Hundreds of death fish washed ashore were reported during mid- January 2018 on an artificial lake in South Texas, a 4.5 acre waterbody part of a soccer complex located near the Laredo International Airport. The purpose of this study is to determine the cause that decimated the fish population. It has been hypothesized that water conditions were not suitable for aquatic life. Water and soil samples and several fish carcasses were collected and subjected to analysis. Parameters of pH, temperature, electric conductivity, total dissolved solids (EC/TDS), and dissolved oxygen were taken in situ, and preliminary measurements were determined to be normal. Phosphate and nitrate ion content was determined via UV-Vis spectrometry, and alkalinity was measured via titration. These were all within normal. Water and soil samples were subjected to acid digestion and analyzed for heavy metal contamination via Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Results of heavy metal analysis remain pending. Fish tissue will be further examined with GC-MS to determine the presence of organic contaminants in the fish. Oily plumes collected on water surface will also be analyzed via GC-MS. This study will present geochemical parameters of the lake and discuss the presence of other contaminants responsible for the mass decimation of the fishes.

Investigating the cause of death fish washed ashore on an artificial lake in South Texas

256th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.