This study analyzed the distribution of trace metals in sediments and groundwater from three industrial sites along the Providence River: India Point Park (IPP), Public Way (PW), and Oxford Street (OX). Sediment and groundwater samples were collected from multiple depths and analyzed for major and trace metal concentrations. The results showed metal concentrations were elevated above background levels at all sites, with some metals like copper and lead exceeding regulatory guidelines. Concentrations tended to be highest below the water table. OX exhibited the strongest petroleum odor and highest metal levels, indicating contamination from historical industrial activities continues to influence sediment and groundwater quality near these sites. Further characterization is needed to better understand contaminant mobility and impacts on the Providence River.

1. Ongoing Research
Major Metals Trace Elements
Sample Name Units Mg Mn Fe V Cr Co Ni Cu Zn As Se Sr Ag Cd Ba Hg Pb
Groundwater
IPPS-3 50cm ug/l 456658 208.58 11.98 0.63 0.18 0.48 13.96 0.49 0.80 2.84 0.60 2995.56 0.00 0.04 42.44 0.01 0.17
IPPS-4 50cm ug/l 509930 309.72 578.89 1.00 0.23 1.29 29.79 0.14 0.30 3.96 0.93 3385.56 0.00 0.06 47.81 0.00 0.44
PWS-2 10-20cm ug/l 3.57 2.30 0.80 3.54 11.74 23.38 2.26 0.93 967.55 0.39 0.52 28.06 0.60 24.48
PWS-3 10-15cm ug/l 0.68 0.21 0.30 2.76 1.56 8.66 0.39 1.28 385.90 0.12 0.13 6.78 0.76 1.09
PWS-3 20-25cm ug/l 0.55 0.46 3.62 2.45 0.99 3.84 1.04 1.14 475.86 0.12 0.24 9.47 0.63 0.77
PWS-3 20-25cm ug/l 27123 27.11 287.68 0.33 0.10 0.25 2.06 0.47 1.49 0.38 0.00 218.73 0.01 0.03 4.00 0.59 1.73
OXS-2 20-25cm ug/L 22.94 1.83 0.77 6.21 10.30 27.81 2.61 0.79 2703.24 0.26 0.23 32.49 0.26 46.56
OXS-2 20-25cm ug/L 390797.2 229.32 460.28 23.26 1.89 0.75 6.40 11.45 25.78 2.52 0.01 2637.60 0.28 0.20 33.89 0.34 41.74
OXS-3 30cm ug/L 177518.6 1.36 48.07 0.63 1.25 0.06 0.98 5.13 4.17 0.66 0.00 1427.05 0.08 0.04 16.47 0.38 3.36
Surface Water
IPP Bay Water ug/L 286522.2 76.84 4.18 0.86 0.27 0.19 1.76 1.97 3.26 1.12 0.43 1939.28 0.21 0.12 13.18 2.44 0.19
PW Culvert Water 10-
20cm ug/L 9653.6 71.20 45.15 0.19 0.21 0.18 3.88 4.53 29.98 0.17 0.00 212.28 0.00 0.07 61.90 0.04 0.28
PW Surface Water 5cm ug/L 200009.4 63.53 34.35 0.50 0.56 0.15 1.76 3.88 6.87 0.75 0.31 1497.18 0.05 0.11 18.00 0.02 0.17
OX Surface Water 5cm ug/L 237898.6 5.70 8.34 2.06 2.29 0.05 2.17 4.41 23.06 0.92 0.29 1816.30 0.01 0.15 15.38 0.01 0.12
Marine Chronic 50.00 1.00 8.20 3.10 81.00 36.00 71.00 8.80 200.00 0.94 8.10
Marine Acute 74.00 4.80 91.00 69.00 290.00 0.95 40.00 1000.00 1.80 210.00
Sediments
IPPS-1 2-5cm mg/kg 3.90 6.33 1.18 3.33 7.00 26.02 0.15 0.31 10.21 0.03 0.10 8.02 0.00 11.90
IPPS-2 6-10cm mg/kg 460.0 29.99 3590.15 3.38 7.87 0.69 2.88 11.33 24.52 1.75 0.00 4.44 0.00 0.03 4.17 0.11 12.28
IPPS-3 20cm mg/kg 4.93 4.71 1.01 5.06 69.13 59.87 1.09 0.46 2.85 0.07 0.25 8.69 0.00 69.79
IPPS-4 25cm mg/kg 4.52 5.34 1.39 4.72 58.69 35.35 1.69 0.39 3.76 0.03 0.04 12.19 0.00 62.67
PWS-3 20-25cm mg/kg 811.8 63.16 8166.39 7.18 9.62 1.72 6.38 51.20 29.37 0.68 0.07 2.91 0.00 0.08 5.10 0.15 41.30
PWS-3 20-25cm R mg/kg 8.14 11.03 2.02 7.29 59.44 75.11 1.77 1.20 7.29 0.11 0.22 11.88 0.00 32.66
OXS-1 2-5cm mg/kg 1381.1 117.06 6083.66 7.13 5.73 1.50 5.23 12.75 26.59 0.76 0.08 3.02 0.01 0.03 2.65 0.05 32.82
OXS-1 2-5cm R mg/kg 1742.9 133.20 10224.21 7.26 6.24 1.85 6.64 15.04 31.44 1.01 0.12 4.19 0.02 0.04 2.69 0.05 31.14
OXS-2 5-8cm mg/kg 1661.5 121.64 15249.08 14.55 11.68 3.68 10.26 34.67 36.47 1.71 0.13 2.87 0.03 0.15 5.53 0.08 49.57
OXS-3 20-25cm Dry mg/kg 10.82 7.60 2.49 6.28 28.04 107.61 3.50 1.51 6.75 0.06 0.09 33.52 1.13 123.42
OXS-3 20-25cm mg/kg 10.51 6.97 1.92 5.38 26.42 92.26 14.33 1.64 7.83 0.09 0.11 57.71 2.84 160.23
Background mg/kg 3.55 2.89 2.37 7.82 11.80 0.92 1.01 4.48 0.04 0.01 3.76 2.76
NOAA ERL 81.00 20.90 34.00 150.00 8.20 1.00 1.20 0.15 46.70
NOAA ERM 370.00 51.60 270.00 410.00 70.00 3.70 9.60 0.71 218.00
Acknowledgements References
Methods
b
cb
Distribution of Major and Trace Metals in Pore Waters and Sediments from the
Intertidal Zone at Industrial Sites on the Providence River
Eric Hopf1, Julie Crowley-Parmentier2, and Dan Mcnally2
Department of Science and Technology, Bryant University, Smithfield, Rhode Island
Introduction Discussion and Conclusion
a
a
b
Shoreline sediments in industrialized urban
areas are often highly contaminated with metals
and hydrocarbons. Groundwater flow though
these sediment interacts with absorbed
contaminants and potentially acting as a
transport medium into the Providence River and
Narragansett Bay. Major storms and associated
wave action may disturb shoreline sediments
and potentially remobilize contaminants. The
purpose of this study is to analyze the
relationship between industrial sites and the
distribution of trace metals in the shoreline
sediments and groundwater at the intertidal
zone of the Providence River.
Sampling sites:
• We collected our samples from three sites
along the North and West banks of the
Providence River, India Point Park (IPP),
Public Way (PW), and Oxford Street (OX).
• IPP historically used to be the location of a
railroad yard but has since been converted
into a public park.
• PW was the location of American Oil Co.
and Sprague Coal Co.; however now it sits
between a metal recycling plant and
Sprague Oil Co.
• OX used to be the site of oil storage
facilities but now is the location for a
parking lot and various industrial
buildings.
• Sediment and pore water (groundwater)
samples were collected at low tide from three
different sites on the North and West shore of
the Providence River.
• Samples were collected at three locations on a
transect perpendicular to the shoreline above,
at, and below the water table at each location
and a river water sample immediately off the
shore.
• Ph, TDS/salinity, were measured in pore water
samples while organic content (LOI) was
measured in sediment samples.
• Selected samples were centrifuged for 10
minutes at 3000rpm to remove pore water from
the sediment. Samples were filtered using a
syringe and .45mm filter, then acidified with 2%
HNO3 at a 9:1 ratio
• 1g each of selected sediment samples was
digested in 3:1 HCL:HNO3 solution for 3-4
hours on a hotplate.
• Digested samples were centrifuged and/or
filtered and then diluted by a factor of 50 in
order to be within measurable range on the
Agilent 7700 ICP-MS
1. Bufflap, S. E., & Allen, H. E. (1995). Sediment pore water collection
methods for trace metal analysis: a review. Water research, 29(1), 165-
177.
2. Al-Awadi, E., Mukhopadhyay, A., Akber, A., & Hadi, K. (2003).
Distribution of selected trace constituents in the ground water of
Kuwait. Advances in Environmental Research, 7(2), 367-380.
3. “Buchman, M. F., 2008. NOAA Screening Quick Reference Tables,
NOAA OR&R Report 08-1, Seattle, WA, Office of Response and
Restoration Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, 34 pages.”
This work was funded by a RI EPSCoR
grant. Special thanks to Julia Crowley-
Parmentier for advising me throughout this
study,
Oxford Street
• Prominent petroleum odor was noted at all
three locations, with Oxford Street being the
strongest.
• We observed stratification of the sediments at
the water table as indicated in figure__
• At all locations there was a clear layer of iron
oxides just above the water table; just below
the water table the sediment became almost
black reflecting reducing conditions.
• The majority of the metal concentrations in our
sediment samples were well above our
background sample of clean sand (Prudence
Island). Most metals were 2-10x the
background in the majority of the samples;
however lead was 4-50x the background .
• Copper and lead were elevated above NOAA
ERL and ERM guidelines in sediment from OX
and PW and above the USEPA Ambient Water
Quality Criteria in water samples from these
locations. Nickel concentrations were elevated
above AWQC in groundwater samples from IPP.
At both OX and PW, the highest levels of metal
contamination were found below the water
table at 20-25cm depth.
• OX had elevated levels of copper in the pore
water while copper concentrations in the
corresponding sediments were generally below
NOAA guidelines. Inversely, PW had elevated
levels of copper within the sediments while the
copper in the groundwater was generally below
AWQC.
• Industrial sites are a potential source of metal
contaminant input to the Providence River and
Narragansett Bay.
Future work on this study includes the
following:
• Additional sample analysis to provide a
clearer and more comprehensive
understanding of the distribution of metal
contaminants in the intertidal zone of the
Providence River.
• Better characterization of the freshwater/
saltwater interface in intertidal zone as it
relates to the mobility of the metal
contaminants.
• Characterization of petroleum hydrocarbons
and other organic compounds at each
location.
• Improvement of methods to reduce salt
water matrix effects in the ICP-MS.
Fig. 1 Fig. 2
Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5
WT
Results
IPP
PW OX