Solute Transport Involving Biological Processes in Surface Waters

Availability of toxic substances and nutrients to biota is dependent, among other factors, on their distribution and chemical form. Because interdependent physical, chemical and biological processes regulate the distribution, speciation and partitioning of biologically reactive solutes, understanding and quantifying solute interactions with biota can be important in developing water-quality models to justify policy and decision-making. The objective of this project is to study and quantitatively describe processes that regulate the transport of trace inorganic solutes in surface-water systems. For example, in many aquatic systems facing a long (decadal to century) history of anthropogenic inputs, solute accumulation in bottom sediments and biologically mediated chemical gradients at the sediment-water interface can generate a benthic source that may rival or even dramatically exceed regulated point sources. Therefore, the importance of this benthic flux relative to regulated or monitored sources is a focus of the project. To aid in the evaluation of remediation and load-allocation strategies, factors contributing to the temporal and spatial variability of the benthic flux of contaminants are also being examined. For additional information, see Investigations of Sediment-water Interactions in Western U.S. Water Bodies.

REPORTS PUBLISHED 1999-2008

Gandhi, N., Bhavsar, S.P., Diamond, M.L., Kuwabara, J.S., Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, M., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2007, Development of a mercury speciation, fate and biotic uptake (BIOTRANSPEC) model: Application to Lahontan Reservoir (Nevada, USA): Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 26, p. 2,260-2,273. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Kuwabara, J.S., Arai, Y., Topping, B.R., Pickering, I.J., and George, G.N., 2007, Mercury speciation in piscivorous fish from mining-impacted reservoirs: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 41, p. 2,745-2,749. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Kuwabara, J.S., Lynch, D.D., Topping, B.R., Murphy, F., Carter, J.L., Simon, N.S., Parchaso, F., Wood, T.M., Lindenberg, M.K., Wiese, K., and Avanzino, R., 2007, Quantifying the benthic source of nutrients to the water column of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1276, 39 p. (on-line summary or on-line report in pdf format, 1.2 MB)

Kuwabara, J.S., Topping, B.R., Woods, P.F., and Carter, J.L., 2007, Free zinc ion and dissolved orthophosphate effects of phytoplankton from Coeur d-Alene Lake, Idaho: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 41, p. 2,811-2,817. (on-line abstract or on-line article in pdf format, 508KB, published by American Chemical Society; not subject to U.S. copyright)

Thompson, B., Adelsbach, T., Brown, C., Hunt, J., Kuwabara, J., Neale, J., Ohlendorf, H., Schwarzbach, S., Spies, R., and Taberski, K., 2007, Biological effects of anthropogenic contaminants in the San Francisco estuary: Environmental Research, v. 105, p. 156-174. (on-line abstract of journal article)

Kuwabara, J.S., Topping, B.R., Woods, P.F., Carter, J.L., and Hager, S.W., 2006, Interactive effects of dissolved zinc and orthophosphate on phytoplankton from Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5091, 47 p. (on-line executive summary or on-line report in pdf format, 32.9MB)

Kuwabara, J.S., Topping, B.R., Moon, G.E., Husby, P., Lincoff, A., Carter, J.L., and Croteau, M.N., 2005, Mercury accumulation by lower-trophic-level organisms in lentic systems within the Guadalupe River watershed, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5037, 34 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 8.6 MB)

Croteau, M.-N., Luoma, S.N., Topping, B.R., and Lopez, C.B., 2004, Stable metal isotopes reveal copper accumulation and loss dynamics in the freshwater bivalve Corbicula: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 38, p. 5,002-5,009. (on-line abstract or on-line pdf file, 114kb - published by the American Chemical Society; not subject to U.S. copyright.)

Topping, B.R., Kuwabara, J.S., Marvin-DiPasquale, M.C., Agee, J.L., Kieu, L.H., Flanders, J.R., Parchaso, F., Hager, S.W., Lopez, C.B., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2004, Sediment remobilization of mercury in south San Francisco Bay, California: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5196, 27 p. + appendices. (on-line executive summary or on-line report in pdf format, 6.9 MB)

Kuwabara, J.S., Alpers, C.N., Marvin-Dipasquale, M., Topping, B.R., Carter, J.L.,. Stewart, A.R.,. Fend, S.V., Parchaso, F., Moon, G.E., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2003, Sediment-water interactions affecting dissolved-mercury distributions in Camp Far West Reservoir, California: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4140. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 4.3MB)

Kuwabara, J.S., Chang, C.C.Y. and Pasilis, S.P., 2003, Effects of the benthic flora on arsenic transport in Whitewood Creek, South Dakota, in Kuwabara, J.S., and Fuller, C.C., eds., Toxic sustances in surface waters and sediments -- A study to assess the effects of arsenic-contaminated alluvial sediment in Whitewood Creek, South Dakota: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1681, p. 1-26.

Kuwabara, J.S., and Fuller, C.C., eds., 2003, Toxic sustances in surface waters and sediments -- A study to assess the effects of arsenic-contaminated alluvial sediment in Whitewood Creek, South Dakota: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1681, 48 p. (on-line abstract or report in pdf format - 1.5MB)

Kuwabara, J.S., Woods, P.F., Berelson, W.M., and Balistrieri, L.S., Carter, J.L., Topping, B.R., and Fend, S.V., 2003, Importance of sediment-water interactions in Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho, USA: Management implications: Environmental Management, v. 32, p. 348-359. on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 975KB)

Topping, B.R., and Kuwabara, J.S., 2003, Dissolved nickel and benthic flux in south San Francisco Bay: A potential for natural sources to dominate: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 71, no. 1, p. 46-51.

Kuwabara, J.S., Marvin-Dipasquale. M., Praskins, W., Byron, E., Topping, B.R., Carter, J.L., Fend, S.V., Parchaso, F., Krabbenhoft, D.P., and Gustin, M.S., 2002, Flow of dissolved forms of mercury across the sediment-water interface in Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4138, 48 p. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 2.7MB)

Topping, B.R., Kuwabara, J.S., Parchaso, F., Hager, S.W., Arnsberg, A.J., Murphy, F., 2001, Benthic Flux of Dissolved Nickel in the Water Column of South San Francisco Bay: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-089, 50 p. (abstract or to obtain pdf file)

Kuwabara, J.S., Berelson, W.M., Balistrieri, L.S., Woods, P.F., Topping, B.R., Steding, D.J., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2000, Benthic flux of metals and nutrients into the water column of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: Report of an August, 1999 Pilot Study: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 00-4132, 90 p. (on-line abstract or to obtain pdf file)

Zheng, Y., Anderson, R.F., van Geen, A., and Kuwabara, J., 2000, Authigenic molybdenum formation in marine sediments: A link to pore-water sulfide in the Santa Barbara Basin: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 64, p. 4,165-4,178. (on-line abstract)

Kuwabara, J.S., Nichols, F.H., Kuivila, K.M., and Dileo, J.S., 1999, Understanding the human influence on the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary Ecosystem-The Toxic Substances Hydrology Program and USGS Placed-based Studies Program provide complimentary approaches and results, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 2--Contamination of Hydrologic Systems and Related Ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p. 109-113. (on-line abstract)

Kuwabara, J.S., Topping, B.R., Berelson, W.M., and Coale, K.H., 1999, Processes affecting the benthic flux of trace metals into the water column of San Francisco Bay, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 2--Contamination of Hydrologic Systems and Related Ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p. 115-119. (on-line abstract)

Kuwabara, J.S., van Geen, A., McCorkle, D.C., and Bernhard, J., 1999, Dissolved sulfide distributions in the water column and sediment pore waters of the Santa Barbara Basin: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 63, p. 2199-2209. (on-line abstract)

Kuwabara, J.S., van Geen, A., McCorkle, D.C., Bernhard, J., Topping, B.R., and Zheng, Y., 1999, Redox gradients in the Santa Barbara Basin: Application of techniques developed in the San Francisco Bay Toxics Study, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 2--Contamination of Hydrologic Systems and Related Ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p. 121-130. (on-line abstract)

Kuwabara, J.S., Nichols, F.H., Kuivila, K.M., and Dileo, J.S., 1999, Understanding the human influence on the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary Ecosystem-The Toxic Substances Hydrology Program and USGS Placed-based Studies Program provide complimentary approaches and results, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 2--Contamination of Hydrologic Systems and Related Ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p. 109-113.(on-line abstract)

Topping, B.R., and Kuwabara, J.S., 1999, Flow-injection-ICP-MS method applied to benthic flux studies of San Francisco Bay, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 2--Contamination of Hydrologic Systems and Related Ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018B, p. 131-134. (on-line abstract)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT, CONTACT:
James S. Kuwabara
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, MS 465, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Internet: kuwabara@usgs.gov
TELEPHONE: 650-329-4485

 For information on additional projects in the National Research Program, For information on additional projects in the National Research Program, see Indexes to NRP projects and bibliographies