COMIDA C hukchi S ea O ffshore M onitoring I n the D evelopment A rea

1. COMIDA Chukchi Sea Offshore Monitoring In the Development Area Identify ecologically important areas and thereby minimize interference from any offshore oil activities with the rich natural resources and native subsistence harvesting of the Chukchi Sea. Funded by U.S. Dept. of Interior, BOEMRE (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement)

2. COMIDA Chukchi Sea Offshore Monitoring In the Development Area Assess whether any observed changes in benthic flora, fauna or chemical composition may be linked to regional human activities or to global climate change and natural variability. Funded by U.S. Dept. of Interior, BOEMRE (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement)

3. COMIDA CAB: Chemical and Benthos Group R/V Moana Wave 4 presentations now; 9 great posters last evening Funded by U.S. Dept. of Interior, BOEMRE (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement) Chukchi Sea, August 2010

4. COMIDA:In Search of Sources and Distribution Patterns for TraceMetalsin Seawater, Biota and Sediments of the Eastern Chukchi Sea John H. Trefry, Robert P. Trocine, Austin L. Fox, Emily A. Hughes Florida Institute of Technology Chukchi Sea, August 2010

5. COMIDA Metals Ag, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, V, Zn Bottom Sediments Seawater and Suspended Sediments Biota (bivalves, gastropods, crabs, fish) Chukchi Sea, August 2010

6. METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS A LONG-TERM INTEGRATOR

7. Distribution of sediment Zn values is consistent with sediment grain size. >90 µg/g 80-89 µg/g 70-79 µg/g 60-69 µg/g 40-59 µg/g <40 µg/g Zinc (µg/g, dry wt.) (µg/g = ppm)

8. Sediment Zn values correlate well with sediment grain size (below as silt + clay). >90 µg/g 80-89 µg/g 70-79 µg/g 60-69 µg/g 40-59 µg/g <40 µg/g Zinc (µg/g, dry wt.) (µg/g = ppm)

9. METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS A LONG-TERM INTEGRATOR Zinc

10. METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS A LONG-TERM INTEGRATOR Zinc From the COMIDA data set for the eastern Chukchi Sea

11. METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS A LONG-TERM INTEGRATOR Zinc From the COMIDA data set for the eastern Chukchi Sea

12. METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS A LONG-TERM INTEGRATOR Zinc Clays are enriched in Al and metals From the COMIDA data set for the eastern Chukchi Sea Background Values Sand and shell contain low amounts of Al and metals

13. METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS Burger Klondike Now, let’s add data for the Burger and Klondike Lease Areas Zinc 1 exploratory well drilled in 1989 Background Values 1 exploratory well drilled in 1989

14. METALS IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS Data for 109 samples from the Burger and Klondike Lease Areas Zinc All sediments in lease areas have background Zn values. Clays are enriched in Al and metals Sand and shell are low in Al and metals

15. Mercury From the COMIDA data set for the eastern Chukchi Sea Data for Mercury in surface sediments from throughout the eastern Chukchi Sea

16. Mercury Let’s add data for the Burger and Klondike Lease Areas Background Values Area wide Mercury data help establish background values.

17. Mercury 3 of 109 samples from the Burger and Klondike areas had high Hg values. 3 stations at<500 m from historic drill sites are contaminated with Mercury.

18. Based on 232 data points for each metal in the eastern Chukchi Sea To date, all background values for Ag, Be, Cd, Cr, Ni, Sb, V and Zn 3 Hg, 4 Cu, and 8 Pb values above background (all within 500 m of 1989 drill sites) ~20 Ba values, all <500 m from 1989 drill sites, are above background, contain drilling fluid barite Some surface sediment, natural diagenetic enrichment of As, Ba and Se

19. METALS IN THE WATER COLUMN

20. (parts per trillion) 27.30 30 80 32.57 +170% +19%

21. Cd (nM) 0.8 A 5-fold range in dissolved Cd values over a relatively narrow range in salinity 0.4

23. Trace metals in biological processes Cadmium shows a nutrient-type distribution in the ocean (including Chukchi Sea) and correlates well with dissolved phosphate.

24. Dissolved Cd at depths ≥30 m Cd (nM) Trace metals as tracers of physical processes 1.0 0.5

25. Dissolved Cd (ng/L) at depths ≥ 30 m 71 73 65 76 82 77 58 84 44 41 43 52 33 50 Alaska Coastal Water 48 Dissolved Nickel tracks Cd very well In contrast, dissolved Copper values are higher in the Alaska Coastal Water 40 37 Bering Shelf Water 46

26. Trace Metals in Biota Neptunea heroes (the Neptune whelk)

27. 2009 samples 2010 (n = 15) 72 ± 6 µg/g (dry wt.) Zn is well regulated by Neptunea Values based on dry weight of tissue, divide by ~5 for wet weight values

28. 600 600 600 400 300 Values based on dry weight of tissue, divide by ~5 for wet weight values Considerable variation in Hg values 200 100

29. HgNeptunea heroes (ng/g, dry wt.) 2009 2010 180 260 175 56 155 137 236 373 147 92 97 123 139 330 138 181 60 618 585 148

30. Percent of Total Hg that is Methylmercury Neptunea heroes 93 ± 6% MeHg (THg = 210 ± 150 ng/g, dry wt.) Arctic phytoplankton ~3% MeHg (THg = 20 ± 10 ng/g, dry wt.) Arctic zooplankton ~8% MeHg (THg = 50 ± 30 ng/g, dry wt.) Chukchi Sea snow crab 82 ±10% MeHg (THg = 170 ± 60 ng/g, dry wt.) Arctic flounder 80 ± 13% MeHg (THg = 70 ± 20 ng/g, dry wt.)

31. PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS: • Background metal values for sediments established; sensitive technique for identifying any future metal contamination being developed. • Dissolved metals help corroborate “notions” for circulation patterns and provide insight for biological processes. • Biota conclusions (with great anticipation) deferred until the end of 2011. Chukchi Sea, August 2010

32. Acknowledgments COMIDA funding from U.S. Dept. of Interior, BOEMRE Special thanks to Dick Prentki of BOEMRE Ken Dunton, Univ. of Texas (COMIDA Chief Scientist) Jackie Grebmeier, U. Maryland, C (Chief Scientist at Sea) Captains and Crews of the Alpha Helix and Moana Wave A great group of COMIDA scientists Data and support from ConocoPhillips and Shell Special thanks to Caryn Rea and Michael Macrander