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
Application of the Stefan-Maxwell Equations to determine limitations of Fick's law when modeling organic vapor transport in sand columns Application of the Stefan-Maxwell Equations to determine limitations of Fick's law when modeling organic vapor transport in sand columns
The organic component of the vapor phase of a porous medium contaminated by an immiscible organic liquid can be significant enough to violate the condition of a dilute species diffusing in a bulk phase assumed by Fick's law. The Stefan-Maxwell equations provide a more comprehensive model for quantifying steady state transport for a vapor phase composed of arbitrary proportions of its...
Authors
Arthur L. Baehr, Clifford J. Bruell
A method for testing whether model predictions fall within a prescribed factor of true values, with an application to pesticide leaching A method for testing whether model predictions fall within a prescribed factor of true values, with an application to pesticide leaching
A quantitative method is described for testing whether model predictions fall within a specified factor of true values. The technique is based on classical theory for confidence regions on unknown population parameters and can be related to hypothesis testing in both univariate and multivariate situations. A capability index is defined that can be used as a measure of predictive...
Authors
Rudolph S. Parrish, Charles N. Smith
Effects of benthic flora on arsenic transport Effects of benthic flora on arsenic transport
Chemical and biological interactions involving arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) appear to affect significantly As transport and distribution in Whitewood Creek, South Dakota. Data (first‐order uptake rate constants, standing crop, and accumulation factors) that can be used to predict As transport have been determined using algae collected in the creek along a transect from upstream of...
Authors
James S. Kuwabara, Cecily C.Y. Chang, Sofie P. Pasilis
Problems and methods involved in relating land use to ground-water quality Problems and methods involved in relating land use to ground-water quality
Efforts to relate shallow ground-water quality to the land use near a well lead to several statistical difficulties. These include potential uncertainty in land-use categorical data due to misclassification, data closure, distributional skewing, and spatial autocorrelation. Methods of addressing these problems are, respectively, the establishment of limits on minimum buffer radius, the...
Authors
Thomas Barringer, Dennis Dunn, William Battaglin, Eric Vowinkel
Effect of some petroleum sulfonate surfactants on the apparent water solubility of organic compounds Effect of some petroleum sulfonate surfactants on the apparent water solubility of organic compounds
No abstract available.
Authors
Daniel E. Kile, Cary T. Chiou, Robin S. Helburn
Hydrogeochemistry of rivers and lakes Hydrogeochemistry of rivers and lakes
This chapter has three principal objectives: (1) to summarize the present chemical composition of North American surface waters and point out any discernible trends with time; (2) to review chemical and biochemical principles and processes that control natural water composition, and the ways in which these may be involved in attaining the particular chemical compositions and trends that...
Authors
John David Hem, Adrian Demayo, Richard A. Smith
The production and variability of acid mine drainage at Iron Mountain, California: A superfund site undergoing rehabilitation The production and variability of acid mine drainage at Iron Mountain, California: A superfund site undergoing rehabilitation
No abstract available.
Authors
D. Kirk Nordstrom, J.M. Burchard, Charles N. Alpers
Origin of solutes in saline lakes and springs on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico Origin of solutes in saline lakes and springs on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico
Analysis of hydraulic heads, calculation of pore volume flushing, and analysis of solute and isotopic chemistry strongly suggest that the solutes originate from the concentration by evaporation of runoff and potable shallow ground water that discharges from the High Plains aquifer. Chloride/bromide solute ratios, which are thought to be unaffected by mineral precipitation or sorption...
Authors
W. Wood, B.F. Jones
Kinetically influenced terms for solute transport affected by heterogeneous and homogeneous classical reactions Kinetically influenced terms for solute transport affected by heterogeneous and homogeneous classical reactions
Simulation of transport affected by heterogeneous or homogeneous reversible reactions requires a choice between local equilibrium-based and kinetics-based models. The error associated with the use of equilibrium-based models is equivalent to the error of neglecting certain mathematical terms in the governing kinetics-based transport equations. Identification and evaluation of these...
Authors
Jean M. Bahr
Anaerobic oxidation of toluene, phenol, and p-cresol by the dissimilatory iron-reducing organism, GS-15 Anaerobic oxidation of toluene, phenol, and p-cresol by the dissimilatory iron-reducing organism, GS-15
The dissimilatory Fe(III) reducer, GS-15, is the first microorganism known to couple the oxidation of aromatic compounds to the reduction of Fe(III) and the first example of a pure culture of any kind known to anaerobically oxidize an aromatic hydrocarbon, toluene. In this study, the metabolism of toluene, phenol, and p-cresol by GS-15 was investigated in more detail. GS-15 grew in an...
Authors
Derek R. Lovley, D.J. Lonergan
Distribution and transport of sediment-bound metal contaminants in the Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica (Central America) Distribution and transport of sediment-bound metal contaminants in the Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica (Central America)
A reconnaissance survey of the extent of metal contamination in the Rio Grande de Tarcoles river system of Costa Rica indicated high levels of chromium (Cr) in the fine-grain bed sediments (
Authors
C. C. Fuller, J.A. Davis, D.J. Cain, P. J. Lamothe, T.L.G. Fries Fernandez, J.A. Vargas, M.M. Murillo