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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: 3746

Effects of stress from mine drainage on diversity, biomass, and function of primary producers in mountain streams

This paper proposes a hypothesis that relates biodi- versity, community biomass, and ecosystem func- tion to a gradient of stress. According to this hy- pothesis, biodiversity has a low threshold of response to stress, whereas biomass and function are stable or increase under low to moderate stress and decrease only under high stress. This hypothe- sis was tested by examining communities of pri-
Authors
Dev K. Niyogi, William M. Lewis, Diane M. McKnight

Determination of isoxaflutole (balance) and its metabolites in water using solid phase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet or mass spectrometry

Balance (isoxaflutole, IXF) belongs to a new family of herbicides referred to as isoxazoles. IXF has a very short soil half-life (<24 h), degrading to a biologically active diketonitrile (DKN) metabolite that is more polar and considerably more stable. Further degradation of the DKN metabolite produces a nonbiologically active benzoic acid (BA) metabolite. Analytical methods using solid phase extr
Authors
Chung-Ho Lin, Robert N. Lerch, E. Michael Thurman, Harold E. Garrett, Milon F. George

Response to comment on "Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000: A national reconnaissance"

We thank Ericson et al. (1) for their careful review and thoughtful comments on the synthetic hormone data presented in our recent publication summarizing the results from the USGS nationwide reconnaissance for pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants (2). Their efforts have helped raise the awareness of the difficulties in accurately measuring these compounds at the low concentra
Authors
Dana W. Kolpin, Edward T. Furlong, Michael T. Meyer, E. Michael Thurman, Steven D. Zaugg, Larry B. Barber, Herbert T. Buxton

Response to comment on "Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000: A national reconnaissance"

We concur with the response of Eckel to our recent publication in this Journal (1). As the author notes, the topic of emerging contaminants is currently receiving extensive media coverage and scientific notice, but there are earlier reports that foreshadow this current interest. Eckel’s comment regarding the detection of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants (OWC) at a Superfun
Authors
Dana W. Kolpin, Edward T. Furlong, Michael T. Meyer, E. Michael Thurman, Steven D. Zaugg, Herbert T. Buxton

The dependence of estuarine turbidity on tidal intrusion length, tidal range and residence time

It is shown that there is a marked tendency for long, strongly tidal estuaries to have greater suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations within their high-turbidity regions than shorter estuaries with comparable tidal ranges at their mouths, or weakly tidal estuaries. Using consistently derived data from 44 estuaries in Europe and the Americas, contours of the logarithm of maximum estuarin
Authors
R.J. Uncles, J.A. Stephens, R. E. Smith

Schlumberger soundings at the Amargosa Desert Research Site, Nevada

In 1999 the U.S. Geological Survey made 38 direct current (dc) electrical soundings at the Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS) near Beatty, Nevada (fig. 1.) using the Schlumberger array. An additional 16 Schlumberger soundings were made in 2000. The soundings were made to determine the subsurface resistivity distribution, and the location of faults. The purpose of this report is to present the da
Authors
Robert J. Bisdorf

Ground-water levels and potentiometric surfaces, Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2000

Water levels were measured in wells at the decommissioned Naval Air Warfare Center in West Trenton, N.J., during 2000. Water-level hydro­graphs prepared from data collected at seven obser­vation wells on the base show changes caused by seasonal and daily climate conditions and by the pumping of contaminated water from recovery wells. Stressed and unstressed potentiometric sur­faces for 2000 are si
Authors
Pierre J. Lacombe

Worldwide occurrences of arsenic in ground water

Numerous aquifers worldwide carry soluble arsenic at concentrations greater than the World Health Organization--and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency--recommended drinking water standard of 10 mg per liter. Sources include both natural (black shales, young sediments with low flushing rates, gold mineralization, and geothermal environments) and anthropogenic (mining activities, livestock feed ad
Authors
D. Kirk Nordstrom

Role of ground water in geomorphology, geology, and paleoclimate of the southern High Plains, USA

Study of ground water in the Southern High Plains is central to an understanding of the geomorphology, deposition of economic minerals, and climate change record in the area. Ground water has controlled the course of the Canadian and Pecos rivers that isolated the Southern High Plains from the Great Plains and has contributed significantly to the continuing retreat of the westward escarpment. Evap
Authors
Warren W. Wood

Concepts for national assessment of water availability and use

In response to a directive from Congress to the U.S. Geological Survey to 'prepare a report describing the scope and magnitude of the efforts needed to provide periodic assessments of the status and trends in the availability and use of freshwater resources,' of the United States, a program is proposed to develop and report on indicators of the status and trends in storage volume, flow rates, and
Authors

An integrated geophysical and hydraulic investigation to characterize a fractured-rock aquifer, Norwalk, Connecticut

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted an integrated geophysical and hydraulic investigation at the Norden Systems, Inc. site in Norwalk, Connecticut, where chlorinated solvents have contaminated a fractured-rock aquifer. Borehole, borehole-to-borehole, surface-geophysical, and hydraulic methods were used to characterize the site bedrock lithology and structure, fractures, and transmissive zone hydr
Authors
J.W. Lane, J.H. Williams, C. D. Johnson, D.M. Savino, F. P. Haeni