James Kunz
Science and Products
An Evaluation the Chronic Toxicity of Metals in Water and Sediment to the Unionid Mussel, Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea), in Exposures Representing Conditions in the Tri-States Mining District
The Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) is a large (about 500 sq. mi.) historical lead and zinc mining area that includes portions of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The TSMD yielded about 460 million tons of ore between 1885 and 1970, resulting in contamination of surface water, groundwater, sediments, and soils in the Spring River and Neosho River basins by lead, zinc, and other heavy metals....
An assessment of Deep Fork River Effluent Toxicity to the Unionid Mussel Fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea)
Nearly 70% of the 300 mussel species in North America are endangered, threatened, of special concern, or extinct. Environmental contaminants have been identified as a contributing factor to the decline of mussel populations.
Biological effects of elevated major ions in surface water contaminated by a produced water from oil production
Produced water (PW) from oil and gas extraction processes has been shown to contain elevated concentrations of major ions. The objective of this study was to determine the potential effects of elevated major ions in PW-contaminated surface water on a fish (fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas) and a unionid mussel (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea...
Wang, Ning; Kunz, James L.; Cleveland, Danielle; Steevens, Jeffery; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M. Characterizing toxicity of metal‐contaminated sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, to benthic invertebrates
Sediments from the Upper Columbia River, Washington, USA, are contaminated with metals from smelting operations. We conducted short‐term and long‐term tests with the midge Chironomus dilutus and the amphipod Hyalella azteca and short‐term tests with the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea with 54 sediments from...
Besser, John M.; Steevens, Jeffery; Kunz, James L.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Cox, Stephen E.; Mebane, Christopher A.; Balistrieri, Laurie S.; Sinclair, Jesse A.; MacDonald, Donald D. Evaluation of chronic toxicity of sodium chloride or potassium chloride to a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) in water exposures using standard and refined toxicity testing methods
Freshwater mussels are generally underrepresented in toxicity databases used to derive water quality criteria, especially for long‐term exposures. Multiple tests were conducted to determine the chronic toxicity of sodium chloride (NaCl) or potassium chloride (KCl) to a unionid mussel (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea). Initially, a 4‐wk NaCl test...
Wang, Ning; Kunz, James L.; Dorman, Rebecca A.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Steevens, Jeffery; Hammer, Edward J.; Bauer, Candice R. Pilot study for the characterization of sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity, and benthic invertebrate community structure for PCB-contaminated sediments from the Upper Hudson River, New York
Ingersoll, Christopher G.; MacDonald, Donald D.; Sinclair, Jesse A.; Prencipe, Heather; Jones, Ann; Curry, Mark; Lewis, Christopher; Kemble, Nile E.; Steevens, Jeff; Nolan, Kelly; Schein, Allison; Kunz, James L. Chronic toxicity of azoxystrobin to freshwater amphipods, midges, cladocerans, and mussels in water-only exposures
Understanding the effects of fungicides on nontarget organisms at realistic concentrations and exposure durations is vital for determining potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Environmental concentrations of the fungicide azoxystrobin have been reported up to 4.6 μg/L in the United States and 30 μg/L in Europe. The objective of the present...
Kunz, James L.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Elskus, Adria; Kuivila, Kathryn Toxicity of chromium (VI) to two mussels and an amphipod in water-only exposures with or without a co-stressor of elevated temperature, zinc, or nitrate
The objectives of the present study were to develop methods for propagating western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) for laboratory toxicity testing and evaluate acute and chronic toxicity of chromium VI [Cr(VI)] to the pearlshell and a commonly tested mussel (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea at 20 °C or in association with a co-stressor of...
Wang, Ning; Kunz, James L.; Ivey, Chris D.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Barnhart, M. Christopher; Glidewell, Elizabeth A.
Selected streambed sediment compounds and water toxicity results for Westside Creeks, San Antonio, Texas, 2014
IntroductionThe Alazán, Apache, Martínez, and San Pedro Creeks in San Antonio, Texas, are part of a network of urban tributaries to the San Antonio River, known locally as the Westside Creeks. The Westside Creeks flow through some of the oldest neighborhoods in San Antonio. The disruption of streambed sediment is anticipated during a planned...
Crow, Cassi L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Kunz, James L.
Occurrence and concentrations of selected trace elements, halogenated organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in streambed sediments and results of water-toxicity testing in Westside Creeks and the San Antonio River, San Antonio, Texas, 2014
Sediment samples and samples for water-toxicity testing were collected during 2014 from several streams in San Antonio, Texas, known locally as the Westside Creeks (Alazán, Apache, Martínez, and San Pedro Creeks) and from the San Antonio River. Samples were collected during base flow and after periods of stormwater runoff (poststorm conditions) to...
Crow, Cassi L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Kunz, James L. Sediment-quality and water-toxicity data from 10 sites on the Westside Creeks and San Antonio River, San Antonio, Texas, 2014
Sediment samples and samples for water-toxicity testing were collected during 2014 from several streams in San Antonio, Texas known locally as the Westside creeks (Alazán, Apache, Martínez, and San Pedro Creeks) and from the San Antonio River. Samples were collected once during base-flow and again after periods of storm-water runoff (post-storm...
Crow, Cassi L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Kunz, James L. Evaluation of the toxicity of sediments from the Anniston PCB Site to the mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea
The Anniston Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Site is located in the vicinity of the municipality of Anniston in Calhoun County, in the north-eastern portion of Alabama. Although there are a variety of land-use activities within the Choccolocco Creek watershed, environmental concerns in the area have focused mainly on releases of PCBs to aquatic and...
Schein, Allison; Sinclair, Jesse A.; MacDonald, Donald D.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Kemble, Nile E.; Kunz, James L. Acute toxicity of runoff from sealcoated pavement to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas
Runoff from coal-tar-based (CT) sealcoated pavement is a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and N-heterocycles to surface waters. We investigated acute toxicity of simulated runoff collected from 5 h to 111 days after application of CT sealcoat and from 4 h to 36 days after application of asphalt-based sealcoat containing about...
Mahler, Barbara; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Kunz, James L.; Little, Edward E. Relative sensitivity of an amphipod Hyalella azteca, a midge Chironomus dilutus, and a unionid mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea to a toxic sediment
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relative sensitivity of test organisms in exposures to dilutions of a highly toxic sediment contaminated with metals and organic compounds. One dilution series was prepared using control sand (low total organic carbon [TOC; <0.1%, low binding capacity for contaminants]) and a second...
Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Kunz, James L.; Hughes, Jamie P.; Wang, Ning; Ireland, D. Scott; Mount, David R.; Hockett, J. Russell; Valenti, Ted W