Publications
Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).
Filter Total Items: 4094
Constraining the oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate produced by nitrification
Measurements of the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (15N/14N) and oxygen (18O/16O) in nitrate (NO3–) enable identification of sources, dispersal, and fate of natural and contaminant NO3– in aquatic environments. The 18O/16O of NO3– produced by nitrification is often assumed to reflect the proportional contribution of oxygen atom sources, water, and molecular oxygen, in a 2:1 ratio. Culture and s
Authors
Danielle S. Boshers, Julie Granger, Craig R. Tobias, John K. Böhlke, Richard L. Smith
Improved enrichment factor calculations through principal component analysis: Examples from soils near breccia pipe uranium mines, Arizona, USA
The enrichment factor (EF) is a widely used metric for determining how much the presence of an element in a sampling media has increased relative to average natural abundance because of human activity. Calculation of an EF requires the selection of both a background composition and a reference element, choices that can strongly influence the result of the calculation. Here, it is shown how careful
Authors
Carleton R. Bern, Katherine Walton-Day, David L. Naftz
Associations between environmental pollutants and larval amphibians in wetlands contaminated by energy-related brines are potentially mediated by feeding traits
Energy production in the Williston Basin, located in the Prairie Pothole Region of central North America, has increased rapidly over the last several decades. Advances in recycling and disposal practices of saline wastewaters (brines) co-produced during energy production have reduced ecological risks, but spills still occur often and legacy practices of releasing brines into the environment caused
Authors
Kelly L. Smalling, Chauncey W. Anderson, R. Ken Honeycutt, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Todd M. Preston, Blake R. Hossack
Description of disparate responses of two indoor feral bee colonies
As is sometimes the case, field research does not always go according to plan. This is especially true when the research involves free-ranging animals. We recently conducted a preliminary field study that involved placing a beehive in a tent and individually releasing marked honey bees (Apis mellifera) outdoors to study their ability to locate sugar water rewards by following olfactory cues. Herei
Authors
Nimish B. Vyas, Amanda D. Plunkett
The dual‐domain porosity apparatus: Characterizing dual porosity at the sediment/water interface
The characterization of pore-space connectivity in porous media at the sediment/water interface is critical to understanding contaminant transport and reactive biogeochemical processes in zones of groundwater and surface-water exchange. Previous in situ studies of dual-domain (i.e.,
mobile/less-mobile porosity) studies have been limited to solute tracer injections at scales of meters to 100s
Authors
Courtney R. Scruggs, Martin A. Briggs, Frederick D. Day-Lewis, Dale D. Werkema, John W. Lane
Identifying natural and anthropogenic variability of uranium at the well scale, Homestake Superfund site, near Milan, New Mexico, USA
The San Mateo Creek Basin in New Mexico, USA is located within the Grants Mineral Belt-an area with numerous uranium (U) ore deposits, mines, and milling operations. Six monitoring wells set in an alluvial aquifer near the Homestake Mining Co. Superfund site in the lower San Mateo Creek Basin were logged with a suite of borehole geophysical tools including spectral gamma-ray (SGR), vertically prof
Authors
Philip T. Harte, Johanna M. Blake, Jonathan V. Thomas, Kent Becher
Behavioral effects of copper on larval white sturgeon
Early–life stage white sturgeon are sensitive to copper (Cu), with adverse behavioral responses observed during previous studies. The objectives of the present study were to quantify the effects of Cu exposure on white sturgeon swimming and feeding behaviors and determine their time to response. Larval sturgeon (1–2, 28, or 35 d posthatch [dph]) were exposed to Cu (0.5–8 μg/L) for 4 to 14 d. Abnor
Authors
Holly J. Puglis, Robin Calfee, Edward E. Little
Chlorinated byproducts of neonicotinoids and their metabolites: An unrecognized human exposure potential?
We recently reported the initial discovery of neonicotinoid pesticides in drinking water and their potential for transformation through chlorination and alkaline hydrolysis during water treatment. The objectives of this research were: (1) to determine if neonicotinoid metabolites are relevant to drinking water exposure and (2) to identify the products formed from chlorination of neonicotinoids and
Authors
Kathryn L. Klarich Wong, Danielle T. Webb, Matthew R. Nagorzanski, Dana W. Kolpin, Michelle L. Hladik, David M. Cwiertny, Gregory H. LeFevre
Potential toxicity of complex mixtures in surface waters from a nationwide survey of United States streams: Identifying in vitro bioactivities and causative chemicals
While chemical analysis of contaminant mixtures remains an essential component of environmental monitoring, bioactivity-based assessments using in vitro systems increasingly play a role in the detection of biological effects. Historically, in vitro assessments focused on a few biological pathways, e.g., aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) or estrogen receptor (ER) activities. High-throughput screening
Authors
Brett R. Blackwell, Gerald T. Ankley, Paul M. Bradley, Keith A. Houck, Sergei S. Makarov, Alexander V. Medvedev, Joe Swintek, Daniel L. Villeneuve
Multiple approaches to surface water quality assessment provide insight for small streams experiencing oil and natural gas development
Historic, current, and future oil and natural gas development can affect water quality in streams flowing through developed areas. We compared small stream drainages in a semi-arid landscape with varying amounts of disturbance from oil and natural gas development to examine potential effects of this development on surface water quality. We used physical, chemical, and biological approaches to asse
Authors
Annika W. Walters, Carlin Girard, Richard H. Walker, Aida Farag, David Alvarez
UZIG research: Measurement and characterization of unsaturated zone processes under wide-ranging climates and changing conditions
Unsaturated zone properties and processes are central to understanding the interacting effects of land-use change, contamination, and hydroclimate on our ability to grow food, sustain clean water supplies, and minimize loss of life and property. Advances in unsaturated zone science are being achieved through collaborations across traditional boundaries where information from biological, physical,
Authors
Jared J. Trost, Benjamin B. Mirus, Kimberlie Perkins, Wesley R. Henson, John R. Nimmo, Rafael Munoz-Carpena
Mixed-chemical exposure and predicted effects potential in wadeable southeastern USA streams
Complex chemical mixtures have been widely reported in larger streams but relatively little work has been done to characterize them and assess their potential effects in headwaterstreams. In 2014, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) sampled 54 Piedmont streams over ten weeks and measured 475 unique organic compounds using five analytical methods. Maximum and median exposure conditions were
Authors
Paul M. Bradley, Celeste A. Journey, Jason P. Berninger, Daniel T. Button, Jimmy M. Clark, Steven R. Corsi, Laura A. DeCicco, Kristina G. Hopkins, Bradley J. Huffman, Naomi Nakagaki, Julia E. Norman, Lisa H. Nowell, Sharon L. Qi, Peter C. Van Metre, Ian R. Waite