44 Environmental Geoscience (Posters)

Wednesday, 11 March 2026
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
RCC, Lower Level Hall

An Initial Mineralogy and Geochemistry Investigations of Sediment in Little Four Mile Creek, Hueston Woods State Park, Ohio: Exploring the Nature of Phosphorus Distributions

Paper number: 44-8
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Authors

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) in agricultural runoff is a pressing environmental concern and is directly linked to aquatic pollution. Mineral - P interactions in stream sediment can be complex and often are not well understood. Fe-oxides are known to absorb phosphate on their surfaces, forming iron-phosphate complexes, making this phosphate biologically unavailable. Al-rich phyllosilicate clays and Ca-rich minerals can also bind P. Understanding mineral - P interactions in a natural environment enables a better understanding of P pollution variability and can inform mitigation strategies for pollution. Acton Lake in Hueston Woods State Park, southwestern Ohio, is an ideal study site for P pollution and mineral interaction. It is an artificial lake with an agriculturally dominated watershed and is a well-studied system for 30+ years. Three sediment samples from the Little Four Mile Creek were investigated in detail to assess heterogeneity of mineralogy and geochemistry in the context of inorganic P. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) at Miami University, as well as scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) at Indiana University, were performed to characterize the the mineralogy of the stream sediment. Diagnostics and identification methodology provided by the USGS are being used for the identification of clays by X-ray diffraction and SEM is providing general texture information. Initial investigations on fine sediment particles STEM-EDS indicated complex aggregates of nanoscale minerals with variable and intermixed chemistry of silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca), and iron (Fe). Phosphorus is localized with calcium in some instances and shows diffuse association with iron. No clear uniform relationship between Ca and P or Fe and P is observed. P is likely adsorbing or mineralizing on both calcite grains and some Fe-oxide materials but not uniformly. A strong association with P and Al was not observed in phyllosilicates. Some unusual naturally occurring uranium-bearing trace minerals (tentatively interpreted as boltwoodite) occur and potentially provide geogenic constraints on uranium pollution in the environment for the region. This study provides new constraints on an important aquatic system. 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026SE-411642

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