The Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology) supports the one-health science to address the full range of questions related to contaminant and pathogen sources, environmental transport, exposure/transmission pathways, uptake, biological effects, and human health implications. The science is accomplished within focused integrated science teams.
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Science Team
Ecologically-Driven Exposure Pathways Science Team
Energy Integrated Science Team
Fishing and Hunting Integrated Science Team
Food Resources Lifecycle Integrated Science Team
Immunomodulation Science Team
Land Stewardship Science Team
Minerals Science Team
Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Science Team
Core Technology Team
Environmental Health Featured Science Activities
Questions We Answer
FAQs
What is the Earth's "water cycle?"
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes where water is stored on Earth and how it moves. Water is stored in the atmosphere, on the land surface, and below the ground. It can be a liquid, a solid, or a gas. Liquid water can be fresh or saline (salty). Water moves between the places it is stored. It moves at large scales (through watersheds, the atmosphere, and below the Earth...
How much of the Earth's water is stored in glaciers?
About 2.1% of all of Earth's water is frozen in glaciers. 97.2% is in the oceans and inland seas 2.1% is in glaciers 0.6% is in groundwater and soil moisture less than 1% is in the atmosphere less than 1% is in lakes and rivers less than 1% is in all living plants and animals. About three-quarters of Earth's freshwater is stored in glaciers. Therefore, glacier ice is the second largest reservoir...
How important is groundwater?
Groundwater, which is in aquifers below the surface of the Earth, is one of the Nation's most important natural resources. Groundwater is the source of about 37 percent of the water that county and city water departments supply to households and businesses (public supply). It provides drinking water for more than 90 percent of the rural population who do not get their water delivered to them from...
Education
Lepidoptera Research Collection
In April of 2023 a citizen science invitation began asking people to mail in already deceased insects in the order Lepidoptera to help establish a USGS Research Scientific Collection. The collection will enable USGS scientists to have specimens from various regional areas to be able to identify contaminants and environmental factors which could be contributing to the decline of insect populations.
I Am An...Ecotoxicologist
Welcome to the "The I Am A..." series. This is the tenth video in a series of USGS whiteboard animations that highlight USGS careers. The concept is to show "what society (or my mom) thinks I do" compared with "what I really do." One image captures a more whimsical representation of a "scientist" and the second demonstrates a more accurate representation of