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FY25 Capabilities and Services

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By Kansas Water Science Center October 1, 2024

Organic Geochemistry Research Lab

(OGRL)

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 Environmental Toxins (AET) Unit and Environmental Organic Chemistry (EOC) Unit. The OGRL does independent and collaborative research, develops robust analytical methods, and provides fee-for-service analytical laboratory analyses.

Algal and Other Environmental Toxins Unit

The Algal and Environmental Toxins Unit has the capability to detect toxins that could be harmful to human health and the environment. 

Media
OGRL Scientists standing near a dam spillway preparing to use a field Turbidimeter in the bed of a truck.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details

 

  •  Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques in low and high salinity waters for the following toxins: anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, microcystin, and saxitoxin. 

     

  • Liquid chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry for the following: 

     

    •  Total and dissolved freshwater toxins (includes 13 analytes)

       

    •  Total and dissolved marine toxins (includes 9 analytes)

       

    • Total and dissolved freshwater and marine toxins (includes 21 analytes)

       

    •  Nontarget screening

 

Environmental Organic Chemistry Unit

Using state-of-the-art instrumentation and techniques, the Environmental Organic Chemistry Unit analyzes samples from various matrices to determine the occurrence of organic contaminants in the environment. 

Media
OGRL scientist standing in water using a net to collect fish during a visit to a fish hatchery in Kansas.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details

  •  Sample preparation, including filtering, accelerated solvent extractions, bioassay extractions, and solid-phase extractions. 

     

  •  Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry methods in water and solids (soil, sediment, and biosolids) for the following: 

     

    •  Artificial sweeteners (includes 5 analytes) 

       

    •  Atrazine

       

    •  Glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and glufosinate

       

    •  Four class antibiotic method (includes 33 analytes)

       

    • Pharmaceutical method (includes 84 compounds)

       

    • Hormones: androgens, conjugates, and estrogens (includes 32 analytes)

       

    •  Hormones: progestins (includes 11 analytes) 

       

    •  Hormones: phytoestrogens (includes 6 analytes)  

       

    •  Mycotoxins (includes 8 analytes)

       

    • Tire leachate: 6 PPD-quinone

 

FY25 OGRL Service List 

FY25 Sample Collection and Processing Directions 

 

 

Below are other science projects associated with this project.

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Photo of algal toxins in a creek

OGRL Algal Toxins Methods of Analysis

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.
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Kansas Water Science Center
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OGRL Algal Toxins Methods of Analysis

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.
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Below are multimedia items associated with this project.

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Below are publications associated with this project.

Filter Total Items: 107

Effects of ionic strength, temperature, and pH on degradation of selected antibiotics

Aqueous degradation rates, which include hydrolysis and epimerization, for chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TET), lincomycin (LNC), sulfachlorpyridazine (SCP), sulfadimethoxine (SDM), sulfathiazole (STZ), trimethoprim (TRM), and tylosin A (TYL) were studied as a function of ionic strength (0.0015, 0.050, or 0.084 mg/L as Na2HPO4), temperature (7, 22, and 35°C...
Authors
K.A. Loftin, C.D. Adams, M. T. Meyer, R. Surampalli
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

A national reconnaissance of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants in the United States - I) Groundwater

As part of the continuing effort to collect baseline information on the environmental occurrence of pharmaceuticals, and other organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs) in the Nation's water resources, water samples were collected from a network of 47 groundwater sites across 18 states in 2000. All samples collected were analyzed for 65 OWCs representing a wide variety of uses and origins...
Authors
K.K. Barnes, D.W. Kolpin, Edward Furlong, S.D. Zaugg, M. T. Meyer, L. B. Barber
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Kansas Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Concentrations of selected pharmaceuticals and antibiotics in south-central Pennsylvania waters, March through September 2006

This report presents environmental and quality-control data from analyses of 15 pharmaceutical and 31 antibiotic compounds in water samples from streams and wells in south-central Pennsylvania. The analyses are part of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to define concentrations of selected...
Authors
Connie A. Loper, J. Kent Crawford, Kim L. Otto, Rhonda L. Manning, Michael Frederick Meyer, Edward Furlong
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Concentrations of glyphosate, its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid, and glufosinate in ground- and surface-water, rainfall, and soil samples collected in the United States, 2001-06

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a number of studies from 2001 through 2006 to investigate and document the occurrence, fate, and transport of glyphosate, its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and glufosinate in 2,135 ground- and surface-water samples, 14 rainfall samples, and 193 soil samples. Analytical methods were developed to detect and measure glyphosate...
Authors
Elisabeth A. Scribner, William Battaglin, Robert J. Gilliom, Michael Frederick Meyer
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Kansas Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group--Determination of dissolved isoxaflutole and its sequential degradation products, diketonitrile and benzoic acid, in water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chroma

An analytical method for the determination of isoxaflutole and its sequential degradation products, diketonitrile and a benzoic acid analogue, in filtered water with varying matrices was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Group in Lawrence, Kansas. Four different water-sample matrices fortified at 0.02 and 0.10 ug/L (micrograms per liter) are extracted...
Authors
Michael Frederick Meyer, Edward Alan Lee, Elisabeth A. Scribner
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Kansas Water Science Center

Evaluation of tandem offline and online solid-phase extraction with liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry for the analysis of antibiotics in ambient water and comparision to an independent method

This report describes the performance of an offline tandem solid-phase extraction (SPE) method and an online SPE method that use liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for the analysis of 23 and 35 antibiotics, respectively, as used in several water-quality surveys conducted since 1999. In the offline tandem SPE method, normalized concentrations for the quinolone, macrolide, and...
Authors
M. T. Meyer, E.A. Lee, G.M. Ferrell, J.E. Bumgarner, Jerry Varns
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Kansas Water Science Center

Trace analysis of trimethoprim and sulfonamide, macrolide, quinolone, and tetracycline antibiotics in chlorinated drinking water using liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A multirun analytical method has been developed and validated for trace determination of 24 antibiotics including 7 sulfonamides, 3 macrolides, 7 quinolones, 6 tetracyclines, and trimethoprim in chlorine-disinfected drinking water using a single solid-phase extraction method coupled to liquid chromatography with positive electrospray tandem mass spectrometry detection. The analytes were...
Authors
Z. Ye, H.S. Weinberg, M. T. Meyer
By
Kansas Water Science Center

Comparison of fate and transport of isoxaflutole to atrazine and metolachlor in 10 Iowa rivers

Isoxaflutole (IXF), a newer low application rate herbicide, was introduced for weed control in corn (Zea mays) to use as an alternative to widely applied herbicides such as atrazine. The transport of IXF in streamwater has not been well-studied. The fate and transport of IXF and two of its degradation products was studied in 10 Iowa rivers during 2004. IXF rapidly degrades to the...
Authors
Michael Frederick Meyer, Elisabeth A. Scribner, Stephen J. Kalkhoff
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

Persistence of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds in chlorinated drinking water as a function of time

Ninety eight pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds (POOCs) that were amended to samples of chlorinated drinking-water were extracted and analyzed 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10 days after amendment to determine whether the total chlorine residual reacted with the amended POOCs in drinking water in a time frame similar to the residence time of drinking water in a water distribution system...
Authors
Jacob Gibs, Paul E. Stackelberg, Edward Furlong, Michael Frederick Meyer, Steven D. Zaugg, R.L. Lippincott
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Kansas Water Science Center

Efficiency of conventional drinking-water-treatment processes in removal of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds

Samples of water and sediment from a conventional drinking-water-treatment (DWT) plant were analyzed for 113 organic compounds (OCs) that included pharmaceuticals, detergent degradates, flame retardants and plasticizers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fragrances and flavorants, pesticides and an insect repellent, and plant and animal steroids. 45 of these compounds were...
Authors
Paul E. Stackelberg, Jacob Gibs, Edward Furlong, Michael Frederick Meyer, Steven D. Zaugg, R.L. Lippincott
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program

Evaluation of emerging contaminants of concern at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant based on seasonal sampling events, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2004

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan has identified highly treated wastewater as a possible water source for the restoration of natural water flows and hydroperiods in selected coastal areas, including the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands. One potential source of reclaimed wastewater for the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands is the effluent from the South District Wastewater Treatment...
Authors
Arthur C. Lietz, Michael Frederick Meyer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Kansas Water Science Center

Occurrence of isoxaflutole, acetamide, and triazine herbicides and their degradation products in 10 Iowa rivers draining to the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, 2004

During 2004, a study to document the occurrence of herbicides and herbicide degradation products was conducted for 10 major Iowa rivers draining to the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Seventy-five water-quality samples were collected to measure isoxaflutole, acetamide, and triazine herbicides and their herbicide degradation products. An analytical method to measure isoxaflutole and its...
Authors
Elisabeth A. Scribner, Michael Frederick Meyer, Stephen J. Kalkhoff
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Kansas Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center
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