Baseline data relevant to assessing environmental impact of continued operation of the Teepee Creek gas plant or similar future industrial operations included S concentrations, pH of soil and water, and S isotope determinations. Concentrations evaluated the S loading while isotope determinations identified sources of environmental S. The industrial source was very enriched in ('34)S(delta('34)S=+24 0/00) while soil and vegetation were characterized by ('34)S depletions (delta('34)S values as low as-20 0/00 mean value near -8 0/00). Thus S isotope determinations provided an excellent tool for environmental assessment in the region. It was found that the following are the more significant observations: (1) Neither the pH data nor S isotope compositions of the water or soil samples reveal measurable S loading by the industrial operation. (2) The measured atmospheric SO('2) concentrations are well below permitted air quality standards. (3) Data from an atmospheric sampling array revealed that the directions of highest SO('2) concentrations did not correspond to the direction of the gas processing plant nor did high concentrations relate isotopically to the emissions. (4) In both soil and vegetation samples, increase of S concentration was identified isotopically with mineral layers in the sub-surface and not with the industrial operation. Thus it is concluded that S in the environment surrounding the Teepee Creek gas plant was dominated by sources other than the plant emissions.

Water samples from the Rhode River, an estuary situated on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, were analyzed for atrazine residues twice a week for 2 yr. Precipitation samples, which included dryfall, rainfall, and snowfall were collected with wide-mouth stainless steel collection pans situated about 20 m above ground in an open space. A total of 68 precipitation samples was collected from December 1976 to February 1979. Atrazine residues were detectable in estuarine water and in rainwater year-round. Atrazine residues in estuarine water were generally 6 to 190ng/l, atrazine residues in rainwater (bulk precipitation) were 3 to 2190ng/l. Atrazine residues in rainwater samples collected during the winter season (January to April 1977) were unexpectedly high (e.g. 3 to 970ng/l). The highest atrazine concentration of 2190ng/l was detected from a 0.76 cm rainfall event collected on May 19, 1977. Intermittent spraying operations of atrazine within the cornfields were generally done during May of each year. Rain samples collected during May of 1978 also showed higher atrazine residues than the rest of the 1978 growing season, but at levels much less than those detected in 1977 rainwater. Although high attrazine concentrations were detected in winter rainfall, these did not result in similarly higher atrazine concentrations in estuarine receiving waters. Our data showed a decline of atrazine concentrations in estuarine water in October and November which continued until a rainfall following Spring herbicide applications. Atrazine is enriched at the microsurface layer of estuarine water, but direct atmospheric input of atrazine did not seem to contribute significantly to the enrichment mechanism. Atrazine is believed to be transported long distances in polluted air masses. The estuarine microsurface layer could be a source of atmospheric atrazine, but the importance of the source is yet to be determined. Atrazine was quantitatively determined by GC using a nitrogen specific electrolytic detector and was confirmed by GC/Mass.

Bioindication of air pollution effects has received considerable attention in recent years. It has been almost entirely focused on individual species and relatively little notice has been given to ecosystem level process and function monitors. Longterm research projects in the Niepolomice Forest in southern Poland and the Colstrip area in southeast Montana, U.S.A., were analyzed for both organismic and system level indicators and monitors for SO, trace elements, and fluoride pollution originating in nearby coal-fired industrial processes. Species of lichens exhibited changes in morphology and survival and pine species exhibited pollutant accumulation in needles at both sites. Declines in Scots pine growth in Poland of up to 20% were compared with declines in western wheatgrass rhizome biomass in Montana to illustrate system wide effects on primary productivity. Directly observable declines in decomposition rate were noted for both sites at higher pollution levels and tied to system wide occurrences of nutrient deficiency and toxicant buildup in soil pools. Pollutant increases in deer antler composition, changes in grasshopper dietary patterns, and lichen density and health were postulated to have system level implications as well