Undergraduate Abstract

Billye Jean Breckenridge
December 1998

An Overview of the Perchlorate Contamination of Southern Nevada's Water

A Thesis submitted in partial satisfaction
of the requirement for the degree of

BACHELOR OF ARTS

In

Environmental Studies Program
University of Nevada Las Vegas

by

Billye Jean Breckenridge

Fall 1998

Thesis Adviser: Dr. Larry Paulson

ABSTRACT

This thesis will try to answer some questions asked concerning perchlorate as a water contaminant. What is perchlorate and how did it get in Southern Nevada's drinking supply? What are some of the health effects of perchlorate? How is it tested and where is it found? How can it be cleaned up?

The perchlorate I will discuss is derived from the ammonium perchlorate that has been manufactured by PEPCON and Kerr-McGee in Henderson, NV, for many years. Ammonium perchlorate is used for fireworks, ammunition, and is a component of rocket fuel. It is a concern because, if ingested, it can affect the thyroid gland's ability to produce iodine, a hormone affecting the development of the nervous system and bone marrow. Nevertheless, there is little information available concerning the long-term, low-concentration affects of perchlorate on healthy humans, children, and fetuses. This paper will, however, summarize the health research that has been done to date on perchlorate. Possible remediation includes reverse osmosis, the use of carbon aerogels, and the use of an anaerobe. The latter of the remediation seems to be the most efficient and cost effective.