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Total selenium and selenium species in irrigation drain inflows to the Salton Sea, California, October 2007 and January 2008

Open-File Report 2008-1178
By: , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20081178

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Abstract

This report presents the results for two sampling periods (October 2007 and January 2008) during a 4-year monitoring program to characterize selenium concentrations in selected irrigation drains flowing into the Salton Sea, California. Total selenium, selenium species (selenite, selenate, organoselenium), and total suspended solids were determined in water samples, and total selenium was determined in sediment, detritus, and biota that included algae, plankton, midge larvae (family, Chironomidae), and two fish species?western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) and sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna). In addition, sediments were analyzed for percent total organic carbon and particle size. Mean total selenium concentrations in water for both sampling periods ranged from 0.97 to 64.5 micrograms per liter, predominately as selenate, which is typical of waters where selenium is leached out of selenium-containing marine shales and associated soils under alkaline and oxidizing conditions. Total selenium concentrations (micrograms per gram dry weight) ranged as follows: algae, 0.95 to 5.99; plankton, 0.15 to 19.3; midges, 1.39 to 15.4; fish, 3.71 to 25.1; detritus, 0.85 to 21.7; sediment, 0.32 to 7.28.
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Total selenium and selenium species in irrigation drain inflows to the Salton Sea, California, October 2007 and January 2008
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2008-1178
DOI 10.3133/ofr20081178
Year Published 2008
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Columbia Environmental Research Center
Description iv, 15 p.
Time Range Start 2007-10-01
Time Range End 2008-01-31
Online Only (Y/N) Y
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