Student Work

Contamination of Sediment and Crayfish with Benzo[a]pyrene in a Blackstone Valley Stream

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Sediment and crayfish samples were collected from several sites of a stream. Assays were performed to test each sample for the presence and level of Benzo[a]pyrene, a potential carcinogen. A drain that carries water from a nearby highway to the stream has acted as a point source for B[a]P, and sediment close to this point source is expected to contain the highest levels. As a bioindicator, crayfish B[a]P levels should correlate to those of sediment samples. When B[a]P levels in sediment collected from the outer edge of the stream were compared to levels of the compound in crayfish tail muscle (expressed in terms of ng B[a]P/mg tissue/mm tail length), a correlation was observed. The distribution of B[a]P indicated that the runoff drain acts as a point source for contamination.

  • This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.
Creator
Publisher
Identifier
  • E-project-042809-213454
Advisor
Year
  • 2009
Date created
  • 2009-04-28
Resource type
Major
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Last modified
  • 2021-01-29

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