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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

Nitrate stable isotopes: Tools for determining nitrate sources among different land uses in the Mississippi River Basin Nitrate stable isotopes: Tools for determining nitrate sources among different land uses in the Mississippi River Basin

A study was conducted to determine whether NO3– stable isotopes (δ15N and δ18O), at natural abundance levels, could discriminate among NO3– sources from sites with different land uses at the basin scale. Water samples were collected from 24 sites in the Mississippi River Basin from five land-use categories: (1) large river basins (>34 590 km2) draining multiple land uses and smaller...
Authors
Cecily C.Y. Chang, C. Kendall, S. R. Silva, W.A. Battaglin, K. Campbell

SUTRA: A model for 2D or 3D saturated-unsaturated, variable-density ground-water flow with solute or energy transport SUTRA: A model for 2D or 3D saturated-unsaturated, variable-density ground-water flow with solute or energy transport

SUTRA (Saturated-Unsaturated Transport) is a computer program that simulates fluid movement and the transport of either energy or dissolved substances in a subsurface environment. This upgraded version of SUTRA adds the capability for three-dimensional simulation to the former code (Voss, 1984), which allowed only two-dimensional simulation. The code employs a two- or three-dimensional...
Authors
Clifford I. Voss, A.M. Provost

Compilation of minimum and maximum isotope ratios of selected elements in naturally occurring terrestrial materials and reagents Compilation of minimum and maximum isotope ratios of selected elements in naturally occurring terrestrial materials and reagents

Documented variations in the isotopic compositions of some chemical elements are responsible for expanded uncertainties in the standard atomic weights published by the Commission on Atomic Weights and Isotopic Abundances of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. This report summarizes reported variations in the isotopic compositions of 20 elements that are due to physical...
Authors
T.B. Coplen, J.A. Hopple, J.K. Böhlke, H.S. Peiser, S.E. Rieder, H.R. Krouse, K.J.R. Rosman, T. Ding, R.D. Vocke, K.M. Revesz, A. Lamberty, P. Taylor, P. De Bievre

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group: Determination of triazine and phenylurea herbicides and their degradation products in water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group: Determination of triazine and phenylurea herbicides and their degradation products in water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the determination of 7 triazine and phenylurea herbicides and 12 of their degradation products in natural water samples using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry is presented in this report. Special consideration was given during the development of the method to prevent the formation of degradation products during the analysis...
Authors
Edward Alan Lee, Alex P. Strahan, Earl Michael Thurman

Assessing ground-water vulnerability to contamination: Providing scientifically defensible information for decision makers Assessing ground-water vulnerability to contamination: Providing scientifically defensible information for decision makers

Throughout the United States increasing demands for safe drinking water and requirements to maintain healthy ecosystems are leading policy makers to ask complex social and scientific questions about how to assess and manage our water resources. This challenge becomes particularly difficult as policy and management objectives require scientific assessments of the potential for ground...
Authors
Michael J. Focazio, Thomas E. Reilly, Michael G. Rupert, Dennis R. Helsel

Thermocouple psychrometry Thermocouple psychrometry

Thermocouple psychrometry is a technique that infers the water potential of the liquid phase of a sample from measurements within the vapor phase that is in equilibrium with the sample. The theoretical relation between water potential of the liquid phase and relative humidity of the vapor phase is given by the Kelvin equation Ψ = energy/volume = (RT/Vw) ln(p/po) [3.2.3–1] where ψ is...
Authors
Brian J. Andraski, Bridget R. Scanlon

Hydrogeologic framework, ground-water geochemistry, and assessment of nitrogen yield from base flow in two agricultural watersheds, Kent County, Maryland Hydrogeologic framework, ground-water geochemistry, and assessment of nitrogen yield from base flow in two agricultural watersheds, Kent County, Maryland

Hydrostratigraphic and geochemical data collected in two adjacent watersheds on the Delmarva Peninsula, in Kent County, Maryland, indicate that shallow subsurface stratigraphy is an important factor that affects the concentrations of nitrogen in ground water discharging as stream base flow. The flux of nitrogen from shallow aquifers can contribute substantially to the eutrophication of...
Authors
L. J. Bachman, D.E. Krantz, J.K. Bohlke

Distribution, production, and ecophysiology of Picocystis strain ML in Mono Lake, California Distribution, production, and ecophysiology of Picocystis strain ML in Mono Lake, California

A recently described unicellular chlorophytic alga isolated from meromictic Mono Lake, California, occupies a niche that spans two environments: the upper oxic mixolimnion and the deeper anoxic and highly reducing monimolimnion. This organism, Picocystis sp. strain ML, accounts for nearly 25% of the primary production during the winter bloom and more than 50% at other times of the year...
Authors
Collin S. Roesler, Charles W. Culbertson, Stacey M. Etheridge, Ralf Goericke, Ronald P. Kiene, Laurence G. Miller, Ronald S. Oremland

Field evidence for a protistan role in an organically-contaminated aquifer Field evidence for a protistan role in an organically-contaminated aquifer

The association between protists, bacteria, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in an oxygen-depleted, 6 km-long wastewater contaminant plume within a sandy aquifer (Cape Cod, MA) was investigated by comparing abundance patterns along longitudinal and vertical transects and at a control site. Strong linear correlations were observed between unattached bacterial abundance and DOC for much...
Authors
Nancy E. Kinner, Ronald W. Harvey, David M. Shay, David W. Metge, Alan Warren

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
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