David Alvarez, Ph.D.
Biography
Dave is a supervisory research chemist. His focus is on the development of innovative methodologies for passive sampler design and complex mixture analysis of various environmental matrices. Research is conducted on emerging and historic contaminants; assessment of the exposure of aquatic and terrestrial organisms and humans to anthropogenic chemicals; and identification of chemicals and their potential sources. The link between chemical occurrence and biological effects are investigated using passive samplers as surrogate biological organisms and screening sampler extracts with in vitro and in vivo tests for estrogenicity, acute toxicity, reproductive and developmental abnormalities. The research is designed to expand the understanding of the roles of physicochemical parameters and environmental factors on the uptake mechanisms of passive samplers. Through our experience and expertise, this research group is recognized as an international leader in the field of passive sampling technologies.
Education
Ph.D. Environmental/Analytical Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999
B.S. Chemistry, Missouri Western State College, 1995
Affiliations
2005-present Member, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
1993-present Member, American Chemical Society Environmental Division
1992-present Member, American Chemical Society
Science and Products
Track down survey of PCBs in three tributaries to the Niagara River Area of Concern (AOC)
Background Industrial discharges of toxic and bio-accumulating compounds to the Niagara River and its tributaries have occurred over many decades. High concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found in samples of fish tissue from many locations, including three tributaries to the Niagara River: Tonawanda Creek, Two mile Creek, and Rattlesnake Creek (study reaches listed in...
Facilities and Equipment
Laboratories
The Environmental Chemistry Branch has a modern laboratory facility with dedicated spaces for sample preparation, inorganic and organic analyses. Steps to minimize background contamination and to protect sample integrity have been incorporated into the laboratory design.
Passive Sampling Using SPMDs and POCIS
The application of passive sampling technologies for the monitoring of legacy and emerging organic chemicals in the environment is becoming widely accepted worldwide.
Passive and Field Sampling
CERC scientists in the Environmental Chemistry Branch are pioneers in the development of passive sampling techniques. Samplers available include: SPMDs (hydrophobic organics in water and air), POCIS (hydrophilic organics in water), stabilized liquid membrane devices (SLMDs), peepers, and diffusion gradients in thin films (DGT). We also have experience modifying existing technologies for...
Environmental Chemistry Branch Structure
The Environmental Chemistry Branch is made up of four research sections working collectively towards the common goal of providing information on the role of chemicals in the environment.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
The Environmental Chemistry Branch uses a robust set of Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) approaches to ensure that data are of known and documented quality. Standard criteria can be adjusted to meet individual project requirements and quality assurance project plans (QAPPs).
Analytical Capabilities
The Environmental Chemistry Branch has a modern laboratory facility with dedicated spaces for sample preparation, inorganic and organic analyses.
Project Involvement
The Environmental Chemistry Branch has the expertise to contribute to all levels of the project from study design to reporting. As a research lab, we maintain the flexibility needed to adapt to the changing needs of a study, while providing sufficient Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) to insure confidence in the results.
Passive Sampling Research — Columbia, Missouri
About the Laboratory
The scientists at the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory at the Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC), Missouri, are pioneers in the development and application of passive sampling techniques for environmental monitoring. The goal of passive sampling is to provide a link between chemical occurrence and biological exposure.
Environmental Chemistry Laboratory — Columbia, Missouri
About the Laboratory
The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory at the Columbia Environmental Research Center, Missouri, develops and applies innovative methods of sampling and analysis to answer critical questions about the occurrence, distribution, fate and transport, and biological exposure of chemical in all environmental matrices (water, air, tissues, sediments, and...
Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in southern Lake Powell, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona and Utah, 2016–17
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination related to boat use is one of the most important water-quality issues affecting Lake Powell. High concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water are common around marinas and other areas with extensive motorboat activity because of releases of uncombusted or partially combusted oil and...
Coes, Alissa L.; Paretti, Nicholas V.; Alvarez, David A.; Macy, Jamie P.
Chronic toxicity of 4-nonylphenol to two unionid mussels in water-only exposures
Limited studies indicate that mussels are generally insensitive to organic chemicals; however, these studies were conducted in acute or short-term exposures, and little is known about the chronic sensitivity of mussels to organic chemicals. We evaluated the chronic (28 days) toxicity of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) to two commonly tested species of...
Ivey, Chris D.; Wang, Ning; Alvarez, David; Hammer, Edward J.; Bauer, Candice R. Temporal evaluation of estrogenic endocrine disruption markers in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) reveals seasonal variability in intersex
A reconnaissance project completed in 2009 identified intersex and elevated plasma vitellogenin in male smallmouth bass inhabiting the Missisquoi River, VT. In an attempt to identify the presence and seasonality of putative endocrine disrupting chemicals or other factors associated with these observations, a comprehensive reevaluation was...
Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Pinkney, A.E.; Guy, C.P.; Major, A.M.; Munney, K.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Alvarez, David; Walsh, Heather L.; Sperry, Adam J.; Sanders, Lakyn R.; Smith, D.R. Contaminants of emerging concern presence and adverse effects in fish: A case study in the Laurentian Great Lakes
The Laurentian Great Lakes are a valuable natural resource that is affected by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), including sex steroid hormones, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and new generation pesticides. However, little is known about the fate and biological effects of CECs in tributaries to the Great...
Jorgenson, Zachary G.; Thomas, Linnea M.; Elliott, Sarah M.; Cavallin, Jenna E.; Randolph, Eric C.; Choy, Steven J.; Alvarez, David; Banda, Jo A.; Gefell, Daniel J.; Lee, Kathy E.; Furlong, Edward T.; Schoenfuss, Heiko L. Complex mixtures of Pesticides in Midwest U.S. streams indicated by POCIS time-integrating samplers
The Midwest United States is an intensely agricultural region where pesticides in streams pose risks to aquatic biota, but temporal variability in pesticide concentrations makes characterization of their exposure to organisms challenging. To compensate for the effects of temporal variability, we deployed polar organic chemical integrative samplers...
Van Metre, Peter C.; Alvarez, David; Mahler, Barbara J.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Moran, Patrick W. Acute sensitivity of a broad range of freshwater mussels to chemicals with different modes of toxic action
Freshwater mussels, one of the most imperiled groups of animals in the world, are generally underrepresented in toxicity databases used for the development of ambient water quality criteria and other environmental guidance values. Acute 96-h toxicity tests were conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of 5 species of juvenile mussels from 2 families...
Wang, Ning; Ivey, Chris D.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Alvarez, David; Hammer, Edward J.; Bauer, Candice R.; Augspurger, Tom; Raimondo, Sandy; Barnhart, M.Christopher Baseline aquatic contamination and endocrine status in a resident fish of Biscayne National Park
Surface water, sediment, and fish from Biscayne Bay, coastal wetlands adjacent to the Bay, and canals discharging into the Bay were sampled for determination of baseline contamination in Biscayne National Park. While the number of contaminants detected in canal waters was greater during the wet season than the dry season, no seasonal difference...
Bargar, Timothy A.; Whelan, Kevin R.T.; Alvarez, David; Echols, Kathy R.; Peterman, Paul H. Exposure to the contraceptive progestin, gestodene, alters reproductive behavior, arrests egg deposition, and masculinizes development in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
Endogenous progestogens and pharmaceutical progestins enter the environment through wastewater treatment plant effluent and agricultural field runoff. Lab studies demonstrate strong, negative exposure effects of these chemicals on aquatic vertebrate reproduction. Behavior can be a sensitive, early indicator of exposure to environmental...
Frankel, Tyler E.; Meyer, Michael T.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Gillis, Amanda B.; Alvarez, David A.; Orlando, Edward F. Baseline aquatic contamination and endocrine status in a resident fish of Biscayne National Park
This is a collection of data on the contamination of water, fish, and sediments in Biscayne National Park and in canals that discharge into the national park. The water data are estimations of their concentrations in water based on sampling with passive water samplers (semi-permeable membrane devices and polar organic chemical integrative samplers...
Bargar, Timothy A.; Whelan, Kevin; Alvarez, David A.; Echols, Kathy R.; Peterman, Paul H. Year-round monitoring of contaminants in Neal and Rogers Creeks, Hood River Basin, Oregon, 2011-12, and assessment of risks to salmonids
Pesticide presence in streams is a potential threat to Endangered Species Act listed salmonids in the Hood River basin, Oregon, a primarily forested and agricultural basin. Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were simultaneously deployed at four sites in the...
Temple, Whitney B.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Nilsen, Elena B.; Alvarez, David; Masterson, Kevin Synthetic ultraviolet light filtering chemical contamination of coastal waters of Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Contamination of surface waters by synthetic ultraviolet light (UV) filtering chemicals is a concern for the Virgin Islands National Park (VINP). Discrete water samples were collected from VINP bays to determine UV filter chemical presence in the coastal waters. Spatial distribution and the potential for partitioning between subsurface waters and...
Bargar, Timothy A.; Alvarez, David; Garrison, Virginia H. Developing analytical approaches to explore the connection between endocrine-active pharmaceuticals in water to effects in fish
The emphasis of this research project was to develop and optimize a solid-phase extraction method and highperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionizationmass spectrometry method, such that a linkage between the detection of endocrine-active pharmaceuticals (EAPs) in the aquatic environment and subsequent effects on fish populations could...
Jones-Lepp, Tammy L.; Taniguchi-Fu, Randi L.; Morgan, Jade; Nance Jr., Trevor; Ward, Matthew; Alvarez, David A.; Mills, Lesley