Investigation of the Presence and Impact of Heavy Metals in the Trinity River
Carlton, Drew
Carlton, Drew
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2025-05-19
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The Trinity River is an important body of water that serves as a source of drinking water, a location for recreational activities, and an ecologically significant habitat for a variety of organisms. The Trinity River is located in the densely populated and urbanized Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, creating an increased risk of pollution from contaminated runoff, wastewater treatment plant discharge, and industrial plant effluent. Heavy metals were of particular concern as a class of contaminants that are relevant in urban environments and can induce long-term negative effects on aquatic organisms. This project aimed to evaluate the presence and biological impact of heavy metals in sediment and surface water samples collected from the Trinity River. Larval fathead minnows were exposed to sediment and surface water samples collected from the Trinity River, and gene expression levels of four biomarkers were measured. Metallothionein was used as a biomarker of exposure to heavy metals, whereas catalase, superoxide dismutase, and heat shock protein 70 were used as biomarkers of adverse effects. All biomarkers showed significant upregulation in specific groups, providing evidence of heavy metal contamination and impact in the Trinity River.
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Biology