Yes, arsenic occurs naturally in Arizona, however, do not totally discount anthropogenic sources. Photo taken in Flagstaff Sam's Club ...
Distribution & Abundance of Arsenic (As) in the Soils & Sediments of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Michael S. Tomlinson, Eric H. De Carlo, Sara Thomas, & Laura E. deGelleke
Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Kahuku Point
Kauaʻi Niʻihau
Oʻahu
Molokaʻi
Lānaʻi Kahoʻolawe
Kaʻena Point
Maui
Hawaiʻi
Kāneʻohe Waiʻanae Kailua
Ordnance Reef Remedial Investigation
Barbers Point
Makapuʻu Point
Honolulu Māmala Bay
Diamond Head
Ordnance Reef RI – Where did the As come from?
Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS)
Anomalous [As] were seen in bed sediments during USGS NAWQA Study A = Agriculture F = Forested U = Urban M = Mixed
Anomalous [As] were reported in soil data compiled by HIDoH
Arsenic Sources & Transfer
Oʻahu Relief, Isohyets, & UHM Samples
As & Former Sugarcane Land
As & Former/Current Pineapple Land
As in Waiakeakua Stream
Why is arsenic in Waiakeakua Stream?
Where does the arsenic come from? Possibly iron & zinc micronutrient fertilizer from silver mine tailings used by nurseries to green-up plants (Human Health Risk Assessment for Long-term Residential Use of Ironite® Lawn and Garden Nutrient Supplement - ADEQ, 1998)
Conclusions • As occurs in nearshore Oʻahu sediments • NMDS indicates a loose association with terrestrial elements (probably from runoff) • As occurs in some NAWQA stream sediments associated with agriculture • PCA of NAWQA sediments indicate a loose association with petrogenic elements but not anthropogenic elements • HIDoH data show elevated [As] but the distribution is spotty
Conclusions (continued) • Some As may be associated with past sugarcane and/or pineapple agriculture (arsenical pesticides – ceased late 1940s, super-phosphate fertilizers, etc.) • The highest [As] on Oʻahu, however, are found in mixed land use/forested areas • Arsenical pesticides & micronutrient fertilizers (e.g., Ironite®) used in nurseries may explain some As • And, finally …
Yes, arsenic occurs naturally in Arizona, however, do not totally discount anthropogenic sources
