IMPACT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES ON CHEMICAL SIGNATURE OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN SOIL, WATER AND RIVER SEDIMENTS WITHIN EASTERN ROCKY HILL, CONNECTICUT

Over the past decades, heavy metals pollution of the natural environment has become a global issue due to the impact on both human health and the ecosystem. Agricultural operations, such as applications of fertilizer, use of biosolids, pesticides, and soil fumigations, have been potential sources of various chemical elements within our environment. This project focused on examining the impact of long-term land use activities on the chemical signatures of arsenic and other toxic elements (Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, P, S, Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni and Zn) around agricultural drainage pathways in eastern Rocky Hill, CT. This research will enhance the : i) evaluation of the impact of anthropogenic inputs on the heavy metals (trace elements) chemistry; ii) evaluation of the sediment enrichment factor and geoaccumulation indices with reference to geochemical abundance of these elements; iii) determination of the water quality and usability; and iv) ecological risk assessment of the possible impact on aquatic animals. Our colleagues' field study considers similar goals around Straska Farm on the western part of the town where significant arsenic concentrations were recently detected and reported in the news. Twenty-five (25) sediment samples were collected and analyzed for particle size variation, using the hydrometer method, and acid-digested for trace elements analysis using an ICP-OES. In addition, water samples were collected and analyzed for both cations and anions. During sampling, the physico-chemical parameters of the water column that include pH, DO, TDS, and EC were determined. Using GIS maps with overlays of hydrology and land use activity, correlations between the concentrations of chemical elements and agricultural activities within the drainage systems were examined. The results provided timely data on the impact of human activities in the concentration and distribution of chemical elements in eastern Rocky Hill CT.