Heavy metals can serve as a significant component of pollution in watersheds. In this study, ICP-MS analysis was used to determine the heavy metal content (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, and U) in water and sediment of three different Costa Rican watersheds: the Tarcoles River, the Terciopelo Creek, and the Cacao Creek. While the metal content of each the Terciopelo Creek and Cacao Creek was expected to be lower than that of the Tarcoles River, the results showed that this held true only for Cr and Pb. Elevated levels of the other four metals (Cd, Cu, Mn, and U) in the Terciopelo and Cacao Creeks are likely due to natural, lithogenic origin instead of anthropogenic input.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:CLAREMONT/oai:scholarship.claremont.edu:scripps_theses-1543 |
| Date | 01 January 2015 |
| Creators | Lerner, Moriah I. |
| Publisher | Scholarship @ Claremont |
| Source Sets | Claremont Colleges |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Scripps Senior Theses |
| Rights | © 2014 Moriah I. Lerner, default |
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