Publications
Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
The GeoHEALTH–USGS Newsletter—published since 2004—provides information on USGS science activities pertinent to safeguarding the health of fish, wildlife, domesticated animals, and people from environmental exposures to contaminants and pathogens.
Featured Science Activities
Featured Science Activities
Lean about our Featured Science Activities through our pages that highlight science studies, publications, and results.
Filter Total Items: 3785
Projected evolution of California's San Francisco bay-delta-river system in a century of climate change Projected evolution of California's San Francisco bay-delta-river system in a century of climate change
Background: Accumulating evidence shows that the planet is warming as a response to human emissions of greenhouse gases. Strategies of adaptation to climate change will require quantitative projections of how altered regional patterns of temperature, precipitation and sea level could cascade to provoke local impacts such as modified water supplies, increasing risks of coastal flooding...
Authors
James E. Cloern, Noah Knowles, Larry R. Brown, Daniel R. Cayan, Michael D. Dettinger, Tara L. Morgan, David H. Schoellhamer, Mark T. Stacey, Mick Van der Wegen, R.W. Wagner, Alan D. Jassby
Environmental settings of streams sampled for mercury in New York and South Carolina, 2005-09 Environmental settings of streams sampled for mercury in New York and South Carolina, 2005-09
This report summarizes the environmental settings of streams in New York and South Carolina, where the U.S. Geological Survey completed detailed investigations during 2005-09 into factors contributing to mercury bioaccumulation in top-predator fish and other stream organisms. Descriptions of location, land use/land cover, climate, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, hydrology, water...
Authors
Barbara C. Scudder Eikenberry, Karen Riva-Murray, Martyn J. Smith, Paul M. Bradley, Daniel T. Button, Jimmy M. Clark, Douglas A. Burns, Celeste A. Journey
Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate
We measured mercury (Hg) concentrations and calculated export and yield from the Yukon River Basin (YRB) to quantify Hg flux from a large, permafrost-dominated, high-latitude watershed. Exports of Hg averaged 4400 kg Hg yr–1. The average annual yield for the YRB during the study period was 5.17 μg m–2 yr–1, which is 3–32 times more than Hg yields reported for 8 other major northern...
Authors
P. F. Schuster, Robert G. Striegl, G. R. Aiken, David P. Krabbenhoft, J. F. Dewild, K. Butler, B. Kamark, M. Dornblaser
Using Lagrangian sampling to study water quality during downstream transport in the San Luis Drain, California, USA Using Lagrangian sampling to study water quality during downstream transport in the San Luis Drain, California, USA
To investigate the mechanism for diel (24h) changes commonly observed at fixed sampling locations and how these diel changes relate to downstream transport in hypereutrophic surface waters, we studied a parcel of agricultural drainage water as it traveled for 84h in a concrete-lined channel having no additional water inputs or outputs. Algal fluorescence, dissolved oxygen, temperature...
Authors
E.C. Volkmar, R.A. Dahlgren, W.T. Stringfellow, S.S. Henson, S.E. Borglin, C. Kendall, E. E. Van Nieuwenhuyse
Preface: Insights from environmental tracers in groundwater systems Preface: Insights from environmental tracers in groundwater systems
No abstract available.
Authors
Ward E. Sanford, Werner Aeschbach-Hertig, Andrew L. Herczeg
Interacting vegetative and thermal contributions to water movement in desert soil Interacting vegetative and thermal contributions to water movement in desert soil
Thermally driven water-vapor flow can be an important component of total water movement in bare soil and in deep unsaturated zones, but this process is often neglected when considering the effects of soil–plant–atmosphere interactions on shallow water movement. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the coupled and separate effects of vegetative and thermal-gradient contributions...
Authors
C.A. Garcia, Brian J. Andraski, David A. Stonestrom, C.A. Cooper, J. Simunek, S.W. Wheatcraft
Modules based on the geochemical model PHREEQC for use in scripting and programming languages Modules based on the geochemical model PHREEQC for use in scripting and programming languages
The geochemical model PHREEQC is capable of simulating a wide range of equilibrium reactions between water and minerals, ion exchangers, surface complexes, solid solutions, and gases. It also has a general kinetic formulation that allows modeling of nonequilibrium mineral dissolution and precipitation, microbial reactions, decomposition of organic compounds, and other kinetic reactions...
Authors
Scott R. Charlton, David L. Parkhurst
Selective uptake and biological consequences of environmentally relevant antidepressant pharmaceutical exposures on male fathead minnows Selective uptake and biological consequences of environmentally relevant antidepressant pharmaceutical exposures on male fathead minnows
Antidepressant pharmaceuticals have been reported in wastewater effluent at the nanogram to low microgram-per-liter range, and include bupropion (BUP), fluoxetine (FLX), sertraline (SER), and venlafaxine (VEN). To assess the effects of antidepressants on reproductive anatomy, physiology, and behavior, adult male fathead minnows (Pimeplwles promelas) were exposed for 21 days either to a...
Authors
Melissa M. Schultz, Meghan M. Painter, Stephen E. Bartell, Amanda Logue, Edward T. Furlong, Stephen L. Werner, Heiko L. Schoenfuss
Contamination of nonylphenolic compounds in creek water, wastewater treatment plant effluents, and sediments from Lake Shihwa and vicinity, Korea: Comparison with fecal pollution Contamination of nonylphenolic compounds in creek water, wastewater treatment plant effluents, and sediments from Lake Shihwa and vicinity, Korea: Comparison with fecal pollution
Nonylphenolic compounds (NPs), coprostanol (COP), and cholestanol, major contaminants in industrial and domestic wastewaters, were analyzed in creek water, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, and sediment samples from artificial Lake Shihwa and its vicinity, one of the most industrialized regions in Korea. We also determined mass discharge of NPs and COP, a fecal sterol, into the...
Authors
Minkyu Choi, Edward T. Furlong, Hyo-Bang Moon, Jun Yu, Hee-Gu Choi
Towards identifying the next generation of superfund and hazardous waste site contaminants Towards identifying the next generation of superfund and hazardous waste site contaminants
Background This commentary evolved from a workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences titled "Superfund Contaminants: The Next Generation" held in Tucson, Arizona, in August 2009. All the authors were workshop participants. Objectives Our aim was to initiate a dynamic, adaptable process for identifying contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that are...
Authors
Wendell P. Ela, David L. Sedlak, Morton A. Barlaz, Heather F. Henry, Derek C.G. Muir, Deborah L. Swackhamer, Eric J. Weber, Robert G. Arnold, P. Lee Ferguson, Jennifer A. Field, Edward T. Furlong, John P. Giesy, Rolf U. Halden, Tala Henry, Ronald A. Hites, Keri C. Hornbuckle, Philip H. Howard, Richard G. Luthy, Anita K. Meyer, A. Eduardo Saez, Frederick S. vom Saal, Chris D. Vulpe, Mark R. Wiesner
Role of biofilms in sorptive removal of steroidal hormones and 4-nonylphenol compounds from streams Role of biofilms in sorptive removal of steroidal hormones and 4-nonylphenol compounds from streams
Stream biofilms play an important role in geochemical processing of organic matter and nutrients, however, the significance of this matrix in sorbing trace organic contaminants is less understood. This study focused on the role of stream biofilms in sorbing steroidal hormones and 4-nonylphenol compounds from surface waters using biofilms colonized in situ on artificial substrata and...
Authors
Jeffrey H. Writer, Joseph N. Ryan, Larry B. Barber
Characterization of the intragranular water regime within subsurface sediments: pore volume, surface area, and mass transfer limitations Characterization of the intragranular water regime within subsurface sediments: pore volume, surface area, and mass transfer limitations
Although "intragranular" pore space within grain aggregates, grain fractures, and mineral surface coatings may contain a relatively small fraction of the total porosity within a porous medium, it often contains a significant fraction of the reactive surface area, and can thus strongly affect the transport of sorbing solutes. In this work, we demonstrate a batch experiment procedure using...
Authors
Michael B. Hay, Deborah L. Stoliker, James A. Davis, John M. Zachara