Belews Lake, North Carolina

Sorensen, E.M.B., P.M. Cumbie, T.L. Bauer, J.S. Bell, and C.W. Harlan. 1984. Histopathological, hematological, condition-factor, and organ weight changes associated with selenium accumulation in fish from Belews Lake, North Carolina. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 13 153-162. 

The disposal of selenium contaminated waste water has resulted in elevated selenium levels in sediments of Lake Belews, North Carolina. The concentration of selenium in sediments ranged from 4 to 12 pg/g (pre-1986), but has dropped to 1 1 pg/g (1996) due to the discontinued release of selenium laden waste water from a local coal fired power plant (Lemly 1997). Selenium was measured in 445 surface soil samples from Florida with a concentration range of 0.01 1.62 pg/g and an arithmetic mean of 0.25 pg/g (Chen et al. 1999). Selenium was detected in soils and bed sediment from the South Platter River Basin at concentrations of 0.30-3.80 pg/g (Heiny and Tate 1997). The highest levels were observed in areas consisting of a high degree of Precambrian rock formation. 

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