Zachary R Laughrey, Ph.D.

This study is a major step forward in understanding how harmful algal blooms, which are often associated with lakes and rivers, can also affect coastal environments. It provides important baseline information for scientists, public health officials, and environmental managers.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose significant risks to public health and the environment by producing dangerous toxins like microcystin-LR (MC-LR), which can exceed safety limits in drinking water. Research by the U.S. Geological Survey, The Ohio State University, and Boise State University evaluated ultraviolet (UV) light treatments for reducing microcystin levels, comparing traditional UV254 with...

About the Laboratory The Environmental Health Program collaborates with scientists at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) in Lawrence, Kansas, to develop and employ targeted and non-targeted analytical methods for identification and quantitation of known and understudied algal/cyanobacterial toxins. The laboratory contructed in 2019 is a 2,500 square foot modern laboratory facility...

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Kansas Water Science Center Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL) was established in 1987. The OGRL is a multidisciplinary program that contributes knowledge about the distribution, fate, transport, and effects of new and understudied organic compounds that may affect human health and (or) ecosystems. The OGRL consists of two units: Algal and Other...

Algal toxins are a group of toxic compounds produced by a range of photosynthetic freshwater and marine plankton. These toxins have the ability to cause sickness in animals and humans and in severe cases lead to death. OGRL has the ability to evaluate and conduct occurrence, fate, transport, effects, and treatability studies methods.

Glyphosate and glufosinate are herbicides used for weed and vegetation control. AMPA, aminomethylphosphonic acid, is a degradation product of glyphosate. Since the introduction of glyphosate resistant (round-up ready) corn and soybeans glyphosate has become the most widely used herbicide in the world.

Antibiotics are used for human health and livestock management and health. The increase of antibiotic resistant infections has resulted in concern that sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics for weight gain in livestock and the release of low levels of antibiotics into surface and groundwater from urban and agricultural sources may be contributing to this problem.

Triazines and phenylureas are commonly used herbicides for controlling weeds in row crops. These herbicides and their degradation products have been found in samples collected from surface water, groundwater, and precipitation throughout the United States. Atrazine until recently was the most widely applied herbicide in the U.S. and is still a widely applied preplanting corn herbicide.

Acetamide herbicides are used to control weeds in row crops such as corn and soybeans. Acetamide herbicides and their degradates are common contaminants in surface and groundwater. Some of the widely detected acid degradates are on the USEPA contaminant candidate list (CCL).

Immunoassays are rapid screening techinques that can be used to provide data on a specific compound or class of compunds on a large number of samples. We have used these methods to conduct large scale reconnaissance studies of atrazine in rainfall and cyanobacterial toxins in the USEPA national lake and reservoir reconnaissance study.

Freshwater and marine harmful algal blooms (HABs) can occur anytime water use is impaired due to excessive accumulations of algae. In freshwater, the majority of HABs are caused by cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae). Cyanobacteria cause a multitude of water-quality concerns, including the potential to produce taste-and-odor causing compounds and toxins that are potent enough to poison...