Heavy metal concentrations in Louisiana waterways, sediments, and biota
- Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States). Biomedical Engineering Dept.
In this investigation polarographic methods (along with GFAAS and ICP) have been used to study the distribution of lead and chromium in Bayou Trepagnier and Devil`s Swamp. Both laboratory and field research have been conducted. Separation and extraction methodology appropriate for analysis of the contaminants at these sites have been developed. Particular attention has been paid to extraction methods for chromium which do not lead to valence state conversion. The availability of such techniques is essential to take full advantage of polarography, a method capable of performing speciation analysis. The results indicate that there is a very inhomogeneous distribution of heavy metals in these environments. In Devil`s Swamp, for example, separation and analysis of aqueous and variously sized particulate moieties in the water and sediment compartments were conducted to determine the partition of lead between them. The results showed that the average lead content was 14.7 ppb and 19.8 ppm, respectively, in these compartments. Apparently bull frogs in Devil`s Swamp can bioaccumulate lead (compared to the measured water level), since the muscle concentration was found to be about 0.6 ppm. This phenomenon is being investigated in a Xenopus frog laboratory model of heavy metal uptake. The basic methodology validated in this study should be fairly generally applicable to assays of other heavy metals.
- OSTI ID:
- 49617
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273-; TRN: IM9523%%440
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Denver, CO (United States), 30 Oct - 3 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15th annual meeting: Abstract book. Ecological risk: Science, policy, law, and perception; PB: 286 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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