Gulfwatch and Microbial Source Tracking Laboratory

Gulfwatch and Microbial Source Tracking Laboratory

Steve JonesDepartment of Natural Resources

Jackson Estuarine LaboratoryAssistant Research Director

NH Sea Grant College Program

Steve JonesDepartment of Natural Resources

Jackson Estuarine LaboratoryAssistant Research Director

NH Sea Grant College Program

Environmental ContaminantsEnvironmental Contaminants

Status and trends

Pollution source identification

Status and trends

Pollution source identification

Gulf of Maine

•Toxic contaminant monitoring program in the Gulf of Maine;•Blue mussel as sentinel species;•Volunteers in US & Canada, & all 5 jurisdictions;•Standardized methods, 1991 to 2008

•Support for chemical analyses, data interpretation analysis and outreach by the:

GULFWATCH PROGRAM

•Ubiquitous blue mussels are used as

the indicator of habitat/biological

exposure to toxic chemicals;

•Modeled after and nearly identical to

the NOAA Mussel Watch program;

•Long-term sampling at sites on a

rotational basis to provide wide spatial

and temporal baseline of data.

GULFWATCH PROGRAM

I N O R G A NIC C O NTA M INAN T S

Me t a l s

Ag , A l, C d, Cr , C u, F e, H g, N i , P b, Z n

O R G AN I C C O N T AMI N ANT S

Aro m a t ic H y d rocar b o ns C hl or in at e d P e s ti c i d e s

Naph t ha l en e Hexa c h l oroben z ene ( H C B )1 - Me t hy l naph t ha l en e ga mm a - Ben z enehexa c hlo ri de ( B HC )2 - Me t hy l naph t ha l en e Hep t a c hlo rB i pheny l Hep t a c hlo r epox i de2 , 6-D im e t hy l naph t ha l en e A l d ri nAcen a ph t hyl e ne L ind a neAcen a ph t ha l ene c is - C hlo r dane2 , 3,5 - T rim e t hy l naph t ha l ene tr ans - Nonach l o rFl uor e ne D i e l d ri nP henan t h r ene a l pha - Endo s u l f a nAn t h r asen e be t a - Endo s u l f a n1 - Me t hy l phenan t h r eneFl uor a nth r eneP yr e ne DD T a nd H o m o l ogu e sB e nzo [ a ] an t h r ac e neCh r ys e ne 2 , 4’ - DD E 4 , 4’ - DD EB e nzo [ b ] fl uoran t h r ene 2 , 4’ - DDD 4 , 4’ - DDDB e nzo [ k ] fl uoran t h r ene 2 , 4’ - DD T 4 , 4’ - DD TB e nzo [ e ] py r eneB e nzo [ a ] py r eneP e r y l ene P CB Cong e n e rsI ndo [ 1,2 , 3- c d] pyr e neD i benz e [ a,h ] an t hra c eneB e nzo [ g,h ,I ] pe r yl e ne P C B 8 , P C B 18 , P C B 28 , P C B 29 ,

P C B 44 , P C B 50 , P C B 52 , P C B 66 ,P C B 77 , P C B 87 , P C B 101 , P C B 105 ,P C B 118 , P C B 126 , P C B 128 , P C B 138 ,P C B 153 , P C B 169 , P C B 170 , P C B 180 ,P C B 187 , P C B 195 , P C B 206 , P C B 209

USES

•Management & Policy•Monitoring•Impact/Damage & Remediation

Assessment•Education•Aquaculture & Commercial Fishing

GULFWATCH PROGRAM

In the Gulf of Maine there have been ~100 sites where blue mussel samples have been analyzed

In New Hampshire, there have been ~20 sampling sites, including the unique analysis of oysters and soft shell clams

GULFWATCH PROGRAM

Overview of Gulfwatch Sampling Sites international contaminants monitoring program

involving three states and two provinces

Each fall, bluemussels(Mytilus edulis)are collectedfrom inter-tidalareas in coastalembaymentsaround the Gulfof Maine andBay of Fundy.

Chromium concentrations (ppm)in blue mussels: 1993-2001

All Gulfwatch Sites (in geographic order)

MA NH ME NB NS

Chrom

ium C

o

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.012.513.013.5

Tin Can Beach

Coast Guard Base

Total DDT concentrations (ppb)at NH sites: 1993-2001

New Hampshire Sites

NHHS NHRH NHLH NHPI NHSM NHNM NHGP NHPA NHSS NHDP NHFP NHCC

0

20

40

60

PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)Contamination and recovery

in Dover Point mussels

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

0 10 20 30 40 50 60Months

16 days after oil spill

1994 1998

PAH concentrations at NHDP:Detection of oil spills

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

PAH

con

cent

ratio

n (p

pb)

Summary of InformationSummary of Information

Oil spill detection and recovery

Status of historical and present-day pollution sources

Cross-referencing to oysters & soft shell clams (human consumption)

Provides local and regional perspective on contaminants

Relate to national Mussel Watch program

Oil spill detection and recovery

Status of historical and present-day pollution sources

Cross-referencing to oysters & soft shell clams (human consumption)

Provides local and regional perspective on contaminants

Relate to national Mussel Watch program

NHDES and GulfwatchNHDES and Gulfwatch

NHDES supporting agency within the GOM Council

Direct involvement of Coastal Scientist

Support for some NH sites and different species

Sample collection & processing

Shellfish Program applications: harvest area classification guidance

Key indicator for 305 (b) report and “State of the Estuaries” report

Impact assessment for management efforts to reduce pollution sources

NHDES supporting agency within the GOM Council

Direct involvement of Coastal Scientist

Support for some NH sites and different species

Sample collection & processing

Shellfish Program applications: harvest area classification guidance

Key indicator for 305 (b) report and “State of the Estuaries” report

Impact assessment for management efforts to reduce pollution sources

MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING

Approach using one or a variety of methods and target microorganisms; intended to identify the fecal sources impacting a water system

MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING

identify source(s) as human/non-human, or actual source species

Track pollution sources in space and time

determine most significant sources at beaches to support management actions

MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING in New Hampshire

NHDES selected Escherichia coli ribotyping as the best available method in 1999 & supported initial research and development

Application in NH began in 2000 & has continued with Shellfish, Beach Inspection, & Coastal programs, Watershed Management Bureau participation

Purchase of a RiboPrinter in 2003 (NHDES, CICEET, UNH support)

RIBOTYPING Isolate Escherichia coli from sources in study

area to create a ‘known source library’

Isolate Escherichia coli from water samples

Compare ribotyping DNA pattern of water samples with those from library (best match)

Identify source species!

www.maplebay.com

www.cob.org www.dnr.metrokc.go v

Who/what is the culprit

of fecal contamination?

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Ribopattern analysis resultsfor sample from Atlantic Coast tributary

Sample

Species Source # of Species Source # ofcategory species Isolates category species IsolatesDOMESTIC ANIMALS "HUMANS"

136 alpaca 3 245 septage 16buffalo 5 wastewater 127

chicken 3 humans 102cow 79 PETSgoat 4 104 cat 43

horse 28 dog 61pig 12 BIRDS

sheep 2 151 cormorant 12WILD ANIMALS duck 15

335 coyote 38 geese 57deer 94 gull 39

mouse 2 pigeon 5muskrat 22 robin 4

otter 14 sparrow 3raccoon 84 starling 3

rabbit 27 wild turkey 13red fox 49

skunk 5 TOTAL = 971 ribopatterns

Regional Known Source Library

--> 31 species/sources, 5 TYPES

#

##

# ACPS 5

ACPS 11

ACPS 12

ACPS 10

Rye

Portsmouth

North Hampton

Hampton

Atlantic Coast

N

EW

S

1 0 1 2 Miles

# Sampling Location

MST Study Sitesat NH

Atlantic Coast Beaches

Shellfish HarvestingClassification near

Atlantic Coast Beaches(2004)

E. coli CONCENTRATIONS (cfu/100 ml)

SAMPLING SITES Wet Conditions Dry Conditions Parsons Creek

Pirates Cove Beach 273 51

Bass Beach Brook Bass Beach

200 143

Chapel Brook Bass Beach

784 18

Little River Northside & States

beaches

993 31

All Sites

577

45

Water Quality in Tributaries to Atlantic Coast Beaches

Species type Wet DryHuman 15% 24%Wild animals 30% 29%Pets 1% 2%Birds 5% 8%Livestock 5% 0%Unknown 44% 37%Total 100% 100%

Source Species Types Identifiedat Atlantic Coast Beaches, NH

Source Species Types Identifiedat Lake Beaches, NH

Source Pawtuckaway Sand Dam Village Mill PondType State Park Town Beach Town Beach

Nottingham Troy E. WashingtonHuman 10% 0% 7%Birds 15% 52% 40%Livestock 20% 16% 33%pets 0% 8% 0%Wild animals 10% 0% 3%Identified 55% 76% 83%Unknown 45% 24% 17%

Quality of LOCAL known source library dictated % identification;(Most significant bird species was Canada geese)

Main Applications

TMDLs: Little & Hampton/Seabrook harbors, three lake beachesShellfish Program sanitary

surveysStorm water modelling at NH

coastal beaches~30 surveys & research projects

Wider Applications

Continued research to optimize applicationWWTF influent/effluent studiesSea gull transport of

pathogens from landfills/WWTF ponds to marine environment

RESULTS SUMMARY

Different source species and types suggest different management strategies

Helps to focus pollution source reduction efforts & resources in right place