Analysis of PAH and fecal steroid patterns to distinguish contamination sources to water supplies

L.G. Carter, A.K. Aufdenkampe, D.B. Arscott, and C.L. Dow.Stroud Water Research Center, Avondale, PA, 19311-9514, USA

Degradation of water quality can occur from a variety of point and non-point sources of natural and anthropogenic contamination. Quantifying contributions from these sources is critical to management of water quality. The use of organic molecular tracers is an emerging technique for identifying sources of pollution. However, to take the next step toward quantifying sources requires that tracer signatures of all potentially important sources are well characterized. We describe here a study of molecular tracer signatures in a variety of end-member source samples, including: waste water treatment plant influent and effluent; parking lot storm water runoff; and feces from deer, geese, cows, horses and other animals. This work complements our recent survey of concentrations of 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), caffeine, 2 fragrances and 10 fecal steroids in streams and rivers feeding New York City drinking water supplies. Our ultimate goal is to quantitatively apply mixing models of end-member source “fingerprints” to evaluate contamination sources to each site in our watershed survey.