POLLUTANTS IN THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER By: Khadija Mitchell and Rachel Warehime
Dec 27, 2015
POLLUTANTS IN THE
SUSQUEHANNA RIVER
By: Khadija Mitchell and
Rachel Warehime
SUSQUEHANNA RIVERDiscovering the pollutants in the river that have bad effects on the environment and trying to make a change
HISTORY About 444 square miles long through
New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland Benefits humans and animals by
providing drinking water, energy, fish for food, shipping ports, provides habitat for wildlife, and recreation
16th largest river in U.S. that drains into the Atlantic Ocean
Named after the native tribe Susquehannocks that lived along the river
PROBLEM It is aware that many pollutants are present
in the Susquehanna River. These pollutants are killing off wildlife by overproducing algae
The over production of algae causes the depletion of oxygen in the water, as well as the blockage of sunlight which both plants and animals need to survive
In 2005 known as “America’s Most Endangered River”
Previous traces of pollutants have been found such as Zinc, Copper, Phosphates, and many more
OUR MISSION Over three weeks, we plan to use
Inductively Coupled Plasma in order to detect trace metals by using argon plasma
We plan to use Ion Chromatography in order to determine the concentrations of the trace ions in the water samples
We will test for lead, copper, tin, sulfur, barium, titanium, zinc, iron, and nickel
We will test water samples from different areas of the river; Wrightsville Park, Long Level Marina, Lake Clark Marina, Craley Park
ICP
IC
METHOD: IC Collect and filter all water/sediment
samples Run 7 anion sample through IC for
reference Run water samples through the IC Collect results and determine which
metals were found Create calibration curves
METHOD: ICP Create standards of known metals at
10ppm, 20ppm, 30ppm, 40ppm, and 50ppm to run on ICP
Create standards of all samples at 10ppm, 20ppm, 30ppm, and 40ppm
Run samples on ICP and collect data Create calibration curves using the
results
CALCULATIONS/DATA
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
10000002000000300000040000005000000600000070000008000000
f(x) = 141950.121857143 x − 3484.73476190446R² = 0.99879456500654
Ba Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
140000
160000f(x) = 3140.05152857143 x + 804.910619047616R² = 0.989880202181947
Cu Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
f(x) = 4000.97128571429 x + 79.18619047619R² = 0.999672301037356
Fe Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
f(x) = 470.866147142857 x − 313.158728571429R² = 0.999035539661092
Ni Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
f(x) = 393.6318 x − 78.0460000000003R² = 0.999569532243028
Pb Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
f(x) = 88.9933971428572 x − 18.576561904762R² = 0.999673295822925
S Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
f(x) = 48.88146 x + 6.68913333333353R² = 0.999776818182879
Sn Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
f(x) = 7651.38841428571 x − 1362.64185714288R² = 0.998529236195339
Ti Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
0 10 20 30 40 50 600
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
f(x) = 4510.02985714286 x + 3076.57190476191R² = 0.997246589324487
Zn Calibration
Series1Linear (Series1)
RESULTS: IC Wrightsville Park
Fluoride, chloride, nitrite, phosphate Lake Clark Marina
Fluoride, phosphate, nitrite Long Level Marina
Chloride, nitrite, phosphate Craley Park
Fluoride, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate
RESULTS: ICP Wrightville Park at 10ppm
Sulfur .445Tin .08Nickel .072Barium .072
20 ppmSulfur .343Nickel .048Barium .043Tin .044
RESULTS CONT. 30 ppm
Sulfur .40Tin .028Nickel .0165Barium .0156
40 ppmSulfur .49Tin .023Barium .014Nickel .018
RESULTS CONT. Lake Clark Marina 10ppm
Sulfur .169Barium .010Nickel .009Tin .014
20ppmSulfur .23Tin .0145Barium .005Nickel .008
RESULTS CONT. 30ppm
Sulfur .32Tin .01Barium .008Nickel .0094
40ppmSulfur .429Tin .011Nickel .008Barium .009
RESULTS CONT. Long Level Marina 10 ppm
Sulfur .153Tin .021Barium .006Nickel .004
20ppmSulfur .264Tin .052Barium .006Copper .0053
RESULTS CONT. 30 ppm
Sulfur .363Barium .006Tin .013Nickel .005
40 ppmSulfur .466Barium .0064Nickel .006Tin .011
RESULTS CONT. Craley Park 10 ppm
Sulfur .0194Tin .028Barium .042Nickel .003
20 ppmSulfur .254Tin .028Barium .011Copper .0058
RESULTS CONT. 30 ppm
Sulfur .404Tin .025Nickel .003Barium .023
40ppmSulfur .538Tin .023Barium .013Copper .007
RESULTS CONT. Sediment samples
Wrightsville ParkBarium .0056Sulfur .186
Craley ParkSulfur .21Barium .009 Iron .322Tin .035
ERRORS The second week of the experiment we
began to run IC but needed to make new regenerate to get acceptable results
We also attempted to run ICP, but there was not enough argon gas
The third week we had to make both new regenerate and eluent for the IC for acceptable results
We also could not detect any metals in our samples by using the ICP
CONCLUSION In the past, there have been many
pollutants detected in the river water and years later they are still detectable, although in much smaller amounts.
We chose this experiment to make others aware that traces are still found in the Susquehanna River and that hopefully changes will be made
HOW WE CAN HELP… Be aware of animal waste, mine
drainage, fertilizers, household cleaners, precipitation, and pesticides being dumped into the freshwaters of the susquehanna river
Recycle Conserve water Fencing or planting trees along the river Correct disposal of fertilizers and
pesticides
BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/
deputate/enved/watershed/bayquiz.htm http://www.greenworks.tv/radio/
earthtones/susquehanna.htm