Publications
Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
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.
Featured Science Activities
Featured Science Activities
Learn about our Featured Science Activities through our pages that highlight studies, publications, and results.
Filter Total Items: 4095
Marine bacterial degradation of brominated methanes Marine bacterial degradation of brominated methanes
Brominated methanes are ozone-depleting compounds whose natural sources include marine algae such as kelp. Brominated methane degradation by bacteria was investigated to address whether bacterial processes might effect net emission of these compounds to the atmosphere. Bacteria in seawater collected from California kelp beds degraded CH2Br2 but not CHBr3. Specific inhibitors showed that
Authors
K.D. Goodwin, M.E. Lidstrom, R.S. Oremland
Analysis of environmental data with censored observations Analysis of environmental data with censored observations
The potential threats to humans and to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems from environmental contamination could depend on the sum of the concentrations of different chemicals. However, direct summation of environmental data is not generally feasible because it is common for some chemical concentrations to be recorded as being below the analytical reporting limit. This creates special...
Authors
S. Liu, J.-C. Lu, D.W. Kolpin, W.Q. Meeker
Near field receiving water monitoring of trace metals in Clams (Macoma balthica) and sediments near the Palo Alto and San Jose/Sunnyvale Water Quality Control Plants in South San Francisco Bay: 1996 Near field receiving water monitoring of trace metals in Clams (Macoma balthica) and sediments near the Palo Alto and San Jose/Sunnyvale Water Quality Control Plants in South San Francisco Bay: 1996
No abstract available.
Authors
S. N. Luoma, D.J. Cain, C. Brown, M. Hornberger, R. Bouse
Agricultural chemicals in Iowa's ground water, 1982-95: What are the trends? Agricultural chemicals in Iowa's ground water, 1982-95: What are the trends?
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Geological Survey Bureau: the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory; and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have been working together to address this question. As part of the Iowa Ground-Water Monitoring Program (IGWM). water samples have been collected from selected Iowa municipal wells since 1982. An examination of this data identified two...
Authors
Dana W. Koplin, George Hallberg, D. A. Sneck-Fahrer, Robert Libra
Studies of the San Francisco Bay, California, estuarine ecosystem regional monitoring program results, 1996 Studies of the San Francisco Bay, California, estuarine ecosystem regional monitoring program results, 1996
As part of a regional monitoring program, water samples were collected in the San Francisco Bay estuary during 21 cruises from January through December 1996. Conductivity, temperature, light attenuation, turbidity, oxygen, and in-vivo chlorophyll fluorescence were measured longitudinally and vertically in the main channel of the estuary from south of the Dumbarton Bridge in the southern...
Authors
Jelriza I. Baylosis, Jody L. Edmunds, Brian E. Cole, James E. Cloern
Preliminary characterization of acid-generating potential and toxic metal solubility of some abandoned metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River headwaters, northern Jefferson County, Montana Preliminary characterization of acid-generating potential and toxic metal solubility of some abandoned metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River headwaters, northern Jefferson County, Montana
No abstract available.
Authors
George A. Desborough, David L. Fey
Soil, plant, and structural considerations for surface barriers in arid environments: Application of results from studies in the Mojave Desert near Beatty, Nevada Soil, plant, and structural considerations for surface barriers in arid environments: Application of results from studies in the Mojave Desert near Beatty, Nevada
The suitability of a waste-burial site depends on hydrologic processes that can affect the near-surface water balance. In addition, the loss of burial trench integrity by erosion and subsidence of trench covers may increase the likelihood of infiltration and percolation, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the site in isolating waste. Although the main components of the water balance...
Authors
Brian J. Andraski, David E. Prudic
Chemical characteristics of particulate, colloidal, and dissolved organic material in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park Chemical characteristics of particulate, colloidal, and dissolved organic material in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park
The chemical relationships among particulate and colloidal organic material and dissolved fulvic acid were examined in an alpine and subalpine lake and two streams in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park. The alpine lake, Sky Pond, had the lowest dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (0.37 mgC/L), the highest particulate carbon (POC) (0.13 mgC/L), and high algal biomass. The...
Authors
Diane M. McKnight, R. Harnish, R.L. Wershaw, Jill Baron, S. Schiff
Assessing aquifer contamination risk using immunoassay: Trace analysis of atrazine in unsaturated zone sediments Assessing aquifer contamination risk using immunoassay: Trace analysis of atrazine in unsaturated zone sediments
The vulnerability of a shallow aquifer in south-central Kansas to contamination by atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamines-triazine) was assessed by analyzing unsaturated zone soil and sediment samples from about 60 dryland and irrigated sites using an ultrasensitive immunoassay (detection level of 0.02 µg/kg) with verification by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)...
Authors
K. E. Juracek, E.M. Thurman
Advective-transport observation (ADV) package, a computer program for adding advective-transport observations of steady-state flow fields to the three-dimensional ground-water-flow parameter-estimation model MODFLOWP Advective-transport observation (ADV) package, a computer program for adding advective-transport observations of steady-state flow fields to the three-dimensional ground-water-flow parameter-estimation model MODFLOWP
No abstract available.
Authors
Evan R. Anderman, Mary Catherine Hill
Documentation of R-UNSAT, a computer model for the simulation of reactive, multispecies transport in the unsaturated zone Documentation of R-UNSAT, a computer model for the simulation of reactive, multispecies transport in the unsaturated zone
No abstract available.
Authors
Matthew A. Lahvis, Arthur L. Baehr