Post-Harvey Carbonate Chemistry at the Flower Garden Banks Coral Reefs
Mentor: Dr. Kathryn Shamberger
As part of a National Science Foundation funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Texas A&M University, I studied the impact of Hurricane Harvey on a tropical coral reef ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico. I specifically characterized the carbonate chemistry of the water near and at the coral reefs to determine the organisms' ability to calcify with respect to the water chemistry. Hurricane Harvey was a storm event which caused extensive flooding in the Houston and Galveston Bay area in late August 2017. Samples from September, October, and November 2017 were analyzed to elucidate whether this freshwater influence in the gulf potentially impacted the reef ecosystem. An analysis of the carbonate chemistry system showed that carbonate concentrations were not depressed as a result of the storm and there was only a brief salinity decrease following the storm. These results indicate that, with respect to the water chemistry in the reef environment, the corals should have been able to calcify following Hurricane Harvey.
Presented at:
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Aquatic Sciences Meeting 2019, San Juan, Puerto Rico. February 2019. Oral Presentation.
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education STEM Conference, Millersville University, Millersville, PA. October 2018. Oral Presentation.
Bloomsburg University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry REU Symposium, Bloomsburg, PA, October 2018. Oral Presentation.
Observing the Ocean REU Summer Symposium, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. August 2018. Oral Presentation.
LAUNCH Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. August 2018. Poster Presentation.
Research Projects
Initial Geochemical Analysis of Shanerburg Run, World's End State Park, Sullivan County, PA
Coauthros: Lucas Grimm, Drs. Cynthia Venn and Christopher Hallen
Worlds End State Park in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania offers 780 acres of recreational land in a pristine environment. Underlying the area is the Marcellus Shale formation, which has become an important source of natural gas in Pennsylvania. The increase of hydraulic fracturing in Sullivan County and other areas in the northern plateau region of Pennsylvania can have negative impacts on local water quality. Shanerburg Run, a Loyalsock Creek tributary with headwaters in Worlds End State Park, was sampled on September 30, 2018 to establish a baseline assessment of water chemistry for future comparison. Seven samples were collected along the length of the stream, including the outflow from the wetland at the headwaters and the confluence of the stream at Loyalsock Creek. In situ measurements using Hach multimeters include pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature. Bulk samples were stored in 4-liter jugs in ice for transport to the laboratory. Titrations to measure acidity and alkalinity were performed on triplicate filtered samples within nine hours of collection. Triplicate subsamples were collected and stored for later analysis: 1) for heavy metals (unfiltered for total and filtered for dissolved, both acidified to pH <2) and 2) simple anions and cations (filtered). Except for the wetland outflow, which had both low pH and alkalinity and acidity values about 7 times higher than those in the remaining samples, both conductivity (>40 μS/cm) as well as turbidity (>2 NTU) of the entire stream were low, indicating that the stream carried neither a significant dissolved nor suspended load. Whereas headwater streams on the Appalachian Plateau typically have low dissolved loads, values in this study are particularly low, possibly due to the numerous serious precipitation events throughout the past year (producing approximately ten times the discharge in Loyalsock Creek as compared to 2017). Water emptying from the wetland was discolored with significant foam and showed appreciable aluminum, iron and manganese compared to the other stream samples, possibly a result of organic acids from the wetland. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of the filter from the wetland sample showed various diatoms and other microorganisms, indicating good water quality despite the low pH.
Presented at:
Geological Society of America Northeastern Section Meeting, Portland, ME. March 2019. Poster Presentation.
Research Projects
Water Quality Analysis of Double Run Drainage, Including Mineral Spring, at World's End State Park (Sullivan County), PA
Co-authors: Lucas Grimm (lead author), Drs. Cynthia Venn and Christopher Hallen
On September 30, 2018, water samples were collected at 8 different locations along Double Run and Loyalsock Creek at World’s End State Park, Sullivan County, PA. Samples were collected along Double Run, a tributary above a mineral spring, the mineral spring itself, the West Branch of Double Run, and Loyalsock Creek below the confluence with Double Run. At each location, in situ data was collected for pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), conductivity and turbidity. The samples were then put on ice and brought to the lab where they were further analyzed for alkalinity and acidity within 6-8 hours and replicate subsamples collected for later analysis of major cations and anions by ion chromatography, and of a suite of metals using a Profile Plus ICP-OES. Along Double Run and above Loyalsock Creek there is a natural mineral spring, so-called due to the bright orange oxidized iron precipitate that forms at the outflow, very similar to abandoned mine drainage outflow deposits. All samples had pH values near 7, with the exception of the uppermost tributary at pH just over 5. With the exception of the Mineral Spring sample, conductivity, turbidity, acidity and alkalinity were all very low, similar to the values in samples from nearby Shanerburg Run collected the same day. Although the pH at Mineral Spring was near neutral, the acidity and alkalinity values were much greater than in the stream samples and much higher in iron (>1 ppm) and manganese (350 ppb). There could possibly be a coal seam that interacts with the groundwater underneath the spring. Sediment samples were taken at Mineral Spring, and examined using an AspeX PSEM™, revealing an abundance of iron-precipitating bacteria Leptothrix and Gallionella.
Presented at:
Geological Society of America Northeastern Section Meeting, Portland, ME. March 2019. Poster Presentation.
Research Projects
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Assessment of Passive AMD Treatment Systems in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Mentor: Dr. Christopher Hallen;
Funded by Bloomsburg University URSCA;
Abstract: Abandoned mine drainage (AMD) is an environmental issue of key concern in Pennsylvania. Schuylkill County, known for its abundance of anthracite coal, has a number of AMD sites causing low pH and high metal concentrations in streams. We analyzed four specific sites in Schuylkill County with AMD passive treatment systems installed to mitigate the effects of the acidic drainage: Tracy Airhole, Mary D Borehole, Bell Colliery, and Oneida #3. Each site is within the Northern Swatara Watershed, and each site has individual AMD problems requiring different treatment system design. Tracy Airhole AMD flows into Good Spring Creek. Mary D Borehole and Bell Colliery treatment system discharges flow into the Schuylkill River. The Silver Creek treatment system discharge flows into Silver Creek. Our goal was to determine the water quality at these sites and assess the effectiveness of each treatment system.
Each system was sampled once in the summer of 2017. In situ measurements using a YSI exo2 Sonde included pH, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature. Bulk samples were stored in 4-liter acid-washed bottles in ice for transport back to the laboratory. Tripicate analyses of acidity and alkalinity were performed on filtered samples using Hach Methods 8203 and 8201/8202, respectively. Triplicate analyses of metals were performed on acidified samples (both filtered and unfiltered) using inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy. Simple cations and anions were determined in triplicate by ion chromatography. All four treatment systems raised the pH, as designed. At Tracy Airhole, iron levels were reduced, whereas manganese levels were not. At Bell Colliery, both iron and manganese levels were reduced, whereas aluminum levels were not. Mary D Borehole and Oneida #3 treatment systems were both functioning as designed, with iron, manganese and aluminum levels all reduced at Mary D Borehole, and aluminum reduced at Oneida #3.
Presented at:
Bloomsburg University College of Science and Technology Fall Research Day, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA. April 2018. Poster Presentation. (Award for best poster received.)
Geological Society of America Northeastern Section Meeting, Burlington, VT. March 2018. Poster Presentation.
Bloomsburg University College of Science and Technology Fall 2017 Research Day, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA. November 2017. Poster Presentation.
Susquehanna River Symposium 2017, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA. November 2017. Poster Presentation.
Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA. August 2017. Poster Presentation.
Research Projects