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Development of a site-specific noninvasive biomonitoring tool for determining source attribution and areas of elevated bioaccessible metals in Tundra Swans (Cygnus Columbianus) at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site
Citation:
Luxton, T., J. Crawford, C. Eckley, M. Jankowski, Kim Prestbo, J. Reichman, A. Wade, R. Wilkin, S. Emeterio, B. Morlin, S. Olson, J. Sands, C. Heusser, D. Leptich, S. Sluka, D. van de Riet, S. Hayes, AND M. Logsdon. Development of a site-specific noninvasive biomonitoring tool for determining source attribution and areas of elevated bioaccessible metals in Tundra Swans (Cygnus Columbianus) at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. SETAC North America 42nd Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, November 13 - 17, 2022.
Impact/Purpose:
A presentation summarizing the results from a field based research project conducted at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site at the North American 20220 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) conference in Pittsburgh, PA USA. The presentation will enable ORD to share recent research advances related to non-invasive biomonitoring techniques
Description:
The Bunker Hill Mining and Metallugical Complex Superfund Site (Bunker Hill) located in northern Idaho and eastern Washington is located within one of the largest historical mining districts in the world. Improper disposal of tailings and smelting waste have led to widespread contamination of lead (Pb), in the wetlands, side lakes, and flood plain soils in the lower basin of the Coeur d’Alene River. Elevated levels of lead in the wetland soils have resulted in adverse impacts to the health of tundra swans that feed in contaminated wetlands for several weeks a year during their northward migration in the spring. While foraging for rooted plants such as the Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia; water potato) the swans ingest contaminated sediment that can result in acute lead toxicity. The goal of the current study is to develop a non-invasive biomonitoring program to determine the source and bioaccessibility of lead in the tundra swans are exposed to in the lower basin. This was accomplished by establishing the relationship between swan blood Pb and Pb present in the sediments and tundra swan fecal matter. The source of the Pb was determined using lead stable isotopes and comparing the stable isotope abundance in the blood with that of the sediment and fecal matter. The bioavailability of Pb was established by first comparing the concentration of Pb present in the blood with the concentration present in the fecal matter and sediments. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was then used to determine how the speciation of Pb in the sediment was altered by ingestion by comparing it to the speciation present in the fecal matter. The results strongly suggest the source of lead the swans are exposed to originates from the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. The high concertation of lead present in the blood along with reduced total lead present in the fecal samples suggests the lead at the Bunker Hill site is bioavailable and the XAS data suggest that Pb complexed with organic matter is the most bioavailable form of lead present. The data collected will be used to create a baseline data set that may be used to determine lead source attribution throughout the basin in tundra swans through analysis of fecal matter. Further, comparative bioavailability of lead in sediments may be monitored through the ratio of lead in the fecal samples and sediment and by determining changes in the speciation of lead pre and post ingestion.