Concentrations of metals in biofilm, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish in the Coeur d`Alene Basin, Idaho
Conference
·
OSTI ID:382723
The Coeur d`Alene Basin, Idaho is the traditional homeland of the Coeur d`Alene Tribe. The sediments and surface waters of the Coeur d`Alene River (CDR) contain elevated concentrations of metals as a result of waste generated during mining activities initiated in the 1800s. As part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) being conducted on the Coeur d`Alene Basin, the authors studied the biological pathway of metals in the CDR. For metal residue analyses, they collected biofilm, benthic macroinvertebrates and sediments from ten sites on the CDR and one site on the Spokane River (downstream from the CDR). Reference samples were also collected from one site on the St. Joe River. Yellow perch were collected from three sites on the CDR and from one site on the St. Joe River. Biofilm is the combination of abiotic and biotic material on rock surfaces along the river and represents the diet of benthic macroinvertebrates. The concentrations of metals in biofilm ({micro}g/g dry wt., N = 4) were As: 7.99, and 149; Cd: 2, 179, and 21; Pb: 18, 2,015, and 3,460; Hg: < 0.051, 5, and 2; and Zn: 67, 11,578, and 4,543 respectively from the St. Joe River, the South Fork of the CDR and the CDR near Harrison about 30 miles downstream from the South Fork. Some metals moved through the food-chain as the mean concentrations of metals in whole fish ({micro}/g dry wt., N = 4) were Cd: < 0.05 and 1.14; Pb: > 0.34 and 55; and Zn: 87 and 184, respectively in samples from the St. Joe River and the CDR near Harrison. Tissue metals were measured in macroinvertebrates and the authors determined the influence of size and trophic level on the accumulation of metals.
- OSTI ID:
- 382723
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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