Domestic groundwater wells in Appalachia show evidence of low-dose, complex mixtures of legacy pollutants.

IF 4.3 3区 环境科学与生态学 Q1 CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts Pub Date : 2024-11-06 DOI:10.1039/d4em00364k
Nicolette A Bugher, Boya Xiong, Runako I Gentles, Lukas D Glist, Helen G Siegel, Nicholaus P Johnson, Cassandra J Clark, Nicole C Deziel, James E Saiers, Desiree L Plata
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Abstract

Lack of water quality data for private drinking water sources prevents robust evaluation of exposure risk for communities co-located with historically contaminated sites and ongoing industrial activity. Areas of the Appalachian region of the United States (i.e., Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia) contain extensive hydraulic fracturing activity, as well as other extractive and industrial technologies, in close proximity to communities reliant on private drinking water sources, creating concern over potential groundwater contamination. In this study, we characterized volatile organic compound (VOC) occurrence at 307 private groundwater well sites within Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The majority (97%) of water samples contained at least one VOC, while the average number of VOCs detected at a given site was 5 ± 3. The majority of individual VOC concentrations fell below applicable U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Contamination Levels (MCLs), except for chloroform (MCL of 80 μg L-1; n = 1 at 98 μg L-1), 1,2-dibromoethane (MCL of 0.05 μg L-1; n = 3 ranging from 0.05 to 0.35 μg L-1), and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (MCL of 0.2 μg L-1; n = 7 ranging from 0.20 to 0.58 μg L-1). To evaluate well susceptibility to VOCs from industrial activity, distance to hydraulic fracturing site was used to assess correlations with contaminant occurrences. Proximity to closest hydraulic fracturing well-site revealed no statistically significant linear relationships with either individual VOC concentrations, or frequency of VOC detections. Evaluation of other known industrial contamination sites (e.g., US EPA Superfund sites) revealed elevated levels of three VOCs (chloroform, toluene, benzene) in groundwaters within 10 km of those Superfund sites in West Virginia and Ohio, illuminating possible point source influence. Lack of correlation between VOC concentrations and proximity to specific point sources indicates complex geochemical processes governing trace VOC contamination of private drinking water sources. While individual concentrations of VOCs fell well below recommended human health levels, the low dose exposure to multiple VOCs occurring in drinking supplies for Appalachian communities was noted, highlighting the importance of groundwater well monitoring.

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阿巴拉契亚地区的家用地下水井显示了低剂量、复杂的遗留污染物混合物。
由于缺乏私人饮用水源的水质数据,因此无法对与历史上的污染场地和正在进行的工业活动同处一地的社区的暴露风险进行可靠的评估。美国阿巴拉契亚地区(即宾夕法尼亚州、俄亥俄州和西弗吉尼亚州)有大量的水力压裂活动以及其他采掘和工业技术,这些活动都靠近依赖私人饮用水源的社区,从而引发了对潜在地下水污染的担忧。在这项研究中,我们对宾夕法尼亚州、俄亥俄州和西弗吉尼亚州的 307 个私人地下水井点的挥发性有机化合物 (VOC) 发生情况进行了描述。大多数(97%)水样至少含有一种挥发性有机化合物,而在特定地点检测到的挥发性有机化合物的平均数量为 5 ± 3。环境保护局 (EPA) 的最高污染水平 (MCL),但氯仿(MCL 为 80 μg L-1;n = 1 为 98 μg L-1)、1,2-二溴乙烷(MCL 为 0.05 μg L-1;n = 3,范围从 0.05 到 0.35 μg L-1),以及 1,2-二溴-3-氯丙烷(MCL 为 0.2 μg L-1;n = 7,范围从 0.20 到 0.58 μg L-1)。为了评估油井对工业活动产生的挥发性有机化合物的易感性,采用了与水力压裂现场的距离来评估污染物发生的相关性。结果表明,与最近的水力压裂井场的距离与单个挥发性有机化合物的浓度或挥发性有机化合物的检测频率均无统计学意义上的线性关系。对其他已知工业污染场地(如美国环保局超级基金场地)的评估显示,在西弗吉尼亚州和俄亥俄州超级基金场地 10 公里范围内的地下水中,三种挥发性有机化合物(氯仿、甲苯、苯)的浓度升高,这说明可能存在点源影响。挥发性有机化合物的浓度与特定点源的邻近程度之间缺乏相关性,这表明对私人饮用水源的痕量挥发性有机化合物污染具有复杂的地球化学过程。虽然挥发性有机化合物的单个浓度远低于建议的人体健康水平,但阿巴拉契亚社区饮用水供应中出现的多种挥发性有机化合物的低剂量暴露,突出了地下水井监测的重要性。
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来源期刊
Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL-ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CiteScore
9.50
自引率
3.60%
发文量
202
审稿时长
1 months
期刊介绍: Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts publishes high quality papers in all areas of the environmental chemical sciences, including chemistry of the air, water, soil and sediment. We welcome studies on the environmental fate and effects of anthropogenic and naturally occurring contaminants, both chemical and microbiological, as well as related natural element cycling processes.
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