Transcript Presentation

Testing for Optical Brighteners in
the Tidal Creeks of New Hanover
County
EVS 595
Mary Tavares
December 13th 2007
Background
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Three New Hanover County Tidal creeks
1.
Futch Creek
Bradley Creek
Hewletts Creek
2.
3.
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Optical brighteners
Fecal coliform bacteria
Combined testing – detection of human fecal
contamination
Introduction
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Tidal Creek ecosystems are abundant along the SE NC
coast -74 in 4 counties
Located behind barrier islands and drain into the ICW
or feed into larger estuaries or rivers
Collective importance (materials transfer and other
ecological processes) equal or exceed larger estuaries in
certain geographic regions (Dame et al. 2000)
Materials transfer, habitat
Shellfishing, finfishing, real-estate
Development and Water Quality
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SE NC is undergoing an increase in tourism and
population
Shellfishing areas closed to harvest
Fecal coliform bacteria- estimator of pathogenic
bacteria
NCDWQ 200 CFU/100mL (human contact
waters), 14 CFU/100mL (shellfishing)- no more
than 10% samples exceeding 43 CFU/100mL
2 sources: run-off or sewer and septic
Source 1: runoff
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Strong relationship between percentage
impervious surface and mean estuarine fecal
coliform abundance ( Mallin et al. 2000b)
>29% impervious surface= degraded
>10%= impaired
<10% acceptable
Changes in land use planning and development
Source 2: Septic and Sewer leaks
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Bradley and Hewletts
1215 septic systems
Point source
Easier to trace and eliminate
Increased measures to detect public health
Optical brighteners
Optical Brighteners
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Compounds added to
laundry detergents
Adsorb to clothing to form a
light reflective layer
Exited by light in the near
UV range (360-365nm)
Emit light in blue range (400440nm)
Fluorescence given off
second excited stagefluorometer
Optical Brightners cont.
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97% detergents
Flourescent whitening
agents (FWA’s)
Textiles, plastics,
synthetic fibers, paper
Medical, chemical,
petroleum applications
Optical brighteners in waterways
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Household plumbing-combination of grey and
waste water
WWTPs not a source due- UV light destroys
both fecal coliform bacteria and OBs
Photo-decay and biodegradation rates of OB
Soaps and TP
Likely sources for fecal coliform and
optical brightener contamination
Fecal Bacteria
High
Optical Brightener
Probable Cause
High
Sewer pipe leak or failing
septic system
Other warm blooded
mammal source or human
waste from other source
such as out-house
High
Low
Low
High
Gray water in storm water
system
Low
Low
Background fluorescence or
insignificant contamination
Methods for detecting OBs
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Cotton pads in waterwayscollect, dry, and expose to
UV light: inexpensive yet low
sensitivity
High performance liquid
chromatography- high
sensitivity- expensive- highly
technical
Fluorometer- simple,
moderate expense, high
sensitivity
Methods
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1.
2.
3.
Monthly sampling at high tide, boat or shore
Temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity,
pH, turbidity
Fecal coliform- membrane filtration method
Fluorometry- kit added
Lamp emitting near UV light 310-390nm
1 filter 300-400nm light range
436 nm filter to greater decrease background
fluorescence
Statistical analyses
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Regression
Correlation
Scatter Plot
Significant relationship between optical
brighteners and fecal coliform bacteria
Analyzed as whole and by creek
Site Descriptions
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Bradley Creek, Futch Creek,
and Hewletts Creek
Monitored 1993-2007
UNCW’s Aquatic Ecology
Lab
Bradley and Hewletts ranked
1st and 2nd for population
density, developed land and
impervious surface
Futch ranked fifth
Rating system
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Dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, turbidity, fecal
coliform bacteria
NC state standard <10%=Good
10-25%=Fair
> 25%= Poor
Bradley Creek
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Largest watershed- ICW
Developments pose water quality
concern, Clean Water Trust fund
mitigation
Closed to shellfishing 1947
Highest population (13,657)
Developed land (77%)
Impervious cover (21%)
One of most polluted creeks in
county
2005-2006 5 out of 7 stations
received poor rating
Human-sourced fecal bacteria
found at station BC-NBU in July
and August and BC-SB in June of
2006
Hewletts Creek
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Drains into ICW, freshwater and
saltwater sites
2005-2006, fecal coliform taken
only at freshwater- all sites given a
poor rating
Substantial sewage spill occurred
Feb. 27th 2006
Special sampling ordered (2,20020,000 CFU per 100mL)
July 1, 2005 3 million gallon spillresulting in fish kill, high persistent
fecal coliform bacteria in sediments
Recent study-human sourced fecal
coliform bacteria at station NBGLR June and July 2006
Futch Creek
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New Hanover-Pender Line-ICW
Lowest population(2108),
development (42.9%), and
impervious surface coverage (6.9%)
1995 and 1996 two channels at
mouth dredged
Re-opened to shellfishing
2005-2006- three stations in lower
section received good rating, one in
middle creek displayed higher
counts yet remained within the
state standard, upper two fair and
poor ( lower than before dredging
event yet higher than 2004-2005)
Recent study found human sourced
fecal bacteria in water at site FC-17
Futch Creek
Futch Creek
Date
Site
9/13/2007
FC-13
94
5.5
0
10/31/2007
FC-13
1
2.6
0.1
11/16/2007
FC-13
4400
2
0
FC-17
135
6.4
0.1
10/31/2007
FC-17
9
3.4
0
11/16/2007
FC-17
3.4
0
9/13/2007
9/13/2007
colonies
mean
Stdev
FC-4
7
3
0.1
10/31/2007
FC-4
2
2
0
11/16/2007
FC-4
3800
3.2
0.1
FC-6
56
3.2
0.1
10/31/2007
FC-6
3
2.3
0
11/16/2007
FC-6
6400
2.2
0.1
FC-8
17
3.3
0.1
10/31/2007
FC-8
0
2.5
0.1
11/16/2007
FC-8
4800
2.3
0
FOY
24
4.4
0
10/31/2007
FOY
4
2.8
0.0
11/16/2007
FOY
7000
2.5
0.1
9/13/2007
9/13/2007
9/13/2007
Futch Cont.
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Pearson’s Product
Moment correlation
coefficient yielded
0.07219 with a p-value of
0.8425
No significant
relationship was found
between optical
brighteners and fecal
coliform bacteria at
Futch Creek.
1.00
Futch Creek
0.90
0.80
Fecal Coliform Bacteria
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y = -0.0059x + 0.6143
R² = 0.0052
0.70
0.60
0.50
Series1
Linear (Series1)
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
0.00
2.00
4.00
Optical Brighteners
6.00
Bradley Creek Results
Bradley Creek
Date
Site
Fecal coliform
OB
Colonies
Mean
Stdev
9/21/2007
BC-76
1
7.1
0.1
10/16/2007
BC-76
4
4.1
0.1
11/27/2007
BC-76
13
2.8
0.1
9/21/2007
BC-CR
360
12.6
0.2
10/16/2007
BC-CR
1100
8.2
0.2
11/27/2007
BC-CR
48
11
0.2
9/21/2007
BC-NB
147
23.5
0.1
10/16/2007
BC-NB
5
4.9
0.1
11/27/2007
BC-NB
60
4.4
0.1
9/21/2007
BC-NBU
180
23.9
0.2
10/16/2007
BC-NBU
70
17.3
0.3
11/27/2007
BC-NBU
169
21.3
0.2
9/21/2007
BC-SB
43
27
0.1
10/16/2007
BC-SB
166
11.7
0.1
11/27/2007
BC-SB
58
13.1
0.1
745
26.5
0.5
85
24.7
0.6
9/21/2007
BC-SBU
10/16/2007
BC-SBU
11/27/2007
BC-SBU
Bradley Creek Results cont.
1.60
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Pearson’s Product
Moment analysis
determined a correlation
coefficient of 0.696203
at a p-value of 0.003
A significant relationship
was found
1.40
1.20
Fecal Coliform Bacteria
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Bradley Creek
y = 0.2919x + 0.607
R² = 0.4848
1.00
0.80
Series1
Linear (Series1)
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
Optical Brighteners
4.00
Hewletts Creek Results
Hewletts Creek
Date
Site
colonies
mean
Stdev
9/13/2007
HC-2
2
2.3
0.1
10/15/2007
HC-2
24
2.9
0.1
11/25/2007
HC-2
4
1.8
0.1
9/13/2007
HC-3
13
3.2
0.1
10/15/2007
HC-3
4
3.5
0.1
11/25/2007
HC-3
11
2.2
0.1
9/13/2007
MB-PGR
1115
25.7
0.5
10/15/2007
MB-PGR
940
25.3
0.2
11/25/2007
MB-PGR
145
20.1
0.2
9/13/2007
NB-GLR
375
12.7
0.1
10/15/2007
NB-GLR
45
7.6
0.1
11/25/2007
NB-GLR
427
7.5
0.1
9/13/2007
SB-PGR
105
9
0.1
10/15/2007
SB-PGR
11
5.8
0
11/25/2007
SB-PGR
169
6.2
0.1
Hewletts Creek Results cont.
Hewletts Creek
1.60
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The Pearson’s Product
Moment correlation
coefficient of 0.8837 at a
p-value of 0.0001
A positive relationship
was found between
optical brighteners and
fecal coliform bacteria
1.40
y = 0.3406x + 0.2921
R² = 0.7809
1.20
Fecal Coliforms
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1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
Optical Brighteners
3.00
3.50
Data Set Analysis
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Product Moment –
correlation coefficient of
0.324348 at a p-value of
0.0248
A relationship was found
Regression and Scatter
plot
Scatter Plot of Fecal Coliforms vs.
Optical Brighteners for all Sampled
Creeks
1.60
1.40
1.20
Fecal Coliform Bacteria
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y = 0.1068x + 0.672
R² = 0.1052
1.00
0.80
Series1
Linear (Series1)
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00
0.00
2.00
4.00
Optical Brighteners
6.00
Discussion
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Positive results at Hewletts Creek and Bradley
Creek indicate viable methodology for future
studies
Past or present sources at Hewletts Creek?
Futch Creek- likely source of fecal coliform
bacteria is wildlife not humans
Bradley Creek- fecal coliform bacteria possibly
coming from run-off
Discussion Cont.
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Fluorescence from other sources
Refinement of fluorometric methodology
Increased research during site selection
Sampling at low tide
Determine source of fecal bacteria through
chemical, genotypic, or phenotypic methods
The results of this preliminary experiment found
an overall relationship between optical
brightener values and fecal coliform bacteria
counts. Therefore this project can be considered
a viable resource when developing further
experiments involving optical brighteners and
fecal coliform bacteria contamination in
waterways.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Dr. Michael Mallin, research
professor at UNC Wilmington’s Center for Marine
Science, for oversight, guidance, and editorial
comments. For methodology assistance, editorial
comments, and support I thank Matthew McIver,
Aquatic Ecology Lab manager. For advising and
support I thank Dr. Jeffery M. Hill, Graduate Program
Coordinator of Environmental Studies at UNCW. For
field, laboratory and editorial assistance I thank Byron
Toothman, Rena Spivey, Brad Rosov, Ned Durant and
Kimberly Duernberger
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