| | Category | EAEV | L20 | The Effects of Heavy Metal Contamination on Various Aquatic |
| | Organisms |
| | Abstract | The Saginaw Bay Watershed has been identified as an area of concern |
| | by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to the presence of |
| | various metal contaminants. When soil samples in the Bay Region were |
| | taken, concentrations of aluminum, arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, |
| | mercury, nickel, and zinc were found. This study assesses the uptake |
| | and bioconcentrations of heavy metals by aquatic organisms (Daphnia |
| | Magna, Ramhorn Snails, Elodea Canadensis, and Freshwater |
| | Mussels). The standard solutions were created bearing concentrations |
| | of 1 ppm of lead, chromium, and aluminum. The uptake of the metals |
| | was analyzed by measuring changes in solution concentration using a |
| | PerkinElmer Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The hypothesis |
| | was supported. Exposure to heavy metals caused an increase in the |
| | heart rate of Daphnia Magna. The Ramhorn snails were able to uptake |
| | more than twenty-five percent of the metal contaminant, the Elodea |
| | Canadensis was able to uptake more than fifty percent of the metal |
| | contaminant and the freshwater mussels were able to uptake more than |
| | seventy percent of the metal contaminant. Because of such high |
| | uptake levels by the Elodea Canadensis, it may be a potential source |
| | for phytoremediation. |
| | Bibliography | Brandon, D. L., and C. R. Lee. "INFORMATION SUMMARY, AREA OF |
| | CONCERN: ~~Osr~,.Environmental SAGINAW RIVER AND SAGINAW |
| | BAY." 33.S1 (1990): n. pag. Web. 10 Jan. 2017. |
| | <http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a235655.pdf> |
| | |
| | Elenbaas, Molly. "Daphnia Magna." Animal Diversity Web. N.p., n.d. |
| | Web. 16 Jan. 2017. |
| | <http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Daphnia_magna/>. |
| | |
| | "Plants Profile for Elodea Canadensis (Canadian Waterweed)." Plants |
| | Profile for Elodea Canadensis (Canadian Waterweed). N.p., n.d. Web. |
| | 12 Feb. 2017. <https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ELCA7>. |
| | |
| | "Ramshorn Snail Care, Size, Food & Reproduction." Aquarium Care. |
| | N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2017. |
| | <http://www.aquariumcarebasics.com/freshwater-snails/ramshorn- |
| | snail/>. |
| | |
| | "Ramshorn Snails." Ramshorn Snails. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2017. |
| | <http://ramshornsnails.com/>. |
| | |
| | "Table 1 EPA Sample Processing Method for Metallic Element |
| | Analysis." Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. |
| | 2017. <http://web.nmsu.edu/~esevosti/report.htm>. |
| | |
| | Taylor, Allan B., and John M. McCabe. "BASELINE CHEMICAL |
| | CHARACTERIZATION OF SAGINAW BAY WATERSHED SEDIMENTS." |
| | (n.d.): n. pag. Aug.-Sept. 2002. Web. 4 Jan. 2017. |