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<br />
<br />892
<br />
<br />WOODWARD ET AL.
<br />
<br />TABLE 4. - Concentration of selected elements in tissue of fathead minnows and Colorado squawjish after 76 d
<br />exposure to spent shale leachate, ND = not detectable.
<br />Leachate
<br />concent1'a- Ba Ca K Li Mg Mo Na S1'
<br />lion(%) (I'g/g) (mg/g) (mg/g) (I'g/g) (mg/g) (I'g/g) (mg/g) ()lg/g)
<br /> Fathead minnows
<br />0 9.4 21 12 ND 1.1 0.4 4.4 43
<br />3 7.4 22 13 1.4 1.2 ND 4.5 66
<br />6 6,6 19 \3 1.8 1.3 0.4 4.4 70
<br />\3 5.4 22 13 2,6 1.5 1.0 5.5 . 96
<br />25 3.4 18 \3 3.8 1.6 1.4 5.1 108
<br /> Colorado squawjish
<br />0 4,8 19 11 ND 1.0 ND 3.6 42
<br />3 3,8 18 12 ND 1.1 0.4 3.6 61
<br />6 3.4 17 12 ND 1.1 ND 3.5 74
<br />\3 2.8 18 12 1.8 1.1 ND 3,5 100
<br />25 1.4 18 12 2.4 1.2 ND 3.5 116
<br />
<br />except for S04, which was 250 times higher in
<br />leachate than in our dilution water, Concentra-
<br />tions of the trace elements Li, Mo, and Sr were
<br />greater in the leachate than in the dilution water
<br />by factors of 120,470, and 22, respectively. Lith-
<br />ium has been previously reported to occur at
<br />higher concentrations in shale from the Paraho
<br />retort process than in other retorted shales (Sny-
<br />der and Snyder 1984).
<br />Unretorted shale leachates have acute LC50s
<br />and general wafer chemistries similar to those we
<br />found for retorted shale leachate (Meyer et al.
<br />1985). Acute toxicities for Daphnia magna and
<br />fathead minnows ranged from 13% to more than
<br />100% leachate, and mortalities occurred only in
<br />leachates whose conductivity exceeded 7,000 to
<br />8,000 ,uS/cm. Toxicity was attributed mainly to
<br />the inorganic cations and anions, and magne-
<br />sium and sulfate accounted for 80 to 90% of the
<br />total ions in the leachate. Furthermore, in tests
<br />with inorganic salts, MgS04 was the most toxic
<br />to fathead minnows, followed by NaCi, NaN03,
<br />and Na2S04' Chronic testing was not done with
<br />fathead minnows, but in 2l-d tests with Daphnia
<br />magna, reproduction was reduced at exposures
<br />as low as 3% raw shale leachate. Magnesium and
<br />sulfate represented 81 % of the total ions present
<br />in our high-exposure water, and survival of may-
<br />flies and growth offathead minnows was reduced
<br />in 6% retorted shale leachate.
<br />Reduced reproduction of daphnids observed
<br />by Meyer et al. (1985) was in contrast to our
<br />present observations that reproduction increased
<br />at all concentrations except 100% leachate, One
<br />possible explanation for the conflicting trends
<br />
<br />could be related to the static-renewal exposure
<br />method used by Meyer versus the flow-through
<br />method used in the present study, The flow-
<br />through test may provide a better environment.
<br />Also, increased bacteria associated with leach~j,,'
<br />and other energy materials may provide an E"\-
<br />creased food base, leading to increased repr;-
<br />duction (Geiger and Buikema 1982),
<br />Of the elements elevated in the leachate ,'r.d
<br />exposure water, only Li and Sr bioaccumuk,,:~
<br />in tissue of both fish species. The accumulaF;n
<br />of Sr was greatest; bioconcentration facu,"s
<br />ranged from 70 to 180, However, actual fish ;'"
<br />sue concentrations were in the range of t1J<~i.'
<br />reported for marine fishes coming from U1K("'-
<br />taminated environments (Lowman et al. 1 <
<br />Inasmuch as leachate has elevated concer;, "
<br />tions of most elements and ions, it is imI> .
<br />ble to attribute toxicity to specific constitv,
<br />Therefore, it seems appropriate to discus;
<br />tential for impacts on water quality in ten," .)f
<br />total ion concentration-conductivity and: ";\
<br />dissolved solids-and in relation to the dc'-' \-
<br />nantion, S04' Conductivity and TDS in our: ,','-
<br />est exposure concentration of 3% were-_ ;jy
<br />slightly higher than the 1980 average rep; ;.~d
<br />for the Colorado and White rivers near thf : .)1.
<br />orado-Utah border (USGS 1981a, 1981b'\\-
<br />though we saw no biological effects in tb, ; 'Yo
<br />preparation, we observed reduced surviv,,; of
<br />mayflies and reduced growth offathead min ",," ws
<br />at the next highest test concentration, 6';" On
<br />the basis of conductivities, TDS, and S04 "'.:ea.
<br />sured in the Colorado and White rivers <1(,: in
<br />our 3% and 6% preparations, a 1.2- to 2~fo]d
<br />
<br />y-
<br />
<br />
<br />mcreasein
<br />survival ar
<br />ganisms, I-
<br />developme
<br />year ofleac
<br />to increase
<br />1981b) to
<br />expOsure. 1
<br />erage annu
<br />Due to redu
<br />feeder strea
<br />have higher
<br />main chanl'
<br />habitats are
<br />nursery are,
<br />pecially Co]
<br />protection c
<br />essen tial.
<br />Discharge
<br />upper Color
<br />consideratio
<br />IC IOns in the
<br />dissolved SOi
<br />lution factor
<br />charged and
<br />inary finding
<br />of leachate d
<br />might be 1 :9'
<br />need to be c,
<br />types and rc
<br />should be pI:
<br />backwater ha
<br />idence time c
<br />
<br />Wi thank I
<br />R, L, Knowlt
<br />D. A. Sanche,
<br />cellent techni
<br />study. The U,~
<br />the Universit\
<br />AC02-82ER6'(
<br />west Laborah
<br />76LRO 1830,
<br />
<br />AMY, G. L., A,
<br />SELLECK, 1 (
<br />pollutants fr
<br />transfer an:
<br />Technolog)
<br />APHA (AMERJC
<br />AMER1CAN V
<br />
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