Lahaina groundwater tracer study -- Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

The studies presented in this report provide the positive establishment of hydrologic connections between the municipal wastewater injection from the LWRF and the nearshore region of the Kaanapali coast on the Island of Maui, Hawaii, and provide the results from the study’s principal objectives, which have been to: (1) implement a tracer dye study from the LWRF (Section 3), (2) conduct continuous monitoring for the emergence of the injected tracer dyes at the most probable points of emergence at nearshore sites within the coastal reaches of the LWRF (Section 2), (3) conduct an airborne infrared sea surface temperature mapping survey of coastal zone fronting the LWRF in an effort to detect cool and/or warm temperature anomalies that may be indicative of cool submarine groundwater discharge and warm wastewater effluent (Section 4), (4) complete radon and radium radiochemical surveys to detect the emergence points and flow rates of the naturally occurring submarine groundwater along the coastal zone (Section 5), (5) complete geochemical and stable isotopic analyses of LWRF effluent, upland well waters, terrestrial surface waters, marine waters, and submarine groundwater discharge in an effort to help partition the relative contribution of effluent waters to the ocean (Section 6), and (6) combine complete dye emergence breakthrough curves with which to develop groundwater models to determine the LWRFs effluent flow paths and rates of emergence to the coastal zone (Section 7).U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyDepartment of Health, State of HawaiiU.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Cente

Abiraterone acetate plus prednisolone with or without enzalutamide for patients with metastatic prostate cancer starting androgen deprivation therapy: final results from two randomised phase 3 trials of the STAMPEDE platform protocol

Background: Abiraterone acetate plus prednisolone (herein referred to as abiraterone) or enzalutamide added at the start of androgen deprivation therapy improves outcomes for patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Here, we aimed to evaluate long-term outcomes and test whether combining enzalutamide with abiraterone and androgen deprivation therapy improves survival. Methods: We analysed two open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trials of the STAMPEDE platform protocol, with no overlapping controls, conducted at 117 sites in the UK and Switzerland. Eligible patients (no age restriction) had metastatic, histologically-confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma; a WHO performance status of 0–2; and adequate haematological, renal, and liver function. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using a computerised algorithm and a minimisation technique to either standard of care (androgen deprivation therapy; docetaxel 75 mg/m2 intravenously for six cycles with prednisolone 10 mg orally once per day allowed from Dec 17, 2015) or standard of care plus abiraterone acetate 1000 mg and prednisolone 5 mg (in the abiraterone trial) orally or abiraterone acetate and prednisolone plus enzalutamide 160 mg orally once a day (in the abiraterone and enzalutamide trial). Patients were stratified by centre, age, WHO performance status, type of androgen deprivation therapy, use of aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pelvic nodal status, planned radiotherapy, and planned docetaxel use. The primary outcome was overall survival assessed in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in all patients who started treatment. A fixed-effects meta-analysis of individual patient data was used to compare differences in survival between the two trials. STAMPEDE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00268476) and ISRCTN (ISRCTN78818544). Findings: Between Nov 15, 2011, and Jan 17, 2014, 1003 patients were randomly assigned to standard of care (n=502) or standard of care plus abiraterone (n=501) in the abiraterone trial. Between July 29, 2014, and March 31, 2016, 916 patients were randomly assigned to standard of care (n=454) or standard of care plus abiraterone and enzalutamide (n=462) in the abiraterone and enzalutamide trial. Median follow-up was 96 months (IQR 86–107) in the abiraterone trial and 72 months (61–74) in the abiraterone and enzalutamide trial. In the abiraterone trial, median overall survival was 76·6 months (95% CI 67·8–86·9) in the abiraterone group versus 45·7 months (41·6–52·0) in the standard of care group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·62 [95% CI 0·53–0·73]; p<0·0001). In the abiraterone and enzalutamide trial, median overall survival was 73·1 months (61·9–81·3) in the abiraterone and enzalutamide group versus 51·8 months (45·3–59·0) in the standard of care group (HR 0·65 [0·55–0·77]; p<0·0001). We found no difference in the treatment effect between these two trials (interaction HR 1·05 [0·83–1·32]; pinteraction=0·71) or between-trial heterogeneity (I2 p=0·70). In the first 5 years of treatment, grade 3–5 toxic effects were higher when abiraterone was added to standard of care (271 [54%] of 498 vs 192 [38%] of 502 with standard of care) and the highest toxic effects were seen when abiraterone and enzalutamide were added to standard of care (302 [68%] of 445 vs 204 [45%] of 454 with standard of care). Cardiac causes were the most common cause of death due to adverse events (five [1%] with standard of care plus abiraterone and enzalutamide [two attributed to treatment] and one (<1%) with standard of care in the abiraterone trial). Interpretation: Enzalutamide and abiraterone should not be combined for patients with prostate cancer starting long-term androgen deprivation therapy. Clinically important improvements in survival from addition of abiraterone to androgen deprivation therapy are maintained for longer than 7 years. Funding: Cancer Research UK, UK Medical Research Council, Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, Janssen, and Astellas

Geochemical Evolution of Hawaiian Groundwater

Ph.D. University of Hawaii at Manoa 2016.Includes bibliographical references.Groundwater in Hawaiʻi is heavily utilized for domestic, industrial, and agricultural purposes and additionally serves as a delivery mechanism of dissolved nutrients and inorganic C to coastal waters via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). An understanding of the factors that control dissolved nutrient and inorganic C concentrations in groundwater is vital to sustainable use of this economically and ecologically important resource. In order to better understand the dynamics of dissolved nutrients and inorganic C in Hawaiian groundwater I investigated the biogeochemistry of a subsurface wastewater effluent plume in West Maui and used H and O isotopic composition of water to develop groundwater conceptual models and flow paths for the West Hawaiʻi region which I then used to evaluate relationships between terrestrial controls and groundwater geochemical parameters. I utilized N and C species concentration data along with δ15N values of NO3- and δ13C values of dissolved inorganic C to evaluate the stoichiometry of biogeochemical reactions (mineralization, nitrification, anammox, denitrification) occurring within a subsurface wastewater plume that originates as treated wastewater injection and enters the coastal waters of West Maui as SGD via several submarine springs. Additionally, I compared wastewater time- series data, injection rates, and treatment history with submarine spring time-series data to assess correlation between input and output variables. I found that heterotrophic denitrification is the primary mechanism of N loss within the groundwater plume and that chlorination for pathogen disinfection suppresses microbial activity responsible for N loss, resulting in increased coastal ocean N loading. Replacement of chlorination with UV disinfection may restore biogeochemical reactions responsible for N loss within the aquifer and return N-attenuating conditions in the effluent plume, reducing N loading to coastal waters. I characterized the local meteoric water line (LMWL) and relationship between δ18O values in precipitation and elevation for the West Hawaiʻi region utilizing a network of 8 cumulative precipitation collectors sampled at 6-month intervals over a 2 year period. Additionally, I determined δ2H and δ18O values for groundwater samples across the study area. I then utilized these data to develop new conceptual models of groundwater flow and characterized groundwater flow paths in this complex and poorly understood hydrogeologic setting. The West Hawaiʻi LMWL indicates a primary source of oceanic moisture from the lee of the island, while the δ18O ned for the trade-wind potion of the Hawaiʻi Volcano region. I developed updated conceptual models on groundwater occurrence and flow in the West Hawaiʻi region incorporating subsurface geological features that I utilized in conjunction with δ18O values for groundwater samples to determine that groundwater flow paths in the West Hawaiʻi region generally originate at high elevations in the island’s interior I measured PO43-, SiO44-, NO3-, and DIC concentrations as well as δ15N of NO3- and δ13C of DIC values for groundwater samples collected throughout the West Hawaiʻi study area. I then used the Spearman’s rank correlation test to aid in the assessment of the effects of land use/land cover, wastewater effluent discharge, and geothermal activity along flow paths determined for each groundwater sample on the measured parameters. I found that geothermal activity was significantly correlated to elevated groundwater SiO44-, NO3-, and DIC concentrations and that wastewater effluent discharge along with urban and park land use was significantly correlated to elevated groundwater NO3- concentrations. Additionally, land use and land cover types associated with greater precipitation and soil development were significantly correlated to elevated PO43

Nutrient and Trace Element Contributions from Drained Islands in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

Inventorying nutrient and trace element sources in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (the Delta) is critical to understanding how changes—including alterations to point source inputs such as upgrades to the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (SRWTP) and landscape-scale changes related to wetland restoration—may alter the Delta’s water quality. While island drains are a ubiquitous feature of the Delta, limited data exist to evaluate island drainage mass fluxes in this system. To better constrain inputs from island drains, we measured monthly discharge along with nutrient and trace element concentrations in island drainage on three Delta islands and surrounding rivers from June 2017 to September 2018. These data were used to calculate island-level fluxes and then upscaled to estimate Delta-wide contributions from island drains. Based on these results, we present (1) new estimates of gross and net nutrient and trace element fluxes from Delta island drains, and (2) concomitant N stable isotope data to improve our understanding of island N cycling. Over 60% of nearly all island drainage gross nutrient and trace element loads occurred in winter and spring. Upscaled island drainage net annual total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), and NH4+ loads comprised an estimated 9%, 7%, and 4%, respectively, of annual inputs to this system in 2018, before the SRWTP upgrade. Under a post-upgrade scenario, we estimated net annual island drainage TDN contributions to increase to 11% and NH4+ contributions to 45% of total Delta inputs as the SRWTP NH4+ load diminished to near zero. Our results suggest that island drainage is a measurable N source that has likely become increasingly important now that the SRWTP upgrade is complete. With over 200 potential active outfalls, these inputs may affect aquatic biogeochemical cycling in many regions of the Delta, especially in areas with long residence times

Integration of in Situ Radon Modeling With High Resolution Aerial Remote Sensing for Mapping and Quantifying Local to Regional Flow and Transport of Submarine Groundwater Discharge From Coastal Aquifers

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a principal conduit for huge volumes of fresh groundwater loss and is a key transport mechanism for nutrient and contaminant pollution to coastal zones worldwide. However, the volumes and spatially and temporally variable nature of SGD is poorly known and requires rapid and high-resolution data acquisition at the scales in which it is commonly observed. Airborne thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing, using high-altitude manned aircraft and low-altitude remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or Drones ) are uniquely qualified for this task, and applicable wherever 0.1°C temperature contrasts exist between discharging and receiving waters. We report on the use of these technologies in combination with in situ radon model studies of SGD volume and nutrient flux from three of the largest Hawaiian Islands. High altitude manned aircraft results produce regional (~300m wide x 100s km coastline) 0.5 to 3.2 m-resolution sea-surface temperature maps accurate to 0.7°C that show point-source and diffuse flow in exquisite detail. Using UAVs offers cost-effective advantages of higher spatial and temporal resolution and instantaneous deployments that can be coordinated simultaneously with any ground-based effort. We demonstrate how TIR-mapped groundwater discharge plume areas may be linearly and highly correlated to in situ groundwater fluxes. We also illustrate how in situ nutrient data may be incorporated into infrared imagery to produce nutrient distribution maps of regional worth. These results illustrate the potential for volumetric quantification and up-scaling of small- to regional-scale SGD. These methodologies provide a tremendous advantage for identifying and differentiating spring-fed, point-sourced, and/or diffuse groundwater discharge into oceans, estuaries, and streams. The integrative techniques are also important precursors for developing best-use and cost-effective strategies for otherwise time-consuming in situ studies, and represent a substantial new asset for land use and coastal zone research and management

The West Maui Multi-Tracer Injection Project: Modeling and Monitoring Land-Sea Flow, Through the Subterranean Estuary and Out Into the Sea

True SGD travel times, chemical modifications, and dispersion within subterranean estuaries are poorly known. We completed a 2-year study of the land-sea connection between deep-well injection at West Maui Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant (LWTP) and the nearshore coastal ocean. Traveling 0.85 km along oblique trajectory in layered basalts, injected Fluorescein (FLT) dye began discharging from small nearshore submarine spring-fields (\u3c 0.6 acre) after 84 days, and displayed an average breakthrough curve travel time of ca. 15 months. Revealed by airborne thermal infrared mapping, discharged anomalously warm SGD mushrooms to cover \u3e167 acres of ocean surface, with lateral dispersal mirrored by variations in macro-algal-tissue 15N and far-field detection of dye. Radon mass balance estimates of spring-field SGD were 2.19-3.33 MGD total-SGD, of which 73-87% was fresh. Based on FLT recovery, 64% of the injected wastewater emerges at the submarine spring-field sites; this agrees with our geochemical/stable isotope source water partitioning analysis that estimated treated wastewater fractions in submarine spring discharge ranged from 12-96%, averaging 62%. Suboxic to anoxic conditions prevail during in-aquifer transit: High nitrogen loss occurs due to extensive and prolonged denitrification (nitrate δ15N up to +90 per mil), abundant N2-bubbles stream from the seafloor, and reduced Mn is precipitated as MnO at SGD-vents. In contrast, spring-discharged phosphorus is enriched relative to the injectate

Metal Mobilization As An Effect of Anthropogenic Contamination in Groundwater Aquifers in Tutuila, American Samoa

Groundwater is the primary drinking water source on most oceanic islands, including Tutuila, American Samoa. Drinking water quality on Tutuila is impacted by anthropogenic pollution sources such as on-site sewage disposal systems, piggeries, and agricultural leachate, particularly across the densely populated Tafuna–Leone Plain. The remineralization of anthropogenically sourced organic matter produces nitrate and dissolved inorganic carbon, which, according to previously published studies, have the potential to mobilize naturally occurring metals. This study provides further evidence that nutrients and dissolved inorganic carbon, along with naturally sourced metal concentrations, become elevated along pollution gradients and show correlation with each other. Across the Tafuna–Leone Plain, nitrate concentrations have a moderately positive correlation with uranium and vanadium. Dissolved inorganic carbon also positively correlate with nitrate, uranium, and vanadium. Similar studies elsewhere suggest that, in addition to nitrate, organic matter remineralization associated with carbonate create conditions to favor natural metal mobilization. Correlation analysis results imply that, while the surveyed trace metals are likely naturally sourced, some become soluble and more mobile in the presence of anthropogenically sourced nitrate and dissolved inorganic carbon, which alters redox conditions in the aquifer

The Distribution of Surface Soil Moisture over Space and Time in Eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica

Available soil moisture is thought to be the limiting factor for most ecosystem processes in the cold polar desert of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica. Previous studies have shown that microfauna throughout the MDVs are capable of biological activity when sufficient soil moisture is available (~2–10% gravimetric water content), but few studies have attempted to quantify the distribution, abundance, and frequency of soil moisture on scales beyond that of traditional field work or local field investigations. In this study, we present our work to quantify the soil moisture content of soils throughout the Fryxell basin using multispectral satellite remote sensing techniques. Our efforts demonstrate that ecologically relevant abundances of liquid water are common across the landscape throughout the austral summer. On average, the Fryxell basin of Taylor Valley is modeled as containing 1.5 ± 0.5% gravimetric water content (GWC) across its non-fluvial landscape with ~23% of the landscape experiencing an average GWC > 2% throughout the study period, which is the observed limit of soil nematode activity. These results indicate that liquid water in the soils of the MDVs may be more abundant than previously thought, and that the distribution and availability of liquid water is dependent on both soil properties and the distribution of water sources. These results can also help to identify ecological hotspots in the harsh polar Antarctic environment and serve as a baseline for detecting future changes in the soil hydrological regime