Using Semi-Permeable Membrane Device (SPMD)

Samplers in Cave Environments to Detect

PCBs

Presented by: Julie Schaer

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Beaver Pond Resurgence at the West Virginia/ Virginia State Line

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Map of West Virginia Showing Site Location

Mercer County, WV

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Topographical Map of study area with overlay of Limestone Bedrock

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Limestone of Mercer County

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Cave Entrance Locations

Potential Source

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Beaver Pond Resurgence

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View Into Cave at Resurgence

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Beacon Cave Entrance

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A Walking Passage in Beacon Cave

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Assembling SPMD Housings

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Assembling SPMD Housings

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Deploying the SPMD Housings

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Topographical Map with Overlay of Beacon Cave Footprint

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Results

The SPMDs installed into Beacon Cave yielded the most significant PCB detections in the study area

The detections from SPMDs installed into Beacon Cave were approximately double that of the next highest “hits”

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Installation Challenges/ Differences from Above Ground

Packaging to transport through a cave

Finding a location with steady water

Hiding the SPMD Sampler or

Labeling the SPMD Sampler for your anticipated finders

(Cavers vs. Spelunkers)

Securing SPMD samplers for surge events

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A “DAMP” Cave

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Installation Challenges/ Differences from Above Ground

Packaging to transport through a cave

Finding a location with steady water

Hiding the SPMD Sampler or

Labeling the SPMD Sampler for your anticipated finders

(Cavers vs. Spelunkers)

Securing SPMD samplers for surge events

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Hope I don’t Run into any uh dem BATS!

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Potential Resources

National Speleological Society (NSS)

State Cave Surveys

West Virginia Speleological Survey (WVaSS)

Local Grottos

Area Cavers

Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, etc…

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Cave Map Example

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Beacon Cave System Overview

Holiday Hole

KFC Cave

Cole Hole

Beacon Cave

Beaver Pond Cave

Cave Name

250

504

500+

15,000

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Unknown

2 Days

Under 6 hours

Under 1 hour

N/A

Cave Length (Ft.)

Groundwater Travel Time to Beaver Pond Resurgence

Total 16,501

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Acknowledgements and Photo Credits

Nick Schaer and George Dasher , WV DEP

West Virginia Speleological Survey (WVaSS)

Jerry Fuller

Tri-State Grotto

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