Effects of zinc smelter emissions on farms and gardens at Palmerton, PA

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Trace Subst. Environ. Health; (United States)

OSTI ID:5944231

Chaney, R L; Beyer, W N; Gifford, C H; Sileo, L

In 1979, before the primary Zn smelter at Palmerton was closed due to excessive Zn and Cd emissions and change in the price of Zn, we were contacted by a local veterinarian regarding death of foals on farms near the smelter. To examine whether Zn or Cd contamination of forage or soils could be providing potentially toxic levels of Zn or other elements in the diets of foals, we measured metals in forages, soils, and feces of grazing livestock on two farms near Palmerton. The farms were about 2.5 and about 10 km northeast of the East stack. Soils, forages, and feces were greatly increased in Zn and Cd. Soil, forage, and fecal Zn were near 1000 mg/kg and Cd, 10-20 mg/kg at farm A (2.5) compared to normal background levels of 43 mg Zn and 0.2 mg Cd/kg, respectively. Liver and kidney of cattle raised on Farm A were increased in Zn and Cd, indicating that at least part of the Zn and Cd in smelter contaminated forages was bioavailable. During the farm sampling, we obtained soil from one garden in Palmerton within 200 m of the primary (West) smelter. The Borough surrounds the smelter facility in a valley. Because soil Cd was near 100 mg/kg, we sampled garden soils and vegetables from over 40 gardens in 6 randomly selected blocks and in rural areas at different distances from the smelter during September, 1980.

• Research Organization: Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5944231
• Report Number(s): CONF-8805159-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trace Subst. Environ. Health; (United States) Journal Volume: 12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL FEEDS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
CATTLE
CONTAMINATION
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FOOD
FOOD CHAINS
FORAGE
HORSES
MAMMALS
METALS
PLANTS
RUMINANTS
SMELTERS
SOILS
TOXICITY
VEGETABLES
VERTEBRATES
ZINC