullerton, B.; Pence, A.; Burke, P.; Haldeman, C.; Hires, R.; Hunter, E.

2002-12-01

The New York-New Jersey Harbor estuary system is of enormous ecological and economic importance to the region. The presence of toxic chemicals in the water and sediments results in reduced water quality, fisheries restrictions/advisories, and general adverse impacts to the estuarine ecosystem. The Port of New York and New Jersey is central to the economy of the region. However, in recent years, problems associated with the management of contaminated dredged material, including high costs and the lack of suitable disposal/use alternatives, have threatened to impact the volume of shipping in the Harbor. Sources of contaminants include atmospheric deposition, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities, combined sewer and stormwater outfalls, and rainfall-induced runoff (non-point sources). In addition, Harbor sediments can act as a continuing source as they are re-suspended and moved throughout the system by both natural and man-made means. As part of the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan, Stevens Institute of Technology and Rutgers University are conducting hydrodynamic, sediment transport, and water and suspended sediment quality measurements in Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill and the Kill van Kull. The goals of the project include: (1) collection of high resolution (event-driven and long-term) hydrodynamic, sediment transport and water and suspended sediment quality measurements for use in the assessment of the dominant physics of the system and in the development of a combined hydrodynamic-sediment transport-water/sediment quality model for the region. (2) identification of those tributaries to NY-NJ Harbor that are significant sources of the chemicals of concern, and evaluation of the importance of non-point sources and existing contaminated bottom sediments as sources of the chemicals of concern. (3) identification of point discharges that represent significant sources of the chemicals of concern. Observations were obtained over a two-year period, during 21 tributary flow "events", each having an approximate duration of 1 week. The measurement program included 3 fixed mooring stations and 5 shipboard locations. Each mooring consisted of an acoustic Doppler current profiler; a high-resolution pressure sensor; an OBS; a CTD; and a laser-based scatterometer. The ship-board measurements included vertical current profiles using a towed acoustic Doppler current profiler; CTD measurements; OBS measurements; suspended sediment concentration and particle size spectrum using a laser-based scatterometer; and chemical characterization of water and suspended sediment samples. The water and sediment quality measurements were obtained using a specially designed Trace Organics Platform Sampler. This sampler allowed for the measurement of low-level concentrations of PCBs (108 congeners), dioxins/furans, Pesticides, PAHs and metals (Hg, Cd, Pb). Preliminary analysis of the data has improved our understanding of the circulation and sediment transport patterns in this region of the estuary, including the influence of extreme tributary flow events, local winds, and anthropogenic effects such as port structures, vessels, and the navigation channels, and has identified the most highly contaminated reaches of the tributaries.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin, Washington; distribution of pesticides and other organic compounds in water, sediment, and aquatic biota, 1987-91; with a section on dissolved organic carbon in the Yakima River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rinella, Joseph F.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Crawford, J. Kent; Foreman, William T.; Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Aiken, George R.

1999-01-01

During 1987-91, chemical data were collected for pesticides and other organic compounds in surface water, streambed sediment, suspended sediment, agricultural soil, and aquatic biota to determine the occurrence, distribution, transport, and fate of organic compounds in the Yakima River basin in Washington. The report describes the chemical and physical properties of the compounds most frequently detected in the water column; organochlorine compounds including DDT, organophosphorus compounds, thiocarbamate and sulfite compounds, acetamide and triazine compounds, and chlorophenoxy-acetic acid and benzoic compounds. Concentrations are evaluated relative to chronic-toxicity water quality criteria and guidelines for the protection of human health and freshwater aquatic life.

Landsat - What is operational in water resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, E. M.; Munday, J. C., Jr.

1981-01-01

Applications of Landsat data in hydrology and water quality measurement were examined to determine which applications are operational. In hydrology, the principal applications have been surface water inventory, and land cover analysis for (1) runoff modeling and (2) abatement planning for non-point pollution and erosion. In water quality measurement, the principal applications have been: (1) trophic state assessment, and (2) measurement of turbidity and suspended sediment. The following applications were found to be operational: mapping of surface water, snow cover, and land cover (USGS Level 1) for watershed applications; measurement of turbidity, Secchi disk depth, suspended sediment concentration, and water depth.

Trace Metal Content of Sediments Close to Mine Sites in the Andean Region

PubMed Central

Yacoub, Cristina; Pérez-Foguet, Agustí; Miralles, Nuria

2012-01-01

This study is a preliminary examination of heavy metal pollution in sediments close to two mine sites in the upper part of the Jequetepeque River Basin, Peru. Sediment concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, and Zn were analyzed. A comparative study of the trace metal content of sediments shows that the highest concentrations are found at the closest points to the mine sites in both cases. The sediment quality analysis was performed using the threshold effect level of the Canadian guidelines (TEL). The sediment samples analyzed show that potential ecological risk is caused frequently at both sites by As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn. The long-term influence of sediment metals in the environment is also assessed by sequential extraction scheme analysis (SES). The availability of metals in sediments is assessed, and it is considered a significant threat to the environment for As, Cd, and Sb close to one mine site and Cr and Hg close to the other mine site. Statistical analysis of sediment samples provides a characterization of both subbasins, showing low concentrations of a specific set of metals and identifies the main characteristics of the different pollution sources. A tentative relationship between pollution sources and possible ecological risk is established. PMID:22606058

Environmental quality of transitional waters: the lagoon of Venice case study.

PubMed

Micheletti, C; Gottardo, S; Critto, A; Chiarato, S; Marcomini, A

2011-01-01

The health status of European aquatic environments, including transitional waters such as coastal lagoons, is regulated by the Water Framework Directive (WFD), which requires the classification of the water bodies' environmental quality and the achievement of a good ecological status by 2015. In the Venice lagoon, a transitional water body located in the northeastern part of Italy, the achievement of a good ecological status is hampered by several anthropogenic and natural pressures, such as sediment and water chemical contamination, and sediment erosion. In order to evaluate the lagoon's environmental quality according to the WFD (i.e. 5 quality classes, from High to Bad), an integrated Weight-of-Evidence methodology was developed and applied to classify the quality of the lagoon water bodies, integrating biological, physico-chemical, chemical, ecotoxicological, and hydromorphological data (i.e. Lines of Evidence, LOE). The quality assessment was carried out in two lagoon habitat typologies (previously defined on the basis of morphological, sediment, and hydrodynamic characteristics) which were selected taking into account the ecological gradient from sea to land, and the differences in anthropogenic pressure and contamination levels. The LOE classification was carried out by using indicators scored by comparing site specific conditions to reference conditions measured in lagoon reference sites, or provided by local, national or European regulations (e.g. Environmental Quality Standards, EQS, for chemicals). Finally, the overall quality status for each water body was calculated by a probabilistic approach, i.e. by reporting the final result as the frequency distribution of quality classes. The developed procedure was applied by using data and information concerning selected LOE and collected from monitoring programs and research studies carried out in the last 15 years in the lagoon of Venice. A set of sampling stations characterized by spatially and temporally coherent information for each LOE was selected, and among these stations, potential reference sites for each water body typology were identified. The quality assessment highlighted that there are specific lagoon areas, especially those located near the industrially developed area, which are highly affected by anthropogenic activities, and that chemical contamination is one of the main pressures affecting ecological status (e.g. macro-benthonic biodiversity) in the Venice lagoon. The integrated quality assessment procedure that was developed provided a new tool supporting decision making, as well as lagoon assessment and management. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental effects of the Big Rapids dam remnant removal, Big Rapids, Michigan, 2000-02

USGS Publications Warehouse

Healy, Denis F.; Rheaume, Stephen J.; Simpson, J. Alan

2003-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the city of Big Rapids, investigated the environmental effects of removal of a dam-foundation remnant and downstream cofferdam from the Muskegon River in Big Rapids, Mich. The USGS applied a multidiscipline approach, which determined the water quality, sediment character, and stream habitat before and after dam removal. Continuous water-quality data and discrete water-quality samples were collected, the movement of suspended and bed sediment were measured, changes in stream habitat were assessed, and streambed elevations were surveyed. Analyses of water upstream and downstream from the dam showed that the dam-foundation remnant did not affect water quality. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations downstream from the dam remnant were depressed for a short period (days) during the beginning of the dam removal, in part because of that removal effort. Sediment transport from July 2000 through March 2002 was 13,800 cubic yards more at the downstream site than the upstream site. This increase in sediment represents the remobilized sediment upstream from the dam, bank erosion when the impoundment was lowered, and contributions from small tributaries between the sites. Five habitat reaches were monitored before and after dam-remnant removal. The reaches consisted of a reference reach (A), upstream from the effects of the impoundment; the impoundment (B); and three sites below the impoundment where habitat changes were expected (C, D, and E, in downstream order). Stream-habitat assessment reaches varied in their responses to the dam-remnant removal. Reference reach A was not affected. In impoundment reach B, Great Lakes and Environmental Assessment Section (GLEAS) Procedure 51 ratings went from fair to excellent. For the three downstream reaches, reach C underwent slight habitat degradation, but ratings remained good; reach D underwent slight habitat degradation with ratings changing from excellent to good; and, in an area affected by a 1966 sediment release, reach E habitat rated fair in April 2000 and remained fair in September 2001. The most noticeable habitat change in the three reaches downstream from the dam site was a measurable increase in siltation and embeddedness. Bed-elevation profiles show that bed material upstream from the dam site was remobilized as suspended sediment and bedload, and was redeposited in the reaches below the cofferdam. Deposition was greater in the deep, slow-moving pools than the shallow, fast-moving riffles. For the most part, where deposition took place, deposits were less than 1 foot in thickness. In the year following the removal of the cofferdam, much of the sediment deposited below the dam was moved out of the study reach.

Ecological risk of heavy metals in sediments of the Luan River source water.

PubMed

Liu, Jingling; Li, Yongli; Zhang, Bao; Cao, Jinling; Cao, Zhiguo; Domagalski, Joseph

2009-08-01

Distribution and characteristics of heavy metals enrichment in sediment were surveyed including the bio-available form analyzed for assessment of the Luan River source water quality. The approaches of sediment quality guidelines (SQG), risk assessment code and Hakanson potential ecological risk index were used for the ecological risk assessment. According to SQG, The results show that in animal bodies, Hg at the sampling site of Wuliehexia was 1.39 mg/kg, Cr at Sandaohezi was 152.37 mg/kg and Cu at Hanjiaying was 178.61 mg/kg exceeding the severe effect screening level. There were 90% of sampling sites of Cr and Pb and 50% sites of Cu exceeded the lowest effect screening level. At Boluonuo and Wuliehexia, the exchangeable and carbonate fractions for above 50% of sites were at high risk levels and that for above 30% of sites at Xiahenan and Wulieheshang were also at high risk levels. Other sites were at medium risk level. Compared to soil background values of China, Hg and Cd showed very strong ecological risk, and the seven heavy metals of Hg, Cd, Cu, As, Pb, Cr, Zn at ecological risk levels were in the descending order. The results could give insight into risk assessment of environmental pollution and decision-making for water source security.

Comparison of E. coli, enterococci, and fecal coliform as indicators for brackish water quality assessment.

PubMed

Jin, Guang; Jeng, Huei-Wang; Bradford, Henry; Englande, A J

2004-01-01

Escherichia coli (E. coli), enterococci, and fecal coliform data were collected and compared as potential indicators for swimmablility assessment of a brackish waterbody (Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana). These indicators were measured during lake background conditions, in stormwater runoff (before dilution with lake water), and in the outfall plume within the lake following storm events. Microbial indicator titers associated with suspended particles and lake-bottom sediments were also investigated. Overall reduction rate constants for fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci in lake water and sediment were measured and reported. Attachment of microbial indicators to suspended matter and subsequent sedimentation appeared to be a significant fate mechanism. A slower reduction rate of indicator organisms in sediment further suggested that bottom sediment may act as a reservoir for prolonging indicator organism survival and added concern of recontamination of overlaying waters due to potential solids resuspension. Results indicated that enterococci might be a more stable indicator than E. coli and fecal coliform and, consequently, a more conservative indicator under brackish water conditions.

Top down arsenic uncertainty measurement in water and sediments from Guarapiranga dam (Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faustino, M. G.; Lange, C. N.; Monteiro, L. R.; Furusawa, H. A.; Marques, J. R.; Stellato, T. B.; Soares, S. M. V.; da Silva, T. B. S. C.; da Silva, D. B.; Cotrim, M. E. B.; Pires, M. A. F.

2018-03-01

Total arsenic measurements assessment regarding legal threshold demands more than average and standard deviation approach. In this way, analytical measurement uncertainty evaluation was conducted in order to comply with legal requirements and to allow the balance of arsenic in both water and sediment compartments. A top-down approach for measurement uncertainties was applied to evaluate arsenic concentrations in water and sediments from Guarapiranga dam (São Paulo, Brazil). Laboratory quality control and arsenic interlaboratory tests data were used in this approach to estimate the uncertainties associated with the methodology.

Reservoir vital signs monitoring, 1990: Physical and chemical characteristics of water and sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meinert, D.L.

1991-05-01

As part of Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) Reservoir Vital Signs Monitoring program, physical/chemical measurements of water and sediment were made in 1990 on twelve TVA reservoirs (the nine main steam Tennessee river reservoirs - Kentucky through Fort Loudoun and three major tributary reservoirs - Cherokee, Douglas, and Norris). The objective of this monitoring program is to assess the health or integrity of these aquatic ecosystems. The physical/chemical water quality data collected in 1990 showed the water quality of these reservoirs to be very good. However, hypolimnetic anoxia during the summer months in Watts bars, Douglas, and Cherokee reservoir continues tomore » be a concern. High concentrations of nutrients were measured in the transition zones of Cherokee and Douglas reservoirs, resulting in highly productive and eutrophic conditions in the transition zones of these reservoirs. Fecal coliform organisms were frequently detected in the forebay area of Guntersville reservoir, and higher than expected ammonia nitrogen concentrations were found at the transition zone of Wheeler reservoir. Elevated concentrations of mercury were found in Pickwick and Watts bar reservoir sediment, and high lead concentrations were found in a sediment sample collected from Guntersville reservoir. A TVA Reservoir Water Quality Index (RWQI) was developed and used to summarize water quality conditions on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).« less

Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in coastal surface sediments in the Hebei Province offshore area, Bohai Sea, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ding, Xigui; Ye, Siyuan; Yuan, Hongming; Krauss, Ken W.

2018-01-01

Seven hundred and nine surface sediment samples, along with deeper sediment samples, were collected from Hebei Province along the coastal section of the Bohai Sea, China, and analyzed for grain size, concentrations of organic carbon (Corg) and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg). Results indicated that the average concentrations in the sediments were 16.1 mg/kg (Cu), 19.4 mg/kg (Pb), 50 mg/kg (Zn), 48.8 mg/kg (Cr), 0.1 mg/kg (Cd), 8.4 mg/kg (As), and 20.3 μg/kg (Hg). These concentrations generally met the China Marine Sediment Quality criteria. However, both pollution assessments indicated moderate to strong Cd and Hg contamination in the study area. The potential ecological risk index suggested that the combined ecological risk of the seven studied metals may be low, but that 24.5% of the sites, where sediments were more finer and higher in Corg concentration, had high ecological risk in Hg and Cd pollution.

A method to assess the evolution and recovery of heavy metal pollution in estuarine sediments: Past history, present situation and future perspectives.

PubMed

Bárcena, Javier F; Claramunt, Inigo; García-Alba, Javier; Pérez, María Luisa; García, Andrés

2017-11-15

A methodology to assess the historical evolution and recovery of heavy metal pollution in estuarine sediments was developed and is presented here. This approach quantifies the distribution of heavy metals in sediment cores, and investigates the influence of anthropogenic activities and/or core locations on the heavy metal pollution, by proposing and using sediment quality indices and polynomial regressions. The method has been applied to the Suances Estuary confirming its suitability as a comprehensive and practical management tool. In this estuary, the evolution of heavy metal pollution (since 1997-1998 to 2015) pointed out the deeper the sediments, the more polluted, indicating a recovery at the upper layers due to the closure and ending of washing discharges from mining, and the reduction of metal loads from industrial wastewaters. In terms of global pollution, the intertidal and subtidal sediments will require 43.1±2.8 and 8.6±0.6years to be unpolluted, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fractionation and potential toxic risk of metals from superficial sediment in Itaipu Lake--boundary between Brazil and Paraguay.

PubMed

Kalwa, Miguel; Quináia, Sueli Pércio; Pletsch, Adelmo L; Techy, Laura; Felsner, Maria Lurdes

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate fractions of metals (labile and pseudo-total) extracted from sediment samples collected in Itaipu Lake (boundary between Brazil and Paraguay) and to assess the dynamics and mobility of these fractions by identifying the same bioavailability and ecological risk to metals in the aquatic environment. The concentrations of metal ions were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. There was a correlation between the metal ions, both in the labile and the pseudo-total, with regard to particle size. To assess metals concentrations in sediment, numerical sediment-quality guidelines were applied. The concentrations of aluminum, cadmium, iron, manganese, lead, and zinc in all sediment samples are lower than the proposed probable effects level (PEL), thus possibly indicating that there are no harmful effects from these metals. In contrast, concentrations of copper, chromium, and nickel exceeded the PEL in some samples, thus indicating that these stations are at potential risk. The level of contamination in sediments of Itaipu Lake for all metals was evaluated using contamination factor, degree of contamination, and sum-of-metals toxic unit.

Sediment Quality of the SW Coastal Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea, China: A Comprehensive Assessment Based on the Analysis of Heavy Metals

PubMed Central

Gao, Xuelu; Zhuang, Wen; Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur; Zhang, Yong

2015-01-01

Historically, the Bohai Sea is one of the most important fishing grounds in China. Yet, surrounded by one of the biggest economic rims of China, its ecological functions have been declining rapidly in recent two decades under the heavy anthropogenic impacts. The Laizhou Bay is the smallest one of the three main bays in the Bohai Sea. Owing to the rich brine deposits, chemical industries using brine as raw materials are booming in the southern coast of the Laizhou Bay, the scale of which ranks as the largest one in China. In order to monitor and assess the environmental quality, surface sediments were collected from the coastal waters of southwestern Laizhou Bay and the rivers it connects with during summer and autumn in 2012, and analyzed for heavy metals. Several widely adopted methods were used in the overall assessment of heavy metal pollution status and potential ecological risks in these sediments, and the data were analyzed to infer the main sources of the pollutants. The results showed that the remarkably high concentrations of heavy metals were almost all recorded in a small number of riverine sites. Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn were the main environmental threat according to the sediment quality guidelines. The marine area was generally in good condition with no or low risk from the studied metals and adverse effects on biota could hardly occur. Natural sources dominated the concentrations and distributions of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the marine area. Our results indicated that heavy metal pollution was not a main cause of the ecological degradation of the Laizhou Bay at present. PMID:25816338

Sediment quality of the SW coastal Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea, China: a comprehensive assessment based on the analysis of heavy metals.

PubMed

Gao, Xuelu; Zhuang, Wen; Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur; Zhang, Yong

2015-01-01

Historically, the Bohai Sea is one of the most important fishing grounds in China. Yet, surrounded by one of the biggest economic rims of China, its ecological functions have been declining rapidly in recent two decades under the heavy anthropogenic impacts. The Laizhou Bay is the smallest one of the three main bays in the Bohai Sea. Owing to the rich brine deposits, chemical industries using brine as raw materials are booming in the southern coast of the Laizhou Bay, the scale of which ranks as the largest one in China. In order to monitor and assess the environmental quality, surface sediments were collected from the coastal waters of southwestern Laizhou Bay and the rivers it connects with during summer and autumn in 2012, and analyzed for heavy metals. Several widely adopted methods were used in the overall assessment of heavy metal pollution status and potential ecological risks in these sediments, and the data were analyzed to infer the main sources of the pollutants. The results showed that the remarkably high concentrations of heavy metals were almost all recorded in a small number of riverine sites. Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn were the main environmental threat according to the sediment quality guidelines. The marine area was generally in good condition with no or low risk from the studied metals and adverse effects on biota could hardly occur. Natural sources dominated the concentrations and distributions of Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the marine area. Our results indicated that heavy metal pollution was not a main cause of the ecological degradation of the Laizhou Bay at present.

Environmental background values of trace elements in sediments from the Jiaozhou Bay catchment, Qingdao, China.

PubMed

Xu, Fangjian; Liu, Zhaoqing; Yuan, Shengqiang; Zhang, Xilin; Sun, Zhilei; Xu, Feng; Jiang, Zuzhou; Li, Anchun; Yin, Xuebo

2017-08-15

Selected trace elements (As, Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, Co, Pb and Ni) in 76 surface sediment samples collected from the rivers and the intertidal zone of Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) were evaluated to assess their environmental background values in the JZB catchment. Overall, the sediment quality in the area meets the China Marine Sediment Quality criteria. The background values (ranges) of the elements As, Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, Co, Pb and Ni were, respectively, 8.28 (4.10-12.46), 67.96 (38.40-97.52), 56.80 (16.42-196.51), 19.13 (5.71-64.06), 0.10 (0.02-0.42), 6.51 (2.08-20.40), 17.97 (12.26-55.84) and 20.69 (10.43-30.95)mg/kg. The background values of most of the trace elements were lower than those in Chinese soil, the upper continental crust, global shales and global preindustrial sediments. The results may assist in defining future coastal and river management measures specifically targeted at monitoring trace element contamination in the JZB catchment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contaminant profiles for surface water, sediment, flora and fauna associated with the mangrove fringe along middle and lower eastern Tampa Bay.

PubMed

Lewis, M A; Russell, M J

2015-06-15

Contaminant concentrations are reported for surface water, sediment, flora and fauna collected during 2010-2011 from the mangrove fringe along eastern Tampa Bay, Florida. Concentrations of trace metals, chlorinated pesticides, atrazine, total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls were species-, chemical- and location-specific. Contaminants in sediments did not exceed proposed individual sediment quality guidelines. Most sediment quality assessment quotients were less than one indicating the likelihood of no inhibitory effect based on chemical measurements alone. Faunal species typically contained more contaminants than plant species; seagrass usually contained more chemicals than mangroves. Bioconcentration factors for marine angiosperms were usually less than 10 and ranged between 1 and 31. Mercury concentrations (ppm) in blue crabs and fish did not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fish tissue criterion of 0.3 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration action level of 1.0. In contrast, total mercury concentrations in faunal species often exceeded guideline values for wildlife consumers of aquatic biota. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Passive sampling methods for contaminated sediments: Practical guidance for selection, calibration, and implementation

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Upal; Driscoll, Susan Kane; Burgess, Robert M; Jonker, Michiel To; Reible, Danny; Gobas, Frank; Choi, Yongju; Apitz, Sabine E; Maruya, Keith A; Gala, William R; Mortimer, Munro; Beegan, Chris

2014-01-01

This article provides practical guidance on the use of passive sampling methods (PSMs) that target the freely dissolved concentration (Cfree) for improved exposure assessment of hydrophobic organic chemicals in sediments. Primary considerations for selecting a PSM for a specific application include clear delineation of measurement goals for Cfree, whether laboratory-based “ex situ” and/or field-based “in situ” application is desired, and ultimately which PSM is best-suited to fulfill the measurement objectives. Guidelines for proper calibration and validation of PSMs, including use of provisional values for polymer–water partition coefficients, determination of equilibrium status, and confirmation of nondepletive measurement conditions are defined. A hypothetical example is described to illustrate how the measurement of Cfree afforded by PSMs reduces uncertainty in assessing narcotic toxicity for sediments contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The article concludes with a discussion of future research that will improve the quality and robustness of Cfree measurements using PSMs, providing a sound scientific basis to support risk assessment and contaminated sediment management decisions. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2014;10:210–223. © 2014 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. PMID:24288273

Trace elements and organic compounds associated with riverbed sediments in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo basin, Mexico and Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, R.W.; Wilson, J.T.

1997-01-01

In 1991, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) was mandated by the Texas Clean Rivers Act (Senate Bill 818) to assess water quality of rivers in Texas. Recent efforts to collect information for the assessment of water quality in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin have involved Federal agencies on both sides of the 1,248-mile U.S.-Mexico border?U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Secretaria de Desarollo Social (Secretary for Social Development, Mexico), National Water Commission of Mexico, and International Boundary and Water Commission?as well as State and local agencies in a spirit of international cooperation. Substantial efforts have been made to gather data needed to determine the quality of water and ecological status of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, especially at sites along the border (fig. 1). The purpose of this report is to assess selected historical data of trace elements and organic compounds in riverbed sediments of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, and of the Pecos River and the Arroyo Colorado in Texas.

Water-quality assessment of part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin: Organochlorine compounds in streambed sediments and fish tissues, 1995-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

McNellis, R.P.; Fallon, J.D.; Lee, K.E.

2001-01-01

Streambed sediments and fish tissues were collected in part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin to assess the presence and distribution of organochlorine compounds (OCs) including PCBs. A total of 13 OCs were detected among 14 of 27 streambed sediment sampling locations. In fish tissues analyzed, 9 OCs were detected among 17 of 24 sites sampled. Eight OCs were detected in both fish and streambed sediment samples, they were: cis-chlordane, o,p'-DDD; p,p'-DDD; p,p'-DDE; p,p'-DDT; hexachlorobenzene; transnonachlor; and PCBs. The most frequently detected OCs were: p,p'-DDE; and p,p'-DDD in streambed sediment and p,p'-DDE and PCBs in fish tissues. No OCs were detected in streambed sediment at agricultural sites; however, the agricultural sites had 17 detections of OCs in fish tissue. Urban streams had concentrations of total DDT and metabolites in streambed sediment that exceed guidelines for classification of sites with high probabilities of adverse effects to aquatic organisms. Total DDT was the only OC within an urban land use that exceeded guidelines for piscivorous wildlife.

Assessment of selected contaminants in streambed- and suspended-sediment samples collected in Bexar County, Texas, 2007-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2011-01-01

Elevated concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants are typically associated with urban areas such as San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County, the seventh most populous city in the United States. This report describes an assessment of selected sediment-associated contaminants in samples collected in Bexar County from sites on the following streams: Medio Creek, Medina River, Elm Creek, Martinez Creek, Chupaderas Creek, Leon Creek, Salado Creek, and San Antonio River. During 2007-09, the U.S. Geological Survey periodically collected surficial streambed-sediment samples during base flow and suspended-sediment (large-volume suspended-sediment) samples from selected streams during stormwater runoff. All sediment samples were analyzed for major and trace elements and for organic compounds including halogenated organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Selected contaminants in streambed and suspended sediments in watersheds of the eight major streams in Bexar County were assessed by using a variety of methods—observations of occurrence and distribution, comparison to sediment-quality guidelines and data from previous studies, statistical analyses, and source indicators. Trace elements concentrations were low compared to the consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines threshold effect concentration (TEC) and probable effect concentration (PEC). Trace element concentrations were greater than the TEC in 28 percent of the samples and greater than the PEC in 1.5 percent of the samples. Chromium concentrations exceeded sediment-quality guidelines more frequently than concentrations of any other constituents analyzed in this study (greater than the TEC in 69 percent of samples and greater than the PEC in 8 percent of samples). Mean trace element concentrations generally are lower in Bexar County samples compared to concentrations in samples collected during previous studies in the Austin and Fort Worth, Texas, areas, but considering the relatively large ranges and standard deviations associated with the concentrations measured in all three areas, the trace element concentrations are similar. On the basis of Mann-Whitney U test results, the presence of a military installation in a watershed was associated with statistically significant higher chromium, mercury, and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments compared to concentrations of the same elements in a watershed without a military installation. Halogenated organic compounds analyzed in sediment samples included pesticides (chlordane, dieldrin, DDT, DDD, and DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and brominated flame retardants. Three or more halogenated organic compounds were detected in each sediment sample, and 66 percent of all concentrations were less than the respective interim reporting levels. Halogenated organic compound concentrations were mostly low compared to consensus-based sediment quality guidelines-;TECs were exceeded in 11 percent of the analyses and PECs were exceeded in 1 percent of the analyses. Chlordane compounds were the most frequently detected halogenated organic compounds with one or more detections of chlordane compounds in every watershed; concentrations were greater than the TEC in 6 percent of the samples. Dieldrin was detected in 50 percent of all samples, however all concentrations were much less than the TEC. The DDT compounds (p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and p,p'-DDE) were detected less frequently than some other halogenated organic compounds, however most detections exceeded the TECs. p,p'-DDT was detected in 13 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 67 percent); p,p'-DDD was detected in 19 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 78 percent); and p,p'-DDE was detected in 35 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 53 percent). p,p'-DDE concentrations in streambed-sediment samples correlate positively with population density and residential, commercial, and transportation land use. One or more PCB congeners were detected in

Data compilation for assessing sediment and toxic chemical loads from the Green River to the lower Duwamish Waterway, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, Kathleen E.; Black, Robert W.

2014-01-01

Between February and June 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey collected representative samples of whole water, suspended sediment, and (or) bed sediment from a single strategically located site on the Duwamish River, Washington, during seven periods of different flow conditions. Samples were analyzed by Washington-State-accredited laboratories for a large suite of compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other semivolatile compounds, polychlorinated biphenyl Aroclors and the 209 congeners, metals, dioxins/furans, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, butyltins, hexavalent chromium, and total organic carbon. Chemical concentrations associated with bulk bed sediment (<2 mm) and fine bed sediment (<62.5 μm) fractions were compared to chemical concentrations associated with suspended sediment. Bulk bed sediment concentrations generally were lower than fine bed sediment and suspended-sediment concentrations. Concurrent with the chemistry sampling, additional parameters were measured, including instantaneous river discharge, suspended-sediment concentration, sediment particle-size distribution, and general water-quality parameters. From these data, estimates of instantaneous sediment and chemical loads from the Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway were calculated.

A decision-making framework for sediment contamination.

PubMed

Chapman, Peter M; Anderson, Janette

2005-07-01

A decision-making framework for determining whether or not contaminated sediments are polluted is described. This framework is intended to be sufficiently prescriptive to standardize the decision-making process but without using "cook book" assessments. It emphasizes 4 guidance "rules": (1) sediment chemistry data are only to be used alone for remediation decisions when the costs of further investigation outweigh the costs of remediation and there is agreement among all stakeholders to act; (2) remediation decisions are based primarily on biology; (3) lines of evidence (LOE), such as laboratory toxicity tests and models that contradict the results of properly conducted field surveys, are assumed incorrect; and (4) if the impacts of a remedial alternative will cause more environmental harm than good, then it should not be implemented. Sediments with contaminant concentrations below sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) that predict toxicity toless than 5% of sediment-dwelling infauna and that contain no quantifiable concentrations of substances capable of biomagnifying are excluded from further consideration, as are sediments that do not meet these criteria but have contaminant concentrations equal to or below reference concentrations. Biomagnification potential is initially addressed by conservative (worst case) modeling based on benthos and sediments and, subsequently, by additional food chain data and more realistic assumptions. Toxicity (acute and chronic) and alterations to resident communities are addressed by, respectively, laboratory studies and field observations. The integrative decision point for sediments is a weight of evidence (WOE) matrix combining up to 4 main LOE: chemistry, toxicity, community alteration, and biomagnification potential. Of 16 possible WOE scenarios, 6 result in definite decisions, and 10 require additional assessment. Typically, this framework will be applied to surficial sediments. The possibility that deeper sediments may be uncovered as a result of natural or other processes must also be investigated and may require similar assessment.

Assessing environmental quality status by integrating chemical and biological effect data: The Cartagena coastal zone as a case.

PubMed

Martínez-Gómez, Concepción; Fernández, Beatriz; Robinson, Craig D; Campillo, J Antonio; León, Víctor M; Benedicto, José; Hylland, Ketil; Vethaak, A Dick

2017-03-01

Cartagena coastal zone (W Mediterranean) was chosen for a practical case study to investigate the suitability of an integrated indicator framework for marine monitoring and assessment of chemicals and their effects, which was developed by ICES and OSPAR. Red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were selected as target species. Concentrations of contaminants in sediment and biota, and contaminant-related biomarkers were analysed. To assess environmental quality in the Cartagena coastal zone with respect to chemical pollution, data were assessed using available assessment criteria, and then integrated for different environmental matrices. A qualitative scoring method was used to rank the overall assessments into selected categories and to evaluate the confidence level of the final integrated assessment. The ICES/OSPAR integrated assessment framework, originally designed for the North Atlantic, was found to be applicable for Mediterranean species and environmental matrices. Further development of assessment criteria of chemical and biological parameters in sediments and target species from the Mediterranean will, however, be required before this framework can be fully applied for determining Good Environmental Status (GES) of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in these regions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Surface Sediments of the Laizhou Bay and the Coastal Waters of the Zhangzi Island, China: Comparison among Typical Marine Sediment Quality Indices

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Wen; Gao, Xuelu

2014-01-01

The total concentrations and chemical forms of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the surface sediments of the Laizhou Bay and the surrounding marine area of the Zhangzi Island (hereafter referred to as Zhangzi Island for short) were obtained and multiple indices and guidelines were applied to assess their contamination and ecological risks. The sedimentary conditions were fine in both of the two studied areas according to the marine sediment quality of China. Whereas the probable effects level guideline suggested that Ni might cause adverse biological effects to occur frequently in some sites. All indices used suggested that Cd posed the highest environmental risk in both the Laizhou Bay and the Zhangzi Island, though Cd may unlikely be harmful to human and ecological health due to the very low total concentrations. The enrichment factor (EF) showed that a substantial portion of Cr was delivered from anthropogenic sources, whereas the risk assessment code (RAC) indicated that most Cr was in an inactive state that it may not have any adverse effect either. Moreover, the results of EF and geoaccumulation index were consistent with the trend of the total metal concentrations except for Cd, while the results of RAC and potential ecological risk factor did not follow the same trend of their corresponding total metal concentrations. We also evaluated the effects of using different indices to assess the environmental impact of these heavy metals. PMID:24709993

Reciprocal experimental transplantations to assess effects of organic enrichment on the recolonization of benthic macrofauna in a subtropical estuary.

PubMed

Gern, Fabiana Regina; Lana, Paulo da Cunha

2013-02-15

Coastal benthic habitats are usually in a state of continuous recolonization as a consequence of natural disturbances or human activities. Recolonization patterns can be strongly affected by the quality of the sediment. We evaluated herein the macrobenthic recolonization of organically enriched sediments through a manipulative experiment involving reciprocal transplants between contaminated and non-contaminated intertidal areas. Regardless of the experimental treatments, the density of the polychaete Capitella sp. was extremely high in the contaminated area as well as the density of the gastropod Cylichna sp. in the non-contaminated area. We rejected the hypothesis that differences in sediment quality would determine macrofaunal recolonization at least in the considered scales of space in meters and time in weeks. The recolonization process in a subtropical estuarine environment was strongly dependent on the migration of adults present in the sediments adjacent to the experimental units. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of interim flow water-quality data of the San Joaquin River restoration program and implications for fishes, California, 2009-11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wulff, Marissa L.; Brown, Larry R.

2015-01-01

After more than 50 years of extensive water diversion for urban and agriculture use, a major settlement was reached among the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Friant Water Users Authority in an effort to restore the San Joaquin River. The settlement received Federal court approval in October 2006 and established the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, a multi-agency collaboration between State and Federal agencies to restore and maintain fish populations, including Chinook salmon, in the main stem of the river between Friant Dam and the confluence with the Merced River. This is to be done while avoiding or minimizing adverse water supply effects to all of the Friant Division contractors that could result from restoration flows required by the settlement. The settlement stipulates that water- and sediment-quality data be collected to help assess the restoration goals. This report summarizes and evaluates water-quality data collected in the main stem of the San Joaquin River between Friant Dam and the Merced River by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program during 2009-11. This summary and assessment consider sampling frequency for adequate characterization of variability, sampling locations for sufficient characterization of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program restoration reach, sampling methods for appropriate media (water and sediment), and constituent reporting limits. After reviewing the water- and sediment-quality results for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, several suggestions were made to the Fisheries Management Work Group, a division of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program that focuses solely on the reintroduction strategies and health of salmon and other native fishes in the river. Water-quality results for lead and total organic carbon exceeded the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program Basin Plan Objectives for the San Joaquin Basin, and results for copper exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs' aquatic-life chronic and acute benchmarks for invertebrates. One sediment sample contained detections of pyrethroid pesticides bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, and total permethrin at concentrations above published chronic toxicity thresholds.

Assessing effects of changing land use practices on sediment loads in Panther Creek, north coastal California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madej, Mary Ann; Bundros, Greg; Klein, Randy

2011-01-01

Revisions to the California Forest Practice Rules since 1974 were intended to increase protection of water quality in streams draining timber harvest areas. The effects of improved timber harvesting methods and road designs on sediment loading are assessed for the Panther Creek basin, a 15.4 km2 watershed in Humboldt County, north coastal California. We compute land use statistics, analyze suspended sediment discharge rating curves, and compare sediment yields in Panther Creek to a control (unlogged) stream, Little Lost Man Creek. From 1978 to 2008, 8.2 km2 (over half the watershed) was clearcut and other timber management activities (thinning, selection cuts, and so forth) affected an additional 5.9 km2. Since 1984, 40.7 km of streams in harvest units received riparian buffer strip protection. Between 2000 and 2009, 22 km of roads were upgraded and 9.7 km were decommissioned, reducing potential sediment production by an estimated 40,000 m3. Road density is currently 3.1 km/km2. Sediment rating curves from 2005 to 2010 indicate a decrease in suspended sediment concentrations when compared to the pre-1996 period, although Panther Creek still has a higher sediment yield on a per unit area basis than the control stream.

Work plan for the Sangamon River basin, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stamer, J.K.; Mades, Dean M.

1983-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Division of Water Resources of the Illinois Department of Transportation and other State agencies, recognizes the need for basin-type assessments in Illinois. This report describes a plan of study for a water-resource assessment of the Sangamon River basin in central Illinois. The purpose of the study would be to provide information to basin planners and regulators on the quantity, quality, and use of water to guide management decisions regarding basin development. Water quality and quantity problems in the Sangamon River basin are associated primarily with agricultural and urban activities, which have contributed high concentrations of suspended sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter to the streams. The impact has resulted in eutrophic lakes, diminished capacity of lakes to store water, low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, and turbid stream and lake waters. The four elements of the plan of study include: (1) determining suspended sediment and nutrient transport, (2) determining the distribution of selected inorganic and organic residues in streambed sediments, (3) determining the waste-load assimilative capacity of the Sangamon River, and (4) applying a hydraulic model to high streamflows. (USGS)

Water Quality Assessment Simulation Program (WASP8): Upgrades to the Advanced Toxicant Module for Simulating Dissolved Chemicals, Nanomaterials, and Solids

EPA Science Inventory

The Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) is a dynamic, spatially-resolved, differential mass balance fate and transport modeling framework. WASP is used to develop models to simulate concentrations of environmental contaminants in surface waters and sediments. As a mo...

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; fixed-station network and selected water-quality data for April 1987-September 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, Daniel J.; Blanchard, Stephen F.

1994-01-01

This report describes and presents the sampling design, methods, quality assurance methods and results, and information on how to obtain data collected at eight fixed stations in the upper Illinois River Basin as part of the pilot phase of the National Water-Quality Assessment program. Data were collected monthly from April 1987-August l990; these data were supplemented with data collected during special events, including high and low flows. Each fixed station represents a cross section at which the transport of selected dissolved and suspended materials can be computed. Samples collected monthly and during special events were analyzed for concentrations of major ions, nutrients, trace elements, organic carbon, chlorophyll-a, suspended sediment, and other constituents. Field measurements of water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and indicator bacteria also were made at each site. Samples of suspended sediment were analyzed for concentrations of major ions and trace elements. In addition, samples were analyzed seasonally for concentrations of antimony, bromide, molybdenum, and the radionuclides gross alpha and gross beta.

Environmental monitoring and assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments at Coleroon River Estuary in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Venkatramanan, S; Chung, S Y; Ramkumar, T; Selvam, S

2015-08-01

The combined studies on grain size distribution, organic matter contents of sediments, sequential extraction and bulk concentration of heavy metals, statistical analysis, and ecological risk assessments were carried out to investigate the contamination sources and ecological risks of surface sediments at Coleroon River Estuary in Tamil Nadu, India. The sequential extraction of metals showed that a larger portion of the metals was associated with the residual phase and also in other fractions. The low concentrations of heavy metals were found in exchangeable and carbonate bounds (bioavailable phases). It revealed that sediments of Coleroon River Estuary were relatively unpolluted and were influenced mainly by natural sources. The observed order of bulk concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments was as follows: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > Co. Factor analyses represented that the enrichment of heavy metals was mostly resulted from lithogenic origins associated with anthropogenic sources. These sources were reconfirmed by cluster analysis. Risk assessment code (RAC) suggested that all metals were not harmful in monsoon season. However, Fe was in medium risk, and Mn and Cu were in low risk in summer. According to pollution load index (PLI) of sediments, all heavy metals were toxic. Cu might be related with adverse biological effects on the basis of sediment quality guidelines (SQG) in both seasons. These integrated approaches were very useful to identify the contamination sources and ecological risks of sediments in estuarine environment. It is expected that this research can give a useful information for the remediation of heavy metals in sediments.

Use of benthic invertebrate community structure and the sediment quality triad to evaluate metal-contaminated sediment in the upper Clark Fork River, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Canfield, Timothy J.; Kemble, Nile E.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Dwyer, F. James; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Fairchild, James F.

1994-01-01

The upper Clark Fork River, above Flathead River, is contaminated with large amounts of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, and Zn ores from past mining activities. The contaminated area extends from the Butte and Anaconda area to at least 230 km downstream to Milltown Reservoir. Both the upper Clark Fork River and Milltown Reservoir have been designated as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites because of metal-contaminated bottom sediments. We evaluated the impacts of past mining activities on the Clark Fork River ecosystem using benthic invertebrate community assessment, residue chemistry, and toxicity testing. Oligochaeta and Chironomidae generally accounted for over 90% of the benthic invertebrate community in the soft sediment depositional areas. Taxa of Oligochaeta and Chironomidae were predominantly pollution tolerant. Higher numbers of Chironomidae genera were present at stations with higher concentrations of metals in sediment identified as toxic by the amphipod Hyalella azteca in 28-d exposures. Frequency of mouthpart deformities in genera of Chironomidae was low and did not correspond to concentrations of metals in sediment. Total abundance of organisms/m2 did not correspond to concentrations of metals in the sediment samples. Chemical analyses, laboratory toxicity tests, and benthic community evaluations all provide evidence of metal-induced degradation to aquatic communities in both the reservoir and the river. Using a weight-of-evidence approach-the Sediment Quality Triad - provided good concurrence among measures of benthic community structure, sediment chemistry, and laboratory toxicity.

Human health risk assessment in relation to environmental pollution of two artificial freshwater lakes in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Albering, H J; Rila, J P; Moonen, E J; Hoogewerff, J A; Kleinjans, J C

1999-01-01

A human health risk assessment has been performed in relation to recreational activities on two artificial freshwater lakes along the river Meuse in The Netherlands. Although the discharges of contaminants into the river Meuse have been reduced in the last decades, which is reflected in decreasing concentrations of pollutants in surface water and suspended matter, the levels in sediments are more persistent. Sediments of the two freshwater lakes appear highly polluted and may pose a health risk in relation to recreational activities. To quantify health risks for carcinogenic (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) as well as noncarcinogenic compounds (e.g., heavy metals), an exposure assessment model was used. First, we used a standard model that solely uses data on sediment pollution as the input parameter, which is the standard procedure in sediment quality assessments in The Netherlands. The highest intake appeared to be associated with the consumption of contaminated fish and resulted in a health risk for Pb and Zn (hazard index exceeded 1). For the other heavy metals and for benzo(a)pyrene, the total averaged exposure levels were below levels of concern. Secondly, input data for a more location-specific calculation procedure were provided via analyses of samples from sediment, surface water, and suspended matter. When these data (concentrations in surface water) were taken into account, the risk due to consumption of contaminated fish decreased by more than two orders of magnitude and appeared to be negligible. In both exposure assessments, many assumptions were made that contribute to a major degree to the uncertainty of this risk assessment. However, this health risk evaluation is useful as a screening methodology for assessing the urgency of sediment remediation actions.

Human health risk assessment in relation to environmental pollution of two artificial freshwater lakes in The Netherlands.

PubMed Central

Albering, H J; Rila, J P; Moonen, E J; Hoogewerff, J A; Kleinjans, J C

1999-01-01

A human health risk assessment has been performed in relation to recreational activities on two artificial freshwater lakes along the river Meuse in The Netherlands. Although the discharges of contaminants into the river Meuse have been reduced in the last decades, which is reflected in decreasing concentrations of pollutants in surface water and suspended matter, the levels in sediments are more persistent. Sediments of the two freshwater lakes appear highly polluted and may pose a health risk in relation to recreational activities. To quantify health risks for carcinogenic (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) as well as noncarcinogenic compounds (e.g., heavy metals), an exposure assessment model was used. First, we used a standard model that solely uses data on sediment pollution as the input parameter, which is the standard procedure in sediment quality assessments in The Netherlands. The highest intake appeared to be associated with the consumption of contaminated fish and resulted in a health risk for Pb and Zn (hazard index exceeded 1). For the other heavy metals and for benzo(a)pyrene, the total averaged exposure levels were below levels of concern. Secondly, input data for a more location-specific calculation procedure were provided via analyses of samples from sediment, surface water, and suspended matter. When these data (concentrations in surface water) were taken into account, the risk due to consumption of contaminated fish decreased by more than two orders of magnitude and appeared to be negligible. In both exposure assessments, many assumptions were made that contribute to a major degree to the uncertainty of this risk assessment. However, this health risk evaluation is useful as a screening methodology for assessing the urgency of sediment remediation actions. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 PMID:9872714

Incorporating bioavailability into management limits for copper in sediments contaminated by antifouling paint used in aquaculture.

PubMed

Simpson, Stuart L; Spadaro, David A; O'Brien, Dom

2013-11-01

Although now well embedded within many risk-based sediment quality guideline (SQG) frameworks, contaminant bioavailability is still often overlooked in assessment and management of contaminated sediments. To optimise management limits for metal contaminated sediments, we assess the appropriateness of a range methods for modifying SQGs based on bioavailability considerations. The impairment of reproduction of the amphipod, Melita plumulosa, and harpacticoid copepod, Nitocra spinipes, was assessed for sediments contaminated with copper from antifouling paint, located below aquaculture cages. The measurement of dilute acid-extractable copper (AE-Cu) was found to provide the most useful means for monitoring the risks posed by sediment copper and setting management limits. Acid-volatile sulfide was found to be ineffective as a SQG-modifying factor as these organisms live mostly at the more oxidised sediment water interface. SQGs normalised to %-silt/organic carbon were effective, but the benefits gained were too small to justify this approach. The effectiveness of SQGs based on AE-Cu was attributed to a small portion of the total copper being present in potentially bioavailable forms (typically<10% of the total). Much of the non-bioavailable form of copper was likely present as paint flakes in the form of copper (I) oxide, the active ingredient of the antifoulant formulation. While the concentrations of paint-associated copper are very high in some sediments, as the transformation of this form of copper to AE-Cu appears slow, monitoring and management limits should assess the more bioavailable AE-Cu forms, and further efforts be made to limit the release of paint particles into the environment. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trace elements and organic compounds in bed sediment from selected streams in southern Louisiana, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skrobialowski, Stanley C.

2002-01-01

Bed-sediment samples from 21 selected streams in southern Louisiana were collected and analyzed for the presence of trace elements and organic compounds during 1998 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Concentrations of selected trace elements and organic compounds were compared on the basis of sediment-quality criteria, land use, and grain size; concentrations of selected trace elements also were compared with concentrations from previous studies. Concentrations of seven selected trace elements and 21 organic compounds were evaluated with sediment-quality criteria established by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Concentrations of selected trace elements and organic compounds were highest at sites draining urban and agricultural areas and may result from cumulative effects of relatively high percentages of fine-grained material, iron, and organic material. Concentrations exceeding sediment-quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life occurred most frequently at Bayou Grosse Tete at Rosedale and Bayou Lafourche below weir at Thibodaux. Exceedance of Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines occurred most frequently for arsenic and chromium. Trace-element concentrations in fine-grained samples were compared with concentrations in bulk samples and were determined to be significantly different, and concentrations were generally higher in finegrained sediment. Shapiro-Wilk, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon rank sum statistical procedures, with an alpha of 0.05, were used to compare concentrations of 21 trace elements, total organic carbon, and total carbon in finegrained and bulk sediment samples for 19 sites. Significant differences were determined between fine-grained and bulk sediment samples for aluminum, barium, beryllium, chromium, copper, iron, lithium, nickel, phosphorus, selenium, titanium, and zinc concentrations. Of 133 paired concentrations, 69 percent were greater in fine-grained samples, and 23 percent were greater in bulk samples. Comparisons with data from previous studies indicate increases by more than 20 percent in concentrations of antimony at Bayou Lafourche below weir at Thibodaux, arsenic and chromium at Tickfaw River at Liverpool, lead at Bayou Lafourche below weir at Thibodaux, and zinc at Bayou Lafourche below weir at Thibodaux and Vermilion River at Perry. Historic comparisons also indicate decreases by more than 20 percent in concentrations of chromium at Bayou des Cannes near Eunice and mercury at Mermentau River at Mermentau.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin in Washington; spatial and temporal distribution of trace elements in water, sediment, and aquatic biota, 1987-91; with a section on geology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Cain, Daniel J.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Rinella, Joseph F.; Crawford, J. Kent; Skach, Kenneth A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Gannett, Marshall W.

1999-01-01

The report describes the distribution of trace elements in sediment, water, and aquatic biota in the Yakima River basin, Washington. Trace elements were determined from streambed sediment, suspended sediment, filtered and unfiltered water samples, aquatic insects, clams, fish livers, and fish fillets between 1987 and 1991. The distribution of trace elements in these media was related to local geology and anthropogenic sources. Additionally, annual and instantaneous loads were estimated for trace elements associated with suspended sediment and trace elements in filtered water samples. Trace elements also were screened against U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines established for the protection of human health and aquatic life.

Wetland biogeochemistry and ecological risk assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Junhong; Huang, Laibin; Gao, Haifeng; Zhang, Guangliang

2017-02-01

Wetlands are an important ecotone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and can provide great ecological service functions. Soils/sediments are one of the important components of wetland ecosystems, which support wetland plants and microorganisms and influence wetland productivity. Moreover, wetland soils/sediments serve as sources, sinks and transfers of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and chemical contaminants such as heavy metals. In natural wetland ecosystems, wetland soils/sediments play a great role in improving water quality as these chemical elements can be retained in wetland soils/sediments for a long time. Moreover, the biogeochemical processes of the abovementioned elements in wetland soils/sediments can drive wetland evolution and development, and their changes will considerably affect wetland ecosystem health. Therefore, a better understanding of wetland soil biogeochemistry will contribute to improving wetland ecological service functions.

Trend analyses with river sediment rating curves

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warrick, Jonathan A.

2015-01-01

Sediment rating curves, which are fitted relationships between river discharge (Q) and suspended-sediment concentration (C), are commonly used to assess patterns and trends in river water quality. In many of these studies it is assumed that rating curves have a power-law form (i.e., C = aQb, where a and b are fitted parameters). Two fundamental questions about the utility of these techniques are assessed in this paper: (i) How well to the parameters, a and b, characterize trends in the data? (ii) Are trends in rating curves diagnostic of changes to river water or sediment discharge? As noted in previous research, the offset parameter, a, is not an independent variable for most rivers, but rather strongly dependent on b and Q. Here it is shown that a is a poor metric for trends in the vertical offset of a rating curve, and a new parameter, â, as determined by the discharge-normalized power function [C = â (Q/QGM)b], where QGM is the geometric mean of the Q values sampled, provides a better characterization of trends. However, these techniques must be applied carefully, because curvature in the relationship between log(Q) and log(C), which exists for many rivers, can produce false trends in â and b. Also, it is shown that trends in â and b are not uniquely diagnostic of river water or sediment supply conditions. For example, an increase in â can be caused by an increase in sediment supply, a decrease in water supply, or a combination of these conditions. Large changes in water and sediment supplies can occur without any change in the parameters, â and b. Thus, trend analyses using sediment rating curves must include additional assessments of the time-dependent rates and trends of river water, sediment concentrations, and sediment discharge.

Effects of the First Floods on Water Quality and Sediment Transport in the Sierra Nevada Foothill Streams, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Z.; Baca, J.; He, Z.; Blunmenshine, S.

2010-12-01

The typical Mediterranean climate of California (wet winter and spring season followed by dry summer and fall season) makes it necessary to closely monitor the first few floods in early November or December when the accumulated surface matters in the past rainless months would be flushed into the streams causing water quality impairment and sediment mobilization. In order to evaluate the effects of the first floods, two storm water samplers were installed, one on the main stem of the Fresno River and the other on the Coarsegold tributary. The storm water sampler collects two different samples during a storm event. The “first flush” sample is collected at the beginning of a storm event and the “time weighted” composite sample is collected at selected intervals during the storm. Nutrient contents in all the water samples were measured to evaluate water quality status, and the fine particle size distributions of the suspended sediments in the flood water were measured using laser diffraction. Results show that: (1)The effects of the first floods are significant: it cleans the tributary (nutrient losing) streams while aggravating nutrient loadings in the main stem of the river; (2) The sediment flux in the upper areas of the watershed is generally low, however it increases ten folds during the flood in the lower part of the watershed, loading large amounts of sediments in the Hensley Lake; and (3) After the first floods, the river channel is typically deposited with increased amount of very fine (< 2 micros) and very coarse particles (>200 microns), causing significant substrate siltation thus affecting habitat quality for the stream biota. The hydrology of the first floods needs to be further studied for water quality assessment in the Mediterranean climate regions.

Suspended-sediment transport and storage: A demonstration of acoustic methods in the evaluation of reservoir management strategies for a small water-supply reservoir in western Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Cory A.; Richards, Rodney J.; Collins, Kent L.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and local stakeholder groups are evaluating reservoir-management strategies within Paonia Reservoir. This small reservoir fills to capacity each spring and requires approximately half of the snowmelt-runoff volume from its sediment-laden source waters, Muddy Creek. The U.S. Geological Survey is currently conducting high-resolution (15-minute data-recording interval) sediment monitoring to characterize incoming and outgoing sediment flux during reservoir operations at two sites on Muddy Creek. The high-resolution monitoring is being used to establish current rates of reservoir sedimentation, support USBR sediment transport and storage models, and assess the viability of water-storage recovery in Paonia Reservoir. These sites are equipped with in situ, single-frequency, side-looking acoustic Doppler current meters in conjunction with turbidity sensors to monitor sediment flux. This project serves as a demonstration of the capability of using surrogate techniques to predict suspended-sediment concentrations in small streams (less than 20 meters in width and 2 meters in depth). These two sites provide the ability to report near real-time suspended-sediment concentrations through the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (NWIS) web interface and National Real-Time Water Quality websites (NRTWQ) to aid in reservoir operations and assessments.

From streets to streams: assessing the toxicity potential of urban sediment by particle size

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corsi, Steven R.; Selbig, William R.; Roger T. Bannerman,; ,

2013-01-01

Urban sediment can act as a transport mechanism for a variety of pollutants to move towards a receiving water body. The concentrations of these pollutants oftentimes exceed levels that are toxic to aquatic organisms. Many treatment structures are designed to capture coarse sediment but do not work well to similarly capture the fines. This study measured concentrations of select trace metals and PAHs in both the silt and sand fractions of urban sediment from four sources: stormwater bed, stormwater suspended, street dirt, and streambed. Concentrations were used to assess the toxic potential of sediment based on published sediment quality guidelines. All sources of sediment showed some level of toxic potential with stormwater bed sediment the highest followed by stormwater suspended, street dirt, and streambed. Both metal and PAH concentration distributions were highly correlated between the four sampling locations suggesting the presence of one or perhaps only a few sources of these pollutants which remain persistent as sediment is transported from street to stream. Comparison to other forms of combustion- and vehicle-related sources of PAHs revealed coal tar sealants to have the strongest correlation, in both the silt and sand fractions, at all four sampling sites. This information is important for environmental managers when selecting the most appropriate Best Management Practice (BMP) as a way to mitigate pollution conveyed in urban stormwater from source to sink.

Quality-assurance plan for the analysis of fluvial sediment by the U.S. Geological Survey Kentucky Water Science Center Sediment Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shreve, Elizabeth A.; Downs, Aimee C.

2005-01-01

This report describes laboratory procedures used by the U.S. Geological Survey Kentucky Water Science Center Sediment Laboratory for the processing and analysis of fluvial-sediment samples for concentration of sand and finer material. The report details the processing of a sediment sample through the laboratory from receiving the sediment sample, through the analytical process, to compiling results of the requested analysis. Procedures for preserving sample integrity, calibrating and maintaining of laboratory and field instruments and equipment, analyzing samples, internal quality assurance and quality control, and validity of the sediment-analysis results also are described. The report includes a list of references cited and a glossary of sediment and quality-assurance terms.

Development and evaluation of sediment quality guidelines for Florida coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacDonald, Donald D.; Carr, R. Scott; Calder, Fred D.; Long, Edward R.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.

1996-01-01

The weight-of-evidence approach to the development of sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) was modified to support the derivation of biological effects-based SQGs for Florida coastal waters. Numerical SQGs were derived for 34 substances, including nine trace metals, 13 individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), three groups of PAHs, total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), seven pesticides and one phthalate ester. For each substance, a threshold effects level (TEL) and a probable effects level (PEL) was calculated. These two values defined three ranges of chemical concentrations, including those that were (1) rarely, (2) occasionally or (3) frequently associated with adverse effects. The SQGs were then evaluated to determine their degree of agreement with other guidelines (an indicator of comparability) and the percent incidence of adverse effects within each concentration range (an indicator of reliability). The guidelines also were used to classify (using a dichotomous system: toxic, with one or more exceedances of the PELs or non-toxic, with no exceedances of the TELs) sediment samples collected from various locations in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The accuracy of these predictions was then evaluated using the results of the biological tests that were performed on the same sediment samples. The resultant SQGs were demonstrated to provide practical, reliable and predictive tools for assessing sediment quality in Florida and elsewhere in the southeastern portion of the United States.

Sediment sources in an urbanizing, mixed land-use watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Erin J.; Booth, Derek B.

2002-07-01

The Issaquah Creek watershed is a rapidly urbanizing watershed of 144 km 2 in western Washington, where sediment aggradation of the main channel and delivery of fine sediment into a large downstream lake have raised increasingly frequent concerns over flooding, loss of fish habitat, and degraded water quality. A watershed-scale sediment budget was evaluated to determine the relative effects of land-use practices, including urbanization, on sediment supply and delivery, and to guide management responses towards the most effective source-reduction strategies. Human activity in the watershed, particularly urban development, has caused an increase of nearly 50% in the annual sediment yield, now estimated to be 44 tonnes km -2 yr -1. The main sources of sediment in the watershed are landslides (50%), channel-bank erosion (20%), and road-surface erosion (15%). This assessment characterizes the role of human activity in mixed-use watersheds such as this, and it demonstrates some of the key processes, particularly enhanced stream-channel erosion, by which urban development alters sediment loads.

Source identification and ecological impact evaluation of PAHs in urban river sediments: A case study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Tu, Y T; Ou, J H; Tsang, D C W; Dong, C D; Chen, C W; Kao, C M

2018-03-01

The Love River and Ho-Jin River, two major urban rivers in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, are moderately to heavily polluted because different types of improperly treated wastewaters are discharged into the rivers. In this study, sediment and river water samples were collected from two rivers to investigate the river water quality and accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments. The spatial distribution, composition, and source appointment of PAHs of the sediments were examined. The impacts of PAHs on ecological system were assessed using toxic equivalence quotient (TEQ) of potentially carcinogenic PAHs (TEQ carc ) and sediment quality guidelines. The average PAHs concentrations ranged from 2161 ng/g in Love River sediment to 160 ng/g in Ho-Jin River sediment. This could be due to the fact that Love River Basin had much higher population density and pyrolytic activities. High-ring PAHs (4-6 rings) contributed to 59-90% of the total PAHs concentrations. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) had the highest toxic equivalence quotient (up to 188 ng TEQ/g). Moreover, the downstream sediments contained higher TEQ of total TPHs than midstream and upstream sediment samples. The PAHs were adsorbed onto the fine particles with high organic content. Results from diagnostic ratio analyses indicate that the PAHs in two urban river sediments might originate from oil/coal combustion, traffic-related emissions, and waste combustion (pyrogenic activities). Future pollution prevention and management should target the various industries, incinerators, and transportation emission in this region to reduce the PAHs pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of the Santander Bay, Northern Spain.

PubMed

Viguri, J; Verde, J; Irabien, A

2002-07-01

Samples of intertidal surface sediments (0-2 cm) were collected in 17 stations of the Santander Bay, Cantabric Sea, Northern Spain. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 16, were analysed by HPLC and MS detection. Surface sediments show a good linear correlation among the parameters of the experimental organic matter evaluation, where total carbon (TC) and loss on ignition (LOI) are approximately 2.5 and 5 times total organic carbon (TOC). A wide range of TOC from 0.08% to 4.1%, and a broad distribution of the sum of sigma16PAHs, from 0.02 to 344.6 microg/g d.w., which can be correlated by an exponential equation to the TOC, has been identified. A qualitative relationship may be established between the industrial input along the rivers and the concentration of sigma6PAHs in the sediments of the estuaries: Boo estuary (8404-4631 microg/g OC), Solia-San Salvador estuaries (305-113 microg/g OC) and Cubas estuary (31-32 microg/g OC). This work shows a dramatic change in the spatial distribution in the concentration of PAHs of intertidal surface sediments. The left edge of the Bay has the main traffic around the city and the major source of PAHs is from combustion processes and estuarine inputs, leading to medium values of PAHs in the sediments; the right edge of the Bay has much lesser anthropogenic activities leading to lower values of PAHs in sediments. The distribution of individual PAHs in sediments varies widely depending on their structure and molecular weight; the 4-6 ring aromatics predominate in polluted sediments due to their higher persistence. The isomer ratio does not allow any clear identification of the PAHs origin. Environmental evaluation according to Dutch guidelines and consensus sediment quality guidelines based on ecotoxicological data leads to the same conclusion, sediments in the Santander Bay show a very different environmental quality depending on the spatial position from heavily polluted/medium effects to non-polluted/below threshold effects. These results indicate that local sources of PAHs, especially estuary discharges, lead to very different qualities of sediments in coastal zones, where traffic and industrial activities take place.

Evaluating Local and Regional Sources of Trace Element Contamination in a Rural Sub Estuary of the Upper Chesapeake Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krahforst, C.; Hartman, S.; Sherman, L.; Kehm, K.

2014-12-01

The distribution of trace elements (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Cd, Sn, Ba, W, Pb and U) along with Al and Fe and other sediment characteristics in surface sediment and sediment cores from the Chester River - a sub estuary of the Chesapeake Bay located in a predominantly agricultural watershed of Maryland's upper Eastern Shore, USA - have been determined in order to add to the understanding of contaminant transport and fate and inform management strategies designed to maintain or improve the ecological condition of estuaries. These analyses coupled with the comparison of elemental analysis of 210Pb - dated sediment cores, main stem water quality surveys, and a review of recent EPA National Coastal Condition Assessment sediment data from Chesapeake Bay provide added information about the roles of local and region scale processes on ecosystem condition. The high amount of suspended sediment in the Chester River (5-20 mg L-1) is an important factor controlling water quality conditions of the Chester River and a prime focus for environmental management of this system. Sources of suspended matter include local runoff, atmospheric deposition, local resuspension, and exchange with the Chesapeake Bay. In principle, each of these sources could be distinguished on the basis of chemical composition of surface sediment. Preliminary results from multivariate analytic models indicate that many of the elements investigated display significant covariance with Al (and other predominantly crustal signatures) which may indicate limited exogenic sources of contamination for sediments of this watershed. For example total Pb concentrations are mostly below the NOAA's low toxic effects level and lower than the median value of NCCA data for the upper Chesapeake suggesting that sediments have significant sources from within the watershed. Further, significant higher concentrations of Sn and Cu coincide with sediment collected in or near marinas and point to localized anthropogenic sources for these elements. Elemental enrichment values relative to Al of Chester River sediments are significantly lower than observations in sediments from Chesapeake Bay overall and may indicate that local watershed management strategies may be effective for improving water and habitat quality of the Chester River.

Comparability and accuracy of fluvial-sediment data - A view from the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, J.R.; Glysson, G.D.; Mueller, D.S.; ,

2002-01-01

The quality of historical fluvial-sediment data cannot be taken for granted, based on a review of upper Colorado River basin suspended-sediment discharges, and on an evaluation of the reliability of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) data. Additionally, the quality of future fluvial-sediment data are not assured. Sediment-surrogate technologies, including those that operate on acoustic, laser, bulk optic, digital optic, or pressure differential principles, are being used with increasing frequency to measure in-stream and (or) laboratory fluvial-sediment characteristics. Data from sediment-surrogate technologies may yield results that differ significantly from those obtained by traditional methods for the same sedimentary conditions. Development of national sediment data-quality criteria and rigorous comparisons of data derived from sediment-surrogate technologies to those obtained by traditional techniques will minimize the potential for future fluvial-sediment data-quality concerns.

An evaluation of the relative quality of dike pools for benthic macroinvertebrates in the Lower Missouri River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poulton, B.C.; Allert, A.L.

2012-01-01

A habitat-based aquatic macroinvertebrate study was initiated in the Lower Missouri River to evaluate relative quality and biological condition of dike pool habitats. Water-quality and sediment-quality parameters and macroinvertebrate assemblage structure were measured from depositional substrates at 18 sites. Sediment porewater was analysed for ammonia, sulphide, pH and oxidation-reduction potential. Whole sediments were analysed for particle-size distribution, organic carbon and contaminants. Field water-quality parameters were measured at subsurface and at the sediment-water interface. Pool area adjacent and downstream from each dike was estimated from aerial photography. Macroinvertebrate biotic condition scores were determined by integrating the following indicator response metrics: % of Ephemeroptera (mayflies), % of Oligochaeta worms, Shannon Diversity Index and total taxa richness. Regression models were developed for predicting macroinvertebrate scores based on individual water-quality and sediment-quality variables and a water/sediment-quality score that integrated all variables. Macroinvertebrate scores generated significant determination coefficients with dike pool area (R2=0.56), oxidation–reduction potential (R2=0.81) and water/sediment-quality score (R2=0.71). Dissolved oxygen saturation, oxidation-reduction potential and total ammonia in sediment porewater were most important in explaining variation in macroinvertebrate scores. The best two-variable regression models included dike pool size + the water/sediment-quality score (R2=0.84) and dike pool size + oxidation-reduction potential (R2=0.93). Results indicate that dike pool size and chemistry of sediments and overlying water can be used to evaluate dike pool quality and identify environmental conditions necessary for optimizing diversity and productivity of important aquatic macroinvertebrates. A combination of these variables could be utilized for measuring the success of habitat enhancement activities currently being implemented in this system.

Continuous-flow centrifugation to collect suspended sediment for chemical analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, Kathleen E.; Dinicola, Richard S.; Black, Robert W.; Cox, Stephen E.; Sheibley, Richard W.; Foreman, James R.; Senter, Craig A.; Peterson, Norman T.

2016-12-22

Recent advances in suspended-sediment monitoring tools and surrogate technologies have greatly improved the ability to quantify suspended-sediment concentrations and to estimate daily, seasonal, and annual suspended-sediment fluxes from rivers to coastal waters. However, little is known about the chemical composition of suspended sediment, and how it may vary spatially between water bodies and temporally within a single system owing to climate, seasonality, land use, and other natural and anthropogenic drivers. Many water-quality contaminants, such as organic and inorganic chemicals, nutrients, and pathogens, preferentially partition in sediment rather than water. Suspended sediment-bound chemical concentrations may be undetected during analysis of unfiltered water samples, owing to small water sample volumes and analytical limitations. Quantification of suspended sediment‑bound chemical concentrations is needed to improve estimates of total chemical concentrations, chemical fluxes, and exposure levels of aquatic organisms and humans in receiving environments. Despite these needs, few studies or monitoring programs measure the chemical composition of suspended sediment, largely owing to the difficulty in consistently obtaining samples of sufficient quality and quantity for laboratory analysis.A field protocol is described here utilizing continuous‑flow centrifugation for the collection of suspended sediment for chemical analysis. The centrifuge used for development of this method is small, lightweight, and portable for the field applications described in this protocol. Project scoping considerations, deployment of equipment and system layout options, and results from various field and laboratory quality control experiments are described. The testing confirmed the applicability of the protocol for the determination of many inorganic and organic chemicals sorbed on suspended sediment, including metals, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls. The particle-size distribution of the captured sediment changes to a more fine-grained sample during centrifugation, and the necessity to account for this change when extrapolating chemical concentrations on the centrifuged sediment sample to the environmental water system is discussed.The data produced using this method will help eliminate a data gap of suspended sediment-bound chemical concentrations, and will support management decisions, such as chemical source-control efforts or in-stream restoration activities. When coupled with streamflow and sediment flux data, it will improve estimates of riverine chemical fluxes, and will aid in assessing the importance and impacts of suspended sediment-bound chemicals to downstream freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems.

Ecological risk of heavy metals in sediments of the luan river source water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liu, J.; Li, Y.; Zhang, B.; Cao, J.; Cao, Z.; Domagalski, Joseph L.

2009-01-01

Distribution and characteristics of heavy metals enrichment in sediment were surveyed including the bio-available form analyzed for assessment of the Luan River source water quality. The approaches of sediment quality guidelines (SQG), risk assessment code and Hakanson potential ecological risk index were used for the ecological risk assessment. According to SQG, The results show that in animal bodies, Hg at the sampling site of Wuliehexia was 1.39 mg/kg, Cr at Sandaohezi was 152.37 mg/kg and Cu at Hanjiaying was 178.61 mg/kg exceeding the severe effect screening level. There were 90% of sampling sites of Cr and Pb and 50% sites of Cu exceeded the lowest effect screening level. At Boluonuo and Wuliehexia, the exchangeable and carbonate fractions for above 50% of sites were at high risk levels and that for above 30% of sites at Xiahenan and Wulieheshang were also at high risk levels. Other sites were at medium risk level. Compared to soil background values of China, Hg and Cd showed very strong ecological risk, and the seven heavy metals of Hg, Cd, Cu, As, Pb, Cr, Zn at ecological risk levels were in the descending order. The results could give insight into risk assessment of environmental pollution and decision-making for water source security. ?? 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Reservoir vital signs monitoring, 1990: Physical and chemical characteristics of water and sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meinert, D.L.

1991-05-01

As part of Tennessee Valley Authority`s (TVA`s) Reservoir Vital Signs Monitoring program, physical/chemical measurements of water and sediment were made in 1990 on twelve TVA reservoirs (the nine main steam Tennessee river reservoirs - Kentucky through Fort Loudoun and three major tributary reservoirs - Cherokee, Douglas, and Norris). The objective of this monitoring program is to assess the health or integrity of these aquatic ecosystems. The physical/chemical water quality data collected in 1990 showed the water quality of these reservoirs to be very good. However, hypolimnetic anoxia during the summer months in Watts bars, Douglas, and Cherokee reservoir continues tomore » be a concern. High concentrations of nutrients were measured in the transition zones of Cherokee and Douglas reservoirs, resulting in highly productive and eutrophic conditions in the transition zones of these reservoirs. Fecal coliform organisms were frequently detected in the forebay area of Guntersville reservoir, and higher than expected ammonia nitrogen concentrations were found at the transition zone of Wheeler reservoir. Elevated concentrations of mercury were found in Pickwick and Watts bar reservoir sediment, and high lead concentrations were found in a sediment sample collected from Guntersville reservoir. A TVA Reservoir Water Quality Index (RWQI) was developed and used to summarize water quality conditions on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).« less

Watershed sediment measurement and sediment transport modeling techniques: Case study to quantify the impact of converting cropland to forested stream buffers on soil loss and water quality at the watershed scale

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Watershed models such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) have been widely used to simulate watershed hydrologic processes and the effect of management, such as agroforestry, on soil and water resources. In order to use model outputs for tasks ranging from aiding policy decision making to r...

Assessment of sediment toxicity and chemical concentrations in the San Diego Bay region, California, USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fairey, R.; Roberts, C.; Jacobi, M.

1998-08-01

Sediment quality within San Diego Bay, Mission Bay, and the Tijuana River Estuary of California was investigated as part of an ongoing statewide monitoring effort (Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program). Study objectives were to determine the incidence, spatial patterns, and spatial extent of toxicity in sediments and porewater; the concentration and distribution of potentially toxic anthropogenic chemicals; and the relationships between toxicity and chemical concentrations. Rhepoxynius abronius survival bioassays, grain size, and total organic carbon analyses were performed on 350 sediment samples. Strongylocentrotus purpuratus development bioassays were performed on 164 pore-water samples. Toxicity was demonstrated throughout the San Diegomore » Bay region, with increased incidence and concordance occurring in areas of industrial and shipping activity. Trace metal and trace synthetic organic analyses were performed on 229 samples. Copper, zinc, mercury, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlordane were found to exceed ERM (effects range median) or PEL (probable effects level) sediment quality guidelines and were considered the six major chemicals or chemical groups of concern. Statistical analysis of the relationships between amphipod toxicity, bulk phase sediment chemistry, and physical parameters demonstrated few significant linear relationships. Significant differences in chemical levels were found between toxic and nontoxic responses using multivariate and univariate statistics. Potential sources of anthropogenic chemicals were discussed.« less

Field guide for collecting and processing stream-water samples for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shelton, Larry R.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program includes extensive data- collection efforts to assess the quality of the Nations's streams. These studies require analyses of stream samples for major ions, nutrients, sediments, and organic contaminants. For the information to be comparable among studies in different parts of the Nation, consistent procedures specifically designed to produce uncontaminated samples for trace analysis in the laboratory are critical. This field guide describes the standard procedures for collecting and processing samples for major ions, nutrients, organic contaminants, sediment, and field analyses of conductivity, pH, alkalinity, and dissolved oxygen. Samples are collected and processed using modified and newly designed equipment made of Teflon to avoid contamination, including nonmetallic samplers (D-77 and DH-81) and a Teflon sample splitter. Field solid-phase extraction procedures developed to process samples for organic constituent analyses produce an extracted sample with stabilized compounds for more accurate results. Improvements to standard operational procedures include the use of processing chambers and capsule filtering systems. A modified collecting and processing procedure for organic carbon is designed to avoid contamination from equipment cleaned with methanol. Quality assurance is maintained by strict collecting and processing procedures, replicate sampling, equipment blank samples, and a rigid cleaning procedure using detergent, hydrochloric acid, and methanol.

Geochemical distribution, fractionation and contamination assessment of heavy metals in marine sediments of the Asaluyeh port, Persian Gulf.

PubMed

Delshab, Hossein; Farshchi, Parvin; Keshavarzi, Behnam

2017-02-15

In this study, total concentration and speciation of heavy metals in sediments of the Asaluyeh, one of the Iran's largest commercial ports, are investigated. 48 sediment samples were collected and analyzed for trace and major elements. Sediment quality guidelines along with calculated enrichment factors and trace metal profiles indicate that Asaluyeh port is threated by contamination, especially with respect to Hg and Cu. Normalization to Sc indicated high enrichment factors in the sediments following the decreasing order of: Hg>Cu>As>Ni>Zn>Pb≈Cr≈Mn>Co≈V≈Fe≈Al. Hg displayed the greatest potential ecological risk factor among sampling stations. The results of sequential extraction procedure revealed that in some stations >50% of Mn, V, Cu and Zn occur in potentially mobile phases and therefore are more readily mobilized in the sediments of the study area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cadmium partition in river sediments from an area affected by mining activities.

PubMed

Vasile, Georgiana D; Vlădescu, Luminiţa

2010-08-01

In this paper, the cadmium distribution in Certej River sediments in an area seriously affected by intense mining activities has been studied. The main objective of this study was the evaluation of partition of this metal into different operational defined fractions by sequential extractions. Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction was used to isolate different fractions. The sediment quality was assessed both upstream and downstream the pollution input points, along the Certej River, in order to reveal a possible accumulation of cadmium in sediments and the seasonal changes in cadmium concentrations in BCR sediment phases. Our results reveal that most of the cadmium content is divided between both the soluble and iron and manganese hydrated oxide fractions. Based on total cadmium concentrations in sediments, the enrichment factors were estimated using aluminum as normalizing element and the regression curve Cd/Al corresponding to the geochemical background of the studied area.

Influence of a Brazilian sewage outfall on the toxicity and contamination of adjacent sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abessa, D.M.S.; Carr, R.S.; Rachid, B.R.F.; Sousa, E.C.P.M.; Hortelani, M.A.; Sarkis, J.E.

2005-01-01

The submarine sewage outfall of Santos (SSOS) is situated in the Santos Bay (São Paulo, Brazil) and is potentially a significant source of contaminants to the adjacent marine ecosystem. The present study aimed to assess the influence of SSOS on the sediment toxicity and contamination at Santos Bay. At the disposal site, sediments tended to be finer, organically richer and exhibited higher levels of surfactants and metals, sometimes exceeding the “Threshold Effect Level” values. The SSOS influence was more evident toward the East, where the sediments exhibited higher levels of TOC, total S and metals during the summer 2000 sampling campaign. Sediment toxicity to amphipods was consistently detected in four of the five stations studied. Amphipod survival tended to correlate negatively to Hg, total N and % mud. This work provides evidence that the SSOS discharge affects the quality of sediments from Santos Bay, and that control procedures are warranted.

Assessing the Variability of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Liquid-Solid Two-Phase and Related Environmental Risks in the Weihe River of Shaanxi Province, China

PubMed Central

Song, Jinxi; Yang, Xiaogang; Zhang, Junlong; Long, Yongqing; Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Taifan

2015-01-01

Accurate estimation of the variability of heavy metals in river water and the hyporheic zone is crucial for pollution control and environmental management. The biotoxicities and potential ecological risks of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) in a solid-liquid two-phase system were estimated using the Geo-accumulation Index, Potential Ecological Risk Assessment and Quality Standard Index methods in the Weihe River of Shaanxi Province, China. Water and sediment samples were collected from five study sites during spring, summer and winter, 2013. The dominant species in the streambed sediments were chironomids and flutter earthworm, whose bioturbation mainly ranged from 0 to 20 cm. The concentrations of heavy metals in surface water and pore water varied obviously in spring and summer. The degrees of concentration of Cu and Cd in spring and summer were higher than the U.S. water quality Criteria Maximum Concentrations. Furthermore, the biotoxicities of Pb and Zn demonstrated season-spatial variations. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in spring and winter were significantly higher than those in summer, and the pollution levels also varied obviously in different layers of the sediments. Moreover, the pollution level of Cd was the most serious, as estimated by all three assessment methods. PMID:26193293

The legacy of lead (Pb) in fluvial bed sediments of an urban drainage basin, Oahu, Hawaii.

PubMed

Hotton, Veronica K; Sutherland, Ross A

2016-03-01

The study of fluvial bed sediments is essential for deciphering the impact of anthropogenic activities on water quality and drainage basin integrity. In this study, a systematic sampling design was employed to characterize the spatial variation of lead (Pb) concentrations in bed sediment of urban streams in the Palolo drainage basin, southeastern Oahu, Hawaii. Potentially bioavailable Pb was assessed with a dilute 0.5 N HCl extraction of the <63 μm grain-size fraction from the upper bed sediment layer of 169 samples from Palolo, Pukele, and Waiomao streams. Contamination of bed sediments was associated with the direct transport of legacy Pb from the leaded gasoline era to stream channels via a dense network of storm drains linked to road surfaces throughout the basin. The Palolo Stream had the highest median Pb concentration (134 mg/kg), and the greatest road and storm drain densities, the greatest population, and the most vehicle numbers. Lower median Pb concentrations were associated with the less impacted Pukele Stream (24 mg/kg), and Waiomao Stream (7 mg/kg). The median Pb enrichment ratio values followed the sequence of Palolo (68) > Pukele (19) > Waiomao (8). Comparisons to sediment quality guidelines and potential toxicity estimates using a logistic regression model (LRM) indicated a significant potential risk of Palolo Stream bed sediments to bottom-dwelling organisms.

An integrated assessment of pollution and biological effects in flounder, mussels and sediment in the southern Baltic Sea coastal area.

PubMed

Dabrowska, Henryka; Kopko, Orest; Lehtonen, Kari K; Lang, Thomas; Waszak, Ilona; Balode, Maija; Strode, Evita

2017-02-01

Organic and metal contaminants and biological effects were investigated in flounder, mussels, and sediments in the southern Baltic Sea coastal area in order to assess environmental quality status in that area. Four sites were selected, including two within the Gulf of Gdańsk (GoG). In biota and sediment at each site, DDTs dominated over PCBs and PBDEs were the least abundant among organic contaminants. Their concentrations decreased progressively outward from GoG. Among metal contaminants, the levels of Hg, Pb, and Cd were elevated in GoG. Biomarkers in flounder, EROD activity and DNA SB, showed moderate positive correlations with organic and metal contaminants. In flounder, the integrated biomarker index (IBR/n) presented a spatial trend coherent with chemical pollution index (CPI), but there was no clear spatial correspondence between IBR/n and CPI in mussels nor between sediment toxicity index (STI) and sediment CPI. The integrated assessment of contaminant and biological effect data against available assessment criteria indicated that in biota, the contaminant assessment thresholds were most often exceeded by CB-118, heptachlor, PBDE, and Hg (in the GoG sediments by p,p'-DDT, Hg and Cd), while of the biological determinants, the threshold was breeched by AChE activity in mussels in GoG. Applying the ICES/OSPAR traffic-light approach showed that of the 50 parameters assessed at each site, there were 18% of determinants in the red color category in the two GoG sites and 8% of determinants in the two sites outside GoG, which indicated that none of the four investigated sites attained good environmental status (GES).

Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in coastal surface sediments in the Hebei Province offshore area, Bohai Sea, China.

PubMed

Ding, Xigui; Ye, Siyuan; Yuan, Hongming; Krauss, Ken W

2018-06-01

Seven hundred and nine surface sediment samples, along with deeper sediment samples, were collected from Hebei Province along the coastal section of the Bohai Sea, China, and analyzed for grain size, concentrations of organic carbon (Corg) and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg). Results indicated that the average concentrations in the sediments were 16.1 mg/kg (Cu), 19.4 mg/kg (Pb), 50 mg/kg (Zn), 48.8 mg/kg (Cr), 0.1 mg/kg (Cd), 8.4 mg/kg (As), and 20.3 μg/kg (Hg). These concentrations generally met the China Marine Sediment Quality criteria. However, both pollution assessments indicated moderate to strong Cd and Hg contamination in the study area. The potential ecological risk index suggested that the combined ecological risk of the seven studied metals may be low, but that 24.5% of the sites, where sediments were finer and higher in Corg concentration, had high ecological risk in Hg and Cd pollution. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flow Control and Design Assessment for Drainage System at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-24

Council BMP Best Management Practice CASQUA California Storm Water Quality Task Force CRREL Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory DS...ponds The California Storm Water Quality Task Force (CASQUA 1993) defines a sediment basin as “a pond created by excavation or constructing an em...British Standards Institution. California Storm Water Quality Task Force (CASQUA). 1993. ESC41: Check Dams. In Stormwater Best Management Practices

Coordination and standardization of federal sedimentation activities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glysson, G. Douglas; Gray, John R.

1997-01-01

- precipitation information critical to water resources management. Memorandum M-92-01 covers primarily freshwater bodies and includes activities, such as "development and distribution of consensus standards, field-data collection and laboratory analytical methods, data processing and interpretation, data-base management, quality control and quality assurance, and water- resources appraisals, assessments, and investigations." Research activities are not included.

Nutrient and sediment transport from a new vineyard within oak woodland

Treesearch

Royce Larsen; LynneDee Althouse; Daniel Meade; Mark Battany

2008-01-01

Water quality was investigated in the vicinity of Cuesta Ridge Vineyard, San Luis Obispo County, where drainages carry water from chaparral, oak woodland, and a new vineyard. Three drainages were instrumented with gauges above and below the vineyard for stage height and turbidity to assess the effectiveness of water quality protection measures at the Cuesta Ridge...

Assessment of Runoff and Sediment Yields Using the AnnAGNPS Model from the Daning River Watershed in Three-Gorge Area of China

EPA Science Inventory

Soil erosion has been recognized as one of the major threats to our environment and water quality worldwide, especially in China. To mitigate nonpoint source water quality problems caused by soil erosion, best management practices (BMPs) and/or conservation programs have been ado...

Heavy metal pollution and spatial distribution in surface sediments of Mustafakemalpaşa stream located in the world's largest borate basin (Turkey).

PubMed

Omwene, Philip Isaac; Öncel, Mehmet Salim; Çelen, Meltem; Kobya, Mehmet

2018-06-07

Mining activities in addition to the geology of Mustafakemalpaşa catchment have for long been linked to its deteriorating water and sediment quality. This study assessed contamination levels of heavy metals and other major elements (Pb, As, B, Cd, Zn, Cr, Mo, Co, Ni, Cu, and Ag) in surface sediments of the area, and identified possible pollution sources. Sediment quality indicators, such as contamination factor (CF), enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (I geo ) and sediment quality guidelines were used, in addition to multivariate statistical technics; Pearson Correlation Matrix (PCM), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). The highest contamination (annual average > 110 mg kg -1 ) was revealed by B, Cr, Ni, Zn and As. Moreover, As, Cd and Ni levels exceeded their respective probable effect concentrations (PEC), posing a potential negative impact to biota. The highest I geo values were recorded for Cr, B, Ni, As and Zn, and occurred near urban settlements and mining sites, particularly of coal and chromium. The present study also suggests use of site rank index (SRI) as an alternative to pollution load index (PLI), since the former is derived from the data of interest and eliminates arbitrary classifications. The sources of heavy metals in the sediments were attributed to fly ashes of coal-powered plants, urban waste leachate and weathering of sulfide ore minerals for Pb, Zn and Cu; urban-industrial wastes and mining wastes for Ni. Although Cr, As, Cd and B were ascribed to natural occurrence, their presences in river sediment is accelerated by mining. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of trace metals contamination level, bioavailability and toxicity in sediments from Dakar coast and Saint Louis estuary in Senegal, West Africa.

PubMed

Diop, Cheikh; Dewaelé, Dorothée; Cazier, Fabrice; Diouf, Amadou; Ouddane, Baghdad

2015-11-01

Trace metals have the potential to associate with sediments that have been recognised as significant source of contamination for the benthic environment. The current study aims assessing the trace metals contamination level in sediments from Dakar coast and Saint Louis estuary, and to examine their bioavailability to predict potential toxicity of sediments. Surface sediment samples were collected between June 2012 and January 2013 in three sampling periods from eight stations. Trace metals were analysed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer. Geoaccumulation indexes (Igeo) showed strong pollution by Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb confirmed by enrichment factor (EF) suggesting that these metals derived from anthropogenic sources. Toxicity indexes exceeded one in several sites suggesting the potential effects on sediment-dwelling organisms, which may constitute a risk to populations' health. However, seasonal variability of metal bioavailability was noted, revealing the best period to monitor metal contamination. From an ecotoxicological point of view, concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb were above the effects range low threshold limit of the sediment quality guidelines for adverse biological effects. In addition, with Pb concentrations above the effect range medium values in some sites, biological effects may occur. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physico-chemical trends in the sediments of Agbede Wetlands, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dirisu, Abdul-Rahman; Olomukoro, John Ovie; Ezenwa, Ifeanyi Maxwell

2017-07-01

This study assessed the physico-chemical status of sediments in the Agbede Wetlands with the aim to create a reference archive for the Edo North catchment and to further identify the characteristics mostly influenced by the natural and anthropogenic activities going on at the watershed. Nutrients, zinc, nickel and lead were identified to be mostly of anthropogenic origin, while alkali metals and alkaline earth metals were from both anthropogenic and natural sources. The clustering of stations 1 and 4 indicates that the sediment quality in the lentic systems was not completely excluded from the lotic system, suggesting that principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) techniques are invaluable tools for identifying factors influencing the sediment quality. The mean values of the particle size distribution were in the following order across the ecosystems: sand (61.86-80.53%) > silt (9.75-30.34%) > clay (7.83-13.89%). The contamination of the water bodies was primarily derived from agricultural run-offs and through geochemical weathering of the top soils. Therefore, our analysis indicates that the concentrations of cations, anions and nutrients in the sediments of the lotic and lentic ecosystems in Agbede Wetlands are not at an alarming level.

The Environment Quality, Speciation and their Origins of Heavy Metals in Surficial Sediments in Central Bohai Sea, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, M.; Fan, D.; Han, Z.; Liao, Y.; Chen, B.; Yang, Z.

2016-02-01

The concentrations and speciations of heavy metals (Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd) in surface and core sediments collected from the central Bohai Sea were analyzed by ICP-MS, to evaluate their distribution / fractionation, pollution status and sources. The results showed that Cd exhibited gradual increasing vertically, while others were stable or declined slightly in core sediments. Metals showed higher values in `central mud area of the Bohai Sea' and the coastal area of the Bohai Bay in surface sediments. Residual fractions were the dominant forms of Cu, Co, Ni, Zn and Cr in the surface sediments, while Cd and Pb had large proportions of the total concentration in the non-residual fractions. Both the contamination factors and the geo-accumulation index indicated that Cu, Co, Ni, Cr were not polluted, while Pb, Zn, Cd were in moderate contamination. The ecological risk assessment (by sepeciations) indicated that the sediments were unpolluted with respect to the heavy metals Co, Ni and Cr and unpolluted to moderately polluted with respect to Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb. Compared with sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cd were likely to produce occasional adverse biological effects, while Ni showed possible ecotoxicological risks. The combined levels of the metals have a 21% probability of being toxic. Elements Cr, Co and Ni were mainly natural origined and significantly affected by the composition of sediments. Cu, Zn, Pb and especially Cd may be influenced by human activities.

Assessment of changes in nutrient and sediment delivery to and carbon accumulation in coastal oceans of the Eastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergamaschi, B. A.; Smith, R. A.; Shih, J. S.; Sohl, T. L.; Sleeter, B. M.; Zhu, Z.

2014-12-01

Land-use and land-cover distributions are primary determinants of terrestrial fluxes of sediments and nutrients to coastal oceans. Sediment and nutrient delivery to coastal waters have already been significantly altered by changes in population and land use, resulting in modified patterns of coastal production and carbon storage. Continued population growth and increasing agricultural areal extent and intensity are expected to accelerate these changes. The USGS LandCarbon project developed prospective future land use and land cover projections based on IPCC scenarios A1b, A2 and B1 to 2050 as the basis for a multitude of biogeochemical assessments. We assessed the impacts on delivery of nutrients and sediments to the coastal ocean, and concomitant carbon storage. Fluxes were estimated using the SPARROW model, calibrated on historical water quality measurements. Significantly greater fluxes of nutrients and sediments to coastal waters by 2050 are projected by the model. For example, for the Eastern United States, nitrate fluxes for 2050 are projected to be16 to 52 percent higher than the baseline year, depending on scenario. As a consequence, an associated increase in the frequency and duration of coastal and estuarine hypoxia events and harmful algal blooms could be expected. Model estimates indicate that these prospective future nutrient and sediment fluxes will increase carbon storage rates in coastal waters by 18 to 56 percent in some regions.

Applicability of ambient toxicity testing to national or regional water-quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elder, John F.

1990-01-01

Comprehensive assessment of the quality of natural waters requires a multifaceted approach. Descriptions of existing conditions may be achieved by various kinds of chemical and hydrologic analyses, whereas information about the effects of such conditions on living organisms depends on biological monitoring. Toxicity testing is one type of biological monitoring that can be used to identify possible effects of toxic contaminants. Based on experimentation designed to monitor responses of organisms to environmental stresses, toxicity testing may have diverse purposes in water-quality assessments. These purposes may include identification of areas that warrant further study because of poor water quality or unusual ecological features, verification of other types of monitoring, or assessment of contaminant effects on aquatic communities. Toxicity-test results are most effective when used as a complement to chemical analyses, hydrologic measurements, and other biological monitoring. However, all toxicity-testing procedures have certain limitations that must be considered in developing the methodology and applications of toxicity testing in any large-scale water-quality-assessment program. A wide variety of toxicity-test methods have been developed to fulfill the needs of diverse applications. The methods differ primarily in the selections made relative to four characteristics: (1) test species, (2) endpoint (acute or chronic), (3) test-enclosure type, and (4) test substance (toxicant) that functions as the environmental stress. Toxicity-test approaches vary in their capacity to meet the needs of large-scale assessments of existing water quality. Ambient testing, whereby the test organism is exposed to naturally occurring substances that contain toxicant mixtures in an organic or inorganic matrix, is more likely to meet these needs than are procedures that call for exposure of the test organisms to known concentrations of a single toxicant. However, meaningful interpretation of ambient test results depends on the existence of accompanying chemical analysis of the ambient media. The ambient test substance may be water or sediments. Sediment tests have had limited application, but they are useful because most toxicants tend to accumulate in sediments and many test species either inhabit the sediments or are in frequent contact with them. Biochemical testing methods, which have been developing rapidly in recent years, are likely to be among the most useful procedures for large-scale water-quality assessments. They are relatively rapid and simple, and more. importantly, they focus on biochemical changes that are the initial responses of virtually all organisms to environmental stimuli. Most species are sensitive to relatively few toxicants, and their sensitivities vary as conditions change. Therefore, each test method has particular uses and limitations, and no single test has universal applicability. One of the most informative approaches to toxicity testing is to combine biochemical tests with other test methods in a 'battery of tests' that is diversified enough to characterize different types of toxicants and different trophic levels. However, such an approach can be costly, and if not carefully designed, it may not yield enough additional information to warrant the additional cost. The application of toxicity tests to large-scale water-quality assessments is hampered by a number of difficulties. Toxicity tests often are not sensitive enough to enable detection of most contaminant problems in the natural environment. Furthermore, because sensitivities among different species and test conditions can be highly variable, conclusions about the toxicant problems of an ecosystem are strongly dependent on the test procedure used. In addition, the experimental systems used in toxicity tests cannot replicate the complexity or variability of natural conditions, and positive test results cannot identify the source or nature of

Advanced Water Quality Modelling in Marine Systems: Application to the Wadden Sea, the Netherlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boon, J.; Smits, J. G.

2006-12-01

There is an increasing demand for knowledge and models that arise from water management in relation to water quality, sediment quality (ecology) and sediment accumulation (ecomorphology). Recently, models for sediment diagenesis and erosion developed or incorporated by Delft Hydraulics integrates the relevant physical, (bio)chemical and biological processes for the sediment-water exchange of substances. The aim of the diagenesis models is the prediction of both sediment quality and the return fluxes of substances such as nutrients and micropollutants to the overlying water. The resulting so-called DELWAQ-G model is a new, generic version of the water and sediment quality model of the DELFT3D framework. One set of generic water quality process formulations is used to calculate process rates in both water and sediment compartments. DELWAQ-G involves the explicit simulation of sediment layers in the water quality model with state-of-the-art process kinetics. The local conditions in a water layer or sediment layer such as the dissolved oxygen concentration determine if and how individual processes come to expression. New processes were added for sulphate, sulphide, methane and the distribution of the electron-acceptor demand over dissolved oxygen, nitrate, sulphate and carbon dioxide. DELWAQ-G also includes the dispersive and advective transport processes in the sediment and across the sediment-water interface. DELWAQ-G has been applied for the Wadden Sea. A very dynamic tidal and ecologically active estuary with a complex hydrodynamic behaviour located at the north of the Netherlands. The predicted profiles in the sediment reflect the typical interactions of diagenesis processes.

A multicriteria-based methodology for site prioritisation in sediment management.

PubMed

Alvarez-Guerra, Manuel; Viguri, Javier R; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

2009-08-01

Decision-making for sediment management is a complex task that incorporates the selections of areas for remediation and the assessment of options for any mitigation required. The application of Multicriteria Analysis (MCA) to rank different areas, according to their need for sediment management, provides a great opportunity for prioritisation, a first step in an integrated methodology that finally aims to assess and select suitable alternatives for managing the identified priority sites. This paper develops a methodology that starts with the delimitation of management units within areas of study, followed by the application of MCA methods that allows ranking of these management units, according to their need for remediation. This proposed process considers not only scientific evidence on sediment quality, but also other relevant aspects such as social and economic criteria associated with such decisions. This methodology is illustrated with its application to the case study area of the Bay of Santander, in northern Spain, highlighting some of the implications of utilising different MCA methods in the process. It also uses site-specific data to assess the subjectivity in the decision-making process, mainly reflected through the assignment of the criteria weights and uncertainties in the criteria scores. Analysis of the sensitivity of the results to these factors is used as a way to assess the stability and robustness of the ranking as a first step of the sediment management decision-making process.

Assessing the potential of reservoir outflow management to reduce sedimentation using continuous turbidity monitoring and reservoir modelling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Casey; Foster, Guy

2013-01-01

In-stream sensors are increasingly deployed as part of ambient water quality-monitoring networks. Temporally dense data from these networks can be used to better understand the transport of constituents through streams, lakes or reservoirs. Data from existing, continuously recording in-stream flow and water quality monitoring stations were coupled with the two-dimensional hydrodynamic CE-QUAL-W2 model to assess the potential of altered reservoir outflow management to reduce sediment trapping in John Redmond Reservoir, located in east-central Kansas. Monitoring stations upstream and downstream from the reservoir were used to estimate 5.6 million metric tons of sediment transported to John Redmond Reservoir from 2007 through 2010, 88% of which was trapped within the reservoir. The two-dimensional model was used to estimate the residence time of 55 equal-volume releases from the reservoir; sediment trapping for these releases varied from 48% to 97%. Smaller trapping efficiencies were observed when the reservoir was maintained near the normal operating capacity (relative to higher flood pool levels) and when average residence times were relatively short. An idealized, alternative outflow management scenario was constructed, which minimized reservoir elevations and the length of time water was in the reservoir, while continuing to meet downstream flood control end points identified in the reservoir water control manual. The alternative scenario is projected to reduce sediment trapping in the reservoir by approximately 3%, preventing approximately 45 000 metric tons of sediment from being deposited within the reservoir annually. This article presents an approach to quantify the potential of reservoir management using existing in-stream data; actual management decisions need to consider the effects on other reservoir benefits, such as downstream flood control and aquatic life.

Quality-assurance plan for the analysis of fluvial sediment by laboratories of the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matthes, Wilbur J.; Sholar, Clyde J.; George, John R.

1992-01-01

This report describes procedures used by the Iowa District sediment laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey to assure the quality of sediment-laboratory data. These procedures can be used by other U.S. Geological Survey laboratories regardless of size and type of operation for quality assurance and quality control of specific sediment-laboratory processes. Also described are the equipment, specifications, calibration and maintenance, and the protocol for methods used in the analyses of fluvial sediment for concentration or particle size.

Quality-assurance plan for the analysis of suspended sediment by the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Lambing, John H.

2006-01-01

A quality-assurance plan has been developed for use by the sediment laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey Montana Water Science Center in conducting activities related to the analysis of suspended sediment. The plan documents quality-assurance policies for sediment-laboratory certification, personnel responsibilities and training, documentation requirements, and laboratory safety. The plan also documents quality-assurance procedures related to laboratory equipment and supplies, sample management, sample analysis, analytical quality control, and data management.

Assessment of the bioavailability and phytotoxicity of sediment spiked with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Rončević, Srđan; Spasojević, Jelena; Maletić, Snežana; Jazić, Jelena Molnar; Isakovski, Marijana Kragulj; Agbaba, Jasmina; Grgić, Marko; Dalmacija, Božo

2016-02-01

Large amounts of sediment are dredged globally every year. This sediment is often contaminated with low concentrations of metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides and other organic pollutants. Some of this sediment is disposed of on land, creating a need for risk assessment of the sediment disposal method, to minimize the degradation of environmental quality and prevent risks to human health. Evaluating the available fractions of certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is very important, as in the presence of various organisms, they are believed to be easily subject to the processes of bioaccumulation, biosorption and transformation. In order to determine the applicability of applying these methods for the evaluation of pollutant bioavailability in sediments, the desorption kinetics from the sediment of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of Tenax and XAD4 were examined over the course of 216 h. Changes in the PAH concentrations in dredged sediments using five different seed plants during a short time of period (10 days) were also followed. Using chemical extraction techniques with Tenax and XAD4, a time of around 24 h is enough to achieve equilibrium for all four PAHs. Results showed good agreement between the seed accumulation and PAH extraction methods with both agents. If we compare the two extraction techniques, XAD4 gave better results for phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene, and Tenax gave better results for chrysene.

Sediment and Turbidity Associated with Offshore Dredging Increase Coral Disease Prevalence on Nearby Reefs

PubMed Central

Pollock, F. Joseph; Lamb, Joleah B.; Field, Stuart N.; Heron, Scott F.; Schaffelke, Britta; Shedrawi, George; Bourne, David G.; Willis, Bette L.

2014-01-01

In recent decades, coral reef ecosystems have declined to the extent that reefs are now threatened globally. While many water quality parameters have been proposed to contribute to reef declines, little evidence exists conclusively linking specific water quality parameters with increased disease prevalence in situ. Here we report evidence from in situ coral health surveys confirming that chronic exposure to dredging-associated sediment plumes significantly increase the prevalence of white syndromes, a devastating group of globally important coral diseases. Coral health surveys were conducted along a dredging-associated sediment plume gradient to assess the relationship between sedimentation, turbidity and coral health. Reefs exposed to the highest number of days under the sediment plume (296 to 347 days) had two-fold higher levels of disease, largely driven by a 2.5-fold increase in white syndromes, and a six-fold increase in other signs of compromised coral health relative to reefs with little or no plume exposure (0 to 9 days). Multivariate modeling and ordination incorporating sediment exposure level, coral community composition and cover, predation and multiple thermal stress indices provided further confirmation that sediment plume exposure level was the main driver of elevated disease and other compromised coral health indicators. This study provides the first evidence linking dredging-associated sedimentation and turbidity with elevated coral disease prevalence in situ. Our results may help to explain observed increases in global coral disease prevalence in recent decades and suggest that minimizing sedimentation and turbidity associated with coastal development will provide an important management tool for controlling coral disease epizootics. PMID:25029525

Sediment and turbidity associated with offshore dredging increase coral disease prevalence on nearby reefs.

PubMed

Pollock, F Joseph; Lamb, Joleah B; Field, Stuart N; Heron, Scott F; Schaffelke, Britta; Shedrawi, George; Bourne, David G; Willis, Bette L

2014-01-01

In recent decades, coral reef ecosystems have declined to the extent that reefs are now threatened globally. While many water quality parameters have been proposed to contribute to reef declines, little evidence exists conclusively linking specific water quality parameters with increased disease prevalence in situ. Here we report evidence from in situ coral health surveys confirming that chronic exposure to dredging-associated sediment plumes significantly increase the prevalence of white syndromes, a devastating group of globally important coral diseases. Coral health surveys were conducted along a dredging-associated sediment plume gradient to assess the relationship between sedimentation, turbidity and coral health. Reefs exposed to the highest number of days under the sediment plume (296 to 347 days) had two-fold higher levels of disease, largely driven by a 2.5-fold increase in white syndromes, and a six-fold increase in other signs of compromised coral health relative to reefs with little or no plume exposure (0 to 9 days). Multivariate modeling and ordination incorporating sediment exposure level, coral community composition and cover, predation and multiple thermal stress indices provided further confirmation that sediment plume exposure level was the main driver of elevated disease and other compromised coral health indicators. This study provides the first evidence linking dredging-associated sedimentation and turbidity with elevated coral disease prevalence in situ. Our results may help to explain observed increases in global coral disease prevalence in recent decades and suggest that minimizing sedimentation and turbidity associated with coastal development will provide an important management tool for controlling coral disease epizootics.

CHIRAL CHLORDANE SIGNATURES IN USGS NATIONAL WATER-QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM SEDIMENT SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

More than 260 important environmental contaminants are chiral (having structures that are nonsuperimposible mirror images). Although enantiomer pairs have identical physical-chemical properties, their toxicity, biodegradation, and environmental fate often are different. Cyclodex...

[Quality control assessments of feces examination for schistosomiasis in province-level laboratories of Zhejiang Province].

PubMed

Chen, Wen; Zhu, Ming-Dong; Yan, Xiao-Lan; Lin, Li-Jun; Zhang, Jian-Feng; Li, Li; Wen, Li-Yong

2011-06-01

To understand and evaluate the quality of feces examination for schistosomiasis in province-level laboratories of Zhejiang Province. With the single-blind method, the stool samples were detected by the stool hatching method and sediment detection method. In the 3 quality control assessments in 2006, 2008 and 2009, most laboratories finished the examinations on time. The accordance rates of detections were 88.9%, 100% and 93.9%, respectively. The province-level laboratories for schistosomiasis feces examination of Zhejiang Province is coming into standardization, and the techniques of schistosomiasis feces examination are optimized gradually.

Water- and sediment-quality effects on Pimephales promelas spawning vary along an agriculture-to-urban land-use gradient.

PubMed

Corsi, Steven R; Klaper, Rebecca D; Weber, Daniel N; Bannerman, Roger T

2011-10-15

Many streams in the U.S. are "impaired" due to anthropogenic influence. For watershed managers to achieve practical understanding of these impairments, a multitude of factors must be considered, including point and nonpoint-source influence on water quality. A spawning assay was developed in this study to evaluate water- and sediment-quality effects that influenced Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) egg production over a gradient of urban and agricultural land use in 27 small watersheds in Eastern Wisconsin. Six pairs of reproducing fathead minnows were contained in separate mesh cartridges within one larger flow-through chamber. Water- and sediment quality were sampled for an array of parameters. Egg production was monitored for each pair providing an assessment of spawning success throughout the 21-day test periods. Incidences of low dissolved oxygen (DO) in many of these streams negatively impacted spawning success. Nine of 27 streams experienced DO less than 3.1mg/L and 15 streams experienced DO less than 4.8mg/L. Low DO was observed in urban and agricultural watersheds, but the upper threshold of minimum DO decreased with increasing urban development. An increase in specific conductance was related to a decrease in spawning success. In previous studies for streams in this region, specific conductance had a linear relation with chloride, suggesting the possibility that chloride could be a factor in egg production. Egg production was lower at sites with substantial urban development, but sites with low egg production were not limited to urban sites. Degradation of water- and sediment-quality parameters with increasing urban development is indicated for multiple parameters while patterns were not detected for others. Results from this study indicate that DO must be a high priority watershed management consideration for this region, specific conductance should be investigated further to determine the mechanism of the relation with egg production, and water- and sediment-quality degrade in relation to urban influence. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Water- and sediment-quality effects on Pimephales promelas spawning vary along an agriculture-to-urban land-use gradient

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corsi, S.R.; Klaper, R.D.; Weber, D.N.; Bannerman, R.T.

2011-01-01

Many streams in the U.S. are "impaired" due to anthropogenic influence. For watershed managers to achieve practical understanding of these impairments, a multitude of factors must be considered, including point and nonpoint-source influence on water quality. A spawning assay was developed in this study to evaluate water- and sediment-quality effects that influenced Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) egg production over a gradient of urban and agricultural land use in 27 small watersheds in Eastern Wisconsin. Six pairs of reproducing fathead minnows were contained in separate mesh cartridges within one larger flow-through chamber. Water- and sediment quality were sampled for an array of parameters. Egg production was monitored for each pair providing an assessment of spawning success throughout the 21-day test periods. Incidences of low dissolved oxygen (DO) in many of these streams negatively impacted spawning success. Nine of 27 streams experienced DO less than 3.1. mg/L and 15 streams experienced DO less than 4.8. mg/L. Low DO was observed in urban and agricultural watersheds, but the upper threshold of minimum DO decreased with increasing urban development. An increase in specific conductance was related to a decrease in spawning success. In previous studies for streams in this region, specific conductance had a linear relation with chloride, suggesting the possibility that chloride could be a factor in egg production. Egg production was lower at sites with substantial urban development, but sites with low egg production were not limited to urban sites. Degradation of water- and sediment-quality parameters with increasing urban development is indicated for multiple parameters while patterns were not detected for others. Results from this study indicate that DO must be a high priority watershed management consideration for this region, specific conductance should be investigated further to determine the mechanism of the relation with egg production, and water- and sediment-quality degrade in relation to urban influence. ?? 2011.

Effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the chemistry of bottom sediments in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, P.C.; Horowitz, A.J.; Mahler, B.J.; Foreman, W.T.; Fuller, C.C.; Burkhardt, M.R.; Elrick, K.A.; Furlong, E.T.; Skrobialowski, S.C.; Smith, J.J.; Wilson, J.T.; Zaugg, S.D.

2006-01-01

The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent unwatering of New Orleans, Louisiana, on the sediment chemistry of Lake Pontchartrain were evaluated by chemical analysis of samples of street mud and suspended and bottom sediments. The highest concentrations of urban-related elements and compounds (e.g., Pb, Zn, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and chlordane) in bottom sediments exceeded median concentrations in U.S. urban lakes and sediment-quality guidelines. The extent of the elevated concentrations was limited, however, to within a few hundred meters of the mouth of the 17th Street Canal, similar to results of historical assessments. Chemical and radionuclide analysis of pre- and post-Hurricane Rita samples indicates that remobilization of near-shore sediment by lake currents and storms is an ongoing process. The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the sediment chemistry of Lake Pontchartrain are limited spatially and are most likely transitory. ?? 2006 American Chemical Society.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2012 through September 2013) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2014-01-01

This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2012 through September 2013. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity and dissolved organic carbon were analyzed for water samples collected at the four sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Daily values of mean suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical sum-maries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin are provided for the period of record.

The role of precipitation type, intensity, and spatial distribution in source water quality after wildfire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Sheila F.; Writer, Jeffrey H.; Blaine McCleskey, R.; Martin, Deborah A.

2015-08-01

Storms following wildfires are known to impair drinking water supplies in the southwestern United States, yet our understanding of the role of precipitation in post-wildfire water quality is far from complete. We quantitatively assessed water-quality impacts of different hydrologic events in the Colorado Front Range and found that for a three-year period, substantial hydrologic and geochemical responses downstream of a burned area were primarily driven by convective storms with a 30 min rainfall intensity >10 mm h-1. These storms, which typically occur several times each year in July-September, are often small in area, short-lived, and highly variable in intensity and geographic distribution. Thus, a rain gage network with high temporal resolution and spatial density, together with high-resolution stream sampling, are required to adequately characterize post-wildfire responses. We measured total suspended sediment, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrate, and manganese concentrations that were 10-156 times higher downstream of a burned area compared to upstream during relatively common (50% annual exceedance probability) rainstorms, and water quality was sufficiently impaired to pose water-treatment concerns. Short-term water-quality impairment was driven primarily by increased surface runoff during higher intensity convective storms that caused erosion in the burned area and transport of sediment and chemical constituents to streams. Annual sediment yields downstream of the burned area were controlled by storm events and subsequent remobilization, whereas DOC yields were closely linked to annual runoff and thus were more dependent on interannual variation in spring runoff. Nitrate yields were highest in the third year post-wildfire. Results from this study quantitatively demonstrate that water quality can be altered for several years after wildfire. Because the southwestern US is prone to wildfires and high-intensity rain storms, the role of storms in post-wildfire water-quality impacts must be considered when assessing water-quality vulnerability.

The role of precipitation type, intensity, and spatial distribution in source water quality after wildfire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murphy, Sheila F.; Writer, Jeffrey H.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Martin, Deborah A.

2015-01-01

Storms following wildfires are known to impair drinking water supplies in the southwestern United States, yet our understanding of the role of precipitation in post-wildfire water quality is far from complete. We quantitatively assessed water-quality impacts of different hydrologic events in the Colorado Front Range and found that for a three-year period, substantial hydrologic and geochemical responses downstream of a burned area were primarily driven by convective storms with a 30 min rainfall intensity >10 mm h−1. These storms, which typically occur several times each year in July–September, are often small in area, short-lived, and highly variable in intensity and geographic distribution. Thus, a rain gage network with high temporal resolution and spatial density, together with high-resolution stream sampling, are required to adequately characterize post-wildfire responses. We measured total suspended sediment, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrate, and manganese concentrations that were 10–156 times higher downstream of a burned area compared to upstream during relatively common (50% annual exceedance probability) rainstorms, and water quality was sufficiently impaired to pose water-treatment concerns. Short-term water-quality impairment was driven primarily by increased surface runoff during higher intensity convective storms that caused erosion in the burned area and transport of sediment and chemical constituents to streams. Annual sediment yields downstream of the burned area were controlled by storm events and subsequent remobilization, whereas DOC yields were closely linked to annual runoff and thus were more dependent on interannual variation in spring runoff. Nitrate yields were highest in the third year post-wildfire. Results from this study quantitatively demonstrate that water quality can be altered for several years after wildfire. Because the southwestern US is prone to wildfires and high-intensity rain storms, the role of storms in post-wildfire water-quality impacts must be considered when assessing water-quality vulnerability.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; spatial distribution of geochemicals in the fine fraction of streambed sediment, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Arnold, Terri L.; Colman, John A.

1998-01-01

Geochemical data for the upper Illinois River Basin are presented for concentrations of 39 elements in streambed sediment collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in the fall of 1987. These data were collected as part of the pilot phase of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. A total of 372 sites were sampled, with 238 sites located on first- and second-order streams, and 134 sites located on main stems. Spatial distribution maps and exceedance probability plots are presented for aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, calcium, carbon (total, inorganic, and organic), cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, niobium, phosphorus, potassium, scandium, selenium, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, thorium, titanium, uranium, vanadium, yttrium, and zinc. For spatial distribution maps, concentrations of the elements are grouped into four ranges bounded by the minimum concentration, the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles, and the maximum concentrations. These ranges were selected to highlight streambed sediment with very low or very high element concentrations relative to the rest of the streambed sediment in the upper Illinois River Basin. Exceedance probability plots for each element display the differences, if any, in distributions between high- and low-order streams and may be helpful in determining differences between background and elevated concentrations.

Sedimentation and Its Impacts/Effects on River System and Reservoir Water Quality: case Study of Mazowe Catchment, Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tundu, Colleta; Tumbare, Michael James; Kileshye Onema, Jean-Marie

2018-04-01

Sediment delivery into water sources and bodies results in the reduction of water quantity and quality, increasing costs of water purification whilst reducing the available water for various other uses. The paper gives an analysis of sedimentation in one of Zimbabwe's seven rivers, the Mazowe Catchment, and its impact on water quality. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was used to compute soil lost from the catchment as a result of soil erosion. The model was used in conjunction with GIS remotely sensed data and limited ground observations. The estimated annual soil loss in the catchment indicates soil loss ranging from 0 to 65 t ha yr-1. Bathymetric survey at Chimhanda Dam showed that the capacity of the dam had reduced by 39 % as a result of sedimentation and the annual sediment deposition into Chimhanda Dam was estimated to be 330 t with a specific yield of 226 t km-2 yr-1. Relationship between selected water quality parameters, TSS, DO, NO3, pH, TDS, turbidity and sediment yield for selected water sampling points and Chimhanda Dam was analyzed. It was established that there is a strong positive relationship between the sediment yield and the water quality parameters. Sediment yield showed high positive correlation with turbidity (0.63) and TDS (0.64). Water quality data from Chimhanda treatment plant water works revealed that the quality of water is deteriorating as a result of increase in sediment accumulation in the dam. The study concluded that sedimentation can affect the water quality of water sources.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution risks in Yonki Reservoir environmental matrices affected by gold mining activity.

PubMed

Kapia, Samuel; Rao, B K Rajashekhar; Sakulas, Harry

2016-10-01

This study reports the heavy metal (Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Pb) contamination risks to and safety of two species of fresh water fish (tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus and carp, Cyprinus carpio) that are farmed in the Yonki Reservoir in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). The upper reaches of the reservoir are affected by alluvial and large-scale gold mining activities. We also assessed heavy metal levels in the surface waters and sediments and in selected aquatic plant species from the reservoir and streams that intersect the gold mining areas. The water quality was acceptable, except for the Cr concentration, which exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for water contamination. The sediments were contaminated with Cd and Cu in most of the sampling stations along the upstream waters and the reservoir. The Cd concentration in the sediments exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency's Sediment Quality Guideline (SQG) values, and the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) values indicated heavy to extreme pollution. In addition, the Cd, Cu, and Pb concentrations in aquatic plants exceeded the WHO guidelines for these contaminants. Between the fish species, tilapia accumulated significantly higher (P < 0.05) Cu in their organ tissues than carp, confirming the bioaccumulation of some metals in the aquatic fauna. The edible muscles of the fish specimens had metal concentrations below the maximum permissible levels established by statutory guidelines. In addition, a human health risk assessment, performed using the estimated weekly intake (EWI) values, indicated that farmed fish from the Yonki Reservoir are safe for human consumption.

Response of invertebrates from the hyporheic zone of chalk rivers to eutrophication and land use.

PubMed

Pacioglu, Octavian; Moldovan, Oana Teodora

2016-03-01

Whereas the response of lotic benthic macroinvertebrates to different environmental stressors is a widespread practice nowadays in assessing the water and habitat quality, the use of hyporheic zone invertebrates is still in its infancy. In this study, classification and regression trees analysis were employed in order to assess the ecological requirements and the potential as bioindicators for the hyporheic zone invertebrates inhabiting four lowland chalk rivers (south England) with contrasting eutrophication levels (based on surface nitrate concentrations) and magnitude of land use (based on percentage of fine sediments load and median interstitial space). Samples of fauna, water and sediment were sampled twice, during low (summer) and high (winter) groundwater level, at depths of 20 and 35 cm. Certain groups of invertebrates (Glossosomatidae and Psychomyiidae caddisflies, and riffle beetles) proved to be good indicators of rural catchments, moderately eutrophic and with high fine sediment load. A diverse community dominated by microcrustaceans (copepods and ostracods) were found as good indicators of highly eutrophic urban streams, with moderate-high fine sediment load. However, the use of other taxonomic groups (e.g. chironomids, oligochaetes, nematodes, water mites and the amphipod Gammarus pulex), very widespread in the hyporheic zone of all sampled rivers, is of limited use because of their high tolerance to the analysed stressors. We recommend the use of certain taxonomic groups (comprising both meiofauna and macroinvertebrates) dwelling in the chalk hyporheic zone as indicators of eutrophication and colmation and, along with routine benthic sampling protocols, for a more comprehensive water and habitat quality assessment of chalk rivers.

Assessment of Fish Habitat, Water Quality, and Selected Contaminants in Streambed Sediments in Noyes Slough, Fairbanks, Alaska, 2001-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Ben W.; Whitman, Matthew S.; Burrows, Robert L.; Richmond, Sharon A.

2004-01-01

During 2001-2002, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled streambed sediment at 23 sites, measured water quality at 26 sites, and assessed fish habitat for the entire length of Noyes Slough, a 5.5-mile slough of the Chena River in Fairbanks, Alaska. These studies were undertaken to document the environmental condition of the slough and to provide information to the public for consideration in plans to improve environmental conditions of the waterway. The availability of physical habitat for fish in the slough does not appear to be limited, although some beaver dams and shallow water may restrict movement, particularly during low flow. Elevated water temperatures in summer and low dissolved-oxygen concentrations are the principle factors adversely affecting water quality in Noyes Slough. Increased flow mitigated poor water-quality conditions and reduced the number of possible fish barriers. Flow appears to be the most prominent mechanism shaping water quality and fish habitat in Noyes Slough. Streambed sediment samples collected at 23 sites in 2001 were analyzed for 24 trace elements. Arsenic, lead, and zinc were the only trace elements detected in concentrations that exceed probable effect levels for the protection of aquatic life. The background concentration for arsenic in Noyes Slough is naturally elevated because of significant concentrations of arsenic in local bedrock and ground water. Sources of the zinc and lead contamination are uncertain, however both lead and zinc are common urban contaminants. Streambed-sediment samples from 12 sites in 2002 were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). The concentration of bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate of 2,600 micrograms per kilogram (?g/kg) for one sample from the site above Aurora Drive approached the aquatic-life criterion of 2,650 ?g/kg. Low concentrations of p-cresol, chrysene, and fluoranthene were detected in most of the sediment samples. The presence of these compounds in Noyes Slough sediment was expected because cresols are emitted to the atmosphere in the exhaust from motor vehicles and chrysene and fluoranthene are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, or other organic substances. Low-level concentrations of DDT or its degradation products DDD and DDE were detected in all samples collected during 2002. However, total DDT (DDT+DDD+DDE) concentrations are less than the effects range median aquatic-life criterion of 46.1 ?g/kg. In general, total DDT concentrations were less than 10 ?g/kg, except for samples from two sites that have estimated concentrations of about 14 and 20 ?g/kg.

Assessment of heavy metal contamination in water and sediments of Trepça and Sitnica rivers, Kosovo, using pollution indicators and multivariate cluster analysis.

PubMed

Ferati, Flora; Kerolli-Mustafa, Mihone; Kraja-Ylli, Arjana

2015-06-01

The concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in water and sediment samples from Trepça and Sitnica rivers were determined to assess the level of contamination. Six water and sediment samples were collected during the period from April to July 2014. Most of the water samples was found within the European and Kosovo permissible limits. The highest concentration of As, Cd, Pb, and Zn originates primarily from anthropogenic sources such discharge of industrial water from mining flotation and from the mine waste eroded from the river banks. Sediment contamination assessment was carried out using the pollution indicators such as contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (Cd), modified degree of contamination (mCd), pollution load index (PLI), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The CF values for the investigated metals indicated a high contaminated nature of sediments, while the Cd values indicated a very high contamination degree of sediments. The mCd values indicate a high degree of contamination of Sitnica river sediment to ultrahigh degree of contamination of Trepça river sediment. The PLI values ranged from 1.89 to 14.1 which indicate that the heavy metal concentration levels in all investigated sites exceeded the background values and sediment quality guidelines. The average values of Igeo revealed the following ranking of intensity of heavy metal contamination of the Trepça and Sitnica river sediments: Cd > As > Pb > Zn > Cu > Co > Cr > Ni. Cluster analysis suggests that As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn are derived from anthropogenic sources, particularly discharges from mining flotation and erosion form waste from a zinc mine plant. In order to protect the sediments from further contamination, the designing of a monitoring network and reducing the anthropogenic discharges are suggested.

The use of amino acid indices for assessing organic matter quality and microbial abundance in deep-sea Antarctic sediments of IODP Expedition 318

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Stephanie A; Mills, Christopher T.; Mandernack, Kevin W

2016-01-01

The Adélie Basin, located offshore of the Wilkes Land margin, experiences unusually high sedimentation rates (~ 2 cm yr− 1) for the Antarctic coast. This study sought to compare depthwise changes in organic matter (OM) quantity and quality with changes in microbial biomass with depth at this high-deposition site and an offshore continental margin site. Sediments from both sites were collected during the International Ocean Drilling (IODP) Program Expedition 318. Viable microbial biomass was estimated from concentrations of bacterial-derived phospholipid fatty acids, while OM quality was assessed using four different amino acid degradation proxies. Concentrations of total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA) measured from the continental margin suggest an oligotrophic environment, with THAA concentrations representing only 2% of total organic carbon with relative proportions of non-protein amino acids β-alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid as high as 40%. In contrast, THAA concentrations from the near-shore Adélie Basin represent 40%–60% of total organic carbon. Concentrations of β-alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid were often below the detection limit and suggest that the OM of the basin as labile. DI values in surface sediments at the Adélie and margin sites were measured to be + 0.78 and − 0.76, reflecting labile and more recalcitrant OM, respectively. Greater DI values in deeper and more anoxic portions of both cores correlated positively with increased relative concentrations of phenylalanine plus tyrosine and may represent a change of redox conditions, rather than OM quality. This suggests that DI values calculated along chemical profiles should be interpreted with caution. THAA concentrations, the percentage of organic carbon (CAA%) and total nitrogen (NAA%) represented by amino acids at both sites demonstrated a significant positive correlation with bacterial abundance estimates. These data suggest that the selective degradation of amino acids, as indicated by THAA concentrations, CAA% or NAA% values may be a better proxy for describing the general changes in sedimentary bacterial abundances than total organic matter or bulk sedimentation rates.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Yakima River basin in Washington: major-and minor-element data for sediment, water, and aquatic biota, 1987-91

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Fluter, Shelley L.; McKenzie, Stuart W.; Rinella, Joseph F.; Crawford, J. Kent; Cain, Daniel J.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Bridges, Jennifer L.; Skach, Kenneth A.

1994-01-01

Streambed-sediment samples were collected once from 27 sites in the basin during 1987-91. Suspended-sediment and filtered-water samples were collected monthly and during hydrologic events (including snowmelt and winter rainstorms) at seven sites, and filtered-water samples were collected at least once at an additional 37 sites during synoptic samplings. Unfiltered-water samples were collected at seven sites on a quarterly basis during 1987 only. Samples of aquatic plants were collected once in 1989, and aquatic insects, fish, and clams were collected from 34 sites three times during 1989-90.

Coral reef health response to chronic and acute changes in water quality in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.

PubMed

Ennis, Rosmin S; Brandt, Marilyn E; Wilson Grimes, Kristin R; Smith, Tyler B

2016-10-15

It is suspected that land cover alteration on the southern coast of St. Thomas, USVI has increased runoff, degrading nearshore water quality and coral reef health. Chronic and acute changes in water quality, sediment deposition, and coral health metrics were assessed in three zones based upon perceived degree of human influence. Chlorophyll (p<0.0001) and turbidity (p=0.0113) were significantly higher in nearshore zones and in the high impact zone during heavy precipitation. Net sediment deposition and terrigenous content increased in nearshore zones during periods of greater precipitation and port activity. Macroalgae overgrowth significantly increased along a gradient of decreasing water quality (p<0.0001). Coral bleaching in all zones peaked in November with a regional thermal stress event (p<0.0001). However, mean bleaching prevalence was significantly greater in the most impacted zone compared to the offshore zone (p=0.0396), suggesting a link between declining water quality and bleaching severity. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Numerical Simulation of Sediment-Associated Water Quality Processes for a Mississippi Delta Lake

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Three major sediment-associated processes were presented to describe the effects of sediment on lake water quality processes: the effect of suspended sediment on the light intensity for the growth of phytoplankton (PHYTO), the adsorption–desorption of nutrients by sediment, and the release of nutrie...

Overview of the US EPA/SERDP/ESTCP: Laboratory, Field ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Passive sampling can be used for applications at contaminated sediment sites including performing assessments of contaminant bioavailability (i.e., freely dissolved concentration (Cfree)), conducting remedial investigations and feasibility studies, and assessing the potential for contaminant bioaccumulation. Previous research articles and documents have discussed many aspects of passive sampling however no definitive guidance on the laboratory, field and analytical procedures for using passive sampling at contaminated sediment sites has been provided. The document discussed in this presentation provides passive sampler users with the guidance necessary to apply the technology to evaluate contaminated sediments. Contaminants discussed include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the metals, cadmium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc. The document is divided into sections including discussions of different types of samplers used commonly in the United States, the selection and use of performance reference compounds (PRCs), the extraction and instrumental analysis of passive samplers, data analysis and quality assurance/quality control, and a list of passive sampling related references. The document is not intended to serve as a series of standard operating procedures (SOPs) but rather seeks to provide users with the information needed to develop their own SOPs. The document also includes the names of selected passive sam

Algal Populations and Water Quality in Florida Lakes: Sedimentary Evidence of Anthropogenic Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitmore, M. R.; Whitmore, T. J.; Brenner, M.; Smoak, J.; Curtis, J.

2004-05-01

Cyanobacteria and other algae dominate many highly productive Florida (U.S.A.) lakes. Algal proliferation is often attributed to eutrophication during the last century, but it is poorly documented because Florida's water-quality monitoring programs became common only after 1980. We examined sediment cores from 14 hypereutrophic Florida lakes. Study lakes have been subjected to urbanization, agriculture, and to inputs of municipal sewage effluent and food-processing wastes. Major algal-pigment groups were analyzed in sediments using pigment-extraction and spectrophotometric techniques. We compared myxoxanthophyll, oscillaxanthin, total carotenoid, and total chlorophyll pigment profiles with WACALIB-derived limnetic total-P and chlorophyll a inferences based on fossil diatoms, sediment chemistry, and stable isotope (δ 13C & δ 15N) signatures of organic matter. Sedimentary evidence showed that cyanobacterial and algal proliferation appeared during recent decades in 10 study lakes in response to eutrophication. Cyanobacterial increase was very recent and abrupt in 7 lakes. Six lakes showed recovery following nutrient-mitigation programs that reduced sewage and other point-source effluent inputs. Four lakes showed long-term presence of cyanobacterial populations because edaphic nutrient supply causes these lakes to be naturally productive. Three of these naturally eutrophic lakes remained unchanged, but one demonstrated eutrophication followed by subsequent recovery. Correlations were particularly strong among sedimented pigment profiles and diatom-inferred limnetic water-quality profiles. Paleolimnological methods provide informative assessment of anthropogenic influence on lakes when long-term water-quality data are lacking. Historic studies also are useful for evaluating the feasibility of improving water quality through lake-management programs, and for defining appropriate lake restoration goals.

Geologic processes influence the effects of mining on aquatic ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmidt, Travis S.; Clements, William H.; Wanty, Richard B.; Verplanck, Philip L.; Church, Stan E.; San Juan, Carma A.; Fey, David L.; Rockwell, Barnaby W.; DeWitt, Ed H.; Klein, Terry L.

2012-01-01

Geologic processes strongly influence water and sediment quality in aquatic ecosystems but rarely are geologic principles incorporated into routine biomonitoring studies. We test if elevated concentrations of metals in water and sediment are restricted to streams downstream of mines or areas that may discharge mine wastes. We surveyed 198 catchments classified as “historically mined” or “unmined,” and based on mineral-deposit criteria, to determine whether water and sediment quality were influenced by naturally occurring mineralized rock, by historical mining, or by a combination of both. By accounting for different geologic sources of metals to the environment, we were able to distinguish aquatic ecosystems limited by metals derived from natural processes from those due to mining. Elevated concentrations of metals in water and sediment were not restricted to mined catchments; depauperate aquatic communities were found in unmined catchments. The type and intensity of hydrothermal alteration and the mineral deposit type were important determinants of water and sediment quality as well as the aquatic community in both mined and unmined catchments. This study distinguished the effects of different rock types and geologic sources of metals on ecosystems by incorporating basic geologic processes into reference and baseline site selection, resulting in a refined assessment. Our results indicate that biomonitoring studies should account for natural sources of metals in some geologic environments as contributors to the effect of mines on aquatic ecosystems, recognizing that in mining-impacted drainages there may have been high pre-mining background metal concentrations.

Distribution and Potential Toxicity of Trace Metals in the Surface Sediments of Sundarban Mangrove Ecosystem, Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, A.; Ramanathan, A.; Mathukumalli, B. K. P.; Datta, D. K.

2014-12-01

The distribution, enrichment and ecotoxocity potential of Bangladesh part of Sundarban mangrove was investigated for eight trace metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn) using sediment quality assessment indices. The average concentration of trace metals in the sediments exceeded the crustal abundance suggesting sources other than natural in origin. Additionally, the trace metals profile may be a reflection of socio-economic development in the vicinity of Sundarban which further attributes trace metals abundance to the anthropogenic inputs. Geoaccumulation index suggests moderately polluted sediment quality w.r.t. Ni and As and background concentrations for Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, As and Cd. Contamination factor analysis suggested low contamination by Zn, Cr, Co and Cd, moderate by Fe, Mn, Cu and Pb while Ni and As show considerable and high contamination, respectively. Enrichment factors for Ni, Pb and As suggests high contamination from either biota or anthropogenic inputs besides natural enrichment. As per the three sediment quality guidelines, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Co and As would be more of a concern with respect to ecotoxicological risk in the Sundarban mangroves. The correlation between various physiochemical variables and trace metals suggested significant role of fine grained particles (clay) in trace metal distribution whereas owing to low organic carbon content in the region the organic complexation may not be playing significant role in trace metal distribution in the Sundarban mangroves.

Trends in hydrophobic organic contaminants in urban and reference lake sediments across the United States, 1970-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, P.C.; Mahler, B.J.

2005-01-01

A shift in national policy toward stronger environmental protection began in the United States in about 1970. Conversely, urban land use, population, energy consumption, and vehicle use have increased greatly since then. To assess the effects of these changes on water quality, the U.S. Geological Survey used sediment cores to reconstruct water-quality histories for38 urban and reference lakes across the United States. Cores were age-dated, and concentration profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and chlorinated hydrocarbons were tested statistically. Significant trends in total DDT, p,p???-DDE, and total PCBs were all downward. Trends in chlordane were split evenly between upward and downward, and trends in PAHs were mostly upward. Significant trends did not occur in about one-half of cases tested. Concentrations of p,p???-DDE, p,p???-DDD, and PCBs were about one-half as likely to exceed the probable effect concentration (PEC), a sediment quality guideline, in sediments deposited in the 1990s as in 1965-1975, whereas PAHs were twice as likely to exceed the PEC in the more recently deposited sediments. Concentrations of all contaminants evaluated correlated strongly with urban land use. Upward trends in PAH concentrations, the strong association of PAH with urban settings, and rapid urbanization occurring in the United States suggest that PAHs could surpass chlorinated hydrocarbons in the threat they pose to aquatic biota in urban streams and lakes.

U.S. EPA’s Watershed Management Research Activities

EPA Science Inventory

The national water quality inventory has assessed 40% of waters failing to meet designated use (fishable/swimmable); stormwater runoff pollution leading source of impairment; and common stressors are pathogens, nutrients, ss/sediments, toxics and emerging contaminants, flow, oxyg...

Water quality impact assessment of agricultural Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) simulated for a regional catchment in Quebec, Eastern Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousseau, Alain N.; Hallema, Dennis W.; Gumiere, Silvio J.; Savary, Stéphane; Hould Gosselin, Gabriel

2014-05-01

Water quality has become a matter of increasing concern over the past four decades as a result of the intensification of agriculture, and more particularly so in Canada where agriculture has evolved into the largest non-point source of surface water pollution. The Canadian WEBs project (Watershed Evaluation of Beneficial Management Practices, BMPs) was initiated in order to determine the efficiency of BMPs in improving the surface water quality of rural catchments, and the economic aspects related to their implementation on the same scale. In this contribution we use the integrated watershed modelling platform GIBSI (Gestion Intégrée des Bassins versants à l'aide d'un Système Informatisé) to evaluate the effects of various BMPs on sediment and nutrient yields and, in close relation to this, the surface water quality for the Beaurivage River catchment (718 km2) in Quebec, eastern Canada. A base scenario of the catchment is developed by calibrating the different models of the GIBSI platform, namely HYDROTEL for hydrology, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) for soil erosion, the Erosion-Productivity Impact Calculator (EPIC) of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for contaminant transport and fate, and QUAL2E for stream water quality. Four BMPs were analysed: (1) vegetated riparian buffer strips, (2) precision slurry application, (3) transition of all cereal and corn fields to grassland (grassland conversion), and (4) no-tillage on corn fields. Simulations suggest that riparian buffer strips and grassland conversion are more effective in terms of phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment load reduction than precision slurry application and no-tillage on corn fields. The results furthermore indicate the need for a more profound understanding of sediment dynamics in streams and on riparian buffer strips.

Continuous Turbidity Monitoring in the Indian Creek Watershed, Tazewell County, Virginia, 2006-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moyer, Douglas; Hyer, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Thousands of miles of natural gas pipelines are installed annually in the United States. These pipelines commonly cross streams, rivers, and other water bodies during pipeline construction. A major concern associated with pipelines crossing water bodies is increased sediment loading and the subsequent impact to the ecology of the aquatic system. Several studies have investigated the techniques used to install pipelines across surface-water bodies and their effect on downstream suspended-sediment concentrations. These studies frequently employ the evaluation of suspended-sediment or turbidity data that were collected using discrete sample-collection methods. No studies, however, have evaluated the utility of continuous turbidity monitoring for identifying real-time sediment input and providing a robust dataset for the evaluation of long-term changes in suspended-sediment concentration as it relates to a pipeline crossing. In 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with East Tennessee Natural Gas and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, began a study to monitor the effects of construction of the Jewell Ridge Lateral natural gas pipeline on turbidity conditions below pipeline crossings of Indian Creek and an unnamed tributary to Indian Creek, in Tazewell County, Virginia. The potential for increased sediment loading to Indian Creek is of major concern for watershed managers because Indian Creek is listed as one of Virginia's Threatened and Endangered Species Waters and contains critical habitat for two freshwater mussel species, purple bean (Villosa perpurpurea) and rough rabbitsfoot (Quadrula cylindrical strigillata). Additionally, Indian Creek contains the last known reproducing population of the tan riffleshell (Epioblasma florentina walkeri). Therefore, the objectives of the U.S. Geological Survey monitoring effort were to (1) develop a continuous turbidity monitoring network that attempted to measure real-time changes in suspended sediment (using turbidity as a surrogate) downstream from the pipeline crossings, and (2) provide continuous turbidity data that enable the development of a real-time turbidity-input warning system and assessment of long-term changes in turbidity conditions. Water-quality conditions were assessed using continuous water-quality monitors deployed upstream and downstream from the pipeline crossings in Indian Creek and the unnamed tributary. These paired upstream and downstream monitors were outfitted with turbidity, pH (for Indian Creek only), specific-conductance, and water-temperature sensors. Water-quality data were collected continuously (every 15 minutes) during three phases of the pipeline construction: pre-construction, during construction, and post-construction. Continuous turbidity data were evaluated at various time steps to determine whether the construction of the pipeline crossings had an effect on downstream suspended-sediment conditions in Indian Creek and the unnamed tributary. These continuous turbidity data were analyzed in real time with the aid of a turbidity-input warning system. A warning occurred when turbidity values downstream from the pipeline were 6 Formazin Nephelometric Units or 15 percent (depending on the observed range) greater than turbidity upstream from the pipeline crossing. Statistical analyses also were performed on monthly and phase-of-construction turbidity data to determine if the pipeline crossing served as a long-term source of sediment. Results of this intensive water-quality monitoring effort indicate that values of turbidity in Indian Creek increased significantly between the upstream and downstream water-quality monitors during the construction of the Jewell Ridge pipeline. The magnitude of the significant turbidity increase, however, was small (less than 2 Formazin Nephelometric Units). Patterns in the continuous turbidity data indicate that the actual pipeline crossing of Indian Creek had little influence of downstream water quality; co

Chronic toxicity of copper to five benthic invertebrates in laboratory-formulated sediment: sensitivity comparison and preliminary risk assessment.

PubMed

Roman, Yblin E; De Schamphelaere, Karel A C; Nguyen, Lien T H; Janssen, Colin R

2007-11-15

Five benthic organisms commonly used for sediment toxicity testing were chronically (28 to 35 days) exposed to copper in standard laboratory-formulated sediment (following Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines) and lethal and sub-lethal toxicities were evaluated. Sub-lethal endpoints considered were reproduction and biomass production for Lumbriculus variegatus, growth and reproduction for Tubifex tubifex, growth and emergence for Chironomus riparius, and growth for Gammarus pulex and Hyalella azteca. Expressed on whole-sediment basis the observed lethal sensitivity ranking (from most to least sensitive) was: G. pulex>L. variegatus>H. azteca=C. riparius=T. tubifex, with median chronic lethal concentrations (LC50) between 151 and 327 mg/kg dry wt. The sub-lethal sensitivity ranking (from most to least sensitive, with the most sensitive endpoint between parentheses): C. riparius (emergence)>T. tubifex (reproduction)=L. variegatus (reproduction)>G. pulex (growth)>H. azteca (growth), with median effective concentrations (EC50) between 59.2 and 194 mg/kg dry wt. No observed effect concentrations (NOEC) or 10% effective concentrations (EC10) for the five benthic invertebrates were used to perform a preliminary risk assessment for copper in freshwater sediment by means of (a) the "assessment factor approach" or (b) the statistical extrapolation approach (species sensitivity distribution). Depending on the data (NOEC or EC10) and the methodology used, we calculated a Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC) for sediment between 3.3 and 47.1 mg Cu/dry wt. This range is similar to the range of natural (geochemical) background concentrations of copper in sediments in Europe, i.e. 90% of sediments have a concentration between 5 and 49 mg Cu/kg dry wt. A detailed analysis of the outcome of this preliminary exercise highlighted that multiple issues need to be explored for achieving a scientifically more sound risk assessment and for the development of robust sediment quality criteria for copper, including (i) the use of the assessment factor approach vs. the statistical extrapolation approach, (ii) the importance of bioavailability modifying factors (e.g., organic carbon, acid volatile sulfide), and (iii) the influence of prevailing geochemical (bioavailable) background concentrations on the copper sensitivity of local benthic biota.

Records of pan (floodplain wetland) sedimentation as an approach for post-hoc investigation of the hydrological impacts of dam impoundment: The Pongolo river, KwaZulu-Natal.

PubMed

Heath, S K; Plater, A J

2010-07-01

River impoundment by dams has far-reaching consequences for downstream floodplains in terms of hydrology, water quality, geomorphology, ecology and ecosystem services. With the imperative of economic development, there is the danger that potential environmental impacts are not assessed adequately or monitored appropriately. Here, an investigation of sediment composition of two pans (floodplain wetlands) in the Pongolo River floodplain, KwaZulu-Natal, downstream of the Pongolapoort dam constructed in 1974, is considered as a method for post-hoc assessment of the impacts on river hydrology, sediment supply and water quality. Bumbe and Sokhunti pans have contrasting hydrological regimes in terms of their connection to the main Pongolo channel - Bumbe is a shallow ephemeral pan and Sokhunti is a deep, perennial water body. The results of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) geochemical analysis of their sediment records over a depth of >1 m show that whilst the two pans exhibit similar sediment composition and variability in their lower part, Bumbe pan exhibits a shift toward increased fine-grained mineral supply and associated nutrient influx at a depth of c. 45 cm whilst Sokhunti pan is characterised by increased biogenic productivity at a depth of c. 26 cm due to enhanced nutrient status. The underlying cause is interpreted as a shift in hydrology to a 'post-dam' flow regime of reduced flood frequencies with more regular baseline flows which reduce the average flow velocity. In addition, Sokhunti shows a greater sensitivity to soil influx during flood events due to the nature of its 'background' of autochthonous biogenic sedimentation. The timing of the overall shift in sediment composition and the dates of the mineral inwash events are not well defined, but the potential for these wetlands as sensitive recorders of dam-induced changes in floodplain hydrology, especially those with a similar setting to Sokhunti pan, is clearly demonstrated. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Midwest Stream Quality Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2012-01-01

In 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) and USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) will be collaborating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) to assess stream quality across the Midwestern United States. The sites selected for this study are a subset of the larger NRSA, implemented by the EPA, States and Tribes to sample flowing waters across the United States (http://water.epa.gov/type/rsl/monitoring/riverssurvey/index.cfm). The goals are to characterize water-quality stressors—contaminants, nutrients, and sediment—and ecological conditions in streams throughout the Midwest and to determine the relative effects of these stressors on aquatic organisms in the streams. Findings will contribute useful information for communities and policymakers by identifying which human and environmental factors are the most critical in controlling stream quality. This collaborative study enhances information provided to the public and policymakers and minimizes costs by leveraging and sharing data gathered under existing programs. In the spring and early summer, NAWQA will sample streams weekly for contaminants, nutrients, and sediment. During the same time period, CERC will test sediment and water samples for toxicity, deploy time-integrating samplers, and measure reproductive effects and biomarkers of contaminant exposure in fish or amphibians. NRSA will sample sites once during the summer to assess ecological and habitat conditions in the streams by collecting data on algal, macroinvertebrate, and fish communities and collecting detailed physical-habitat measurements. Study-team members from all three programs will work in collaboration with USGS Water Science Centers and State agencies on study design, execution of sampling and analysis, and reporting.

DEVELOPING WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR SUSPENDED AND BEDDED SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA’s Framework for Developing Suspended and Bedded Sediments (SABS) Water Quality Criteria (SABS Framework) is a nationally-consistent process for developing ambient sediment quality criteria for surface waters. The SABS Framework accommodates natural variation among wa...

Acid-volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals in surface sediments of the southwestern coastal Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea: concentrations, spatial distributions and the indication of heavy metal pollution status.

PubMed

Zhuang, Wen; Gao, Xuelu

2013-11-15

Surface sediments were collected from the coastal waters of southwestern Laizhou Bay and the rivers it connects with during summer and autumn 2012. The acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) were measured to assess the sediment quality. The results showed that not all sediments with [SEM]-[AVS]>0 were capable of causing toxicity because the organic carbon is also an important metal-binding phase in sediments. Suppose the sediments had not been disturbed and the criteria of US Environmental Protection Agency had been followed, heavy metals in this area had no adverse biological effects in both seasons except for few riverine samples. The major ingredient of SEM was Zn, whereas the contribution of Cd - the most toxic metal studied - to SEM was <1%. The distributions of AVS and SEM in riverine sediments were more easily affected by anthropogenic activity compared with those in marine sediments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of the annual invasive plant, Impatiens glandulifera, on the sediment dynamics of inland watercourses in temperate regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalvi, Shrutika; Greenwood, Philip

2016-04-01

Impatiens glandulifera (Common English Name - Himalayan Balsam) is a non native annual and highly invasive plant that was introduced into parts of Europe from the Himalaya during the nineteenth century as a colourful adornment to parks and gardens. This Plant colonises areas along the river banks, preferably wet, depositional sites, and displaces natural vegetation. The plant is killed by cold weather. The leaves area of riverbank previously occupied by the plant extremely vulnerable to soil erosion until new plant germinates in the following spring. Research work undertaken in the northwest Switzerland and the soutwestern United Kingdom established s link between accelerated soil erosion caused by Impatiens glandulifera and its detrimental impact on native biodiversity of riparian zone of river catchment area. This study focueses on the potential impact of such erosion on sediment quality. A priory reasoning suggests that the preference of Impatiens glandulifera on young depsotional sites near watercourses affects sediment quality. In this study, the results of a soil quality analysis along Impatiens glandulifera-contaminated river banks is presented. Soil physical and chemical properties are compared to non-affected sites to assess the potential impact of preferential erosion on water quality. In addtiion, soil surface profile (SSP) measuring based on by erosion pins, a micro profile bridge and a digital calliper at different selected locations along the riparian zone of river catchment area is used to determine erosion rates and determine sediment transfer from the riparian zone into the rivers.

Water quality monitoring of Sweetwater and Loveland reservoirs--Phase one results 1998-1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Majewski, Michael S.; Sidhu, Jagdeep S.; Mendez, Gregory O.

2002-01-01

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey began a study to assess the overall health of the watershed feeding the Sweetwater Reservoir in southern San Diego County, California. The study focussed on monitoring for organic chemical contamination and the effects of construction and operation of State Route 125 on water quality. Three environmental compartments (air, water, and bed sediments) are being sampled regularly for chemical contaminants, including volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, and major and trace elements. The study is divided into two phases. Phase I sampling is designed to establish baseline conditions for target compounds in terms of detection frequency and concentration in air, water, and bed sediments. Phase II sampling will continue at the established monitoring sites during and after construction of State Route 125 to assess chemical impact on water quality in the reservoir resulting from land-use changes and development in the watershed. This report describes the study design, the sampling and analytical methods, and presents the data results for the first year of the study, September 1998 to September 1999.

Assessing condition of macroinvertebrate communities and sediment toxicity in the St. Lawrence River at Massena Area-of-Concern

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duffy, Brian T.; Baldigo, Barry P.; Smith, Alexander J.; George, Scott D.; David, Anthony M.

2016-01-01

In 1972, the USA and Canada agreed to restore the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem under the first Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In subsequent amendments, part of the St. Lawrence River at Massena, New York and segments of three tributaries, were designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) due to the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead and copper contamination, and habitat degradation and resulting impairment to several beneficial uses. Because sediments have been largely remediated, the present study was initiated to evaluate the current status of the benthic macroinvertebrate (benthos) beneficial use impairment (BUI). Benthic macroinvertebrate communities and sediment toxicity tests using Chironomus dilutus were used to test the hypotheses that community condition and sediment toxicity at AOC sites were not significantly different from those of adjacent reference sites. Grain size was found to be the main driver of community composition and macroinvertebrate assemblages, and bioassessment metrics did not differ significantly between AOC and reference sites of the same sediment class. Median growth of C. dilutus and its survival in three of the four river systems did not differ significantly in sediments from AOC and reference sites. Comparable macroinvertebrate assemblages and general lack of toxicity across most AOC and reference sites suggest that the quality of sediments should not significantly impair benthic macroinvertebrate communities in most sites in the St. Lawrence River AOC.

Application of SWAT to assess the effects of land use change in the Murchison Bay catchment in Uganda

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a versatile model presently used worldwide to evaluate water quality and hydrological concerns under varying land use and environmental conditions. In this study, SWAT was used to simulate streamflow and to estimate sediment yield and nutrients loss from ...

Pollution Assessment of the Biobío River (Chile): Prioritization of Substances of Concern Under an Ecotoxicological Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso, Álvaro; Figueroa, Ricardo; Castro-Díez, Pilar

2017-05-01

The water demand for human activities is rapidly increasing in developing countries. Under these circumstances, preserving aquatic ecosystems should be a priority which requires the development of quality criteria. In this study we perform a preliminary prioritization of the risky substances based on reported ecotoxicological studies and guidelines for the Biobío watershed (Central Chile). Our specific aims are (1) reviewing the scientific information on the aquatic pollution of this watershed, (2) determining the presence and concentration of potential toxic substances in water, sediment and effluents, (3) searching for quality criteria developed by other countries for the selected substances and (4) prioritizing the most risky substances by means of deterministic ecotoxicological risk assessment. We found that paper and mill industries were the main sources of point pollution, while forestry and agriculture were mostly responsible for non-point pollution. The most risky organic substances in the water column were pentachlorophenol and heptachlor, while the most relevant inorganic ones were aluminum, copper, unionized ammonia and mercury. The most risky organic and inorganic substances in the sediment were phenanthrene and mercury, respectively. Our review highlights that an important effort has been done to monitor pollution in the Biobío watershed. However there are emerging pollutants and banned compounds—especially in sediments—that require to be monitored. We suggest that site-specific water quality criteria and sediment quality criteria should be developed for the Biobío watershed, considering the toxicity of mixtures of chemicals to endemic species, and the high natural background level of aluminum in the Biobío.

Integrative assessment of coastal marine pollution in the Bay of Santander and the Upper Galician Rias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rial, Diego; León, Víctor M.; Bellas, Juan

2017-12-01

Sediments from the Rias of A Coruña, Ferrol, Betanzos and Ares (n = 26) and the Bay of Santander (n = 11) were sampled in July 2012. The concentration of organic contaminants in sediment elutriates (CBs, PAHs, pesticides and personal care products) and sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) embryotoxicity were assessed. Relevant concentrations of organic pollutants were detected in the elutriates (ΣContaminants < 400 ng/L) but their interpretation in terms of the observed toxicity was not straightforward. A clear gradient of toxicity from the inner to the outer areas of the Bay of Santander was observed. Sediment elutriates from three stations situated close to the city of A Coruña showed moderate toxicity values, whereas sediment elutriates from the Rias of Ares and Betanzos showed no marked toxicity. Stations located close to the city of Ferrol showed moderate to high toxicity, which is indicative of a nearby source of contamination. On the contrary, the outer area of the Ria of Ferrol was classified as "Good" according to the calculated toxic units. These results allowed for an integrative assessment of the environmental quality of the studied areas.

Specification of Butyltins and Methyltins in Seawater and Marine Sediments by Hydride Derivatization and Atomic Absorption Detection.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

Corporation . - P.F. Seligman . . Naval Ocean Systems Center fTW G. Vafa University of Hawaii Research Corporation P.M. Stang DEC 0 4 198 1: San Diego State...NAVFAC 032) under the Marine Environmental Quality Assessment Program. Released by Under authority of P. F. Seligman , Head S. Yamamoto, Head Marine...SEDIMENTS BY HYDRIDE DERIVATIZATION AND ATOMIC ABSORPTION DETECTION 12 PERSONAL AUJTHORWS) A. 0. Valkirs, P. F. Seligman , G. Vafa, P. M. Stang, V. Homner

Simulating high frequency water quality monitoring data using a catchment runoff attenuation flux tool (CRAFT).

PubMed

Adams, Russell; Quinn, Paul F; Perks, Matthew; Barber, Nicholas J; Jonczyk, Jennine; Owen, Gareth J

2016-12-01

High resolution water quality data has recently become widely available from numerous catchment based monitoring schemes. However, the models that can reproduce time series of concentrations or fluxes have not kept pace with the advances in monitoring data. Model performance at predicting phosphorus (P) and sediment concentrations has frequently been poor with models not fit for purpose except for predicting annual losses. Here, the data from the Eden Demonstration Test Catchments (DTC) project have been used to calibrate the Catchment Runoff Attenuation Flux Tool (CRAFT), a new, parsimonious model developed with the aim of modelling both the generation and attenuation of nutrients and sediments in small to medium sized catchments. The CRAFT has the ability to run on an hourly timestep and can calculate the mass of sediments and nutrients transported by three flow pathways representing rapid surface runoff, fast subsurface drainage and slow groundwater flow (baseflow). The attenuation feature of the model is introduced here; this enables surface runoff and contaminants transported via this pathway to be delayed in reaching the catchment outlet. It was used to investigate some hypotheses of nutrient and sediment transport in the Newby Beck Catchment (NBC) Model performance was assessed using a suite of metrics including visual best fit and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency. It was found that this approach for water quality models may be the best assessment method as opposed to using a single metric. Furthermore, it was found that, when the aim of the simulations was to reproduce the time series of total P (TP) or total reactive P (TRP) to get the best visual fit, that attenuation was required. The model will be used in the future to explore the impacts on water quality of different mitigation options in the catchment; these will include attenuation of surface runoff. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coastal circulation and sediment dynamics in Hanalei Bay, Kaua'i, Hawaii, part III, studies of sediment toxicity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Robert S.; Nipper, Marion; Field, Michael; Biedenbach, James M.

2006-01-01

Toxicity tests are commonly conducted as a measure of the bioavailability of toxic chemicals to biota in an environment. Chemical analyses alone are insufficient to determine whether contaminants pose a threat to biota. Porewater toxicity tests are extremely sensitive to a broad range of contaminants in marine environments and provide ecologically relevant data on sensitive life stages. The inclusion of porewater toxicity testing as an additional indicator of sediment quality provides a more comprehensive picture of contaminant effects in these sensitive habitats. In this study purple-spined sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) fertilization and embryological development porewater toxicity tests were used to evaluate the sediments collected from the coastal environment around Hanalei Bay, Kaua’i, Hawaii. These tests have been used previously to assess the bioavailability of contaminants associated with sediments in the vicinity of coral reefs.

Enrichment and geo-accumulation of heavy metals and risk assessment of sediments of the Kurang Nallah--feeding tributary of the Rawal Lake Reservoir, Pakistan.

PubMed

Zahra, Azmat; Hashmi, Muhammad Zaffar; Malik, Riffat Naseem; Ahmed, Zulkifl

2014-02-01

Heavy metal concentrations in sediments of the Kurang stream: a principal feeding tributary of the Rawal Lake Reservoir were investigated using enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and metal pollution index (MPI) to determine metal accumulation, distribution and its pollution status. Sediment samples were collected from twenty one sites during two year monitoring in pre- and post-monsoon seasons (2007-2008). Heavy metal toxicity risk was assessed using Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs), effect range low/effect range median values (ERL/ERM), and threshold effect level/probable effect level (TEL/PEL). Greater mean concentrations of Ni, Mn and Pb were recorded in post-monsoon season whereas metal accumulation pattern in pre-monsoon season followed the order: Zn>Mn>Ni>Cr>Co>Cd>Pb>Cu>Li. Enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation (Igeo) values showed that sediments were loaded with Cd, Zn, Ni and Mn. Comparison with uncontaminated background values showed higher concentrations of Cd, Zn and Ni than respective average shale values. Concentrations of Ni and Zn were above ERL values; however, Ni concentration exceeded the ERM values. Sediment contamination was attributed to anthropogenic and natural processes. The results can be used for effective management of fresh water hilly streams of Pakistan. © 2013.

Sedimentology, geochemistry, pollution status and ecological risk assessment of some heavy metals in surficial sediments of an Egyptian lagoon connecting to the Mediterranean Sea.

PubMed

El-Said, Ghada F; Draz, Suzanne E O; El-Sadaawy, Manal M; Moneer, Abeer A

2014-01-01

Spatial distribution of heavy metals (Co, Cu, Ni, Cr, Mn, Zn and Fe) was studied on Lake Edku's surface sediments in relation to sedimentology and geochemistry characteristics and their contamination status on the ecological system. Lake Edku's sediments were dominated by sandy silt and silty sand textures and were enriched with carbonate content (9.83-58.46%). Iron and manganese were the most abundant heavy metals with ranges of 1.69 to 8.06 mg g(-1) and 0.88 to 3.27 mg g(-1), respectively. Cobalt and nickel showed a harmonic distribution along the studied sediments. The results were interpreted by the statistical means. The heavy metal pollution status and their ecological risk in Lake Edku was evaluated using the sediment quality guidelines and the contamination assessment methods (geoaccumulation, pollution load and potential ecological risk indices, enrichment factor, contamination degree as well as effect range median (ERM) and probable effect level (PEL) quotients). Amongst the determined heavy metals, zinc had the most ecological risk. Overall, the heavy metals in surface sediments showed ecological effect range from moderate to considerable risk, specially, in the stations in front of the seawater and in drain sources that had the highest toxic priority.

Integrated approach to assess ecosystem health in harbor areas.

PubMed

Bebianno, M J; Pereira, C G; Rey, F; Cravo, A; Duarte, D; D'Errico, G; Regoli, F

2015-05-01

Harbors are critical environments with strategic economic importance but with potential environmental impact: health assessment criteria are a key issue. An ecosystem health status approach was carried out in Portimão harbor as a case-study. Priority and specific chemical levels in sediments along with their bioavailability in mussels, bioassays and a wide array of biomarkers were integrated in a biomarker index (IBR index) and the overall data in a weight of evidence (WOE) model. Metals, PAHs, PCBs and HCB were not particularly high compared with sediment guidelines and standards for dredging. Bioavailability was evident for Cd, Cu and Zn. Biomarkers proved more sensitive namely changes of antioxidant responses, metallothioneins and vittellogenin-like proteins. IBR index indicated that site 4 was the most impacted area. Assessment of the health status by WOE approach highlighted the importance of integrating sediment chemistry, bioaccumulation, biomarkers and bioassays and revealed that despite some disturbance in the harbor area, there was also an impact of urban effluents from upstream. Environmental quality assessment in harbors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Selenium in the Blackfoot, Salt, and Bear River Watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamilton, S.J.; Buhl, K.J.

2005-01-01

Nine stream sites in the Blackfoot River, Salt River, and Bear River watersheds in southeast Idaho, USA were sampled in May 2001 for water, surficial sediment, aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, and fish. Selenium was measured in these aquatic ecosystem components, and a hazard assessment was performed on the data. Water quality characteristics such as pH, hardness, and specific conductance were relatively uniform among the nine sites. Of the aquatic components assessed, water was the least contaminated with selenium because measured concentrations were below the national water quality criterion of 5 μ g/L at eight of the nine sites. In contrast, selenium was elevated in sediment, aquatic plants, aquatic invertebrates, and fish from several sites, suggesting deposition in sediments and food web cycling through plants and invertebrates. Selenium was elevated to concentrations of concern in fish at eight sites (> 4 μ g/g in whole body). A hazard assessment of selenium in the aquatic environment suggested a moderate hazard at upper Angus Creek (UAC) and Smoky Creek (SC), and high hazard at Little Blackfoot River (LiB), Blackfoot River gaging station (BGS), State Land Creek (SLC), upper (UGC) and lower Georgetown Creek (LGC), Deer Creek (DC), and Crow Creek (CC). The results of this study indicate that selenium concentrations from the phosphate mining area of southeast Idaho were sufficiently elevated in several ecosystem components to cause adverse effects to aquatic resources in southeastern Idaho.

A comparison of acoustic and observed sediment classifications as predictor variables for modelling biotope distributions in Galway Bay, Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Carroll, Jack P. J.; Kennedy, Robert; Ren, Lei; Nash, Stephen; Hartnett, Michael; Brown, Colin

2017-10-01

The INFOMAR (Integrated Mapping For the Sustainable Development of Ireland's Marine Resource) initiative has acoustically mapped and classified a significant proportion of Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and is likely to be an important tool in Ireland's efforts to meet the criteria of the MSFD. In this study, open source and relic data were used in combination with new grab survey data to model EUNIS level 4 biotope distributions in Galway Bay, Ireland. The correct prediction rates of two artificial neural networks (ANNs) were compared to assess the effectiveness of acoustic sediment classifications versus sediments that were visually classified by an expert in the field as predictor variables. To test for autocorrelation between predictor variables the RELATE routine with Spearman rank correlation method was used. Optimal models were derived by iteratively removing predictor variables and comparing the correct prediction rates of each model. The models with the highest correct prediction rates were chosen as optimal. The optimal models each used a combination of salinity (binary; 0 = polyhaline and 1 = euhaline), proximity to reef (binary; 0 = within 50 m and 1 = outside 50 m), depth (continuous; metres) and a sediment descriptor (acoustic or observed) as predictor variables. As the status of benthic habitats is required to be assessed under the MSFD the Ecological Status (ES) of the subtidal sediments of Galway Bay was also assessed using the Infaunal Quality Index. The ANN that used observed sediment classes as predictor variables could correctly predict the distribution of biotopes 67% of the time, compared to 63% for the ANN using acoustic sediment classes. Acoustic sediment ANN predictions were affected by local sediment heterogeneity, and the lack of a mixed sediment class. The all-round poor performance of ANNs is likely to be a result of the temporally variable and sparsely distributed data within the study area.

Genetic relatedness of faecal coliforms and enterococci bacteria isolated from water and sediments of the Apies River, Gauteng, South Africa.

PubMed

Ekwanzala, Mutshiene Deogratias; Abia, Akebe Luther King; Ubomba-Jaswa, Eunice; Keshri, Jitendra; Momba, Ndombo Benteke Maggy

2017-12-01

To date, the microbiological quality of river sediments and its impact on water resources are not included in the water quality monitoring assessment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to establish genetic relatedness between faecal coliforms and enterococci isolated from the river water and riverbed sediments of Apies River to better understand the genetic similarity of microorganisms between the sediment and water phases. Indicator bacteria were subjected to a molecular study, which consisted of PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA gene using specific primers for faecal coliforms and enterococci, respectively. Results revealed that the Apies River had high faecal pollution levels with enterococci showing low to moderate correlation coefficient (r 2 values ranged from 0.2605 to 0.7499) compared to the faecal coliforms which showed zero to low correlation (r 2 values ranged from 0.0027 to 0.1407) indicating that enterococci may be better indicator than faecal coliforms for detecting faecal contamination in riverbed sediments. The phylogenetic tree of faecal coliforms revealed a 98% homology among their nucleotide sequences confirming the close genetic relatedness between river water and riverbed sediment isolates. The phylogenetic tree of the enterococci showed that Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are the predominant species found in both river water and riverbed sediments with bootstrap values of ≥99%. A high degree of genetic relatedness between sediment and water isolates indicated a possible common ancestry and transmission pathway. We recommend the microbial monitoring of riverbed sediments as it harbours more diverse microbial community and once resuspended may cause health and environmental problems.

Improving sediment-quality guidelines for nickel: development and application of predictive bioavailability models to assess chronic toxicity of nickel in freshwater sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vangheluwe, Marnix L. U.; Verdonck, Frederik A. M.; Besser, John M.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Schlekat, Christan E.; Rogevich Garman, Emily

2013-01-01

Within the framework of European Union chemical legislations an extensive data set on the chronic toxicity of sediment nickel has been generated. In the initial phase of testing, tests were conducted with 8 taxa of benthic invertebrates in 2 nickel-spiked sediments, including 1 reasonable worst-case sediment with low concentrations of acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and total organic carbon. The following species were tested: amphipods (Hyalella azteca, Gammarus pseudolimnaeus), mayflies (Hexagenia sp.), oligochaetes (Tubifex tubifex, Lumbriculus variegatus), mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea), and midges (Chironomus dilutus, Chironomus riparius). In the second phase, tests were conducted with the most sensitive species in 6 additional spiked sediments, thus generating chronic toxicity data for a total of 8 nickel-spiked sediments. A species sensitivity distribution was elaborated based on 10% effective concentrations yielding a threshold value of 94 mg Ni/kg dry weight under reasonable worst-case conditions. Data from all sediments were used to model predictive bioavailability relationships between chronic toxicity thresholds (20% effective concentrations) and AVS and Fe, and these models were used to derive site-specific sediment-quality criteria. Normalization of toxicity values reduced the intersediment variability in toxicity values significantly for the amphipod species Hyalella azteca and G. pseudolimnaeus, but these relationships were less clearly defined for the mayfly Hexagenia sp. Application of the models to prevailing local conditions resulted in threshold values ranging from 126 mg to 281 mg Ni/kg dry weight, based on the AVS model, and 143 mg to 265 mg Ni/kg dry weight, based on the Fe model

Sediment delivery estimates in water quality models altered by resolution and source of topographic data.

PubMed

Beeson, Peter C; Sadeghi, Ali M; Lang, Megan W; Tomer, Mark D; Daughtry, Craig S T

2014-01-01

Moderate-resolution (30-m) digital elevation models (DEMs) are normally used to estimate slope for the parameterization of non-point source, process-based water quality models. These models, such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), use the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and Modified USLE to estimate sediment loss. The slope length and steepness factor, a critical parameter in USLE, significantly affects sediment loss estimates. Depending on slope range, a twofold difference in slope estimation potentially results in as little as 50% change or as much as 250% change in the LS factor and subsequent sediment estimation. Recently, the availability of much finer-resolution (∼3 m) DEMs derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data has increased. However, the use of these data may not always be appropriate because slope values derived from fine spatial resolution DEMs are usually significantly higher than slopes derived from coarser DEMs. This increased slope results in considerable variability in modeled sediment output. This paper addresses the implications of parameterizing models using slope values calculated from DEMs with different spatial resolutions (90, 30, 10, and 3 m) and sources. Overall, we observed over a 2.5-fold increase in slope when using a 3-m instead of a 90-m DEM, which increased modeled soil loss using the USLE calculation by 130%. Care should be taken when using LiDAR-derived DEMs to parameterize water quality models because doing so can result in significantly higher slopes, which considerably alter modeled sediment loss. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Upper Illinois River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedel, Michael J.

1998-01-01

During the past 25 years, industry and government made large financial investments that resulted in better water quality across the Nation; however, many water-quality concerns remain. Following a 1986 pilot project, the U.S. Geological Survey began implementation of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program in 1991. This program differs from other national water-quality assessment studies in that the NAWQA integrates monitoring of surface- and ground-water quality with the study of aquatic ecosystems. The goals of the NAWQA Program are to (1) describe current water-quality conditions for a large part of the Nation's freshwater streams and aquifers (water-bearing sediments and rocks), (2) describe how water quality is changing over time, and (3) improve our understanding of the primary natural and human factors affecting water quality.The Upper Illinois River Basin National Water- Quality Assessment (NAWQA) study will increase the scientific understanding of surface- and ground-water quality and the factors that affect water quality in the basin. The study also will provide information needed by water-resource managers to implement effective water-quality management actions and evaluate long-term changes in water quality.

The assumption of heterogeneous or homogeneous radioactive contamination in soil/sediment: does it matter in terms of the external exposure of fauna?

PubMed

Beaugelin-Seiller, K

2014-12-01

The classical approach to environmental radioprotection is based on the assumption of homogeneously contaminated media. However, in soils and sediments there may be a significant variation of radioactivity with depth. The effect of this heterogeneity was investigated by examining the external exposure of various sediment and soil organisms, and determining the resulting dose rates, assuming a realistic combination of locations and radionuclides. The results were dependent on the exposure situation, i.e., the organism, its location, and the quality and quantity of radionuclides. The dose rates ranged over three orders of magnitude. The assumption of homogeneous contamination was not consistently conservative (if associated with a level of radioactivity averaged over the full thickness of soil or sediment that was sampled). Dose assessment for screening purposes requires consideration of the highest activity concentration measured in a soil/sediment that is considered to be homogeneously contaminated. A more refined assessment (e.g., higher tier of a graded approach) should take into consideration a more realistic contamination profile, and apply different dosimetric approaches. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of trace metals pollution in estuarine sediments using SEM-AVS and ERM-ERL predictions.

PubMed

Garcia, Carlos Alexandre Borges; Passos, Elisangela de Andrade; Alves, José do Patrocínio Hora

2011-10-01

This paper presents the distributions of the investigation of trace metals geochemistry in surface sediments of the Sergipe river estuary, northeast Brazil. Analyses were carried out by Flame or electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS or ETAAS). Principal component analysis was applied to results to identify any groupings among the different sampling sites. In order to determine the extent of contamination, taking into account natural variability within the region, metal concentrations were normalized relative to aluminium. Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn contamination was observed in sediments from the area receiving highest inputs of domestic wastes, while cadmium contamination occurred in sediments from the region affected by highest inflows of industrial effluents. Possible toxicity related to these metals was examined using the relationship simultaneously extracted metals/acid volatile sulfide and by comparing sediment chemical data with sediment quality guidelines ERL-ERM values. Results obtained using the two methods were in agreement and indicated that adverse effects on aquatic biota should rarely occur.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 1992 through September 1993) and statistical summaries of water-quality data (March 1985 through September 1993) for streams in the upper Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, John H.

1994-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Missoula as part of a program to characterize aquatic resources in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana. Water-quality data were obtained periodically at 16 stations during October 1992 through September 1993 (water year 1993); daily suspended-sediment data were obtained at six of these stations. Bed-sediment and biological data were obtained at 11 stations in August 1993. Sampling stations were located on the Clark Fork and major tributaries. The primary constituents analyzed were trace elements associated with mine tailings from historic mining and smelting activities. Water-quality data include concentra- tions of major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment in samples collected periodically during water year 1993. A statistical summary of water- quality data is provided for the period of record at each station since 1985. Daily values of streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended-sediment discharge are given for six stations. Bed-sediment data include trace- element concentrations in the fine and bulk fractions. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Quality-assurance data are reported for analytical results of water, bed sediment, and biota.

Environmental effects monitoring at the Terra Nova offshore oil development (Newfoundland, Canada): Program design and overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBlois, Elisabeth M.; Tracy, Ellen; Janes, G. Gregory; Crowley, Roger D.; Wells, Trudy A.; Williams, Urban P.; Paine, Michael D.; Mathieu, Anne; Kilgour, Bruce W.

2014-12-01

An environmental effects monitoring (EEM) program was developed by Suncor (formerly Petro-Canada) in 1997/98 to assess effects of the Terra Nova offshore oil and gas development on the receiving environment. The Terra Nova Field is located on the Grand Banks approximately 350 km southeast of Newfoundland (Canada), at approximately 100 m water depth. The EEM program was developed with guidance from experts in government, academia and elsewhere, and with input from the public. The EEM program proposed by Suncor was accepted by Canadian regulatory agencies and the program was implemented in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, with pre-development sampling in 1997. The program continues to be implemented every two years. EEM includes an assessment of alterations in sediment quality through examination of changes in sediment chemistry, particle size, toxicity and benthic invertebrate community structure. A second component of the program examines potential effects on two species of commercial fishing interest: Iceland scallop (Chlamys islandica) and American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides). Chemical body burden for these two species is examined and taste tests are performed to assess the presence of taint in edible tissues. Effects on American plaice bioindicators are also examined. A final component of the program assesses potential effects of the Terra Nova development on water quality and examines water column chemistry, chlorophyll concentration and physical properties. The papers presented in this collection focus on effects of drill cuttings and drilling muds on the seafloor environment and, as such, report results on sediment quality and bioaccumulation of drilling mud components in Iceland scallop and American plaice. This paper provides information on drilling discharges, an overview of the physical oceanography at the Terra Nova Field, and an overview of the field program designed to assess environmental effects of drilling at Terra Nova.

Geochemical and geo-statistical assessment of selected heavy metals in the surface sediments of the Gorgan Bay, Iran.

PubMed

Bastami, Kazem Darvish; Bagheri, Hossein; Haghparast, Sarah; Soltani, Farzaneh; Hamzehpoor, Ali; Bastami, Mousa Darvish

2012-12-01

We investigated heavy metal concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb), their spatial distribution and enrichment factor index in surface sediments of the Gorgan Bay. Sediment Quality Guidelines were also applied to assess adverse biological effects of these metals. Heavy metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The results indicated mean concentrations (ppm) of heavy metals were (mean±S.D.) Pb: 11.5±4.88, Cu: 18±8.83, Zn: 42±22.15 and Cr: 32±15.19. Based on Enrichment index, the Gorgan Bay is a low-enriched to non-enriched bay. Heavy metal contents were lower than the standard limits of PEL, ERL, and ERM that reveal no threatening influence of the metals in the Bay. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution and pollution assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments in Xiaoqing river estuary and its adjacent sea of Laizhou bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Li; Luo, Xianxiang; Fan, Yuqing

2018-03-01

In this paper, the monitoring results of four heavy metals Cu, Pb, Zn and Hg at 10 sampling stations in Xiaoqing river estuary and its adjacent sea of Laizhou Bay in November 2008 were analyzed and evaluated. The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals in the steam channel and estuary are higher than those in the adjacent sea, and the metal concentrations were below the standard for I class of marine sediment quality, excepting the station 2 in the steam channel and station 5 in the estuary. The assessment of the single-factor pollution index showed that the overall pollution level of the study area was relatively low, but there was serious pollution phenomenon in individual station. The potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the surface sediments was generally at a low level, and Hg had the highest potential risk.

Assessment of benthic changes during 20 years of monitoring the Mexican Salina Cruz Bay.

PubMed

González-Macías, C; Schifter, I; Lluch-Cota, D B; Méndez-Rodríguez, L; Hernández-Vázquez, S

2009-02-01

In this work a non-parametric multivariate analysis was used to assess the impact of metals and organic compounds in the macro infaunal component of the mollusks benthic community using surface sediment data from several monitoring programs collected over 20 years in Salina Cruz Bay, Mexico. The data for benthic mollusks community characteristics (richness, abundance and diversity) were linked to multivariate environmental patterns, using the Alternating Conditional Expectations method to correlate the biological measurements of the mollusk community with the physicochemical properties of water and sediments. Mollusks community variation is related to environmental characteristics as well as lead content. Surface deposit feeders are increasing their relative density, while subsurface deposit feeders are decreasing with respect to time, these last are expected to be more related with sediment and more affected then by its quality. However gastropods with predatory carnivore as well as chemosymbiotic deposit feeder bivalves have maintained their relative densities along time.

Evaluating the accotink creek restoration project for improving water quality, in-stream habitat, and bank stability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Struck, S.D.; Selvakumar, A.; Hyer, K.; O'Connor, T.

2007-01-01

Increased urbanization results in a larger percentage of connected impervious areas and can contribute large quantities of stormwater runoff and significant quantities of debris and pollutants (e.g., litter, oils, microorganisms, sediments, nutrients, organic matter, and heavy metals) to receiving waters. To improve water quality in urban and suburban areas, watershed managers often incorporate best management practices (BMPs) to reduce the quantity of runoff as well as to minimize pollutants and other stressors contained in stormwater runoff. It is well known that land-use practices directly impact urban streams. Stream flows in urbanized watersheds increase in magnitude as a function of impervious area and can result in degradation of the natural stream channel morphology affecting the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the stream. Stream bank erosion, which also increases with increased stream flows, can lead to bank instability, property loss, infrastructure damage, and increased sediment loading to the stream. Increased sediment loads may lead to water quality degradation downstream and have negative impacts on fish, benthic invertebrates, and other aquatic life. Accotink Creek is in the greater Chesapeake Bay and Potomac watersheds, which have strict sediment criteria. The USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) and USGS (United States Geological Survey) are investigating the effectiveness of stream restoration techniques as a BMP to decrease sediment load and improve bank stability, biological integrity, and in-stream water quality in an impaired urban watershed in Fairfax, Virginia. This multi-year project continuously monitors turbidity, specific conductance, pH, and water temperature, as well as biological and chemical water quality parameters. In addition, physical parameters (e.g., pebble counts, longitudinal and cross sectional stream surveys) were measured to assess geomorphic changes associated with the restoration. Data from the pre-construction and initial post-construction phases are presented in this report. ?? 2007 ASCE.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2013 through September 2014) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.

2015-12-24

This report presents the analytical results and qualityassurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2013 through September 2014. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. At 12 sites, dissolved organic carbon and turbidity samples were collected. In addition, nitrogen (nitrate plus nitrite) samples were collected at two sites. Daily values of mean suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-ele­ment concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in wholebody tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin are provided for the period of record.

STAND, A DYNAMIC MODEL FOR SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND WATER QUALITY. (R825758)

EPA Science Inventory

We introduce a new model–STAND (Sediment-Transport-Associated Nutrient Dynamics)–for simulating stream flow, sediment transport, and the interactions of sediment with other attributes of water quality. In contrast to other models, STAND employs a fully dynamic ba...

Comparison of streamflow and water-quality data collection techniques for the Saginaw River, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoard, C.J.; Holtschlag, D.J.; Duris, J.W.; James, D.A.; Obenauer, D.J.

2012-01-01

In 2009, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Geological Survey developed a plan to compare the effect of various streamgaging and water-quality collection techniques on streamflow and stream water-quality data for the Saginaw River, Michigan. The Saginaw River is the primary contributor of surface runoff to Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, draining approximately 70 percent of the Saginaw Bay watershed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has listed the Saginaw Bay system as an "Area of Concern" due to many factors, including excessive sediment and nutrient concentrations in the water. Current efforts to estimate loading of sediment and nutrients to Saginaw Bay utilize water-quality samples collected using a surface-grab technique and flow data that are uncertain during specific conditions. Comparisons of current flow and water-quality sampling techniques to alternative techniques were assessed between April 2009 and September 2009 at two locations in the Saginaw River. Streamflow estimated using acoustic Doppler current profiling technology was compared to a traditional stage-discharge technique. Complex conditions resulting from the influence of Saginaw Bay on the Saginaw River were able to be captured using the acoustic technology, while the traditional stage-discharge technique failed to quantify these effects. Water-quality samples were collected at two locations and on eight different dates, utilizing both surface-grab and depth-integrating multiple-vertical techniques. Sixteen paired samples were collected and analyzed for suspended sediment, turbidity, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia. Results indicate that concentrations of constituents associated with suspended material, such as suspended sediment, turbidity, and total phosphorus, are underestimated when samples are collected using the surface-grab technique. The median magnitude of the relative percent difference in concentration based on sampling technique was 37 percent for suspended sediment, 26 percent for turbidity, and 9.7 percent for total phosphorus samples collected at both. Acoustic techniques were also used to assist in the determination of the effectiveness of using acoustic-backscatter information for estimating the suspended-sediment concentration of the river water. Backscatter data was collected by use of an acoustic Doppler current profiler, and a Van Dorn manual sampler was simultaneously used to collect discrete water samples at 10 depths (3.5, 7.5, 11, 14, 15.5, 17.5, 19.5, 20.5, 22, and 24.5 ft below the water surface) along two vertical profiles near the center of the Saginaw River near Bay City. The Van Dorn samples were analyzed for suspended-sediment concentrations, and these data were then used to develop a relationship between acoustic-backscatter data. Acoustic-backscatter data was strongly correlated to sediment concentrations and, by using a linear regression, was able to explain 89 percent of the variability. Although this regression technique showed promise for using acoustic backscatter to estimate suspended-sediment concentration, attempts to compare suspended-sediment concentrations to the acoustic signal-to-noise ratio estimates, recorded at the fixed acoustic streamflow-gaging station near Bay City (04157061), resulted in a poor correlation.

Water-quality trends in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin using sediment cores from reservoirs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Mahler, B.J.; Callender, Edward C.

1997-01-01

In 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began full implementation of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program (Leahy and others, 1990). Also in 1991, the State of Texas established the Clean Rivers Program (CRP) administered by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC). The coring study reported here was a collaborative effort between the NAWQA Program and the CRP Rio Grande Border Environmental Assessment Team, with additional funding support from the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1.

Water Quality in the Nation's Streams and Aquifers Overview of Selected Findings, 1991-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamilton, Pixie A.; Miller, Timothy L.; Myers, Donna N.

2004-01-01

This report accompanies the publication of the last 15 of 51 river basin and aquifer assessments by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program during 1991?2001. It highlights selected water-quality findings of regional and national interest through examples from river basins and aquifer systems across the Nation. Forthcoming reports in the USGS series ?The Quality of Our Nation?s Waters? will present comprehensive national syntheses of information collected in the 51 study units on pesticides in water, sediment, and fish; volatile organic compounds in major aquifers used for domestic and public supply; nutrients and trace elements in streams and ground water; and aquatic ecology. This report, summaries of the 51 water-quality assessments, and a 1999 national synthesis of information on nutrients and pesticides, are available free of charge as USGS Circulars and on the World Wide Web at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/nawqa_sumr.html.

EPA's National Coastal Condition Assessment: Pilot research ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA Office of Water’s 5-year cycles of national surveys of wetlands, lakes, rivers, and coastal areas help satisfy the assessment and antidegradation provisions of the Clean Water Act. Measuring extant conditions precedes measuring change in conditions. Surveys are challenged to adequately sample extreme conditions occurring in small areas. Extremely bad conditions are targets for remediation. Extremely good conditions are targets for protection. In 2010, the National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) found the majority of the coastal Great Lakes (by area) was in good condition for water (60%) and sediment (51%) quality but not benthos (20%) and fish tissue contaminants (<1%). Low sampling success for biological sampling was an issue. As part of the 2014 Lake Erie CSMI field year, EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office, working with the Office of Research and Development, began pilot research to integrate connecting channels into Great Lakes surveys. Assessments of the Huron-Erie corridor (HEC; 2014, 2015) and St Marys River (SMR; 2015, 2016) which have previously gone unassessed by NCCA, are being developed. Water, sediment, and benthic quality data from the 2014 HEC survey (n=60) were compared to 2010 NCCA data from adjacent lakes. Water quality rated “poor” (as % area) in HEC was intermediate compared to Lake Huron and Erie regardless of which lake-specific thresholds were used. However, the amount of area classified as “good” was highl

Water Resources Data for California, 1965; Part 2: Water Quality Records

USGS Publications Warehouse

1965-01-01

Water quality information is presented for chemical quality, fluvial sediment, and water temperatures. The chemical quality includes concentrations of individual dissolved constituents and certain properties or characteristics such as hardness, sodium-adsorption-ratio, specific conductance, and pH. Fluvial sediment information is given for suspended-sediment discharges and concentrations and for particle-size distribution of suspended sediment and bed material. Water temperature data represent once-daily observations except for stations where a continuous temperature recorder furnishes information from which daily minimums and maximums are obtained.

Water Resources Data for California, 1966; Part 2: Water Quality Records

USGS Publications Warehouse

1967-01-01

Water-quality information is presented for chemical quality, fluvial sediment, and water temperatures. The chemical quality includes concentrations of individual dissolved constituents and certain properties or characteristics such as hardness, sodium-adsorption ratio, specific conductance, and pH. Fluvial-sediment information is given for suspended-sediment discharges and concentrations and for particle-size distribution of suspended sediment and bed material. Water-temperature data represent once-daily observations except for stations where a continuous temperature recorder furnishes information from which daily minimums and maximums are obtained.

Remote sensing of land use and water quality relationships - Wisconsin shore, Lake Michigan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haugen, R. K.; Marlar, T. L.

1976-01-01

This investigation assessed the utility of remote sensing techniques in the study of land use-water quality relationships in an east central Wisconsin test area. The following types of aerial imagery were evaluated: high altitude (60,000 ft) color, color infrared, multispectral black and white, and thermal; low altitude (less than 5000 ft) color infrared, multispectral black and white, thermal, and passive microwave. A non-imaging hand-held four-band radiometer was evaluated for utility in providing data on suspended sediment concentrations. Land use analysis includes the development of mapping and quantification methods to obtain baseline data for comparison to water quality variables. Suspended sediment loads in streams, determined from water samples, were related to land use differences and soil types in three major watersheds. A multiple correlation coefficient R of 0.85 was obtained for the relationship between the 0.6-0.7 micrometer incident and reflected radiation data from the hand-held radiometer and concurrent ground measurements of suspended solids in streams. Applications of the methods and baseline data developed in this investigation include: mapping and quantification of land use; input to watershed runoff models; estimation of effects of land use changes on stream sedimentation; and remote sensing of suspended sediment content of streams. High altitude color infrared imagery was found to be the most acceptable remote sensing technique for the mapping and measurement of land use types.

Comprehensive risk assessment and source identification of selected heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg, As) in tidal saltmarsh sediments of Shuangtai Estuary, China.

PubMed

Liu, Chang-Fa; Li, Bing; Wang, Yi-Ting; Liu, Yuan; Cai, Heng-Jiang; Wei, Hai-Feng; Wu, Jia-Wen; Li, Jin

2017-10-06

Heavy metals do not degrade and can remain in the environment for a long time. In this study, we analyzed the effects of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg, and As, on environmental quality, pollutant enrichment, ecological hazard, and source identification of elements in sediments using data collected from samples taken from Shuangtai tidal wetland. The comprehensive pollution indices were used to assess environmental quality; fuzzy similarity analysis and geoaccumulation index were used to analyze pollution accumulation; correlation matrix, principal component analysis, and clustering analysis were used to analyze pollution source; environmental risk index and ecological risk index were used to assess ecological risk. The results showed that the environmental quality was either clean or almost clean. Pollutant enrichment analysis showed that the four sub-regions had similar pollution-causing metals to the background values of the soil element of the Liao River Plain, which were ranked according to their similarity. Source identification showed that all the elements were correlated. Ecological hazard analysis showed that the environmental risk index in the study area was less than zero, posing a low ecological risk. Ecological risk of the six elements was as follows: As > Cd > Hg > Cu > Pb > Zn.

Afforestation, subsequent forest fires and provision of hydrological services: a model-based analysis for a Mediterranean mountainous catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunes, João Pedro; Naranjo Quintanilla, Paula; Santos, Juliana; Serpa, Dalila; Carvalho-Santos, Cláudia; Rocha, João; Keizer, Jan Jacob; Keesstra, Saskia

2017-04-01

Mediterranean landscapes have experienced extensive abandonment and reforestation in recent decades, which should have improved the provision of hydrological services, such as flood mitigation, soil erosion protection and water quality regulation. However, these forests are fire-prone, and the post-fire increase in runoff, erosion and sediment exports could negatively affect service provision. This issue was assessed using the SWAT model for a small mountain agroforestry catchment, which was monitored between 2010 and 2014 and where some eucalypt stands burned in 2011 and were subsequently plowed for replanting. The model was calibrated and validated for streamflow, sediment yield and erosion in agricultural fields and the burnt hillslopes, showing that it can be adapted for post-fire simulation. It was then used to perform a decadal assessment of surface runoff, erosion, and sediment exports between 2004 and 2014. Results show that the fire did not noticeably affect flood mitigation but that it increased erosion by 3 orders of magnitude, which subsequently increased sediment yield. Erosion in the burnt forest during this decade was one order of magnitude above that in agricultural fields. SWAT was also used to assess different fire and land-use scenarios during the same period. Results indicate that the impacts of fire were lower without post-fire soil management, and when the fire occurred in pine forests (i.e. before the 1990s) or in shrublands (i.e. before afforestation in the 1930s). These impacts were robust to changes in post-fire weather conditions and to a lower fire frequency (20-year intervals). The results suggest that, in the long term, fire-prone forests might not provide the anticipated soil protection and water quality regulation services in wet Mediterranean regions.

Assessment of heavy metals in sediment in a heavily polluted urban river in the Chaohu Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Shiguang; Xue, Lianqing; Liu, Cheng; Shang, Jingge; Wang, Zhaode; He, Xiang; Fan, Chengxin

2016-05-01

The Nanfei River (Anhui Province, China) is a severely polluted urban river that flows into Chaohu Lake. In the present study, sediments were collected from the river and analyzed for their heavy metal contents. Multivariate statistics and the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method were used to determine the sources of pollution, the current pollution status, and spatial and temporal variations in heavy metal pollution in sediments. The concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in sediments ranged from 5.67-113, 0.08-40.2, 41.6-524, 15.5-460, 0.03-4.84, 13.5-180, 18.8-250, and 47.9-1 996 mg/kg, and the average concentrations of each metal were 1.7, 38.7, 1.8, 5.5, 18.8, 1.3, 2.5, and 11.1 times greater than the background values, respectively. Multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that Hg, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Ni may have originated from industrial activities, whereas As and Pb came from agricultural activities. The fuzzy comprehensive assessment method, based on the fuzzy mathematics theory, was used to obtain a detailed assessment of the sediment quality in the Nanfei River watershed. The results indicated that the pollution was moderate in the downstream tributaries of the Nianbu and Dianbu Rivers, but was severe in the main channel of the Nanfei River and in the upstream tributaries of the Sili and Banqiao Rivers. Therefore, sediments in the Nanfei River watershed are heavily polluted and urgent measures should be taken to remedy the status.

Assessing Sediment Yield and the Effect of Best Management Practices on Sediment Yield Reduction for Tutuila Island, American Samoa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leta, O. T.; Dulai, H.; El-Kadi, A. I.

2017-12-01

Upland soil erosion and sedimentation are the main threats for riparian and coastal reef ecosystems in Pacific islands. Here, due to small size of the watersheds and steep slope, the residence time of rainfall runoff and its suspended load is short. Fagaalu bay, located on the island of Tutuila (American Samoa) has been identified as a priority watershed, due to degraded coral reef condition and reduction of stream water quality from heavy anthropogenic activity yielding high nutrients and sediment loads to the receiving water bodies. This study aimed to estimate the sediment yield to the Fagaalu stream and assess the impact of Best Management Practices (BMP) on sediment yield reduction. For this, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was applied, calibrated, and validated for both daily streamflow and sediment load simulation. The model also estimated the sediment yield contributions from existing land use types of Fagaalu and identified soil erosion prone areas for introducing BMP scenarios in the watershed. Then, three BMP scenarios, such as stone bund, retention pond, and filter strip were treated on bare (quarry area), agricultural, and shrub land use types. It was found that the bare land with quarry activity yielded the highest annual average sediment yield of 133 ton per hectare (t ha-1) followed by agriculture (26.1 t ha-1) while the lowest sediment yield of 0.2 t ha-1 was estimated for the forested part of the watershed. Additionally, the bare land area (2 ha) contributed approximately 65% (207 ha) of the watershed's sediment yield, which is 4.0 t ha-1. The latter signifies the high impact as well as contribution of anthropogenic activity on sediment yield. The use of different BMP scenarios generally reduced the sediment yield to the coastal reef of Fagaalu watershed. However, treating the quarry activity area with stone bund showed the highest sediment yield reduction as compared to the other two BMP scenarios. This study provides an estimate of the impact that each BMP has on specific land use and Fagaalu's reef. It also offers information that may be useful for the coastal water resource management and mitigation measures to reduce sediment yield of the study site and similar areas.

SWAT Model Application to Assess the Impact of Intensive Corn‐farming on Runoff, Sediments and Phosphorous loss from an Agricultural Watershed in Wisconsin

EPA Science Inventory

The potential future increase in corn-based biofuel may be expected to have a negative impact on water quality in streams and lakes of the Midwestern US due to increased agricultural chemicals usage. This study used the SWAT model to assess the impact of continuous-corn farming o...

Evaluating analytic and risk assessment tools to estimate sediment and nutrients losses from agricultural lands in the southern region of the USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Non-point source pollution from agricultural fields is a critical problem associated with water quality impairment in the USA and a low-oxygen environment in the Gulf of Mexico. The use, development and enhancement of qualitative and quantitative models or tools for assessing agricultural runoff qua...

Fluctuations in coral health of four common inshore reef corals in response to seasonal and anthropogenic changes in water quality.

PubMed

Browne, Nicola K; Tay, Jason K L; Low, Jeffrey; Larson, Ole; Todd, Peter A

2015-04-01

Environmental drivers of coral condition (maximum quantum yield, symbiont density, chlorophyll a content and coral skeletal growth rates) were assessed in the equatorial inshore coastal waters of Singapore, where the amplitude of seasonal variation is low, but anthropogenic influence is relatively high. Water quality variables (sediments, nutrients, trace metals, temperature, light) explained between 52 and 83% of the variation in coral condition, with sediments and light availability as key drivers of foliose corals (Merulina ampliata, Pachyseris speciosa), and temperature exerting a greater influence on a branching coral (Pocillopora damicornis). Seasonal reductions in water quality led to high chlorophyll a concentrations and maximum quantum yields in corals, but low growth rates. These marginal coral communities are potentially vulnerable to climate change, hence, we propose water quality thresholds for coral growth with the aim of mitigating both local and global environmental impacts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution and ecological risk assessment of cadmium in water and sediment in Longjiang River, China: Implication on water quality management after pollution accident.

PubMed

Zhao, Xue-Min; Yao, Ling-Ai; Ma, Qian-Li; Zhou, Guang-Jie; Wang, Li; Fang, Qiao-Li; Xu, Zhen-Cheng

2018-03-01

In early January 2012, the Longjiang River was subjected to a serious cadmium (Cd) pollution accident, which led to negatively environmental and social impacts. A series of measures of emergency treatment were subsequently taken to reduce water Cd level. However, little information was available about the change of Cd level in environmental matrices and long-term effect of this pollution accident to aquatic ecosystem. Thus, this study investigated the distribution of Cd in water and sediment of this river for two years since pollution accident, as well as assessed its ecological risk to aquatic ecosystem of Longjiang River. The results showed that it was efficient for taking emergency treatment measures to decrease water Cd concentration to below the threshold value of national drinking water quality standard of China. There was high risk (HQ > 1) to aquatic ecosystem in some of reaches between February and July 2012, but low or no risk (HQ < 1) between December 2012 to December 2013. Cd concentration in sediment in polluted reaches increased after pollution accident and emergency treatments in 2012, but decreased in 2013. During flood period, the sediment containing high concentration of Cd in Longjiang River was migrated to downstream Liujiang River. Cd content in sediment was reduced to background level after two years of the pollution accident occurrence. The study provides basic information about Cd levels in different media after pollution accident, which is helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of emergency treatments and the variation of ecological risk, as well as in conducting water management and conservation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water and sediment quality assessment in the Colastiné-Corralito stream system (Santa Fe, Argentina): impact of industry and agriculture on aquatic ecosystems.

PubMed

Regaldo, Luciana; Gutierrez, María F; Reno, Ulises; Fernández, Viviana; Gervasio, Susana; Repetti, María R; Gagneten, Ana M

2018-03-01

The present study focuses on the evaluation of metal (chromium, copper, and lead), arsenic, and pesticide (atrazine and endosulfan) contamination in freshwater streams of one of the most important agricultural and industrial areas of central-eastern Argentina, which has not been reported earlier. The environmental fate of inorganic microcontaminants and pesticides was assessed. Samples were collected monthly for a year. Pesticide concentrations were measured in water; metal and arsenic concentrations were measured in water and sediments, and physicochemical variables were analyzed. In most cases, metals and arsenic in water exceeded the established guideline levels for the protection of aquatic biota: 98 and 56.25% of the samples showed higher levels of Cr and Pb, while 81.25 and 85% of the samples presented higher values for Cu and As, respectively. Cr, Pb, Cu, and As exceeded 181.5 times, 41.6 times, 57.5 times, and 12.9 times, respectively, the guideline level values. In sediment samples, permitted levels were also surpassed by 40% for Pb, 15% for As, 4% for Cu, and 2% for Cr. Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo) demonstrated that most of the sediment samples were highly polluted by Cr and Cu and very seriously polluted by Pb, which indicates progressive deterioration of the sediment quality. Atrazine never exceeded them, but 27% of the 48 water samples contained total endosulfan that surpassed the guidelines. The findings of this study suggest risk to the freshwater biota over prolong periods and possible risk to humans if such type of contaminated water is employed for recreation or human use. Improper disposal of industrial effluents and agricultural runoffs need to be controlled, and proper treatment should be done before disposal to avoid further deterioration of the aquifers of this area.

Water-quality assessment of the eastern Iowa basins- nitrogen, phosphorus, suspended sediment, and organic carbon in surface water, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becher, Kent D.; Kalkhoff, Stephen J.; Schnoebelen, Douglas J.; Barnes, Kimberlee K.; Miller, Von E.

2001-01-01

Synoptic samples collected during low and high base flow had nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic-carbon concentrations that varied spatially and seasonally. Comparisons of water-quality data from six basic-fixed sampling sites and 19 other synoptic sites suggest that the water-quality data from basic-fixed sampling sites were representative of the entire study unit during periods of low and high base flow when most streamflow originates from ground water.

Bivalve embryo bioassay to assess the potential toxicity of dredged material before dumping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quiniou, F.

1995-12-31

Dredged harbor sediments frequently contain a wide spectrum of contaminants in addition to a significant percentage of organic matter. Also, dredging and dumping activities into sea water, of these highly contaminated soil may induce a harmful effect on the environment. In France, in accordance with Oslo convention guidelines, a working group on dredging activities and environment (GEODE) created since 1991 decided to set up a pilot research program to assess the intrinsic toxicity of four harbor sludges. Intrinsic toxicity of harbor muds were tested by solid phase (whole sediment) and aqueous extract bioassays (sea water elutriates) using the sublethal toxicitymore » test bivalve embryo bioassay (Crassostrea gigas). Elutriates enable them to detect the toxicity of contaminants which may be released in the soluble form into the water column during dredging operations. While, whole sediment integrate the synergistic effects of all the contaminants (hydrophilic and hydrophobic) including pore water. Bioassays results, correlated to chemical analysis, are compared to contaminant levels determined by French working group GEODE and Canadian sediment quality criteria.« less

Sensitivity limits and EC50 values of the Vibrio fischeri test for organic micropollutants in natural and spiked extracts from sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salizzato, M.; Bertato, V.; Pavoni, B.

1998-04-01

Chemical analyses and bioassays were used in conjunction to assess the quality of sediments of the Venice lagoon. Organic micropollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs] polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], and chlorinated pesticides) were extracted from sediment samples and analyzed by gas chromatography after fractionation into classes of compounds. The Vibrio fischeri test was used to assess the acute toxicity of sediment extracts. The test was applied to organic extracts before cleanup and to extracts purified from sulfur and fractionated into single classes of compounds. Extracts before purification were much more toxic than single fractions. In particular, sulfur was toxic to V. fischeri.more » For PAHs and PCBs the 50% effective concentration (EC50) and EC20 values were determined using natural and spiked extracts. Sensitivity limits of the method for these compounds were also estimated as was in EC50 value of elemental sulfur dissolved in ethanol. A mathematical model was used to fit the concentration-response data to a sigmoid curve.« less

Chemical and biological assessment of sediments and water of Khalid Khor, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Samara, Fatin; Elsayed, Yehya; Soghomonian, Balik; Knuteson, Sandra L

2016-10-15

Water and sediments were collected on March 2013 and April 2014 from Khalid Khor creek area in United Arab Emirates to assess their quality parameters. The pH and alkalinity of the water samples were measured and their values were similar to those of shallow saltwater ecosystems. In addition, elemental analyses and organic compounds were done using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), respectively. The concentration of heavy and trace metals in the water samples were within the acceptable limits except for lead which showed high values, while the concentrations of metals in the sediment samples were relatively high and ranged from 6517 to 13,768mg/kg. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of polyaromatic heterocyclic (PAHs) compounds in sediments near the shipping area and in amounts classified as highly carcinogenic; however, no polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) were identified. Moreover, fecal bacterial contamination in water was detected in concentrations that range between 300 and 10,140 organisms/100mL. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water quality, organic chemistry of sediment, and biological conditions of streams near an abandoned wood-preserving plant site at Jackson, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradfield, A.D.; Flexner, N.M.; Webster, D.A.

1993-01-01

An investigation of water quality, organic sediment chemistry, and biological conditions of streams near an abandoned wood-preserving plant site at Jackson, Tennessee, was conducted during December 1990. The study was designed to assess the extent of possible contamination of water and biota in the streams from creosote-related discharge originating at this Superfund site. Central Creek, adjacent to the plant, had degraded water quality and biological conditions. Water samples from the most downstream station on Central Creek contained 30 micrograms per liter of pentachlorophenol, which exceeds the State's criterion maximum concentrations of 9 micrograms per liter for fish and aquatic life. Bottom-sediment samples from stations on Central Creek contained concentrations of acenaphthene, napthalene, and phenanthrene ranging from 1,400 to 2,500 micrograms per kilogram. Chronic or acute toxicity resulted during laboratory experiments using test organisms exposed to creosote-related contaminants. Sediment elutriate samples from Central Creek caused slightly to highly toxic effects on Ceriodaphnia dubia. Pimephales promelas, and Photobacterium phosphoreum. Fish-tissue samples from this station contained concentrations of naphthalene. dibenzofuran, fluorene, and phenanthrene ranging from 1.5 to 3.9 micrograms per kilogram Blue-green algae at this station represented about 79 percent of the organisms counted, whereas diatoms accounted for only 11 percent. Benthic invertebrate and fish samples from Central Creek had low diversity and density. Sediment samples from a station on the South Fork Forked Deer River downstream from its confluence with Central Creek contained concentrations of acenaphthene, anthracene, chrysene, fluoranthene, fluorene, pyrere, and phenanthrene ranging from 2,800 to 69,000 micrograms per kilogram. Sediment elutriate samples using water as elutriate from this station contained concentrations of extractable organic compounds ranging from an estimated 43 to 420 micrograms per liter. Sediment elutriate samples were toxic to Ceriodaphnia dubta, Pimephales promelas, Photobacterium phosphoreum, and Salenastrum capricornulum.

Assessment of hydrology, water quality, and trace elements in selected placer-mined creeks in the birch creek watershed near central, Alaska, 2001-05

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Ben W.; Langley, Dustin E.

2007-01-01

Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, completed an assessment of hydrology, water quality, and trace-element concentrations in streambed sediment of the upper Birch Creek watershed near Central, Alaska. The assessment covered one site on upper Birch Creek and paired sites, upstream and downstream from mined areas, on Frying Pan Creek and Harrison Creek. Stream-discharge and suspended-sediment concentration data collected at other selected mined and unmined sites helped characterize conditions in the upper Birch Creek watershed. The purpose of the project was to provide the Bureau of Land Management with baseline information to evaluate watershed water quality and plan reclamation efforts. Data collection began in September 2001 and ended in September 2005. There were substantial geomorphic disturbances in the stream channel and flood plain along several miles of Harrison Creek. Placer mining has physically altered the natural stream channel morphology and removed streamside vegetation. There has been little or no effort to re-contour waste rock piles. During high-flow events, the abandoned placer-mine areas on Harrison Creek will likely contribute large quantities of sediment downstream unless the mined areas are reclaimed. During 2004 and 2005, no substantial changes in nutrient or major-ion concentrations were detected in water samples collected upstream from mined areas compared with water samples collected downstream from mined areas on Frying Pan Creek and Harrison Creek that could not be attributed to natural variation. This also was true for dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance-a measure of total dissolved solids. Sample sites downstream from mined areas on Harrison Creek and Frying Pan Creek had higher median suspended-sediment concentrations, by a few milligrams per liter, than respective upstream sites. However, it is difficult to attach much importance to the small downstream increase, less than 10 milligrams per liter, in median suspended-sediment concentration for either basin. During low-flow conditions in 2004 and 2005, previously mined areas investigated on Harrison Creek and on Frying Pan Creek did not contribute substantial suspended sediments to sample sites downstream from the mined areas. No substantial mining-related water- or sediment-quality problems were detected at any of the sites investigated in the upper Birch Creek watershed during low-flow conditions. Average annual streamflow and precipitation were near normal in 2002 and 2003. Drought conditions, extreme forest fire impact, and low annual streamflow set apart the 2004 and 2005 summer seasons. Daily mean streamflow for upper Birch Creek varied throughout the period of record-from maximums of about 1,000 cubic feet per second to minimums of about 20 cubic feet per second. Streamflow increased and decreased rapidly in response to rainfall and rapid snowmelt events because the steep slopes, thin soil cover, and permafrost areas in the watershed have little capacity to retain runoff. Median suspended-sediment concentrations for the 115 paired samples from Frying Pan Creek and 101 paired samples from Harrison Creek were less than the 20 milligrams per liter total maximum daily load. The total maximum daily load was set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the upper Birch Creek basin in 1996. Suspended-sediment paired-sample data were collected using automated samplers in 2004 and 2005, primarily during low-flow conditions. Suspended-sediment concentrations in grab samples from miscellaneous sites ranged from less than 1 milligram per liter during low-flow conditions to 1,386 milligrams per liter during a high-flow event on upper Birch Creek. Streambed-sediment samples were collected at six sites on Harrison Creek, two sites on Frying Pan Creek, and one site on upper Birch Creek. Trace-element concentrations of mercury, lead, and zinc in streambed sedimen

Water-Quality, Bed-Sediment, and Biological Data (October 2004 through September 2005) and Statistical Summaries of Data for Streams in the Upper Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2006-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Missoula as part of a long-term monitoring program, conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to characterize aquatic resources in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork, six major tributaries, and three smaller tributaries. Water-quality samples were collected periodically at 18 sites during October 2004 through September 2005 (water year 2005). Bed-sediment and biological samples were collected once in August 2005. The primary constituents analyzed were trace elements associated with tailings from historical mining and smelting activities. This report summarizes the results of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples col-lected in water year 2005 and provides statistical summaries of data collected since 1985. Water-quality data for samples collected periodically from streams include concentrations of selected major ions, trace ele-ments, and suspended sediment. Daily values of suspended-sed-iment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for three sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-ele-ment concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Bio-logical data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Quality-assurance data are reported for analytical results of water, bed sediment, and biota. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data are provided for the period of record since 1985 for each site.

Event-based design tool for construction site erosion and sediment controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trenouth, William R.; Gharabaghi, Bahram

2015-09-01

This paper provides additional discussion surrounding the novel event-based soil loss models developed by Trenouth and Gharabaghi (2015) for the design of erosion and sediment controls (ESCs) for various phases of construction - from pre-development to post-development conditions. The datasets for the study were obtained from three Ontario sites - Greensborough, Cookstown, and Alcona - in addition to datasets mined from the literature for three additional sites - Treynor, Iowa, Coshocton, Ohio and Cordoba, Spain. Model performances were evaluated for each of the study sites, and quantified using commonly-reported statistics. This work is nested within a broader conceptual framework, which includes the estimation of ambient receiving water quality, the prediction of event mean runoff quality for a given design storm, and the calculation of the required level of protection using adequate ESCs to meet receiving water quality guidelines. These models allow design engineers and regulatory agencies to assess the potential risk of ecological damage to receiving waters due to inadequate soil erosion and sediment control practices using dynamic scenario forecasting when considering rapidly changing land use conditions during various phases of construction, typically for a 2- or 5-year design storm return period.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; cross-sectional and depth variation of water-quality constituents and properties in the Upper Illinois River basin, 1987-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marron, Donna C.; Blanchard, Stephen F.

1995-01-01

Data on water velocity, temperature, specific con- ductance, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, chlorophyll concentration, suspended sediment con- centration, fecal-coliform counts, and the percen- tage of suspended sediment finer than 62 micrometers ranged up to 21 percent; and cross-section coefficients of variation of the concentrations of suspended sediment, fecal coliform, and chlorophyll ranged from 7 to 115 percent. Midchannel measure- ments of temperature, specific conductance, and pH were within 5 percent of mean cross-sectional values of these properties at the eight sampling sites, most of which appear well mixed because of the effect of dams and reservoirs. Measurements of the concentration of dissolved oxygen at various cross- section locations and at variable sampling depths are required to obtain a representative value of this constituent at these sites. The large varia- bility of concentrations of chlorophyll and suspended sediment, and fecal-coliform counts at the eight sampling sites indicates that composite rather than midchannel or mean values of these constituents are likely to be most representative of the channel cross section.

Trait-based modelling of bioaccumulation by freshwater benthic invertebrates.

PubMed

Sidney, Livia Alvarenga; Diepens, Noël J; Guo, Xiaoying; Koelmans, Albert A

2016-07-01

Understanding the role of species traits in chemical exposure is crucial for bioaccumulation and toxicity assessment of chemicals. We measured and modelled bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Chironomus riparius, Hyalella azteca, Lumbriculus variegatus and Sphaerium corneum. We used a battery test procedure with multiple enclosures in one aquarium, which maximized uniformity of exposure for the different species, such that the remaining variability was due mostly to species traits. The relative importance of uptake from either pore water or sediment ingestion was manipulated by using 28 d aged standard OECD sediment with low (1%) and medium (5%) OM content and 13 months aged sediment with medium OM (5%) content. Survival was ≥76% and wet weight increased for all species. Reproduction of H. azteca and weight gain of H. azteca and S. corneum were significantly higher in the medium OM aged sediments than in other sediments, perhaps due to a more developed microbial community (i.e., increase in food resources). Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAF) ranged from 3 to 114, depending on species and PCB congener, with C. riparius (3-10)

Occurrence and distribution of selected heavy metals in the surface sediments of South Brittany coastal waters: An assessment using pollution indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ong, M. C.; Menier, D.; Noor Azhar, M. S.; Dupont, V.; Révillon, S.

2012-04-01

In order to avoid the pollution of heavy metals in South Brittany water, it is necessary to establish the data and understand the mechanisms influencing the distribution of heavy metals of the area. One of the aims of this work was to assess heavy metals contamination in Gulf of Morbihan and Quiberon Bay. Another aim was to use interpolation surfaces per metals to assess the contamination separately per metal. A total of 196 bottom sediment samples were collected from the coastal waters in order to determine the spatial concentration of Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) after acid digestion. The average heavy metal concentrations are ranked as follows: Mn>Zn>Cr>Pb>Cu>Cu>Cd. In the gulf, metal enrichments observed compared to the bay environment may due river run-off from three major river (Auray, Le Marle and Novalo rivers) which carried municipal waste and maritime activities along the coastal area within the gulf. Beside those factors, the natural factors such as the sheltered basin morphology itself, fine sediment and low hydrodynamic regime which favour the in situ accumulation of pollutants. The level of pollution levels attributed to heavy metals was evaluated using several pollution indicators in order to determine anthropogenically derived sediment contamination. Comparison to sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), enrichment factors (EFs), index of geoaccumulation (Igeo) and contamination factors (CF) based on reference element and background value to compensate for the influence of the natural variability in sediment mineralogy and to assess whether the concentration observed in surface sediment represent background and contaminated levels and visualize using ArcGIS software. These analyses validated that the bottom sediment only enriched in Pb and the other metals in most sample are not due to artificial contamination. Overall, geochemistry of the samples show the effect of both natural and anthropogenic inputs to the catchment, however, natural processes are more dominant than anthropogenic inputs in concentrating metals in the sediment.

NEAR-COASTAL SEDIMENT AS A HABITAT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO: CHEMICAL QUALITY, TOXICITY, AND BENTHIC COMMUNITY COMPOSITION

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment quality was determined in a multiyear study for 108 near-coastal sites located in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The primary objective of the study was to determine the relative impact of common stressor sources on sediment quality utilizing a weight-of-evidence appro...

IMPACT OF STORM-WATER OUTFALLS ON SEDIMENT QUALITY IN CORPUS CHRISTI BAY, TEXAS, USA

EPA Science Inventory

To determine the quality of sediments and extent of contaminant impacts, a Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) study was conducted at 36 sites in the Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, USA, system. Fifteen of the 36 sites were located near storm-water outfalls, but 13 other sites (i.e., industr...

Organic Compounds, Trace Elements, Suspended Sediment, and Field Characteristics at the Heads-of-Tide of the Raritan, Passaic, Hackensack, Rahway, and Elizabeth Rivers, New Jersey, 2000-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonin, Jennifer L.; Wilson, Timothy P.

2006-01-01

Concentrations of suspended sediment, particulate and dissolved organic carbon, trace elements, and organic compounds were measured in samples from the heads-of-tide of the five tributaries to the Newark and Raritan Bays during June 2000 to June 2003. The samples were collected as part of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Toxics Reduction Workplan/Contaminant Assessment Reduction Program. Samples of streamwater were collected at water-quality sampling stations constructed near U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations on the Raritan, Passaic, Hackensack, Rahway, and Elizabeth Rivers. Sampling was conducted during base-flow conditions and storms. Constituent concentrations were measured to determine the water quality and to calculate the load of sediment and contaminants contributed to the bays from upstream sources. Water samples were analyzed for suspended sediment, dissolved organic carbon, particulate organic carbon, and specific conductance. Samples of suspended sediment and water were analyzed for 98 distinct polychlorinated biphenyl congeners, 7 dioxins, 10 furans, 27 pesticides, 26 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the trace elements cadmium, lead, mercury, and methyl-mercury. Measurements of ultra-low concentrations of organic compounds in sediment and water were obtained by collecting 1 to 3 grams of suspended sediment on glass fiber filters and by passing at least 20 liters of filtered water through XAD-2 resin. The extracted sediment and XAD-2 resin were analyzed for organic compounds by high- and low-resolution gas chromatography mass-spectrometry that uses isotope dilution procedures. Trace elements in filtered and unfiltered samples were analyzed for cadmium, lead, mercury, and methyl-mercury by inductively coupled charged plasma and mass-spectrometry. All constituent concentrations are raw data. Interpretation of the data will be completed in the second phase of the study.

Modeling Mitigation Activities in North Carolina Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, A. M.

2017-12-01

Nutrient enrichment and excessive sediment loadings have contributed to the degradation of rivers, lakes and estuaries in North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) has implemented several basin-wide nutrient and sediment management strategies, yet gaps remain in understanding the impact of these strategies given the complexities in quantifying the processes that govern the transport of nutrient and sediment. In particular, improved assessment of the status of nutrient and sediment loadings to lakes and estuaries throughout the state is needed, including characterizing their sources and describing the relative contributions of different areas. The NCDEQ Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) uses watershed planning to identify and prioritize the best locations to implement stream, wetland, and riparian-buffer restoration to improve water quality. To support better decision-making for watershed restoration activities we are developing a SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) model framework specifically for North Carolina. The SPARROW analysis (developed by the U.S. Geological Survey) relates water-quality monitoring data to better understand the effects of human activities and natural processes on surface-water quality. The core of the model consists of using a nonlinear-regression equation to describe the non-conservative transport of contaminants from point and nonpoint sources on land to rivers, lakes and estuaries through the stream and river network. In this presentation, preliminary total Nitrogen, total Phosphorus, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) NC-SPARROW models are described that illustrate the SPARROW modeling framework incorporating specific restoration datasets and activity metrics, such as extent of riparian buffer and easements.

Can Supersaturation Affect Protein Crystal Quality?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gorti, Sridhar

2013-01-01

In quiescent environments (microgravity, capillary tubes, gels) formation of a depletion zone is to be expected, due either to limited sedimentation, density driven convection or a combination of both. The formation of a depletion zone can: Modify solution supersaturation near crystal; Give rise to impurity partitioning. It is conjectured that both supersaturation and impurity partitioning affect protein crystal quality and size. Further detailed investigations on various proteins are needed to assess above hypothesis.

Application of a new integrated sediment quality assessment method to Huelva estuary and its littoral of influence (Southwestern Spain).

PubMed

Rosado, Daniel; Usero, José; Morillo, José

2015-09-15

A new integrated sediment quality assessment method composed of several assays (particle size profile, total metal content, protease K extraction, total organic carbon, toxicity bioassay with Photobacterium phosphoreum and macrobenthic community alteration) that provides a single result, the environmental degradation index (EDI), has been developed. The new method was tested on the Huelva estuary (southwest of Spain), a highly polluted area where metals dissolved in the water of the Tinto and Odiel rivers precipitate after flowing through the Iberian Pyrite Belt, one of the largest metallogenic areas of massive sulphide deposits in the world. The proposed method satisfactorily was able to reflect different degrees of pollution on the environmental degradation index. Thus, EDI categorized littoral samples as slightly degraded and all the Tinto and some of the Odiel as very highly degraded, emphasizing the lower zone of the Tinto estuary as the most deeply degraded of the entire study area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mercury Assessment and Monitoring Protocol for the Bear Creek Watershed, Colusa County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Suchanek, Thomas H.; Hothem, Roger L.; Rytuba, James J.; Yee, Julie L.

2010-01-01

This report summarizes the known information on the occurrence and distribution of mercury (Hg) in physical/chemical and biological matrices within the Bear Creek watershed. Based on these data, a matrix-specific monitoring protocol for the evaluation of the effectiveness of activities designed to remediate Hg contamination in the Bear Creek watershed is presented. The monitoring protocol documents procedures for collecting and processing water, sediment, and biota for estimation of total Hg (TotHg) and monomethyl mercury (MMeHg) in the Bear Creek watershed. The concurrent sampling of TotHg and MMeHg in biota as well as water and sediment from 10 monitoring sites is designed to assess the relative bioavailability of Hg released from Hg sources in the watershed and identify environments conducive to Hg methylation. These protocols are designed to assist landowners, land managers, water quality regulators, and scientists in determining whether specific restoration/mitigation actions lead to significant progress toward achieving water quality goals to reduce Hg in Bear and Sulphur Creeks.

Water-Quality Characterization of Surface Water in the Onondaga Lake Basin, Onondaga County, New York, 2005-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coon, William F.; Hayhurst, Brett A.; Kappel, William M.; Eckhardt, David A.V.; Szabo, Carolyn O.

2009-01-01

Water-resources managers in Onondaga County, N.Y., have been faced with the challenge of improving the water-quality of Onondaga Lake. To assist in this endeavor, the U.S. Geological Survey undertook a 3-year basinwide study to assess the water quality of surface water in the Onondaga Lake Basin. The study quantified the relative contributions of nonpoint sources associated with the major land uses in the basin and also focused on known sources (streams with large sediment loads) and presumed sinks (Onondaga Reservoir and Otisco Lake) of sediment and nutrient loads, which previously had not been evaluated. Water samples were collected and analyzed for nutrients and suspended sediment at 26 surface-water sites and 4 springs in the 285-square-mile Onondaga Lake Basin from October 2005 through December 2008. More than 1,060 base-flow, stormflow, snowmelt, spring-water, and quality-assurance samples collected during the study were analyzed for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate-plus-nitrite, ammonia-plus-organic nitrogen, orthophosphate, phosphorus, and suspended sediment. The concentration of total suspended solids was measured in selected samples. Ninety-one additional samples were collected, including 80 samples from 4 county-operated sites, which were analyzed for suspended sediment or total suspended solids, and 8 precipitation and 3 snowpack samples, which were analyzed for nutrients. Specific conductance, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature were periodically measured in the field. The mean concentrations of selected constituents in base-flow, stormflow, and snowmelt samples were related to the land use or land cover that either dominated the basin or had a substantial effect on the water quality of the basin. Almost 40 percent of the Onondaga Lake Basin is forested, 30 percent is in agricultural uses, and almost 21 percent, including the city of Syracuse, is in developed uses. The data indicated expected relative differences among the land types for concentrations of nitrate, ammonia-plus-organic nitrogen, and orthophosphate. The data departed from the expected relations for concentrations of phosphorus and suspended sediment, and plausible explanations for these departures were posited. Snowmelt concentrations of dissolved constituents generally were greater and those of particulate constituents were less than concentrations of these constituents in storm runoff. Presumably, the snowpack acted as a short-term sink for dissolved constituents that had accumulated from atmospheric deposition, and streambed erosion and resuspension of previously deposited material, rather than land-surface erosion, were the primary sources of particulate constituents in snowmelt flows. Longitudinal assessments documented the changes in the median concentrations of constituents in base flows and event flows (combined stormflow and snowmelt) from upstream to downstream monitoring sites along the two major tributaries to Onondaga Lake - Onondaga Creek and Ninemile Creek. Median base-flow concentrations of ammonia and phosphorus and event concentrations of ammonia increased in the downstream direction in both streams. Whereas median event concentrations of other constituents in Onondaga Creek displayed no consistent trends, concentrations of ammonia-plus-organic nitrogen, orthophosphate, phosphorus, and suspended sediment in Ninemile Creek decreased from upstream to downstream sites. Springs discharging from the Onondaga and Bertie Limestone had measureable effects on water temperatures in the receiving streams and increased salinity and values of specific conductance in base flows. Loads of selected nutrients and suspended sediment transported in three tributaries of Otisco Lake were compared with loads from 1981-83. Loads of ammonia-plus-organic nitrogen and orthophosphate decreased from 1981-83 to 2005-08, but those of nitrate-plus-nitrite, phosphorus, and suspended sediment increased. The largest load increase was for suspende

Numerical modelling of hydro-morphological processes dominated by fine suspended sediment in a stormwater pond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Mingfu; Ahilan, Sangaralingam; Yu, Dapeng; Peng, Yong; Wright, Nigel

2018-01-01

Fine sediment plays crucial and multiple roles in the hydrological, ecological and geomorphological functioning of river systems. This study employs a two-dimensional (2D) numerical model to track the hydro-morphological processes dominated by fine suspended sediment, including the prediction of sediment concentration in flow bodies, and erosion and deposition caused by sediment transport. The model is governed by 2D full shallow water equations with which an advection-diffusion equation for fine sediment is coupled. Bed erosion and sedimentation are updated by a bed deformation model based on local sediment entrainment and settling flux in flow bodies. The model is initially validated with the three laboratory-scale experimental events where suspended load plays a dominant role. Satisfactory simulation results confirm the model's capability in capturing hydro-morphodynamic processes dominated by fine suspended sediment at laboratory-scale. Applications to sedimentation in a stormwater pond are conducted to develop the process-based understanding of fine sediment dynamics over a variety of flow conditions. Urban flows with 5-year, 30-year and 100-year return period and the extreme flood event in 2012 are simulated. The modelled results deliver a step change in understanding fine sediment dynamics in stormwater ponds. The model is capable of quantitatively simulating and qualitatively assessing the performance of a stormwater pond in managing urban water quantity and quality.

Modeling catchment nutrients and sediment loads to inform regional management of water quality in coastal-marine ecosystems: a comparison of two approaches.

PubMed

Álvarez-Romero, Jorge G; Wilkinson, Scott N; Pressey, Robert L; Ban, Natalie C; Kool, Johnathan; Brodie, Jon

2014-12-15

Human-induced changes in flows of water, nutrients, and sediments have impacts on marine ecosystems. Quantifying these changes to systematically allocate management actions is a priority for many areas worldwide. Modeling nutrient and sediment loads and contributions from subcatchments can inform prioritization of management interventions to mitigate the impacts of land-based pollution on marine ecosystems. Among the catchment models appropriate for large-scale applications, N-SPECT and SedNet have been used to prioritize areas for management of water quality in coastal-marine ecosystems. However, an assessment of their relative performance, parameterization, and utility for regional-scale planning is needed. We examined how these considerations can influence the choice between the two models and the areas identified as priorities for management actions. We assessed their application in selected catchments of the Gulf of California, where managing land-based threats to marine ecosystems is a priority. We found important differences in performance between models. SedNet consistently estimated spatial variations in runoff with higher accuracy than N-SPECT and modeled suspended sediment (TSS) loads mostly within the range of variation in observed loads. N-SPECT overestimated TSS loads by orders of magnitude when using the spatially-distributed sediment delivery ratio (SDR), but outperformed SedNet when using a calibrated SDR. Differences in subcatchments' contribution to pollutant loads were principally due to explicit representation of sediment sinks and particulate nutrients by SedNet. Improving the floodplain extent model, and constraining erosion estimates by local data including gully erosion in SedNet, would improve results of this model and help identify effective management responses. Differences between models in the patterns of modeled pollutant supply were modest, but significantly influenced the prioritization of subcatchments for management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EDXRF as an alternative method for multielement analysis of tropical soils and sediments.

PubMed

Fernández, Zahily Herrero; Dos Santos Júnior, José Araújo; Dos Santos Amaral, Romilton; Alvarez, Juan Reinaldo Estevez; da Silva, Edvane Borges; De França, Elvis Joacir; Menezes, Rômulo Simões Cezar; de Farias, Emerson Emiliano Gualberto; do Nascimento Santos, Josineide Marques

2017-08-10

The quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments is still under discussion, with efforts being made on the part of governmental agencies to establish reference values. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) is a potential analytical technique for quantifying diverse chemical elements in geological material without chemical treatment, primarily when it is performed at an appropriate metrological level. In this work, analytical curves were obtained by means of the analysis of geological reference materials (RMs), which allowed for the researchers to draw a comparison among the sources of analytical uncertainty. After having determined the quality assurance of the analytical procedure, the EDXRF method was applied to determine chemical elements in soils from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The regression coefficients of the analytical curves used to determine Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, Ti, and Zn were higher than 0.99. The quality of the analytical procedure was demonstrated at a 95% confidence level, in which the estimated analytical uncertainties agreed with those from the RM's certificates of analysis. The analysis of diverse geological samples from Pernambuco indicated higher concentrations of Ni and Zn in sugarcane, with maximum values of 41 mg kg - 1 and 118 mg kg - 1 , respectively, and agricultural areas (41 mg kg - 1 and 127 mg kg - 1 , respectively). The trace element Sr was mainly enriched in urban soils with values of 400 mg kg - 1 . According to the results, the EDXRF method was successfully implemented, providing some chemical tracers for the quality assessment of tropical soils and sediments.

Response of periphyton fatty acid composition to supplemental flows in the upper Esopus Creek, Catskill Mountains, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

George, Scott D.; Ernst, Anne G.; Baldigo, Barry P.; Honeyfield, Dale C.

2016-01-07

Fatty acid analysis of periphyton is an emerging tool for assessing the condition of a stream ecosystem on the basis of its water quality. The study presented in this report was designed to test the hypothesis that periphyton communities have a fatty acid profile that can detect excessive turbidity and suspended sediment. The fatty acid composition of periphyton was assessed during two seasons upstream and downstream from an underground aqueduct that provides supplemental flows, which are a potential source of turbidity and suspended sediment on the upper Esopus Creek, New York. These data were compared with measurements of periphyton standing crop, diatom community structure and integrity, and basic water-quality parameters. Periphyton standing crop and diatom community integrity indicated little evidence of impairment from the supplemental flows. The relative abundances of two physiologically important fatty acids, γ-linolenic acid (18:3ω6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5ω3), were significantly lower downstream from the supplemental flows and multivariate analyses of fatty acid profiles identified significant differences between sites upstream and downstream from the supplemental flows. Individual fatty acids and summary metrics, however, were not significantly correlated with turbidity or suspended sediment. Together, these results indicate that the supplemental flows may cause some measurable effects but they do not constitute a major disturbance to the periphyton community on the upper Esopus Creek. Fatty acid analysis may have potential as a tool for monitoring changes in periphyton nutritional composition that may reflect water quality and ecosystem health but needs to be further evaluated around a more definitive source of water-quality impairment.

Toxic metal immobilization in contaminated sediment using bentonite- and kaolinite-supported nano zero-valent iron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomašević, D. D.; Kozma, G.; Kerkez, Dj. V.; Dalmacija, B. D.; Dalmacija, M. B.; Bečelić-Tomin, M. R.; Kukovecz, Á.; Kónya, Z.; Rončević, S.

2014-08-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of using supported nanoscale zero-valent iron with bentonite and kaolinite for immobilization of As, Pb and Zn in contaminated sediment from the Nadela river basin (Serbia). Assessment of the sediment quality based on the pseudo-total metal content (As, Pb and Zn) according to the corresponding Serbian standards shows its severe contamination, such that it requires disposal in special reservoirs and, if possible, remediation. A microwave-assisted sequential extraction procedure was employed to assess potential metal mobility and risk to the aquatic environment. According to these results, As showed lower risk to the environment than Pb and Zn, which both represent higher risk to the environment. The contaminated sediment, irrespective of the different speciation of the treated metals, was subjected to the same treatment. Semi-dynamic leaching test, based on leachability index and effective diffusion coefficients, was conducted for As-, Pb- and Zn-contaminated sediments in order to assess the long-term leaching behaviour. In order to simulate "worst case" leaching conditions, the test was modified using acetic and humic acid solution as leachants instead of deionized water. A diffusion-based model was used to elucidate the controlling leaching mechanisms; in the majority of samples, the controlling leaching mechanism appeared to be diffusion. Three different single-step leaching tests were applied to evaluate the extraction potential of examined metals. Generally, the test results indicated that the treated sediment is safe for disposal and could even be considered for "controlled utilization".

Analysis of heavy metals from water, sediment, and tissues of Labeo angra (Hamilton, 1822), from an Ox-box lake- an wetland site from Assam, India.

PubMed

Das, Suchismita; Choudhury, Shamim Sultana

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the regional impacts of heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Mg, Ca, Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, Pb and Ni) on water, sediment and a native, teleost fish species, Labeo angra, inhabiting a flood plain wetland of Barak River in Assam, India. Heavy metal concentrations in the water, sediments and fish were measured; bioaccumulation factor, metal pollution index as well as condition indices were calculated, to assess the pollution load and health status of the fish. Multivariate statistical analysis was used on wetland water and sediment heavy metals to ascertain the possible sources and seasonal variations of the pollutants. Results showed that most heavy metals in the wetland water and sediments exceeded the water (drinking and irrigation) and sediment quality guidelines, respectively. Seasonal variations were observed for geogenic heavy metals, Mn, Fe, Mg and Ca while no seasonal variations were observed for anthropogenic heavy metals, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb and Ni. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that there was strong correlation between geogenic and anthropogenic heavy metals in water and sediment, both originating from the common anthropogenic sources. Accumulation of most of the metals in all the tissues was above the safe limits as recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization. High bioaccumulation factors and metal pollution index for these metals in the different tissues revealed that metals were extensively bio-accumulated and bioconcentrated. Condition indices in fish from the wetland suggested metabolic abnormalities.

In situ microbiota distinguished primary anthropogenic stressor in freshwater sediments.

PubMed

Xie, Yuwei; Floehr, Tilman; Zhang, Xiaowei; Xiao, Hongxia; Yang, Jianghua; Xia, Pu; Burton, G Allen; Hollert, Henner

2018-08-01

Conventional assessment and evaluation of sediment quality are based on laboratory-based ecotoxicological and chemical measurements with lack of concern for ecological relevance. Microbiotas in sediment are responsive to pollutants and can be used as alternative ecological indicators of sediment pollutants; however, the linkage between the microbial ecology and ecotoxicological endpoints in response to sediment contamination has been poorly evaluated. Here, in situ microbiotas from the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) area of the Yangtze River were characterized by DNA metabarcoding approaches, and then, changes of in situ microbiotas were compared with the ecotoxicological endpoint, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediated activity, and level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments. PAHs and organic pollutant mixtures mediating AhR activity had different effects on the structures of microbiotas. Specifically, Shannon indices of protistan communities were negatively correlated with the levels of AhR mediated activity and PAHs. The sediment AhR activity was positively correlated with the relative abundance of prokaryotic Acetobacteraceae, but had a negative correlation with protistan Oxytrichidae. Furthermore, a quantitative classification model was built to predict the level of AhR activity based on the relative abundances of Acetobacteraceae and Oxytrichidae. These results suggested that in situ Protista communities could provide a useful tool for monitoring and assessing ecological stressors. The observed responses of microbial community provided supplementary evidence to support that the AhR-active pollutants, such as PAHs, were the primary stressors of the aquatic community in TGR area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water-Quality and Biological Characteristics and Responses to Agricultural Land Retirement in Three Streams of the Minnesota River Basin, Water Years 2006-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christensen, Victoria G.; Lee, Kathy E.; Sanocki, Christopher A.; Mohring, Eric H.; Kiesling, Richard L.

2009-01-01

Water-quality and biological characteristics in three streams in the Minnesota River Basin were assessed using data collected during water years 2006-08. The responses of nutrient concentrations, suspended-sediment concentrations, and biological characteristics to agricultural land retirement also were assessed. In general, total nitrogen, suspended-sediment, and chlorophyll-a concentrations, and fish resource quality improved with increasing land retirement. The Chetomba Creek, West Fork Beaver Creek, and South Branch Rush River subbasins, which range in size from about 200 to 400 square kilometers, have similar geologic and hydrologic settings but differ with respect to the amount, type, and location of retired agricultural land. Total nitrogen concentrations were largest, with a mean of 15.0 milligrams per liter (mg/L), in water samples from the South Branch Rush River, a subbasin with little to no agricultural land retirement; total nitrogen concentrations were smaller in samples from Chetomba Creek (mean of 10.6 mg/L) and West Fork Beaver Creek (mean of 7.9 mg/L), which are subbasins with more riparian or upland land retirement at the basin scale. Total phosphorus concentrations were not related directly to differing land-retirement percentages with mean concentrations at primary data-collection sites of 0.259 mg/L in the West Fork Beaver Creek subbasin, 0.164 mg/L in the Chetomba Creek subbasin, and 0.180 mg/L in the South Branch Rush River subbasin. Temporal variation in water quality was characterized using data from in-stream water-quality monitors and storm-sediment data. Fish data indicate better resource quality for the West Fork Beaver Creek subbasin than for other subbasins likely due to a combination of factors, including habitat quality, food resources, and dissolved oxygen characteristics. Index of biotic integrity (IBI) scores increased as local land-retirement percentages (within 50 and 100 meters of the streams) increased. Data and analysis from this study can be used to evaluate the success of agricultural management practices and land-retirement programs for improving stream quality.

Water quality and bed sediment quality in the Albemarle Sound, North Carolina, 2012–14

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moorman, Michelle C.; Fitzgerald, Sharon A.; Gurley, Laura N.; Rhoni-Aref, Ahmed; Loftin, Keith A.

2017-01-23

The Albemarle Sound region was selected in 2012 as one of two demonstration sites in the Nation to test and improve the design of the National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s National Monitoring Network (NMN) for U.S. Coastal Waters and Tributaries. The goal of the NMN for U.S. Coastal Waters and Tributaries is to provide information about the health of our oceans, coastal ecosystems, and inland influences on coastal waters for improved resource management. The NMN is an integrated, multidisciplinary, and multi-organizational program using multiple sources of data and information to augment current monitoring programs.This report presents and summarizes selected water-quality and bed sediment-quality data collected as part of the demonstration project conducted in two phases. The first phase was an occurrence and distribution study to assess nutrients, metals, pesticides, cyanotoxins, and phytoplankton communities in the Albemarle Sound during the summer of 2012 at 34 sites in Albemarle Sound, nearby sounds, and various tributaries. The second phase consisted of monthly sampling over a year (March 2013 through February 2014) to assess seasonality in a more limited set of constituents including nutrients, cyanotoxins, and phytoplankton communities at a subset (eight) of the sites sampled in the first phase. During the summer of 2012, few constituent concentrations exceeded published water-quality thresholds; however, elevated levels of chlorophyll a and pH were observed in the northern embayments and in Currituck Sound. Chlorophyll a, and metals (copper, iron, and zinc) were detected above a water-quality threshold. The World Health Organization provisional guideline based on cyanobacterial density for high recreational risk was exceeded in approximately 50 percent of water samples collected during the summer of 2012. Cyanobacteria capable of producing toxins were present, but only low levels of cyanotoxins below human health benchmarks were detected. Finally, 12 metals in surficial bed sediments were detected at levels above a published sediment-quality threshold. These metals included chromium, mercury, copper, lead, arsenic, nickel, and cadmium. Sites with several metal concentrations above the respective thresholds had relatively high concentrations of organic carbon or fine sediment (silt plus clay), or both and were predominantly located in the western and northwestern parts of the Albemarle Sound.Results from the second phase were generally similar to those of the first in that relatively few constituents exceeded a water-quality threshold, both pH and chlorophyll a were detected above the respective water-quality thresholds, and many of these elevated concentrations occurred in the northern embayments and in Currituck Sound. In contrast to the results from phase one, the cyanotoxin, microcystin was detected at more than 10 times the water-quality threshold during a phytoplankton bloom on the Chowan River at Mount Gould, North Carolina in August of 2013. This was the only cyanotoxin concentration measured during the entire study that exceeded a respective water-quality threshold.The information presented in this report can be used to improve understanding of water-quality conditions in the Albemarle Sound, particularly when evaluating causal and response variables that are indicators of eutrophication. In particular, this information can be used by State agencies to help develop water-quality criteria for nutrients, and to understand factors like cyanotoxins that may affect fisheries and recreation in the Albemarle Sound region.

Installation Restoration Program. Preliminary Assessment: 232nd Combat Communications Squadron, Montgomery Air National Guard Station, Alabama Air National Guard, Montgomery, Alabama

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-02-01

analysis of water, soil, and/or sediment samples, are required. Careful documentation and quality control procedures in accordance with CERCLA/SARA...I III-1 I I Northern Piedmont * AI Southern Piedmont a’.3 Cahaba Valley... ...... Coosa ValleyI Fall Line Hills Aluvial Plain Black Prairie3 Cu enu e...no surface outlet; (b) A drainage basin or river basin; (c) A low area in the Earth’s crust, of tectonic origin, in which sediments have accumulated

Water-quality data for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Deer Lodge to Milltown, Montana, March 1985 through June 1986

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, J.H.

1987-01-01

A sampling program was conducted at six stream sites. The purpose of the study was to collect baseline data on concentrations of suspended sediment and selected trace metals in streamflow. Included in this report are tables of daily data for mean streamflow, suspended sediment concentration, and suspended sediment discharge at two streamflow gaging stations on the Clark Fork; periodic data for instantaneous streamflow, onsite water quality, and trace metal and suspended sediment concentrations in the Clark Fork and tributaries; and summary statistics for all the water quality data. Also included are graphs for each site showing median concentrations of trace metals, relationship of concentrations of trace metals to suspended sediment, and median concentrations of trace metals in suspended sediments. Hydrographs for two sites on the main stem show daily mean streamflow, suspended sediment concentration, and suspended sediment discharge for the period of study. (Author 's abstract)

Development of a hybrid pollution index for heavy metals in marine and estuarine sediments.

PubMed

Brady, James P; Ayoko, Godwin A; Martens, Wayde N; Goonetilleke, Ashantha

2015-05-01

Heavy metal pollution of sediments is a growing concern in most parts of the world, and numerous studies focussed on identifying contaminated sediments by using a range of digestion methods and pollution indices to estimate sediment contamination have been described in the literature. The current work provides a critical review of the more commonly used sediment digestion methods and identifies that weak acid digestion is more likely to provide guidance on elements that are likely to be bioavailable than other traditional methods of digestion. This work also reviews common pollution indices and identifies the Nemerow Pollution Index as the most appropriate method for establishing overall sediment quality. Consequently, a modified Pollution Index that can lead to a more reliable understanding of whole sediment quality is proposed. This modified pollution index is then tested against a number of existing studies and demonstrated to give a reliable and rapid estimate of sediment contamination and quality.

Advancing the Use of Passive Sampling in Risk Assessment and Management of Sediments Contaminated with Hydrophobic Organic Chemicals: Results of an International Ex Situ Passive Sampling Interlaboratory Comparison

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This work presents the results of an international interlaboratory comparison on ex situ passive sampling in sediments. The main objectives were to map the state of the science in passively sampling sediments, identify sources of variability, provide recommendations and practical guidance for standardized passive sampling, and advance the use of passive sampling in regulatory decision making by increasing confidence in the use of the technique. The study was performed by a consortium of 11 laboratories and included experiments with 14 passive sampling formats on 3 sediments for 25 target chemicals (PAHs and PCBs). The resulting overall interlaboratory variability was large (a factor of ∼10), but standardization of methods halved this variability. The remaining variability was primarily due to factors not related to passive sampling itself, i.e., sediment heterogeneity and analytical chemistry. Excluding the latter source of variability, by performing all analyses in one laboratory, showed that passive sampling results can have a high precision and a very low intermethod variability (

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 1993 through September 1994) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Upper Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, J.H.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Axtmann, E.V.; Dodge, K.A.

1995-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Missoula as part of a program to characterize aquatic resources in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana. Water- quality data were obtained periodically at 16 stations during October 1993 through September 1994 (water year 1994); daily suspended-sediment data were obtained at six of these stations. Bed-sediment and biological data were obtained at 11 stations in August 1994. Sampling stations were located on the Clark Fork and major tributaries. The primary constituents analyzed were trace elements associated with mine tailings from historical mining and smelting activities. Water-quality data include concentrations of major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment in samples collected periodically during water year 1994. Daily values of streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended- sediment discharge are given for six stations. Bed- sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine and bulk fractions. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Quality-assurance data are reported for analytical results of water, bed sediment, and biota. Statistical summaries of bed sediment, and biological data are provided for the period of record at each station since 1985.

Distribution, speciation, environmental risk, and source identification of heavy metals in surface sediments from the karst aquatic environment of the Lijiang River, Southwest China.

PubMed

Xu, Daoquan; Wang, Yinghui; Zhang, Ruijie; Guo, Jing; Zhang, Wei; Yu, Kefu

2016-05-01

The distribution and speciation of several heavy metals, i.e., As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn, in surface sediments from the karst aquatic environment of the Lijiang River, Southwest China, were studied comparatively. The mean contents of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn were 1.72, 38.07, 0.18, 51.54, and 142.16 mg/kg, respectively, which were about 1.5-6 times higher than their corresponding regional sediment background values. Metal speciation obtained by the optimized BCR protocol highlighted the bioavailable threats of Cd, Cu, and Zn, which were highly associated with the exchangeable fraction (the labile phase). Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that in sediments, As and Cr were mainly derived from natural and industrial sources, whereas fertilizer application might lead to the elevated level of Cd. Besides, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn were related to traffic activities. The effects-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) showed that Hg, Pb, and Zn could pose occasional adverse effects on sediment-dwelling organisms. However, based on the potential ecological risk assessment (PER) and risk assessment code (RAC), Cd was the most outstanding pollutant and posed the highest ecological hazard and bioavailable risk among the selected metals. Moreover, the metal partitioning between water and sediments was quantified through the calculation of the pseudo-partitioning coefficient (K P), and result implied that the sediments in this karst aquatic environment cannot be used as stable repositories for the metal pollutants.

Assessment of chapatti quality of wheat varieties based on physicochemical, rheological and sensory traits.

PubMed

Kundu, Manju; Khatkar, Bhupendar Singh; Gulia, Neelam

2017-07-01

Fifty wheat varieties were assessed for chapatti quality using grain characteristics, dough rheological properties and pasting characteristics. Results revealed that 88% of wheat varieties studied were medium-hard to hard based on kernel texture. Water absorption and damaged starch were found to be important parameters for chapatti quality as both parameters had significant positive effect on the pliability and puffing height of chapatti. Protein content and gluten strength parameters like SDS sedimentation volume, dough stability and gluten index were found to have a negative impact on chapatti quality. Based on chapatti quality assessment the wheat varieties were classified into four distinct clusters viz. good, acceptable, fair and poor for chapatti making. It was elucidated that 46% of the varieties studied were good to acceptable for chapatti making, while 54% resulted in fair or poor chapatti quality thereby clearly indicating the need to establish and substantiate the development of product-specific varieties. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Sediment porewater toxicity assessment studies in the vicinity of offshore oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, R.S.; Chapman, D.C.; Presley, B.J.; Biedenbach, J.M.; Robertson, L.; Boothe, P.; Kilada, R.; Wade, T.; Montagna, P.

1996-01-01

As part of a multidisciplinary program to assess the potential long-term impacts of offshore oil and gas exploration and production activities in the Gulf of Mexico, sediment chemical analyses and porewater toxicity tests were conducted in the vicinity of five offshore platforms. Based on data from sea urchin fertilization and embryological development assays, toxicity was observed near four of the five platforms sampled; the majority of the toxic samples were collected within 150 m of a platform. There was excellent agreement among the results of porewater tests with three different species (sea urchin embryological development, polychaete reproduction, and copepod nauplii survival). The sediment concentrations of several metals were well in excess of sediment quality assessment guidelines at a number of stations, and good agreement was observed between predicted and observed toxicity. Porewater metal concentrations compared with EC50, LOEC, and NOEC values generated for water-only exposures indicated that the porewater concentrations for several metals were high enough to account for the observed toxicity. Results of these studies utilizing highly sensitive toxicity tests suggest that the contaminant-induced impacts from offshore platforms are limited to a localized area in the immediate vicinity of the platforms. 

Occurrences, composition profiles and source identifications of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in ship ballast sediments.

PubMed

Su, Peng-Hao; Lv, Bao-Yi; Tomy, Gregg T; Xu, Jin-Xiang; Tian, Wen; Hou, Chun-Yan; Yin, Fang; Li, Yi-Fan; Feng, Dao-Lun

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in ship ballast sediments. The ballast sediment samples were collected from six merchant ships docked in 2015 in Jiangyin City, China. Ballast sediments represent a potential vector for the transport of POPs and invasive species between marine environments. An attempt was also made to determine the sources of these compounds in the ballast sediment. The results indicated ballast sediments generally contain greater amounts of BDE-209 and comparable amounts of PAHs, PBDEs (exclusive of BDE-209) and PCBs compared to those in marine surface sediments. Based on the sediment quality guidelines, PAHs and PCBs in ballast sediments were estimated to have median or high potential of posing ecological risks, respectively, to marine life if ballast sediments were disposed without specific treatment. POPs in ballast sediments were derived from multiple sources with atmospheric deposition being an important origin. Ship activities including diesel exhaust and illegal oil sewage discharge were considerable contributors of certain individual POPs to ballast sediments. Our study is important because it represents the first report on levels, health risk assessment and source apportionments of POPs in ballast sediments and is a first step in the implementation of specific ballast sediment management measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water quality of streams draining abandoned and reclaimed mined lands in the Kantishna Hills area, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2008–11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabets, Timothy P.; Ourso, Robert T.

2013-01-01

The Kantishna Hills are an area of low elevation mountains in the northwest part of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Streams draining the Kantishna Hills are clearwater streams that support several species of fish and are derived from rain, snowmelt, and subsurface aquifers. However, the water quality of many of these streams has been degraded by mining. Past mining practices generated acid mine drainage and excessive sediment loads that affected water quality and aquatic habitat. Because recovery through natural processes is limited owing to a short growing season, several reclamation projects have been implemented on several streams in the Kantishna Hills region. To assess the current water quality of streams in the Kantishna Hills area and to determine if reclamation efforts have improved water quality, a cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service was undertaken during 2008-11. High levels of turbidity, an indicator of high concentrations of suspended sediment, were documented in water-quality data collected in the mid-1980s when mining was active. Mining ceased in 1985 and water-quality data collected during this study indicate that levels of turbidity have declined significantly. Turbidity levels generally were less than 2 Formazin Nephelometric Units and suspended sediment concentrations generally were less than 1 milligram per liter during the current study. Daily turbidity data at Rock Creek, an unmined stream, and at Caribou Creek, a mined stream, documented nearly identical patterns of turbidity in 2009, indicating that reclamation as well as natural revegetation in mined streams has improved water quality. Specific conductance and concentrations of dissolved solids and major ions were highest from streams that had been mined. Most of these streams flow into Moose Creek, which functions as an integrator stream, and dilutes the specific conductance and ion concentrations. Calcium and magnesium are the dominant cations, and bicarbonate and sulfate are the dominant anions. Water samples indicate that the water from Rock Creek, Moose Creek, Slate Creek, and Eldorado Creek is a calcium bicarbonate-type water. The remaining sites are a calcium sulfate type water. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for arsenic and antimony in drinking water were exceeded in water at Slate Creek and Eureka Creek. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc in streambed sediments at many sites exceed sediment quality guideline thresholds that could be toxic to aquatic life. However, assessment of these concentrations, along with the level of organic carbon detected in the sediment, indicate that only concentrations of arsenic and chromium may be toxic to aquatic life at many sites. In 2008 and 2009, 104 macroinvertebrate taxa and 164 algae taxa were identified from samples collected from seven sites. Of the macroinvertebrates, 86 percent were insects and most of the algae consisted of diatoms. Based on the National Community Index, Rock Creek, a reference site, and Caribou Creek, and a mined stream that had undergone some reclamation, exhibited the best overall stream conditions; whereas Slate Creek and Friday Creek, two small streams that were mined extensively, exhibited the worst stream conditions. A non-metric multi-dimensional scaling analysis of the macroinvertebrate and algae data showed a distinct grouping between the 2008 and 2009 samples, likely because of differences between a wet, cool summer in 2008 and a dry, warm summer in 2009.

Water-Quality, Bed-Sediment, and Biological Data (October 2005 through September 2006) and Statistical Summaries of Long-Term Data for Streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2007-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Milltown Reservoir as part of a long-term monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin; additional water-quality samples were collected in the Clark Fork basin from sites near Milltown Reservoir downstream to near the confluence of the Clark Fork and Flathead River as part of a supplemental sampling program. The sampling programs were conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water-quality samples were collected periodically at 22 sites from October 2005 through September 2006. Bed-sediment and biological samples were collected once at 12 sites during August 2006. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at all long-term and supplemental monitoring sites from October 2005 through September 2006. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace ele-ments, and suspended sediment. Nutrients also were analyzed in the supplemental water-quality samples. Daily values of suspended-sed-iment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites, and seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-ele-ment concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Bio-logical data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of long-term water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.

Water-quality assessment of the Albermarle-Pamlico drainage basin, North Carolina and Virginia; a summary of selected trace element, nutrient, and pesticide data for bed sediments, 1969-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skrobialowski, S.C.

1996-01-01

Spatial distributions of metals and trace elements, nutrients, and pesticides and polychiorinated biphenyls (PCB's) in bed sediment were characterized using data collected from 1969 through 1990 and stored in the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Data Storage and Retrieval (WATSTORE) system and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Storage and Retrieval (STORET) system databases. Bed-sediment data from WATSTORE and STORET were combined to form a single database of 1,049 records representing 301 sites. Data were examined for concentrations of 16 metals and trace elements, 4 nutrients, 10 pesticides, and PCB's. Maximum bed-sediment concentrations were evaluated relative to sediment-quality guidelines developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Sites were not selected randomly; therefore, results should not be interpreted as representing average conditions. Many sites were located in or around lakes and reservoirs, urban areas, and areas where special investigations were conducted. Lakes and reservoirs function as effective sediment traps, and elevated concentrations of some constituents occurred at these sites. High concentrations of many metals and trace elements also occurred near urban areas where streams receive runoff or inputs from industrial, residential, and municipal activities. Elevated nutrient concentrations occurred near lakes, reservoirs, and the mouths of major rivers. The highest concentrations of arsenic, beryllium, chromium, iron. mercury, nickel, and selenium occurred in the Roanoke River Basin and may be a result of geologic formations or accumulations of bed sediment in lakes and reservoirs. The highest concentrations of cadmium, lead, and thallium were detected in the Chowan River Basin; copper and zinc were reported highest in the Neuse River Basin. Total phosphorus and total ammonia plus organic nitrogen concentrations exceeded the sediment evaluation guidelines in each major river basin, possibly resulting from wastewater inputs and agricultural applications. Exceedances of pesticide guidelines were detected in the upper Neuse River Basin near Falls Lake and in the lower Tar River Basin.

Decadal Changes In Benthic Community Measures In New York Harbor

EPA Science Inventory

Monitoring in New York Harbor, NY, as part of the Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program has spanned a decade, and includes habitat and water quality measures and sediment contaminant levels from four sub-basins (Upper NY Harbor, Lower NY Harbor, Newark Bay, and...

Identifying Riparian Buffer Effects on Stream 1 Nitrogen in Southeastern Coastal Plain Watersheds

EPA Science Inventory

Riparian areas have long demonstrated their ability to attenuate nutrients and sediments from agricultural runoff at the field scale; however, to inform effective nutrient management choices, the impact of riparian buffers on water quality services must be assessed at watershed s...

Assessing the Influence of Copper-Nickel-Bearing Bedrock on Baseline Water Quality in Filson Creek Watershed, Northeast Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Runkel, R. L.; Jones, P. M.; Elliott, S. M.; Woodruff, L. G.

2017-12-01

Mining sulfide-bearing copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and platinum-group-elements (PGE) deposits in the Duluth Complex of northeast Minnesota could have detrimental effects on surrounding water resources and associated ecosystems. A study was conducted to 1) assess copper, nickel, and other metal concentrations in surface water, bedrock, streambed sediments, and soils in watersheds where the basal part of the Duluth Complex is exposed or near the land surface; and 2) determine if these concentrations, and metal-bearing deposits, are currently influencing regional water quality in areas of potential base-metal mining. One of the watersheds that was assessed was the Filson Creek watershed, where shallow Cu-Ni-PGE deposits are present. Field water-quality, streambed sediments, soils, bedrock, and streamflow data set were collected in Filson Creek and it's watershed in 2014 and 2015. Surface-water samples were analyzed for 12 trace metals (dissolved and total concentrations), 14 inorganic constituents (dissolved concentrations), alkalinity, 18 O /16O and 2H/1H isotopes, and total and dissolved organic carbon. Background total Cu and Ni concentrations in the creek in 2014 and 2015 ranged from 1.2 to 10.8 micrograms per liter (µg/L), and 1.7 to 8.4 µg/L, respectively. The concentrations of copper, nickel, and other trace metals in surface waters and streambed sediments reflects the geochemistry of underlying rock types and glacially transported unconsolidated material, establishing baseline conditions prior to any mining. Dissolved and total organic carbon (DOC and TOC) concentrations in surface waters are very high compared to most surface waters in Minnesota, ranging from 21.3 to 43.2 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and 22.4 and 53.5 mg/L. Synoptic water-quality and flow data from a tracer test conducted over a stream segment of Filson Creek above a shallow Cu-Ni-PGE deposit (Spruce Road Deposit) was used with the 2014-15 water-quality and synthetic flow data to calibrate the reactive transport model. Results from transport modeling suggest that the high DOC content exert control on copper and other trace metal transport.

Sediment measurement and transport modeling: impact of riparian and filter strip buffers.

PubMed

Moriasi, Daniel N; Steiner, Jean L; Arnold, Jeffrey G

2011-01-01

Well-calibrated models are cost-effective tools to quantify environmental benefits of conservation practices, but lack of data for parameterization and evaluation remains a weakness to modeling. Research was conducted in southwestern Oklahoma within the Cobb Creek subwatershed (CCSW) to develop cost-effective methods to collect stream channel parameterization and evaluation data for modeling in watersheds with sparse data. Specifically, (i) simple stream channel observations obtained by rapid geomorphic assessment (RGA) were used to parameterize the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model stream channel variables before calibrating SWAT for streamflow and sediment, and (ii) average annual reservoir sedimentation rate, measured at the Crowder Lake using the acoustic profiling system (APS), was used to cross-check Crowder Lake sediment accumulation rate simulated by SWAT. Additionally, the calibrated and cross-checked SWAT model was used to simulate impacts of riparian forest buffer (RF) and bermudagrass [ (L.) Pers.] filter strip buffer (BFS) on sediment yield and concentration in the CCSW. The measured average annual sedimentation rate was between 1.7 and 3.5 t ha yr compared with simulated sediment rate of 2.4 t ha yr Application of BFS across cropped fields resulted in a 72% reduction of sediment delivery to the stream, while the RF and the combined RF and BFS reduced the suspended sediment concentration at the CCSW outlet by 68 and 73%, respectively. Effective riparian practices have potential to increase reservoir life. These results indicate promise for using the RGA and APS methods to obtain data to improve water quality simulations in ungauged watersheds. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

Calculating background levels for ecological risk parameters in toxic harbor sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leadon, C.J.; McDonnell, T.R.; Lear, J.; Barclift, D.

2007-01-01

Establishing background levels for biological parameters is necessary in assessing the ecological risks from harbor sediment contaminated with toxic chemicals. For chemicals in sediment, the term contaminated is defined as having concentrations above background and significant human health or ecological risk levels. For biological parameters, a site could be considered contaminated if levels of the parameter are either more or less than the background level, depending on the specific parameter. Biological parameters can include tissue chemical concentrations in ecological receptors, bioassay responses, bioaccumulation levels, and benthic community metrics. Chemical parameters can include sediment concentrations of a variety of potentially toxic chemicals. Indirectly, contaminated harbor sediment can impact shellfish, fish, birds, and marine mammals, and human populations. This paper summarizes the methods used to define background levels for chemical and biological parameters from a survey of ecological risk investigations of marine harbor sediment at California Navy bases. Background levels for regional biological indices used to quantify ecological risks for benthic communities are also described. Generally, background stations are positioned in relatively clean areas exhibiting the same physical and general chemical characteristics as nearby areas with contaminated harbor sediment. The number of background stations and the number of sample replicates per background station depend on the statistical design of the sediment ecological risk investigation, developed through the data quality objective (DQO) process. Biological data from the background stations can be compared to data from a contaminated site by using minimum or maximum background levels or comparative statistics. In Navy ecological risk assessments (ERA's), calculated background levels and appropriate ecological risk screening criteria are used to identify sampling stations and sites with contaminated sediments.

Evaluating a 5-year metal contamination remediation and the biomonitoring potential of a freshwater gastropod along the Xiangjiang River, China.

PubMed

Li, Deliang; Pi, Jie; Zhang, Ting; Tan, Xiang; Fraser, Dylan J

2018-05-16

Effective remediation of heavy metal pollution in aquatic systems is desired in many regions, but it requires integrative assessments of sediments, water, and biota that can serve as robust biomonitors. We assessed the effects of a 5-year metal contamination remediation along the Xiangjiang River, China, by comparing concentrations of trace metals in water and surface sediments between 2010-2011 and 2016. We also explored the trace metal biomonitoring potential of a freshwater gastropod (Bellamya aeruginosa). Metal concentrations in water (means and ranges) dropped over time to within permissible limits of drinking water guidelines set by China, USEPA, and WHO in 2016. Although sediment means and ranges of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Mn also diminished with remediation, those for Cr and Cu slightly increased, and all six metals retained concentrations higher than standards set by China. All metals in sediments could also be associated with anthropogenic inputs using a hierarchical clustering analysis, and they generate high potential ecological risks based on several indices, especially for Cd and As. The bio-sediment accumulation factors of all measured trace metals in gastropod soft tissues and shells were lower than 1.0, except for Ca. Trace metal contents in gastropods were positively correlated with those in water and surface sediments for As (soft tissues) and Cr (shells). Collectively, our results do not yet highlight strong beneficial effects of 5-year remediation and clearly illustrate the heavy metal pollution remaining in Xiangjiang River sediment. Additional physical, chemical, and biological measurements should be implemented to improve sediment quality. We further conclude that gastropod soft tissues and shells can be suitable biomonitors of spatial differences in some heavy metals found within river sediments (e.g., As, Cr).

[Spatial Distribution and Potential Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soils and Sediments in Shunde Waterway, Southern China].

PubMed

Cai, Yi-min; Chen, Wei-ping; Peng, Chi; Wang, Tie-yu; Xiao, Rong-bo

2016-05-15

Environmental quality of soils and sediments around water source area can influence the safety of potable water of rivers. In order to study the pollution characteristics, the sources and ecological risks of heavy metals Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cd in water source area, surface soils around the waterway and sediments in the estuary of main tributaries were collected in Shunde, and ecological risks of heavy metals were assessed by two methods of potential ecological risk assessment. The mean contents of Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cd in the surface soils were 186.80, 65.88, 54.56, 32.47, 22.65 and 0.86 mg · kg⁻¹ respectively, and they were higher than their soil background values except those of Cu and Ni. The mean concentrations of Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cd in the sediments were 312.11, 111.41, 97.87, 92.32, 29.89 and 1.72 mg · kg⁻¹ respectively, and they were higher than their soil background values except that of Ni. The results of principal component analysis illustrated that the main source of Cr and Ni in soils was soil parent materials, and Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd in soils mainly came from wastewater discharge of local manufacturing industry. The six heavy metals in sediments mainly originated from industry emissions around the Shunde waterway. The results of potential ecological risk assessment integrating environmental bioavailability of heavy metals showed that Zn, Cu, Pb and Ni had a slight potential ecological risk. Cd had a slight potential ecological risk in surface soils, but a moderate potential ecological risk in surfaces sediments. Because the potential ecological risk assessment integrating environmental bioavailability of heavy metals took the soil properties and heavy metal forms into account, its results of risks were lower than those of Hakanson methods, and it could avoid overestimating the potential risks of heavy metals.

Sediment quality assessment in a coastal lagoon (Ravenna, NE Italy) based on SEM-AVS and sequential extraction procedure.

PubMed

Pignotti, Emanuela; Guerra, Roberta; Covelli, Stefano; Fabbri, Elena; Dinelli, Enrico

2018-09-01

Sediments from the Pialassa Piomboni coastal lagoon (NE Italy) were studied to assess the degree of contamination and ecological risk related to trace metals by combining a geochemical characterization of bulk sediments with the assessment of the bioavailable forms of trace metals. With this purpose, sediment contamination (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was assessed by Enrichment Factors (EFs), and potential bioavailability by the Simultaneously Extracted Metals and Acid Volatile Sulfides (SEM-AVS) approach (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn), and by Sequential Extraction Procedure (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn). On average, Cr and Ni exhibited no contamination (EF ≤1.5), and a predominance in the residual fraction of the sediment, indicating natural origin for these metals. Cu, Pb and Zn displayed a local contamination, which resulted in a higher proportion of Cu bound to the reducible and oxidizable fractions (~30% and ~40% as median, respectively), and Pb mostly associated with the reducible phase (~60% as median). Hence, Cu and Pb could be mobilized when environmental conditions become reducing or oxidizing. Zn resulted mainly partitioned into the reducible and residual fractions (~50% as median, in both fractions). The Risk Assessment Code (RAC) indicated that approximately 30% of samples had >10% of total Zn weakly bound to the sediment, suggesting a medium risk of exposure for aquatic organisms. RAC results were consistent with the ∑SEM-AVS findings, pointing to possible adverse effects for aquatic biota in ~30% of samples, with Zn mostly accounting for the total metal bioavailability. Hg showed a moderate to very severe enrichment, indicating that a substantial amount of this metal derives from anthropogenic sources and may pose adverse effects on the aquatic biota of the Pialassa Piomboni lagoon. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water-quality data (October 1988 through September 1989) and statistical summaries (March 1985 through September 1989) for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, J.H.

1990-01-01

Water quality sampling was conducted at eight sites on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, from October 1988 through September 1989. This report presents tabulations and statistical summaries of the water quality data. Included are tabulations of streamflow, onsite water quality, and concentrations of trace elements and suspended sediment for periodic samples. Also included are tables and hydrographs of daily mean values for streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended-sediment discharge at three mainstem stations and one tributary. Statistical summaries are presented for periodic water quality data collected from March 1985 through September 1989. Selected data are illustrated by graphs showing median concentrations of trace elements in water, relation of trace-element concentrations to suspended-sediment concentrations, and median concentrations of trace elements in suspended sediment. (USGS)

Water-quality data (October 1987 through September 1988) and statistical summaries (March 1985 through September 1988) for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, John H.

1989-01-01

Water quality sampling was conducted at eight sites on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Galen to Missoula, Mont., from October 1987 through September 1988. This report presents tabulations and statistical summaries of the water quality data. Included in this report are tabulations of streamflow, onsite water quality, and concentrations of trace elements and suspended sediment for periodic samples. Also included are tables and hydrographs of daily mean values for streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended-sediment discharge at three mainstream stations and one tributary. Statistical summaries are presented for periodic water quality data collected from March 1985 through September 1988. Selected data are illustrated by graphs showing median concentrations of trace elements in water, relation of trace element concentrations to suspended-sediment concentrations, and median concentrations of trace elements in suspended sediments. (USGS)

Nutrient and suspended-sediment trends, loads, and yields and development of an indicator of streamwater quality at nontidal sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, 1985-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langland, Michael; Blomquist, Joel; Moyer, Douglas; Hyer, Kenneth

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) updates information on loads of, and trends in, nutrients and sediment annually to help the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) investigators assess progress toward improving water-quality conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. CBP scientists and managers have worked since 1983 to improve water quality in the bay. In 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) established a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay. The TMDL specifies nutrient and sediment load allocations that need to be achieved in the watershed to improve dissolved oxygen, water-clarity, and chlorophyll conditions in the bay. The USEPA, USGS, and state and local jurisdictions in the watershed operate a CBP nontidal water-quality monitoring network and associated database that are used to update load and trend information to help assess progress toward reducing nutrient and sediment inputs to the bay. Data collected from the CBP nontidal network were used to estimate loads and trends for two time periods: a long-term period (1985-2010) at 31 "primary" sites (with storm sampling) and a 10-year period (2001-10) at 33 primary sites and 16 "secondary" sites (without storm sampling). In addition, loads at 64 primary sites were estimated for the period 2006 to 2010. Results indicate improving flow-adjusted trends for nitrogen and phosphorus for 1985 to 2010 at most of the sites in the network. For nitrogen, 21 of the 31 sites showed downward (improving) trends, whereas 2 sites showed upward (degrading) trends, and 8 sites showed no trends. The results for phosphorus were similar: 22 sites showed improving trends, 4 sites showed degrading trends, and 5 sites indicated no trends. For sediment, no trend was found at 40 percent of the sites, with 10 sites showing improving trends and 8 sites showing degrading trends. The USGS, working with CBP partners, developed a new water-quality indicator that combines the results of the 10-year trend analysis with results from a greater number of sites (64 primary sites) where loads and yields of total nitrogen and phosphorus and sediment could be calculated. The new indicator shows fewer significant trends for the 10-year time period than for the long-term time period (1985-2010). For 2001-10, total nitrogen trends were downward (improving) at 14 sites and upward (degrading) at 2 sites; no trend was found at 17 sites. For total phosphorus, 12 sites showed improving trends, 4 sites showed degrading trends, and 17 sites showed no trend. For total sediment, most sites (21) did not exhibit a significant trend; 3 sites showed improving trends, and 10 sites showed degrading trends. Few significant trends were seen at the 16 secondary sites: improving trends for total nitrogen at 4 sites, improving trends for total phosphorus at 2 sites, and a degrading trend for sediment at 1 site. Total streamflow to the Chesapeake Bay was 20 percent higher in 2010 than in 2009 and is considered to be within the normal range of flow, whereas annual streamflow at 28 sites was greater in 2010 than in 2009. No trends in daily streamflow were detected at the 31 long-term sites. Combined loads for the farthest downstream nontidal monitoring sites (called "River Input Monitoring sites") increased 33 percent for total nitrogen, 120 percent for total phosphorus, and 330 percent for total sediment from 2009 to 2010. The large increase in phosphorus and sediment loads in 2010 was caused in large part by two large storm events that occurred during the spring in the Potomac River Basin. Yields (load per watershed area) of total nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay watershed decreased from north to south (New York to Virginia). No spatial patterns were discernible for total phosphorus or sediment.

Biodegradation screening of chemicals in an artificial matrix simulating the water-sediment interface.

PubMed

Baginska, Ewelina; Haiß, Annette; Kümmerer, Klaus

2015-01-01

Biodegradation is the most important attenuation process for most of organic chemicals in the environment. This process decides whether the organic substance itself or its degradation products rests in the environment and should be considered for a further risk assessment. This work presents the development of a water sediment screening test, based on OECD guideline 308, with a high significance to environmental conditions and with a good reproducibility and consistency of results. The increased reproducibility was achieved by creating an artificial and standardized medium, based on the existing OECD guidelines OECD 302C, 301D and 218. Each test consisted of five different series: blank, quality control, test, toxicity control and abiotic control. Biodegradation was assessed by measurement of pressure difference in closed vessels using the OxiTop(®) system. Aniline, diethylene glycol and sodium acetate were used to optimize and validate test conditions. Additionally, two pharmaceuticals: Acetaminophen and ciprofloxacin (CIP) were tested as an example of possible test application. Acetaminophen was mainly removed from the system by biodegradation whereas CIP was removed from water phase by sorption onto sediment. Water sediment test proved to be a promising tool for the biodegradation investigation of chemicals in the water-sediment interface. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of 226Ra, 238U, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K activities from the northern coastline of Oman Sea (water and sediments).

PubMed

Darabi-Golestan, F; Hezarkhani, A; Zare, M R

2017-05-15

Water and sediment samples were collected from northern coast of Oman Sea covering from Goatr to Hormoz canyon seaport. Water and sediment quality assessment for naturally or anthropogenic radionuclides at Oman Sea as a main strategic golf for trade and transit, is an important issue. Correspondence analysis (CA) by R-mode analysis represents that sigma(T)-temperature-conductivity-O 2 parameters are well-correlated with 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K. Accordingly Q-mode analysis revealed an indicator samples of ST13W for different radionuclides, ST03W for O 2 , and simultaneously ST34W-ST21W-ST08W-ST04W for sigma(T) parameters. The CA results overlapped with factor and cluster analysis results that explained 85.8% of total variance of water samples. Descriptive analysis of sediments indicates more significant variation than water samples. The 232 Th and 226 Ra generally showing that ST13D to ST25D sediments that restricted to Pi Bashk coastline are concentrated from 137 Cs and 40 K. By comparison with reference-values from Iran and other parts of the world, they are acceptable with respect to environmental and radioisotope hazards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Petroleum pollution in mangrove forests sediments from Qeshm Island and Khamir Port-Persian Gulf, Iran.

PubMed

Ebrahimi-Sirizi, Zohreh; Riyahi-Bakhtiyari, Alireza

2013-05-01

The concentrations of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 22 individual PAH compounds in 42 surface sediments collected from the mangrove forest of Qeshm Island and Khamir Port (Persian Gulf) were analyzed. PAHs concentrations ranged from 259 to 5,376 ng g(-1) dry weight with mean and median values of 1,585 and 1,146 ng g(-1), respectively. The mangrove sediments had higher percentages of lower molecular weight PAHs and the PAH profiles were dominated by naphthalene. Ratio values of specific PAH compounds were calculated to evaluate the possible source of PAH contamination. This ratios suggesting that the mangrove sediments have a petrogenic input of PAHs. Sediment quality guidelines were conducted to assess the toxicity of PAH compounds. The levels of total PAHs at all of stations except one station, namely Q6, were below the effects range low. Also, concentrations of naphthalene in some stations exceeded the effects range median.

Impact evaluation of the industrial activities in the Bay of Bakar (Adriatic Sea, Croatia): recent benthic foraminifera and heavy metals.

PubMed

Popadić, Adriana; Vidović, Jelena; Cosović, Vlasta; Medaković, Davorin; Dolenec, Matej; Felja, Igor

2013-11-15

The Bay of Bakar is one of the most heavily polluted bays at the Eastern Adriatic. Three major industrial companies potentially endanger the bay. The concentration of major, minor and trace elements in surface sediments from thirteen stations was discussed in relation to the sediment type and foraminiferal assemblages. The distribution of major elements in the bay is influenced by geological nature of surroundings. Heavy metal distribution depends on pollution sources and on amount of mud fraction: fine-grained sediments are enriched by them in comparison with coarse-grained ones. Different sediment quality criteria complicate the pollution assessment in the bay. Heavy metal concentrations generally fall into allowed depositional values for marine environments; only area in front of the coke plant and the City of Bakar harbor is heavily polluted. Stress-tolerant foraminiferal species dominate at stations with higher concentrations of heavy metals and coarse-grained sediments consist of larger number of epifaunal taxa. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water-Quality, Bed-Sediment, and Biological Data (October 2006 through September 2007) and Statistical Summaries of Long-Term Data for Streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2008-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Milltown Reservoir as part of a long-term monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin; additional water-quality samples were collected in the Clark Fork basin from sites near Milltown Reservoir downstream to near the confluence of the Clark Fork and Flathead River as part of a supplemental sampling program. The sampling programs were conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water-quality samples were collected periodically at 22 sites from October 2006 through September 2007. Bed-sediment and biological samples were collected once at 12 sites during August 2007. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at all long-term and supplemental monitoring sites from October 2006 through September 2007. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for samples collected at sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Nutrients also were analyzed in the supplemental water-quality samples. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites, and seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for five sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of long-term water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.

Metal accumulation in the greentail prawn, Metapenaeus bennettae, in Sydney and Port Hacking estuaries, Australia.

PubMed

Lewtas, K L M; Birch, G F; Foster-Thorpe, C

2014-01-01

Metal concentrations of the inshore greentail prawn, Metapenaeus bennettae, and surface sediments from locations within Sydney estuary and Port Hacking (Australia) were assessed for bioaccumulation and contamination. The current study aimed to assess metal concentrations in prawn tissue (tail muscle, exoskeleton, hepatopancreas and gills), relate whole body prawn tissue metal concentrations to sediment metal concentrations and animal size, as well as assess prawn consumption as a risk to human health. Metal concentrations were highest in sediment and prawns from contaminated locations (Iron Cove, Hen and Chicken Bay and Lane Cove) in Sydney estuary compared with the reference estuary (Port Hacking). Concentrations in sediments varied considerably between sites and between metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn), and although concentrations exceeded Interim Sediment Quality Guideline-Low values, metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) were below Australian National Health and Medical Research Council human consumption guidelines in prawn tail muscle tissue. Metal concentrations in prawn tail muscle tissue were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) amongst locations for Pb, Zn and Cd, and metal concentrations were generally highest in gills tissue, followed by the hepatopancreas, exoskeleton and tail muscle. The exoskeleton contained the highest Sr concentration; the hepatopancreas contained the highest As, Cu and Mo concentrations; and the gills contained the highest Al, Cr, Fe and Pb concentrations. Concentrations of Pb, As and Sr were significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) between size groups amongst locations.

Organotins and new antifouling biocides in water and sediments from three Korean Special Management Sea Areas following ten years of tributyltin regulation: Contamination profiles and risk assessment.

PubMed

Lam, Nguyen Hoang; Jeong, Hui-Ho; Kang, Su-Dong; Kim, Dae-Jin; Ju, Mi-Jo; Horiguchi, Toshihiro; Cho, Hyeon-Seo

2017-08-15

A simultaneous monitoring study on organotins (butyltins and phenyltins) and most frequently used alternative antifouling biocides (Irgarol 1051, Diuron, Sea-Nine 211 and M1) in water and sediments (n=44) collected from three Special Management Sea Areas operated by Korean government. The lower concentration of butyltins (BTs) than that of new antifouling biocides (NEW) was found in water but the significant greater concentration of BTs than that of NEW was still found in sediments. The tributyltin (TBT) levels in water exceeded the chronic criterion to protect seawater aquatic life at several sites. Even ten years after the ban of the use of TBT-based antifouling paint, the concentrations of TBT, Diuron and Irgarol 1051 in sediments from shipyards exceeded global sediment quality guidelines and potentially poses adverse risks on marine organisms and extremely high concentration of TBT up to 2304ng/g was found for a sediment collected at a shipyard. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electron donor concentrations in sediments and sediment properties at the agricultural chemicals team research site near New Providence, Iowa, 2006-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maharjan, Bijesh; Korom, Scott F.; Smith, Erik A.

2013-01-01

The concentrations of electron donors in aquifer sediments are important to the understanding of the fate and transport of redox-sensitive constituents in groundwater, such as nitrate. For a study by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 50 sediment samples were collected from below the water table from 11 boreholes at the U.S. Geological Survey Agricultural Chemicals Team research site near New Providence, Iowa, during 2006-07. All samples were analyzed for gravel, sand (coarse, medium, and fine), silt, clay, Munsell soil color, inorganic carbon content, and for the following electron donors: organic carbon, ferrous iron, and inorganic sulfide. A subset of 14 sediment samples also was analyzed for organic sulfur, but all of these samples had concentrations less than the method detection limit; therefore, the presence of this potential electron donor was not considered further. X-ray diffraction analyses provided important semi-quantitative information of well-crystallized dominant minerals within the sediments that might be contributing electron donors.

Heavy metal contamination in river water and sediments of the Swarnamukhi River Basin, India: risk assessment and environmental implications.

PubMed

Patel, Priyanka; Raju, N Janardhana; Reddy, B C Sundara Raja; Suresh, U; Sankar, D B; Reddy, T V K

2018-04-01

The concentration of heavy metals was analyzed each of 20 river water, suspended sediments and bed sediments along the stretch of Swarnamukhi River Basin. River water is not contaminated with heavy metals except Fe and Mn. Contamination factor in sediments shows considerable to very high degree contamination with Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. The sources of these metals could be residential wastes, sewer outfall, fertilizers, pesticides (M-45 + carbondine) and traffic activities apart from natural weathering of granitic rocks present in the basin area. Principal component analyses indicate the interaction between metals in different media. The comparison of metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) in bed sediments of Swarnamukhi River with the Indian and world averages indicates that the values obtained in the basin are above the Indian averages and far below to the world averages. Average shale values and sediment quality guidelines point toward the enrichment and contamination of Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn to several fold leading to eco-toxicological risks in basin.

Investigation of Water Quality and Aquatic-Community Structure in Village and Valley Creeks, City of Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama 2000-01

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPherson, A. K.

2002-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a 16-month investigation of water quality, aquatic-community structure, bed sediment, and fish tissue in Village and Valley Creeks, two urban streams that drain areas of residential, commercial, and industrial land use in Birmingham, Alabama. Water-quality data were collected between February 2000 and March 2001 at four sites on Village Creek, three sites on Valley Creek, and at two reference sites near Birmingham, Fivemile Creek and Little Cahaba River, that drain less urbanized areas. The occurrence and distribution of chemical constituents in the water column and bed sediment provided an initial assessment of water quality in the streams. Aquatic-community structure, physical condition of fish, and analysis of fish tissue provided an indication of the cumulative effects of the water quality on the aquatic biota. Degraded water quality was seen at the more urbanized sites on Village and Valley Creeks. Elevated concentrations of nutrients, bacteria, trace elements, and organic contaminants were detected in the water column. Trace-element priority pollutants, pesticides, and other organic compounds were detected in higher concentrations in bed sediment and fish tissue at the Village and Valley Creek sites than at the reference site. The richness and density of the fish and benthic-invertebrate communities indicate that the integrity of the aquatic communities in Village and Valley Creeks is poor in comparison to that observed at the two reference sites. Correlations between land use and aquatic-community structure, water quality, bed sediment, and fish tissue were observed. The abundance of mayflies and the number of EPT (ephemeroptera, plecoptera, tricoptera) taxa were negatively correlated with industrial land use. The abundance of midges (an indicator of poor water quality) was positively correlated with industrial land use; the percentage of mosquitofishes (a tolerant species) was positively correlated with commercial land use. In contrast, the numbers of fish species, fish families, and the percentage of sunfishes (intolerant species) were positively correlated with forested land use, indicating that the more diverse fish communities were found in basins with a higher percentage of forested land. The concentrations of 12 water-quality constituents and 18 organic compounds detected in bed sediment were positively correlated with industrial land use. Mercury and molybdenum concentrations detected in fish-liver tissue also were positively correlated with industrial land use. The water quality and aquatic-community structure in Village and Valley Creeks are degraded in comparison to streams flowing through less urbanized areas. Decreased diversity and elevated concentrations of trace elements and organic contaminants in the water column, bed sediment, and fish tissues at Village and Valley Creeks are indicative of the effects of urbanization. Industrial land use, in particular, was significantly correlated to elevated contaminant levels in the water column, bed sediment, fish tissues, and to the declining health of the benthic-invertebrate communities. The results of this 16-month study have long-range watershed management implications, demonstrating the association between urban development and stream degradation. These data can serve as a baseline from which to determine the effectiveness of stream-restoration programs.

Final Creech Air Force Base Capital Improvements Program Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

acts as a shell to softer, more vulnerable soils below. Lenses of caliche (sediment cemented together with sodium salts) and clay are also known to be...requirements. Contact Air Quality Program Manager YES Page 2 WATER QUALITY 99 CES/CEIEC, 652-2834 Any process that discharges to sanitary or industrial... Sanitary Wastewater Will the project result in the discharge of any sanitary wastewaters (e.g., wastewater from sinks, showers, toilets, etc)? A

Design and methods of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA), 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Journey, Celeste A.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Bell, Amanda H.; Button, Daniel T.; Garrett, Jessica D.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Qi, Sharon L.; Bradley, Paul M.

2015-07-15

This report provides a detailed description of the SESQA study components, including surveys of ecological conditions, routine water sampling, deployment of passive polar organic compound integrative samplers for pesticides and contaminants of emerging concern, and synoptic sediment sampling and toxicity testing at all urban, confined animal feeding operation, and reference sites. Continuous water-quality monitoring and daily pesticide sampling efforts conducted at a subset of urban sites are also described.

A SURVEY OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURE IN THREE FLORIDA BAYOU-ESTUARIES

EPA Science Inventory

Structural and functional characteristics of the benthic biota were determined and compared for three urbanized bayous, in conjuction with sediment chemical quality and acute toxicity. Sediment chemical contamination in the bayous was common. Numerical sediment quality assessmen...

Non-Destructive High-Resolution Organic Matter Record on Lake Sediment using Steady-State Solid Phase Fluorescence: Organic Matter Quality and Quantity Assessment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quiers, M.; Perrette, Y.; Etienne, D.; Develle, A. L.; Jacq, K.

2017-12-01

The use of organic proxies increases in paleoenvironmental reconstructions from natural archives. Major advances have been achieved by the development of new highly informative molecular proxies usually linked to specific compounds. While studies focused on targeted compounds, offering a high information degree, advances on bulk organic matter are limited. However, this bulk is the main contributor to carbon cycle and has been shown to be a driver of many mineral or organic compounds transfer and record. Development of target proxies need complementary information on bulk organic matter to understand biases link to controlling factors or analytical methods, and provide a robust interpretation. Fluorescence methods have often been employed to characterize and quantify organic matter. However, these technics are mainly developed for liquid samples, inducing material and resolution loss when working on natural archives (either stalagmite or sediments). High-resolution solid phase fluorescence (SPF) was developed on speleothems. This method allows now to analyse organic matter quality and quantity if procedure to constrain the optical density are adopted. In fact, a calibration method using liquid phase fluorescence (LPF) was developed for speleothem, allowing to quantify organic carbon at high-resolution. We report here an application of such a procedure SPF/LPF measurements on lake sediments. In order to avoid sediment matrix effects on the fluorescence signal, a calibration using LPF measurements was realised. First results using this method provided organic matter quality record of different organic matter compounds (humic-like, protein-like and chlorophylle-like compounds) at high resolution for the sediment core. High resolution organic matter fluxes are obtained in a second time, applying pragmatic chemometrics model (non linear models, partial least square models) on high resolution fluorescence data. SPF method can be considered as a promising tool for high resolution record on organic matter quality and quantity. Potential application of this method will be evocated (lake ecosystem dynamic, changes in trophic levels)

Assessment of pollution and identification of sources of heavy metals in the sediments of Changshou Lake in a branch of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

PubMed

Liang, Ao; Wang, Yechun; Guo, Hongtao; Bo, Lei; Zhang, Sheng; Bai, Yili

2015-10-01

To assess the heavy metal pollution in Changshou Lake, sediments were collected from nine sites at three periods (dry, normal, and wet) in 2013. The Hg, As, Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn levels were then determined. The index of geoaccumulation (I geo) and the sediment pollution index (SPI) were applied to the sediment assessment, and Pearson's correlation analysis and factor analysis (FA) were performed to identify common pollution sources in the basin. The results showed that heavy metals presented significant spatial variations with Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Hg, and As concentrations of 29.66~42.58, 0.62~0.91, 24.91~37.96, 21.18~74.91, 41.65~86.86, 0.079~0.152, and 20.17~36.88 mg kg(-1), respectively, and no obvious variations were found among the different periods. The average contents of the metals followed the order Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > As > Cd > Hg, which showed a high pollution in the sediments collected from open water and at the river mouth. The assessment results indicated that toxic heavy metals presented obvious pollution with I Hg of 0.64~1.36 (moderately polluted), I Cd of 1.66~2.22 (moderately to heavily polluted), and I As of 1.21~2.07 (moderately to heavily polluted). The heavy metal pollution states followed the order Cd > As > Hg > Cu > Pb > Zn > Cr, and the SPI showed that the sediment collected from open water area was more polluted than those obtained from the tributaries and the river mouth. Cr, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cu, As, and Zn were mainly attributed to sediment weathering with Hg, Pb, and Cu and partially due to domestic sewage from the upper reaches. These results indicate that the more attention should be paid to the inner loads of sediment in order to achieve improvements in reservoir water quality after the control of external pollution.

Consideration of drainage ditches and sediment rating cure on SWAT model performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water quality models most often require a considerable amount of data to be properly configured and in some cases this requires additional procedural steps prior to model applications. We examined two different scenarios of such input issues in a small watershed using the Soil and Water Assessment ...

Multisite evaluation of APEX for water quality: 1. Best professional judgement parameterization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Agricultural and Policy Environmental Extender (APEX) model is capable of estimating edge-of-field water, nutrient, and sediment transport and is used to assess the environmental impacts of management practices. The current practice is to fully calibrate the model for each site simulation, a tas...

E. coli transport from bottom sediments to the stream water column in base flow conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

E. coli as an indicator bacterium is commonly used to characterize microbiological water quality, to evaluate surface water sources for microbiological impairment, and to assess management practices that lead to the decrease of pathogens and indicator influx in surface water sources for recreation a...

Sediment and Water Quality Insights from the Great Lakes Connecting Channels NCCA Surveys

EPA Science Inventory

Probability-based surveys of the U.S. Great Lakes coastal waters (excluding connecting channels) were conducted in 2010 and 2015 as part of EPA’s National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA). Research on the Huron-Erie corridor (HEC; 2014, 2015) and the St. Marys River (SMR; 2015...

The incorporation of toxicity testing into the assessment and management of effluents and contaminated sediments

EPA Science Inventory

Following the initial push during the 1970’s to develop numerical water quality criteria for many environmental contaminants, it became clear that the protection of surface waters from chemicals in municipal and industrial effluents would require more than just criteria for...

The challenge of documenting water quality benefits of conservation practices: a review of USDA-ARS's conservation effects assessment project watershed studies.

PubMed

Tomer, M D; Locke, M A

2011-01-01

The Conservation Effects Assessment Project was established to quantify water quality benefits of conservation practices supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 2004, watershed assessment studies were begun in fourteen agricultural watersheds with varying cropping systems, landscapes, climate, and water quality concerns. This paper reviews USDA Agricultural Research Service 'Benchmark' watershed studies and the challenge of identifying water quality benefits in watersheds. Study goals included modeling and field research to assess practices, and evaluation of practice placement in watersheds. Not all goals were met within five years but important lessons were learned. While practices improved water quality, problems persisted in larger watersheds. This dissociation between practice-focused and watershed-scale assessments occurred because: (1) Conservation practices were not targeted at critical sources/pathways of contaminants; (2) Sediment in streams originated more from channel and bank erosion than from soil erosion; (3) Timing lags, historical legacies, and shifting climate combined to mask effects of practice implementation; and (4) Water quality management strategies addressed single contaminants with little regard for trade-offs among contaminants. These lessons could help improve conservation strategies and set water quality goals with realistic timelines. Continued research on agricultural water quality could better integrate modeling and monitoring capabilities, and address ecosystem services.

Sediment quality assessment studies of Tampa bay, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Scott R.; Chapman, Duane C.; Long, Edward R.; Windom, Herbert L.; Thursby, Glen; Sloane, Gail M.; Wolfe, Douglas A.

1996-01-01

A survey of the toxicity of sediments throughout the Tampa Bay estuary was performed as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Status and Trends Program. The objectives of the survey were to determine the spatial extent and severity of toxicity and to identify relationships between chemical contamination and toxicity. Three independent toxicity tests were performed: a 10-d amphipod survival test of the whole sediments with Ampelisca abdita, a sea urchin fertilization test of sediment pore water with Arbacia punctulata, and a 5-min Microtox® bioluminescence test with solvent extracts of the sediments. Seventy-three percent of the 165 undiluted sediment pore-water samples were significantly toxic relative to reference samples with the sea urchin fertilization test. In contrast, only 2% of the 165 samples were significantly toxic in the amphipod tests. The causes of toxicity were not determined. However, concentrations of numerous trace metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and ammonia were highly correlated with pore-water toxicity. Concentrations of many substances, especially total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), endrin, total PCBs, certain PAHs, lead, and zinc, occurred at concentrations in the toxic samples that equaled or exceeded concentrations that have been previously associated with sediment toxicity.

Integrating long-term water and sediment pollution data, in assessing chemical status within the European Water Framework Directive.

PubMed

Tueros, Itziar; Borja, Angel; Larreta, Joana; Rodríguez, J Germán; Valencia, Victoriano; Millán, Esmeralda

2009-09-01

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) establishes a framework for the protection and improvement of estuarine (transitional) and coastal waters, attempting to achieve good water status by 2015; this includes, within the assessment, biological and chemical elements. The European Commission has proposed a list of priority dangerous substances (including metals such as Cd, Hg, Ni and Pb), with the corresponding list of environmental quality standards (EQS), to assess chemical status, but only for waters. In this contribution, a long-term (1995-2007) dataset of transitional and coastal water and sediment trace elements concentrations, from the Basque Country (northern Spain), has been used to investigate the response of these systems to water treatment programmes. Moreover, the approach proposed in the WFD, for assessing water chemical status (the 'one out, all out' approach), is compared with the integration of water and sediment data, into a unique assessment. For this exercise, background levels are used as reference conditions, identifying the boundary between high and good chemical status. EQS are used as the boundary between good and moderate chemical status. This contribution reveals that the first approach can lead to misclassification, with the second approach representing the pattern shown by the long-term data trends. Finally, the management implications, using each approach are discussed.

EFFECTIVE USE OF SEDIMENT QUALITY GUIDELINES: WHICH GUIDELINE IS RIGHT FOR ME?

EPA Science Inventory

A bewildering array of sediment quality guidelines have been developed, but fortunately they mostly fall into two families: empirically-derived and theoretically-derived. The empirically-derived guidelines use large data bases of concurrent sediment chemistry and biological effe...

Effect of Nutrient Management Planning on Crop Yield, Nitrate Leaching and Sediment Loading in Thomas Brook Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amon-Armah, Frederick; Yiridoe, Emmanuel K.; Ahmad, Nafees H. M.; Hebb, Dale; Jamieson, Rob; Burton, David; Madani, Ali

2013-11-01

Government priorities on provincial Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) programs include improving the program effectiveness for environmental quality protection, and promoting more widespread adoption. Understanding the effect of NMP on both crop yield and key water-quality parameters in agricultural watersheds requires a comprehensive evaluation that takes into consideration important NMP attributes and location-specific farming conditions. This study applied the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to investigate the effects of crop and rotation sequence, tillage type, and nutrient N application rate on crop yield and the associated groundwater leaching and sediment loss. The SWAT model was applied to the Thomas Brook Watershed, located in the most intensively managed agricultural region of Nova Scotia, Canada. Cropping systems evaluated included seven fertilizer application rates and two tillage systems (i.e., conventional tillage and no-till). The analysis reflected cropping systems commonly managed by farmers in the Annapolis Valley region, including grain corn-based and potato-based cropping systems, and a vegetable-horticulture system. ANOVA models were developed and used to assess the effects of crop management choices on crop yield and two water-quality parameters (i.e., leaching and sediment loading). Results suggest that existing recommended N-fertilizer rate can be reduced by 10-25 %, for grain crop production, to significantly lower leaching ( P > 0.05) while optimizing the crop yield. The analysis identified the nutrient N rates in combination with specific crops and rotation systems that can be used to manage leaching while balancing impacts on crop yields within the watershed.

Collection methods and quality assessment for Esche-richia coli, water quality, and microbial source tracking data within Tumacácori National Historical Park and the upper Santa Cruz River, Arizona, 2015-16

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paretti, Nicholas; Coes, Alissa L.; Kephart, Christopher M.; Mayo, Justine

2018-03-05

Tumacácori National Historical Park protects the culturally important Mission, San José de Tumacácori, while also managing a portion of the ecologically diverse riparian corridor of the Santa Cruz River. This report describes the methods and quality assurance procedures used in the collection of water samples for the analysis of Escherichia coli (E. coli), microbial source tracking markers, suspended sediment, water-quality parameters, turbidity, and the data collection for discharge and stage; the process for data review and approval is also described. Finally, this report provides a quantitative assessment of the quality of the E. coli, microbial source tracking, and suspended sediment data.The data-quality assessment revealed that bias attributed to field and laboratory contamination was minimal, with E. coli detections in only 3 out of 33 field blank samples analyzed. Concentrations in the field blanks were several orders of magnitude lower than environmental concentrations. The microbial source tracking (MST) field blank was below the detection limit for all MST markers analyzed. Laboratory blanks for E. coli at the USGS Arizona Water Science Center and laboratory blanks for MST markers at the USGS Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory were all below the detection limit. Irreplicate data for E. coli and suspended sediment indicated that bias was not introduced to the data by combining samples collected using discrete sampling methods with samples collected using automatic sampling methods.The split and sequential E. coli replicate data showed consistent analytical variability and a single equation was developed to explain the variability of E. coli concentrations. An additional analysis of analytical variability for E. coli indicated analytical variability around 18 percent relative standard deviation and no trend was observed in the concentration during the processing and analysis of multiple split-replicates. Two replicate samples were collected for MST and individual markers were compared for a base flow and flood sample. For the markers found in common between the two types of samples, the relative standard deviation for the base flow sample was more than 3 times greater than the markers in the flood sample. Sequential suspended sediment replicates had a relative standard deviation of about 1.3 percent, indicating that environmental and analytical variability was minimal.A holding time review and laboratory study analysis supported the extended holding times required for this investigation. Most concentrations for flood and base-flow samples were within the theoretical variability specified in the most probable number approach suggesting that extended hold times did not overly influence the final concentrations reported.

Toward relaxed eddy accumulation measurements of sediment-water exchange in aquatic ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaire, Bruno J.; Noss, Christian; Lorke, Andreas

2017-09-01

Solute transport across the sediment-water interface has major implications for water quality and biogeochemical cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Existing measurement techniques, however, are not capable of resolving sediment-water fluxes of most constituents under in situ flow conditions. We investigated whether relaxed eddy accumulation (REA), a micrometeorological technique with conditional sampling of turbulent updrafts and downdrafts, can be adapted to the aquatic environment. We simulated REA fluxes by reanalyzing eddy covariance measurements from a riverine lake. We found that the empirical coefficient that relates mass fluxes to the concentration difference between both REA samples is invariant with scalar and flow and responds as predicted by a joint Gaussian distribution of linearly correlated variables. Simulated REA fluxes differed on average by around 30% from eddy covariance fluxes (mean absolute error). Assessment of the lower quantification limit suggests that REA can potentially be applied for measuring benthic fluxes of a new range of constituents that cannot be assessed by standard eddy covariance methods.

Integrated assessment of mangrove sediments in the Camamu Bay (Bahia, Brazil).

PubMed

Paixão, Joana F; de Oliveira, Olívia M C; Dominguez, José M L; Almeida, Edna dos Santos; Carvalho, Gilson Correia; Magalhães, Wagner F

2011-03-01

Camamu Bay, an Environmentally Protected Area, may be affected by the pressures of tourism and oil exploration in the adjacent continental platform. The current quality of the mangrove sediments was evaluated by porewater bioassays using embryos of Crassostrea rhizophorae and by an analysis of benthic macrofauna and its relationships with organic compounds, trace metals and bioavailability. Porewater toxicity varied from low to moderate in the majority of the samples, and polychaetes dominated the benthos. The Grande Island sampling station (Station 1) presented more sandy sediments, differentiated macrobenthic assemblages and the highest metal concentrations in relation to other stations and guideline values, and it was the only station that indicated a possible bioavailability of metals. The origin of the metals (mainly barium) is most likely associated with the barite ore deposits located in the Grande and Pequena islands. These results may be useful for future assessment of the impact of oil exploration in the coastal region. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a physico-chemical treatment of a dredged sediment on its ecotoxicity after discharge in laboratory gravel pit microcosms.

PubMed

Clément, Bernard; Vaille, Gilles; Moretto, Robert; Vernus, Emmanuel; Abdelghafour, Mohammed

2010-03-15

In France, dredged sediments may be dumped into submerged gravel pits. As a consequence, adverse effects may be expected. In addition, groundwater quality may be impacted due to hydraulic communications with gravel pits. The immersion of dredged sediments into gravel pits should thus be restricted to clean or slightly contaminated sediments to minimize the impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human safe. For highly contaminated sediments, alternatives may be treatments aiming at removing or/and neutralizing contaminants. The Novosol treatment was aimed at neutralizing metals by complexation with orthophosphoric acid and discarding organic pollutants by calcination. The efficiency of the Novosol treatment was assessed in a scenario of sediment immersion into experimental laboratory gravel pits (LGP). A 180L water compartment was set up in each system so as to simulate the gravel pit, and various living organisms were introduced. Following a period of colonization and stabilization, raw and treated sediments were introduced into two different LGPs, and the fate and effects of pollutants were studied during the period of deposition and post-deposition. The treatment had positive effects on survival and development of benthic populations and reproduction of pond snails but the introduction of the treated sediment was followed by an increase in salinity (phosphates, sulphates) and a peak of hexavalent chromium at concentrations above drinkability limits and likely to have impaired invertebrate populations of the water column. The results of this study suggest that discharge of contaminated sediments at a high solid:liquid ratio (1:10) in gravel pits or equivalent aquatic ecosystems may have only limited effects on biota and ground water quality. The Novosol treatment should, however, be improved so as to increase efficiency of oxidised chromium complexation during the phosphatation step. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organic compounds and trace elements in fish tissue and bed sediment from streams in the Yellowstone River basin, Montana and Wyoming, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, David A.; Boughton, Gregory K.

2000-01-01

A comprehensive water-quality investigation of the Yellowstone River Basin began in 1997, under the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Twenty-four sampling sites were selected for sampling of fish tissue and bed sediment during 1998. Organic compounds analyzed included organochlorine insecticides and their metabolites and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from fish-tissue and bed-sediment samples, and semivolatile organic compounds from bed-sediment samples. A broad suite of trace elements was analyzed from both fish-tissue and bed-sediment samples, and a special study related to mercury also was conducted. Of the 12 organochlorine insecticides and metabolites detected in the fish-tissue samples, the most compounds per site were detected in samples from integrator sites which represent a mixture of land uses. The presence of DDT, and its metabolites DDD and DDE, in fish collected in the Yellowstone Park area likely reflects long-term residual effects from historical DDT-spraying programs for spruce budworm. Dieldrin, chlordane, and other organic compounds also were detected in the fish-tissue samples. The compound p, p'-DDE was detected at 71 percent of the sampling sites, more than any other compound. The concentrations of total DDT in fish samples were low, however, compared to concentrations from historical data from the study area, other NAWQA studies in the Rocky Mountains, and national baseline concentrations. Only 2 of the 27 organochlorine insecticides and metabolites and total PCBs analyzed in bed sediment were detected. Given that 12 of the compounds were detected in fish-tissue samples, fish appeared to be more sensitive indicators of contamination than bed sediment.Concentrations of some trace elements in fish and bed sediment were higher at sites in mineralized areas than at other sites. Concentrations of selenium in fish tissue from some sites were above background levels. Concentrations of arsenic, chromium, copper, and lead in some of the bed-sediment samples potentially exceeded criteria for the protection of aquatic life.

Spatially Explicit Estimates of Suspended Sediment and Bedload Transport Rates for Western Oregon and Northwestern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, J. E.; Wise, D. R.; Mangano, J.; Jones, K.

2015-12-01

Empirical analyses of suspended sediment and bedload transport gives estimates of sediment flux for western Oregon and northwestern California. The estimates of both bedload and suspended load are from regression models relating measured annual sediment yield to geologic, physiographic, and climatic properties of contributing basins. The best models include generalized geology and either slope or precipitation. The best-fit suspended-sediment model is based on basin geology, precipitation, and area of recent wildfire. It explains 65% of the variance for 68 suspended sediment measurement sites within the model area. Predicted suspended sediment yields range from no yield from the High Cascades geologic province to 200 tonnes/ km2-yr in the northern Oregon Coast Range and 1000 tonnes/km2-yr in recently burned areas of the northern Klamath terrain. Bed-material yield is similarly estimated from a regression model based on 22 sites of measured bed-material transport, mostly from reservoir accumulation analyses but also from several bedload measurement programs. The resulting best-fit regression is based on basin slope and the presence/absence of the Klamath geologic terrane. For the Klamath terrane, bed-material yield is twice that of the other geologic provinces. This model explains more than 80% of the variance of the better-quality measurements. Predicted bed-material yields range up to 350 tonnes/ km2-yr in steep areas of the Klamath terrane. Applying these regressions to small individual watersheds (mean size; 66 km2 for bed-material; 3 km2 for suspended sediment) and cumulating totals down the hydrologic network (but also decreasing the bed-material flux by experimentally determined attrition rates) gives spatially explicit estimates of both bed-material and suspended sediment flux. This enables assessment of several management issues, including the effects of dams on bedload transport, instream gravel mining, habitat formation processes, and water-quality. The combined fluxes can also be compared to long-term rock uplift and cosmogenically determined landscape erosion rates.

Distribution and pollution, toxicity and risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments from urban and rural rivers of the Pearl River delta in southern China.

PubMed

Xiao, Rong; Bai, Junhong; Huang, Laibin; Zhang, Honggang; Cui, Baoshan; Liu, Xinhui

2013-12-01

Sediments were collected from the upper, middle and lower reaches of both urban and rural rivers in a typical urbanization zone of the Pearl River delta. Six heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) were analyzed in all sediment samples, and their spatial distribution, pollution levels, toxicity and ecological risk levels were evaluated to compare the characteristics of heavy metal pollution between the two rivers. Our results indicated that the total contents of the six metals in all samples exceeded the soil background value in Guangdong province. Based on the soil quality thresholds of the China SEPA, Cd levels at all sites exceeded class III criteria, and other metals exhibited pollution levels exceeding class II or III criteria at both river sites. According to the sediment quality guidelines of the US EPA, all samples were moderately to heavily polluted by Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. Compared to rural river sites, urban river sites exhibited heavier pollution. Almost all sediment samples from both rivers exhibited moderate to serious toxicity to the environment, with higher contributions from Cr and Ni. A "hot area" of heavy metal pollution being observed in the upper and middle reaches of the urban river area, whereas a "hot spot" was identified at a specific site in the middle reach of the rural river. Contrary metal distribution patterns were also observed along typical sediment profiles from urban and rural rivers. However, the potential ecological risk indices of rural river sediments in this study were equal to those of urban river sediments, implying that the ecological health issues of the rivers in the undeveloped rural area should also be addressed. Sediment organic matter and grain size might be important factors influencing the distribution profiles of these heavy metals.

Quantifying the uncertainty of nonpoint source attribution in distributed water quality models: A Bayesian assessment of SWAT's sediment export predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellen, Christopher; Arhonditsis, George B.; Long, Tanya; Boyd, Duncan

2014-11-01

Spatially distributed nonpoint source watershed models are essential tools to estimate the magnitude and sources of diffuse pollution. However, little work has been undertaken to understand the sources and ramifications of the uncertainty involved in their use. In this study we conduct the first Bayesian uncertainty analysis of the water quality components of the SWAT model, one of the most commonly used distributed nonpoint source models. Working in Southern Ontario, we apply three Bayesian configurations for calibrating SWAT to Redhill Creek, an urban catchment, and Grindstone Creek, an agricultural one. We answer four interrelated questions: can SWAT determine suspended sediment sources with confidence when end of basin data is used for calibration? How does uncertainty propagate from the discharge submodel to the suspended sediment submodels? Do the estimated sediment sources vary when different calibration approaches are used? Can we combine the knowledge gained from different calibration approaches? We show that: (i) despite reasonable fit at the basin outlet, the simulated sediment sources are subject to uncertainty sufficient to undermine the typical approach of reliance on a single, best fit simulation; (ii) more than a third of the uncertainty of sediment load predictions may stem from the discharge submodel; (iii) estimated sediment sources do vary significantly across the three statistical configurations of model calibration despite end-of-basin predictions being virtually identical; and (iv) Bayesian model averaging is an approach that can synthesize predictions when a number of adequate distributed models make divergent source apportionments. We conclude with recommendations for future research to reduce the uncertainty encountered when using distributed nonpoint source models for source apportionment.

A guide to the proper selection and use of federally approved sediment and water-quality samplers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Broderick E.; ,

2005-01-01

As interest in the health of rivers and streams increases3, and new water-quality regulations4 are promulgated, interest in sediment and water-quality sampling equipment and technologies has increased. While much information on the subject exists, a comprehensive summary document of sediment sampling equipment and technology is lacking. This report seeks to provide such a summary.

Sediment Chemistry and Toxicity in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey: Pre- and Post- Hurricane Sandy, 2012-2013.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Romanok, Kristin M.; Szabo, Zoltan; Reilly, Timothy J.; Defne, Zafer; Ganju, Neil K.

2016-01-01

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Barnegat Bay, October, 29, 2012, damaging shorelines and infrastructure. Estuarine sediment chemistry and toxicity were investigated before and after to evaluate potential environmental health impacts and to establish post-event baseline sediment-quality conditions. Trace element concentrations increased throughout Barnegat Bay up to two orders of magnitude, especially north of Barnegat Inlet, consistent with northward redistribution of silt. Loss of organic compounds, clay, and organic carbon is consistent with sediment winnowing and transport through the inlets and sediment transport modeling results. The number of sites exceeding sediment quality guidance levels for trace elements tripled post-Sandy. Sediment toxicity post-Sandy was mostly unaffected relative to pre-Sandy conditions, but at the site with the greatest relative increase for trace elements, survival rate of the test amphipod decreased (indicating degradation). This study would not have been possible without comprehensive baseline data enabling the evaluation of storm-derived changes in sediment quality.

Sediment chemistry and toxicity in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey: Pre- and post-Hurricane Sandy, 2012-13.

PubMed

Romanok, Kristin M; Szabo, Zoltan; Reilly, Timothy J; Defne, Zafer; Ganju, Neil K

2016-06-30

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Barnegat Bay, October, 29, 2012, damaging shorelines and infrastructure. Estuarine sediment chemistry and toxicity were investigated before and after to evaluate potential environmental health impacts and to establish post-event baseline sediment-quality conditions. Trace element concentrations increased throughout Barnegat Bay up to two orders of magnitude, especially north of Barnegat Inlet, consistent with northward redistribution of silt. Loss of organic compounds, clay, and organic carbon is consistent with sediment winnowing and transport through the inlets and sediment transport modeling results. The number of sites exceeding sediment quality guidance levels for trace elements tripled post-Sandy. Sediment toxicity post-Sandy was mostly unaffected relative to pre-Sandy conditions, but at the site with the greatest relative increase for trace elements, survival rate of the test amphipod decreased (indicating degradation). This study would not have been possible without comprehensive baseline data enabling the evaluation of storm-derived changes in sediment quality. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Estimating risks for water-quality exceedances of total-copper from highway and urban runoff under predevelopment and current conditions with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granato, Gregory E.; Jones, Susan C.; Dunn, Christopher N.; Van Weele, Brian

2017-01-01

The stochastic empirical loading and dilution model (SELDM) was used to demonstrate methods for estimating risks for water-quality exceedances of event-mean concentrations (EMCs) of total-copper. Monte Carlo methods were used to simulate stormflow, total-hardness, suspended-sediment, and total-copper EMCs as stochastic variables. These simulations were done for the Charles River Basin upstream of Interstate 495 in Bellingham, Massachusetts. The hydrology and water quality of this site were simulated with SELDM by using data from nearby, hydrologically similar sites. Three simulations were done to assess the potential effects of the highway on receiving-water quality with and without highway-runoff treatment by a structural best-management practice (BMP). In the low-development scenario, total copper in the receiving stream was simulated by using a sediment transport curve, sediment chemistry, and sediment-water partition coefficients. In this scenario, neither the highway runoff nor the BMP effluent caused concentration exceedances in the receiving stream that exceed the once in three-year threshold (about 0.54 percent). In the second scenario, without the highway, runoff from the large urban areas in the basin caused exceedances in the receiving stream in 2.24 percent of runoff events. In the third scenario, which included the effects of the urban runoff, neither the highway runoff nor the BMP effluent increased the percentage of exceedances in the receiving stream. Comparison of the simulated geometric mean EMCs with data collected at a downstream monitoring site indicates that these simulated values are within the 95-percent confidence interval of the geometric mean of the measured EMCs.

Abundance and physiology of dominant soft corals linked to water quality in Jakarta Bay, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Januar, Indra; Wild, Christian; Kunzmann, Andreas

2016-01-01

Declining water quality is one of the main reasons of coral reef degradation in the Thousand Islands off the megacity Jakarta, Indonesia. Shifts in benthic community composition to higher soft coral abundances have been reported for many degraded reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific. However, it is not clear to what extent soft coral abundance and physiology are influenced by water quality. In this study, live benthic cover and water quality (i.e. dissolved inorganic nutrients (DIN), turbidity (NTU), and sedimentation) were assessed at three sites (< 20 km north of Jakarta) in Jakarta Bay (JB) and five sites along the outer Thousand Islands (20–60 km north of Jakarta). This was supplemented by measurements of photosynthetic yield and, for the first time, respiratory electron transport system (ETS) activity of two dominant soft coral genera, Sarcophyton spp. and Nephthea spp. Findings revealed highly eutrophic water conditions in JB compared to the outer Thousand Islands, with 44% higher DIN load (7.65 μM/L), 67% higher NTU (1.49 NTU) and 47% higher sedimentation rate (30.4 g m−2 d−1). Soft corals were the dominant type of coral cover within the bay (2.4% hard and 12.8% soft coral cover) compared to the outer Thousand Islands (28.3% hard and 6.9% soft coral cover). Soft coral abundances, photosynthetic yield, and ETS activity were highly correlated with key water quality parameters, particularly DIN and sedimentation rates. The findings suggest water quality controls the relative abundance and physiology of dominant soft corals in JB and may thus contribute to phase shifts from hard to soft coral dominance, highlighting the need to better manage water quality in order to prevent or reverse phase shifts. PMID:27904802

Metagenomic analysis of the bacterial communities and their functional profiles in water and sediments of the Apies River, South Africa, as a function of land use.

PubMed

Abia, Akebe Luther King; Alisoltani, Arghavan; Keshri, Jitendra; Ubomba-Jaswa, Eunice

2018-03-01

Water quality is an important public health issue given that the presence of pathogenic organisms in such waters can adversely affect human and animal health. Despite the numerous studies conducted to assess the quality of environmental waters in many countries, limited efforts have been put on investigating the microbial quality of the sediments in developing countries and how this relates to different land uses. The present study evaluated the bacterial diversity in water and sediments in a highly used South African river to find out how the different land uses influenced the bacterial diversity, and to verify the human diseases functional classes of the bacterial populations. Samples were collected on river stretches influenced by an informal, a peri-urban and a rural settlement. Genomic DNA was extracted from water and sediment samples and sequenced on an Illumina® MiSeq platform targeting the 16S rRNA gene variable region V3-V4 from the genomic DNA. Metagenomic data analysis revealed that there was a great diversity in the microbial populations associated with the different land uses, with the informal settlement having the most considerable influence on the bacterial diversity in the water and sediments of the Apies River. The Proteobacteria (69.8%), Cyanobacteria (4.3%), Bacteroidetes (2.7%), and Actinobacteria (2.7%) were the most abundant phyla; the Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria and Anaerolineae were the most recorded classes. Also, the sediments had a greater diversity and abundance in bacterial population than the water column. The functional profiles of the bacterial populations revealed an association with many human diseases including cancer pathways. Further studies that would isolate these potentially pathogenic organisms in the aquatic environment are therefore needed as this would help in protecting the lives of communities using such rivers, especially against emerging bacterial pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water-quality trends using sediment cores from White Rock Lake, Dallas, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Land, Larry F.; Braun, C.L.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this fact sheet is to summarize the principal findings documented in a report on water-quality trends in White Rock Creek Basin using dated sediment cores from White Rock Lake (Van Metre and Callender, in press). The study used dated sediment cores to reconstruct water-quality conditions. More specifically, the changes in water quality associated with the watershed’s change from agricultural to urban land use and with the implementation of environmental regulations were identified.

How Do Land-Use and Climate Change Affect Watershed ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

With the growing emphasis on biofuel crops and potential impacts of climate variability and change, there is a need to quantify their effects on hydrological processes for developing watershed management plans. Environmental consequences are currently estimated by utilizing computer models such as Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate watershed hydrology under projected climate and land-use scenarios to assess the effect on water quantity and/or quality. Such studies have largely been deterministic in nature, with the focus being on whether hydrologic variables such as runoff, sediment and/or nutrient loads increase or decrease from the baseline case under projected scenarios. However, studying how these changes would affect watershed health in a risk-based framework has not been attempted. In this study, impacts of several projected land-use and climate change scenarios on the health of the Wildcat Creek watershed in Indiana have been assessed through three risk indicators, namely reliability-resilience-vulnerability (R-R-V). Results indicate that cultivation of biofuel crops such as Miscanthus and switchgrass has the potential to improve risk indicator values with respect to sediment, total N and total P. Climate change scenarios that involved rising precipitation levels were found to negatively impact watershed health indicators. Trends of water quality constituents under risk-based watershed health assessment revealed nuances not readily a

[Spatial distribution and pollution assessment of heavy metals in the tidal reach and its adjacent sea estuary of Daliaohe area, China ].

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Qin, Yan-wen; Ma, Ying-qun; Zhao, Yan-min; Shi, Yao

2014-09-01

The aim of this article was to explore the pollution level of heavy metals in the tidal reach and its adjacent sea estuary of Daliaohe area. The contents and spatial distribution of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ph and Zn in surface water, suspended solids and surface sediments were analyzed respectively. The integrated pollution index and geoaccumulation index were used to evaluate the contamination degree of heavy metals in surface water and surface sediments respectively. The results indicated that the contents of heavy metals in surface water was in the order of Pb < Cu < Cd < Cr < As < Zn. The heavy metal contents in surface water increased from river to sea. Compared with the contents of heavy metals in surface water of the typical domestic estuary in China, the overall contents of heavy metals in surface water were at a higher level. The contents of heavy metals in suspended solids was in the order of Cd < Cu < As < Cr

[Evaluating comprehensive quality of sediment in Dianchi Lake using adjusted AHP method and 137Cs dating].

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Deng, Xi-Hai; Peng, Bu-Zhuo

2006-08-01

It is difficult to evaluate comprehensive quality of sediment and to understand development trend of pollution because of absence of monitoring data, especially history data. Combining the method of 137Cs dating with the ways of general sampling and measurement can easily resolve the problem of absence of data and also provide the possibility for calculating weighted environmental quality comprehensive index using the adjusted analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method. In order to overcome the willfulness the judgment matrix is formed objectively based on calculating monitoring data. Based on the monitoring data of sediment pollution and the weights of various factors gained by adjusted AHP method the comprehensive quality of sediment in each zone of Dianchi Lake was evaluated and the results indicated that the pollution of sediments in each zone at the present be serious more than that in the history. The condition may be related to the industrial development and distribution of industries in Dianchi Lake basin. Therefore, in order to improve the comprehensive quality of sediment in Dianchi Lake and to prevent the secondary pollution of heavy metals in sediment from happening, it is necessary to control the pollutants discharge and to remove the pollutants with various ways.

Sediment-contact fish embryo toxicity assay with Danio rerio to assess particle-bound pollutants in the Tietê River Basin (São Paulo, Brazil).

PubMed

Rocha, Paula Suares; Bernecker, Conny; Strecker, Ruben; Mariani, Carolina Fiorillo; Pompêo, Marcelo Luiz Martins; Storch, Volker; Hollert, Henner; Braunbeck, Thomas

2011-10-01

The Tietê River and its tributary Pinheiros River receive a highly complex organic and inorganic pollutants load from sanitary sewage and industrial sources, as well as agricultural and agroindustrial activities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the embryotoxic and teratogenic effects of sediments from selected locations in the Tietê River Basin by means of the sediment contact embryo toxicity assay with Danio rerio, in order to provide a comprehensive and realistic insight into the bioavailable hazard potential of these sediment samples. Lethal and sub-lethal effects were recorded, and high embryo toxicity could be found in the samples not only in the vicinity of the megacity São Paulo (Billings reservoir and Pinheiros River samples), but also downstream (in the reservoirs Barra Bonita, Promissão and Três Irmãos). Results confirm that most toxicity is due to the discharges of the metropolitan area of São Paulo. However, they also indicate additional sources of pollutants along the river course, probably from industrial, agricultural and agroindustrial residues, which contribute to the degradation of each area. The sediment contact fish embryo test showed to be powerful tool to detect embryo toxicity in sediments, not only by being a sensitive method, but also for taking into account bioavailability. This test provides an ecological highly realistic and relevant exposure scenario, and should therefore be added in ecotoxicological sediment quality assessments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of heavy metals pollution using AVS-SEM and fractionation techniques in Edku Lagoon sediments, Mediterranean Sea, Egypt.

PubMed

El Zokm, Gehan M; Okbah, Mohamed A; Younis, Alaa M

2015-01-01

A method is presented to evaluate the fractionation of metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and Ni), acid volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) in Edku lagoon sediments. Thirteen sediment samples were collected from the study area in the period of 2010-2011 to assess the potential bioavailability and toxicity of the selected metals. According to classification of the Interim Sediment Quality Quidelines (ISQG), five stations near the drains exhibited 10% toxic probability. The high AVS and low ∑SEM ranges in Summer were identified as 6-138 and 0.86-3.3 µmol g(-1) dry wet, respectively which are referring to the low mobility of heavy metals in this season and vice versa for winter (2.5-23.9 and 1.16-3.82 µmol g(-1) dry wet, respectively). According to the evaluation of USEPA, all sediment samples showed ∑SEM/AVS < 1 and ΣSEM-AVS < 0 and this indicates that Edku lagoon sediments didn't cause any adverse effects. Meanwhile, the calculations of the global contamination factor (GCF) and the individual contamination factors (ICF) using fractionation technique gave values of 111.644 and 84.555 in El Bosily drain and station 1 near the cages of fish farm, respectively due to possible contamination. Interestingly, the collected data refer that the mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals in Edku lagoon sediments posed a low risk of adverse biological effects due to cadmium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc in all evaluated stations.

Impacts of Cropland Changes on Water Balance, Sediment and Nutrient Transport in Eden River, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yumei; Quinn, Paul; Liang, Qiuhua; Adams, Russell

2017-04-01

Water is the key to food and human life. Farming is the main part of economic and society in Eden, with approximately 2000 farms which covers 95% of under crops. However, with the growth of farming practice and global climate changes, Eden has presented great challenges and bringing uncertainty in the water quality caused by the agricultural diffuse pollution. This expected to reduce negative impacts of the water diffuse pollution from agriculture in Eden. Therefore, there is a high need to ensure effective water resource management to enhance water quality, to address the flow pathways and sediment transport in different farming practice and cropland changes. Hence we need to understand nutrient and the hydrological flow pathways from soil to Hillslope to channel. The aim of this research is to evaluate the impacts of different cropland changes on water balance, sediment and nutrient transport. By using the hydrological models Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the Catchment Runoff Attenuation Flux Tool (CRAFT), it can show the sediment and nutrient export from the load for each flow pathways (overland flow, soil water flow and ground water flow). We will show results from a small research catchment (10km2) area to the whole of Eden (800km2) at a daily time step.

Characterization of heavy metal concentrations in the sediments of three freshwater rivers in Huludao City, Northeast China.

PubMed

Zheng, Na; Wang, Qichao; Liang, Zhongzhu; Zheng, Dongmei

2008-07-01

Wuli River, Cishan River, and Lianshan River are three freshwater rivers flowing through Huludao City, in a region of northeast China strongly affected by industrialization. Contamination assessment has never been conducted in a comprehensive way. For the first time, the contamination of three rivers impacted by different sources in the same city was compared. This work investigated the distribution and sources of Hg, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu in the surface sediments of Wuli River, Cishan River, and Lianshan River, and assessed heavy metal toxicity risk with the application of two different sets of Sediment Quality Guideline (SQG) indices (effect range low/effect range median values, ERL/ERM; and threshold effect level/probable effect level, TEL/PEL). Furthermore, this study used a toxic unit approach to compare and gauge the individual and combined metal contamination for Hg, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu. Results showed that Hg contamination in the sediments of Wuli River originated from previous sediment contamination of the chlor-alkali producing industry, and Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu contamination was mainly derived from atmospheric deposition and unknown small pollution sources. Heavy metal contamination to Cishan River sediments was mainly derived from Huludao Zinc Plant, while atmospheric deposition, sewage wastewater and unknown small pollution were the primary sources for Lianshan River. The potential acute toxicity in sediment of Wuli River may be primarily due to Hg contamination. Hg is the major toxicity contributor, accounting for 53.3-93.2%, 7.9-54.9% to total toxicity in Wuli River and Lianshan River, respectively, followed by Cd. In Cishan River, Cd is the major sediment toxicity contributor, however, accounting for 63.2-66.9% of total toxicity.

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in bottom sediment by dual capillary-column gas chromatography with electron-capture detection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foreman, William T.; Connor, Brooke F.; Furlong, Edward T.; Vaught, Deborah G.; Merten, Leslie M.

1995-01-01

A method for the determination of 30 individual organochlorine pesticides, total toxaphene, and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bottom sediment is described. The method isolates the pesticides and PCBs by solvent extraction with dichlorobenzene, removes inorganic sulfur, large naturally occurring molecules, and other unwanted interferences by gel permeation chromatography, and further cleans up and class fractionates the extract using adsorption chromatography. The com- pounds then are instrumentally determined using dual capillary-column gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Reporting limits range from 1 to 5 micrograms per kilogram for 30 individual pesticides, 50 micrograms per kilogram for total PCBs, and 200 micrograms per kilogram for total toxaphene. The method also is designed to allow the simultaneous isolation of 79 other semivolatile organic compounds from the sediment, which are separately quantified using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. The method was developed in support of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program.

On the Quality of ENSDF {gamma}-Ray Intensity Data for {gamma}-Ray Spectrometric Determination of Th and U and Their Decay Series Disequilibria, in the Assessment of the Radiation Dose Rate in Luminescence Dating of Sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corte, Frans de; Vandenberghe, Dimitri; Wispelaere, Antoine de

In luminescence dating of sediments, one of the most interesting tools for the determination of the annual radiation dose is Ge {gamma}-ray spectrometry. Indeed, it yields information on both the content of the radioelements K, Th, and U, and on the occurrence - in geological times - of disequilibria in the Th and U decay series. In the present work, two methodological variants of the {gamma}-spectrometric analysis were tested, which largely depend on the quality of the nuclear decay data involved: (1) a parametric calibration of the sediment measurements, and (2) the correction for the heavy spectral interference of themore » 226Ra 186.2 keV peak by 235U at 185.7 keV. The performance of these methods was examined via the analysis of three Certified Reference Materials, with the introduction of {gamma}-ray intensity data originating from ENSDF. Relevant conclusions were drawn as to the accuracy of the data and their uncertainties quoted.« less

Application of sediment quality guidelines in the assessment and management of contaminated surficial sediments in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), Australia.

PubMed

Birch, Gavin F; Taylor, Stuart E

2002-06-01

Sediments in the Port Jackson estuary are polluted by a wide range of toxicants and concentrations are among the highest reported for any major harbor in the world. Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), developed by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States are used to estimate possible adverse biological effects of sedimentary contaminants in Port Jackson to benthic animals. The NOAA guidelines indicate that Pb, Zn, DDD, and DDE are the most likely contaminants to cause adverse biological effects in Port Jackson. On an individual chemical basis, the detrimental effects due to these toxicants may occur over extensive areas of the harbor, i.e., about 40%, 30%, 15% and 50%, respectively. The NOAA SQGs can also be used to estimate the probability of sediment toxicity for contaminant mixtures by determining the number of contaminants exceeding an upper guideline value (effects range medium, or ERM), which predicts probable adverse biological effects. The exceedence approach is used in the current study to estimate the probability of sediment toxicity and to prioritize the harbour in terms of possible adverse effects on sediment-dwelling animals. Approximately 1% of the harbor is mantled with sediment containing more than ten contaminants exceeding their respective ERM concentrations and, based on NOAA data, these sediments have an 80% probability of being toxic. Sediment with six to ten contaminants exceeding their respective ERM guidelines extend over approximately 4% of the harbor and have a 57% probability of toxicity. These areas are located in the landward reaches of embayments in the upper and central harbor in proximity to the most industrialised and urbanized part of the catchment. Sediment in a further 17% of the harbor has between one and five exceedences and has a 32% probability of being toxic. The application of SQGs developed by NOAA has not been tested outside North America, and the validity of using them in Port Jackson has yet to be demonstrated. The screening approach adopted here is to use SQGs to identify contaminants of concern and to determine areas of environmental risk. The practical application and management implications of the results of this investigation are discussed.

Level 1 Water-Quality Inventory of Baseline Levels of Pesticides in Urban Creeks - Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Presidio of San Francisco, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hladik, Michelle; Orlando, James L.

2008-01-01

To characterize baseline water-quality levels of pesticides in Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Presidio of San Francisco, the U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed surface-water and bed-sediment samples at 10 creeks during February, April, and July 2006. Pesticide data were obtained using previously developed methods. Samples from sites in the Presidio were analyzed only for pyrethroid insecticides, whereas the remaining samples were analyzed for pyrethroids and additional current and historical-use pesticides. Pesticide concentrations were low in both the water (below 30 ng/L) and sediment (below 3 ng/g). The pyrethroid bifenthrin was detected in water samples from two sites at concentrations below 2 ng/L. Other compounds detected in water included the herbicides dacthal (DCPA) and prometryn, the insecticide fipronil, the insecticide degradates p,p'-DDE and fipronil sulfone, and the fungicides cyproconazole, myclobutanil and tetraconazole. The only pesticides detected in the sediment samples were p,p'-DDT and its degradates (p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDE). Pesticide information from the samples collected can provide a reference point for future sampling and can help National Park Service managers assess the water quality of the urban creeks.

Environmental impact of the Midia Port - Black Sea (Romania), on the coastal sediment quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catianis, Irina; Ungureanu, Constantin; Magagnini, Luca; Ulazzi, Elisa; Campisi, Tiziana; Stanica, Adrian

2016-03-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of potential pollution sources, mainly from the upstream anthropogenic sources and port-related activities. The in-vestigated area covered a wide range of anthropogenic im-pacts (e.g., industrial wastes, storm water runoff, acciden-tal oil spills, intentional discharges and shipping activities). The quality of water and Sediments was assessed us-ing Standard methods, as physical-chemical parameters, chemistry and biology (microbiology, ecotoxicology) aim-ing to figure the level of pollution and the effect of port-related activities. Seawater quality results agreed generally with environmental Standards. Though, in some samples the concentrations of sulphates (mg/1) and heavy metals (μg/1), as B, As and Se exceeded the recommended lim-its, without posing a serious environmental concern. Most of the surface sediment samples contain critical levels of hydrocarbons (C>12), (mg/kg), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ng/g) and polychlorobiphenyls (ng/g). For some heavy metals (mg/kg), exchangeable concentrations were found to be very close or above the regulations. The signifi-cance of this study is incontestable taking into account the lack of previous relevant historical data of this area. In this sense, it was possible to indicate, in general, good environmental conditions, despite the industrial and concentrated local port-related activities in the investigated area.

Water-quality monitoring of Sweetwater Reservoir

USGS Publications Warehouse

Majewski, Michael

2001-01-01

Sweetwater Authority is concerned with the quality of water it provides to its customers. Results from the water-quality monitoring study that the USGS is conducting in the Sweetwater watershed show that the contaminant concentrations in bed sediments, water, and air are reflected in increased urbanization. The bed sediments show the most dramatic evidence of this impact with a sharp increase of persistent organic chemical concentrations over the past 65 years. Water quality is also affected by urbanization in the form of chemicals in the runoff water and deposition of airborne chemicals. The concentrations of the detected organic chemicals in Sweetwater and Loveland Reservoirs are all well below the guidance limits set by State and Federal agencies to protect human health. Many of these compounds are detected only because of the sensitive analytical methods used. This monitoring program provides the Sweetwater Authority with information on what monitored chemicals are present in the reservoirs, and at what concentrations. With this information, the Authority can assess the associated risks, and consider future water treatment and remediation. These results also help focus and support future efforts by Sweetwater Authority to protect the watershed.

Water-Quality Conditions of Chester Creek, Anchorage, Alaska, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glass, Roy L.; Ourso, Robert T.

2006-01-01

Between October 1998 and September 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program evaluated the water-quality conditions of Chester Creek, a stream draining forest and urban settings in Anchorage, Alaska. Data collection included water, streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and aquatic organisms samples from urban sites along the stream. Urban land use ranged from less than 1 percent of the basin above the furthest upstream site to 46 percent above the most downstream site. Findings suggest that water quality of Chester Creek declines in the downstream direction and as urbanization in the watershed increases. Water samples were collected monthly and during storms at a site near the stream's mouth (Chester Creek at Arctic Boulevard) and analyzed for major ions and nutrients. Water samples collected during water year 1999 were analyzed for selected pesticides and volatile organic compounds. Concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria were determined monthly during calendar year 2000. During winter, spring, and summer, four water samples were collected at a site upstream of urban development (South Branch of South Fork Chester Creek at Tank Trail) and five from an intermediate site (South Branch of South Fork Chester Creek at Boniface Parkway). Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate in water increased in the downstream direction. Nitrate concentrations were similar at the three sites and all were less than the drinking-water standard. About one-quarter of the samples from the Arctic Boulevard site had concentrations of phosphorus that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guideline for preventing nuisance plant growth. Water samples collected at the Arctic Boulevard site contained concentrations of the insecticide carbaryl that exceeded the guideline for protecting aquatic life. Every water sample revealed a low concentration of volatile organic compounds, including benzene, toluene, tetrachloroethylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, and chloroform. No water samples contained volatile organic compounds concentrations that exceeded any USEPA drinking-water standard or guideline. Fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations in water from the Arctic Boulevard site commonly exceeded Federal and State guidelines for water-contact recreation. Concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in streambed sediments increased in the downstream direction. Some concentrations of arsenic, chromium, lead, and zinc in sediments were at levels that can adversely affect aquatic organisms. Analysis of sediment chemistry in successive lakebed-sediment layers from Westchester Lagoon near the stream's mouth provided a record of water-quality trends since about 1970. Concentrations of lead have decreased from peak levels in the mid-1970s, most likely because of removing lead from gasoline and lower lead content in other products. However, concen-trations in recently-deposited lakebed sediments are still about 10 times greater than measured in streambed sediments at the upstream Tank Trail site. Zinc concentrations in lakebed sediments also increased in the early 1970s to levels that exceeded guidelines to protect aquatic life and have remained at elevated but variable levels. Pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and phenanthrene in lakebed sediments also have varied in concentrations and have exceeded protection guidelines for aquatic life since the 1970s. Concentrations of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or their by-products generally were highest in lakebed sediments deposited in the 1970s. More recent sediments have concentrations that vary widely and do not show distinct temporal trends. Tissue samples of whole slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus), a non-migratory species of fish, showed con-centrations of trace elements and organic contaminants. Of the constituents analyzed, only selenium concentra-tions showed levels of potential concern for

Ecological risk assessment of toxic organic pollutant and heavy metals in water and sediment from a landscape lake in Tianjin City, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Liu, Yuanyuan; Niu, Zhiguang; Jin, Shaopei

2017-05-01

To estimate the ecological risk of toxic organic pollutant (formaldehyde) and heavy metals (mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr)) in water and sediment from a landscape Lake in Tianjin City, an ecological risk assessment was performed. The risk quotient (RQ) method and the AQUATOX model were used to assess the ecological risk of formaldehyde in landscape water. Meanwhile, the RQ method and the potential ecological risk index method were used to assess the ecological risk of four heavy metals in water and sediment from the studied landscape lake, respectively. The results revealed that the maximum concentration of formaldehyde in landscape water was lower than the environmental quality standards of surface water in China. The maximum simulated concentrations of formaldehyde in phytoplankton and invertebrates were 3.15 and 22.91 μg/L, respectively, which were far less than its toxicity data values (1000 and 510 μg/L, respectively), suggesting that formaldehyde in landscape water was at a safe level for aquatic organisms. The RQ model indicated that the risks of phytoplankton and invertebrates were higher than that of fish posed by Hg and Cd in landscape water, and the risks from As and Cr were acceptable for all test organisms. Cd is the most important pollution factor among all heavy metals in sediment from studied landscape lake, and the pollution factor sequence of heavy metals was Hg > As > Cr > Cd. The values of risk index (RI) for four heavy metals in samples a and b were 43.48 and 72.66, which were much lower than the threshold value (150), suggesting that the ecological risk posed by heavy metals in sediment was negligible.

Sediment-hosted stratabound copper assessment of the Neoproterozoic Roan Group, central African copperbelt, Katanga Basin, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia: Chapter T in Global mineral resource assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zientek, Michael L.; Bliss, James D.; Broughton, David W.; Christie, Michael; Denning, Paul; Hayes, Timothy S.; Hitzman, Murray W.; Horton, John D.; Frost-Killian, Susan; Jack, Douglas J.; Master, Sharad; Parks, Heather L.; Taylor, Cliff D.; Wilson, Anna B.; Wintzer, Niki E.; Woodhead, Jon

2014-01-01

This study estimates the location, quality, and quantity of undiscovered copper in stratabound deposits within the Neoproterozoic Roan Group of the Katanga Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The study area encompasses the Central African Copperbelt, the greatest sediment-hosted copper-cobalt province in the world, containing 152 million metric tons of copper in greater than 80 deposits. This study (1) delineates permissive areas (tracts) where undiscovered sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits may occur within 2 kilometers of the surface, (2) provides a database of known sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits and prospects, (3) estimates numbers of undiscovered deposits within these permissive tracts at several levels of confidence, and (4) provides probabilistic estimates of amounts of copper and mineralized rock that could be contained in undiscovered deposits within each tract. The assessment, conducted in January 2010 using a three-part form of mineral resource assessment, indicates that a substantial amount of undiscovered copper resources might occur in sediment-hosted stratabound copper deposits within the Roan Group in the Katanga Basin. Monte Carlo simulation results that combine grade and tonnage models with estimates of undiscovered deposits indicate that the mean estimate of undiscovered copper in the study area is 168 million metric tons, which is slightly greater than the known resources at 152 million metric tons. Furthermore, significant value can be expected from associated metals, particularly cobalt. Tracts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have potential to contain near-surface, undiscovered deposits. Monte Carlo simulation results indicate a mean value of 37 million metric tons of undiscovered copper may be present in significant prospects.

Water-quality data (July 1986 through September 1987) and statistical summaries (March 1985 through September 1987) for the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Deer Lodge to Missoula, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, J.H.

1988-01-01

Water quality sampling was conducted at seven sites on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries from Deer Lodge to Missoula, Montana, from July 1986 through September 1987. This report presents tabulations and statistical summaries of the water quality data. The data presented in this report supplement previous data collected from March 1985 through June 1986 for six of the seven sites. Included in this report are tabulations of instantaneous values of streamflow, onsite water quality, hardness, and concentrations of trace elements and suspended sediment for periodic samples. Also included are tables and hydrographs of daily mean values for streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended-sediment discharge at three mainstream stations and one tributary. Statistical summaries are presented for periodic water quality data collected from March 1986 through September 1987. Selected data are illustrated by graphs showing median concentrations to suspended-sediment concentrations, and median concentrations of trace elements in suspended sediment. (USGS)

Behavioural ecotoxicology, an “early warning” signal to assess environmental quality

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In this review, the position of behavioural ecotoxicology within the available means to assess the status of marine environments is described as filling the gap for the needed “early warning” signals. A few examples of studies performed since the 1960s are discussed to highlight the sensitivity of these approaches in investigating the effects of chemicals, including priority pollutants and emerging contaminants, relative to conventional toxicity tests measuring survival. Discussion The advantage of the behavioural response is due to the integration of biochemical and physiological processes that reflect changes at higher levels of organisation with ecological relevance. Avoidance often represents a behavioural symptom easily detected in many animals exposed to contaminants and would be a useful test to explore more widely. This rapid response would reflect a defence mechanism protective against further exposure and the potential development of more pronounced deleterious effects, whilst in some cases, escape could lead to the relocation of a species with negative consequences. An investigation of the avoidance behaviour of mud shrimp, Corophium volutator, along with the chemical analyses of sediments and amphipods to assess the quality of harbour sediments is summarised. The body burden of the amphipods was 1,000 times lower than the one associated with narcosis, emphasizing the sensitivity of this endpoint. The application of this acute toxicity test is briefly compared to additional work that involved intertidal mussels collected in the field. Conclusions Recent research undertaken with mud snails, Ilyanassa obsoleta, and harbour sediments confirmed the usefulness of the escape behaviour as an assessment tool. However, the limits of the state of knowledge regarding the fate of contaminants in species with the ability to metabolise contaminants is further discussed along with directions to be pursued to address questions arising from the reviewed literature. PMID:20614196

NATIONAL COASTAL CONDITION REPORT IV | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Coastal Condition Report IV (NCCR IV) is the fourth in a series of environmental assessments of U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes. The report includes assessments of all the nation’s estuaries in the contiguous 48 states and Puerto Rico, south-eastern Alaska, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. The NCCR IV presents four main types of data: (1) coastal monitoring data, (2) coastal ocean/ offshore monitoring data, (3) offshore fisheries data, and (4) assessment and advisory data (new to NCCR IV). The NCCR IV relies heavily on coastal monitoring data from EPA’s National Coastal Assessment (NCA) to assess coastal condition by evaluating five indicators of condition—water quality, sediment quality, benthic community condition, coastal habitat loss, and fish tissue contaminants. To assess and report on the condition of the nation's coastal resources

Relations between continuous real-time turbidity data and discrete suspended-sediment concentration samples in the Neosho and Cottonwood Rivers, east-central Kansas, 2009-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, Guy M.

2014-01-01

The Neosho River and its primary tributary, the Cottonwood River, are the primary sources of inflow to the John Redmond Reservoir in east-central Kansas. Sedimentation rate in the John Redmond Reservoir was estimated as 743 acre-feet per year for 1964–2006. This estimated sedimentation rate is more than 80 percent larger than the projected design sedimentation rate of 404 acre-feet per year, and resulted in a loss of 40 percent of the conservation pool since its construction in 1964. To reduce sediment input into the reservoir, the Kansas Water Office implemented stream bank stabilization techniques along an 8.3 mile reach of the Neosho River during 2010 through 2011. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kansas Water Office and funded in part through the Kansas State Water Plan Fund, operated continuous real-time water-quality monitors upstream and downstream from stream bank stabilization efforts before, during, and after construction. Continuously measured water-quality properties include streamflow, specific conductance, water temperature, and turbidity. Discrete sediment samples were collected from June 2009 through September 2012 and analyzed for suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), percentage of sediments less than 63 micrometers (sand-fine break), and loss of material on ignition (analogous to amount of organic matter). Regression models were developed to establish relations between discretely measured SSC samples, and turbidity or streamflow to estimate continuously SSC. Continuous water-quality monitors represented between 96 and 99 percent of the cross-sectional variability for turbidity, and had slopes between 0.91 and 0.98. Because consistent bias was not observed, values from continuous water-quality monitors were considered representative of stream conditions. On average, turbidity-based SSC models explained 96 percent of the variance in SSC. Streamflow-based regressions explained 53 to 60 percent of the variance. Mean squared prediction error for turbidity-based regression relations ranged from -32 to 48 percent, whereas mean square prediction error for streamflow-based regressions ranged from -69 to 218 percent. These models are useful for evaluating the variability of SSC during rapidly changing conditions, computing loads and yields to assess SSC transport through the watershed, and for providing more accurate load estimates compared to streamflow-only based estimation methods used in the past. These models can be used to evaluate the efficacy of streambank stabilization efforts.

Selected aquatic biological investigations in the Great Salt Lake basins, 1875-1998, National Water-Quality Assessment Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giddings, Elise M.P.; Stephens, Doyle W.

1999-01-01

This report summarizes previous investigations of aquatic biological communities, habitat, and contaminants in streams and selected large lakes within the Great Salt Lake Basins study unit as part of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). The Great Salt Lake Basins study unit is one of 59 such units designed to characterize water quality through the examination of chemical, physical, and biological factors in surface and ground waters across the country. The data will be used to aid in the planning, collection, and analysis of biological information for the NAWQA study unit and to aid other researchers concerned with water quality of the study unit. A total of 234 investigations conducted during 1875-1998 are summarized in this report. The studies are grouped into three major subjects: (1) aquatic communities and habitat, (2) contamination of streambed sediments and biological tissues, and (3) lakes. The location and a general description of each study is listed. The majority of the studies focus on fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Studies of algal communities, aquatic habitat, riparian wetlands, and contamination of streambed sediment or biological tissues are less common. Areas close to the major population centers of Salt Lake City, Provo, and Logan, Utah, are generally well studied, but more rural areas and much of the Bear River Basin are lacking in detailed information, except for fish populations..

Changing sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans in sediments and ecological risk for nekton in the lower Passaic River and Newark Bay, New Jersey, USA.

PubMed

Khairy, Mohammed; Barrett, Kirk; Lohmann, Rainer

2016-03-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were measured in sediments (surface and deeper sediments) and porewater of the lower Passaic River and Newark Bay (New Jersey, USA) to apportion their sources and conduct an ecological risk assessment. Positive matrix factorization was applied to identify sources of PCDD/Fs. Five source profiles were extracted from the positive matrix factorization model applied to the sediment samples including chloranil, combustion, polychlorinated biphenyl impurities, mixed urban sources, and the historical contamination from the former Diamond Alkali plant. The ecological risk assessment was estimated using several lines of evidence depending on site-specific data (blue crab and fish samples representing different feeding habits and positions in the trophic wood web of the river). Porewater concentrations gave the best estimates of lipid concentrations especially in the blue crab samples (with an average factor difference of 3.8). Calculated hazard quotients (HQs) for the fish samples and blue crab were >1 based on the no-effect concentration and tissue screening concentration approaches. At the same time, calculated porewater toxic units were >1. Sediment concentrations exceeded the published sediment quality guidelines for the protection of fish and benthic species, indicating the existence of significant risk to the aquatic life in the Passaic River. Accordingly, further actions and control measures are needed to reduce the emission of PCDD/Fs from ongoing sources. © 2015 SETAC.

Assessing the effects of regional payment for watershed services program on water quality using an intervention analysis model.

PubMed

Lu, Yan; He, Tian

2014-09-15

Much attention has been recently paid to ex-post assessments of socioeconomic and environmental benefits of payment for ecosystem services (PES) programs on poverty reduction, water quality, and forest protection. To evaluate the effects of a regional PES program on water quality, we selected chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) as indicators of water quality. Statistical methods and an intervention analysis model were employed to assess whether the PES program produced substantial changes in water quality at 10 water-quality sampling stations in the Shaying River watershed, China during 2006-2011. Statistical results from paired-sample t-tests and box plots of COD and NH3-N concentrations at the 10 stations showed that the PES program has played a positive role in improving water quality and reducing trans-boundary water pollution in the Shaying River watershed. Using the intervention analysis model, we quantitatively evaluated the effects of the intervention policy, i.e., the watershed PES program, on water quality at the 10 stations. The results suggest that this method could be used to assess the environmental benefits of watershed or water-related PES programs, such as improvements in water quality, seasonal flow regulation, erosion and sedimentation, and aquatic habitat. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water-quality assessment of part of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin: Trace elements in streambed sediment and fish livers, 1995-96

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kroening, Sharon E.; Fallon, James D.; Lee, Kathy E.

2000-01-01

In fish livers, all of the trace elements analyzed were detected except antimony, beryllium, cobalt, and uranium. Trace element concentrations in fish livers generally did not show any pronounced patterns. Ranges for concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc were similar to those measured in 20 other NAWQA studies across the United States. Cadmium concentrations in fish livers were moderately correlated to fish length and weight. There were no relations between trace element concentrations in fish livers and streambed sediment.

Assessment of the Water Quality Conditions at Ed Zorinsky Reservoir and the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Population Emerged after the Drawdown of the Reservoir and Management Implications for the District’s Papillion and Salt Creek Reservoirs

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-23

organic matter) can be a nutritional source (US Army Corps of Engineers, 2002; Benson & Raikow, 2012). When food resources are limiting, intraspecific...Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations mainly for the analysis of fish population length-frequency data (Gayanilo, Sparre, & Pauly... fish kill. The organically -rich sediments at all these reservoirs would place a high sediment-oxygen demand on the drawn down reservoir over the

A sediment quality triad assessment of the impact of copper mine tailings disposal on the littoral sedimentary environment in the Atacama region of northern Chile.

PubMed

Lee, Matthew R; Correa, Juan A; Seed, Ray

2006-11-01

A sediment quality triad (SQT) assessment was made of the impact of copper mine tailings disposal on littoral meiofaunal assemblages in the Atacama region of northern Chile. This situation is unusual in that the disposal is direct into the high-energy coastal system and not via a river estuary or other low-energy environment. This situation also allows for the examination of the impact of copper mine tailings in the absence of confounding effects from other pollutants. The three components of the SQT were: 1. an analysis of the bioavailable metals in both the sedimentary porewater and the adjacent seawater, 2. a microcosm bioassay of both sediments and seawaters using meiofaunal assemblages, and 3. quantitative field samples of the meiofaunal assemblages. Twelve study sites with varying degrees of impact were used, including three reference sites. The study identified that both the meiofaunal assemblage densities and taxa diversities decrease with increasing levels of bioavailable copper, that the Foraminifera and Harpacticoida are sensitive to copper, and that otoplanid Turbellaria are often characteristic of impacted sites; tailings also have both chemical and physical impacts on the environment. In some cases the physical impact of tailings is more important in excluding some organisms e.g. the interstitial polychaete, Saccocirrus sonomacus, from a site than is their chemical impact.

A spatially referenced regression model (SPARROW) for suspended sediment in streams of the conterminous U.S.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwarz, Gregory E.; Smith, Richard A.; Alexander, Richard B.; Gray, John R.

2001-01-01

Suspended sediment has long been recognized as an important contaminant affecting water resources. Besides its direct role in determining water clarity, bridge scour and reservoir storage, sediment serves as a vehicle for the transport of many binding contaminants, including nutrients, trace metals, semi-volatile organic compounds, and numerous pesticides (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000a). Recent efforts to address water-quality concerns through the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process have identified sediment as the single most prevalent cause of impairment in the Nation’s streams and rivers (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000b). Moreover, sediment has been identified as a medium for the transport and sequestration of organic carbon, playing a potentially important role in understanding sources and sinks in the global carbon budget (Stallard, 1998).A comprehensive understanding of sediment fate and transport is considered essential to the design and implementation of effective plans for sediment management (Osterkamp and others, 1998, U.S. General Accounting Office, 1990). An extensive literature addressing the problem of quantifying sediment transport has produced a number of methods for estimating its flux (see Cohn, 1995, and Robertson and Roerish, 1999, for useful surveys). The accuracy of these methods is compromised by uncertainty in the concentration measurements and by the highly episodic nature of sediment movement, particularly when the methods are applied to smaller basins. However, for annual or decadal flux estimates, the methods are generally reliable if calibrated with extended periods of data (Robertson and Roerish, 1999). A substantial literature also supports the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) (Soil Conservation Service, 1983), an engineering method for estimating sheet and rill erosion, although the empirical credentials of the USLE have recently been questioned (Trimble and Crosson, 2000). Conversely, relatively little direct evidence is available concerning the fate of sediment. The common practice of quantifying sediment fate with a sediment delivery ratio, estimated from a simple empirical relation with upstream basin area, does not articulate the relative importance of individual storage sites within a basin (Wolman, 1977). Rates of sediment deposition in reservoirs and flood plains can be determined from empirical measurements, but only a limited number of sites have been monitored, and net rates of deposition or loss from other potential sinks and sources is largely unknown (Stallard, 1998). In particular, little is known about how much sediment loss from fields ultimately makes its way to stream channels, and how much sediment is subsequently stored in or lost from the streambed (Meade and Parker, 1985, Trimble and Crosson, 2000).This paper reports on recent progress made to address empirically the question of sediment fate and transport on a national scale. The model presented here is based on the SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) methodology, first used to estimate the distribution of nutrients in streams and rivers of the United States, and subsequently shown to describe land and stream processes affecting the delivery of nutrients (Smith and others, 1997, Alexander and others, 2000, Preston and Brakebill, 1999). The model makes use of numerous spatial datasets, available at the national level, to explain long-term sediment water-quality conditions in major streams and rivers throughout the United States. Sediment sources are identified using sediment erosion rates from the National Resources Inventory (NRI) (Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2000) and apportioned over the landscape according to 30- meter resolution land-use information from the National Land Cover Data set (NLCD) (U.S. Geological Survey, 2000a). More than 76,000 reservoirs from the National Inventory of Dams (NID) (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1996) are identified as potential sediment sinks. Other, non-anthropogenic sources and sinks are identified using soil information from the State Soil Survey Geographic (STATSGO) data base (Schwarz and Alexander, 1995) and spatial coverages representing surficial rock type and vegetative cover. The SPARROW model empirically relates these diverse spatial datasets to estimates of long-term, mean annual sediment flux computed from concentration and flow measurements collected over the period 1985-95 from more than 400 monitoring stations maintained by the National Stream Quality Accounting Network (Alexander and others, 1998), the National Water Quality Assessment Program, and U.S. Geological Survey District offices (Turcios and Gray, in press). The calibrated model is used to estimate sediment flux for over 60,000 stream segments included in the River Reach File 1 (RF1) stream network (Alexander and others, 1999).SPARROW uses statistical methods to calibrate a simple, structural model of riverine water quality, one that imposes mass balance in accounting for changes in contaminant flux. As applied here, the mass-balance approach facilitates the interpretation of model results in terms of physical processes affecting sediment transport, and makes possible the estimation of various rates of sediment generation and loss associated with stream channels and features of the landscape. The statistical approach provides a basis for assessing the error of these inferred rates and of the error in extrapolated estimates of sediment flux made for streams in the RF1 network.An important implication of the holistic modeling approach adopted in this analysis is that estimates of sediment production and loss are based on, and therefore consistent with, measurements of in-stream flux. Other ancillary information, such as direct measurements of long-term sediment storage and release from reservoirs (Steffen, 1996), is incorporated into the analysis by specifying additional equations explaining these ancillary variables. The imposition of cross-equation constraints affords this information a statistically consistent weight in explaining in-stream sediment flux. Thus, the methodology described here represents a general framework for synthesizing a wide spectrum of available information relevant to the understanding of sediment fate and transport.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2009 through September 2010) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2012-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin. The sampling program was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 20 sites from October 2009 through September 2010. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2010. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2009 through September 2010. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for water samples collected at the four sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2011 through September 2012) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2014-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork Basin of western Montana. The sampling program was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork Basin, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 20 sites from October 2011 through September 2012. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2012. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2011 through September 2012. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for water samples collected at the four sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.

Water-quality assessment of the Ozark Plateaus study unit, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma; nutrients, bacteria, organic carbon, and suspended sediment in surface water, 1993-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Jerri V.; Bell, Richard W.

1998-01-01

Nutrient, bacteria, organic carbon, and suspended- sediment samples were collected from 1993-95 at 43 surface-water-quality sampling sites within the Ozark Plateaus National Water- Quality Assessment Program study unit. Most surface-water-quality sites have small or medium drainage basins, near-homogenous land uses (primarily agricultural or forest), and are located predominantly in the Springfield and Salem Plateaus. The water-quality data were analyzed using selected descriptive and statistical methods to determine factors affecting occurrence in streams in the study unit. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use increased in the Ozark Plateaus study unit for the period 1965-85, but the application rates are well below the national median. Fertilizer use differed substantially among the major river basins and physiographic areas in the study unit. Livestock and poultry waste is a major source of nutrient loading in parts of the study unit. The quantity of nitrogen and phosphorus from livestock and poultry wastes differed substantially among the river basins of the study unit's sampling network. Eighty six municipal sewage-treatment plants in the study unit have effluents of 0.5 million gallons per day or more (for the years 1985-91). Statistically significant differences existed in surface-water quality that can be attributed to land use, physiography, and drainage basin size. Dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, total phosphorus, fecal coliform bacteria, and dissolved organic carbon concentrations generally were larger at sites associated with agricultural basins than at sites associated with forested basins. A large difference in dissolved nitrite plus nitrate concentrations occurred between streams draining basins with agricultural land use in the Springfield and Salem Plateaus. Streams draining both small and medium agricultural basins in the Springfield Plateau had much larger concentrations than their counterparts in the Salem Plateau. Drainage basin size was not a significant factor in affecting total phosphorus, fecal coliform bacteria, or dissolved organic carbon concentrations. Suspended-sediment concentrations generally were small and indicative of the clear water in streams in the Ozark Plateaus. A comparison of the dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform data collected at the fixed and synoptic sites indicates that generally the data for streams draining basins of similar physiography, land-use setting, and drainage basin size group together. Many of the variations are most likely the result of differences in percent agricultural land use between the sites being compared or are discharge related. The relation of dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform concentration to percent agricultural land use has a strong positive 2 Water-Quality Assessment-Nutrients, Bacteria, Organic Carbon, and Suspended Sediment in Surface Water, 1993-95 correlation, with percent agricultural land use accounting for between 42 and 60 percent of the variation in the observed concentrations.

Sediment quantity and quality in three impoundments in Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Marc James; Breault, Robert F.

2003-01-01

As part of a study with an overriding goal of providing information that would assist State and Federal agencies in developing screening protocols for managing sediments impounded behind dams that are potential candidates for removal, the U.S Geological Survey determined sediment quantity and quality at three locations: one on the French River and two on Yokum Brook, a tributary to the west branch of the Westfield River. Data collected with a global positioning system, a geographic information system, and sediment-thickness data aided in the creation of sediment maps and the calculation of sediment volumes at Perryville Pond on the French River in Webster, Massachusetts, and at the Silk Mill and Ballou Dams on Yokum Brook in Becket, Massachusetts. From these data the following sediment volumes were determined: Perryville Pond, 71,000 cubic yards, Silk Mill, 1,600 cubic yards, and Ballou, 800 cubic yards. Sediment characteristics were assessed in terms of grain size and concentrations of potentially hazardous organic compounds and metals. Assessment of the approaches and methods used at study sites indicated that ground-penetrating radar produced data that were extremely difficult and time-consuming to interpret for the three study sites. Because of these difficulties, a steel probe was ultimately used to determine sediment depth and extent for inclusion in the sediment maps. Use of these methods showed that, where sampling sites were accessible, a machine-driven coring device would be preferable to the physically exhausting, manual sediment-coring methods used in this investigation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were an effective tool for screening large numbers of samples for a range of organic contaminant compounds. An example calculation of the number of samples needed to characterize mean concentrations of contaminants indicated that the number of samples collected for most analytes was adequate; however, additional analyses for lead, copper, silver, arsenic, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and chlordane are needed to meet the criteria determined from the calculations. Particle-size analysis did not reveal a clear spatial distribution pattern at Perryville Pond. On average, less than 65 percent of each sample was greater in size than very fine sand. The sample with the highest percentage of clay-sized particles (24.3 percent) was collected just upstream from the dam and generally had the highest concentrations of contaminants determined here. In contrast, more than 90 percent of the sediment samples in the Becket impoundments had grain sizes larger than very fine sand; as determined by direct observation, rocks, cobbles, and boulders constituted a substantial amount of the material impounded at Becket. In general, the highest percentages of the finest particles, clays, occurred in association with the highest concentrations of contaminants. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of the Perryville samples showed the widespread presence of petroleum hydrocarbons (16 out of 26 samples), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (23 out of 26 samples), and chlordane (18 out of 26 samples); polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in five samples from four locations. Neither petroleum hydrocarbons nor polychlorinated biphenyls were detected at Becket, and chlordane was detected in only one sample. All 14 Becket samples contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Replicate quality-control analyses revealed consistent results between paired samples. Samples from throughout Perryville Pond contained a number of metals at potentially toxic concentrations. These metals included arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. At Becket, no metals were found in elevated concentrations. In general, most of the concentrations of organic compounds and metals detected in Perryville Pond exceeded standards for benthic organisms, but only rarely exceeded standards for human contact. The most highly contaminated samples were

Fine-grained suspended sediment source identification for the Kharaa River basin, northern Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rode, Michael; Theuring, Philipp; Collins, Adrian L.

2015-04-01

Fine sediment inputs into river systems can be a major source of nutrients and heavy metals and have a strong impact on the water quality and ecosystem functions of rivers and lakes, including those in semiarid regions. However, little is known to date about the spatial distribution of sediment sources in most large scale river basins in Central Asia. Accordingly, a sediment source fingerprinting technique was used to assess the spatial sources of fine-grained (<10 microns) sediment in the 15 000 km2 Kharaa River basin in northern Mongolia. Five field sampling campaigns in late summer 2009, and spring and late summer in both 2010 and 2011, were conducted directly after high water flows, to collect an overall total of 900 sediment samples. The work used a statistical approach for sediment source discrimination with geochemical composite fingerprints based on a new Genetic Algorithm (GA)-driven Discriminant Function Analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis H-test and Principal Component Analysis. The composite fingerprints were subsequently used for numerical mass balance modelling with uncertainty analysis. The contributions of the individual sub-catchment spatial sediment sources varied from 6.4% (the headwater sub-catchment of Sugnugur Gol) to 36.2% (the Kharaa II sub-catchment in the middle reaches of the study basin) with the pattern generally showing higher contributions from the sub-catchments in the middle, rather than the upstream, portions of the study area. The importance of riverbank erosion was shown to increase from upstream to midstream tributaries. The source tracing procedure provides results in reasonable accordance with previous findings in the study region and demonstrates the general applicability and associated uncertainties of an approach for fine-grained sediment source investigation in large scale semi-arid catchments. The combined application of source fingerprinting and catchment modelling approaches can be used to assess whether tracing estimates are credible and in combination such approaches provide a basis for making sediment source apportionment more compelling to catchment stakeholders and managers.

Protocols for collection of streamflow, water-quality, streambed-sediment, periphyton, macroinvertebrate, fish, and habitat data to describe stream quality for the Hydrobiological Monitoring Program, Equus Beds Aquifer Storage and Recovery Program, city of Wichita, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Mandy L.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Bennett, Trudy J.; Poulton, Barry C.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

2012-01-01

The city of Wichita, Kansas uses the Equus Beds aquifer, one of two sources, for municipal water supply. To meet future water needs, plans for artificial recharge of the aquifer have been implemented in several phases. Phase I of the Equus Beds Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Program began with injection of water from the Little Arkansas River into the aquifer for storage and subsequent recovery in 2006. Construction of a river intake structure and surface-water treatment plant began as implementation of Phase II of the Equus Beds ASR Program in 2010. An important aspect of the ASR Program is the monitoring of water quality and the effects of recharge activities on stream conditions. Physical, chemical, and biological data provide the basis for an integrated assessment of stream quality. This report describes protocols for collecting streamflow, water-quality, streambed-sediment, periphyton, macroinvertebrate, fish, and habitat data as part of the city of Wichita's hydrobiological monitoring program (HBMP). Following consistent and reliable methods for data collection and processing is imperative for the long-term success of the monitoring program.

Assessing land use, sedimentation, and water quality stressors as predictors of coral reef condition in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

PubMed

Oliver, L M; Fisher, W S; Fore, L; Smith, A; Bradley, P

2018-03-13

Coral reef condition on the south shore of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, was assessed at various distances from Charlotte Amalie, the most densely populated city on the island. Human influence in the area includes industrial activity, wastewater discharge, cruise ship docks, and impervious surfaces throughout the watershed. Anthropogenic activity was characterized using a landscape development intensity (LDI) index, sedimentation threat (ST) estimates, and water quality (WQ) impairments in the near-coastal zone. Total three-dimensional coral cover, reef rugosity, and coral diversity had significant negative coefficients for LDI index, as did densities of dominant species Orbicella annularis, Orbicella franksi, Montastraea cavernosa, Orbicella faveolata, and Porites porites. However, overall stony coral colony density was not significantly correlated with stressors. Positive relationships between reef rugosity and ST, between coral diversity and ST, and between coral diversity and WQ were unexpected because these stressors are generally thought to negatively influence coral growth and health. Sponge density was greater with higher disturbance indicators (ST and WQ), consistent with reports of greater resistance by sponges to degraded water quality compared to stony corals. The highest FoRAM (Foraminifera in Reef Assessment and Monitoring) indices indicating good water quality were found offshore from the main island and outside the harbor. Negative associations between stony coral metrics and LDI index have been reported elsewhere in the Caribbean and highlight LDI index potential as a spatial tool to characterize land-based anthropogenic stressor gradients relevant to coral reefs. Fewer relationships were found with an integrated stressor index but with similar trends in response direction.

Dioxin in the Elbe river basin: policy and science under the water framework directive 2000-2015 and toward 2021.

PubMed

Förstner, Ulrich; Hollert, Henner; Brinkmann, Markus; Eichbaum, Kathrin; Weber, Roland; Salomons, Wim

2016-01-01

A critical review of the last 25 years of dioxin policy in the Elbe river catchment is presented along seven main theses of the River Basin Community (RBC)-Elbe background document "Pollutants" for the Management Plan 2016-2021. In this period, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/-furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) will play a major role: (i) as new priority substances for which environmental quality standards (EQSs) need to be derived (Directive 2013/39/EC); (ii) in the search for innovative solutions in sediment remediation (i.e., respecting the influence of mechanical processes; Flood Risk Directive 2007/60/EC); and (iii) as indicators at the land-sea interface (Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC). In the Elbe river catchment, aspects of policy and science are closely connected, which became particularly obvious in a classic example of dioxin hot spot contamination, the case of the Spittelwasser creek. Here, the "source-first principle" of the first cycle of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) had to be confirmed in a controversy on the dioxin hot spots with Saxony-Anhalt's Agency for Contaminated Sites (LAF). At the Spittelwasser site, the move from "inside the creek" to "along the river banks" goes parallel to a general paradigm shift in retrospective risk assessment frameworks and remediation techniques for organic chemicals (Ortega-Calvo et al. 2015). With respect to dioxin, large-scale stabilization applying activated carbon additions is particularly promising. Another important aspect is the assessment of the ecotoxicology of dioxins and dl- PCBs in context of sediment mobility and flood risk assessment, which has been studied in the project framework FloodSearch. Currently, the quality goals of the WFD to reach a "good chemical status" are not met in many catchment areas because substances such as mercury do and others probably will (PCDD/Fs and dl-PCB) exceed biota-EQS values catchment area-wide. So far, relating biota-EQS values to sediment-EQSs is not possible. To overcome these limitations, the DioRAMA project was initiated, which has led to improved approaches for the assessment of dioxin-contaminated sediment using in vitro bioassays and to a robust dataset on the interrelation between dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in sediments and biota.

Assessment of metal and trace element contamination in water, sediment, plants, macroinvertebrates, and fish in Tavasci Marsh, Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beisner, Kimberly R.; Paretti, Nicholas V.; Brasher, Anne M.D.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Miller, Matthew P.

2014-01-01

Tavasci Marsh is a large freshwater marsh within the Tuzigoot National Monument in central Arizona. It is the largest freshwater marsh in Arizona that is unconnected to the Colorado River and is designated as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. The marsh has been altered significantly by previous land use and the monument’s managers are evaluating the restoration of the marsh. In light of historical mining activities located near the marsh from the first half of the 20th century, evaluations of water, sediment, plant, and aquatic biota in the marsh were conducted. The evaluations were focused on nine metals and trace elements commonly associated with mining and other anthropogenic activities (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) together with isotopic analyses to understand the presence, sources and timing of water and sediment contaminants to the marsh and the occurrence in aquatic plants, dragonfly larvae, and fish. Results of water analyses indicate that there were two distinct sources of water contributing to the marsh during the study: one from older high elevation recharge entering the marsh at Shea Spring (as well as a number of unnamed seeps and springs on the northeastern edge of the marsh) and the other from younger low elevation recharge or from Pecks Lake. Water concentrations for arsenic exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency primary drinking water standard of 10 μg/L at all sampling sites. Surface waters at Tavasci Marsh may contain conditions favorable for methylmercury production. All surficial and core sediment samples exceeded or were within sample concentration variability of at least one threshold sediment quality guideline for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Several sediment sites were also above or were within sample concentration variability of severe or probable effect sediment quality guidelines for As, Cd, and Cu. Three sediment cores collected in the marsh have greater metal and trace element concentrations at depth for Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, In, Pb, Sb, Sn, Te, and Zn. Radioisotope dating indicates that the elevated metal and trace element concentrations are associated with sediments deposited before 1963. Arsenic concentration was greater in cattail roots compared with surrounding sediment at Tavasci Marsh. Concentrations of As, Ni, and Se from yellow bullhead catfish (Ameiurus natalis) in Tavasci Marsh exceeded the 75th percentile of several other regional studies. Mercury concentration in dragonfly larvae and fish from Tavasci Marsh were similar to or greater than in Tavasci Marsh sediment. Future work includes a biologic risk assessment utilizing the data collected in this study to provide the monument management with additional information for their restoration plan.

Contaminants of emerging concern in tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes: I. Patterns of occurrence

PubMed Central

Lee, Kathy E.; Banda, Jo A.; Choy, Steven J.; Gefell, Daniel J.; Minarik, Thomas A.; Moore, Jeremy N.; Jorgenson, Zachary G.

2017-01-01

Human activities introduce a variety of chemicals to the Laurentian Great Lakes including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, plasticizers, and solvents (collectively referred to as contaminants of emerging concern or CECs) potentially threatening the vitality of these valuable ecosystems. We conducted a basin-wide study to identify the presence of CECs and other chemicals of interest in 12 U.S. tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes during 2013 and 2014. A total of 292 surface-water and 80 sediment samples were collected and analyzed for approximately 200 chemicals. A total of 32 and 28 chemicals were detected in at least 30% of water and sediment samples, respectively. Concentrations ranged from 0.0284 (indole) to 72.2 (cholesterol) μg/L in water and 1.75 (diphenhydramine) to 20,800 μg/kg (fluoranthene) in sediment. Cluster analyses revealed chemicals that frequently co-occurred such as pharmaceuticals and flame retardants at sites receiving similar inputs such as wastewater treatment plant effluent. Comparison of environmental concentrations to water and sediment-quality benchmarks revealed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations often exceeded benchmarks in both water and sediment. Additionally, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dichlorvos concentrations exceeded water-quality benchmarks in several rivers. Results from this study can be used to understand organism exposure, prioritize river basins for future management efforts, and guide detailed assessments of factors influencing transport and fate of CECs in the Great Lakes Basin. PMID:28953889

Contaminants of emerging concern in tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes: I. Patterns of occurrence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, Sarah M.; Brigham, Mark E.; Lee, Kathy E.; Banda, Jo A.; Choy, Steven J.; Gefell, Daniel J.; Minarik, Thomas A.; Moore, Jeremy N.; Jorgenson, Zachary G.

2017-01-01

Human activities introduce a variety of chemicals to the Laurentian Great Lakes including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, plasticizers, and solvents (collectively referred to as contaminants of emerging concern or CECs) potentially threatening the vitality of these valuable ecosystems. We conducted a basin-wide study to identify the presence of CECs and other chemicals of interest in 12 U.S. tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes during 2013 and 2014. A total of 292 surface-water and 80 sediment samples were collected and analyzed for approximately 200 chemicals. A total of 32 and 28 chemicals were detected in at least 30% of water and sediment samples, respectively. Concentrations ranged from 0.0284 (indole) to 72.2 (cholesterol) μg/L in water and 1.75 (diphenhydramine) to 20,800 μg/kg (fluoranthene) in sediment. Cluster analyses revealed chemicals that frequently co-occurred such as pharmaceuticals and flame retardants at sites receiving similar inputs such as wastewater treatment plant effluent. Comparison of environmental concentrations to water and sediment-quality benchmarks revealed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations often exceeded benchmarks in both water and sediment. Additionally, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dichlorvos concentrations exceeded water-quality benchmarks in several rivers. Results from this study can be used to understand organism exposure, prioritize river basins for future management efforts, and guide detailed assessments of factors influencing transport and fate of CECs in the Great Lakes Basin.

Food Web Bioaccumulation Model for Resident Killer Whales from the Northeastern Pacific Ocean as a Tool for the Derivation of PBDE-Sediment Quality Guidelines.

PubMed

Alava, Juan José; Ross, Peter S; Gobas, Frank A P C

2016-01-01

Resident killer whale populations in the NE Pacific Ocean are at risk due to the accumulation of pollutants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). To assess the impact of PBDEs in water and sediments in killer whale critical habitat, we developed a food web bioaccumulation model. The model was designed to estimate PBDE concentrations in killer whales based on PBDE concentrations in sediments and the water column throughout a lifetime of exposure. Calculated and observed PBDE concentrations exceeded the only toxicity reference value available for PBDEs in marine mammals (1500 μg/kg lipid) in southern resident killer whales but not in northern resident killer whales. Temporal trends (1993-2006) for PBDEs observed in southern resident killer whales showed a doubling time of ≈5 years. If current sediment quality guidelines available in Canada for polychlorinated biphenyls are applied to PBDEs, it can be expected that PBDE concentrations in killer whales will exceed available toxicity reference values by a large margin. Model calculations suggest that a PBDE concentration in sediments of approximately 1.0 μg/kg dw produces PBDE concentrations in resident killer whales that are below the current toxicity reference value for 95 % of the population, with this value serving as a precautionary benchmark for a management-based approach to reducing PBDE health risks to killer whales. The food web bioaccumulation model may be a useful risk management tool in support of regulatory protection for killer whales.

Toxicity of sediments from a mangrove forest patch in an urban area in Pernambuco (Brazil).

PubMed

Oliveira, D D; Souza-Santos, L P; Silva, H K P; Macedo, S J

2014-06-01

Industrial and urban residues are discharged every day to the rivers and may arrive at the mangrove forest and prejudice the quality of the environment and the organisms present there. The mangrove forest patch studied is encircled by an urban area of the city of Recife (Brazil) that has approximate 1.5 million inhabitants and is one of the most industrialized centers in Northeast Brazil. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of the sediments of this mangrove patch in terms of metal contamination and ecotoxicology. Samples of surface sediment were collected in six stations for toxicological tests and trace metal determination (Cr, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, Pb, Co and Ni), in July and August, 2006 (rainy season); and in January and February 2007 (dry season). Toxicity tests with solid-phase sediments were carried out with the copepod Tisbe biminiensis in order to observe lethal and sub-lethal endpoints and correlate them with chemical data. In June, there were no observed lethal effect, but two stations presented sub-lethal effects. In January, lethal effect occurred in three stations and sub-lethal in one station. The levels for Zn and Cr were at higher levels than international proposed guidelines (NOAA). There was a negative significant correlation between the copepods׳ fecundity, and Zn and Cr concentrations. Therefore, the studied sediments can be considered to have potential toxic to benthos due to the high content of Zn and Cr. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ASSESSING THE PREDICTIVE CAPABILITY OF LANDSCAPE SAMPLING UNITS OF VARYING SCALE IN THE ANALYSIS OF ESTUARINE CONDITION

EPA Science Inventory

Landscape structure metrics are often used to predict water and sediment quality of lakes, streams, and estuaries; however, the sampling units used to generate the landscape metrics are often at an irrelevant spatial scale. They are either too large (i.e., an entire watershed) or...

Nutrient, suspended-sediment, and total suspended-solids data for surface water in the Great Salt Lake basins study unit, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, 1980-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hadley, Heidi K.

2000-01-01

Selected nitrogen and phosphorus (nutrient), suspended-sediment and total suspended-solids surface-water data were compiled from January 1980 through December 1995 within the Great Salt Lake Basins National Water-Quality Assessment study unit, which extends from southeastern Idaho to west-central Utah and from Great Salt Lake to the Wasatch and western Uinta Mountains. The data were retrieved from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System and the State of Utah, Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality database. The Division of Water Quality database includes data that are submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STOrage and RETrieval system. Water-quality data included in this report were selected for surface-water sites (rivers, streams, and canals) that had three or more nutrient, suspended-sediment, or total suspended-solids analyses. Also, 33 percent or more of the measurements at a site had to include discharge, and, for non-U.S. Geological Survey sites, there had to be 2 or more years of data. Ancillary data for parameters such as water temperature, pH, specific conductance, streamflow (discharge), dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, alkalinity, and turbidity also were compiled, as available. The compiled nutrient database contains 13,511 samples from 191 selected sites. The compiled suspended-sediment and total suspended-solids database contains 11,642 samples from 142 selected sites. For the nutrient database, the median (50th percentile) sample period for individual sites is 6 years, and the 75th percentile is 14 years. The median number of samples per site is 52 and the 75th percentile is 110 samples. For the suspended-sediment and total suspended-solids database, the median sample period for individual sites is 9 years, and the 75th percentile is 14 years. The median number of samples per site is 76 and the 75th percentile is 120 samples. The compiled historical data are being used in the basinwide sampling strategy to characterize the broad-scale geographic and seasonal water-quality conditions in relation to major contaminant sources and background conditions. Data for this report are stored on a compact disc.

Characterization of dominant hydrologic events: the role of spatial, temporal and climatic forces in generating the greatest sediment loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squires, A. L.; Boll, J.; Brooks, E. S.

2013-12-01

Soil erosion and the ensuing elevated sediment loads in surface water bodies result in impaired water quality and unsuitable habitat for salmonid species and other cold water biota. Increased sediment loads also relate to high nutrient levels in streams at downstream locations. Identification of the most sensitive factors leading to major sediment loads is useful in selection and placement of agricultural best management practices (BMPs), especially those that are management oriented such as nutrient management plans and the timing of tillage. Many BMPs work well for average storms but do not achieve desired results during the large storms, when hydrologically sensitive areas contribute the greatest amount of runoff and erosion. Research has shown that the majority of sediment loads in streams and rivers occur during a small proportion of the year, specifically during a few large storm events. In this research, we look beyond the conclusion that large events contribute the majority of sediment loads by investigating the driving forces behind each event. Long-term monitoring data were used from two monitoring stations in a small, mixed land use watershed in northern Idaho. The upper monitoring station is below mostly agricultural land use, and the lower monitoring station is below mostly urban land use. The watershed in question, Paradise Creek in Idaho, is the subject of a sediment TMDL which has not yet been consistently achieved and is currently up for review by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. We statistically analyzed the influence of multiple interacting variables on the magnitude of sediment loads during hydrologic events from 2002 to 2012. Spatial (i.e., above and below monitoring station data), temporal (i.e., seasonality), and climatic effects (i.e., precipitation, snowfall and snow melt) were examined, as well as the presence of frozen soils and the timing of events relative to each other. We hypothesized that (1) the events with the greatest sediment loads are flow-limited but occur after mass-limited events, (2) an event that is of long duration and is slow to peak, especially during frozen soil conditions, will contribute the greatest sediment load in a given year, and (3) urban land use generates greater sediment loads than rural land use. Multivariate analysis determined which factors lead to major sediment loads. Our presentation will focus on synthesizing the interacting variables and conditions that tend to result in dominant hydrologic events and suggestions for watershed management. This research will contribute to a more accurate assessment of the hydrology and water quality in the watershed to aid in improvement of the TMDL.

Water-quality assessment of the Sacramento River basin, California : water quality of fixed sites, 1996-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Dileanis, Peter D.

2000-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from 12 sites in the Sacramento River Basin, Cali-fornia, from February 1996 through April 1998. Field measurements (dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, alkalinity, and water tem-perature) were completed on all samples, and laboratory analyses were done for suspended sediments, nutrients, dissolved and particulate organic carbon, major ions, trace elements, and mercury species. Samples were collected at four types of locations on the Sacramento River?large tributaries to the Sacramento River, agricul-tural drainage canals, an urban stream, and a flood control channel. The samples were collected across a range of flow conditions representative of those sites during the timeframe of the study. The water samples from the Sacramento River indi-cate that specific conductance increases slightly downstream but that the water quality is indicative of dilute water. Water temperature of the Sacramento River increases below Shasta Lake during the spring and summer irrigation season owing to diversion of water out of the river and subsequent lower flow. All 12 sites had generally low concentrations of nutrients, but chlorophyll concentrations were not measured; therefore, the actual consequences of nutrient loading could not be adequately assessed. Concentrations of dis-solved organic carbon in samples from the Sacramento River and the major tributaries were generally low; the formation of trihalomethanes probably does not currently pose a problem when water from the Sacramento River and its major tributaries is chlorinated for drinking-water purposes. However, dissolved organic carbon concentrations were higher in the urban stream and in agricultural drainage canals, but were diluted upon mixing with the Sacramento River. The only trace element that currently poses a water-quality problem in the Sacramento River is mercury. A federal criterion for the protection of aquatic life was exceeded during this study, and floodwater concentrations of mercury were mostly higher than the criterion. Exceedances of water-quality standards happened most frequently during winter when suspended-sediment concen-trations also were elevated. Most mercury is found in association with suspended sediment. The greatest loading or transport of mercury out of the Sacramento River Basin to the San Francisco Bay occurs in the winter and principally follows storm events.

Characterization of the quality of water, bed sediment, and fish in Mittry Lake, Arizona, 2014–15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hermosillo, Edyth; Coes, Alissa L.

2017-03-01

Water, bed-sediment, and fish sampling was conducted in Mittry Lake, Arizona, in 2014–15 to establish current water-quality conditions of the lake. The parameters of temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, specific conductance, and alkalinity were measured in the field. Water samples were collected and analyzed for dissolved major ions, dissolved trace elements, dissolved nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved pesticides, bacteria, and suspended-sediment concentrations. Bed-sediment and fish samples were analyzed for trace elements, halogenated compounds, total mercury, and methylmercury.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant levels in drinking water were exceeded for sulfate, chloride, and manganese in the water samples. Trace-element concentrations were relatively similar between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Concentrations for nutrients in all water samples were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s water-quality standards for aquatic and wildlife uses, and all bacteria levels were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s recommended recreational water-quality criteria. Three out of 81 pesticides were detected in the water samples.Trace-element concentrations in bed sediment were relatively consistent between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc concentrations, however, decreased from the inlet to outlet locations. Concentrations for lead, nickel, and zinc in some bed-sediment samples exceeded consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect concentrations. Eleven out of 61 halogenated compounds were detected in bed sediment at the inlet location, whereas three were detected at the middle location, and five were detected at the outlet location. No methylmercury was detected in bed sediment. Total mercury was detected in bed sediment at concentrations below the consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect concentration.Sixteen trace elements were detected in at least one of the fish-tissue samples, and trace-element concentrations were relatively consistent between the three fish-tissue samples. Seven halogenated compounds were detected in at least one of the whole-body fish samples; four to five compounds were detected in each fish. One fish-tissue sample exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency human health consumption criteria for methylmercury.

Analysis of climate change impact on runoff and sediment delivery in a Great Lake watershed using SWAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, S.; Bhattarai, R.; Cooke, R.

2011-12-01

The green house gas loading of the atmosphere has been increasing since the mid 19th century which threatens to dramatically change the earth's climate in the 21st Century. Scientific evidences show that earth's global average surface temperature has risen some 0.75°C (1.3°F) since 1850. Third Assessment Report (TAR) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that human activities have increased the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs), which will result in a warming world and other changes in the climate. TAR has projected an increase in globally average surface temperature of 1.4 to 5.8 °C and an increase in precipitation of 5 to 20 % over the period of 1990 to 2100. Assuming a global temperature increase of between 2.8 and 5.2 °C, it was estimated a 7-15% increase in global evaporation and precipitation rates. Global warming and subsequent climate change could raise sea level by several tens of centimeters in the next fifty years. Such a rise may erode beaches, worsen coastal flooding and threaten water quality in estuaries and aquifers. With the climate already changing and further change in climate highly likely to happen, study of impact of climate and the adaptation is a necessary component of any response to climate change. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of climate change on runoff and sediment delivery in a Great Lake watershed located in Northern Ohio. Maumee River watershed is predominantly an agricultural watershed with an area of 6330 sq mile and drains to Lake Erie. Agricultural area covers about 89.9% of the watershed while wooded area covers 7.3%, 1.2% is urban area and other land uses account for 1.6%. Water Quality Laboratory, Heidelberg College has monitored the watershed for last 25 years. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is used for both water quantity and water quality simulations for past and future scenarios. SWAT is a continuous, long-term watershed scale simulation model which operates on a daily time step. The model is physically based, computationally efficient, and capable of assessing the impact of climate and watershed management on water, sediment, and nutrient/chemical yields. SWAT model has been calibrated for flow and sediment yield from 1982 to 2002 for the watershed. The calibrated model will be used to predict future flow and sediment delivery scenarios due to climate change (increase in temperature).

Effects of Environmental Factors on Nutrients Release at Sediment-Water Interface and Assessment of Trophic Status for a Typical Shallow Lake, Northwest China

PubMed Central

Hou, Dekun; He, Jiang; Lü, Changwei; Sun, Ying; Zhang, Fujin; Otgonbayar, Khureldavaa

2013-01-01

Surface sediment and water samples were collected from Daihai Lake to study the biogeochemical characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus, to estimate the loads of these nutrients, and to assess their effects on water quality. The contents and spatial distributions of total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and different nitrogen forms in sediments were analyzed. The results showed that concentrations of TN and TP in surface sediments ranged from 0.27 to 1.78 g/kg and from 558.31 to 891.29 mg/kg, respectively. Ratios of C : N ranged between 8.2 and 12.1, which indicated that nitrogen accumulated came mainly from terrestrial source. Ratios of N : P in all sampling sites were below 10, which indicated that N was the limiting nutrient for algal growth in this lake. Effects of environment factors on the release of nitrogen and phosphorus in lake sediments were also determined; high pH values could encourage the release of nitrogen and phosphorus. Modified Carlson's trophic state index (TSIM) and comprehensive trophic state index (TSIC) were applied to ascertain the trophic classification of the studied lake, and the values of TSIM and TSIC ranged from 53.72 to 70.61 and from 47.73 to 53.67, respectively, which indicated that the Daihai Lake was in the stage of hypereutropher. PMID:24023535

Understanding bioavailability and toxicity of sediment-associated contaminants by combining passive sampling with in vitro bioassays in an urban river catchment.

PubMed

Li, Juan-Ying; Tang, Janet Yat Man; Jin, Ling; Escher, Beate I

2013-12-01

Bioavailable and bioaccessible fractions of sediment-associated contaminants are considered as better dose metrics for sediment-quality assessment than total concentrations. The authors applied exhaustive solvent extraction and nondepletive equilibrium sampling techniques to sediment samples collected along the Brisbane River in South East Queensland, Australia, which range from pristine environments to urban and industry-impacted areas. The wide range of chemicals expected prevents comprehensive chemical analysis, but a battery of cell-based bioassays sheds light on mixture effects of chemicals in relation to various modes of toxic action. Toxic effects were expressed as bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQs) normalized to the organic carbon content of each sediment sample. Bioanalytical equivalent concentrations from exhaustive extraction agreed fairly well with values estimated from polydimethylsiloxane passive sampling extracts via the constant organic carbon to polydimethylsiloxane partition coefficient. Agreement was best for bioassays indicative of photosynthesis inhibition and oxidative stress response and discrepancy within a factor of 3 for the induction of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. For nonspecific cytotoxicity, BEQ from exhaustive extraction were 1 order of magnitude higher than values from equilibrium sampling, possibly because of coextraction of bioactive natural organic matter that led to an overestimation of toxicity in the exhaustive extracts, which suggests that passive sampling is better suited in combination with bioanalytical assessment than exhaustive extraction. © 2013 SETAC.

Assessment and ecological indicators of total and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the aquatic environment of lake Manzala, Egypt.

PubMed

El-Kady, Ahmed A; Wade, Terry L; Sweet, Stephen T

2018-04-06

The study objective was to assess the profile of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the aquatic environment of Lake Manzala and to determine the potential sources and effects of these hydrocarbons. To reach these objectives 24 surface sediment and 24 tilapia fish were collected and analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. The highest concentrations for n-alkanes (∑n-C 15-35 ) (19,625 ng g -1 ) and PAHs (∑45PAHs) (5,153 ng g -1 ) were found in sediments collected from Bahr Al-Baqar drain while Al-Temsah and Al-Hamra sites contained the lowest concentrations. Different diagnostic molecular ratios for hydrocarbons were used to evaluate sources of the hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons were found to have differing proportions of petrogenic, pyrogenic, and biogenic sources. Comparison to sediment quality guidelines indicated PAHs were below the effect range low (ERL) with the exception of acenaphthene, fluorine, and ∑45PAHs in Bahr Al-Baqar drain sediments. Tissue samples had moderate PAH concentrations for ∑45PAHs ranging from 302.5 ng g -1 West of Bashteer (S3) to 596 ng g -1 in Legam (S5). Since fish metabolize PAH quickly, their detection suggest continual or very recent exposure. The PAH in sediment and fish from Lake Manzala are at a low or below level of environmental concern.

Floodplains as a source of fine sediment in grazed landscapes: tracing the source of suspended sediment in the headwaters of an intensively managed agricultural landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, M.; Rhoads, B. L.; Stumpf, A.

2017-12-01

The flux of fine sediment within agricultural watersheds is an important factor determining the environmental quality of streams and rivers. Despite this importance, the contributions of sediment sources to suspended sediment loads within intensively managed agricultural watersheds remain poorly understood. This study assesses the provenance of fine suspended sediment in the headwater portion of a river flowing through an agricultural landscape in Illinois. Sediment source samples were collected from five potential sources: streambanks, forested floodplain, grassland, and grazed floodplains. Event-based and aggregated suspended sediment samples were collected from the stream at the watershed outlet. Quantitative geochemical fingerprinting techniques and a mixing model were employed to estimate the relative contributions of sediment from five potential sources to the suspended sediment loads. Organic matter content, trace elements, and fallout radionuclides were used as potential tracers. Principal Component analysis was employed to complement the results and Monte Carlo random sampling routine was used to test the uncertainty in estimated contributions of sources to in-stream sediment loads. Results indicate that the majority of suspended sediment is derived from streambanks and grazed floodplains. Erosion of the floodplain both by surface runoff and by streambank erosion from lateral channel migration contributes to the production of fine sediment within the stream system. These results suggest that human activities, in this case grazing, have converted portions of floodplains, normally net depositional environments, into sources of fine sediments. Efforts to reduce fluxes of fine sediment in this intensively managed landscape should focus on degraded floodplain surfaces and eroding channel banks within heavily grazed reaches of the stream.

Microgobius meeki as a potential bio-indicator of habitat disturbance in shallow estuarine areas: a useful tool for the assessment of estuarine quality.

PubMed

Reis-Filho, J A; Giarrizzo, T

2016-07-01

The relationships between changes in habitat quality (disturbed and undisturbed sites) and the population parameters (density, size distribution, reproductive activity and diet) of a goby Microgobius meeki were investigated in a tropical estuary to assess its value as an indicator of anthropogenic changes, predominantly the effects of sedimentation and mangrove removal in shallow estuarine areas. Fish sampling surveys were conducted bimonthly between June 2009 and May 2010 over the entire estuarine gradient of the Paraguaçu River estuary, located on the central Brazilian coast. A predictive model was developed to assess the population changes of this species in 10 other tropical estuaries with different dimensions, basin features and distinct levels of anthropogenic disturbance. General linear models were used to relate the population structure of M. meeki to sediment type, habitat type resulting from mangrove conservation status, anthropogenic pressure and environmental characteristics such as salinity, dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperature. Sediment type and the presence of mangrove forests were the most effective predictors of local variability in the population structure of M. meeki. Individuals with mature gonads and high rates of feeding activity were associated predominantly with undisturbed habitats. Estuaries and estuarine sectors with high levels of sedimentation in shallow marginal areas, anthropogenic pressure from domestic and industrial effluents, and evidence of mangrove deforestation yielded the lowest capture rates of both juvenile and adult M. meeki. Based on these findings, M. meeki is identified as a potential indicator of the consequences of anthropogenic disturbance in transitional waters. A simple, but efficient collection protocol, in which overt signs of distress can be promptly observed is proposed. Testing the generality of this approach across different systems might prove useful in a broader conservation biology context. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Distribution and environmental assessment of trace elements contamination of water, sediments and flora from Douro River estuary, Portugal.

PubMed

Ribeiro, C; Couto, C; Ribeiro, A R; Maia, A S; Santos, M; Tiritan, M E; Pinto, E; Almeida, A A

2018-10-15

The present study evaluated the content and distribution of several trace elements (Li, Be, Al, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Ba, Tl, Pb, and U) in the Douro River estuary. For that, three matrices were collected (water, sediments and native local flora) to assess the extent of contamination by these elements in this estuarine ecosystem. Results showed their occurrence in estuarine water and sediments, but significant differences were recorded on the concentration levels and pattern of distribution among both matrices and sampling points. Generally, the levels of trace elements were higher in the sediments than in the respective estuarine water. Nonetheless, no correlation among trace elements was determined between water and sediments, except for Cd. Al was the trace element found at highest concentration at both sediments and water followed by Zn. Pollution indices such as geo-accumulation (I geo ), enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF) were determined to understand the levels and sources of trace elements pollution. I geo showed strong contamination by anthropogenic activities for Li, Al, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ba and Pb at all sampling points while EF and CF demonstrated severe enrichment and contamination by Se, Sb and Pb. Levels of trace elements were compared to acceptable values for aquatic organisms and Sediment Quality Guidelines. The concentration of some trace elements, namely Al, Pb and Cu, were higher than those considered acceptable, with potential negative impact on local living organisms. Nevertheless, permissible values for all trace elements are still not available, demonstrating that further studies are needed in order to have a complete assessment of environmental risk. Furthermore, the occurrence and possible accumulation of trace elements by local plant species and macroalgae were investigated as well as their potential use as bioindicators of local pollution and for phytoremediation purposes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.