David Alvarez, PhD
Dr. Dave Alvarez is a Supervisory Research Chemist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
His focus is on the development of innovative methodologies for passive sampler design and complex mixture analysis of various environmental matrices. Research is conducted on emerging and historic contaminants; assessment of the exposure of aquatic and terrestrial organisms and humans to anthropogenic chemicals; and identification of chemicals and their potential sources. The link between chemical occurrence and biological effects are investigated using passive samplers as surrogate biological organisms and screening sampler extracts with in vitro and in vivo tests for estrogenicity, acute toxicity, reproductive and developmental abnormalities. The research is designed to expand the understanding of the roles of physicochemical parameters and environmental factors on the uptake mechanisms of passive samplers. Through our experience and expertise, this research group is recognized as an international leader in the field of passive sampling technologies.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Environmental/Analytical Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999
B.S. Chemistry, Missouri Western State College, 1995
Affiliations and Memberships*
2005-present Member, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
1993-present Member, American Chemical Society Environmental Division
1992-present Member, American Chemical Society
Science and Products
Passive Sampling Using SPMDs and POCIS
The application of passive sampling technologies for the monitoring of legacy and emerging organic chemicals in the environment is becoming widely accepted worldwide.
Filter Total Items: 15
Filter Total Items: 15
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 80
Sampling trace organic compounds in water: a comparison of a continuous active sampler to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods
A continuous active sampling method was compared to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods for the sampling of trace organic compounds (TOCs) in water. Results from each method are compared and contrasted in order to provide information for future investigators to use while selecting appropriate sampling methods for their research. The continuous low-level aquatic monitoring...
Authors
Alissa L. Coes, Nicholas V. Paretti, William T. Foreman, Jana L. Iverson, David A. Alvarez
Using SPMDs for monitoring hydrophobic organic compounds in urban river water in Korea compared with using conventional water grab samples
We aimed to verify the effectiveness of semi-permeablemembrane devices (SPMDs) formonitoring hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), that are not easy to detect using conventional grab samples (because of their low concentrations), in water.We used SPMDs and grab samples to monitor PCBs and PBDEs upstream and...
Authors
Un-Jung Kim, Hee Young Kim, David A. Alvarez, In-Seok Lee, Jeong-Eun Oh
Contaminants of legacy and emerging concern in largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, USA
We investigated occurrence, transport pathways, and effects of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants and other endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in aquatic media and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River. In 2009 and 2010, foodweb sampling at three sites along a gradient of contaminant exposure near Skamania (Washington), Columbia City (Oregon) and Longview...
Authors
Elena Nilsen, Steven D. Zaugg, David A. Alvarez, Jennifer L. Morace, Ian R. Waite, Timothy D. Counihan, Jill M. Hardiman, Leticia Torres, Reynaldo Patiño, Matthew G. Mesa, Robert A. Grove
Organic wastewater compounds in water and sediment in and near restored wetlands, Great Marsh, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 2009–11
A cooperative investigation between the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service was completed from 2009 through 2011 to understand the occurrence, distribution, and environmental processes affecting concentrations of organic wastewater compounds in water and sediment in and near Great Marsh at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Beverly Shores, Indiana. Sampling sites...
Authors
Amanda L. Egler, Martin R. Risch, David A. Alvarez, Paul M. Bradley
Development of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) for environmental monitoring
No abstract available.
Authors
David A. Alvarez
Bioassay of estrogenicity and chemical analyses of estrogens in streams across the United States associated with livestock operations
Animal manures, used as a nitrogen source for crop production, are often associated with negative impacts on nutrient levels in surface water. The concentrations of estrogens in streams from these manures also are of concern due to potential endocrine disruption in aquatic species. Streams associated with livestock operations were sampled by discrete samples (n = 38) or by time...
Authors
David A. Alvarez, Nancy W. Shappell, L.O. Billey, Dietrich S. Bermudez, Vickie S. Wilson, Dana W. Kolpin, Stephanie D. Perkins, Nicola Evans, William T. Foreman, James L. Gray, J.M. Shipitalo, Michael Frederick Meyer
Contaminants assessment in the coral reefs of Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument
Coral, fish, plankton, and detritus samples were collected from coral reefs in Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICR) to assess existing contamination levels. Passive water sampling using polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semi-permeable membrane devices found a few emerging pollutants of concern (DEET and...
Authors
Timothy A. Bargar, Virginia H. Garrison, David A. Alvarez, Kathy R. Echols
Refocusing Mussel Watch on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs): the California pilot study (2009-10)
To expand the utility of the Mussel Watch Program, local, regional and state agencies in California partnered with NOAA to design a pilot study that targeted contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Native mussels (Mytilus spp.) from 68 stations, stratified by land use and discharge scenario, were collected in 2009–10 and analyzed for 167 individual pharmaceuticals, industrial and...
Authors
Keith A. Maruya, Nathan G. Dodder, Rebecca A. Schaffner, Stephen B. Weisberg, Dominic Gregorio, Susan Klosterhaus, David A. Alvarez, Edward Furlong, Kimani L. Kimbrough, Gunnar G. Lauenstein, John N. Christensen
The Mussel Watch California pilot study on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs): synthesis and next steps
A multiagency pilot study on mussels (Mytilus spp.) collected at 68 stations in California revealed that 98% of targeted contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) were infrequently detectable at concentrations ⩽1 ng/g. Selected chemicals found in commercial and consumer products were more frequently detected at mean concentrations up to 470 ng/g dry wt. The number of CECs detected and...
Authors
Keith A. Maruya, Nathan G. Dodder, Stephen B. Weisberg, Dominic Gregorio, Jonathan S. Bishop, Susan Klosterhaus, David A. Alvarez, Edward Furlong, Suzanne B. Bricker, Kimani L. Kimbrough, Gunnar G. Lauenstein
Chemical contaminants in water and sediment near fish nesting sites in the Potomac River basin: determining potential exposures to smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
The Potomac River basin is an area where a high prevalence of abnormalities such as testicular oocytes (TO), skin lesions, and mortality has been observed in smallmouth bass (SMB, Micropterus dolomieu). Previous research documented a variety of chemicals in regional streams, implicating chemical exposure as one plausible explanation for these biological effects. Six stream sites in the...
Authors
Dana W. Kolpin, Vicki S. Blazer, James L. Gray, Michael J. Focazio, John A. Young, David A. Alvarez, Luke Iwanowicz, William T. Foreman, Edward Furlong, Gary K. Speiran, Steven D. Zaugg, Laura E. Hubbard, Michael Frederick Meyer, Mark W. Sandstrom, Larry B. Barber
Estimating pesticide sampling rates by the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) in the presence of natural organic matter and varying hydrodynamic conditions
The polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) was calibrated to monitor pesticides in water under controlled laboratory conditions. The effect of natural organic matter (NOM) on the sampling rates (Rs) was evaluated in microcosms containing 0.05). However, flow velocity and turbulence significantly increased the sampling rates of the pesticides in the FTS and SBE compared to the...
Authors
Lucner Charlestra, Aria Amirbahman, David L. Courtemanch, David A. Alvarez, Howard Patterson
Point sources of emerging contaminants along the Colorado River Basin: Source water for the arid Southwestern United States
Emerging contaminants (ECs) (e.g., pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, personal care products) have been detected in waters across the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate point sources of ECs along the Colorado River, from the headwaters in Colorado to the Gulf of California. At selected locations in the Colorado River Basin (sites in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona...
Authors
Tammy L. Jones-Lepp, Charles Sanchez, David A. Alvarez, Doyle C. Wilson, Randi-Laurant Taniguchi-Fu
Science and Products
Passive Sampling Using SPMDs and POCIS
The application of passive sampling technologies for the monitoring of legacy and emerging organic chemicals in the environment is becoming widely accepted worldwide.
Filter Total Items: 15
Filter Total Items: 15
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 80
Sampling trace organic compounds in water: a comparison of a continuous active sampler to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods
A continuous active sampling method was compared to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods for the sampling of trace organic compounds (TOCs) in water. Results from each method are compared and contrasted in order to provide information for future investigators to use while selecting appropriate sampling methods for their research. The continuous low-level aquatic monitoring...
Authors
Alissa L. Coes, Nicholas V. Paretti, William T. Foreman, Jana L. Iverson, David A. Alvarez
Using SPMDs for monitoring hydrophobic organic compounds in urban river water in Korea compared with using conventional water grab samples
We aimed to verify the effectiveness of semi-permeablemembrane devices (SPMDs) formonitoring hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), that are not easy to detect using conventional grab samples (because of their low concentrations), in water.We used SPMDs and grab samples to monitor PCBs and PBDEs upstream and...
Authors
Un-Jung Kim, Hee Young Kim, David A. Alvarez, In-Seok Lee, Jeong-Eun Oh
Contaminants of legacy and emerging concern in largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, USA
We investigated occurrence, transport pathways, and effects of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants and other endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in aquatic media and the foodweb in the lower Columbia River. In 2009 and 2010, foodweb sampling at three sites along a gradient of contaminant exposure near Skamania (Washington), Columbia City (Oregon) and Longview...
Authors
Elena Nilsen, Steven D. Zaugg, David A. Alvarez, Jennifer L. Morace, Ian R. Waite, Timothy D. Counihan, Jill M. Hardiman, Leticia Torres, Reynaldo Patiño, Matthew G. Mesa, Robert A. Grove
Organic wastewater compounds in water and sediment in and near restored wetlands, Great Marsh, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 2009–11
A cooperative investigation between the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service was completed from 2009 through 2011 to understand the occurrence, distribution, and environmental processes affecting concentrations of organic wastewater compounds in water and sediment in and near Great Marsh at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Beverly Shores, Indiana. Sampling sites...
Authors
Amanda L. Egler, Martin R. Risch, David A. Alvarez, Paul M. Bradley
Development of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) for environmental monitoring
No abstract available.
Authors
David A. Alvarez
Bioassay of estrogenicity and chemical analyses of estrogens in streams across the United States associated with livestock operations
Animal manures, used as a nitrogen source for crop production, are often associated with negative impacts on nutrient levels in surface water. The concentrations of estrogens in streams from these manures also are of concern due to potential endocrine disruption in aquatic species. Streams associated with livestock operations were sampled by discrete samples (n = 38) or by time...
Authors
David A. Alvarez, Nancy W. Shappell, L.O. Billey, Dietrich S. Bermudez, Vickie S. Wilson, Dana W. Kolpin, Stephanie D. Perkins, Nicola Evans, William T. Foreman, James L. Gray, J.M. Shipitalo, Michael Frederick Meyer
Contaminants assessment in the coral reefs of Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument
Coral, fish, plankton, and detritus samples were collected from coral reefs in Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICR) to assess existing contamination levels. Passive water sampling using polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semi-permeable membrane devices found a few emerging pollutants of concern (DEET and...
Authors
Timothy A. Bargar, Virginia H. Garrison, David A. Alvarez, Kathy R. Echols
Refocusing Mussel Watch on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs): the California pilot study (2009-10)
To expand the utility of the Mussel Watch Program, local, regional and state agencies in California partnered with NOAA to design a pilot study that targeted contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Native mussels (Mytilus spp.) from 68 stations, stratified by land use and discharge scenario, were collected in 2009–10 and analyzed for 167 individual pharmaceuticals, industrial and...
Authors
Keith A. Maruya, Nathan G. Dodder, Rebecca A. Schaffner, Stephen B. Weisberg, Dominic Gregorio, Susan Klosterhaus, David A. Alvarez, Edward Furlong, Kimani L. Kimbrough, Gunnar G. Lauenstein, John N. Christensen
The Mussel Watch California pilot study on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs): synthesis and next steps
A multiagency pilot study on mussels (Mytilus spp.) collected at 68 stations in California revealed that 98% of targeted contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) were infrequently detectable at concentrations ⩽1 ng/g. Selected chemicals found in commercial and consumer products were more frequently detected at mean concentrations up to 470 ng/g dry wt. The number of CECs detected and...
Authors
Keith A. Maruya, Nathan G. Dodder, Stephen B. Weisberg, Dominic Gregorio, Jonathan S. Bishop, Susan Klosterhaus, David A. Alvarez, Edward Furlong, Suzanne B. Bricker, Kimani L. Kimbrough, Gunnar G. Lauenstein
Chemical contaminants in water and sediment near fish nesting sites in the Potomac River basin: determining potential exposures to smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
The Potomac River basin is an area where a high prevalence of abnormalities such as testicular oocytes (TO), skin lesions, and mortality has been observed in smallmouth bass (SMB, Micropterus dolomieu). Previous research documented a variety of chemicals in regional streams, implicating chemical exposure as one plausible explanation for these biological effects. Six stream sites in the...
Authors
Dana W. Kolpin, Vicki S. Blazer, James L. Gray, Michael J. Focazio, John A. Young, David A. Alvarez, Luke Iwanowicz, William T. Foreman, Edward Furlong, Gary K. Speiran, Steven D. Zaugg, Laura E. Hubbard, Michael Frederick Meyer, Mark W. Sandstrom, Larry B. Barber
Estimating pesticide sampling rates by the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) in the presence of natural organic matter and varying hydrodynamic conditions
The polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) was calibrated to monitor pesticides in water under controlled laboratory conditions. The effect of natural organic matter (NOM) on the sampling rates (Rs) was evaluated in microcosms containing 0.05). However, flow velocity and turbulence significantly increased the sampling rates of the pesticides in the FTS and SBE compared to the...
Authors
Lucner Charlestra, Aria Amirbahman, David L. Courtemanch, David A. Alvarez, Howard Patterson
Point sources of emerging contaminants along the Colorado River Basin: Source water for the arid Southwestern United States
Emerging contaminants (ECs) (e.g., pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, personal care products) have been detected in waters across the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate point sources of ECs along the Colorado River, from the headwaters in Colorado to the Gulf of California. At selected locations in the Colorado River Basin (sites in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona...
Authors
Tammy L. Jones-Lepp, Charles Sanchez, David A. Alvarez, Doyle C. Wilson, Randi-Laurant Taniguchi-Fu
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government