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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

A siphon gage for monitoring surface-water levels A siphon gage for monitoring surface-water levels

A device that uses a siphon tube to establish a hydraulic connection between the bottom of an onshore standpipe and a point at the bottom of a water body was designed and tested for monitoring surface-water levels. Water is added to the standpipe to a level sufficient to drive a complete slug of water through the siphoning tube and to flush all air out of the system. The water levels in...
Authors
Timothy D. McCobb, Denis R. LeBlanc, Roy S. Socolow

GIXAFS study of Fe3+ sorption and precipitation on natural quartz surfaces GIXAFS study of Fe3+ sorption and precipitation on natural quartz surfaces

Grazing-incidence EXAFS has been used to characterize the structure of Fe3+ sorbed onto natural single crystal quartz surfaces. Fe3+ sorption at ca. 5% monolayer coverage on a natural crystal allowed to equilibrate in air resulted in formation of hematite nuclei with strong texturing on r-and m-planes. EXAFS calculations suggests that both O and Fe backscattering is necessary to yield...
Authors
G. Waychunas, J. Davis, R. Reitmeyer

Quantification of aerobic biodegradation and volatilization rates of gasoline hydrocarbons near the water table under natural attenuation conditions Quantification of aerobic biodegradation and volatilization rates of gasoline hydrocarbons near the water table under natural attenuation conditions

Aerobic biodegradation and volatilization near the water table constitute a coupled pathway that contributes significantly to the natural attenuation of hydrocarbons at gasoline spill sites. Rates of hydrocarbon biodegradation and volatilization were quantified by analyzing vapor transport in the unsaturated zone at a gasoline spill site in Beaufort, South Carolina. Aerobic biodgradation...
Authors
Matthew A. Lahvis, Arthur L. Baehr, Ronald J. Baker

Binding of polychlorinated biphenyls to aquatic humic substances: The role of substrate and sorbate properties on partitioning Binding of polychlorinated biphenyls to aquatic humic substances: The role of substrate and sorbate properties on partitioning

Two ortho- (2,2‘,5 and 2,2‘,5,6‘) and a non-ortho- (3,3‘,4,4‘) substituted polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were used to study the effects of sorbate structure in binding processes to two lacustrine fulvic acids. Binding constants were determined by solubility enhancement of the solutes by the fulvic acids. The binding of the ortho-trichlorobiphenyl was significantly less than...
Authors
M.E. Uhle, Y.-P. Chin, G. R. Aiken, Diane M. McKnight

Carbon isotopic constraints on the contribution of plant material to the natural precursors of trihalomethanes Carbon isotopic constraints on the contribution of plant material to the natural precursors of trihalomethanes

The δ13C values of individual trihalomethanes (THM) formed on reaction of chlorine with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leached from maize (corn; Zea maize L.) and Scirpus acutus(an aquatic bulrush), and with DOC extracted from agricultural drainage waters were determined using purge and trap introduction into a gas chromatograph-combustion-isotope ratio monitoring mass spectrometer. We...
Authors
B.A. Bergamaschi, M.S. Fram, C. Kendall, S. R. Silva, G. R. Aiken, R. Fujii

Numerical simulation of vertical ground-water flux of the Rio Grande from ground-water temperature profiles, central New Mexico Numerical simulation of vertical ground-water flux of the Rio Grande from ground-water temperature profiles, central New Mexico

An important gap in the understanding of the hydrology of the Middle Rio Grande Basin, central New Mexico, is the rate at which water from the Rio Grande recharges the Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Several methodologies-including use of the Glover-Balmer equation, flood pulses, and channel permeameters- have been applied to this problem in the Middle Rio Grande Basin. In the work...
Authors
James R. Bartolino, Richard G. Niswonger

Cu(II) binding by a pH-fractionated fulvic acid Cu(II) binding by a pH-fractionated fulvic acid

The relationship between acidity, Cu(II) binding and sorption to XAD resin was examined using Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA). The work was based on the hypothesis that fractions of SRFA eluted from an XAD column at various pH's from 1.0 to 12.0 would show systematic variations in acidity and possibly aromaticity which in turn would lead to different Cu(II) binding properties. We...
Authors
G.K. Brown, S.E. Cabaniss, P. MacCarthy, J.A. Leenheer

Spectroscopic confirmation of uranium(VI)-carbonato adsorption complexes on hematite Spectroscopic confirmation of uranium(VI)-carbonato adsorption complexes on hematite

Evaluating societal risks posed by uranium contamination from waste management facilities, mining sites, and heavy industry requires knowledge about uranium transport in groundwater, often the most significant pathway of exposure to humans. It has been proposed that uranium mobility in aquifers may be controlled by adsorption of U(VI)−carbonato complexes on oxide minerals. The existence...
Authors
John R. Bargar, Rebecca Reitmeyer, James A. Davis

Denitrification in marine shales in northeastern Colorado Denitrification in marine shales in northeastern Colorado

Parts of the South Platte River alluvial aquifer in northeastern Colorado are underlain by the Pierre Shale, a marine deposit of Late Cretaceous age that is
Authors
Peter B. McMahon, J.K. Böhlke, Breton W. Bruce

Ground-water age and atmospheric tracers: Simulation studies and analysis of field data from the Mirror Lake site, New Hampshire Ground-water age and atmospheric tracers: Simulation studies and analysis of field data from the Mirror Lake site, New Hampshire

The use of environmental tracers in characterization of ground-water systems is investigated through mathematical modeling of ground-water age and atmospheric tracer transport, and by a field study at the Mirror Lake site, New Hampshire. Theory is presented for modeling ground-water age using the advective-dispersive transport equation. The transport equation includes a zero-order source...
Authors
Daniel J. Goode

In-situ alteration of minerals by acidic ground water resulting from mining activities: Preliminary evaluation of method In-situ alteration of minerals by acidic ground water resulting from mining activities: Preliminary evaluation of method

The chemical composition of the Cu-mining-related acidic ground water (pH ∼ 3.5 to near neutral) in Pinal Creek Basin, Arizona has been monitored since 1980. In-situ experiments are planned using alluvial sediments placed in the ground-water flow path to measure changes in mineral and chemical composition and changes in dissolution rates of subsurface alluvial sediments. The test results...
Authors
Carol J. Lind, C. L. Creasey, Cory E. Angeroth
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