Integrated Science Teams
Biologists, ecologists, toxicologists, hydrologists, chemists, and geographers work together in the field and laboratories across the United States
Biologists, ecologists, toxicologists, hydrologists, chemists, and geographers work together in the field and laboratories across the United States
Questions We Answer
Examples of how specialized teams of scientists answer high priority environmental health science questions.
Examples of how specialized teams of scientists answer high priority environmental health science questions.
Featured Science Activities
Science activities are summarized in a series of feature articles
Science activities are summarized in a series of feature articles
Contaminant Biology
Science Centers and scientists supported by Contaminant Biology develop and apply advanced laboratory methods, field investigations, and modeling capabilities to understand toxicity and effects of environmental contaminant and pathogen exposure.
Featured Science Activities
Featured Science Activities
Our Featured Science Articles highlight Environmental Health Program science activities.
GeoHEALTH-USGS
GeoHEALTH-USGS
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.
News
USGS partners with Havasupai Tribe to identify potential contaminant exposure pathways from Grand Canyon uranium mining
USGS partners with Havasupai Tribe to identify potential contaminant exposure pathways from Grand Canyon uranium mining
GeoHEALTH—USGS Newsletter, July 2023
GeoHEALTH—USGS Newsletter, July 2023
Publications
Land-use interactions, Oil-Field infrastructure, and natural processes control hydrocarbon and arsenic concentrations in groundwater, Poso Creek Oil Field, California, USA
Like many hydrocarbon production areas in the U.S., the Poso Creek Oil Field in California includes and is adjacent to other land uses (agricultural and other developed lands) that affect the hydrology and geochemistry of the aquifer overlying and adjacent to oil development. We hypothesize that the distributions of hydrocarbons and arsenic in groundwater in such areas will be controlled...
Integrated science for the study of microplastics in the environment—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey
Executive SummaryEvidence of the widespread occurrence of microplastics throughout our environment and exposure to humans and other organisms over the past decade has led to questions about the possibility of health hazards and mitigation of exposures. This document discusses nanoplastics as well as microplastics (referred to solely as microplastics); the microplastics have a range from...
Global mercury concentrations in biota: Their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer...
Science
A National Predictive Model for PFAS Occurrence in Groundwater
In October of 2024, USGS Scientist’s published a study where they created a model to predict PFAS occurrence in groundwater at the depths of drinking water supplies. This model can help guide our partners to sample areas where PFAS in drinking water could be an issue for the public.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, New England Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Core Technology Team
The Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Core Technology Team (CTT) within the Environmental Health Program partners with external and internal stakeholders to develop and apply analytical methods for measuring PFAS in complex matrices, addressing environmental health issues related to transport, distribution, fate, effects, and exposure.
Preliminary Research Sheds Light on Proper Analysis and Sample Handling for the Tire-Derived Contaminants 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone
Tire and road wear particles have been shown to cause acute effects to sensitive aquatic animals and degrade their habitats. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists developed methods to accurately identify aquatic compounds, such as 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone, that can cause acute mortality events in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Washington Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center