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
Lean about our Featured Science Activities through our pages that highlight science studies, publications, and results.
Filter Total Items: 3746
Population dynamics of Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) in mesohaline and oligohaline habitats: Invasion success in a Southern Europe estuary
Due to its range expansion and potential ecological effects, Corbicula fluminea is considered one of the most important non-indigenous species (NIS) in aquatic ecosystems. Its presence since 2003 in the upstream area of Mondego estuary (oligohaline and mesohaline sectors) was studied during thirteen months, from December 2007 to December 2008. Monthly mean abundance and biomass ranged from 542 to
Authors
J.N. Franco, F.R. Ceia, J. Patricio, Janet K. Thompson, J.C. Marques, J.M. Neto
Introduction to phytoremediation of contaminated groundwater
This book provides the reader with the comprehensive view necessary to understand and critically evaluate the design, implementation, and monitoring of phytoremediation at sites characterized by contaminated groundwater. Part I presents the historical foundation of the interaction between plants and groundwater, introduces fundamental groundwater concepts for plant physiologists, and introduces ba
Authors
James E. Landmeyer
Use of electromagnetic induction methods to monitor remediation at the University of Connecticut landfill: 2004–2011
Time‐lapse geophysical surveys using frequency‐domain electromagnetics (FDEM) can indirectly measure time‐varying hydrologic parameters such as fluid saturation or solute concentration. Monitoring of these processes provides insight into aquifer properties and the effectiveness of constructed controls (such as leachate interceptor trenches), as well as aquifer responses to natural or induced stres
Authors
Carole D. Johnson, Eric A. White, Peter K. Joesten
Advancing electrical geophysical characterization of DNAPL-contaminated fractured rock aquifers
No abstract available.
Authors
Judith Robinson, Timothy Johnosn, Lee Slater, Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis, Pierre Lacombe, Frederick D. Day-Lewis, John W. Lane, Carole D. Johnson, Allen M. Shapiro, Claire R. Tiedeman, Daniel J. Goode
Guidance manual for forensic analysis of perchlorate in groundwater using chlorine and oxygen isotopic analyses
Increased health concerns about perchlorate (ClO4-) during the past decade and subsequent regulatory considerations have generated appreciable interest in source identification. The key objective of the isotopic techniques described in this guidance manual is to provide evidence concerning the origin of ClO4- in soils and groundwater and, more specifically, whether that ClO4- is synthetic or natur
Mineralogy, morphology, and textural relationships in coatings on quartz grains in sediments in a quartz-sand aquifer
Mineralogical studies of coatings on quartz grains and bulk sediments from an aquifer on Western Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA were carried out using a variety of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Previous studies demonstrated that coatings on quartz grains control the adsorption properties of these sediments. Samples for TEM characterization were made by a gentle mechanical grindi
Authors
Shouliang Zhang, Douglas B. Kent, David C. Elbert, Zhi Shi, James A. Davis, David R. Veblen
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
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