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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: 3784

Interim report on the scientific investigations in the Animas River watershed, Colorado to facilitate remediation decisions by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, March 29, 2000 meeting, Denver, Colo. Interim report on the scientific investigations in the Animas River watershed, Colorado to facilitate remediation decisions by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, March 29, 2000 meeting, Denver, Colo.

INTRODUCTION The joint U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture Abandoned Mine Lands Initiative (AMLI) was developed as a collaborative effort between the Federal land management agencies (FLMA, that is the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1996. The stated goal of the AML Initiative was to...
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey

Delineation of discharge areas of two contaminant plumes by use of diffusion samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 1998 Delineation of discharge areas of two contaminant plumes by use of diffusion samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 1998

Diffusion samplers were installed in the bottom of Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to confirm that volatile organic compounds from the Storm Drain-5 (SD-5) plume emanating from the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) were discharging into the pond. An array of 134 vapor-diffusion samplers was buried by divers about 0.5 feet below the pond bottom in the presumed discharge area...
Authors
Jennifer G. Savoie, D.R. LeBlanc, D.S. Blackwood, T.D. McCobb, R.R. Rendigs, Scott Clifford

First LC/MS determination of cyanazine amide, cyanazine acid, and cyanazine in groundwater samples First LC/MS determination of cyanazine amide, cyanazine acid, and cyanazine in groundwater samples

Cyanazine and two of its major metabolites, cyanazine amide and cyanazine acid, were measured at trace levels in groundwater using liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/mass spectrometry (LC/APCI/MS). Solid-phase extraction was carried out by passing 20 mL of groundwater sample through a cartridge containing a polymeric phase (PLRP-s), with recoveries ranging...
Authors
Imma Ferrer, E.M. Thurman, Damia Barcelo

Analysis of selected herbicide metabolites in surface and ground water of the United States Analysis of selected herbicide metabolites in surface and ground water of the United States

One of the primary goals of the US Geological Survey (USGS) Laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas, is to develop analytical methods for the analysis of herbicide metabolites in surface and ground water that are vital to the study of herbicide fate and degradation pathways in the environment. Methods to measure metabolite concentrations from three major classes of herbicides — triazine...
Authors
E.A. Scribner, E.M. Thurman, L.R. Zimmerman

Selenium stable isotope ratios as indicators of sources and cycling of selenium: Results from the northern reach of San Francisco Bay Selenium stable isotope ratios as indicators of sources and cycling of selenium: Results from the northern reach of San Francisco Bay

Selenium stable isotope ratios can serve as indicators of Se sources and reduction of Se oxyanions, much as sulfur and nitrogen isotope ratios do in sulfur and nitrogen biogeochemical studies. A new analytical method, which allows precise Se isotope ratio measurements on 500 ng of Se, greatly enhances analysis of environmental samples. This paper presents the first environmental study to...
Authors
T.M. Johnson, T.D. Bullen, P.T. Zawislanski

Influence of acid volatile sulfide and metal concentrations on metal bioavailability to marine invertebrates in contaminated sediments Influence of acid volatile sulfide and metal concentrations on metal bioavailability to marine invertebrates in contaminated sediments

An 18-day microcosm study was conducted to evaluate the influence of acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and metal additions on bioaccumulation from sediments of Cd, Ni, and Zn in two clams (Macoma balthica and Potamocorbula amurensis) and three marine polychaetes (Neanthes arenaceodentata, Heteromastus filiformis, and Spiophanes missionensis). Manipulation of AVS by oxidation of naturally...
Authors
B.-G. Lee, J.-S. Lee, S. N. Luoma, H.J. Choi, C.-H. Koh

Bioavailability of particle-associated Se to the bivalve Potamocorbula amurensis Bioavailability of particle-associated Se to the bivalve Potamocorbula amurensis

Elemental selenium, Se(0), is a prevalent chemical form in sediments, but little is known about its bioavailability. We evaluated the bioavailability of two forms of Se(0) by generating radioisotopic 75Se(0) through bacterial dissimilatory reduction of 75SeO32- by pure bacterial cultures (SES) and by an anaerobic sediment microbial consortium (SED). A third form was generated by reducing...
Authors
C.E. Schlekat, P.R. Dowdle, B.-G. Lee, S. N. Luoma, R.S. Oremland

Reactive transport of metal contaminants in alluvium: Model comparison and column simulation Reactive transport of metal contaminants in alluvium: Model comparison and column simulation

A comparative assessment of two reactive-transport models, PHREEQC and HYDROGEOCHEM (HGC), was done to determine the suitability of each for simulating the movement of acidic contamination in alluvium. For simulations that accounted for aqueous complexation, precipitation and dissolution, the breakthrough and rinseout curves generated by each model were similar. The differences in...
Authors
J. G. Brown, R.L. Bassett, P. D. Glynn

Testing a full‐range soil‐water retention function in modeling water potential and temperature Testing a full‐range soil‐water retention function in modeling water potential and temperature

Recent work has emphasized development of full‐range water‐retention functions that are applicable under both wet and dry soil conditions, but evaluation of such functions in numerical modeling has been limited. Here we show that simulations using the Rossi‐Nimmo (RN) full‐range function compared favorably with those using the common Brooks‐Corey function and that the RN function can...
Authors
Brian J. Andraski, Elizabeth A. Jacobson

Organic matter sources and rehabilitation of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (California, USA) Organic matter sources and rehabilitation of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (California, USA)

1. The Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta, a complex mosaic of tidal freshwater habitats in California, is the focus of a major ecosystem rehabilitation effort because of significant long-term changes in critical ecosystem functions. One of these functions is the production, transport and transformation of organic matter that constitutes the primary food supply, which may be sub-optimal...
Authors
A.D. Jassby, James E. Cloern
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