PTS: 83359RZ.33.0 Title: Ozark Cavefish: Monitoring their Water Quality Keywords:sediment, toxicology, aquatic, fish, amphibians, invertebrates, acute, chronic, listed species, endangered species, threatened species Leaders: * Alvarez, David , dalvarez@usgs.gov, 573-441-2970, FAX 573-876-1896, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65201 Accomplishments: This study demonstrated the benefits of using the passive sampling approach for monitoring for trace concentrations of organic chemicals in areas not easily accessible to field cres. Communication Plan: Results of this research will be presented at scientific meetings and will be published in peer reviewed reports, manuscripts, monoghraphs, and in books, as appropriate. Reports, with the client's permission, will be posted on the CERC web site. Highlights and Key Findings: In each cave, there were at least a few targeted contaminants which were identified indicating there may be a potential impact to the endangered Ozark cavefish which live in these underground streams. Atrazine was found at all sites as was para-cresol (a wood preservative, possibly resulting from dumping of old wood in sinkholes). Screening of the extracts using the YES assay to test for total estrogenicity, indicated that there were chemical(s) present at each site which were capable of producing an estrogenic response. Objectives: The primary program goal is Contaminants Biology, Goal #1, Toxicology and Chemistry. Passive samplers (Semipermeable Membrane Devices, SPMDs, and the Polar Organic Chemical Integrated Sampler, POCIS) will be used to screen for general toxicity, pesticides, urban/industrial pollutants, potential endocrine disruptors, and pharmaceuticals. Based on analyses of the initial data, a long-term monitoring plan will be created by MDC outlining an efficient sampling design to detect changes in water quality, ¿what to measure and how often¿, and suggest an approach to link water quality trends with landuse or landcover, hazards in recharge zones, karst species community characteristics, and impacts of conservation projects implemented in recharge zones. Statement of Problem: Degradation of water quality poses the most urgent threat to groundwater and aquatic biodiversity in karst systems including resources for human and agricultural consumption as well as habitat used by endangered Ozark cavefish. The Missouri Department of Conservation does not currently monitor water quality in cavefish sites and they do not know if sites are impaired by: excessive nutrients, sediment, or pesticides from agricultural activities; acutely toxic or hormone mimicking (e.g. endocrine-disrupting) chemicals and pharmaceuticals from rapidly expanding urban and industrial areas. Annual surveys to monitor cavefish populations are currently ongoing. A comprehensive description of water quality would allow us to document baseline conditions, identify immediate threats to aquatic organisms, and threats to the safety of groundwater for human use. Thorough knowledge of current conditions will provide the foundation for a longer-term monitoring program to warn of declining water quality through time. 2006 Progress: The SPMDs and POCIS have been prepared and provided to the Missouri Department of Conservation collaborators for deployment in the cave systems. 2006 Statement of Work: Passive samplers, semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS), will be used to assess the quality of groundwater in karst systems used as habitat for the endangered Ozark cavefish and ultimately human consumption. A series of chemical screens in combination with the Microtox acute toxicity assay and the yeast estrogen screen (YES) to test for increased estrogenic activity will provide information on organic chemicals potentially impairing the water quality. 2007 Progress: Chemical analysis and data review of all samplers has been completed. Discussions on how best to generate a joint publication to release the results are on-going. 2007 Statement of Work: Work will continue in the processing and analysis of passive samplers deployed in cave systems in FY06. Results will be reported to the MDC cooperators. Following review of the data and upon agreement of all parties, results will be made public in the form of USGS documents/web entries, presentations at scientific meetings, and/or publication in the scientific literature. Product: Other Planned Alvarez, D.A., Cranor, W.L., Perkins, S.D., Schroeder, V., Monitoring for Contaminants in Cave Systems which are inhabited by Endangered Cavefish, USGS Product: Presentations Planned Alvarez, D.; Cranor, W.; Jones-Lepp, T.; Perkins, S.; Schroeder, V.; Clark, R.; Novinger, D., Passive sampling of organic contaminants in karst groundwater systems inhabited by endangered Ozark cavefish, Society of Enviornmental Toxicology and Chemistry
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