Heavy Metal Pollution in the Nu'uanu Watershed: Aquatic and Roadside Sediments

Item Description

Title:	Heavy Metal Pollution in the Nu'uanu Watershed: Aquatic and Roadside Sediments
Author:	Andrews, Stephanie Beth
Date:	2002-12
Publisher:	University of Hawaii at Manoa
Abstract:	Previous research on Honolulu streams indicates that contamination by trace metals from automobile usage is a significant problem, especially Cu (copper), Pb (lead), and Zn (zinc). Therefore, this study was designed to determine the influence of road sediments and storm sewers on bioavailable trace metal concentrations in bed sediments of Nuʻuanu Stream, Oʻahu. Enrichment ratios (ERs) indicated that the Nuʻuanu watershed is significantly polluted in the lower, urbanized reaches, with maximum ER values of 444 (road sediments) and 74 (stream sediments) for Pb. Median ER values for Cu, Pb, and Zn in stream sediments were calculated as 2.0, 28.3, and 4.6, respectively. Considering the lack of industrial centers in the Hawaiian Islands, the Nuʻuanu watershed has extremely high levels of Pb, with a maximum value of 332 mg/kg and 3140 mg/kg in stream and road samples.
Description:	ix, 108 leaves
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10125/7057
Rights:	All UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner.