Pollution in the Great Pollution in the Great LakesLakes

A Study of how pollution A Study of how pollution affects wildlife in the Great affects wildlife in the Great

LakesLakesAmy Latham, Amanda Tsang, Eric Amy Latham, Amanda Tsang, Eric WrightWright

Environ 110, Section 5 Environ 110, Section 5

IntroductionIntroduction

• Earlier beliefs that water could dissolve Earlier beliefs that water could dissolve chemicals and other wastes led to the chemicals and other wastes led to the degradation of the Great Lakes degradation of the Great Lakes ecosystemecosystem

• Pollution has negative effects on the flora Pollution has negative effects on the flora and fauna of the Great Lakes ecosystem. and fauna of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

-reducing water quality, -reducing water quality, contaminating contaminating soils, and harming the soils, and harming the lake wildlife and lake wildlife and surrounding regionsurrounding region

• To demonstrate a direct effect that To demonstrate a direct effect that pollution has on the Great Lakes pollution has on the Great Lakes ecosystem, we analyzed data from ecosystem, we analyzed data from four pollutants and the biomass of four pollutants and the biomass of trout residing in Lake Huron.trout residing in Lake Huron.

• Point-source pollutionPoint-source pollution

- direct source of pollution (e.g. a - direct source of pollution (e.g. a pipe)pipe)

- mercury, sewage, and fecal matter- mercury, sewage, and fecal matter

• Non point-source pollutionNon point-source pollution

- non-specific locations (e.g. air-- non-specific locations (e.g. air-bound bound pollution, industrial runoff)pollution, industrial runoff)

- fertilizers and pesticides- fertilizers and pesticides

Background: Background: Effects of Effects of PollutionPollution

• Pollutants move up food chainsPollutants move up food chains

• Reduce fish stocksReduce fish stocks

• Decrease water qualityDecrease water quality

• Spreads diseasesSpreads diseases

MethodsMethods

• Researched material through Mirlyn Researched material through Mirlyn websitewebsite

• Used Microsoft Excel to create graphs to Used Microsoft Excel to create graphs to analyze the relation between pollutants analyze the relation between pollutants and the Great Lakes.and the Great Lakes.

• We used specific data from the biomass of We used specific data from the biomass of Lake Huron Trout and the concentration of Lake Huron Trout and the concentration of four prominent chemicals in Lake Huronfour prominent chemicals in Lake Huron

Results and DiscussionResults and DiscussionPollutant Concentrations

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

Year

) C

on

cen

trati

on

s(n

g/g

PCBDDTDieldrinToxaphene

Pollutants concentration found in tissue of Lake Huron trout.

PCB and toxaphene have highest concentration.

Results and DiscussionResults and Discussion

Concentrations & Biomass

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Year

Co

ncen

trati

on

s )

ng

/g

(

0

20000000

40000000

60000000

80000000

100000000

120000000

140000000

160000000

Bio

mass )

kg

(

PCBDDTDieldrinToxapheneBiomass (kg)

Relationship between the four pollutants and trout biomass (kg).

Results and DiscussionResults and DiscussionBiomass & PCB Conc.

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

Year

Con

cen

trati

on

s )

ng/g(

0

20000000

40000000

60000000

80000000

100000000

120000000

140000000

160000000

Bio

mass )

kg

(

PCBBiomass (kg)

Specific correlation between trout biomass and PCB concentration

Results and DiscussionResults and Discussion

Biomass & Toxaphene Conc

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Year

Co

nce

ntr

ati

on

s )

ng

/g

(

0

20000000

40000000

60000000

80000000

100000000

120000000

140000000

160000000

Bio

ma

ss )

kg

(

Toxaphene

Biomass (kg)

Specific correlation between trout biomass and toxaphene concentration.

ImplicationsImplications

• Restricts wildlife and fish growthRestricts wildlife and fish growth

• Wildlife deformities and spread of Wildlife deformities and spread of diseasesdiseases

• Degrades natural communitiesDegrades natural communities

• Limits wildlife consumptionLimits wildlife consumption

• Closes beaches and hinders other Closes beaches and hinders other recreational activitiesrecreational activities

SolutionsSolutions

• Clean Water Act, 1972Clean Water Act, 1972

• Great Lakes Water Quality Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, 1972Agreement, 1972

• State of the Lakes Ecosystem State of the Lakes Ecosystem conferenceconference

• Clean Michigan Initiative, 1998Clean Michigan Initiative, 1998

ConclusionConclusion

• Great Lakes are an important source Great Lakes are an important source of freshwater and their contamination of freshwater and their contamination affects both the wildlife surrounding affects both the wildlife surrounding the region and those who utilize its the region and those who utilize its vast resourcesvast resources

• Though measures have been taken, Though measures have been taken, more are needed to protect the more are needed to protect the valuable resources of the Great Lakesvaluable resources of the Great Lakes

ReferencesReferences• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Polychlorinated Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Polychlorinated

Biphenyls(PCBs). Feb 2001. Biphenyls(PCBs). Feb 2001. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts17.html#bookmark02http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts17.html#bookmark02 (Oct. (Oct. 23 2006)23 2006)

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Toxaphene. Sept. 1997. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQs for Toxaphene. Sept. 1997. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts94.htmlhttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts94.html (Oct. 23 2006) (Oct. 23 2006)

• Hickey, J.P., Batterman, S. A., and Chernyak, S. M. 2006 Trends of Chlorinated Organic Hickey, J.P., Batterman, S. A., and Chernyak, S. M. 2006 Trends of Chlorinated Organic Contaminants in Great Lakes Trout and Walleye from 1970 to 1998. Arch. Environ. Contaminants in Great Lakes Trout and Walleye from 1970 to 1998. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 50, 97-110Contam. Toxicol. 50, 97-110

• Liu, Lubo; Phanikumar, Mantha S.; Molloy, Stephanie L.; Whitman, Richard L.; Liu, Lubo; Phanikumar, Mantha S.; Molloy, Stephanie L.; Whitman, Richard L.; Shivley, Dawn A.; Nevers, Meredith B.; Shwab, David J.; Rose, Joan B. 2006. Shivley, Dawn A.; Nevers, Meredith B.; Shwab, David J.; Rose, Joan B. 2006. Modeling the transport and Inactivation of E. coli and Enterococci in the Modeling the transport and Inactivation of E. coli and Enterococci in the Near-Shore Region of Lake Michigan. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40, 5022-5028Near-Shore Region of Lake Michigan. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40, 5022-5028

• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1999. First Round of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1999. First Round of Environmental Bonds sold Over Internet for Clean Michigan Initiative. Office Environmental Bonds sold Over Internet for Clean Michigan Initiative. Office of Great Lakes Activity Report, Lansing, MI.of Great Lakes Activity Report, Lansing, MI.

References ContinuedReferences Continued

• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1998. Great Lakes Trends: Into the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. 1998. Great Lakes Trends: Into the New Millennium. Office of the Great Lakes, Lansing, MI.New Millennium. Office of the Great Lakes, Lansing, MI.

• Robertson, Andrew, and Lauenstein, Gunnar G. 1998. Distribution of Chlorinated Robertson, Andrew, and Lauenstein, Gunnar G. 1998. Distribution of Chlorinated Organic Contaminants in Dreissenid Mussels Along the Southern Shores of the Great Organic Contaminants in Dreissenid Mussels Along the Southern Shores of the Great Lakes. J. Great Lakes Res. 24(3): 608-619Lakes. J. Great Lakes Res. 24(3): 608-619

• Shear, Harvey. 2006. The Great Lakes, an Ecosystem Rehabilitated, but Still Under Shear, Harvey. 2006. The Great Lakes, an Ecosystem Rehabilitated, but Still Under Threat. Threat. Environmental Monitoring and AssessmentEnvironmental Monitoring and Assessment 113: 199-225 113: 199-225

• TEACH. Water Pollution in the Great Lakes TEACH. Water Pollution in the Great Lakes http://www.great-lakes.net/teach/pollution/water/water1.htmlhttp://www.great-lakes.net/teach/pollution/water/water1.html (Oct. 23, 2006) (Oct. 23, 2006)

• U.S. Environmental Protections Agency. Clean Water Act, July 2006. U.S. Environmental Protections Agency. Clean Water Act, July 2006. http://www.epa.gov/r5water/cwa.htmhttp://www.epa.gov/r5water/cwa.htm (Oct. 23, 2006) (Oct. 23, 2006)