Determination of heavy metals concentration in a wetland on the Little Spokane River
Faculty Sponsor
William Ntow, Whitworth University
Research Project Abstract
Studying wetlands’ surface water and sediment quality provides scientific baseline data for environmental management to conserve natural resources, restore, and sustain the habitation of thousands of organisms. Concentrations of lead, copper, arsenic, iron and calcium in the sediments of a cattails-dominated wetland on the Little Spokane River, near Newport, WA were measured and compared to typical metal concentrations for sediments. Ground dry sediment samples were sieved and subjected to a closed vessel acid digestion followed by flame or graphite furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric analysis. Copper, calcium, and iron were determined by flame AAS and had mean concentrations of < 0.006 mg/L (n = 3), 11 ± 5 mg/L (n = 3), and 39.9 ± 0.6 mg/L (n = 3) respectively. Lead and arsenic had mean concentrations of 40 ± 20 mg/L (n = 3) and 9 ± 2 mg/L (n = 3) respectively, and were determined by graphite furnace AAS. The levels detected for the metals were sufficiently low reflecting natural levels in uncontaminated sediment, a possible indication that the wetland sediment has not been contaminated by anthropogenic sources.
Session Number
PS2
Location
Graves Gym
Abstract Number
PS2-d
Determination of heavy metals concentration in a wetland on the Little Spokane River
Graves Gym
Studying wetlands’ surface water and sediment quality provides scientific baseline data for environmental management to conserve natural resources, restore, and sustain the habitation of thousands of organisms. Concentrations of lead, copper, arsenic, iron and calcium in the sediments of a cattails-dominated wetland on the Little Spokane River, near Newport, WA were measured and compared to typical metal concentrations for sediments. Ground dry sediment samples were sieved and subjected to a closed vessel acid digestion followed by flame or graphite furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric analysis. Copper, calcium, and iron were determined by flame AAS and had mean concentrations of < 0.006 mg/L (n = 3), 11 ± 5 mg/L (n = 3), and 39.9 ± 0.6 mg/L (n = 3) respectively. Lead and arsenic had mean concentrations of 40 ± 20 mg/L (n = 3) and 9 ± 2 mg/L (n = 3) respectively, and were determined by graphite furnace AAS. The levels detected for the metals were sufficiently low reflecting natural levels in uncontaminated sediment, a possible indication that the wetland sediment has not been contaminated by anthropogenic sources.
