metal contaminants in the animas and san juan watershed · 2018-07-11 · title: metal contaminants...

All About Discovery!New Mexico State University

nmsu.edu

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Metal contaminants in theAnimas and San Juan

Watershed

Gaurav JhaAlyce Matthews

All About Discovery!New Mexico State Universitynmsu.edu

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Historical agriculture in the Lower Animas Watershed

(Bart Wilsey, Farmington Museum Director, 2017 personal communication)

A historical photo of the high value apple crop in San Juan County (Bart Wilsey, Farmington Museum Director, 2017 personal communication)


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We as Navajo people view as things as having life and draw no distinction between abiotic and biotic. In our holy songs we sing about being children of the earth. We were made from ears of corn and the big wind gave us life. Water is revered and held sacred. The rivers carry our prayers and are integral part of ceremonial life. When the Gold King Mine Spill happened it affected a holy part of world, the San Juan. We watched our children, the corn and plants died. We need the water and plants in our ceremonies to restore balance and harmony to our world. Without being sure of the sanctity of our water and plants, our holy corn pollen path was disrupted. That why I believe our work is vital to revitalizing our farming way of life and reconnecting to our Mother the Earth. Hozho- Brandon Francis


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Study Questions▪ What is the occurrence of metal-contaminated sediment in irrigation

ditches and agricultural fields along the Animas and San Juan Rivers?

▪ What metals of concern are found in plants-leaf tissue and fruits/ vegetables from fields receiving irrigation water from the Animas and San Juan Rivers?

▪ What metal concentrations are on plant surfaces (i.e. as residue from irrigation water)?

▪ What are the metal concentrations in irrigation water?

Ditch sediments and agricultural field soils analysis

Plant leaf tissue and fruits/vegetables analysis

Plant rinsate analysis

Total suspended solids and metal content in irrigation water

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™™Representation of irrigation ditches with

increasing distance from the GKM (Colorado and NM border through Shiprock)

SAMPLING LOCATIONS


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Sampling timeline2017 Growing season


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Analysis techniques


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sampling schematic (elaborated below); nine categorized sample points were used for statistical analys


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Lead Levels Among Point Categories in a Ditch Transect


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Arsenic Levels Among Point Categories in a Ditch Transect


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Metal concentrations in ditch sediments across Animas and San Juan watershed

• No obvious trends of metal concentration with distance from Gold King Mine.

• Iron, copper, arsenic, zinc and lead higher concentration on the sides than center of ditches.

• Sediment metal analysis shows that most elements of concern are below the EPA Residential Screening Value, RSL.A

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ic c

once

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(in p

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Center Side


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Location Season(Guideline value) *

As (0.10 ppm)

Pb(5 ppm)

Zn(2 ppm)

Al(5 ppm)

Ca Cr(0.10 ppm)

Cu(0.20 ppm)

Fe(5 ppm)

Mn(0.20 ppm)

Upper Animas (Aztec) Pre-growing ND 0.004 0.07 0.68 54.32 ND 0.0085 0.78 0.07

Growing ND 0.008 0.06 0.84 44.08 ND ND 1.07 0.11

Post-growing ND 0.001 0.005 0.66 66.5 ND ND 0.70 0.06

Lower Animas (Farmington) Pre-growing ND 0.006 0.07 1.54 62.40 ND ND 1.55 0.15

Growing ND ND 0.05 0.56 52.05 ND ND 0.64 0.11

Post-growing ND 0.003 0.02 1.53 142.6 ND ND 1.70 0.23

San Juan (Navajo Nation) Pre-growing ND 0.004 0.04 2.19 53.62 ND ND 2.15 0.09

Growing ND 0.007 0.05 2.13 52.80 ND ND 2.13 0.14

Post-growing 0.001 0.032 0.11 31.22 89.70 0.02 0.05 27.65 1.02

Metal concentrations (ppm) in irrigation water across Animas and San Juan watershed


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Location Season(Guideline value) *

As (0.10 ppm)

Pb(5 ppm)

Zn(2 ppm)

Al(5 ppm)

Ca Cr(0.10 ppm)

Cu(0.20 ppm)

Fe(5 ppm)

Mn(0.20 ppm)

Upper Animas (Aztec) Pre-growing

Growing

Post-growing

Lower Animas (Farmington) Pre-growing

Growing

Post-growing

San Juan (Navajo Nation) Pre-growing

Growing

Post-growing

Metal concentrations (ppm) in irrigation water across Animas and San Juan watershed

*New Mexico Water Quality Standards for irrigation


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LocationSeason

(Guideline value) *

TSS (mg/L)

Upper Animas (Aztec) Pre-growing 30

Growing 45

Post-growing 67

Lower Animas (Farmington) Pre-growing 82

Growing 23

Post-growing 91

San Juan (Navajo Nation)

Pre-growing 106

Growing 97

Post-growing 1346

Total Suspended Solids in irrigation water across Animas and San Juan watershed

A

B

C

Water collected from irrigation ditches energized by A.) Animas

River and B.) and C.) San Juan River


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Spatial distribution of Arsenic in agricultural fields

Pasture grass14.1 hectares

Aztec

Forage (alfalfa)3.04 hectaresFarmington

Vegetables1.27 hectares

Shiprock

Total Arsenic concentration

(parts per million)

RSL-7.07 mg kg-1


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Spatial distribution of Manganese in agricultural fields

Pasture grass14.1 hectares

Aztec

Forage (alfalfa)3.04 hectaresFarmington

Vegetables1.27 hectares

Shiprock

Total Manganese concentration

(parts per million)

RSL-180 mg kg-1


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Livestock ConsumptionAlfalfa and Pasture

Human ConsumptionFruits and Vegetables


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Native Vegetation sampled from rainfed areas to compare with irrigated pasture, forage and

vegetable fields


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Metals Maximum limit Alfalfa Non-irrigated vegetation (Control)

Arsenic 1.7 1.0 1.2

Lead 10 0.4 ND

Zinc 150 27.5 20.7

Aluminum 3410 111 44.5

Calcium - 19,300 (1.9%) 10,800 (1.1%)

Copper 30 12.6 10.1

Iron - 147 40.5

Manganese 300 28.4 54.2

Chromium 0.5-1.5 0.48 ND

Metal concentrations in alfalfa (ppm)Comparison of irrigated alfalfa to non-irrigated native vegetation (control)

Location-Animas and San Juan watershed


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Metal concentrations in pasture grass (ppm)Comparison of irrigated pasture fields to non-irrigated native vegetation (control)

Location-Upper and lower Animas

Metals Maximum limit Pasture grass

Non-irrigated vegetation (Control)

Arsenic 1.70 1.0 1.2

Lead 10 0.6 ND

Zinc 150 32.9 28.2

Aluminum 3410 300 40.3

Calcium - 5,800 (0.6%) 5,300 (0.5%)

Copper 30 8.3 7.4

Iron - 252 194

Manganese 300 44 66

Chromium 0.5 1.3 ND


™™The tolerable upper intake level (UL) is the maximum usual daily intake levels at which no risk of adverse health effects is expected for most of the individuals in a specific group based on stage of life.


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Chromium“There has been no demonstration of any toxicity so far in the clinical observations of the authors with the use of chromium nicotinate at levels as high as 5000 mcg/day (Lamson & Plaza, 2002).” 5000 mcg/day = [5 mg/day]

“Chromium appears to be the only nutritional mineral with a several hundred-fold difference between the acceptable daily intake level and the calculated reference dose (Lamson & Plaza, 2002).”

Lamson, D. W., & Plaza, S. M. (2002). The Safety and Efficacy of High-Dose Chromium. Alternative Medicine Review,7(3). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12126463.


™™Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%-98%) healthy people.


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Nutrition Facts Label [FDA]. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm


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Equate Adults 50+ Complete Multivitamin Tablets


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Sharing the technique through teach -ins

Upper Fruitland Chapterhouse, Navajo

Nation

Shiprock Chapterhouse, New Mexico

Shiprock Ag. Days 2018


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Radio talks

Factsheets on GKM results


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Conclusions• The higher concentrations of arsenic and manganese that were

found in some hotspots did not correlate to increased concentration

of metal uptake in plants.

• The concentrations of metals in fruits and vegetables are below the

upper tolerable limits specified by Food and Nutrition Board, National

Institute of Health and are safe for consumption.


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Acknowledgments• Farmers in Aztec, Farmington and Navajo nation who allowed access to

fields for long term monitoring of contaminations.

• EPA-NMED State Cooperative Agreement 01F22301

Assistance Program 66.204, Multipurpose Grants to Tribes and States.

• NMSU Interdisciplinary IMPACT grant

• Dr.April Ulery, Sylvia “Gaby” Philips, Dr.Kevin Lombard, Barbara Hunter

• Brandon Francis, Tiffany Charley, Hunter Winsor, Roya Ghorbani


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Questions and

Feedback

metal contaminants in the animas and san juan watershed · 2018-07-11 · title: metal contaminants...

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