GeoHEALTH—USGS Newsletter, January 2023
Pesticides Detected in Bees, Flowers, Soil, and Air within Pollinator-Attractive Row-Crop Border Plantings
Field study in California describes the potential for pollinator-attractive field borders in agricultural areas to become a pesticide exposure pathway to bees through soil, air, and plants.
Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Acquired by Wild Birds in Urban Settings and Dispersed via Migration
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have developed a model that demonstrates how migratory wild birds in urban areas can acquire bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, including those used in clinics, and potentially disperse these bacteria between continents via migration.
Web-Based Tool Developed through Multiagency Effort Allows Visualization of Cyanobacteria Blooms in Lakes and Reservoirs—Steps Toward Public Awareness and Exposure Prevention
A web-based application tool utilizing satellite data—CyANWeb—developed through collaborative interagency efforts was released as part of the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) to help Federal, State, Tribal, and local partners identify when cyanobacterial blooms may be forming. Available through a web browser or as an application, the tool can access, download, and provide data to notify users based on specific changes in the color of the water in more than 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs across the United States. This capability provides information on where cyanobacterial blooms could result in human and wildlife exposure.
The Environmental Health Program's science portfolio is based on a one-health approach that recognizes the interdependence of human and animal health and the health of ecosystems that they share
Avian Influenza Prevalence Correlated to Mercury Concentrations in Wild Waterfowl
Low pathogenic avian influenza infections were directly correlated with blood mercury concentrations in wild waterfowl, indicating that mercury exposure may be related to pathogen susceptibility. Further study is needed to determine if and how mercury and other environmental contaminant exposures may affect disease susceptibility in wildlife.
Review of Wildlife Health Outcomes and Potentially Toxic Algal Blooms in the Chesapeake Bay
Scientists provide resources that review algal toxin data, explore links between avian mortality and toxin exposure, and identify future research needs to predict algal toxin health hazards and risks for birds and other wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay.
Wild Prairie Grouse Diet and Microbiomes Vary Between Cropland and Grassland Habitats
Wild prairie grouse residing in croplands had altered diets and gut microbiome imbalances characterized by a greater abundance of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic-resistance genes in comparison to those residing in grasslands. Similar gut microbiome imbalances are rarely associated with lethal outcomes, but rather linked to sublethal health effects including growth, development, behavior, immune suppression, survival, and reproduction.
Coproduced Science Linking Environmental and Public-Health Data to Evaluate Drinking Water Arsenic Exposure on Birth Outcomes
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists teamed up with public-health epidemiologists to probe for associations between arsenic in drinking water and human-birth outcomes. They reported a modest inverse relation between birth weight and arsenic exposure. Findings indicate that future research efforts using individual-level exposure data such as measured arsenic concentrations in tap water could improve modelling outcomes.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Measurements in Tampa Bay Fish and Sediments Provide an Understanding of Potential Human Exposure
Scientists provide an understanding of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in sediments and the edible portions of fish within Florida’s Tampa Bay in a pilot study designed to understand the potential for human exposure and health risks through fish consumption.
Drop by Drop
US Geological Survey research on contaminants in drinking water across the US.
U.S. Geological Survey COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance
USGS, as part of the National Wastewater Surveillance System, designed and implemented high-frequency sampling of wastewater across six states throughout September 2021, to support tracking of potential increases in COVID-19 infections in communities. COVID-19 viral loads were determined for each sample with the goal of delivering results to the CDC within three days of sampling.
Environmental Health Program Introduction
The Environmental Health Program (Contaminant Biology and Toxic Substances Hydrology) supports integrated natural science expertise and capabilities across the USGS related to environmental contaminants and pathogens that occur naturally and through human activities. The Program's science approach recognizes the interdependence of human and animal health in their shared ecosystems.