[en] This project has demonstrated the feasibility of using polarographic techniques to study pollution in Louisiana waters and has developed methodology for this purpose. Water and sediment samples from Devil's Swamp have been fractionated and analyzed for heavy metal concentration using differential pulse polarography. Lead has been found to be quite inhomogeneously distributed in the environment, with much higher concentrations being found in sediments and in suspended particulate form in the water, as opposed to being chemically dissolved in the aqueous phase. A laboratory study is planned in which an animal model will be used in controlled experiments to investigate internal organ uptake of heavy metals. The research proposed for next year includes collaborative efforts with two of the cluster groups involved with the DOE/EM project