Geochemistry Commons^™

Concentration Of Heavy Metals In The Waters And Surface Sediments Of Wilgreen Lake, Madison County, Kentucky: An Evaluation Of Plausible Sources, Chad Von Gruenigen, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Heavy metal pollution remains a problem in natural waters, particularly for localities near plausible anthropogenic sources. We assayed the level of heavy metals in surface waters and within surface sediments of Wilgreen Lake, whose watershed drains industrial, urban, agricultural, and residential areas near Richmond, Kentucky. We sampled both surface (oxic) and deep waters (anoxic) when the lake was stratified over Summer 2010. Water samples were treated according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols and were digested with trace-metal-grade nitric and hydrochloric acids. Sediment samples were collected with a grab sampler and digested using established EPA procedures with trace-metal-grade nitric …

Patterns Of Heavy Metal Concentration In Core Sediments, Wilgreen Lake, Madison County, Clint Mcmaine, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Accumulation of heavy metals in ecosystems is a known environmental problem, and several possible industry sources occur within the watershed of Wilgreen Lake, which is fed its two major tributaries, Taylor Fork and Old Town Branch. Elevated levels of cadmium, copper, lead, and nickel were found within the waters of Wilgreen Lake during a preliminary survey in 2007. A possible source of these contaminant occurrences is diffusion from lake sediments, which record past and present activities within their drainage basins.

To obtain a history of anthropogenic practices within the drainage basin, we took 1-meter-long cores of lake sediment in each …

Evaluation Of The Sensitivity Of Inventory And Monitoring National Parks To Nutrient Enrichment Effects From Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition Northern Great Plains Network (Ngpn), T. J. Sullivan, T. C. Mcdonnell, G. T. Mcpherson, S. D. Mackey, D. Moore

United States National Park Service: Publications

Northern Great Plains Network (NGPN)

National maps of atmospheric N emissions and deposition are provided in Maps A and B as context for subsequent network data presentations. Map A shows county level emissions of total N for the year 2002. Map B shows total N deposition, again for the year 2002.

There are three parks in the Northern Great Plains Network that are larger than 100 square miles: Badlands (BADL), Missouri (MNRR), and Theodore Roosevelt (THRO). In addition, there are 10 other smaller parks.

Total annual N emissions, by county, are shown in Map C for lands in and surrounding …

Variations In Concentrations And Compositions Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) In Coals Related To The Coal Rank And Origin, Susanne Laumann, Vesna Micic Batka, Michael A. Kruge, Christine Achten, Reinhard Sachsenhofer, Jan Schwarzbauer, Thilo Hofmann

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The release of unburnt coal particles and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may cause adverse impacts on the environment. This study assessed variations in the concentration and composition of PAHs in a set of fifty coal samples from eleven coal basins worldwide. The maximum PAH concentrations at high volatile bituminous rank were recorded in samples from a single basin. Considering the entire sample, the highest PAH concentrations were in fact found outside of this rank range, suggesting that the maceral composition and thus the coal's origin also influenced PAH concentrations. The examination of the PAH compositions revealed that alkylated 2-3 …

Heavy Metals In West Chester, Pa: An Open-Ended, Inquiry-Based Project By Students In Environmental Geochemistry, Cynthia Hall

Gordon Natural Area Soils Studies Documents

No abstract provided.

The Vinylguaiacol/Indole Or Vgi ("Veggie") Ratio: A Novel Molecular Parameter To Evaluate The Relative Contributions Of Terrestrial And Aquatic Organic Matter To Sediments., Michael A. Kruge, Kevin K. Olsen, Jaroslaw W. Slusarczyk, Elaine Gomez

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The organic matter (OM) fraction of estuarine sediments is often distinctive and thus diagnostically useful in determinations of sedimentary provenance. Among the most fundamental distinctions to be made is that between terrestrial and aquatic OM. To supplement the parameters commonly used for this purpose (e.g., C/N and stable isotope ratios), we proposed the Vinylguaiacol/Indole or VGI ("Veggie") ratio, defined as [vinylguaiacol / (indole + vinylguaiacol)] using data produced by analytical pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of dried, homogenized sediment samples. The ratio employs the peak areas of these two compounds on the mass chromatograms of their molecular ions (m/z 150 and 117). …

Heavy Metal Concentrations In Water And Surface Sediments Of Wilgreen Lake, Madison County, Kentucky, Chad Von Gruenigen, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Heavy metal pollution remains problematic in natural waters, particularly for localities near plausible anthropogenic sources. We assayed the level of heavy metals in surface waters and within surface sediments of Wilgreen Lake, whose watershed drains industrial, urban, agricultural, and residential areas near Richmond, Kentucky. Water samples were treated according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols and digested with trace-metal-grade nitric and hydrochloric acids. Sediment samples were collected with a grab sampler and digested using established EPA procedures with hydrogen peroxide and trace-metal-grade nitric acid. Both water samples and sediment samples were sent to Activation Laboratories for analysis, and were measured …

Policy And Science Of Geothermal Heat Use At Mcmurdo Station, Antarctica, Joe Alvine

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

My thesis research project deals with the use of geothermal heat in Antarctica. Currently it is not allowed due to article 7 of the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection that placed a 50 moratorium on the exploitation of mineral resources. The US main base in Antarctica, McMurdo Station is currently powered by diesel generators that are inefficient, cause environmental damage, and is expensive to run. By exploring alternative energy options, McMurdo Station can reduce its dependence on non-renewable energy sources. By determining the geothermal potential of McMurdo Station, this project explores the possibilities and benefits that would occur with the …

Heavy Metal Concentrations In Water And Surface Sediments Of Wilgreen Lake, Madison County, Kentucky, Chad Von Gruenigen, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Heavy metal pollution remains a problem in natural waters, particularly for localities near plausible anthropogenic sources. We assayed the level of heavy metals in surface waters and within surface sediments of Wilgreen Lake, whose watershed drains industrial, urban, and residential areas near Richmond, Kentucky.

Water samples were treated according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols and digested with trace-metal-grade nitric and hydrochloric acids. Sediment samples were collected with a grab sampler and digested using established EPA procedures with hydrogen peroxide and trace-metal-grade nitric acid. Both water samples and sediment samples were sent to Activation Laboratories for analysis, and were measured …

Patterns Of Heavy Metal Concentration In Core Sediments, Wilgreen Lake, Madison County, Kentucky, Clint Mcmaine, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Elevated levels of cadmium, copper, lead, and nickel were found within the waters of Wilgreen Lake during a preliminary survey in 2007. Accumulation of heavy metals in freshwater systems is a known problem. Heavy metals enter the lake in the dissolved phase or adsorbed onto sediment particles and may be linked to industries within the lake’s watershed. Under certain geochemical conditions such as anoxia, heavy metals may detach from sediment particles and diffuse into overlying lake waters, causing a renewed influx of heavy metals into the ecosystem. We hypothesize that heavy metals should decrease in concentration upcore as a result …

Identification Of Geochemical Facies Through Major Ion Data And Additional Parameters From Shallow Groundwater Utilizing A Comparison Of Geomathematics And Traditional Methods In Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, Eric Dano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There has been little exploration to identify geochemical facies in shallow groundwater in the Las Vegas Valley in Clark County, Nevada. Identification of hydrochemical facies in Las Vegas Valley is important for assessing the extent and nature of a potential groundwater resource. The identification of facies could be complicated by the possibility that secondary recharge constitutes a hydrochemical facies of its own. To identify geochemical facies, groundwater samples for major ions, stable isotopes and some municipal tracers were collected from 35 wells in an established network of monitor wells. Wells were purged with a bailer or 12V pump and EC, …

Geochemical Investigation Of An Offshore Sewage Sludge Deposit, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, Michael A. Kruge, Albert Permanyer, Jordi Serra, Danlin Yu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

For 20 years ending in the 1990’s the city of Barcelona discharged the products from a large primary sewage treatment plant directly into the Mediterranean Sea via underwater conduits. About ca. 3 million m³ of relict sewage sludge, rich in organic matter and heavy metals, has spread over an elongated area offshore, due to successive ruptures of the conduits. The use of the discharge pipes ceased, but he sludge deposit remains in place for the time being.

To understand the history and present state of the sludge deposit in advance of future remediation, a program of geophysical mapping, sampling, …

Hydrogeochemistry Of Caves Drip Water At Selected Caves In Peninsular Malaysia., Nor Bakhiah Baharim

Student Works (2010-2019)

This preliminary study represents the study on hydrogeochemical of caves drip water throughout Peninsular Malaysia. All samples were analysed for pH, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Conductivity, cation and anion. Despite local hydrological and geological differences among sampling sites, the monitoring revealed significant synchronous intersite variations that related to rainfall variation and control the volume of water input. The constant hydraulic pressure is expected in karst system as a result of moist condition of tropical region and rainfall throughout the year. Drip sites were classified into to two classifications which are seepages flow and seasonal flow. A simplified …

Application Of Copper And Zinc Isotopes To Fingerprint Metal Sources And Identify Attenuation Mechanisms In The Abandoned Waldorf Mine Area, Clear Creek County, Colorado, Suzan Aranda Luna

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Acid rock drainage (ARD) is caused by the oxidative weathering of sulfide minerals. Sulfur is oxidized by dissolved oxygen or Fe(III) and sulfate ions, metals, and protons are released into the environment. Hence, the pH of nearby water and soils often decreases in response to ARD while metal concentrations increase. Because a large part of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado are highly mineralized (i.e., the Colorado Mineral Belt), ARD is a serious problem in this region. Moreover, the many abandoned mining areas in the Rocky Mountains that include waste rock piles, tailings impoundments, and surface disturbances add to the problem …

Granulometry And Geochemistry Of Dust Emission From Owens (Dry) Lake, California, Analila Rojo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Owens (dry) Lake, the terminus of Owens River, is located in the Basin and Range physiographic province in east–central California. The transformation of Owens Lake into a desiccated desert playa (approximately 280 km2) via diversion of the river into the Los Angeles Aqueduct (in 1913) led to extensive wind erosion, making the playa one of the most intense sources of airborne dust in the Western Hemisphere. The processes that direct the chemical and mineralogical composition of surface sediments at Owens (dry) Lake and the physical mechanisms of wind erosion, saltation and dust emission at Owens (dry) Lake are well–understood. However, …

Anthropogenic Osmium In Rain And Snow Reveals Global-Scale Atmospheric Contamination, Cynthia Chen, Peter N. Sedwick, Mukul Sharma

Dartmouth Scholarship

Osmium is one of the rarer elements in seawater, with typical concentration of approximately 10 x 10(-15) g g(-1) (5.3 x 10(-14) mol kg(-1)). The osmium isotope composition ((187)Os/(188)Os ratio) of deep oceans is 1.05, reflecting a balance between inputs from continental crust (approximately 1.3) and mantle/cosmic dust (approximately 0.13). Here, we show that the (187)Os/(188)Os ratios measured in rain and snow collected around the world range from 0.16 to 0.48, much lower than expected (>1), but similar to the isotope composition of ores (approximately 0.2) that are processed to extract platinum and other metals to be used primarily …

Organic Chemostratigraphic Markers Characteristic Of The (Informally Designated) Anthropocene Epoch, Michael A. Kruge

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Recognizing the tremendous collective impact of humans on the environment in the industrial age, the proposed designation of the current time period as the Anthropocene Epoch has considerable merit. One of the signature activities during this time continues to be the intensive extraction, processing, and combustion of fossil fuels. While fossil fuels themselves are naturally-occurring, they are most often millions of years old and associated with deeply buried strata. They may be found at the surface, for example, as natural oil seeps or coal seam outcrops, but these are relatively rare occurrences. Fossil fuels and their myriad by-products become the …

Comparison Of Total Mercury And Methylmercury Cycling At Five Sites Using The Small Watershed Approach, James B. Shanley, M. Alisa Mast, Donald H. Campbell, George R. Aiken, David P. Krabbenhoft, Randall J. Hunt, John F. Walker, Paul F. Schuster, Ann Chalmers, Brent T. Aulenbach, Norman E. Peters, Mark Marvin-Dipasquale, David W. Clow, Martin M. Shafer

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The small watershed approach is well-suited but underutilized in mercury research. We applied the small watershed approach to investigate total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) dynamics in streamwater at the five diverse forested headwater catchments of the US Geological Survey Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program. At all sites, baseflow THg was generally less than 1 ng L^-1 and MeHg was less than 0.2 ng L^-1. THg and MeHg concentrations increased with streamflow, so export was primarily episodic. At three sites, THg and MeHg concentration and export were dominated by the particulate fraction in association with …

Organic Geochemical Investigation Of A Highly Contaminated Urban Waterway: The Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, New York, Usa, Michael A. Kruge, Kevin K. Olsen, Eric A. Stern

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Gowanus Canal is an industrial waterway constructed in the mid-19^th century by widening and deepening a natural tidal channel. It is ca. 3 km in length and empties into Gowanus Bay, an arm of New York Harbor. Its banks, reinforced by bulkheads and piers, became the site of intensive industrial activity, including oil refining, coal gasification, soap making and tanning. Even though much of the industrial activity along the canal has ceased, its sediments remain highly enriched in organic and inorganic contaminants, with combined sewer outfalls continuing to transport pollutants into the canal. The canal area remains densely …

Significance Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) And Petroleum Biomarker Compounds In Contaminated Passaic River Sediments, Michael A. Kruge

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The lower Passaic River (northeastern New Jersey) flows through one of the most densely populated regions of the United States. The area’s long history of industrial activity is reflected in the complex and variable hydrocarbon composition of the river sediments. Sediments from river bottom grab samples at Newark and a 30 cm deep core at Kearny were subjected to thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS). This technique offers a practical alternative for rapid, inexpensive analysis, simply employing milligram quantities of dry, disaggregated sediment, avoiding the use of hazardous organic solvents. For each sample, a total of 181 hydrocarbons and organosulfur compounds …

The Impact Of Acid Mine Drainage On West Little Sugar Creek, Vigo Co., In, Jodie L. Gibson

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates the degree and extent of contamination in West Little Sugar Creek by analyzing water chemistry in the stream during low and moderate flow conditions. West Little Sugar Creek is located in Vigo County, Indiana and has been severely impacted by AMD discharging from the abandoned Green Valley Mine site. Stream water is commonly acidic (as low as pH 2.4) with elevated concentrations of Fe and Al and elevated trace elements including Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Co, and others, many of which exceed local and/or national surface water quality standards. Amorphous Fe and Al precipitates also form …

Geochemistry Of Benthic Foraminifera As An Environmental Indicator: A Study From Multiple Hydrographic Regimes, Chandranath Basak

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The geochemistry (stable isotopes and Lracc clements) or living (sLaincd) calcareous benthic foraminifera was compared with ambient botlom water stable isotope values to provide modern analog conditions and calibrations for environmental and paleoenvironmental assessments. Stable isotope values of live (stained) bcnthic foraminifera were investigated from push core and multicorer samples from the North Pacific (on the Aleutian margin, water depth 1988m) and the South Australian Bight (water depth 2476m and 1634m). Living benthic foraminifera specimens collected from contaminated sites in the Venice Lagoon were analyzed for trace elements. Both the isotopic and the trace element study involved interpretation of modern …

Tunnel Geology As Seen By Geologists: Manhattan, New York City, Nazrul I. Khandaker, Stanley Schleifer, Masud Ahmed, Alan R. Slaughter, Belal A. Sayeed, Dorean J. Flores, Mario Jo-Ramirez

Publications and Research

Current exploratory boring operations in and around Manhattan, New York City are providing geologists and geotechnical engineers with a plethora of new and interesting geological information, which has not been previously reported. The rocks encountered, mostly medium to high-grade metamorphic rocks, with both mafic and felsic intrusives, are highly variable in competency and mechanical durability. One of the most frequently encountered rock types is a garnetiferous-muscovite-biotite schist which grades into schistose gneiss and displays a wide variety of structural, compositional, and textural attributes. Metamorphic minerals showing the variable degree of metamorphism include graphite, talc, garnet, kyanite, tourmaline, emory, and occasionally …

The Composition Of Coexisting Jarosite-Group Minerals And Water From The Richmond Mine, Iron Mountain, California, Heather E. Jamieson, Clare Robinson, Charles N. Alpers, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Alexei Poustovetov, Heather A. Lowers

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Jarosite-group minerals accumulate in the form of stalactites and fine-grained mud on massive pyrite in the D drift of the Richmond mine, Iron Mountain, California. Water samples were collected by placing beakers under the dripping stalactites and by extracting pore water from the mud using a centrifuge. The water is rich in Fe³⁺ and SO₄^2–, with a pH of approximately 2.1, which is significantly higher than the extremely acidic waters found elsewhere in the mine. Electron-microprobe analysis and X-ray mapping indicate that the small crystals (<10 > μm in diameter) are compositionally zoned with respect to Na …

2005- 2008 Unlv Mcnair Journal, Valerie Avery, Shana Bachus, Karmen K. Boehlke, Andrea Flores, Alden Kelly, Erick Lopez, Carol Preussler, Heather Shay, Ava Bookatz, Shaun Elsasser, Veronica Hicks, Shaida A. Jetha, Anthony Quinn, Thurithabhani Seneviratne, Teddy Boado Sim Jr., Liza Ward, Amris Henry-Rodgers, Jacquelynn Kaaa-Logan, Jason Orozco, Juan C. Plata, Bonnie Bartlett, Kathleen Bell, Vacheral M. Carter, Nydia Diaz, Kimberly Hackstock, Julio A. Luna, Charles Mao, Sandra Ramos, Precious Rideout, Benjamin Lee Watrous, Chet R. Whitley

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program

Table of Contents

Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Statements:

Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President

Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach

Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach

McNair Scholars Institute Staff

Classifying Mollisol Soils Using Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Data, Adil M. Wadia

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil classification is a complex task that involves several factors. Soil classifications that have been published usually need to be updated as soil series definitions and boundaries change over time. Most existing soil classification surveys in the United States, although often very good, lack the required accuracy for selected applications such as precision agriculture. 111 Hyperspectral remote sensing data, with its 100+ bands and very high spectral resolution can help facilitate soil classification detail not achieved through traditional remote sensing methods. The study area selected for research was Wolf Field, near Homer, Champaign County, Illinois, which is a very agriculturally …

Anthropogenic Lead Deposition And Four National Parks In Poland As Determined By Lead Isotope Ratios, Shannon Simcoe

OES Theses and Dissertations

Polluted soils are recognized by having high concentrations of heavy metals, including Pb. Partitioning of metals in geochemical fractions, by sequential chemical extractions, may indicate whether a metal has been recently deposited in the soil. While concentration levels alone cannot distinguish between natural and anthropogenic Pb, studies have demonstrated that anthropogenic pollution is accurately recorded by specific Pb isotope signatures, which differ from natural Pb isotopes. The objective of this project was to use ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb isotope ratios to differentiate between the anthropogenic Pb input and the naturally occurring Pb in four national …

Application Of Pyrolysis-Gc/Ms For Rapid Assessment Of Organic Contamination In Sediments From Barcelona Harbor, Michael A. Kruge, Albert Permanyer

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Pyrolysis-GC/MS is advantageous as a tool for rapid sediment contamination assessment because of the small sample size required, minimal sample preparation, and its ability to detect a wide variety of organic pollutants as well as naturally-occurring biological materials. Py-GC/MS was applied, together with determination of organic carbon, and major and minor element concentrations, to evaluate potentially contaminated sediments in the port of Barcelona (Spain) and the adjacent Llobregat River delta. Detected contaminant markers, most evident in the Old Port (Port Vell) area, included hopanes and alkylated PAHs (petroleum), sterenes (sewage), C₁₆-C₁₉ phenylalkanes (detergents) and parent …

Rare-Earth Elements And Nd And Pb Isotopes As Source Indicators For Labrador Sea Clay-Size Sediments During Heinrich Event 2, Larry V. Benson, Don Barber, John T. Andrews, Howard E. Taylor, Paul Lamothe

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Elemental abundances and Nd and Pb isotope ratios were determined on samples from the carbonate-free, clay-size fractions of sediments from intervals above, within, and below Heinrich event 2 (H-2) in core HU87-9 from the Northwest Labrador Sea slope. In HU87-9, rare-earth element (REE) distributions and elemental concentrations within the H-2 event are distinct from those outside this event. ɛ_Nd(0) and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb data also indicate different values for sediments deposited within and outside the H-2 event. Comparisons of REE patterns from the H-2 interval with those from bedrock units in Baffin Island, northern Quebec, and Labrador …

Preliminary Geochemical Evaluation Of Groundwaters From Wells Of The Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program, Irene Farnham, Klaus J. Stetzenbach, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

As part of the Yucca Mountain Oversight program, the Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office (NWRPO) has established a groundwater monitoring program to protect groundwater resources for the residents of Nye County in Amargosa and Pahrump Valleys. This groundwater monitoring program, referred to as the Nye County Early Warning Drilling Program (NCEWDP), involves drilling a series of wells down-gradient from Yucca Mountain for long term groundwater monitoring and also to provide much needed geologic and hydrologic information in this area. A comprehensive database of aquifer parameters in the alluvial, volcanic, and carbonate aquifers down-gradient hydrogeologically of Yucca Mountain is …