Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team Active
PFAS in Cape Cod Groundwater.
Fate, Occurrence, and Biological Effects
PFAS and other Contaminants
in the Potomac River Watershed
Water Reuse and Associated Contaminants
are studied in the Upper Colorado River and other locations.
About the Research.
The Biologically Active Chemicals Research Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program conducts field and laboratory research on the occurrence, fate, and effects of complex mixtures of biologically active organic and inorganic chemicals in aquatic environments.
The primary focus of the Biologically Active Chemicals Research CTT is 1) water reuse, 2) the associated introduction of chemical contaminants into surface water and groundwater, and 3) potential biological effects.
- Field investigations into contaminant occurrence and exposure pathways in surface water and groundwater are being conducted across the Nation in a variety of hydrologic environments including the Upper Colorado River basin, the Rio Grande River basin, the Illinois River basin, the Potomac River basin, the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Cod, and the Hawaiian Islands. Water-quality study designs include longitudinal surveys, time-of-travel investigations, time-series analysis, and tracer tests.
- These water-quality investigations involve comprehensive and contemporaneous analysis of complex chemical mixtures including contaminant chemicals of emerging concern (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, endocrine disrupting compounds, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, trace elements) using multiple chemical and physical measurement techniques.
- Water-quality analysis methods include: bulk chemical property characterization for organic carbon, nutrients, and optical properties (absorbance and fluorescence), trace-organic chemical analysis by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MSMS), trace-organic chemical screening by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), major-ion analysis by inductively-coupled plasma/optical emission spectrometry (ICP/OES) and ion chromatography, and trace-element analysis by inductively-coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS).
- Field-based experiments using on-site mobile laboratory protocols to characterize biological effects and bioconcentration from exposure to complex chemical mixtures present in surface water and groundwater.
- Application of in-situ technology, including multi-probe fluorimeters and molecular imprinted polymer/electroanalytical microsensors, for real-time and continuous measurement of contaminants such a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and optical brighteners.
- Basin-scale water quality characterization and risk assessment using a combined approach involving application of hydrological, geospatial, and statistical models to predict environmental concentrations and risk in conjunction with discrete sampling and direct chemical measurements.
Key Chemical Analysis Capabilities
A wide range of biologically active trace organic constituents (including pharmaceuticals, consumer products, pesticides, hormones, sterols, and sugars) are typically measured as part of the comprehensive water analyses conducted, which also includes field parameters, nutrients, organic carbon, major ions, trace elements, and biological impact assessments.
Analytical Chemistry Capabilities and Instrumentation
- Quantitative, high resolution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) used for trace analysis of emerging contaminants, both nonpolar and polar (after chemical derivatization steps)
- Extraction equipment for a variety of matrices (aqueous, sediment, tissue)
- Characterization of total and dissolved aquatic and sediment organic carbon
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for high-throughput aqueous and tissue analysis of priority contaminants
- Major and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and ICP-MS, and ion chromatography (IC)
- Custom method development
- Mobile field contaminant-exposure laboratory
- Whole organism, cellular, and molecular bioassays
- Geographic Information System analyses of exposure pathways
USGS Science Team Collaborators
-
Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Science Team
The team studies toxicants and pathogens in water resources from their sources, through watersheds, aquifers, and infrastructure to human and wildlife exposures. That information is used to develop decision tools that protect human and wildlife health.Minerals Science Team
The Minerals Integrated Science Team focuses on contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from mineral resource activities including, transportation, storage, extraction and waste management. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified the science produced by this team can inform how to...
-
Proxies Project
The Proxies Project is a series of studies to improve our understanding of water contaminants and water quality hazards. These studies develop models and technical approaches for estimating concentrations and assessing risk associated with: - harmful algal blooms (HABs) - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - 12 elements of concern (EoC)
Science activities related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
Data related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
Poly- and perfluoalkyl substances in contaminated groundwater, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2014-2016
Scientific publications related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
Effects of an extreme flood on trace elements in river water—From urban stream to major river basin
Geochemical and hydrologic factors controlling subsurface transport of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Growing evidence that certain poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are associated with negative human health effects prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue lifetime drinking water health advisories for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in 2016. Given that groundwater is a major source of drinking water, the main objective of this work was
Expanded target-chemical analysis reveals extensive mixed-organic-contaminant exposure in USA streams
Methods used to characterize the chemical composition and biological activity of environmental waters throughout the United States, 2012-14
Understanding the hydrologic impacts of wastewater treatment plant discharge to shallow groundwater: Before and after plant shutdown
Pre/post-closure assessment of groundwater pharmaceutical fate in a wastewater‑facility-impacted stream reach
Integrated assessment of wastewater treatment plant effluent estrogenicity in the Upper Murray River, Australia, using the native Murray rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis)
Impact of wastewater infrastructure upgrades on the urban water cycle: Reduction in halogenated reaction byproducts following conversion from chlorine gas to ultraviolet light disinfection
Suburbanization, estrogen contamination, and sex ratio in wild amphibian populations
Endocrine disrupting alkylphenolic chemicals and other contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluents, urban streams, and fish in the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River Regions
Web tools related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
External partners that the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team collaborates with are linked below.
About the Research.
The Biologically Active Chemicals Research Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program conducts field and laboratory research on the occurrence, fate, and effects of complex mixtures of biologically active organic and inorganic chemicals in aquatic environments.
The primary focus of the Biologically Active Chemicals Research CTT is 1) water reuse, 2) the associated introduction of chemical contaminants into surface water and groundwater, and 3) potential biological effects.
- Field investigations into contaminant occurrence and exposure pathways in surface water and groundwater are being conducted across the Nation in a variety of hydrologic environments including the Upper Colorado River basin, the Rio Grande River basin, the Illinois River basin, the Potomac River basin, the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Cod, and the Hawaiian Islands. Water-quality study designs include longitudinal surveys, time-of-travel investigations, time-series analysis, and tracer tests.
- These water-quality investigations involve comprehensive and contemporaneous analysis of complex chemical mixtures including contaminant chemicals of emerging concern (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, endocrine disrupting compounds, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, trace elements) using multiple chemical and physical measurement techniques.
- Water-quality analysis methods include: bulk chemical property characterization for organic carbon, nutrients, and optical properties (absorbance and fluorescence), trace-organic chemical analysis by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MSMS), trace-organic chemical screening by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), major-ion analysis by inductively-coupled plasma/optical emission spectrometry (ICP/OES) and ion chromatography, and trace-element analysis by inductively-coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS).
- Field-based experiments using on-site mobile laboratory protocols to characterize biological effects and bioconcentration from exposure to complex chemical mixtures present in surface water and groundwater.
- Application of in-situ technology, including multi-probe fluorimeters and molecular imprinted polymer/electroanalytical microsensors, for real-time and continuous measurement of contaminants such a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and optical brighteners.
- Basin-scale water quality characterization and risk assessment using a combined approach involving application of hydrological, geospatial, and statistical models to predict environmental concentrations and risk in conjunction with discrete sampling and direct chemical measurements.
Key Chemical Analysis Capabilities
A wide range of biologically active trace organic constituents (including pharmaceuticals, consumer products, pesticides, hormones, sterols, and sugars) are typically measured as part of the comprehensive water analyses conducted, which also includes field parameters, nutrients, organic carbon, major ions, trace elements, and biological impact assessments.
Analytical Chemistry Capabilities and Instrumentation
- Quantitative, high resolution gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) used for trace analysis of emerging contaminants, both nonpolar and polar (after chemical derivatization steps)
- Extraction equipment for a variety of matrices (aqueous, sediment, tissue)
- Characterization of total and dissolved aquatic and sediment organic carbon
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for high-throughput aqueous and tissue analysis of priority contaminants
- Major and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and ICP-MS, and ion chromatography (IC)
- Custom method development
- Mobile field contaminant-exposure laboratory
- Whole organism, cellular, and molecular bioassays
- Geographic Information System analyses of exposure pathways
USGS Science Team Collaborators
-
Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Science Team
The team studies toxicants and pathogens in water resources from their sources, through watersheds, aquifers, and infrastructure to human and wildlife exposures. That information is used to develop decision tools that protect human and wildlife health.Minerals Science Team
The Minerals Integrated Science Team focuses on contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from mineral resource activities including, transportation, storage, extraction and waste management. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified the science produced by this team can inform how to...
-
Proxies Project
The Proxies Project is a series of studies to improve our understanding of water contaminants and water quality hazards. These studies develop models and technical approaches for estimating concentrations and assessing risk associated with: - harmful algal blooms (HABs) - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - 12 elements of concern (EoC)
Science activities related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
Data related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
Poly- and perfluoalkyl substances in contaminated groundwater, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2014-2016
Scientific publications related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
Effects of an extreme flood on trace elements in river water—From urban stream to major river basin
Geochemical and hydrologic factors controlling subsurface transport of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Growing evidence that certain poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are associated with negative human health effects prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue lifetime drinking water health advisories for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in 2016. Given that groundwater is a major source of drinking water, the main objective of this work was
Expanded target-chemical analysis reveals extensive mixed-organic-contaminant exposure in USA streams
Methods used to characterize the chemical composition and biological activity of environmental waters throughout the United States, 2012-14
Understanding the hydrologic impacts of wastewater treatment plant discharge to shallow groundwater: Before and after plant shutdown
Pre/post-closure assessment of groundwater pharmaceutical fate in a wastewater‑facility-impacted stream reach
Integrated assessment of wastewater treatment plant effluent estrogenicity in the Upper Murray River, Australia, using the native Murray rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis)
Impact of wastewater infrastructure upgrades on the urban water cycle: Reduction in halogenated reaction byproducts following conversion from chlorine gas to ultraviolet light disinfection
Suburbanization, estrogen contamination, and sex ratio in wild amphibian populations
Endocrine disrupting alkylphenolic chemicals and other contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluents, urban streams, and fish in the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River Regions
Web tools related to the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team can be found below.
External partners that the Biologically Active Chemical Research Core Technology Team collaborates with are linked below.