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Publications

Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).

Filter Total Items: 3740

Seasonal and spatial variation in the location and reactivity of a nitrate-contaminated groundwater discharge zone in a lakebed

Groundwater discharge delivering anthropogenic N from surrounding watersheds can impact lake nutrient budgets. However, upgradient groundwater processes and changing dynamics in N biogeochemistry at the groundwater-lake interface are complex and difficult to resolve. In this study, hydrograph variations in a groundwater flow-through lake altered discharge patterns of a wastewater-derived, groun
Authors
Richard L. Smith, Deborah A. Repert, Deborah Stoliker, Douglas B. Kent, Bongkeun Song, Denis R. LeBlanc, Timothy McCobb, John K. Böhlke, Sung Pil Hyun, Hee Sun Moon

Toxicity of aluminum to Ceriodaphnia dubia in low-hardness waters as affected by natural dissolved organic matter

We conducted a series of 7‐d toxicity tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia in dilutions of low‐hardness natural waters, which contained dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations up to 10 mg/L. Stream waters were mixed with well water to achieve 2 target hardness levels (20 and 35 mg/L) and 4 DOC concentrations. Tests with aluminum (Al)‐spiked waters were conducted in a controlled CO2 atmosphere to ma
Authors
John M. Besser, Danielle M. Cleveland, Chris D. Ivey, Laura Blake

Hydraulic tomography: 3D hydraulic conductivity, fracture network, and connectivity in mudstone

We present the first demonstration of hydraulic tomography (HT) to estimate the three-dimensional (3D) hydraulic conductivity (K) distribution of a fractured aquifer at high-resolution field scale (HRFS), including the fracture network and connectivity through it. We invert drawdown data collected from packer-isolated borehole intervals during 42 pumping tests in a wellfield at the former Naval Ai
Authors
Claire R. Tiedeman, Warren Barrash

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 and postproduction). Rodent tissue and soil concen
Authors
Kelsey M. Minter, Timothy Jannik, Jo Ellen Hinck, Danielle M. Cleveland, Walter P. Kubilius, Wendy W. Kuhne

Geochemical factors controlling dissolved elemental mercury and methylmercury formation in Alaskan wetlands of varying trophic status

Transformations of aqueous inorganic divalent mercury (Hg(II)i) to volatile dissolved gaseous mercury (Hg(0)(aq)) and toxic methylmercury (MeHg) governs mercury bioavailability and fate in northern ecosystems. This study quantified concentrations of aqueous mercury species (Hg(II)i, Hg(0)(aq), MeHg) and relevant geochemical constituents in pore waters of eight Alaskan wetlands that differ in troph
Authors
Brett Poulin, Joseph N. Ryan, Michael Tate, David Krabbenhoft, Mark E Hines, Tamar Barkay, Jeffra Schaefer, George R. Aiken

Tracking legacy mercury in the Hackensack River Estuary using mercury stable isotopes

Spatial redistribution of legacy mercury (Hg) contamination in the Hackensack River estuary (New Jersey, USA) was evaluated using mercury stable isotopes. Total Hg varied from 0.06 to 3.8 µg g-1 in sediment from the tidal Hackensack River and from 15 to 154 µg g-1 near historically contaminated sites in upper Berry's Creek, a tributary of the Hackensack River. delta202Hg values for total Hg from
Authors
John R Reinfelder, Sarah E. Janssen

Demonstrating the value of Earth observations—methods, practical applications, and solutions—group on Earth observations side event proceedings

Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the European Association for Remote Sensing Companies, and the European Space Agency in coordination with the GEOValue Community hosted a side event to the Group on Earth Observations Plenary on October 23–24, 2017, in Washington, D.C. The workshop, entitled “Demonstrating the Value of Earth Observati
Authors
Francoise Pearlman, Collin B. Lawrence, Emily J. Pindilli, Denna Geppi, Carl D. Shapiro, Monica Grasso, Jay Pearlman, Jeffery Adkins, Geoff Sawyer, Alessandra Tassa

Use of high-throughput screening results to prioritize chemicals for potential adverse biological effects within a West Virginia Watershed

Organic chemicals from industrial, agricultural, and residential activities can enter surface waters through regulated and unregulated discharges, combined sewer overflows, stormwater runoff, accidental spills, and leaking septic-conveyance systems on a daily basis. The impact of point and nonpoint contaminant sources can result in adverse biological effects for organisms living in or near surface
Authors
Levi D. Rose, Denise Akob, Shea Tuberty, Jeff Colby, Derek Martin, Steven Corsi, Laura DeCicco

The complex spatial distribution of trichloroethene and the probability of NAPL occurrence in the rock matrix of a mudstone aquifer

Methanol extractions for chloroethene analyses are conducted on rock samples from seven closely spaced coreholes in a mudstone aquifer that was subject to releases of the nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) form of trichloroethene (TCE) between the 1950's and 1990's. Although TCE concentration in the rock matrix over the length of coreholes is dictated by proximity to subhorizontal bedding planefractur
Authors
Allen M. Shapiro, Daniel J. Goode, Thomas E. Imbrigiotta, Michelle M. Lorah, Claire R. Tiedeman

Residence time controls on the fate of nitrogen in flow‐through lakebed sediments

For many glacial lakes with highly permeable sediments, water exchange rates control hydrologic residence times within the sediment‐water interface (SWI) and the removal of reactive compounds such as nitrate, a common pollutant in lakes and groundwater. Here we conducted a series of focused tracer injection experiments in the upper 20 cm of the naturally downwelling SWI in a flow‐through lake on C
Authors
Tyler B. Hampton, Jay P. Zarentske, Martin A. Briggs, Kamini Singha, Judson W. Harvey, Frederick D. Day-Lewis, Farzaneh MahmoodPoor Dehkordy, John W. Lane

Wetland-scale mapping of preferential fresh groundwater discharge to the Colorado River

Quantitative evaluation of groundwater/surface water exchange dynamics is universally challenging in large river systems, because existing methodology often does not yield spatially‐distributed data and is difficult to apply in deeper water. Here we apply a combined near‐surface geophysical and direct groundwater chemical toolkit to refine fresh groundwater discharge estimates to the Colorado Rive
Authors
Martin A. Briggs, Nora C. Nelson, Philip M. Gardner, D. Kip Solomon, Neil Terry, John W. Lane

Multi-scale preferential flow processes in an urban streambed under variable hydraulic conditions

Spatially preferential flow processes occur at nested scales at the sediment-water interface (SWI), due in part to sediment heterogeneities, which may be enhanced in flashy urban streams with heavy road sand influence. However, several factors, including the flow-rate dependence of preferential hyporheic flow and discrete groundwater discharge zones are commonly overlooked in reach-scale models of
Authors
Farzaneh MahmoodPoor Dehkordy, Martin A. Briggs, Frederick D. Day-Lewis, Kamini Singha, Ashton Krajnovich, Tyler B. Hampton, Jay P. Zarnetske, Courtney R. Scruggs, Amvrossios C. Bagtzoglou