GROUNDWATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF THE PINEY POINT AQUIFER

Elizabeth 1
Keily , Arif M. 2
Sikder , Mohammad 3
Alauddin , S. Leigh 1
McCallister ,2 Daniel Boehling2

1 Biology Department, VCU 2 Center for Environmental Studies, VCU 3 Physical Sciences Department, Wagner College

Introduction Methods Conclusions

The rural population of the Virginia coastal plain is Groundwater samples were collected from public wells Arsenic and chromium were higher than maximum
dependent mostly on groundwater as a drinking water sourced from the Piney Point aquifer. Water samples were contaminant levels in both the sediment and groundwater
supply. There are four main aquifers in the Virginia coastal obtained from spigots as close to directly from the well as samples; this could be evidence of these elements
plain: Potomac, Aquia, Piney Point, and Yorktown (Figure possible. Sample containers were triple rinsed with well leaching from sediments to groundwater. Since arsenic
1). The present study will focus on the Piney Point aquifer, water before collecting and field filtering samples through a was higher than EPA standards in all groundwater samples
which accounts for roughly 5 percent of the groundwater 0.2 um filter. One 40ml vial was collected at each site and collected, concentrations may be high enough to have
supply to the Virginia coastal plain. Piney Point aquifer acidified with 40uL of nitric acid. The groundwater associated public health issues; however, more samples
sediments are early Eocene to early Miocene in age and temperature, pH, and conductivity was also collected. will be collected to replicate results.
were deposited relatively uniformly on the marine Water samples were analyzed for trace element
continental shelf. They are medium to coarse grained, concentration with ICP-MS. Sediment samples were
Future Work
Leaching experiments will be performed on the bulk
glauconitic, fossiliferous sands. Since trace element collected from the USGS Banbury Cross core and were
sediments in order to observe the trace element
concentrations in groundwater typically reflect the solid analyzed for trace element oxides with X-ray Fluorescence
concentrations that are released into leachate solutions at
phases of the aquifer, groundwater samples and aquifer (XRF).
differing pH found naturally in aquifer. As a study of this
sediments were analyzed for trace elements side by side
to understand the groundwater quality.
Results kind has not been performed in the Virginia coastal plain,
Table 1 shows trace element concentrations for 7 Piney this will provide a baseline of trace element concentrations
The objective of this study is to assess the vulnerability
Point aquifer groundwater samples with EPA drinking water for the Piney Point aquifer, as well as potential of release
of the Piney Point aquifer for trace elements released from
standards in terms of maximum contaminant level listed at of toxic elements in the event of pH change within the
its sediments and, ultimately, to understand the release
the bottom. Table 2 shows trace element oxide aquifer.
mechanisms of trace elements from the solid phases of
concentrations of 9 Piney Point sediment samples.
the aquifer under varying pH within natural limitations. Table 2. Trace element oxide concentrations for Piney Point aquifer
• Arsenic, chromium, and lead were present in sediment
sediments from XRF analysis and Maximum Recommended Levels in
samples, though no lead was present in water samples.
sediments from U.S. EPA and Environment Canada. Samples are arranged
• Arsenic was higher than the maximum contaminant levels
by depth with youngest sediments at the top.
for all water samples and all sediment samples it was
detected in. Compound Concentrations (ppm)
• Barium was below the maximum contaminant level for all
Sample Location As2O3 Cr2O3 PbO
water samples.
13 Tpp 78.2 256.1 23.3
• Chromium was higher than the maximum contaminant
15 Tpp 73.1 152.9 41.1
levels for all water and sediment samples. 17 Tpp 37.8 181.3 15.9
• Lead was below maximum recommended level for all 20 Tpp 46.4 220 15.4
sediment samples. 22 Tpp 41.9 370.1 132.2
• Selenium was above maximum contaminant level in 3 24 Tpp 0 453.4 217.1
water samples. 26 Tpp 0 382.1 126.8
29 Tpp 51.1 253.1 75.6
Table 1. Trace element concentrations for Piney Point aquifer groundwater samples 32 Tpp 0 237 64.8
from ICP-MS analysis and U.S. EPA Drinking Water Standards. Maximum
Trace Element Concentrations (ppb) Recommended Levels 12 (CAN) 64 (CAN) 400 (EPA)
(ppm)
Sample Location As Ba Cr Se
Sb2O3, CdO, CuO, SeO2, and U were all below detection limit.
Washington Burgess Inn 85 411 38 87
Lakeside Resturant 90 424 13 40 Acknowledgements
Colonies - Well 1 33 281 42 72 We would like to thank Dr. Greg Garman, Director of VCU
Colonies - Well 2 43 282 14 62 Rice River Center and Dr. Rodney Dyer, Director of the Center
Rainbow Acres Campground 45 246 67 42
Figure 1. Hydrogeology of the Virginia Coastal Plain. (Source: The for Environmental Studies, for making this research possible.
Tucker Recreation Park and Marina - Well 1 38 216 208 47
Virginia Coastal Plain Hydrologic Framework, USGS) Tucker Recreation Park and Marina - Well 2 43 229 205 30
We would also like to thank Dr. Joseph Turner for running the
EPA Drinking Water Standards: Maximum ICP-MS analysis and Xin-Chen Liu for running XRF analysis.
10 2000 100 50 And we would like to thank the residents and owners of the
Contaminant Level (ppb)
*Be, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Tl were all below detection limit. wells that allowed us sample their water.