Chemical & Biological Survey at Baltray October 2016 Produced by AQUAFACT International Services Ltd On behalf of Premier Periclase Ltd. December 2016 For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. AQUAFACT INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LTD., 12 KILKERRIN PARK, GALWAY . www.aquafact.ie [email protected] tel +353 (0) 91 756812 EPA Export 29-03-2017:23:50:59 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 2. Summary ........................................................................................................ 2 3. Materials & Methods ..................................................................................... 2 3.1. Biological Sampling .............................................................................................. 3 3.2. Sediment Sampling .............................................................................................. 4 3.3. Water Sampling ................................................................................................... 4 4. Results ........................................................................................................... 5 4.1. Biological Results ................................................................................................. 5 4.2. Sediment Results ................................................................................................. 6 4.3. Water Results ...................................................................................................... 7 5. Discussion ...................................................................................................... 9 5.1. Biology ................................................................................................................. 9 5.2. Sediment .............................................................................................................. 9 5.3. Seawater ............................................................................................................ 10 List of Figures th Figure 3.1: Sample stations, 14 October 2016 .................................................................................. 3 For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. List of Tables Table 3.1: Station coordinates ........................................................................................................... 3 Table 4.1: Biological results from grab stations .................................................................................. 5 Table 4.2: Sediment results ................................................................................................................ 6 Table 4.3: Seawater sample results - Flood tide ................................................................................. 7 Table 4.4: Seawater sample results - Ebb tide .................................................................................... 8 Table 4.5: Resulst from effluent analysis ............................................................................................ 9 Table 5.1: Comparison on metals levels from Irish ports and harbours with Baltray 2016 results. ... 10 List of Appendices Appendix 1 Species List Appendix 2 Sediment ALS Lab Report Appendix 3 Water NLS Lab Report; TelLab Lab Report Appendix 4 Effluent NLS Lab Report EPA Export 29-03-2017:23:50:59 Chemical & Biological Survey, Premier Periclase Ltd. Baltray, Co. Louth, October 2016 December 2016 1. Introduction Premier Periclase Ltd. commissioned AQUAFACT to carry out a chemical and biological survey of the area surrounding the effluent outfall pipe from their magnesite production plant in Drogheda. Previous monitoring, since 1980, has measured the chemical characteristics of the seawater in the vicinity of the effluent plume and the results have shown that, based on the parameters measured, there has been little or no measurable impact on water quality as a result of the discharge. AQUAFACT conducted a survey of water, sediment chemistry and sediment biology on the 14th October 2016, the results of which are contained in this report. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. 1 JN1394 EPA Export 29-03-2017:23:50:59 Chemical & Biological Survey, Premier Periclase Ltd. Baltray, Co. Louth, October 2016 December 2016 2. Summary A faunal, sediment and water quaality survey was carried out in the vicinity of the Premier Periclase outfall in October 14th 2016. The faunal survey showed that the species encountered were sensitive or indifferent to pollution and very typical for that environment on the east coast of Ireland. Community type and diversity was similar to previous years. Analysis of sediments from the vicinity of the outfall for metals content showed that the levels of calcium, magnesium, nickel, zinc and chromium were lower than the levels found in sediment at the control site 2km east of the outfall. The metal levels at all sites sampled were at the lower end of the range found in Irish ports and harbours. The results of the seawater quality survey show that the range of the results from the outfall site were comparable to the ranges observed at the sites further afield. There were slight increases in the following parameters at the outfall site on the ebb tide compared to the flood tide: pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Carbonate, Bicarbonate, Nickel, Zinc and Chromium. These increases are not environmentally significant. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. 3. Materials & Methods All sampling took place on the 14th October 2016. Figure 3.1 shows the locations of the sample stations and the parameters sampled at each location. Table 3.1 contains the station coordinates. 2 JN1394 EPA Export 29-03-2017:23:50:59 Chemical & Biological Survey, Premier Periclase Ltd. Baltray, Co. Louth, October 2016 December 2016 Figure 3.1: Sample stations, 14th October 2016. Table 3.1: Station coordinates. Station Longitude Latitude Parameter Outfall -6.22923 53.72915 Fauna, Water 100 N - 6.22923 For inspection53.73003 purposes only.Fauna, Sediments, Water Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. 200 N -6.22924 53.73092 Fauna, Sediments, Water 300 N -6.22923 53.7318 Fauna 100m S -6.22923 53.72827 Fauna, Sediments, Water 200m S -6.22923 53.72738 Fauna, Sediments, Water 300m S -6.22923 53.7265 Fauna Control -6.19877 53.72908 Sediments 3.1. Biological Sampling The biological samples were collected using a 0.1m2 van Veen grab sampler at the following 7 stations: Outfall, 100m N, 200m N, 300m N, 100m S, 200m S and 300m S. All grab returns were sieved on a 1mm mesh sieve, stained with Eosin-briebrich scarlet and fixed in 4% w/v buffered formaldehyde solution upon returning to the laboratory. 3 JN1394 EPA Export 29-03-2017:23:50:59 Chemical & Biological Survey, Premier Periclase Ltd. Baltray, Co. Louth, October 2016 December 2016 All faunal samples were placed in an illuminated shallow white tray and sorted first by eye to remove large specimens and then sorted under a stereo microscope (x 10 magnification). Following the removal of larger specimens, the samples were placed into Petri dishes, approximately one half teaspoon at a time and sorted using a binocular microscope at x25 magnification. The fauna was sorted into four main groups: Polychaeta, Mollusca, Crustacea and others. The ‘others’ group consisted of echinoderms, nematodes, nemerteans, cnidarians and other lesser phyla. The fauna were maintained in stabilised 70% industrial methylated spirit (IMS) following retrieval and identified to species level where practical using a binocular microscope, a compound microscope and all relevant taxonomic keys. After identification and enumeration, specimens were separated and stored to species level. 3.2. Sediment Sampling The sediment samples were collected using a 0.1m2 van Veen grab sampler at the following 5 stations: 100m N, 200m N, 100m S, 200m S and Control. The sediment samples were stored in plastic containers and sent to ALS Laboratories in Loughrea (INAB No. 173T) for the analysis of Nickel, Zinc, Chromium, Calcium and Magnesium using the Ultra trace ME-MS61 48 element four acid ICP-MS procedure. Fractions of the samples were also analysed in-house by AQUAFACT for % moisture and % solids. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. 3.3. Water Sampling Water samples were collected using a Niskin water sampler at 5 stations: Outfall, 100m N, 200m N, 100m S and 200m S. The samples were collected from 1m below the surface and 1m above the seabed. Samples were collected on the ebb and flood tide. High water on the day was at 10:43am. One sample of final effluent was provided by Premier Periclase Ltd. All water samples plus the effluent were sent to NLS in the UK (UKAS No. 0754) and analysed for: pH Total Nitrogen Total Phosphorus Sulphate 4 JN1394 EPA Export 29-03-2017:23:50:59 Chemical & Biological Survey, Premier Periclase Ltd. Baltray, Co. Louth, October 2016 December 2016 Zinc Nickel Chromium Calcium Magnesium Water samples from each station (except the effluent sample) were also sent to T.E. Labs in Carlow (INAB Registration No. 106T) for the analysis of bicarbonate and carbonate. 4. Results 4.1. Biological Results Table 4.1 shows the results of the biological sampling. A full phylogenetic species list can be found in Appendix 1. Table 4.1: Biological results from grab