Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Klawiter, Kathryn Alyce
Author's Email Address	kklawite@vt.edu
URN	etd-12498-14556
Title	Copper Concentrations in Tidal Creeks and Estuaries of the Eastern Shore and the Relationship to Plasticulture and Copper-based Crop Protectants
Degree	Master of Science
Department	Civil Engineering
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Andrea M. Dietrich Committee Chair Daniel L. Gallagher Committee Member George M. Simmons Committee Member
Keywords	pesticides Eastern Shore copper aquaculture plasticulture
Date of Defense	1998-02-09
Availability	restricted
Abstract This project investigates the effect of plasticulture and copper-based crop protectants on water quality on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Water and sediment copper concentrations in both plasticulture and non-plasticulture containing watersheds were measured to determine the scope of copper in Eastern Shore tidal creeks. Runoff from a variety of land-uses including agricultural, plasticultural, residential and natural areas were collected and measured for copper to determine where copper-containing runoff originates. Copper concentrations in plasticulture impacted tidal creeks were higher than background (0 - 3 ug/L) only in spikes, during or immediately after runoff-producing rainfall events. These spikes registered as high as 263 ug/L total copper, or 127 ug/L dissolved copper. Plasticulture and copper-based crop protectants were affirmed as the cause of these spikes because control watersheds indicated no high copper spikes. Runoff from different land-uses verify that copper is present in high concentrations only in runoff from fields engaged in plasticulture and using copper-based crop protectants. Sediment copper concentrations were found to be within the natural range, but exhibited some variability based on proximity to agricultural copper inputs.
Files	Filename       Size       Approximate Download Time (Hours:Minutes:Seconds)     28.8 Modem   56K Modem   ISDN (64 Kb)   ISDN (128 Kb)   Higher-speed Access  abstract.pdf 16.76 Kb 00:00:04 00:00:02 00:00:02 00:00:01 < 00:00:01 append.pdf 95.76 Kb 00:00:26 00:00:13 00:00:11 00:00:05 < 00:00:01 DISCUSS.PDF 43.07 Kb 00:00:11 00:00:06 00:00:05 00:00:02 < 00:00:01 intro.pdf 1.42 Mb 00:06:33 00:03:22 00:02:57 00:01:28 00:00:07 litrev.pdf 74.10 Kb 00:00:20 00:00:10 00:00:09 00:00:04 < 00:00:01 METHODS.PDF 174.10 Kb 00:00:48 00:00:24 00:00:21 00:00:10 < 00:00:01 results1.pdf 67.64 Kb 00:00:18 00:00:09 00:00:08 00:00:04 < 00:00:01 results2.pdf 61.31 Kb 00:00:17 00:00:08 00:00:07 00:00:03 < 00:00:01 results3.pdf 84.17 Kb 00:00:23 00:00:12 00:00:10 00:00:05 < 00:00:01 indicates that a file or directory is accessible from the Virginia Tech campus network only.

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