Identification of Acid Volatile Sulfides as a Predictor of Sediment Oxygen Demand and Comparison of the Degree of Pyritization between Weeks Bay, AL and Old Tampa Bay, FL

Author

Erin Leigh Anderson

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

McNeal, Karen

Committee Member

Hatten, Jeff

Committee Member

Mylroie, John

Date of Degree

8-17-2013

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Geology

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Geosciences

Abstract

Weeks Bay, AL is a governmentally protected reserve near Mobile Bay, AL, while Old Tampa Bay, FL is an urbanized estuary, located along the western coast of Florida. Estuary health is important to local economies and the health of local marine life, with an emphasis on low levels of eutrophication. Sediment oxygen demand (SOD) is usually measured to qualify the environmental health of estuaries, but SOD is timeconsuming and expensive. Average acid volatile monosulfides (AVS) concentrations were found to accurately predict SOD variances. The Degree of Pyritization (DOP) is a measure of long-term sediment oxidation conditions, which indicates normal estuary state. Despite the urban land use practices of these two bays, the DOP of each bay is similar.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/21106

Recommended Citation

Anderson, Erin Leigh, "Identification of Acid Volatile Sulfides as a Predictor of Sediment Oxygen Demand and Comparison of the Degree of Pyritization between Weeks Bay, AL and Old Tampa Bay, FL" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 2545.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/2545