Variability in Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in the Upper Juniata River System
Start Date
10-11-2017 8:00 PM
End Date
10-11-2017 9:59 PM
Description
Population declines and disease incidence in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Susquehanna River basin have been linked to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) as a likely causative agent. Nothing is known about EDC dynamics in the upper Juniata River basin, and specifically how EDC patterns may vary with hydrologic conditions and landscape characteristics. We sampled water in the mainstem of the Juniata River and at 5 major tributaries across a range of discharges (e.g., peak storm flows, descending flows, base flows, etc.) and landscape characteristics over a 2-year time frame during the summers of 2016 and 2017. Samples were analyzed for EDCs measured as total estradiol equivalents (EEQ, ng/L). We also collected information on pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, specific conductance, and total dissolved solids during each sampling event to identify possible connections between hydrologic conditions and variation in EDC concentrations. We found extremely high spatial and temporal variation in EDCs concentrations. Concentrations varied highly within sites at the same time, within sites at different times, among sites, and between years, but levels thus far have not surpassed the 1 ng/L threshold considered to be a concern for fish health. Thus far, we could not detect a trend in EDC concentrations along a continuum of the Juniata River downstream of the waste water treatment plant. Additionally, our current analyses cannot link variation in EDC concentrations to discharge, simple water quality measurements, or landuse/landcover at 2 spatial scales, but early indications suggest that EDCs are present in quantities that should be considered important for addressing ecological health in the broader Susquehanna River basin.
Keywords
Juniata River, endocrine-disrupting compounds, land use, storm flows
Type
Poster
Session
Poster session
Language
eng
Variability in Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in the Upper Juniata River System
Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room
Population declines and disease incidence in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Susquehanna River basin have been linked to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) as a likely causative agent. Nothing is known about EDC dynamics in the upper Juniata River basin, and specifically how EDC patterns may vary with hydrologic conditions and landscape characteristics. We sampled water in the mainstem of the Juniata River and at 5 major tributaries across a range of discharges (e.g., peak storm flows, descending flows, base flows, etc.) and landscape characteristics over a 2-year time frame during the summers of 2016 and 2017. Samples were analyzed for EDCs measured as total estradiol equivalents (EEQ, ng/L). We also collected information on pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, specific conductance, and total dissolved solids during each sampling event to identify possible connections between hydrologic conditions and variation in EDC concentrations. We found extremely high spatial and temporal variation in EDCs concentrations. Concentrations varied highly within sites at the same time, within sites at different times, among sites, and between years, but levels thus far have not surpassed the 1 ng/L threshold considered to be a concern for fish health. Thus far, we could not detect a trend in EDC concentrations along a continuum of the Juniata River downstream of the waste water treatment plant. Additionally, our current analyses cannot link variation in EDC concentrations to discharge, simple water quality measurements, or landuse/landcover at 2 spatial scales, but early indications suggest that EDCs are present in quantities that should be considered important for addressing ecological health in the broader Susquehanna River basin.