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Lead Screening Study of Fish in Gills Creek Watershed
Shearer, Taylor South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, Bureau of Water, Aquatic Science Division
Shearer, Taylor
South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, Bureau of Water, Aquatic Science Division
Abstract
Lead is ubiquitous in our environment as this element is found in water, rocks, soils, plants, air and animals. It is a naturally occurring toxic metal, whose use by humans has led to widespread environmental contamination. These sources of contamination range from mining, smelting, metal processing, waste incineration, and ammunition manufacturing (Eisler, 1988; Lee & et al., 2019; South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), 2011; South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), 2024). In 2021 and 2022, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC, now South Carolina Department of Environmental Services) conducted a Gills Creek Lead Study and found that a regularly monitored base station, C-078, which is located below a munitions range on Fort Jackson military base, consistently violated the chronic total lead standard for aquatic life (SCDHEC, 2024). These results prompted a special screening study to identify if there were elevated concentrations of lead in either fish fillets or whole fish from sites located downstream of C-078. Five (5) sites were chosen within Gills Creek watershed and sampled by South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) staff. At each site, 4-8 fish were collected for lead analysis in both fillet and whole tissue components. In total, 56 samples were analyzed for total lead by Access Analytical (now Eurofins) using EPA method 6010D. All sample results were below Reporting Limit (RL). One whole fish sample was reported as above the Method Detection Limit (MDL) but below the RL. Results below the RL are considered estimated values.
Issue Date
2024-12
Keywords
Lead--Environmental aspects--South Carolina, Water--Pollution--South Carolina, Fishes--Habitat--Conservation--South Carolina
Type
Document
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Records, documents, and information made available by the agencies of the South Carolina state government or its subdivisions are made accessible through the South Carolina State Library Depository and are protected under U.S. Copyright law (Title 17, U.S.C.) and South Carolina state law (Title 30 and 60, S.C.C.L.). Distribution rights are determined by the agency or author and users should contact the aforementioned for more information.
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