Heavy Metal Contamination at Unregulated Target Shooting Sites in the Everglades

Heavy Metal Contamination at Unregulated Target Shooting Sites in the Everglades

Heavy metals such as lead and copper can negatively impact organisms and the environment exposed to the pollution. These metals can enter the environment in many ways; for example, hazardous waste, discarded sporting gear, leaded gasoline, pesticides, or roadways. A heavily used, unregulated target range was discovered in the Everglades. This location, Krome Avenue, is unregulated and bullets and shell casings litter the area. We hypothesize that the Krome Avenue range will have higher levels of lead and copper than control sites. Water, soil, plant, and invertebrate samples were collected from the site to identify if any metal pollution is bioaccumulating or biomagnifying. An Atomic Absorption Flame Emission Spectrophotometer will be used to detect the concentrations of lead, copper, and aluminum in the samples. The detected concentrations will be used to compare the Krome Avenue location to a control site located upstream along the same levee, a control site in the Everglades, a control site near a levee, and a control site at Markham Park shooting range. Markham Park shooting range is used to show any differences between a government regulated range and the unregulated Krome Avenue location. Ammunition found at the Krome Avenue site will be evaluated for metal components that could contribute to heavy metal pollution. Lead levels were slightly elevated at the Krome Avenue site samples and particularly high in samples from Markham Park.