SusChEM: EAGER - The occurrence and distribution of hexavalent chromium and other contaminants in groundwater from aquifers of the Eastern United States

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

Federal and international drinking water standards do not specifically address hexavalent chromium despite its known carcinogenic effects. Evidence for naturally occurring sources and ubiquitous distribution of hexavalent chromium and other contaminants in aquifers in North Carolina has increased public awareness and calls for regulation of hexavalent chromium in drinking water. Yet the lack of data on the overall distribution and sources of hexavalent chromium in groundwater has caused ambiguity in the decision making process. The proposed EAGER project will provide state and federal agencies the needed information to evaluate and predict the occurrence of hexavalent chromium and other naturally occurring contaminants such as arsenic and vanadium in drinking water wells in the Eastern U.S. This information is critical for assessing the risks of hexavalent chromium and other naturally occurring contaminants and thus will provide better assessment on the associated human health implications. The proposed EAGER project aims to evaluate the factors that control the occurrence of hexavalent chromium, arsenic, and vanadium contaminants in groundwater from different aquifers in the Eastern U.S. The project will establish a comprehensive geochemical database, combined with isotopic fingerprints (87Sr/86Sr) for tracing the aquifer lithology from which the contaminants are mobilized. The project will establish a geochemical model for the prediction of the occurrence of hexavalent chromium and other naturally occurring contaminants in groundwater that incorporates multiple factors (geology, hydrogeology, redox state, pH, water chemistry) that control the speciation and solubility of these contaminants in groundwater resources.