Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010IN243B

Transport, Fate, and Effects of Pharmaceuticals derived from Animal Feeding Operations: A comprehensive assessment of central Indiana streams

Institute: Indiana
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $13,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $26,039

Principal Investigators: Melody Bernot

Project Summary: A comprehensive assessment combining field and laboratory activities is proposed to quantify the influence of animal feeding operations (AFOs) on freshwater streams in central Indiana. The proposed research is guided by three primary questions: 1. What is the transport and fate of AFO-derived veterinary pharmaceuticals? Spatial and temporal sampling of 15N signals in sediment and dissolved pools will be coupled with measurements of pharmaceutical concentrations for innovative indirect and direct assessments of agricultural pharmaceutical transport. 2. Do AFO activities influence stream ecosystem structure and function? Sampling will be conducted in a control and two AFO-influenced stream reaches (one swine, one cattle). Stream ecosystem structure will be characterized by quantifying algal and invertebrate abundance; stream ecosystem function will be characterized by quantifying whole-stream production and respiration. 3. Do AFO-derived veterinary pharmaceuticals alter rates of biotic activity? Dominant and potentially recalcitrant AFO-derived pharmaceuticals will be selected to assess the direct microbial response to agricultural pharmaceuticals in laboratory toxicology studies. These research activities will provide multiple lines of evidence describing the source, transport, and effects of AFO-derived veterinary pharmaceuticals in central Indiana streams.