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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: 3785

Approaches to surface complexation modeling of Uranium(VI) adsorption on aquifer sediments Approaches to surface complexation modeling of Uranium(VI) adsorption on aquifer sediments

Uranium(VI) adsorption onto aquifer sediments was studied in batch experiments as a function of pH and U(VI) and dissolved carbonate concentrations in artificial groundwater solutions. The sediments were collected from an alluvial aquifer at a location upgradient of contamination from a former uranium mill operation at Naturita, Colorado (USA). The ranges of aqueous chemical conditions...
Authors
J.A. Davis, D.E. Meece, M. Kohler, G.P. Curtis

Biotransformation of tributyltin to tin in freshwater river-bed sediments contaminated by an organotin release Biotransformation of tributyltin to tin in freshwater river-bed sediments contaminated by an organotin release

The largest documented release of organotin compounds to a freshwater river system in the United States occurred in early 2000 in central South Carolina. The release consisted of an unknown volume of various organotin compounds such tetrabutyltin (TTBT), tributyltin (TBT), tetraoctyltin (TTOT), and trioctyl tin (TOT) and resulted in a massive fish kill and the permanent closures of a...
Authors
J. E. Landmeyer, T.L. Tanner, B.E. Watt

Degradates provide insight to spatial and temporal trends of herbicides in ground water Degradates provide insight to spatial and temporal trends of herbicides in ground water

Since 1995, a network of municipal wells in Iowa, representing all major aquifer types (alluvial, bedrock/karst region, glacial drift, bedrock/nonkarst region), has been repeatedly sampled for a broad suite of herbicide compounds yielding one of the most comprehensive statewide databases of such compounds currently available in the United States. This dataset is ideal for documenting the...
Authors
D.W. Kolpin, D.J. Schnoebelen, E.M. Thurman

Use of an electromagnetic seepage meter to investigate temporal variability in lake seepage Use of an electromagnetic seepage meter to investigate temporal variability in lake seepage

A commercially available electromagnetic flowmeter is attached to a seepage cylinder to create an electromagnetic seepage meter (ESM) for automating measurement of fluxes across the sediment/water interface between ground water and surface water. The ESM is evaluated through its application at two lakes in New England, one where water seeps into the lake and one where water seeps out of...
Authors
D.O. Rosenberry, R. H. Morin

Modeling selenium bioaccumulation through arthropod food webs in San Francisco Bay, California, USA Modeling selenium bioaccumulation through arthropod food webs in San Francisco Bay, California, USA

Trophic transfer is the main process by which upper trophic level wildlife are exposed to selenium. Transfers through lower levels of a predator's food web thus can be instrumental in determining the threat of selenium in an ecosystem. Little is known about Se transfer through pelagic, zooplankton‐based food webs in San Francisco Bay ([SFB], CA, USA), which serve as an energy source for...
Authors
C.E. Schlekat, D.G. Purkerson, S. N. Luoma

Surface-Water and Ground-Water Interactions in the Central Everglades, Florida Surface-Water and Ground-Water Interactions in the Central Everglades, Florida

Recharge and discharge are hydrological processes that cause Everglades surface water to be exchanged for subsurface water in the peat soil and the underlying sand and limestone aquifer. These interactions are thought to be important to water budgets, water quality, and ecology in the Everglades. Nonetheless, relatively few studies of surface water and ground water interactions have been...
Authors
Judson W. Harvey, Jessica T. Newlin, James M. Krest, Jungyill Choi, Eric A. Nemeth, Steven L. Krupa

Hydrologic scales, cloud variability, remote sensing, and models: Implications for forecasting snowmelt and streamflow Hydrologic scales, cloud variability, remote sensing, and models: Implications for forecasting snowmelt and streamflow

Accurate prediction of available water supply from snowmelt is needed if the myriad of human, environmental, agricultural, and industrial demands for water are to be satisfied, especially given legislatively imposed conditions on its allocation. Robust retrievals of hydrologic basin model variables (e.g., insolation or areal extent of snow cover) provide several advantages over the...
Authors
James J. Simpson, M. D. Dettinger, F. Gehrke, T.J. McIntire, Gary L. Hufford

Relative effect of temperature and pH on diel cycling of dissolved trace elements in Prickly Pear Creek, Montana Relative effect of temperature and pH on diel cycling of dissolved trace elements in Prickly Pear Creek, Montana

Diel (24 hr) cycles in dissolved metal and As concentrations have been documented in many northern Rocky Mountain streams in the U.S.A. The cause(s) of the cycles are unknown, although temperature- and pH-dependent sorption reactions have been cited as likely causes. A light/dark experiment was conducted to isolate temperature and pH as variables affecting diel metal cycles in Prickly...
Authors
Clain A. Jones, D. A. Nimick, R. Blaine McCleskey

Use of qualitative and quantitative information in neural networks for assessing agricultural chemical contamination of domestic wells Use of qualitative and quantitative information in neural networks for assessing agricultural chemical contamination of domestic wells

A neural network analysis of agrichemical occurrence in groundwater was conducted using data from a pilot study of 192 small-diameter drilled and driven wells and 115 dug and bored wells in Illinois, a regional reconnaissance network of 303 wells across 12 Midwestern states, and a study of 687 domestic wells across Iowa. Potential factors contributing to well contamination (e.g., depth...
Authors
A. Mishra, C. Ray, D.W. Kolpin

Effects of the fungicides mancozeb and chlorothalonil on fluxes of CO2, N2O, and CH4 in a fertilized Colorado grassland soil Effects of the fungicides mancozeb and chlorothalonil on fluxes of CO2, N2O, and CH4 in a fertilized Colorado grassland soil

[1] Management of agricultural soil plays an important role in present and future atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4). Pesticides are used as management tools in crop production, but little is known about their effects on soil‐atmosphere exchange of CO2, N2O, and CH4. Field studies described in this paper...
Authors
C.A. Kinney, A.R. Mosier, I. Ferrer, E. T. Furlong, K.W. Mandernack

Methods for the preparation and analysis of solids and suspended solids for methylmercury Methods for the preparation and analysis of solids and suspended solids for methylmercury

This report presents the methods and method performance data for the determination of methylmercury concentrations in solids and suspended solids. Using the methods outlined here, the U.S. Geological Survey's Wisconsin District Mercury Laboratory can consistently detect methylmercury in solids and suspended solids at environmentally relevant concentrations. Solids can be analyzed wet or...
Authors
John F. DeWild, Shane D. Olund, Mark L. Olson, Michael T. Tate
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