metals in the benthic macroinvertebrates in coal creek, crested butte, co
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Metals in the Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Coal Creek, Crested Butte, CO. Scarlett E. Graham July 10, 2006 University of Colorado at Boulder Environmental Engineering REU Summer Student. Overview. Motivation Background Hypotheses Methods Results Conclusions. Motivations. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Metals in the Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Coal Creek,
Crested Butte, CO
Scarlett E. Graham
July 10, 2006
University of Colorado at Boulder
Environmental Engineering REU Summer Student
Overview
Motivation Background Hypotheses Methods Results Conclusions
Motivations
Coal Creek Watershed Coalition Standard Mine is an EPA Superfund Site Coal Creek is a drinking water supply Recreation is a major contributor to the
economy
Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)
1/3 of EPA Superfund Sites in Colorado are devoted to cleaning up
abandoned mines. Characteristics:
- low pH- high metal concentrations - elevated sulfate levels- excessive suspended solids
Heavy Metals: Fe, Mn, Al
Geochemical processes:
(1) 4FeS2(s) + 14O2(g) + 4H2O(l) 4Fe2+ + 8SO42- + 8H+ (2) 4Fe2+ + O2(g) + 4H+ ----------> 4Fe3+ + 2H2O(l)
(3) 4Fe3+ + 12 H2O(l) 4Fe(OH)3 (s) + 12H+
(4) 4FeS2(s) + 15O2 (g) + 14H2O(l) 4Fe(OH)3(s) + 8SO42- + 16H+
pyrite
“yellow boy”
Acidophilic bacteria
Coal Creek WatershedGunnison County, CO
Coal CreekElk Creek
Standard MineKeystone Mine
Lake Irwin
Slate River
Splain ’ s Gulch
Wildcat Creek
Scarp Ridge
Iron Fen
Mt. Emmons
Crested Butte
Kebler Pass
Forest Queen Mine
N
:
Coal CreekElk Creek
Standard Mine Keystone MineLake Irwin
Slate River
Splain’s Gulch’
Wildcat Creek
Iron Fen
Mt. Emmons
Crested Butte
Kebler Pass
N
Forest Queen Mine
Benthic Macroinvertebrates
Stoneflies, Order Plecoptera: sensitive
Caddisflies , Order Trichoptera: moderately tolerant
Mayflies, Order Ephemeroptera: sensitive
Past Research
Will Clements, CSU: mayfliesSusan Bautts, 2005 Drew Bryenton,
REU 2004: Lefthand Creek.Brianna Shanklin, 2005: Coal Creek
??Axtmann, adkfjljajdf (metal speciation trend)
Hypotheses
Elevated metal concentrations and reduced diversity and abundance of macroinvertebrates after Elk Creek Tributary, Iron Fen Drainages, Mt. Emmons Effluent.
Correlations between sediments and benthic macroinvertebrate metal content.
Concentrations will follow metal speciation trends. --take this out if I don’t have time?!
~CC-203D/S of Elk ~CC-207.5
~CC-210
Iron Fen Drainages
~CC-218
U/S Mt. Emmons Affluent
Wildcat Trail Bridge
~CC-119
D/S of drinking H2O inflow
U/S of Elk
CCUPUP
D/S of Crested Butte
Sample Sites along Coal Creek
Methods: Sampling June 14 & 15 2006 simultaneously
with sediments. 13 sampling sites along 9.5km,
starting point: 2005/Shanklin Injection Site.
In Stream: kick and overturn rocks while dragging mess net behind.
Emptied nets into buckets and trays and sorted stoneflies
Stored in 60 ml bottles on ice until reached the lab
Methods: Sampling June 14 & 15 2006 simultaneously
with sediments. 13 sampling sites along 9.5km,
starting point: 2005/Shanklin Injection Site.
In Stream: kick and overturn rocks while dragging mess net behind.
Emptied nets into buckets and trays and sorted stoneflies
Stored in 60 ml bottles on ice until reached the lab
Frrrannnnnieeeee, give that back!
Frraaannie give that BACK!
Methods: Digestion
Rinsed with Milli-Q waterDried in ovenMeasured dry weightAdded Digestion solution: 1:1 soln. of
15.8M HNO3 and 30% H2O2 + H2OShook in hot water bath Allowed to settle and supernatant
removed and filtered with 0.45µm nylon filters.
Methods: ICP-OES
Diluted 9:1 solutionMeasured Metal Content with ICP-
OES (ARD, Model 3410+) in the LEGS Lab, CU Boulder
Measured Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn concentrations in ppm.
Results
CHART!
U/S
of
Elk
D/S
of
Elk
D/S
Mt
E E
fflu
en
t
µg
/g d
ry w
eig
ht
U/S
Mt.
Em
mon
s E
fflu
en
t
Iron
Fen
D
rain
ag
es
U/S
of
Elk
D/S
of
Elk
D/S
Mt
E E
fflu
en
t
µg
/g d
ry w
eig
ht
U/S
Mt.
Em
mon
s E
fflu
en
t
Iron
Fen
D
rain
ag
es
Distance (km)
D/S
of
Elk
Iron
Fen
D
rain
ag
es
U/S
Mt.
E. E
fflu
en
t
D/S
Mt.
E.
Effl
uen
tU/S
of
Elk
µg
/g d
ry w
t.
Distance (km)
Distance (km)
µg
/g d
ry w
eig
ht
D/S
of
Elk
Iron
Fen
D
rain
ag
es
U/S
Mt.
E.
Effl
uen
t
D/S
Mt.
E.
Effl
uen
tU/S
of
Elk
Iron Concentrations (modified)
Distance (km)
µg
/g d
ry w
eig
ht
D/S
of
Elk
Iron
Fen
D
rain
ag
es
U/S
Mt.
E.
Effl
uen
t
D/S
Mt.
E.
Effl
uen
tU/S
of
Elk
Iron Concentrations (modified)
D/S
of
Elk
Iron
Fen
D
rain
ag
es
U/S
Mt.
E.
Effl
uen
tD
/S M
t. E
. E
fflu
en
t
U/S
of
Elk
µg
/g d
ry w
eig
ht
Distance (km)
Cu ConcentrationsCopper Concentrations
D/S
of
Elk
Iron
Fen
D
rain
ag
es
U/S
Mt.
E.
Effl
uen
tD
/S M
t. E
. E
fflu
en
t
U/S
of
Elk
µg
/g d
ry w
eig
ht
Distance (km)
Cu ConcentrationsCopper Concentrations
Metal Concentrations (compiled)
D/S
of
Elk
Iron
Fen
Dra
inag
es
U/S
Mt.
Em
mon
s E
fflu
en
t
D/S
Mt
E E
fflu
en
t
U/S
of
Elk
Cre
ek
µg/
g dr
y w
eigh
t
Distance (km)
Zn
Fe
Cu
Conclusions
Elevated metal concentrations occur after Elk Creek, Mt. Emmons treatment plant effluent
Benthic Macroinvertebrate populations affected directly after polluted inflow but then improved down the stream.
High concentrations of iron in background site of stream.
Correlations to Frannie and Hallie’s data
Further Study
Do some practice runs of the macroinvertebrate sampling before actually starting.
Investigate fish populationsUse ICP-MS for other metals found
below detection limit.
Acknowledgements
