Levels of Metals Found in Fundulus heteroclitus Across Rivers of Southern Connecticut

Date of Submission

5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Chemistry

Advisor

Nathan A. Seifert, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Eddie Luzik, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Chong Qiu, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Cameron Oden, Ph.D.

Keywords

Mummichog, Southern Connecticut Rivers, Metal Pollution

LCSH

Mummichog, Quinnipiac River (Conn.), Housatonic River (Mass. and Conn.), Fishes--Effect of metals on

Abstract

Southern Connecticut is a densely populated and industrialized region with a history of pollution in local waterbodies. This area was influenced by the evolution of industry during the 1800s as manufacturing began to flourish. Industries that proliferated included textile manufacturing, metal fabrication, and armaments production. Several of these contributed to pollution in the waterways near manufacturing sites. The disposal of industrial waste into waterways continued as new businesses were introduced in the 20th century, such as chemical production, wastewater treatment, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and aircraft manufacturing, many of which are still active. Pollutants discharged into waterways included chemicals, metals, and nutrients.

The rise in industry and population coincided with the decline in water quality. Though regulations and agencies were established to combat water pollution, the scope and enforcement of these initiatives were limited. Additionally, nonpoint source contributors such as rock weathering and urban runoff add to metals and metal-containing compounds entering water bodies. The consequences of the historic and continued discharge of industrial wastewater into the waterways of Connecticut can be seen in the health of aquatic life.

Through funding provided by the Quinnipiac River Fund, this study aims to discover the levels of metals found in Fundulus heteroclitus collected from several southern Connecticut rivers. In this study, F. heteroclitus was the chosen bioindicator species to assess the impacts that historic metal pollution was having on aquatic life. F. heteroclitus fits into an ecological niche similar to fish in other locations, which is ideal for equating these results to other studies. To achieve the objectives of this study, F. heteroclitus were sampled from the Branford River, Quinnipiac River, Housatonic River, and Ferry Creek. After collection, fish were euthanized, lyophilized, organized into samples, and prepared for shipping. Samples were analyzed for elemental composition through ICP-AES and ICP-MS analysis. Several elements were detected in the F. heteroclitus samples, some of which exceeded literature levels. Comparisons of the levels of elements found were made between locations. From the concentrations of metals accumulated in F. heteroclitus samples, the fish could be differentiated based on the river the fish were sampled from.

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