Images

View of the lab from the outside, looking through glass window at scientist prepping samples for analysis.

Five plastic sample bottles with water samples from around the United States, with water color ranging from clear to yellow, being prepared for analysis.

USGS scientist analyzing surface water samples for dissolved organic carbon concentration and characterization.​

Horiba XploRA Raman spectrometer used for the characterization of microplastics in environmental samples​.

USGS scientist weighing out a sediment sample from a glass sample bottle onto laboratory analytical balance for mercury analysis.

USGS scientist rinsing white plastic Teflon sample bottle with deionized water in a laboratory.

USGS scientist conducting manual total mercury analysis​ in a laboratory.

USGS scientist preparing a sample for metal analysis​. A close up view of gloved hand pouring water sample from Teflon plastic tube to amber glass sample bottle.

Water distillation equipment for methylmercury analysis in a mercury research laboratory.

Smallmouth Bass are good indicators of methylmercury exposure to humans and wildlife because they are a common, popular sport fish and eat a variety of food during their lifetime. Juvenile Smallmouth Bass – smaller than 150mm in length - eat zooplankton, or microscopic animals.

James Romano sampling Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota for microplastics in surface water and benthic sediment.

Group photo of the Web Informatics and Mapping (WIM) team.

Front row (left to right): Julia Prokopec, Harper Wavra, Aileen Clarke, Lorraine Metz, Chad Fanguy, Daniel Rubin, Milan Liu

Middle row (left to right): Lauren Privette, Andrea Medenblik, Aaron Stephenson, Hans Vraga, Kathy Dooley, Maggie Jaenicke, Andrew Laws

Supervisory hydrologic technician Ben Torrison (left) is interviewed by a Kare11 news crew at a USGS streamgage 05288580, Rice Creek below old highway 8 in Mounds Veiw, Minnesota north of Minneapolis on April 19, 2023.

Hydrologist Ryder Myers and Research Hydrologist Laura Hubbard wade in a wetland while collecting water samples to detect infectious avian influenza virus in Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana.

Scientists attach a GPS tracking device to a blue-winged teal at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana.

Researh Hydrologist Laura Hubbard holds a blue-winged teal, while on a waterfowl banding program with the Lousiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina. A rushing river in the foreground is bordered by green vegetation, with waterfalls in background.

Iguazu Falls view from above, on the border of Brazil and Argentina. Green vegetation surrounds the waterfalls.

Boardwalk leading towards Iguazu Falls viewpoint. Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina. A river in the foreground is bordered by green vegetation, with waterfalls in background.

(L to R) USGS's Brian McCallum, Joel Groten, and Molly Wood inside Itaipu Binational dam and standing on the original Paraná River bottom on the border of Brazil and Paraguay.

U.S. Geological Survey and Itaipu Binacional staff outside of a Itaipu Binational water quality laboratory. (L to R) USGS's Brian McCallum, Molly Wood, three Itaipu Binacional staff, and USGS's Joel Groten. The binational dam and water quality laboratory is located on the Parana River on the border of Brazil and Paraguay.