Roosevelt University1, Chicago, IL 60605 University of Kentucky2, Plant and Soil Science, Lexington, KY 40546
Previous studies performed have shown potentially toxic trace element contamination in the Great Lakes. However, the portion of Lake Michigan adjacent to the city of Chicago has not been thoroughly investigated. We sought to determine the presence of such toxic elements in the shallow sites of Lake Michigan by obtaining samples of invasive bivalves Dreissena polymorpha that inhabit the waters of Lake Michigan. We collected the mussel samples at seven different sites along the shore of Lake Michigan in the summer of 2011. The samples were processed using microwave-assisted acid digestion and analyzed for trace elements of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and Selenium (Se) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The results indicated a complex relationship between metal concentrations and their location on the lake shore. We conclude that historic pollution from heavy industry concentrated along the southern end of the Chicago shoreline contributed to our results.
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