A search for poison in wells

More than half of Maine citizens get their drinking water from wells located on their property. With the drought that continues to plague our state, many of us are concerned about our wells running dry, however, few of us are aware of less obvious problems affecting the quality of water in our homes.

Dr. Jean MacRae, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, would like to see that change. She is currently investigating arsenic contamination of groundwater with support from a National Science Foundation CAREER Award. Only 5 percent of the CAREER proposals are funded across the U.S., making this award one of the most prestigious in the nation for beginning researchers. MacRae’s project will have a major focus on Maine drinking water.

Arsenic has been exploited as a poison, pesticide and medicine for centuries. Arsenic also occurs naturally in soil and bedrock in some regions. Recently it has become known that arsenic contaminated drinking waster can cause cancer in humans. Looking overseas for evidence of serious health effects, arsenic exposure has caused debilitating skin ailments and cancer in over 7,000 patients in Bangladesh. Analysis of the public health catastrophe in Bangladesh as well as data from Taiwan, Chile and Argentina prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to propose a new, more protective limit for arsenic in drinking water in this country.

Parts of New England and the Midwest, along with many Southwestern states have water supplies with high arsenic levels. Concentrations of arsenic in groundwater depend on a combination of factors, including land use, geology and climate. MacRae is particularly interested in how microorganisms, fueled by agricultural applications of manure and leachate from septic systems, affect arsenic concentrations in drinking water. Her research will include field sampling in several Maine counties, and laboratory studies at the University of Maine campus in Orono. MacRae will compare predictions based on lab experiments to field data gathered with the help of Maine high school students and teachers as well as undergraduates in Civil and Environmental Engineering. By involving the high school students and teachers in real research, she hopes not only to increase awareness of arsenic contamination and drinking water quality issues in general, but to stimulate students to continue their education beyond high school, and to consider engineering and science careers.

Despite the rewarding nature of a career based on creative problem solving, this country doesn’t produce enough engineers to satisfy the demand. Nationally, only 5 percent of our university graduates obtain degrees in engineering compared to around 20 percent in most other developed countries. MacRae thinks that the best solution to this problem is to give students, particularly girls, who are under-represented in engineering, a chance to discover for themselves that engineering is really about making a difference in the world.

As the problems we face get harder, more perspectives will be needed to solve them, and a more diverse workforce is needed. That’s why MacRae devotes a lot of time and energy to mentoring women undergraduate and graduate students in environmental engineering. She has also reached out to hundreds of girls and young women through programs such as Expanding Your Horizons, which brings middle school girls to the University of Maine campus for a day of exposure to science and engineering, and MSInfinity, a similar program offered in Canada.

MacRae’s research on arsenic contamination will extend beyond an academic setting to have a positive effect on the health of Maine citizens. From a public health perspective, the more people know about arsenic in drinking water, the more likely they are to have their water tested and treated, if required. Identifying the causes of arsenic pollution may also motivate individuals to prevent contamination in areas that are at risk.

To help inform and protect the public, MacRae will work closely with the Maine Geological Survey, the Maine State Toxicologist, the Maine Drinking Water Program, the Maine Science and Technology Foundation, the Maine Water Utilities Association, and other organizations and individuals. Distributing information will allow state agencies and individuals to make informed decisions about which activities and management options are the most cost effective for reducing arsenic exposure. MacRae, like many engineers, wants to make a difference, whether gathering water samples from Maine wells, teaching in Boardman Hall, encouraging a group of eighth-grade girls to consider careers in environmental engineering or joining the public information campaign to raise awareness of water-related issues.

More information on Jean MacRae’s arsenic project is available at www.umeciv.maine.edu/MacRae/

Dana Humphrey, Ph.D., P.E. is the Malcolm G. Long Professor of Civil Engineering and chairperson, Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine.