A regional assessment of chemicals of concern in surface waters of four Midwestern United States national parks
Elliott SM and VanderMeulen DD. 2017. A regional assessment of chemicals of concern in surface waters of four Midwestern United States national parks. Science of the Total Environment. 579:1726-1735
During 2013–15, surface waters of four Midwestern United States national parks were sampled and analyzed for wastewater indicators, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides. More chemicals and higher concentrations were detected at the two parks with greater urban influences (Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore) than at the two more remote parks (Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Isle Royale National Park). Atrazine (10–15 ng/L) and N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (16–120 ng/L)were the only chemicals detected in inland lakes of a remote island national park (Isle Royale National Park). Bisphenol A and organophosphate flame retardants were commonly detected at the other sampled parks. Gabapentin and simazine had the highest observed concentrations (N1000 ng/L) in three and two samples, respectively. At the two parks with urban influences, metolachlor and simazine concentrations were similar to those reported for other major urban rivers in the United States. Environmental concentrations of detected chemicals were often orders of magnitude less than standards or reference values with three exceptions: (1) hydrochlorothiazide exceeded a human health-based screening value in seven samples, (2) estrone exceeded a predicted critical environmental concentration for fish pharmacological effects in one sample, and (3) simazine was approaching the 4000 ng/L Maximum Contaminant Level in one sample even though this concentration is not expected to reflect peak pesticide use.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Elliott, Sarah; VanderMeulen, David
- Units
- APIS , GLKN , INDU , ISRO , MISS
- Keywords
- contaminants, GLKN External Publication, Lake Water, River Water, surface waters, Water Quality
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Toxics