Larry B Barber, II
Dr. Larry Barber is a Research Geologist with the USGS Water Resources Mission Area and Integrated Water Chemistry Assessment Laboratory.
I joined the USGS NRP as a student appointments in 1982. Since then, my research has involved long-term interdisciplinary research projects that characterize environmental sources of organic and inorganic contaminants, quantify the biogeochemical processes that control their fate, and assess their potential effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Particular emphasis is focused on the interactions between chemistry, hydrology, and biology. A major area of expertise is the analysis of emerging contaminants by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry, which provides a foundation for assessing their occurrence, exposure pathways, and impacts.
Current research focuses on biologically-active contaminants and receiving water (surface water and groundwater) attenuation capacity. Compounds being investigated include endocrine disrupting chemicals, neuro-active pharmaceuticals, and antimicrobials. We develop state-of-the-science approaches to landscape-based, watershed-scale (second-order streams to continental rivers) evaluation of chemical loading and fate combined with the field-based biological assays, to establish a holistic understanding of contaminant behavior and impacts. This interdisciplinary research involves teams of scientists to allow comprehensive evaluation of critical water resource issues.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., University of Colorado, Department of Geological Science, Boulder, CO, 1990
M.Sc., University of Colorado, Department of Geological Science, Boulder, CO, 1985
B.Sc., University of Arkansas, Department of Geology, Fayetteville, AR, 1980
Science and Products
Reproductive responses of male fathead minnows exposed to wastewater treatment plant effluent, effluent treated with XAD8 resin, and an environmentally relevant mixture of alkylphenol compounds
Organic contaminants in onsite wastewater treatment systems
Biotransformation of caffeine, cotinine, and nicotine in stream sediments: Implications for use as wastewater indicators
Response to comment on "Accumulation of contaminants in fish from wastewater treatment wetlands"
Research plan and preliminary results: A field research site for emerging contaminants in Iowa
Steroid estrogens, nonylphenol ethoxylate metabolites, and other wastewater contaminants in groundwater affected by a residential septic system on Cape Cod, MA
Larval exposure to environmentally relevant mixtures of alkylphenolethoxylates reduces reproductive competence in male fathead minnows
Chemical loading into surface water along a hydrological, biogeochemical, and land use gradient: A holistic watershed approach
Accumulation of contaminants in fish from wastewater treatment wetlands
Occurrence and fate of organic contaminants during onsite wastewater treatment
Long-term natural attenuation of carbon and nitrogen within a groundwater plume after removal of the treated wastewater source
Occurrence of selected pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical compounds, and stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in a riverbank filtration study, Platte River, Nebraska, 2002 to 2005, Volume 2
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Reproductive responses of male fathead minnows exposed to wastewater treatment plant effluent, effluent treated with XAD8 resin, and an environmentally relevant mixture of alkylphenol compounds
On-site, continuous-flow experiments were conducted during August and October 2002 at a major metropolitan wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to determine if effluent exposure induced endocrine disruption as manifested in the reproductive competence of sexually mature male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The fathead minnows were exposed in parallel experiments to WWTP effluent and WWTP effluAuthorsLarry B. Barber, Kathy Lee, Deborah L. Swackhamer, Heiko L. SchoenfussOrganic contaminants in onsite wastewater treatment systems
Wastewater from thirty onsite wastewater treatment systems was sampled during a reconnaissance field study to quantify bulk parameters and the occurrence of organic wastewater contaminants including endocrine disrupting compounds in treatment systems representing a variety of wastewater sources and treatment processes and their receiving environments. Bulk parameters ranged in concentrations repreAuthorsK.E. Conn, R.L. Siegrist, L. B. Barber, G.K. BrownBiotransformation of caffeine, cotinine, and nicotine in stream sediments: Implications for use as wastewater indicators
Microbially catalyzed cleavage of the imadazole ring of caffeine was observed in stream sediments collected upstream and downstream of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in three geographically separate stream systems. Microbial demethylation of the N-methyl component of cotinine and its metabolic precursor, nicotine, also was observed in these sediments. These findings indicate that strAuthorsPaul M. Bradley, Larry B. Barber, Dana W. Kolpin, Peter B. McMahon, Francis H. ChapelleResponse to comment on "Accumulation of contaminants in fish from wastewater treatment wetlands"
No abstract available.AuthorsLarry B. Barber, Steffanie H. Keefe, Ronald C. Antweiler, Howard E. Taylor, Roland D. WassResearch plan and preliminary results: A field research site for emerging contaminants in Iowa
Research has recently documented the prevalence of a wide variety of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants (ECs) in streams across the United States. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been found to be an important source and collection point of ECs to streams as many ECs are incompletely removed during treatment. To investigate the complex in-stream processes (e.g., dilution, sorpAuthorsDouglas J. Schnoebelen, Dana W. Kolpin, Larry B. Barber, Edward T. Furlong, Michael Meyer, M. SkopecSteroid estrogens, nonylphenol ethoxylate metabolites, and other wastewater contaminants in groundwater affected by a residential septic system on Cape Cod, MA
Septic systems serve approximately 25% of U.S. households and may be an important source of estrogenic and other organic wastewater contaminants (OWC) to groundwater. We monitored several estrogenic OWC, including nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol mono- and diethoxycarboxylates (NP1EC and NP2EC), the steroid hormones 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and their glucuronide and sulfate conjugates, and otAuthorsC.H. Swartz, S. Reddy, M.J. Benotti, H. Yin, L. B. Barber, Bruce J. Brownawell, R.A. RudelLarval exposure to environmentally relevant mixtures of alkylphenolethoxylates reduces reproductive competence in male fathead minnows
The ubiquitous presence of nonylphenolethoxylate/octylphenolethoxylate (NPE/OPE) compounds in aquatic environments adjacent to wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) warrants an assessment of the endocrine disrupting potential of these complex mixtures on aquatic vertebrates. In this study, fathead minnow larvae were exposed for 64 days to a mixture of NPE/OPE, which closely models the NPE/OPE composiAuthorsT.J. Bistodeau, L. B. Barber, S.E. Bartell, R.A. Cediel, K.J. Grove, J. Klaustermeier, J.C. Woodard, K. E. Lee, H.L. SchoenfussChemical loading into surface water along a hydrological, biogeochemical, and land use gradient: A holistic watershed approach
Identifying the sources and impacts of organic and inorganic contaminants at the watershed scale is a complex challenge because of the multitude of processes occurring in time and space. Investigation of geochemical transformations requires a systematic evaluation of hydrologic, landscape, and anthropogenic factors. The 1160 km2 Boulder Creek Watershed in the Colorado Front Range encompasses a graAuthorsL. B. Barber, S.F. Murphy, P. L. Verplanck, Mark W. Sandstrom, Howard E. Taylor, E. T. FurlongAccumulation of contaminants in fish from wastewater treatment wetlands
Increasing demands on water resources in arid environments make reclamation and reuse of municipal wastewater an important component of the water budget. Treatment wetlands can be an integral part of the water-reuse cycle providing both water-quality enhancement and habitat functions. When used for habitat, the bioaccumulation potential of contaminants in the wastewater is a critical considerationAuthorsL. B. Barber, S.H. Keefe, Ronald C. Antweiler, Howard E. Taylor, R.D. WassOccurrence and fate of organic contaminants during onsite wastewater treatment
Onsite wastewater treatment systems serve approximately 25% of the U.S. population. However, little is known regarding the occurrence and fate of organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs), including endocrine disrupting compounds, during onsite treatment. A range of OWCs including surfactant metabolites, steroids, stimulants, metal-chelating agents, disinfectants, antimicrobial agents, and pharmaceutAuthorsK.E. Conn, L. B. Barber, G.K. Brown, R.L. SiegristLong-term natural attenuation of carbon and nitrogen within a groundwater plume after removal of the treated wastewater source
Disposal of treated wastewater for more than 60 years onto infiltration beds on Cape Cod, Massachusetts produced a groundwater contaminant plume greater than 6 km long in a surficial sand and gravel aquifer. In December 1995 the wastewater disposal ceased. A long-term, continuous study was conducted to characterize the post-cessation attenuation of the plume from the source to 0.6 km downgradient.AuthorsD.A. Repert, L. B. Barber, K.M. Hess, S.H. Keefe, D.B. Kent, D.R. LeBlanc, R. L. SmithOccurrence of selected pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical compounds, and stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios in a riverbank filtration study, Platte River, Nebraska, 2002 to 2005, Volume 2
This document is the second volume of a data series report that describes the data collected during a study conducted during 2001 through 2005 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Lincoln, at an established riverbank-filtration well field with horizontal collector wells and vertical wells. The data were collected as part of a sAuthorsJ. R. Vogel, L. B. Barber, E. T. Furlong, T. B. Coplen, Ingrid M. Verstraeten, M. T. Meyer - News
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