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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

Microbial arsenic metabolism: New twists on an old poison Microbial arsenic metabolism: New twists on an old poison

Phylogenetically diverse microorganisms metabolize arsenic despite its toxicity and are part of its robust iogeochemical cycle. Respiratory arsenate reductase is a reversible enzyme, functioning in some microbes as an arsenate reductase but in others as an arsenite oxidase. As(III) can serve as an electron donor for anoxygenic photolithoautotrophy and chemolithoautotrophy...
Authors
J.F. Stolz, P. Basu, Ronald S. Oremland

Mineralogical and chemical characteristics of some natural jarosites Mineralogical and chemical characteristics of some natural jarosites

This paper presents a detailed study of the mineralogical, microscopic, thermal, and spectral characteristics of jarosite and natrojarosite minerals. Systematic mineralogic and chemical examination of a suite of 32 natural stoichiometric jarosite and natrojarosite samples from diverse supergene and hydrothermal environments indicates that there is only limited solid solution between Na...
Authors
George A. Desborough, Kathleen S. Smith, Heather A. Lowers, Gregg A. Swayze, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Sharon F. Diehl, Reinhard W. Leinz, Rhonda L. Driscoll

Influence of organic matter on the transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in a ferric oxyhydroxide-coated quartz sand saturated porous medium Influence of organic matter on the transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in a ferric oxyhydroxide-coated quartz sand saturated porous medium

To assess the effect of organic matter on the transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in a geochemically heterogeneous saturated porous medium, we measured the breakthrough and collision efficiencies of oocysts as a function of dissolved organic matter concentration in a flow-through column containing ferric oxyhydroxide-coated sand. We characterized the surface properties of the...
Authors
R.A. Abudalo, J. N. Ryan, Ronald W. Harvey, David W. Metge, Lee L. Landkamer

Patterns of mercury dispersion from local and regional emission sources, rural Central Wisconsin, USA Patterns of mercury dispersion from local and regional emission sources, rural Central Wisconsin, USA

Simultaneous real-time changes in mercury (Hg) speciation-reactive gaseous Hg (RGM), elemental Hg (Hg??), and fine particulate Hg (Hg-PM2.5), were determined from June to November 2007, in ambient air at three locations in rural Central Wisconsin. Known Hg emission sources within the airshed of the monitoring sites include: 1) a 1114 megawatt (MW) coal-fired electric utility generating...
Authors
A. Kolker, M.L. Olson, David P. Krabbenhoft, Michael T. Tate, Mark A. Engle

Occurrence of organic wastewater and other contaminants in cave streams in northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas Occurrence of organic wastewater and other contaminants in cave streams in northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas

The prevalence of organic wastewater compounds in surface waters of the United States has been reported in a number of recent studies. In karstic areas, surface contaminants might be transported to groundwater and, ultimately, cave ecosystems, where they might impact resident biota. In this study, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCISs) and semipermeable membrane devices...
Authors
Joseph R. Bidwell, Carol Becker, S. Hensley, R. Stark, Michael T. Meyer

MTBE, TBA, and TAME attenuation in diverse hyporheic zones MTBE, TBA, and TAME attenuation in diverse hyporheic zones

Groundwater contamination by fuel-related compounds such as the fuel oxygenates methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) presents a significant issue to managers and consumers of groundwater and surface water that receives groundwater discharge. Four sites were investigated on Long Island, New York, characterized by groundwater...
Authors
James Landmeyer, Paul M. Bradley, D.A. Trego, K.G. Hale, J.E. Haas

Origin and extent of fresh paleowaters on the Atlantic continental shelf, USA Origin and extent of fresh paleowaters on the Atlantic continental shelf, USA

While the existence of relatively fresh groundwater sequestered within permeable, porous sediments beneath the Atlantic continental shelf of North and South America has been known for some time, these waters have never been assessed as a potential resource. This fresh water was likely emplaced during Pleistocene sea-level low stands when the shelf was exposed to meteoric recharge and by...
Authors
D. Cohen, M. Person, P. Wang, C.W. Gable, D. Hutchinson, A. Marksamer, Brandon Dugan, H. Kooi, K. Groen, D. Lizarralde, R.L. Evans, Frederick D. Day-Lewis, John W. Lane

Groundwater hydrology--coastal flow Groundwater hydrology--coastal flow

How groundwater flow varies when long-term external conditions change is little documented. Geochemical evidence shows that sea-level rise at the end of the last glacial period led to a shift in the flow patterns of coastal groundwater beneath Florida.
Authors
Ward E. Sanford

Fate of trace organic compounds during vadose zone soil treatment in an onsite wastewater system Fate of trace organic compounds during vadose zone soil treatment in an onsite wastewater system

During onsite wastewater treatment, trace organic compounds are often present in the effluents applied to subsurface soils for advanced treatment during vadose zone percolation and groundwater recharge. The fate of the endocrine-disrupting surfactant metabolites 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxylate (NP1EO), and 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxycarboxylate (NP1EC), metal-chelating agents
Authors
K.E. Conn, R.L. Siegrist, Larry B. Barber, Michael T. Meyer

Influence of hummocks and emergent vegetation on hydraulic performance in a surface flow wastewater treatment wetland Influence of hummocks and emergent vegetation on hydraulic performance in a surface flow wastewater treatment wetland

A series of tracer experiments were conducted biannually at the start and end of the vegetation growing season in a surface flow wastewater treatment wetland located near Phoenix, AZ. Tracer experiments were conducted prior to and following reconfiguration and replanting of a 1.2 ha treatment wetland from its original design of alternating shallow and deep zones to incorporate hummocks...
Authors
Steffanie H. Keefe, Joan S. Daniels, Robert L. Runkel, Roland D. Wass, Eric A. Stiles, Larry B. Barber

Antidepressant pharmaceuticals in two U.S. effluent-impacted streams: Occurrence and fate in water and sediment and selective uptake in fish neural tissue Antidepressant pharmaceuticals in two U.S. effluent-impacted streams: Occurrence and fate in water and sediment and selective uptake in fish neural tissue

Antidepressant pharmaceuticals are widely prescribed in the United States; release of municipal wastewater effluent is a primary route introducing them to aquatic environments, where little is known about their distribution and fate. Water, bed sediment, and brain tissue from native white suckers (Catostomus commersoni)were collected upstream and atpoints progressively downstream from...
Authors
M.M. Schultz, Edward T. Furlong, Dana W. Kolpin, Stephen L. Werner, H.L. Schoenfuss, Larry B. Barber, Vicki S. Blazer, D.O. Norris, A.M. Vajda

Phytoestrogens and mycotoxins in Iowa streams: An examination of underinvestigated compounds in agricultural basins Phytoestrogens and mycotoxins in Iowa streams: An examination of underinvestigated compounds in agricultural basins

This study provides the first broad-scale investigation on the spatial and temporal occurrence of phytoestrogens and mycotoxins in streams in the United States. Fifteen stream sites across Iowa were sampled five times throughout the 2008 growing season to capture a range of climatic and crop-growth conditions. Basin size upstream from sampling sites ranged from 7 km2 to >836,000 km2...
Authors
Dana W. Kolpin, Corinne C. Hoerger, Michael T. Meyer, Felix E. Wettstein, Laura E. Hubbard, Thomas D. Bucheli
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