Dana W Kolpin
Dana Kolpin is a Research Hydrologist, with the Central Midwest Water Science Center in Iowa City, Iowa. Dana started his career with the USGS in 1984. His research interests include the fate, transport, and effects of environmental contaminants (e.g. pesticides, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, hormones, etc.) in the environment.
Dana was the project lead of the USGS Toxic Program’s CECs in the Environment Project for its entire history (1998 – 2017). He is now project lead of the USGS Toxic Program’s newly formed Food Project (i.e. understanding the potential for health risks from contaminant exposures associated with production, manufacturing, use, and consumption of food, beverage, and feedstock products). He has published over 200 papers and reports on environmental contaminants. His paper "Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000: A national reconnaissance" was a seminal paper on the occurrence of CECs in water resources, and was the first national-scale study of such compounds conducted in the United States. This paper has become the most heavily cited paper in Environmental Science & Technology history. He has published a diverse array of papers on the topic of environmental contaminants including research on CECs in landfills, changes in stream water chemistry and hydrology related to the closure of a wastewater treatment plant, detection of swine hepatitis E virus in streams, the transport of neonicotinoid insecticides in streams, the uptake of CECs into earthworms and into fish neural tissue, the occurrence of natural toxins (i.e. phytoestrogens and mycotoxins) in streams, and the first ever documentation of the off-field transport on nitrapyrin and herbicide safeners to streams. His most recent research interests include linking tap water quality to human health end points, investigating PFAS exposures in rural settings, determining the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment, and understanding chemical and microbial contaminants being discharged into the environment by food and feedstock processing plants.
Education and Certifications
M.S., Geology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
B.S., Geology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Science and Products
Application of a geographic information system in analyzing the occurrence of atrazine in groundwater of the mid-continental United States
Regional assessment of factors related to herbicides and nitrate in near-surface aquifers of the midcontinent
Atrazine degradation in a small stream in Iowa
Hydrogeologic, water-quality, and land-use data for the reconnaissance of herbicides and nitrate in near-surface aquifers of the Midcontinental United States, 1991
Time of travel and dispersion in a selected reach of Roberts Creek, Clayton County, Iowa
Hydrologic data for the Big Spring basin, Clayton County, Iowa, water year 1990
A reconnaissance study of herbicides and their metabolites in surface water of the midwestern united states using immunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Geographic and seasonal distribution of herbicides in streams of the midwestern United States
Work plan for regional reconnaissance for selected herbicides and nitrate in ground water of the mid-continent United States, 1991
Herbicides in streams. Midwestern United States
Herbicides in surface waters of the midwestern United States: The effect of spring flush
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Application of a geographic information system in analyzing the occurrence of atrazine in groundwater of the mid-continental United States
The US Geological Survey, US Department of Agriculture, and US Environmental Protection Agency are conducting research and regional assessments in support of policy alternatives intended to protect water resources from agricultural chemical contamination. The mid-continent was selected because of the intense row crop agriculture and associated herbicide application in this region. An application oAuthorsM. R. Burkart, D.W. KolpinRegional assessment of factors related to herbicides and nitrate in near-surface aquifers of the midcontinent
No abstract available.AuthorsM. R. Burkart, D.W. KolpinAtrazine degradation in a small stream in Iowa
A study was conducted during 1990 through an 11.2-km reach of Roberts Creek in northeastern Iowa to determine the fate of atrazine in a surface water environment Water samples were collected at ~1-month intervals from April through November during stable low to medium flow conditions and analyzed for atrazine and two of its initial biotic degradation products, desethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazAuthorsD.W. Kolpin, S. J. KalkhoffHydrogeologic, water-quality, and land-use data for the reconnaissance of herbicides and nitrate in near-surface aquifers of the Midcontinental United States, 1991
Water samples were collected during the spring and summer of 1991 from 303 wells penetrating near-surface unconsolidated and bedrock aquifers of the midcontinental United States. Samples were analyzed for 11 herbicides, 2 dealkylated atrazine metabolites, and 4 nutrients. Specific conductance, pH, and dissolved-oxygen concentrations of the ground water were measured onsite. Ancillary data on wellAuthorsD.W. Kolpin, M. R. Burkart, E. M. ThurmanTime of travel and dispersion in a selected reach of Roberts Creek, Clayton County, Iowa
Time of travel and dispersion were determined in a 9.4-river-mile reach of Roberts Creek in northwestern Clayton County, Iowa, in the spring of 1990. Time of travel was determined so that a discrete parcel of water could be sampled through the study area during medium to low streamflow conditions. Dispersion characteristics were determined to identify solute-transport differences under two streamfAuthorsD.W. Kolpin, S. J. KalkhoffHydrologic data for the Big Spring basin, Clayton County, Iowa, water year 1990
Hydrologic data were collected in the Big Spring basin located in Clayton County, Iowa, during the 1990 water year. The data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Geological Survey Bureau, to provide information on variation and movement of agricultural chemicals in the hydrologic cycle in the basin. Precipitation, surface-water,AuthorsStephen J. Kalkhoff, R.L. Kuzniar, D. Kolpin, C.A. HarveyA reconnaissance study of herbicides and their metabolites in surface water of the midwestern united states using immunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Preemergent herbicides and their metabolites, particularly atrazine, deethylatrazine, and metolachlor, persisted from 1989 to 1990 in the majority of rivers and streams in the midwestern United States. In spring, after the application of herbicides, the concentrations of atrazine, alachlor, and simazine were frequently 3-10 times greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contamAuthorsE. Michael Thurman, D. A. Goolsby, M. T. Meyer, M. S. Mills, M.L. Pomes, Dana W. KolpinGeographic and seasonal distribution of herbicides in streams of the midwestern United States
No abstract available.AuthorsD. A. Goolsby, E. M. Thurman, D.W. KolpinWork plan for regional reconnaissance for selected herbicides and nitrate in ground water of the mid-continent United States, 1991
An approach was developed to obtain a consistent, regional distribution of herbicide and nitrate data from near-surface aquifers in the corn and soybean producing region of the mid-continent. Near-surface aquifers are defined as those with the top of aquifer material within 50 feet of land surface, regardless of whether the material is saturated or unsaturated. Three hundred wells will be selectedAuthorsD.W. Kolpin, M. R. BurkartHerbicides in streams. Midwestern United States
Results from a 2-year study of 149 streams geographically distributed across the corn-producing region of 10 midwestern States show that detectable concentrations of herbicides persist year round in most streams. Some herbicides exceeded proposed maximum contaminant levels for drinking water for periods of several weeks to several months following application. Atrazine was the most frequently deteAuthorsDonald A. Goolsby, E. Michael Thurman, Dana W. KolpinHerbicides in surface waters of the midwestern United States: The effect of spring flush
Approximately three-fourths of all preemergent herbicides used in the United States are applied to row crops over a 12-state area, called the "corn belt" (I). The application of these compounds may cause widespread degradation of water quality (2). Because herbicides are water soluble, there is the potential for leaching into groundwater and surface water (3, 4), as well as aerial transport and OcAuthorsE. M. Thurman, D. A. Goolsby, M. T. Meyer, D.W. Kolpin - News