Contaminant Biology
Publications
Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
The GeoHEALTH–USGS Newsletter—published since 2004—provides information on USGS science activities pertinent to safeguarding the health of fish, wildlife, domesticated animals, and people from environmental exposures to contaminants and pathogens.
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Freshwater neurotoxins and concerns for human, animal, and ecosystemhealth: A review of anatoxin-a and saxitoxin
Toxic cyanobacteria are a concern worldwide because they can adversely affect humans, animals, and ecosystems. However, neurotoxins produced by freshwater cyanobacteria are understudied relative to microcystin. Thus, the objective of this critical review was to provide a comprehensive examination of the modes of action, production, fate, and...
Christensen, Victoria; Khan, Eakalak Standardized guide to the examination and necropsy of the horseshoe crab using Limulus polyphemus as Limulidae prototype
The Atlantic, or American, horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) has existed largely unchanged for over 100 million years. Millions of individuals are commonly observed ashore in spring and summer months during spawning events along the entire North American coastline expanding from the East to the Gulf coasts of the United States and Mexico. Other...
Roorda, Katie; Arnold, Jill; Meteyer, Carol; Whitaker, Brent Malignant melanoma of Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) in Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec
In 2012, brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) with large, raised, black growths were first reported from multiple areas within the Vermont portion of Lake Memphremagog. Subsequent surveys conducted from 2014 to 2017 at two sites within the lake indicated a prevalence of 30% in adult brown bullhead 200 mm and above total length. These lesions...
Blazer, Vicki S.; Shaw, Cassidy H.; Smith, Cheyenne R.; Emerson, P; Jones, Thomas R. Mercury source changes and food web shifts alter contamination signatures of predatory fish from Lake Michigan
To understand the impact reduced mercury (Hg) loading and invasive species have had on methylmercury bioaccumulation in predator fish of Lake Michigan, we reconstructed bioaccumulation trends from a fish archive (1978 to 2012). By measuring fish Hg stable isotope ratios, we related temporal changes in Hg concentrations to varying Hg sources....
Lepak, Ryan F.; Hoffman, Joel C.; Janssen, Sarah E.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Ogorek, Jacob M.; DeWild, John F.; Tate, Michael T.; Babiarz, Christopher L.; Yin, Runsheng; Murphy, Elizabeth W; Engstrom, Daniel R; Hurley, James P. Urban stormwater: An overlooked pathway of extensive mixed contaminants to surface and groundwaters in the United States
Increasing global reliance on stormwater control measures to reduce discharge to surface water, increase groundwater recharge, and minimize contaminant delivery to receiving waterbodies necessitates improved understanding of stormwater-contaminant profiles. A multi-agency study of organic and inorganic chemicals in urban stormwater from 50 runoff...
Masoner, Jason R.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Barber, Larry B.; Burden, D.S.; Foreman, William T.; Forshay, Kenneth J.; Furlong, Edward; Groves, Justin F.; Hladik, Michelle; Hopton, Matthew E.; Jaeschke, Jeanne B.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Krabbenhoft, David; Lowrance , Richard; Romanok, Kristin; Rus, David L.; Selbig, William R.; Williams, Brad; Bradley, Paul Current state of knowledge on biological effects from contaminants on arctic wildlife and fish
Since the last Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) effort to review biological effects of the exposure to organohalogen compounds (OHCs) in Arctic biota, there has been a considerable number of new Arctic effect studies. Here, we provide an update on the state of the knowledge of OHC, and also include mercury, exposure and/or...
Dietz, Rune; Letcher, Robert J.; Desforges, Jean-Pierre; Eulaers, Igor; Sonne, Christian; Wilson, Simon; Andersen-Ranberg, Emilie; Basu, Niladri; Barst, Benjamin D.; Bustnes, Jan Ove; Bytingsvik, Jenny; Ciesielski, Tomasz M.; Drevnick, Paul E.; Gabrielsen, Geir W.; Haarr, Ane; Hylland, Ketil; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro; Levin, Milton; McKinney, Melissa A.; Nørregaard, Rasmus Dyrmose; Pedersen, Kathrine E.; Provencher, Jennifer; Styrishave, Bjarne; Tartu, Sabrina; Aars, Jon; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu; Barrett, Rob; Bignert, Anders; Born, Erik W.; Branigan, Marsha; Braune, Birgit; Bryan, Colleen E.; Dam, Maria; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Evans, Marlene S.; Evans, Thomas J.; Fisk, Aaron T.; Gamberg, Mary; Gustavson, Kim; Hartman, C. Alex; Helander, Björn; Herzog, Mark P.; Hoekstra, Paul F.; Houde, Magali; Hoydal, Katrin; Jackson, Allyson K.; Kucklick, John; Lie, Elisabeth; Loseto, Lisa; Mallory, Mark L.; Miljeteig, Cecilie; Mosbech, Anders; Muir, Derek C.G.; Nielsen, Sanna Túni; Peacock, Elizabeth; Pedro, Sara; Peterson, Sarah H.; Polder, Anuschka; Rigét, Frank F.; Roach, Pat; Saunes, Halvor; Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S.; Skaare, Janneche U.; Søndergaard, Jens; Stenson, Garry; Stern, Gary; Treu, Gabriele; Schuur, Stacy S.; Víkingsson, Gísli Toward sustainable environmental quality: Priority research questions for North America
Anticipating, identifying, and prioritizing strategic needs represent essential activities by research organizations. Decided benefits emerge when these pursuits engage globally important environment and health goals, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To this end, horizon scanning efforts can facilitate identification of...
Fairbrother, Anne; Muir, Derek; Solomon, Keith R.; Ankley, Gerald T.; Rudd, Murray A.; Boxall, Alistair B. A.; Adams, William J.; Apell, Jennifer N.; Armbrust, Kevin L.; Blalock, Bonnie J.; Bowman, Sarah R.; Campbell, Linda M.; Cobb, George P.; Connors, Kristin A.; Dreier, David A.; Evans, Marlene S.; Henry, Carol J.; Hoke, Robert A.; Houde, Magali; Klaine, Stephen J.; Klaper, Rebecca D.; Kullik, Sigrun A.; Lanno, Roman P.; Meyer, Charles; Ottinger, Mary Ann; Oziolor, Elias; Petersen, Elijah J.; Poynton, Helen C.; Rice, Pamela J.; Rodriguez-Fuentes, Gabriela; Samel, Alan; Shaw, Joseph R.; Steevens, Jeffery; Verslycke, Tim A.; Vidal-Dorsch, Doris E.; Weir, Scott M.; Wilson, Peter; Brooks, Bryan W. Biota dose assessment of small rodents sampled near breccia pipe uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed
The biotic exposure and uptake of radionuclides and potential health effects due to breccia pipe uranium mining in the Grand Canyon watershed are largely unknown. This paper describes the use of the RESRAD-BIOTA dose model to assess exposure of small rodents (n = 11) sampled at three uranium mine sites in different stages of ore production (active...
Minter, Kelsey M.; Jannik, Timothy; Hinck, Jo Ellen; Cleveland, Danielle; Kubilius, Walter P.; Kuhne, Wendy W. Nonlinearities in transmission dynamics and efficient management of vector-borne pathogens
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to minimizing economic and environmental harm caused by pests, and Integrated Vector Management (IVM) uses similar methods to minimize pathogen transmission by vectors. The risk of acquiring a vector-borne infection is often quantified using the density of infected vectors. The relationship between...
Ginsberg, Howard S.; Couret, Jannelle Managing the trifecta of disease, climate, and contaminants: Searching for robust choices under multiple sources of uncertainty
Wood frogs, like other amphibian species worldwide, are experiencing population declines due to multiple stressors. In the northeastern United States, wood frog declines are thought to result from a reduction in successful metamorphosis in part due to climate change, disease (specifically ranavirus) and contaminant exposure. The presence of...
Smalling, Kelly; Eagles-Smith, Collin; Katz, Rachel A.; Grant, Evan
San Francisco Bay triennial bird egg monitoring program for contaminants, California—2018
The Regional Monitoring Program for Water Quality in San Francisco Bay (RMP), administered by the San Francisco Estuary Institute, is a large-scale effort to monitor contaminant trends in water, sediment, fish, and birds throughout San Francisco Bay (San Francisco Estuary Institute, 2016). As part of the RMP and the U.S....
Ackerman, Joshua T.; Hartman, C. Alex; Herzog, Mark P.; Toney, Matthew Atrazine induced transgenerational reproductive effects in medaka (Oryzias latipes)
Atrazine is presently one of the most abundantly used herbicides in the United States, and a common contaminant of natural water bodies and drinking waters in high-use areas. Dysregulation of reproductive processes has been demonstrated in atrazine exposed fish, including alteration of key endocrine pathways on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG...
Cleary, Jacob A.; Tillitt, Donald E.; vom Saal, Fredrick S.; Nicks, Diane; Claunch, Rachel; Bhandari, Ramji K.