Start |Author Index | View Uploaded Presentations | Meeting Information

Northeastern Section - 50th Annual Meeting (23–25 March 2015)

Paper No. 6
Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

A SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACTS OF ROAD SALT APPLICATION ON TRACE METAL CONCENTRATIONS IN NEW ENGLAND RIVERS AND STREAMS


WILHELM, Jessica F.1, GREEN, Mark B.1, BUSH, Kathleen1 and BAIN, Daniel J.2, (1)Center for the Environment, Plymouth State University, 17 High Street, MSC 63, Plymouth, NH 03264, (2)Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, 4107 O'Hara Street, 200 SRCC Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, jfw1010@plymouth.edu

The effect of road salt on trace metal mobilization remains poorly understood. Road salt can increase the concentration of trace metals in soil water, and we hypothesized that this effect may be expressed in surface water. This study evaluated the spatial variation of trace metal and major ion concentrations in New England (NE) streams and rivers. Metals of interest include: Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn). Surface water samples were collected monthly during Summer 2013 (May, June, and July) at approximately 70 sites across NE. Samples were analyzed for basic water chemistry, including major ions. Trace metal concentrations were measured using Inductively-Coupled argon Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). We compared road salt indicators (Sodium, Sodium-to-Chloride ratio, and Sodium-to-Calcium ratio) and environmental factors (dissolved organic carbon, Iron, and watershed development), to metal concentrations. Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations were poorly predicted by our independent variables. However, Pb concentrations were positively related to indicators of road salt and Pb sources. The mechanisms driving the trace metal patterns are not clear, however, we suggest that further work addressing cation exchange dynamics is needed. Ultimately, this information will be useful in aiding management decisions regarding road salt application and the impact on water quality.

Session No. 13--Booth# 52

T22. State and Fate of Urban Watersheds in the Northeast (Posters)
Monday, 23 March 2015: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Presidential Ballroom (Omni Mount Washington Resort)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 47, No. 3, p.58
© Copyright 2015 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.
Back to: T22. State and Fate of Urban Watersheds in the Northeast (Posters)
<< Previous Abstract | Next Abstract >>