Publications
Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).
Filter Total Items: 3785
Analysis of chlorinated organic compounds in estuarine biota and sediments by chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry Analysis of chlorinated organic compounds in estuarine biota and sediments by chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry
Complex sample matrices of estuarine biota tissue and bed sediment extracts were analyzed for selected chlorinated compounds. By using gas chromatography/positive chemical ionization/tandem mass spectrometry, the coeluting interferences present in gas chromatography/electron ionization mass spectrometry were eliminated in the biota tissue and bed sediment extracts. The selected...
Authors
C.E. Rostad, W. E. Pereira
Retardation of ammonium and potassium transport through a contaminated sand and gravel aquifer: The Role of cation exchange Retardation of ammonium and potassium transport through a contaminated sand and gravel aquifer: The Role of cation exchange
The role of cation exchange in the retardation of ammonium (NH4+) and potassium (K+) transport in a shallow sand and gravel aquifer was evaluated by use of observed distributions of NH4+ and K+ within a plume of sewage-contaminated groundwater, small-scale tracer injection tests, and batch sorption experiments on aquifer material. Both NH4+ and K+ were transported ???2 km in the 4-km...
Authors
M.L. Ceazan, E.M. Thurman, R. L. Smith
Oxidation of aromatic contaminants coupled to microbial iron reduction Oxidation of aromatic contaminants coupled to microbial iron reduction
THE contamination of sub-surface water supplies with aromatic compounds is a significant environmental concern1,2. As these contaminated sub-surface environments are generally anaerobic, the microbial oxidation of aromatic compounds coupled to nitrate reduction, sulphate reduction and methane production has been studied intensively1-7. In addition, geochemical evidence suggests that Fe...
Authors
Derek R. Lovley, M.J. Baedecker, D.J. Lonergan, I.M. Cozzarelli, Elizabeth J.P. Phillips, D. I. Siegel
Present-day biogeochemical activities of anaerobic bacteria and their relevance to future exobiological investigations Present-day biogeochemical activities of anaerobic bacteria and their relevance to future exobiological investigations
If the primordial atmosphere was reducing, then the first microbial ecosystem was probably composed of anaerobic bacteria. However, despite the presence of an oxygen-rich atmosphere, anaerobic habitats are important, commonplace components of the Earth's present biosphere. The geochemical activities displayed by these anaerobes impact the global cycling of certain elements (e.g., C, N, S...
Authors
R.S. Oremland
An approach to the field study of hydraulic gradients in variable-salinity ground water An approach to the field study of hydraulic gradients in variable-salinity ground water
A field study approach is proposed for reliably estimating hydraulic gradients in subregions within a region of variable-salinity ground water. It is based upon Hubbert's concept about the kind of density distributions that are required for ground water to have a potential. The approach consists of dividing a region of variable-salinity ground water into subregions with constant density
Authors
J.J. Hickey
Preliminary evaluations of regional ground-water quality in relation to land use Preliminary evaluations of regional ground-water quality in relation to land use
Preliminary results from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, and Colorado indicate that regional ground-water quality has been affected by human activities. The frequencies of detection of volatile organic compounds and some trace elements were larger in ground water underlying urban or industrial areas in comparison to undeveloped areas. Ground water in agricultural...
Authors
D. Cain, D.R. Helsel, S.E. Ragone
Removing volatile contaminants from the unsaturated zone by inducing advective air-phase transport Removing volatile contaminants from the unsaturated zone by inducing advective air-phase transport
Organic liquids inadvertently spilled and then distributed in the unsaturated zone can pose a long-term threat to ground water. Many of these substances have significant volatility, and thereby establish a premise for contaminant removal from the unsaturated zone by inducing advective air-phase transport with wells screened in the unsaturated zone. In order to focus attention on the...
Authors
A. L. Baehr, G.E. Hoag, M.C. Marley
Mineral saturation states in natural waters and their sensitivity to thermodynamic and analytical errors Mineral saturation states in natural waters and their sensitivity to thermodynamic and analytical errors
Saturation indices computed with WATEQ4F chemical analyses from a groundwater in crystalline bedrock and a surface water receiving acid mine drainage are frequently at or above saturation with respect to calcite, fluorite, barite, gibbsite and ferrihydrite. Deep granitic groundwaters from Stripa, Sweden, are supersaturated with respect to calcite and fluorite. Acid mine waters from the...
Authors
D. Kirk Nordstrom, James W. Ball
Convergent radial dispersion: A Laplace transform solution for aquifer tracer testing Convergent radial dispersion: A Laplace transform solution for aquifer tracer testing
A Laplace transform solution was obtained for the injection of a tracer in a well situated in a homogeneous aquifer where steady, horizontal, radially convergent flow has been established due to pumping at a second well. The standard advection-dispersion equation for mass transfer was used as the controlling equation. For boundary conditions, mass balances that account for mixing of the...
Authors
Allen F. Moench
Organic markers as source discriminants and sediment transport indicators in south San Francisco Bay, California Organic markers as source discriminants and sediment transport indicators in south San Francisco Bay, California
Sediment samples from nearshore sites in south San Francisco Bay and from streams flowing into that section of the Bay have been characterized in terms of their content of biogenic and anthropogenic molecular marker compounds. The distributions, input sources, and applicability of these compounds in determining sediment movement are discussed. By means of inspection and multivariate...
Authors
F. D. Hostettler, J. B. Rapp, K.A. Kvenvolden, N L. Samuel
Simulation of calcite dissolution and porosity changes in saltwater mixing zones in coastal aquifers Simulation of calcite dissolution and porosity changes in saltwater mixing zones in coastal aquifers
Thermodynamic models of aqueous solutions have indicated that the mixing of seawater and calcite-saturated fresh groundwater can produce a water that is undersaturated with respect to calcite. Mixing of such waters in coastal carbonate aquifers could lead to significant amounts of limestone dissolution. The potential for such dissolution in coastal saltwater mixing zones is analyzed by...
Authors
Ward E. Sanford, Leonard F. Konikow
Solubility of jarosite solid solutions precipitated from acid mine waters, Iron Mountain, California Solubility of jarosite solid solutions precipitated from acid mine waters, Iron Mountain, California
Because of the common occurrence of 15 to 25 mole percent hydronium substitution on the alkali site in jarosites, it is necessary to consider the hydronium content of jarosites in any attempt at rigorous evaluation of jarosite solubility or of the saturation state of natural waters with respect to jarosite. A Gibbs free energy of 3293.5±2.1 kJ mol-1 is recommended for a jarosite solid...
Authors
Charles N. Alpers, D. Kirk Nordstrom, J.W. Ball