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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

Flow and suspended particulate transport in a tidal bottom layer, south San Francisco Bay, California Flow and suspended particulate transport in a tidal bottom layer, south San Francisco Bay, California

Field investigations of the hydrodynamics and the resuspension and transport of particulate matter in a bottom boundary layer were carried out in South San Francisco Bay, California during March-April 1995. The GEOPROBE, an instrumented bottom tripod, and broad-band acousti Doppler current profilers were used in this investigation. The instrument assemblage provided detailed measurements...
Authors
R. T. Cheng, J. W. Gartner, D.A. Cacchione, G. B. Tate

Results from the hydrodynamic element of the 1994 entrapment zone study in Suisun Bay Results from the hydrodynamic element of the 1994 entrapment zone study in Suisun Bay

The entrapment zo as long been considered an important region of the San Francisco estuary. It has been the subject of several previous studies, and its location has been suggested as an index of condition of the estuarine ecosystem.A close correlate of this location, X2 1, is now used as a management objective on the basis that X2 is correlated with the abundance or survival of several...
Authors
J.R. Burau, J. W. Gartner, M. Stacey

Flow of river water into a karstic limestone aquifer: 2. Dating the young fraction in groundwater mixtures in the Upper Floridan aquifer near Valdosta, Georgia Flow of river water into a karstic limestone aquifer: 2. Dating the young fraction in groundwater mixtures in the Upper Floridan aquifer near Valdosta, Georgia

Tritium/helium-3 (3H/3He) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs, CFC–11, CFC–12, CFC–113) data are used to date the young fraction in groundwater mixtures from a karstic limestone aquifer near Valdosta, Georgia, where regional paleowater in the Upper Floridan aquifer receives recharge from two young sources—the flow of Withlacoochee River water through sinkholes in the river bed, and leakage of
Authors
Niel Plummer, E. Busenberg, S. Drenkard, P. Schlosser, B. Ekwurzel, R. Weppernig, J. B. McConnell, R. L. Michel

Ground water age and nitrate distribution within a glacial aquifer beneath a thick unsaturated zone Ground water age and nitrate distribution within a glacial aquifer beneath a thick unsaturated zone

The impact on ground water quality from increasing fertilizer application rates over the past 40 years is evaluated within a glacial aquifer system beneath a thick unsaturated zone. Ground water ages within the aquifer could not be accurately determined from the measured distribution of 3H and as a result, chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and 3H/3He dating techniques were applied. Beneath a 25 m...
Authors
C.T. Johnston, P.G. Cook, S.K. Frape, Niel Plummer, Eurybiades Busenberg, R.J. Blackport

Trophic transfer of methyl mercury in the northern Florida Everglades Trophic transfer of methyl mercury in the northern Florida Everglades

There are spatial differences in methyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations in biota in Water Conservation Areas 2 and 3 in the Everglades, with higher concentrations generally found in the southern areas. Fish and hemipterans had the most MeHg on a wet weight basis, with levels exceeding 30 ng g-1. The magnitude of MeHg accumulation in biota varies seasonally and does not always appear to be...
Authors
L.B. Cleckner, P.J. Garrison, J.P. Hurley, M.L. Olson, D. P. Krabbenhoft

Solution of the advection-dispersion equation in two dimensions by a finite-volume Eulerian-Lagrangian localized adjoint method Solution of the advection-dispersion equation in two dimensions by a finite-volume Eulerian-Lagrangian localized adjoint method

We extend the finite-volume Eulerian-Lagrangian localized adjoint method (FVELLAM) for solution of the advection-dispersion equation to two dimensions. The method can conserve mass globally and is not limited by restrictions on the size of the grid Peclet or Courant number. Therefore, it is well suited for solution of advection-dominated ground-water solute transport problems. In test...
Authors
Richard W. Healy, T.F. Russell

Partition characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on soils and sediments Partition characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on soils and sediments

The partition behavior was determined for three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), i.e., naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene, from water to a range of soil and sediment samples. The measured partition coefficients of the individual PAHs between soil/sediment organic matter (SOM) and water (i.e., K(oc) values) are relatively invariant either for the 'clean' (uncontaminated) soils...
Authors
C. T. Chiou, S.E. Mcgroddy, D. E. Kile

Bacterial oxidation of dibromomethane and methyl bromide in natural waters and enrichment cultures Bacterial oxidation of dibromomethane and methyl bromide in natural waters and enrichment cultures

Bacterial oxidation of14CH2Br2 and14CH3Br was measured in freshwater, estuarine, seawater, and hypersaline-alkaline samples. In general, bacteria from the various sites oxidized similar amounts of14CH2Br2 and comparatively less 14CH3Br. Bacterial oxidation of14CH3Br was rapid in freshwater samples compared to bacterial oxidation of 14CH3Br in more saline waters. Freshwater was also the...
Authors
K.D. Goodwin, J.K. Schaefer, R.S. Oremland

Preferential flow and transport of nitrate and bromide in claypan soil Preferential flow and transport of nitrate and bromide in claypan soil

The in situ measurement of water flow and chemical transport through clay pan soils is crucial to understanding potential water contamination from agricultural sources. It is important due to the large areal extent of these soils in agricultural regions of the midwestern United States and because of preferential flow paths caused by desiccation cracks, worms burrowing, and root...
Authors
B. P. Kelly, M.L. Pomes

Using stable isotopes of water and strontium to investigate the hydrology of a natural and a constructed wetland Using stable isotopes of water and strontium to investigate the hydrology of a natural and a constructed wetland

Wetlands cannot exist without water, but wetland hydrology is difficult to characterize. As a result, compensatory wetland mitigation often only assumes the proper hydrology has been created. In this study, water sources and mass transfer processes in a natural and constructed wetland complex were investigated using isotopes of water and strontium. Water isotope profiles in the saturated...
Authors
R. J. Hunt, T.D. Bullen, D. P. Krabbenhoft, C. Kendall

Theoretical Evaluation of the Transient Response of Constant Head and Constant Flow-Rate Permeability Tests Theoretical Evaluation of the Transient Response of Constant Head and Constant Flow-Rate Permeability Tests

A theoretical analysis is presented that compares the response characteristics of the constant head and the constant flowrate (flow pump) laboratory techniques for quantifying the hydraulic properties of geologic materials having permeabilities less than 10-10 m/s. Rigorous analytical solutions that describe the transient distributions of hydraulic gradient within a specimen are...
Authors
M. Zhang, M. Takahashi, R. H. Morin, T. Esaki

Type curves to determine the relative importance of advection and dispersion for solute and vapor transport Type curves to determine the relative importance of advection and dispersion for solute and vapor transport

The relative importance of advection and dispersion for both solute and vapor transport can be determined from type curves or concentration, flux, or cumulative flux. The dimensionless form of the type curves provides a means to directly evaluate the importance of mass transport by advection relative to that of mass transport by diffusion and dispersion. Type curves based on an...
Authors
J.A. Garges, A. L. Baehr
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