Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Publications

Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).

Filter Total Items: 4098

Mercury(II) sorption to two Florida Everglades peat: Evidence for strong and weak binding and competition by dissolved organic matter released from the peat Mercury(II) sorption to two Florida Everglades peat: Evidence for strong and weak binding and competition by dissolved organic matter released from the peat

The binding of mercury(II) to two peats from Florida Everglades sites with different rates of mercury methylation was measured at pH 6.0 and 0.01 M ionic strength. The mercury(II) sorption isotherms, measured over a total mercury(II) range of 10-7.4 to 10-3.7 M, showed the competition for mercury(II) between the peat and dissolved organic matter released from the peat and the existence...
Authors
R. Todd Drexel, Markus Haitzer, Joseph N. Ryan, George R. Aiken, Kathryn L. Nagy

Measurement of the oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate in seawater and freshwater using the denitrifier method Measurement of the oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate in seawater and freshwater using the denitrifier method

We report a novel method for measurement of the oxygen isotopic composition (18O/16O) of nitrate (NO3-) from both seawater and freshwater. The denitrifier method, based on the isotope ratio analysis of nitrous oxide generated from sample nitrate by cultured denitrifying bacteria, has been described elsewhere for its use in nitrogen isotope ratio (15N/14N) analysis of nitrate.1Here, we...
Authors
K.L. Casciotti, D.M. Sigman, M. Galanter Hastings, J. K. Böhlke, A. Hilkert

Mobilization of natural colloids from an iron oxide-coated sand aquifer: Effect of pH and ionic strength Mobilization of natural colloids from an iron oxide-coated sand aquifer: Effect of pH and ionic strength

Field and laboratory column experiments were performed to assess the effect of elevated pH and reduced ionic strength on the mobilization of natural colloids in a ferric oxyhydroxide-coated aquifer sediment. The field experiments were conducted as natural gradient injections of groundwater amended by sodium hydroxide additions. The laboratory experiments were conducted in columns of...
Authors
Rebecca A. Bunn, Robin D. Magelky, Joseph N. Ryan, Menachem Elimelech

Using groundwater levels to estimate recharge Using groundwater levels to estimate recharge

Accurate estimation of groundwater recharge is extremely important for proper management of groundwater systems. Many different approaches exist for estimating recharge. This paper presents a review of methods that are based on groundwater-level data. The water-table fluctuation method may be the most widely used technique for estimating recharge; it requires knowledge of specific yield...
Authors
R. W. Healy, P.G. Cook

Hydrogeology and leachate plume delineation at a closed municipal landfill, Norman, Oklahoma Hydrogeology and leachate plume delineation at a closed municipal landfill, Norman, Oklahoma

The City of Norman operated a solid-waste municipal landfill at two sites on the Canadian River alluvium in Cleveland County, Oklahoma from 1970 to 1985. The sites, referred to as the west and east cells of the landfill, were originally excavations in the unconsolidated alluvial deposits and were not lined. Analysis of ground-water samples indicate that leachate from the west cell is...
Authors
Carol Becker

Antimicrobial residues in animal waste and water resources proximal to large-scale swine and poultry feeding operations Antimicrobial residues in animal waste and water resources proximal to large-scale swine and poultry feeding operations

Expansion and intensification of large-scale animal feeding operations (AFOs) in the United States has resulted in concern about environmental contamination and its potential public health impacts. The objective of this investigation was to obtain background data on a broad profile of antimicrobial residues in animal wastes and surface water and groundwater proximal to large-scale swine...
Authors
E.R. Campagnolo, K.R. Johnson, A. Karpati, C.S. Rubin, D.W. Kolpin, M. T. Meyer, J. Emilio Esteban, R.W. Currier, K. Smith, K.M. Thu, M. McGeehin

Groundwater vulnerability: Interactions of chemical and site properties Groundwater vulnerability: Interactions of chemical and site properties

This study brings together extensive, multi-annual groundwater monitoring datasets from the UK and Midwestern US to test the relative importance of site (e.g. land use, soil and aquifer type) and chemical factors (e.g. solubility in water) and between and within year variations in controlling groundwater contamination by pesticides. ANOVA (general linear modelling) was used to test the
Authors
F. Worrall, T. Besien, D.W. Kolpin

Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000: A national reconnaissance Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000: A national reconnaissance

To provide the first nationwide reconnaissance of the occurrence of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs) in water resources, the U.S. Geological Survey used five newly developed analytical methods to measure concentrations of 95 OWCs in water samples from a network of 139 streams across 30 states during 1999 and 2000. The selection of sampling sites...
Authors
D.W. Kolpin, E. T. Furlong, M. T. Meyer, E.M. Thurman, S.D. Zaugg, L. B. Barber, H. T. Buxton

Human-health pharmaceutical compounds in Lake Mead, Nevada and Arizona, and Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, October 2000-August 2001 Human-health pharmaceutical compounds in Lake Mead, Nevada and Arizona, and Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, October 2000-August 2001

The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service conducted a reconnaissance study to investigate the occurrence of selected human-health pharmaceutical compounds in water samples collected from Lake Mead on the Colorado River and Las Vegas Wash, a waterway used to transport treated wastewater from the Las Vegas metropolitan area to Lake Mead. Current research indicates many of...
Authors
Robert A. Boyd, Edward T. Furlong

A comparison of surface water natural organic matter in raw filtered water samples, XAD, and reverse osmosis isolates A comparison of surface water natural organic matter in raw filtered water samples, XAD, and reverse osmosis isolates

This research compared raw filtered waters (RFWs), XAD resin isolates (XAD-8 and XAD-4), and reverse osmosis (RO) isolates of several surface water samples from McDonalds Branch, a small freshwater fen in the New Jersey Pine Barrens (USA). RO and XAD-8 are two of the most common techniques used to isolate natural organic matter (NOM) for studies of composition and reactivity; therefore...
Authors
P.A. Maurice, M.J. Pullin, S.E. Cabaniss, Q. Zhou, K. Namjesnik-Dejanovic, G. R. Aiken

Role of environmental variability in evaluating stressor effects Role of environmental variability in evaluating stressor effects

In this chapter, we discuss how environmental variability affects the exposure of organisms and ecological systems to stressors, and give guidance on how to understand influences of stressors. We consider the characteristics of environmental variability and issues relating to the measurement of environmental variation. We discuss how to select the optimal indicators of ecological...
Authors
Samuel N. Luoma

Method of analysis and quality-assurance practices by the U. S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group—Determination of four selected mosquito insecticides and a synergist in water using liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography/mass Method of analysis and quality-assurance practices by the U. S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group—Determination of four selected mosquito insecticides and a synergist in water using liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography/mass

A method of analysis and quality-assurance practices were developed for the determination of four mosquito insecticides (malathion, metho-prene, phenothrin, and resmethrin) and one synergist (piperonyl butoxide) in water. The analytical method uses liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Good precision and accuracy were demonstrated in reagent...
Authors
L.R. Zimmerman, A.P. Strahan, E.M. Thurman
Was this page helpful?