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THE CHALLENGE OF ACQUIRING ALPINE LARGE VOLUME LAKE WATER SAMPLES FOR ULTRA TRACE LEVEL ANALYSIS
Citation:
Varner, K E., G M. Momplaisir, N G. TallentHalsell, D F. Bradford, P. L. Ferguson, L A. Riddick, C G. Rosal, AND E M. Heithmar. THE CHALLENGE OF ACQUIRING ALPINE LARGE VOLUME LAKE WATER SAMPLES FOR ULTRA TRACE LEVEL ANALYSIS. Presented at On-Site 11th International Conference, Phoenix, AZ, January 21-24, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
The overall goals of the task are to apply NERL's core capability in advanced chemical science and technology for maximum benefit in estimating exposures of ecosystems and humans to chemical stressors and to identify emerging pollution concerns, in particular long-range airborne transport of contaminants. This task comprises several subtasks, each with individual objectives:
Subtask 1: screen exposures of National Park PRIMENet ecosystems to chemical stressors, identifying indications of exposure requiring further evaluation, and use these samples evaluate new analytical methods as replacements for standard methods in future assessments of ecosystem contaminant exposures.
Subtask 2: evaluate a new mercury analytical approach with superior performance on complex solid matrices such as biological tissues, and apply the approach to estimating exposure of ecosystems and humans to mercury.
Subtask 3: determine distribution patterns of chemical contaminants in the southern Sierra Nevada Range of California, investigate topographic and weather factors that may influence the distributions, and determine if a correlation exists between contaminant distributions and extirpation patterns of the mountain yellow-legged frog.
Subtask 4: provide analytical methods to measure a number of inorganic and organic arsenic species in a variety of environmental matrices, elucidate the environmental transformations undergone by organoarsenic animal-feed additives, and determine if the potential exists for substantially increased exposure of humans and aquatic organisms to arsenic.
Description:
The National Exposure Research Laboratory-Las Vegas, Nevada is interested in the emerging field technology of in-situ extraction of contaminants from surface water. A current research project involves ultra-trace level determination of agricultural pesticides from alpine lakes. The airborne transport of these chemicals from nearby agricultural land may be an important pathway for chemical stressors into the southern Sierra Nevada. Large-volume alpine lake water samples, of up to I 00 liters, are collected and adsorbed on resin columns in the field. The analytes are then eluted and analyzed in the laboratory. The uniqueness of high volume sampling utilizing resin will be highlighted. The results of this Sierra Nevada Contaminant Research Project will contribute to the understanding of airborne transport of chemicals and of population declines of amphibians, as well as produce new analytical measurement tools that can be used to assess and protect pristine environments.