Comprehensive Examination of Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, Mn and Cd in Lackawanna County Waters, Northeastern Pennsylvania: A Brief Report

Lackawanna, a US county seat in Northeastern Pennsylvania has an estimated population of 216,000 in 2020. Over the years, it has been reported that several bodies of water found within the county have been contaminated with various metals. However, a comprehensive examination of the presence of these metals has not been conducted. The goal of this brief report was to perform a preliminary quantitative determination of the concentration of various metals found in Lackawanna County water sources. The sources analyzed included Lake Scranton, the Lackawanna River, the Griffin Reservoir, and Keyser Creek. Samples were taken from each source and analyses of copper, lead, zinc, iron, manganese, and cadmium using atomic absorption spectroscopy were performed. A copper concentration of 0.100 ppm was found in the Griffin Reservoir, and 0.380 ppm of iron was found in the Lackawanna River. The concentration of copper and iron in the Griffin Reservoir and Lackawanna River, respectively, were determined to be within safe levels according to guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency.