2005 Young Naturalist Awards - Environmental Effects of Industrial Run-off on Daphnia magna

Mauree Environmental Effects of Industrial Run-off on Daphnia magna

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Table 1 (Click to enlarge)

After conducting my experiments, I found that Spring Creek's entry sites had lower levels of ammonium nitrate, free and total chlorine, and phosphate than the creek's exit site (see Table 1). Also, the levels of nitrate remained steady at two of the three entry sites. Brush Creek's levels of nitrate, chlorine and phosphate were comparable to the levels in the other creeks, but the concentration of nitrate and the pH level at Brush Creek were the highest of the sites tested. Long Creek's entry site had lower levels of dissolved oxygen and free chlorine than the exit site; however, the entry site was higher in phosphate and nitrate. All of the tested parameters were below the EPA's maximum values.

Figure 2 (Click to enlarge)

Figure 3 (Click to enlarge)

Figure 4 (Click to enlarge)

Figure 5 (Click to enlarge)

Looking at the Daphnia magna, I found that population levels in the water from the creeks' exit sites were distinctly lower. This was more evident when a five-day moving average was applied to the data (see Figure 2 and Figure 3). It brought out the population changes and made them more recognizable. At Long Creek, the population level in water from the entry site was close to that in the exit-site water, but was still greater. I also applied a five-day moving average to the heart rate data, which shows that the Daphnia magna had significantly higher heart rates in the exiting creek water compared to the entering creek water (see Figure 4 and Figure 5). I found that in all of the creeks, the birthrates of Daphnia magna were lower in the exiting creeks than in the entering creeks (see Figure 6). I constructed a correlation chart showing how the parameters tested with the Daphnia magna correlated to the parameters tested in the water itself (see Table 2). It was found that there were some direct correlations between birthrate and total chlorine, as well as between heart rate and phosphate. I also found indirect correlations between population growth and phosphate, and heart rate and population growth.

Figure 6 (Click to enlarge)

Table 2 (Click to enlarge)

Figure 7 (Click to enlarge)

More investigation is warranted after completing my research. Not only was it found through my research that Daphnia magna were affected neurologically (see Figure 7) by the Brush Creek water, and in three cases by water from Long Creek, but after attending public forums I also discovered another area of concern—the human health issue. After more research, I found that several people who live near Brush Creek and used well water have cancer. I wish to continue to investigate this aspect of the problems at the IAAAP. In addition, I would like to retest the creek waters, adding more sites upstream to see what other pollutants are contributing to the water quality. I was very surprised to see a lower concentration of nitrates in the water downstream from the IAAAP, since most munitions are forms of nitrate. Retesting the water will show if anything upstream is affecting these results. In addition, while retesting the water I would like to take some type of volumetric measurement to see whether the higher dissolved oxygen levels were indeed caused by contaminates from the IAAAP. While the results obtained through the traditional method agree with those using Daphnia magna, it is interesting to note that the Daphnia magna show the effects of contaminated water on aquatic life more precisely than conventional testing methods. It was alarming to see how much the lower food chain, represented by the Daphnia magna, was affected by water quality, even though the traditional water-testing methods showed that all the contaminants within the water were well within legal limits.

Photo of Daphnia magna

I feel that it is important to use the Daphnia magna in conjunction with traditional means of water-quality testing because they can show how certain levels of chemicals, even if they are well within the legal limits, can affect the lower food chain. It is also important that we keep in mind that the IAAAP did not intentionally place their employees and the environment in harm's way. They were employing the best technology available in the 1960s to protect both people and the environment. Now, after many more years of research, we have found that we must go an extra step to help protect not only the environment, but also ourselves, its inhabitants.

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