Land and Fresh Water Environmental Sciences - Great Lakes Ecology Study

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BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE Land and Fresh Water Environmental Sciences - Great Lakes Ecology Study BUDGET ACTIVITY NO. 13, F. Gustafson, and see specific activities RELATED WORK (With Same Contractor or Others) Programs at The University of Michigan. MANPOWER AND COST DATA ESTIMATED FOR FISCAL YEARS 6 0 . DIRECT MANPOWER (Man Years) TEMPORARY PAID BY OTHERS TOTAL OTHER TECHNICAL TOTAL MAN YEARS 0.5 5.3 13.7 MATERIALS AND SERVICES See next page

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REPOSITORY: OFFICE OF HUMAN RADIATION COLLECTION: PLUTONIUM INJECTION INVESTIGATION FOLDER: EXTRA COPIES FROM ROCHESTER FILES

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65200 Great Lakes Ecology Study - 6 3 100 65 300 Bio- Envir onmental Studies 8 12 15 See individual 189's for detail. Work in this category encompasses environmental and ecological studies in both terrestrial and aquatic regimes. ated, although it does include the on-going work of the Bio-Environmental Studies group. Although broken away f r o m the Atmospheric Sciences category on paper, work in the environment is closely correlated with the meteorological studies The bulk of the effort has recently been initi-8 Ecological Studies. This relatively new program has a s its objectives the utilization of the terrestrial ecosystems present on the Argonne site (old fields, oak systems, and reconstituted prairie) in the long-term study of the effects of natural and man-made environmental variables on these systems. Mineral cycling and tritium movement in these systems is receiving initial attention. Great Lakes Ecology Study. This is a new effort starting in F Y 1970, having as its objective the determination of the influence of nuclear power plant operations on the Great Lakes environment, both physical and biological. Portions of this closely interconnected program are funded by DRDT. Parts of the Meteorological and Bio-Environmental programs have shifted emphasis somewhat to assist in thc operative effort with other institutions and agencies working on the Great Lakes. Bio-Environmental Studies. This program involves the investigation of natural and man-made radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants in the environment with particular emphasis on their possible effects upon man. This effort will hav major emphasis placed upon radionuclide and trace element cycling in the biota o the Great Lakes. From the start this has been, and will continue t o be, aCO -

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BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE Land and Fresh Water Environmental Sciences - Great Lakes Ecology Study . BUDGET ACTIVITY NO. Measurable differences have been observed using a mass spectrometer i n the isotopic ratio '2C/'3C and 32S/94Sof water samples collected from different sources which suggests that this technique may have some utility in tracing Anticipated Program FY 1971 and F Y 1972. chemistry of the lake is to determine the inventory of all chemical species entering and leaving the lake. To this end a detailed sampling of all the m a j o r streams entering the lake will be carried out. These samples will be analyzed for a s many different chemical species as possible. Experiments will be p e r - formed to determine the best methods of storing the samples after collection, preconcentration of t r a c e components, and analysis. In addition, methods of automated techniques for sampling and analysis will be evaluated. will be coordinated with The University of Michigan p r o g r a m and will take strong cognizance of similar work in progress at the Battelle Northwest Laboratories. The first step i n understanding the Further sampling and analysis of water, sediment and biota collected from G--een Bay will be studied in o r d e r to evaluate the role of a changing environment on the water-sediment interface and the concentrations of t r a c e elements in the biota. Amore detailed study will be made of the variations in the concentration of trace elements in a limited number of species of fish and other aquatic organisms collected from the Great Lakes with particular emphasis on food webs and the more polluted areas. B. Great Lakes Research Program - Task 3 , Field Site Studies Purpose and Methods. Great Lakes Research Program at Argonne whose major objective is the deter - mination of the influence of nuclear power stations upon the G r e a t Lakes' environment. Initial emphasis is upon Lake Michigan because of the greater number of nuclear plants along its shores, plus its proximity t o Argonne. task is the one under which intensive biological and physical sampling will be conducted in the vicinity of currently operating power generating stations, be bottom sediments, and biota, and the determination of ambient water and a i r The Field Site Studies a r e a vital portion of the overall Such sampling will include the collection of water, temper it ure s, and temperature distributions in water, (over )

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(Con tin ua ti on 1 Radiological Physics Division Meteorology Tower (in lake) Boat and Automatic Sample Changer Meteorology Instrument Trailer Total RPY Division Purpose and Methods. Lake Michigan is of considerable economic and ecological importance. operation of these reactors will lead t o the release of heated water and small concentrations of racfionuclides which may profoundly affect the ecology of the lake. A major problem to be faced in determining these effects is the almost total lack of basic scientific data relating, in particular, to the chemistry of most of the elements in the lake. A change in the temperature of the water may cause subtle effects in the solubility and other relationships between chemical compounds which, i n turn, may affect the metabolism and distribution of each biologi c a l species. The physical distribution and biological activity of the radionuclide: released will also depend largely on the chemistry of their stable element and biota is also an important parameter in determining the water quality of the lake as it will affect greatly the residence times of these species. The distribution and relationships of chemical elements and compounds in the water, sediments and biota of Lake Michigan will be determined, using a variety of techniques. It is anticipated that these will include neutron activation, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, m a s s spectrometry, anodic stripping and polarography, and chromatography. Accomplishments F Y 1969 and F Y 1970. The study of trace element distribution i n the biota of the Great Lakes has continued. The concentrations of 14 trace elements have been determined in fish f r o m Lakes Erie, Michigan, and Superior. The content of several trace elements has been found t o vary with species and site collection, with cadmium, arsenic, and chromium having the greatest v a r i - ability. A preliminary investigation has been made of Sediments collected in Green Ray where there is a s h a r p boundary between the nonpolluted and polluted areas. The results point toa marked difference in trace element distribution between the t*/o areas. The siting of nuclear power plants around the shores of The partition of chemical species between the water, sediments,

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Land and Fresh Water Environmental Sciences - A. Bathythermograph Measurements. A bathythermograph is an instrument which provides readings of temperature a s a function of depth i n a body of water. This instrument is relatively simple to use and is comparatively inexpensive. It is recommended that daily soundings be made starting immediately a t various distances from shore. Such soundings should be made two or three times daily until sufficient information including that related to seasonal effects is at hand. at a fixed distance above the water surface is essential; these should be made routinely with the bathythermograph measurements. Measurement of air temperature from the Boston Whaler fixed objects whose spacing is known. The location of the measurement point must be This can easily be determined from sightings at two or more points, All one needs is to determine the angle subtended by p a i r s of 2. Currents. A general knowledge of the predominant direction, speed, and direction of inshore currents near proposed study areas is necessary to evaluate (1) the experimental approach and design, and ( 2 ) the possible influence of such c u r r e n t s on the data to be obtained. Some of this information can be obtained by a brief literature survey, but here again, a limited number of first-hand meas - urements should be made i n the study areas. Measurements at one station centrally located in each area should be sufficient. Data gathered from an extensive study of currents in relation t o thermal plume dispersion will also be 3 . Okygen. Measurements of the dissolved 0 2 concentration in the water Water samples will be at each station is n e c e s s a r y to ( 1 ) establish baseline levels, and (2) to determine if there is any alteration due to the thermal discharge. returned t o the laboratory for analysis. 4. Biological Oxygen Demand (B. 0, D.). Levels of B. 0. D. should be measured t o (1) establish baseline data, and (2) determine if there is an increase in 0 2 demand due to thermal discharges. to whether o r not there is an increased organic load due to organisms that are killed i n passing through the condenser. This may also give some indication a s Measurements would probably be made

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'measurements of currents, and heat loss to the atmosphere. field and laboratory measurements of productivity, and laboratory studies of specific aspects such a s viability of biota passing through the condenser, subjected t o algaecides, etc. There will also be In addition, this task group will serve as the operation whereby field data r e - quired by other tasks w i l l be collected, and there will be close coordination between this task and those more theoretically based. effort has been t o recruit aquatic biologists, determine sampling sites, methods, and equipment needs. Lake Michigan have been consulted and plans f o r coordinated field work in early F Y 1971 have been formulated. Foremost among these other parties i s the Great Lakes Research Division,of The University of Michigan with whom we have had close associations since the inception of the Great Lakes Research P r o g r a m at Argonne. Close t i e s have also been established with the Center f o r Great Lake Studies at The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and the Sea Grant group a t The University of Wisconsin, Madison. More recently we have been actively discussing joint research plans with the group under Dr. McWhinney at De Paul supported by the EPRD Foundation. In addition, plans at the working level a r e being formulated with BCF and the Lake Michigan Basin office of the FWPCA. This program started in F Y 1970, and its initial In addition, other interested, active research groups on Anticipated Program FY 1971 and F Y 1972. Field work in the following areas of physical and biological research and proposed means for their accomplishment a r e discussed below. It is also intended that laboratory work, ideally at lakeshore s i t e s such a s the Waukegan plant, will be initiated to investigate the effects of transit through the cooling system of a power station on entrained biota. The major field effort will be conducted at the Waukegan and Zion sites, the latter in conjunction with the De Paul study at Zion. A suitable area for control measurements appears to exist south of Waukegan. Plans a r e also made to conduct studie at the Big Rock Nuclear Plant in cooperation with the Dept. of Natural Resources of the State of Michigan. Finally, it should be stated that close contact, and perhaps assistance, will be maintained with the t h e r m a l plume study of the Ginna Plant on Lake Ontario. 1. Temperature. A general knowledge of water temperature characteristic (including thermal plumes) which exist in proposed study areas is needed to determine (1) sampling locations, (2) frequency of sampling, and ( 3 ) types of experiments. Temperature data from previous studies in these areas will be helpful, but should be supplemented with a limited number of first-hand temperature measurements made in the study areas prior to initiating a routine sampling Off-Shore Measurements. These measurements are to be made from the Boston Whaler which the Radiological Physics Division is about to purchase for the lake

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- BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE Land and Fresh Water Environmental Sciences - Great Lakes Ecology Study BUDGET ACTIVITY NO. 6.. Bacteria and Parasites. The objective will be to determine if there is a change in the occurrence of bacterial infection o r parasites in fish and possibly some other organisms near the a r e a of thermal outfalls. Major emphasis would be placed on those infections o r parasites that a r e detrimental to the fish or can be detrimental t o man if transferred to him through the food chain or from the 1. Exposure Time f o r Planktonic Organisms. The objective would be to determine the length of time plankton either passing through the condensers o r floating into the thermal plume will be exposed to a significant temperature change (AT of 5'F). Small floating devices with a large submerged surface a r e a would be used to simulate planktonic organisms. By releasing these at various positions and observing their movements, the time to pass out of the plume can 2. The objective would be t o measure the rate of sedimentation near thermal outfalls to see if it differs f r o m the rate at other near-shore locations. Standard types of containers would be secured on the bottom and then collected a t time intervals to measure the amount of deposition.

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5. Nutrients. Information on nutrient levels (phosphate, nitrate , silicate) ii the water (1) provide baseline data, and (2) give an indication of the potential productivity in the area. Water samples would be returned to the laboratory f o r 6 . Turbidity. Measurements of turbidity will give some indication as to thc depth of the photic zcne and hence the depth t o which productivity extends. Meas.- urements would include secchi disc readings and laboratory measurement of 7. Radioactivity. Information on the concentration of radionuclides in lake water is necessary to (1) establish baseline data, and (2) determine the levels released by nuclear electric plants. Ion exchange beds would be used to concentrate the radionuclides f r o m large volumes of water. 8 . Algaecides and Fungicides. It is necessary to determine (1) whether algaecides and fungicides are detectable i n the discharge water, and (2) the area of influence i n the plume. Water samples would be returned to the laboratory 1. Bottom Organisms (Benthos). The objective is to determine the type 'ant quantity of organisms present. Bottom samples will be collected by either dredg with the sediment being retained. Macroinvertebrates will be sieved out, identified, and counted Both the biota and the sediment will be 2. Artificial …