Kentucky Interagency Groundwater Monitoring Network Proposal

Arsenic is a metalloid that occurs naturally at low concentrations in rocks, soib. plants, and animals. In Kentucky, arsenic is commonly found in sulfide minerals associated with coal and black shales. It is released when these sutides oxidize during weathering. Once released, arsenic is readily sorbed onto iron oxides and oxxyhydroxides. This sorption can limit dissolved arsenic concentrations in groundwater, but can produce high total arsenic concentrations in unfiltered groundwater samples that contain suspended particulate material. Arsenic can undergo biochemical processes to form complex ions that are not readily removed from solution by sorption onto soils or the aquifer matric Arsenic is used as a wood preservative and in paints, dyes, metals, drugs, soaps, semiconductors, animal feed additives, and pesticides. From 1880 through 1910, arsenic was heavily used in embalming fluids. It was banned in 1910 because it interfered with investigations into suspected poisoning deaths, but old graveyards may still contribute arsenic to groundwater. Waste-disposal sites and landfills may be sources of arsenic contamination because of the materials placed there, co al burning can release arsenic, and agricultural drainage can carry arsenic from pesticides into the groundwater. Hydrocarbons from leaking underground storage tanks can dissolve iron oxide minerals in soils, thus releasing naturally occurring arsenic to the environment Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water has been linked to cancer of the skin. bladder, lungs, kidneys, nas al passages, liver, and prostate. Arsenic has also been linked to damage of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, immunological, neurological, and endocrine systems. Because of these heath effects, the EPA set the Maximum Contaminant Level for arsenic in drinking water at 0.050 mg/L in 1974. In 2001, the EPA announced that this would be lowered to 0.010 mg/L, effective January 2006. Arsenic (mg/L) MCL=0.01 mg/L >0.01 • <or= 0.01 Below detection Kentucky river basins Physiographic Regions Inner Bluegrass Outer Bluegrass OHIO. Knobs Eastern Coal Field Eastern Pennyroyal Arsenic data for Kentucky Westem Pennyroyal Westem Coal Field Jackson Purchase OHIO LICKING TYGARTS CREEK LITTLE SANDY TRADEWATER OHIO OHIO 00 SALT BIG SANDY KENTUCKY Summary range-of-value maps are available for about 38 of the most-requested analytes.

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