POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE 2021 TAMPA BAY PINEY POINT WASTEWATER EMERGENCY DISCHARGE

This study investigates the sea floor impacts of the 2021 Piney Point phosphate-rich discharge into Tampa Bay by identifying if the environment changed following the event, and if changes could be due to natural (groundwater or bedrock) or anthropogenic causes (dredge activity or wastewater). A time series of water quality and sediment analyses were conducted, starting seven days after the initial discharge, and continuing for five more collections on a monthly scale. Samples were collected along four roughly parallel transects extending from the shoreline toward the center of Tampa Bay to observe the spatial distribution of potential impacts. In situ water analyses show a pH decrease in close proximity to the discharge during the initial collection, compared to subsequent collections. Sediment samples were analyzed for sedimentology, short-lived radioisotopes, and element/mineral composition, with results showing minimal change in grain size, organic composition, elemental phosphorus concentration and mineral fluorapatite (Ca5(PO4)3F) percentage, suggesting little significant change in natural sediment sources and composition. A strong correlation between phosphorus and fluorapatite infers the detected phosphorus is natural with little influence from the emergency discharge. Short-lived radioisotopes exhibit elevated activities that may be attributed to the discharge, or more likely groundwater input.

For more information, please contact: Cassandra Guzman (caguzman@eckerd.edu)

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