Concentrations
of Cu and Hg within an Osyter Reef System in Henderson Creek, Southwest
Florida Margo Burton, Class of 2002 Dept. of Geology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Faculty Sponsor: Robert J. Carson
Faculty Sponsor: Mike Savarese Earth
Systems Science, Florida Gulf Coast University, This summer I participated in the Keck Geology Consortium on a project studying environmental changes in southwest Florida. Specifically, I looked at the concentrations of copper (Cu) and mercury (Hg) within an oyster reef system. The different components that I examined are the sediment downstream, upstream and within the reefs that are located within Henderson Creek, a creek that drains agricultural fields, which would be responsible for the concentrations of copper within the oyster reefs. Mercury's appearance is not as easily traced, but it has been found in notable concentrations around southwest Florida, so it would be interesting to note if it makes an appearance in Henderson Creek. Click on the below images to see pictures of the research being done and the research site.
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