SONGBIRD FEATHERS AS BIOINDICATORS OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING RELATED CONTAMINATION
Open Access
- Author:
- Hazy, Rebecca Marie
- Area of Honors:
- Environmental Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Nathaniel Richard Warner, Thesis Supervisor
John Michael Regan, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing
Hydraulic Fracturing
HVHF
Surface Water
Contamination
Flowback Water
Produced Water
Songbird Feathers
Bioindicators
Bioaccumulation
Total Dissolved Salts
TDS
Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials
NORM
Marcellus Shale
Fayetteville Shale - Abstract:
- An increasing number of oil and gas wells that are directionally drilled and hydraulically fractured using high volumes of water (HVHF) could jeopardize local water supplies and aquatic/riparian ecosystems. HVHF produced water or flowback water contains elevated measurements of Total Dissolved Salts (TDS), such as strontium (Sr) and barium (Ba), and elevated activities of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). Improper water treatment or accidental leaking/spills of flowback water can possibly contaminate surface water. Species living in/around polluted water can ingest the water and bioaccumulate HVHF related contaminants. Specifically, Louisiana Waterthrush are riparian birds that feed on aquatic macroinvertebrates. The macroinvertebrates live in areas of HVHF and could bioaccumulate Sr and Ba in their bloodstream. By analyzing and comparing the chemical makeup of riparian bird feathers that live near active and non-active HVHF sites, the effect of HVHF on surface water quality could potentially be quantified. A recent study shows that Sr and Ba concentrations in feathers (n = 285) collected near active HVHF sites are higher than those collected near non-active HVHF sites (Latta et al. 2015). Louisiana Waterthrush feathers (n = 96) were collected in both active and non-active HVHF sites in the Marcellus Shale and Fayetteville Shale regions. The results are consistent with previous studies by demonstrating that Sr, Ba, and Ca concentrations correlate strongly (Ebel and Comar 1968). When Ca is needed from the bloodstream for incorporation into newly grown feathers, Sr and Ba can act as replacements and will bioaccumulate. Aluminum (Al) feather concentrations were measured to indicate improper feather cleaning/handling and the presence of dust/clay particles. Inconsistent with a previous study within the sample set, there was no statistical difference in this study between Sr, Sr/Ca, Ba, Ba/Ca, Ca, and Al measurements for active and non-active HVHF sites. In the Fayetteville Shale region, 87Sr/86Sr feather ratios are consistent with Fayetteville Shale flowback water (Warner et al. 2013). The 87Sr/86Sr data are inconclusive as to whether or not active HVHF sites are distinguishable from non-active HVHF sites. A continuation of this study with a larger sample size and greater statistical power would help draw critical conclusions in discovering the effects that HVHF has on surface water quality.