KGS--Temporal Variability of Ground-water Quality in Lincolnville--Appendix VI

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Appendix VI--Analytical Methods and Results

Nitrate

Nitrate was determined using a portable colorimeter (Hach Co., Model DR/1A, Ames, IA.) according to a cadmium reduction method modified to use gentisic acid in place of 1-naphthylamine. All necessary reagents were combined into a single stable powder pillow called NitraVer S Nitrate Reagent. The test registered both nitrate and nitrite (as N) present in a 2S ml water sample. In most cases, dilutions were not needed because the operating range 0-30 mg/l as N was used.

The samples were brought to room temperature (20° to 24°C as recommended) before analysis. Only a few samples collected from Clear Creek and well L26 required filtering prior to analysis. One reagent blank (using distilled water) and three nitrate-N standards (10, 20, and 30 mg/l as N) were tested prior to and following each group of samples or when the chemical reagent of one lot number was exhausted and that of another was started. The three standards were freshly prepared each month just before analysis from a stock 100 mg/l nitrate-N standard which was prepared every two to three months.

After each group of samples was analyzed, an averaged blank value was subtracted from each of the sample concentrations and the resulting concentrations were corrected using calibration curves of the nitrate standards. Corrected values that were less than 1 mg/l or zero were reported as <1 mg/l.

The results were converted by multiplying by 4.43 and expressed as mg/l nitrate-NO₃ for this study. The results of the nitrate determinations are presented in Table A1.

Several duplicate samples were collected and analyzed for nitrate concentration in order to estimate the analytical error of the in-field testing equipment. The duplicates were analyzed by the Analytical Services Section of the Kansas Geological Survey. The reported accuracy of the automated cadmium reduction method utilized by the Section was 4 percent or less (Standard Methods, 1980). The difference in nitrate concentrations determined by the two methods ranged from 4 to 27 percent with the average difference being 16 percent. The greater percent differences were associated with longer holding times of some samples before nitrate analysis could be performed using the in-field testing equipment. Because samples analyzed using the Hach method were not preserved at the time of collection, the nitrate values reported were consistently lower than the nitrate values obtained using Standard Methods.

Table A1--Results of the nitrate, chloride, and specific conductance determinations.

Well No.		July 31	August 1-2	Sept. 24(a)	Oct. 24	Nov. 27	Dec. 17	Jan. 22-23	Feb. 18	March 18	April 24	May 8(a)	May 20-23	June 17	July 24	Aug. 15
Well No.		1984						1985
L1	Cl	240
	NO₃	--
	SpCond	2,900
L2	Cl	68		39	33	31	31	30	32	36	35	47	53	82	33	35
	NO₃	--		22	--	13	13	11	12	14	15	47	85	237	15	19
	SpCond	1,270		945	920	920	928	935	934	935	941	1,122	1,183	1,649	947	940
L3	Cl		130	84	69	55	59	88	57	72	71	38	65	94	56	65
	NO₃		--	63	--	28	33	39	27	34	33	15	31	38	28	27
	SpCond		2,380	1,560	1,530	1,227	1,363	1,885	1,252	1,617	1,575	757	1,333	1,950	1,263	1,400
L4	Cl							28	29		33			40	32	32
	NO₃							13	15		18			139	38	19
	SpCond							902	895		969			1,263	988	960
L5	Cl		100					23	23	23	26			33	43	36
	NO₃		--					14	14	20	20			22	26	22
	SpCond		1,298					837	830	837	865			900	980	934
L6	Cl		64					23						145		31
	NO₃		--					19						92		22
	SpCond		1,120					885						1,775		901
L7	Cl	48
	NO₃	--
	SpCond	1,030
L8	Cl	243
	NO₃	--
	SpCond	2,195
L9	Cl	63												60
	NO₃	--												7
	SpCond	1,067												1,060
L10	Cl	48		49	34	33	38	33	39	51	49	63	64	69	48	51
	NO₃	--		30	--	20	22	19	22	21	21	17	22	21	22	20
	SpCond	1,046		940	909	915	974	942	949	1,072	1,052	1,181	1,192	1,219	1,017	1,031
L11	Cl	74
	NO₃	--
	SpCond	1,361
L12	Cl	190						164		162	189		182	175	173	161
	NO₃	--						37		42	39		48	43	42	36
	SpCond	1,735						1,565		1,617	1,725		1,700	1,737	1,665	1,625
L13	Cl	32
	NO₃	--
	SpCond	934
L14	Cl	72						43						81		76
	NO₃	--						13						62		34
	SpCond	1,128						960						1,227		1,135
L15	Cl		137					96	101	110	93			127	112	107
	NO₃		--					56	47	41	51			36	55	57
	SpCond		1,620					1,353	1,360	1,488	1,316			1,620	1,410	1,390
L16	Cl		112	108	107	105	107	103	96	96	103	104	104	100	107	99
	NO₃		--	43	--	25	28	27	31	26	27	35	26	26	26	27
	SpCond		1,272	1,260	1,270	1,270	1,270	1,271	1,246	1,245	1,262	1,286	1,288	1,316	1,271	1,245
L17	Cl		52					57	60	58	57		57	50	56	53
	NO₃		--					38	41	40	37		41	42	39	34
	SpCond		921					949	955	960	935		941	959	935	933
L18	Cl		121	125	118	111	103	100	95	102	115	124	114	123	115	114
	NO₃		--	38	--	26	24	19	21	23	28	30	25	26	28	26
	SpCond		1,328	1,360	1,345	1,316	1,297	1,280	1,261	1,270	1,352	1,337	1,335	1,370	1,333	1,326
L19	Cl		144	116		93	89	95	100	145	155	196	187	180	149	*116
	NO₃		--	115		77	72	67	69	76	88	162	162	144	92	70
	SpCond		1,875	1,558		1,445	1,422	1,560	1,585	2,190	2,040	2,430	2,550	2,460	1,980	1,674
L20	Cl		77	84	66	69	68	67	70	69	63	61	69	70	68	70
	NO₃		--	90	--	62	63	55	63	58	55	60	54	55	55	57
	SpCond		1,335	1,302	1,253	1,245	1,253	1,236	1,237	1,245	1,220	1,159	1,245	1,235	1,235	1,245
L21	Cl		96	97	83	87	89	88	79	88		104	98	99	98	95
	NO₃		--	39	--	23	24	20	22	24		28	27	27	26	28
	SpCond		1,210	1,181	1,168	1,160	1,175	1,145	1,145	1,152		1,220	1,220	1,227	1,210	1,219
L22	Cl							5		9	9		8	8.5	9	10
	NO₃							18		15	18		19	14	18	16
	SpCond							778		784	783		778	796	790	784
L24	Cl							*26	28	25				*33	35	38
	NO₃							21	20	19				26	25	23
	SpCond							877	865	864				955	961	947
L25	Cl							30		71	45				42	38
	NO₃							27		78	48				35	33
	SpCond							947		1,298	1,047				1,030	1,010
L26	Cl							23	23	63	27		73	78	44	61
	NO₃							16	11	187	27		190	195	56	139
	SpCond							902	848	1,660	907		1,725	1,790	1,177	1,517
L27	Cl							58	56	63	55
	NO₃							464	473	629	434
	SpCond							1,885	1,875	2,265	1,810
L27	Cl								(b) 52	(b) 52	(b) 42			(c) 122
	NO₃								383	454	269			246
	SpCond								1,675	1,875	1,466			1,445
L28	Cl	37				41	17	38	27	29	31		30	23	38	28
	NO₃	--				<1	12	3	8	<1	<1		1	5	2	<1
	SpCond	920				961	365	947	621	704	800		807	740	790	674
L29	Cl														114	107
	NO₃														36	34
	SpCond														1,699	1,699
L30	Cl															173
	NO₃															11
	SpCond															1,950
#31	Cl	27	21	26	20	21		19	20	31	21		34	37	22
	NO₃	--	--	--	--	33		29	34	28	31		29	28	26
	SpCond	757	756	750	757	704		783	740	837	761		783	796	790
(a) Chloride and nitrate concentrations represent results from standard inorganic chemistry analyses. Specific conductance values represent measurements made in field. * Well L19: this sample was collected August 19, 1985 * Well L24: these samples were collected January 25 and June 20, 1985, respectively (b) For well L27: These samples were collected minute(s) after first samples (c) For well L27: This sample was collected after 2 minutes of pumping. It was reported that approximately 1,600 gallons had been pumped from this well prior to collection of this sample. Cl - Chloride (mg/L) NO₃ - Nitrate (mg/l as NO₃) SpCond = Specific Conductance (µmhos/cm )

Chloride

Chloride concentrations were determined by using a hand-held digital titrator, a 2.256N Mercuric Nitrate Titration Cartridge, and Diphenylcarbazon Reagent Powder Pillows (Hach Co., Ames, IA.). The analysis was performed on a 100 ml sample of water.

The samples were already at room temperature prior to analysis and several had been filtered prior to the nitrate determinations. One blank (distilled water) and four standards (50, 100, 250, and 500 mg/l Cl) were titrated before and after each group of samples, or when the chemical reagents of one lot number were exhausted and those of another were started. These titrated values were used to construct a calibration curve which was then used to correct the titrated sample concentrations. The estimated analytical error for the chloride determinations was 4 percent. The results are shown in Table A1.

Specific Conductance

Measurements of specific conductance were made at the same time as the chloride analyses. A portable meter (Lectro-MHO, Model MC-1, Mark 4, Lab-Line Instrument Co., Melrose Park, Il.) was used to determine specific conductance and the results are expressed in micromhos per centimeter at 25°C (Table A1). The estimated accuracy of the conductivity meter was 2 percent.

Total Organic Carbon

Volatile (VOC) and nonvolatile organic carbon (NVOC) fractions of total organic carbon (TOC) were determined using a Dohrman/Envirotech DC-80 TOC Analyzer according to methods described by Barcelona (1984). Analyses were performed in the C.L. Burt laboratory, Learned Hall, at the University of Kansas by Dr. Stephen J. Randtke. Analytical precision was ±2% and the detection limit was approximately 0.02 mg/l of carbon. Results of the VOC and NVOC determinations are presented in Table A2.

Table A2

Well No.	May 8, 1985		August 15, 1985
Well No.	VOC (mg/l)	NVOC (mg/l)	VOC (mg/l)	NVOC (mg/l)
L2	Nil	1.11	Nil	4.47
L3*	Nil	6.12	Nil	5.80
L5*	Nil	0.74	Nil	1.25
L10	Nil	3.27	Nil	2.15
L16	Nil	1.92	Nil	3.05
L18*	Nil	2.95	Nil	4.81
L19	Nil	5.63	Nil	4.88
L20	Nil	4.38	Nil	3.10
L21	Nil	1.22	Nil	3.05
L22*	--	--	Nil	3.51
Nil = less than 0.020 mg-C/l. * well of pre-standard construction

Analysis of the May 8th samples was performed with samples having 1-2 ml of headspace for 24 hours because equipment malfunction had caused the original analyses to be invalid (Randtke, 1985). This could have affected the detection of VOC in these samples. However, the method of sample collection for TOC probably had a greater effect on the detection of VOC.

The May 8th sample from well l3 had a trace of sediment, but the sediment was not disturbed and the sample was not filtered prior to analysis (Randtke, 1985).

Dissolved Gases

Samples collected May 8, 1985, were analyzed for dissolved methane, oxygen, and carbon dioxide using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer. The analyses were performed by Dr. Charles Judson of the Mass Spectrometry laboratory at the University of Kansas. Methane was determined according to methods described by McAuliffe (1971). The results of the determinations are presented in Table A3.

Table A3

Well No.	Methane (CH₄) (µg/l)	Oxygen (O₂) (mg/l)	Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) (mg/l)
L2	0.7	1.3	13.3
L3*	1.3	1.0	8.3
L5*	0.1	2.7	3.0
L10	0.7	2.2	8.0
L16	1.9	0.5	8.1
L18*	0.1	2.6	5.5
L19	1.5	6.5	40.
L20	2.7	1.9	5.8
L21	--	--	--
* well of pre-standard construction

A sample collected at Well L21 was accidentally broken in the laboratory, therefore, results are not available.

Standard Inorganic Chemistry

The standard inorganic chemistry analyses were performed by the Analytical Services Section of the Kansas Geological Survey housed at Moore Hall on the West Campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS.

Analytical results for the September 24, 1984 and May 8, 1985 samplings are presented in Table A4. The ionic balances computed for these results indicate that the analyses are very good with the greatest deviation from electroneutrality (the difference between the sums of milliequivalents/l of anions and cations divided by total milliequivalents/l) equal to 2.87 percent for the September 1984 analyses and 2.37 percent for the May 1985 analyses (Hathaway, 1984 and 1985).

Table A4--Results of the standard inorganic chemistry analyses showing percent differences between the September 1984 and May 1985 samplings.

Well No.	Sample date	Temp °C, field	Specific conductance, µmhos/cm	pH, field	pH, lab	Total dissolved solids, (calc) mg/L	SiO₂ mg/L	Ca mg/L
L2	09-24-84	15.5	955	7.2	7.7	598	23	117
	05-08-85	14.4	1122	7.15	7.35	699	18	132
	% change	-7	15	-1	-4	14	-22	11
L3	09-24-84	15	1430	7.15	7.6	1156	30	241
	05-08-85		757	6.65	6.8	464	17	90
	% change		-47	-7	-10	-60	-43	-63
L10	09-24-84	14.8	960	7.15	7.58	591	20	99
	05-08-85	14.7	1181	7.1	7.2	690	16	104
	% change	-1	19	-1	-5	14	-20	5
	06-21-83	15	1540	6.95		898	20	126
	% change	1	38	-3		34	0	21
L16	09-24-84	15	1270	7.1	7.5	759	26	134
	05-08-85	14.7	1286	7.05	7.15	744	21	132
	% change	-2	1	-1	-5	-2	-19	-1
L18	09-24-84	15	1380	6.95	7.45	825	28	143
	05-08-85	15	1337	7.05	7.15	767	21	130
	% change	0	-3	1	-4	-7	-25	-9
L19	09-24-84	14.6	1600	7.1	7.55	1032	24	137
	05-08-85	13.6	2430	7.05	7.2	1575	19	161
	% change	-7	34	-1	-5	34	-21	15
L20	09-24-84	15	131B	7.05	7.6	842	25	134
	05-08-85	14.4	1159	7.15	7.3	714	20	117
	% change	-4	-12	1	-4	-15	-20	-13
L21	09-24-84	14	1219	7.15	7.6	744	23	129
	05-08-85	14.2	1220	7.15	7.2	713	18	125
	% change	1	0	0	-5	-4	-22	-3

Well No.	Mg mg/L	Na mg/L	K mg/L	Sr mg/L	NH₄ mg/L	HCO₃ mg/L	SO₄ mg/L	Cl mg/L
L2	45	27	2.1	1.8	< 0.1	374	137	39
	49	42	1.8	1.9	< 0.1	400	163	47
	8	36	-14	5		6	16	17
L3	56	59	8.1	4.2	< 0.1	375	426	84
	16	52	1.4	1.2	< 0.1	267	102	38
	-71	-12	-83	-71		-29	-76	-55
L10	45	52	3.1	.6	< 0.1	428	81	49
	47	89	2.5	.6	0.1	523	93	63
	4	42	-19	0		18	13	22
	61	126	3.1	.6		553	148	106
	26	59	0	0		23	45	54
L16	58	57	3.8	.8	< 0.1	447	108	108
	57	56	3.9	.8	< 0.1	441	117	104
	-2	-2	2	0		-1	8	-4
L18	56	78	3	.7	< 0.1	473	120	125
	51	78	3.5	.6	< 0.1	483	91	124
	-9	0	14	-14		2	-24	-1
L19	68	126	3	1.9	< 0.1	459	215	116
	84	267	2.7	1	< 0.1	642	366	196
	19	53	-10	-47		28	41	41
L20	58	72	4.5	1.2	< 0.1	400	176	84
	49	59	6.3	1	< 0.1	388	150	61
	-16	-18	28	-17		-3	-15	-27
L21	55	57	5.4	.9	< 0.1	398	141	97
	50	60	2.5	1	< 0.1	410	123	104
	-9	5	-54	10		3	-13	7

Well No.	F mg/L	NO₃ mg/L	PO₄ mg/L	B µg/L	Total Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L	Non-Carbonate Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L
L2	.3	22	.09	123	479	173
	.3	47		80	533	205
	0	53		-35	10	15
L3	.3	63	.12	422	836	529
	.2	15		90	292	73
	-33	-76		-79	-65	-86
L10	.2	30	.25	54	433	82
	.3	17		89	453	25
	33	-43		39	4	-70
	.2	35			566	113
	0	14			23	27
L16	.2	43	.27	183	574	207
	.2	35		105	565	203
	0	-19		-43	-2	-2
L18	.2	38	.58	203	588	200
	.3	30		95	535	139
	33	-21		-53	-9	-30
L19	.4	115	.19	144	624	248
	.4	162		163	748	222
	0	29		12	16	-10
L20	.2	90	.22	135	574	246
	.2	60		92	495	177
	0	-33		-32	-14	-28
L21	.3	39	.37	114	549	223
	.3	28		63	519	183
	0	-28		-45	-5	-18

Bacteriological Examination

Examination for fecal coliform and fecal Streptococcus bacteria was conducted by The Environmental laboratory and interpreted and reported by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, both located at Forbes Building 740 in Topeka, KS.

The examination consisted of a search for the presence of coliform bacteria in the water samples collected December 17, 1984 and May 20 and 21, 1985. The method used was the membrane filter count according to Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (1980). The results are presented in Table A5.

The examination consisted of either a 10 ml or 20 ml portion of a 100 ml sample. The number of bacterial counts (colonies) was reported per 100 ml. Therefore, if no bacteria were found, results were reported as less than 10 counts per 100 ml for a 10 ml aliquot, and less than 5 counts per 100 ml for a 20 ml aliquot.

Table A5

Well No.	December 17, 1984		May 20-21, 1985
Well No.	fecal coliform	fecal Streptococcus	fecal coliform	fecal Streptococcus
L2	<5	<5	<10	<10
L3*	<5	<5	<10	30
L5*	--	--	<10	<10
L10	<5	<5	<10	10
L15	<5	<5	<10	<10
L18*	<5	<5	<10	30
L19	<5	<5	<10	<10
L20	<5	<5	<10	10
L21	<5	280	<10	<10
*well of pre-standard construction

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Well No.	F mg/L	NO₃ mg/L	PO₄ mg/L	B µg/L	Total Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L	Non-Carbonate Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L
L2	.3	22	.09	123	479	173
	.3	47		80	533	205
	0	53		-35	10	15
L3	.3	63	.12	422	836	529
	.2	15		90	292	73
	-33	-76		-79	-65	-86
L10	.2	30	.25	54	433	82
	.3	17		89	453	25
	33	-43		39	4	-70
	.2	35			566	113
	0	14			23	27
L16	.2	43	.27	183	574	207
	.2	35		105	565	203
	0	-19		-43	-2	-2
L18	.2	38	.58	203	588	200
	.3	30		95	535	139
	33	-21		-53	-9	-30
L19	.4	115	.19	144	624	248
	.4	162		163	748	222
	0	29		12	16	-10
L20	.2	90	.22	135	574	246
	.2	60		92	495	177
	0	-33		-32	-14	-28
L21	.3	39	.37	114	549	223
	.3	28		63	519	183
	0	-28		-45	-5	-18

Well No.	F mg/L	NO₃ mg/L	PO₄ mg/L	B µg/L	Total Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L	Non-Carbonate Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L
L2	.3	22	.09	123	479	173
	.3	47		80	533	205
	0	53		-35	10	15
L3	.3	63	.12	422	836	529
	.2	15		90	292	73
	-33	-76		-79	-65	-86
L10	.2	30	.25	54	433	82
	.3	17		89	453	25
	33	-43		39	4	-70
	.2	35			566	113
	0	14			23	27
L16	.2	43	.27	183	574	207
	.2	35		105	565	203
	0	-19		-43	-2	-2
L18	.2	38	.58	203	588	200
	.3	30		95	535	139
	33	-21		-53	-9	-30
L19	.4	115	.19	144	624	248
	.4	162		163	748	222
	0	29		12	16	-10
L20	.2	90	.22	135	574	246
	.2	60		92	495	177
	0	-33		-32	-14	-28
L21	.3	39	.37	114	549	223
	.3	28		63	519	183
	0	-28		-45	-5	-18

Well No.	F mg/L	NO₃ mg/L	PO₄ mg/L	B µg/L	Total Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L	Non-Carbonate Hardness (CaCO₃) mg/L
L2	.3	22	.09	123	479	173
	.3	47		80	533	205
	0	53		-35	10	15
L3	.3	63	.12	422	836	529
	.2	15		90	292	73
	-33	-76		-79	-65	-86
L10	.2	30	.25	54	433	82
	.3	17		89	453	25
	33	-43		39	4	-70
	.2	35			566	113
	0	14			23	27
L16	.2	43	.27	183	574	207
	.2	35		105	565	203
	0	-19		-43	-2	-2
L18	.2	38	.58	203	588	200
	.3	30		95	535	139
	33	-21		-53	-9	-30
L19	.4	115	.19	144	624	248
	.4	162		163	748	222
	0	29		12	16	-10
L20	.2	90	.22	135	574	246
	.2	60		92	495	177
	0	-33		-32	-14	-28
L21	.3	39	.37	114	549	223
	.3	28		63	519	183
	0	-28		-45	-5	-18