Contaminants can be chemical or biological and represent major stressors to ecosystems, including human and wildlife populations. Chemical contaminants include those purposefully released into the environment (for example, pesticides) and those that are inadvertently released (for example, mining waste). Biological contaminants can harm our food, water or environment with microorganisms (for example, fungus, bacteria, virus). USGS scientists are helping to understand potential environmental and health hazards posed by chemical and biological contaminants. We study the connections between air, water, soil, and living things to identify the environmental pathways that expose humans and wildlife to contaminants.
Environmental Health Program
Contaminants and Pathogens
Emerging Contaminants
Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
USGS Contaminants Science
U.S. Geological Survey Develops Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Sampling Guide
Human-Related Compounds in Water Sources in the Grand Canyon Help Identify Water Flow Pathways and Highlight Potential Water Quality Changes
Bacteriological Research Core Technology Team
Increased Mercury, Reduced Insect Diversity, and Food Web impacts from Historical Mercury Mining
USGS Scientists Develop an Interactive Mapping Tool to Visualize PFAS in Tap Water
Organic Contaminants in Reuse Waters and Transport Following Land Application
Collaborative Science Provides Understanding of Contaminants in Bottled Water-an Increasingly Common Alternate Drinking Water Source
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Measurements in Tampa Bay Fish and Sediments Provide an Understanding of Potential Human Exposure
Contaminants
Avian Influenza Prevalence Correlated to Mercury Concentrations in Wild Waterfowl
Pathogens
Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Contaminants can be chemical or biological and represent major stressors to ecosystems, including human and wildlife populations. Chemical contaminants include those purposefully released into the environment (for example, pesticides) and those that are inadvertently released (for example, mining waste). Biological contaminants can harm our food, water or environment with microorganisms (for example, fungus, bacteria, virus). USGS scientists are helping to understand potential environmental and health hazards posed by chemical and biological contaminants. We study the connections between air, water, soil, and living things to identify the environmental pathways that expose humans and wildlife to contaminants.