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Environmental Health Program

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. This one-health approach recognizes the interdependence of human and animal health and the health of ecosystems that they share. 

News

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Identifying the Sources of Mercury in Water, Sediment, and Fish Downstream of a Historical Mining Site

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Short-Term Variability Does Not Impact the Efficacy of Dragonfly Larvae as Mercury Biosentinels

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GeoHEALTH—USGS Newsletter, January 2023

Publications

The influence of short-term temporal variability on the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as mercury biosentinels

Mercury (Hg) exposure to fish, wildlife, and humans is widespread and of global concern, thus stimulating efforts to reduce emissions. Because the relationships between rates of inorganic Hg loading, methylmercury (MeHg) production, and bioaccumulation are extremely complex and challenging to predict, there is a need for reliable biosentinels to understand the distribution of Hg in the environment

Contaminant exposure and transport from three potential reuse waters within a single watershed

Global demand for safe and sustainable water supplies necessitates a better understanding of contaminant exposures in potential reuse waters. In this study, we compared exposures and load contributions to surface water from the discharge of three reuse waters (wastewater effluent, urban stormwater, and agricultural runoff). Results document substantial and varying organic-chemical contribution to

Science

Organic Contaminants in Reuse Waters and Transport Following Land Application

Potential reuse waters contained unique mixtures of organic contaminants with the greatest number detected in treated municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent, followed by urban stormwater, and agricultural runoff. This study provided information for decisions on reuse strategies to support freshwater supplies.
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Organic Contaminants in Reuse Waters and Transport Following Land Application

Potential reuse waters contained unique mixtures of organic contaminants with the greatest number detected in treated municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent, followed by urban stormwater, and agricultural runoff. This study provided information for decisions on reuse strategies to support freshwater supplies.
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Understanding the environmental pathways of avian influenza transmission

This project focuses on improving our understanding of how avian influenza viruses persist and spread via the environment and wild waterfowl.
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Understanding the environmental pathways of avian influenza transmission

This project focuses on improving our understanding of how avian influenza viruses persist and spread via the environment and wild waterfowl.
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Collaborative Science Provides Understanding of Contaminants in Bottled Water-an Increasingly Common Alternate Drinking Water Source

U.S. Geological Survey researchers and public health experts collaborated to determine what contaminants occur in bottled water, which is an increasingly common alternate drinking water source, to broaden their understanding of human exposure to contaminants in drinking water supply chains. Bottled water, like public-supply and private-well tap water supply chains, contained multiple organic...
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Collaborative Science Provides Understanding of Contaminants in Bottled Water-an Increasingly Common Alternate Drinking Water Source

U.S. Geological Survey researchers and public health experts collaborated to determine what contaminants occur in bottled water, which is an increasingly common alternate drinking water source, to broaden their understanding of human exposure to contaminants in drinking water supply chains. Bottled water, like public-supply and private-well tap water supply chains, contained multiple organic...
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