Heavy Metals

Metals such as Zinc, Chromium, Manganese and Lead are introduced to various aquatic systems, like the Paramecium Pond.  The Paramecium Pond is part of this system in an urban setting. Therefore, large amounts of pollutants accumulate at the surface of streets and roofs. Ultimately, they are carried towards and end up being part of the pond. With regards to these sediment, more is found closer to the inlet compared to the outlet. 

The metals that we have selected to look at for this project are Zinc, Chromium, Lead, and Manganese. These are all considered heavy metals (because they all have an atomic number great than 20). According to a study done on ‘Heavy metal concentrations and toxicity in water and sediment from stormwater ponds and sedimentation tanks,’ the concentration of metals were the highest in ponds. This is important when considering how these metals affect the sediment in Paramecium Pond. Looking at the actual results, it is surprising to see Manganese have the greatest amount of concentration because Manganese and Iron are both generally found in abundance in coal mining areas. The Manganese causes a bad taste in the water and reduces the chances of animals using it as drinking water. That being said, it does not actually pollute the water enough to make it harmful to drink. According to the PennState Extension manganese concentrations above 0.05 mg/L can cause a metallic taste to water. This may cause problems with irrigation injury to plants. 

To that extent, it is important to note that the concentration is in parts per million. This means that the actual effect of such sediment on the pond water is negligible. 

Zinc: 30 atomic numb 
Chromium: 24 
Lead: 82 
Manganese: 25 

Niton is what radon used to be called, which is a gaseous chemical element that gives off radiation. An example of niton is a hazardous radioactive substance in a gas form. Niton is part of the XRF analyzer system. 






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