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: 4097
Mercury methylation in periphyton of the Florida Everglades Mercury methylation in periphyton of the Florida Everglades
Trophic accumulation of mercury (Hg) in aquatic ecosystems is of global concern due to health effects associated with eating fish with elevated Hg levels. The methylated form of Hg bioaccumulates so it is important to understand how inorganic Hg is transformed to methylmercury in the environment. Here, a new site for Hg methylation, the periphyton communities that are prevalent in the...
Authors
L.B. Cleckner, C.C. Gilmour, J.P. Hurley, D. P. Krabbenhoft
Stable lead isotopic analyses of historic and contemporary lead contamination of San Francisco Bay estuary Stable lead isotopic analyses of historic and contemporary lead contamination of San Francisco Bay estuary
Variations in stable lead isotopic composition (240Pb, 206Pb, 207Pb, 208Pb) in three sediment cores from the San Francisco Bay estuary document temporal changes in sources of lead during the past two centuries. Sediment, with lead from natural geologic sources, and relatively homogeneous lead isotopic compositions are overlain by sediments whose isotopic compositions indicate change in...
Authors
P.I. Ritson, R. M. Bouse, A.R. Flegal, Samuel N. Luoma
Use of cosmogenic 35S for comparing ages of water from three alpine-subalpine basins in the Colorado Front Range Use of cosmogenic 35S for comparing ages of water from three alpine-subalpine basins in the Colorado Front Range
High-elevation basins in Colorado are a major source of water for the central and western United States; however, acidic deposition may affect the quality of this water. Water that is retained in a basin for a longer period of time may be less impacted by acidic deposition. Sulfur-35 (35S), a short-lived isotope of sulfur (t( 1/2 ) = 87 days), is useful for studying short-time scale...
Authors
J.K. Sueker, J.T. Turk, R. L. Michel
Is a probabilistic performance assessment enough? Is a probabilistic performance assessment enough?
No abstract available.
Authors
Leonard F. Konikow, Rodney C. Ewing
Water-quality variability in San Francisco Bay: general patterns of change during 1997 Water-quality variability in San Francisco Bay: general patterns of change during 1997
The 1997 Annual Report is the fifth Annual Report from the Regional Monitoring Program for Trace Substances (RMP) and contains a comprehensive description of RMP results from the 1997 monitoring year. As in previous years, the report includes results from the Base Program (water, sediment, and bivalve monitoring) and results from Pilot and Special Studies completed in 1997, in addition...
Authors
J. E. Cloern, B.E. Cole, J.L. Edmunds, J.I. Baylosis
Comparison of the stable-isotopic composition of soil water collected from suction lysimeters, wick samplers, and cores in a sandy unsaturated zone Comparison of the stable-isotopic composition of soil water collected from suction lysimeters, wick samplers, and cores in a sandy unsaturated zone
Soil water collected from suction lysimeters and wick samplers buried in the unsaturated zone of a sand and gravel aquifer and extracted from soil cores were analyzed for stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope values. Soil water isotopic values differed among the three sampling methods in most cases. However, because each sampling method collected different fractions of the total soil-water...
Authors
M.K. Landon, G. N. Delin, S.C. Komor, C.P. Regan
Iron reduction in the sediments of a hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer Iron reduction in the sediments of a hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer
Sediments sampled at a hydrocarbon-contaminated, glacial-outwash, sandy aquifer near Bemidji, Minnesota, were analyzed for sediment-associated Fe with several techniques. Extraction with 0.5 M HCl dissolved poorly crystalline Fe oxides and small amounts of Fe in crystalline Fe oxides, and extracted Fe from phyllosilicates. Use of Ti-citrate-EDTA-bicarbonate results in more complete...
Authors
M.E. Tuccillo, I.M. Cozzarelli, J.S. Herman
Metolachlor and alachlor breakdown product formation patterns in aquatic field mesocosms Metolachlor and alachlor breakdown product formation patterns in aquatic field mesocosms
The transformation of metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide] and alachlor [2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl)-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide] in aquatic systems was investigated using outdoor tank mesocosms. Metolachlor and alachlor levels and their ethane sulfonic acid (ESA) and oxanillic acid breakdown products were monitored over time under five
Authors
William H. Graham, D.W. Graham, Frank DeNoyelles, Val H. Smith, C.K. Larive, E.M. Thurman
A record of hydrocarbon input to San Francisco Bay as traced by biomarker profiles in surface sediment and sediment cores A record of hydrocarbon input to San Francisco Bay as traced by biomarker profiles in surface sediment and sediment cores
San Francisco Bay is one of the world's largest urbanized estuarine systems. Its water and sediment receive organic input from a wide variety of sources; much of this organic material is anthropogenically derived. To document the spatial and historical record of the organic contaminant input, surficial sediment from 17 sites throughout San Francisco Bay and sediment cores from two...
Authors
F. D. Hostettler, W. E. Pereira, K.A. Kvenvolden, A. VanGeen, S. N. Luoma, C. C. Fuller, R. Anima
Selenium isotope ratios as indicators of selenium sources and oxyanion reduction Selenium isotope ratios as indicators of selenium sources and oxyanion reduction
Selenium stable isotope ratio measurements should serve as indicators of sources and biogeochemical transformations of Se. We report measurements of Se isotope fractionation during selenate reduction, selenite sorption, oxidation of reduced Se in soils, and Se volatilization by algae and soil samples. These results, combined with previous work with Se isotopes, indicate that reduction of...
Authors
T.M. Johnson, M.J. Herbel, T.D. Bullen, P.T. Zawislanski
Design and analysis of tracer tests to determine effective porosity and dispersivity in fractured sedimentary rocks, Newark Basin, New Jersey Design and analysis of tracer tests to determine effective porosity and dispersivity in fractured sedimentary rocks, Newark Basin, New Jersey
No abstract available.
Authors
Glen B. Carleton, Claire Welty, Herbert T. Buxton
Analytical results for 35 mine-waste tailings cores and six bed sediment samples, and an estimate of the volume of contaminated materials at Buckeye meadow on upper Basin Creek, northern Jefferson County, Montana Analytical results for 35 mine-waste tailings cores and six bed sediment samples, and an estimate of the volume of contaminated materials at Buckeye meadow on upper Basin Creek, northern Jefferson County, Montana
Metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River basin study area in northern Jefferson County, Montana have been implicated in their detrimental effects on water quality with regard to acid-generation and toxic-metal solubilization. Flotation-mill tailings in the meadow below the Buckeye mine, hereafter referred to as the Buckeye mill-tailings site, have been identified as significant
Authors
David L. Fey, Stan E. Church, Christopher J. Finney