Analysis of Organic and Inorganic Parameters in Southern Virginia Rivers Following a Coal ash Spill

In February 2014, a coal ash spill on Duke Energy's Dan River Plant in Eden, NC released approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River. It took approximately one week to stop the spill. Starting in February 2015, drinking water utilities using the Dan River experienced a series of taste and odor (TandO) events described as "earthy" or "musty". Similar TandO events were not documented before the coal ash spill. This research attempted to understand causes of the TandO events and if the coal ash spill was connected. A variety of water quality analyses were performed on twelve sites from August 2016 to September 2017 on the Dan and Smith Rivers. The Smith River served as the control. From concentrations of coal ash indicators (particularly Ba, Sr, As, V, and Br-), there was a signature of coal ash on the Dan River that was not present on the Smith River. The signature could not be attributed to the coal ash spill, as the signature was present upstream of the spill. Chronic ecosystem toxicity due to metals was low and not significantly different between the Dan and Smith Rivers. No substantial TandO events occurred during the period of this study. All monitored odorants were detected with varying frequencies in both the Dan and Smith Rivers. No significant change in odorant concentration was found above and below the location of the coal ash spill.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Environmental Science and Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Waggener, Keegan Edward

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Boardman, Gregory D.
• Dietrich, Andrea M.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Gallagher, Daniel L.

• coal ash
• drinking water taste and odor events
• earthy/musty chemical odorants
• chronic ecotoxicity
• metal contamination

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:14042

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/91480