Analytical Capabilities, Sample Requirements, and Instrumentation Active
Organic Geochemistry Research Lab
(OGRL)
OGRL works independently or collaboratively to pair fate and transport with biological
experiments and effects. OGRL has three main focuses:
1. Development and modification of robust analytical methods needed for analysis of
compounds in multiple matrices to address relevant environmental health issues.
2. Conduct independent and collaborative lab to national based studies to provide new
knowledge on source to receptor pathways for potential environmental relevant organic
contaminants.
3. Conduct collaborative research to study correlations between individual compound
and environmental mixture and environmental health effects.
Hot Topics
- A team of scientists from the USGS and the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tanikon Research Station, Switzerland, found that some mycotoxins are common in U.S. stream waters. (more)
- Measuring POEA, a Surfactant Mixture in Herbicide Formulations. (more)
- Groundwater microbial community composition affected during 30-day exposure to sub mg/L concentrations of the antibiotic, sulfamethoxazole.
- Two microbial communities from a sandy aquifer, one acclimated historically to wastewater with sulfamethoxazole and the other unacclimated were exposed to in situ 240-520 μg/L sulfamethoxazole using filter chambers suspended ambient groundwater for 30 days. The unacclimated microbial community displayed greater changes in mortality and impairment, sensitivity to sulfamethoxazole, and community composition than the unacclimated microbial community. The study shows that microbial communities can be affected by concentrations 2-3 orders of magnitude less than those used in clinical applications.
Sample Processing
Samples will be collected using protocols for the collection of pesticide analysis in Shelton, (1994) http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/pubs/ofr94-455/sw-t.html
- Preclean all equipment with a Liquinox/tap-water solution, rinsed with tap water, deonized water, and then methanol, and then air dry.
- Filter sample water through a 0.7-µm pore-size baked glass-fiber filter after a 100 ml rinse of the filter with sample water, into 125-ml (4 oz) baked amber glass bottles (If filtering is not possible, then it can be done upon request at a rate of $30 persample).
- Upon collection, all samples will be kept chilled until shipped to the lab.
Shipping Instructions
Label bottles clearly with waterproof marker or preprinted labels (a paper label completely covered with clear packing tape is preferred). Information required on the bottle is shown:
- -Project code:
- -station id
- -stream/well name/location
- -date and time
- -initials of collector
- -lab method code
Example:
Project code: To be assigned by Julie Dietze
station id: Lake Houston North End, Texas
stream/well name/location: 40305060
date and time: 5-18-06 @ 1015
initials of collector: JD
lab method code: LCGY
Bottle Requirements
Method Required Bottles
LCPD 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
LCAB 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
LCEA 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
LCGY 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
IMA 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
IMB 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
IMNT/IMND *1- 8 oz (250mL) HDPE with polypropylene closure
IMYT/IMYD *1- 8 oz (250mL) HDPE with polypropylene closure
IMXT/IMXD *1- 8 oz (250mL) HDPE with polypropylene closure
Custom Methods Contact Julie Dietze for bottles requirements
*When submitting samples for total analysis (IMNT, IMYT, and IMXT) only fill the bottles half-way to ensure that they do not break when frozen.
The following information form an ASR is required for transfer from the lab database to NWIS batch files/QWDX.
- USGS station ID
- Phone Number
- E-mail Contact
- User Code
- Project Account Number
- Collection Date
- Collection Time
- Sample Medium Code
- Sample Type
A copy of an ASR may be made and enclosed in a watertight bag if sample is also being sent to NWQL. Please make sure the lab methods and any other information specific to our lab is on the ASR sent to Kansas.
Data can be uploaded to the QWDX site upon request with the exception of immunoassay and soils/solids/bed sediment methods.
Glass bottles to be placed in foam sleeves to help prevent breakage. The bottles from each site will then be placed in a ZIPLOCK-type bag, which will help keep them dry in the coolers and keep all bottles from the same site together. All samples will be kept chilled and shipped on ice. Permanently mark the inside lid of the cooler with return address and telephone number. If this is not possible, make certain samples are kept cool until they are shipped to the OGRL.
Coolers will be returned at your project's expense. The three options for cooler return are listed below.
- A. Enclose a return mailing label and correct postage metered for return of cooler by parcel post mail
- B. Return a completed Federal Express shipping label identifying your USGS internal cost code or Federal Express account number.
- C. Enclose a mailing label and internal USGS cost code to have the cooler returned by Federal Express Ground shipping.
The coolers must be sent Monday-Thursday by overnight delivery. The laboratory is not open on Saturday or Sunday. The laboratory is also closed on federal holidays; therefore, coolers should not be sent the day before a holiday.
If you have questions or need to set up a new project, please call Julie Dietze at the following number and use the following address when shipping samples:
OGRL
USGS KS WSC
4821 Quail Crest Place
Lawrence, KS 66049
785/832-3564
Organic Geochemistry Research Group
Links
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
OGRL Algal Toxins Methods of Analysis
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Effects of ionic strength, temperature, and pH on degradation of selected antibiotics
A national reconnaissance of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants in the United States - I) Groundwater
Concentrations of selected pharmaceuticals and antibiotics in south-central Pennsylvania waters, March through September 2006
Concentrations of glyphosate, its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid, and glufosinate in ground- and surface-water, rainfall, and soil samples collected in the United States, 2001-06
Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group--Determination of dissolved isoxaflutole and its sequential degradation products, diketonitrile and benzoic acid, in water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chroma
Evaluation of tandem offline and online solid-phase extraction with liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry for the analysis of antibiotics in ambient water and comparision to an independent method
Trace analysis of trimethoprim and sulfonamide, macrolide, quinolone, and tetracycline antibiotics in chlorinated drinking water using liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry
Comparison of fate and transport of isoxaflutole to atrazine and metolachlor in 10 Iowa rivers
Persistence of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds in chlorinated drinking water as a function of time
Efficiency of conventional drinking-water-treatment processes in removal of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds
Evaluation of emerging contaminants of concern at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant based on seasonal sampling events, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2004
Occurrence of isoxaflutole, acetamide, and triazine herbicides and their degradation products in 10 Iowa rivers draining to the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, 2004
- Overview
OGRL works independently or collaboratively to pair fate and transport with biological
experiments and effects. OGRL has three main focuses:
1. Development and modification of robust analytical methods needed for analysis of
compounds in multiple matrices to address relevant environmental health issues.
2. Conduct independent and collaborative lab to national based studies to provide new
knowledge on source to receptor pathways for potential environmental relevant organic
contaminants.
3. Conduct collaborative research to study correlations between individual compound
and environmental mixture and environmental health effects.Hot Topics
- A team of scientists from the USGS and the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tanikon Research Station, Switzerland, found that some mycotoxins are common in U.S. stream waters. (more)
- Measuring POEA, a Surfactant Mixture in Herbicide Formulations. (more)
- Groundwater microbial community composition affected during 30-day exposure to sub mg/L concentrations of the antibiotic, sulfamethoxazole.
- Two microbial communities from a sandy aquifer, one acclimated historically to wastewater with sulfamethoxazole and the other unacclimated were exposed to in situ 240-520 μg/L sulfamethoxazole using filter chambers suspended ambient groundwater for 30 days. The unacclimated microbial community displayed greater changes in mortality and impairment, sensitivity to sulfamethoxazole, and community composition than the unacclimated microbial community. The study shows that microbial communities can be affected by concentrations 2-3 orders of magnitude less than those used in clinical applications.
Sample Processing
Samples will be collected using protocols for the collection of pesticide analysis in Shelton, (1994) http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/pubs/ofr94-455/sw-t.html
- Preclean all equipment with a Liquinox/tap-water solution, rinsed with tap water, deonized water, and then methanol, and then air dry.
- Filter sample water through a 0.7-µm pore-size baked glass-fiber filter after a 100 ml rinse of the filter with sample water, into 125-ml (4 oz) baked amber glass bottles (If filtering is not possible, then it can be done upon request at a rate of $30 persample).
- Upon collection, all samples will be kept chilled until shipped to the lab.
Shipping Instructions
Label bottles clearly with waterproof marker or preprinted labels (a paper label completely covered with clear packing tape is preferred). Information required on the bottle is shown:
- -Project code:
- -station id
- -stream/well name/location
- -date and time
- -initials of collector
- -lab method code
Example:
Project code: To be assigned by Julie Dietze
station id: Lake Houston North End, Texas
stream/well name/location: 40305060
date and time: 5-18-06 @ 1015
initials of collector: JD
lab method code: LCGY
Bottle Requirements
Method Required Bottles
LCPD 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
LCAB 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
LCEA 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
LCGY 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
IMA 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
IMB 3-4oz (125mL) amber glass with teflon lined caps
IMNT/IMND *1- 8 oz (250mL) HDPE with polypropylene closure
IMYT/IMYD *1- 8 oz (250mL) HDPE with polypropylene closure
IMXT/IMXD *1- 8 oz (250mL) HDPE with polypropylene closure
Custom Methods Contact Julie Dietze for bottles requirements
*When submitting samples for total analysis (IMNT, IMYT, and IMXT) only fill the bottles half-way to ensure that they do not break when frozen.
The following information form an ASR is required for transfer from the lab database to NWIS batch files/QWDX.
- USGS station ID
- Phone Number
- E-mail Contact
- User Code
- Project Account Number
- Collection Date
- Collection Time
- Sample Medium Code
- Sample Type
A copy of an ASR may be made and enclosed in a watertight bag if sample is also being sent to NWQL. Please make sure the lab methods and any other information specific to our lab is on the ASR sent to Kansas.
Data can be uploaded to the QWDX site upon request with the exception of immunoassay and soils/solids/bed sediment methods.
Glass bottles to be placed in foam sleeves to help prevent breakage. The bottles from each site will then be placed in a ZIPLOCK-type bag, which will help keep them dry in the coolers and keep all bottles from the same site together. All samples will be kept chilled and shipped on ice. Permanently mark the inside lid of the cooler with return address and telephone number. If this is not possible, make certain samples are kept cool until they are shipped to the OGRL.
Coolers will be returned at your project's expense. The three options for cooler return are listed below.
- A. Enclose a return mailing label and correct postage metered for return of cooler by parcel post mail
- B. Return a completed Federal Express shipping label identifying your USGS internal cost code or Federal Express account number.
- C. Enclose a mailing label and internal USGS cost code to have the cooler returned by Federal Express Ground shipping.
The coolers must be sent Monday-Thursday by overnight delivery. The laboratory is not open on Saturday or Sunday. The laboratory is also closed on federal holidays; therefore, coolers should not be sent the day before a holiday.
If you have questions or need to set up a new project, please call Julie Dietze at the following number and use the following address when shipping samples:
OGRLUSGS KS WSC
4821 Quail Crest Place
Lawrence, KS 66049
785/832-3564
Organic Geochemistry Research Group
Links - Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
OGRL Algal Toxins Methods of Analysis
Algal toxins are a group of toxic compounds produced by a range of photosynthetic freshwater and marine plankton. These toxins have the ability to cause sickness in animals and humans and in severe cases lead to death. OGRL has the ability to evaluate and conduct occurrence, fate, transport, effects, and treatability studies methods. - Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 107Effects of ionic strength, temperature, and pH on degradation of selected antibiotics
Aqueous degradation rates, which include hydrolysis and epimerization, for chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TET), lincomycin (LNC), sulfachlorpyridazine (SCP), sulfadimethoxine (SDM), sulfathiazole (STZ), trimethoprim (TRM), and tylosin A (TYL) were studied as a function of ionic strength (0.0015, 0.050, or 0.084 mg/L as Na2HPO4), temperature (7, 22, and 35°C), and pHAuthorsK.A. Loftin, C.D. Adams, M. T. Meyer, R. SurampalliA national reconnaissance of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants in the United States - I) Groundwater
As part of the continuing effort to collect baseline information on the environmental occurrence of pharmaceuticals, and other organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs) in the Nation's water resources, water samples were collected from a network of 47 groundwater sites across 18 states in 2000. All samples collected were analyzed for 65 OWCs representing a wide variety of uses and origins. Site selecAuthorsK.K. Barnes, D.W. Kolpin, E. T. Furlong, S.D. Zaugg, M. T. Meyer, L. B. BarberConcentrations of selected pharmaceuticals and antibiotics in south-central Pennsylvania waters, March through September 2006
This report presents environmental and quality-control data from analyses of 15 pharmaceutical and 31 antibiotic compounds in water samples from streams and wells in south-central Pennsylvania. The analyses are part of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to define concentrations of selected emerging contamAuthorsConnie A. Loper, J. Kent Crawford, Kim L. Otto, Rhonda L. Manning, Michael T. Meyer, Edward T. FurlongConcentrations of glyphosate, its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid, and glufosinate in ground- and surface-water, rainfall, and soil samples collected in the United States, 2001-06
The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a number of studies from 2001 through 2006 to investigate and document the occurrence, fate, and transport of glyphosate, its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and glufosinate in 2,135 ground- and surface-water samples, 14 rainfall samples, and 193 soil samples. Analytical methods were developed to detect and measure glyphosate, AMPA, andAuthorsElisabeth A. Scribner, William A. Battaglin, Robert J. Gilliom, Michael T. MeyerMethods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group--Determination of dissolved isoxaflutole and its sequential degradation products, diketonitrile and benzoic acid, in water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chroma
An analytical method for the determination of isoxaflutole and its sequential degradation products, diketonitrile and a benzoic acid analogue, in filtered water with varying matrices was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group in Lawrence, Kansas. Four different water-sample matrices fortified at 0.02 and 0.10 ug/L (micrograms per liter) are extracted by vacuumAuthorsMichael T. Meyer, Edward A. Lee, Elisabeth A. ScribnerEvaluation of tandem offline and online solid-phase extraction with liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry for the analysis of antibiotics in ambient water and comparision to an independent method
This report describes the performance of an offline tandem solid-phase extraction (SPE) method and an online SPE method that use liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for the analysis of 23 and 35 antibiotics, respectively, as used in several water-quality surveys conducted since 1999. In the offline tandem SPE method, normalized concentrations for the quinolone, macrolide, and sulfonamide antibAuthorsM. T. Meyer, E.A. Lee, G.M. Ferrell, J.E. Bumgarner, Jerry VarnsTrace analysis of trimethoprim and sulfonamide, macrolide, quinolone, and tetracycline antibiotics in chlorinated drinking water using liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry
A multirun analytical method has been developed and validated for trace determination of 24 antibiotics including 7 sulfonamides, 3 macrolides, 7 quinolones, 6 tetracyclines, and trimethoprim in chlorine-disinfected drinking water using a single solid-phase extraction method coupled to liquid chromatography with positive electrospray tandem mass spectrometry detection. The analytes were extractedAuthorsZ. Ye, H.S. Weinberg, M. T. MeyerComparison of fate and transport of isoxaflutole to atrazine and metolachlor in 10 Iowa rivers
Isoxaflutole (IXF), a newer low application rate herbicide, was introduced for weed control in corn (Zea mays) to use as an alternative to widely applied herbicides such as atrazine. The transport of IXF in streamwater has not been well-studied. The fate and transport of IXF and two of its degradation products was studied in 10 Iowa rivers during 2004. IXF rapidly degrades to the herbicidally actiAuthorsMichael T. Meyer, Elisabeth A. Scribner, Stephen J. KalkhoffPersistence of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds in chlorinated drinking water as a function of time
Ninety eight pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds (POOCs) that were amended to samples of chlorinated drinking-water were extracted and analyzed 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 days after amendment to determine whether the total chlorine residual reacted with the amended POOCs in drinking water in a time frame similar to the residence time of drinking water in a water distribution system.Results indicatAuthorsJacob Gibs, Paul E. Stackelberg, Edward T. Furlong, Michael T. Meyer, Steven D. Zaugg, R.L. LippincottEfficiency of conventional drinking-water-treatment processes in removal of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds
Samples of water and sediment from a conventional drinking-water-treatment (DWT) plant were analyzed for 113 organic compounds (OCs) that included pharmaceuticals, detergent degradates, flame retardants and plasticizers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fragrances and flavorants, pesticides and an insect repellent, and plant and animal steroids. 45 of these compounds were detected in samplAuthorsPaul E. Stackelberg, Jacob Gibs, Edward T. Furlong, Michael T. Meyer, Steven D. Zaugg, R.L. LippincottEvaluation of emerging contaminants of concern at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant based on seasonal sampling events, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2004
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan has identified highly treated wastewater as a possible water source for the restoration of natural water flows and hydroperiods in selected coastal areas, including the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands. One potential source of reclaimed wastewater for the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands is the effluent from the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant in sAuthorsArthur C. Lietz, Michael T. MeyerOccurrence of isoxaflutole, acetamide, and triazine herbicides and their degradation products in 10 Iowa rivers draining to the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, 2004
During 2004, a study to document the occurrence of herbicides and herbicide degradation products was conducted for 10 major Iowa rivers draining to the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Seventy-five water-quality samples were collected to measure isoxaflutole, acetamide, and triazine herbicides and their herbicide degradation products. An analytical method to measure isoxaflutole and its degradatioAuthorsElisabeth A. Scribner, Michael T. Meyer, Stephen J. Kalkhoff