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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: 4093

Biogeochemistry of aquifer systems Biogeochemistry of aquifer systems

Many studies have examined the differences in bacterial numbers, composition, and activity between groundwater and sediment samples. The majority of the literature has suggested higher percentages of attached bacteria than of unattached bacteria in aquifer systems, including in pristine aquifers and in aquifers contaminated with petroleum, creosote, sewage, and landfill leachate. In...
Authors
Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, J.V. Weiss

Integrated multi‐scale characterization of ground‐water flow and chemical transport in fractured crystalline rock at the Mirror Lake Site, New Hampshire Integrated multi‐scale characterization of ground‐water flow and chemical transport in fractured crystalline rock at the Mirror Lake Site, New Hampshire

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Mirror Lake Site Fractures and Geologic Mapping Hydraulic Properties of Fractured Rock From Meters to Kilometers Chemical Migration in Fractured Rock Fracture Controls on Ground‐Water Flow and Chemical Transport at the Mirror Lake Site Summary
Authors
Allen M. Shapiro, Paul A. Hsieh, William C. Burton, Gregory J. Walsh

Occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, organic wastewater compounds, and pesticides in the lower Tallapoosa River watershed near Montgomery, Alabama, 2005 Occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, organic wastewater compounds, and pesticides in the lower Tallapoosa River watershed near Montgomery, Alabama, 2005

Synthetic and natural organic compounds derived from agricultural operations, residential development, and treated and untreated sanitary and industrial wastewater discharges can contribute contaminants to surface and ground waters. To determine the occurrence of these compounds in the lower Tallapoosa River watershed, Alabama, new laboratory methods were used that can detect human and...
Authors
Carolyn J. Oblinger, Amy C. Gill, Ann K. McPherson, Michael T. Meyer, Edward T. Furlong

Discovery of cyanuric acid during an assessment of natural organic matter in stormflow water of the Santa Ana River, southern California, 2003-2004 Discovery of cyanuric acid during an assessment of natural organic matter in stormflow water of the Santa Ana River, southern California, 2003-2004

A stormflow study of natural organic matter and organic contaminants in the Santa Ana River, the Mill Creek tributary, and an urban drain tributary discovered cyanuric acid in variable concentrations up to 510 g/L. Cyanuric acid was isolated with a hydrophilic natural organic matter (NOM) fraction, and its identity was confirmed by a combination of infrared spectrometry, 13C-nuclear...
Authors
Jerry A. Leenheer, John A. Izbicki, Colleen E. Rostad, Ted I. Noyes, Greg Woodside

Investigation of reductive dechlorination supported by natural organic carbon Investigation of reductive dechlorination supported by natural organic carbon

Because remediation timeframes using monitored natural attenuation may span decades or even centuries at chlorinated solvent sites, new approaches are needed to assess the long-term sustainability of reductive dechlorination in ground water systems. In this study, extraction procedures were used to investigate the mass of indigenous organic carbon in aquifer sediment, and experiments...
Authors
Heather V. Rectanus, Mark A. Widdowson, Francis H. Chapelle, C.A. Kelly, John T. Novak

Development of a mercury speciation, fate, and biotic uptake (BIOTRANSPEC) model: Application to Lahontan Reservoir (Nevada, USA) Development of a mercury speciation, fate, and biotic uptake (BIOTRANSPEC) model: Application to Lahontan Reservoir (Nevada, USA)

A mathematically linked mercury transport, speciation, kinetic, and simple biotic uptake (BIOTRANSPEC) model has been developed. An extension of the metal transport and speciation (TRANSPEC) model, BIOTRANSPEC estimates the fate and biotic uptake of inorganic (Hg(II)), elemental (Hg(0)) and organic (MeHg) forms of mercury and their species in the dissolved, colloidal (e.g., dissolved...
Authors
N. Gandhi, S.P. Bhavsar, M.L. Diamond, James S. Kuwabara, Mark C. Marvin-DePasquale, David P. Krabbenhoft

Composition of pore water in lake sediments, research site "B", Osage County, Oklahoma: Implications for lake water quality and benthic organisms Composition of pore water in lake sediments, research site "B", Osage County, Oklahoma: Implications for lake water quality and benthic organisms

Shallow ground water at US Geological Survey research site B in northeastern Oklahoma is contaminated with NaCl-rich brine from past and present oil production operations. Contaminated ground water provides a potential source of salts, metals, and hydrocarbons to sediment and water of adjacent Skiatook Lake. A former brine storage pit 10 m in diameter that is now submerged just offshore...
Authors
Robert A. Zielinski, William N. Herkelrath, James K. Otton

Population density, biomass, and age-class structure of the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea in rivers of the lower San Joaquin River watershed, California Population density, biomass, and age-class structure of the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea in rivers of the lower San Joaquin River watershed, California

Corbicula fluminea is well known as an invasive filter-feeding freshwater bivalve with a variety of effects on ecosystem processes. However, C. fluminea has been relatively unstudied in the rivers of the western United States. In June 2003, we sampled C. fluminea at 16 sites in the San Joaquin River watershed of California, which was invaded by C. fluminea in the 1940s. Corbicula...
Authors
Larry R. Brown, Janet K. Thompson, K. Higgins, Lisa V. Lucas

Heat transport in the Red Lake Bog, Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands Heat transport in the Red Lake Bog, Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands

We report the results of an investigation on the processes controlling heat transport in peat under a large bog in the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands. For 2 years, starting in July 1998, we recorded temperature at 12 depth intervals from 0 to 400 cm within a vertical peat profile at the crest of the bog at sub‐daily intervals. We also recorded air temperature 1 m above the peat surface...
Authors
J.M. McKenzie, D. I. Siegel, Donald O. Rosenberry, P.H. Glaser, Clifford I. Voss

Methodological considerations regarding the use of inorganic 197Hg(II) radiotracer to assess mercury methylation potential rates in lake sediment Methodological considerations regarding the use of inorganic 197Hg(II) radiotracer to assess mercury methylation potential rates in lake sediment

Methodological considerations on the determination of benthic methyl-mercury (CH3Hg) production potentials were investigated on lake sediment, using 197Hg radiotracer. Three methods to arrest bacterial activity were compared: flash freezing, thermal sterilization, and γ-irradiation. Flash freezing showed similar CH3Hg recoveries as thermal sterilization, which was both 50% higher than...
Authors
Catan S. Perez, S.R. Guevara, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, C. Magnavacca, I.M. Cohen, M. Arribere
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