Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Modeling Transport Of Colloid-Bound Herbicides And Heavy Metals To Groundwater, Anastasios D. Karathanasis, R. E. Phillips, A. K. Seta

KWRRI Research Reports

Recent studies have suggested that contaminant transport to groundwater may be enhanced by association with colloidal particles. This study evaluated the role of water dispersible colloids with diverse mineralogical composition in co-transporting selected herbicides and heavy metals through intact soil columns. Colloid recovery in the eluents ranged from 45-90% for the herbicides and 10-60% for the heavy metals. The presence of colloids enhanced the transport of atrazine by 2-18%, and metolachlor by 8-30%. The corresponding increase for Cu and Zn was 2-150 and 5-30 times, respectively. For Pb, there was essentially no elution in the absence of colloids, suggesting nearly …

Sensitivity Of Vertebrate Embryos To Heavy Metals As A Criterion Of Water Quality: Phase Iii: Use Of Fish And Amphibian Eggs As Bioindicator Organisms For Evaluating Water Quality, Wesley J. Birge, Albert G. Westerman, Jeffrey A. Black

KWRRI Research Reports

Fish and amphibian eggs, embryos and early posthatched (larval) stages were evaluated as bioindicator organisms with which to monitor the quality of natural water resources. Eggs of 9 species were cultured in water collected from each of 11 Inner Bluegrass rivers and streams. The latter were chosen to represent water sources varying in quality from extremely poor to good. Selection was based on the sources and magnitude of pollution, and the diversity and density of piscine populations. Cultures were maintained in vitro, using 12-hour changes of water.

Averaging data for all 9 animal species, egg hatchability (embryonic survival) ranged …

Sensitivity Of Vertebrate Embryos To Heavy Metals As A Criterion Of Water Quality, Phase Ii: Bioassay Procedures Using Developmental Stages As Test Organisms, Wesley J. Birge, Albert G. Westerman, Jeffrey A. Black, Oliver W. Roberts

KWRRI Research Reports

Chick, amphibian, and fish embryos were evaluated as bioassay and bioindicator organisms. Test procedures were developed by which embryonic stages may be used 1) in bioassay systems to evaluate the toxicity of particular metallic or metal-containing trace contaminants, and 20 as bioindicators to monitor the quality of natural water resources.

A bioassay technique was devised in which metallic toxicants were administered to chick embryos by "needle tract" injection into the yolk sac. This provided more uniform distribution of test metals throughout the yolk mass than can be obtained by conventional yolk sac injection methods, and gave more sensitivity and uniformity …

Sensitivity Of Vertebrate Embryos To Heavy Metals As A Criterion Of Water Quality, Phase I, Wesley J. Birge, John J. Just, Albert G. Westerman, A. Duane Rose

KWRRI Research Reports

Avian, amphibian and fish embryos were given continuous treatment with inorganic mercury, methyl mercury, cadmium and lead, to determine the sensitivity of embryogenesis to metallic poisoning. All metals produced substantial degrees of lethality and/or gross anatomical anomalies at 10 ppb or less. Treatment with inorganic mercury at 10 ppb produced 100% kill of frog embryos. Chick and rainbow trout embryos suffered 10-20% lethality when exposed to 1 ppb of either inorganic or methyl mercury. Lead and cadmium at 1 ppb produced 24-32% lethality in chick embryos. No significant differences were observed in the embryopathic effects of inorganic or methyl mercury. …

Sensitivity Of Vertebrate Embryos To Heavy Metals As A Criterion Of Water Quality, Wesley J. Birge, John J. Just

KWRRI Research Reports

Embryonic and/or larval stages of the leopard frog (Rana pipiens), domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus) and the goldfish (Carassiua auratus) were treated with cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, lead chloride, zinc chloride and sodium arsenite. The principal objectives were (1) to determine the sensitivity of vertebrate embryos to certain metals which are of consequence in water pollution, and (2) to ascertain the suitalility of vertebrate embryos as bioassay organisms for monitoring metallic pollutants within water resources. Vertebrate embryos are found to be highly sensitive to the toxic effects of all the metals studied. Concentrations of mercury as low as 10 ppb, with …