USGS - science for a changing world

Toxic Substances Hydrology Program

The Toxic Substances Hydrology Program provides objective scientific information on environmental contamination to improve characterization and management of contaminated sites, to protect human and environmental health, and to reduce potential future contamination problems. Read more about the Toxics Program

Recent Headlines
Research Projects
USGS scientist measuring pH and other water properties on the banks of Fourmile Creek, Iowa, before collecting a sediment sample for laboratory biodegradation experiments.

Report cover image

Scientist collected earthworms from a soybean field fertilized with biosolids. The earthworms were analyzed for 77 different chemicals; 20 chemicals were detected in the earthworms.

USGS scientist preparing a submersible instrument package that is used to collect water-quality data on the San Francisco Bay, Calif., during a cruise of the USGS Research Vessel Polaris. The instrument includes sensors for measuring depth, conductivity, temperature, suspended solids, chlorophyll, light penetration, and dissolved oxygen
Climate-Driven Ocean Changes Affect Estuaries: Pacific Ocean Cooling Triggers Phytoplankton Blooms in San Francisco Bay

USGS scientist collecting water-quality samples during a hydrogen-consuming, push-pull injection test at the Norman Municipal Landfill Research Site, Okla. The test is used to determine what microbiological processes are active in the subsurface at ground-water contamination sites.

USGS scientist collecting water-quality samples during a hydrogen-consuming, push-pull injection test at the Norman Municipal Landfill Research Site, Okla. The test is used to determine what microbiological processes are active in the subsurface at ground-water contamination sites.

   
     
   
Crosscutting Topics
   
     
   
Photo Gallery
   

The BAT3 was designed to be easily transported to sites where it is needed. It comes in five shipping containers
The BAT3 was designed to be easily transported to sites where it is needed. It comes in five shipping containers -- from the BAT3 Photo Gallery

New Publications
   
Meetings

Selected New Publications
Diel changes in metal concentrations in a geogenically acidic river--Rio Agrio, Argentina: Parker, S.R., Gammons, C.H., Pedrozo, F.L., and Wood, S.A., 2008, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 178, no. 2, p. 213-223, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2008.06.029.

Influence of plankton mercury dynamics and trophic pathways on mercury concentrations of top predator fish of a mining-impacted reservoir: Stewart, A.R., Saiki, M.K., Kuwabara, J.S., Alpers, C.N., Marvin-DiPasquale, M., and Krabbenhoft, D.P., 2008, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 65, no. 11, p. 2,351-2,366.

Coupled effect of chemotaxis and growth on microbial distributions in organic-amended aquifer sediments--Observations from laboratory and field studies: Wang, M., Ford, R.M., and Harvey, R.W., 2008, Environmental Science and Technology, v. 41, no. 10, p. 3,556-3,562, doi:10.1021/es702392h.

Upcoming Publications
Acid rock drainage and climate change: Nordstrom, D.K., Journal of Geochemical Exploration, doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2008.08.002 (IN PRESS).

Biochemical indicators for the bioavailability of organic carbon in ground water: Chapelle, F.H., Bradley, P.M., Goode, D.J., Tiedeman, C., Lacombe, P.J., Kaiser, K., and Benner, R., Ground Water, doi:10.1111/j.1745-6584.2008.00493.x (IN PRESS).

Biogeochemistry at a wetland sediment-alluvial aquifer interface in a landfill leachate plume: Lorah, M.M., Cozzarelli, I.M., and Bšhlke, J.K., Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, doi:10.1016/j.jconhyd.2008.11.008 (IN PRESS).

   

USGS and Colorado State University co-sponsor EmCon2009-2nd International Conference on Occurrence, Fate, Effects, and Analysis of Emerging Contaminants in the Environment, Fort Collins, Colorado, August 4-7, 2009

The USGS cosponsors the special session Hydrogeological Research Sites and Observatories at the 2008 AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, December 15-19, 2008

USGS is co-sponsoring the short course Environmental Fate and Effects of Emerging Contaminants at the SETAC North America 29th Annual Meeting, Tampa, Florida, November 16-20, 2008

USGS sponsors the special session In Situ Approaches for Measuring Biodegradation Potential and Rates in Subsurface Environments at the 2008 Joint Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas, October 5-9, 2008

USGS and the University of Wisconsin-Madison are cosponsoring the joint session A Celebration of Soil Science, Solute Transport, and National-Scale Water-Quality Research: In Honor of Jacob Rubin at the 2008 Joint Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas, October 5-9, 2008

USGS and EPA host the USGS/EPA Workshop on Transport and Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents in Fractured Sedimentary Rocks, West Trenton, New Jersey, September 25, 2008

USGS co-sponsor the special session Characterizing Ground-Water Flow and Chemical Transport in Fractured-Rock Aquifers at the 2008 Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting in Cairns, Australia, on July 29-August 1, 2008

USGS and Virginia Tech present the NGWA's short course "Estimating Times of Remediation Associated with Monitored Natural Attenuation and Contaminant Source Removal," Tucson, Ariz., March 17-18, 2008

  _

USGS Water Water Quality Biology Geology Geography

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://toxics.usgs.gov/index.html
Page Contact Information: Webmaster
Page Last Modified:Friday, 10-Oct-2008 09:47:51 EDT