Kelly Smalling
I am interested in the exposure and effects of contaminants including current-use pesticides and other endocrine active compounds on fish and wildlife with a focus on amphibian populations.
I am an environmental organic chemist who has been working with the USGS since 2004. My current research focuses on the occurrence, fate and effects of emerging contaminants including current-use pesticides in the environment. I am the lead for the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative's Contaminants Project, the project coordinator of the "EDC effects on fish and wildlife in the Cheseapeake Bay Watershed" project through the Contaminants Biology Program, and a member of the Toxic Substances Hydrology Program's Pesticide Fate Research Team.
Education and Certifications
BS in Chemistry from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1999
MSPH in Environmental Health Science from the University of South Carolina in 2003
Science and Products
Pre-listing Science Support in the Northeast
Pilot Study Provides Information on Contaminant Exposure from Tap Water at Residential and Workplace Sites in the United States
Unique Methods Used to Understand Frog Exposure to Pesticides in Agricultural Settings
Emerging Contaminants and their Effects on Fish and Frogs
Point and Nonpoint Sources of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds and the Potential effects on Fish and Frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands
Pesticides and Amphibian Pathogens in Natural and Created Wetlands in the New Jersey Pinelands
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Prevalence of Intersex in Fish Populations in New Jersey
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Science Team
Pesticides Common in California Estuary
Pesticides Found in Amphibians from Remote Areas in California
Mixtures of Pesticides Detected in Crab Embryos
PFAS Reconnaissance Landscape Data
Images and Identifications of Wild Bees Collected in Eastern Iowa, 2019
Target-Chemical Concentrations and Microbiological Results for Assessment of Mixed Contaminant and Biological Exposures in Bottled Water, 2020
Pesticide residues in passive samplers and bee tissue from Conservation Reserve Program fields across an agricultural gradient in eastern Iowa, USA, 2019 (ver 2.0, October 2023)
Organic and inorganic constituents in surface water and native and non-native fish and frog health data collected from streams, impoundments and wetlands in the New Jersey Pinelands, 2017-2020 (ver. 1.1, August 2022)
Current-use pesticides, nutrients, chloride, and metals in ponds and stormwater basins of the New Jersey Pinelands, 2018-20
Target-Chemical Concentration Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical and Biological Exposures in North Dakota and South Dakota Tapwater, 2019
Concentrations of organic and inorganic constituents in tapwater samples from California in 2020-21 (ver. 3.1, March 2024)
Current use pesticides in larval amphibian tissues, amphibian pathogen and wetland sediment screening data from three northeastern National Wildlife Refuges, 2013-2014
Metal concentrations in sediment and amphibian tissues from wetlands sampled across the United States
Pesticide concentrations in surface waters of the Sacramento Valley rice-growing regions, 2010
Estrogen equivalents of surface water and smallmouth bass estrogenic biomarker data in New Jersey, 2016-2017
Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa
Occurrence of mixed organic and inorganic chemicals in groundwater and tapwater, town of Campbell, Wisconsin, 2021–22
Wild bee exposure to pesticides in conservation grasslands increases along an agricultural gradient: A tale of two sample types
Bottled water contaminant exposures and potential human effects
Estrogenic activity response to best management practice implementation in agricultural watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Tapwater exposures, effects potential, and residential risk management in Northern Plains Nations
Potential health effects of contaminant mixtures from point and nonpoint sources on fish and frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands
Power analysis for detecting the effects of best management practices on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
Site- and individual-level contaminations affect infection prevalence of an emerging infectious disease of amphibians
Food, beverage, and feedstock processing facility wastewater: A unique and underappreciated source of contaminants to U.S. streams
The statistical power to detect regional temporal trends in riverine contaminants in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA
Integrated science for the study of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Science
Filter Total Items: 23
Pre-listing Science Support in the Northeast
We are working closely with multiple partners to provide updated information, model potential outcomes, and identify key uncertainties relevant to amphibian and reptile species proposed for listing in the northeast US. We also provide timely science to partners to assist in recovery of listed species, which may involve field research, data analysis, or decision support.Pilot Study Provides Information on Contaminant Exposure from Tap Water at Residential and Workplace Sites in the United States
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with National Institutes of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and academia, completed a pilot study to provide information on contaminant exposure from tap water at 26 locations including public and private supplies. Public-supply tap water generally met enforceable standards for those compounds with standards. Samples consisted of...Unique Methods Used to Understand Frog Exposure to Pesticides in Agricultural Settings
Adult frog exposure to pesticides in aquatic and terrestrial habitats was quantified using a novel combination of radio telemetry and passive sampling techniques to better understand factors affecting frog health and survival in agricultural landscapes.Emerging Contaminants and their Effects on Fish and Frogs
The endocrine system in animals produce hormones to regulate essential life processes, such as metabolism, tissue function, reproduction, and development. A large group of natural and synthetic chemicals are known to disrupt endocrine function. Examples include plant hormones, plastic components, flame retardants, surfactants, fragrances, pesticides, etc. Endocrine disrupting chemicals, or EDCs...Point and Nonpoint Sources of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds and the Potential effects on Fish and Frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands
Scientists from the NJ WSC, Leetown Science Center and New Jersey Pinelands Commission recently initiated a 4 year study designed to characterize the point and non-point sources of endocrine disrupting compound (EDCs) and their potential effects on fish and frogs in the NJ Pinelands.Pesticides and Amphibian Pathogens in Natural and Created Wetlands in the New Jersey Pinelands
The New Jersey Water Science Center in collaboration with the New Jersey Pinelands Commission and Montclair University, conducted a 4 year study to assess the functional equivalency of ponds and stormwater basins in the New Jersey Pinelands by comparing indicators of hydrologic condition, water quality (including pesticides) and biological metrics (amphibian pathogens).Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Prevalence of Intersex in Fish Populations in New Jersey
NJ WSC and Leetown Science Center scientists in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection were tasked with characterizing endocrine disruption in smallmouth bass from New Jersey.Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Science Team
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and provides critical resources to fish, wildlife and people. For more than a decade, recreational fish species have been plagued with skin lesions and intersex conditions (the presence of male and female sex characteristics in the same fish) that biologists attributed to exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)...Pesticides Common in California Estuary
Pesticides were observed frequently in water, sediment, and the tissue of resident aquatic organisms from an agriculturally dominated estuary along the central California coast according to a collaborative study by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and University of California, Davis scientists published in Marine Pollution Bulletin .Pesticides Found in Amphibians from Remote Areas in California
Amphibians from remote locations in California have accumulated several current-use pesticides, including fungicides, in their bodies. A team of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists recently reported on field results in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry . Two fungicides, pyraclostrobin and tebuconazole, and the herbicide simazine were detected frequently in amphibians from all...Mixtures of Pesticides Detected in Crab Embryos
Crab embryos from two Northern California salt marshes accumulate mixtures of currently used as well as discontinued pesticides, according to a study published by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and University of California scientists in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry . - Data
Filter Total Items: 30
PFAS Reconnaissance Landscape Data
This dataset consists of summary data for potential landscape sources of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These summary items include facilities from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PFAS Analytics Tools, which were pulled from its Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), areas affected by fires (burned and urban burned areas) from Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (Images and Identifications of Wild Bees Collected in Eastern Iowa, 2019
Bees were collected in 24 fields across eastern Iowa in summer 2019. This data collection was part of a pesticide study funded by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area- Environmental Health Program. Bees were collected using the sweep net method and then were immediately placed on dry ice in the field. Bees were kept frozen to prevent degradation. In the lab, each wild bee was photographed from one orTarget-Chemical Concentrations and Microbiological Results for Assessment of Mixed Contaminant and Biological Exposures in Bottled Water, 2020
This data release contains concentration and quality-assurance results for inorganic, organic analytes and microbiological pathogens collected from 30 different commercial bottled water sources. Samples were processed on July 20 and August 17, 2020 at the New Jersey Water Science Center and analyzed at various U.S. Geological Survey laboratories. Samples were analyzed for nutrients, cations and anPesticide residues in passive samplers and bee tissue from Conservation Reserve Program fields across an agricultural gradient in eastern Iowa, USA, 2019 (ver 2.0, October 2023)
This data release includes sampling location, pesticide concentrations in passive samplers (silicone bands) and bees foraging in Conservation Reserve Program fields. Sampling took place during July and August of 2019. Fields were located on private land managed for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Reserve Program in eastern central Iowa, U.S.A.Organic and inorganic constituents in surface water and native and non-native fish and frog health data collected from streams, impoundments and wetlands in the New Jersey Pinelands, 2017-2020 (ver. 1.1, August 2022)
The data presented include concentrations of 122 organic, 23 inorganic constituents, and estrogenicity in water collected from 13 off-stream non-point source sites (natural and created wetlands) and eight on-stream point source sites (streams and impoundments) in the New Jersey Pinelands, 2017-2020. Native and non-native fish health data collected from the on-stream sites as well as native frog daCurrent-use pesticides, nutrients, chloride, and metals in ponds and stormwater basins of the New Jersey Pinelands, 2018-20
The data presented in this data release include concentrations of current-use pesticides, nutrients, chloride, and metals in surface water collected from 60 wetlands including natural ponds, excavated ponds (Xponds), and stormwater basins in the New Jersey Pinelands, 2018-20. Site information, basic water-quality parameters, and method information also are included.Target-Chemical Concentration Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical and Biological Exposures in North Dakota and South Dakota Tapwater, 2019
Concentration and quality assurance results for organic compounds and bioassay endocrine activity results analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory, Denver, Colorado, Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory, Sacramento, California, the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory, Lawrence, Kansas, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and DeveloConcentrations of organic and inorganic constituents in tapwater samples from California in 2020-21 (ver. 3.1, March 2024)
This dataset contains the trace elements, cations, anions, disinfection by-products, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceutical and pesticide concentration results for the tapwater study conducted in California, November, 2020 through May, 2021. Trace elements, cations and anions were analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey Redox Chemistry Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. The disinfCurrent use pesticides in larval amphibian tissues, amphibian pathogen and wetland sediment screening data from three northeastern National Wildlife Refuges, 2013-2014
The data include concentrations of current use pesticides in tissues of larval wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) and spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) and the presence of ranavirus in wood frogs and spotted salamanders from three northeastern National Wildlife Refuges sampled in 2013 and 2014. The data also include estrogenicity, protein phosphatase 2A inhibition and a suite of 15 major andMetal concentrations in sediment and amphibian tissues from wetlands sampled across the United States
The data presented include concentrations of 10 metals in sediments and composite larval amphibian tissues from 20 wetlands across the United States. Sixteen of the wetlands were sampled in 2019 and four were sampled in 2015-2016. Where possible both larval anurans (frogs and toads) and salamanders were collected from each wetland. The data also include information on metal concentrations in amphiPesticide concentrations in surface waters of the Sacramento Valley rice-growing regions, 2010
Surface water samples were collected from four stream/agricultural drain sites in the Sacramento Valley of California to measure pesticides commonly applied to rice. Samples were collected weekly from May through August 2010 to capture the rice pesticide application season. Water samples were filtered (0.7 ?m) and extracted via solid-phase extraction. Additionally, the filter paper was solvent extEstrogen equivalents of surface water and smallmouth bass estrogenic biomarker data in New Jersey, 2016-2017
The data were gathered as a preliminary assessment of estrogenicity under base-flow conditions at over 100 sites (lakes and streams) throughout New Jersey followed by more targeted sampling of smallmouth bass at nine sites with varying levels of estrogenicity. In 2016, 102 sites (lakes and streams) for the preliminary estrogenicity assessment were selected utilizing compiled results of previous mo - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 87
Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa
In the United States and globally, contaminant exposure in unregulated private-well point-of-use tapwater (TW) is a recognized public-health data gap and an obstacle to both risk-management and homeowner decision making. To help address the lack of data on broad contaminant exposures in private-well TW from hydrologically-vulnerable (alluvial, karst) aquifers in agriculturally-intensive landscapesAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Dana W. Kolpin, Darrin A. Thompson, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Mary C. Cardon, David M. Cwiertny, Nicola Evans, R. William Field, Michael J. Focazio, Laura E. Beane Freeman, Carrie E Givens, James L. Gray, Gordon L. Hager, Michelle Hladik, Jonathan N. Hoffman, Rena R. Jones, Leslie K. Kanagy, Rachael F. Lane, R. Blaine McCleskey, Danielle Medgyesi, Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley, Shannon M. Meppelink, Michael T. Meyer, Diana A. Stavreva, Mary H. WardOccurrence of mixed organic and inorganic chemicals in groundwater and tapwater, town of Campbell, Wisconsin, 2021–22
In response to previous reports of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in French Island’s (located in the Mississippi River within the town of Campbell, Wisconsin) primary source of drinking water, 11 locations were sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in October 2021 to assess the potential presence of contaminant mixtures, including PFAS, in tapwater. Three locationsAuthorsKristin M. Romanok, Shannon M. Meppelink, Paul M. Bradley, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Lee Donahue, Mark P. Gaikowski, Randy K. Hines, Kelly L. SmallingWild bee exposure to pesticides in conservation grasslands increases along an agricultural gradient: A tale of two sample types
Conservation efforts have been implemented in agroecosystems to enhance pollinator diversity by creating grassland habitat, but little is known about the exposure of bees to pesticides while foraging in these grassland fields. Pesticide exposure was assessed in 24 conservation grassland fields along an agricultural gradient at two time points (July and August) using silicone band passive samplersAuthorsMichelle Hladik, Johanna M. Kraus, Cassandra Smith, Mark W. Vandever, Dana W. Kolpin, Carrie E Givens, Kelly L. SmallingBottled water contaminant exposures and potential human effects
Bottled water (BW) consumption in the United States and globally has increased amidst heightened concern about environmental contaminant exposures and health risks in drinking water supplies, despite a paucity of directly comparable, environmentally-relevant contaminant exposure data for BW. This study provides insight into exposures and cumulative risks to human health from inorganic/organic/micrAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling, Michael J. Focazio, Nicola Evans, Suzanne C. Fitzpatrick, Carrie E Givens, Stephanie Gordon, James L. Gray, Emily M. Green, Dale W. Griffin, Michelle Hladik, Leslie K. Kanagy, John T. Lisle, Keith Loftin, R. Blaine McCleskey, Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley, Ana Navas-Acien, David A. Roth, Paul F. South, Christopher P. WeisEstrogenic activity response to best management practice implementation in agricultural watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Best management practices (BMPs) have been predominantly used throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed (CBW) to reduce nutrients and sediments entering streams, rivers, and the bay. These practices have been successful in reducing loads entering the estuary and have shown the potential to reduce other contaminants (pesticides, hormonally active compounds, pathogens) in localized studies and modeledAuthorsStephanie Gordon, Tyler Wagner, Kelly L. Smalling, Olivia H. DevereuxTapwater exposures, effects potential, and residential risk management in Northern Plains Nations
In the United States (US), private-supply tapwater (TW) is rarely monitored. This data gap undermines individual/community risk-management decision-making, leading to an increased probability of unrecognized contaminant exposures in rural and remote locations that rely on private wells. We assessed point-of-use (POU) TW in three northern plains Tribal Nations, where ongoing TW arsenic (As) interveAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling, Michael J. Focazio, Robert Charboneau, Christine Marie George, Ana Navas-Acien, Marcia O'Leary, Reno Red Cloud, Tracy Zacher, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Mary C. Cardon, Christa K. Cuny, Guthrie Ducheneaux, Kendra Enright, Nicola Evans, James L. Gray, David E. Harvey, Michelle Hladik, Leslie K. Kanagy, Keith Loftin, R. Blaine McCleskey, Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley, Shannon M. Meppelink, Joshua F. Valder, Christopher P. WeisPotential health effects of contaminant mixtures from point and nonpoint sources on fish and frogs in the New Jersey Pinelands
Aquatic ecosystems convey complex contaminant mixtures from anthropogenic pollution on a global scale. Point (e.g., municipal wastewater) and nonpoint sources (e.g., stormwater runoff) are both drivers of contaminant mixtures in aquatic habitats. The objectives of this study were to identify the contaminant mixtures present in surface waters impacted by both point and nonpoint sources, to determinAuthorsSara E. Breitmeyer, Heather L. Walsh, Vicki S. Blazer, John F. Bunnell, Patrick M. Burritt, Jeff Dragon, Michelle Hladik, Paul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. SmallingPower analysis for detecting the effects of best management practices on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
In 2010 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) which is a “pollution diet” that aims to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, by 25 and 24% percent, respectively. To achieve this goal the TMDL requires the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs), which are acceAuthorsPaul McLaughlin, Richard Alexander, Joel Blomquist, Olivia H. Devereux, Gregory B. Noe, Kelly L. Smalling, Tyler WagnerSite- and individual-level contaminations affect infection prevalence of an emerging infectious disease of amphibians
Emerging infectious disease outbreaks are one of multiple stressors responsible for amphibian declines globally. In the northeastern United States, ranaviral diseases are prevalent in amphibians and other ectothermic species, but there is still uncertainty as to whether their presence is leading to population level effects. Further, there is also uncertainty surrounding the potential interactionsAuthorsKelly L. Smalling, Brittany A. Mosher, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Keith Loftin, Adam Boehlke, Michelle Hladik, Carly R. Muletz-Wolz, Nandadevi Córtes-Rodríguez, Robin Femmer, Evan H. Campbell GrantByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Eastern Ecological Science Center, California Water Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science CenterFood, beverage, and feedstock processing facility wastewater: A unique and underappreciated source of contaminants to U.S. streams
Process wastewaters from food, beverage, and feedstock facilities, although regulated, are an under-investigated environmental contaminant source. Food process wastewaters (FPWWs) from 23 facilities in 17 U.S. states were sampled and documented for a plethora of chemical and microbial contaminants. Of the 576 analyzed organics, 184 (32%) were detected at least once, with concentrations as large asAuthorsLaura E. Hubbard, Dana W. Kolpin, Carrie E Givens, Bradley D. Blackwell, Paul M. Bradley, James L. Gray, Rachael F. Lane, Jason R. Masoner, R. Blaine McCleskey, Kristin M. Romanok, Mark W. Sandstrom, Kelly L. Smalling, Daniel L. VilleneuveByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Upper Midwest Water Science Center, National Water Quality LaboratoryThe statistical power to detect regional temporal trends in riverine contaminants in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA
Chemical contamination of riverine ecosystems is largely a result of urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural activities occurring on adjacent terrestrial landscapes. Land management activities (e.g., Best Management Practices) are an important tool used to reduce point and non-point sources of pollution. However, the ability to confidently make inferences about the efficacy of land managAuthorsTyler Wagner, Paul McLaughlin, Kelly L. Smalling, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Stephanie Gordon, Gregory B. NoeIntegrated science for the study of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey
Concerns related to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in sources of drinking water and in natural and engineered environments have captured national attention over the last few decades. This report provides an overview of the science gaps that exist in the fields of study related to PFAS that are relevant to the U.S. Geological Survey mission and identifies opportunities where tAuthorsAndrea K. Tokranov, Paul M. Bradley, Michael J. Focazio, Douglas B. Kent, Denis R. LeBlanc, Jeff W. McCoy, Kelly L. Smalling, Jeffery A. Steevens, Patricia L. ToccalinoNon-USGS Publications**
Brander, S. M., He, G., Smalling, K. L., Denison, M. S. and Cherr, G. N. (2012), The in vivo estrogenic and in vitro anti-estrogenic activity of permethrin and bifenthrin. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 31: 2848–2855Brander SM, Connon RE, He G, Hobbs JA, Smalling KL, et al. (2013) From ‘Omics to Otoliths: Responses of an Estuarine Fish to Endocrine Disrupting Compounds across Biological Scales. PLoS ONE 8(9): e74251. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074251Smalling, K.L and Aelion, C.M., 2006, Biological and chemical transformation of atrazine in coastal aquatic sediments, Chemosphere, 62: 188-196.Pulster, E. L., Smalling, K. L., Zolman, E., Schwacke, L. and Maruya, K. A. (2009), Persistent organochlorine pollutants and toxaphene congener profiles in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) frequenting the Turtle/Brunswick River Estuary, Georgia, USA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 28: 1390–1399**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
- Web Tools
- Software
- News