Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Storm Water from Rose Creek, Tecolote Creek, and Mission Bay
Loading...
Description
Heavy metals within urban storm water runoff may pose a health risk due to bioaccumulation, which has been shown to cause health problems, specifically kidney and liver, in humans and aquatic organisms. This study compares dissolved metals concentrations in storm water from an urban watershed to sediment metals concentrations adjacent to associated outfalls, specifically Rose Creek and Tecolote Creek in Mission Bay, San Diego, California. The sediment and water samples were collected from 2015-2019 and analyzed for metal concentrations of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) by XRF and ICP-MS, respectively. These concentrations were compared to the water quality objectives in the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin, to determine if the dissolved metal concentrations exceed watershed specific screening levels. These screening levels are established based on the potentially adverse effects of specific metals to sensitive and beneficial organisms within the watershed. In addition, the dissolved metals concentrations were compared to the sediment concentrations at the outfalls to evaluate the contribution of the dissolved metals in the storm water to the benthic environment. It was hypothesized that higher dissolved metals concentrations would result in higher sediment metals concentrations at the outfalls. This study shows that storm water, especially in an urban environment, is potentially a significant contributor of metals into marine ecosystems. Future studies should include these contributions as these metals are an important component of marine biogeochemical cycles.
Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Storm Water from Rose Creek, Tecolote Creek, and Mission Bay
Heavy metals within urban storm water runoff may pose a health risk due to bioaccumulation, which has been shown to cause health problems, specifically kidney and liver, in humans and aquatic organisms. This study compares dissolved metals concentrations in storm water from an urban watershed to sediment metals concentrations adjacent to associated outfalls, specifically Rose Creek and Tecolote Creek in Mission Bay, San Diego, California. The sediment and water samples were collected from 2015-2019 and analyzed for metal concentrations of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) by XRF and ICP-MS, respectively. These concentrations were compared to the water quality objectives in the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego Basin, to determine if the dissolved metal concentrations exceed watershed specific screening levels. These screening levels are established based on the potentially adverse effects of specific metals to sensitive and beneficial organisms within the watershed. In addition, the dissolved metals concentrations were compared to the sediment concentrations at the outfalls to evaluate the contribution of the dissolved metals in the storm water to the benthic environment. It was hypothesized that higher dissolved metals concentrations would result in higher sediment metals concentrations at the outfalls. This study shows that storm water, especially in an urban environment, is potentially a significant contributor of metals into marine ecosystems. Future studies should include these contributions as these metals are an important component of marine biogeochemical cycles.