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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

Nature and transformation of dissolved organic matter in treatment wetlands Nature and transformation of dissolved organic matter in treatment wetlands

This investigation into the occurrence, character, and transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in treatment wetlands in the western United States shows that (i) the nature of DOM in the source water has a major influence on transformations that occur during treatment, (ii) the climate factors have a secondary effect on transformations, (iii) the wetlands receiving treated...
Authors
L. B. Barber, J.A. Leenheer, T.I. Noyes, E.A. Stiles

Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil spill site: II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil spill site: II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations

A multidisciplinary study of a crude-oil contaminated aquifer shows that the distribution of microbial physiologic types is strongly controlled by the aquifer properties and crude oil location. The microbial populations of four physiologic types were analyzed together with permeability, pore-water chemistry, nonaqueous oil content, and extractable sediment iron. Microbial data from three...
Authors
B.A. Bekins, I.M. Cozzarelli, E.M. Godsy, E. Warren, H.I. Essaid, M.E. Tuccillo

Hydraulic head applications of flow logs in the study of heterogeneous aquifers Hydraulic head applications of flow logs in the study of heterogeneous aquifers

Permeability profiles derived from high-resolution flow logs in heterogeneous aquifers provide a limited sample of the most permeable beds or fractures determining the hydraulic properties of those aquifers. This paper demonstrates that flow logs can also be used to infer the large-scale properties of aquifers surrounding boreholes. The analysis is based on the interpretation of the...
Authors
Frederick L. Paillet

Nature and chlorine reactivity of organic constituents from reclaimed water in groundwater, Los Angeles County, California Nature and chlorine reactivity of organic constituents from reclaimed water in groundwater, Los Angeles County, California

The nature and chlorine reactivity of organic constituents in reclaimed water (tertiary-treated municipal wastewater) before, during, and after recharge into groundwater at the Montebello Forebay in Los Angeles County, CA, was the focus of this study. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in reclaimed water from this site is primarily a mixture of aromatic sulfonates from anionic surfactant...
Authors
J.A. Leenheer, C.E. Rostad, L. B. Barber, R. A. Schroeder, R. Anders, M.L. Davisson

Analysis of trace levels of sulfonamide and tetracycline antimicrobials in groundwater and surface water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry Analysis of trace levels of sulfonamide and tetracycline antimicrobials in groundwater and surface water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

A method has been developed for the trace analysis of two classes of antimicrobials consisting of six sulfonamides (SAs) and five tetracyclines (TCs), which commonly are used for veterinary purposes and agricultural feed additives and are suspected to leach into ground and surface water. The method used solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) with...
Authors
M.E. Lindsey, M. Meyer, E.M. Thurman

A national pilot study of mercury contamination of aquatic ecosystems along multiple gradients" Bioaccumulation in fish A national pilot study of mercury contamination of aquatic ecosystems along multiple gradients" Bioaccumulation in fish

Water, sediment, and fish were sampled in the summer and fall of 1998 at 106 sites from 20 U.S. watershed basins to examine relations of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic ecosystems. Bioaccumulation of Hg in fish from these basins was evaluated in relation to species, Hg and MeHg in surficial sediment and water, and watershed characteristics. Bioaccumulation was strongly...
Authors
William G. Brumbaugh, David P. Krabbenhoft, Dennis R. Helsel, James G. Wiener, Kathy R. Echols

Effects of land use and travel time on the distribution of nitrate in the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in southern New Jersey Effects of land use and travel time on the distribution of nitrate in the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in southern New Jersey

Residents of the southern New Jersey Coastal Plain are increasingly reliant on the unconfined Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system for public water supply as a result of increasing population and restrictions on withdrawals from the deeper, confined aquifers. Elevated nitrate concentrations above background levels have been found in wells in the surficial aquifer system in agricultural and...
Authors
Leon J. Kauffman, Arthur L. Baehr, Mark A. Ayers, Paul E. Stackelberg

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group—Determination of glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid, and glufonsinate in water using online solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography/mass sp Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group—Determination of glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid, and glufonsinate in water using online solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography/mass sp

An analytical method for the determination of glyphosate, its principal degradation compound, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and glufosinate in water with varying matrices has been developed. Four different sample matrices fortified at 0.2 and 2.0 μg/L (micrograms per liter) were analyzed using precolumn derivatization with 9-fluorenylmethylchloroformate (FMOC). After derivatization...
Authors
E.A. Lee, A.P. Strahan, E.M. Thurman

Selected hydrologic data for Little Cottonwood Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah, September 1998 Selected hydrologic data for Little Cottonwood Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah, September 1998

Metals enter Little Cottonwood Creek in Salt Lake County, Utah, in drainage water that discharges from inactive mines in the watershed (fig. 1). As part of a study to evaluate the effects of this mine drainage on water quality, a sodium chloride tracer was injected into Little Cottonwood Creek during September 17-18, 1998. The purpose of the injection was to quantify stream discharge; to...
Authors
L. J. Gerner, F. J. Rossi, B.K. Kimball

Constants for mercury binding by organic matter isolates from the Florida Everglades Constants for mercury binding by organic matter isolates from the Florida Everglades

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has been implicated as an important complexing agent for Hg that can affect its mobility and bioavailability in aquatic ecosystems. However, binding constants for natural Hg-DOM complexes are not well known. We employed a competitive ligand approach to estimate conditional stability constants for Hg complexes with DOM isolates collected from Florida...
Authors
J.M. Benoit, R.P. Mason, C.C. Gilmour, G. R. Aiken
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