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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

Diurnal trends in methylmercury concentration in a wetland adjacent to Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA Diurnal trends in methylmercury concentration in a wetland adjacent to Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

A 24-h field experiment was conducted during July 2008 at a wetland on the eastern shore of Great Salt Lake (GSL) to assess the diurnal cycling of methylmercury (MeHg). Dissolved (
Authors
D. L. Naftz, J.R. Cederberg, D. P. Krabbenhoft, K. R. Beisner, J. Whitehead, J. Gardberg

Methane oxidation in a crude oil contaminated aquifer: Delineation of aerobic reactions at the plume fringes Methane oxidation in a crude oil contaminated aquifer: Delineation of aerobic reactions at the plume fringes

High resolution direct-push profiling over short vertical distances was used to investigate CH4 attenuation in a petroleum contaminated aquifer near Bemidji, Minnesota. The contaminant plume was delineated using dissolved gases, redox sensitive components, major ions, carbon isotope ratios in CH4 and CO2, and the presence of methanotrophic bacteria. Sharp redox gradients were observed...
Authors
R.T. Amos, Barbara A. Bekins, Geoffrey N. Delin, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, D.W. Blowes, J. D. Kirshtein

Effects of human-induced alteration of groundwater flow on concentrations of naturally-occurring trace elements at water-supply wells Effects of human-induced alteration of groundwater flow on concentrations of naturally-occurring trace elements at water-supply wells

The effects of human-induced alteration of groundwater flow patterns on concentrations of naturally-occurring trace elements were examined in five hydrologically distinct aquifer systems in the USA. Although naturally occurring, these trace elements can exceed concentrations that are considered harmful to human health. The results show that pumping-induced hydraulic gradient changes and...
Authors
J. D. Ayotte, Z. Szabo, M. J. Focazio, S. M. Eberts

Atomic weights of the elements 2009 (IUPAC technical report) Atomic weights of the elements 2009 (IUPAC technical report)

The biennial review of atomic-weight determinations and other cognate data has resulted in changes for the standard atomic weights of 11 elements. Many atomic weights are not constants of nature, but depend upon the physical, chemical, and nuclear history of the material. The standard atomic weights of 10 elements having two or more stable isotopes have been changed to reflect this...
Authors
M.E. Wieser, Tyler B. Coplen

Inversion of multi-frequency electromagnetic induction data for 3D characterization of hydraulic conductivity Inversion of multi-frequency electromagnetic induction data for 3D characterization of hydraulic conductivity

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) instruments provide rapid, noninvasive, and spatially dense data for characterization of soil and groundwater properties. Data from multi-frequency EMI tools can be inverted to provide quantitative electrical conductivity estimates as a function of depth. In this study, multi-frequency EMI data collected across an abandoned uranium mill site near Naturita...
Authors
Troy R. Brosten, Frederick D. Day-Lewis, Gregory M. Schultz, Gary P. Curtis, John W. Lane

Fluorescent microspheres as surrogates in evaluating the efficacy of riverbank filtration for removing Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and other pathogens Fluorescent microspheres as surrogates in evaluating the efficacy of riverbank filtration for removing Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and other pathogens

A major benefit of riverbank filtration (RBF) is that it provides a relatively effective means for pathogen removal. There is a need to conduct more injection-and-recovery transport studies at operating RBF sites in order to properly assess the combined effects of the site heterogeneities and ambient physicochemical conditions, which are difficult to replicate in the lab. For field...
Authors
Ronald W. Harvey, David W. Metge, Rodney A. Sheets, Jay Jasperse

A computer program for flow-log analysis of single holes (FLASH) A computer program for flow-log analysis of single holes (FLASH)

A new computer program, FLASH (Flow-Log Analysis of Single Holes), is presented for the analysis of borehole vertical flow logs. The code is based on an analytical solution for steady-state multilayer radial flow to a borehole. The code includes options for (1) discrete fractures and (2) multilayer aquifers. Given vertical flow profiles collected under both ambient and stressed (pumping...
Authors
F. D. Day-Lewis, C. D. Johnson, Frederick L. Paillet, K. J. Halford

Removal of inorganic mercury and methylmercury from surface waters following coagulation of dissolved organic matter with metal-based salts Removal of inorganic mercury and methylmercury from surface waters following coagulation of dissolved organic matter with metal-based salts

The presence of inorganic mercury (IHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in surface waters is a health concern worldwide. This study assessed the removal potential use of metal-based coagulants as a means to remove both dissolved IHg and MeHg from natural waters and provides information regarding the importance of Hg associations with the dissolved organic matter (DOM) fraction and metal...
Authors
Y.K. Henneberry, T.E.C. Kraus, J.A. Fleck, David P. Krabbenhoft, P.M. Bachand, W.R. Horwath

Influence of dissolved organic matter on the environmental fate of metals, nanoparticles, and colloids Influence of dissolved organic matter on the environmental fate of metals, nanoparticles, and colloids

We have known for decades that dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a critical role in the biogeochemical cycling of trace metals and the mobility of colloidal particles in aquatic environments. In recent years, concerns about the ecological and human health effects of metal-based engineered nanoparticles released into natural waters have increased efforts to better define the nature of...
Authors
George R. Aiken, Heileen Hsu-Kim, Joseph N. Ryan

What makes a natural clay antibacterial? What makes a natural clay antibacterial?

Natural clays have been used in ancient and modern medicine, but the mechanism(s) that make certain clays lethal against bacterial pathogens has not been identified. We have compared the depositional environments, mineralogies, and chemistries of clays that exhibit antibacterial effects on a broad spectrum of human pathogens including antibiotic resistant strains. Natural antibacterial...
Authors
Lynda B. Williams, David W. Metge, Dennis D. Eberl, Ronald W. Harvey, Amanda G. Turner, Panjai Prapaipong, Amisha T. Port-Peterson

Guidelines and recommended terms for expression of stable-isotope-ratio and gas-ratio measurement results Guidelines and recommended terms for expression of stable-isotope-ratio and gas-ratio measurement results

To minimize confusion in the expression of measurement results of stable isotope and gas-ratio measurements, recommendations based on publications of the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) are presented. Whenever feasible, entries are consistent with the Système International d'Unités, the SI (known in...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen

The secret to successful solute-transport modeling The secret to successful solute-transport modeling

Modeling subsurface solute transport is difficult—more so than modeling heads and flows. The classical governing equation does not always adequately represent what we see at the field scale. In such cases, commonly used numerical models are solving the wrong equation. Also, the transport equation is hyperbolic where advection is dominant, and parabolic where hydrodynamic dispersion is...
Authors
Leonard F. Konikow
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