Publications
Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
The GeoHEALTH–USGS Newsletter—published since 2004—provides information on USGS science activities pertinent to safeguarding the health of fish, wildlife, domesticated animals, and people from environmental exposures to contaminants and pathogens.
Featured Science Activities
Featured Science Activities
Learn about our Featured Science Activities through our pages that highlight studies, publications, and results.
Filter Total Items: 4047
Evidence of weak contaminant-related oxidative stress in glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) from the Canadian arctic
Environmental contaminants are transported over great distances to Arctic ecosystems, where they can accumulate in wildlife. Whether contaminant concentrations in wildlife are sufficient to produce adverse effects remains poorly understood. Exposure to contaminants elevates oxidative stress with possible fitness consequences. The glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus), an Arctic top predator, was used
Authors
Mark Wayland, David J. Hoffman, Mark L. Mallory, Ray T. Alisauskas, Katherine R. Stebbins
Biodegration of chlorinated ethenes
Biodegradation of chlorinated ethenes by naturally occurring or artificially enhanced processes is an important component of current site remediation strategies. At this writing, several microbial mechanisms for chlorinated ethene transformation and degradation have been identified. The purpose of this chapter is to briefly summarize the current understanding of those processes that lead to the bi
Authors
Paul M. Bradley, Francis H. Chapelle
Ecology of amphibians and reptiles in a nutshell
No abstract available.
Authors
Greg Linder, C. Lehman, Joseph R. Bidwell
Epilogue: Ecotoxicology of amphibians and reptiles-where should be going and how do we get there?
No abstract available.
Authors
Greg Linder, C. Bishop, S. Krest, D. W. Sparling
Physiological ecology of amphibians and reptiles: Natural history and life history attributes framing chemical exposure in the field
No abstract available.
Authors
Greg Linder, B. Palmer, Edward E. Little, Christopher L. Rowe, Paula F. P. Henry
Evidence for a novel marine harmful algal bloom: Cyanotoxin (Microcystin) transfer from land to sea otters
"Super-blooms" of cyanobacteria that produce potent and environmentally persistent biotoxins (microcystins) are an emerging global health issue in freshwater habitats. Monitoring of the marine environment for secondary impacts has been minimal, although microcystin-contaminated freshwater is known to be entering marine ecosystems. Here we confirm deaths of marine mammals from microcystin intoxicat
Authors
Melissa A. Miller, Raphael M. Kudela, Abdu Mekebri, Dave Crane, Stori C. Oates, M. Tim Tinker, Michelle Staedler, Woutrina A. Miller, Sharon Toy-Choutka, Clare Dominik, Dane Hardin, Gregg Langlois, Michael Murray, Kim Ward, David A. Jessup
Feather lead concentrations and 207Pb/206Pb ratios reveal lead exposure history of California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus)
Lead poisoning is a primary factor impeding the survival and recovery of the critically endangered California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). However, the frequency and magnitude of lead exposure in condors is not well-known in part because most blood lead monitoring occurs biannually, and biannual blood samples capture only ∼10% of a bird’s annual exposure history. We investigated the use of gr
Authors
M.E. Finkelstein, D. George, S. Scherbinski, R. Gwiazda, M. Johnson, J. Burnett, J. Brandt, S. Lawrey, Allan P. Pessier, M.R. Clark, Janna Wynne, J. Grantham, D. R. Smith
Tet and sul antibiotic resistance genes in livestock lagoons of various operation type, configuration, and antibiotic occurrence
Although livestock operations are known to harbor elevated levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria, few studies have examined the potential of livestock waste lagoons to reduce antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and examine the behavior of tetracycline [tet(O) and tet(W)] and sulfonamide [sul(I) and su/(II)] ARGsin a broad cross-section of
Authors
C.W. McKinney, Keith A. Loftin, Michael T. Meyer, J.G. Davis, A. Pruden
Predicting mercury concentrations in mallard eggs from mercury in the diet or blood of adult females and from duckling down feathers
Measurements of Hg concentrations in avian eggs can be used to predict possible harm to reproduction, but it is not always possible to sample eggs. When eggs cannot be sampled, some substitute tissue, such as female blood, the diet of the breeding female, or down feathers of hatchlings, must be used. When female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were fed diets containing methylmercury chloride, the co
Authors
Gary H. Heinz, David J. Hoffman, Jon D. Klimstra, Katherine R. Stebbins
Determination of antibiotics in sewage from hospitals, nursery and slaughter house, wastewater treatment plant and source water in Chongqing region of Three Gorge Reservoir in China
Sewage samples from 4 hospitals, 1 nursery, 1 slaughter house, 1 wastewater treatment plant and 5 source water samples of Chongqing region of Three Gorge Reservoir were analyzed for macrolide, lincosamide, trimethoprim, fluorouinolone, sulfonamide and tetracycline antibiotics by online solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results showed that the concentration
Authors
Xiaotian Chang, Michael T. Meyer, Xiuying Liu, Q. Zhao, Chen Hao, J.-a. Chen, Z. Qiu, L. Yang, J. Cao, W. Shu