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Publications

Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).

Filter Total Items: 4047

Sources of mercury to San Francisco Bay surface sediment as revealed by mercury stable isotopes

Mercury (Hg) concentrations and isotopic compositions were examined in shallow-water surface sediment (0–2 cm) from San Francisco (SF) Bay to determine the extent to which historic Hg mining contributes to current Hg contamination in SF Bay, and to assess the use of Hg isotopes to trace sources of contamination in estuaries. Inter-tidal and wetland sediment had total Hg (HgT) concentrations rangin
Authors
Gretchen E. Gehrke, Joel D. Blum, Mark Marvin-DePasquale

Genetic applications in avian conservation

A fundamental need in conserving species and their habitats is defining distinct entities that range from individuals to species to ecosystems and beyond (Table 1; Ryder 1986, Moritz 1994, Mayden and Wood 1995, Haig and Avise 1996, Hazevoet 1996, Palumbi and Cipriano 1998, Hebert et al. 2004, Mace 2004, Wheeler et al. 2004, Armstrong and Ball 2005, Baker 2008, Ellis et al. 2010, Winker and Haig 20
Authors
Susan M. Haig, Whitcomb M. Bronaugh, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Jesse D'Elia, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Clinton W. Epps, Brian Knaus, Mark P. Miller, Michael L. Moses, Sara Oyler-McCance, W. Douglas Robinson, Brian Sidlauskas

Spatial patterns of mercury in macroinvertebrates and fishes from streams of contrasting forested landscapes in the eastern United States

Controls on mercury bioaccumulation in lotic ecosystems are not well understood. During 2007–2009, we studied mercury and stable isotope spatial patterns of macroinvertebrates and fishes from two medium-sized (
Authors
Karen Riva-Murray, Lia C. Chasar, Paul M. Bradley, Douglas A. Burns, Mark E. Brigham, Martyn J. Smith, Thomas A. Abrahamsen

Silver bioaccumulation dynamics in a freshwater invertebrate after aqueous and dietary exposures to nanosized and ionic Ag

We compared silver (Ag) bioavailability and toxicity to a freshwater gastropod after exposure to ionic silver (Ag+) and to Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) capped with citrate or with humic acid. Silver form, exposure route, and capping agent influence Ag bioaccumulation dynamics in Lymnaea stagnalis. Snails efficiently accumulated Ag from all forms after either aqueous or dietary exposure. For both expo
Authors
Marie-Noe le Croteau, Superb K. Misra, Samuel N. Luoma, Eugenia Valsami-Jones

Spatial and seasonal variability of dissolved methylmercury in two stream basins in the Eastern United States

We assessed methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations across multiple ecological scales in the Edisto (South Carolina) and Upper Hudson (New York) River basins. Out-of-channel wetland/floodplain environments were primary sources of filtered MeHg (F-MeHg) to the stream habitat in both systems. Shallow, open-water areas in both basins exhibited low F-MeHg concentrations and decreasing F-MeHg mass flux. Do
Authors
Paul M. Bradley, Douglas A. Burns, Karen Riva-Murray, Mark E. Brigham, Daniel T. Button, Lia C. Chasar, Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark A. Lowery, Celeste A. Journey

Programming PHREEQC calculations with C++ and Python a comparative study

The new IPhreeqc module provides an application programming interface (API) to facilitate coupling of other codes with the U.S. Geological Survey geochemical model PHREEQC. Traditionally, loose coupling of PHREEQC with other applications required methods to create PHREEQC input files, start external PHREEQC processes, and process PHREEQC output files. IPhreeqc eliminates most of this effort by pro
Authors
Scott R. Charlton, David L. Parkhurst, Mike Muller

Microbial mineralization of dichloroethene and vinyl chloride under hypoxic conditions

Mineralization of 14C-radiolabled vinyl chloride ([1,2-14C] VC) and cis-dichloroethene ([1,2-14C] cis-DCE) under hypoxic (initial dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations about 0.1 mg/L) and nominally anoxic (DO minimum detection limit = 0.01 mg/L) was examined in chloroethene-exposed sediments from two groundwater and two surface water sites. The results show significant VC and dichloroethene (DCE) m
Authors
Paul M. Bradley, Francis H. Chapelle

Reinterpreting the importance of oxygen-based biodegradation in chloroethene-contaminated groundwater

Chlororespiration is common in shallow aquifer systems under conditions nominally identified as anoxic. Consequently, chlororespiration is a key component of remediation at many chloroethene-contaminated sites. In some instances, limited accumulation of reductive dechlorination daughter products is interpreted as evidence that natural attenuation is not adequate for site remediation. This conclusi
Authors
Paul M. Bradley

Occurrence of antibiotic resistance and characterization of resistant genes and integrons in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from integrated fish farms south China

Antibiotics are still widely applied in animal husbandry to prevent diseases and used as feed additives to promote animal growth. This could result in antibiotic resistance to bacteria and antibiotic residues in animals. In this paper, Enterobacteriaceae isolated from four integrated fish farms in Zhongshan, South China were tested for antibiotic resistance, tetracycline resistance genes, sulfonam
Authors
Hao-Chang Su, Guang-Guo Ying, Ran Tao, Rui-Quan Zhang, Lisa R. Fogarty, Dana W. Kolpin

On the need for a national (US) research program to elucidate the potential risks to human health and the environment posed by contaminants of emerging concern

No abstract available.
Authors
P.J. Novak, William A. Arnold, V. S. Blazer, R.U. Halden, R.D. Klaper, D.W. Kolpin, D. Kriebel, N.G. Love, D. Martinovic-Weigelt, H.B. Patisaul, S.A. Snyder, F. S. vom Saal, A.V. Weisbrod

Role of back diffusion and biodegradation reactions in sustaining an MTBE/TBA plume in alluvial media

A methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) / tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) plume originating from a gasoline spill in late 1994 at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) persisted for over 15 years within 200 feet of the original spill source. The plume persisted until 2010 despite excavation of the tanks and piping within months after the spill and excavations of additional contaminated sediments from the source area
Authors
Ehsan Rasa, Steven W. Chapman, Barbara A. Bekins, Graham E. Fogg, Kate M. Scow, Douglas M. Mackay

Response to comments on "A bacterium that can grow using arsenic instead of phosphorus"

Concerns have been raised about our recent study suggesting that arsenic (As) substitutes for phosphorus in major biomolecules of a bacterium that tolerates extreme As concentrations. We welcome the opportunity to better explain our methods and results and to consider alternative interpretations. We maintain that our interpretation of As substitution, based on multiple congruent lines of evidence,
Authors
Felisa Wolfe-Simon, Jodi Switzer Blum, Thomas R. Kulp, Gwyneth W. Gordon, Shelley E. Hoeft, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, John F. Stolz, Samuel M. Webb, Peter K. Weber, Paul C.W. Davies, Ariel D. Anbar, Ronald S. Oremland