DEP Selenium StudyBackground and Progress
Patrick CampbellApril 18, 2006
Selenium – History
•Current Water Quality Standards:• 5 µg/l chronic (coldwater and warmwater)• 20 µg/l acute (coldwater and warmwater)• 10 µg/l (drinking water)
• Discovered in the MTM EIS work• Violations of standards have been observed, streams 303(d) listed, TMDLs developed, appeal, effluent limits, core analysis, material handling, etc.
Environmental Impact Study of Mountaintop Mining and Valley Fill
Operations in West Virginia
EIS data included over 900 water chemistry samples.
Selenium values exceeded WV’s WQ criteria and resulted in listing of 9 streams on our 2002 303(d)list of impaired streams:
•4 from the Coal River Watershed•4 from the Guyandotte & one from the Gauley
DEP − Selenium TMDLs
EPA Approved1. Mud River
2. Stanley Fork
3. Sugartree Branch
Pending Approval1. Seng Creek2. Left Fork/White Oak Ck3. White Oak Creek4. Trace Branch5. Beech Creek6. Left Fork/Beech Ck7. Beaver Pond Branch8. James Creek9. Casey Creek
Other DEP Selenium Data
• 1997 Random Sites - no selenium detected• Random sites 2002-2005, 471 samples; 465 no
detects– Some type of mining (valley fills, old surface, ponds,
prep plants, etc.) was observed at or near the sites where Se detected
• Coal River TMDL study: 1948 WQ samples collected/laboratory analysis for Se, 1840 no detects
• Fish - Edible fish tissue 54 samples – LMB Mt. Storm
2767.008.5890.0088New West HollowUpper Kanawha27-Apr-05
1573.008.222.90.0306Perry BranchUpper Guyandotte03-May-05
1323.008.15580.007White Oak HollowTug Fork08-Jun-05
1650.007.68230.009Buckles BranchGauley29-Jun-05
608.008.12340.012Spruce ForkCoal04-May-05
916.008.32690.009Mudlick BranchCoal10-May-05
Sp Cond (umhos/cm)pHSulfate (mg/L)Total Se (mg/L)Stream NameWatershedDate
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
MudlickBranch
Spruce Fork BucklesBranch
White OakHollow
Perry Branch New WestHollow
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0.035Sulfate (mg/L)Sp Cond (umhos/cm)Total Se (mg/L)2002-2005
Random Sampling
WQ Results
(Se detected)
Selenium – EPA
•Noticed for comment revised recommended federal criteria 12/2004
•Proposed 7.9 ppm body burden # (whole fish – dry weight)
•Extensive comment received•Body burden believed to be more reflective
of actual environmental impact•But how do you make that a permit limit?
Selenium – DEP Study
•Insight into bioaccumulation rates•Notice of Study issued on 11/10/05•Collecting fish from areas where elevated in-stream concentrations observed/believed to be present•Target species whole body bluegill/green sunfish; creek chub/stoneroller as backup
Selenium – DEP Study
•Looking at 12 sites and 2 controls•Lakes and Streams •Mining and Flyash Disposal Areas
•Fish Collections - 2 times•146 ground & analyzed thus far
•12 months WQ sampling
Selenium – DEP Study
•Looking at 12 sites and 2 controls•Lakes and Streams •Mining and Flyash Disposal Areas
•Fish Collections - 2 times•12 months WQ sampling
Study Locations
• Mud River• Hughes Fk/ 20-mile• Ash Fk/ 20-mile (ref)• Kiah Ck/12-pole• Seng Ck/Coal• White Oak/Coal• Sycamore Ck/Coal (ref)• Beech Ck/Little Coal • Pond Fk/Little Coal
Streams Lakes• Mt. Storm Lake• East Lynn Lake• Upper Mud Reservoir
Flyash•Connor Run•Daugherty Run
#Y#Y
#Y#Y
#Y
#Y #Y
#Y
#Y#Y
#Y
#Y#Y
#Y
ASH FORK
POND FORK
MUD RIVER
SENG CREEKKIAH CREEK
CONNOR RUN
BEECH CREEK
HUGHES FORK
DAUGHERTY RUN
SYCAMORE CREEK
MOUNT STORM LAKE
UPPER MUD RIVER RESERVOIR
WHITE OAK CREEK
EAST LYNN LAKE
Fish Tissue Fish Tissue Sampling Sampling LocationsLocations
Preliminary Data
• 14 Sites reporting in…4 mo. wq & 1 set fish– Water Column <1 µg/l – 42 µg/l – Fish Body Burden < 1 mg/kg – 60 mg/kg (dry
weight)
• Using both extremes - WV selenium values would fall in the range of 0.5 to 121 µg/l.
Determining Se Bioaccumulation Factors
BAF = Tissue Concentration / Water Column Concentration
= Tissue (mg/kg) dry weight / Column (mg/L)
= Tissue (mg/kg) X 1/Column (mg/L)
= L/kg
Ex. BAF = 5.10 (mg/kg) / 0.007 (mg/L)
= 728.57 (L/kg)
= or 728.57 L. or column Se to create 1.0 kg or tissue Se
X X
Extreme BAF Cases
• White Oak Creek
Avg. Water 15.3 ppb
– Bluegill <1 ppm– 121 µg/l necessary to
protect 7.9 body burden
– BAF = 65.4 (liters/kg)
• Mud River Reservoir
Avg. Water 3.9 ppb
– Bluegill = 60 ppm– 0.5 µg/l necessary to
protect 7.9 body burden
– BAF = 15,000 (liters/kg)
Avg. Water Column Se Values
0.05.0
10.015.020.025.030.035.040.0
Beech C
reek
Pond Fork
White O
ak C
reek
Seng C
reek
Sycam
ore Cre
ek
Upper Mud R
iver R
eserv
oirHughes
ForkAsh Fork
Daugherty
Run
East L
ynn Lak
eKiah
Cre
ekConnor R
unMud R
iver
Mount Sto
rm Lak
eTo
tal S
e (p
pb)
Avg. Column & Tissue Se Values11
.0
1.8
15.3
34.0
1.0 3.
9 5.6
1.0
1.0
1.0 2.0
15.8
6.8
1.6
10.7
3.8 5.
7 8.6
1.0
33.9
10.1
1.7
1.4 3.
0
2.0
24.4
7.8
4.4
0.05.0
10.015.020.025.030.035.040.0
Beech C
reek
Pond Fork
White O
ak C
reek
Seng C
reek
Sycam
ore Cre
ek
Upper Mud R
iver R
eserv
oirHughes
ForkAsh Fork
Daugherty
Run
East L
ynn Lak
eKiah
Cre
ekConnor R
unMud R
iver
Mount Sto
rm Lak
eTo
tal S
e
Avg. Column Se (ppb)Avg. Fish Tissue (ppm)
Preliminary ObservationsBluegill Tissue
•Streams: <1 – 4.2 ppm / avg. = 2.6 ppm•Avg. BAF = 1202 (L/kg)•Column # protective of 7.9 ppm = 27.7 µg/L
•Lakes: <1 – 60 ppm / avg. = 13.1 ppm•Avg. BAF = 4997 (L/kg)•Column # protective of 7.9 ppm = 2.6 µg/L
•Combined: <1 – 60 ppm/ avg. = 10.6 ppm•Avg. BAF = 4086 (L/kg)•Column # protective of 7.9 ppm = 8.5 µg/L
Preliminary ObservationsGreen Sunfish Tissue
•Streams: <1 – 29 ppm / avg. = 10.2 ppm•Avg. BAF = 1421 (L/kg)•Column # protective of 7.9 ppm = 12.5 µg/L
•Lakes: 22 – 47 ppm / avg. = 30.4 ppm•Avg. BAF = 7794 (L/kg)•Column # protective of 7.9 ppm = 1.1 µg/L
•Combined: <1 – 47 ppm/ avg. = 13.3 ppm•Avg. BAF = 2387 (L/kg)•Column # protective of 7.9 ppm = 10.8 µg/L
Preliminary ObservationsCreek Chub Tissue
•Streams: <1 – 30ppm / avg. = 6.8 ppm•Avg. BAF = 857 (L/kg)•Column # protective of 7.9 ppm = 21.2 µg/L
•Lakes: Not Collected/Expected
Se Bioaccumulation Among Lake Resident Bluegill
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
Mud R
iver R
es. B
G 1
Mud R
iver R
es. B
G 2
Mud R
iver R
es. B
G 3
Mud R
iver R
es. B
G 4
Mud R
iver R
es. B
G 5
East L
ynn L
ake B
G 1
East L
ynn L
ake B
G 2
East L
ynn L
ake B
G 3
East L
ynn L
ake B
G 4
East L
ynn L
ake B
G 5
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 1
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 2
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 3
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 4
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 5
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 6
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 7
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 8
Mt. Stor
m Lake
BG 9
Tota
l Se
0.0
2000.0
4000.0
6000.0
8000.0
10000.0
12000.0
14000.0
16000.0
18000.0
BAF
Tissue Se (mg/kg) dry wtColumn Exposure (mg/L)Average BAF (L/kg)
Selenium – Closing
• Last word of federal recommended criteria– Late 2008 for criteria and implementation guidance– 7.9 may not be 7.9
• 2nd rd fish collection just completed• Added column sampling to lakes• Contemplating 3rd round late summer• Add antagonistic trace metals to tissue analysis • Other agencies may take closer look at organ
concentrations
Final thoughts…
• Current criteria in full effect• Still learning…
Questions?