Kristin Romanok
Kristin works from the USGS New Jersey Water Science Center for the Environmental Health Mission Area, Toxics Program, Water and Wastewater Infrastructure project as the data management coordinator.
I started my career at the USGS in 1996 (initially as an intern). I began in the water-quality data unit, where my duties included ground-water and surface-water sampling as well as publishing the annual data report. Years later, I then began working on the Delaware River NAWQA program collecting stream water-quality samples, and was responsible for publishing the data in the annual data report. Following that I worked part-time assisting many projects within the Long-Island New Jersey and Delaware River NAWQA programs, and many non-NAWQA projects in field preparation, data and database integrity, report preparation, and anything else that was needed.
Education and Certifications
B.S. in Geology and a minor in Oceanography from Rider University
Science and Products
Collaborative Science Provides Understanding of Contaminants in Bottled Water-an Increasingly Common Alternate Drinking Water Source
Arsenic concentration results utilizing a novel field integrated biosensor system, New Hampshire, 2019
Quarterly sample results for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for locations in Campbell, Wisconsin, 2021-22
Target-Chemical Concentrations for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical and Biological Exposures in Private-Well Tapwater at Campbell, Wisconsin, 2021
Target-chemical concentrations and microbiological results in surface water and tapwater, Montana, 2022
Concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in tapwater collected throughout the United States, 2021-22
Chemical Concentrations and Microbiological Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical Exposures in Tapwater in Mead, Nebraska, June 2022 and January 2023
Target-chemical concentrations and bioassay results for assessment of mixed-organic/inorganic chemical and biological exposures in Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota tapwater, August 2019
PFAS Reconnaissance Landscape Data
Target-Chemical Concentrations, Exposure Activity Ratios, and Bioassay Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical Exposures in Northeast Iowa Private-Well Tapwater, 2018
Target-Chemical Concentrations and Microbiological Results for Assessment of Mixed Contaminant and Biological Exposures in Bottled Water, 2020
Target-Chemical Concentration Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical and Biological Exposures in North Dakota and South Dakota Tapwater, 2019
Inorganic Concentration Results for Assessment of Mixed Organic/Inorganic Chemical and Biological Exposures in North Dakota and South Dakota Tapwater, 2019
A brief note on substantial sub-daily arsenic variability in pumping drinking-water wells in New Hampshire
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in United States tapwater: Comparison of underserved private-well and public-supply exposures and associated health implications
Exposures and potential health implications of contaminant mixtures in linked source water, finished drinking water, and tapwater from public-supply drinking water systems in Minneapolis/St. Paul area, USA
Predicted aquatic exposure effects from a national urban stormwater study
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
Bottled water contaminant exposures and potential human effects
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
Food, beverage, and feedstock processing facility wastewater: A unique and underappreciated source of contaminants to U.S. streams
Assessing the ecological functionality and integrity of natural ponds, excavated ponds and stormwater basins for conserving amphibian diversity
Pilot-scale expanded assessment of inorganic and organic tapwater exposures and predicted effects in Puerto Rico, USA
PFAS in US Tapwater Interactive Dashboard
Drinking-water quality and potential exposures to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the point-of-use (tapwater) are a rising concern in the United States (US).
Drop by Drop
US Geological Survey research on contaminants in drinking water across the US.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in U.S. Tapwater: Comparison of Public-Supply and Underserved Private-Well Exposures and Associated Health Implications
Science and Products
- Science
Collaborative Science Provides Understanding of Contaminants in Bottled Water-an Increasingly Common Alternate Drinking Water Source
U.S. Geological Survey researchers and public health experts collaborated to determine what contaminants occur in bottled water, which is an increasingly common alternate drinking water source, to broaden their understanding of human exposure to contaminants in drinking water supply chains. Bottled water, like public-supply and private-well tap water supply chains, contained multiple organic... - Data
Filter Total Items: 38
Arsenic concentration results utilizing a novel field integrated biosensor system, New Hampshire, 2019
This dataset reports total arsenic (AsTot) results analyzed using an in-field biosensor system, Field-Ready Electrochemical Detector for Arsenic (FRED-Arsenic), developed by FREDsense Technologies Corp., Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Samples were collected from two public-supply wells (NH-SGW 93 and NH-SGW 65) and one private well (NH-KFW 87). NH-SGW 93 and NH-KFW 87 both withdraw water from a crystalQuarterly sample results for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for locations in Campbell, Wisconsin, 2021-22
This data release provides the concentration results for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) collected on French Island, in the town of Campbell, Wisconsin, sampled quarterly beginning in 2021. These samples were collected from groundwater wells (potable and non-potable taps) by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center (UMESC). Three U.S. Environmental PrTarget-Chemical Concentrations for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical and Biological Exposures in Private-Well Tapwater at Campbell, Wisconsin, 2021
Tapwater samples were obtained from groundwater sources on French Island, in the town of Campbell, Wisconsin. Samples from three locations were collected multiple times over a period of three days to assess temporal variations in water quality. Samples from an additional eight locations, were collected one time, spatially distributed around Campbell. Due to privacy concerns, the exact location ofTarget-chemical concentrations and microbiological results in surface water and tapwater, Montana, 2022
This data release contains the concentration and quality-assurance results for inorganic constituents, as well as organic compounds (volatile organic compounds [VOC], per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS], pesticides and disinfection byproducts [DBP]) and microbiological results collected in the Little Big Horn River and residential or commercial tapwater locations in Montana. Twenty-two tapwConcentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in tapwater collected throughout the United States, 2021-22
This dataset contains the concentration and quality assurance results for 34 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 409 residential and commercial tapwater samples were collected once between May 2021 and May 2022, in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Of these samples 252 were from publicly supplied tapwater locations, and 155 were sourced from privateChemical Concentrations and Microbiological Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical Exposures in Tapwater in Mead, Nebraska, June 2022 and January 2023
In the United States and globally, the lack of data on contaminant exposure from unregulated private-well point-of-use (POU) tapwater (TW) is a recognized public health data gap and an obstacle to risk management and homeowner decision making. Mead, Nebraska, is an agricultural community about 30 miles west of Omaha. To help address the lack of data on broad contaminant exposures in TW sourced froTarget-chemical concentrations and bioassay results for assessment of mixed-organic/inorganic chemical and biological exposures in Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota tapwater, August 2019
This dataset contains the concentration and quality assurance results for inorganic and organic analytes collected for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Ecosystems Mission Area, Environmental Health Infrastructure Program, Tapwater Exposure Project conducted in Minnesota, in August of 2019. Samples were obtained from multiple publicly distributed water sources in Minnesota in 2019. Due to privacyPFAS 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 (Target-Chemical Concentrations, Exposure Activity Ratios, and Bioassay Results for Assessment of Mixed-Organic/Inorganic Chemical Exposures in Northeast Iowa Private-Well Tapwater, 2018
In the United States and globally, contaminant exposure in unregulated private-well point-of-use (POU) 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 or karst) aquifers in agriculturally intensive laTarget-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 anTarget-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 DeveloInorganic Concentration Results for Assessment of Mixed Organic/Inorganic Chemical and Biological Exposures in North Dakota and South Dakota Tapwater, 2019
This data set reports results for inorganic constituents analyzed at the Redox Chemistry Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, for the 2019 tapwater study conducted in North Dakota and South Dakota, USA. This project is part of the U.S. Geological Survey, Ecosystems Mission Area, Environmental Health Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Program. - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 39
A brief note on substantial sub-daily arsenic variability in pumping drinking-water wells in New Hampshire
Large variations in redox-related water parameters, like pH and dissolved oxygen (DO), have been documented in New Hampshire (United States) drinking-water wells over the course of a few hours under pumping conditions. These findings suggest that comparable sub-daily variability in dissolved concentrations of redox-reactive and toxic arsenic (As) also may occur, representing a potentially criticalAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Emily C. Hicks, Joseph P. Levitt, David C. Lloyd, Mhairi M. McDonald, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly Smalling, Joseph D. AyottePer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in United States tapwater: Comparison of underserved private-well and public-supply exposures and associated health implications
Drinking-water quality is a rising concern in the United States (US), emphasizing the need to broadly assess exposures and potential health effects at the point-of-use. Drinking-water exposures to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a national concern, however, there is limited information on PFAS in residential tapwater at the point-of-use, especially from private-wells. We conductedAuthorsKelly L. Smalling, Kristin M. Romanok, Paul M. Bradley, Matthew C. Morriss, James L. Gray, Leslie K. Kanagy, Stephanie Gordon, Brianna Williams, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Daniel Jones, Laura A. DeCicco, Collin Eagles-Smith, Tyler WagnerByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Utah Water Science CenterExposures and potential health implications of contaminant mixtures in linked source water, finished drinking water, and tapwater from public-supply drinking water systems in Minneapolis/St. Paul area, USA
Continued improvements in drinking-water quality characterization and treatment/distribution infrastructure are required to address the expanding number of documented environmental contaminants. To better understand the variability in contaminant exposures from the drinking water resource (surface and groundwater), through the distribution process, to the point-of-use (tapwater), in 2019 a synoptiAuthorsKelly L. Smalling, Paul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Sarah M. Elliott, Jane de Lambert, Michael J. Focazio, Stephanie Gordon, James L. Gray, Leslie K. Kanagy, Michelle Hladik, Keith Loftin, R. Blaine McCleskey, Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley, Mary C. Cardon, Nicola Evans, Christopher P. WeisPredicted aquatic exposure effects from a national urban stormwater study
A multi-agency study of 438 organic and 62 inorganic chemicals measured in urban stormwater during 50 total runoff events at 21 sites across the United States demonstrated that stormwater discharges can generate localized, aquatic exposures to extensive contaminant mixtures, including organics suspected to cause adverse aquatic-health effects. The aggregated risks to multiple aquatic trophic levelAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling, Jason R. Masoner, Dana W. Kolpin, Stephanie GordonJuxtaposition 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. 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. WeisTapwater 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. SmallingFood, 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 LaboratoryAssessing the ecological functionality and integrity of natural ponds, excavated ponds and stormwater basins for conserving amphibian diversity
Wetlands provide ecological functionality by maintaining and promoting regional biodiversity supporting quality habitat for aquatic organisms. Globally, habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation due to increases in agricultural activities and urban development have reduced or altered geographically isolated wetlands, thus reducing biodiversity. The objective of this study was to assess the relatAuthorsKelly L. Smalling, Sara E. Breitmeyer, John F. Bunnell, Kim J Laidig, Patrick Burritt, Marilyn Sobel, Jonathan Cohl, Michelle Hladik, Kristin M. Romanok, Paul M. BradleyPilot-scale expanded assessment of inorganic and organic tapwater exposures and predicted effects in Puerto Rico, USA
A pilot-scale expanded target assessment of mixtures of inorganic and organic contaminants in point-of-consumption drinking water (tapwater, TW) was conducted in Puerto Rico (PR) to continue to inform TW exposures and corresponding estimations of cumulative human-health risks across the US. In August 2018, a spatial synoptic pilot assessment of than 524 organic, 37 inorganic, and select microbioloAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Ingrid Y. Padilla, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly Smalling, Michael J. Focazio, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Mary C. Cardon, Justin M. Conley, Nicola Evans, Carrie E Givens, James L. Gray, L. Earl Gray, Phillip C. Hartig, Michelle Hladik, Christopher P. Higgins, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Rachael F. Lane, Keith Loftin, R. Blaine McCleskey, Carrie A. McDonough, Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley, Shannon M. Meppelink, Christopher P. Weis, Vickie S. Wilson - Web Tools
PFAS in US Tapwater Interactive Dashboard
Drinking-water quality and potential exposures to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the point-of-use (tapwater) are a rising concern in the United States (US).
Drop by Drop
US Geological Survey research on contaminants in drinking water across the US.
- Software
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in U.S. Tapwater: Comparison of Public-Supply and Underserved Private-Well Exposures and Associated Health Implications
This software involves files to fit the statistical models described in Smalling et al. Specifically, there are R scripts and associated stan model files (when appropriate) for comparing PFAS concentrations among public-supply and private-wells and as a function of geospatial predictor variables. There is also an R script for modeling the number of PFAS chemicals detected among water sources and