Geochemistry Commons^™

Tissue-Specific Heavy Metal Accumulation And Sediment–Mangrove Dynamics In Port Everglades, Florida, Dimitrios Giarikos, Amy Hirons, Jason Gershman, Sophie Welch

SECLER Data

Coastal wetlands near industrialized waterways face increasing heavy metal contamination, yet the role of mangroves as biogeochemical buffers remains poorly understood. This study quantified 16 heavy metals in sediments and red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) tissues (roots, branches, and leaves) across four sites near Port Everglades, Florida, examining tissue-specific partitioning, contamination patterns, and sediment-to-plant transfer. The South Turning Basin (STB) was the principal contamination hotspot, with geometric mean (GM) concentrations of arsenic (As; 27.8 µg/g) and zinc (Zn; 203 µg/g) exceeding threshold effect levels, while Cu exceeded its probable effect level (PEL; 193 µg/g). Mercury (Hg) exceeded its PEL …

New Precipitation Is Scarce In Deep Soils: Findings From 47 Forest Plots Spanning Switzerland, Emily I. Burt, Scott T. Allen, Sabine Braun, Simon Tresch, James W. Kirchner, Gregory R. Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

As precipitation infiltrates into soils, it can recharge them, displace previously stored waters, or bypass already-filled pores. Using 3,697 δ2H and δ18O measurements of water collected nearly monthly over >3 years in 47 forest plots across Switzerland, we present a systematic investigation of the controls on mobile soil water transport. We quantified the lags and damping of water as it percolates downward using young water fraction analysis (Fyw), and the fractions of soil water composed by precipitation that fell within the previous month (new water fractions, Fnew). The Fnew of water sampled in surface soils ranged …

Highly Contaminated Sediments From The Gowanus Canal (New York) Superfund Site: An Environmental Forensic Approach, Michael A. Kruge, Kevin K. Olsen, Eric A Stern, Maria Mastalerz, Albert Permanyer

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The 2.5 km long Gowanus Canal (Brooklyn, NY, USA) is a severely contaminated urban waterway dating from the mid-19th century, listed as a US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Superfund site since 2010. Applying an environmental forensics approach to the extensive USEPA data set, we detect systematic variations in parent PAH ring number distributions in the canal sediments, as well as an extraordinary enrichment in organic carbon. We subjected a supplemental sample set to a more detailed analysis by quantitative pyrolysis-GC-MS, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and organic petrology. With these sensitive methods, we can confirm the alkyl-PAH fingerprint of coal tar (a legacy …

Pfas In Naturally Occurring Surface Water Foams, Donovan S. Vitale

Masters Theses

Surface Water Foam (SWF) and underlying Surface Water (SW) were collected from six distinct sites across Michigan using a novel sampling device. PFAS were detected in all SWF samples with total PFAS concentrations (Σ41 compounds, n=14) varying widely from 2,693 to 402,172 ng/L .SWF samples were enriched in high and intermediate molecular volume PFAS relative to SW samples (n=10) which were dominated by low molecular volume, short-chain PFAS with total PFAS concentrations ranging from 4.4 to 31 ng/L. Wet and dry SWFs were distinguished by appearance, liquid content, and PFAS composition. Dry SWFs had higher total PFAS concentrations than wet …

08 - Blue Carbon Sequestration And Sediment Storage In Seagrass Meadows Of South Bay, Luke C. Clements, Adriana Amrhein, Richard P. Hale

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Blue carbon is stored in coastal and marine ecosystems like seagrass meadows and salt marshes, which helps combat climate change by preventing greenhouse gas emissions. This study examines the role of seagrass in carbon storage by comparing sediment cores from a mud channel and a seagrass meadow in South Bay.

We collected a 100 cm core from the mud channel and a 55 cm core from the seagrass area, taking samples every 10 cm to analyze grain size and organic carbon content. Using a wet sieving method, we separated sand from mud and measured organic carbon through loss on ignition. …

Spatial Analysis Of Heavy Metal Enrichment In A Historic Appalachian Mining Stream, Eric M. Torres

Research and Creativity Symposium

This study examined the spatial distribution of heavy metals along the Levisa Fork and primary tributaries in Buchanan County, VA and Pike County, KY. Buchanan and Pike Counties have a long history of coal mining, a process known to release heavy metals into surrounding waterways. Exposure to certain heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead, has been known to cause health problems, such as cancer and organ damage. The study looked at concentrations in riverine sediments, surface water and groundwater for As, Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Sediment samples were collected, dried and digested …

Geochemical Assessment Of Sediment Flux In A Sediment Core From A Tidal Flat In A Tropical Estuary, Olumide Ajulo

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Sediment flux in estuaries is influenced by both natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Understanding the historical and current trends in sediment flux inputs and geochemical composition are essential for evaluating the estuary’s response to natural and human-induced changes and for developing effective environmental management strategies. The tropical Wouri Estuary in Cameroon receives water and sediment inputs from three main rivers draining urban, industrial, and agricultural areas, as well as different rock terrains. The complex inputs into the estuary can significantly affect sediment flux, consequently impacting the ecosystem. Thereby making an understanding of the temporal variations in sediment inputs in the …

Origins And Mechanisms Of Mobility Of Geogenic Arsenic Contamination In Toutle And Silver Lake, Wa, Usa, William A. Hays

All Master's Theses

Arsenic (As), a common contaminant in groundwater, is toxic to human health and has a maximum contaminant level of 10 ppb set by both the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (ATSDR, 2007). In Toutle, WA, USA (30 km west of Mount Saint Helens), a private well, labelled TOU1, was previously identified with ~670 ppb of As and was the impetus of this study. This study targeted private wells in the vicinity of TOU1 to identify the extent of the arsenic contamination, identify the aquifer(s) of concern, and identify the mechanism(s) of mobility.

The wells were screened …

Chemical And Morphological Characterization Of Airborne Particulate Matter At The Jackpile-Paguate Mine, Pueblo Of Laguna, New Mexico: Implications For Potential Metals Exposure, Andreanna C. Roros

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The inhalation of windblown particulate matter (PM) derived from abandoned uranium mines (AUMs) is a potential environmental health risk to Native American communities that live in proximity to these sites. However, the aeolian transport of metal-bearing PM from AUMs, as a potential exposure pathway, has not been investigated in any detail. In this study, we sampled airborne particulate matter within the Jackpile Mine located on the lands of the Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico using passive sampling methods to understand the characteristics of dust within the mine site. The objective was to determine the elemental concentrations, mineralogy, and morphology of …

Geoelectrical And Hydrochemical Characterization Of Submarine Groundwater Discharge In Florida Bay, Ifeanyi Emmanuel Eze

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Florida Bay, situated at the southern tip of Everglades National Park and underlain by the Miami Limestone formation, is an ecosystem of global significance. Over the past century, the bay has faced threats such as droughts, seagrass mortality, and hypersalinity. Despite various studies and management efforts, the dynamics of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in the region remain underexplored. Given that SGD plays a significant role in the chemical dynamics of coastal ecosystems, it warrants thorough investigation. This study aims to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of SGD in Florida Bay by surveying three basins – Rankin, Whipray, and Rabbit …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Quantifying Co2 And Heat Fluxes At Roosevelt Hot Springs, Hydrothermal Area, Samantha R. Wolf

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Roosevelt Hot Springs is an actively producing hydrothermal system that has been extensively studied by field, geophysical and geochemical techniques since the 1970’s. Roosevelt Hot Springs sits at the western base of the Mineral Mountains in Utah, an area that has formed because of many volcanic, thermal and structural events since the late Oligocene. The work in this manuscript is the first of its kind to incorporate measurements of spring-based CO₂ fluxes with diffuse measurements to quantify the total CO₂ Flux in tons per day of a Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau Transition Zone-hosted hydrothermal system. Using …

Interannual Variation Of Ichthyofaunal Utilization Of A Man-Made Salt Marsh Creek In Mission Bay, California, Maria Angst

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Marsh restoration and creation are increasingly being used to mitigate Southern California’s drastic decline in wetlands due to human activities. This study used minnow traps to resample the ichthyofauna of a created marsh (Crown Point Mitigation Site; CPMS) and an adjacent natural marsh (Kendall Frost) in Mission Bay, California, 26 years following the marsh creation. Data from this study were compared to data collected immediately after marsh creation from 1995-1998, and from 2021. Fishes captured included Fundulus parvipinnis, Gillichthys mirabilis, Acanthagobius flavimanus, Ctenogobius sagittula, and Mugil cephalus. Species richness and dominance measures were higher in the natural relative to the …

Assessing Ecosystem Health Through Contaminants In The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, Nancy Torres

Theses

Although the Tijuana River Estuary (TRE) remains the largest, most-intact coastal wetland in Southern California, it has a history of major changes, much of this related to its location immediately north of the US / Mexico Border. One of the primary challenges is cross-border flows from the rapidly growing city of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, and the delivery of wastewater, debris, and sediment to sensitive coastal wetland ecosystems. There is a need to more fully investigate these environmental changes to assess the ecosystem health of the Tijuana River Estuary over time, especially related to pollution impacts. This can inform an …

Acid Mine Drainage In The Shamokin Creek Watershed: A Spatial Analysis Of Economic And Environmental Consequences Of Coal Mining, Ben Shimer

Student Project Reports

No abstract provided.

Determining The Effects Of Elevated Carbon Dioxide On Soil Acidification, Cation Depletion, And Soil Inorganic Carbon And Mapping Soil Carbons Using Artificial Intelligence, Jannatul Ferdush

Theses and Dissertations

Soil carbon is the largest sink and source of the global carbon cycle and is disturbed by several natural, anthropogenic, and environmental factors. The global increase of atmospheric CO₂ affects soil carbon cycling through varied biogeochemical processes. The first chapter is a compilation of current information on potential factors triggering soil acidification and weathering mechanisms under elevated CO₂ and their consequences on soil inorganic carbon (SIC) pool and quality. Soil water content and precipitation were critical factors influencing elevated CO₂ effects on the SIC pool. The second chapter examines a detailed column experiment in which six soils …

Wetland Uranium Transport Via Iron-Organic Matter Flocs And Hyporheic Exchange, Connor J. Parker

All Dissertations

Uranium (U) released from the M-Area at the Department of Energy Savannah River Site into Tims Branch, a seasonal wetland and braided stream system, is estimated to be 43,500 kg between 1965 and 1984. The motivation for this work is the uranium’s persistence in the wetland for decades, where it is estimated that 80% of the U currently remains in the Tims Branch wetland. U has begun to incorporate into wetland iron (Fe) and carbon cycles, associating with local Fe mineralogy and deposits of rich wetland organic matter (OM). The objective of this work is to characterize the chemical phases …

Evaluating Alternative Ebullition Models For Predicting Peatland Methane Emission And Its Pathways Via Data–Model Fusion, Shuang Ma, Lifen Jiang, Rachel M. Wilson, Jeff P. Chanton, Scott Bridgham, Shuli Niu, Colleen M. Iversen, Avni Malhotra, Jiang Jiang, Xingjie Lu, Yuanyuan Huang, Jason Keller, Xiaofeng Xu, Daniel M. Ricciuto, Paul J. Hanson, Yiqi Luo

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding the dynamics of peatland methane (CH4) emissions and quantifying sources of uncertainty in estimating peatland CH4 emissions are critical for mitigating climate change. The relative contributions of CH4 emission pathways through ebullition, plant-mediated transport, and diffusion, together with their different transport rates and vulnerability to oxidation, determine the quantity of CH4 to be oxidized before leaving the soil. Notwithstanding their importance, the relative contributions of the emission pathways are highly uncertain. In particular, the ebullition process is more uncertain and can lead to large uncertainties in modeled CH4 emissions. To improve model simulations of CH4 emission and its pathways, …

The Effects Of Channel Incision And Land Use On Surface-Water/Groundwater Interactions In The Teanaway River Basin, Washington, Usa, Joseph Petralia

All Master's Theses

The Teanaway River basin, a major tributary to the Yakima River, is host to several restoration projects with the intention of returning the river channel to a more natural state and improving riparian habitat. These projects may also increase aquifer storage and potentially increase summertime streamflows. This study of the Teanaway Valley Family Farm, an 88-hectare parcel on the main-stem Teanaway River that was recently purchased by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, provides hydrogeologic data that will inform these restoration projects. Following the purchase of this land, ten wells were installed within and slightly above the floodplain in order …

Changes In Tropospheric Ozone Associated With Strong Earthquakes And Possible Mechanism, Feng Jing, Ramesh P. Singh

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The index of ozone anomaly (IOA) has been proposed to detect changes in tropospheric ozone associated with strong earthquakes. The tropospheric ozone prior and after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake has been analyzed using IOA. Atmospheric infrared sounder ozone volume mixing ratio (O3 VMR) at different pressure levels (600, 500, 400, 300, 200 hPa) for an 18-year period 2003–2020 has been considered to identify the unique behavior associated with the strong earthquakes. Our results show distinct enhancement in tropospheric ozone occurred 5 d (7 May 2008) prior to the main event and distributed along the Longmenshan fault zone. An enhancement in …

Characterization Of Uranium, Lead, And Rare Earth Element Pollution In Natural Soils And Sediments, Hope Rasmussen

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Heavy metals in the environment add to the global burden of pollution, negatively impacting public health and ecosystem resilience. This study included projects regarding uranium (U), lead (Pb), and rare earth elements (REE) in natural samples, due to their known toxicity, ubiquity, and relevance in context to recent pollution trends. The first project focused on testing the potential of using a hydroxyapatite product as a remediation solution for U-contaminated groundwater and soil at an EPA Superfund site. The results showed that the U was sequestered in a highly crystalline mineral form within the solids, guiding the EPA to specify the …

Artisanal Mining Impacts In Urbanized Semi-Arid Environments: Lessons From Historic Arsenic Mining Near San Diego, California, James A. Wright

Theses

Anomalously elevated arsenic concentrations occur at an abandoned artisanal mine site in an open space recreational park in urban San Diego County, California. Although mining at the site ceased 100 years ago little to no remediation efforts took place leaving shafts, adits, waste piles and derelict infrastructure accessible by inquisitive hikers and adventurers frequenting Black Mountain Open Space Park. This study evaluates the geochemical mechanisms of As transport downgradient from the mine and examines the contribution of both climate and urbanization on the restriction of As mobility. Sediment As concentrations reach 2,320 mg/kg (483 times background crustal concentrations; n=73) along …

The Persistence Of Acid Mine Drainage At An East Texas Coal Mine, Sarah Zagurski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to estimate the time it will take for acid forming materials (pyrite) to be weathered to a state of equilibrium and thus cease to produce acid in ground and surface waters within Oak Hill Mine. This was accomplished using an ex-situ kinetic leaching study incorporating a humidity cell in a controlled laboratory setting. Leaching was conducted on soil cores obtained from the vadose zone at Oak Hill Mine and the humidity cell was used to accelerate oxidation of the pyrite within the cores.

An in-situ field study was also conducted that monitored groundwater conditions …

Trends In Water Quality Of Cave Pools At Timpanogos Cave National Monument, July 2008–September 2018, Rebecca Weissinger, Andy Armstrong, Kirsten Bahr, Chris Groves

Crawford Hydrology Laboratory

No abstract provided.

The Legacy Of Mining In Southwest Missouri: Past And Present Conditions Of The Tri-State Mining District, Anastasia M C Mcclanahan

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The historic Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma has a history of lead and zinc mining that extended over a hundred years. During the district’s peak production period, the TSMD was one of the world’s largest producers of lead and zinc. The mining activities in the TSMD produced economic growth that supported the local communities and were essential to the victory of the Allied Forces during World War I and World War II. Beginning in the 1920s, the mining activities in the district slowly began to cease due to depletion of metal ores and …

Phosphorus Variability In The Area Of Influence Of The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, Peter Mates

LSU Master's Theses

Man-made levees along the lower Mississippi River prevent delivery of sediment from building and maintaining Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. The Mid-Barataria sediment diversions is designed to reintroduce Mississippi River water, sediment, and nutrients into the sediment-starved Barataria Basin. Phosphorus (P) is an important macronutrient for regulating primary production in coastal marine ecosystems. Wetlands can serve as a sink or source for phosphorus to the overlying water column through various retention and release processes, dependent on concentration. Louisiana coastal systems can be phosphorus limited due to much higher concentrations of bioavailable Nitrogen in river water. The high soluble molar N:P ( >50:1) …

Seasonal Transport Of Dissolved Inorganic Carbon And Total Alkalinity Across The Louisiana Shelf, Michelle M. Anderson

LSU Master's Theses

Rivers and wetlands are a major source of terrestrial derived carbon for coastal ocean margins. Unfortunately, Louisiana’s wetlands are threatened by ongoing high rates of erosion, deterioration, and unprecedented rates of river water discharge that changes seasonally, leading to a net loss of terrestrial carbon into the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM). There exists a current lack of understanding about the distribution of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TAlk) within the shallowest regions of the Louisiana shelf. Even less is known about how the transport of DIC alters seasonally with changes in river outflow and shelf currents. Quantifying …

Space And Depth-Resolved Naturally Occurring Toxic Groundwater Species In Bangladesh And Rwanda: Origination And Risk Analysis, Kenneth Hamilton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Access to safe potable water is a necessity for all. Groundwater is a commonly relied upon drinking water source for many areas around the world. This is especially true for communities in high density, rural settings. Such is the case for populations near Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, and in the Bugesera region of Rwanda. Sediment and groundwater contamination, through toxic dissolved species, represents a significant public health risk to exposed populations. Tropical soils, such as the soil profiles in Bangladesh and Rwanda, often contain higher concentrations of heavy metals (Rieuwerts, 2007). Additionally, nitrate from fertilizers, are widely used on the soils …

Element Transport In A River-Lake Continuum Across Forest-Dominated Landscapes: A Case Study In Central Louisiana, Zhen Xu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Studying the biogeochemical connectivity between rivers and lakes can help us understand their ecological and environmental impacts within a drainage basin, which is especially true for forest watersheds that play a vital role in provisioning freshwater services to ecosystems and downstream communities. This dissertation research consists of three interconnected studies with the overarching goal of discerning the connectivity of elements in a river-lake continuum across forest-dominated landscapes. These studies utilized water samples and in situ measurements collected from the Little River-Catahoula Lake continuum in the subtropical Louisiana, USA at monthly intervals during 2015-2016 and 1978-2008 historical water quality, hydrological and …

Identification Of The Causes And Extent Of Elevated Methane Concentrations In The Groundwater Of Eastern Kentucky, Cristopher Alvarez Villa

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Recent development of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) resources has prompted concerns about its potential impact on public health and the quality of water and air resources. Elevated dissolved methane concentrations (> 1 mg/L) have been associated with proximity to UOG development and stray gas, but also with natural microbial activity. Baseline gas data, local hydrogeology and geochemistry context can aid assessment of methane sources and interactions. Methane concentrations in eastern Kentucky groundwater are above the “immediate action” level in some private/domestic water wells, show wide variations over small distances, and have been hypothesized to have different relationships to mining. …