Project ID:2006ND100B
Title: Farm-Scale Reconnaissance of Estrogens in Subsurface Waters
Project Type: Research
Start Date: 03/01/2006
End Date: 02/28/2007
Congressional District: 1
Focus Categories: Groundwater, Non Point Pollution, Water Quality
Keywords: Estrogens, Groundwater, Farm-scale pollution
Principal Investigators: Casey, Francis Xavier McKeon
Federal Funds: $9,600
Non-Federal Matching Funds: $19,200
Abstract: Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are present in animal manures applied to the soil. There is increasing concern on both state and regional levels that EDCs may be leaching to ground water, and that it may be posing a threat to human health through drinking water. Because of this, the fate and transport of EDCs is an important problem of both state and regional concern. This project proposes to identify the causes of the unexpectedly high 17ß-estradiol detections in a shallow aquifer. This research will focus on the following hypotheses for causes: (1) There exists high levels of background 17ß-estradiol from the lagoon material the farmers inject in the field; (2) High water-table conditions cause a cool and anaerobic environment in which 17ß-estradiol persists; and (3) The ground water that contains the 17ß-estradiol is transporting exogenous hormones into the lysimeters in soil horizon.
Progress/Completion Report, PDF