Document 4abGmRy2akqXxo7D1X5OrenZN

8 February 1967 Mr. L. C. Fuhrmeister ' Technical Services Superintendent Monsanto Chemical Company Anniston, Alabama 3o201 ' ^ & a C> l2~ C~ ^ x^ --i"? Dear Mr. Fuhrmeister: Enclosed is a description of our findings since the last progress report. We have been unable to demonstrate any reason why large fish kills should occur in Choccolocco Creek. I received your notice of Mr. Carder's visit. Since I teach two classes on Thursday morning, I am hoping that it will be convenient for me to meet with you on Friday the 24th at 8 AM. Should this be impossible, I will attempt to make arrangements for Thursday.- '' Sincerely, Enclosure DSF:wb Denzel Professor of DSW 162370 STLCOPCB4040945 ES-XC5'SUPr3! STATS' u DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY P.O. DRAWER Z STATE COLLEGE, MISSISSIPPI 37762 PHONE (601) 323-4321, EXT. 305 Progress Report- January On January 24 dissolved oxygen measurements were taken at several sampling sites by the Winkler Method. Water temperatures and pH-values were recorded at the same time. These data are summarized below: Location Time Water . Temp. (C) PH D. 0. (ppm) Surface Elbow Depth 1. Choccolocco Creek: 11 A.M. Bridge - 4 mi. E. of Boiling Springs 2. Anniston Sewage Treatment Plant: (Pinal tank)* 12 A.M. 3. Monsanto Sewage Treatment Facility at outfall to city. 2 P.M. ' 4. Snow Creek - 2:30 P.M. outfall from Monsanto Plant (Front ditch at fence) 5. Choccolocco'Creek 3:30 P.M. at Hiway 93 Bridge 14 7.8 10.8 10.0 21 7.2 3.8 31 7.6 4.7 ** ** , 34 0.7 ' None Detected #* 14.5 7.5 8.5 8.5 * The basin contained a large amount of .foam. ' -a-* Wot measured. The D. 0. values for the Choccolocco Creek sites are weil within safe limits. Barring adverse effects of detergents and low nocturnal D.O.-values fish might even survive in the Anniston Sewage Treatment Plant. Although the front ditch from the Monsanto Plant contained no measurable D.O. and had a very low pH, (Our tests have previously shown that bluegills die in 20 minutes at pH 3*0) both pH and D.O. are normal at the downstream Choccolocco Creek site (Hiway 93 Bridge).. DSW 162371 STLCOPCB4040946 o anuary Progress Report Page 2 Ive have completed preliminary studies to determine possible synergistic action of mercury and parat'nion. On January 18, four 15-gallon aquaria were prepared with the following test solutions: 1) 20 liters of 100 ppb HgCl2 solution; 2) 20 liters of 100 ppb parat'nion; 3) 20 liters of solution in which both HgCl2 and parat'nion were present at 100 ppb concentrations; 4) 20 liters of tap water as a control. Each aquarium was stocked with 25 medium sized green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). The following table shows the number of survivors. 100 ppb HgCl2 100 ppb Parat'nion Mixture 100 ppb HgCl2 and Parathion Tap water Control :;o. Fish 25' . " ' . 25 ' 25 25 12 hours 24 hours 36 hours 60 hours 25 25 25 25 23 24 18 ' 23 15 18 12 . . 25 25 25 ' 25 On February 3> the test was repeated using 20 green sunfish in each aquarium but 200 ppb HgClg- The numbers of survivors were as follows: . DSW 162372 > STLCOPCB4040947 January Progress Report Page 3 . ICO ppb EgCl2 Fish 12 hours 24 hours 36 hours 43 hours 60 hours 72 hours 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 100 ppb Parathion Mixture 100 ppb HgCl2 and Parathion Tap water Control 20 20 20 O C\J 20 20 19 15 * 13 ' 10 20 20 20.;... 20 16 13 20 20 20 20 20 These findings provide no evidence of synergistic activity. On the contrary, it appears possible that mercury may exert a slight antagonistic effect on parathion activity. We plan to repeat these studies using hluegills. . On February 2, bluegills were collected from Country Club Lake. This fish population is used to stock cages in Choccolocco Creek. . Three acuaris were prepared, one containing 25 ppb parathion, a second containing 100 ppb parathion, and another as a tap water control. Twelve fish were placed in each aquarium for 12 hours, after which the cholinesterase levels of these fish were determined. Each sample in this test represents the''brains of two fishes. Sarnies . 2-5 are fish exposed to 100 ppb parathion 6-10 are fish exposed to 25 ppb parathion 11-15 are control fish. DSW 162373 STLCOPCB4040948 January Progress Report Rage 4 The results of these tests are shown in the following table: 0's0 O 0 0 Sample i\0. isi'c.i.n ^t. Optical Density 2 76.7 ng 3 91.4 ng .100 L 76.0 Kg .010 5 96.5 3Bg .025 M ACTh Hydrolyzed 20* 60 ^Specific Activity Average Percent Inhibition 0.S5 1.36 0.44 0.60 2.85 4.08 1.32 1.80 0.81 1.16 0.39 0.51 .72 / . -- VJI CM CO 0tO 6 76.2 Kg 7 7o.7 ng 8 . 70.6 Eg ___ -055 9 770 ng 10 72.p Kg .045 .080 " 0.85 1.05 0.90 0.80 1.16 2.55 3.15 2.70 2.40 3.48 0.73 0.90 0.77 ' . 0.68 0.99 *; * 83.I Eg 12 . 81.4 ng 13 8O.6 Eg -4 86.2 ng --S ' 76.5 ng .145 .120 . .1-45 .165 195 1.81 1.57 1.81 2.01 2.32 5.43 4.71 . 5.43 6.03 6.96. 1.55 1.34 1.55 1.72 1.99 1.63 Speer fie Active'ey ji M ACh hydrolyzea/hour/ng brain weight 5035 DSW 162374 / ' STLCOPCB4040949 oanuary Progress Eeport Page 5 On January 25, 1967 water samples were collected for gas chromatographic analyses. At the same time, hluegills that had "been caged 2 weeks in Choccolocco Creek upstream and downstream iron Anniston were collected for analyses. The findings are shown in the following table (water samples are given in ppb; fish in ppm): Locality Sample Pesticides Choccolocco Creek Bridge - Water (1000 ml); 4 miles E. Boiling Springs Choccolocco Creek Bridge 4 miles E. Boiling Springs 2 Bluegills (8.58 g) Anniston Sewage Treatment Plant ___ Water (1000 ml). . Monsanto Treatment facility Water (1000 ml), (at outfall to city) Snow Creek (Front Bitch at outfall from Itforsanto Plant) Water (1000 ml), ' Choccolocco Creek at Hiway 93 Bridge Water (1000 ml). Choccolocco Creek at Hiway 93 Bridge 2 Bluegills (8.47 g) DSW 162375 DDE 0.2 ppb (3 unidentified peaks, one very close to malathion) DDE 0.143 ppm (3 unidentified peaks matching those in control fish from the State College population). DDT 1'.7 ppb ' Parathion 3*0 ppb Heptachlor Epoxide ? 7 unidentified peaks Trace . Extremely high background after clean-up on florisil. High EC response, even after dilution of the sample, prevented analysis. 11 unidentified peaks, several having retention times similar to pesticides. Some of these same peaks reappear in fish caged downstream. DDT 0.3 ppb t DDE Trace DDD 0.2 ppb ^ Parathion 1.5 ppb 3 unidentified peaks, one very . close to methyl parathion. ' DDT 0.451 ppm DDE 0.253 ppm parathion 0.354 ppm Malathion ? 4.251 ppm Ten unidentified peaks, 5 of which match specific peaks in Snow Creek. STLCOPCB4040950 January Progress Report Page 6 * Chromatographic analyses were done on a 10$ Dow-200 column with a 5$ QF-1 polar column used as a back-up. In certain cases (Malathion and Heptachlor Epoxide) interference was encountered and the identifications are tentative. The parathion reported in the bluegill tissues (Hiway 93 Bridge) did not exactly match the standard and eluted from the clean-up column early. However* clear separation was made with the parathion peak in the two water samples reported. Several peaks extracted from Snow Creek have similar retention times as pesticide standards. Certain peaks in Snow Creek appear in bluegills caged downstream. Identification of these peaks is beyond our present capabilities. . Conclusions The data reported show no adverse environmental, conditions in Choccolocco Creek or in the Anniston and Monsanto treatment facilities. Snow Creek continues to be the only environment unfit for aquatic life, however, there is no evidence that these undesirable effects alter Choccolocco Creek at downstream sites. Several materials in Snow Creek appear to accumulate in fishes caged downstream, but the biological . properties of these compounds are unknown. , vie are accumulating background data for assessing possible cholinesterase inhibition in caged fish. Survival of caged fish for relatively long periods of time suggests that the factor or factors causing fish ki11s in Choccolocco Creek may not be operative at' all times, at least on a lethal level. When rains stop and stream-flow decreases, we hope to study native fishes and determine possible effects of cumulative long-term sublethal factors. _ DSW 162376 / STLCOPCB4040951