Metal contaminants in the Animas and San Juan Watershed Gaurav Jha - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Metal contaminants in the Animas and San Juan Watershed

Gaurav Jha Alyce Matthews

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Historical agriculture in the Lower Animas Watershed

(Bart Wilsey, Farmington Museum Director, 2017 personal communication)

A historical photo of the high value apple crop in San Juan County

(Bart Wilsey, Farmington Museum Director, 2017 personal communication)

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We as Navajo people view as things as having life and draw no no disti tincti tion

• n b

between a abioti tic and bioti

• tic. In our holy songs we sing

about being chil hildren o

• f t

f the he e

• earth. We were made from ears of

s of cor

• rn

and the he big big w wind g gave us us l life

• ife. Water i

is r revered a d and h d held d sacred

• ed. The rivers carry our prayers and are integral part of

ceremonial life. When t en the Gold K King ng Mine S ne Spill happened ened i it affe ffected a a ho holy p part rt o

• f

f world, t the he San Jua

• Juan. We watched our

children, the corn and plants died. We e need need t the w water a and nd p plants in ou

• ur c

ceremonies to to resto tore bala lance a and h harmony to to ou

• ur

world

• ld. Without being sure of the sanctity of our water and plants,
• ur holy corn pollen path was disrupted. That why I believe our

work is vital to revitalizing our farming way of life and reconnecting to our Mother the Earth. Hozho

• Brand

ndon F n Franc ncis

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Study Questions

▪ What is the occurrence of metal-contaminated sediment in irrigation ditches and agricultural fields along the Animas and San Juan Rivers? ▪ What metals of concern are found in plants-leaf tissue and fruits/ vegetables from fields receiving irrigation water from the Animas and San Juan Rivers? ▪ What metal concentrations are on plant surfaces (i.e. as residue from irrigation water)? ▪ What are the metal concentrations in irrigation water? Ditch sediments and agricultural field soils analysis Plant leaf tissue and fruits/vegetables analysis Plant rinsate analysis Total suspended solids and metal content in irrigation water

4

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Representation of irrigation ditches with increasing distance from the GKM (Colorado and NM border through Shiprock)

SAMPLING LOCATIONS

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Sampling timeline

2017 Growing season

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Analysis techniques

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sampling schematic (elaborated below); nine categorized sample points were used for statistical analys

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Lead Levels Among Point Categories in a Ditch Transect

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Arsenic Levels Among Point Categories in a Ditch Transect

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Metal concentrations in ditch sediments across Animas and San Juan watershed

• No obvious trends of metal

concentration with distance from Gold King Mine.

• Iron, copper, arsenic, zinc

and lead higher concentration

• n the sides than center of

ditches.

• Sediment metal analysis

shows that most elements of concern are below the EPA Residential Screening Value, RSL.

Arsenic concentration (in parts per million)

Center Side

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Location Season

(Guideline value) *

As

(0.10 ppm)

Pb

(5 ppm)

Zn

(2 ppm)

Al

(5 ppm)

Ca Cr

(0.10 ppm)

Cu

(0.20 ppm)

Fe (5 ppm) Mn

(0.20 ppm)

Upper Animas (Aztec) Pre-growing

ND 0.004 0.07 0.68 54.32 ND 0.0085 0.78 0.07

Growing

ND 0.008 0.06 0.84 44.08 ND ND 1.07 0.11

Post-growing

ND 0.001 0.005 0.66 66.5 ND ND 0.70 0.06

Lower Animas (Farmington) Pre-growing

ND 0.006 0.07 1.54 62.40 ND ND 1.55 0.15

Growing

ND ND 0.05 0.56 52.05 ND ND 0.64 0.11

Post-growing

ND 0.003 0.02 1.53 142.6 ND ND 1.70 0.23

San Juan (Navajo Nation) Pre-growing

ND 0.004 0.04 2.19 53.62 ND ND 2.15 0.09

Growing

ND 0.007 0.05 2.13 52.80 ND ND 2.13 0.14

Post-growing 0.001

0.032 0.11 31.22 89.70 0.02 0.05 27.65 1.02

Metal concentrations (ppm) in irrigation water across Animas and San Juan watershed

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Location Season

(Guideline value) *

As

(0.10 ppm)

Pb

(5 ppm)

Zn

(2 ppm)

Al

(5 ppm)

Ca Cr

(0.10 ppm)

Cu

(0.20 ppm)

Fe (5 ppm) Mn

(0.20 ppm)

Upper Animas (Aztec) Pre-growing Growing Post-growing Lower Animas (Farmington) Pre-growing Growing Post-growing San Juan (Navajo Nation) Pre-growing Growing Post-growing

Metal concentrations (ppm) in irrigation water across Animas and San Juan watershed

*New Mexico Water Quality Standards for irrigation

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Location Season (Guideline value) * TSS (mg/L) Upper Animas (Aztec) Pre-growing 30 Growing 45 Post-growing 67 Lower Animas (Farmington) Pre-growing 82 Growing 23 Post-growing 91 San Juan (Navajo Nation) Pre-growing 106 Growing 97 Post-growing 1346

Total Suspended Solids in irrigation water across Animas and San Juan watershed

A B C

Water collected from irrigation ditches energized by A.) Animas River and B.) and C.) San Juan River

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Spatial distribution of Arsenic in agricultural fields

Pasture grass 14.1 hectares Aztec Forage (alfalfa) 3.04 hectares Farmington Vegetables 1.27 hectares Shiprock

Total Arsenic concentration (parts per million) RSL-7.07 mg kg-1

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Spatial distribution of Manganese in agricultural fields

Pasture grass 14.1 hectares Aztec Forage (alfalfa) 3.04 hectares Farmington Vegetables 1.27 hectares Shiprock

Total Manganese concentration (parts per million) RSL-180 mg kg-1

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Livestock Consumption Livestock Consumption

Alfalfa and Pasture Alfalfa and Pasture

Human Consumption Human Consumption

Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and Vegetables

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Native Vegetation sampled from rainfed areas to compare with irrigated pasture, forage and vegetable fields

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Metals Maximum limit Alfalfa Non-irrigated vegetation (Control) Arsenic 1.7 1.0 1.2 Lead 10 0.4 ND Zinc 150 27.5 20.7 Aluminum 3410 111 44.5 Calcium

• 19,300 (1.9%)

10,800 (1.1%) Copper 30 12.6 10.1 Iron

• 147

40.5 Manganese 300 28.4 54.2 Chromium 0.5-1.5 0.48 ND

Metal concentrations in alfalfa (ppm)

Comparison of irrigated alfalfa to non-irrigated native vegetation (control)

Location-Animas and San Juan watershed

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Metal concentrations in pasture grass (ppm)

Comparison of irrigated pasture fields to non-irrigated native vegetation (control)

Location-Upper and lower Animas

Metals Maximum limit Pasture grass Non-irrigated vegetation (Control)

Arsenic 1.70 1.0 1.2 Lead 10 0.6 ND Zinc 150 32.9 28.2 Aluminum 3410 300 40.3 Calcium

• 5,800 (0.6%)

5,300 (0.5%) Copper 30 8.3 7.4 Iron

• 252

194 Manganese 300 44 66 Chromium 0.5 1.3 ND

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The tolerable upper intake level (UL) is the maximum usual daily intake levels at which no risk of adverse health effects is expected for most of the individuals in a specific group based

• n stage of life.

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Chromium Chromium

“There has been no demonstration of any toxicity so far in the clinical

• bservations of the authors with the use of chromium nicotinate at

levels as high as 5000 mcg/day (Lamson & Plaza, 2002).” 5000 mcg/day = [5 mg/day] “Chromium appears to be the only nutritional mineral with a several hundred-fold difference between the acceptable daily intake level and the calculated reference dose (Lamson & Plaza, 2002).”

Lamson, D. W., & Plaza, S. M. (2002). The Safety and Efficacy of High-Dose Chromium. Alternative Medicine Review,7(3). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12126463.

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Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements

• f nearly all (97%-98%) healthy people.

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Nutrition Facts Label [FDA]. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/Food/Labeling Nutrition/ucm274593.htm

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Equate Adults 50+ Complete Multivitamin Tablets

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Sharing the technique through teach Sharing the technique through teach

• ins

ins Upper Fruitland Chapterhouse, Navajo Nation Shiprock Chapterhouse, New Mexico Shiprock Ag. Days 2018

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Radio talks Factsheets on GKM results

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Conclusions Conclusions

• The higher concentrations of arsenic and manganese that were

found in some hotspots did not correlate to increased concentration

• f metal uptake in plants.
• The concentrations of metals in fruits and vegetables are below the

upper tolerable limits specified by Food and Nutrition Board, National Institute of Health and are safe for consumption.

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Acknowledgments Acknowledgments

• Farmers in Aztec, Farmington and Navajo nation who allowed access to

fields for long term monitoring of contaminations.

• EPA-NMED State Cooperative Agreement 01F22301

Assistance Program 66.204, Multipurpose Grants to Tribes and States.

• NMSU Interdisciplinary IMPACT grant
• Dr.April Ulery, Sylvia “Gaby” Philips, Dr.Kevin Lombard, Barbara Hunter
• Brandon Francis, Tiffany Charley, Hunter Winsor, Roya Ghorbani

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