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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: 4097

Analysis and detection of the herbicides dimethenamid and flufenacet and their sulfonic and oxanilic acid degradates in natural water Analysis and detection of the herbicides dimethenamid and flufenacet and their sulfonic and oxanilic acid degradates in natural water

Dimethenamid [2-chloro-N-(2,4-dimethyl-3-thienyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide] and flufenacet [N-(4-fluorophenyl)-N-(1-methylethyl)-2-(5-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3,4- thiadiazol-2-yl)oxy] were isolated by C-18 solid-phase extraction and separated from their ethanesulfonic acid (ESA) and oxanilic acid (OXA) degradates during their elution using ethyl acetate for the parent compound...
Authors
L.R. Zimmerman, R.J. Schneider, E.M. Thurman

Effects of tidal shallowing and deepening on phytoplankton production dynamics: A modeling study Effects of tidal shallowing and deepening on phytoplankton production dynamics: A modeling study

Processes influencing estuarine phytoplankton growth occur over a range of time scales, but many conceptual and numerical models of estuarine phytoplankton production dynamics neglect mechanisms occurring on the shorter (e.g., intratidal) time scales. We used a numerical model to explore the influence of short time-scale variability in phytoplankton sources and sinks on long-term growth...
Authors
L.V. Lucas, J. E. Cloern

Nitrate stable isotopes: Tools for determining nitrate sources among different land uses in the Mississippi River Basin Nitrate stable isotopes: Tools for determining nitrate sources among different land uses in the Mississippi River Basin

A study was conducted to determine whether NO3– stable isotopes (δ15N and δ18O), at natural abundance levels, could discriminate among NO3– sources from sites with different land uses at the basin scale. Water samples were collected from 24 sites in the Mississippi River Basin from five land-use categories: (1) large river basins (>34 590 km2) draining multiple land uses and smaller...
Authors
Cecily C.Y. Chang, C. Kendall, S. R. Silva, W.A. Battaglin, K. Campbell

Influence of fracture anisotropy on ground water ages and chemistry, Valley and Ridge province, Pennsylvania Influence of fracture anisotropy on ground water ages and chemistry, Valley and Ridge province, Pennsylvania

Model ground water ages based on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and tritium/helium-3 (3H/3He) data were obtained from two arrays of nested piezometers located on the north limb of an anticline in fractured sedimentary rocks in the Valley and Ridge geologic province of Pennsylvania. The fracture geometry of the gently east plunging fold is very regular and consists predominately of south...
Authors
W.C. Burton, Niel Plummer, E. Busenberg, B.D. Lindsey, W.J. Gburek

Increased selenium threat as a result of invasion of the exotic bivalve Potamocorbula amurensis into the San Francisco Bay-Delta Increased selenium threat as a result of invasion of the exotic bivalve Potamocorbula amurensis into the San Francisco Bay-Delta

Following the aggressive invasion of the bivalve, Potamocorbula amurensis, in the San Francisco Bay-Delta in 1986, selenium contamination in the benthic food web increased. Concentrations in this dominant (exotic) bivalve in North Bay were three times higher in 1995–1997 than in earlier studies, and 1990 concentrations in benthic predators (sturgeon and diving ducks) were also higher...
Authors
R.G. Linville, S. N. Luoma, L. Cutter, G.A. Cutter

Near field receiving water monitoring of benthic community near the Palo Alto Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay: February 1974 through December 2000 Near field receiving water monitoring of benthic community near the Palo Alto Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay: February 1974 through December 2000

Analyses of the benthic community structure over a 26-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinal clam Macoma balthica from the same area. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar...
Authors
Janet K. Thompson, Francis Parcheso, Michelle K. Shouse

A new metric for determining the importance of transient storage A new metric for determining the importance of transient storage

A review of various metrics used to characterize transient storage indicates that none of the existing measures successfully integrate the interaction between advective velocity and the transient storage parameters (storage zone area, storage zone exchange coefficient). Further, 2 existing metrics are related to mean travel time, a quantity that is independent of the storage zone...
Authors
R.L. Runkel

Modeling enhanced in situ denitrification in groundwater Modeling enhanced in situ denitrification in groundwater

A two-dimensional numerical solute transport model was developed for simulating an enhanced in situ denitrification experiment performed in a nitrate-contaminated aquifer on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In this experiment, formate (HCOO-) was injected for a period of 26 days into the carbon-limited aquifer to stimulate denitrification. Calibration of the vertical-profile site model was...
Authors
M.W. Killingstad, M.A. Widdowson, R. L. Smith

Effect of adsorbed metals ions on the transport of Zn- and Ni-EDTA complexes in a sand and gravel aquifer Effect of adsorbed metals ions on the transport of Zn- and Ni-EDTA complexes in a sand and gravel aquifer

Adsorption, complexation, and dissolution reactions strongly influenced the transport of metal ions complexed with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in a predominantly quartz-sand aquifer during two tracer tests conducted under mildly reducing conditions at pH 5.8 to 6.1. In tracer test M89, EDTA complexes of zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni), along with excess free EDTA, were injected such...
Authors
D.B. Kent, J.A. Davis, L.C.D. Anderson, B.A. Rea, J.A. Coston

Distribution, production, and ecophysiology of Picocystis strain ML in Mono Lake, California Distribution, production, and ecophysiology of Picocystis strain ML in Mono Lake, California

A recently described unicellular chlorophytic alga isolated from meromictic Mono Lake, California, occupies a niche that spans two environments: the upper oxic mixolimnion and the deeper anoxic and highly reducing monimolimnion. This organism, Picocystis sp. strain ML, accounts for nearly 25% of the primary production during the winter bloom and more than 50% at other times of the year...
Authors
Collin S. Roesler, Charles W. Culbertson, Stacey M. Etheridge, Ralf Goericke, Ronald P. Kiene, Laurence G. Miller, Ronald S. Oremland

Deep arid system hydrodynamics 2. Application to paleohydrologic reconstruction using vadose zone profiles from the northern Mojave Desert Deep arid system hydrodynamics 2. Application to paleohydrologic reconstruction using vadose zone profiles from the northern Mojave Desert

Site‐specific numerical modeling of four sites in two arid alluvial basins within the Nevada Test Site employs a conceptual model of deep arid system hydrodynamics that includes vapor transport, the role of xeric vegetation, and long‐term surface boundary transients. Surface boundary sequences, spanning 110 kyr, that best reproduce measured chloride concentration and matric potential...
Authors
Michelle Ann Walvoord, Fred M. Phillips, Scott W. Tyler, Peter C. Hartsough

Multispecies reactive tracer test in an aquifer with spatially variable chemical conditions, Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Dispersive transport of bromide and nickel Multispecies reactive tracer test in an aquifer with spatially variable chemical conditions, Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Dispersive transport of bromide and nickel

Dispersive transport of groundwater solutes was investigated as part of a multispecies reactive tracer test conducted under spatially variable chemical conditions in an unconfined, sewage‐contaminated sand and gravel aquifer on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Transport of the nonreactive tracer bromide (Br) reflected physical and hydrologic processes. Transport of the reactive tracer nickel (Ni...
Authors
Kathryn M. Hess, James A. Davis, Douglas B. Kent, Jennifer A. Coston
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