by John Holmes, Science Committee The causes of the Shenandoah River fish kills in 2004,2005 and 2006 are not yet known. They are likely the result of several factors. Research to date has shown that the dying fish have suppressed immune systems and the research also shows that most of the male bass in the river are exhibiting intersex traits. Both may be exposure to and accumulation of certain organics in the fish tissues. Those organics can come from home use of drugs, shampoos and cleaners, as well as from specific agricultural or industrial activities. The nature and effects of these pollutants are beginning to receive national attention but they are not yet regulated, they are not removed by conventional sewage treatment methods, and we are still learning about the sources, the levels and the effects they are having. In support of the Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force, the Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River (FNFSR) recently deployed passive samplers in the North Fork that are designed to collect these trace organic compounds. When the samplers are removed from the river, they will be frozen and sent to a USGS lab in Missouri for detailed chemical analysis. The organics of concern that may be altering the immune systems of the fish and causing the intersex traits in male bass are usually present in very low concentrations and are not easily measured. Information on the types and amounts of organics present in the river is needed so that researchers can determine if the soup of such organics present in the river is contributing to the intersex characteristics of the smallmouth bass. Researchers at the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) in Missouri have developed membrane sampling devices that simulate fish uptake of these chemicals in the samples and thereby, in the river. Two types of passive samplers are being used: the Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS for polar organic chemicals and the Semi-Permeable Membrane Device (SPMD) for non polar organic chemicals. Each consists of a membrane enclosed fluid in a rigid container. As the water flows over the membrane, the samplers absorb the organics. Samplers are being deployed in the river for a total of 12 weeks at two locations, near Woodstock and Mount Jackson, that were selected to match locations where fish and sediment samples are also being taken. Two samples, of six weeks duration each, will be taken at each of the two sites. The USGS will analyze the samples. The results will be provided to other researchers (USGS, DEQ, DGIF, VCU, Virginia Tech) working with the Fish Kill Task Force so that they can relate the levels and types of trace organics in the river to the effects they are seeing. Also, FNFSR volunteer monitors are collecting water samples twice a month for testing by their sister organization the Friends of the Shenandoah River: they are also collecting samples during rain events at the request of the Department of Environmental Quality. This project has been funded in part by the Virginia Environmental Endowment. Trace Organics Monitoring Project Underway
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