Avian mercury exposure and toxicological risk across western North America: A synthesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ackerman, Joshua T.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Herzog, Mark; Hartman, Christopher; Peterson, Sarah; Evers, David C.; Jackson, Allyson K.; Elliott, John E.; Vander Pol, Stacy S.; Bryan, Colleen E.

2016-01-01

Methylmercury contamination of the environment is an important issue globally, and birds are useful bioindicators for mercury monitoring programs. The available data on mercury contamination of birds in western North America were synthesized. Original data from multiple databases were obtained and a literature review was conducted to obtain additional mercury concentrations. In total, 29219 original bird mercury concentrations from 225 species were compiled, and an additional 1712 mean mercury concentrations, representing 19998 individuals and 176 species, from 200 publications were obtained. To make mercury data comparable across bird tissues, published equations of tissue mercury correlations were used to convert all mercury concentrations into blood-equivalent mercury concentrations. Blood-equivalent mercury concentrations differed among species, foraging guilds, habitat types, locations, and ecoregions. Piscivores and carnivores exhibited the greatest mercury concentrations, whereas herbivores and granivores exhibited the lowest mercury concentrations. Bird mercury concentrations were greatest in ocean and salt marsh habitats and lowest in terrestrial habitats. Bird mercury concentrations were above toxicity benchmarks in many areas throughout western North America, and multiple hotspots were identified. Additionally, published toxicity benchmarks established in multiple tissues were summarized and translated into a common blood-equivalent mercury concentration. Overall, 66% of birds sampled in western North American exceeded a blood-equivalent mercury concentration of 0.2 μg/g wet weight (ww; above background levels), which is the lowest-observed effect level, 28% exceeded 1.0 μg/g ww (moderate risk), 8% exceeded 3.0 μg/g ww (high risk), and 4% exceeded 4.0 μg/g ww (severe risk). Mercury monitoring programs should sample bird tissues, such as adult blood and eggs, that are most-easily translated into tissues with well-developed toxicity benchmarks and that are directly relevant to bird reproduction. Results indicate that mercury contamination of birds is prevalent in many areas throughout western North America, and large-scale ecological attributes are important factors influencing bird mercury concentrations.

Avian mercury exposure and toxicological risk across western North America: A synthesis

PubMed Central

Ackerman, Joshua T.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Herzog, Mark P.; Hartman, C. Alex; Peterson, Sarah H.; Evers, David C.; Jackson, Allyson K.; Elliott, John E.; Vander Pol, Stacy S.; Bryan, Colleen E.

2017-01-01

Methylmercury contamination of the environment is an important issue globally and birds are useful bioindicators for mercury monitoring programs. The available data on mercury contamination of birds in western North America were synthesized. Original data from multiple databases were obtained and a literature review was conducted to obtain additional mercury concentrations. In total, 29219 original bird mercury concentrations from 225 species were compiled, and an additional 1712 mean mercury concentrations, representing 19998 individuals and 176 species, from 200 publications were obtained. To make mercury data comparable across bird tissues, published equations of tissue mercury correlations were used to convert all mercury concentrations into blood-equivalent mercury concentrations. Blood-equivalent mercury concentrations differed among species, foraging guilds, habitat types, locations, and ecoregions. Piscivores and carnivores exhibited the greatest mercury concentrations, whereas herbivores and granivores exhibited the lowest mercury concentrations. Bird mercury concentrations were greatest in ocean and salt marsh habitats and lowest in terrestrial habitats. Bird mercury concentrations were above toxicity benchmarks in many areas throughout western North America, and multiple hotspots were identified. Additionally, published toxicity benchmarks established in multiple tissues were summarized and translated into a common blood-equivalent mercury concentration. Overall, 66% of birds sampled in western North American exceeded a blood-equivalent mercury concentration of 0.2 μg/g wet weight (ww; above background levels), which is the lowest-observed effect level, 28% exceeded 1.0 μg/g ww (moderate risk), 8% exceeded 3.0 μg/g ww (high risk), and 4% exceeded 4.0 μg/g ww (severe risk). Mercury monitoring programs should sample bird tissues, such as adult blood and eggs, that are most-easily translated into tissues with well-developed toxicity benchmarks and that are directly relevant to bird reproduction. Results indicate that mercury contamination of birds is prevalent in many areas throughout western North America, and large-scale ecological attributes are important factors influencing bird mercury concentrations. PMID:27093907

Development of Atmospheric Air 85Kr Monitoring Methodology on the Territory of the USSR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakhomov, Sergei; Dubasov, Yury

2014-05-01

Highly sensitive, low-background and high-performance method of beta-radioactivity measurements of the gas samples was developed in mid-eighties at Khlopin Radium institute. This method was based on the use of the serial automated installation for liquid scintillation measurements and special scintillating cells. Cells were equipped with the gas valve, and their internal surface were covered by a thin layer of organic scintillator. This method found was successfully was applied for 85Kr activity measurements in atmospheric krypton samples and for 85Kr concentration measurements in atmospheric air. For the first time, method developed for 85Kr activity measurements, was practically tested in May - June, 1986, while studying radioactive pollution characteristics in the air basin of Russia and Ukraine after the Chernobyl NPP accident. Thus for sampling of atmospheric krypton the industrial krypton-xenon mix manufactured at air-separating plants, located in the cities of Cherepovets, Lipetsk, Krivoi Rog and Enakiyevo was used. In the end of April and in the first half of May it was determined that 1,5-fold excess concentrations of 85Kr in atmospheric air were observed in atmospheric air of considerable part of the European territory of Russia and Ukraine During the period from 1987 to 1991 this method was used for monitoring of 85Kr on the territory of the former USSR in the air basin of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Industrial krypton-xenon mix manufactured at 14 large air-separating plants was also used for sampling. Six of them were situated in Russia (Novomoskovsk, Lipetsk, Cherepovets, Chelyabinsk, Nizhni Tagil, Orsk). Seven - in Ukraine (Enakiyevo, Kommunarsk, Krivoi Rog, Makeyevka, Mariupol, Severodonetsk, Dneprodzerzhinsk). One plant was situated in Temirtau, in Kazakhstan. The analysis indicated that in Krivoi Rog; Dneprozhzerzhinsk; Severodonetsk; Makeyevka; Mariupol; Enakiyevo; Kommunarsk; Novomoskovsk and Cherepovets the average 85Kr concentration in atmospheric air was close to background level during monitoring. But in Lipetsk; Orsk; Nizhni Tagil and Temirtau 10-20% excess of background level was systematically observed. In Chelyabinsk concentration of 85Kr steadily exceeded this level by 2-3 times, and incidentally exceeded it for order. Generally, during this period about 1500 values of concentration 85Kr were obtained. Actually, the large-scale monitoring system of atmospheric 85Kr with a binding of sampling points to 14 air-separating plants covered the territory 1000 x 3000 km was created. The developed method of 85Kr activity measurement was successfully applied also when carrying out expedition works in Northern Atlantic during the period from 1987 to 1994 with use o ZIF-1000 cryogenic installation for sampling, which initially was intended for liquid nitrogen manufacturing at the ship. Generally, 80 measurements of 85Kr concentration were obtained using this method. It was determined, that the average concentration of 85Kr in atmospheric air in the open regions of the Atlantic Ocean, were close to background level during monitoring. The concentrations of 85Kr steadily exceeded this level by 2-3 times in English Channel, and incidentally exceeded it in tens times.

Mercury concentrations in water from an unconfined aquifer system, New Jersey coastal plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, J.L.; Szabo, Z.; Kauffman, L.J.; Barringer, T.H.; Stackelberg, P.E.; Ivahnenko, T.; Rajagopalan, S.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.

2005-01-01

Concentrations of total mercury (Hg) from 2 ??g/L (the USEPA maximum contaminant level) to 72 ??g/L in water from about 600 domestic wells in residential parts of eight counties in southern New Jersey have been reported by State and county agencies. The wells draw water from the areally extensive (7770 km2) unconfined Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system, in which background concentrations of Hg are about 0.01 ??g/L or less. Hg is present in most aquifer materials at concentrations 0.1 ??g/L did not correlate significantly with concentrations of the inorganic constituents. Hgf concentrations near or exceeding 2 ??g/L were found only in water from wells in areas with residential land use, but concentrations were at background levels in most water samples from undeveloped land. The spatial distribution of Hg-contaminated ground water appears to be locally and regionally heterogeneous; no extensive plumes of Hg contamination have yet been identified. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ambient quality of ground water in the vicinity of Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Kitsap County, Washington, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greene, Karen E.

1997-01-01

A study of the ambient ground-water quality in the vicinity of Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) Bangor was conducted to provide the U.S. Navywith background levels of selected constituents.The Navy needs this information to plan and manage cleanup activities on the base. DuringMarch and April 1995, 136 water-supply wells were sampled for common ions, trace elements, and organic compounds; not all wells were sampled for all constituents. Man-made organic compounds were detected in only two of fifty wells, and the sources of these organic compounds were attributed to activities in the immediate vicinities of these off- base wells. Drinking water standards for trichloroethylene, iron, and manganese were exceeded in one of these wells, which was probablycontaminated by an old local (off-base) dump. Ground water from wells open to the following hydrogeologic units (in order from shallow to deep) was investigated: the Vashon till confining unit (Qvt, three wells); the Vashon aquifer (Qva, 54 wells); the Upper confining unit (QC1, 16 wells); the Permeable interbeds within QC1 (QC1pi, 34 wells); and the Sea-level aquifer (QA1, 29 wells).The 50th and 90th percentile ambient background levels of 35 inorganic constituents were determined for each hydrogeologic unit. At least tenmeasurements were required for a constituent in each hydro- geologic unit for determination of ambient background levels, and data for three wellsdetermined to be affected by localized activities were excluded from these analyses. The only drinking water standards exceeded by ambient background levels were secondary maximum contaminant levels for iron (300 micrograms per liter), in QC1 and QC1pi, and manganese (50 micrograms per liter), in all of the units. The 90th percentile values for arsenic in QC1pi, QA1, and for the entire study area are above 5 micrograms per liter, the Model Toxics Control Act Method A value for protecting drinking water, but well below the maximum contaminant level of 50 micrograms per liter for arsenic. The manganese standard was exceeded in 38 wells and the standard for iron was exceeded in 12 wells.Most of these wells were in QC1 or QC1pi and had dissolved oxygen concentrations of less than 1 milligram per liter and dissolved organic carbon concentrations greater than 1\\x11milligram per liter.The dissolved oxygen concentration is generally lower in the deeper units, while pH increases; the recommended pH range of 6.5-8.5 standard units was exceeded in 9 wells. The common-ion chemistry was similar for all of the units.

Temporal and Spatial Variation in, and Population Exposure to, Summertime Ground-Level Ozone in Beijing

PubMed Central

Zheng, Youfei; Li, Ting; Wei, Li; Guan, Qing

2018-01-01

Ground-level ozone pollution in Beijing has been causing concern among the public due to the risks posed to human health. This study analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution of, and investigated population exposure to, ground-level ozone. We analyzed hourly ground-level ozone data from 35 ambient air quality monitoring sites, including urban, suburban, background, and traffic monitoring sites, during the summer in Beijing from 2014 to 2017. The results showed that the four-year mean ozone concentrations for urban, suburban, background, and traffic monitoring sites were 95.1, 99.8, 95.9, and 74.2 μg/m3, respectively. A total of 44, 43, 45, and 43 days exceeded the Chinese National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) threshold for ground-level ozone in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. The mean ozone concentration was higher in suburban sites than in urban sites, and the traffic monitoring sites had the lowest concentration. The diurnal variation in ground-level ozone concentration at the four types of monitoring sites displayed a single-peak curve. The peak and valley values occurred at 3:00–4:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., respectively. Spatially, ground-level ozone concentrations decreased in gradient from the north to the south. Population exposure levels were calculated based on ground-level ozone concentrations and population data. Approximately 50.38%, 44.85%, and 48.49% of the total population of Beijing were exposed to ground-level ozone concentrations exceeding the Chinese NAAQS threshold in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. PMID:29596366

Temporal and Spatial Variation in, and Population Exposure to, Summertime Ground-Level Ozone in Beijing.

PubMed

Zhao, Hui; Zheng, Youfei; Li, Ting; Wei, Li; Guan, Qing

2018-03-29

Ground-level ozone pollution in Beijing has been causing concern among the public due to the risks posed to human health. This study analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution of, and investigated population exposure to, ground-level ozone. We analyzed hourly ground-level ozone data from 35 ambient air quality monitoring sites, including urban, suburban, background, and traffic monitoring sites, during the summer in Beijing from 2014 to 2017. The results showed that the four-year mean ozone concentrations for urban, suburban, background, and traffic monitoring sites were 95.1, 99.8, 95.9, and 74.2 μg/m³, respectively. A total of 44, 43, 45, and 43 days exceeded the Chinese National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) threshold for ground-level ozone in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. The mean ozone concentration was higher in suburban sites than in urban sites, and the traffic monitoring sites had the lowest concentration. The diurnal variation in ground-level ozone concentration at the four types of monitoring sites displayed a single-peak curve. The peak and valley values occurred at 3:00-4:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., respectively. Spatially, ground-level ozone concentrations decreased in gradient from the north to the south. Population exposure levels were calculated based on ground-level ozone concentrations and population data. Approximately 50.38%, 44.85%, and 48.49% of the total population of Beijing were exposed to ground-level ozone concentrations exceeding the Chinese NAAQS threshold in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively.

Ammonia concentrations at a site in Southern Scotland from 2 yr of continuous measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkhardt, J.; Sutton, M. A.; Milford, C.; Storeton-West, R. L.; Fowler, D.

Atmospheric ammonia (NH 3) concentrations were measured using a continuous-flow annular denuder over a period of 2 yr at a rural site near Edinburgh, Scotland. Meteorological parameters as well as sulphur dioxide (SO 2) concentrations were also recorded. The overall arithmetic mean NH 3 concentration was 1.4 μg m -3. Although an annual cycle with largest NH 3 concentrations in summer was apparent for seasonal geometric mean concentrations, arithmetic mean concentrations were largest in the spring and autumn, indicating the increased importance of occasional high concentration events in these seasons. The NH 3 concentrations were influenced by local sources as well as by background concentrations, dependent on wind direction, whereas SO 2 geometric standard deviations indicated more distant sources. The daily cycle of NH 3 and SO 2 concentrations was dependent on wind speed ( u). At u<1 m s -1, NH 3 concentrations were smallest and SO 2 concentrations were largest around noon, whereas at u>1 m s -1 this cycle was less pronounced for both gases and NH 3 concentrations were largest around 1800 hours. These opposite diurnal cycles may be explained by the interaction of boundary layer mixing with local sources for NH 3 and remote sources for SO 2. Comparing the ammonia data with critical levels and critical loads shows that the critical level is not exceeded at this site over any averaging time. In contrast, the N critical load would probably be exceeded for moorland vegetation near this site, showing that the contribution of atmospheric NH 3 to nitrogen deposition in the long term is a more significant issue than exceedance of critical levels.

Assessment of contamination from arsenical pesticide use on orchards in the great valley region, Virginia and West Virginia, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, G.R.; Larkin, S.P.; Boughton, C.J.; Reed, B.W.; Sibrell, P.L.

2007-01-01

Lead arsenate pesticides were widely used in apple orchards from 1925 to 1955. Soils from historic orchards in four counties in Virginia and West Virginia contained elevated concentrations of As and Pb, consistent with an arsenical pesticide source. Arsenic concentrations in approximately 50% of the orchard site soils and approximately 1% of reference site soils exceed the USEPA Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) screening guideline of 22 mg kg-1 for As in residential soi, defined on the basis of combined chronic exposure risk. Approximately 5% of orchard site soils exceed the USEPA PRG for Pb of 400 mg kg-1 in residential soil; no reference site soils sampled exceed this value. A variety of statistical methods were used to characterize the occurrence, distribution, and dispersion of arsenical pesticide residues in soils, stream sediments, and ground waters relative to landscape features and likely background conditions. Concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Cu were most strongly associated with high developed land density and population density, whereas elevated concentrations of As were weakly correlated with high orchard density, consistent with a pesticide residue source. Arsenic concentrations in ground water wells in the region are generally <0.005 mg L-1. There was no spatial association between As concentrations in ground water and proximity to orchards. Arsenic had limited mobility into ground water from surface soils contaminated with arsenical pesticide residues at concentrations typically found in orchards. ?? ASA, CSSA, SSSA.

Is PM(10) mass measurement a reliable index for air quality assessment? An environmental study in a geographical area of north-eastern Italy.

PubMed

Cozzi, F; Adami, G; Barbieri, P; Reisenhofer, E; Bovenzi, M

2008-09-01

The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of some metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Ti) in PM(10) samples collected in one urban and one industrial site and to assess that PM(10) total mass measurement may be not sufficient as air quality index due to its complex composition. Metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and differential pulsed anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). The measured concentrations were used to calculate the content of metals in the PM(10) total mass, and to estimate the enrichment factors and the correlations between PM(10), metal concentrations and meteorological data for the two sites. The mean PM10 concentration during the sampling period in the urban site exceeded the annual European Union (EU) standard (40 microg/m(3)) and, for some sampling days, the daily EU standard (50 microg/m(3)) was also exceeded. In opposite, both EU standards were never exceeded in the industrial site. The overall metal content was nearly double in the industrial site compared to the urban one, and the mean Ni concentration exceeded the EU annual limit value (10 ng/m(3)). The metals with the highest enrichment factor were Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb for both sites, suggesting a dominant anthropogenic source for these metals. Metal concentrations were very low and typical of rural background during Christmas holidays, when factories were closed. PM(10) total mass measurement is not a sufficient air quality index since the metal content of PM(10) is not related to its total mass, especially in sites with industrial activities. This measurement should be associated with the analysis of toxic metals.

Changes in the biological activity of heavy metal- and oil-polluted soils in urban recreation territories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trifonova, T. A.; Zabelina, O. N.

2017-04-01

Urban recreation areas of different sizes were investigated in the city of Vladimir. The degree of their contamination with heavy metals and oil products was revealed. The content of heavy metals exceeded their maximum permissible concentrations by more than 2.5 times. The total content of heavy metals decreased in the sequence: Zn > Pb > Co > Mn > Cr > Ni. The mass fraction of oil products in the studied soils varied within the range of 0.016-0.28 mg/g. The reaction of soils in public gardens and a boulevard was neutral or close to neutral; in some soil samples, it was weakly alkaline. The top layer of all the soils significantly differed from the lower one by the higher alkalinity promoting the deposition of heavy metals there. As the content of Ni, Co, and Mn increased and exceeded the background concentrations, but did not reach the three-fold value of the maximum permissible concentrations, the activity of catalase was intensified. The stimulating effect of nickel on the catalase activity was mostly pronounced at the neutral soil reaction. The urease activity increased when heavy metals and oil products were present together in the concentrations above the background ones, but not higher than the three-fold maximal permissible concentrations for heavy metals and 0.3 mg/g for the content of oil products. The nitrifying activity was inhibited by oil hydrocarbons that were recorded in the soils in different amounts.

Mercury in ground water, septage, leach-field effluent, and soils in residential areas, New Jersey coastal plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, J.L.; Szabo, Z.; Schneider, D.; Atkinson, W.D.; Gallagher, R.A.

2006-01-01

Water samples were collected from domestic wells at an unsewered residential area in Gloucester County, New Jersey where mercury (Hg) concentrations in well water were known to exceed the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 2000 ng/L. This residential area (the CSL site) is representative of more than 70 such areas in southern New Jersey where about 600 domestic wells, sampled previously by State and county agencies, yielded water containing Hg at concentrations that exceed the MCL. Recent studies indicate that background concentrations of Hg in water from this unconfined sand and gravel aquifer system are < 10 ng/L. Additional sampling was conducted at the CSL site in order to better understand sources of Hg and potential Hg transport mechanisms in the areas with Hg-contaminated ground water. At the CSL site, concentrations of Hg were substantially lower (although still exceeding the MCL in some cases) in filtered water samples than in the unfiltered water samples collected previously from the same wells. Surfactants and elevated concentrations of sodium, chloride, nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate in water from domestic and observation wells indicated septic-system effects on water quality; detections of sulfide indicated localized reducing conditions. Hg concentrations in septage and leach-field effluent sampled at several other households in the region were low relative to the contaminant-level Hg concentrations in water from domestic wells. Relations of Hg concentrations in leach-field effluent to iron concentrations indicate that reductive dissolution of iron hydroxides in soils may release Hg to the percolating effluent. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ammonia and methane emissions during drying of dewatered biogas digestate in a two-belt conveyor dryer.

PubMed

Awiszus, S; Meissner, K; Reyer, S; Müller, J

2018-01-01

Aim of the present study was to identify type and amount of emissions during the drying of biogas digestate in a two-belt conveyor dryer at different temperature settings and to investigate the effect on its nutrient content. Furthermore, the possibility of recovering nitrogen from the exhaust air was investigated. Emissions of CH 4 , CO 2 and NH 3 were measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Biogas is mainly composed of CH 4 and CO 2 , hence gas release from the digestate during drying was expected to increase the concentration of these components. Although CO 2 concentration was elevated above the background concentration, CH 4 did not exceed the background concentration. Maximum NH 3 concentration of 183.3mg·m -3 was detected during drying. A NH 3 concentration of 10.8mg·m -3 was measured in the exhaust air of the ammonia scrubber, which is equal to a NH 3 reduction rate of 94%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the NOx-Ox relationship in a mountain gap rural area of interchange of air masses southeast of the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz Suarez, L.; Garcia-Yee, J.; Torres-JArdon, R.; Barrera Huertas, H.; Torres-Jaramillo, A.; Ortinez, A.

2013-05-01

Varying levels of oxidants (Ox = O3 + NO2) with respect to NOx were registered at three sites in a mountain southeast of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) in February and March 2011. The Ox-NOx ratio was used to gain a better understanding of the photochemical and transport processes happening over this mountain pass. Relatively high concentrations of O3 (moving average concentrations of 8 hours) exceeded maximum levels of the World Health Organization, and the European Union. The cumulative exceedances above background level of O3 in the one month-long campaign also exceeded the three months accumulative UN-ECE AOT40 critical level for crop protection. It was observed that the level of Ox in the mountain gap sites consisted of two contributions: One, independent of NOx emissions, extremely dominant and considered equivalent to the regional background O3 concentration; the second and much smaller was dependent of NOx local concentrations. Evidence was found that the oxidation of NO provided the major contribution of NO2 to Ox, rather than direct NO2 emissions. The contribution of regional Ox dominated from midmorning to noon when the boundary layer height began to increase due to sunlight heating of the surface leading to the mixing of higher concentrations of O3 above the nighttime thermal inversion. After noon, when the ozone vertical distribution was uniform, the Ox and O3 concentrations reached their maximum; they were very similar with very low levels of NO2. The analysis of wind data collected at the monitoring sites showed that from mid-morning to early afternoon, a northerly weak flow was common. Afterwards stronger southerly winds became dominant bringing in O3 rich air parcels into the atmospheric basin where MCMA is located. The high regional ozone concentrations add evidence for the need of coordinated air quality management policies for the complete central part of Mexico. Keywords: mountain gap, oxidant, ground level ozone, Central Mexico

Sedimentation and Occurrence and Trends of Selected Chemical Constituents in Bottom Sediment, Empire Lake, Cherokee County, Kansas, 1905-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.

2006-01-01

For about 100 years (1850-1950), the Tri-State Mining District in parts of southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri, and northeast Oklahoma was one of the primary sources of lead and zinc ore in the world. The mining activity in the Tri-State District has resulted in substantial historical and ongoing input of cadmium, lead, and zinc to the environment including Empire Lake in Cherokee County, southeast Kansas. The environmental contamination caused by the decades of mining activity resulted in southeast Cherokee County being listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priority List as a superfund hazardous waste site in 1983. To provide some of the information needed to support efforts to restore the ecological health of Empire Lake, a 2-year study was begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. A combination of sediment-thickness mapping and bottom-sediment coring was used to investigate sediment deposition and the occurrence of cadmium, lead, zinc, and other selected constituents in the bottom sediment of Empire Lake. The total estimated volume and mass of bottom sediment in Empire Lake were 44 million cubic feet and 2,400 million pounds, respectively. Most of the bottom sediment was located in the main body and the Shoal Creek arm of the reservoir. Minimal sedimentation was evident in the Spring River arm of the reservoir. The total mass of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the bottom sediment of Empire Lake was estimated to be 78,000 pounds, 650,000 pounds, and 12 million pounds, respectively. In the bottom sediment of Empire Lake, cadmium concentrations ranged from 7.3 to 76 mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram) with an overall median concentration of 29 mg/kg. Compared to an estimated background concentration of 0.4 mg/kg, the historical mining activity increased the median cadmium concentration by about 7,200 percent. Lead concentrations ranged from 100 to 950 mg/kg with an overall median concentration of 270 mg/kg. Compared to an estimated background concentration of 33 mg/kg, the median lead concentration was increased by about 720 percent as a result of mining activities. The range in zinc concentrations was 1,300 to 13,000 mg/kg with an overall median concentration of 4,900 mg/kg. Compared to an estimated background concentration of 92 mg/kg, the median zinc concentration was increased by about 5,200 percent. Within Empire Lake, the largest sediment concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc were measured in the main body of the reservoir. Within the Spring River arm of the reservoir, increased concentrations in the downstream direction likely were the result of tributary inflow from Short Creek, which drains an area that has been substantially affected by historical lead and zinc mining. Compared to nonenforceable sediment-quality guidelines, all Empire Lake sediment samples (representing 21 coring sites) had cadmium concentrations that exceeded the probable-effects guideline (4.98 mg/kg), which represents the concentration above which toxic biological effects usually or frequently occur. With one exception, cadmium concentrations exceeded the probable-effects guideline by about 180 to about 1,400 percent. With one exception, all sediment samples had lead concentrations that exceeded the probable-effects guideline (128 mg/kg) by about 10 to about 640 percent. All sediment samples had zinc concentrations that exceeded the probable-effects guideline (459 mg/kg) by about 180 to about 2,700 percent. Overall, cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations in the bottom sediment of Empire Lake have decreased over time following the end of lead and zinc mining in the area. However, the concentrations in the most recently deposited bottom sediment (determined for 4 of 21 coring sites) still exceeded the probable-effects guideline by about 440 to 640 percent for cadmium, about 40 to 80 percent for lead, and about 580

Biological activity of a leached chernozem contaminated with the products of combustion of petroleum gas and its restoration upon phytoremediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kireeva, N. A.; Novoselova, E. I.; Shamaeva, A. A.; Grigoriadi, A. S.

2009-04-01

It is shown that contamination of leached chernozems by combustion products of petroleum gas favors changes in the biological activity of the soil: the number of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria and micromycetes has increased, as well as the activity of catalase and lipase and phytotoxicity. Bromopsis inermis Leys used as a phytoameliorant has accelerated the destruction of hydrocarbons in the rhizosphere. The benzpyrene concentration in plants on contaminated soils considerably exceeds its background concentration.

Use of spatial statistics and isotopic tracers to measure the influence of arsenical pesticide use on stream sediment chemistry in New England, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, G.R.; Ayuso, R.A.

2004-01-01

Arsenical pesticides and herbicides, principally Pb arsenate, Ca arsenate, and Na arsenate with lesser use of other metal-As pesticides, were widely applied on apple, blueberry, and potato crops in New England during the first half of the twentieth century. Agricultural census data for this time period is used to define an agricultural index that identifies areas that are inferred to have used arsenical pesticides extensively. Factor analysis on metal concentrations in 1597 stream sediment samples collected throughout New England, grouped by agricultural-index categories, indicate a positive association of areas with stream sediment sample populations that contain higher As and Pb concentrations than samples from the region as a whole with sample site settings having high agricultural-index values. Population statistics for As and Pb concentrations and factor scores for an As-Pb factor all increase systematically and significantly with increasing agricultural-index intensity in the region, as tested by Kruskal-Wallis analysis. Lead isotope compositions for 16 stream sediments from a range of agricultural-index settings generally overlap the observed variation in rock sulfides and their weathering products; however, sediments collected from high agricultural-index settings have slightly more radiogenic Pb compositions, consistent with an industrial Pb contribution to these samples. Although weathering products from rocks are likely to be the dominant source of As and metals to most of the stream sediment samples collected in the region, the widespread use of arsenical pesticides and herbicides in New England during the early 1900-1960s appears to be a significant anthropogenic source of As and metals to many sediments in agricultural areas in the region and has raised background levels of As in some regions. Elevated concentrations of As in stream sediments are of concern for two reasons. Stream sediments with elevated As concentrations delineate areas with elevated background concentrations of As from both natural rock and anthropogenic sources that may contribute As to groundwater systems used for drinking water supplies. Conversion of agricultural land contaminated with arsenical pesticide residues to residential development may increase the likelihood that humans will be exposed to As. In addition, many stream sediment sites have As concentrations that exceed sediment quality guidelines established for freshwater ecosystems. Thirteen percent of the New England sediment sample sites exceed 9.79 mg/kg As, the threshold effects concentration (TEC), below which harmful effects are unlikely to be observed. Arsenic concentrations exceed 33 mg/kg, the probable effects concentration (PEC), above which harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms are expected to occur frequently, at 1.25% of the sediment sample sites. The sample sites that exceed the PEC value occur predominately in agricultural areas that used arsenical pesticides.

Lidar investigations of M-zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ovezgeldiyev, O. G.; Kurbanmuradov, K.; Lagutin, M. F.; Zarudny, A. A.; Meghel, Yu. E.; Torba, A. A.; Melnikov, V. E.

1987-01-01

The creation of pulse dye lasers tuned to resonant line of meteor produced admixtures of atmospheric constituents has made it possible to begin lidar investigations of the vertical distribution of mesospheric sodium concentration and its dynamics in the upper atmosphere. The observed morning increase of sodium concentration in the vertical column is probably caused by diurnal variations of sporadic meteors. The study of the dynamics of the sodium column concentration in the period of meteor streams activity confirms the suggestion of cosmic origin of these atoms. The short lived increase of sodium concentration brought about by a meteor stream, however, exceeds by one order the level of the sporadic background.

Tissue distribution of metals in white-fronted geese and spot-billed ducks from Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Jungsoo; Oh, Jong-Min

2013-07-01

This study presents concentrations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb and Cd in livers, kidneys, muscles and bones of white-fronted geese Anser albifrons (geese) and spot-billed ducks Anas poecilorhyncha (ducks). Iron in livers, kidneys and muscles, Zn in muscles, Mn and Cd in every tissue, Cu in livers, muscles and bones and Pb in bones differed between species, and there were significant differences among tissues in both species. Essential elements such as Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu concentrations were within the background levels. Lead concentrations in livers of 7 of 14 geese and 7 of 19 ducks and in bones of 4 of 19 ducks exceeded background concentrations for waterfowl (5 μg/g dw for the liver, 10 μg/g dw for the bone). Almost all samples of both species had the background Cd concentrations in the liver (33 of 33 geese and ducks) and kidney (14 geese and 18 ducks). Tissue concentrations of Cd were greater in geese than ducks. In contrast, tissue concentrations of Pb in bones were greater in ducks than in geese. These different trends for Cd and Pb reflect a short and/or long term difference in exposure and degree of accumulation of these metals.

Evaluation of Pollution Level in Zolotoy Rog Bay (Peter the Great Gulf, the Sea of Japan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazachkova, Y.; Lazareva, L.; Petukhov, V.

2017-11-01

The results of the hydrochemical research of water and bottom sediments of the Zolotoy Rog Bay in July 2015 are presented below. It is shown that, as a result of a large amount of polluted sewage entering The Zolotoy Rog Bay, the concentrations of organic substances (BOD5) and petroleum hydrocarbons in the water exceed the MPC. The concentrations of heavy metals in soils exceed both the background level and the level of permissible values. As a result of the calculation of the bottom accumulation (CBA) coefficient for oil hydrocarbons, the situation in the Zolotoy Rog Bay can be classified as an ecological disaster. According to the total pollution index (Zc) of heavy metals, the bottom sediments of the Zolotoy Rog Bay are characterized as strongly and very strongly polluted.

Selenium bioaccumulation and hazards in a fish community affected by coal fly ash effluent

USGS Publications Warehouse

Besser, John M.; Giesy, John P.; Brown, Russell W.; Buell, Julie M.; Dawson, G. A.

1996-01-01

Bioaccumulation of selenium (Se) in the fish community of Pigeon River/Pigeon Lake, which receives inputs of Se from a coal fly ash disposal facility, was studied to assess potential hazards of Se to fish, wildlife, and humans. Se concentrations in fish from sites receiving seepage and effluents from fly ash disposal ponds were significantly greater than those in fish from upstream, where Se concentrations were near background concentrations. Se concentrations differed among fish species, and interspecific variation was greatest at the most contaminated locations. Differences in Se bioaccumulation among fish species were not consistently associated with differences in trophic status. Although Se concentrations in northern pike were consistently less than those in likely prey species, large yellow perch contained Se concentrations as great as those in spottail shiners, their likely prey. Se bioaccumulation may have been influenced by differences in habitat preferences, as limnetic species generally contained greater Se concentrations than benthic species. Se concentrations in fish from the lower Pigeon River and Pigeon Lake did not exceed lowest observable adverse effect concentrations (LOAECs) for Se in tissues of fish species, but exceeded LOAECs for dietary Se exposure of sensitive species of birds and mammals. Human consumption of moderate quantities of fish from the areas studied should not result in excessive Se intake.

Long term assessment of air quality from a background station on the Malaysian Peninsula.

PubMed

Latif, Mohd Talib; Dominick, Doreena; Ahamad, Fatimah; Khan, Md Firoz; Juneng, Liew; Hamzah, Firdaus Mohamad; Nadzir, Mohd Shahrul Mohd

2014-06-01

Rural background stations provide insight into seasonal variations in pollutant concentrations and allow for comparisons to be made with stations closer to anthropogenic emissions. In Malaysia, the designated background station is located in Jerantut, Pahang. A fifteen-year data set focusing on ten major air pollutants and four meteorological variables from this station were analysed. Diurnal, monthly and yearly pollutant concentrations were derived from hourly continuous monitoring data. Statistical methods employed included principal component regression (PCR) and sensitivity analysis. Although only one of the yearly concentrations of the pollutants studied exceeded national and World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline standards, namely PM10, seven of the pollutants (NO, NO2, NOx, O3, PM10, THC and CH4) showed a positive upward trend over the 15-year period. High concentrations of PM10 were recorded during severe haze episodes in this region. Whilst, monthly concentrations of most air pollutants, such as: PM10, O3, NOx, NO2, CO and NmHC were recorded at higher concentrations between June and September, during the southwest monsoon. Such results correspond with the mid-range transport of pollutants from more urbanised and industrial areas. Diurnal patterns, rationed between major air pollutants and sensitivity analysis, indicate the influence of local traffic emissions on air quality at the Jerantut background station. Although the pollutant concentrations have not shown a rapid increase, an alternative background station will need to be assigned within the next decade if development projects in the surrounding area are not halted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and water and health of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of streams near Park City, Summit County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giddings, Elis M.P.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Hadley, Heidi K.

2001-01-01

The spatial distribution of metals in streambed sediment and surface water of Silver Creek, McLeod Creek, Kimball Creek, Spring Creek, and part of the Weber River, near Park City, Utah, was examined. From the mid-1800s through the 1970s, this region was extensively mined for silver and lead ores. Although some remediation has occurred, residual deposits of tailing wastes remain in place along large sections of Silver Creek. These tailings are the most likely source of metals to this system. Bed sediment samples were collected in 1998, 1999, and 2000 and analyzed using two extraction techniques: a total extraction that completely dissolves all forms of metals in minerals and trace elements associated with the sediment; and a weak-acid extraction that extracts the metals and trace elements that are only weakly adsorbed onto the sediment surface. This latter method is used to determine the more biologically relevant fraction of metal complexed onto the sediment. Water samples were collected in March and August 2000 and were analyzed for total and dissolved trace metals.Concentrations of silver, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc in the streambed sediment of Silver Creek greatly exceeded background concentrations. These metals also exceeded established aquatic life criteria at most sites. In the Weber River, downstream of the confluence with Silver Creek, concentrations of cadmium, lead, zinc, and total mercury in streambed sediment also exceeded aquatic life guidelines, however, concentrations of metals in streambed sediment of McLeod and Kimball Creeks were lower than Silver Creek. Water-column concentrations of zinc, total mercury, and methylmercury in Silver Creek were high relative to unimpacted sites, and exceeded water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic organisms. Qualitative measurements of the macroinvertebrate community in Silver Creek were compared to the spatial distribution of metals in streambed sediment. The data indicate that impairment related to metal concentration exists in Silver Creek.

Ecological risk assessment: influence of texture on background concentration of microelements in soils of Russia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beketskaya, Olga

2010-05-01

In Russia quality standards of contaminated substances values in environment consist of ecological and sanitary rate-setting. The sanitary risk assessment base on potential risk that contaminants pose to protect human beings. The main purpose of the ecological risk assessment is to protect ecosystem. To determine negative influence on living organisms in the sanitary risk assessment in Russia we use MPC. This value of contaminants show how substances affected on different part of environment, biological activity and soil processes. The ecological risk assessment based on comparison compounds concentration with background concentration for definite territories. Taking into account high interval of microelements value in soils, we suggest using statistic method for determination of concentration levels of chemical elements concentration in soils of Russia. This method is based on determination middle levels of elements content in natural condition. The top limit of middle chemical elements concentration in soils is value, which exceed middle regional background level in three times standard deviation. The top limit of natural concentration excess we can explain as anthropogenic impact. At first we study changing in the middle content value of microelements in soils of geographic regions in European part of Russia on the basis of cartographical analysis. Cartographical analysis showed that the soil of mountainous and mountain surrounding regions is enriched with microelements. On the plain territory of European part of Russia for most of microelements was noticed general direction of increasing their concentration in soils from north to south, also in the same direction soil clay content rise for majority of soils. For all other territories a clear connection has been noticed between the distribution of sand sediment. By our own investigation and data from scientific literature data base was created. This data base consist of following soil properties: texture, organic matter content, concentration of microelements and pH value. On the basis of this data base massive of data for Forest-steppe and Steppe regions was create, which was divided by texture. For all data statistics method was done and was calculated maximum level natural microelements content for soils with different texture (?+3*δ). As a result of our statistic calculation we got middle and the top limit of background concentration of microelements in sandy and clay soils (conditional border - sandy loam) of two regions. We showed, that for all territory of European part of Russia and for Forest-steppe and Steppe regions separately middle content and maximum level natural microelements concentrations (?+3*σ) are higher in clay soils, rather then in sandy soils. Data characterizing soils, in different regions, of similar texture differs less than the data collected for sandy and clay soils of the same region. After all this calculation we can notice, that data of middle and top limit of background microelements concentration in soils, based on statistic method, can be used in the aim of ecological risk assessment. Using offered method allow to calculate top limit of background concentration for sandy and clay soils for large-scale geographic regions, exceeding which will be evidence of anthropogenic contamination of soil.

Aerosol accumulation intensity and composition variations under different weather conditions in urban environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberga, Iveta; Bikshe, Janis; Eindorfa, Aiva

2014-05-01

During the last decade aerosol (PM10, PM2.5) mass and composition measurements were done in different urban environments - parallel street canyons, industrial sites and at the background level in Riga, Latvia. Effect of meteorological parameters on the accumulation and ventilation intensity was investigated in order to understand microclimatological parameters affecting aerosol pollution level and chemical composition changes. In comparison to industrial sites (shipping activities, bulk cargo, oil and naphtha processing), urban street canyon aerosol mass concentration was significantly higher, for PM10 number of daily limit exceedances are higher by factor 3.4 - 3.9 in street canyons. Exceedances of PM2.5 annual limits were identified only in street canyons as well. Precipitation intensity, wind speed, days with mist highly correlates with aerosol concentration; in average during the year about 1 - 2 % presence of calm wind days, 20 - 30 days with mist facilitate accumulation of aerosols and mitigating growing of secondary aerosols. It has been assessed that about 25 % of daily exceedances in street canyons are connected with sea salt/street sanding factor. Strong dependency of wind speed and direction were identified in winter time - low winds (0.4 - 1.7 m/s) blowing from south, south-east (cross section of the street) contributing to PM10 concentrations over 100 - 150 ug/m3. Seasonal differences in aerosol concentrations were identified as a result of recombination of direct source impact, specific meteorological and synoptical conditions during the period from January until April when usually dominates extremely high aerosol concentrations. While aerosol mass concentration levels in monitoring sites significantly differs, concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Cd, and As) are almost at the same level, even more - concentration of Cd for some years was higher in industrial area where main pollution is caused by oil processing and storage, heavy traffic activities and transportation by rail. The type of prevailing secondary aerosol formation was estimated by linear regression analysis which shows NOx prevalence in street canyons and urban background and SO2 associated reactions in industrial sites. Linear regression of traffic intensity in connection with aerosol pollution level shows domination of exhaust emissions during traffic jams and resuspension intensity during middle of the week.

Atmospheric Impacts of Emissions from Oil and Gas Development in the Uintah Basin, Utah, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helmig, D.; Boylan, P. J.; Hueber, J.; Van Dam, B. A.; Mauldin, L.; Parrish, D. D.

2012-12-01

In the Uintah Basin in northeast Utah, USA, surface ozone levels during winter months have approached and on occasion exceeded the US National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Emissions from the extensive oil and gas exploration in this region are suspected to be the cause of these ozone episodes; however emission rates and photochemical processes are uncertain. During February 2012 continuous surface measurements and vertical profiling from a tethered balloon platform at the Horsepool site yielded high resolution boundary layer profile data on ozone and ozone precursor compounds, i.e. nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds as well as methane. Findings from this study were: 1. Surface ozone during the study period, which had no snow cover, did not exceed the NAAQS. 2. Nitrogen oxides varied from 1-50 ppbv pointing towards significant emission sources, likely from oil and gas operations. 3. Methane concentrations were elevated, reaching up to ~10 times its Northern Hemisphere (NH) atmospheric background. 3. Light non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) constituted the main fraction of volatile organic compounds. NMHC concentrations were highly elevated, exceeding levels seen in urban areas. 4. Ozone, methane, NOx and VOC showed distinct diurnal cycles, with large concentration increases seen at night, except for ozone, which showed the opposite behavior. 5. During nighttime concentrations of NOx, NMHC, and methane built up near the surface to levels that were much higher than their daytime concentrations. 6. Comparing NMHC to methane concentrations indicates a mass flux ratio of ~30% for total VOC/methane emissions for the Uintah Basin.

Data on Streamflow and Quality of Water and Bottom Sediment in and near Humboldt Wildlife Management Area, Churchill and Pershing Counties, Nevada, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paul, Angela P.; Thodal, Carl E.

2003-01-01

This study was initiated to expand upon previous findings that indicated concentrations of dissolved solids, arsenic, boron, mercury, molybdenum, selenium, and uranium were either above geochemical background concentrations or were approaching or exceeding ecological criteria in the lower Humboldt River system. Data were collected from May 1998 to September 2000 to further characterize streamflow and surface-water and bottom-sediment quality in the lower Humboldt River, selected agricultural drains, Upper Humboldt Lake, and Lower Humboldt Drain (ephemeral outflow from Humboldt Sink). During this study, flow in the lower Humboldt River was either at or above average. Flows in Army and Toulon Drains generally were higher than reported in previous investigations. An unnamed agricultural drain contributed a small amount to the flow measured in Army Drain. In general, measured concentrations of sodium, chloride, dissolved solids, arsenic, boron, molybdenum, and uranium were higher in water from agricultural drains than in Humboldt River water during this study. Mercury concentrations in water samples collected during the study period typically were below the laboratory reporting level. However, low-level mercury analyses showed that samples collected in August 1999 from Army Drain had higher mercury concentrations than those collected from the river or Toulon Drain or the Lower Humboldt Drain. Ecological criteria and effect concentrations for sodium, chloride, dissolved solids, arsenic, boron, mercury, and molybdenum were exceeded in some water samples collected as part of this study. Although water samples from the agricultural drains typically contained higher concentrations of sodium, chloride, dissolved solids, arsenic, boron, and uranium, greater instantaneous loads of these constituents were carried in the river near Lovelock than in agricultural drains during periods of high flow or non-irrigation. During this study, the high flows in the lower Humboldt River produced the maximum instantaneous loads of sodium, chloride, dissolved solids, arsenic, boron, molybdenum, and uranium at all river-sampling sites, except molybdenum near Imlay. Nevada Division of Environmental Protection monitoring reports on mine-dewatering discharge for permitted releases of treated effluent to the surface waters of the Humboldt River and its tributaries were reviewed for reported discharges and trace-element concentrations from June 1998 to September 1999. These data were compared with similar information for the river near Imlay. In all bottom sediments collected for this study, arsenic concentrations exceeded the Canadian Freshwater Interim Sediment-Quality Guideline for the protection of aquatic life and probable-effect level (concentration). Sediments collected near Imlay, Rye Patch Reservoir, Lovelock, and from Toulon Drain and Army Drain were found to contain cadmium and chromium concentrations that exceeded Canadian criteria. Chromium concentrations in sediments collected from these sites also exceeded the consensus-based threshold-effect concentration. The Canadian criterion for sediment copper concentration was exceeded in sediments collected from the Humboldt River near Lovelock and from Toulon, Army, and the unnamed agricultural drains. Mercury in sediments collected near Imlay and from Toulon Drain in August 1999 exceeded the U.S. Department of the Interior sediment probable-effect level. Nickel concentrations in sediments collected during this study were above the consensus-based threshold-effect concentration. All other river and drain sediments had constituent concentrations below protective criteria and toxicity thresholds. In Upper Humboldt Lake, chloride, dissolved solids, arsenic, boron, molybdenum, and uranium concentrations in surface-water samples collected near the mouth of the Humboldt River generally were higher than in samples collected near the mouth of Army Drain. Ecological criteria or effect con

[Evaluation and source analysis of the mercury pollution in soils and vegetables around a large-scale zinc smelting plant].

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Wang, Shu-Xiao; Wu, Qing-Ru; Lin, Hai

2013-02-01

The farming soil and vegetable samples around a large-scale zinc smelter were collected for mercury content analyses, and the single pollution index method with relevant regulations was used to evaluate the pollution status of sampled soils and vegetables. The results indicated that the surface soil and vegetables were polluted with mercury to different extent. Of the soil samples, 78% exceeded the national standard. The mercury concentration in the most severely contaminated area was 29 times higher than the background concentration, reaching the severe pollution degree. The mercury concentration in all vegetable samples exceeded the standard of non-pollution vegetables. Mercury concentration, in the most severely polluted vegetables were 64.5 times of the standard, and averagely the mercury concentration in the vegetable samples was 25.4 times of the standard. For 85% of the vegetable samples, the mercury concentration, of leaves were significantly higher than that of roots, which implies that the mercury in leaves mainly came from the atmosphere. The mercury concentrations in vegetable roots were significantly correlated with that in soils, indicating the mercury in roots was mainly from soil. The mercury emissions from the zinc smelter have obvious impacts on the surrounding soils and vegetables. Key words:zinc smelting; mercury pollution; soil; vegetable; mercury content

Installation Restoration Program (IRP). Aircraft Parking Apron Area. Volume 1. 152nd Reconnaissance Group, Nevada Air National Guard, Reno-Cannon International Airport, Reno, Nevada

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

Loeltz, 1964, Evaluation of Hydroeeology and Hydrochemistry of the Truckee Meadow Area. Washoe County. Nevada. U. S. Geological Survey, Water I Supply...was detected in water samples collected from all monitoring wells. A concentration of I 0.055 ppm for the water sample collected from monitoring well...MWO8 during the first round of sampling (MW08-(1)), exceeded the federal drinking water standard of 0.05 ppm. The I background concentration for lead

Spatial mapping of lead, arsenic, iron, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon soil contamination in Sydney, Nova Scotia: community impact from the coke ovens and steel plant.

PubMed

Lambert, Timothy W; Boehmer, Jennifer; Feltham, Jason; Guyn, Lindsay; Shahid, Rizwan

2011-01-01

This paper presents spatial maps of the arsenic, lead, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) soil contamination in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. The spatial maps were designed to create exposure cohorts to help understand the observed increase in health effects. To assess whether contamination can be a proxy for exposures, the following hypothesis was tested: residential soils were impacted by the coke oven and steel plant industrial complex. The spatial map showed contaminants are centered on the industrial facility, significantly correlated, and exceed Canadian health risk-based soil quality guidelines. Core samples taken at 5-cm intervals suggest a consistent deposition over time. The concentrations in Sydney significantly exceed background Sydney soil concentrations, and are significantly elevated compared with North Sydney, an adjacent industrial community. The contaminant spatial maps will also be useful for developing cohorts of exposure and guiding risk management decisions.

Distribution of Cu, Co, As, and Fe in mine waste, sediment, soil, and water in and around mineral deposits and mines of the Idaho Cobalt Belt, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, John E.; Eppinger, Robert G.

2012-01-01

The distribution of Cu, Co, As and Fe was studied downstream from mines and deposits in the Idaho Cobalt Belt (ICB), the largest Co resource in the USA. To evaluate potential contamination in ecosystems in the ICB, mine waste, stream sediment, soil, and water were collected and analyzed for Cu, Co, As and Fe in this area. Concentrations of Cu in mine waste and stream sediment collected proximal to mines in the ICB ranged from 390 to 19,000 μg/g, exceeding the USEPA target clean-up level and the probable effect concentration (PEC) for Cu of 149 μg/g in sediment; PEC is the concentration above which harmful effects are likely in sediment dwelling organisms. In addition concentrations of Cu in mine runoff and stream water collected proximal to mines were highly elevated in the ICB and exceeded the USEPA chronic criterion for aquatic organisms of 6.3 μg/L (at a water hardness of 50 mg/L) and an LC50 concentration for rainbow trout of 14 μg/L for Cu in water. Concentrations of Co in mine waste and stream sediment collected proximal to mines varied from 14 to 7400 μg/g and were highly elevated above regional background concentrations, and generally exceeded the USEPA target clean-up level of 80 μg/g for Co in sediment. Concentrations of Co in water were as high as in 75,000 μg/L in the ICB, exceeding an LC50 of 346 μg/L for rainbow trout for Co in water by as much as two orders of magnitude, likely indicating an adverse effect on trout. Mine waste and stream sediment collected in the ICB also contained highly elevated As concentrations that varied from 26 to 17,000 μg/g, most of which exceeded the PEC of 33 μg/g and the USEPA target clean-up level of 35 μg/g for As in sediment. Conversely, most water samples had As concentrations that were below the 150 μg/L chronic criterion for protection of aquatic organisms and the USEPA target clean-up level of 14 μg/L. There is abundant Fe oxide in streams in the ICB and several samples of mine runoff and stream water exceeded the chronic criterion for protection of aquatic organisms of 1000 μg/L for Fe. There has been extensive remediation of mined areas in the ICB, but because some mine waste remaining in the area contains highly elevated Cu, Co, As and Fe, inhalation or ingestion of mine waste particulates may lead to human exposure to these elements.

Bioaccumulation of selenium from coal fly ash and associated environmental hazards in a freshwater fish community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Besser, J.; Giesy, J.; Brown, R.

1995-12-31

Bioaccumulation of Se by fish from Pigeon River and Pigeon Lake, Michigan, which receive inputs of Se from a coal fly-ash disposal facility, was studied to assess potential hazards of Se toxicity to fish and wildlife. Se concentrations in fish from sites receiving Se inputs from fly ash disposal ponds were significantly greater than concentrations in fish from upstream sites, which were near normal background concentrations. Se bioaccumulation differed substantially among fish species, especially in the most contaminated site, where whole-body Se concentrations for the five species analyzed ranged from 1.4 to 3.8 {micro}g/g (wet wt.). The top predator inmore » the community, northern pike (Esox lucius), had Se concentrations less than those in likely prey species. Among lower-order consumers, Se concentrations were greater in limnetic species (spottail shiner, Notropis hudsonius, and yellow perch, Perca flavescens), than in benthic species (white sucker, Catostomus commersoni, and rock bass, Ambloplites rupestris). Se concentrations in tissues of fish from the lower Pigeon River and Pigeon Lake approached, but did not exceed lowest observable effect concentrations (LOAECs) for Se in tissues of sensitive fish species. However, Se concentrations in several fish species exceeded LOAECs for dietary Se exposure of sensitive species of birds and mammals, suggesting that consumption of fish in these areas may pose a hazard to piscivorous wildlife.« less

Impact of passenger car NOx emissions and NO2 fractions on urban NO2 pollution - Scenario analysis for the city of Antwerp, Belgium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degraeuwe, Bart; Thunis, Philippe; Clappier, Alain; Weiss, Martin; Lefebvre, Wouter; Janssen, Stijn; Vranckx, Stijn

2016-02-01

The annual NO2 concentrations in many European cities exceed the established air quality standard. This situation is mainly caused by Diesel cars whose NOx emissions are higher on the road than during type approval in the laboratory. Moreover, the fraction of NO2 in the NOx emissions of modern diesel cars appears to have increased as compared to previous models. In this paper, we assess 1) to which level the distance-specific NOx emissions of Diesel cars should be reduced to meet established air quality standards and 2) if it would be useful to introduce a complementary NO2 emissions limit. We develop a NO2 pollution model that accounts in an analysis of 9 emission scenarios for changes in both, the urban background NO2 concentrations and the local NO2 emissions at street level. We apply this model to the city of Antwerp, Belgium. The results suggest that a reduction in NOx emissions decreases the regional and urban NO2 background concentration; high NO2 fractions increase the ambient NO2 concentrations only in close spatial proximity to the emission source. In a busy access road to the city centre, the average NO2 concentration can be reduced by 23% if Diesel cars emitted 0.35 g NOx/km instead of the current 0.62 g NOx/km. Reductions of 45% are possible if the NOX emissions of Diesel cars decreased to the level of gasoline cars (0.03 g NOx/km). Our findings suggest that the Real-Driving Emissions (RDE) test procedure can solve the problem of NO2 exceedances in cities if it reduced the on-road NOx emissions of diesel cars to the permissible limit of 0.08 g/km. The implementation of a complementary NO2 emissions limit may then become superfluous. If Diesel cars continue to exceed by several factors their NOx emissions limit on the road, a shift of the vehicle fleet to gasoline cars may be necessary to solve persisting air quality problems.

Reconnaissance soil geochemistry at the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, Fremont County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, David B.; Sweat, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Soil samples were collected and chemically analyzed from the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, which lies within the Wind River Indian Reservation in Fremont County, Wyoming. Nineteen soil samples from a depth of 0 to 5 centimeters were collected in August 2011 from the site. The samples were sieved to less than 2 millimeters and analyzed for 44 major and trace elements following a near-total multi-acid extraction. Soil pH was also determined. The geochemical data were compared to a background dataset consisting of 160 soil samples previously collected from the same depth throughout the State of Wyoming as part of another ongoing study by the U.S. Geological Survey. Risk from potentially toxic elements in soil from the site to biologic receptors and humans was estimated by comparing the concentration of these elements with soil screening values established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. All 19 samples exceeded the carcinogenic human health screening level for arsenic in residential soils of 0.39 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), which represents a one-in-one-million cancer risk (median arsenic concentration in the study area is 2.7 mg/kg). All 19 samples also exceeded the lead and vanadium screening levels for birds. Eighteen of the 19 samples exceeded the manganese screening level for plants, 13 of the 19 samples exceeded the antimony screening level for mammals, and 10 of 19 samples exceeded the zinc screening level for birds. However, these exceedances are also found in soils at most locations in the Wyoming Statewide soil database, and elevated concentrations alone are not necessarily cause for alarm. Uranium and thorium, two other elements of environmental concern, are elevated in soils at the site as compared to the Wyoming dataset, but no human or ecological soil screening levels have been established for these elements.

Identifying sources of ozone to three rural locations in Nevada, USA, using ancillary gas pollutants, aerosol chemistry, and mercury.

PubMed

Miller, Matthieu B; Fine, Rebekka; Pierce, Ashley M; Gustin, Mae S

2015-10-15

Ozone (O3) is a secondary air pollutant of long standing and increasing concern for environmental and human health, and as such, the US Environmental Protection Agency will revise the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 75 ppbv to ≤ 70 ppbv. Long term measurements at the Great Basin National Park (GBNP) indicate that O3 in remote areas of Nevada will exceed a revised standard. As part of the Nevada Rural Ozone Initiative, measurements of O3 and other air pollutants were made at 3 remote sites between February 2012 and March 2014, GBNP, Paradise Valley (PAVA), and Echo Peak (ECHO). Exceptionally high concentrations of each air pollutant were defined relative to each site as mixing ratios that exceeded the 90th percentile of all hourly data. Case studies were analyzed for all periods during which mean daily O3 exceeded the 90th percentile concurrently with a maximum 8-h average (MDA8) O3 that was "exceptionally high" for the site (65 ppbv at PAVA, 70 ppbv at ECHO and GBNP), and of potential regulatory significance. An MDA8 ≥ 65 ppbv occurred only five times at PAVA, whereas this occurred on 49 and 65 days at GBNP and ECHO, respectively. The overall correlation between O3 and other pollutants was poor, consistent with the large distance from significant primary emission sources. Mean CO at these locations exceeded concentrations reported for background sites in 2000. Trajectory residence time calculations and air pollutant concentrations indicate that exceedances at GBNP and ECHO were promoted by air masses originating from multiple sources, including wildfires, transport of pollution from southern California and the marine boundary layer, and transport of Asian pollution plumes. Results indicate that the State of Nevada will exceed a revised O3 standard due to sources that are beyond their control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxicological benchmarks for screening potential contaminants of concern for effects on terrestrial plants: 1994 revision

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Will, M.E.; Suter, G.W. II

1994-09-01

One of the initial stages in ecological risk assessment for hazardous waste sites is screening contaminants to determine which of them are worthy of further consideration as contaminants of potential concern. This process is termed contaminant screening. It is performed by comparing measured ambient concentrations of chemicals to benchmark concentrations. Currently, no standard benchmark concentrations exist for assessing contaminants in soil with respect to their toxicity to plants. This report presents a standard method for deriving benchmarks for this purpose (phytotoxicity benchmarks), a set of data concerning effects of chemicals in soil or soil solution on plants, and a setmore » of phytotoxicity benchmarks for 38 chemicals potentially associated with United States Department of Energy (DOE) sites. In addition, background information on the phytotoxicity and occurrence of the chemicals in soils is presented, and literature describing the experiments from which data were drawn for benchmark derivation is reviewed. Chemicals that are found in soil at concentrations exceeding both the phytotoxicity benchmark and the background concentration for the soil type should be considered contaminants of potential concern.« less

Toxicological Benchmarks for Screening Potential Contaminants of Concern for Effects on Terrestrial Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suter, G.W. II

1993-01-01

One of the initial stages in ecological risk assessment for hazardous waste sites is screening contaminants to determine which of them are worthy of further consideration as contaminants of potential concern. This process is termed contaminant screening. It is performed by comparing measured ambient concentrations of chemicals to benchmark concentrations. Currently, no standard benchmark concentrations exist for assessing contaminants in soil with respect to their toxicity to plants. This report presents a standard method for deriving benchmarks for this purpose (phytotoxicity benchmarks), a set of data concerning effects of chemicals in soil or soil solution on plants, and a setmore » of phytotoxicity benchmarks for 38 chemicals potentially associated with United States Department of Energy (DOE) sites. In addition, background information on the phytotoxicity and occurrence of the chemicals in soils is presented, and literature describing the experiments from which data were drawn for benchmark derivation is reviewed. Chemicals that are found in soil at concentrations exceeding both the phytotoxicity benchmark and the background concentration for the soil type should be considered contaminants of potential concern.« less

Arsenic and Lead Uptake by Vegetable Crops Grown on an Old Orchard Site Amended with Compost

PubMed Central

McBride, Murray B.; Shayler, Hannah A.; Russell-Anelli, Jonathan M.; Spliethoff, Henry M.; Marquez-Bravo, Lydia G.

2015-01-01

The potential for lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) transfer into vegetables was studied on old orchard land contaminated by lead arsenate pesticides. Root (carrot), leafy (lettuce), and vegetable fruits (green bean, tomato) were grown on seven “miniplots” with soil concentrations ranging from near background to ≈ 800 and ≈ 200 mg kg−1 of total Pb and As, respectively. Each miniplot was divided into sub-plots and amended with 0% (control), 5% and 10% (by weight) compost and cropped for 3 years. Edible portions of each vegetable were analyzed for total Pb and As to test the effect of organic matter on transfer of these toxic elements into the crop. Vegetable Pb and As concentrations were strongly correlated to soil total Pb and As, respectively, but not to soil organic matter content or compost addition level. For Pb vegetable concentrations, carrot ≥ lettuce > bean > tomato. For As, lettuce > carrot > bean > tomato. A complementary single-year study of lettuce, arugula, spinach, and collards revealed a beneficial effect of compost in reducing both Pb and As concentrations in leafy vegetables. Comparisons of all measured vegetable concentrations to international health-based standards indicate that tomatoes can be grown without exceeding standards even in substantially Pb- and As-contaminated soils, but carrots and leafy greens may exceed standards when grown in soils with more than 100–200 mg kg−1 Pb. Leafy greens may also exceed health-based standards in gardens where soil As is elevated, with arugula having a particularly strong tendency to accumulate As. PMID:26900187

Trace-element concentrations in streambed sediment across the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Karen C.

1999-01-01

Trace-element concentrations in 541 streambed-sediment samples collected from 20 study areas across the conterminous United States were examined as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Sediment samples were sieved and the <63-μm fraction was retained for determination of total concentrations of trace elements. Aluminum, iron, titanium, and organic carbon were weakly or not at all correlated with the nine trace elements examined:  arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Four different methods of accounting for background/baseline concentrations were examined; however, normalization was not required because field sieving removed most of the background differences between samples. The sum of concentrations of trace elements characteristic of urban settings - copper, mercury, lead, and zinc - was well correlated with population density, nationwide. Median concentrations of seven trace elements (all nine examined except arsenic and selenium) were enriched in samples collected from urban settings relative to agricultural or forested settings. Forty-nine percent of the sites sampled in urban settings had concentrations of one or more trace elements that exceeded levels at which adverse biological effects could occur in aquatic biota.

Radon exhalation of hardening concrete: monitoring cement hydration and prediction of radon concentration in construction site.

PubMed

Kovler, Konstantin

2006-01-01

The unique properties of radon as a noble gas are used for monitoring cement hydration and microstructural transformations in cementitious system. It is found that the radon concentration curve for hydrating cement paste enclosed in the chamber increases from zero (more accurately - background) concentrations, similar to unhydrated cement. However, radon concentrations developed within 3 days in the test chamber containing cement paste were approximately 20 times higher than those of unhydrated cement. This fact proves the importance of microstructural transformations taking place in the process of cement hydration, in comparison with cement grain, which is a time-stable material. It is concluded that monitoring cement hydration by means of radon exhalation method makes it possible to distinguish between three main stages, which are readily seen in the time dependence of radon concentration: stage I (dormant period), stage II (setting and intensive microstructural transformations) and stage III (densification of the structure and drying). The information presented improves our understanding of the main physical mechanisms resulting in the characteristic behavior of radon exhalation in the course of cement hydration. The maximum value of radon exhalation rate observed, when cement sets, can reach 0.6 mBq kg(-1) s(-1) and sometimes exceeds 1.0 mBq kg(-1) s(-1). These values exceed significantly to those known before for cementitious materials. At the same time, the minimum ventilation rate accepted in the design practice (0.5 h(-1)), guarantees that the concentrations in most of the cases will not exceed the action level and that they are not of any radiological concern for construction workers employed in concreting in closed spaces.

Ground-water quality near an inactive landfill and sludge-spreading area, Tallahassee, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berndt, M.P.

1993-01-01

Groundwater quality at and near a landfill southwest of Tallahassee, Florida, where sludge from a municipal sewage-treatment plant was also applied, was assessed by sampling 21 monitoring wells and analyzing for various constituents. Water quality in the Upper Floridan aquifer at the site was compared to the water quality of 20 background wells in Leon County. Water quality in all samples from wells at the site was evaluated in relation to the landfill and sludge-spreading and nonsludge- spreading areas. Results from nonparametric statistical tests showed that potassium and nitrate concentrations were significantly different in samples from the Upper Floridan aquifer at the site and in samples from background wells. Median potassium concentrations were 0.7 mg/L in samples collected at the site and 0.4 mg/L in samples collected from background wells, whereas median nitrate concentration was 6.48 mg/L at the site and 0.51 mg/L in background wells. Graphical comparison of concentration distributions in six categories of wells; upgradient, landfill, adjacent to the landfill, downgradient onsite, downgradient offsite, and from background wells in Leon County, indicated that sodium, bicarbonate, sulfate, iron, manganese, dissolved solids, and specific conductance had highest concentrations in water from wells within the landfill. Nitrate concentrations were lowest in samples from wells in the landfill compared to the other categories. Concentrations of trace metals and organic constituents were mostly below detection limits although State maximum contaminant levels of 1.0 microg/L for benzene and vinyl chloride and 3.0 microg/L for tetrachloroethene were exceeded in water from some wells. Nitrate and chloride concentrations were significantly different in sludge-spreading and nonsludge-spreading areas. Median nitrate and chloride concentrations of 6.9 microg/L and 2.9 microg/L were detected in groundwater in sludge-spreading areas compared to 1.1 mg/L and 1.8 mg/L in nonsludge-spreading areas.

Assessment of nonpoint source chemical loading potential to watersheds containing uranium waste dumps associated with uranium exploration and mining, Browns Hole, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marston, Thomas M.; Beisner, Kimberly R.; Naftz, David L.; Snyder, Terry

2012-01-01

During August of 2008, 35 solid-phase samples were collected from abandoned uranium waste dumps, undisturbed geologic background sites, and adjacent streambeds in Browns Hole in southeastern Utah. The objectives of this sampling program were (1) to assess impacts on human health due to exposure to radium, uranium, and thorium during recreational activities on and around uranium waste dumps on Bureau of Land Management lands; (2) to compare concentrations of trace elements associated with mine waste dumps to natural background concentrations; (3) to assess the nonpoint source chemical loading potential to ephemeral and perennial watersheds from uranium waste dumps; and (4) to assess contamination from waste dumps to the local perennial stream water in Muleshoe Creek. Uranium waste dump samples were collected using solid-phase sampling protocols. Solid samples were digested and analyzed for major and trace elements. Analytical values for radium and uranium in digested samples were compared to multiple soil screening levels developed from annual dosage calculations in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act's minimum cleanup guidelines for uranium waste sites. Three occupancy durations for sites were considered: 4.6 days per year, 7.0 days per year, and 14.0 days per year. None of the sites exceeded the radium soil screening level of 96 picocuries per gram, corresponding to a 4.6 days per year exposure. Two sites exceeded the radium soil screening level of 66 picocuries per gram, corresponding to a 7.0 days per year exposure. Seven sites exceeded the radium soil screening level of 33 picocuries per gram, corresponding to a 14.0 days per year exposure. A perennial stream that flows next to the toe of a uranium waste dump was sampled, analyzed for major and trace elements, and compared with existing aquatic-life and drinking-water-quality standards. None of the water-quality standards were exceeded in the stream samples.

Potential reductions in ambient NO2 concentrations from meeting diesel vehicle emissions standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Schneidemesser, Erika; Kuik, Friderike; Mar, Kathleen A.; Butler, Tim

2017-11-01

Exceedances of the concentration limit value for ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at roadside sites are an issue in many cities throughout Europe. This is linked to the emissions of light duty diesel vehicles which have on-road emissions that are far greater than the regulatory standards. These exceedances have substantial implications for human health and economic loss. This study explores the possible gains in ambient air quality if light duty diesel vehicles were able to meet the regulatory standards (including both emissions standards from Europe and the United States). We use two independent methods: a measurement-based and a model-based method. The city of Berlin is used as a case study. The measurement-based method used data from 16 monitoring stations throughout the city of Berlin to estimate annual average reductions in roadside NO2 of 9.0 to 23 µg m-3 and in urban background NO2 concentrations of 1.2 to 2.7 µg m-3. These ranges account for differences in fleet composition assumptions, and the stringency of the regulatory standard. The model simulations showed reductions in urban background NO2 of 2.0 µg m-3, and at the scale of the greater Berlin area of 1.6 to 2.0 µg m-3 depending on the setup of the simulation and resolution of the model. Similar results were found for other European cities. The similarities in results using the measurement- and model-based methods support our ability to draw robust conclusions that are not dependent on the assumptions behind either methodology. The results show the significant potential for NO2 reductions if regulatory standards for light duty diesel vehicles were to be met under real-world operating conditions. Such reductions could help improve air quality by reducing NO2 exceedances in urban areas, but also have broader implications for improvements in human health and other benefits.

Evaluation of the Impact of Low Emission Zone and Heavy Traffic Ban in Munich (Germany) on the Reduction of PM10 in Ambient Air

PubMed Central

Fensterer, Veronika; Küchenhoff, Helmut; Maier, Verena; Wichmann, Heinz-Erich; Breitner, Susanne; Peters, Annette; Gu, Jianwei; Cyrys, Josef

2014-01-01

Concentrations of ambient fine particles (PM10: particles with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 µm) are still exceeding current air quality standards in many European cities. In Munich (Germany), low emission zone and transit bans for heavy-duty vehicles were introduced in 2008 aiming at reduction of traffic emissions contribution to PM10. The effects of those measures on PM10 mass concentrations in Munich were investigated with a semiparametric regression model for modeling PM10 levels adjusted for time, background pollution, public holidays and wind direction. The reduction of PM10 concentration after the introduction of the measures was larger at a traffic monitoring site (13.0 %, 19.6 % in summer, and 6.8 % in winter) and smaller in urban background (4.5 %, 5.7 % in summer, and 3.2 % in winter). The effect was most pronounced on Fridays and on the weekends in summer. PMID:24828081

Quantity and quality of seepage from two earthen basins used to store livestock waste in southern Minnesota during the first year of operation, 1997-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruhl, James F.

1999-01-01

Seepage from the site B basin (based on 10 samples each from the bottom and sidewall) had chloride concentrations of 11 to 100 mg/L; ammonium-N concentrations of 2.58 mg/L or less; nitrate-N concentrations of 25.7 mg/L or less (except for one concentration of 146 mg/L); and organic-N concentrations of 0.92 mg/L or less. Nitrate-N concentrations in the seepage exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1996). MCL (maximum contaminant level) of 10 mg/L in 17 of 22 samples. Background ground-water quality, however, indicated that nitrate-N concentrations were greater than the MCL prior to operation of the basin. Fecal Coliform bacteria, as at the site A basin, were abundant in the basin wastewater, but not in the seepage.

An Investigation into Heavy Metal Contamination and Mobilization in the Lower Rouge River, Michigan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shihadeh, M.; Forrester, J.; Napieralski, J. A.

2010-12-01

Similar to many densely populated watersheds in the Great Lakes Basin, the Rouge River in Michigan drains a heavily urbanized watershed, which, over time, has accumulated a substantial amount of contamination due to decades of manufacturing and refining industries. Statistically significant levels of heavy metals have been found in the bed sediment of the Rouge; however, little is known about the mobilization of these contaminated bed sediments. The goal of this study was to ascertain the extent to which these potentially contaminated sediments are mobilized and transported downstream. Suspended sediment samples were collected at four sites along the lower Rouge River using composite depth integrated sediment samples three times per week, resulting in a total of twenty samples from each site. Turbidity was measured simultaneously using a YSI datalogger at all sampling locations. Sediment was also extracted from floodplain soil pits and silted vegetation, as well as river bed sediment cores along stream channel cross-sections. Heavy metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Ni, Se, Zn) were analyzed using ICP-MS and compared against both background characteristics for Michigan soils and EPA Hazardous Criteria Limits. As expected, a positive correlation exists between turbidity and heavy metal concentrations. Even in the sampling sites furthest upstream, heavy metal concentrations exceeded background soil characteristics, with a few also exceeding hazardous criteria limits. The heavy metal concentrations found in the Lower Rouge affirm the elevated pollution classification of the river, depict the overall influence of industrialization on stream health, and verify that contaminated sediments are being deposited in aquatic and floodplain environments during variable flow or high discharge events. Results from this study emphasize the need to remediate bed sediments in the Rouge and suggest that there may be significant bioaccumulation potential for organisms inhabiting the floodplain corridor.

Pollution characteristics, risk assessment, and source apportionment of heavy metals in road dust in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Men, Cong; Liu, Ruimin; Xu, Fei; Wang, Qingrui; Guo, Lijia; Shen, Zhenyao

2018-01-15

To analyze the spatial distribution patterns, risks, and sources of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Fe), 36 road dust samples were collected from an urbanized area of Beijing in June 2016. The mean concentration of most metals, except As and Mn, exceeded their corresponding background values, with the mean concentration of Cd being 8 times that of its background. Spatially, for most heavy metals, except As and Mn, the high concentration areas were mainly within the 5th ring road, especially the northern area. The geo-accumulation index of Cd and Cu indicated moderate contamination at many sites. The entire study area was prone to potential ecological risks, with higher risks within the 4th ring road. Cd caused high potential ecological risk at most sites. According to the health risk assessment results, the non-carcinogenic risks that human beings suffered from heavy metals were insignificant. However, the carcinogenic risks due to Ni and Cr exceeded the acceptable level. Based on the source apportionment using positive matrix factorization, four factors were defined for the heavy metals. Factor 1, which was traffic-related exhaust, accounted for 34.47% of the concentration of heavy metals. The contributions of Factors 2 and 3 were approximately 25% each. Factor 2 was potentially related to coal combustion, while Factor 3 could be related to the manufacture and use of metal components. Factor 4, which could be related to the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and medical devices, accounted for 14.88%, which was the lowest. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can air pollution negate the health benefits of cycling and walking?

PubMed

Tainio, Marko; de Nazelle, Audrey J; Götschi, Thomas; Kahlmeier, Sonja; Rojas-Rueda, David; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; de Sá, Thiago Hérick; Kelly, Paul; Woodcock, James

2016-06-01

Active travel (cycling, walking) is beneficial for the health due to increased physical activity (PA). However, active travel may increase the intake of air pollution, leading to negative health consequences. We examined the risk-benefit balance between active travel related PA and exposure to air pollution across a range of air pollution and PA scenarios. The health effects of active travel and air pollution were estimated through changes in all-cause mortality for different levels of active travel and air pollution. Air pollution exposure was estimated through changes in background concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ranging from 5 to 200μg/m3. For active travel exposure, we estimated cycling and walking from 0 up to 16h per day, respectively. These refer to long-term average levels of active travel and PM2.5 exposure. For the global average urban background PM2.5 concentration (22μg/m3) benefits of PA by far outweigh risks from air pollution even under the most extreme levels of active travel. In areas with PM2.5 concentrations of 100μg/m3, harms would exceed benefits after 1h 30min of cycling per day or more than 10h of walking per day. If the counterfactual was driving, rather than staying at home, the benefits of PA would exceed harms from air pollution up to 3h 30min of cycling per day. The results were sensitive to dose-response function (DRF) assumptions for PM2.5 and PA. PA benefits of active travel outweighed the harm caused by air pollution in all but the most extreme air pollution concentrations. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; spatial distribution of geochemicals in the fine fraction of streambed sediment, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Arnold, Terri L.; Colman, John A.

1998-01-01

Geochemical data for the upper Illinois River Basin are presented for concentrations of 39 elements in streambed sediment collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in the fall of 1987. These data were collected as part of the pilot phase of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. A total of 372 sites were sampled, with 238 sites located on first- and second-order streams, and 134 sites located on main stems. Spatial distribution maps and exceedance probability plots are presented for aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, calcium, carbon (total, inorganic, and organic), cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, gallium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, niobium, phosphorus, potassium, scandium, selenium, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, thorium, titanium, uranium, vanadium, yttrium, and zinc. For spatial distribution maps, concentrations of the elements are grouped into four ranges bounded by the minimum concentration, the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles, and the maximum concentrations. These ranges were selected to highlight streambed sediment with very low or very high element concentrations relative to the rest of the streambed sediment in the upper Illinois River Basin. Exceedance probability plots for each element display the differences, if any, in distributions between high- and low-order streams and may be helpful in determining differences between background and elevated concentrations.

Differences in composition of above and below legal limit PM10 at two contrasting sites in the city of Oporto, Portugal.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caseiro, Alexandre; Oliveira, César; Pio, Casimiro; Nunes, Teresa; Santos, Patrícia; Mao, Hongjun; Sokhi, Ranjeet; Luhanna, Lakhu

2010-05-01

Particulate matter, either with aerodynamical diameter below 10 μm (PM10) or the fine (aerodynamical diameter below 2.5 μm, PM2.5) or coarse (aerodynamical diameter between 2.5 and 10 μm, PM2.5-10) modes only, are presently regarded as one of the main threats to public health instigated by air pollution. The levels of ambient air particulates are regulated but the limits are frequently surpassed. It is therefore necessary to identify and quantify PM sources and their variability, as well as the biogenic processes that to some extent control their ambient load, in order to effectively regulate on the anthropogenic activities which originate PM. PM2.5-10 and PM2.5 were monitored in Oporto, NW Portugal, at two contrasting sites (directly impacted by traffic, roadside, and at the urban background) during two one-month campaigns (winter and summer). Sampling was conducted independently during daytime and night-time. Out of the 207 sampling periods analysed, 38 (18%) were above the European legal PM10 limit of 50 ?g m-3. PM2.5 concentrations above the limit of 25 ?g m-3 proposed by the EC occurred in 70 out of 202 sampling (35%). More exceedances occurred in winter than in summer and at roadside than at the urban background. Within the scope of this work, the relationship between PM concentrations, namely the occurrence of exceeding PM limit values, and meteorological variables or the sampling period (day/night, work day/weekend) and will be presented. Besides PM mass, the soluble ionic composition (Cl-, SO42-, NO3-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) as well as the elemental composition (Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Sn, Ba and Pb) were also determined. This allowed the application of multivariate analysis (principal component analysis with multi-linear regression analysis, PCA-MLRA, and positive matrix factorisation, PMF). Five main sources were identified in the fine and coarse modes (direct road traffic emissions, industrial activities related with refuse incineration or metallurgy, soil dust emissions, sea salt and fuel oil combustion coupled to secondary formation). The contribution of the various sources or source types to the PM load was calculated. A comparison between the relative contribution of the various sources or source types during exceeding and non-exceeding periods is conducted in order to assess if the exceeding periods may be attributed to a particular origin. Also, the concentration and relative contribution to total PM mass of the various PM constituents measured during exceedance and non-exceedance episodes is compared in order to assess their variability between the two types of events.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Tenofovir in HIV-infected Women during Labor and their Infants During the First Week of Life

PubMed Central

Mirochnick, Mark; Taha, Taha; Kreitchmann, Regis; Nielsen-Saines, Karin; Kumwenda, Newton; Joao, Esau; Pinto, Jorge; Santos, Breno; Parsons, Teresa; Kearney, Brian; Emel, Lynda; Herron, Casey; Richardson, Paul; Hudelson, Sarah E.; Eshleman, Susan H.; George, Kathleen; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Sato, Paul; Mofenson, Lynne

2013-01-01

Background Data describing the pharmacokinetics and safety of tenofovir in neonates are lacking. Methods HPTN 057 was a phase 1, open label study of the pharmacokinetics and safety of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in HIV infected women during labor and their infants during the first week of life with 4 dosing cohorts: maternal 600 mg doses/no infant dosing; no maternal dosing/infant 4 mg/kg doses day 0, 3 and 5; maternal 900 mg doses/infant 6 mg/kg doses day 0, 3 and 5; maternal 600 mg doses/infant 6 mg/kg doses daily ×7 doses. Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed on cohort 1 and 3 mothers and all infants. Plasma, amniotic fluid and breast milk tenofovir concentrations were determined by liquid chromatographic – tandem mass spectrometric assay. The pharmacokinetic target was for infant tenofovir concentration throughout the first week of life to exceed 50 ng/mL, the median trough tenofovir concentration in adults receiving standard chronic TDF dosing. Results 122 mother-infant pairs from Malawi and Brazil were studied. Tenofovir exposure in mothers receiving 600 mg and 900 mg exceeded that in non-pregnant adults receiving standard 300 mg doses. Tenofovir elimination in the infants was equivalent to that in older children and adults and trough tenofovir plasma concentrations exceeded 50 ng/mL in 74–97% of infants receiving daily dosing. Conclusion A TDF dosing regimen of 600 mg during labor and daily infant doses of 6 mg/kg maintains infant tenofovir plasma concentration above 50 ng/mL throughout the first week of life and should be used in studies of TDF efficacy for HIV PMTCT and early infant treatment. PMID:23979002

Geochemistry of acid mine drainage from a coal mining area and processes controlling metal attenuation in stream waters, southern Brazil.

PubMed

Campaner, Veridiana P; Luiz-Silva, Wanilson; Machado, Wilson

2014-05-14

Acid drainage influence on the water and sediment quality was investigated in a coal mining area (southern Brazil). Mine drainage showed pH between 3.2 and 4.6 and elevated concentrations of sulfate, As and metals, of which, Fe, Mn and Zn exceeded the limits for the emission of effluents stated in the Brazilian legislation. Arsenic also exceeded the limit, but only slightly. Groundwater monitoring wells from active mines and tailings piles showed pH interval and chemical concentrations similar to those of mine drainage. However, the river and ground water samples of municipal public water supplies revealed a pH range from 7.2 to 7.5 and low chemical concentrations, although Cd concentration slightly exceeded the limit adopted by Brazilian legislation for groundwater. In general, surface waters showed large pH range (6 to 10.8), and changes caused by acid drainage in the chemical composition of these waters were not very significant. Locally, acid drainage seemed to have dissolved carbonate rocks present in the local stratigraphic sequence, attenuating the dispersion of metals and As. Stream sediments presented anomalies of these elements, which were strongly dependent on the proximity of tailings piles and abandoned mines. We found that precipitation processes in sediments and the dilution of dissolved phases were responsible for the attenuation of the concentrations of the metals and As in the acid drainage and river water mixing zone. In general, a larger influence of mining activities on the chemical composition of the surface waters and sediments was observed when enrichment factors in relation to regional background levels were used.

Exceedance probability map: a tool helping the definition of arsenic Natural Background Level (NBL) within the Drainage Basin to the Venice Lagoon (NE Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalla Libera, Nico; Fabbri, Paolo; Mason, Leonardo; Piccinini, Leonardo; Pola, Marco

2017-04-01

Arsenic groundwater contamination affects worldwide shallower groundwater bodies. Starting from the actual knowledges around arsenic origin into groundwater, we know that the major part of dissolved arsenic is naturally occurring through the dissolution of As-bearing minerals and ores. Several studies on the shallow aquifers of both the regional Venetian Plain (NE Italy) and the local Drainage Basin to the Venice Lagoon (DBVL) show local high arsenic concentration related to peculiar geochemical conditions, which drive arsenic mobilization. The uncertainty of arsenic spatial distribution makes difficult both the evaluation of the processes involved in arsenic mobilization and the stakeholders' decision about environmental management. Considering the latter aspect, the present study treats the problem of the Natural Background Level (NBL) definition as the threshold discriminating the natural contamination from the anthropogenic pollution. Actually, the UE's Directive 2006/118/EC suggests the procedures and criteria to set up the water quality standards guaranteeing a healthy status and reversing any contamination trends. In addition, the UE's BRIDGE project proposes some criteria, based on the 90th percentile of the contaminant's concentrations dataset, to estimate the NBL. Nevertheless, these methods provides just a statistical NBL for the whole area without considering the spatial variation of the contaminant's concentration. In this sense, we would reinforce the NBL concept using a geostatistical approach, which is able to give some detailed information about the distribution of arsenic concentrations and unveiling zones with high concentrations referred to the Italian drinking water standard (IDWS = 10 µg/liter). Once obtained the spatial information about arsenic distribution, we can apply the 90th percentile methods to estimate some Local NBL referring to every zones with arsenic higher than IDWS. The indicator kriging method was considered because it estimates the spatial distribution of the exceedance probabilities respect some pre-defined thresholds. This approach is largely mentioned in literature to face similar environmental problems. To test the validity of the procedure, we used the dataset from "A.Li.Na" project (founded by the Regional Environmental Agency) that defined regional NBLs of As, Fe, Mn and NH4+ into DBVL's groundwater. Primarily, we defined two thresholds corresponding respectively to the IDWS and the median of the data over the IDWS. These values were decided basing on the dataset's statistical structure and the quality criteria of the GWD 2006/118/EC. Subsequently, we evaluated the spatial distribution of the probability to exceed the defined thresholds using the Indicator kriging. The results highlight different zones with high exceedance probability ranging from 75% to 95% respect both the IDWS and the median value. Considering the geological setting of the DBVL, these probability values correspond with the occurrence of both organic matter and reducing conditions. In conclusion, the spatial prediction of the exceedance probability could be useful to define the areas in which estimate the local NBLs, enhancing the procedure of NBL definition. In that way, the NBL estimation could be more realistic because it considers the spatial distribution of the studied contaminant, distinguishing areas with high natural concentrations from polluted ones.

Occurrence and distribution of contaminants in bottom sediment and water of the Barron River Canal, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Ronald L.; McPherson, Benjamin F.

2001-01-01

Trace elements and organic contaminants in bottom-sediment samples collected from 10 sites on the Barron River Canal and from one site on the Turner River in October 1998 had patterns of distribution that indicated different sources. At some sites on the Barron River Canal, lead, copper, and zinc, normalized to aluminum, exceeded limits normally considered as background and may be enriched by human activities. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and p-cresol, normalized against organic carbon, had patterns of distribution that indicated local sources of input from a road or vehicular traffic or from an old creosote wood treatment facility. Phthalate esters and the traces elements arsenic, cadmium, and zinc were more widely distributed with the highest normalized concentrations occurring at the Turner River background site, probably due to the high percentage of fine sediment (74% less than 63 micrometers) and high organic carbon concentration (42%) at that site and the binding effect of organic carbon on trace elements and trace organic compounds. Low concentrations of pesticides or pesticide degradation products were detected in bottom sediment (DDD and DDE, each less than 3.5 µg/kg) and water (9 pesticides, each less than 0.06 µ/L), primarily in the northern reach of the Barron River Canal where agriculture is a likely source. Although a few contaminants approached criteria that would indicate adverse effects on aquatic life, none exceeded the criteria, but the potential synergistic effects of mixtures of contaminants found at most sites are not included in the criteria.

Trends of NOx, NO2 and O3 concentrations at three different types of air quality monitoring stations in Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavroidis, I.; Ilia, M.

2012-12-01

This work presents a systematic analysis and evaluation of the historic and current levels of atmospheric pollution in the Athens metropolitan region, regarding nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2), ozone (O3) and the NO2/NOx and NO/NO2 concentration ratios. Hourly, daily, monthly, seasonal and annual pollutant variations are examined and compared, using the results of concentration time series from three different stations of the national network for air pollution monitoring, one urban-traffic, one urban-background and one suburban-background. Concentration data are also related to meteorological parameters. The results show that the traffic affected station of Patission Street presents the higher NOx values and the lower concentrations of O3, while it is the station with the highest number of NO2 limit exceedances. The monitoring data suggest, inter alia, that there is a change in the behaviour of the suburban-background station of Liossia at about year 2000, indicating that the exact location of this station may need to be reconsidered. Comparison of NOx concentrations in Athens with concentrations in urban areas of other countries reveal that the Patission urban-traffic station records very high NOx concentrations, while remarkably high is the ratio of NO2 concentrations recorded at the urban-traffic vs. the urban-background station in Athens, indicating the overarching role of vehicles and traffic congestion on NO2 formation. The NO2/NOx ratio in the urban-traffic station appears to be almost constant with time, while it has been increasing in other urban areas, such as London and Seoul, suggesting an increased effect of primary NO2 in these areas. Diesel passenger cars were only recently allowed in Athens and, therefore, NO2 trends should be carefully monitored since a possible increase in primary NO2 may affect compliance with NO2 air quality standards.

Atmospheric mercury speciation in Yellowstone National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, B.D.; Olson, M.L.; Rutter, A.P.; Frontiera, R.R.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.; Gross, D.S.; Yuen, M.; Rudolph, T.M.; Schauer, J.J.

2006-01-01

Atmospheric concentrations of elemental mercury (Hg0), reactive gaseous Hg (RGM), and particulate Hg (pHg) concentrations were measured in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), U.S.A. using high resolution, real time atmospheric mercury analyzers (Tekran 2537A, 1130, and 1135). A survey of Hg0 concentrations at various locations within YNP showed that concentrations generally reflect global background concentrations of 1.5-2.0 ng m- 3, but a few specific locations associated with concentrated geothermal activity showed distinctly elevated Hg0 concentrations (about 9.0 ng m- 3). At the site of intensive study located centrally in YNP (Canyon Village), Hg0 concentrations did not exceed 2.5 ng m- 3; concentrations of RGM were generally below detection limits of 0.88 pg m- 3 and never exceeded 5 pg m- 3. Concentrations of pHg ranged from below detection limits to close to 30 pg m-3. RGM and pHg concentrations were not correlated with any criteria gases (SO2, NOx, O3); however pHg was weakly correlated with the concentration of atmospheric particles. We investigated three likely sources of Hg at the intensive monitoring site: numerous geothermal features scattered throughout YNP, re-suspended soils, and wildfires near or in YNP. We examined relationships between the chemical properties of aerosols (as measured using real time, single particle mass spectrometry; aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer; ATOFMS) and concentrations of atmospheric pHg. Based on the presence of particles with distinct chemical signatures of the wildfires, and the absence of signatures associated with the other sources, we concluded that wildfires in the park were the main source of aerosols and associated pHg to our sampling site. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combining natural background levels (NBLs) assessment with indicator kriging analysis to improve groundwater quality data interpretation and management.

PubMed

Ducci, Daniela; de Melo, M Teresa Condesso; Preziosi, Elisabetta; Sellerino, Mariangela; Parrone, Daniele; Ribeiro, Luis

2016-11-01

The natural background level (NBL) concept is revisited and combined with indicator kriging method to analyze the spatial distribution of groundwater quality within a groundwater body (GWB). The aim is to provide a methodology to easily identify areas with the same probability of exceeding a given threshold (which may be a groundwater quality criteria, standards, or recommended limits for selected properties and constituents). Three case studies with different hydrogeological settings and located in two countries (Portugal and Italy) are used to derive NBL using the preselection method and validate the proposed methodology illustrating its main advantages over conventional statistical water quality analysis. Indicator kriging analysis was used to create probability maps of the three potential groundwater contaminants. The results clearly indicate the areas within a groundwater body that are potentially contaminated because the concentrations exceed the drinking water standards or even the local NBL, and cannot be justified by geogenic origin. The combined methodology developed facilitates the management of groundwater quality because it allows for the spatial interpretation of NBL values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Field screening of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Yuma Valley, Arizona, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tadayon, Saeid; King, K.A.; Andrews, Brenda; Roberts, William

1997-01-01

Because of concerns expressed by the U.S. Congress and the environmental community, the Department of the Interior began a program in late 1985 to identify the nature and extent of water-quality problems induced by irrigation that might exist in the western States. Surface water, bottom sediment, and biota were collected from March through September 1995 along the lower Colorado River and in agricultural drains at nine sites in the Yuma Valley, Arizona, and analyzed for selected inorganic and organic constituents. Analyses of water, bottom sediment, and biota were completed to determine if irrigation return flow has caused, or has the potential to cause, harmful effects on human health, fish, and wildlife in the study area. Concentrations of dissolved solids in surface-water samples collected in March generally did not vary substantially from surface-water samples collected in June. Concentrations of dissolved solids ranged from 712 to 3,000 milligrams per liter and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level of 500 milligrams per liter for drinking water. Concentrations of chloride in 9 of 18 water samples and concentrations of sulfate in 16 of 18 water samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level of 250 milligrams per liter for drinking water. Calcium and sodium were the dominant cations, and chloride and sulfate were the dominant anions. The maximum selenium concentration of 8 micrograms per liter exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aquatic-life chronic criterion of 5 micrograms per liter. Concentrations of lead in 7 of 18 water samples and concentrations of mercury in 4 of 18 water samples exceeded the aquatic-life cronic criteria of 3.2 and 0.012 micrograms per liter, respectively. Concentrations of antimony, beryllium, cadmium, and silver in the water samples were below analytical reporting limits. Arsenic was detected in 3 of 9 bottom-sediment samples, and concentrations ranged from 11 to 16 micrograms per gram. Concentrations ofaluminum, beryllium, boron, copper, lead, and zinc were highest in samples from Main Drain at southerly international boundary near San Luis, Arizona. Selenium was detected in all bottom-sediment samples, and concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 0.7 micrograms per gram. Concentrations of cadmium, europium, homium, mercury, molybdenum, silver, tantalum, tin, and uranium were below analytical reporting limits in the bottom-sediment samples. Concentrations of trace elements in bottom-sediment samples were within the ranges found in a study of soils of the western United States and did not indicate a significant accumulation of these constituents. p,p'Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (commonly referred to as p,-p'-DDE) was detected in one bottom-sediment sample at a concentration of 1.4 micrograms per gram. No other organochlorine compounds were detected in the bottom-sediment samples. DDE was present in all fish and bird samples. Almost one-half of the fish samples contained DDE residues that were two times higher than the mean calculated for a national study in 1984-85. Twenty-tree percent of the fish contained more than three times the national mean. Fish from downstream parts of the Main Drain had the highest concentrations of DDE. Although concentrations of DDE in fish and in bird carcasses and eggs were above background levels, residues generally were below thresholds associated with chronic poisoning and reproductive problems in figh and wildlife. Concentrations of 18 trace elements were detected in cattail (Typha sp.) roots, freshwater clam (Corbicula fluminea), fish, and bird samples. Selenium in most fish and in livers of red-winged (Agelaius phoeniceus) and yellow-headed (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) blackbirds was above background concentrations but below toxic concentrations. In contrast, selenium was present in a killdeer (Charadrium vociferus) liver sample at potentially toxic con

Mercury in soils of the agro-industrial zone of Zima city (Irkutsk oblast)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butakov, E. V.; Kuznetsov, P. V.; Kholodova, M. S.; Grebenshchikova, V. I.

2017-11-01

Data on mercury concentrations in soils of the agro-industrial zone of Zima city in Irkutsk oblast are discussed. It is shown that mercury concentrations in the plow horizon of studied soils exceed background values. The distribution pattern of mercury in soils of the investigated area is characterized. The revealed mercury anomalies are allocated to the industrial zone of the Sayanskkhimprom plant. The combined analysis of data on mercury concentrations in the plow and subplow horizons and on the chemical composition of snow indicates that mercury enters the soil mainly with atmospheric precipitation and is present there in the adsorbed form. The correlation analysis indicates that the local thermal power station plays a significant role as the source of mercury emission to the atmosphere. Close relationships between mercury concentrations and concentrations of mobile forms of elements attest to the presence of mobile organomineral mercury compounds in the studied soils.

Technical note: False low turbidity readings from optical probes during high suspended-sediment concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voichick, Nicholas; Topping, David J.; Griffiths, Ronald E.

2018-03-01

Turbidity, a measure of water clarity, is monitored for a variety of purposes including (1) to help determine whether water is safe to drink, (2) to establish background conditions of lakes and rivers and detect pollution caused by construction projects and stormwater discharge, (3) to study sediment transport in rivers and erosion in catchments, (4) to manage siltation of water reservoirs, and (5) to establish connections with aquatic biological properties, such as primary production and predator-prey interactions. Turbidity is typically measured with an optical probe that detects light scattered from particles in the water. Probes have defined upper limits of the range of turbidity that they can measure. The general assumption is that when turbidity exceeds this upper limit, the values of turbidity will be constant, i.e., the probe is pegged; however, this assumption is not necessarily valid. In rivers with limited variation in the physical properties of the suspended sediment, at lower suspended-sediment concentrations, an increase in suspended-sediment concentration will cause a linear increase in turbidity. When the suspended-sediment concentration in these rivers is high, turbidity levels can exceed the upper measurement limit of an optical probe and record a constant pegged value. However, at extremely high suspended-sediment concentrations, optical turbidity probes do not necessarily stay pegged at a constant value. Data from the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, and a laboratory experiment both demonstrate that when turbidity exceeds instrument-pegged conditions, increasing suspended-sediment concentration (and thus increasing turbidity) may cause optical probes to record decreasing false turbidity values that appear to be within the valid measurement range of the probe. Therefore, under high-turbidity conditions, other surrogate measurements of turbidity (e.g., acoustic-attenuation measurements or suspended-sediment samples) are necessary to correct these low false turbidity measurements and accurately measure turbidity.

Technical note: False low turbidity readings from optical probes during high suspended-sediment concentrations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voichick, Nicholas; Topping, David; Griffiths, Ronald

2018-01-01

Turbidity, a measure of water clarity, is monitored for a variety of purposes including (1) to help determine whether water is safe to drink, (2) to establish background conditions of lakes and rivers and detect pollution caused by construction projects and stormwater discharge, (3) to study sediment transport in rivers and erosion in catchments, (4) to manage siltation of water reservoirs, and (5) to establish connections with aquatic biological properties, such as primary production and predator–prey interactions. Turbidity is typically measured with an optical probe that detects light scattered from particles in the water. Probes have defined upper limits of the range of turbidity that they can measure. The general assumption is that when turbidity exceeds this upper limit, the values of turbidity will be constant, i.e., the probe is pegged; however, this assumption is not necessarily valid. In rivers with limited variation in the physical properties of the suspended sediment, at lower suspended-sediment concentrations, an increase in suspended-sediment concentration will cause a linear increase in turbidity. When the suspended-sediment concentration in these rivers is high, turbidity levels can exceed the upper measurement limit of an optical probe and record a constant pegged value. However, at extremely high suspended-sediment concentrations, optical turbidity probes do not necessarily stay pegged at a constant value. Data from the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, and a laboratory experiment both demonstrate that when turbidity exceeds instrument-pegged conditions, increasing suspended-sediment concentration (and thus increasing turbidity) may cause optical probes to record decreasing false turbidity values that appear to be within the valid measurement range of the probe. Therefore, under high-turbidity conditions, other surrogate measurements of turbidity (e.g., acoustic-attenuation measurements or suspended-sediment samples) are necessary to correct these low false turbidity measurements and accurately measure turbidity.

Selected organic compounds and trace elements in streambed sediments and fish tissues, Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frenzel, Steven A.

2000-01-01

Organochlorines, semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and trace elements were investigated in streambed sediments and fish tissues at selected sites in the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska, during 1998. At most sites, SVOCs and organochlorine compounds were either not detected or detected at very low concentrations. Chester Creek at Arctic Boulevard at Anchorage, which was the only site sampled with a significant degree of development in the watershed, had elevated levels of many SVOCs in streambed sediment. Coring of sediments from two ponds on Chester Creek confirmed the presence of elevated concentrations of a variety of organic compounds. Moose Creek, a stream with extensive coal deposits in its watershed, had low concentrations of numerous SVOCs in streambed sediment. Three sites located in national parks or in a national wildlife refuge had no detectable concentrations of SVOCs. Trace elements were analyzed in both streambed sediments and tissues of slimy sculpin. The two media provided similar evidence for elevated concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc at Chester Creek. In this study, 'probable effect levels '(PELs) were determined from sediments finer than 0.063 millimeters, where concentrations tend to be greatest. Arsenic and chromium concentrations exceeded the PEL at eight and six sites respectively. Zinc exceeded the PEL at one site. Cadmium and copper concentrations were smaller than the PEL at all sites. Mercury concentrations in streambed sediments from the Deshka River were near the PEL, and selenium concentrations at that site also appear to be elevated above background levels. At half the sites where slimy sculpin were sampled, selenium concentrations were at levels that may cause adverse effects in some species.

Water contamination with heavy metals and trace elements from Kilembe copper mine and tailing sites in Western Uganda; implications for domestic water quality.

PubMed

Abraham, Mwesigye R; Susan, Tumwebaze B

2017-02-01

The mining and processing of copper in Kilembe, Western Uganda, from 1956 to 1982 left over 15 Mt of cupriferous and cobaltiferous pyrite dumped within a mountain river valley, in addition to mine water which is pumped to the land surface. This study was conducted to assess the sources and concentrations of heavy metals and trace elements in Kilembe mine catchment water. Multi-element analysis of trace elements from point sources and sinks was conducted which included mine tailings, mine water, mine leachate, Nyamwamba River water, public water sources and domestic water samples using ICP-MS. The study found that mean concentrations (mg kg -1 ) of Co (112), Cu (3320), Ni (131), As (8.6) in mine tailings were significantly higher than world average crust and were being eroded and discharged into water bodies within the catchment. Underground mine water and leachate contained higher mean concentrations (μg L -1 ) of Cu (9470), Co (3430) and Ni (590) compared with background concentrations (μg L -1 ) in un contaminated water of 1.9, 0.21 and 0.67 for Cu, Co and Ni respectively. Over 25% of household water samples exceeded UK drinking water thresholds for Al of 200 μg L -1 , Co exceeded Winsconsin (USA drinking) water thresholds of 40 μg L -1 in 40% of samples while Fe in 42% of samples exceeded UK thresholds of 200 μg L -1 . The study however found that besides mining activities, natural processes of geological weathering also contributed to Al, Fe, and Mn water contamination in a number of public water sources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline groundwater quality in national park units within the Marcellus and Utica Shale gas plays, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eckhardt, David A.V.; Sloto, Ronald A.

2012-01-01

Groundwater samples were collected from 15 production wells and 1 spring at 9 national park units in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia in July and August 2011 and analyzed to characterize the quality of these water supplies. The sample sites generally were selected to represent areas of potential effects on water quality by drilling and development of gas wells in Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale areas of the northeastern United States. The groundwater samples were analyzed for 53 constituents, including nutrients, major inorganic constituents, trace elements, chemical oxygen demand, radioactivity, and dissolved gases, including methane and radon-222. Results indicated that the groundwater used for water supply at the selected national park units is generally of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some constituents exceeded at least one drinking-water guideline at several wells. Nine analytes were detected in concentrations that exceeded Federal drinking-water standards, mostly secondary standards that define aesthetic properties of water, such as taste and odor. One sample had an arsenic concentration that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The pH, which is a measure of acidity (hydrogen ion activity), ranged from 4.8 to 8.4, and in 5 of the 16 samples, the pH values were outside the accepted U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) range of 6.5 to 8.5. The concentration of total dissolved solids exceeded the SMCL of 500 milligrams per liter (mg/L) at four sites. The sulfate concentration exceeded the SMCL of 250 mg/L concentration in one sample, and the fluoride concentration exceeded the SMCL of 2 mg/L in one sample. Sodium concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water health advisory of 60 mg/L at four sites. Iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 300 μg/L in two samples, and manganese concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 50 μg/L in five samples. Radon-222 concentrations exceeded the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in eight samples.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harriman, D.A.; Sargent, B.P.

Groundwater quality was evaluated in seven confined aquifers and the water table aquifer in east-central New Jersey based on 237 analyses of samples collected in 1981-82, and 225 older analyses. Investigation of the effect of land use on water quality and several sampling network proposals for the region are reported. Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) concentrations exceed US EPA drinking water standards in some wells screened in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system. Sodium (Na) concentrations in samples from three wells more than 800 ft deep in the Englishtown aquifer exceed the standard. Iron and Mn concentrations in this aquifer may alsomore » exceed the standards. Iron concentrations in the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer exceed the standard. Based on 15 analyses of water from the Vincetown aquifer, Mn is the only constituent that exceeds the drinking water standard. In the Manasquan aquifer, 4 of the 16 Na determinations exceed the standard, and 8 of 16 Fe determinations exceed the standard. Water quality in the Atlantic City 800-ft sand is generally satisfactory. However, 12 Fe and 1 of 12 Mn determinations exceed the standards. For the Rio Grande water-bearing zone, 1 of 3 Fe determinations exceed the standard. The Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system was the most thoroughly sampled (249 chemical analyses from 209 wells). Dissolved solids, chloride, Fe, nitrate, and Mn concentrations exceed drinking water standards in some areas. 76 refs., 36 figs., 12 tabs.« less

Sediment quality in the north coastal basin of Massachusetts, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breault, Robert F.; Ashman, Mary S.; Heath, Douglas

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, completed a reconnaissance-level study of bottom-sediment quality in selected lakes, rivers, and estuaries in the North Coastal Basin of Massachusetts. Bottom-sediment grab samples were collected from 20 sites in the North River, Lake Quannapowitt, Saugus River, Mill River, Shute Brook, Sea Plane Basin, Pines River, and Bear Creek. The samples were tested for various types of potentially harmful contaminants? including 33 elements, 17 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 22 organochlorine pesticides, and 7 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures (Aroclors)?to benthic organisms (bottom-dwelling) and humans. The results were compared among sampling sites, to background concentrations, and to concen-trations measured in other urban rivers, and sediment-quality guidelines were used to predict toxicity at the sampling sites to benthic organisms and humans. Because there are no standards for human toxicity for aquatic sediment, standards for contaminated upland soil were used. Contaminant concentrations measured in sediment collected from the North Coastal Basin generally were equal to or greater than concentrations in sediment from uncontaminated rivers throughout New England. Contaminants in North Coastal Basin sediment with elevated concentrations (above back-ground levels) included arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc, some of the PAHs, dichlorodiphenyltrichloro-ethane (DDT) and its metabolites, and dieldrin. No PCBs were measured above the detection limits. Measured concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and lead were also generally greater than those measured in other urban rivers throughout the conter-minous United States. With one exception (arsenic), local con-centrations measured in sediment samples collected from the North Coastal Basin were lower than concentrations measured in sediment collected from two of three urban rivers draining to Boston Harbor. The probable toxicity to benthic organisms ranged from about 33 to 91 percent across the study area. Of the elements analyzed, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, and lead exceeded the soil standards for risk to human health. Of the PAHs analyzed, four also exceeded soil standards. Organochlorine pesticide concentrations, however, were not high enough relative to the soil standards to pose a risk to human health. Some trace element and some organic compound concentrations in bottom sediment may be toxic to aquatic organisms and may pose a risk to human health.

Long term plant biomonitoring in the vicinity of waste incinerators in The Netherlands.

PubMed

van Dijk, Chris; van Doorn, Wim; van Alfen, Bert

2015-03-01

Since the mid-nineties new waste incineration plants have come into operation in the Netherlands. Burning of waste can result in the emission of potentially toxic compounds. Although the incineration plants must comply with strict conditions concerning emission control, public concern on the possible impact on human health and the environment still exists. Multiple year (2004-2013) biomonitoring programs were set up around three waste incinerators for early detection of possible effects of stack emissions on the quality of crops and agricultural products. The results showed that the emissions did not affect the quality of crops and cow milk. Concentrations of heavy metals, PAHs and dioxins/PCBs were generally similar to background levels and did not exceed standards for maximum allowable concentrations in foodstuffs (e.g. vegetables and cow milk). Some exceedances of the fluoride standard for cattle feed were found almost every year in the maximum deposition areas of two incinerators. Biomonitoring with leafy vegetables can be used to monitor the real impact of these emissions on agricultural crops and to communicate with all stakeholders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ground-Water Quality in Western New York, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eckhardt, David A.V.; Reddy, James E.; Tamulonis, Kathryn L.

2008-01-01

Water samples were collected from 7 production wells and 26 private residential wells in western New York from August through December 2006 and analyzed to characterize the chemical quality of ground water. Wells at 15 of the sites were screened in sand and gravel aquifers, and 18 were finished in bedrock aquifers. The wells were selected to represent areas of greatest ground-water use and to provide a geographical sampling from the 5,340-square-mile study area. Samples were analyzed for 5 physical properties and 219 constituents that included nutrients, major inorganic ions, trace elements, radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOC), phenolic compounds, organic carbon, and bacteria. Results indicate that ground water used for drinking supply is generally of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some constituents or bacteria exceeded at least one drinking-water standard at 27 of the 33 wells. The cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, and sodium; anions that were detected in the highest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. The predominant nutrients were nitrate and ammonia; nitrate concentrations were higher in samples from sand and gravel aquifers than in samples from bedrock. The trace elements barium, boron, copper, lithium, nickel, and strontium were detected in every sample; the trace elements with the highest concentrations were barium, boron, iron, lithium, manganese, and strontium. Eighteen pesticides, including 9 pesticide degradates, were detected in water from 14 of the 33 wells, but none of the concentrations exceeded State or Federal Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Fourteen volatile organic compounds were detected in water from 12 of the 33 wells, but none of the concentrations exceeded MCLs. Eight chemical analytes and three types of bacteria were detected in concentrations that exceeded Federal and State drinking-water standards, which are typically identical. Sulfate concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in three samples, and chloride concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 250 mg/L in two samples. Sodium concentrations exceeded the USEPA Drinking Water Health Advisory of 60 mg/L in nine samples. Iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 300 ug/L (micrograms per liter) in 14 filtered samples, and manganese exceeded the USEPA SMCL of 50 ug/L in 15 filtered samples, as well as the New York State MCL of 300 ug/L in 1 filtered sample. Arsenic exceeded the USEPA MCL of 10 ug/L in two samples, aluminum exceeded the SMCL for aluminum of 50 ug/L in one sample, and lead exceeded the MCL of 15 ug/L in one sample. Radon-222 exceeded the proposed USEPA MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in 24 samples. Any detection of coliform bacteria indicates a violation of New York State health regulations; total coliform was detected in 12 samples, and Escherichia coli was detected in 2 samples. The plate counts for heterotrophic bacteria exceeded the MCL (500 colony-forming units per milliliter) in four samples.

Total particle, sulfate, and acidic aerosol emissions from kerosene space heaters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leaderer, B.P.; Boone, P.M.; Hammond, S.K.

1990-06-01

Chamber studies were conducted on four unvented kerosene space heaters to assess emissions of total particle, sulfate, and acidic aerosol. The heaters tested represented four burner designs currently in use by the public. Kerosene space heaters are a potential source of fine particles ({<=} 2.5-{mu}m diameter), sulfate, and acidic aerosol indoors. Fine particle concentrations in homes in which the heaters are used may be increased in excess of 20 {mu}g/m{sup 3} over background levels. Sulfate and acidic aerosol levels in such homes could exceed average and peak outdoor concentrations. Maltuned heaters could produce exceptionally high levels of all air contaminantsmore » measured.« less

Total particle, sulfate, and acidic aerosol emissions from kerosene space heaters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leaderer, B.P.; Boone, P.M.; Hammond, S.K.

1990-01-01

The article discusses chamber studies of four unvented kerosene space heaters to assess emissions of total particle, sulfate, and acidic aerosol. The heaters tested represented four burner designs currently in use by the public. Kerosene space heaters are a potential source of fine particles (= or < 2.5 micrometer diameter), sulfate, and acidic aerosol indoors. Fine particle concentrations in houses in which the heaters are used may be increased in excess of 20 micrograms/m3 over background levels. Sulfate and acidic aerosol levels in such houses could exceed average and peak outdoor concentrations. Maltuned heaters could produce exceptionally high levels ofmore » all air contaminants measured.« less

An update of hydrologic conditions and distribution of selected constituents in water, eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and perched groundwater zones, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, emphasis 2009–11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Linda C.; Bartholomay, Roy C.; Rattray, Gordon W.

2013-01-01

Since 1952, wastewater discharged to infiltration ponds (also called percolation ponds) and disposal wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has affected water quality in the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer and perched groundwater zones underlying the INL. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains groundwater monitoring networks at the INL to determine hydrologic trends, and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer and in perched groundwater zones. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from aquifer, multilevel monitoring system (MLMS), and perched groundwater wells in the USGS groundwater monitoring networks during 2009–11. Water in the ESRP aquifer primarily moves through fractures and interflow zones in basalt, generally flows southwestward, and eventually discharges at springs along the Snake River. The aquifer primarily is recharged from infiltration of irrigation water, infiltration of streamflow, groundwater inflow from adjoining mountain drainage basins, and infiltration of precipitation. From March–May 2009 to March–May 2011, water levels in wells generally declined in the northern part of the INL. Water levels generally rose in the central and eastern parts of the INL. Detectable concentrations of radiochemical constituents in water samples from aquifer wells or MLMS equipped wells in the ESRP aquifer at the INL generally decreased or remained constant during 2009–11. Decreases in concentrations were attributed to radioactive decay, changes in waste-disposal methods, and dilution from recharge and underflow. In 2011, concentrations of tritium in groundwater from 50 of 127 aquifer wells were greater than or equal to the reporting level and ranged from 200±60 to 7,000±260 picocuries per liter. Tritium concentrations from one or more discrete zones from four wells equipped with MLMS were greater than or equal to reporting levels in water samples collected at various depths. Tritium concentrations in water from wells completed in shallow perched groundwater at the Advanced Test Reactor Complex (ATR Complex) were less than the reporting levels. Tritium concentrations in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex equaled or exceeded the reporting level in 12 wells during at least one sampling event during 2009–11 at the ATR Complex. Concentrations of strontium-90 in water from 20 of 76 aquifer wells sampled during April or October 2011 exceeded the reporting level. Strontium-90 was not detected within the ESRP aquifer beneath the ATR Complex. During at least one sampling event during 2009–11, concentrations of strontium-90 in water from 10 wells completed in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex equaled or exceeded the reporting levels. During 2009–11, concentrations of plutonium-238, and plutonium-239, -240 (undivided), and americium-241 were less than the reporting level in water samples from all aquifer wells and in all wells equipped with MLMS. Concentrations of cesium-137 were equal to or slightly above the reporting level in 8 aquifer wells and from 2 wells equipped with MLMS. The concentration of chromium in water from one well south of the ATR Complex was 97 micrograms per liter (μg/L) in April 2011, just less than the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 100 μg/L. Concentrations of chromium in water samples from 69 other wells sampled ranged from 0.8 μg/L to 25 μg/L. During 2009–11, dissolved chromium was detected in water from 15 wells completed in perched groundwater at the ATR Complex. In 2011, concentrations of sodium in water from most wells in the southern part of the INL were greater than the background concentration of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L); the highest concentrations were at or near the Idaho Nuclear Engineering and Technology Center (INTEC). After the newpercolation ponds were put into service in 2002 southwest of the INTEC, concentrations of sodium in water samples from the Rifle Range well rose steadily until 2008, when the concentrations generally began decreasing. The increases and decreases were attributed to disposal variability in the new percolation ponds. Concentrations of sodium in most wells equipped with MLMS generally were consistent with depth. During 2011, dissolved sodium concentrations in water from 17 wells completed in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex ranged from 6 to 146 mg/L. In 2011, concentrations of chloride in most water samples from aquifer wells south of the INTEC and at the Central Facilities Area exceeded the background concentrations of 15 mg/L, but were less than the secondary MCL of 250 mg/L. Chloride concentrations in water from wells south of the INTEC have generally increased because of increased chloride disposal to the old percolation ponds since 1984 when discharge of wastewater to the INTEC disposal well was discontinued. After the new percolation ponds were put into service in 2002 southwest of the INTEC, concentrations of chloride in water samples from one well rose steadily until 2008 then began decreasing. Chloride concentrations in water from all but one well completed in the ESRP aquifer at or near the ATR Complex were less than background and ranged between 10 and 14 mg/L during 2011, similar to concentrations detected during the 2006–08 reporting period. During 2011, chloride concentrations in water from two aquifer wells at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) were slightly greater than concentrations detected during the 2006–08 reporting period. The vertical distribution of chloride concentrations in wells equipped with MLMS were generally consistent within zones during 2009–11 and ranged from about 8 to 20 mg/L. During April 2011, dissolved chloride concentrations in shallow perched groundwater at the ATR Complex ranged from 7 to 13 mg/L in water from three wells. Dissolved chloride concentrations in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex during 2011 ranged from 4 to 54 mg/L. In 2011, sulfate concentrations in water samples from 11 aquifer wells in the south-central part of the INL equaled or exceeded the background concentration of sulfate and ranged from 40 to 167 mg/L. The greater-than-background concentrations in water from these wells probably resulted from sulfate disposal at the ATR Complex infiltration ponds or the old INTEC percolation ponds. In 2011, sulfate concentrations in water samples from two wells near the RWMC were greater than background levels and could have resulted from well construction techniques and (or) waste disposal at the RWMC. The vertical distribution of sulfate concentrations in three wells near the southern boundary of the INL was generally consistent with depth, and ranged between 19 and 25 mg/L. The maximum dissolved sulfate concentration in shallow perched groundwater near the ATR Complex was 400 mg/L in well CWP 1 in April 2011. During 2009–11, the maximum concentration of dissolved sulfate in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex was 1,550 mg/L in a well located west of the chemical-waste pond. In 2011, concentrations of nitrate in water from most wells at and near the INTEC exceeded the regional background concentrations of 1 mg/L and ranged from 1.6 to 5.95 mg/L. Concentrations of nitrate in wells south of INTEC and farther away from the influence of disposal areas and the Big Lost River show a general decrease in nitrate concentrations through time. During 2009–11, water samples from 30 wells were collected and analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Six VOCs were detected. At least one and up to five VOCs were detected in water samples from 10 wells. The primary VOCs detected include carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and trichloroethylene. In 2011, concentrations for all VOCs were less than their respective MCL for drinking water, except carbon tetrachloride in water from two wells. During 2009–11, variability and bias were evaluated from 56 replicate and 16 blank quality-assurance samples. Results from replicate analyses were investigated to evaluate sample variability. Constituents with acceptable reproducibility were stable isotope ratios, major ions, nutrients, and VOCs. All radiochemical constituents and trace metals had acceptable reproducibility except for gross beta-particle radioactivity, aluminum, antimony, and cobalt. Bias from sample contamination was evaluated from equipment, field, container, and source-solution blanks. No detectable constituent concentrations were reported for equipment blanks of the thief samplers and sampling pipes or for the source-solution and field blanks. Equipment blanks of bailers had detectable concentrations of strontium-90, sodium, chloride, and sulfate, and the container blank had a detectable concentration of dichloromethane.

Influence of Tm+3 concentration on the non-linear optical effects of the BiB3O6 : Tm3+ glass nanoparticle-doped polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majchrowski, A.; Ebothe, J.; Ozga, K.; Kityk, I. V.; Reshak, A. H.; Lukasiewicz, T.; Brik, M. G.

2010-01-01

It is shown that BiB3O6 : Tm3+ glass nanoparticles incorporated into polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC) polymer matrices show good second-order susceptibilities under bicolour coherent laser treatment. It is found that only during incorporation into highly polarized PC matrices could one observe an enhancement of the second-order susceptibilities with increasing laser treated power densities. The main increase is observed for all samples at power densities equal to about 0.4 GW cm-2. After passing this value there is a saturation of the output susceptibilities and even an abrupt decrease. The most striking feature is the achievement of second-order susceptibilities equal to about 5 pm V-1 for samples containing 4% nanoparticle (NP) content in the PC matrix. A further increase in the NP concentration to 6% leads to a decrease in susceptibility to 15%. In the case of PMMA matrices these changes do not exceed the background. The same situation is present for the pure BIBO and low-doped Tm materials. The effect is maximal for a low concentration of Tm—about 0.75%. In the case of bulk glasses the intensity dependences of the second-harmonic generation unambiguously show that the achieved maximal values of second-order susceptibilities do not exceed 3 pm V-1 for 0.5% Tm concentration.

Baseline blood Pb levels of black-necked stilts on the upper Texas coast

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riecke, Thomas V.; Conway, Warren C.; Haukos, David A.; Moon, Jena A.; Comer, Christopher E.

2015-01-01

There are no known biological requirements for lead (Pb), and elevated Pb levels in birds can cause a variety of sub-lethal effects and mortality. Historic and current levels of Pb in mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula) suggest that environmental sources of Pb remain available on the upper Texas coast. Because of potential risks of Pb exposure among coexisting marsh birds, black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) blood Pb concentrations were measured during the breeding season. Almost 80 % (n = 120) of 152 sampled stilts exceeded the background threshold (>20 μg/dL) for Pb exposure. However, blood Pb concentrations did not vary by age or gender, and toxic or potentially lethal concentrations were rare (<5 %). Consistent, low-level blood Pb concentrations of black-necked stilts in this study suggest the presence of readily bioavailable sources of Pb, although potential impacts on local stilt populations remain unclear.

Nanoscale volume confinement and fluorescence enhancement with double nanohole aperture

PubMed Central

Regmi, Raju; Al Balushi, Ahmed A.; Rigneault, Hervé; Gordon, Reuven; Wenger, Jérôme

2015-01-01

Diffraction ultimately limits the fluorescence collected from a single molecule, and sets an upper limit to the maximum concentration to isolate a single molecule in the detection volume. To overcome these limitations, we introduce here the use of a double nanohole structure with 25 nm gap, and report enhanced detection of single fluorescent molecules in concentrated solutions exceeding 20 micromolar. The nanometer gap concentrates the light into an apex volume down to 70 zeptoliter (10−21 L), 7000-fold below the diffraction-limited confocal volume. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and time-correlated photon counting, we measure fluorescence enhancement up to 100-fold, together with local density of optical states (LDOS) enhancement of 30-fold. The distinctive features of double nanoholes combining high local field enhancement, efficient background screening and relative nanofabrication simplicity offer new strategies for real time investigation of biochemical events with single molecule resolution at high concentrations. PMID:26511149

Mercury Pollution in Soils from the Yacuambi River (Ecuadorian Amazon) as a Result of Gold Placer Mining.

PubMed

López-Blanco, Charo; Collahuazo, Luis; Torres, Sandra; Chinchay, Luis; Ayala, Diana; Benítez, Paulina

2015-09-01

Gold mining is known to generate important economic products but also to produce several types of contamination/pollution. We report here the first data about Hg concentrations in the soils of the Yacuambi River in the Ecuadorian Amazon. We analyzed soil samples to assess the extent of contamination caused by gold placer mining in this area. Hg concentrations in soils exceeded the local background concentrations. High concentrations of Mn, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Fe and Zn in some soil samples were probably derived from the geology of the site, which is rich in polysulfides and metamorphic rocks. Placer mining may accelerate the natural release of these elements to the environment by the exposure of the bedrock to the atmosphere. Accumulation of Hg in the river soils may be a potential source of toxicity for aquatic life and a risk to human health in the future.

Dose Assessment of Los Alamos National Laboratory-Derived Residual Radionuclides in Soils within C Tracts (C-2, C-3, and C-4) for Land Transfer Decisions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gillis, Jessica M.; Whicker, Jeffrey J.

2016-01-26

Three separate Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAPs) were prepared for tracts C-2, C-3, and C-4. The objective of sampling was to confirm, within the stated statistical confidence limits, that the mean levels of potential radioactive residual contamination in soils in the C Tracts are documented, in appropriate units, and are below the 15 mrem/y (150 μSv/y) Screening Action Levels (SALs). Results show that radionuclide concentration upper-bound 95% confidence levels were close to background levels, with the exception of Pu-239 and Cs-137 being slightly elevated above background, and all measurements were below the ALs and meet the real property release criteriamore » for future construction or recreational use. A follow-up ALARA analysis showed that the costs of cleanup of the soil in areas of elevated concentration and confirmatory sampling would far exceed any benefit from dose reduction.« less

Evaluation of Biomonitoring Data from the CDC National ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

BACKGROUND: Biomonitoring data reported in the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (NER) provide information on the presence and concentrations of more than 400 chemicals in human blood and urine. Biomonitoring Equivalents (BEs) and other risk assessment-based values now allow interpretation of these biomonitoring data in a public health risk context. OBJECTIVES: Compare the measured biomarker concentrations in the NER with BEs and similar risk assessment values to provide an across-chemical risk assessment perspective on the measured levels for approximately 130 analytes in the NER. METHODS: Available risk assessment-based biomarker screening values, including BEs and Human Biomonitoring-I (HBM-I) values from the German Human Biomonitoring Commission, were identified. Geometric mean and 95th percentile population biomarker concentrations from the NER were compared to the available screening values to generate chemical-specific hazard quotients (HQ) or cancer risk estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Several analytes in the NER approach or exceed HQ values of 1 or cancer risks greater than 1x 10-4 at the geometric mean or 95th percentile, suggesting exposure levels exceed what is considered safe in a large fraction of the population. Analytes of concern include acrylamide, dioxin-like chemicals, benzene, xylene, several metals, di-2(ethylhexyl)phthalate, and some legacy organochlorine pesticides. This analysis provides for the first time a mean

Groundwater Quality in Central New York, 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eckhardt, David A.V.; Reddy, J.E.; Shaw, Stephen B.

2009-01-01

Water samples were collected from 7 production wells and 28 private residential wells in central New York from August through December 2007 and analyzed to characterize the chemical quality of groundwater. Seventeen wells are screened in sand and gravel aquifers, and 18 are finished in bedrock aquifers. The wells were selected to represent areas of greatest groundwater use and to provide a geographical sampling from the 5,799-square-mile study area. Samples were analyzed for 6 physical properties and 216 constituents, including nutrients, major inorganic ions, trace elements, radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, phenolic compounds, organic carbon, and 4 types of bacteria. Results indicate that groundwater used for drinking supply is generally of acceptable quality, although concentrations of some constituents or bacteria exceeded at least one drinking-water standard at several wells. The cations detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, and sodium; anions detected in the highest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. The predominant nutrients were nitrate and ammonia, but no nutrients exceeded Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). The trace elements barium, boron, lithium, and strontium were detected in every sample; the trace elements present in the highest concentrations were barium, boron, iron, lithium, manganese, and strontium. Fifteen pesticides, including seven pesticide degradates, were detected in water from 17 of the 35 wells, but none of the concentrations exceeded State or Federal MCLs. Sixteen volatile organic compounds were detected in water from 15 of the 35 wells. Nine analytes and three types of bacteria were detected in concentrations that exceeded Federal and State drinking-water standards, which typically are identical. One sample had a water color that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) and the New York State MCL of 10 color units. Sulfate concentrations exceeded the USEPA SMCL and the New York State MCL of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in two samples, and chloride concentrations exceeded the USEPA SMCL and the New York State MCL of 250 mg/L in two samples. Sodium concentrations exceeded the USEPA Drinking Water Health Advisory of 60 mg/L in eight samples. Iron concentrations exceeded the USEPA SMCL and the New York State MCL of 300 micrograms per liter (ug/L) in 10 filtered samples. Manganese exceeded the USEPA SMCL of 50 ug/L in 10 filtered samples and the New York State MCL of 300 ug/L in 1 filtered sample. Barium exceeded the MCL of 2,000 ug/L in one sample, and aluminum exceeded the SMCL of 50 ug/L in three samples. Radon-222 exceeded the proposed USEPA MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in 12 samples. One sample from a private residential well had a trichloroethene concentration of 50.8 ug/L, which exceeded the MCL of 5 ug/L. Any detection of coliform bacteria indicates a potential violation of New York State health regulations; total coliform bacteria were detected in 19 samples, and fecal coliform bacteria were detected in one sample. The plate counts for heterotrophic bacteria exceeded the MCL (500 colony-forming units per milliliter) in three samples.

A statistical downscaling approach for roadside NO2 concentrations: Application to a WRF-Chem study for Berlin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuik, Friderike; Lauer, Axel; von Schneidemesser, Erika; Butler, Tim

2017-04-01

Many European cities continue to struggle with meeting the European air quality limits for NO2. In Berlin, Germany, most of the exceedances in NO2 recorded at monitoring sites near busy roads can be largely attributed to emissions from traffic. In order to assess the impact of changes in traffic emissions on air quality at policy relevant scales, we combine the regional atmosphere-chemistry transport model WRF-Chem at a resolution of 1kmx1km with a statistical downscaling approach. Here, we build on the recently published study evaluating the performance of a WRF-Chem setup in representing observed urban background NO2 concentrations from Kuik et al. (2016) and extend this setup by developing and testing an approach to statistically downscale simulated urban background NO2 concentrations to street level. The approach uses a multilinear regression model to relate roadside NO2 concentrations observed with the municipal monitoring network with observed NO2 concentrations at urban background sites and observed traffic counts. For this, the urban background NO2 concentrations are decomposed into a long term, a synoptic and a diurnal component using the Kolmogorov-Zurbenko filtering method. We estimate the coefficients of the regression model for five different roadside stations in Berlin representing different street types. In a next step we combine the coefficients with simulated urban background concentrations and observed traffic counts, in order to estimate roadside NO2 concentrations based on the results obtained with WRF-Chem at the five selected stations. In a third step, we extrapolate the NO2 concentrations to all major roads in Berlin. The latter is based on available data for Berlin of daily mean traffic counts, diurnal and weekly cycles of traffic as well as simulated urban background NO2 concentrations. We evaluate the NO2 concentrations estimated with this method at street level for Berlin with additional observational data from stationary measurements and mobile measurements conducted during a campaign in summer 2014. The results show that this approach allows us to estimate NO2 concentrations at roadside reasonably well. The approach can be applied when observations show a strong correlation between roadside NO2 concentrations and traffic emissions from a single type of road. The method, however, shows weaknesses for intersections where observed NO2 concentrations are influenced by traffic on several different roads. We then apply this downscaling approach to estimate the impact of different traffic emission scenarios both on urban background and street level NO2 concentrations. References Kuik, F., Lauer, A., Churkina, G., Denier van der Gon, H. A. C., Fenner, D., Mar, K. A., and Butler, T. M.: Air quality modelling in the Berlin-Brandenburg region using WRF-Chem v3.7.1: sensitivity to resolution of model grid and input data, Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 4339-4363, doi:10.5194/gmd-9-4339-2016, 2016.

Shallow ground-water quality in selected agricultural areas of south-central Georgia, 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crandall, C.A.

1996-01-01

The Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain National Water-Quality Assessment Program began an agricultural land-use study in March 1994. The study area is located in the upper Suwannee River basin in Tift, Turner, Worth, Irwin, Wilcox, and Crisp Counties, Ga. Twenty-three shallow monitoring wells were installed in a 1,335-square- mile area characterized by intensive row-crop agriculture (peanuts, corn, cotton, and soybeans). The study focused on recently recharged shallow ground water in surficial aquifers to assess the relation between land-use activities and ground- water quality. All wells were sampled in March and April (spring) 1994, and 14 of these wells were resampled in August (summer) 1994. Shallow ground water in the study area is characterized by oxic and acidic conditions, low bicarbonate, and low dissolved-solids concentrations. The median pH of shallow ground water was 4.7 and the median bicarbonate concentration was 1.7 mg/L (milligrams per liter). Dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 3.0 to 8.0 mg/L. The median dissolved-solids concentration in samples collected in the spring was 86 mg/L. Major inorganic ion composition was generally mixed with no dominant cation; nitrate was the dominant anion (greater than 60 percent of the anion composition) in 14 of 23 samples. Only concentrations of bicarbonate, dissolved organic carbon, and nitrate had significant differences in concentrations between samples collected in the spring and the background samples. However, median concentrations of some of the major ingredients in fertilizer (including magnesium, chloride, nitrate, iron, and manganese) were higher in water samples from agricultural wells than in background samples. The median concentration of dissolved solids in ground-water samples collected in the spring (86 mg/L) was more than double the median concentration (41 mg/L) of the background samples. The median nitrate as nitrogen concentration of 6.7 mg/L in the spring samples reflects the effects of agricultural activities on ground-water quality. Samples from 30 percent of the wells exceeded the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate in drinking water (10 mg/L as N). Nitrogen isotope ratios ranged from 2.4 to 9.0 parts per thousand and indicate that most nitrogen in shallow ground water is probably from inorganic fertilizer. In addition, nitrate concentrations were positively correlated (p-values all less than 0.01) with concentrations of some of the major ingredients in fertilizer, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and chloride, and with values of specific conductance. Concentrations of pesticides and volatile organic compounds, detected in samples from 11 wells, were all below the MCLs. Of these constituents, only alachlor, metolachlor, metribuzin, toluene, benzene, and methyl chloride were detected in ground water at concentrations that ranged from 0.01 to 1.0 mg/L (micrograms per liter). Maximum concentrations of 1.0 mg/L of metolachlor and toluene were detected in two wells. Radon concentrations ranged from 530 to 1,400 pCi/L (picocuries per liter), exceeding the proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L in all samples; the median concentration was 1,000 pCi/L.

Ground-Water Quality in the Genesee River Basin, New York, 2005-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eckhardt, David A.V.; Reddy, J.E.; Tamulonis, Kathryn L.

2007-01-01

Water samples were collected from 7 community water system wells and 15 private domestic wells throughout the Genesee River Basin in New York State (downstream from the Pennsylvania border) from October 2005 through March 2006 and analyzed to characterize the chemical quality of ground water in the basin. The wells were selected to represent areas of greatest ground-water use and to provide a representative sampling from the 2,439 square-mile basin area in New York. Samples were analyzed for five physical properties and 226 constituents that included nutrients, major inorganic ions, trace elements, radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and bacteria. The results show that ground water used for drinking water is generally of good quality in the Genesee River Basin, although concentrations of seven constituents exceeded drinking water standards. The cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, and sodium; the anions that were detected in the greatest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. The predominant nutrient was nitrate, and nitrate concentrations were greater in samples from sand and gravel aquifers than in samples from bedrock aquifers. The trace elements barium, boron, cobalt, copper, and nickel were detected in every sample; the highest concentrations were barium, boron, chromium, iron, manganese, strontium, and lithium. Fourteen pesticides including seven pesticide degradates were detected in water from 12 of the 22 wells, but none of the concentrations exceeded Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Eight volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in six samples, but none of the concentrations exceeded MCLs. Seven chemical analytes and three types of bacteria were present in concentrations that exceeded Federal and New York State water-quality standards, which are typically identical. Sulfate concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in three samples; the chloride SMCL (250 mg/L) was exceeded in one sample. Sodium concentrations exceeded the USEPA Drinking Water Health Advisory of 60 mg/L in five samples. The SMCL for iron (300 ug/L) was exceeded in 11 filtered samples; the USEPA SMCL for manganese (50 ug/L) was exceeded in 10 filtered samples, and the New York State MCL (300 ug/L) was exceeded in 1 filtered sample. The MCL for aluminum (200 ug/L) was exceeded in 1 sample, and the MCL for arsenic (10 ug/L) was exceeded in 1 sample. Radon-222 exceeded the proposed USEPA MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in 16 samples. Any detection of total coliform or fecal coliform bacteria is considered a violation of New York State health regulations; in this study, total coliform was detected in eight samples; fecal coliform was detected in two samples, and Escherichia coli was detected in one sample.

Groundwater-quality characteristics for the Wyoming Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Network, November 2009 through September 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boughton, Gregory K.

2014-01-01

Groundwater samples were collected from 146 shallow (less than or equal to 500 feet deep) wells for the Wyoming Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Network, from November 2009 through September 2012. Groundwater samples were analyzed for physical characteristics, major ions and dissolved solids, trace elements, nutrients and dissolved organic carbon, uranium, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, volatile organic compounds, and coliform bacteria. Selected samples also were analyzed for gross alpha radioactivity, gross beta radioactivity, radon, tritium, gasoline range organics, diesel range organics, dissolved hydrocarbon gases (methane, ethene, and ethane), and wastewater compounds. Water-quality measurements and concentrations in some samples exceeded numerous U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards. Physical characteristics and constituents that exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in some samples were arsenic, selenium, nitrite, nitrate, gross alpha activity, and uranium. Total coliforms and Escherichia coli in some samples exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Level Goals. Measurements of pH and turbidity and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, fluoride, dissolved solids, aluminum, iron, and manganese exceeded EPA Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels in some samples. Radon concentrations in some samples exceeded the alternative MCL proposed by the EPA. Molybdenum and boron concentrations in some samples exceeded EPA Health Advisory Levels. Water-quality measurements and concentrations also exceeded numerous Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) groundwater standards. Physical characteristics and constituents that exceeded WDEQ Class I domestic groundwater standards in some samples were measurements of pH and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, dissolved solids, iron, manganese, boron, selenium, nitrite, and nitrate. Measurements of pH and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, dissolved solids, aluminum, iron, manganese, boron, and selenium exceeded WDEQ Class II agriculture groundwater standards in some samples. Measurements of pH and concentrations of sulfate, dissolved solids, aluminum, boron, and selenium exceeded WDEQ Class III livestock groundwater standards in some samples. The concentrations of dissolved solids in two samples exceeded the WDEQ Class IV industry groundwater standard. Measurements of pH and concentrations of dissolved solids, aluminum, iron, manganese, and selenium exceeded WDEQ Class special (A) fish and aquatic life groundwater standards in some samples. Stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen measured in water samples were compared to the Global Meteoric Water Line and Local Meteoric Water Lines. Results indicated that recharge to all of the wells was derived from precipitation and that the water has undergone some fractionation, possibly because of evaporation. Concentrations of organic compounds did not exceed any State or Federal water-quality standards. Few volatile organic compounds were detected in samples, whereas gasoline range organics, diesel range organics, and methane were detected most frequently. Concentrations of wastewater compounds did not exceed any State or Federal water-quality standards. The compounds N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), benzophenone, and phenanthrene were detected most frequently. Bacteria samples were collected, processed, incubated, and enumerated in the field or at the U.S. Geological Survey Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center. Total coliforms and Escherichia coli were detected in some samples.

Chemical fractionation of Cu and Zn in stormwater, roadway dust and stormwater pond sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Camponelli, Kimberly M.; Lev, Steven M.; Snodgrass, Joel W.; Landa, Edward R.; Casey, Ryan E.

2010-01-01

This study evaluated the chemical fractionation of Cu and Zn from source to deposition in a stormwater system. Cu and Zn concentrations and chemical fractionation were determined for roadway dust, roadway runoff and pond sediments. Stormwater Cu and Zn concentrations were used to generate cumulative frequency distributions to characterize potential exposure to pond-dwelling organisms. Dissolved stormwater Zn exceeded USEPA acute and chronic water quality criteria in approximately 20% of storm samples and 20% of the storm duration sampled. Dissolved Cu exceeded the previously published chronic criterion in 75% of storm samples and duration and exceeded the acute criterion in 45% of samples and duration. The majority of sediment Cu (92–98%) occurred in the most recalcitrant phase, suggesting low bioavailability; Zn was substantially more available (39–62% recalcitrant). Most sediment concentrations for Cu and Zn exceeded published threshold effect concentrations and Zn often exceeded probable effect concentrations in surface sediments.

Stability of Azacitidine in Sterile Water for Injection

PubMed Central

Walker, Scott E; Charbonneau, Lauren F; Law, Shirley; Earle, Craig

2012-01-01

Background: The product monograph for azacitidine states that once reconstituted, the drug may be held for only 30 min at room temperature or 8 h at 4°C. Standard doses result in wastage of a portion of each vial, and the cost of this wastage is significant, adding about $156 000 to annual drug expenditures at the authors’ institution. Objective: To evaluate the stability of azacitidine after reconstitution. Methods: Vials of azacitidine were reconstituted with sterile water for injection. At the time of reconstitution, the temperature of the diluent was 4°C for samples to be stored at 4°C or −20°C and room temperature for samples to be stored at 23°C. Solutions of azacitidine (10 or 25 mg/mL) were stored in polypropylene syringes and glass vials at room temperature (23°C), 4°C, or −20°C. The concentration of azacitidine was determined by a validated, stability-indicating liquid chromatographic method in serial samples over 9.6 h at room temperature, over 4 days at 4°C, and over 23 days at −20°C. The recommended expiry date was determined on the basis of time to reach 90% of the initial concentration according to the fastest observed degradation rates (i.e., lower limit of 95% confidence interval). Results: Azacitidine degradation was very sensitive to temperature but not storage container (glass vial or polypropylene syringe). Reconstitution with cold sterile water reduced degradation. At 23°C, 15% of the initial concentration was lost after 9.6 h; at 4°C, 32% was lost after 4 days; and at −20°C, less than 5% was lost after 23 days. Conclusions: More than 90% of the initial azacitidine concentration will be retained, with 97.5% confidence, if, during the life of the product, storage at 23°C does not exceed 2 h, storage at 4°C does not exceed 8 h, and storage at −20°C does not exceed 4 days. These expiry dates could substantially reduce wastage and cost where the time between doses does not exceed 4 days. PMID:23129863

Relationship between surface and free tropospheric ozone in the Western U.S.

PubMed

Jaffe, Dan

2011-01-15

Ozone is an important air pollutant that affects lung function. In the U.S., the EPA has reduced the allowable O(3) concentrations several times over the last few decades. This puts greater emphasis on understanding the interannual variability and the contributions to surface O(3) from all sources. We have examined O(3) data from 11 rural CASTNET sites in the western US for the period 1995-2009. The 11 surface sites show a similar seasonal cycle and generally a good correlation in the deseasonalized monthly means, indicating that there are large scale influences on O(3) that operate across the entire western US. These sites also show a good correlation between site elevation and annual mean O(3), indicating a significant contribution from the free troposphere. We examined the number of exceedance days for each site, defined as a day when the Maximum Daily 8-h Average (MDA8) exceeds a threshold value. Over this time period, more than half of these sites exceeded an MDA8 threshold of 70 ppbv at least 4 times per year, and all sites exceeded a threshold value of 65 ppbv at least 4 times per year. The transition to lower threshold values increases substantially the number of exceedance days, especially during spring, reflecting the fact that background O(3) peaks during spring. We next examined the correlation between surface O(3) and free tropospheric O(3) in the same region, as measured by routine balloon launches from Boulder, CO. Using ozone measured by the balloon sensor in the range of 3-6 km above sea level we find statistically significant correlations between surface and free tropospheric O(3) in spring and summer months using both monthly means, daily MDA8 values, and the number of surface exceedance days. We suggest that during spring this correlation reflects variations in the flux of O(3) transport from the free troposphere to the surface. In summer, free tropospheric and surface concentrations of O(3) and the number of exceedance days are all significantly correlated with emissions from biomass burning in the western US. This indicates that wildfires significantly increase the number of exceedance days across the western U.S.

Ground-Water Quality in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin, New York, 2004-05

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hetcher-Aguila, Kari K.; Eckhardt, David A.V.

2006-01-01

Water samples were collected from 20 production wells and 13 private residential wells throughout the upper Susquehanna River Basin (upstream from the Pennsylvania border) during the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005 and analyzed to describe the chemical quality of ground water in the upper basin. Wells were selected to represent areas of greatest ground-water use and highest vulnerability to contamination, and to provide a representative sampling from the entire (4,516 square-mile) upper basin. Samples were analyzed for physical properties, nutrients, inorganic constituents, metals, radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and bacteria. The cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium, magnesium, and sodium; the anions that were detected in the greatest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. The predominant nutrient was nitrate, the concentrations of which were greater in samples from sand and gravel aquifers than in samples from bedrock. The metals barium, boron, cobalt, copper, and nickel were detected in every sample; the metals with the highest concentrations were barium, boron, iron, manganese, strontium, and lithium. The pesticide compounds detected most frequently were atrazine, deethylatrazine, alachlor ESA, and two degradation products of metolachlor (metolachlor ESA and metolachlor OA); the compounds detected in highest concentration were metolachlor ESA and OA. Volatile organic compounds were detected in 11 samples, and concentrations of 3 of these compounds exceeded 1 microgram per liter (?g/L). Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a gasollline additive, was not detected in any sample. Several analytes were found in concentrations that exceeded Federal and New York State water-quality standards, which are typically identical. Chloride concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in two samples, and sulfate concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 250 mg/L in one sample. Sodium concentrations exceeded the USEPA Drinking Water Advisory of 60 mg/L in six samples. Nitrate concentrations exceeded the USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 mg/L in one sample and approached this limit (at 9.84 mg/L) in another sample. Barium concentrations exceeded the MCL of 2,000 ?g/L in one sample. Iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 300 ?g/L in five samples, and manganese concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 50 ?g/L in 14 samples. Arsenic was detected in seven samples, and the MCL for arsenic (10 ?g/L) was exceeded in two samples. Radon-222 exceeded the proposed MCL of 300 picocuries per liter in 24 samples. Any detection of total coliform or fecal coliform bacteria is considered a violation of New York State health regulations; in this study, total coliform was detected in six samples and fecal coliform was detected in one sample, but Escherichia coli (E. coli) was not detected in any sample.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kzonski, J.; Lacombe, P.J.; Hochreiter, J.J.

Five former or active industrial or waste disposal sites in Logan Township were identified by the Federal government and by the State of New Jersey as potential threats to the quality of groundwater there. The sites are: (1) Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. waste disposal site; (2) Bridgeport Rental and Oil Services, Inc.; (3) Chemical Leaman Tank Lines, Inc.; (4) Monsanto Company; and (5) Rollins Environmental Services, Inc. Quality of groundwater was determined by chemical analysis of samples from wells at four of the five sites and elsewhere in the township. Groundwater in the lower aquifer of the Potomac-Raritan-magothy aquifermore » system in Logan Township and surrounding areas is dominated by sodium and chloride ions and is slightly saline. Calcium, sodium, and bicarbonate are the predominant ions in the upper and middle aquifers; the concentration of dissolved solids is low. Concentrations of iron and manganese in the groundwater range from 6 to 73,000 microgm/L, and from 33 to 1,100 microgm/L. Concentrations of organic carbon range from 0.60 to 4.2 mg/L. Areas of high apparent conductivity were detected east of the waste oil lagoon at the Bridgeport Rental and Oil Services, Inc. site. Inorganic groundwater contamination at the site is characterized by concentrations of cadmium and lead that exceed Federal and State primary drinking water regulations. Groundwater at the Chemical Leaman site also is characterized by elevated concentrations of organic nitrogen, and concentrations of As, Cr, Pb, and Hg that exceed Federal primary drinking water regulations. Concentrations of dissolved solids ranged from 339 to 3,530 mg/L at the Monsanto Site and typically are much higher than background levels, but the cause is unclear. 86 refs., 14 figs., 9 tabs.« less

Methods for evaluating potential sources of chloride in surface waters and groundwaters of the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granato, Gregory E.; DeSimone, Leslie A.; Barbaro, Jeffrey R.; Jeznach, Lillian C.

2015-09-04

Scientists, engineers, regulators, and decisionmakers need information about potential sources of chloride, water and solute budgets, and methods for collecting water-quality data to help identify potential sources. This information is needed to evaluate potential sources of chloride in areas where chloride may have adverse ecological effects or may degrade water supplies used for drinking water, agriculture, or industry. Knowledge of potential sources will help decisionmakers identify the best mitigation measures to reduce the total background chloride load, thereby reducing the potential for water-quality exceedances that occur because of superposition on rising background concentrations. Also, knowledge of potential sources may help decisionmakers identify the potential for the presence of contaminants that have toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or endocrine-disrupting effects at concentrations that are lower by orders of magnitude than the chloride concentrations in the source water. This report is a comprehensive synthesis of relevant information, but it is not the result of an exhaustive search for literature on each topic. The potential adverse effects of chloride on infrastructure and the environment are not discussed in this report because these issues have been extensively documented elsewhere.

Improving Air Pollution Modeling Over The Po Valley Using Saharan Dust Transport Forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishcha, P.; Carnevale, C.; Finzi, G.; Pisoni, E.; Volta, M.; Nickovic, S.; Alpert, P.

2012-04-01

Our study shows that Saharan dust can contribute significantly to PM10 concentrations in the Po Valley. This dust contribution should be taken into account when estimating the exceedance of pollution limits. The DREAM dust model has been used for several years for producing operational dust forecasts at Tel-Aviv University, Israel. DREAM has been producing daily forecasts of 3-D distribution of dust concentrations over the Mediterranean region, Middle East, Europe, and over the Atlantic Ocean (http://wind.tau.ac.il/dust8/dust.html). In the current study, DREAM dust forecasts were used to give better model estimates of the contribution of Saharan dust to PM10 concentration over the Po Valley, in Northern Italy. This was carried out by the integration of daily Saharan dust forecasts into a mesoscale Transport Chemical Aerosol Model (TCAM). The Po Valley in Northern Italy is frequently affected by high PM10 concentrations, where both natural and anthropogenic sources play a significant role. Our study of TCAM and DREAM integration was carried out for the period May 15 - June 30, 2007, when four significant dust events were observed. The integrated TCAM-DREAM model performance was evaluated by comparing PM10 measurements with modeled PM10 concentrations. First, Saharan dust impact on TCAM performance was analyzed at eleven remote PM10 sites which had the lowest level of air pollution (PM10 ≤ 14 μg/m3) over the period under consideration. For those remote sites, the observed high PM10 concentrations during dust events stood prominently on the background of low PM10 concentrations. At the remote sites, such a strong deviation from the background level can not be attributed to anthropogenic aerosol emissions because of their distance from anthropogenic sources. The observed maxima in PM10 concentration during dust events is evidence of dust aerosol near the surface in Northern Italy. During all dust events under consideration, the integrated TCAM-DREAM model produced more accurate PM10 concentrations than the base TCAM model. Then, a comparison between modeled concentrations and PM10 measurements was carried out at 230 PM10 monitoring sites, distributed within the model domain. This model-vs.-measurement comparison showed that the integrated TCAM -DREAM model more accurately reproduced PM10 concentrations than the base TCAM model, both in term of correlation and mean error. Our results are of importance to countries which have to pay a penalty for exceeding the pollution limit. By extracting dust contribution from PM10 measurements, these countries could show lower rates of man-made pollution.

Undergraduates in the lab: Analyzing metal and organic contaminants in oysters and sediments from southeastern North Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mead, R. N.; Kipp, L. E.; Liberatore, H.; Sherard, S.; Steagall, M.; Skrabal, S. A.

2016-02-01

A state-funded project to analyze a suite of metal and organic contaminants in oyster tissues and ambient sediments was carried out nearly exclusively by over 10 undergraduates at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. This study will present Concentrations of various trace metals (most notably arsenic, copper, mercury, and zinc) and organic contaminants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the antibacterial, triclosan) have been determined in oyster tissues and adjacent sediments in New Hanover and Brunswick counties, southeastern North Carolina. Trace metals that exceeded national median levels at multiple sites in this study included arsenic, copper, and zinc. Elevated levels of arsenic (exceeding the national median and, often, the national 85th percentiles) in oyster tissues are characteristic of much of the southeastern United States; these elevations are attributed to high natural background levels in the underlying bedrock and sediments as well as historical contamination by arsenic-containing agricultural pesticides. Another metal of national concern is mercury; however, concentrations of this metal were mostly at the national median for oyster tissue. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) barely exceeded or were near the national median at only 3 sites, 2 in Lockwood Folly estuary, Brunswick County and 1 at Bradley Creek, New Hanover County. Concentrations at the remaining sites were 4 to >10 times less than the national median. Triclosan, an antibacterial compound used in many consumer products, was found in oyster tissues and sediments at the 4 sites at which it was examined. Oyster tissues contained triclosan at levels 2 to 43 times as high as adjacent sediments, indicating its bioaccumulation potential. Levels of metals and PAHs in oyster tissues are consistently elevated near more urbanized areas but are unlikely to be at levels harmful for human consumption.

Organochlorine insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and metals in water, sediment, and green frogs from southwestern Michigan.

PubMed

Gillilland, C D; Summer, C L; Gillilland, M G; Kannan, K; Villeneuve, D L; Coady, K K; Muzzall, P; Mehne, C; Giesy, J P

2001-07-01

In an attempt to explain the etiology of frog deformities and population declines, many possible causative factors have been examined, including the input of synthetic chemicals into aquatic systems, where frogs spend much of their lives, including their entire developmental stages. Deformities in populations of green frogs in wetlands of southwestern Michigan that are influenced by agricultural, urban, or industrial inputs were assessed in this study. Of the 1445 green frogs (Rana clamitans) examined, only four (0.3%) exhibited morphological deformities. This deformity rate is less than the recognized background level of deformities for this species, which is approximately 1%. Concentrations of organochlorine insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals were determined in water, sediment, frog eggs, tadpoles, and adult green frog tissues. Concentrations of all individual organochlorine insecticides in tissue were less than 6 ng/g, wet wt. Concentrations of sigmaPCBs in tissue did not exceed 100 ng/g, wet wt. Concentrations of toxic metals were less than the limits of detection. Because no significant numbers of green frog deformities were observed in this region, it can be assumed that at these low concentrations, physical malformations in green frogs should not be observed. Significance of study. This study provides information on the incidence of deformities in green frog populations in southwestern Michigan and offers background data on chemical residues in green frogs and their environment.

Comparative assessment of groundwater quality in the Tangshan region of the People's Republic of China and similar areas in the U.S.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Chao, L.; Xinquan, Z.

2001-01-01

Groundwater quality with respect to nitrate, major inorganic constituents, stable isotopes, and tritium was assessed in the agricultural Tangshan region in the Hai He River Basin of the People's Republic of China and compared with three regions in the U.S.: the Delmarva Peninsula of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia; the San Joaquin Valley of California; and the Sacramento Valley of California. The China and U.S. regions are similar in size and land use, but have different climatic conditions and patterns of water use for irrigation. The Tangshan region has been in agricultural production for a much longer time, probably several centuries, than the three U.S. regions; however, the widespread use of synthetic fertilizers and other soil amendments probably started at a similar time in all four regions. In all four regions, median nitrate concentrations were generally below the U.S. drinking water standard of 10 mg/l of nitrate as nitrogen. However, higher concentrations and a greater range were evident for the Tangshan region. In the water samples collected from a shallow aquifer in the Tangshan region (over 25% of all samples), nitrate concentrations exceeded the Chinese standard of 20 mg/l, whereas few comparative samples (2.6%) collected in the U.S. exceeded 20 mg/l. In Tangshan, relatively low nitrate, which is indicative of uncontaminated background concentrations, was measured in older water of deeper wells. Recently recharged water was detected in wells drilled as deep as 150 m. Nitrate concentrations above background levels were also measured in water samples from these wells. In addition to nitrate, the agricultural area of the Tangshan region has been affected by elevated total dissolved solids and iron, the latter attributed to widespread application of animal wastes and sewage deposited on the land surface, which lead to oxygen depletion in the subsurface environment and dissolution of iron. The elevated total dissolved solids of the Tangshan study area could not be attributed to any one process.

Influence of impurities on the high temperature conductivity of SrTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowes, Preston C.; Baker, Jonathon N.; Harris, Joshua S.; Behrhorst, Brian D.; Irving, Douglas L.

2018-01-01

In studies of high temperature electrical conductivity (HiTEC) of dielectrics, the impurity in the highest concentration is assumed to form a single defect that controls HiTEC. However, carrier concentrations are typically at or below the level of background impurities, and all impurities may complex with native defects. Canonical defect models ignore complex formation and lump defects from multiple impurities into a single effective defect to reduce the number of associated reactions. To evaluate the importance of background impurities and defect complexes on HiTEC, a grand canonical defect model was developed with input from density functional theory calculations using hybrid exchange correlation functionals. The influence of common background impurities and first nearest neighbor complexes with oxygen vacancies (vO) was studied for three doping cases: nominally undoped, donor doped, and acceptor doped SrTiO3. In each case, conductivity depended on the ensemble of impurity defects simulated with the extent of the dependence governed by the character of the dominant impurity and its tendency to complex with vO. Agreement between simulated and measured conductivity profiles as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure improved significantly when background impurities were included in the nominally undoped case. Effects of the impurities simulated were reduced in the Nb and Al doped cases as both elements did not form complexes and were present in concentrations well exceeding all other active impurities. The influence of individual impurities on HiTEC in SrTiO3 was isolated and discussed and motivates further experiments on singly doped SrTiO3.

Metal contamination of home gardens soils and cultivated vegetables in the province of Brescia, Italy: Implications for human exposure

PubMed Central

Ferri, Roberta; Hashim, Dana; Smith, Donald R.; Guazzetti, Stefano; Donna, Filippo; Ferretti, Enrica; Curatolo, Michele; Moneta, Caterina; Beone, Gian Maria; Lucchini, Roberto G.

2015-01-01

Background For the past century, ferroalloy industries in Brescia province, Italy produced particulate emissions enriched in manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al). This study assessed metal concentrations in soil and vegetables of regions with varying ferroalloy industrial activity levels. Methods Home gardens (n=63) were selected in three regions of varying ferroalloy plant activity duration in Brescia province. Total soil metal concentration and extractability were measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), aqua regia extraction, and modified Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction. Unwashed and washed spinach and turnips cultivated in the same gardens were analyzed for metal concentrations by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Results Median soil Al, Cd, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in home gardens near ferroalloy plants compared to reference home gardens. The BCR method yielded the most mobile soil fraction (the sum of extractable metals in Fractions 1 and 2) and all metal concentrations were higher in ferroalloy plant areas. Unwashed spinach showed higher metal concentrations compared to washed spinach. However, some metals in washed spinach were higher in the reference area likely due to history of agricultural product use. Over 60% of spinach samples exceeded the 2- to 4-fold Commission of European Communities and Codex Alimentarius Commission maximum Pb concentrations, and 10% of the same spinach samples exceeded 2- to 3-fold maximum Cd concentrations set by both organizations. Turnip metal concentrations were below maximum standard reference values. Conclusions Prolonged industrial emissions increase median metal concentrations and most soluble fractions (BCR F1+F2) in home garden soils near ferroalloy plants. Areas near ferroalloy plant sites had spinach Cd and Pb metal concentrations several-fold above maximum standard references. We recommend thoroughly washing vegetables to minimize metal exposure. PMID:25777956

Water-quality reconnaissance of the north Dade County solid-waste facility, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKenzie, D.J.

1982-01-01

A water-quality sampling reconnaissance of the north Dade County solid-waste disposal facility (landfill) near Carol City, Florida, was conducted during 1977-78. The purpose of the reconnaissance was to determine selected quality characteristics of the surface- and ground-water of the landfill and contiguous area; and to assess, generally, if leachate produced by the decomposition of landfill wastes was adversely impacting the downgradient water quality. Sampling results indicated that several water-quality characteristics were present in landfill ground water at significantly higher levels than in ground water upgradient or downgradient from the landfill. Moreover, many of these water-quality characteristics were found at slightly higher levels at down gradient site 5 than at upgradient site 1 which suggested that some downgradient movement of landfill leachate had occurred. For example, chloride and alkalinity in ground water had average concentrations of 20 and 290 mg/L at background wells (site 1), 144 and 610 mg/L at landfill wells (sites 2 and 4), and 29 and 338 mg/L at downgradient wells (site 5). A comparison of the 1977-78 sampling results with the National Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Regulations indicated that levels of iron and color in ground water of the study area frequently exceeded national maximum contaminant levels, dissolved solids, turbidity, lead, and manganese occasionally exceeded regulations. Concentrations of iron and levels of color and turbidity in some surface water samples also exceeded National maximum contaminant levels. (USGS)

Exposure to airborne asbestos in thermal power plants in Mongolia

PubMed Central

Damiran, Naransukh; Silbergeld, Ellen K; Frank, Arthur L; Lkhasuren, Oyuntogos; Ochir, Chimedsuren; Breysse, Patrick N

2015-01-01

Background: Coal-fired thermal power plants (TPPs) in Mongolia use various types of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in thermal insulation of piping systems, furnaces, and other products. Objective: To investigate the occupational exposure of insulation workers to airborne asbestos in Mongolian power plants. Methods: Forty-seven air samples were collected from four power plants in Mongolia during the progress of insulation work. The samples were analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: The average phase contrast microscopy equivalent (PCME) asbestos fiber concentration was 0.93 f/cm3. Sixteen of the 41 personal and one of the area samples exceeded the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OSHA) short-term exposure limit of 1.0 f/cm3. If it is assumed that the short-term samples collected are representative of full-shift exposure, then the exposures are approximately 10 times higher than the US OSHA 8-hour permissible exposure limit of 0.1 f/cm3. Conclusion: Power plant insulation workers are exposed to airborne asbestos at concentrations that exceed the US OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit. Action to mitigate the risks should be taken in Mongolia. PMID:25730489

Heavy metal pollution and forest health in the Ukrainian Carpathians.

PubMed

Shparyk, Y S; Parpan, V I

2004-07-01

The Ukrainian Carpathians are characterized by high air pollution caused by emissions from numerous industries. We have been monitoring the state of forests in this region since 1989. The highest levels of tree defoliation (>30%) are found close to industrial emission sources and in the upper mountain forests of the Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions. This is caused by a combination of strong anthropogenic influences (pollution, illegal uses, recreation) as well as poor site and climatic conditions. In the Ivano-Frankivsk region, Cd and Mo accumulate in forest soils; Cr, Mo and Zn soil concentrations are higher than their limit levels; and Pb concentrations exceed toxic levels close to industrial areas (10% of the region territory). Local background levels of heavy metals are greatly exceeded in snow close to industrial regions. Analysis of correlation matrices shows that the chemical elements Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, V and Zn occur at pollution levels in natural ecosystems in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Maximum concentrations of toxic elements occur in the oak forest zone; the most industrially developed area of the region. Toxic heavy metals in the Ukrainian Carpathians forests enter with precipitation and dustfall, then become fixed in soil and accumulate in leaves, needles of vascular plants and mosses. Concentrations of these metals decrease with altitude: highest in the oak forests, less in beech, and lowest in the spruce forest zones. However, some chemical elements have the highest concentrations in spruce forests; V in needles, As in snow, and Ba and Al in soils.

Health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals via dietary intake of vegetables grown in the vicinity of thermal power plants.

PubMed

Khillare, P S; Jyethi, Darpa Saurav; Sarkar, Sayantan

2012-05-01

Six different vegetables grown in the vicinity of three thermal power plants and a background site in Delhi, India were analyzed for 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 7 heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe and Mn). Annual mean concentrations of PAHs and all metals were found to be significantly higher (ANOVA, p<0.001) at power plant sites as compared to the background site. Higher abundances of coal tracer PAHs such as Phen, Anth, Flan, Pyr and Chry in power plant vegetables suggested possible impacts of coal combustion emissions. Higher ratios of polluted sample-to-background sample of vegetables were found especially for Cr, Cd, Ni and Zn. Spinach and radish showed greater accumulation of PAHs and metals on a mass basis at the power plant sites while vegetables belonging to the gourd family showed highest relative enrichment. Power plant samples showed 184-475% greater metal pollution index (MPI) values as compared to the background location while health risk indices (HRI) for Cd and Ni exceeded the safe limit for most vegetables. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) assessment showed that up to 58 excess cancer cases are likely in Delhi for lifetime ingestion exposure to PAHs at their observed concentrations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Use of Principal Component Analysis for Source Identification of PM2.5 from Selected Urban and Regional Background Sites in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Błaszczak, Barbara

2018-01-01

The paper reports the results of the measurements of water-soluble ions and carbonaceous matter content in the fine particulate matter (PM2.5), as well as the contributions of major sources in PM2.5. Daily PM2.5 samples were collected during heating and non-heating season of the year 2013 in three different locations in Poland: Szczecin (urban background), Trzebinia (urban background) and Złoty Potok (regional background). The concentrations of PM2.5, and its related components, exhibited clear spatiotemporal variability with higher levels during the heating period. The share of the total carbon (TC) in PM2.5 exceeded 40% and was primarily determined by fluctuations in the share of OC. Sulfates (SO42-), nitrates (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) dominated in the ionic composition of PM2.5 and accounted together 34% (Szczecin), 30% (Trzebinia) and 18% (Złoty Potok) of PM2.5 mass. Source apportionment analysis, performed by PCA-MLRA model (Principal Component Analysis - Multilinear Regression Analysis), revealed that secondary aerosol, whose presence is related to oxidation of gaseous precursors emitted from fuel combustion and biomass burning, had the largest contribution in observed PM2.5 concentrations. In addition, the contribution of traffic sources together with road dust resuspension, was observed. The share of natural sources (sea spray, crustal dust) was generally lower.

Comparison of pesticide concentrations in streams at low flow in six metropolitan areas of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sprague, Lori A.; Nowell, Lisa H.

2008-01-01

To examine the effect of urban development on pesticide concentrations in streams under low-flow conditions, water samples were collected at stream sites along an urban land use gradient in six environmentally heterogeneous metropolitan areas of the United States. In all six metropolitan areas, total insecticide concentrations generally increased significantly as urban land cover in the basin increased, regardless of whether the background land cover in the basins was agricultural, forested, or shrub land. In contrast, the response of total herbicide concentrations to urbanization varied with the environmental setting. In the three metropolitan areas with predominantly forested background land cover (Raleigh-Durham, NC, USA; Atlanta, GA, USA; Portland, OR, USA), total herbicide concentrations increased significantly with increasing urban land cover. In contrast, total herbicide concentrations were not significantly related to urban land cover in the three remaining metropolitan areas, where total herbicide concentrations appeared to be strongly influenced by agricultural as well as urban sources (Milwaukee-Green Bay, WI, USA; Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, USA), or by factors not measured in the present study, such as water management (Denver, CO, USA). Pesticide concentrations rarely exceeded benchmarks for protection of aquatic life, although these low-flow concentrations are likely to be lower than at other times, such as during peak pesticide-use periods, storm events, or irrigation discharge. Normalization of pesticide concentrations by the pesticide toxicity index - an index of relative potential toxicity - for fish and cladocerans indicated that the pesticides detected at the highest concentrations (herbicides in five of the six metropolitan areas) were not necessarily the pesticides with the greatest potential to adversely affect aquatic life (typically insecticides such as carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and fipronil). ?? 2008 SETAC.

Factors influencing atmospheric composition over subarctic North America during summer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wofsy, Steven C.; Fan, S. -M.; Blake, D. R.; Bradshaw, J. D.; Sandholm, S. T.; Singh, H. B.; Sachse, G. W.; Harriss, R. C.

1994-01-01

Elevated concentrations of hydrocarbons, CO, and nitrogen oxides were observed in extensive haze layers over northeastern Canada in the summer of 1990, during ABLE 3B. Halocarbon concentrations remained near background in most layers, indicating a source from biomass wildfires. Elevated concentrations of C2Cl4 provided a sensitive indicator for pollution from urban/industrial sources. Detailed analysis of regional budgets for CO and hydrocarbons indicates that biomass fires accounted for approximately equal to 70% of the input to the subarctic for most hydrocarbons and for acetone and more than 50% for CO. Regional sources for many species (including CO) exceeded chemical sinks during summer, and the boreal region provided a net source to midlatitudes. Interannual variations and long-term trends in atmospheric composition are sensitive to climatic change; a shift to warmer, drier conditions could increase the areas burned and thus the sources of many trace gases.

Concentrations of trace and other elements in the organs of wild rats and birds from the Northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kapu, M.M.; Schaeffer, D.J.; Akanya, H.O.

1991-01-01

In regions of human activities, where metal enter local aquatic ecosystems from the atmosphere and through wastewater outfalls, metal concentrations in food chains can exceed natural background levels and be above the threshold levels for sensitive species. Accordingly, metal levels in the organs and tissues of livestock and wildlife have been extensively studied. However, there are no reports of metal concentrations in the organs and tissues of wild animals from the Northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. The mole rat (Africanthus niloticus, L) and village weaver bird (Ploceus cucullatus, L) contribute significantly to farm crop losses from sowing to harvest. Becausemore » there are no industries capable of causing metal contamination in the study area, the present study was undertaken to determine the natural baseline levels of metals for wild rats and birds from this environment.« less

Occurrence and Trends of Selected Chemical Constituents in Bottom Sediment, Grand Lake O' the Cherokees, Northeast Oklahoma, 1940-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.; Becker, Mark F.

2009-01-01

After over 100 years of continuous activity, lead and zinc mining in the Tri-State Mining District (hereafter referred to as the TSMD) in parts of southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri, and northeast Oklahoma ended in the 1970s. The mining activity resulted in substantial historical and ongoing input of cadmium, lead, and zinc to the environment including Grand Lake O' the Cherokees (hereafter referred to as Grand Lake), a large reservoir in northeast Oklahoma. To help determine the extent and magnitude of contamination in Grand Lake, a one-year study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Bottom-sediment coring at five sites was used to investigate the occurrence of cadmium, lead, zinc, and other selected constituents in the bottom sediment of Grand Lake. Cadmium concentrations in the bottom sediment of Grand Lake ranged from 2.3 to 3.6 mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram) with a median of 3.5 mg/kg (5 samples). Compared to an estimated local background concentration of 0.6 mg/kg, the historical mining activity increased cadmium concentrations by about 280 to 500 percent. Lead concentrations ranged from 35 to 102 mg/kg with a median of 59 mg/kg (50 samples). Compared to an estimated local background concentration of 20 mg/kg, the historical mining activity increased lead concentrations by about 75 to 410 percent. The range in zinc concentrations was 380 to 986 mg/kg with a median of 765 mg/kg (50 samples). Compared to an estimated local background concentration of 100 mg/kg, the historical mining activity increased zinc concentrations by about 280 to 890 percent. With the exception of the most upstream coring site, the lead and zinc depositional profiles generally were similar in terms of the range in concentrations measured and the temporal pattern observed. Depositional profiles for lead and zinc indicated mid-core peaks followed by concentrations that decreased since about the 1980s. The depositional profiles reflect the complex interaction of several factors including historical mining and related activities, mine drainage, remediation, landscape stabilization, precipitation and associated runoff, and the erosion and transport of contaminated and clean sediments within the basin. Compared to sediment-quality guidelines, the Grand Lake samples had cadmium concentrations that were substantially less than the general probable-effects concentration (PEC) (4.98 mg/kg) and a TSMD-specific PEC (11.1 mg/kg). The PECs represent the concentration above which toxic biological effects are likely to occur. Likewise, all sediment samples had lead concentrations that were substantially less than the general PEC (128 mg/kg) and a TSMD-specific PEC (150 mg/kg). Zinc concentrations typically exceeded the general PEC (459 mg/kg), but were substantially less than a TSMD-specific PEC (2,083 mg/kg). Throughout the history of Grand Lake, lead and zinc concentrations in the deposited sediment did not approach or exceed the TSMD-specific PECs. As of 2008, legacy effects of mining still included the delivery of contaminated sediment to Grand Lake by the Spring and Neosho Rivers. The Neosho River, with its larger flows and less-contaminated sediment, likely dilutes the load of contaminated sediment delivered to Grand Lake by the Spring River. The information contained in this report provides a baseline of Grand Lake conditions with which to compare future conditions that may represent a response to changes in mining-related activity in the Grand Lake Basin.

Pre-mining trace element and radiation exposure to biota from a breccia pipe uranium mine in the Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, Jo E.; Cleveland, Danielle; Brumbaugh, William G.; Linder, Greg; Lankton, Julia S.

2017-01-01

The risks to wildlife and humans from uranium (U) mining in the Grand Canyon watershed are largely unknown. In addition to U, other co-occurring ore constituents contribute to risks to biological receptors depending on their toxicological profiles. This study characterizes the pre-mining concentrations of total arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), thallium (Tl), U, and zinc (Zn); radiation levels; and histopathology in biota (vegetation, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, and mammals) at the Canyon Mine. Gross alpha levels were below the reporting limit (4 pCi/g) in all samples, and gross beta levels were indicative of background in vegetation (<10–17 pCi/g) and rodents (<10–43.5 pCi/g). Concentrations of U, Tl, Pb, Ni, Cu, and As in vegetation downwind from the mine were likely the result of aeolian transport. Chemical concentrations in rodents and terrestrial invertebrates indicate that surface disturbance during mine construction has not resulted in statistically significant spatial differences in fauna concentrations adjacent to the mine. Chemical concentrations in egg contents and nestlings of non-aquatic birds were less than method quantification limits or did not exceed toxicity thresholds. Bioaccumulation of As, Pb, Se, Tl, and U was evident in Western spadefoot (Spea multiplicata) tadpoles from the mine containment pond; concentrations of As (28.9–31.4 μg/g) and Se (5.81–7.20 μg/g) exceeded toxicity values and were significantly greater than in tadpoles from a nearby water source. Continued evaluation of As and Se in biota inhabiting and forging in the mine containment pond is warranted as mining progresses.

Assessment of long-term measurements of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in South-East Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouzourides, Petros; Kumar, Prashant; Neophytou, Marina K.-A.

2015-04-01

This work examines long-term measurements of major criteria pollutants concentrations in an urban station in South-Eastern Mediterranean, in Nicosia - Cyprus, which is susceptible both to transboundary air pollution transport from Sahara-dust events as well as to evaporative transport of sea-sprays. The work investigates in particular the role of such multi-scale contributions in the urban air quality measurements, which are important considerations in the assessment of the effectiveness of any mitigation policies implemented by regulatory authorities. Attention is drawn in the regional-scale component of the particulate matter concentrations (PM10; ≤10 μm in diameter) and its contribution in the local measurements. Hourly averaged data of CO, NOx and PM10 concentrations as well as of meteorological parameters were collected from the Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) of the University of Cyprus over a period of more than 5 years (2008-13) and were analysed. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to identify chemical characteristics of PM10 and to attribute it to possible sources. A total of 321 days over the entire period were found to exceed the daily limit value of 50 μg/m3 for PM10 concentrations which corresponds to ∼19% of the actual monitored time. Numerical simulations using the Dust REgional Atmospheric Model from Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC/DREAM) gave a strong indication that PM10 exceedances were associated with the high regional background dust concentrations during westerly winds. It was also found that despite the implementation of tighter regulations for vehicular and industrial emissions in Europe, the monthly average concentration values of criteria pollutants do not exhibit any falling trend.

Pre-mining trace element and radiation exposure to biota from a breccia pipe uranium mine in the Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) watershed.

PubMed

Hinck, Jo Ellen; Cleveland, Danielle; Brumbaugh, William G; Linder, Greg; Lankton, Julia

2017-02-01

The risks to wildlife and humans from uranium (U) mining in the Grand Canyon watershed are largely unknown. In addition to U, other co-occurring ore constituents contribute to risks to biological receptors depending on their toxicological profiles. This study characterizes the pre-mining concentrations of total arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), thallium (Tl), U, and zinc (Zn); radiation levels; and histopathology in biota (vegetation, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, and mammals) at the Canyon Mine. Gross alpha levels were below the reporting limit (4 pCi/g) in all samples, and gross beta levels were indicative of background in vegetation (<10-17 pCi/g) and rodents (<10-43.5 pCi/g). Concentrations of U, Tl, Pb, Ni, Cu, and As in vegetation downwind from the mine were likely the result of aeolian transport. Chemical concentrations in rodents and terrestrial invertebrates indicate that surface disturbance during mine construction has not resulted in statistically significant spatial differences in fauna concentrations adjacent to the mine. Chemical concentrations in egg contents and nestlings of non-aquatic birds were less than method quantification limits or did not exceed toxicity thresholds. Bioaccumulation of As, Pb, Se, Tl, and U was evident in Western spadefoot (Spea multiplicata) tadpoles from the mine containment pond; concentrations of As (28.9-31.4 μg/g) and Se (5.81-7.20 μg/g) exceeded toxicity values and were significantly greater than in tadpoles from a nearby water source. Continued evaluation of As and Se in biota inhabiting and forging in the mine containment pond is warranted as mining progresses.

Radiological assessment for bauxite mining and alumina refining.

PubMed

O'Connor, Brian H; Donoghue, A Michael; Manning, Timothy J H; Chesson, Barry J

2013-01-01

Two international benchmarks assess whether the mining and processing of ores containing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) require management under radiological regulations set by local jurisdictions. First, the 1 Bq/g benchmark for radionuclide head of chain activity concentration determines whether materials may be excluded from radiological regulation. Second, processes may be exempted from radiological regulation where occupational above-background exposures for members of the workforce do not exceed 1 mSv/year. This is also the upper-limit of exposure prescribed for members of the public. Alcoa of Australia Limited (Alcoa) has undertaken radiological evaluations of the mining and processing of bauxite from the Darling Range of Western Australia since the 1980s. Short-term monitoring projects have demonstrated that above-background exposures for workers do not exceed 1 mSv/year. A whole-of-year evaluation of above-background, occupational radiological doses for bauxite mining, alumina refining and residue operations was conducted during 2008/2009 as part of the Alcoa NORM Quality Assurance System (NQAS). The NQAS has been guided by publications from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA). The NQAS has been developed specifically in response to implementation of the Australian National Directory on Radiation Protection (NDRP). Positional monitoring was undertaken to increase the accuracy of natural background levels required for correction of occupational exposures. This is important in view of the small increments in exposure that occur in bauxite mining, alumina refining and residue operations relative to natural background. Positional monitoring was also undertaken to assess the potential for exposure in operating locations. Personal monitoring was undertaken to characterise exposures in Similar Exposure Groups (SEGs). The monitoring was undertaken over 12 months, to provide annual average assessments of above-background doses, thereby reducing temporal variations, especially for radon exposures. The monitoring program concentrated on gamma and radon exposures, rather than gross alpha exposures, as past studies have shown that gross alpha exposures from inhalable dust for most of the workforce are small in comparison to combined gamma and radon exposures. The natural background determinations were consistent with data in the literature for localities near Alcoa's mining, refining and residue operations in Western Australia, and also with UNSCEAR global data. Within the mining operations, there was further consistency between the above-background dose estimates and the local geochemistry, with slight elevation of dose levels in mining pits. Conservative estimates of above-background levels for the workforce have been made using an assumption of 100% occupancy (1920 hours per year) for the SEGs considered. Total incremental composite doses for individuals were clearly less than 1.0 mSv/year when gamma, radon progeny and gross alpha exposures were considered. This is despite the activity concentration of some materials being slightly higher than the benchmark of 1 Bq/g. The results are consistent with previous monitoring and demonstrate compliance with the 1 mSv/year exemption level within mining, refining and residue operations. These results will be of value to bauxite mines and alumina refineries elsewhere in the world.

Soil, water, and streambed quality at a demolished asphalt plant, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 1992-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, T.R.

1996-01-01

A number of potentially hazardous chemicals were used at an asphalt plant on the Fort Bragg U.S. Army Reservation near Fayetteville, North Carolina. This plant was demolished in the late 1960's. Samples collected from soil, ground water, surface water, and streambed sediment were tested for the presence of contaminants. The sediment immediately underlying the demolished asphalt plant site consists mainly of sands, silts, and clayey sands with interbedded clay occurring at various depths. About 12 inches of rainfall per year infiltrate the unconfined surficial aquifer. The water table in this area is about 233 to 243 feet above sea level. Local ground water moves laterally, mainly towards the north- to-northwest at a rate of about 35 feet per year. where it discharges to Tank Creek, Little River, or one of their tributaries. A series of confining clays separate the surficial aquifer from the underlying upper Cape Fear aquifer. These clays help retard vertical migration of constituents dissolved in ground water. The saprolite-bedrock aquifer lies below the upper Cape Fear aquifer. In general ground water in the seven monitoring wells screened in the upper and lower part of the surficial aquifer did not contain detectable concentrations of chemicals related to past asphalt-plant activities. A small number of chemicals that were assumed to be unrelated to the asphalt plant were present in some of the study area monitoring wells. Ground water in four wells contained concentrations of organochlorine pesticides. Of these pesticides, concentrations of gamma-benzene hexachloride (lindane) (maximum of 0.76 micrograms per liter) exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 0.2 micrograms per liter in two wells. In addition, one well contained a trichloroethane concentration (7.7 micrograms per liter) that is assumed to be unrelated to demolished asphalt-plant operations, but exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 5.0 micrograms per liter. One well contained a fluoride concentration of 5.2 milligrams per liter that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 4.0 milligrams per liter. Total and dissolved metals concentrations were generally typical of background levels. Some of the wells contained elevated levels of chloride (maximum of 749 milligrams per liter), specific conductance (maximum of 2,780 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius), and dissolved solids (maximum of 1,520 milligrams per liter). Twelve of twenty-two soil samples that were collected at various depths at monitoring-well locations did not contain volatile organic compounds or polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. The remaining ten soil samples contained very low concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and (or) analytical laboratory-related volatile organic compounds. The maximum concentrations were for fluoranthene and pyrene, at 780 and 750 micrograms per kilogram, respectively. In general, the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations were in sediment near the land surface. Streambed sediment from an unnamed, eastern tributary to Tank Creek in the eastern part of the site contained a small number of organochlorine pesticide compounds (a maximum of 1,400 milligrams per kilogram of 4,4'-DDD) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (113 milligrams per kilogram). Concentrations of metals and other inorganic constituents were generally typical of background concentrations. Surface water in this tributary did not contain elevated concentrations of anthropogenic chemicals.

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Sssss of... - Continuous Compliance with Emission Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC... other than a thermal or catalytic oxidizer The average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC performance reduction must equal or exceed 95 percent...

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Sssss of... - Continuous Compliance with Emission Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC... other than a thermal or catalytic oxidizer The average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC performance reduction must equal or exceed 95 percent...

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Sssss of... - Continuous Compliance with Emission Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC... other than a thermal or catalytic oxidizer The average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC performance reduction must equal or exceed 95 percent...

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Sssss of... - Continuous Compliance with Emission Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC... other than a thermal or catalytic oxidizer The average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC performance reduction must equal or exceed 95 percent...

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Sssss of... - Continuous Compliance with Emission Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC... other than a thermal or catalytic oxidizer The average THC concentration must not exceed 20 ppmvd, corrected to 18 percent oxygen; OR the average THC performance reduction must equal or exceed 95 percent...

Roadside and in-vehicle concentrations of monoaromatic hydrocarbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, Pei-Ling; Harrison, Roy M.

Airborne concentrations of benzene, toluene and the xylenes have been measured inside passenger cars whilst driven along major roads in the city of Birmingham, UK, as well as immediately outside the car, and at the roadside. A comparison of concentrations measured in the car with those determined from immediately outside showed little difference, with a mean ratio for benzene of 1.17±0.34 and for toluene 1.11±0.16 ( n=53). The ratio of in-car to roadside concentration was rather higher at 1.55±0.68 for benzene and 1.54±0.72 for toluene ( n=53). The roadside concentrations were typically several-fold higher than those measured at a background suburban monitoring station within Birmingham, although much variation was seen between congested and uncongested roads, with concentrations adjacent to uncongested roads similar to those measured at the background monitoring station. Measurements of benzene and toluene in a car driven on a rural road outside the city showed very comparable in-car and out-of-car concentrations strengthening the conclusion that pollution inside the car is derived from pollutants outside entering with ventilation air. The exceptions were an older car where in-car concentrations appreciably exceeded those outside (in-to out-vehicle ratio=2.3 for benzene and 2.2 for toluene where n=5) indicating probable self-contamination, and a very new car which built up increased VOC concentrations when stationary without ventilation (in-to out-vehicle ratio=2.4 for benzene and 3.3 for toluene where n=5). A further set of measurements inside London taxi cabs showed concentrations to be influenced by the area within which the taxi was driven, the traffic density and the presence of passengers smoking cigarettes.

Chemical composition of natural waters of contaminated area: The case for the Imandra Lake catchment (the Kola Peninsula)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evtyugina, Z. A.; Guseva, N. V.; Kopylova, J. G.; A, Vorobeva D.

2016-03-01

The study of the current chemical composition of natural waters in the eastern and western parts of the Imandra Lake catchment was performed using ion chromatography, potentiometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. It was found that the content of trace elements in the surface water is considerably higher than that in the groundwater. The nickel and copper concentrations exceed the background levels over 19 and 2 times respectively in groundwater, and 175 and 61 times in the surface waters. These data show that the Severonikel influences negatively air and surface water.

Phosphorus and E. coli in the Fanno and Bronson Creek subbasins of the Tualatin River basin, Oregon, during summer low-flow conditions, 1996

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, Kathleen A.

2000-01-01

As part of an ongoing cooperative study between the Unified Sewerage Agency of Washington County, Oregon, and the U.S. Geological Survey, phosphorus and Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations were measured in the Fanno and Bronson Creek subbasins of the Tualatin River Basin during September 1996. Data were collected at 19 main-stem and 22 tributary sites in the Fanno Creek subbasin, and at 14 main-stem and 4 tributary sites in the Bronson Creek subbasin. These data provided the following information on summer base-flow conditions in the subbasins. Concentrations of total phosphorus at 70% of the sites sampled in the Fanno Creek subbasin were between 0.1 and 0.2 mg/L (milligrams per liter), very near the estimated background level of 0.14 mg/L attributed to ground-water base flow. These data indicate that ground-water discharge could account for the phosphorus measured at most sites in this subbasin.Concentrations of phosphorus at all but one of the sites sampled in the Bronson Creek subbasin were also between 0.1 and 0.2 mg/L, indicating that ground-water discharge could account for the phosphorus measured at most sites in this subbasin.A few sites in the Fanno Creek subbasin had phosphorus concentrations above background levels, indicating a source other than ground water. Some of these sites- Pendleton Creek and the tributary near Gemini, for example-were probably affected by the decomposition of avian waste materials and the release of phosphorus from bottom sediments in nearby ponds.Concentrations of E. coli--an indicator of fecal contamination and the potential presence of bacterial pathogens-exceeded the current single-sample criterion for recreational contact in freshwater (406 organisms/100 mL [organisms per 100 milliliters]) at 70% of the sites sampled in the Fanno Creek subbasin.Concentrations of E. coli in the Bronson Creek subbasin exceeded the single-sample criterion at one-third of the sites sampled.Most occurrences of elevated E. coli levels were probably due to sources such as domestic pet and wildlife waste, failing septic systems, or improperly managed hobby farms. The data did not indicate any large breaks in sewer lines or other large-scale sources of bacterial contamination to surface water in either subbasin during this low-flow period.

Ground-water quality in east-central New Jersey, and a plan for sampling networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harriman, D.A.; Sargent, B.P.

1985-01-01

Groundwater quality was evaluated in seven confined aquifers and the water table aquifer in east-central New Jersey based on 237 analyses of samples collected in 1981-82, and 225 older analyses. Investigation of the effect of land use on water quality and several sampling network proposals for the region are reported. Generally, water in the confined aquifers is of satisfactory quality for human consumption and most other uses. Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) concentrations exceed U.S. EPA drinking water standards in some wells screened in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system. Sodium (Na) concentrations in samples from three wells more than 800 ft deep in the Englishtown aquifer exceed the standard. Iron and Mn concentrations in this aquifer may also exceed the standards. Iron concentrations in the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer exceed the standard. Based on 15 analyses of water from the Vincetown aquifer, Mn is the only constituent that exceeds the drinking water standard. In the Manasquan aquifer, 4 of the 16 Na determinations exceed the standard, and 8 of 16 Fe determinations exceed the standard. Water quality in the Atlantic City 800-ft sand is generally satisfactory. However, 12 Fe and 1 of 12 Mn determinations exceed the standards. For the Rio Grande water-bearing zone, 1 of 3 Fe determinations exceed the standard. The Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system (the water table aquifer) was the most thoroughly sampled (249 chemical analyses from 209 wells). Dissolved solids, chloride, Fe, nitrate, and Mn concentrations exceed drinking water standards in some areas. The results of chi-square tests of constituent distributions based on analyses from 158 wells in the water table aquifer indicate that calcium is higher in industrial and commercial areas; and Mg, chloride, and nitrate-plus-nitrite is higher in residential areas. (Author 's abstract)

Pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and health risk of heavy metals in street dust of Suzhou, China.

PubMed

Lin, Manli; Gui, Herong; Wang, Yao; Peng, Weihua

2017-01-01

To analyze the pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and health risk of heavy metals (HMs) in street dust of Suzhou, China, 23 sampling sites were selected and periodically sampled for 12 months. A total of 276 samples were collected, and the concentrations of selected HMs (e.g., Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn) were examined with an X-ray fluorescence spectrum analyzer. Results showed that the mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn in the street dust of Suzhou were 112.9, 27.5, 19941.3, 410.3, 45.2, 75.6, and 225.3 mg kg -1 , respectively. Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn exceeded their background values in local natural soils by 1.3-3.6-fold, whereas Fe, Mn, and V were all within their background values. However, enrichment factor analysis revealed that Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn, especially Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn, were enriched in Suzhou street dust. The HMs showed no significant seasonal changes overall, but spatial distribution analysis implied that the high values of Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn were mainly distributed in areas with frequent human activities. Results of multivariate techniques (e.g., Pearson correlation, hierarchical cluster, and principal components analyses) suggested that Pb and Zn had complicated sources; Cu and V mainly originated from traffic sources; Fe and Mn mainly came from natural sources; and Cr was dominantly related to industrial district. Health risk assessment revealed that a single heavy metal might not cause both non-cancer and carcinogenic risks to local residents. Nevertheless, the sum of the hazard index of all selected HMs for children slightly exceeded the safety value, thereby implying that the HMs from Suzhou street dust can possibly produce significant risk to children. Cr was the priority pollutant in the study area because of its high concentration, high enrichment, and high contribution to non-cancer risk values.

Spatiotemporal assessment (quarter century) of pulp mill metal(loid) contaminated sediment to inform remediation decisions.

PubMed

Hoffman, Emma; Lyons, James; Boxall, James; Robertson, Cam; Lake, Craig B; Walker, Tony R

2017-06-01

A bleached kraft pulp mill in Nova Scotia has discharged effluent wastewater into Boat Harbour, a former tidal estuary within Pictou Landing First Nation since 1967. Fifty years of effluent discharge into Boat Harbour has created >170,000 m 3 of unconsolidated sediment, impacted by inorganic and organic contaminants, including metal[loid]s, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, and furans. This study aimed to characterize metal(loid)-impacted sediments to inform decisions for a $89 million CAD sediment remediation program. The remediation goals are to return this impacted aquatic site to pre-mill tidal conditions. To understand historical sediment characteristics, spatiotemporal variation covering ~quarter century, of metal(loid) sediment concentrations across 103 Boat Harbour samples from 81 stations and four reference locations, were assessed by reviewing secondary data from 1992 to 2015. Metal(loid) sediment concentrations were compared to current Canadian freshwater and marine sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). Seven metal(loid)s, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, and Zn, exceeded low effect freshwater and marine SQGs; six, As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg, and Zn, exceeded severe effect freshwater SQGs; and four, Cd, Cu, Hg, and Zn, exceeded severe effect marine SQGs. Metal(loid) concentrations varied widely across three distinct temporal periods. Significantly higher Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, and Zn concentrations were measured between 1998 and 2000, compared to earlier, 1992-1996 and more recent 2003-2015 data. Most samples, 69%, were shallow (0-15 cm), leaving deeper horizons under-characterized. Geographic information system (GIS) techniques also revealed inadequate spatial coverage, presenting challenges for remedy decisions regarding vertical and horizontal delineation of contaminants. Review of historical monitoring data revealed that gaps still exist in our understanding of sediment characteristics in Boat Harbour, including spatial, vertical and horizontal, and temporal variation of sediment contamination. To help return Boat Harbour to a tidal estuary, more detailed sampling is required to better characterize these sediments and to establish appropriate reference (background) concentrations to help develop cost-effective remediation approaches for this decades-old problem.

Summary of information on synthetic organic compounds and trace elements in tissue of aquatic biota, Clark Fork-Pend Oreille and Spokane River basins, Montana, Idaho, and Washington, 1974-96

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maret, Terry R.; Dutton, DeAnn M.

1999-01-01

As part of the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins study of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, data collected between 1974 and 1996 were compiled to describe contaminants in tissue of riverine species. Tissue-contaminant data from 11 monitoring programs and studies representing 28 sites in the study area were summarized. Tissue-contaminant data for most streams generally were lacking. Many studies have focused on and around mining-affected areas on the Clark Fork and Coeur d'Alene Rivers and their major tributaries. DDT and PCBs and their metabolites and congeners were the synthetic organic contaminants most commonly detected in fish tissue. Fish collected from the Spokane River in Washington contained elevated concentrations of PCB arochlors, some of which exceeded guidelines for the protection of human health and predatory wildlife. Tissue samples of fish from the Flathead River watershed contained higher-than-expected concentrations of PCBs, which might have resulted from atmospheric transport. Trace element concentrations in fish and macroinvertebrates collected in and around mining areas were elevated compared with background concentrations. Some cadmium, copper, lead, and mercury concentrations in fish tissue were elevated compared with results from other studies, and some exceeded guidelines. Macroinvertebrates from the Coeur d'Alene River contained higher concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc than did macroinvertebrates from other river systems in mining-affected areas. A few sportfish fillet samples, most from the Spokane River in Washington, were collected to assess human health risk. Concentrations of PCBs in these fillets exceeded screening values for the protection of human health. At present, there is no coordinated, long-term fish tissue monitoring program for rivers in the study area, even though contaminants are present in fish at levels considered a threat to human health. Development of a coordinated, centralized national data base for contaminants in fish tissue is needed. The National Water-Quality Assessment Program can provide a framework for other agencies to evaluate tissue contaminants in the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins study area. As of 1996, there are no fish consumption advisories or fishing restrictions as a result of elevated contaminants on any rivers within the study area.

The distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in song sparrows along Arizona's upper Santa Cruz River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lester, Michael B.; van Riper, Charles

2014-01-01

Heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants, and transport of metals into the environment poses a threat to ecosystems, as plants and wildlife are susceptible to long-term exposure, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metal accumulation in southwestern song sparrows (Melospiza melodia fallax), a resident riparian bird species that occurs along the US/Mexico border in Arizona’s upper Santa Cruz River watershed. This study had three goals: (1) quantify the degree of heavy metal accumulation in sparrows and determine the distributional patterns among study sites, (2) compare concentrations of metals found in this study to those found in studies performed prior to a 2009 international wastewater facility upgrade, and (3) assess the condition of song sparrows among sites with differing potential levels of exposure. We examined five study sites along with a reference site that reflect different potential sources of contamination. Body mass residuals and leukocyte counts were used to assess sparrow condition. Birds at our study sites typically had higher metal concentrations than birds at the reference site. Copper, mercury, nickel, and selenium in song sparrows did exceed background levels, although most metals were below background concentrations determined from previous studies. Song sparrows generally showed lower heavy metal concentrations compared to studies conducted prior to the 2009 wastewater facility upgrade. We found no cascading effects as a result of metal exposure.

Assessment of nonpoint source chemical loading potential to watersheds containing uranium waste dumps associated with uranium exploration and mining, San Rafael Swell, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Freeman, Michael L.; Naftz, David L.; Snyder, Terry; Johnson, Greg

2008-01-01

During July and August of 2006, 117 solid-phase samples were collected from abandoned uranium waste dumps, geologic background sites, and adjacent streambeds in the San Rafael Swell, in southeastern Utah. The objective of this sampling program was to assess the nonpoint source chemical loading potential to ephemeral and perennial watersheds from uranium waste dumps on Bureau of Land Management property. Uranium waste dump samples were collected using solid-phase sampling protocols. After collection, solid-phase samples were homogenized and extracted in the laboratory using a field leaching procedure. Filtered (0.45 micron) water samples were obtained from the field leaching procedure and were analyzed for Ag, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, U, V, and Zn at the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Metals Analysis Laboratory at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah and for Hg at the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory, Denver, Colorado. For the initial ranking of chemical loading potential of suspect uranium waste dumps, leachate analyses were compared with existing aquatic life and drinking-water-quality standards and the ratio of samples that exceeded standards to the total number of samples was determined for each element having a water-quality standard for aquatic life and drinking-water. Approximately 56 percent (48/85) of the leachate samples extracted from uranium waste dumps had one or more chemical constituents that exceeded aquatic life and drinking-water-quality standards. Most of the uranium waste dump sites with elevated trace-element concentrations in leachates were along Reds Canyon Road between Tomsich Butte and Family Butte. Twelve of the uranium waste dump sites with elevated trace-element concentrations in leachates contained three or more constituents that exceeded drinking-water-quality standards. Eighteen of the uranium waste dump sites had three or more constituents that exceeded trace-element concentrations for aquatic life water-quality standards. The proximity of the uranium waste dumps in the Tomsich Butte area near Muddy Creek, coupled with the elevated concentration of trace elements, increases the offsite impact potential to water resources. Future assessment and remediation priority of these areas may be done by using GIS-based risk-mapping techniques, such as Sensitive Catchment Integrated Mapping and Analysis Project.

Persistence analysis of extreme CO, NO2 and O3 concentrations in ambient air of Delhi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chelani, Asha B.

2012-05-01

Persistence analysis of air pollutant concentration and corresponding exceedance time series is carried out to examine for temporal evolution. For this purpose, air pollutant concentrations, namely, CO, NO2 and O3 observed during 2000-2009 at a traffic site in Delhi are analyzed using detrended fluctuation analysis. Two types of extreme values are analyzed; exceeded concentrations to a threshold provided by national pollution controlling agency and time interval between two exceedances. The time series of three pollutants is observed to possess persistence property whereas the extreme value time series of only primary pollutant concentrations is found to be persistent. Two time scaling regions are observed to be significant in extreme time series of CO and NO2, mainly attributed to implementation of CNG in vehicles. The presence of persistence in three pollutant concentration time series is linked to the property of self-organized criticality. The observed persistence in the time interval between two exceeded levels is a matter of concern as persistent high concentrations can trigger health problems.

A survey of topsoil arsenic and mercury concentrations across France.

PubMed

Marchant, B P; Saby, N P A; Arrouays, D

2017-08-01

Even at low concentrations, the presence of arsenic and mercury in soils can lead to ecological and health impacts. The recent European-wide LUCAS Topsoil Survey found that the arsenic concentration of a large proportion of French soils exceeded a threshold which indicated that further investigation was required. A much smaller proportion of soils exceeded the corresponding threshold for mercury but the impacts of mining and industrial activities on mercury concentrations are not well understood. We use samples from the French national soil monitoring network (RMQS: Réseau de Mesures de la Qualité des Sols) to explore the variation of topsoil arsenic and mercury concentrations across mainland France at a finer spatial resolution than was reported by LUCAS Topsoil. We use geostatistical methods to map the expected concentrations of these elements in the topsoil and the probabilities that the legislative thresholds are exceeded. We find that, with the exception of some areas where the geogenic concentrations and soil adsorption capacities are very low, arsenic concentrations are generally larger than the threshold which indicates that further assessment of the area is required. The lower of two other guideline values indicating risks to ecology or health is exceeded in fewer than 5% of RMQS samples. These exceedances occur in localised hot-spots primarily associated with mining and mineralization. The probabilities of mercury concentrations exceeding the further assessment threshold value are everywhere less than 0.01 and none of the RMQS samples exceed either of the ecological and health risk thresholds. However, there are some regions with elevated concentrations which can be related to volcanic material, natural mineralizations and industrial contamination. These regions are more diffuse than the hot-spots of arsenic reflecting the greater volatility of mercury and therefore the greater ease with which it can be transported and redeposited. The maps provide a baseline against which future phases of the RMQS can be compared and highlight regions where the threat of soil contamination and its impacts should be more closely monitored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field screening of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in and near Walker River Indian Reservation, Nevada 1994-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thodal, Carl E.; Tuttle, Peter L.

1996-01-01

A study was begun in 1994 to determine whether the quality of irrigation drainage from the Walker River Indian Reservation, Nevada, has caused or has potential to cause harmful effects on human health or on fish and wildlife, or may adversely affect the suitability of the Walker River for other beneficial uses. Samples of water, bottom sediment, and biota were collected during June-August 1994 (during a drought year) from sites upstream from and on the Walker River Indian Reservation for analyses of trace elements. Other analyses included physical characteristics, major dissolved constituents, selected species of water-soluble nitrogen and phosphorus, and selected pesticides in bottom sediment. Water samples were collected again from four sites on the Reservation in August 1995 (during a wetterthan- average year) to provide data for comparing extreme climatic conditions. Water samples collected from the Walker River Indian Reservation in 1994 equaled or exceeded the Nevada water-quality standard or level of concern for at least one of the following: water temperature, pH, dissolved solids, unionized ammonia, phosphate, arsenic, boron, chromium, lead, and molybdenum; in 1995, only a single sample from one site exceeded a Nevada water-quality standard for molybdenum. Levels of concern for trace elements in bottom sediment collected in 1994 were equaled or exceeded for arsenic, iron, manganese, and zinc. Concentrations of organochiorine pesticide residues in bottom sediment were below analytical reporting limits. Levels of concern for trace-elements in samples of biota were equaled or exceeded for arsenic, boron, copper, and mercury. Results of toxicity testing indicate that only water samples from Walker Lake caused a toxic response in test bacteria. Arsenic and boron concentrations in water, bottom sediment, and biological tissue exceeded levels of concern throughout the Walker River Basin, but most commonly in the lower Walker River Basin. Mercury also was elevated in several biological samples collected throughout the Basin, although concentrations in water and bottom sediment were below analytical reporting limits. Sources of arsenic, boron, and mercury in the Basin are uncertain, but ambient levels reported for a variety of sample matrices collected from western Nevada generally exceed ranges cited as natural background levels. Because these potentially toxic constituents exceeded concern levels in areas that do not directly receive irrigation drainage, concentrations measured in samples collected for this study may not necessarily be attributable to agricultural activities. Diversion of river water for irrigation may have greater effects on beneficial uses of water and on fish and wildlife than does drainage from agricultural areas on the Reservation. In 1994, agricultural water consumption precluded dilution of ground-water seepage to the river channel. This resulted in concentrations of potentially toxic solutes that exceeded levels of concern. Diversion of irrigation water also may have facilitated leaching of potentially toxic solutes from irrigated soil on the Reservation, but during this study all water applied for irrigation on the Reservation was either consumed by evapotranspiration or infiltrated to recharge shallow ground water. No irrigation drainage was found on the Reservation during this study. However, because 1994 samples of ground-water seepage to the Walker River channel exceeded at least six Nevada waterquality standards, water-quality problems may result should ground-water levels rise enough to cause ground-water discharge to the agricultural drain on the Reservation. Nevertheless, the potential for adverse effects from irrigation drainage on the Reservation is believed to be small because surface-water rights for the Walker River Indian Reservation amount to only 2 percent of total surface- water rights in the entire Walker River Basin.

Global Estimates of Ambient Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations from Satellite-Based Aerosol Optical Depth: Development and Application

PubMed Central

van Donkelaar, Aaron; Martin, Randall V.; Brauer, Michael; Kahn, Ralph; Levy, Robert; Verduzco, Carolyn; Villeneuve, Paul J.

2010-01-01

Background Epidemiologic and health impact studies of fine particulate matter with diameter < 2.5 μm (PM2.5) are limited by the lack of monitoring data, especially in developing countries. Satellite observations offer valuable global information about PM2.5 concentrations. Objective In this study, we developed a technique for estimating surface PM2.5 concentrations from satellite observations. Methods We mapped global ground-level PM2.5 concentrations using total column aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and MISR (Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite instruments and coincident aerosol vertical profiles from the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model. Results We determined that global estimates of long-term average (1 January 2001 to 31 December 2006) PM2.5 concentrations at approximately 10 km × 10 km resolution indicate a global population-weighted geometric mean PM2.5 concentration of 20 μg/m3. The World Health Organization Air Quality PM2.5 Interim Target-1 (35 μg/m3 annual average) is exceeded over central and eastern Asia for 38% and for 50% of the population, respectively. Annual mean PM2.5 concentrations exceed 80 μg/m3 over eastern China. Our evaluation of the satellite-derived estimate with ground-based in situ measurements indicates significant spatial agreement with North American measurements (r = 0.77; slope = 1.07; n = 1057) and with noncoincident measurements elsewhere (r = 0.83; slope = 0.86; n = 244). The 1 SD of uncertainty in the satellite-derived PM2.5 is 25%, which is inferred from the AOD retrieval and from aerosol vertical profile errors and sampling. The global population-weighted mean uncertainty is 6.7 μg/m3. Conclusions Satellite-derived total-column AOD, when combined with a chemical transport model, provides estimates of global long-term average PM2.5 concentrations. PMID:20519161

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 261: Area 25 Test Cell A Leachfield System, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. M. Fitzmaurice

2001-04-01

The purpose of this Closure Report (CR) is to provide documentation of the completed corrective action at the Test Cell A Leachfield System and to provide data confirming the corrective action. The Test Cell A Leachfield System is identified in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) of 1996 as Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 261. Remediation of CAU 261 is required under the FFACO (1996). CAU 261 is located in Area 25 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) which is approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada (Figure 1). CAU 261 consists of two Corrective Actionmore » Sites (CASS): CAS 25-05-01, Leachfield; and CAS 25-05-07, Acid Waste Leach Pit (AWLP) (Figures 2 and 3). Test Cell A was operated during the 1960s and 1970s to support the Nuclear Rocket Development Station. Various operations within Building 3124 at Test Cell A resulted in liquid waste releases to the Leachfield and the AWLP. The following existing site conditions were reported in the Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD) (U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office [DOE/NV], 1999): Soil in the leachfield was found to exceed the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) Action Level for petroleum hydrocarbons, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) preliminary remediation goals for semi volatile organic compounds, and background concentrations for strontium-90; Soil below the sewer pipe and approximately 4.5 meters (m) (15 feet [ft]) downstream of the initial outfall was found to exceed background concentrations for cesium-137 and strontium-90; Sludge in the leachfield septic tank was found to exceed the NDEP Action Level for petroleum hydrocarbons and to contain americium-241, cesium-137, uranium-234, uranium-238, potassium-40, and strontium-90; No constituents of concern (COC) were identified at the AWLP. The NDEP-approved CADD (DOWNV, 1999) recommended Corrective Action Alternative 2, ''Closure of the Septic Tank and Distribution Box, Partial Excavation, and Administrative Controls.'' The corrective action was performed following the NDEP-approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP) (DOE/NV, 2000).« less

Toxicological benchmarks for screening potential contaminants of concern for effects on soil and litter invertebrates and heterotrophic process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Will, M.E.; Suter, G.W. II

1994-09-01

One of the initial stages in ecological risk assessments for hazardous waste sites is the screening of contaminants to determine which of them are worthy of further consideration as {open_quotes}contaminants of potential concern.{close_quotes} This process is termed {open_quotes}contaminant screening.{close_quotes} It is performed by comparing measured ambient concentrations of chemicals to benchmark concentrations. Currently, no standard benchmark concentrations exist for assessing contaminants in soil with respect to their toxicity to soil- and litter-dwelling invertebrates, including earthworms, other micro- and macroinvertebrates, or heterotrophic bacteria and fungi. This report presents a standard method for deriving benchmarks for this purpose, sets of data concerningmore » effects of chemicals in soil on invertebrates and soil microbial processes, and benchmarks for chemicals potentially associated with United States Department of Energy sites. In addition, literature describing the experiments from which data were drawn for benchmark derivation. Chemicals that are found in soil at concentrations exceeding both the benchmarks and the background concentration for the soil type should be considered contaminants of potential concern.« less

Modeling to Predict Escherichia coli at Presque Isle Beach 2, City of Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Tammy M.

2008-01-01

The Lake Erie beaches in Pennsylvania are a valuable recreational resource for Erie County. Concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) at monitored beaches in Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa., occasionally exceed the single-sample bathing-water standard of 235 colonies per 100 milliliters resulting in potentially unsafe swimming conditions and prompting beach managers to post public advisories or to close beaches to recreation. To supplement the current method for assessing recreational water quality (E. coli concentrations from the previous day), a predictive regression model for E. coli concentrations at Presque Isle Beach 2 was developed from data collected during the 2004 and 2005 recreational seasons. Model output included predicted E. coli concentrations and exceedance probabilities--the probability that E. coli concentrations would exceed the standard. For this study, E. coli concentrations and other water-quality and environmental data were collected during the 2006 recreational season at Presque Isle Beach 2. The data from 2006, an independent year, were used to test (validate) the 2004-2005 predictive regression model and compare the model performance to the current method. Using 2006 data, the 2004-2005 model yielded more correct responses and better predicted exceedances of the standard than the use of E. coli concentrations from the previous day. The differences were not pronounced, however, and more data are needed. For example, the model correctly predicted exceedances of the standard 11 percent of the time (1 out of 9 exceedances that occurred in 2006) whereas using the E. coli concentrations from the previous day did not result in any correctly predicted exceedances. After validation, new models were developed by adding the 2006 data to the 2004-2005 dataset and by analyzing the data in 2- and 3-year combinations. Results showed that excluding the 2004 data (using 2005 and 2006 data only) yielded the best model. Explanatory variables in the 2005-2006 model were log10 turbidity, bird count, and wave height. The 2005-2006 model correctly predicted when the standard would not be exceeded (specificity) with a response of 95.2 percent (178 out of 187 nonexceedances) and correctly predicted when the standard would be exceeded (sensitivity) with a response of 64.3 percent (9 out of 14 exceedances). In all cases, the results from predictive modeling produced higher percentages of correct predictions than using E. coli concentrations from the previous day. Additional data collected each year can be used to test and possibly improve the model. The results of this study will aid beach managers in more rapidly determining when waters are not safe for recreational use and, subsequently, when to close a beach or post an advisory.

Investigation into pedestrian exposure to near-vehicle exhaust emissions

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Inhalation of diesel particulate matter (DPM) is known to have a negative impact on human health. Consequently, there are regulations and standards that limit the maximum concentrations to which persons may be exposed and the maximum concentrations allowed in the ambient air. However, these standards consider steady exposure over large spatial and time scales. Due to the nature of many vehicle exhaust systems, pedestrians in close proximity to a vehicle's tailpipe may experience events where diesel particulate matter concentrations are high enough to cause acute health effects for brief periods of time. Methods In order to quantify these exposure events, instruments which measure specific exhaust constituent concentrations were placed near a roadway and connected to the mouth of a mannequin used as a pedestrian surrogate. By measuring concentrations at the mannequin's mouth during drive-by events with a late model diesel truck, a representative estimate of the exhaust constituent concentrations to which a pedestrian may be exposed was obtained. Typical breathing rates were then multiplied by the measured concentrations to determine the mass of pollutant inhaled. Results The average concentration of diesel particulate matter measured over the duration of a single drive-by test often exceeded the low concentrations used in human clinical studies which are known to cause acute health effects. It was also observed that higher concentrations of diesel particulate matter were measured at the height of a stroller than were measured at the mouth of a mannequin. Conclusion Diesel particulate matter concentrations during drive-by incidents easily reach or exceed the low concentrations that can cause acute health effects for brief periods of time. For the case of a particularly well-tuned late-model year vehicle, the mass of particulate matter inhaled during a drive-by incident is small compared to the mass inhaled daily at ambient conditions. On a per breath basis, however, the mass of particulate matter inhaled is large compared to the mass inhaled at ambient conditions. Finally, it was determined that children, infants, or people breathing at heights similar to that of a passing vehicle's tailpipe may be exposed to higher concentrations of particulate matter than those breathing at higher locations, such as adults standing up. PMID:19331669

Evaluation of Bacteriological and Chemical Quality of Dialysis Water and Fluid in Isfahan, Central Iran

PubMed Central

SHAHRYARI, Ali; NIKAEEN, Mahnaz; HATAMZADEH, Maryam; VAHID DASTJERDI, Marzieh; HASSANZADEH, Akbar

2016-01-01

Background: Chemical and microbial quality of water used in hemodialysis play key roles in a number of dialysis-related complications. In order to avoid the complications and to guarantee safety and health of patients therefore, vigorous control of water quality is essential. The objective of present study was to investigate the chemical and bacteriological characteristics of water used in dialysis centers of five hospitals in Isfahan, central Iran. Methods: A total of 30 water samples from the input of dialysis purification system and dialysis water were analyzed for chemical parameters. Heterotrophic plate count and endotoxin concentration of drinking water, dialysis water and dialysis fluid of 40 machines were also monitored over a 5-month period in 2011–2012. Results: Concentration of the determined chemicals (copper, zinc, sulfate, fluoride, chloramines and free chlorine) did not exceed the recommended concentration by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) exclude lead, nitrate, aluminum and calcium. Furthermore, the magnesium; cadmium and chromium concentration exceeded the maximum level in some centers. No contamination with heterotrophic bacteria was observed in all samples, while the AMMI standard for endotoxin level in dialysis fluid (<2 EU/ml) was achieved in 95% of samples. Conclusion: Dialysis water and fluid failed to meet the all chemical and bacteriological requirements for hemodialysis. To minimize the risk of contaminants for hemodialysis patients therefore, a water quality management program including monitoring, maintenance and development of water treatment system in hemodialysis centers is extremely important. In addition, an appropriate disinfection program is needed to guarantee better control of bacterial growth and biofilm formation. PMID:27398338

Distribution of radionuclide and trace-elements in ground water, grasses, and surficial sediments associated with the alluvial aquifer along the Puerco River, northeastern Arizona; a reconnaissance sampling program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Webb, R.H.; Rink, G.R.; Favor, B.O.

1987-01-01

The concentrations of gross alpha radioactivity minus uranium equaled or exceeded 15 picoCuries/L (pCi/L) in five of 14 wells sampled. The concentration of radium-226 plus radium-228 exceeded the primary water quality standard of 5 pCi/L in one well. The concentration of uranium exceeded a recommended limit of 0.035 mg/L in two wells. Perennial grass and sediment samples had low concentrations of radionuclides. The concentration of trace elements in the sediment samples was not unusual. Water quality of surface water in the Puerco River at Chambers varied as a function of the suspended sediment concentration. Concentrations of total gross alpha radiation fluctuated from 12 to 11,200 pCi/L. Concentrations of total gross beta radiation fluctuated from 45 to 4,500 pCi/L. (Author 's abstract)

Comparison of the impact of the Tobacco Heating System 2.2 and a cigarette on indoor air quality.

PubMed

Mitova, Maya I; Campelos, Pedro B; Goujon-Ginglinger, Catherine G; Maeder, Serge; Mottier, Nicolas; Rouget, Emmanuel G R; Tharin, Manuel; Tricker, Anthony R

2016-10-01

The impact of the Tobacco Heating System 2.2 (THS 2.2) on indoor air quality was evaluated in an environmentally controlled room using ventilation conditions recommended for simulating "Office", "Residential" and "Hospitality" environments and was compared with smoking a lit-end cigarette (Marlboro Gold) under identical experimental conditions. The concentrations of eighteen indoor air constituents (respirable suspended particles (RSP) < 2.5 μm in diameter), ultraviolet particulate matter (UVPM), fluorescent particulate matter (FPM), solanesol, 3-ethenylpyridine, nicotine, 1,3-butadiene, acrylonitrile, benzene, isoprene, toluene, acetaldehyde, acrolein, crotonaldehyde, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and combined oxides of nitrogen) were measured. In simulations evaluating THS 2.2, the concentrations of most studied analytes did not exceed the background concentrations determined when non-smoking panelists were present in the environmentally controlled room under equivalent conditions. Only acetaldehyde and nicotine concentrations were increased above background concentrations in the "Office" (3.65 and 1.10 μg/m(3)), "Residential" (5.09 and 1.81 μg/m(3)) and "Hospitality" (1.40 and 0.66 μg/m(3)) simulations, respectively. Smoking Marlboro Gold resulted in greater increases in the concentrations of acetaldehyde (58.8, 83.8 and 33.1 μg/m(3)) and nicotine (34.7, 29.1 and 34.6 μg/m(3)) as well as all other measured indoor air constituents in the "Office", "Residential" and "Hospitality" simulations, respectively. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ice-nucleating particle concentrations unaffected by urban air pollution in Beijing, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jie; Wu, Zhijun; Augustin-Bauditz, Stefanie; Grawe, Sarah; Hartmann, Markus; Pei, Xiangyu; Liu, Zirui; Ji, Dongsheng; Wex, Heike

2018-03-01

Exceedingly high levels of PM2.5 with complex chemical composition occur frequently in China. It has been speculated whether anthropogenic PM2.5 may significantly contribute to ice-nucleating particles (INP). However, few studies have focused on the ice-nucleating properties of urban particles. In this work, two ice-nucleating droplet arrays have been used to determine the atmospheric number concentration of INP (NINP) in the range from -6 to -25 °C in Beijing. No correlations between NINP and either PM2.5 or black carbon mass concentrations were found, although both varied by more than a factor of 30 during the sampling period. Similarly, there were no correlations between NINP and either total particle number concentration or number concentrations for particles with diameters > 500 nm. Furthermore, there was no clear difference between day and night samples. All these results indicate that Beijing air pollution did not increase or decrease INP concentrations in the examined temperature range above values observed in nonurban areas; hence, the background INP concentrations might not be anthropogenically influenced as far as urban air pollution is concerned, at least in the examined temperature range.

Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge and adjacent areas of the Milk River basin, northeastern Montana, 1986-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, J.H.; Jones, W.E.; Sutphin, J.W.

1988-01-01

Concentrations of trace elements, radiochemicals, and pesticides in the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge lakes generally were not substantially larger than those in the water supplied from Dodson South Canal or in irrigation drainage. Concentrations of arsenic (47 micrograms/L), uranium (43 microg/L), and vanadium (51 microg/L) in Dry Lake Unit, and boron (1,000 microg/L) in Lake Bowdoin were notably larger than at other sites. Zinc concentrations in an irrigation drain (56 microg/L) and two shallow domestic wells (40 and 47 microg/L) were elevated relative to other sites. Concentrations of gross alpha radiation (64 picocuries/L) and gross beta radiation (71 picocuries/L) were elevated in Dry Lake Unit. Pesticides concentrations at all sites were 0.08 microg/L or less. Water use guidelines concentrations for boron, cadmium, uranium, zinc, and gross alpha radiation were slightly exceeded at several sites. In general, trace-constituent concentrations measured in the water do not indicate any potential toxicity problems in Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge; however, highwater conditions in 1986 probably caused dilution of dissolved constituents compared to recent dry years. Trace element concentrations in bottom sediments of the refuge lakes were generally similar to background concentrations in the soils. The only exception was Dry Lake Unit, which had concentrations of chromium (99 micrograms/g), copper (37 microg/g), nickel (37 microg/g), vanadium (160 microg/g), and zinc (120 microg/g) that were about double the mean background concentrations. The maximum selenium concentration in bottom sediment was 0.6 microg/g. Pesticide concentrations in bottom sediments were less than analytical detection limits at all sites. With few exceptions, concentrations of trace elements and pesticides in biota generally were less than values known to produce harmful effects on growth or reproduction. (Lantz-PTT)

Collection and analysis of NASA clean room air samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, L. S.; Keever, J.

1985-01-01

The environment of the HALOE assembly clean room at NASA Langley Research Center is analyzed to determine the background levels of airborne organic compounds. Sampling is accomplished by pumping the clean room air through absorbing cartridges. For volatile organics, cartridges are thermally desorbed and then analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, compounds are identified by searching the EPA/NIH data base using an interactive operator INCOS computer search algorithm. For semivolatile organics, cartridges are solvent entracted and concentrated extracts are analyzed by gas chromatography-electron capture detection, compound identification is made by matching gas chromatogram retention times with known standards. The detection limits for the semivolatile organics are; 0.89 ng cu m for dioctylphlhalate (DOP) and 1.6 ng cu m for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). The detection limit for volatile organics ranges from 1 to 50 parts per trillion. Only trace quantities of organics are detected, the DOP levels do not exceed 2.5 ng cu m and the PCB levels do not exceed 454 ng cu m.

Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes from Barley Shoots Depend on Nitrate Assimilation 1

PubMed Central

Bloom, Arnold J.; Caldwell, Richard M.; Finazzo, John; Warner, Robert L.; Weissbart, Joseph

1989-01-01

A custom oxygen analyzer in conjunction with an infrared carbon dioxide analyzer and humidity sensors permitted simultaneous measurements of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor fluxes from the shoots of intact barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L. cv Steptoe). The oxygen analyzer is based on a calciazirconium sensor and can resolve concentration differences to within 2 microliters per liter against the normal background of 210,000 microliters per liter. In wild-type plants receiving ammonium as their sole nitrogen source or in nitrate reductase-deficient mutants, photosynthetic and respiratory fluxes of oxygen equaled those of carbon dioxide. By contrast, wild-type plants exposed to nitrate had unequal oxygen and carbon dioxide fluxes: oxygen evolution at high light exceeded carbon dioxide consumption by 26% and carbon dioxide evolution in the dark exceeded oxygen consumption by 25%. These results indicate that a substantial portion of photosynthetic electron transport or respiration generates reductant for nitrate assimilation rather than for carbon fixation or mitochondrial electron transport. PMID:16667024

Modeling emissions from CAFO poultry farms in Poland and evaluating potential risk to surrounding populations.

PubMed

Pohl, H R; Citra, M; Abadin, H A; Szadkowska-Stańczyk, I; Kozajda, A; Ingerman, L; Nguyen, A; Murray, H E

2017-03-01

The world-wide use of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) for livestock production demands the need to evaluate the potential impact to public health. We estimated the exposure of various airborne pollutants for populations residing in close proximity to 10 poultry CAFOs located in Central Poland. Ammonia (NH 3 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), methane (CH 4 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), and organic dust were the pollutants of interest for this study. Because no monitoring data were available, we used the steady-state Gaussian dispersion model AERMOD to estimate pollutant concentrations for the exposed population in order to calculate the hazard index (HI) for a combined mixture of chemicals. Our results indicate that while the levels of certain pollutants are expected to exceed background levels commonly found in the environment they did not result in calculated hazard indexes which exceeded unity suggesting low potential for adverse health effects for the surrounding community for the mixture of chemicals. The study was conducted through a cooperation between the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) in the USA and the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) in Poland. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Occurrence and trends in the concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria and the relation to field water-quality parameters in the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers and selected tributaries, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 2001–09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fulton, John W.; Koerkle, Edward H.; McCoy, Jamie L.; Zarr, Linda F.

2016-01-21

A total of 1,742 water samples were collected at 52 main-stem and tributary sites. Quantifiable concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were reported in 1,667 samples, or 97.0 percent of 1,719 samples; concentrations in 853 samples (49.6 percent) exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recreational water-quality criterion of 235 colonies per 100 milliliters (col/100 mL). Quantifiable concentrations of fecal coliform (FC) bacteria were reported in 1,693 samples, or 98.8 percent of 1,713 samples; concentrations in 780 samples (45.5 percent) exceeded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania water contact criterion of 400 col/100 mL. Quantifiable concentrations of enterococci bacteria were reported in 912 samples, or 87.5 percent of 1,042 samples; concentrations in 483 samples (46.4 percent) exceeded the EPA recreational water-quality criterion of 61 col/100 mL. The median percentage of samples in which bacteria concentrations exceeded recreational water-quality standards across all sites with five or more samples was 48 for E. coli, 43 for FC, and 75 for enterococci. E. coli, FC, and enterococci concentrations at main-stem sites had significant positive correlations with streamflow under all weather conditions, with rho values ranging from 0.203 to 0.598. Seasonal Kendall and logistic regression were evaluated to determine whether statistically significant trends were present during the period 2001–09. In general, Seasonal Kendall tests for trends in E. coli and FC bacteria were inconclusive. Results of logistic regression showed no significant trends in dry-weather exceedance of the standards; however, significant decreases in the likelihood that wet-weather E. coli and FC bacteria concentrations will exceed EPA recreational standards were found at the USGS streamgaging station Allegheny River at 9th Street Bridge. Nonparametric correlation analysis, including Spearman’s rho and the paired Prentice-Wilcoxon test, was used to screen for associations among fecal indicator bacteria concentrations and the field characteristics streamflow, water temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved-oxygen concentration, and turbidity.

Quality of water and sediment in streams affected by historical mining, and quality of Mine Tailings, in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin, Big Bend Area of the United States and Mexico, August 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambert, Rebecca B.; Kolbe, Christine M.; Belzer, Wayne

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the International Boundary and Water Commission - U.S. and Mexican Sections, the National Park Service, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales in Mexico, the Area de Proteccion de Flora y Fauna Canon de Santa Elena in Mexico, and the Area de Proteccion de Flora y Fauna Maderas del Carmen in Mexico, collected samples of stream water, streambed sediment, and mine tailings during August 2002 for a study to determine whether trace elements from abandoned mines in the area in and around Big Bend National Park have affected the water and sediment quality in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin of the United States and Mexico. Samples were collected from eight sites on the main stem of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, four Rio Grande/Rio Bravo tributary sites downstream from abandoned mines or mine-tailing sites, and 11 mine-tailing sites. Mines in the area were operated to produce fluorite, germanium, iron, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc during the late 1800s through at least the late 1970s. Moderate (relatively neutral) pHs in stream-water samples collected at the 12 Rio Grande/Rio Bravo main-stem and tributary sites indicate that water is well mixed, diluted, and buffered with respect to the solubility of trace elements. The highest sulfate concentrations were in water samples from tributaries draining the Terlingua mining district. Only the sample from the Rough Run Draw site exceeded the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards general-use protection criterion for sulfate. All chloride and dissolved solids concentrations in water samples were less than the general-use protection criteria. Aluminum, copper, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc were detected in all water samples for which each element was analyzed. Cadmium, chromium, and lead were detected in samples less frequently, and silver was not detected in any of the samples. None of the sample concentrations of aluminum, cadmium, chromium, nickel, selenium, and zinc exceeded the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards criteria for aquatic life-use protection or human health. The only trace elements detected in the water samples at concentrations exceeding the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards criterion for human health (fish consumption use) was lead at one site and mercury at 10 of 12 sites. Relatively high mercury concentrations distributed throughout the area might indicate sources of mercury in addition to abandoned mining areas. Streambed-sediment samples were collected from 12 sites and analyzed for 44 major and trace elements. In general, the trace elements detected in streambed-sediment samples were low in concentration, interpreted as consistent with background concentrations. Concentrations at two sites, however, were elevated compared to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality criteria. Concentrations of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lead, silver, and zinc in the sample from San Carlos Creek downstream from La Esperanza (San Carlos) Mine exceeded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality screening levels for sediment. The sample from Rough Run Draw, downstream from the Study Butte Mine, also showed elevated concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, and lead, but these concentrations were much lower than those in the San Carlos Creek sample and did not exceed screening levels. Elevated concentrations of multiple trace elements in streambed-sediment samples from San Carlos Creek and Rough Run Draw indicate that San Carlos Creek, and probably Rough Run Draw, have been adversely affected by mining activities. Fourteen mine-tailing samples from 11 mines were analyzed for 25 major and trace elements. All trace elements except selenium and thallium were detected in one or more samples. The highest lead concentrations were detected in tailings samples from the Boquillas, Puerto Rico, La Esperanza (San Carlos), and Tres Marias Mines, as might be expected because the tailings ar

Constraining radon backgrounds in LZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, E. H.; Busenitz, J.; Edberg, T. K.; Ghag, C.; Hall, C.; Leonard, R.; Lesko, K.; Liu, X.; Meng, Y.; Piepke, A.; Schnee, R. W.

2018-01-01

The LZ dark matter detector, like many other rare-event searches, will suffer from backgrounds due to the radioactive decay of radon daughters. In order to achieve its science goals, the concentration of radon within the xenon should not exceed 2 µBq/kg, or 20 mBq total within its 10 tonnes. The LZ collaboration is in the midst of a program to screen all significant components in contact with the xenon. The four institutions involved in this effort have begun sharing two cross-calibration sources to ensure consistent measurement results across multiple distinct devices. We present here five preliminary screening results, some mitigation strategies that will reduce the amount of radon produced by the most problematic components, and a summary of the current estimate of radon emanation throughout the detector. This best estimate totals < 17.3 mBq, sufficiently low to meet the detector's science goals.

Airborne contaminants during controlled residential fires.

PubMed

Fent, Kenneth W; Evans, Douglas E; Babik, Kelsey; Striley, Cynthia; Bertke, Stephen; Kerber, Steve; Smith, Denise; Horn, Gavin P

2018-05-01

In this study, we characterize the area and personal air concentrations of combustion byproducts produced during controlled residential fires with furnishings common in 21 st century single family structures. Area air measurements were collected from the structure during active fire and overhaul (post suppression) and on the fireground where personnel were operating without any respiratory protection. Personal air measurements were collected from firefighters assigned to fire attack, victim search, overhaul, outside ventilation, and command/pump operator positions. Two different fire attack tactics were conducted for the fires (6 interior and 6 transitional) and exposures were compared between the tactics. For each of the 12 fires, firefighters were paired up to conduct each job assignment, except for overhaul that was conducted by 4 firefighters. Sampled compounds included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs, e.g., benzene), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and particulate (area air sampling only). Median personal air concentrations for the attack and search firefighters were generally well above applicable short-term occupational exposure limits, with the exception of HCN measured from search firefighters. Area air concentrations of all measured compounds decreased after suppression. Personal air concentrations of total PAHs and benzene measured from some overhaul firefighters exceeded exposure limits. Median personal air concentrations of HCN (16,300 ppb) exceeded the exposure limit for outside vent firefighters, with maximum levels (72,900 ppb) higher than the immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) level. Median air concentrations on the fireground (including particle count) were above background levels and highest when collected downwind of the structure and when ground-level smoke was the heaviest. No statistically significant differences in personal air concentrations were found between the 2 attack tactics. The results underscore the importance of wearing self-contained breathing apparatus when conducting overhaul or outside ventilation activities. Firefighters should also try to establish command upwind of the structure fire, and if this cannot be done, respiratory protection should be considered.

Impacts of Central American Fires on Ozone Air Quality in Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S. C.; Wang, Y.; Lei, R.; Talbot, R. W.

2016-12-01

Background ozone represents the portion of ozone level in one day that cannot be reduced by local emission controls. One of the important factors causing high background ozone events is wildfires. Satellite observations have documented frequent transport of wildfire smoke from Mexico and Central America to the southern US, particularly Texas, causing haze and exceedance of fine particle matters. However, the impact of those fires on background ozone in Texas is poorly understood. In this study, the effects of the Central America fire emissions in spring (Apr-May) from 2000 to 2013 on high background ozone events in Texas are investigated and quantified. We first examine through back trajectory analysis if any high background ozone days in cities of Texas such as Houston can be traced back to fire events in Central America. The GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model and its nested-grid version over North America are used to simulate the periods of the selected cases studies of Central American fires. Long-large transport of gaseous emissions (NOx, VOCs, and CO) from Central American fires are simulated and background ozone concentrations variations in Texas region due to those fire events are also quantified through the difference in model results with and without fire emissions in Central America. Finally, this study connects those fires and high background ozone events, and also quantifies the contribution of fire emissions from Central America on Texas ozone air quality.

Geo-Spatial Characterization of Soil Mercury and Arsenic at a High-Altitude Bolivian Gold Mine.

PubMed

Johnson, Glen D; Pavilonis, Brian; Caravanos, Jack; Grassman, Jean

2018-02-01

Soil mercury concentrations at a typical small-scale mine site in the Bolivian Andes were elevated (28-737 mg/kg or ppm) in localized areas where mercury amalgams were either formed or vaporized to release gold, but was not detectable beyond approximately 10 m from its sources. Arsenic was measurable, exceeding known background levels throughout the mine site (77-137,022 ppm), and was also measurable through the local village of Ingenio (36-1803 ppm). Although arsenic levels were high at all surveyed locations, its spatial pattern followed mercury, being highest where mercury was high.

Exceedance of PM10 and ozone concentration limits in Germany - Spatial variability and influence of climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidenreich, Majana; Bernhofer, Christian

2014-05-01

High concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and ground-level ozone (O3) have negative impacts on human health, e.g., increased risk of respiratory disease, and the environment. European Union (EU) air policy and air quality standards led to continuously reduced air pollution problems in recent decades. Nevertheless, the limit values for PM10 (particles with diameter of 10 micrometers or less) and ozone - defined by the directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament - are still exceeded frequently. Poor air quality and the exceedance of limits result mainly from the combination of high emissions and unfavourable weather conditions. Datasets from German monitoring stations are used to describe the spatial and temporal variability of the exceedance of concentration limits for PM10 and ozone for the federal states of Germany. Time series are analysed for the period 2000-2012 for PM10 and for the period 1990-2012 for ozone. Furthermore, the influence of weather patterns on the exceedance of concentration limits on a regional scale was investigated. Here, the "objective weather types" of the German Weather Service were used. As expected, for most regions anticyclonic weather types (with a negative cyclonality index for the two levels 950 and 500 hPa) show a high frequency on exeedance days, both for PM10 and ozone. The results could contribute to estimate the future exceedance frequency of concentration limits and to develop possible countermeasures.

AIR QUALITY OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Atmospheric concentrations of ozone and fine particulate matter continue to exceed their standards in many parts of the eastern United States. However, the peak concentration levels and number of ozone exceedances have decreased substantially in recent years due, in part, to the...

Relating road salt to exceedances of the water quality standard for chloride in New Hampshire streams.

PubMed

Trowbridge, Philip R; Kahl, J Steve; Sassan, Dari A; Heath, Douglas L; Walsh, Edward M

2010-07-01

Six watersheds in New Hampshire were studied to determine the effects of road salt on stream water quality. Specific conductance in streams was monitored every 15 min for one year using dataloggers. Chloride concentrations were calculated from specific conductance using empirical relationships. Stream chloride concentrations were directly correlated with development in the watersheds and were inversely related to streamflow. Exceedances of the EPA water quality standard for chloride were detected in the four watersheds with the most development. The number of exceedances during a year was linearly related to the annual average concentration of chloride. Exceedances of the water quality standard were not predicted for streams with annual average concentrations less than 102 mg L(-1). Chloride was imported into three of the watersheds at rates ranging from 45 to 98 Mg Cl km(-2) yr(-1). Ninety-one percent of the chloride imported was road salt for deicing roadways and parking lots. A simple, mass balance equation was shown to predict annual average chloride concentrations from streamflow and chloride import rates to the watershed. This equation, combined with the apparent threshold for exceedances of the water quality standard, can be used for screening-level TMDLs for road salt in impaired watersheds.

Enrichment and exposure assessment of As, Cr and Pb of the soils in the vicinity of Stawell, Victoria, Australia.

PubMed

Noble, Ryan R P; Hough, Robert M; Watkins, Ronald T

2010-06-01

Stawell Gold Mine in NW Victoria, Australia, mines ores that contain large concentrations of As and significant quantities of the metals Pb and Cr. The aim of this research was to understand the dispersion, enrichment and probable exposure of these potentially hazardous elements around the mine site. Fifty-five surface soil samples were collected near the mine (<15 km) and analysed by ICP-MS/OES following bioavailable and four-acid extractions. Soils near the mine show greater concentrations of As, Cr and Pb than those near a regionally determined background. This is attributed to the combination of a natural geochemical halo around mineralization and anthropogenic dispersion due to mining and urbanization. Total As concentrations were between 16 and 946 mg kg(-1) near the mine in a regional background of 1-16 mg kg(-1). Total Cr concentrations were between 18 and 740 mg kg(-1) near the mine in a regional background of 26-143 mg kg(-1). Total Pb concentrations were between 12 and 430 mg kg(-1) near the mine in a regional background of 9-23 mg kg(-1). Dispersion of contaminant elements from the present ore processing is <500 m. The most enriched soils occur close to the town and are unrelated to present mining practices. The bioavailable As, Cr and Pb, soil ingestion rates and Risk Reference Doses were used to estimate health risks. An average toddler (12 kg) would need to consume at least 1.5 g, and most likely 12 g, of soil per day to show some symptoms of As toxicity. The maximum measured bioavailable As would pose a risk at average ingestion rates of 200 mg per day. Individuals with soil-eating disorders would exceed the safe daily consumption limits for As, and potentially Cr and Pb. Small children are not typically exposed to soil everyday, very few have soil eating disorders, and, therefore, the health risk from the soils around the mine is minimal.

Heavy metals in navel orange orchards of Xinfeng County and their transfer from soils to navel oranges.

PubMed

Cheng, Jinjin; Ding, Changfeng; Li, Xiaogang; Zhang, Taolin; Wang, Xingxiang

2015-12-01

This study investigated heavy metal concentrations in soils and navel oranges of Xinfeng County, a well-known navel orange producing area of China. The results showed that the average concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) in orchard soils all increased compared to the regional background values, especially for Cd, which increased by 422%. When compared to the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for soil (GB15618-1995), Pb, Cr and Hg concentrations in all orchard soil samples were below the limit standards, but Cd concentrations in 24 soil samples (21%) and As concentrations in 8 soil samples (7%) exceeded the limit standards. However, concentrations of all heavy metals in navel orange pulps were within the National Food Safety Standard of China (GB 2762-2012). Dietary risk assessment also showed that the exposure to these five heavy metals by consumption of navel oranges could hardly pose adverse health effects on adults and children. Since the range and degree of soil Cd pollution was widest and the most severe of all, Cd was taken as an example to reveal the transfer characteristics of heavy metals in soil-navel orange system. Cd concentrations in different organs of navel orange trees decreased in the following order: root>leaf>peel>pulp. That navel oranges planted in the Cd contaminated soils were within the national food safety standard was mainly due to the low transfer factor for Cd from soil to pulp (TFpulp). Further studies showed that TFpulp was significantly negatively correlated with soil pH, organic carbon (OC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Based on these soil properties, a prediction equation for TFpulp was established, which indicated that the risk for Cd concentration of navel orange pulp exceeding the national food limit is generally low, when soil Cd concentration is below 7.30 mg/kg. If appropriate actions are taken to increase soil pH, OC and CEC, Cd concentrations in navel orange pulps could be further reduced. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of geochemical and hydrologic conditions near Old Yuma Mine in Saguaro National Park, Arizona, 2014–17

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beisner, Kimberly R.; Gray, Floyd

2018-03-13

The Old Yuma Mine is an abandoned copper, lead, zinc, silver, and gold mine located within the boundaries of Saguaro National Park, Tucson Mountain District, Arizona. This study analyzed the geochemistry of sediments associated with the Old Yuma Mine and assessed hydrologic and geochemical conditions of groundwater to evaluate the area surrounding the Old Yuma Mine. The purpose of the study was to establish the geochemical signature of material associated with the Old Yuma Mine and to compare it with background material and groundwater in the area. Few groundwater samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards. Concentrations of several elements were elevated in the waste rock and mine tailings compared with concentrations in sediments collected in background areas. A subset of 15 sediment samples was leached to simulate precipitation interacting with the solid material. Analysis of leachate samples compared to groundwater samples suggests that groundwater samples collected in this study are distinct from leachate samples associated with mining related material. Results suggest that at this time groundwater samples collected during this investigation are not influenced by elements leached from Old Yuma Mine materials.

Long-term measurements of residential radon, thoron, and thoron progeny concentrations around the Chhatrapur placer deposit, a high background radiation area in Odisha, India.

PubMed

Omori, Yasutaka; Prasad, Ganesh; Sorimachi, Atsuyuki; Sahoo, Sarata Kumar; Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Vidya Sagar, Devulapalli; Ramola, Rakesh Chand; Tokonami, Shinji

2016-10-01

The Chhatrapur placer deposit is found in a high background radiation area which has been recently identified on the southeastern coast of India. Previously, some geochemical studies of this area were carried out to assess external dose from radionuclides-bearing heavy mineral sands. In this study, radon, thoron and thoron progeny concentrations were measured in about 100 dwellings during three seasons (autumn-winter, summer, and rainy) in a 10- to 12-month period and annual doses due to inhalation of them were evaluated. The measurements were made by passive-type radon-thoron discriminative detectors and thoron progeny detectors in which solid state nuclear track detectors were deployed. The results show that radon and thoron concentrations differ by one order of magnitude depending on exposure periods, while thoron progeny concentration is nearly constant throughout the year. Since thorium-rich sand is distributed in the studied area, exposure to thoron is equal to, or exceeds, exposure to radon and is not negligible for dose evaluation. Based on the measurements, doses due to inhalation of radon and thoron are evaluated as 0.1-1.6 mSv y -1 and 0.2-3.8 mSv y -1 , respectively. The total dose is 0.8-4.6 mSv y -1 , which is the same order of magnitude as the worldwide value. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source apportionment and pollution evaluation of heavy metals in water and sediments of Buriganga River, Bangladesh, using multivariate analysis and pollution evaluation indices.

PubMed

Bhuiyan, Mohammad Amir Hossain; Dampare, Samuel B; Islam, M A; Suzuki, Shigeyuki

2015-01-01

Concentrations of heavy metals in water and sediment samples of Buriganga River in the capital city Dhaka, Bangladesh, were studied to understand the level of heavy metals and their source apportionment. The results showed that the mean concentrations of heavy metals both in water and sediment samples were very high and, in most cases, exceeded the permissible limits recommended by the Bangladesh government and other international organizations. Significantly higher concentrations of Pb, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Cd were found in sediment samples. However, average concentrations of metals both in water and sediment samples were above the effect range median. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and degree of contamination (Cd) yielded different results in water samples despite significant correlations between them. The heavy metal evaluation index (HEI) showed strong correlations with HPI and Cd and provided better assessment of pollution levels. The enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) showed the elevated value of Cr, Pb, and Cd in access of background values. The measured elements were subjected to positive matrix factorization (PMF) and examining correlations in order to explain the content, behavior, and source apportionment of metals. PMF resulted in a successful partitioning of variances into sources related to background geochemistry and contaminant influences. However, the PMF approach successfully demarcated the major sources of metals from tannery, paint, municipal sewage, textiles, and agricultural activities.

Trace elements, organochlorines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, and furans in lesser scaup wintering on the Indiana Harbor Canal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Custer, T.W.; Custer, Christine M.; Hines, R.K.; Sparks, D.W.

2000-01-01

During the winter of 1993a??94, male lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) were collected on the heavily polluted Indiana Harbor Canal (IHC), East Chicago, IN, USA, and examined for tissue contaminant levels. Lesser scaup collected on the IHC had higher concentrations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), selected organchlorine pesticides, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and aliphatic hydrocarbons than reference birds. Of the scaup collected on the IHC, 44% had Cd concentrations in the liver considered above background for freshwater waterfowl (>3 I?g/g dry wt.), 50% had Se concentrations in the liver above a level possibly harmful to the health of young and adult birds (>33 I?g/g dry wt.), and 88% of the scaup carcasses exceeded the PCB human consumption guidelines for edible poultry in the USA (>3.0 I?g/g lipid wt.). The ratio of pristane:n-heptadecane concentrations in 47% of lesser scaup collected on IHC was elevated above 1.0, which is indicative of chronic exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons. Copyright A? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Trace elements, organochlorines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, and furans in lesser scaup wintering on the Indiana Harbor Canal.

PubMed

Custer, T W; Custer, C M; Hines, R K; Sparks, D W

2000-12-01

During the winter of 1993-94, male lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) were collected on the heavily polluted Indiana Harbor Canal (IHC), East Chicago, IN, USA, and examined for tissue contaminant levels. Lesser scaup collected on the IHC had higher concentrations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), selected organchlorine pesticides, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and aliphatic hydrocarbons than reference birds. Of the scaup collected on the IHC, 44% had Cd concentrations in the liver considered above background for freshwater waterfowl (>3 microg/g dry wt.), 50% had Se concentrations in the liver above a level possibly harmful to the health of young and adult birds (>33 microg/g dry wt.), and 88% of the scaup carcasses exceeded the PCB human consumption guidelines for edible poultry in the USA (>3.0 microg/g lipid wt.). The ratio of pristane:n-heptadecane concentrations in 47% of lesser scaup collected on IHC was elevated above 1.0, which is indicative of chronic exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons.

The history of hexachlorobenzene accumulation in Svalbard fjords.

PubMed

Pouch, A; Zaborska, A; Pazdro, K

2018-05-24

In the present study, we investigated the spatial and historical trends of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) contamination in dated sediments of three Svalbard fjords (Kongsfjorden, Hornsund, Adventfjorden) differing in environmental conditions and human impact. HCB concentrations ranging from below limit of quantification (6.86 pg/g d.w.) to 143.99 pg/g d.w. were measured. The highest concentrations were measured in two surface sediment layers of the core collected in Hornsund near the melting glacier. The lowest concentrations of HCB were measured in Adventfjorden, suggesting that local source of HCB is not significant and global transport processes are the major transport pathways. The history of HCB deposition did not fully reflect the history of HCB emission (largest in 1950s and 1960s). In case of several sediment cores, the HCB enrichment in surface (recent) sediments was noticed. This can indicate importance of secondary sources of HCB, e.g., the influx of HCB accumulated over decades on the surface of glaciers. Detected levels of HCB were generally low and did not exceed background concentration levels; thus, a negative effect on benthic organisms is not expected.

Ground-water quality in the Appalachian Plateaus, Kanawha River basin, West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sheets, Charlynn J.; Kozar, Mark D.

2000-01-01

Water samples collected from 30 privately-owned and small public-supply wells in the Appalachian Plateaus of the Kanawha River Basin were analyzed for a wide range of constituents, including bacteria, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, radon, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds. Concentrations of most constituents from samples analyzed did not exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards. Constituents that exceeded drinking-water standards in at least one sample were total coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), iron, manganese, and sulfate. Total coliform bacteria were present in samples from five sites, and E. coli were present at only one site. USEPA secondary maximum contaminant levels (SMCLs) were exceeded for three constituents -- sulfate exceeded the SMCL of 250 mg/L (milligrams per liter) in samples from 2 of 30 wells; iron exceeded the SMCL of 300 ?g/L (micrograms per liter) in samples from 12 of the wells, and manganese exceeded the SMCL of 50 ?g/L in samples from 17 of the wells sampled. None of the samples contained concentrations of nutrients that exceeded the USEPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for these constituents. The maximum concentration of nitrate detected was only 4.1 mg/L, which is below the MCL of 10 mg/L. Concentrations of nitrate in precipitation and shallow ground water are similar, potentially indicating that precipitation may be a source of nitrate in shallow ground water in the study area. Radon concentrations exceeded the recently proposed maximum contaminant level of 300 pCi/L at 50 percent of the sites sampled. The median concentration of radon was only 290 pCi/L. Radon-222 is a naturally occurring, carcinogenic, radioactive decay product of uranium. Concentrations, however, did not exceed the alternate maximum contaminant level (AMCL) for radon of 4,000 pCi/L in any of the 30 samples. Arsenic concentrations exceeded the proposed MCL of 5?g/L at 4 of the 30 sites. No samples exceeded the current MCL of 50 ?g/L. Neither pesticides nor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were prevalent in the study area, and the concentrations of the compounds that were detected did not exceed any USEPA MCLs. Pesticides were detected in only two of the 30 wells sampled, but four pesticides -- atrazine, carbofuran, DCPA, and deethylatrazine -- were detected in one well; molinate was detected in the other well. All of the pesticides detected were at estimated concentrations of only 0.002 ?g/L. Of the VOCs detected, trihalomethane compounds (THMs), which can result from chlorination of a well, were the most common. THMs were detected in 13 of the 30 wells sampled. Gasoline by-products, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX compounds) were detected in 10 of the 30 wells sampled. The maximum concentration of any of the VOCs detected in this study, however, was only 1.040 ?g/L, for the THM dichlorofluoromethane. Water samples from 25 of the wells were analyzed for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to estimate the apparent age of ground water. The analyses indicated that age of water ranged from 10 to greater than 57 years, and that the age of ground water could be correlated with the topographic setting of the wells sampled. Thus the apparent age of water in wells on hilltops was youngest (median of 13 years) and that of water in wells in valleys was oldest (median of 42 years). Water from wells on hillsides was intermediate in age (median of 29 years). These data can be used to define contributing areas to wells, corroborate or revise conceptual ground-water flow models, estimate contaminant travel times from spills to other sources such as nearby domestic or public supply wells, and to manage point and nonpoint source activities that may affect critical aquifers.

Metal contamination of soils and crops affected by the Chenzhou lead/zinc mine spill (Hunan, China).

PubMed

Liu, Hongyu; Probst, Anne; Liao, Bohan

2005-03-01

In 1985, the collapse of the tailing dam in Chenzhou lead/zinc mine (Hunan, southern China) led to the spread of mining waste spills on the farmland along the Dong River. After the accident, an urgent soil cleaning up was carried out in some places. Seventeen years later, cereal (rice, maize, and sorghum), pulses (soybean, Adzuki bean, mung bean and peanut), vegetables (ipomoea, capsicum, taro and string bean) and the rooted soils were sampled at four sites: (1) the mining area (SZY), (2) the area still covered with the mining tailing spills (GYB), (3) the cleaned area from mining tailing spills (JTC), and (4) a background site (REF). Metal concentrations in the crops and soils were analyzed to evaluate the long-term effects of the spilled waste on the soil and the potential human exposure through food chains. The results showed that the physical-chemical properties of the soils obviously changed due to the different farming styles used by each individual farmer. Leaching effects and plant extraction of metals from some soils were quite weak. Certain soils were still heavily polluted with As, Cd, Zn, Pb and Cu. The contamination levels were in the order of GYB>SZY>JTC showing that the clean-up treatment was effective. The maximum allowable concentration (MAC) levels for Chinese agricultural soils were still highly exceeded, particularly for As and Cd (followed by Zn, Pb and Cu), with mean concentrations of 709 and 7.6 mg kg(-1), respectively. These concentrations exceed the MAC levels by 24 times for As and 13 times for Cd at GYB. Generally, the edible leaves or stems of crops were more heavily contaminated than seeds or fruits. Ipomoea was the most severely contaminated crop. The concentrations of Cd and Pb were 3.30 and 76.9 mg kg(-1) in ipomoea leaves at GYB, which exceeded the maximum permit levels (0.5 mg kg(-1) for Cd and 9 mg kg(-1) for Pb) by 6.6 and 8.5 times, respectively. Taro (+skin) could accumulate high concentrations of Zn and Cd in the edible stem, and rice and capsicum had high Cd concentration in the edible parts. However, the toxic element concentrations in maize, sorghum, Adzuki bean, soybean and mung bean remained lower than the threshold levels. The bio-accumulation factors (BAFs) of crops were in the order: Cd>Zn>Cu>Pb>As. BAF was typically lower in the edible seeds or fruits than in stems and leaves. The accumulation effect strongly depends on the crop's physiological properties, the mobility, of the metals, and the availability of metals in soils but not entirely on the total element concentrations in the soils. Even so, the estimated daily intake amount of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb from the crops grown in the affected three sites and arsenic at SZY and GYB exceeded the RDA (Recommended dietary allowance) levels. Subsequently, the crops grown in Chenzhou Pb/Zn mine waste affected area might have a hazardous effect on the consumer's health. This area still needs effective measures to cure the As, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu contamination.

Public health risk assessment of groundwater contamination in Batman, Turkey.

PubMed

Nalbantcilar, M Tahir; Pinarkara, Sukru Yavuz

2016-08-01

In this study, a comprehensive analysis of groundwater was performed to assess contamination and phenol content in Batman, Turkey, particularly in residential areas near agriculture, livestock and oil industry facilities. From these areas, where potentially contaminated groundwater used for drinking and irrigation threatens public health, 30 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations (Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, NO3, P, Pb, phenol, S, Sb, Se, SO4, Sr, U, and Zn). Compared with the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency, Al, Fe, and Mn concentrations in groundwater exceeded secondary drinking water regulations, NO3 concentrations were high for maximum contaminant levels, and As, Pb, and U concentrations exceeded maximum contaminant level goals in all samples. Ni, Sb, and Se concentrations also exceeded limits set by the Turkish Standards Institution. Nearly all samples revealed concentrations of Se, Sb, Hg, and phenol due to nearby petroleum refineries, oil storage plants, and agricultural and livestock areas. The results obtained from this study indicate that the groundwater in Batman contains elements in concentrations that approach or exceed limits and thus threatens public health with increased blood cholesterol, decreased blood sugar, and circulatory problems.

Occurrence of Selected Nutrients, Trace Elements, and Organic Compounds in Streambed Sediment in the Lower Chena River Watershed near Fairbanks, Alaska, 2002-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Ben W.; Hall, Cassidee C.

2009-01-01

In 2002-03, the U.S. Geological Survey collected samples of streambed sediment at 18 sites in the lower Chena River watershed for analysis of selected nutrients, traces elements, and organic compounds. The purpose of the project was to provide Federal, State, and local agencies as well as neighborhood committees, with information for consideration in plans to improve environmental conditions in the watershed. The exploratory sampling program included analysis of streambed sediment from the Chena River and Chena Slough, a tributary to the Chena River. Results were compared to streambed-sediment guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and to 2001-02 sediment data from Noyes Slough, a side channel of the lower Chena River. The median total phosphorus concentration in Chena Slough sediment samples, 680 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), was two orders of magnitude greater than median total phosphorus concentration in Chena River sediment samples of 5.2 mg/kg. Median concentrations of chloride and sulfate also were greater in Chena Slough samples. Low concentrations of nitrate were detected in most of the Chena Slough samples; nitrate concentrations were below method reporting limits or not detected in Chena River sediment samples. Streambed-sediment samples were analyzed for 24 trace elements. Arsenic, nickel, and zinc were the only trace elements detected in concentrations that exceeded probable-effect levels for the protection of aquatic life. Concentrations of arsenic in Chena Slough samples ranged from 11 to 70 mg/kg and concentrations in most of the samples exceeded the probable-effect guideline for arsenic of 17 mg/kg. Arsenic concentrations in samples from the Chena River ranged from 9 to 12 mg/kg. The background level for arsenic in the lower Chena River watershed is naturally elevated because of significant concentrations of arsenic in local bedrock and ground water. Sources of elevated concentrations of zinc in one sample, and of nickel in two samples, are unknown. With the exception of elevated arsenic levels in samples from Chena Slough, the occurrence and concentration of trace elements in the streambed sediments of Chena Slough and Chena River were similar to those in Noyes Slough sediment. Sediment samples were analyzed for 78 semivolatile organic compounds and 32 organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Low concentrations of dimethylnaphthalene and p-Cresol were detected in most Chena Slough and Chena River sediment samples. The number of semivolatile organic compounds detected ranged from 5 to 21 in most Chena Slough sediment samples. In contrast, three or fewer semivolatile organic compounds were detected in Chena River sediment samples, most likely because chemical-matrix interference resulted in elevated reporting limits for organochlorine compounds in the Chena River samples. Low concentrations of fluoranthene, pyrene, and phenanthrene were detected in Chena Slough sediment. Relatively low concentrations of DDT or its degradation products, DDD and DDE, were detected in all Chena Slough samples. Concentrations of total DDT (DDT+DDD+DDE) in two Chena Slough sediment samples exceeded the effectsrange median aquatic-life criteria of 46.1 micrograms per kilogram (ug/kg). DDT concentrations in Chena River streambed-sediment samples were less than 20 ug/kg. Low concentrations of PCB were detected in two Chena Slough streambed-sediment samples. None of the concentrations of the polychlorinated biphenyls or semivolatile organic compounds for which the samples were analyzed exceeded available guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. With the exception of elevated total DDT in two Chena Slough samples, the occurrence and concentration of organochlorine compounds in Chena Slough and Chena River sediment were similar to those in samples collected from Noyes Slough in 2001-02.

Non-antibiotic selection systems for soybean somatic embryos: the lysine analog aminoethyl-cysteine as a selection agent

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background In soybean somatic embryo transformation, the standard selection agent currently used is hygromycin. It may be preferable to avoid use of antibiotic resistance genes in foods. The objective of these experiments was to develop a selection system for producing transgenic soybean somatic embryos without the use of antibiotics such as hygromycin. Results When tested against different alternate selection agents our studies show that 0.16 μg/mL glufosinate, 40 mg/L isopropylamine-glyphosate, 0.5 mg/mL (S-(2 aminoethyl)-L-cysteine) (AEC) and the acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors Exceed® and Synchrony® both at 150 μg/mL inhibited soybean somatic embryo growth. Even at the concentration of 2 mg/mL, lysine+threonine (LT) were poor selection agents. The use of AEC may be preferable since it is a natural compound. Unlike the plant enzyme, dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHPS) from E. coli is not feed-back inhibited by physiological concentrations of lysine. The dapA gene which codes for E. coli DHPS was expressed in soybean somatic embryos under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter. Following introduction of the construct into embryogenic tissue of soybean, transgenic events were recovered by incubating the tissue in liquid medium containing AEC at a concentration of 5 mM. Only transgenic soybeans were able to grow at this concentration of AEC; no escapes were observed. Conclusion Genetically engineered soybeans expressing a lysine insensitive DHPS gene can be selected with the non-antibiotic selection agent AEC. We also report here the inhibitory effects of glufosinate, (isopropylamine-glyphosate) (Roundup®), AEC and the ALS inhibitors Exceed® and Synchrony® against different tissues of soybean PMID:19922622

Large inter-individual variation in isoflavone plasma concentration limits use of isoflavone intake data for risk assessment

PubMed Central

van der Velpen, V; Hollman, P C; van Nielen, M; Schouten, E G; Mensink, M; van't Veer, P; Geelen, A

2014-01-01

Background/objectives: Isoflavones are present in soy foods and soy-based supplements. Despite low plasma isoflavone concentrations in the general Western population, concentrations in supplement users exceed those suggested to be beneficial for health in Asian populations, raising concerns for adverse effects. To aid risk assessment, quantification of the relation between isoflavone intake and plasma concentrations is essential. Subjects/methods: Plasma samples were collected from postmenopausal women in three placebo-controlled crossover studies with 8-week periods for supplements (two studies, ~100 mg isoflavones/day, n=88) or 4-week periods for soy foods (one study, ~48 mg isoflavones/day, n=15). Plasma isoflavone concentrations (daidzein, equol, genistein and glycitein) were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. The association between plasma concentrations and isoflavone intake, equol producer status, intake–producer interaction and background dietary intake was assessed based on the assumption of a log-linear relation. Results: Median plasma total isoflavone concentrations after the soy food and supplement interventions were respectively 2.16 and 3.47 μmol/l for equol producers and 1.30 and 2.39 μmol/l for non-producers. Regression analysis showed that doubling isoflavone intake increased plasma concentrations by 55–62% (±s.e. 1–2%, R2>0.87) for daidzein, genistein, equol (only for producers) and total isoflavones; for glycitein the association was weaker (15±1%, R2=0.48). Adjustments for energy, carbohydrate and fat intake did not affect these estimates. Inter-individual variation, estimated based on repeated measures in one of the studies, was 30–96%. Conclusions: Although the relation between isoflavone intake and plasma concentrations was adequately quantified, the use of isoflavone intake data for risk assessment needs caution due to large inter-individual variation in plasma concentrations. PMID:24939433

Impact of particle emissions of new laser printers on modeled office room

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koivisto, Antti J.; Hussein, Tareq; Niemelä, Raimo; Tuomi, Timo; Hämeri, Kaarle

2010-06-01

In this study, we present how an indoor aerosol model can be used to characterize particle emitter and predict influence of the source on indoor air quality. Particle size-resolved emission rates were quantified and the source's influence on indoor air quality was estimated by using office model simulations. We measured particle emissions from three modern laser printers in a flow-through chamber. Measured parameters were used as input parameters for an indoor aerosol model, which we then used to quantify the particle emission rates. The same indoor aerosol model was used to simulate the effect of the particle emission source inside an office model. The office model consists of a mechanically ventilated empty room and the particle source. The aerosol from the ventilation air was a filtered urban background aerosol. The effect of the ventilation rate was studied using three different ventilation ratios 1, 2 and 3 h -1. According to the model, peak emission rates of the printers exceeded 7.0 × 10 8 s -1 (2.5 × 10 12 h -1), and emitted mainly ultrafine particles (diameter less than 100 nm). The office model simulation results indicate that a print job increases ultrafine particle concentration to a maximum of 2.6 × 10 5 cm -3. Printer-emitted particles increased 6-h averaged particle concentration over eleven times compared to the background particle concentration.

[CALCULATION OF THE PROBABILITY OF METALS INPUT INTO AN ORGANISM WITH DRINKING POTABLE WATERS].

PubMed

Tunakova, Yu A; Fayzullin, R I; Valiev, V S

2015-01-01

The work was performed in framework of the State program for the improvement of the competitiveness of Kazan (Volga) Federal University among the world's leading research and education centers and subsidies unveiled to Kazan Federal University to perform public tasks in the field of scientific research. In the current methodological recommendations "Guide for assessing the risk to public health under the influence of chemicals that pollute the environment," P 2.1.10.1920-04 there is regulated the determination of quantitative and/or qualitative characteristics of the harmful effects to human health from exposure to environmental factors. We proposed to complement the methodological approaches presented in P 2.1.10.1920-04, with the estimation of the probability of pollutants input in the body with drinking water which is the greater, the higher the order of the excess of the actual concentrations of the substances in comparison with background concentrations. In the paper there is proposed a method of calculation of the probability of exceeding the actual concentrations of metal cations above the background in samples of drinking water consumed by the population, which were selected at the end points of consumption in houses and apartments, to accommodate the passage of secondary pollution ofwater pipelines and distributing paths. Research was performed on the example of Kazan, divided into zones. The calculation of probabilities was made with the use of Bayes' theorem.

Detection of CO2 leakage by the surface-soil CO2-concentration monitoring (SCM) system in a small scale CO2 release test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chae, Gitak; Yu, Soonyoung; Sung, Ki-Sung; Choi, Byoung-Young; Park, Jinyoung; Han, Raehee; Kim, Jeong-Chan; Park, Kwon Gyu

2015-04-01

Monitoring of CO2 release through the ground surface is essential to testify the safety of CO2 storage projects. We conducted a feasibility study of the multi-channel surface-soil CO2-concentration monitoring (SCM) system as a soil CO2 monitoring tool with a small scale injection. In the system, chambers are attached onto the ground surface, and NDIR sensors installed in each chamber detect CO2 in soil gas released through the soil surface. Before injection, the background CO2 concentrations were measured. They showed the distinct diurnal variation, and were positively related with relative humidity, but negatively with temperature. The negative relation of CO2 measurements with temperature and the low CO2 concentrations during the day imply that CO2 depends on respiration. The daily variation of CO2 concentrations was damped with precipitation, which can be explained by dissolution of CO2 and gas release out of pores through the ground surface with recharge. For the injection test, 4.2 kg of CO2 was injected 1 m below the ground for about 30 minutes. In result, CO2 concentrations increased in all five chambers, which were located less than 2.5 m of distance from an injection point. The Chamber 1, which is closest to the injection point, showed the largest increase of CO2 concentrations; while Chamber 2, 3, and 4 showed the peak which is 2 times higher than the average of background CO2. The CO2 concentrations increased back after decreasing from the peak around 4 hours after the injection ended in Chamber 2, 4, and 5, which indicated that CO2 concentrations seem to be recovered to the background around 4 hours after the injection ended. To determine the leakage, the data in Chamber 2 and 5, which had low increase rates in the CO2 injection test, were used for statistical analysis. The result shows that the coefficient of variation (CV) of CO2 measurements for 30 minutes is efficient to determine a leakage signal, with reflecting the abnormal change in CO2 concentrations. The CV of CO2 measurements for 30 minutes exceeded 5% about 5 minutes before the maximum CO2 concentration was detected. The contributions of this work are as follows: (1) SCM is an efficient monitoring tool to detect the CO2 release through the ground surface. (2) The statistical analysis method to determine the leakage and a monitoring frequency are provided, with analyzing background concentrations and CO2 increases in a small-scale injection test. (3) The 5% CV of CO2 measurements for 30 minutes can be used for the early warning in CO2 storage sites.

Speciation of volatile arsenic at geothermal features in Yellowstone National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Planer-Friedrich, B.; Lehr, C.; Matschullat, J.; Merkel, B.J.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Sandstrom, M.W.

2006-01-01

Geothermal features in the Yellowstone National Park contain up to several milligram per liter of aqueous arsenic. Part of this arsenic is volatilized and released into the atmosphere. Total volatile arsenic concentrations of 0.5-200 mg/m3 at the surface of the hot springs were found to exceed the previously assumed nanogram per cubic meter range of background concentrations by orders of magnitude. Speciation of the volatile arsenic was performed using solid-phase micro-extraction fibers with analysis by GC-MS. The arsenic species most frequently identified in the samples is (CH3)2AsCl, followed by (CH3)3As, (CH3)2AsSCH3, and CH3AsCl2 in decreasing order of frequency. This report contains the first documented occurrence of chloro- and thioarsines in a natural environment. Toxicity, mobility, and degradation products are unknown. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrafine PM emissions from natural gas, oxidation-catalyst diesel, and particle-trap diesel heavy-duty transit buses.

PubMed

Holmén, Britt A; Ayala, Alberto

2002-12-01

This paper addresses how current technologies effective for reducing PM emissions of heavy-duty engines may affect the physical characteristics of the particles emitted. Three in-use transit bus configurations were compared in terms of submicron particle size distributions using simultaneous SMPS measurements under two dilution conditions, a minidiluter and the legislated constant volume sampler (CVS). The compressed natural gas (CNG)-fueled and diesel particulate filter (DPF)-equipped diesel configurations are two "green" alternatives to conventional diesel engines. The CNG bus in this study did not have an oxidation catalyst whereas the diesel configurations (with and without particulate filter) employed catalysts. The DPF was a continuously regenerating trap (CRT). Particle size distributions were collected between 6 and 237 nm using 2-minute SMPS scans during idle and 55 mph steady-state cruise operation. Average particle size distributions collected during idle operation of the diesel baseline bus operating on ultralow sulfur fuel showed evidence for nanoparticle growth under CVS dilution conditions relative to the minidiluter. The CRT effectively reduced both accumulation and nuclei mode concentrations by factors of 10-100 except under CVS dilution conditions where nuclei mode concentrations were measured during 55 mph steady-state cruise that exceeded baseline diesel concentrations. The CVS data suggest some variability in trap performance. The CNG bus had accumulation mode concentrations 10-100x lower than the diesel baseline but often displayed large nuclei modes, especially under CVS dilution conditions. Partly this may be explained by the lack of an oxidation catalyst on the CNG, but differences between the minidiluter and CVS size distributions suggest that dilution ratio, temperature-related wall interactions, and differences in tunnel background between the diluters contributed to creating nanoparticle concentrations that sometimes exceeded diesel baseline concentrations when driving under load. The results do not support use of CVS dilution methodology for ultrafine particle sampling, and, despite attention to collection of tunnel blanks in this study, results indicate that a protocol needs to be determined and prescribed for taking into account tunnel blank "emissions" to obtain meaningful comparisons between different technologies. Of critical importance is determining how temperature differences between tunnel blank and test cycle sampling compare in terms of background particle numbers. Total particle number concentrations for the minidiluter sampling point were not significantly different for the two alternative technologies when considering all the steady-cycle data collected. Concentrations ranged from 0.8 to 3 x 10(6) for the baseline bus operating on ultralow sulfur fuel, from 0.5 to 9 x 10(4) for the diesel bus equipped with the CRT filter, and from 1 to 8 x 10(4) particles/cc for the CNG bus.

Past, present and future concentrations of ground-level ozone and potential impacts on ecosystems and human health in northern Europe.

PubMed

Karlsson, Per Erik; Klingberg, Jenny; Engardt, Magnuz; Andersson, Camilla; Langner, Joakim; Karlsson, Gunilla Pihl; Pleijel, Håkan

2017-01-15

This review summarizes new information on the current status of ground-level ozone in Europe north of the Alps. There has been a re-distribution in the hourly ozone concentrations in northern Europe during 1990-2015. The highest concentrations during summer daytime hours have decreased while the summer night-time and winter day- and night-time concentrations have increased. The yearly maximum 8-h mean concentrations ([O 3 ] 8h,max ), a metric used to assess ozone impacts on human health, have decreased significantly during 1990-2015 at four out of eight studied sites in Fennoscandia and northern UK. Also the annual number of days when the yearly [O 3 ] 8h,max exceeded the EU Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) target value of 60ppb has decreased. In contrast, the number of days per year when the yearly [O 3 ] 8h,max exceeded 35ppb has increased significantly at two sites, while it decreased at one far northern site. [O 3 ] 8h,max is predicted not to exceed 60ppb in northern UK and Fennoscandia after 2020. However, the WHO EQS target value of 50ppb will still be exceeded. The AOT40 May-July and AOT40 April-September metrics, used for the protection of vegetation, have decreased significantly at three and four sites, respectively. The EQS for the protection of forests, AOT40 April-September 5000ppbh, is projected to no longer be exceeded for most of northern Europe sometime before the time period 2040-2059. However, if the EQS is based on Phytotoxic Ozone Dose (POD), POD 1 , it may still be exceeded by 2050. The increasing trend for low and medium range ozone concentrations in combination with a decrease in high concentrations indicate that a new control strategy, with a larger geographical scale than Europe and including methane, is needed for ozone abatement in northern Europe. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organic contaminants, trace and major elements, and nutrients in water and sediment sampled in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nowell, Lisa H.; Ludtke, Amy S.; Mueller, David K.; Scott, Jonathon C.

2012-01-01

Beach water and sediment samples were collected along the Gulf of Mexico coast to assess differences in contaminant concentrations before and after landfall of Macondo-1 well oil released into the Gulf of Mexico from the sinking of the British Petroleum Corporation's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. Samples were collected at 70 coastal sites between May 7 and July 7, 2010, to document baseline, or "pre-landfall" conditions. A subset of 48 sites was resampled during October 4 to 14, 2010, after oil had made landfall on the Gulf of Mexico coast, called the "post-landfall" sampling period, to determine if actionable concentrations of oil were present along shorelines. Few organic contaminants were detected in water; their detection frequencies generally were low and similar in pre-landfall and post-landfall samples. Only one organic contaminant--toluene--had significantly higher concentrations in post-landfall than pre-landfall water samples. No water samples exceeded any human-health benchmarks, and only one post-landfall water sample exceeded an aquatic-life benchmark--the toxic-unit benchmark for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) mixtures. In sediment, concentrations of 3 parent PAHs and 17 alkylated PAH groups were significantly higher in post-landfall samples than pre-landfall samples. One pre-landfall sample from Texas exceeded the sediment toxic-unit benchmark for PAH mixtures; this site was not sampled during the post-landfall period. Empirical upper screening-value benchmarks for PAHs in sediment were exceeded at 37 percent of post-landfall samples and 22 percent of pre-landfall samples, but there was no significant difference in the proportion of samples exceeding benchmarks between paired pre-landfall and post-landfall samples. Seven sites had the largest concentration differences between post-landfall and pre-landfall samples for 15 alkylated PAHs. Five of these seven sites, located in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, had diagnostic geochemical evidence of Macondo-1 oil in post-landfall sediments and tarballs. For trace and major elements in water, analytical reporting levels for several elements were high and variable. No human-health benchmarks were exceeded, although these were available for only two elements. Aquatic-life benchmarks for trace elements were exceeded in 47 percent of water samples overall. The elements responsible for the most exceedances in post-landfall samples were boron, copper, and manganese. Benchmark exceedances in water could be substantially underestimated because some samples had reporting levels higher than the applicable benchmarks (such as cobalt, copper, lead and zinc) and some elements (such as boron and vanadium) were analyzed in samples from only one sampling period. For trace elements in whole sediment, empirical upper screening-value benchmarks were exceeded in 57 percent of post-landfall samples and 40 percent of pre-landfall samples, but there was no significant difference in the proportion of samples exceeding benchmarks between paired pre-landfall and post-landfall samples. Benchmark exceedance frequencies could be conservatively high because they are based on measurements of total trace-element concentrations in sediment. In the less than 63-micrometer sediment fraction, one or more trace or major elements were anthropogenically enriched relative to national baseline values for U.S. streams for all sediment samples except one. Sixteen percent of sediment samples exceeded upper screening-value benchmarks for, and were enriched in, one or more of the following elements: barium, vanadium, aluminum, manganese, arsenic, chromium, and cobalt. These samples were evenly divided between the sampling periods. Aquatic-life benchmarks were frequently exceeded along the Gulf of Mexico coast by trace elements in both water and sediment and by PAHs in sediment. For the most part, however, significant differences between pre-landfall and post-landfall samples were limited to concentrations of PAHs in sediment. At five sites along the coast, the higher post-landfall concentrations of PAHs were associated with diagnostic geochemical evidence of Deepwater Horizon Macondo-1 oil.

40 CFR 86.1309-90 - Exhaust gas sampling system; Otto-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., shall exceed either 2.5 mg/l or a concentration equal to 25 times the limit of detection for the HPLC..., shall exceed either 2.5 mg/l or a concentration equal to 25 times the limit of detection for the HPLC...

40 CFR 86.1309-90 - Exhaust gas sampling system; Otto-cycle and non-petroleum-fueled engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., shall exceed either 2.5 mg/l or a concentration equal to 25 times the limit of detection for the HPLC..., shall exceed either 2.5 mg/l or a concentration equal to 25 times the limit of detection for the HPLC...

Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, June 1996 through August 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schmidt, Heather C. Ross; Mehl, Heidi E.; Pope, Larry M.

2007-01-01

This report describes surface- and ground-water-quality data collected on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation in northeastern Kansas from November 2003 through August 2006 (hereinafter referred to as the 'current study period'). Data from this study period are compared to results from June 1996 through August 2003, which are published in previous reports as part of a multiyear cooperative study with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Surface and ground water are valuable resources to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation as tribal members currently (2007) use area streams to fulfill subsistence hunting and fishing needs and because ground water potentially could support expanding commercial enterprise and development. Surface-water-quality samples collected from November 2003 through August 2006 were analyzed for physical properties, dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, fecal-indicator bacteria, suspended-sediment concentration, and total suspended solids. Ground-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and fecal-indicator bacteria. Chemical oxygen demand and volatile organic compounds were analyzed in all three samples from one monitoring well located near a construction and demolition landfill on the reservation, and in one sample from another well in the Soldier Creek drainage basin. Previous reports published as a part of this ongoing study identified total phosphorus, triazine herbicides, and fecal coliform bacteria as exceeding their respective water-quality criteria in surface water on the reservation. Previous ground-water assessments identified occasional sample concentrations of dissolved solids, sodium, sulfate, boron, iron, and manganese as exceeding their respective water-quality criteria. Fifty-six percent of the 55 surface-water samples collected during the current study period and analyzed for total phosphorus exceeded the goal of 0.1 mg/L (milligram per liter) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to limit cultural eutrophication in flowing water. Concentrations of dissolved solids frequently exceeded the USEPA Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation (SDWR) of 500 mg/L in samples from two sites. Concentrations of sodium exceeded the Drinking-Water Advisory of 20 mg/L set by USEPA in almost 50 percent of the surface-water samples. All four samples analyzed for atrazine concentrations showed some concentration of the pesticide, but none exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) established for drinking water by USEPA of 3.0 ?g/L (micrograms per liter) as an annual average. A triazine herbicide screen was used on 55 surface-water samples, and triazine compounds were frequently detected. Triazine herbicides and their degradates are listed on the USEPA Contaminant Candidate List. In 41 percent of surface-water samples, densities of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria exceeded the primary contact, single-sample maximum in public-access bodies of water (1,198 colonies per 100 milliliters of water for samples collected between April 1 and October 31) set by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in all three water samples from 1 of 10 monitoring wells exceeded the MCL of 10 mg/L established by USEPA for drinking water. Arsenic concentrations in all three samples from one well exceeded the proposed MCL of 10 ?g/L established by USEPA for drinking water. Boron also exceeded the drinking-water advisory in three samples from one well, and iron concentrations were higher than the SDWR in water from four wells. There was some detection of pesticides in ground-water samples from three of the wells, and one detection of the volatile organic compound diethyl ether in one well. Concentrations of dissolved solids exceeded the SDWR in 20 percent of ground-water samples collected during the current study period, and concentration

Urinary Excretion of Buprenorphine, Norbuprenorphine, Buprenorphine-Glucuronide, and Norbuprenorphine-Glucuronide in Pregnant Women Receiving Buprenorphine Maintenance Treatment

PubMed Central

Kacinko, Sherri L.; Jones, Hendree E.; Johnson, Rolley E.; Choo, Robin E.; Concheiro-Guisan, Marta; Huestis, Marilyn A.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND Buprenorphine (BUP) is under investigation as a medication therapy for opioid-dependent pregnant women. We investigated BUP and metabolite disposition in urine from women maintained on BUP during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and postpartum. METHODS We measured BUP, norbuprenorphine (NBUP), buprenorphine glucuronide (BUP-Gluc), and NBUP-Gluc concentrations in 515 urine specimens collected thrice weekly from 9 women during pregnancy and postpartum. Specimens were analyzed using a fully validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method with limits of quantification of 5 µg/L for BUP and BUP-Gluc and 25 µg/L for NBUP and its conjugated metabolite. We examined ratios of metabolites across trimesters and postpartum to identify possible changes in metabolism during pregnancy. RESULTS NBUP-Gluc was the primary metabolite identified in urine and exceeded BUP-Gluc concentrations in 99% of specimens. Whereas BUP-Gluc was identified in more specimens than NBUP, NBUP exceeded BUP-Gluc concentrations in 77.9% of specimens that contained both analytes. Among all participants, the mean BUP-Gluc:NBUP-Gluc ratio was significantly higher in the second trimester compared to the third trimester, and there were significant intrasubject differences between trimesters in 71% of participants. In 3 women, the percent daily dose excreted was higher during pregnancy than postpregnancy, consistent with other data indicating increased renal elimination of drugs during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS These data are the first to evaluate urinary disposition of BUP and metabolites in a cohort of pregnant women. Variable BUP excretion during pregnancy may indicate metabolic changes requiring dose adjustment during later stages of gestation. PMID:19325013

Assessment of Water-Quality Conditions in Fivemile Creek in the Vicinity of the Fivemile Creek Greenway, Jefferson County, Alabama, 2003-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gill, Amy C.; Robinson, John A.; Redmond, Jymalyn E.; Bradley, Michael W.

2008-01-01

The watershed of Fivemile Creek (FMC), a tributary to the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River, is located north of Birmingham, Alabama. Areas that have been previously coal-mined border the creek, and portions of the upper watershed have been and are currently (2007) being used for industrial and urban uses. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Tarrant, the Freshwater Land Trust, and the Jefferson County Commission, conducted a water-quality assessment of 12 sites along FMC during 2003?2005. Water samples were analyzed for basic physical and chemical properties and concentrations of major ions, nutrients, fecal indicator bacteria, organic wastewater compounds, pesticides, trace elements, and semivolatile organic compounds. Streambed-sediment samples were analyzed for concentrations of trace elements and semivolatile organic compounds. Benthic invertebrate communities were evaluated for taxonomic composition and relation to water-quality conditions. Nutrient concentrations in the FMC watershed reflect the influences of natural and anthropogenic sources. Concentrations of total nitrogen in all samples and total Kjeldahl nitrogen in at least one sample each collected from FMC at Hewitt Park, FMC below Springdale Road, FMC at Lewisburg, FMC near Republic, FMC at Brookside, and FMC at Linn Crossing exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ecoregion nutrient criteria. Total phosphorus concentrations in about 58 percent of all samples were above the ecoregion nutrient criteria. Concentrations of chlorophyll a, an indicator of algal biomass, in the FMC watershed were below the appropriate USEPA ecoregion criteria. Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations occasionally exceeded criteria established by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the USEPA to protect human health and aquatic life. Median fecal-coliform concentrations equaled or exceeded USEPA criteria at four of the six sites with multiple samples. Maximum Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations usually occurred during high-flow conditions and exceeded the single-sample criterion for infrequently-used whole-body contact (576 colonies per 100 milliliters) at all but one site. Median E. coli concentrations for two of the seven sites with multiple samples exceeded USEPA criteria. Twenty-nine samples were collected from sites along FMC and analyzed by the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory for the presence of 57 organic wastewater compounds. Forty-six of the 57 organic wastewater compounds, representing all 11 general-use categories, were detected in samples from FMC. All detections of organic wastewater compounds were estimated below laboratory reporting limits except for several detections of the herbicide bromacil. Herbicides accounted for approximately 62 percent of the number of pesticide detections in the FMC study area. Two herbicides, atrazine and simazine, were detected most frequently, in 100 percent of the surface-water samples. Fipronil sulfide was the most commonly detected insecticide-derived compound, occurring in 52 percent of the surface-water samples. Concentrations of one insecticide, dieldrin, exceeded the USEPA?s health advisory level for drinking water in one sample at FMC at Hewitt Park and in one sample at FMC below Springdale Road. Concentrations of carbaryl in two samples and malathion in one sample exceeded aquatic-life criteria. Only a few trace element concentrations measured in FMC exceeded established standards or criteria. Some concentrations of aluminum and manganese were above secondary drinking-water standards. One cadmium concentration and three selenium concentrations measured at FMC at Lewisburg exceeded ADEM chronic aquatic-life criteria. Streambed-sediment samples were collected at seven sites along FMC, and analyzed for selected semivolatile organic compounds and trace elements. Forty-nine of 98 semivolatile organic compounds were detected in stre

Risk assessment of water quality in three North Carolina, USA, streams supporting federally endangered freshwater mussels (Unionidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ward, S.; Augspurger, T.; Dwyer, F.J.; Kane, C.; Ingersoll, C.G.

2007-01-01

Water quality data were collected from three drainages supporting the endangered Carolina heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata) and dwarf wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon) to determine the potential for impaired water quality to limit the recovery of these freshwater mussels in North Carolina, USA. Total recoverable copper, total residual chlorine, and total ammonia nitrogen were measured every two months for approximately a year at sites bracketing wastewater sources and mussel habitat. These data and state monitoring datasets were compared with ecological screening values, including estimates of chemical concentrations likely to be protective of mussels, and federal ambient water quality criteria to assess site risks following a hazard quotient approach. In one drainage, the site-specific ammonia ecological screening value for acute exposures was exceeded in 6% of the samples, and 15% of samples exceeded the chronic ecological screening value; however, ammonia concentrations were generally below levels of concern in other drainages. In all drainages, copper concentrations were higher than ecological screening values most frequently (exceeding the ecological screening values for acute exposures in 65-94% of the samples). Chlorine concentrations exceeding the acute water quality criterion were observed in 14 and 35% of samples in two of three drainages. The ecological screening values were exceeded most frequently in Goose Creek and the Upper Tar River drainages; concentrations rarely exceeded ecological screening values in the Swift Creek drainage except for copper. The site-specific risk assessment approach provides valuable information (including site-specific risk estimates and ecological screening values for protection) that can be applied through regulatory and nonregulatory means to improve water quality for mussels where risks are indicated and pollutant threats persist. ?? 2007 SETAC.

Environmental contaminants in fish and their associated risk to piscivorous wildlife in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, J.E.; Schmitt, C.J.; Echols, K.R.; May, T.W.; Orazio, C.E.; Tillitt, D.E.

2006-01-01

Organochlorine chemical residues and elemental contaminants were measured in northern pike (Esox lucius), longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), and burbot (Lota lota) from 10 sites in the Yukon River Basin (YRB) during 2002. Contaminant concentrations were compared to historical YRB data and to toxicity thresholds for fish and piscivorous wildlife from the scientific literature. A risk analysis was conducted to screen for potential hazards to piscivorous wildlife for contaminants that exceeded literature-based toxicity thresholds. Concentrations of total DDT (sum of p,p???-homologs; 1.09-13.6 ng/g), total chlordane (0.67-7.5 ng/g), dieldrin (<0.16-0.6 ng/g), toxaphene (<11-34 ng/g), total PCBs (<20-87 ng/g), TCDD-EQ (???1.7 pg/g), arsenic (0.03-1.95 ??g/g), cadmium (<0.02-0.12 ??g/g), copper (0.41-1.49 ??g/g), and lead (<0.21-0.27 ??g/g) did not exceed toxicity thresholds for growth and reproduction in YRB fish. Concentrations of mercury (0.08-0.65 ??g/g), selenium (0.23-0.85 ??g/g), and zinc (11-56 ??g/g) exceeded toxicity thresholds in one or more samples and were included in the risk analysis for piscivorous wildlife. No effect hazard concentrations (NEHCs) and low effect hazard concentrations (LEHCs), derived from literature-based toxicity reference values and avian and mammalian life history parameters, were calculated for mercury, selenium, and zinc. Mercury concentrations in YRB fish exceeded the NEHCs for all bird and small mammal models, which indicated that mercury concentrations in fish may represent a risk to piscivorous wildlife throughout the YRB. Low risk to piscivorous wildlife was associated with selenium and zinc concentrations in YRB fish. Selenium and zinc concentrations exceeded the NEHCs and LEHCs for only the small bird model. These results indicate that mercury should continue to be monitored and assessed in Alaskan fish and wildlife. ?? 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Completely automated open-path FT-IR spectrometry.

PubMed

Griffiths, Peter R; Shao, Limin; Leytem, April B

2009-01-01

Atmospheric analysis by open-path Fourier-transform infrared (OP/FT-IR) spectrometry has been possible for over two decades but has not been widely used because of the limitations of the software of commercial instruments. In this paper, we describe the current state-of-the-art of the hardware and software that constitutes a contemporary OP/FT-IR spectrometer. We then describe advances that have been made in our laboratory that have enabled many of the limitations of this type of instrument to be overcome. These include not having to acquire a single-beam background spectrum that compensates for absorption features in the spectra of atmospheric water vapor and carbon dioxide. Instead, an easily measured "short path-length" background spectrum is used for calculation of each absorbance spectrum that is measured over a long path-length. To accomplish this goal, the algorithm used to calculate the concentrations of trace atmospheric molecules was changed from classical least-squares regression (CLS) to partial least-squares regression (PLS). For calibration, OP/FT-IR spectra are measured in pristine air over a wide variety of path-lengths, temperatures, and humidities, ratioed against a short-path background, and converted to absorbance; the reference spectrum of each analyte is then multiplied by randomly selected coefficients and added to these background spectra. Automatic baseline correction for small molecules with resolved rotational fine structure, such as ammonia and methane, is effected using wavelet transforms. A novel method of correcting for the effect of the nonlinear response of mercury cadmium telluride detectors is also incorporated. Finally, target factor analysis may be used to detect the onset of a given pollutant when its concentration exceeds a certain threshold. In this way, the concentration of atmospheric species has been obtained from OP/FT-IR spectra measured at intervals of 1 min over a period of many hours with no operator intervention.

Effects of Offshore Oil Exploration and Development in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea: A Three-Decade Record for Sediment Metals.

PubMed

Trefry, John H; Neff, Jerry M

2018-06-19

Impacts from oil exploration, development and production in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, are assessed using concentrations of metals in sediments collected during 2014-15, combined with a large dataset for 1985-2006. Concentrations of 7 (1980 s) or 17 (1999-2015) metals in 423 surface sediments from 134 stations, plus 563 samples from 30 cores were highly variable, primarily as a function of sediment granulometry with naturally greater metal concentrations in fine-grained, Al-rich sediment. Metals versus Al correlation plots were used to normalize metal concentrations and identify values significantly above background. Barium, Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb concentrations were above background, but variable, within 250 m of some offshore sites where drilling occurred between 1981-2001; these areas totaled <6 km 2 of 11,000 km 2 in the total lease area. Random and fixed sampling along the coastal Beaufort Sea from 1985-2015 yielded 40 positive anomalies for metals in surface sediments (∼0.8% of 5,082 data points). About 85% of the anomalies were from developed areas. Half the anomalies were for the five metals found enhanced near drilling sites. No metals concentrations, except As, exceeded accepted sediment quality criteria. Interannual shifts in metals values for surface sediments at inner shelf sites were common and linked to storm-induced transitions in granulometry; however, metal/Al ratios were uniform during these shifts. Sediment cores generally recorded centuries of background values, except for As, Fe and Mn. These three metals were naturally enriched in sediments from deeper water (>100 m) via diagenetic remobilization at sediment depths of 5-15 cm, upward diffusion, and precipitation in surface oxic layers. Minimal evidence for anthropogenic inputs of metals, except near some exploratory drilling sites, is consistent with extraction of most oil from land or barrier islands in the Alaskan Arctic and restricted offshore activity to date. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Detailed study of selenium and selected constituents in water, bottom sediment, soil, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the San Juan River area, New Mexico, 1991-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Carole L.; Wilson, R.M.; Lusk, J.D.; Bristol, R.S.; Shineman, A.R.

1998-01-01

In response to increasing concern about the quality of irrigation drainage and its potential effects on fish, wildlife, and human health, the U.S. Department of the Interior began the National Irrigation Water Quality Program (NIWQP) to investigate these concerns at irrigation projects sponsored by the Department. The San Juan River in northwestern New Mexico was one of the areas designated for study. Study teams composed of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs collected water, bottom-sediment, soil, and biological samples at 61 sites in the San Juan River area during 1993-94. Supplemental data collection conducted during 1991-95 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its contractor extended the time period and sampling sites available for analysis. Analytical chemistry performed on samples indicated that most potentially toxic elements other than selenium generally were not high enough to be of concern to fish, wildlife, and human health. Element concentrations in some water, bottom-sediment, soil, and biological samples exceeded applicable standards and criteria suggested by researchers in current literature. Selenium concentrations in water samples from 28 sites in the study area exceeded the 2-microgram-per-liter wildlife-habitat standard. Vanadium concentrations in water exceeded the 100-microgram-per-liter standard for livestock-drinking water at one site. In biota, selenium and aluminum concentrations regularly equaled or exceeded avian dietary threshold concentrations. In bottom sediment and soil, element concentrations above the upper limit of the baseline range for western soils were: selenium, 24 exceedances; lead, 2 exceedances; molybdenum, 2 exceedances; strontium, 4 exceedances; and zinc, 4 exceedances. Concentrations of total selenium in bottom-sediment and soil samples were significantly greater for Cretaceous than for non-Cretaceous soil types in the study area and were generally similar for habitats within and outside irrigation-affected areas. Mean and median total-selenium concentrations in samples from areas with Cretaceous soil types were 4.6 and 2.2 micrograms per gram, respectively. Mean and median total-selenium concentrations in samples from areas with non-Cretaceous soil types were 0.6 and 0.15 microgram per gram, respectively. Samples from the study area had low concentrations of organic constituents. Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in a few biological samples at low concentrations. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds were not detected in whole-water samples collected using conventional water-sampling techniques. In tests involving the use of semipermeable-membrane devices to supplement conventional water assays for PAH's, low concentrations of PAH's were found at several locations in the Hammond Irrigation Supply Canal, but were not detected in the Hammond ponds at the downstream reach of the Hammond irrigation service area. PAH compounds do not appear to reach the San Juan River through the Hammond Canal. Data indicate that water samples from irrigation-drainage-affected habitats had increased mean selenium concentrations compared with samples from irrigation-delivery habitat. The mean selenium concentration in water was greatest at seeps and tributaries draining irrigated land (17 micrograms per liter); less in irrigation drains and in ponds on irrigated land (6 micrograms per liter); and least in backwater, the San Juan River, and irrigation-supply water (0.5 - 0.6 microgram per liter). Statistical tests imply that irrigation significantly increases selenium concentrations in water samples when a Department of the Interior irrigation project is developed on selenium-rich sediments. Water samples from sites with Cretaceous soils had signi

10 CFR 20.2203 - Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the constraints or limits. 20.2203 Section 20.2203 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION Reports § 20.2203 Reports of exposures...

10 CFR 20.2203 - Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the constraints or limits. 20.2203 Section 20.2203 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION Reports § 20.2203 Reports of exposures...

10 CFR 20.2203 - Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the constraints or limits. 20.2203 Section 20.2203 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION Reports § 20.2203 Reports of exposures...

10 CFR 20.2203 - Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the constraints or limits. 20.2203 Section 20.2203 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION Reports § 20.2203 Reports of exposures...

10 CFR 20.2203 - Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Reports of exposures, radiation levels, and concentrations of radioactive material exceeding the constraints or limits. 20.2203 Section 20.2203 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION Reports § 20.2203 Reports of exposures...

40 CFR 141.80 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and copper action levels measured in samples collected at consumers' taps. (c) Lead and copper action levels. (1) The lead action level is exceeded if the concentration of lead in more than 10 percent of tap... action level is exceeded if the concentration of copper in more than 10 percent of tap water samples...

Monitoring and modeling to predict Escherichia coli at Presque Isle Beach 2, City of Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Tammy M.

2006-01-01

The Lake Erie shoreline in Pennsylvania spans nearly 40 miles and is a valuable recreational resource for Erie County. Nearly 7 miles of the Lake Erie shoreline lies within Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa. Concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria at permitted Presque Isle beaches occasionally exceed the single-sample bathing-water standard, resulting in unsafe swimming conditions and closure of the beaches. E. coli concentrations and other water-quality and environmental data collected at Presque Isle Beach 2 during the 2004 and 2005 recreational seasons were used to develop models using tobit regression analyses to predict E. coli concentrations. All variables statistically related to E. coli concentrations were included in the initial regression analyses, and after several iterations, only those explanatory variables that made the models significantly better at predicting E. coli concentrations were included in the final models. Regression models were developed using data from 2004, 2005, and the combined 2-year dataset. Variables in the 2004 model and the combined 2004-2005 model were log10 turbidity, rain weight, wave height (calculated), and wind direction. Variables in the 2005 model were log10 turbidity and wind direction. Explanatory variables not included in the final models were water temperature, streamflow, wind speed, and current speed; model results indicated these variables did not meet significance criteria at the 95-percent confidence level (probabilities were greater than 0.05). The predicted E. coli concentrations produced by the models were used to develop probabilities that concentrations would exceed the single-sample bathing-water standard for E. coli of 235 colonies per 100 milliliters. Analysis of the exceedence probabilities helped determine a threshold probability for each model, chosen such that the correct number of exceedences and nonexceedences was maximized and the number of false positives and false negatives was minimized. Future samples with computed exceedence probabilities higher than the selected threshold probability, as determined by the model, will likely exceed the E. coli standard and a beach advisory or closing may need to be issued; computed exceedence probabilities lower than the threshold probability will likely indicate the standard will not be exceeded. Additional data collected each year can be used to test and possibly improve the model. This study will aid beach managers in more rapidly determining when waters are not safe for recreational use and, subsequently, when to issue beach advisories or closings.

Variations in time and space of trace metal aerosol concentrations in urban areas and their surroundings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, T.; Querol, X.; Alastuey, A.; Reche, C.; Cusack, M.; Amato, F.; Pandolfi, M.; Pey, J.; Richard, A.; Prévôt, A. S. H.; Furger, M.; Gibbons, W.

2011-05-01

Using an unprecedentedly large geochemical database, we compare temporal and spatial variations in inhalable trace metal background concentrations in a major city (Barcelona, Spain) and at a nearby mountainous site (Montseny) affected by the urban plume. Both sites are contaminated by technogenic metals, with V, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, Sn, Bi, Sb and Cd all showing upper continental crust (UCC) normalised values >1 in broadly increasing order. The highest metal concentrations usually occur during winter at Barcelona and summer in Montseny. This seasonal difference was especially marked at the remote mountain site in several elements such as Ti and Rare Earth Elements, which recorded campaign maxima, exceeding PM10 concentrations seen in Barcelona. The most common metals were Zn, Ti, Cu, Mn, Pb and V. Both V and Ni show highest concentrations in summer, and preferentially fractionate into the finest PM sizes (PM1/PM10 > 0.5) especially in Barcelona, this being attributed to regionally dispersed contamination from fuel oil combustion point sources. Within the city, hourly metal concentrations are controlled either by traffic (rush hour double peak for Cu, Sb, Sn, Ba) or industrial plumes (morning peak of Ni, Mn, Cr generated outside the city overnight), whereas at Montseny metal concentrations rise during the morning to a single, prolonged afternoon peak as contaminated air transported by the sea breeze moves into the mountains. Our exceptional database, which includes hourly measurements of chemical concentrations, demonstrates in more detail than previous studies the spatial and temporal variability of urban pollution by trace metals in a given city. Technogenic metalliferous aerosols are commonly fine in size and therefore potentially bioavailable, emphasising the case for basing urban background PM characterisation not only on physical parameters such as mass but also on sample chemistry and with special emphasis on trace metal content.

Variations in time and space of trace metal aerosol concentrations in urban areas and their surroundings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, T.; Querol, X.; Alastuey, A.; Reche, C.; Cusack, M.; Amato, F.; Pandolfi, M.; Pey, J.; Richard, A.; Prévôt, A. S. H.; Furger, M.; Gibbons, W.

2011-09-01

Using an unprecedentedly large geochemical database, we compare temporal and spatial variations in inhalable trace metal background concentrations in a major city (Barcelona, Spain) and at a nearby mountainous site (Montseny) affected by the urban plume. Both sites are contaminated by technogenic metals, with V, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, Sn, Bi, Sb and Cd all showing upper continental crust (UCC) normalised values >1 in broadly increasing order. The highest metal concentrations usually occur during winter at Barcelona and summer in Montseny. This seasonal difference was especially marked at the remote mountain site in several elements such as Ti and Rare Earth Elements, which recorded campaign maxima, exceeding PM10 concentrations seen in Barcelona. The most common metals were Zn, Ti, Cu, Mn, Pb and V. Both V and Ni show highest concentrations in summer, and preferentially fractionate into the finest PM sizes (PM1/PM10 > 0.5) especially in Barcelona, this being attributed to regionally dispersed contamination from fuel oil combustion point sources. Within the city, hourly metal concentrations are controlled either by traffic (rush hour double peak for Cu, Sb, Sn, Ba) or industrial plumes (morning peak of Ni, Mn, Cr generated outside the city overnight), whereas at Montseny metal concentrations rise during the morning to a single, prolonged afternoon peak as contaminated air transported by the sea breeze moves into the mountains. Our exceptional database, which includes hourly measurements of chemical concentrations, demonstrates in more detail than previous studies the spatial and temporal variability of urban pollution by trace metals in a given city. Technogenic metalliferous aerosols are commonly fine in size and therefore potentially bioavailable, emphasising the case for basing urban background PM characterisation not only on physical parameters such as mass but also on sample chemistry and with special emphasis on trace metal content.

Water Quality Conditions Associated with Cattle Grazing and Recreation on National Forest Lands

PubMed Central

Roche, Leslie M.; Kromschroeder, Lea; Atwill, Edward R.; Dahlgren, Randy A.; Tate, Kenneth W.

2013-01-01

There is substantial concern that microbial and nutrient pollution by cattle on public lands degrades water quality, threatening human and ecological health. Given the importance of clean water on multiple-use landscapes, additional research is required to document and examine potential water quality issues across common resource use activities. During the 2011 grazing-recreation season, we conducted a cross sectional survey of water quality conditions associated with cattle grazing and/or recreation on 12 public lands grazing allotments in California. Our specific study objectives were to 1) quantify fecal indicator bacteria (FIB; fecal coliform and E. coli), total nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium, total phosphorus, and soluble-reactive phosphorus concentrations in surface waters; 2) compare results to a) water quality regulatory benchmarks, b) recommended maximum nutrient concentrations, and c) estimates of nutrient background concentrations; and 3) examine relationships between water quality, environmental conditions, cattle grazing, and recreation. Nutrient concentrations observed throughout the grazing-recreation season were at least one order of magnitude below levels of ecological concern, and were similar to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) estimates for background water quality conditions in the region. The relative percentage of FIB regulatory benchmark exceedances widely varied under individual regional and national water quality standards. Relative to USEPA’s national E. coli FIB benchmarks–the most contemporary and relevant standards for this study–over 90% of the 743 samples collected were below recommended criteria values. FIB concentrations were significantly greater when stream flow was low or stagnant, water was turbid, and when cattle were actively observed at sampling. Recreation sites had the lowest mean FIB, total nitrogen, and soluble-reactive phosphorus concentrations, and there were no significant differences in FIB and nutrient concentrations between key grazing areas and non-concentrated use areas. Our results suggest cattle grazing, recreation, and provisioning of clean water can be compatible goals across these national forest lands. PMID:23826370

Association between Daily Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure and Incidence of Emergency Hospital Visits: A Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Finnbjornsdottir, Ragnhildur Gudrun; Carlsen, Hanne Krage; Thorsteinsson, Throstur; Oudin, Anna; Lund, Sigrun Helga; Gislason, Thorarinn; Rafnsson, Vilhjalmur

2016-01-01

Background The adverse health effects of high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) exposure are well known, though the possible effects of low concentrations have not been thoroughly studied. The aim was to study short-term associations between modelled ambient low-level concentrations of intermittent hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and emergency hospital visits with heart diseases (HD), respiratory diseases, and stroke as primary diagnosis. Methods The study is population-based, using data from patient-, and population-registers from the only acute care institution in the Reykjavik capital area, between 1 January, 2007 and 30 June, 2014. The study population was individuals (≥18yr) living in the Reykjavik capital area. The H2S emission originates from a geothermal power plant in the vicinity. A model was used to estimate H2S exposure in different sections of the area. A generalized linear model assuming Poisson distribution was used to investigate the association between emergency hospital visits and H2S exposure. Distributed lag models were adjusted for seasonality, gender, age, traffic zones, and other relevant factors. Lag days from 0 to 4 were considered. Results The total number of emergency hospital visits was 32961 with a mean age of 70 years. In fully adjusted un-stratified models, H2S concentrations exceeding 7.00μg/m3 were associated with increases in emergency hospital visits with HD as primary diagnosis at lag 0 risk ratio (RR): 1.067; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.024–1.111, lag 2 RR: 1.049; 95%CI: 1.005–1.095, and lag 4 RR: 1.046; 95%CI: 1.004–1.089. Among males an association was found between H2S concentrations exceeding 7.00μg/m3, and HD at lag 0 RR: 1.087; 95%CI: 1.032–1.146 and lag 4 RR: 1080; 95%CI: 1.025–1.138; and among those 73 years and older at lag 0 RR: 1.075; 95%CI: 1.014–1.140 and lag 3 RR: 1.072; 95%CI: 1.009–1.139. No associations were found with other diseases. Conclusions The study showed an association between emergency hospital visits with HD as primary diagnosis and same day H2S concentrations exceeding 7.00μg/m3, more pronounced among males and those 73 years and older than among females and younger individuals. PMID:27218467

Ground-Water Quality of the Northern High Plains Aquifer, 1997, 2002-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanton, Jennifer S.; Qi, Sharon L.

2007-01-01

An assessment of ground-water quality in the northern High Plains aquifer was completed during 1997 and 2002-04. Ground-water samples were collected at 192 low-capacity, primarily domestic wells in four major hydrogeologic units of the northern High Plains aquifer-Ogallala Formation, Eastern Nebraska, Sand Hills, and Platte River Valley. Each well was sampled once, and water samples were analyzed for physical properties and concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, pesticides and pesticide degradates, dissolved solids, major ions, trace elements, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), radon, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Tritium and microbiology were analyzed at selected sites. The results of this assessment were used to determine the current water-quality conditions in this subregion of the High Plains aquifer and to relate ground-water quality to natural and human factors affecting water quality. Water-quality analyses indicated that water samples rarely exceeded established U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public drinking-water standards for those constituents sampled; 13 of the constituents measured or analyzed exceeded their respective standards in at least one sample. The constituents that most often failed to meet drinking-water standards were dissolved solids (13 percent of samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation) and arsenic (8 percent of samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level). Nitrate, uranium, iron, and manganese concentrations were larger than drinking-water standards in 6 percent of the samples. Ground-water chemistry varied among hydrogeologic units. Wells sampled in the Platte River Valley and Eastern Nebraska units exceeded water-quality standards more often than the Ogallala Formation and Sand Hills units. Thirty-one percent of the samples collected in the Platte River Valley unit had nitrate concentrations greater than the standard, 22 percent exceeded the manganese standard, 19 percent exceeded the sulfate standard, 26 percent exceeded the uranium standard, and 38 percent exceeded the dissolved-solids standard. In addition, 78 percent of samples had at least one detectable pesticide and 22 percent of samples had at least one detectable VOC. In the Eastern Nebraska unit, 30 percent of the samples collected had dissolved-solids concentrations larger than the standard, 23 percent exceeded the iron standard, 13 percent exceeded the manganese standard, 10 percent exceeded the arsenic standard, 7 percent exceeded the sulfate standard, 7 percent exceeded the uranium standard, and 7 percent exceeded the selenium standard. No samples exceeded the nitrate standard. Thirty percent of samples had at least one detectable pesticide compound and 10 percent of samples had at least one detectable VOC. In contrast, the Sand Hills and Ogallala Formation units had fewer detections of anthropogenic compounds and drinking-water exceedances. In the Sand Hills unit, 15 percent of the samples exceeded the arsenic standard, 4 percent exceeded the nitrate standard, 4 percent exceeded the uranium standard, 4 percent exceeded the iron standard, and 4 percent exceeded the dissolved-solids standard. Fifteen percent of samples had at least one pesticide compound detected and 4 percent had at least one VOC detected. In the Ogallala Formation unit, 6 percent of water samples exceeded the arsenic standard, 4 percent exceeded the dissolved-solids standard, 3 percent exceeded the nitrate standard, 2 percent exceeded the manganese standard, 1 percent exceeded the iron standard, 1 percent exceeded the sulfate standard, and 1 percent exceeded the uranium standard. Eight percent of samples collected in the Ogallala Formation unit had at least one pesticide detected and 6 percent had at least one VOC detected. Differences in ground-water chemistry among the hydrogeologic units were attributed to variable depth to water, depth of the well screen below the water table, reduction-oxidation conditions, ground-water residence time, interactions with surface water, composition of aquifer sediments, extent of cropland, extent of irrigated land, and fertilizer application rates.

Impact of Elevated CO2 on Trace Element Release from Aquifer Sediments of the San Joaquin Valley, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, P. M.; Nico, P. S.; Davis, J. A.; Spycher, N.

2014-12-01

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a promising technique for mitigating climate change by storing large volumes of carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers. In California, the thick marine sediments of the Central and Salinas Valleys have been identified as prime targets for future CO2 storage. However, the potential impacts on water quality of overlying drinking-water aquifers must be studied before CCS can be implemented. In this study, we compare trace element release from San Joaquin Valley aquifer sediments with a wide range of textural and redox properties. Kinetic batch experiments were performed with artificial groundwater continuously equilibrated under CO2-saturated (at 1 atm) and background CO2 (0.002-0.006 atm) conditions, resulting in a shift of nearly 3 pH units. In addition, the reversibility of trace element release was studied by sequentially lowering the CO2 from 1.0 atm to 0.5 atm to background concentrations (0.002-0.006 atm) for CO2-saturated systems in order to mimic the dissipation of a CO2 plume in the aquifer. During exposure to high CO2, a number of elements displayed enhanced release compared to background CO2 experiments (Ca, Mg, Li, Si, B, As, Sr, Ni, Fe, Mn, V, Ti, and Co) with concentrations of As, Fe, and Mn exceeding EPA maximum contaminant levels in some cases. On the other hand, Mo and U showed suppressed release. Most intriguing, many of the elements showing enhanced release displayed at least some degree of irreversibility when CO2 concentrations were decreased to background levels. In fact, in some cases (i.e., for V), an element showed further release when CO2 concentrations were decreased. These results suggest that there may be longer-term effects on groundwater quality that persist even after the CO2 plume has dissipated. Several different mechanisms of trace element release including ion exchange, desorption, and carbonate mineral dissolution are explored. Preliminary modeling results suggest that carbonate mineral dissolution can play a key role in driving trace element release even in sediments where carbonates are in low abundance.

Concentrations of metals and trace elements in blood of spectacled and king eiders in northern Alaska, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Heather M.; Petersen, Margaret R.; Troy, Declan

2004-01-01

In 1996, we measured concentrations of arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead, mercury, and selenium in blood of adult king (Somateria spectabilis) and spectacled (Somateria fischeri) eiders and duckling spectacled eiders from northern Alaska, USA. Concentrations of selenium exceeded background levels in all adults sampled and 9 of 12 ducklings. Mercury was detected in all adult spectacled eiders and 5 of 12 ducklings. Lead concentrations were above the clinical toxicity threshold in one duckling (0.64 ppm) and two adult female spectacled eiders (0.54 and 4.30 ppm). Concentrations of cadmium and mercury varied between species; barium, cadmium, mercury, and selenium varied between sexes. In female spectacled eiders, mercury concentrations increased during the breeding season and barium and selenium levels decreased through the breeding season. Selenium declined at 2.3 ± 0.9% per day and levels were lower in spectacled eiders arriving to the breeding grounds in northern Alaska than in western Alaska. The variation in selenium levels between breeding areas may be explained by differences in timing and routes of spring migration. Most trace elements for which we tested were not at levels currently considered toxic to marine birds. However, the presence of mercury and elevated lead in ducklings and adult female spectacled eiders suggests these metals are available on the breeding grounds.

Ambient air pollution and cancer in California Seventh-day Adventists.

PubMed

Mills, P K; Abbey, D; Beeson, W L; Petersen, F

1991-01-01

Cancer incidence and mortality in a cohort of 6,000 Seventh-day Adventist nonsmokers who were residents of California were monitored for a 6-y period, and relationships with long-term ambient concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSPs) and ozone (O3) were studied. Ambient concentrations were expressed as mean concentrations and exceedance frequencies, which are the number of hours during which concentrations exceeded specified cutoffs (e.g., federal and California air quality standards). Risk of malignant neoplasms in females increased concurrently with exceedance frequencies for all TSP cutoffs, except the lowest, and these increased risks were highly statistically significant. An increased risk of respiratory cancers was associated with only one cutoff of O3, and this result was of borderline significance. These results are presented in the context of setting standards for these two air pollutants.

Organic contaminants, trace and major elements, and nutrients in water and sediment sampled in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nowell, Lisa H.; Ludtke, Amy S.; Mueller, David K.; Scott, Jonathon C.

2011-01-01

Considering all the information evaluated in this report, there were significant differences between pre-landfall and post-landfall samples for PAH concentrations in sediment. Pre-landfall and post-landfall samples did not differ significantly in concentrations or benchmark exceedances for most organics in water or trace elements in sediment. For trace elements in water, aquatic-life benchmarks were exceeded in almost 50 percent of samples, but the high and variable analytical reporting levels precluded statistical comparison of benchmark exceedances between sampling periods. Concentrations of several PAH compounds in sediment were significantly higher in post-landfall samples than pre-landfall samples, and five of seven sites with the largest differences in PAH concentrations also had diagnostic geochemical evidence of Deepwater Horizon Macondo-1 oil from Rosenbauer and others (2010).

Water quality of streams in the Red River of the North Basin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, 1970-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tornes, Lan H.

2005-01-01

Data for the Red River of the North (Red River) Basin in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota were analyzed to determine whether the water quality of streams in the basin is adequate to meet future needs. For the Red River at Emerson, Manitoba, site, pH values, water temperatures, and dissolved-oxygen concentrations generally were within the criteria established for the protection of aquatic life. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 245 to 1,100 milligrams per liter. Maximum sulfate and chloride concentrations were near, but did not exceed, the established secondary maximum contaminant level. The trace elements considered potentially harmful generally were at concentrations that were less than the established guidelines, standards, and criteria. The concentrations of lead that were detected may have occurred as a result of sample contamination.  For the Red River upstream from Emerson, Manitoba, sites, pH and other field values rarely exceeded the criteria established for the protection of aquatic life. Many constituent concentrations for the Red River below Fargo, N. site exceeded water-quality guidelines, standards, and criteria. However, the trace-element exceedances could be natural or could be related to pollution or sample contamination. Many of the tributaries in the western part of the Red River Basin had median specific-conductance values that were greater than 1,000 microsiemens per centimeter. Sulfate concentrations occasionally exceeded the established drinking-water standard. Median arsenic concentrations were 6 micrograms per liter or less, and maximum concentrations rarely exceeded the 10-microgram-per-liter drinking-water standard that is scheduled to take effect in 2006. The small concentrations of lead, mercury, and selenium that occasionally were detected may have been a result of sample contamination or other factors. The tributaries in the eastern part of the Red River Basin had median specific-conductance values that were less than 1,000 microsiemens per centimeter.  Concentrations of pesticides that were detected and that had regulatory limits were less than the cited water-quality guidelines, standards, and criteria. Concentrations of compounds that were detected generally were less than the sediment- quality standards and criteria. The data considered in this report generally provide a good baseline from which to evaluate changes in water-quality conditions. However, because many of the trace elements detected, including lead and mercury, may have been the result of sample contamination, additional data are needed to confirm that trace-element concentrations generally are low. Concentrations of major ions, including sulfate, and specific conductance may continue to approach drinking-water standards during periods of low flow because the streams, particularly those in the western part of the basin, are sustained mostly by ground-water discharge that generally has large dissolved-solids concentrations.

Ground-water quality in Quaternary deposits of the central High Plains aquifer, south-central Kansas, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, Larry M.; Bruce, Breton W.; Hansen, Cristi V.

2001-01-01

Water samples from 20 randomly selected domestic water-supply wells completed in the Quaternary deposits of south-central Kansas were collected as part of the High Plains Regional Ground-Water Study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The samples were analyzed for about 170 water-quality constituents that included physical properties, dissolved solids and major ions, nutrients and dissolved organic carbon, trace elements, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and radon. The purpose of this study was to provide a broad overview of ground-water quality in a major geologic subunit of the High Plains aquifer. Water from five wells (25 percent) exceeded the 500-milligrams-per-liter of dissolved solids Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water. The Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels of 250 milligrams per liter for chloride and sulfate were exceeded in water from one well each. The source of these dissolved solids was probably natural processes. Concentrations of most nutrients in water from the sampled wells were small, with the exception of nitrate. Water from 15 percent of the sampled wells had concentrations of nitrate greater than the 10-milligram-per-liter Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water. Water from 80 percent of the sampled wells showed nitrate enrichment (concentrations greater than 2.0 milligrams per liter), which is more than what might be expected for natural background concentrations. This enrichment may be the result of synthetic fertilizer applications, the addition of soil amendment (manure) on cropland, or livestock production. Most trace elements in water from the sampled wells were detected only in small concentrations, and few exceeded respective water-quality standards. Only arsenic was detected in one well sample at a concentration (240 micrograms per liter) that exceeded its proposed Maximum Contaminant Level (5.0 micrograms per liter). Additionally, one concentration of iron and two concentrations of manganese were larger than the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels of 300 and 50 micrograms per liter, respectively. Some occurrences of trace elements may have originated from human-related sources; however, the generally small concentrations that were measured probably reflect mostly natural sources for these constituents. A total of 47 pesticide compounds from several classes of herbicides and insecticides that included triazine, organophosphorus, organochlorine, and carbamate compounds and three pesticide degradation products were analyzed in ground-water samples during this study. Water from 50 percent of the wells sampled had detectable concentrations of one or more of these 47 compounds. The herbicide atrazine and its degradation product deethylatrazine were detected most frequently (in water from eight and nine wells, respectively); other pesticides detected were the insecticides carbofuran (in water from one well) and diazinon (in water from one well), and the herbicide metolachlor (in water from two wells). However, all concentrations of these compounds were small and substantially less than established Maximum Contaminant Levels. The use of pesticides in crop production probably is largely responsible for the occurrence of pesticides in the ground-water samples collected during this study. Although concentrations of detected pesticides were small (relative to established Maximum Contaminant Levels), the synergistic effect of these concentrations and long-term exposure to multiple pesticides on human health are unknown. Water samples from the Quaternary deposits were analyzed for 85 volatile organic compounds. Water from two wells (10 percent) had a detectable concentration of a volatile organic compound. Chloroform was detected at concen-trations of 0.18 and 0.25 microgram per liter, substantially less than the 100-microgram-per-liter Maximum Contaminant Level for total trihalomethanes. In general, the occurrence and detectio

Spatiotemporal trends in ground-level ozone concentrations and metrics in France over the time period 1999-2012.

PubMed

Sicard, Pierre; Serra, Romain; Rossello, Philippe

2016-08-01

The hourly ozone (O3) data from 332 background monitoring stations, spread in France, were analyzed over the period 1999-2012 and short-term trends were calculated. In the current climate change context, the calculation of human health- and vegetation-relevant metrics, and of associated trends, provides a consistent method to establish proper and effective policies to reduce the adverse O3 effects. The generation of optimal O3 maps, for risk and exposure assessment, is challenging. To overcome this issue, starting from a set of stations, a hybrid regression-interpolation approach was proposed. Annual surface O3 metrics, O3 human health metrics (number of exceedances of daily maximum 8-h values greater than 60 ppb and SOMO35) and O3 vegetation impact metrics (AOT40 for vegetation and forests) were investigated at individual sites. Citizens are more exposed to high O3 levels in rural areas than people living in the cities. The annual mean concentrations decreased by -0.12ppbyear(-1) at rural stations, and the significant reduction at 67% of stations, particularly during the warm season, in the number of episodic high O3 concentrations (e.g. 98th percentile, -0.19ppbyear(-1)) can be associated with the substantial reductions in NOx and VOCs emissions in the EU-28 countries since the early 1990s Inversely, the O3 background level is rising at 76% of urban sites (+0.14ppbyear(-1)), particularly during the cold period. This rise can be attributed to increases in imported O3 by long-range transport and to a low O3 titration by NO due to the reduction in local NOx emissions. The decrease in health-related and vegetation-relevant O3 metrics, at almost all stations, is driven by decreases in regional photochemical O3 formation and in peak O3 concentrations. The short-term trends highlight that the threat to population and vegetation declined between 1999 and 2012 in France, demonstrating the success of European control strategies over the last 20 years. However, for all exposure metrics, the issue of non-attainment of the target value for O3 persists in comparison with the objectives of air quality directives. The region at highest O3 risk is the South-eastern France. This study contains new information on the i) spatial distribution of surface O3 concentration, ii) exceedances and iii) trends to define more suitable standards for human health and environmental protection in France. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxic trace elements in solid airborne particles and ecological risk assessment in the vicinity of local boiler house plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talovskaya, Anna V.; Osipova, Nina A.; Yazikov, Egor G.; Shakhova, Tatyana S.

2017-11-01

The article deals with assessment of anthropogenic pollution in vicinity of local boilers using the data on microelement composition of solid airborne particles deposited in snow. The anthropogenic feature of elevated accumulation levels of solid airborne particles deposited in snow in the vicinity of coal-fired boiler house is revealed in elevated concentrations (3-25 higher than background) of Cd, Sb, Mo, Pb, Sr, Ba, Ni, Mo, Zn and Co. In the vicinity oil-fired boiler house the specific elements as parts of solid airborne particles deposited in snow are V, Ni and Sb, as their content exceeds the background from 3 to 8 times. It is determined that the maximum shares in non-carcinogenic human health risk from chronic inhalation of trace elements to the human body in the vicinity of coal-fired boiler house belong to Al, Mn, Cu, Ba, Co, Pb, whereas in the vicinity of oil-fired boiler house - Al, Mn, Cu, Ni, V.

Uranium in groundwater--Fertilizers versus geogenic sources.

PubMed

Liesch, Tanja; Hinrichsen, Sören; Goldscheider, Nico

2015-12-01

Due to its radiological and toxicological properties even at low concentration levels, uranium is increasingly recognized as relevant contaminant in drinking water from aquifers. Uranium originates from different sources, including natural or geogenic, mining and industrial activities, and fertilizers in agriculture. The goal of this study was to obtain insights into the origin of uranium in groundwater while differentiating between geogenic sources and fertilizers. A literature review concerning the sources and geochemical processes affecting the occurrence and distribution of uranium in the lithosphere, pedosphere and hydrosphere provided the background for the evaluation of data on uranium in groundwater at regional scale. The state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, was selected for this study, because of its hydrogeological and land-use diversity, and for reasons of data availability. Uranium and other parameters from N=1935 groundwater monitoring sites were analyzed statistically and geospatially. Results show that (i) 1.6% of all water samples exceed the German legal limit for drinking water (10 μg/L); (ii) The range and spatial distribution of uranium and occasional peak values seem to be related to geogenic sources; (iii) There is a clear relation between agricultural land-use and low-level uranium concentrations, indicating that fertilizers generate a measurable but low background of uranium in groundwater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method and source for producing a high concentration of positively charged molecular hydrogen or deuterium ions

DOEpatents

Ehlers, K.W.; Leung, K.N.

1983-07-26

One principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for generating a high concentration of H/sub 2//sup +/ or D/sub 2//sup +/ ions by using a new and improved multicusp ion source. The basic principle in achieving a high percentage of H/sub 2//sup +/ or D/sub 2//sup +/ ions is to extract them from the source as soon as they are produced. Otherwise they will react with background gas molecules to form tri-atomic ions H/sub 3//sup +/ or D/sub 3//sup +/ or be dissociated by electrons. The former reaction H/sub 2//sup +/ + H/sub 2/ ..-->.. H/sub 3//sup +/ + H can have a very short mean free path length lambda. Assuming a background neutral gas density of approximately 3.3 x 10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/ and a cross-section sigma of approximately 6 x 10/sup -15/ cm/sup 2/, lambda = (n/sub 0/ sigma)/sup -1/ is estimated to be about 5 cm. Thus the distance traversed by the H/sub 2//sup +/ ion before it arrives at the extractor electrode cannot exceed this value. This in turn sets a limit on the length of the source chamber.

Radium-226 and radium-228 in shallow ground water, southern New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szabo, Zoltan; dePaul, Vincent T.

1998-01-01

Concentrations of total radium (the sum of radium-226 and radium-228) and gross alpha-particle activities in drinking water that exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are known to cause cancer. Results of investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) indicate that concentrations of total radium in water samples from 33 percent of 170 wells in the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in southern New Jersey exceeded the MCL of 5 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) (fig. 1). Wells containing water in which concentrations of total radium were greater than the MCL typically are found where the Bridgeton Formation crops out, in or near an agricultural area, where ground water is acidic (pH less than 5), and where nitrate concentrations generally exceed 5 mg/L (milligrams per liter). Leaching of nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium from agricultural chemicals (fertilizer, lime) applied to cropland may increase the mobility of radium in ground water. Gross alphaparticle activities exceeded the USEPA MCL of 15 pCi/L in water from 14 percent of 127 wells. A statistically significant 2:1 ratio between gross alpha-particle activity and concentration of total radium indicates that gross alpha-particle activity can be used as a screening tool to predict the presence of water that may have a high total-radium concentration.

An assessment of formaldehyde emissions from laminate flooring manufactured in China.

PubMed

Pierce, Jennifer S; Abelmann, Anders; Lotter, Jason T; Ruestow, Peter S; Unice, Kenneth M; Beckett, Evan M; Fritz, Heidi A; Bare, Jennifer L; Finley, Brent L

2016-11-01

Formaldehyde emissions from two laminate flooring products, labeled as California Air Resources Board (CARB) compliant, were evaluated. Passive 24-hr samples (n = 79) and real-time measurements were collected following installation and removal of the products in two rooms of similar size. Mean formaldehyde concentrations following installation were 0.038 and 0.022 ppm for Products 1 and 2 respectively, and 7 days after flooring removal the concentrations returned to background pre-installation levels. Both products were also evaluated in a small chamber (ASTM D6007) using Deconstructive (de-laminated product) and Non-Deconstructive (intact product) methods. Deconstructive testing showed that Product 1 exceeded the applicable CARB emission standard by 4-fold, while Product 2 was equivalent to the standard. Non-Deconstructive measurements were far below the Deconstructive results and were used to predict 24-hr steady-state room air concentrations. Based on the products that we tested (one of which was found to not be compliant with the CARB standard), the airborne formaldehyde concentrations measured following installation in a real-world setting would not be expected to elicit adverse acute health effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Status of metal levels and their potential sources of contamination in Southeast Asian rivers.

PubMed

Chanpiwat, Penradee; Sthiannopkao, Suthipong

2014-01-01

To assess the concentration and status of metal contaminants in four major Southeast Asian river systems, water were collected from the Tonle Sap-Bassac Rivers (Cambodia), Citarum River (Indonesia), lower Chao Phraya River (Thailand), and Saigon River (Vietnam) in both dry and wet seasons. The target elements were Be, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Ba, Tl, and Pb and the concentrations exceeded the background metal concentrations by 1- to 88-fold. This distinctly indicates enrichment by human urban area activities. The results of a normalization technique used to distinguish natural from enriched metal concentrations confirmed contamination by Al, Cd, Co, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Cluster analysis revealed the probable source of metals contamination in most sampling sites on all rivers studied to be anthropogenic, including industrial, commercial, and residential activities. Stable lead isotopes analyses applied to track the sources and pathways of anthropogenic lead furthermore confirmed that anthropogenic sources of metal contaminated these rivers. Discharges of wastewater from both industrial and household activities were major contributors of Pb into the rivers. Non-point sources, especially road runoff and street dust, also contributed contamination from Pb and other metals.

Rainfall, streamflow, and water-quality data for five small watersheds, Nashville, Tennessee, 1990-92

USGS Publications Warehouse

Outlaw, George S.; Hoos, Anne B.; Pankey, John T.

1994-01-01

Rainfall, streamflow, and water-quality data were collected furing storm conditions at five urban watersheds in Nashville, Tennessee. These data can be used to build a database for developing predictive models of the relations between storm- water quality and land use, storm characteristics, and seasonal variations. The primary land and mix of land uses was different for each watershed. Stormwater samples were collected during three storms at each watershed and analyzed for selected volatile, acidic and base/neutral organic compounds; organic pesticides; trace metals; conventional pollutants; and several physical properties. Storm loads were computed for all constituents and properties with event mean concentration above the minimum reporting level. None of the samples con- tained acidic organic compounds at concentrations above the minimum reporting levels. Several constituents in each of the other categories, however, were present at concentrations above the minimum reporting level. For 21 of these constituents, water-quality criteria have been pro- mulgated by the State of Tennessee. For only 8 of the 21 did the value exceed the most restrictive of the criteria: pyrene, dieldrin, and mercury concen- trations and counts of fecal coliform exceeded the criteria for recreational use, copper and zinc concentrations and pH value exceeded the criteria for fish and aquatic life, and lead concentrations exceeded the criteria for domestic supply.

Pesticide residue determination in vegetables from western China applying gas chromatography with mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Qin, Guofu; Zou, Keting; Li, Yongbo; Chen, Yan; He, Fengrui; Ding, Guirong

2016-09-01

In this study,an effort has been made to evaluate the pesticide residues in vegetables from western China. Fifty-one pesticides, including organophosphorus, organochlorine, carbamate and pyrethroid, were detected in 369 commonly used vegetables by GC-MS. Concentrations of organophosphorus pesticides were detected ranging from 0.0008 to 18.8200 mg/kg, among which organophosphorus pesticide concentrations exceeded their maximum residue levels (MRLs) in five samples. Carbamate and organochlorine pesticides were determined to have concentrations in the range of 0.0012-0.7928 mg/kg. The residual concentrations of carbamate pesticides in six samples and organochlorine pesticides in four samples exceeded their MRLs. The residual concentrations of five pyrethroid pesticides were within the range of 0.0016-6.0827 mg/kg and the pyrethroid residues in two samples exceeded their MRLs. The results revealed that pesticide residues in 70.73% of the vegetables samples were not detected, while in the rest of vegetables there were one or more pesticide residues and some even exceeded their MRLs, which would threaten the health of consumers. Our work provides significant information for the food safety regulations to control the excessive use of some pesticides on those kinds of vegetables from western China. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Long-term cloud condensation nuclei number concentration, particle number size distribution and chemical composition measurements at regionally representative observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmale, Julia; Henning, Silvia; Decesari, Stefano; Henzing, Bas; Keskinen, Helmi; Sellegri, Karine; Ovadnevaite, Jurgita; Pöhlker, Mira L.; Brito, Joel; Bougiatioti, Aikaterini; Kristensson, Adam; Kalivitis, Nikos; Stavroulas, Iasonas; Carbone, Samara; Jefferson, Anne; Park, Minsu; Schlag, Patrick; Iwamoto, Yoko; Aalto, Pasi; Äijälä, Mikko; Bukowiecki, Nicolas; Ehn, Mikael; Frank, Göran; Fröhlich, Roman; Frumau, Arnoud; Herrmann, Erik; Herrmann, Hartmut; Holzinger, Rupert; Kos, Gerard; Kulmala, Markku; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Nenes, Athanasios; O'Dowd, Colin; Petäjä, Tuukka; Picard, David; Pöhlker, Christopher; Pöschl, Ulrich; Poulain, Laurent; Prévôt, André Stephan Henry; Swietlicki, Erik; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Artaxo, Paulo; Wiedensohler, Alfred; Ogren, John; Matsuki, Atsushi; Yum, Seong Soo; Stratmann, Frank; Baltensperger, Urs; Gysel, Martin

2018-02-01

Aerosol-cloud interactions (ACI) constitute the single largest uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing. To reduce the uncertainties and gain more confidence in the simulation of ACI, models need to be evaluated against observations, in particular against measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Here we present a data set - ready to be used for model validation - of long-term observations of CCN number concentrations, particle number size distributions and chemical composition from 12 sites on 3 continents. Studied environments include coastal background, rural background, alpine sites, remote forests and an urban surrounding. Expectedly, CCN characteristics are highly variable across site categories. However, they also vary within them, most strongly in the coastal background group, where CCN number concentrations can vary by up to a factor of 30 within one season. In terms of particle activation behaviour, most continental stations exhibit very similar activation ratios (relative to particles > 20 nm) across the range of 0.1 to 1.0 % supersaturation. At the coastal sites the transition from particles being CCN inactive to becoming CCN active occurs over a wider range of the supersaturation spectrum. Several stations show strong seasonal cycles of CCN number concentrations and particle number size distributions, e.g. at Barrow (Arctic haze in spring), at the alpine stations (stronger influence of polluted boundary layer air masses in summer), the rain forest (wet and dry season) or Finokalia (wildfire influence in autumn). The rural background and urban sites exhibit relatively little variability throughout the year, while short-term variability can be high especially at the urban site. The average hygroscopicity parameter, κ, calculated from the chemical composition of submicron particles was highest at the coastal site of Mace Head (0.6) and lowest at the rain forest station ATTO (0.2-0.3). We performed closure studies based on κ-Köhler theory to predict CCN number concentrations. The ratio of predicted to measured CCN concentrations is between 0.87 and 1.4 for five different types of κ. The temporal variability is also well captured, with Pearson correlation coefficients exceeding 0.87. Information on CCN number concentrations at many locations is important to better characterise ACI and their radiative forcing. But long-term comprehensive aerosol particle characterisations are labour intensive and costly. Hence, we recommend operating migrating-CCNCs to conduct collocated CCN number concentration and particle number size distribution measurements at individual locations throughout one year at least to derive a seasonally resolved hygroscopicity parameter. This way, CCN number concentrations can only be calculated based on continued particle number size distribution information and greater spatial coverage of long-term measurements can be achieved.

Radionuclides, inorganic constituents, organic compounds, and bacteria in water from selected wells and springs from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman Area, Idaho, 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bartholomay, R.C.; Edwards, D.D.; Campbell, L.J.

1993-11-01

The US Geological Survey and the Idaho Department of Water Resources, in response to a request from the US Department of Energy, sampled 18 sites as part of a long-term project to monitor water quality of the Snake River Plain aquifer from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman area. Water samples were collected and analyzed for manmade pollutants and naturally occurring constituents. The samples were collected from six irrigation wells, seven domestic wells, two springs, one stock well, one dairy well, and one observation well. Quality assurance samples also were collected and analyzed. Themore » water samples were analyzed for selected radionuclides, inorganic constituents, organic compounds, and bacteria. None of the samples analyzed for radionuclides, inorganic constituents, or organic compounds exceeded the established maximum contaminant levels for drinking water. Most of the radionuclide and inorganic constituent concentrations exceeded their respective reporting levels. All the samples analyzed for dissolved organic carbon had concentrations that exceeded their reporting level. Concentrations of 1,1,1 -trichloroethane exceeded the reporting level in two water samples. Two samples and a quality assurance replicate contained reportable concentrations of 2, 4-D. One sample contained fecal coliform bacteria counts that exceeded established maximum contaminant levels for drinking water.« less

Quality of water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, February 1999 through February 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trombley, T.J.

2001-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from 20 surface-water sites and 7 ground-water sites across the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation in northeastern Kansas as part of a water-quality study begun in 1996. Water quality is a very important consideration for the tribe. Three creeks draining the reservation, Soldier, Little Soldier, and South Cedar Creeks, are important tribal resources used for maintaining subsistence fishing and hunting needs for tribal members. Samples were collected twice during June 1999 and June 2000 at all 20 surface-water sites after herbicide application, and nine quarterly samples were collected at 5 of the 20 sampling sites from February 1999 through February 2001. Samples were collected once at six wells and twice at one well from September through December 2000. Surface-water-quality constituents analyzed included nutrients, pesticides, and bacteria. In addition to nutrients, pesticides, and bacteria, ground-water constituents analyzed included major dissolved ions, arsenic, boron, and dissolved iron and manganese. The median nitrite plus nitrate concentration was 0.376 mg/L (milligram per liter) for 81 surface-water samples, and the maximum concentration was 4.18 mg/L as nitrogen, which is less than one-half the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for drinking water of 10 mg/L as nitrogen. Fifty-one of the 81 surface-water-quality samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended goal for total phosphorus of 0.10 mg/L for the protection of aquatic life. Triazine concentrations in 26 surface-water-quality samples collected during May and June 1999 and 2000 exceeded 3.0 ?g/L (micrograms per liter), the Maximum Contaminant Level established for drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Triazine herbicide concentrations tended to be highest during late spring runoff after herbicide application. High concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria in surface water are a concern on the reservation with fecal coliform concentrations ranging from 4 to greater than 31,000 colonies per 100 milliliters of water with a median concentration of 570 colonies per 100 milliliters. More than one-half of the surface-water-quality samples exceeded the Kansas Department of Health and Environment contact recreation criteria of 200 and 2,000 colonies per 100 milliliters of water and were collected mostly during the spring and summer. Two wells had sodium concentrations of about 10 times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agengy health advisory level (HAL) of 20 mg/L; concentrations ranged from 241 to 336 mg/L. In water from two wells, sulfate concentrations exceeded 800 mg/L, more than three times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) for drinking water of 250 mg/L. All but two of the eight ground-water-quality samples had dissolved-solids concentrations exceeding the SMCL of 500 mg/L. The highest concentration of 2,010 mg/L was more than four times the SMCL. Dissolved boron concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 600-?g/L HAL in water from two of the seven wells sampled. Because the HAL is for a lifetime of exposure, the anticipated health risk due to dissolved boron is low. Dissolved iron concentrations in ground-water samples exceeded the 300-?g/L SMCL for treated drinking water in three of the seven wells sampled. Dissolved manganese concentrations in water from the same three wells also exceeded the established SMCL of 50 ?g/L. Dissolved pesticides were not detected in any of the well samples; however, there were degradation products of the herbicides alachlor and metolachlor in several samples. Insecticides were not detected in any ground-water-quality samples. Low concentrations of E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria were detected in water from two wells, and E. coli was detected in water from one well. Much higher concentrations of E. coli, fecal coliform, and fecal strepto

Groundwater quality in West Virginia, 1993-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chambers, Douglas B.; Kozar, Mark D.; White , Jeremy S.; Paybins, Katherine S.

2012-01-01

Approximately 42 percent of all West Virginians rely on groundwater for their domestic water supply. However, prior to 2008, the quality of the West Virginia’s groundwater resource was largely unknown. The need for a statewide assessment of groundwater quality prompted the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), Division of Water and Waste Management, to develop an ambient groundwater-quality monitoring program. The USGS West Virginia Water Science Center sampled 300 wells, of which 80 percent were public-supply wells, over a 10-year period, 1999–2008. Sites for this statewide ambient groundwater-quality monitoring program were selected to provide wide areal coverage and to represent a variety of environmental settings. The resulting 300 samples were supplemented with data from a related monitoring network of 24 wells and springs. All samples were analyzed for field measurements (water temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen), major ions, trace elements, nutrients, volatile organic compounds, fecal indicator bacteria, and radon-222. Sub-sets of samples were analyzed for pesticides or semi-volatile organic compounds; site selection was based on local land use. Samples were grouped for comparison by geologic age of the aquifer, Groups included Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Pennsylvanian, Permian, and Quaternary aquifers. A comparison of samples indicated that geologic age of the aquifer was the largest contributor to variability in groundwater quality. This study did not attempt to characterize drinking water provided through public water systems. All samples were of raw, untreated groundwater. Drinking-water criteria apply to water that is served to the public, not to raw water. However, drinking water criteria, including U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL), non-enforceable secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL), non-enforceable proposed MCL, or non-enforceable advisory health-based screening level (HBSL), were used as benchmarks against which to compare analytical results. Constituent concentrations were less than the MCLs in most samples. However, some samples exceeded non-enforceable SMCLs, proposed MCLs, or advisory HBSLs. Radon-222 concentrations exceeded the proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L in 45 percent of samples, and iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL of 300 µg/L in 57 percent of samples. Manganese concentrations were greater than the SMCL (50 µg/L) in 62 percent of samples and greater than the HBSL (300 µg/L) in 25 percent of the samples. Other sampled constituents, including organic compounds and trace elements, exceeded drinking-water criteria at much lower frequencies. The radon-222 median concentrations in samples from Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Permian, and Quaternary aquifers exceeded the proposed 300 pCi/L MCL. Although median radon concentrations for wells in Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian aquifers were less than the proposed MCL, radon concentrations greater than the proposed MCL were measured in samples from aquifers of all geologic ages. The median iron concentrations for samples from Devonian and Pennsylvanian aquifers were greater than the 300 µg/L SMCL. Iron concentrations exceeded the SMCL in aquifers of all geologic ages, except Cambrian. Median concentrations of manganese exceeded the SMCL in samples from Devonian, Pennsylvanian, and Quaternary aquifers. As with iron, manganese concentrations were found to exceed the SMCL in at least one sample from aquifers of all geologic ages, except Cambrian. Pesticides were detected most frequently and in higher concentrations in limestone-dominated areas. Most of West Virginia’s agriculture is concentrated in those areas. This study, the most comprehensive assessment of West Virginia groundwater quality to date, indicates the water quality of West Virginia’s groundwater is generally good; in the majority of cases raw-water samples met primary drinking water-criteria. However, some constituents, notably iron and manganese, exceeded the secondary drinking criteria in more than half the samples.

Contaminant concentrations in sport fish from San Francisco Bay, 1997.

PubMed

Davis, Jay A; May, Michael D; Greenfield, Ben K; Fairey, Russell; Roberts, Cassandra; Ichikawa, Gary; Stoelting, Matt S; Becker, Jonathan S; Tjeerdema, Ronald S

2002-10-01

In 1997, seven sport fish species were sampled from seven popular fishing areas in San Francisco Bay. Mercury exceeded a human health screening value in 44 of 84 (52%) samples. All collected samples of leopard shark and striped bass exceeded the mercury screening value of 0.23 microg/g wet weight. PCBs exceeded the screening value in 51 of 72 (71%) samples. DDT, chlordane, and dieldrin, had lower numbers of samples above screening values: 16 of 72 (22%) for DDT, 11 of 72 (15%) for chlordanes, and 27 of 72 (37%) for dieldrin. Concentrations of PCBs and other trace organics were highest in white croaker and shiner surfperch, the two species with the highest fat content in their muscle tissue. Fish from one location, Oakland Harbor, had significantly elevated wet weight concentrations of mercury, PCBs, DDTs, and chlordanes compared to other locations. Removal of skin from white croaker fillets reduced lipid concentrations by 27-49% and concentrations of trace organics by 33-40%.

Ground-water quality, Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glass, Roy L.

2001-01-01

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment Program, ground-water samples were collected from 34 existing wells in the Cook Inlet Basin in south-central Alaska during 1999. All ground-water samples were from aquifers composed of glacial or alluvial sediments. The water samples were used to determine the occurrence and distribution of selected major ions, nutrients, trace elements, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, radioisotopes, and environmental isotopes. Of 34 samples, 29 were from wells chosen by using a grid-based random-selection process. Water samples from five major public-supply wells also were collected. Radon-222 and arsenic concentrations exceeded drinking-water standards proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 39 and 18 percent of sampled wells, respectively. The highest radon concentration measured during this study was 610 picocuries per liter; 12 of 31 samples exceeded the proposed maximum contaminant level of 300 picocuries per liter. The highest arsenic concentration was 29 micrograms per liter; 6 of 34 samples exceeded the proposed maximum contaminant level of 10 micrograms per liter. Human activities may be increasing the concen- tration of nitrate in ground water, but nitrate concentrations in all samples were less than the maximum contaminant level of 10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Concentrations of nitrate were highest in Anchorage and were as great as 4.8 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 77 to 986 milligrams per liter; only 2 of 34 wells yielded water having greater than 500 milligrams per liter. Iron and manganese concentrations exceeded secondary maximum contaminant levels in 18 and 42 percent of samples, respectively. Concentrations of all pesticides and volatile organic compounds detected in ground-water samples were very low, less than 1 microgram per liter. No pesticide or volatile organic compounds were detected at concentrations exceeding drinking-water standards or guidelines. Water samples from one-half of the wells sampled had no detectable concentrations of pesticides or volatile organic carbons, at the parts-per-billion level. Concentrations of stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in ground-water samples were similar to concentrations expected for modern precipitation and for water that has been affected by evaporation. Tritium activities and concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons indicated that the water samples collected from most wells were recharged less than 50 years ago.

30 CFR 57.5060 - Limit on exposure to diesel particulate matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... diesel particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent... particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift... mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift airborne concentration of 350...

30 CFR 57.5060 - Limit on exposure to diesel particulate matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... diesel particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent... particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift... mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift airborne concentration of 350...

30 CFR 57.5060 - Limit on exposure to diesel particulate matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... diesel particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent... particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift... mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift airborne concentration of 350...

30 CFR 57.5060 - Limit on exposure to diesel particulate matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... diesel particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent... particulate matter (DPM) in an underground mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift... mine must not exceed an average eight-hour equivalent full shift airborne concentration of 350...

Asbestos exposure among transmission mechanics in automotive repair shops.

PubMed

Salazar, Natalia; Cely-García, María Fernanda; Breysse, Patrick N; Ramos-Bonilla, Juan Pablo

2015-04-01

Asbestos has been used in a broad variety of industrial products, including clutch discs of the transmission system of vehicles. Studies conducted in high-income countries that have analyzed personal asbestos exposures of transmission mechanics have concluded that these workers are exposed to asbestos concentrations in compliance with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (US OSHA) occupational standards. Clutch facings are the friction component of clutch discs. If clutch facings are sold separated from the support, they require manipulation before installation in the vehicle. The manipulation of asbestos containing clutch facings is performed by a group of mechanics known as riveters, and includes drilling, countersinking, riveting, sanding, and occasionally grinding, tasks that can potentially release asbestos fibers, exposing the mechanics. These manipulation activities are not reported in studies conducted in high-income countries. This study analyzes personal asbestos exposures of transmission mechanics that manipulate clutch facings. Air sampling campaigns in two transmission repair shops (TRS) were conducted in November 2012 and July 2013 in Bogotá, Colombia. Four workers employed in these TRS were sampled (i.e. three riveters and one supervisor). Personal samples (n = 39), short-term personal samples (n = 49), area samples (n = 52), blank samples (n = 8), and background samples (n = 2) were collected in both TRS during 3-5 consecutive days, following US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (US NIOSH) methods 7400 and 7402. Asbestos samples were analyzed by an American Industrial Hygiene Association accredited laboratory. On at least one of the days sampled, all riveters were exposed to asbestos concentrations that exceeded the US OSHA permissible exposure limit or the Colombian permissible limit value. Additionally, from the forty-seven 30-min short-term personal samples collected, two (4.3%) exceeded the US OSHA excursion limit of 1 f cm(-3). In this study, we identified that the working conditions and use of asbestos containing transmission products expose transmission mechanics to asbestos concentrations that exceed both the Colombian and OSHA standards. The potential consequences for the health of these workers are of great concern. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Sphagnum mosses from 21 ombrotrophic bogs in the athabasca bituminous sands region show no significant atmospheric contamination of "heavy metals".

PubMed

Shotyk, William; Belland, Rene; Duke, John; Kempter, Heike; Krachler, Michael; Noernberg, Tommy; Pelletier, Rick; Vile, Melanie A; Wieder, Kelman; Zaccone, Claudio; Zhang, Shuangquan

2014-11-04

Sphagnum moss was collected from 21 ombrotrophic (rain-fed) peat bogs surrounding open pit mines and upgrading facilities of Athabasca bituminous sands in Alberta (AB). In comparison to contemporary Sphagnum moss from four bogs in rural locations of southern Germany (DE), the AB mosses yielded lower concentrations of Ag, Cd, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Tl, similar concentrations of Mo, but greater concentrations of Ba, Th, and V. Except for V, in comparison to the "cleanest", ancient peat samples ever tested from the northern hemisphere (ca. 6000-9000 years old), the concentrations of each of these metals in the AB mosses are within a factor of 3 of "natural, background" values. The concentrations of "heavy metals" in the mosses, however, are proportional to the concentration of Th (a conservative, lithophile element) and, therefore, contributed to the plants primarily in the form of mineral dust particles. Vanadium, the single most abundant trace metal in bitumen, is the only anomaly: in the AB mosses, V exceeds that of ancient peat by a factor of 6; it is therefore enriched in the mosses, relative to Th, by a factor of 2. In comparison to the surface layer of peat cores collected in recent years from across Canada, from British Columbia to New Brunswick, the Pb concentrations in the mosses from AB are far lower.

Two Degrees of Separation: Abrupt Climate Change and the Adverse Impact to US National Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

concentrations of CO2 , CH4 and N2O have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values...determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years. The atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 in 2005 exceed by far the natural range over the...last 650,000 years. Global increases in CO2 concentrations are due primarily to fossil fuel use, with land-use change providing another significant

Natural and artificial radionuclides in the Suez Canal bottom sediments and stream water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Tahawy, M. S.; Farouk, M. A.; Ibrahiem, N. M.; El-Mongey, S. A. M.

1994-07-01

Concentration of natural and artificial radionuclides in Suez Canal bottom sediments and stream water have been measured using γ spectrometers based on a hyper-pure Ge detector. The activity concentrations of 238U series, 232Th series and 40K did not exceed 16.0, 15.5 and 500.0 Bq kg-1 dry weight for sediments. The activity concentration of 238U series and 40K did not exceed 0.6 and 18.0 Bq 1-1 for stream water.

Human dietary intake of organohalogen contaminants at e-waste recycling sites in Eastern China.

PubMed

Labunska, Iryna; Abdallah, Mohamed Abou-Elwafa; Eulaers, Igor; Covaci, Adrian; Tao, Fang; Wang, Mengjiao; Santillo, David; Johnston, Paul; Harrad, Stuart

2015-01-01

This study reports concentrations and human dietary intake of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as well as selected "novel" brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and organochlorine pesticides, in ten staple food categories. Samples were sourced from areas in Taizhou City, eastern China, where rudimentary recycling and disposal of e-waste is commonplace, as well as from nearby non-e-waste impacted control areas. In most instances, concentrations in foods from e-waste recycling areas exceeded those from control locations. Concentrations of 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB) and bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TBP) in samples from e-waste sites were 3.09-62.2ng/g and 0.81-16.3ng/g lipid weight (lw), respectively; exceeding consistently those in foods acquired from control sites by an order of magnitude in many cases. In contrast, while concentrations of HBCD in some foods from e-waste impacted areas exceed those from control locations; concentrations in pork, shrimp, and duck liver are higher in control samples. This highlights the potential significance of non-e-waste sources of HBCD (e.g. building insulation foam) in our study areas. While concentrations of DDT in all foods examined except pork were higher in e-waste impacted samples than controls; our exposure estimates were well below the provisional tolerable daily intake of 0.01mg/kgbw/day derived by the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues. Concentrations of ΣPCBs resulted in exposures (650 and 2340ng/kgbw/day for adults and children respectively) that exceed substantially the Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) for ΣPCBs of 20ng/kgbw/day derived by the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry. Moreover, when expressed in terms of dioxin-like toxicity equivalency based on the four dioxin-like PCBs monitored in this study (DL-PCBs) (PCB-105, 118, 156, and 167); concentrations in e-waste impacted foods exceed limits set by the European Union in 6 of the 8 food groups studied and result in dietary exposures for children (10.2pgTEQ/kgbw/day) that exceed the WHO tolerable daily intake of 1-4pgTEQ/kgbw/day. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enrichment and geo-accumulation of heavy metals and risk assessment of sediments of the Kurang Nallah--feeding tributary of the Rawal Lake Reservoir, Pakistan.

PubMed

Zahra, Azmat; Hashmi, Muhammad Zaffar; Malik, Riffat Naseem; Ahmed, Zulkifl

2014-02-01

Heavy metal concentrations in sediments of the Kurang stream: a principal feeding tributary of the Rawal Lake Reservoir were investigated using enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and metal pollution index (MPI) to determine metal accumulation, distribution and its pollution status. Sediment samples were collected from twenty one sites during two year monitoring in pre- and post-monsoon seasons (2007-2008). Heavy metal toxicity risk was assessed using Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs), effect range low/effect range median values (ERL/ERM), and threshold effect level/probable effect level (TEL/PEL). Greater mean concentrations of Ni, Mn and Pb were recorded in post-monsoon season whereas metal accumulation pattern in pre-monsoon season followed the order: Zn>Mn>Ni>Cr>Co>Cd>Pb>Cu>Li. Enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation (Igeo) values showed that sediments were loaded with Cd, Zn, Ni and Mn. Comparison with uncontaminated background values showed higher concentrations of Cd, Zn and Ni than respective average shale values. Concentrations of Ni and Zn were above ERL values; however, Ni concentration exceeded the ERM values. Sediment contamination was attributed to anthropogenic and natural processes. The results can be used for effective management of fresh water hilly streams of Pakistan. © 2013.

Atmospheric mercury concentrations in the basin of the amazon, Brazil.

PubMed

Hachiya, N; Takizawa, Y; Hisamatsu, S; Abe, T; Abe, Y; Motohashi, Y

1998-01-01

A wide regional mercury pollution in Amazon, Brazil is closely associated with goldmining that has been carried out in the basin of tributaries of the Amazon since the eighteenth century. Possible involvement has been discussed on atmospheric circulation in distributing the volatile pollutant. We developed a portable air sampler for the collection of mercury compounds and determined atmospheric mercury concentrations at several sites in Brazil including the basin of the Amazon tributaries. The mean concentration of total mercury was between 9.1 and 14.0 ng/m(3) in the basin of the Uatumã River located in the tropical rain forest far from goldmining sites and from urbanized area. These mercury levels exceeded the background level previously reported in rural area and, furthermore, were higher than concentrations observed in Rio de Janeiro and in Manaus that were compatible with the reference values for urban area. Mercury concentrations were also determined in gold refineries in the basin of the Tapajos River, and detected at a significant but not a health deteriorating level. Although only preliminary data were available, the present observations were in favor of the hypothesis that mercury is distributed widely by long distant transport by the atmospheric circulation after released at gold mining sites.

Ground-water quality in the Chemung River Basin, New York, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hetcher-Aguila, Kari K.

2005-01-01

Water samples were collected from 24 public-supply wells and 13 private residential wells during the summer of 2003 and analyzed to describe the chemical quality of ground water throughout the Chemung River basin, upgradient from Waverly, N.Y, on the Pennsylvania border. Wells were selected to represent areas of heaviest ground-water use and greatest vulnerability to contamination, and to obtain a geographical distribution across the 1,130 square-mile basin. Samples were analyzed for physical properties, inorganic constituents, nutrients, metals and radionuclides, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and bacteria.The cations that were detected in the highest concentrations were calcium and sodium; the anions that were detected in the greatest concentrations were bicarbonate, chloride, and sulfate. The predominant nutrient was nitrate. Nitrate concentrations in samples from wells finished in sand and gravel were greater than in those from wells finished in bedrock, except for one bedrock well, which had the highest nitrate concentration of any sample in this study. The most commonly detected metals were aluminum, barium, iron, manganese, and strontium. The range of tritium concentrations (0.6 to 12.5 tritium units) indicates that the water ages ranged from less than 10 years old to more than 50 years old. All but one of the 15 pesticides detected were herbicides; those detected most frequently were atrazine, deethylatrazine, and two degradation products of metolachlor (metachlor ESA and metachlor OA), which were the pesticides detected at the highest concentrations. Not every sample collected was analyzed for pesticides, and pesticides were detected only in wells finished in sand and gravel. Volatile organic compounds were detected in 15 samples, and the concentrations were at or near the analytical detection limits. Total coliform were detected in 12 samples; fecal coliform were detected in 7 samples; and Escherichia coli was detected in 6 samples. These bacteria were detected in water from bedrock as well as sand-and-gravel aquifers.Federal and State water-quality standards were exceeded in several samples. Two samples exceeded the chloride U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level of 250 milligrams per liter. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Drinking Water Advisory for sodium (30 to 60 milligrams per liter) was exceeded in 11 samples. The upper limit of the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level range for aluminum (200 micrograms per liter) was exceeded in one sample. The Maximum Contaminant Level for barium (2,000 micrograms per liter) was exceeded in one sample. The Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level for iron (300 micrograms per liter) was exceeded in 11 samples. The Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level for manganese (50 micrograms per liter) was exceeded in 20 samples. The proposed Maximum Contaminant Level for radon (300 picocuries per liter) was exceeded in 34 samples.

Impact of passenger car NOX emissions on urban NO2 pollution - Scenario analysis for 8 European cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degraeuwe, Bart; Thunis, Philippe; Clappier, Alain; Weiss, Martin; Lefebvre, Wouter; Janssen, Stijn; Vranckx, Stijn

2017-12-01

Residents of large European cities are exposed to NO2 concentrations that often exceed the established air quality standards. Diesel cars have been identified as a major contributor to this situation; yet, it remains unclear to which levels the NOX emissions of diesel cars have to decrease to effectively mitigate urban NO2 pollution across Europe. Here, we take a continental perspective and model urban NO2 pollution in a generic street canyon of 8 major European cities for various NOX emission scenarios. We find that a reduction in the on-road NOX emissions of diesel cars to the Euro 6 level can in general decrease the regional and urban NO2 concentrations and thereby the frequency of exceedances of the NO2 air quality standard. High NO2 fractions in the NOX emissions of diesel cars tend to increase the urban NO2 concentrations only in proximity of intense road traffic typically found on artery roads in large cities like Paris and London. In cities with a low share of diesel cars in the vehicle fleet such as Athens or a high contribution from the NO2 background to the urban NO2 pollution such as Krakow, measures addressing heavy-duty vehicles, and the manufacturing, energy, and mining industry are necessary to decrease urban air pollution. We regard our model results as robust albeit subject to uncertainty resulting from the application of a generic street layout. With small modifications in the input parameters, our model could be used to assess the impact of NOX emissions from road transport on NO2 air pollution in any European city.

Concentrations and Potential Health Risks of Metals in Lip Products

PubMed Central

Liu, Sa; Rojas-Cheatham, Ann

2013-01-01

Background: Metal content in lip products has been an issue of concern. Objectives: We measured lead and eight other metals in a convenience sample of 32 lip products used by young Asian women in Oakland, California, and assessed potential health risks related to estimated intakes of these metals. Methods: We analyzed lip products by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and used previous estimates of lip product usage rates to determine daily oral intakes. We derived acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) based on information used to determine public health goals for exposure, and compared ADIs with estimated intakes to assess potential risks. Results: Most of the tested lip products contained high concentrations of titanium and aluminum. All examined products had detectable manganese. Lead was detected in 24 products (75%), with an average concentration of 0.36 ± 0.39 ppm, including one sample with 1.32 ppm. When used at the estimated average daily rate, estimated intakes were > 20% of ADIs derived for aluminum, cadmium, chromium, and manganese. In addition, average daily use of 10 products tested would result in chromium intake exceeding our estimated ADI for chromium. For high rates of product use (above the 95th percentile), the percentages of samples with estimated metal intakes exceeding ADIs were 3% for aluminum, 68% for chromium, and 22% for manganese. Estimated intakes of lead were < 20% of ADIs for average and high use. Conclusions: Cosmetics safety should be assessed not only by the presence of hazardous contents, but also by comparing estimated exposures with health-based standards. In addition to lead, metals such as aluminum, cadmium, chromium, and manganese require further investigation. PMID:23674482

Determination of semi-volatile and particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Stockholm air with emphasis on the highly carcinogenic dibenzopyrene isomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masala, Silvia; Lim, Hwanmi; Bergvall, Christoffer; Johansson, Christer; Westerholm, Roger

2016-09-01

The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been determined in the gaseous phase and in various particulate matter (PM) size fractions at different locations in and outside of Stockholm, Sweden, representative of street level, urban and rural background. The focus has been on the seldom determined but highly carcinogenic dibenzopyrene isomers (DBPs) dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, dibenzo[a,e]pyrene, dibenzo[a,i]pyrene and dibenzo[a,h]pyrene. PAHs with 3 rings were found to be mainly associated with the vapor phase (>90%) whereas PAHs with 5-6 rings were mostly associated with particulate matter (>92%) and the 4-ringed PAHs partitioned between the two phases. PAH abundance was determined to be in the order street level > urban background > rural background with the PM10 street level 2010 mean of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) reaching 0.24 ng/m3, well below the EU annual limit value of 1 ng/m3. In addition, higher PAH concentrations were found in the sub-micron particle fraction (PM1) as compared to the super-micron fraction (PM1-10) with the abundance in PM1 varying between 57 and 86% of the total PAHs. The B[a]P equivalent concentrations derived for DB[a,l]P and total DBPs exceeded 1-2 and 2-4 times, respectively, that of B[a]P at the four sampling sites; therefore underestimation of the cancer risk posed by PAHs in air could be made if the DBPs were not considered in risk assessment using the toxic equivalency approach, whilst the high correlation (p < 0.001) found in the relative concentrations supports the use of B[a]P as a marker substance for assessment of the carcinogenic risk associated to PAHs. However, the big difference in concentration ratios of B[a]P and the DBPs between the present study and some literature data calls for further research to evaluate the temporal and spatial invariance of the B[a]P/DBP ratios.

Assessment of dust exposure in a steel plant in the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Nurul, Ainun Hamzah; Shamsul, Bahri Mohd Tamrin; Noor Hassim, Ismail

2016-11-22

Steel manufacturing produces dust, fumes, and pollutant gases that may give adverse health effects to the respiratory function of workers. Improper occupational hygiene practice in the workplace will affect both workers wellbeing and productivity. To assess the level of particulate matter [(PM2.5, PM10, and Total Particulate Matter (TPM)], and trace metal dust concentrations in different sections of a steel plant and compare with the occupational exposure values. The work environmental parameters of the particulate matters were evaluated using Indoor Air Quality, while metal dust concentrations were measured using portable personal air sampler. A total of 184 personal samples were randomly collected from workers in three major sections; steel making plant, direct reduced plant, and support group. Trace metal dust concentrations were subjected to wet mineral acid mixture digestion and analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The overall average PM2.5 concentration observed was varied according to the section: steel making plant was 0.18 mg/m3, direct reduced iron plant was 0.05 mg/m3, and support plant was 0.05 mg/m3. Average PM 10 concentration in steel making shop (SMS) plant, direct reduced (DR) plant, and support plant were 0.70 mg/m3, 0.84 mg/m3, and 0.58 mg/m3, respectively. The average TWA8 of trace metal dusts (cobalt and chromium) in all the sections exceeded 1 to 3 times the ACGIH prescribed values, OSHA PELs, NIOSH RELs as well as USECHH OSHA, whereas TWA8 concentration of nickel for each section did not exceed the occupational exposure values. The average PM2.5, PM10 and TPM did not exceed the prescribed values, while average trace metal dust concentration TWA8 for cobalt and chromium in all plants exceeded occupational exposure prescribed values. However, the nickel found did not exceed the prescribed values in all the plants except for NIOSH RELs.

Water quality of surficial aquifers in the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crandall, C.A.; Berndt, M.P.

1996-01-01

The National Water Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey established the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit in 1991. The ground-water study-unit survey was conducted in 1993 to provide a broad over-view of water quality in surficial aquifers. Three land resource provinces were included in the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study-unit survey: the Central Florida Ridge, the Coastal Flatwoods, and the Southern Coastal Plain. The U.S. Geological Survey sampled 37 wells in surficial aquifers, 18 in the Coastal Flatwoods and 19 in the Southern Coastal Plain. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection sampled 27 wells tapping surficial aquifers in the Central Florida Ridge as part of the background ground-water quality monitoring network from 1985 through 1989. The data were used to characterize water quality in surficial aquifers of the Central Florida Ridge. Results of the study-unit survey indicated that dissolved solids concentrations in ground water were mostly less than 100 mg/L (milligrams per liter). Higher medians of pH, specific conductance, and concentrations of calcium, bicarbonate, and dissolved solids were measured in samples from the Central Florida Ridge compared to the Southern Coastal Plain and Coastal Flatwoods, probably because of a greater percentage of carbonate minerals in aquifer materials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level for iron of 300 ug/L (micrograms per liter) in drinking water was exceeded in 15 of 45 samples. Concentrations of nitrate as nitrogen were less than 3.0 mg/L in most samples (74 percent), indicating little or no influence from human activity. Only five samples (9 percent) had concentrations above 10 mg/L, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level for nitrate concentration in drinking water. Significantly lower median concentrations of nitrate were measured in samples from polyvinyl chloride monitoring wells with diameters less than 6 inches than in large diameter, uncased, or iron-cased wells. The median nitrate concentration was 0.05 mg/L in water from monitoring wells, 1.0 mg/L in samples from iron cased wells, and 2.0 mg/L in samples from uncased wells. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds were mostly less than the detection levels and exceeded 1 ug/L in only four samples. Compounds detected at concentrations greater than 1 ug/L were: tetrachloroethane (8.77 ug/L), toluene (23 ug/L) and chloromethane (21 ug/L). Atrazine, desethyl-atrazine, and metolachlor were the only pesticides detected; concentrations were less than 0.02 ug/L, except for metolachlor (2.5 ug/L). Detection of organic compounds in surficial aquifer may be associated with specific activities or sources near the well. Concentrations of radon exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed maximum contaminant level of 300 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) in 33 samples from wells on the Coastal Flatwoods and the Southern Coastal Plain. Concentrations as high as 13,000 pCi/L were detected in northern Florida. Although uranium concentrations were less than 1 ug/L in all but one sample (1.3 ug/L) from the Southern Coastal Plain, elevated radon concentrations indicate that uranium is present in aquifer material. Uranium is most likely sorbed to iron oxides and clays in subsurface materials. Tritium concentrations indicated that ground water was recharged by precipitation during the past 40 years. Higher concentrations of tritium in ground water were found in the northern part of the study area and may be related to Savannah River Nuclear Facility.

Spatial and temporal patterns in trace element deposition to lakes in the Athabasca oil sands region (Alberta, Canada)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooke, Colin A.; Kirk, Jane L.; Muir, Derek C. G.; Wiklund, Johan A.; Wang, Xiaowa; Gleason, Amber; Evans, Marlene S.

2017-12-01

The mining and processing of the Athabasca oil sands (Alberta, Canada) has been occurring for decades; however, a lack of consistent regional monitoring has obscured the long-term environmental impact. Here, we present sediment core results to reconstruct spatial and temporal patterns in trace element deposition to lakes in the Athabasca oil sands region. Early mining operations (during the 1970s and 1980s) led to elevated V and Pb inputs to lakes located <50 km from mining operations. Subsequent improvements to mining and upgrading technologies since the 1980s have reduced V and Pb loading to near background levels at many sites. In contrast, Hg deposition increased by a factor of ~3 to all 20 lakes over the 20th century, reflecting global-scale patterns in atmospheric Hg emissions. Base cation deposition (from fugitive dust emissions) has not measurably impacted regional lake sediments. Instead, results from a principal components analysis suggest that the presence of carbonate bedrock underlying lakes located close to development appears to exert a first-order control over lake sediment base cation concentrations and overall lake sediment geochemical composition. Trace element concentrations generally did not exceed Canadian sediment quality guidelines, and no spatial or temporal trends were observed in the frequency of guideline exceedence. Our results demonstrate that early mining efforts had an even greater impact on trace element cycling than has been appreciated previously, placing recent monitoring efforts in a critical long-term context.

Effects of urbanization and long-term rainfall on the occurrence of organic compounds and trace elements in reservoir sediment cores, streambed sediment, and fish tissue from the Santa Ana River basin, California, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen A.

2002-01-01

Organcochlorine compounds, semivolatile-organic compounds (SVOC), and trace elements were analyzed in reservoir sediment cores, streambed sediment, and fish tissue in the Santa Ana River Basin as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Three reservoirs were sampled in areas that have different degrees of urbanization. Streambed sediment and fish tissue collected at 12 sites were divided into two groups, urban and nonurban. More organochlorine compounds were detected in reservoir sediment cores, streambed sediment and fish tissue, and at higher concentrations at urban sites than at nonurban sites. At all sites, except West Street Basin, concentrations of organochlorine compounds were lower than the probable-effect concentration (PEC). At the highly urbanized West Street Basin, chlordane and p,p'-DDE exceeded the PEC throughout the historical record. The less stringent threshold-effect concentration (TEC) was exceeded for six compounds at eight sites. Most of the organochlorine compounds detected in streambed sediment and fish tissue were at urban sites on the Santa Ana River as opposed to its tributaries, suggesting accumulation and persistence in the river. More SVOCs were detected in reservoir sediment cores and streambed sediment, and at higher concentrations, at urban sites than at nonurban sites. At all the sites, except West Street Basin, concentrations of SVOCs were lower than the PEC. At West Street Basin, chrysene, pyrene, and total polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons exceeded the PEC throughout the historical record. The TEC was exceeded for 10 compounds at 3 sites. Most of the SVOCs were detected in streambed sediment at urban sites on tributaries to the Santa Ana River rather than the mainstem itself. The less frequent occurrence and lower concentrations in the Santa Ana River suggest that SVOCs are less persistent than organochlorine compounds, possibly as a result of volatization, gradation, or dilution. Most trace-element detections in reservoir sediment cores and streambed sediment were at urban sites, and the concentrations were generally higher than at nonurban sites. Lead and zinc exceeded their PECs at West Street Basin throughout the historical record; copper exceeded its PEC at Canyon Lake, an area of urban growth. The TEC was exceeded for 10 compounds at 11 sites. Frequency of detection and concentration did not differ between tributary and Santa Ana River sites, which may be attributed to the fact that trace elements occur naturally. Four trace elements (arsenic, copper, mercury, and selenium) had higher concentrations in fish tissue at nonurban sites than at urban sites. Concentrations decreased over time for organochlorine compounds at all three reservoirs, probably a result of the discontinued use of many of the compounds. Decreasing trends in SVOCs and trace elements were observed at West Street Basin, but increasing trends were observed at Canyon Lake. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds, SVOCs, and trace elements were higher during periods of above average rainfall at both West Street Basin and Canyon Lake.

The influence of model grid resolution on estimation of national scale nitrogen deposition and exceedance of critical levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dore, A. J.; Kryza, M.; Hall, J. R.; Hallsworth, S.; Keller, V. J. D.; Vieno, M.; Sutton, M. A.

2011-12-01

The Fine Resolution Atmospheric Multi-pollutant Exchange model (FRAME) has been applied to model the spatial distribution of nitrogen deposition and air concentration over the UK at a 1 km spatial resolution. The modelled deposition and concentration data were gridded at resolutions of 1 km, 5 km and 50 km to test the sensitivity of calculations of the exceedance of critical loads for nitrogen deposition to the deposition data resolution. The modelled concentrations of NO2 were validated by comparison with measurements from the rural sites in the national monitoring network and were found to achieve better agreement with the high resolution 1 km data. High resolution plots were found to represent a more physically realistic distribution of nitrogen air concentrations and deposition resulting from use of 1 km resolution precipitation and emissions data as compared to 5 km resolution data. Summary statistics for national scale exceedance of the critical load for nitrogen deposition were not highly sensitive to the grid resolution of the deposition data but did show greater area exceedance with coarser grid resolution due to spatial averaging of high nitrogen deposition hot spots. Local scale deposition at individual Sites of Special Scientific Interest and high precipitation upland sites was sensitive to choice of grid resolution of deposition data. Use of high resolution data tended to generate lower deposition values in sink areas for nitrogen dry deposition (Sites of Scientific Interest) and higher values in high precipitation upland areas. In areas with generally low exceedance (Scotland) and for certain vegetation types (montane), the exceedance statistics were more sensitive to model data resolution.

The influence of model grid resolution on estimation of national scale nitrogen deposition and exceedance of critical loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dore, A. J.; Kryza, M.; Hall, J. R.; Hallsworth, S.; Keller, V. J. D.; Vieno, M.; Sutton, M. A.

2012-05-01

The Fine Resolution Atmospheric Multi-pollutant Exchange model (FRAME) was applied to model the spatial distribution of reactive nitrogen deposition and air concentration over the United Kingdom at a 1 km spatial resolution. The modelled deposition and concentration data were gridded at resolutions of 1 km, 5 km and 50 km to test the sensitivity of calculations of the exceedance of critical loads for nitrogen deposition to the deposition data resolution. The modelled concentrations of NO2 were validated by comparison with measurements from the rural sites in the national monitoring network and were found to achieve better agreement with the high resolution 1 km data. High resolution plots were found to represent a more physically realistic distribution of reactive nitrogen air concentrations and deposition resulting from use of 1 km resolution precipitation and emissions data as compared to 5 km resolution data. Summary statistics for national scale exceedance of the critical load for nitrogen deposition were not highly sensitive to the grid resolution of the deposition data but did show greater area exceedance with coarser grid resolution due to spatial averaging of high nitrogen deposition hot spots. Local scale deposition at individual Sites of Special Scientific Interest and high precipitation upland sites was sensitive to choice of grid resolution of deposition data. Use of high resolution data tended to generate lower deposition values in sink areas for nitrogen dry deposition (Sites of Scientific Interest) and higher values in high precipitation upland areas. In areas with generally low exceedance (Scotland) and for certain vegetation types (montane), the exceedance statistics were more sensitive to model data resolution.

Water-quality and biological conditions in the Lower Boise River, Ada and Canyon Counties, Idaho, 1994-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacCoy, Dorene E.

2004-01-01

The water quality and biotic integrity of the lower Boise River between Lucky Peak Dam and the river's mouth near Parma, Idaho, have been affected by agricultural land and water use, wastewater treatment facility discharge, urbanization, reservoir operations, and river channel alteration. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and cooperators have studied water-quality and biological aspects of the lower Boise River in the past to address water-quality concerns and issues brought forth by the Clean Water Act of 1977. Past and present issues include preservation of beneficial uses of the river for fisheries, recreation, and irrigation; and maintenance of high-quality water for domestic and agricultural uses. Evaluation of the data collected from 1994 to 2002 by the USGS revealed increases in constituent concentrations in the lower Boise in a downstream direction. Median suspended sediment concentrations from Diversion Dam (downstream from Lucky Peak Dam) to Parma increased more than 11 times, nitrogen concentrations increased more than 8 times, phosphorus concentrations increased more than 7 times, and fecal coliform concentrations increased more than 400 times. Chlorophyll-a concentrations, used as an indicator of nutrient input and the potential for nuisance algal growth, also increased in a downstream direction; median concentrations were highest at the Middleton and Parma sites. There were no discernible temporal trends in nutrients, sediment, or bacteria concentrations over the 8-year study. The State of Idaho?s temperature standards to protect coldwater biota and salmonid spawning were exceeded most frequently at Middleton and Parma. Suspended sediment concentrations exceeded criteria proposed by Idaho Department of Environmental Quality most frequently at Parma and at all but three tributaries. Total nitrogen concentrations at Glenwood, Middleton, and Parma exceeded national background levels; median flow-adjusted total nitrogen concentrations at Middleton and Parma were higher than those in undeveloped basins sampled nationwide by the USGS. Total phosphorus concentrations at Glenwood, Middleton, and Parma also exceeded those in undeveloped basins. Macroinvertebrate and fish communities were used to evaluate the long-term integration of water-quality contaminants and loss of habitat in the lower Boise. Biological integrity of the macroinvertebrate population was assessed with the attributes (metrics) of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness and metrics used in the Idaho River Macroinvertebrate Index (RMI): taxa richness; EPT richness; percent dominant taxon; percent Elmidae (riffle beetles); and percent predators. Average EPT was about 10, and RMI scores were frequently below 16, which indicated intermediate or poor water quality. The number of EPT taxa and RMI scores for the lower Boise were half those for least-impacted streams in Idaho. The fine sediment bioassessment index (FSBI) was used to evaluate macroinvertebrate sediment tolerance. The FSBI scores were lower than those for a site upstream in the Boise River Basin near Twin Springs, a site not impacted by urbanization and agriculture, which indicated that the lower Boise macroinvertebrate population may be impacted by fine sediment. Macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups and percent tolerant species, mainly at Middleton and Parma, were typical of those in areas of degraded water quality and habitat. The biological integrity of the fish population was evaluated using the Idaho River Fish Index (RFI), which consists of the 10 metrics: number of coldwater native species, percent sculpin, percent coldwater species, percent sensitive native individuals, percent tolerant individuals, number of nonindigenous species, number of coldwater fish captured per minute of electrofishing, percent of fish with deformities (eroded fins, lesions, or tumors), number of trout age classes, and percent carp. RFI scores for lower Boise sites indicated a d

The relevance of the urinary concentration of ephedrines in anti-doping analysis: determination of pseudoephedrine, cathine, and ephedrine after administration of over-the-counter medicaments.

PubMed

Strano-Rossi, Sabina; Leone, Daniele; de la Torre, Xavier; Botrè, Francesco

2009-08-01

This article describes a method for the detection and quantitation of cathine, pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and methylephedrine in urine, using their deuterated analogues as internal standards and derivatization to form the corresponding trimethylsilyl derivatives after a simple liquid-liquid extraction. The study was designed to evaluate whether the urinary cutoff values set by the World Anti-Doping Agency for the banned ephedrines (cathine >5 microg/mL, ephedrine and methylephedrine >10 microg/mL) can be exceeded after the normal self-administration of common over-the-counter medicaments containing nonbanned ephedrines. The present method, after validation, has been applied on real urine samples obtained from 9 healthy volunteers taking different doses of over-the-counter preparations containing ephedrines. Results obtained from excretion studies show high interindividual differences in the urinary concentrations of both pseudoephedrine and cathine, not dependent on body weight or sex nor, in some instances, on the administered dose. The same typical therapeutic dose of pseudoephedrine (60 mg) produced a urinary concentration of more than 5 microg/mL for cathine and of more than 100 microg/mL for pseudoephedrine in 2 of 9 subjects only. When a dose of 120 mg was administered, cathine concentration exceeded 5 microg/mL in 4 of 7 subject, and also concentrations of pseudoephedrine above 100 microg/mL. After administration of 5 x 120 mg of pseudoephedrine (120 mg administered every 7 days for 5 weeks) to one of the subjects exceeding the urinary threshold values, the urinary concentration of cathine and pseudoephedrine exceeded 5 microg/mL (peak concentration 14.8 microg/mL) and 100 microg/mL (peak concentration 275 microg/mL), respectively. When the same subject took 180 mg of pseudoephedrine, the urinary concentration values were below 5 microg/mL for ephedrine and 100 microg/mL for pseudoephedrine. In the case of ephedrine administration in a sustained-release formulation containing 12 mg of ephedrine, 2 of 3 subjects exceeded the urinary cutoff value of 10 microg/mL. The high interindividual variability is still significant even if the urinary concentration values are adjusted by specific gravity and/or creatinine. These results confirm a high interindividual variability in the urinary concentration of ephedrines after the administration of the same therapeutic dose of a preparation.

Are Lead Exposures a Risk in European Fresh Waters? A Regulatory Assessment Accounting for Bioavailability.

PubMed

Peters, Adam; Wilson, Iain; Merrington, Graham; Chowdhury, M Jasim

2018-01-01

An indicative compliance assessment of the Europe-wide bioavailable lead Environmental Quality Standard of 1.2 µg L -1 (EQS) was undertaken against regulatory freshwater monitoring data from six European member states and FOREGS database. Bio-met, a user-friendly tool based upon Biotic Ligand Models (BLMs) was used to account for bioavailability, along with the current European Water Framework Directive lead dissolved organic carbon correction approach. The outputs from both approaches were compared to the BLM. Of the 9054 freshwater samples assessed only 0.6% exceeded the EQS of 1.2 µg L -1 after accounting for bioavailability. The data showed that ambient background concentrations of lead across Europe are unlikely to influence general compliance with the EQS, although there may be isolated local issues. The waters showing the greatest sensitivity to potential lead exposures are characterized by relatively low DOC (< 0.5 mg L -1 ), regardless of the pH and calcium concentrations.

Variability in the chemistry of private drinking water supplies and the impact of domestic treatment systems on water quality.

PubMed

Ander, E L; Watts, M J; Smedley, P L; Hamilton, E M; Close, R; Crabbe, H; Fletcher, T; Rimell, A; Studden, M; Leonardi, G

2016-12-01

Tap water from 497 properties using private water supplies, in an area of metalliferous and arsenic mineralisation (Cornwall, UK), was measured to assess the extent of compliance with chemical drinking water quality standards, and how this is influenced by householder water treatment decisions. The proportion of analyses exceeding water quality standards were high, with 65 % of tap water samples exceeding one or more chemical standards. The highest exceedances for health-based standards were nitrate (11 %) and arsenic (5 %). Arsenic had a maximum observed concentration of 440 µg/L. Exceedances were also high for pH (47 %), manganese (12 %) and aluminium (7 %), for which standards are set primarily on aesthetic grounds. However, the highest observed concentrations of manganese and aluminium also exceeded relevant health-based guidelines. Significant reductions in concentrations of aluminium, cadmium, copper, lead and/or nickel were found in tap waters where households were successfully treating low-pH groundwaters, and similar adventitious results were found for arsenic and nickel where treatment was installed for iron and/or manganese removal, and successful treatment specifically to decrease tap water arsenic concentrations was observed at two properties where it was installed. However, 31 % of samples where pH treatment was reported had pH < 6.5 (the minimum value in the drinking water regulations), suggesting widespread problems with system maintenance. Other examples of ineffectual treatment are seen in failed responses post-treatment, including for nitrate. This demonstrates that even where the tap waters are considered to be treated, they may still fail one or more drinking water quality standards. We find that the degree of drinking water standard exceedances warrant further work to understand environmental controls and the location of high concentrations. We also found that residents were more willing to accept drinking water with high metal (iron and manganese) concentrations than international guidelines assume. These findings point to the need for regulators to reinforce the guidance on drinking water quality standards to private water supply users, and the benefits to long-term health of complying with these, even in areas where treated mains water is widely available.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Law, A.G.; Serkowski, J.A.; Schatz, A.L.

The Separations Area ground-water monitoring network consisted of 137 wells. Samples from wells in the monitoring network were collected on a monthly, quarterly, or semiannual schedule, depending on the history of the liquid waste disposal site. Samples were analyzed selectively for total alpha, total beta, tritium, /sup 90/Sr, /sup 137/Cs, /sup 60/Co, /sup 106/Ru, total uranium and nitrate. Average concentrations of contaminants in most wells were essentially the same in 1986 as in 1985. The DCG for tritium was exceeded at two PUREX cribs. The ACL specified for /sup 90/Sr was exceeded in three wells near the 216-A-25 Pond. Disposalmore » of effluents to the pond decreased as the main pond was reduced in width to a ditch leading the overflow pond. The ACL guidelines for uranium were exceeded although concentrations were below the DCG; the source of this uranium is probably the inactive 216-B-12 crib. Uranium concentrations above the ACL but below the DCG were also observed at the 216-U-14 ditch and the source is under evaluation. The inactive 216-B-5 reverse well exceeded the DCG for /sup 90/Sr and the ACL for /sup 137/Cs and uranium. Inactive facilities exceeding Rockwell guidelines were the 216-S-1/2 cribs, 216-U-1/2 cribs, the 216-U-10 pond, and the 216-U-6 crib. The 216-S-1/2 cribs have historically had high /sup 137/Cs concentrations because of localized contamination but are below the DCG. Uranium concentrations, which are above the DCG, have stabilized at the 216-U-1/2 cribs after the remedial pumping and uranium removal conducted in 1985. Possible additional action is currently being evaluated. Disposal of the effluent from the ion exchange column to the 216-S-25 crib resulted in ground-water concentrations that exceeded Rockwell guidelines but below the DCG. Ground water near the 216-U-10 pond remains elevated but below the DCG due to past disposal to the pond, which was deactivated in 1984. 23 refs., 25 figs., 26 tabs.« less

Monitoring heavy metal concentrations in the sediments of the Moskva and Oka River system- Results of the Volga-Rhine-Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andresen, Höpke

2010-05-01

In the course of the Volga-Rhine-Project sediment, water and pore water samples were collected on the Volga as well as the Moskva and Oka river systems. The sampling area discussed here is located south east of the city of Moscow. Sediment samples were taken along the Moskva River between Moscow and the city of Kolomna, which is approximately 100 km to the southeast of Moscow and in the Oka River close to the confluence with the Moskva River (Kolomna). The first sampling campaign in this region took place in 1993, followed by further sampling in 1997 and 2007. For evaluation of sediment quality classification systems are often used. The geo-accumulation index proposed by Mueller (1979) is a classification system which consists of seven classes given by the following expression: I = log2×Cn- geo 1.5×Bn Where Cn = measured concentration; Bn = background value (Turekian & Wedepol 1961) of element n and 1.5 = background matrix correction factor. The geo-accumulation index consists of seven grades (0-6) which indicate the enrichment of an element compared to the background value. These grades range from 'not polluted' to 'very strongly polluted'. Another possibility to express sediment contamination is to evaluate the effects on the ecosystem. The lowest effect level (LEL) gives the concentrations of the heavy metals in sediment below which no effect on the majority of the sediment dwelling organisms is expected. The probable effect level (PEL) represents the concentration of heavy metals above which the organisms frequently will show adverse effects. Both of these approaches were used to evaluate the results of the Volga-Rhine-Project. In the last two decades the concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments decreased by up to 60%. In 1993 sediments revealed high concentrations of several heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, zinc, arsenic, nickel and cobalt, whereas in 2007 only two sediment samples were classified as 'very strongly polluted' regarding lead and cadmium concentrations. Additionally six other sediment samples were found to be 'strongly polluted' with cadmium, zinc and lead, respectively. Using the ecotoxicological approach on the sediments, chromium, cadmium and zinc are above the PEL, whereas the content of lead exceeds the LEL. Thus, these metals may still cause toxic effects on the fresh water system. Although the input of heavy metals into the river systems has clearly decreased during the last 20 years, there are still some locations where high concentrations of heavy metals are found, suggesting point sources. Especially cadmium still shows significantly higher concentrations than the background value in the entire sampling area. There are even two sampling points where the cadmium concentrations reach approximately 100x the background value. To determine the temporal variation of the heavy metal input, sediment cores were taken. Heavy metal concentrations increase with depth in the cores and show a maximum at a depth of about 35-40 cm. Some part of this increase may be a result of early diagenesis as well as a result of reduced heavy metal input. The nature of the decline of the heavy metal concentrations is still in progress. Despite all the improvements achieved in environmental protection in Russia, still some problems have to be addressed. Especially in urban areas like the Moscow region the number and the size of illegal dump sites is increasing dramatically, leading to strong inputs of heavy metals and other pollutants into the river systems, with consequences for the sensitive eco systems.

29 CFR Appendix A to §§ 1605.2 and... - Background Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Background Information A Appendix A to §§ 1605.2 and 1605... §§ 1605.2 and 1605.3—Background Information In 1966, the Commission adopted guidelines on religious... of Trans World Airlines' business, and would therefore, exceed the duty to accommodate Hardison. In...

29 CFR Appendix A to §§ 1605.2 and... - Background Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Background Information A Appendix A to §§ 1605.2 and 1605... §§ 1605.2 and 1605.3—Background Information In 1966, the Commission adopted guidelines on religious... of Trans World Airlines' business, and would therefore, exceed the duty to accommodate Hardison. In...

Concentrations and Risks of p-Dichlorobenzene in Indoor and Outdoor Air

PubMed Central

Chin, Jo-Yu; Godwin, Christopher; Jia, Chunrong; Robins, Thomas; Lewis, Toby; Parker, Edith; Max, Paul; Batterman, Stuart

2012-01-01

p-Dichlorobenzene (PDCB) is a chlorinated volatile organic compound (VOC) that can be encountered at high concentrations in buildings due to its use as pest repellent and deodorant. This study characterizes PDCB concentrations in four communities in southeast Michigan. The median concentration outside 145 homes was 0.04 µg m−3, and the median concentration inside 287 homes was 0.36 µg m−3. The distribution of indoor concentrations was extremely skewed. For example, 30% of the homes exceeded 0.91 µg m−3, which corresponds to a cancer risk level of 10−5 based on the California unit risk estimate, and 4% of homes exceeded 91 µg m−3, equivalent to a 10−3 risk level. The single highest measurement was 4,100 µg m−3. Estimates of whole house emission rates were largely consistent with chamber test results in the literature. Indoor concentrations that exceed a few µg m−3 indicate use of PDCB products. PDCB concentrations differed among households and the four cities, suggesting the importance of locational, cultural and behavioral factors in the use patterns of this chemical. The high PDCB levels found suggest the need for policies and actions to lower exposures, e.g., sales or use restrictions, improved labeling, and consumer education. PMID:22725685

Results of the basewide monitoring program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 1993-1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, C.W.; Cunningham, W.L.

1996-01-01

Geologic and hydrologic data were collected at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio, as part of Basewide Monitoring Program (BMP) that began in 1992. The BMP was designed as a long-term project to character ground-water and surface-water quality (including streambed sediments), describe water-quality changes as water enters, flows across, and exits the Base, and investigate the effects of activities at WPAFB on regional water quality. Ground water, surface ware, and streambed sediment were sampled in four rounds between August 1993 and September 1994 to provide the analytical data needed to address the objectives of the BMP. Surface-water-sampling rounds were designed to include most of the seasonal hydrologic conditions encountered in southwestern Ohio, including baseflow conditions and spring runoff. Ground-water-sampling rounds were scheduled for times of recession and recharfe. Ground-water data were used to construct water-table, potentiometric, and vertical gradient maps of the WPAFB area. Water levels have not changed significantly since 1987, but the effects of pumping on and near the Base can have a marked effect on water levels in localized areas. Ground-ware gradients generally were downward throughout Area B (the southwestern third of the Base) and in the eastern third of Areas A and C (the northeastern two-thirds of the Base), and were upward in the vicinity of Mad River. Stream-discharge measurements verified these gradients. Many of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) exceedances of inorganic constituents in ground water were associated with water from the bedrock. Exceedances of concentrations of chromium and nickel were found consistently in five wells completed in the glacial aquifer beneath the Base. Five organic compounds [trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride, benzene, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate] were detected at concentrations that exceeded MCLs; all of the TCE, PCE, and vinyl chloride exceedances were in water from glacial aquifer, whereas the benzene exceedance and most of the bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate exceedances were in water from the bedrock. TCE (16 exceedances) and PCE (11 exceedances) most frequently exceeded the MCLs and were detected in the most samples. A decrease in concentrations of inorganic and organic compounds with depth suggest that many constituents detected in ground-water samples are associated partly with human activities, in addition to their natural occurrence. Included in the list of these constituents are nickel, chromium, copper, lead vanadium, zinc, bromide, and nitrate. Many constituents are not found at depths greater than 60 to 80 feet, possibly indicating that human effects on ground-water quality are limited to shallow flow systems. Organic compounds detected in shallow or intermediate-depth wells were aligned mostly with flowpaths that pass through or near identified hazardous-waste sites. Few organic contaminants were detected in surface water. The only organic compound to exceed MCLs for drinking water was bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, but it was detected at concentrations just above the MCL. Inorganic constituents detected at concentration exceeding MCLs include beryllium (twice), lead (once), thallium (once), and gross alpha radiation (once). No polycyclic aromatic (PAHs) were detected in surface-water samples. The highest concentrations of contaminants detected during a storm event were in samples from upgradient locations, indicating that off-Base sources may contribute to surface-water contamination. Inorganic and organic contaminants were found in streambed sediments at WPAFB, primarily in Areas A and C. Trace metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium were detected at 16 locations at concentrations considered 'elevated' according to a ranking scheme for sediments. PAHS were the organic compounds detected most frequently and in highest concentrations organo

Quality of Wisconsin stormwater, 1989-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bannerman, Roger T.; Legg, Andrew D.; Greb, Steven R.

1996-01-01

Water-quality data were compiled from four urban stormwater monitoring projects conducted in Wisconsin between 1989 and 1994. These projects included monitoring in both storm-sewer pipes and urban streams. A total of 147 constitu ents were analyzed for in stormwater sampled from 10 storm-sewer pipes and four urban streams. Land uses represented by the storm-sewer watersheds included residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed. For about one-half the con stituents, at least 10 percent of the event mean con centrations exceeded the laboratory's minimum reporting limit. Detection frequencies were greater than 75 percent for many of the heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in both the storm sewer and stream samples, whereas detec tion frequencies were about 20 percent or greater for many of the pesticides in both types of sam ples. Stormwater concentrations for conventional constituents, such as suspended solids, chloride, total phosphorus, and fecal coliform bacteria were greater than minimum reporting limits almost 100 percent of the time. Concentrations of many of the constituents were high enough to say that stormwater in the storm sewers and urban streams might be contrib uting to the degradation of the streams. In this report, constituents defined as potential contami nants are those for which the laboratory minimum report limit was exceeded for at least 10 percent of the sampled storm events, and for which at least one event mean concentration exceeded an estab lished water-quality standard. Storm-sewer sam ples had event mean concentrations of lead, copper, zinc, cadmium, and silver that frequently exceeded Wisconsin's acute toxicity criteria for cold water fisheries. Wisconsin's human cancer criteria was exceeded almost 100 percent of the time for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in stormwater samples from storm sewers and streams. Maximum concentrations of diazinon found in storm sewers exceeded recommended levels of diazinon. Storm-sewer samples also exceeded Wisconsin's ground-water enforcement standards for pesticides, PCB's, phthalates, and chloride. Defined by criteria in this report, poten tial contaminants included five metals (lead, zinc, copper, silver, and cadmium), nine polycyclic aro matic hydrocarbons, Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, four pesticides (DDT, atrazine, alachlor, and 2,4 D), suspended solids, chlorides, total phosphorus, BOD 5-day, and bacteria. Wisconsin stormwater quality was similar to stormwater quality monitored in other states. Nearly one-half of median concentrations of con stituents in Wisconsin stormwater were within 30 percent of the medians from other states. The clos est agreement was seen for biochemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, and total recoverable zinc. Similarities in stormwater quality for the storm sewer and urban streams indicated the storm sewers were a major source of water to the streams during storm events. Concentrations of potential contaminants in urban streams increased dramati cally during storm events as compared to baseflow concentrations.

Characterization and aerosol mass balance of PM2.5 and PM10 collected in Conakry, Guinea during the 2004 Harmattan period.

PubMed

Weinstein, Jason P; Hedges, Scott R; Kimbrough, Sue

2010-02-01

Background PM(2.5) and PM(10) levels were determined during Harmattan (West African wind blown dust) at a background site in Conakry, Guinea. The study was conducted from January to February, 2004 when Harmattan dust appeared to be most pronounced. PM(2.5) concentrations at the Nongo American housing compound ranged from 38mugm(-3) to 177mugm(-3), and PM(10) ranged from 80mugm(-3) to 358mugm(-3), exceeding standards set by EPA and European Commission Environment Directorate-General. PTFE filter samples were analyzed for insoluble and soluble inorganic constituents by XRF and IC, respectively. Sulfur and associated SO(4)(2-) concentrations were notably consistent among PM(2.5) and PM(10) samples which marked a relatively stable S background signal from anthropogenic sources. Enrichment factor (EF) analysis and aerosol mass reconstruction (AMR) techniques were used to isolate potential PM source contributors. The EF's for SiO(2), TiO(2), Al(2)O(3), Fe(2)O(3), and MnO were near unity which suggests a crustal origin for these elements. EF's for Na(2)O and K(2)O were above unity and highly variable, these elements were elevated due to widespread mangrove wood combustion as a fuel source in Conakry. The EF's for Cr were notably high with a median of 7 and interquartile range from 5 to 16, the elevated levels were attributed to unregulated point source and mobile source emitters in and around Conakry.

The quality of our Nation's waters-Nutrients in the Nation's streams and groundwater, 1992-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dubrovsky, N.M.; Burow, K.R.; Clark, G.M.; Gronberg, J.M.; Hamilton, P.A.; Hitt, K.J.; Mueller, D.K.; Munn, M.D.; Nolan, B.T.; Puckett, L.J.; Rupert, M.G.; Short, T.M.; Spahr, N.E.; Sprague, L.A.; Wilber, W.G.

2010-01-01

National Findings and Their Implications Although the use of artificial fertilizer has supported increasing food production to meet the needs of a growing population, increases in nutrient loadings from agricultural and, to a lesser extent, urban sources have resulted in nutrient concentrations in many streams and parts of aquifers that exceed standards for protection of human health and (or) aquatic life, often by large margins. Do NAWQA findings substantiate national concerns for aquatic and human health? National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) findings indicate that nutrient concentrations in streams and groundwater in basins with significant agricultural or urban development are substantially greater than naturally occurring or ?background? levels. For example, median concentrations of total nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural streams are about 6 times greater than background levels. Findings also indicate that concentrations in streams routinely were 2 to 10 times greater than regional nutrient criteria recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to protect aquatic life. Such large differences in magnitude suggest that significant reductions in sources of nutrients, as well as greater use of land management strategies to reduce the transport of nutrients to streams, are needed to meet recommended criteria for streams draining areas with significant agricultural and urban development. Nitrate concentrations above the Federal drinking-water standard-or Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)-of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L, as nit-ogen) are relatively uncommon in samples from streams used for drinking water or from relatively deep aquifers; the MCL is exceeded, however, in more than 20 percent of shallow (less than 100 feet below the water table) domestic wells in agricultural areas. This finding raises concerns for human health in rural agricultural areas where shallow groundwater is used for domestic supply and may warn of future contamination of deeper groundwater pumped from public-supply wells. Are levels of nutrients in water increasing or decreasing? A decadal assessment of trends in concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus from about 1993 to 2003 shows minimal changes in those concentrations in the majority of studied streams across the Nation, and more upward than downward trends in concentrations at sites with changes. These findings underscore the need for reductions in nutrient inputs or management strategies that would reduce transport of nutrients to streams. Upward trends were evident among all land uses, including those only minimally affected by agricultural and (or) urban development, which suggests that additional protection of some of our Nation's most pristine streams warrants consideration. The median of nitrate concentrations in groundwater from 495 wells also increased significantly from 3.2 to 3.4 mg/L (6 percent) during about the same period, and the proportion of wells with concentrations of nitrate greater than the MCL increased from 16 to 21 percent. Nitrate concentrations in water in deep aquifers are likely to increase during the next decade as shallow groundwater with elevated concentrations moves downward. The potential for future contamination of the deep aquifers requires attention because these aquifers commonly are used for public water supply, and because restoration of groundwater is costly and difficult. Long-term and consistent monitoring of nutrients, improved accounting of nutrient sources, and improved tracking and modeling of climatic and landscape changes will be essential for distinguishing trends in nutrient concentrations, understanding the causes of those trends, and accurately tracking the effectiveness of strategies implemented to manage nutrients.

Recreational Impacts on the Microclimate of the Gorilla Limestone Cave in Shoushan National Nature Park of Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chun; Ho, Lih-Der

2017-04-01

This study reports a continuous microclimate monitoring carried out in the Gorilla Cave (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) between December 2015 and December 2016. This limestone cave is located in the Mt. Shoushan, which is mainly composed of limestone and mudstone. This study tried to assess the recreational impacts to the microclimate of the cave by monitoring the CO2, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. Two monitoring stations were set up respectively at the front part (station A) and the end of the cave (station B). We also set up an auto-operated time-lapse camera at the entrance of the cave to record the numbers of tourists, and their entering time and the durations in cave. As carbon dioxide in the limestone cave may have negative impact to both speleothems and visitors, our presentation focuses on the variations of CO2 concentration in the Gorilla Cave. Daily and seasonal fluctuations of CO2 concentration were observed. The fluctuations are closely related with the temperature outside the cave. In summer, when the temperature outside the cave maintained at 30。C, fluctuations of CO2 concentration in the cave will become chaotic. The CO2 concentration would fluctuate around 1000ppm most of the day, but it would be relatively low ( 500ppm) during the noon. In winter, when temperature outside the cave maintained below 25゜C, the fluctuation of CO2 concentration in cave presented a steady state ( 400-500 ppm). Only at the noon, the temperature outside the cave rose above 25 ゜C, the CO2 concentration inside the cave would increase. There were 1,517 tourists entered the cave during the monitoring period. The average number of visitors in a group is 13, and each group averagely stayed for 15 minutes. Over half of the visitors (776 tourists) entered the cave in December, due to lower humidity, drier in the cave and less dripping water in winter. After tourists entered the cave, the CO2 concentration value of station A rose instantly. However, most tourists stayed at the end of the cave longer, so the CO2 concentration of station B would be higher due to the CO2 accumulation. Therefore, it took a long time to return to the background level of CO2 concentration. In summer, because the CO2 concentration in the cave was already high, the value fluctuated less when the tourists entered the cave, but it took a longer time to return to the background CO2 level. On the contrary, the CO2 concentration increased significantly after tourists entered the cave during the winter time, but the recovery time was shorter. Based on the monitoring results, we suggest that (1) the buffering time between each visiting group should be longer in summer, but shorter in winter. (2) Consider to the limited space of the cave, each group should not exceed 20 tourists and stays no longer than 30 minutes to avoid the CO2 concentration exceeding 2400 ppm to discomfort tourists. However, the degradation of speleothems by increasing CO2 concentration in the Gorilla Cave is still unclear and further research is needed.

[Variation characteristics and environmental significant of trace elements under rainfall condition in karst groundwater].

PubMed

Chen, Xue-Bin; Yang, Ping-Heng; Lan, Jia-Cheng; Mo, Xue; Shi, Yang

2014-01-01

Chemical dynamics of Qingmuguan karst groundwater system were continuously monitored during the rainfall events. A series of high-resolution concentrations data on trace elements, such as barium, strontium, iron, manganese, aluminum, and other major elements were acquired. Correlation analysis and analysis of concentration curve were employed to identify the sources and migration path of the trace elements. And the formation process of trace elements in groundwater was discussed with the geological background of underground river basin. Research shows that barium and strontium derived from carbonate dissolution appeared to be stored in features such as fissures and pores. These two ions were recharged into the underground river by diffusion during precipitation, which resulted in small changes in the their concentration. However total iron, total manganese and aluminum derived from soil erosion varied relatively widely with strong response to rainfall, attributing to the migration of total iron and aluminum with overland flow to recharge the subterranean river directly via sinkholes while total manganese via soil-rock porous media. The results showed that concentrations of all the five trace elements were below 1 mg x L(-1), and the highest concentrations of total iron, total manganese and aluminum exceeded the limit of drinking water. To some extent, the concentrations of total iron and aluminum may be an indicator for soil erosion and water quality.

Equilibrium sampling to determine the thermodynamic potential for bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants from sediment.

PubMed

Jahnke, Annika; MacLeod, Matthew; Wickström, Håkan; Mayer, Philipp

2014-10-07

Equilibrium partitioning (EqP) theory is currently the most widely used approach for linking sediment pollution by persistent hydrophobic organic chemicals to bioaccumulation. Most applications of the EqP approach assume (I) a generic relationship between organic carbon-normalized chemical concentrations in sediments and lipid-normalized concentrations in biota and (II) that bioaccumulation does not induce levels exceeding those expected from equilibrium partitioning. Here, we demonstrate that assumption I can be obviated by equilibrating a silicone sampler with chemicals in sediment, measuring chemical concentrations in the silicone, and applying lipid/silicone partition ratios to yield concentrations in lipid at thermodynamic equilibrium with the sediment (CLip⇌Sed). Furthermore, we evaluated the validity of assumption II by comparing CLip⇌Sed of selected persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB)) to lipid-normalized concentrations for a range of biota from a Swedish background lake. PCBs in duck mussels, roach, eel, pikeperch, perch and pike were mostly below the equilibrium partitioning level relative to the sediment, i.e., lipid-normalized concentrations were ≤CLip⇌Sed, whereas HCB was near equilibrium between biota and sediment. Equilibrium sampling allows straightforward, sensitive and precise measurement of CLip⇌Sed. We propose CLip⇌Sed as a metric of the thermodynamic potential for bioaccumulation of persistent organic chemicals from sediment useful to prioritize management actions to remediate contaminated sites.

Potential Hazard to Human Health from Exposure to Fragments of Lead Bullets and Shot in the Tissues of Game Animals

PubMed Central

Pain, Deborah J.; Cromie, Ruth L.; Newth, Julia; Brown, Martin J.; Crutcher, Eric; Hardman, Pippa; Hurst, Louise; Mateo, Rafael; Meharg, Andrew A.; Moran, Annette C.; Raab, Andrea; Taggart, Mark A.; Green, Rhys E.

2010-01-01

Background Lead is highly toxic to animals. Humans eating game killed using lead ammunition generally avoid swallowing shot or bullets and dietary lead exposure from this source has been considered low. Recent evidence illustrates that lead bullets fragment on impact, leaving small lead particles widely distributed in game tissues. Our paper asks whether lead gunshot pellets also fragment upon impact, and whether lead derived from spent gunshot and bullets in the tissues of game animals could pose a threat to human health. Methodology/Principal Findings Wild-shot gamebirds (6 species) obtained in the UK were X-rayed to determine the number of shot and shot fragments present, and cooked using typical methods. Shot were then removed to simulate realistic practice before consumption, and lead concentrations determined. Data from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate Statutory Surveillance Programme documenting lead levels in raw tissues of wild gamebirds and deer, without shot being removed, are also presented. Gamebirds containing ≥5 shot had high tissue lead concentrations, but some with fewer or no shot also had high lead concentrations, confirming X-ray results indicating that small lead fragments remain in the flesh of birds even when the shot exits the body. A high proportion of samples from both surveys had lead concentrations exceeding the European Union Maximum Level of 100 ppb w.w. (0.1 mg kg−1 w.w.) for meat from bovine animals, sheep, pigs and poultry (no level is set for game meat), some by several orders of magnitude. High, but feasible, levels of consumption of some species could result in the current FAO/WHO Provisional Weekly Tolerable Intake of lead being exceeded. Conclusions/Significance The potential health hazard from lead ingested in the meat of game animals may be larger than previous risk assessments indicated, especially for vulnerable groups, such as children, and those consuming large amounts of game. PMID:20436670

Portable X-ray fluorescence for the detection of POP-BFRs in waste plastics.

PubMed

Sharkey, Martin; Abdallah, Mohamed Abou-Elwafa; Drage, Daniel S; Harrad, Stuart; Berresheim, Harald

2018-05-17

The purpose of this study was to establish the efficacy of portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrumentation as a screening tool for a variety of end of life plastics which may contain excess amounts of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), in compliance with European Union (EU) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) legislative limits (low POP concentration limits - LPCLs). 555 samples of waste plastics were collected from eight waste and recycling sites in Ireland, including waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), textiles, polyurethane foams (PUFs), and expanded polystyrene foams. Samples were screened for bromine content, in situ using a Niton™ XL3T GOLDD XRF analyser, the results of which were statistically compared to mass spectrometry (MS)-based measurements of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) and tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A) concentrations in the same samples. Regression between XRF and MS for WEEE samples shows that, despite an overall favourable trend, large deviations occur for a cluster of samples indicative of other bromine-based compounds in some samples; even compensating for false-positives due to background interference from electronic components, XRF tends to over-estimate MS-determined BFR concentrations in the 100 to 10,000 mg kg -1 range. Substantial deviations were additionally found between results for PUFs, textiles and polystyrene samples, with the XRF over-estimating BFR concentrations by a factor of up to 1.9; this is likely due to matrix effects influencing XRF measurements. However, expanded (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) yielded much more reliable estimations of BFR-content due to a dominance of HBCDD in these materials. XRF proved much more reliable as a "pass/fail" screening tool for LPCL compliance (including a prospective LPCL on Deca-BDE based on REACH). Using a conservative threshold of BFR content exceeding legislative limits (710 mg kg -1 bromine attributed to Penta-BDE), XRF mistakenly identifies only 6 % of samples (34/555) as exceeding legislative limits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radionuclides, inorganic constituents, organic compounds, and bacteria in water from selected wells and springs from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman Area, Idaho, 1990

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bartholomay, R.C.; Edwards, D.D.; Campbell, L.J.

1992-03-01

The US Geological Survey and the Idaho Department of Water Resources, in response to a request from the US Department of Energy, sampled 19 sites as part of a long-term project to monitor water quality of the Snake River Plain aquifer from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman area. Water samples were collected and analyzed for manmade pollutants and naturally occurring constituents. The samples were collected from seven irrigation wells, five domestic wells, two springs, one stock well, two dairy wells, one observation well, and one commercial well. Two quality assurance samples also weremore » collected and analyzed. The water samples were analyzed for selected radionuclides, inorganic constituents, organic compounds, and bacteria. None of the radionuclides, inorganic constituents, or organic compounds exceeded the established maximum contaminant levels for drinking water. Most of the radionuclide and inorganic constituent concentrations exceeded their respective reporting levels. All samples analyzed for surfactants and dissolved organic carbon had concentrations that exceeded their reporting level. Toluene concentrations exceeded the reporting level in one water sample. Two samples contained fecal coliform bacteria counts that exceeded established maximum contaminant levels for drinking water.« less

Ground-water quality and geochemistry in Carson and Eagle Valleys, western Nevada and eastern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welch, Alan H.

1994-01-01

Aquifers in Carson and Eagle Valleys are an important source of water for human consumption and agriculture. Concentrations of major constituents in water from the principal aquifers on the west sides of Carson and Eagle Valleys appear to be a result of natural geochemical reactions with minerals derived primarily from plutonic rocks. In general, water from principal aquifers is acceptable for drinking when compared with current (1993) Nevada State drinking-water maximum contaminant level standards. Water was collected and analyzed for all inorganic constituents for which primary or secondary drinking-water standards have been established. About 3 percent of these sites had con- stituents that exceeded one or more primary or secondary drinking-water standards have been established. About 3 percent of these sites had con- stituents that exceeded one or more primary standards and water at about 10 percent of the sites had at least one constituent that surpassed a secondary standard. Arsenic exceeded the standard in water at less than 1 percent of the principal aquifer sites; nitrate surpassed its standard in water at 3 percent of 93 sites. Water from wells in the principal aquifer with high concentrations of nitrate was in areas where septic systems are used; these concentrations indicate that contamination may be entering the wells. Concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in water from the principal aquifers, exceed the proposed Federal standards for some constituents, but were not found t be above current (1993) State standards. The uranium concen- trations exceeded the proposed 20 micrograms per liter Federal standard at 10 percent of the sites. Of the sites analyzed for all of the inorganic constituents with primary standards plus uranium, 15 percent exceed one or more established standards. If the proposed 20 micrograms per liter standard for uranium is applied to the sampled sites, then 23 percent would exceed the standard for uranium or some other constituent with a primary drinking water standard. This represents a 50-percent increase in the frequency of exceedance. Almost all water sampled from the principal aquifers exceeds the 300 picocuries per liter proposed standard for radon. Ground-water sampling sites with the highest radon activities in water are most commonly located in the upland aquifers in the Sierra Nevada and in the principal aquifers beneath the west sides of Carson and Eagle Valleys.

Water- and Bed-Sediment Quality of Seguchie Creek and Selected Wetlands Tributary to Mille Lacs Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, October 2003 to October 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fallon, James D.; Yaeger, Christine S.

2009-01-01

Mille Lacs Lake and its tributaries, located in east-central Minnesota, are important resources to the public. In addition, many wetlands and lakes that feed Mille Lacs Lake are of high resource quality and vulnerable to degradation. Construction of a new four-lane expansion of U.S. Highway 169 has been planned along the western part of the drainage area of Mille Lacs Lake in Crow Wing County. Concerns exist that the proposed highway could affect the resource quality of surface waters tributary to Mille Lacs Lake. Baseline water- and bed-sediment quality characteristics of surface waters tributary to Mille Lacs Lake were needed prior to the proposed highway construction. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, characterized the water- and bed-sediment quality at selected locations that the proposed route intersects from October 2003 to October 2006. Locations included Seguchie Creek upstream and downstream from the proposed route and three wetlands draining to Mille Lacs Lake. The mean streamflow of Seguchie Creek increased between the two sites: flow at the downstream streamflow-gaging station of 0.22 cubic meter per second was 5.6 percent greater than the mean streamflow at the upstream streamflow-gaging station of 0.21 cubic meter per second. Because of the large amount of storage immediately upstream from both gaging stations, increases in flow were gradual even during intense precipitation. The ranges of most constituent concentrations in water were nearly identical between the two sampling sites on Seguchie Creek. No concentrations exceeded applicable water-quality standards set by the State of Minnesota. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations at the downstream gaging station were less than the daily minimum standard of 4.0 milligrams per liter for 6 of 26 measurements. Constituent loads in Seguchie Creek were greater at the downstream site than the upstream site for all measured, including dissolved chloride (1.7 percent), ammonia plus organic nitrogen (13 percent), total phosphorus (62 percent), and suspended sediment (11 percent) during the study. All constituents had seasonal peaks in spring and fall. The large loads during the fall resulted from unusually large precipitation and streamflow patterns. This caused the two greatest streamflow peaks at both sites to occur during October (2004 and 2005). In Seguchie Creek, bed-sediment concentrations of five metals and trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and zinc) exceeded the Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines (ISQG) set by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Bed-sediment samples from the upstream site had more exceedances of ISQGs for metals and trace elements than did samples from the downstream site (seven and two exceedances, respectively). Bed-sediment samples from the downstream site had more exceedances of ISQGs (20 exceedances) for semivolatile organic compounds than did samples from the upstream site (8 exceedances), indicating different sources for organic compounds than for metals and trace elements. Concentrations of 11 semivolatile organic compounds exceeded ISQGs: ancenaphthene, acenaphthylene, anthracene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, fluoranthene, fluorene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. In bed-sediment samples collected from three wetlands, concentrations of all six metals exceeded ISQGs: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc. Concentrations of three semivolatile organic compounds exceeded ISQGs: flouranthene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. Results indicate that areas appearing relatively undisturbed and of high resource value can have degraded quality from previous unknown land use.

Radiostrontium hot spot in the Russian Arctic: ground surface contamination by (90)Sr at the "Kraton-3" underground nuclear explosion site.

PubMed

Ramzaev, Valery; Mishine, Arkady; Basalaeva, Larisa; Brown, Justin

2007-01-01

Strontium-90 activity concentrations in surface soils and areal deposition densities have been studied at a site contaminated by an accidental release to atmosphere from the underground nuclear explosion "Kraton-3" conducted near the Polar Circle (65.9 degrees N, 112.3 degrees E) within the territory of the former USSR in 1978. In 2001-2002, the ground surface contamination at 14 plots studied ranged from 20 to 15 000 kBq m(-2), which significantly exceeds the value of 0.44 kBq m(-2) deduced for three background plots. The zone with substantial radiostrontium contamination extends, at least, 2.5 km in a north-easterly direction from the borehole. The average (137)Cs/(90)Sr ratio in the ground contamination originated from the "Kraton-3" fallout was estimated to be 0.55, which is significantly different from the ratio of 2.05 evaluated for background plots contaminated mostly from global fallout. Although vertical migration of (90)Sr in all undisturbed soil profiles studied is more rapid than that for (137)Cs, the depth of percolation of both radionuclides into the ground is mostly limited to the top 10-20 cm, which may be explained, primarily, by permafrost conditions. The horizontal migration rate of radiostrontium in the aqueous phase exceeds the radiocaesium migration rate by many times. This phenomenon seems to be a reason for the significant enrichment of the soil surface layers by radiostrontium at some sites, with variations occurring in accordance with small-scale irregularities of landscape.

Energy drink consumption and impact on caffeine risk.

PubMed

Thomson, Barbara M; Campbell, Donald M; Cressey, Peter; Egan, Ursula; Horn, Beverley

2014-01-01

The impact of caffeine from energy drinks occurs against a background exposure from naturally occurring caffeine (coffee, tea, cocoa and foods containing these ingredients) and caffeinated beverages (kola-type soft drinks). Background caffeine exposure, excluding energy drinks, was assessed for six New Zealand population groups aged 15 years and over (n = 4503) by combining concentration data for 53 caffeine-containing foods with consumption information from the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey (ANS). Caffeine exposure for those who consumed energy drinks (n = 138) was similarly assessed, with inclusion of energy drinks. Forty-seven energy drink products were identified on the New Zealand market in 2010. Product volumes ranged from 30 to 600 ml per unit, resulting in exposures of 10-300 mg caffeine per retail unit consumed. A small percentage, 3.1%, of New Zealanders reported consuming energy drinks, with most energy drink consumers (110/138) drinking one serving per 24 h. The maximum number of energy drinks consumed per 24 h was 14 (total caffeine of 390 mg). A high degree of brand loyalty was evident. Since only a minor proportion of New Zealanders reported consuming energy drinks, a greater number of New Zealanders exceeded a potentially adverse effect level (AEL) of 3 mg kg(-1) bw day(-1) for caffeine from caffeine-containing foods than from energy drinks. Energy drink consumption is not a risk at a population level because of the low prevalence of consumption. At an individual level, however, teenagers, adults (20-64 years) and females (16-44 years) were more likely to exceed the AEL by consuming energy drinks in combination with caffeine-containing foods.

Hydrogeochemical characterization and Natural Background Levels in urbanized areas: Milan Metropolitan area (Northern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Caro, Mattia; Crosta, Giovanni B.; Frattini, Paolo

2017-04-01

Although aquifers in densely populated and industrialized areas are extremely valuable and sensitive to contamination, an estimate of the groundwater quality status relative to baseline conditions is lacking for many of them. This paper provides a hydrogeochemical characterization of the groundwater in the Milan metropolitan area, one of the most densely populated areas in Europe. First, a conceptual model of the study area based on the analysis of the spatial distribution of natural chemical species and indicator contaminants is presented. The hydrochemical facies of the study area depend on the lithology of catchments drained by the main contributing rivers and on the aquifer settings. The anthropogenic influence on the groundwater quality of superficial aquifers is studied by means of probability plots, concentration versus depth plots and spatial-temporal plots for nitrate, sulfate and chloride. These allow differentiation of contaminated superficial aquifers from deep confined aquifers with baseline water quality. Natural Background Levels (NBL) of selected species (Cl, Na, NH4, SO4, NO3, As, Fe, Mn and Zn) are estimated by means of the pre-selection (PS) and the component separation (CS) statistical approaches. The NBLs depend on hydrogeological settings of the study area; sodium, chloride, sulfate and zinc NBL values never exceed the environmental water quality standards. NBL values of ammonium, iron, arsenic and manganese exceed the environmental water quality standards in the anaerobic portion of the aquifers. On the basis of observations, a set of criteria and precautions are suggested for adoption with both PS and CS methods in the aquifer characterization of highly urbanized areas.

Enhanced SO2 Concentrations Observed over Northern India: Role of Long-range Transport

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mallik, C.; Lal, S.; Naja, M.

2013-01-17

Volcanic emissions and coal burning are among the major sources of SO2 over the continental environment. In this study, we show episodes of long-range transport of volcanic SO2 from Africa to Northern India using satellite observations. Monthly averaged SO2 from OMI were of the order of 0.6-0.9 DU during November, 2008 over the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), which far exceeded background values (<0.3 DU) retrieved from observations across different locations over North India during 2005-2010. The columnar SO2 loadings were much higher on November 6 over most of the IGP and even exceeded 6 DU, a factor of 10 higher thanmore » background levels at some places. These enhanced SO2 levels were, however, not reciprocated in satellite derived NO2 or CO columns, indicating transport from a non-anthropogenic source of SO2. Backward trajectory analysis revealed strong winds in the free troposphere, which originated from the Dalaffilla volcanic eruption over the Afar region of Ethiopia during November 4-6, 2008. Wind streams and stable atmospheric conditions were conducive to the long-range transport of volcanic plume into the IGP. As most of the local aerosols over IGP region are below 3 km, a well separated layer at 4-5 km is observed from CALIPSO, most likely as a result of this transport. Apart from known anthropogenic sources, the additional transport of volcanic SO2 over the IGP region would have implications to air quality and radiation balance over this region.« less

Wastewater Characterization Survey, Plattsburgh AFB, New York.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-05-01

day 1/6 months 24-hour composite Chromium 1.5 lbs/day 1/6 months 24-hour composite Cyanide (free) 1.5 lbs/day 1/6 months 24-hour composite Arsenic 1.5...pollutant. Average concentrations of iron, chromium , and zinc were 1.88 mg/1, 50 Lig/i, and 196.7 4g/l, respectively. The iron concentration exceeded the...iron, chromium , silver and zinc were 1.2 mg/l, 76 Wg/l, 44 ug/l, and 180 g/l, respectively. The iron concentration exceeded the EPA criterion for fresh

Toxic metals in imported fruits and vegetables marketed in Kuwait

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Husain, A.; Baroon, Z.; Al-Khalafawi, M.

1995-12-31

The concentration of lead, cadmium, and mercury in 134 samples of imported fruits and vegetables marketed in Kuwait were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with a graphite furnace and the cold vapor technique. Results obtained showed that the concentration of these metal ions in most cases did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration of metals in fresh fruits and vegetables as restricted by some countries. Only a few samples of fruits and vegetables contained levels of mercury, cadmium, and lead which exceeded these maximum permissible levels.

Evaluation of the impact of wood combustion on benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) concentrations; ambient measurements and dispersion modeling in Helsinki, Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hellén, Heidi; Kangas, Leena; Kousa, Anu; Vestenius, Mika; Teinilä, Kimmo; Karppinen, Ari; Kukkonen, Jaakko; Niemi, Jarkko V.

2017-03-01

Even though emission inventories indicate that wood combustion is a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), estimating its impacts on PAH concentration in ambient air remains challenging. In this study the effect of local small-scale wood combustion on the benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) concentrations in ambient air in the Helsinki metropolitan area in Finland is evaluated, using ambient air measurements, emission estimates, and dispersion modeling. The measurements were conducted at 12 different locations during the period from 2007 to 2015. The spatial distributions of annual average BaP concentrations originating from wood combustion were predicted for four of those years: 2008, 2011, 2013, and 2014. According to both the measurements and the dispersion modeling, the European Union target value for the annual average BaP concentrations (1 ng m-3) was clearly exceeded in certain suburban detached-house areas. However, in most of the other urban areas, including the center of Helsinki, the concentrations were below the target value. The measured BaP concentrations highly correlated with the measured levoglucosan concentrations in the suburban detached-house areas. In street canyons, the measured concentrations of BaP were at the same level as those in the urban background, clearly lower than those in suburban detached-house areas. The predicted annual average concentrations matched with the measured concentrations fairly well. Both the measurements and the modeling clearly indicated that wood combustion was the main local source of ambient air BaP in the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Risks and benefits of gardening in urban soil; heavy metals and nutrient content in Los Angeles Community Gardens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, L. W.; Jenerette, D.; Bain, D. J.

2012-12-01

The availability of soil nutrients and heavy metals in urban community gardens can influence health of crops and participants. Interactions between garden history, management, and soils are understudied in cities. In July 2011, we collected soil samples from 45 plots at 6 Los Angeles community gardens. For comparison, 3 samples were collected from uncultivated garden soils and 3 more from outside soils. Samples were then tested for major nutrients- Nitrogen(N), Potassium (K), and Phosphorous (P)- and organic matter (SOM). We also measured concentrations of 29 metals in 3 gardens using Inductively Coupled Plasma- Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. Potassium and phosphorus exceeded optimum levels in all plots, with some over twice the maximum recommended levels. Over-fertilized soils may contribute to local watershed pollution and crop micronutrient deficiencies. Low soil SOM was observed in gardens in impoverished neighborhoods, possibly due to low quality amendments. Our metals analysis showed dangerous levels of lead (Pb)-- up to 1700 ppm in outside soils and 150 ppm in garden soils-- near older gardens, indicating lead deposition legacies. California lead safety standards indicate that children should not play near soils with Pb above 200 ppm, indicating need for long term monitoring of lead contaminated gardens. Arsenic (As) levels exceeded federal risk levels (0.3 ppm) and average CA background levels (2 ppm) in all areas, with some gardens exceeding 10 ppm. Heavy metal legacies in gardens may pose risks to participants with prolonged exposure and remediation of soils may be necessary.

Quality of water in the Trinity and Edwards aquifers, south-central Texas, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fahlquist, Lynne; Ardis, Ann F.

2004-01-01

During 1996–98, the U.S. Geological Survey studied surface- and ground-water quality in south-central Texas. The ground-water components included the upper and middle zones (undifferentiated) of the Trinity aquifer in the Hill Country and the unconfined part (recharge zone) and confined part (artesian zone) of the Edwards aquifer in the Balcones fault zone of the San Antonio region. The study was supplemented by information compiled from four ground-water-quality studies done during 1996–98.Trinity aquifer waters are more mineralized and contain larger dissolved solids, sulfate, and chloride concentrations compared to Edwards aquifer waters. Greater variability in water chemistry in the Trinity aquifer likely reflects the more variable lithology of the host rock. Trace elements were widely detected, mostly at small concentrations. Median total nitrogen was larger in the Edwards aquifer than in the Trinity aquifer. Ammonia nitrogen was detected more frequently and at larger concentrations in the Trinity aquifer than in the Edwards aquifer. Although some nitrate nitrogen concentrations in the Edwards aquifer exceeded a U.S. Geological Survey national background threshold concentration, no concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public drinking-water standard.Synthetic organic compounds, such as pesticides and volatile organic compounds, were detected in the Edwards aquifer and less frequently in the Trinity aquifer, mostly at very small concentrations (less than 1 microgram per liter). These compounds were detected most frequently in urban unconfined Edwards aquifer samples. Atrazine and its breakdown product deethylatrazine were the most frequently detected pesticides, and trihalomethanes were the most frequently detected volatile organic compounds. Widespread detections of these compounds, although at small concentrations, indicate that anthropogenic activities affect ground-water quality.Radon gas was detected throughout the Trinity aquifer but not throughout the Edwards aquifer. Fourteen samples from the Trinity aquifer and 10 samples from the Edwards aquifer exceeded a proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency public drinking-water standard. Sources of radon in the study area might be granitic sediments underlying the Trinity aquifer and igneous intrusions in and below the Edwards aquifer.The presence of tritium in nearly all Edwards aquifer samples indicates that some component of sampled water is young (less than about 50 years), even for long flow paths in the confined zone. About one-half of the Trinity aquifer samples contained tritium, indicating that only part of the aquifer contains young water.Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of water provide indicators of recharge sources to the Trinity and Edwards aquifers. Most ground-water samples have a meteorological isotopic signature indicating recharge as direct infiltration of water with little residence time on the land surface. Isotopic data from some samples collected from the unconfined Edwards aquifer indicate the water has undergone evaporation. At the time that ground-water samples were collected (during a drought), nearby streams were the likely sources of recharge to these wells.

Sanitary quality of the Jordan River in Salt Lake County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, K.R.

1984-01-01

This investigation of the sanitary quality of the Jordan River was conducted from July 1980 to October 1982 using indicator bacteria rather than specific pathogens. A serious sanitary problem was identified. Concentrations of total coliform bacteria often exceeded 5,000 colonies per 100 milliliters and concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria often exceeded 2,000 colonies per 100 milliliters in the lower reaches of the river. At times these levels were greatly exceeded. The most conspicuous aspect of the bacteriological data is its extreme variability. Seven waste-water treatment plants, seven major tributaries, numerous storm conduits, irrigation-return flow, and other sources all contribute to the dynamic system that determines the sanitary quality of the river. Because of this variability the sanitary quality of the river cannot be predicted at any one time. In general, concentrations of all three indicator bacteria increased in a downstream direction. Storm runoff from urban areas contributed large concentrations of indicator bacteria to the river. Regression analysis of 9 years of data collected at 1700 South Street showed a significant positive correlation between both fecal coliform and fecal streptococcal concentrations versus time. Concentrations of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci have both been increasing since 1974 at 1700 South Street. (USGS)

Measurements of fine and ultrafine particles formation in photocopy centers in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chia-Wei; Hsu, Der-Jen

This study investigates the levels of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM 2.5) and some selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at 12 photocopy centers in Taiwan from November 2004 to June 2005. The results of BTEXS (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes and styrene) measurements indicated that toluene had the highest concentration in all photocopy centers, while the concentration of the other four compounds varied among the 12 photocopy centers. The average background-corrected eight-hour PM 2.5 in the 12 photocopy centers ranged from 10 to 83 μg m -3 with an average of 40 μg m -3. The 24-h indoor PM 2.5 at the photocopy centers was estimated and at two photocopy centers exceeded 100 μg m -3, the 24-h indoor PM 2.5 guideline recommended by the Taiwan EPA. The ozone level and particle size distribution at another photocopy center were monitored and indicated that the ozone level increased when the photocopying started and the average ozone level at some photocopy centers during business hour may exceed the value (50 ppb) recommended by the Taiwan EPA. The particle size distribution monitored during photocopying indicated that the emitted particles were much smaller than the original toner powders. Additionally, the number concentration of particles that were smaller than 0.5 μm was found to increase during the first hour of photocopying and it increased as the particle size decreased. The ultrafine particle (UFP, <100 nm) dominated the number concentration and the peak concentration appeared at sizes of under 50 nm. A high number concentration of UFP was found with a peak value of 1E+8 particles cm -3 during photocopying. The decline of UFP concentration was observed after the first hour and the decline is likely attributable to the surface deposition of charged particles, which are charged primarily by the diffusion charging of corona devices in the photocopier. This study concludes that ozone and UFP concentrations in photocopy centers should be concerned in view of indoor air quality and human health. The corona devices in photocopiers and photocopier-emitted VOCs have the potential to initiate indoor air chemistry during photocopying and result in the formation of UFP.

An overview of the PM10 pollution problem, in the Metropolitan Area of Athens, Greece. Assessment of controlling factors and potential impact of long range transport.

PubMed

Grivas, G; Chaloulakou, A; Kassomenos, P

2008-01-15

The present study analyzes PM(10) concentration data collected by the Greek air quality monitoring network at 8 sites over the Greater Athens Area, for the period of 2001-2004. The primary objectives were to assess the degree of compliance with the EU-legislated air quality standard for PM(10) and also provide an overall statistical examination of the factors controlling the seasonal and spatial variation of concentrations, over the wider urban agglomeration. Daily concentrations, averaged over the whole study period, ranged between 32.3 and 60.9 microg m(-3). The four-year average concentration of PM(10) at five sites exceeded the annual limit value of 40 microg m(-3), while most of the sites surpassed the allowed percentage of exceedances of the daily limit value (50 microg m(-3)), for each of the four years. The seasonal variation of PM(10) levels was not found to be uniform across the eight sites, with average cold-period concentrations being higher at four of them and warm period concentrations being significantly higher at three sites, which also displayed recurring annual variation of monthly concentrations. Concentration levels displayed moderate spatial heterogeneity. Nevertheless significant inter-site correlations were observed (ranging between 0.55 and 085). The determination of the spatial correlation levels relied mainly on site types rather than on inter-site distances. Monitoring sites were classified accordingly using cluster analysis in two groups presenting distinct spatiotemporal variation and affected by different particle formation processes. The group including urban sites was mainly affected by primary, combustion-related processes and especially vehicular traffic, as it was also deduced through the examination of the diurnal distribution of particulate levels and through factor analysis. On the contrary, suburban background sites seemed more affected by particle transport from more polluted neighboring areas and secondary particle formation through gaseous precursors, both processes aided from favoring meteorological conditions. The association of the PM(10) levels with backwards trajectories was also examined, in an attempt to account for the possible long range transport of particles in Athens. It was found that a notable part of area-wide episodic events could be attributed to trans-boundary transport of particles, with the origins of some severe dust outbreaks traced back to the Sahara desert and the Western Mediterranean.

Quality of water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ross Schmidt, Heather C.

2004-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from 20 surface-water sites and 11 ground-water sites on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation in northeastern Kansas in an effort to describe existing water-quality conditions on the reservation and to compare water-quality conditions to results from previous reports published as part of a multiyear cooperative study with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Water is a valuable resource to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation as tribal members use the streams draining the reservation, Soldier, Little Soldier, and South Cedar Creeks, to fulfill subsistence hunting and fishing needs and as the tribe develops an economic base on the reservation. Samples were collected once at 20 surface-water monitoring sites during June 2001, and quarterly samples were collected at 5 of the 20 monitoring sites from May 2001 through August 2003. Ground-water-quality samples were collected once from seven wells and twice from four wells during April through May 2003 and in August 2003. Surface-water-quality samples collected from May through August 2001 were analyzed for physical properties, nutrients, pesticides, fecal indicator bacteria, and total suspended solids. In November 2001, an additional analysis for dissolved solids, major ions, trace elements, and suspended-sediment concentration was added for surface-water samples. Ground-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and fecal indicator bacteria. Chemical oxygen demand and volatile organic compounds were analyzed in a sample from one monitoring well located near a construction and demolition landfill on the reservation. Previous reports published as a part of this ongoing study identified total phosphorus, triazine herbicides, and fecal coliform bacteria as exceeding their respective water-quality criteria in surface water on the reservation. Previous ground-water assessments identified occasional sample concentrations of dissolved solids, sodium, sulfate, boron, iron, and manganese as exceeding their respective water-quality criteria. Forty percent of the 65 surface-water samples analyzed for total phosphorus exceeded the aquatic-life goal of 0.1 mg/L (milligrams per liter) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Concentrations of dissolved solids and sodium occasionally exceeded USEPA Secondary Drinking-Water Regulations and Drinking-Water Advisory Levels, respectively. One of the 20 samples analyzed for atrazine concentrations exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 3.0 ?g/L (micrograms per liter) as an annual average established for drinking water by USEPA. A triazine herbicide screen was used on 63 surface-water samples, and triazine compounds were frequently detected. Triazine herbicides and their degradates are listed on the USEPA Contaminant Candidate List. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in two ground-water samples from one monitoring well exceeded the MCL of 10 mg/L established by USEPA for drinking water. Arsenic concentrations in two samples from one monitoring well also exceeded the proposed MCL of 10 ?g/L established by the USEPA for drinking water. Concentrations of dissolved solids and sulfate in some ground-water samples exceeded their respective Secondary Drinking-Water Regulations, and concentrations exceeded the taste threshold of the USEPA?s Drinking-Water Advisory Level for sodium. Consequently, in the event that ground water on the reservation is to be used as a drinking-water source, additional treatment may be necessary to remove excess dissolved solids, sulfate, and sodium.

Geochemistry of Mine Waste and Mill Tailings, Meadow Deposits, Streambed Sediment, and General Hydrology and Water Quality for the Frohner Meadows Area, Upper Lump Gulch, Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Klein, Terry L.; Cannon, Michael R.; Fey, David L.

2004-01-01

Frohner Meadows, an area of low-topographic gradient subalpine ponds and wetlands in glaciated terrane near the headwaters of Lump Gulch (a tributary of Prickly Pear Creek), is located about 15 miles west of the town of Clancy, Montana, in the Helena National Forest. Mining and ore treatment of lead-zinc-silver veins in granitic rocks of the Boulder batholith over the last 120 years from two sites (Frohner mine and the Nellie Grant mine) has resulted in accumulations of mine waste and mill tailings that have been distributed downslope and downstream by anthropogenic and natural processes. This report presents the results of an investigation of the geochemistry of the wetlands, streams, and unconsolidated-sediment deposits and the hydrology, hydrogeology, and water quality of the area affected by these sources of ore-related metals. Ground water sampled from most shallow wells in the meadow system contained high concentrations of arsenic, exceeding the Montana numeric water-quality standard for human health. Transport of cadmium and zinc in ground water is indicated at one site near Nellie Grant Creek based on water-quality data from one well near the creek. Mill tailings deposited in upper Frohner Meadow contribute large arsenic loads to Frohner Meadows Creek; Nellie Grant Creek contributes large arsenic, cadmium, and zinc loads to upper Frohner Meadows. Concentrations of total-recoverable cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in most surface-water sites downstream from the Nellie Grant mine area exceeded Montana aquatic-life standards. Nearly all samples of surface water and ground water had neutral to slightly alkaline pH values. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and zinc in streambed sediment in the entire meadow below the mine waste and mill tailings accumulations are highly enriched relative to regional watershed-background concentrations and exceed consensus-based, probable-effects concentrations for streambed sediment at most sites. Cadmium, copper, and zinc typically are adsorbed to the surface coatings of streambed-sediment grains. Mine waste and mill tailings contain high concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in a quartz-rich matrix. Most of the waste sites that were sampled had low acid-generating capacity, although one site (fine-grained mill tailings from the Nellie Grant mine deposited in the upper part of lower Frohner Meadows) had extremely high acid-generating potential because of abundant fine-grained pyrite. Two distinct sites were identified as metal sources based on streambed-sediment samples, cores in the meadow substrate, and mine and mill-tailings samples. The Frohner mine and mill site contribute material rich in arsenic and lead; similar material from the Nellie Grant mine and mill site is rich in cadmium and zinc.

Ground-water flow and quality in Wisconsin's shallow aquifer system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kammerer, P.A.

1995-01-01

In terms of chemical quality, the water is suitable for potable supply and most other uses, but objectionable hardness in large areas and concen- trations of iron and manganese that exceed State drinking-water standards cause aesthetic problems that may require treatment of the water for some uses. Concentrations of major dissolved constitu- ents (calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate), hard- ness, alkalinity, and dissolved solids are highest where the bedrock component of the aquifer is dolo- mite and lowest where the shallow aquifer is almost entirely sand and gravel. Concentrations of other minor constituents (sodium, potassium, sulfate, chloride, and fluoride) are less closely related to common minerals that compose the aquifer system. Sulfate and fluoride concentrations exceed State drinking-water standards locally. Extreme variability in concentrations of iron and manganese are common locally. Iron and manganese concentra- tions exceed State drinking-water standards in water from one-third and one-quarter of the wells, respectively. Likely causes of nitrate-nitrogen con- centrations that exceed State drinking-water stan- dards include local contamination from plant fertilizers, animal wastes, waste water disposed of on land, and septic systems. Water quality in the shallow aquifer system has been affected by saline water from underlying aquifers, primarily along the eastern and western boundaries of the State where the thickness of Paleozoic rocks is greatest.

Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Vermejo Project area and the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge, Colfax County, northeastern New Mexico, 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartolino, J.R.; Garrabrant, L.A.; Wilson, Mark; Lusk, J.D.

1996-01-01

Based on findings of limited studies during 1989-92, a reconnaissance investigation was conducted in 1993 to assess the effects of the Vermejo Irrigation Project on water quality in the area of the project, including the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge. This project was part of a U.S. Department of the Interior National Irrigation Water-Quality Program to determine whether irrigation drainage has caused or has the potential to cause significant harmful effects on human health, fish, and wildlife and whether irrigation drainage may adversely affect the suitability of water for other beneficial uses. For this study, samples of water, sediment, and biota were collected from 16 sites in and around the Vermejo Irrigation Project prior to, during the latter part of, and after the 1993 irrigation season (April, August-September, and November, respectively). No inorganic constituents exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. The State of New Mexico standard of 750 micrograms per liter for boron in irrigation water was exceeded at three sites (five samples), though none exceeded the livestock water standard of 5,000 micrograms per liter. Selenium concentrations exceeded the State of New Mexico chronic standard of 2 micrograms per liter for wildlife and fisheries water in at least eight samples from five sites. Bottom-sediment samples were collected and analyzed for trace elements and compared to concentrations of trace elements in soils of the Western United States. Concentrations of three trace elements at eight sites exceeded the upper values of the expected 95-percent ranges for Western U.S. soils. These included molybdenum at one site, selenium at seven sites, and uranium at four sites. Cadmium and copper concentrations exceeded the National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program 85th percentile in fish from six sites. Average concentrations of selenium in adult brine flies (33.7 mg/g dry weight) were elevated above concentrations in other invertebrates. Concentrations of other elements were below their respective toxicity levels. Plants, invertebrates, fish, and fish fillets were collected and analyzed. These analyses were compared to diagnostic criteria and to each other to determine the extent of bioaccumulation of trace elements. Plants contained larger dry weight concentrations of aluminum, arsenic, boron, chromium, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, nickel, and vanadium than invertebrates and fish. Adult brine flies, gathered from playas, contained larger geometric mean dry weight concentrations of boron, magnesium, and selenium than other invertebrates. Of all samples collected, the largest mercury concentrations were found in fish fillets, although these concentrations were below levels of concern. Mercury and selenium bioaccumulation was evident in various habitats of the study area. Biological samples from Natural playa, an endemic wetland, and Half playa, a playa that receives additional water through seepage and irrigation delivery canals, generally had elevated concentrations of boron, iron, magnesium, and selenium than samples from reservoir and river sites. Selenium concentrations were lowest in biota from the two reservoir sites, although a wetland immediately downstream from the dam impounding Lake No. 13 (created by seepage from the reservoir) had elevated concentrations of selenium in biota. The geometric mean selenium concentration of whole-fish samples, except those from Lakes No. 13 and No. 14, exceeded the 5-mg/g dry weight selenium concentration that demarcates the approximate lower limit of the threshold range of concentrations that have been associated with adverse effects on piscine reproduction. Biota collected on and in the area around Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge contained concentrations of selenium that are in the low

Assessment of selected contaminants in streambed- and suspended-sediment samples collected in Bexar County, Texas, 2007-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2011-01-01

Elevated concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants are typically associated with urban areas such as San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County, the seventh most populous city in the United States. This report describes an assessment of selected sediment-associated contaminants in samples collected in Bexar County from sites on the following streams: Medio Creek, Medina River, Elm Creek, Martinez Creek, Chupaderas Creek, Leon Creek, Salado Creek, and San Antonio River. During 2007-09, the U.S. Geological Survey periodically collected surficial streambed-sediment samples during base flow and suspended-sediment (large-volume suspended-sediment) samples from selected streams during stormwater runoff. All sediment samples were analyzed for major and trace elements and for organic compounds including halogenated organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Selected contaminants in streambed and suspended sediments in watersheds of the eight major streams in Bexar County were assessed by using a variety of methods—observations of occurrence and distribution, comparison to sediment-quality guidelines and data from previous studies, statistical analyses, and source indicators. Trace elements concentrations were low compared to the consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines threshold effect concentration (TEC) and probable effect concentration (PEC). Trace element concentrations were greater than the TEC in 28 percent of the samples and greater than the PEC in 1.5 percent of the samples. Chromium concentrations exceeded sediment-quality guidelines more frequently than concentrations of any other constituents analyzed in this study (greater than the TEC in 69 percent of samples and greater than the PEC in 8 percent of samples). Mean trace element concentrations generally are lower in Bexar County samples compared to concentrations in samples collected during previous studies in the Austin and Fort Worth, Texas, areas, but considering the relatively large ranges and standard deviations associated with the concentrations measured in all three areas, the trace element concentrations are similar. On the basis of Mann-Whitney U test results, the presence of a military installation in a watershed was associated with statistically significant higher chromium, mercury, and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments compared to concentrations of the same elements in a watershed without a military installation. Halogenated organic compounds analyzed in sediment samples included pesticides (chlordane, dieldrin, DDT, DDD, and DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and brominated flame retardants. Three or more halogenated organic compounds were detected in each sediment sample, and 66 percent of all concentrations were less than the respective interim reporting levels. Halogenated organic compound concentrations were mostly low compared to consensus-based sediment quality guidelines-;TECs were exceeded in 11 percent of the analyses and PECs were exceeded in 1 percent of the analyses. Chlordane compounds were the most frequently detected halogenated organic compounds with one or more detections of chlordane compounds in every watershed; concentrations were greater than the TEC in 6 percent of the samples. Dieldrin was detected in 50 percent of all samples, however all concentrations were much less than the TEC. The DDT compounds (p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and p,p'-DDE) were detected less frequently than some other halogenated organic compounds, however most detections exceeded the TECs. p,p'-DDT was detected in 13 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 67 percent); p,p'-DDD was detected in 19 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 78 percent); and p,p'-DDE was detected in 35 percent of the samples (TEC exceeded in 53 percent). p,p'-DDE concentrations in streambed-sediment samples correlate positively with population density and residential, commercial, and transportation land use. One or more PCB congeners were detected in

Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, 1986-87

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wells, Frank C.; Jackson, Gerry A.; Rogers, William J.

1988-01-01

Toxaphene was detected in 11 fish samples; detectable concentrations ranged from 0.98 to 5.1 micrograms per gram, wet weight. DOT also was detected in 11 fish samples with concentrations ranging from 0.021 to 0.066 micrograms per gram, wet weight. ODD was detected in 21 fish samples; concentrations ranged from 0.015 to 0.16 micrograms per gram, wet weight. DDE was detected in all 22 fish samples, and concentrations ranged from 0.36 to 9.9 micrograms per gram, wet weight. The maximum concentrations of DOT and ODD exceeded the 1980-81 baseline concentrations. The median and maximum concentrations of toxaphene and DDE exceeded the 1980-81 baseline concentrations. The largest concentrations of toxaphene, ODD, and DDE in fish were all measured in samples collected at the Main Floodway near Progreso.

Metal concentrations in schoolyard soils from New Orleans, Louisiana before and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

PubMed

Presley, Steven M; Abel, Michael T; Austin, Galen P; Rainwater, Thomas R; Brown, Ray W; McDaniel, Les N; Marsland, Eric J; Fornerette, Ashley M; Dillard, Melvin L; Rigdon, Richard W; Kendall, Ronald J; Cobb, George P

2010-06-01

The long-term environmental impact and potential human health hazards resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita throughout much of the United States Gulf Coast, particularly in the New Orleans, Louisiana, USA area are still being assessed and realized after more than four years. Numerous government agencies and private entities have collected environmental samples from throughout New Orleans and found concentrations of contaminants exceeding human health screening values as established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for air, soil, and water. To further assess risks of exposure to toxic concentrations of soil contaminants for citizens, particularly children, returning to live in New Orleans following the storms, soils collected from schoolyards prior to Hurricane Katrina and after Hurricane Rita were screened for 26 metals. Concentrations exceeding USEPA Regional Screening Levels (USEPA-RSL), total exposure, non-cancer endpoints, for residential soils for arsenic (As), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), and thallium (Tl) were detected in soil samples collected from schoolyards both prior to Hurricane Katrina and after Hurricane Rita. Approximately 43% (9/21) of schoolyard soils collected prior to Hurricane Katrina contained Pb concentrations greater than 400mgkg(-1), and samples from four schoolyards collected after Hurricane Rita contained detectable Pb concentrations, with two exceeding 1700mgkg(-1). Thallium concentrations exceeded USEPA-RSL in samples collected from five schoolyards after Hurricane Rita. Based upon these findings and the known increased susceptibility of children to the effects of Pb exposure, a more extensive assessment of the soils in schoolyards, public parks and other residential areas of New Orleans for metal contaminants is warranted. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water-Quality Conditions of Chester Creek, Anchorage, Alaska, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glass, Roy L.; Ourso, Robert T.

2006-01-01

Between October 1998 and September 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program evaluated the water-quality conditions of Chester Creek, a stream draining forest and urban settings in Anchorage, Alaska. Data collection included water, streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and aquatic organisms samples from urban sites along the stream. Urban land use ranged from less than 1 percent of the basin above the furthest upstream site to 46 percent above the most downstream site. Findings suggest that water quality of Chester Creek declines in the downstream direction and as urbanization in the watershed increases. Water samples were collected monthly and during storms at a site near the stream's mouth (Chester Creek at Arctic Boulevard) and analyzed for major ions and nutrients. Water samples collected during water year 1999 were analyzed for selected pesticides and volatile organic compounds. Concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria were determined monthly during calendar year 2000. During winter, spring, and summer, four water samples were collected at a site upstream of urban development (South Branch of South Fork Chester Creek at Tank Trail) and five from an intermediate site (South Branch of South Fork Chester Creek at Boniface Parkway). Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate in water increased in the downstream direction. Nitrate concentrations were similar at the three sites and all were less than the drinking-water standard. About one-quarter of the samples from the Arctic Boulevard site had concentrations of phosphorus that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guideline for preventing nuisance plant growth. Water samples collected at the Arctic Boulevard site contained concentrations of the insecticide carbaryl that exceeded the guideline for protecting aquatic life. Every water sample revealed a low concentration of volatile organic compounds, including benzene, toluene, tetrachloroethylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, and chloroform. No water samples contained volatile organic compounds concentrations that exceeded any USEPA drinking-water standard or guideline. Fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations in water from the Arctic Boulevard site commonly exceeded Federal and State guidelines for water-contact recreation. Concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in streambed sediments increased in the downstream direction. Some concentrations of arsenic, chromium, lead, and zinc in sediments were at levels that can adversely affect aquatic organisms. Analysis of sediment chemistry in successive lakebed-sediment layers from Westchester Lagoon near the stream's mouth provided a record of water-quality trends since about 1970. Concentrations of lead have decreased from peak levels in the mid-1970s, most likely because of removing lead from gasoline and lower lead content in other products. However, concen-trations in recently-deposited lakebed sediments are still about 10 times greater than measured in streambed sediments at the upstream Tank Trail site. Zinc concentrations in lakebed sediments also increased in the early 1970s to levels that exceeded guidelines to protect aquatic life and have remained at elevated but variable levels. Pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and phenanthrene in lakebed sediments also have varied in concentrations and have exceeded protection guidelines for aquatic life since the 1970s. Concentrations of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or their by-products generally were highest in lakebed sediments deposited in the 1970s. More recent sediments have concentrations that vary widely and do not show distinct temporal trends. Tissue samples of whole slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus), a non-migratory species of fish, showed con-centrations of trace elements and organic contaminants. Of the constituents analyzed, only selenium concentra-tions showed levels of potential concern for

Mobilization of lead and other trace elements following shock chlorination of wells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, R.L.

2006-01-01

Many owners of domestic wells shock chlorinate their wells to treat for bacterial contamination or control bad odors from sulfides. Analysis of well water with four wells from Fallon, Nevada, showed that following recommended procedures for shock chlorinating wells can cause large, short-lasting increases in trace-element concentrations in ground water, particularly for Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn. Lead concentrations increased up to 745 fold between samples collected just before the well was shock chlorinated and the first sample collected 22-24??h later; Zn concentrations increased up to 252 fold, Fe concentrations increased up to 114 fold, and Cu concentrations increased up to 29 fold. Lead concentrations returned to near background levels following pumping of about one casing volume, however, in one well an estimated 120??mg of excess Pb were pumped before concentrations returned to prechlorination levels. Total Pb concentrations were much greater than filtered (0.45????m) concentrations, indicating the excess Pb is principally particulate. Recommended procedures for purging treated wells following shock chlorination may be ineffective because a strong NaOCl solution can remain in the casing above the pump even following extended pumping. Only small changes in gross alpha and beta radioactivity occurred following shock chlorination. USEPA has not promulgated drinking-water standards for 210Pb, however, measured 210Pb activities in the study area typically were less than the Canadian Maximum Acceptable Concentration of 100??mBq/L. By consuming well water shortly after shock chlorination the public may inadvertently be exposed to levels of Pb, and possibly 210Pb, that exceed drinking-water standards.

Ground-water quality along the Mojave River near Barstow, California, 1974-79

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eccles, Lawrence A.

1981-01-01

The quality of ground water in the alluvium along the usually dry Mojave River near Barstow, Calif., has been monitored since 1974. Degradation has occurred as a result of wastewater discharge and irrigation return. Characteristics of the degraded ground water include concentrations of dissolved solids exceeding 1,000 milligrams per liter, odor threshold numbers exceeding 5, dissolved organic carbon exceeding 2.0 milligrams per liter, chloride exceeding 250 milligrams per liter, phenols exceeding 1 microgram per liter, and methylene blue active substances exceeding 0.20 milligram per liter. Large flows in the river during the winters of 1977-78 and 1978-79 recharged the aquifer with water from storm runoff. The ground-water-quality monitoring data showed that few changes in the concentration and distribution of chemical constituents occurred between 1974 and 1977, but between 1977 and 1979 there were overall decreases in most constituents and in odor. The monitoring data also showed that between 1977 and 1979 the degraded ground water spread and moved downgradient, whereas prior to 1977 it had been generally confined to an area between Barstow and the U.S. Marine Corps Supply Center. (USGS)

Phosphorus in a ground-water contaminant plume discharging to Ashumet Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCobb, Timothy D.; LeBlanc, Denis R.; Walter, Donald A.; Hess, Kathryn M.; Kent, Douglas B.; Smith, Richard L.

2003-01-01

The discharge of a plume of sewagecontaminated ground water emanating from the Massachusetts Military Reservation to Ashumet Pond on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has caused concern about excessive loading of nutrients, particularly phosphorus, to the pond. The U.S. Air Force is considering remedial actions to mitigate potentially adverse effects on the ecological characteristics of the pond from continued phosphorus loading. Concentrations as great as 3 milligrams per liter of dissolved phosphorus (as P) are in ground water near the pond's shoreline; concentrations greater than 5 milligrams per liter of phosphorus are in ground water farther upgradient. Temporary drive-point wells were used to collect water samples from 2 feet below the pond bottom to delineate concentration distributions in the pore waters of the pond-bottom sediments. Measurements in the field of specific conductance and colorimetrically determined orthophosphate concentrations provided real-time data to guide the sampling. The contaminant plume discharges to the Fishermans Cove area of Ashumet Pond as evidenced by elevated levels of specific conductance and boron, which are chemically conservative indicators of the sewage-contaminated ground water. Concentrations of nonconservative species, such as dissolved phosphorus, manganese, nitrate, and ammonium, also were elevated above background levels in ground water discharging to the pond, but in spatially complex distributions that reflect their distributions in ground water upgradient of the pond. Phosphorus concentrations exceeded background levels (greater than 0.10 milligram per liter) in the pond-bottom pore water along 875 feet of shoreline. Greatest concentrations (greater than 2 milligrams per liter) occurred within 30 feet of the shore in an area about 225 feet long. Calculations of phosphorus flux in the aquifer upgradient of Ashumet Pond, as determined from water-flux estimates from a steady-state ground-water-flow model and phosphorus concentrations (in 1999) from multilevel samplers about 75 feet upgradient of the pond, indicate that dissolved phosphorus moves towards the pond and discharges to it with the inflowing ground water at a rate as high as about 316 kilograms per year.

Investigation and health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils from partial areas of Daye city, china

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, M. S.; Li, F.; Zhang, J. D.; Lin, S. Y.; Zhuang, Z. Y.; Wu, Z. X.

2017-05-01

Heavy metals (Cu and Pb) in four sampling sites from parts areas of Daye city were collected. Concentrations of Cu and Pb in soils in sampling sites were detected, the enrichment degree was measured by geo-accumulation index, and the human health risks were calculated by applying the human health risk assessment model. The results show that the concentrations of Cu and Pb of soils in some areas are much more than Daye City, Hubei Province soil background value. The concentration of Cu and Pb in Xiaganwan soil sample has a higher value and the concentration of Cu (110.17 mg·kg-1) exceeds the soil environmental quality standards. The values of Igeo of Cu and Pb in the soil in some areas of Daye city are 1 except Xiaganwan sample is 2. For human health risk assessment, the non-cancer risk of Cu in three routes of exposure is less than Pb. The non-cancer risk both adults and children are less than 1 and show a general trend of HQ in oral ingestion exposure pathway > HQ in inhalation exposure pathway>HQ in skin contact exposure pathway. It will not cause significant non-carcinogenic health effects on the human body.

Dissolved heavy metal concentrations of the Kralkızı, Dicle and Batman dam reservoirs in the Tigris River basin, Turkey.

PubMed

Varol, Memet

2013-10-01

Water samples were collected at monthly intervals during 1 year of monitoring from Kralkızı, Dicle and Batman dam reservoirs in the Tigris River basin to assess the concentrations of dissolved heavy metals and to determine their spatial and seasonal variations. The results indicated that dissolved heavy metal concentrations in the reservoirs were very low, reflecting the natural background levels. The lowest total metal concentrations in the three dam reservoirs were detected at sampling sites close to the dam wall. However, the highest total concentrations were observed at sites, which are located at the entrance of the streams to the reservoirs. Fe, Cr and Ni were the most abundant elements in the reservoirs, whereas Cd and As were the less abundant. The mean concentrations of dissolved metals in the dam reservoirs never exceeded the maximum permitted concentrations established by EC (European Community), WHO and USEPA drinking water quality guidelines. All heavy metals showed significant seasonal variations. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni and Pb displayed higher values in the dry season, while higher values for Zn in the wet season. Cluster analysis grouped all ten sampling sites into three clusters. Clusters 1 and 2, and cluster 3 corresponded to relatively low polluted and moderate polluted regions, respectively. PCA/FA demonstrated the dissolved metals in the dam reservoirs controlled by natural sources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Logistic model of nitrate in streams of the upper-midwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, D.K.; Ruddy, B.C.; Battaglin, W.A.

1997-01-01

Nitrate in surface water can have adverse effects on aquatic life and, in drinking-water supplies, can be a risk to human health. As part of a regional study, nitrates as N (NO3-N) was analyzed in water samples collected from streams throughout 10 Midwestern states during synoptic surveys in 1989, 1990, and 1994. Data from the period immediately following crop planting at 124 sites were analyzed during logistic regression to relate discrete categories of NO3-N concentrations to characteristics of the basins upstream from the sites. The NO3-N data were divided into three categories representing probable background concentrations (10 mg L-1). Nitrate-N concentrations were positively correlated to streamflow, upstream area planted in corn (Zea mays L.), and upstream N- fertilizers application rates. Elevated NO3-N concentrations were associated with poorly drained soils and were weakly correlated with population density. Nitrate-N and streamflow data collected during 1989 and 1990 were used to calibrate the model, and data collected during 1994 were used for verification. The model correctly estimated NO3-N concentration categories for 79% of the samples in the calibration data set and 60% of the samples in the verification data set. The model was used to indicate where NO3-N concentrations might be elevated or exceed the NO3-N MCL in streams throughout the study area. The potential for elevated NO3-N concentrations was predicted to be greatest for streams in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and western Ohio.

Surveillance of Strontium-90 in Foods after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

PubMed

Nabeshi, Hiromi; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Uekusa, Yoshinori; Hachisuka, Akiko; Matsuda, Rieko; Teshima, Reiko

2015-01-01

As a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) accident, various radionuclides were released into the environment. In this study, we surveyed strontium-90 ((90)Sr) concentrations in several foodstuffs. Strontium-90 is thought to be the third most important residual radionuclide in food collected after the Fukushima Daiichi, NPP accident after following cesium-137 ((137)Cs) and cesium-134 ((134)Cs). Results of (90)Sr analyses indicated that (90)Sr was detect in 25 of the 40 radioactive cesium (r-Cs) positive samples collected in areas around the Fukushima Daiichi NPP, ranging in distance from 50 to 250 km. R-Cs positive samples were defined as containing both (134)Cs and (137)Cs which are considered to be indicators of the after-effects of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. We also detected (90)Sr in 8 of 13 r-Cs negative samples, in which (134)Cs was not detected. Strontium-90 concentrations in the r-Cs positive samples did not significantly exceed the (90)Sr concentrations in r-Cs negative samples or the (90)Sr concentration ranges in comparable food groups found in previous surveys before the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. Thus, (90)Sr concentrations in r-Cs positive samples were indistinguishable from the background (90)Sr concentrations arising from global fallout prior to the Fukushima accident, suggesting that no marked increase of (90)Sr concentrations has occurred in r-Cs positive samples as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident.

Arsenic in ground water of the United States: occurrence and geochemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welch, Alan H.; Westjohn, D.B.; Helsel, Dennis R.; Wanty, Richard B.

2000-01-01

Concentrations of naturally occurring arsenic in ground water vary regionally due to a combination of climate and geology. Although slightly less than half of 30,000 arsenic analyses of ground water in the United States were 1 μg/L, about 10% exceeded 10 μg/L. At a broad regional scale, arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/L appear to be more frequently observed in the western United States than in the eastern half. Arsenic concentrations in ground water of the Appalachian Highlands and the Atlantic Plain generally are very low ( 1 μg/L). Concentrations are somewhat greater in the Interior Plains and the Rocky Mountain System. Investigations of ground water in New England, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin within the last decade suggest that arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/L are more widespread and common than previously recognized.Arsenic release from iron oxide appears to be the most common cause of widespread arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/L in ground water. This can occur in response to different geochemical conditions, including release of arsenic to ground water through reaction of iron oxide with either natural or anthropogenic (i.e., petroleum products) organic carbon. Iron oxide also can release arsenic to alkaline ground water, such as that found in some felsic volcanic rocks and alkaline aquifers of the western United States. Sulfide minerals are both a source and sink for arsenic. Geothermal water and high evaporation rates also are associated with arsenic concentrations 10g/L in ground and surface water, particularly in the west.Arsenic release from iron oxide appears to be the most common cause of widespread arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 µg/L a ground water. This can occur in response to different geochemical conditions, including release of arsenic to ground water through reaction of iron oxide with either natural or anthropogenic (i.e., petroleum products) organic carbon. Iron oxide also can release arsenic to alkaline ground water, such as that found in some felsic volcanic rocks and alkaline aquifers of the Western United States. Sulfide minerals are both a source and sink for arsenic. Geothermal water and high evaporation rates also are associated with arsenic concentrations ≥ 10g/L in ground and surface water, particularly in the west.

Direct URCA process in neutron stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lattimer, James M.; Prakash, Madappa; Pethick, C. J.; Haensel, Pawel

1991-01-01

It is shown that the direct URCA process can occur in neutron stars if the proton concentration exceeds some critical value in the range 11-15 percent. The proton concentration, which is determined by the poorly known symmetry energy of matter above nuclear density, exceeds the critical value in many current calculations. If it occurs, the direct URCA process enhances neutrino emission and neutron star cooling rates by a large factor compared to any process considered previously.

Effects of highway-deicer application on ground-water quality in a part of the Calumet Aquifer, northwestern Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watson, Lee R.; Bayless, E. Randall; Buszka, Paul M.; Wilson, John T.

2002-01-01

The effects of highway-deicer application on ground-water quality were studied at a site in northwestern Indiana using a variety of geochemical indicators. Site characteristics such as high snowfall rates; large quantities of applied deicers; presence of a high-traffic highway; a homogeneous, permeable, and unconfined aquifer; a shallow water table; a known ground-water-flow direction; and minimal potential for other sources of chloride and sodium to complicate source interpretation were used to select a study area where ground water was likely to be affected by deicer application. Forty-three monitoring wells were installed in an unconfined sand aquifer (the Calumet aquifer) near Beverly Shores in northwestern Indiana. Wells were installed along two transects that approximately paralleled groundwater flow in the Calumet aquifer and crossed US?12. US?12 is a highway that receives Indiana?s highest level of maintenance to maintain safe driving conditions. Ground-water quality and water-level data were collected from the monitoring wells, and precipitation and salt-application data were compiled from 1994 through 1997. The water-quality data indicated that chloride was the most easily traced indicator of highway deicers in ground water. Concentration ratios of chloride to iodide and chloride to bromide and Stiff diagrams of major element concentrations indicated that the principal source of chloride and sodium in ground water from the uppermost one-third to one-half of the Calumet relative electromagnetic conductivity defined a distinct plume of deicer-affected water in the uppermost 8 feet of aquifer at about 9 feet horizontally from the paved roadway edge and a zone of higher conductivity than background in the lower one-third of the aquifer. Chloride and sodium in the deep parts of the aquifer originated from natural sources. Chloride and sodium from highway deicers were present in the aquifer throughout the year. The highest concentrations of chloride and sodium in ground water were determined in samples collected during the spring and summer from wells open to the water table within about 9 feet of the highway. Chloride concentrations in ground water that were attributable to highway deicers also were found in tested wells about 400 feet downgradient from US?12 during the fall and winter and at greater depths than in wells closer to US?12. Chloride concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?s (USEPA) secondary maximum contaminant level of 250 milligrams per liter for drinking water at seven wells downgradient from the highway during late winter, spring, and summer samplings. The chloride standard was exceeded only in water from wells with total depths that are less than about 10 feet below land surface. Sodium concentrations in water periodically exceeded the USEPA drinking-water equivalency level of 20 milligrams per liter in both the uppermost (deicer affected) and lower one-thirds of the aquifer. Sodium concentrations in ground water downgradient from US?12 and in the upper 5 feet of the aquifer also occasionally exceeded drinking-water standards for sodium (160 milligrams per liter) as set by the State of Florida and a standard for taste (200 milligrams per liter) as set by the World Health Organization. Dispersion was identified by analysis of aquifer-test data, isotopic dating of ground water, and water-quality data to be the process most responsible for reducing concentrations of highway deicers in the aquifer. Chemical analyses of the sand composing the aquifer indicated that cation exchange decreased the mass of deicer-related sodium in ground water, although the sand has a limited capacity to sustain the process. Automated daily measurements of specific conductance, correlated to chloride concentrations, indicated that some deicer is retained in the aquifer near the highway throughout the entire year and acts as a continuous chloride source for ground water. Peak concentrations of

Increased atmospheric deposition of mercury in reference lakes near major urban areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, P.C.

2012-01-01

Atmospheric deposition of Hg is the predominant pathway for Hg to reach sensitive ecosystems, but the importance of emissions on near-field deposition remains unclear. To better understand spatial variability in Hg deposition, mercury concentrations were analyzed in sediment cores from 12 lakes with undeveloped watersheds near to (<50 km) and remote from (>150 km) several major urban areas in the United States. Background and focusing corrected Hg fluxes and flux ratios (modern to background) in the near-urban lakes (68 ?? 6.9 ??g m -2 yr -1 and 9.8 ?? 4.8, respectively) greatly exceed those in the remote lakes (14 ?? 9.3 ??g m -2 yr -1 and 3.5 ?? 1.0) and the fluxes are strongly related to distance from the nearest major urban area (r 2 = 0.87) and to population and Hg emissions within 50-100 km of the lakes. Comparison to monitored wet deposition suggests that dry deposition is a major contributor of Hg to lakes near major urban areas. ?? 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of traffic emissions on air quality in the Berlin-Brandenburg region - a case study on cycling scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuik, F.; Lauer, A.; von Schneidemesser, E.; Butler, T. M.

2016-12-01

Many European cities continue to struggle with exceedances of NO2 limit values at measurement sites near roads, of which a large contribution is attributed to emissions from traffic. In this study, we explore how urban air quality can be improved with different traffic measures using the example of the Berlin-Brandenburg region. In order to simulate urban background air quality we use the Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem) at a horizontal resolution of 1km. We use emission input data at a horizontal resolution of 1km obtained by downscaling TNO-MACC III emissions based on local proxy data including population and traffic densities. In addition we use a statistical approach combining the simulated urban background concentrations with information on traffic densities to estimate NO2 at street level. This helps assessing whether the emission scenarios studied here can lead to significant reductions in NO2 concentrations at street level. The emission scenarios in this study represent a range of scenarios in which car traffic is replaced with bicycle traffic. Part of this study was an initial discussion phase with stakeholders, including policy makers and NGOs. The discussions have shown that the different stakeholders are interested in a scientific assessment of the impact of replacing car traffic with bicycle traffic in the Berlin-Brandenburg urban area. Local policy makers responsible for city planning and implementing traffic measures can make best use of scientific modeling results if input data and scenarios are as realistic as possible. For these reasons, the scenarios cover very idealized optimistic ("all passenger cars are replaced by bicycles") and pessimistic ("all cyclists are replaced by cars") scenarios to explore the sensitivity of simulated urban background air quality to these changes, as well as additional scenarios based on city-specific data to analyze more realistic situations. Of particular interest is how these impact street level NO2 concentrations.

Source origin of trace elements in PM from regional background, urban and industrial sites of Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Querol, X.; Viana, M.; Alastuey, A.; Amato, F.; Moreno, T.; Castillo, S.; Pey, J.; de la Rosa, J.; Sánchez de la Campa, A.; Artíñano, B.; Salvador, P.; García Dos Santos, S.; Fernández-Patier, R.; Moreno-Grau, S.; Negral, L.; Minguillón, M. C.; Monfort, E.; Gil, J. I.; Inza, A.; Ortega, L. A.; Santamaría, J. M.; Zabalza, J.

Despite their significant role in source apportionment analysis, studies dedicated to the identification of tracer elements of emission sources of atmospheric particulate matter based on air quality data are relatively scarce. The studies describing tracer elements of specific sources currently available in the literature mostly focus on emissions from traffic or large-scale combustion processes (e.g. power plants), but not on specific industrial processes. Furthermore, marker elements are not usually determined at receptor sites, but during emission. In our study, trace element concentrations in PM 10 and PM 2.5 were determined at 33 monitoring stations in Spain throughout the period 1995-2006. Industrial emissions from different forms of metallurgy (steel, stainless steel, copper, zinc), ceramic and petrochemical industries were evaluated. Results obtained at sites with no significant industrial development allowed us to define usual concentration ranges for a number of trace elements in rural and urban background environments. At industrial and traffic hotspots, average trace metal concentrations were highest, exceeding rural background levels by even one order of magnitude in the cases of Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Sn, W, V, Ni, Cs and Pb. Steel production emissions were linked to high levels of Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, Mo, Cd, Se and Sn (and probably Pb). Copper metallurgy areas showed high levels of As, Bi, Ga and Cu. Zinc metallurgy was characterised by high levels of Zn and Cd. Glazed ceramic production areas were linked to high levels of Zn, As, Se, Zr, Cs, Tl, Li, Co and Pb. High levels of Ni and V (in association) were tracers of petrochemical plants and/or fuel-oil combustion. At one site under the influence of heavy vessel traffic these elements could be considered tracers (although not exclusively) of shipping emissions. Levels of Zn-Ba and Cu-Sb were relatively high in urban areas when compared with industrialised regions due to tyre and brake abrasion, respectively.

Pollution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in the soil-plant system and the sediment-water column around a former Pb/Zn-mining area in NE Morocco.

PubMed

El Azhari, Abdellah; Rhoujjati, Ali; El Hachimi, Moulay Laârabi; Ambrosi, Jean-Paul

2017-10-01

This study discussed the environmental fate and ecological hazards of heavy metals in the soil-plant system and sediment-water column around the former Pb-Zn mining Zeïda district, in Northeastern Morocco. Spatial distribution, pollution indices, and cluster analysis were applied for assessing Pb, Zn, As, Cu and Cd pollution levels and risks. The geo-accumulation index (I geo ) was determined using two different geochemical backgrounds: i) the commonly used upper crust values, ii) local geochemical background calculated with exploratory data analysis. The soils in the vicinity of the tailings, as well as the sediments downstream of the latter, displayed much higher metal concentrations, I geo, and potential ecology risk coefficient values than other sites, classifying these sites as highly contaminated and severely hazardous. The concentrations of Pb in contaminated sediment samples also exceeded the PEC limits and are expected to cause harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms. Based on the comparison with the toxicity limits, the most contaminated plant samples were found around the tailings piles. The metal concentrations in both raw and filtrated water samples were overall below the drinking water standards in samples upstream and downstream of the mining center, indicating that heavy metals levels in the Moulouya River surface waters were not affected by the tailings spill. Cluster analysis suggest that: i) Pb and Zn in sediments were derived from the abandoned tailings and are mainly stored and transported as particle-bound to the bedload, ii) Pb, Zn, and Cu in the soil-plant system were related to the dispersion of tailings materials while As and Cd originated primarily from natural geological background in both the soil-plant and the water-sediment systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Photochemical ozone formation from petroleum refinery emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sexton, Ken; Westberg, Hal

Atmospheric emissions from the Marathon oil refinery at Robinson, Illinois were investigated during June and July 1977. Surface and aerial measurements were used to provide an integrated, three dimensional monitoring network. Concentrations of ozone, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, methane, carbon dioxide, individual non-methane hydrocarbons and halocarbons were recorded on a routine basis. In addition, meteorological parameters such as wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation and mixing height were also measured. The field monitoring study focused on three major areas: (1) characterization of gaseous components within the refinery effluent, especially nonmethane hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides; (2) natural sunlight bag irradiation experiments to examine ozone forming potential of refinery emissions and (3) aerial measurements of changes in plume chemistry during the first six to eight hours of transport. Results indicate levels of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides were elevated downwind of the refinery. Concentrations within the effluent exceeded background values by as much as 300- and 10-fold, respectively. Irradiations of captured refinery emissions suggest excess photochemical ozone can be produced in the first 6 h, with amounts varying according to NMHC/NO x, ratios and initial NMHC concentrations. Real-time measurements on board the aircraft documented instances of ozone buildup in the refinery plume as it drifted downwind.

Influence of the Bottom Sediment Characteristics on the Bivalve Mollusk Anadara kagoshimensis Histopathology's Variability in the Northeastern Coast of the Black Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolyuchkina, G. A.; Budko, D. F.; Chasovnikov, V. K.; Chzhu, V. P.

2017-11-01

With increasing anthropogenic impact on the environment, investigations of organism's response to the contamination of natural habitats, are especially relevant. In the present study, we sought to identify the correlation between the bottom sediments and local variability in histopathology of Anadara kagoshimensis (Bivalvia) in four sites of the north-eastern coast of the Black Sea. Bottom sediment grain size, redox potential of pore water, heavy metals, benzo-α-pyrene and DDT concentrations have been used as characteristics of bottom sediments. Analysis of the data revealed differences in the geochemical background of the studied sites and the histopathological state of the molluscs from these areas. Among the 10 studied elements as well as benzo-α-pyrene and DDT, only Ni has shown an exceedance of statutory limits of concentration in bottom sediments. The study reveals a relationship between Ni concentration in the bottom sediments and frequency of heavy histopathologies in the molluscs. In addition to causes directly related to pollution, mild pathology may be influenced by "natural" causes; in particular, the high content of brown cells in the connective tissue of the digestive gland may be due to the age of molluscs.

Quality of ground water used for selected municipal water supplies in Iowa, 1982-96 water years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaap, B.D.; Linhart, S.M.

1998-01-01

Maps show the general location of wells that have been sampled in the various aquifers. Other maps show the location of wells where sulfate and nitrite plus nitrate concentrations exceed the respective Maximum Contaminant Levels and wells where concentrations of the pesticides alachlor, atrazine, or cyanazine exceeded the respective minimum reporting levels. The compact disc included with this report has information about water-quality properties and concentrations of dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, radionuclides, total organic carbon, pesticides, and synthetic organic compounds for water years 1982 through 1996.

Ground-water quality in the Central High Plains Aquifer, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, Mark F.; Bruce, Breton W.; Pope, Larry M.; Andrews, William J.

2002-01-01

A network of 74 randomly distributed domestic water-supply wells completed in the central High Plains aquifer was sampled and analyzed from April to August 1999 as part of the High Plains Regional Ground-Water Study conducted by the U. S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program to provide a broad-scale assessment of the ground-water-quality in this part of the High Plains aquifer. Water properties were relatively consistent across the aquifer, with water being alkaline and well oxidized. Water was mostly of the calcium and magnesium-bicarbonate type and very hard. Sulfate concentrations in water from three wells and chloride concentration in water from one well exceeded Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels. Fluoride concentration was equal to the Maximum Contaminant Level in one sample. Nitrate concentrations was relatively small in most samples, with the median concentration of 2.3 milligrams per liter. Dissolved organic carbon concentration was relatively low, with a median concentration of 0.5 milligram per liter. The Maximum Contaminant Level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for nitrate as nitrogen of 10 milligrams per liter was exceeded by water samples from three wells. Most samples contained detectable concentrations of the trace elements aluminum, arsenic, barium, chromium, molybdenum, selenium, zinc, and uranium. Only a few samples had trace element concentrations exceeding Maximum Contaminant Levels. Fifty-five of the samples had radon concentrations exceeding the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level of 300 picocuries per liter. The greatest radon concentrations were detected where the Ogallala Formation overlies sandstones, shales and limestones of Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous age. Volatile organic compounds were detected in 9 of 74 samples. Toluene was detected in eight of those nine samples. All volatile organic compound concentrations were substantially less than Maximum Contaminant Levels. Detections of toluene may have been artifacts of the sampling and analytical processes. Pesticides were detected in 18 of the 74 water samples. None of the pesticide concentrations exceeded Maximum Contaminant Levels. The most frequently detected pesticides were atrazine and its metabolite deethylatrazine, which were detected in water from 15 and 17 wells, respectively. Most of the samples with a detectable pesticide had at least two detectable pesticides. Six of the samples had more than two detectable pesticides. Tritium concentrations was greater than 0.5 tritium unit in 10 of 51 samples, indicating recent recharge to the aquifer. Twenty-one of the samples that had nitrate concentrations greater than 4.0 milligrams per liter were assumed to have components of recent recharge. Detection of volatile organic compounds was not associated with those indicators of recent recharge, with most of volatile organic compounds being detected in water from wells with small tritium and nitrate concentrations. Detection of pesticides was associated with greater tritium or nitrate concentrations, with 16 of the 18 wells producing water with pesticides also having tritium or nitrate concentrations indicating recent recharge.

A human health assessment of hazardous air pollutants in Portland, OR.

PubMed

Tam, B N; Neumann, C M

2004-11-01

Ambient air samples collected from five monitoring sites in Portland, OR during July 1999 to August 2000 were analyzed for 43 hazardous air pollutants (HAP). HAP concentrations were compared to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic benchmark levels. Carcinogenic benchmark concentrations were set at a risk level of one-in-one-million (1x10(-6)). Hazard ratios of 1.0 were used when comparing HAP concentrations to non-carcinogenic benchmarks. Emission sources (point, area, and mobile) were identified and a cumulative cancer risk and total hazard index were calculated for HAPs exceeding these health benchmark levels. Seventeen HAPs exceeded a cancer risk level of 1x10(-6) at all five monitoring sites. Nineteen HAPs exceeded this level at one or more site. Carbon tetrachloride, 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane contributed more than 50% to the upper-bound lifetime cumulative cancer risk of 2.47x10(-4). Acrolein was the only non-carcinogenic HAP with hazard ratios that exceeded 1.0 at all five sites. Mobile sources contributed the greatest percentage (68%) of HAP emissions. Additional monitoring and health assessments for HAPs in Portland, OR are warranted, including addressing issues that may have overestimated or underestimated risks in this study. Abatement strategies for HAPs that exceeded health benchmarks should be implemented to reduce potential adverse health risks.

Exposure to radionuclides in smoke from vegetation fires.

PubMed

Carvalho, Fernando P; Oliveira, João M; Malta, Margarida

2014-02-15

Naturally occurring radionuclides of uranium, thorium, radium, lead and polonium were determined in bushes and trees and in the smoke from summer forest fires. Activity concentrations of radionuclides in smoke particles were much enriched when compared to original vegetation. Polonium-210 ((210)Po) in smoke was measured in concentrations much higher than all other radionuclides, reaching 7,255 ± 285 Bq kg(-1), mostly associated with the smaller size smoke particles (<1.0 μm). Depending on smoke particle concentration, (210)Po in surface air near forest fires displayed volume concentrations up to 70 m Bq m(-3), while in smoke-free air (210)Po concentration was about 30 μ Bq m(-3). The estimated absorbed radiation dose to an adult member of the public or a firefighter exposed for 24h to inhalation of smoke near forest fires could exceed 5 μSv per day, i.e, more than 2000 times above the radiation dose from background radioactivity in surface air, and also higher than the radiation dose from (210)Po inhalation in a chronic cigarette smoker. It is concluded that prolonged exposure to smoke allows for enhanced inhalation of radionuclides associated with smoke particles. Due to high radiotoxicity of alpha emitting radionuclides, and in particular of (210)Po, the protection of respiratory tract of fire fighters is strongly recommended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flach, G. P.; Whiteside, T. S.

The E-Area Vadose Zone Monitoring System (VZMS) includes lysimeter sampling points at many locations alongside and angling beneath the Engineered Trench #1 (ET1) disposal unit footprint. The sampling points for ET1 were selected for this study because collectively they showed consistently higher tritium (H-3) concentrations than lysimeters associated with other trench units. The VZMS tritium dataset for ET1 from 2001 through 2015 comprises concentrations at or near background levels at approximately half of locations through time, concentrations up to about 600 pCi/mL at a few locations, and concentrations at two locations that have exceeded 1000 pCi/mL. The highest three valuesmore » through 2015 were 6472 pCi/mL in 2014 and 4533 pCi/mL in 2013 at location VL-17, and 3152 pCi/mL in 2007 at location VL-15. As a point of reference, the drinking water standard for tritium and a DOE Order 435.1 performance objective in the saturated zone at the distant 100-meter facility perimeter is 20 pCi/mL. The purpose of this study is to assess whether these elevated concentrations are indicative of a general trend that could challenge 2008 E-Area Performance Assessment (PA) conclusions, or are isolated perturbations that when considered in the context of an entire disposal unit would support PA conclusions.« less

Subsurface sediment contamination during borehole drilling with an air-actuated down-hole hammer.

PubMed

Malard, Florian; Datry, Thibault; Gibert, Janine

2005-10-01

Drilling methods can severely alter physical, chemical, and biological properties of aquifers, thereby influencing the reliability of water samples collected from groundwater monitoring wells. Because of their fast drilling rate, air-actuated hammers are increasingly used for the installation of groundwater monitoring wells in unconsolidated sediments. However, oil entrained in the air stream to lubricate the hammer-actuating device can contaminate subsurface sediments. Concentrations of total hydrocarbons, heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn, Pb, and Cd), and nutrients (particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) were measured in continuous sediment cores recovered during the completion of a 26-m deep borehole drilled with a down-hole hammer in glaciofluvial deposits. Total hydrocarbons, Cu, Ni, Cr and particulate organic carbon (POC) were all measured at concentrations far exceeding background levels in most sediment cores. Hydrocarbon concentration averaged 124 +/- 118 mg kg(-1) dry sediment (n = 78 samples) with peaks at depths of 8, 14, and 20 m below the soil surface (maximum concentration: 606 mg kg(-1)). The concentrations of hydrocarbons, Cu, Ni, Cr, and POC were positively correlated and exhibited a highly irregular vertical pattern, that probably reflected variations in air loss within glaciofluvial deposits during drilling. Because the penetration of contaminated air into the formation is unpreventable, the representativeness of groundwater samples collected may be questioned. It is concluded that air percussion drilling has strong limitations for well installation in groundwater quality monitoring surveys.

Comparison of TOF-PET and Bremsstrahlung SPECT Images of Yttrium-90: A Monte Carlo Simulation Study.

PubMed

Takahashi, Akihiko; Himuro, Kazuhiko; Baba, Shingo; Yamashita, Yasuo; Sasaki, Masayuki

2018-01-01

Yttrium-90 ( 90 Y) is a beta particle nuclide used in targeted radionuclide therapy which is available to both single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The purpose of this study was to assess the image quality of PET and Bremsstrahlung SPECT by simulating PET and SPECT images of 90 Y using Monte Carlo simulation codes under the same conditions and to compare them. In-house Monte Carlo codes, MCEP-PET and MCEP-SPECT, were employed to simulate images. The phantom was a torso-shaped phantom containing six hot spheres of various sizes. The background concentrations of 90 Y were set to 50, 100, 150, and 200 kBq/mL, and the concentrations of the hot spheres were 10, 20, and 40 times of those of the background concentrations. The acquisition time was set to 30 min, and the simulated sinogram data were reconstructed using the ordered subset expectation maximization method. The contrast recovery coefficient (CRC) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were employed to evaluate the image qualities. The CRC values of SPECT images were less than 40%, while those of PET images were more than 40% when the hot sphere was larger than 20 mm in diameter. The CNR values of PET images of hot spheres of diameter smaller than 20 mm were larger than those of SPECT images. The CNR values mostly exceeded 4, which is a criterion to evaluate the discernibility of hot areas. In the case of SPECT, hot spheres of diameter smaller than 20 mm were not discernable. On the contrary, the CNR values of PET images decreased to the level of SPECT, in the case of low concentration. In almost all the cases examined in this investigation, the quantitative indexes of TOF-PET 90 Y images were better than those of Bremsstrahlung SPECT images. However, the superiority of PET image became critical in the case of low activity concentrations.

33 CFR 159.309 - Limitations on discharge of treated sewage or graywater.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30-day period does not exceed 20 fecal coliform/100 milliliters (ml) and not more than 10 percent of the samples exceed 40 fecal coliform/100 ml; (4) Concentrations of total residual chlorine do not...

33 CFR 159.309 - Limitations on discharge of treated sewage or graywater.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30-day period does not exceed 20 fecal coliform/100 milliliters (ml) and not more than 10 percent of the samples exceed 40 fecal coliform/100 ml; (4) Concentrations of total residual chlorine do not...

Overview of groundwater quality in the Piceance Basin, western Colorado, 1946--2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, J.C.; McMahon, P.B.

2013-01-01

Groundwater-quality data from public and private sources for the period 1946 to 2009 were compiled and put into a common data repository for the Piceance Basin. The data repository is available on the web at http://rmgsc.cr.usgs.gov/cwqdr/Piceance/index.shtml. A subset of groundwater-quality data from the repository was compiled, reviewed, and checked for quality assurance for this report. The resulting dataset consists of the most recently collected sample from 1,545 wells, 1,007 (65 percent) of which were domestic wells. From those samples, the following constituents were selected for presentation in this report: dissolved oxygen, dissolved solids, pH, major ions (chloride, sulfate, fluoride), trace elements (arsenic, barium, iron, manganese, selenium), nitrate, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, methane, and the stable isotopic compositions of water and methane. Some portion of recharge to most of the wells for which data were available was derived from precipitation (most likely snowmelt), as indicated by δ2H [H2O] and δ18O[H2O] values that plot along the Global Meteoric Water Line and near the values for snow samples collected in the study area. Ninety-three percent of the samples were oxic, on the basis of concentrations of dissolved oxygen that were greater than or equal to 0.5 milligrams per liter. Concentration data were compared with primary and secondary drinking-water standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Constituents that exceeded the primary standards were arsenic (13 percent), selenium (9.2 percent), fluoride (8.4 percent), barium (4.1 percent), nitrate (1.6 percent), and benzene (0.6 percent). Concentrations of toluene, xylenes, and ethylbenzene did not exceed standards in any samples. Constituents that exceeded the secondary standard were dissolved solids (72 percent), sulfate (37 percent), manganese (21 percent), iron (16 percent), and chloride (10 percent). Drinking-water standards have not been established for methane, which was detected in 24 percent of samples. Methane concentrations were greater than or equal to 1 milligram per liter in 8.5 percent of samples. Methane isotopic data for samples collected primarily from domestic wells in Garfield County indicate that methane in samples with relative high methane concentrations were derived from both biogenic and thermogenic sources. Many of the constituents that exceeded standards, such as arsenic, fluoride, iron, and manganese, were derived from rock and sediment in aquifers. Elevated nitrate concentrations were most likely derived from human sources such as fertilizer and human or animal waste. Information about the geologic unit or aquifer in which a well was completed generally was not provided by data sources. However, limited data indicate that Quaternary deposits in Garfield and Mesa Counties, the Wasatch Formation in Garfield County, and the Green River Formation in Rio Blanco County had some of the highest median concentrations of selected constituents. Variations in concentration with depth could not be evaluated because of the general lack of well-depth and water-level data. Concentrations of several important constituents, such as arsenic, manganese, methane, and nitrate, were related to concentrations of dissolved oxygen. Concentrations of arsenic, manganese, and methane were significantly higher in groundwater with low dissolved-oxygen concentrations than in groundwater with high dissolved-oxygen concentrations. In contrast, concentrations of nitrate were significantly higher in groundwater with high dissolved-oxygen concentrations than in groundwater with low dissolved-oxygen concentrations. These results indicate that measurements of dissolved oxygen may be a useful indicator of groundwater vulnerability to some human-derived contaminants and enrichment from some natural constituents. Assessing such a large and diverse dataset as the one available through the repository poses unique challenges for reporting on groundwater quality in the study area. The repository contains data from several studies that differed widely in purpose and scope. In addition to this variability in available data, gaps exist spatially, temporally, and analytically in the repository. For example, groundwater-quality data in the repository were not evenly distributed throughout the study area. Several key water-quality constituents or indicators, such as dissolved oxygen, were underrepresented in the repository. Ancillary information, such as well depth, depth to water, and the geologic unit or aquifer in which a well was completed, was missing for more than 50 percent of samples. Future monitoring could avoid several limitations of the repository by making relatively minor changes to sample- collection and data-reporting protocols. Field measurements for dissolved oxygen could be added to sampling protocols, for example. Information on well construction and the geologic unit or aquifer in which a well was completed should be part of the water-quality dataset. Such changes would increase the comparability of data from different monitoring programs and also add value to each program individually and to that of the regional dataset as a whole. Other changes to monitoring programs could require greater resources, such as sampling for a basic set of constituents that is relevant to major water-quality issues in the regional study area. Creation of such a dataset for the regional study area would help to provide the kinds of information needed to characterize background conditions and the spatial and temporal variability in constituent concentrations associated with those conditions. Without such information, it is difficult to identify departures from background that might be associated with human activities.

Degree of contamination and sources of polychlorinated biphenyls in Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet of Lake Worth, Fort Worth, Texas, 2004 and 2006-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Braun, Christopher L.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2008-01-01

Lake Worth is a reservoir on the West Fork Trinity River on the western edge of Fort Worth, Texas. Air Force Plant 4 (AFP4) is on the eastern shore of Woods Inlet, an arm of Lake Worth that extends south from the main body of the lake. Two previous reports documented ele-vated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in surficial sediment in Woods Inlet relative to those in surficial sediment in other parts of Lake Worth. This report presents the results of another USGS study, done in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, to indicate the degree of PCB contamination of Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet and to identify possible sources of PCBs in Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet on the basis of suspended, streambed, and lake-bottom sediment samples collected there in 2004 and 2006-07. About 40 to 80 percent of total PCB concentrations (depending on how total PCB concentration is computed) in suspended sediment exceed the threshold effect concentration, a concentration below which adverse effects to benthic biota rarely occur. About 20 percent of total PCB concentrations (computed as sum of three Aroclors) in suspended sediment exceed the probable effect concentration, a concentration above which adverse effects to benthic biota are expected to occur frequently. About 20 to 30 percent of total PCB concentrations in streambed sediment exceed the threshold effect concentration; and about 6 to 20 percent of total PCB concentrations in lake-bottom (Woods Inlet) sediment exceed the threshold effect concentration. No streambed or lake-bottom sediment concentrations exceed the probable effect concentration. The sources of PCBs to Meandering Road Creek and Woods Inlet were investigated by comparing the relative distributions of PCB congeners of suspended sediment to those of streambed and lake-bottom sediment. The sources of PCBs were identified using graphical analysis of normalized concentrations (congener ratios) of 11 congeners. For graphical analysis, the sampling sites were divided into three groups with each group associated with one of the three outfalls sampled: SSO, OF4, and OF5. The variations of normalized PCB congener concentrations from Woods Inlet, from outfalls along Meandering Road Creek, and from streambed sediment sampling sites along Meandering Road Creek generally form similar patterns within sample groups, which is indicative of a common source of PCBs to each group. Overall, the variations in congener ratios indicate that PCBs in surficial lake-bottom sediment of Woods Inlet probably entered Woods Inlet primarily from Meandering Road Creek, and that runoff from AFP4 is a prominent source of PCBs in Meandering Road Creek. Sixteen of the 20 box core sites in Woods Inlet had lower PCB concentrations in the 2006 cores compared to those in the 2003 cores.

Assessment of ground water quality for drinking purpose, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, India.

PubMed

Jain, C K; Bandyopadhyay, A; Bhadra, A

2010-07-01

The ground water quality of District Nainital (Uttarakhand, India) has been assessed to see the suitability of ground water for drinking and irrigation applications. This is a two-part series paper and this paper examines the suitability of ground water including spring water for drinking purposes. Forty ground water samples (including 28 spring samples) were collected during pre- and post-monsoon seasons and analyzed for various water quality constituents. The hydrochemical and bacteriological data was analyzed with reference to BIS and WHO standards and their hydrochemical facies were determined. The concentration of total dissolved solids exceeds the desirable limit of 500 mg/L in about 10% of the samples, alkalinity values exceed the desirable limit of 200 mg/L in about 30% of the samples, and total hardness values exceed the desirable limit of 300 mg/L in 15% of the samples. However, no sample crosses the maximum permissible limit for TDS, alkalinity, hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and fluoride. The concentration of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and fluoride are well within the desirable limit at all the locations. The bacteriological analysis of the samples does not show any sign of bacterial contamination in hand pump and tube-well water samples. However, in the case of spring water samples, six samples exceed the permissible limit of ten coliforms per 100 ml of sample. It is recommended that water drawn from such sources should be properly disinfected before being used for drinking and other domestic applications. Among the metal ions, the concentration of iron and lead exceeds the permissible limit at one location whereas the concentration of nickel exceeds the permissible limit in 60 and 32.5% of the samples during pre- and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. The grouping of samples according to their hydrochemical facies indicates that majority of the samples fall in Ca-Mg-HCO(3) hydrochemical facies.

Quality of water in the alluvial aquifer, American Bottoms, East St Louis, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voelker, David C.

1984-01-01

Ground-water levels in the American Bottoms regions around East St. Louis, Illinois, have risen several feet since the early 1970's. Artificial dewatering of the aquifer by increased pumping is being investigated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to alleviate economic and health concerns resulting from elevated ground-water levels. A ground-water quality evaluation is necessary for selecting a feasible dewatering scheme. Analyses of water samples from 63 wells show that except for iron, manganese, and dissolved solids, constituent concentrations do not exceed Illinois water-quality standards. The waters are primarily of the calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate type with some calcium-sulfate type water. Iron concentrations ranged from less than 3 to 82,000 micrograms per liter, manganese from 5 to 5,300 micrograms per liter, and dissolved solids from 140 to 3,000 milligrams per liter. These constituent concentrations exceed Illinois ' public water supply, effluent, and general water-quality standards in most samples and analysis indicates the concentrations are representative of the ambient water quality. Concentrations of nitrite + nitrate nitrogen fluoride, zinc, lead, and sulfate also exceeded Illinois water-quality standards in a few samples. Concentrations of organic pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polychlorinated naphthalenes were below analytical detection limits. (USGS)

Volatile organic compounds in the unsaturated zone from radioactive wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, Ronald J.; Andraski, Brian J.; Stonestrom, David A.; Luo, Wentai

2012-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are often comingled with low-level radioactive wastes (LLRW), but little is known about subsurface VOC emanations from LLRW landfills. The current study systematically quantified VOCs associated with LLRW over an 11-yr period at the USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS) in southwestern Nevada. Unsaturated-zone gas samples of VOCs were collected by adsorption on resin cartridges and analyzed by thermal desorption and GC/MS. Sixty of 87 VOC method analytes were detected in the 110-m-thick unsaturated zone surrounding a LLRW disposal facility. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were detected in 100% of samples collected. Chlorofluorocarbons are powerful greenhouse gases, deplete stratospheric ozone, and are likely released from LLRW facilities worldwide. Soil-gas samples collected from a depth of 24 m and a horizontal distance 100 m south of the nearest waste-disposal trench contained >60,000 ppbv total VOCs, including >37,000 ppbv CFCs. Extensive sampling in the shallow unsaturated zone (0–2 m deep) identified areas where total VOC concentrations exceeded 5000 ppbv at the 1.5-m depth. Volatile organic compound concentrations exceeded background levels up to 300 m from the facility. Maximum vertical diffusive fluxes of total VOCs were estimated to be 1 g m-2 yr-1. Volatile organic compound distributions were similar but not identical to those previously determined for tritium and elemental mercury. To our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize the unsaturated zone distribution of VOCs emanating from a LLRW landfill. Our results may help explain anomalous transport of radionuclides at the ADRS and elsewhere.

Water-quality investigations of the Jordan River, Salt Lake County, Utah, 1980-82

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stephens, D.W.

1984-01-01

Water-quality studies were conducted on the Jordan River, Utah, to investigate specific problems: dissolved oxygen, toxic substances, sanitary quality, and turbidity and suspended sediment. The dissolved oxygen decreased from 8 milligrams per liter at the Jordan Narrows to less than 5 milligrams per liter at 500 North Street. Chemical oxygen demand increased about 23 percent and biochemical oxygen demand increased 90 percent. Nearly 78 percent of the water samples analyzed for total mercury exceeded the State intended-use standard of 0.05 microgram per liter. Concentrations of ammonia, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc exceeded the standards periodically. The pesticides DDD, DDE, DDT, dieldrin, methoxychlor, and 2,4-D were occasionally detected in bottom materials. Most were present in quantities of less than 15 micrograms per kilogram. Concentrations of three indicator bacteria (total coliform, fecal coliform, and fecal streptococcus) increased in a downstream direction. Concentrations of total coliform bacteria often exceeded 5,000 colonies per 100 milliliters and concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria often exceeded 2,000 colonies per 100 milliliters. The primary sources of turbidity in the Jordan River are Utah Lake and discharges from the wastewater-treatment plants. Large values of turbidity were measured at the Jordan Narrows with a summer mean value of 88 nephelometer turbidity units (NTU) and a winter mean value of 43 NTU. (USGS)

Water-Quality Assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas--Surface-Water Quality, Shallow Ground-Water Quality, and Factors Affecting Water Quality in the Rincon Valley, South-Central New Mexico, 1994-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderholm, Scott K.

2002-01-01

As part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, surface-water and ground-water samples were collected in 1994 and 1995 for analysis of common constituents, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, trace elements, radioactivity, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides to characterize surface- water quality and shallow ground-water quality and to determine factors affecting water quality in the Rincon Valley, south-central New Mexico. Samples of surface water were collected from three sites on the Rio Grande and from sites on three agricultural drains in the Rincon Valley in January 1994 and 1995, April 1994, and October 1994. Ground-water samples were collected in late April and early May 1994 from 30 shallow wells that were installed during the investigation. Dissolved-solids concentrations in surface water ranged from 434 to 1,510 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Dissolved-solids concentrations were smallest in water from the Rio Grande below Caballo Dam and largest in the drains. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.05 to 3.3 mg/L as nitrogen, and ammonia concentrations ranged from less than 0.015 to 0.33 mg/L as nitrogen in surface-water samples. Trace-element concentrations in surface water were significantly smaller than the acute-fisheries standards. One or more pesticides were detected in 34 of 37 surface-water samples. DCPA (dacthal) and metolachlor were the most commonly detected pesticides. No standards have been established for the pesticides analyzed for in this study. Dissolved-solids concentrations in shallow ground water ranged from 481 to 3,630 mg/L. All but 2 of 30 samples exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level for dissolved solids of 500 mg/L. Water from about 73 percent of the wells sampled exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level of 250 mg/L for sulfate, and water from about 7 percent of the wells sampled exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level of 250 mg/L for chloride. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.05 to 33 mg/L as nitrogen in shallow ground water. Water from about 17 percent of the well samples exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L as nitrogen for nitrite plus nitrate. Trace-element concentrations in shallow ground water generally were small (1 to 10 micrograms per liter). The proposed maximum contaminant level of 20 micrograms per liter for uranium was exceeded in about 13 percent of the samples. The secondary maximum contaminant level of 300 micrograms per liter for iron was exceeded in about 17 percent of the samples and of 50 micrograms per liter for manganese was exceeded in about 83 percent of the samples. Samples from about 23 percent of the wells exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 15 picocuries per liter for gross alpha activity. One or more pesticides were detected in water from 12 of 30 wells sampled. The pesticides or pesticide metabolites diazinon, metolachlor, napropamide, p,p'-DDE, and prometon were detected in one or more samples. Metolachlor and prometon were the most commonly detected pesticides. Health advisories for the pesticides detected in shallow ground water (no maximum contaminant levels have been established for the pesticides detected) are 10 to 300 times larger than the concentrations detected. Infiltration, evaporation, and transpiration of irrigation water are important factors affecting the concentrations of common constituents in shallow ground water in the Rincon Valley. Dissolution and precipitation of minerals and mixing of shallow ground water and inflow of ground water from adjacent areas also affect the composition of shallow ground water and water in the drains. Relatively large nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in several shallow ground-water samples indicate leaching of fertilizers in some areas of th

46 CFR 113.50-15 - Loudspeakers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

.... With the vessel underway in normal conditions, the minimum sound pressure levels for broadcasting emergency announcements must be— (1) In interior spaces, 75 dB(A) or, if the background noise level exceeds 75 dB(A), then at least 20 dB(A) above maximum background noise level; and (2) In exterior spaces, 80...

Comparison of Active Drug Concentrations in the Pulmonary Epithelial Lining Fluid and Interstitial Fluid of Calves Injected with Enrofloxacin, Florfenicol, Ceftiofur, or Tulathromycin

PubMed Central

Foster, Derek M.; Martin, Luke G.; Papich, Mark G.

2016-01-01

Bacterial pneumonia is the most common reason for parenteral antimicrobial administration to beef cattle in the United States. Yet there is little information describing the antimicrobial concentrations at the site of action. The objective of this study was to compare the active drug concentrations in the pulmonary epithelial lining fluid and interstitial fluid of four antimicrobials commonly used in cattle. After injection, plasma, interstitial fluid, and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid concentrations and protein binding were measured to determine the plasma pharmacokinetics of each drug. A cross-over design with six calves per drug was used. Following sample collection and drug analysis, pharmacokinetic calculations were performed. For enrofloxacin and metabolite ciprofloxacin, the interstitial fluid concentration was 52% and 78% of the plasma concentration, while pulmonary fluid concentrations was 24% and 40% of the plasma concentration, respectively. The pulmonary concentrations (enrofloxacin + ciprofloxacin combined) exceeded the MIC90 of 0.06 μg/mL at 48 hours after administration. For florfenicol, the interstitial fluid concentration was almost 98% of the plasma concentration, and the pulmonary concentrations were over 200% of the plasma concentrations, exceeding the breakpoint (≤ 2 μg/mL), and the MIC90 for Mannheimia haemolytica (1.0 μg/mL) for the duration of the study. For ceftiofur, penetration to the interstitial fluid was only 5% of the plasma concentration. Pulmonary epithelial lining fluid concentration represented 40% of the plasma concentration. Airway concentrations exceeded the MIC breakpoint for susceptible respiratory pathogens (≤ 2 μg/mL) for a short time at 48 hours after administration. The plasma and interstitial fluid concentrations of tulathromcyin were lower than the concentrations in pulmonary fluid throughout the study. The bronchial concentrations were higher than the plasma or interstitial concentrations, with over 900% penetration to the airways. Despite high diffusion into the bronchi, the tulathromycin concentrations achieved were lower than the MIC of susceptible bacteria at most time points. PMID:26872361

Water Quality in the Equus Beds Aquifer and the Little Arkansas River Before Implementation of Large-Scale Artificial Recharge, South-Central Kansas, 1995-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ziegler, Andrew C.; Hansen, Cristi V.; Finn, Daniel A.

2010-01-01

Artificial recharge of the Equus Beds aquifer using runoff from the Little Arkansas River in south-central Kansas was first proposed in 1956 and was one of many options considered by the city of Wichita to preserve its water supply. Declining aquifer water levels of as much as 50 feet exacerbated concerns about future water availability and enhanced migration of saltwater into the aquifer from past oil and gas activities near Burrton and from the Arkansas River. Because Wichita changed water-management strategies and decreased pumping from the Equus Beds aquifer in 1992, water storage in the aquifer recovered by about 50 percent. This recovery is the result of increased reliance on Cheney Reservoir for Wichita water supply, decreased aquifer pumping, and larger than normal precipitation. Accompanying the water-level recovery, the average water-level gradient in the aquifer decreased from about 12 feet per mile in 1992 to about 8 feet per mile in January 2006. An important component of artificial recharge is the water quality of the receiving aquifer and the water being recharged (source water). Water quality within the Little Arkansas River was defined using data from two real-time surface-water-quality sites and discrete samples. Water quality in the Equus Beds aquifer was defined using sample analyses collected at 38 index sites, each with a well completed in the shallow and deep parts of the Equus Beds aquifer. In addition, data were collected at diversion well sites, recharge sites, background wells, and prototype wells for the aquifer storage and recovery project. Samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, trace metals, radionuclides, organic compounds, and bacterial and viral indicators. Water-quality constituents of concern for artificial recharge are those constituents that frequently (more than 5 percent of samples) may exceed Federal [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)] and State drinking-water criteria in water samples from the receiving aquifer or in samples from the source water. Constituents of concern include major ions (sulfate and chloride), nutrients (nitrite plus nitrate), trace elements (arsenic, iron, and manganese), organic compounds (atrazine), and fecal bacterial indicators. This report describes the water quality in the Equus Beds aquifer and the Little Arkansas River from 1995 through 2005 before implementation of large-scale recharge activities. Sulfate concentrations in water samples from the Little Arkansas River rarely exceeded Federal secondary drinking water regulation (SDWR) of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Sulfate concentrations in groundwater were exceeded in about 18 percent of the wells in the shallow (less than or equal to 80 feet deep) parts of the aquifer and in about 13 percent of the wells in the deep parts the aquifer. Larger sulfate concentrations were associated with parts of the aquifer with the largest water-level declines. Water-quality changes in the Equus Beds aquifer likely were caused by dewatering and oxidation of aquifer material that subsequently resulted in increased sulfate concentrations as water levels recovered. The primary sources of chloride to the Equus Beds aquifer are from past oil and gas activities near Burrton and from the Arkansas River. Computed chloride concentrations in the Little Arkansas River near Halstead exceeded the Federal SDWR of 250 mg/L about 27 percent of the time (primarily during low-flow conditions). Chloride concentrations in groundwater exceeded 250 mg/L in about 8 percent or less of the study area, primarily near Burrton and along the Arkansas River. Chloride in groundwater near Burrton has migrated downgradient about 3 miles during the past 40 to 45 years. The downward and horizontal migration of the chloride is controlled by the hydraulic gradient in the aquifer, dispersion of chloride, and discontinuous clay layers that can inhibit further downward migration. Chloride in the shallow parts of the Equus Beds

Conditions for a partial summation of SO2 and NO2 hazardous effect in gas emission regulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, A. K.

2017-12-01

In order to provide environmental safety, the concentrations of SO2 and SO2 in the surface layer of atmospheric air should not exceed corresponding one-time values accepted for maximum permissible concentrations (MPCs). The only document that provides a normative calculation of hazardous substance dispersion in the atmospheric air up to the present time is presented by regulations OND-86. It has established that, in taking into account the summation (unidirectionality) of hazardous action of substances (including SO2 and NO2 gases), the sum of their relative concentrations should not exceed unity. A novel standard GN 2.1.6.2326-08 stipulates that "nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide have a partial summation of action; therefore the sum of their relative concentrations should not exceed 1.6." This paper is devoted to analyzing the calculation of the summation of action for SO2 and NO2 gases and proving that the condition established in GN 2.1.6.2326-08 is not quite correct. According to the condition required by standard GN 2.1.6.2326-08, it turns out that, for some combinations of concentrations, the hazardous effect of gases is not added together, but one gas compensates an effect of the other, which contradicts the points of OND-86. For example, at SO2 and NO2 concentrations amounting to 0.6 and 0.04, respectively, the condition required by standard GN 2.1.6.2326-08 is satisfied, although the concentration of SO2 exceeds a normatively fixed value of MPC = 0.5. The graphical analysis of a concentration region for SO2 and NO2 gases clearly shows the areas where the condition required by standard GN 2.1.6.2326-08 is satisfied, but the environmental safety according to OND-86 is not provided. Recommendations are proposed for the correction of requirements established by standard GN 2.1.6.2326-08.

Environmental contaminants in freshwater fish and their risk to piscivorous wildlife based on a national monitoring program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, J.E.; Schmitt, C.J.; Chojnacki, K.A.; Tillitt, D.E.

2009-01-01

Organochlorine chemical residues and elemental concentrations were measured in piscivorous and benthivorous fish at 111 sites from large U.S. river basins. Potential contaminant sources such as urban and agricultural runoff, industrial discharges, mine drainage, and irrigation varied among the sampling sites. Our objectives were to provide summary statistics for chemical contaminants and to determine if contaminant concentrations in the fish were a risk to wildlife that forage at these sites. Concentrations of dieldrin, total DDT, total PCBs, toxaphene, TCDD-EQ, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, selenium, and zinc exceeded toxicity thresholds to protect fish and piscivorous wildlife in samples from at least one site; most exceedences were for total PCBs, mercury, and zinc. Chemical concentrations in fish from the Mississippi River Basin exceeded the greatest number of toxicity thresholds. Screening level wildlife risk analysis models were developed for bald eagle and mink using no adverse effect levels (NOAELs), which were derived from adult dietary exposure or tissue concentration studies and based primarily on reproductive endpoints. No effect hazard concentrations (NEHC) were calculated by comparing the NOAEL to the food ingestion rate (dietary-based NOAEL) or biomagnification factor (tissue-based NOAEL) of each receptor. Piscivorous wildlife may be at risk from a contaminant if the measured concentration in fish exceeds the NEHC. Concentrations of most organochlorine residues and elemental contaminants represented no to low risk to bald eagle and mink at most sites. The risk associated with pentachloroanisole, aldrin, Dacthal, methoxychlor, mirex, and toxaphene was unknown because NOAELs for these contaminants were not available for bald eagle or mink. Risk differed among modeled species and sites. Our screening level analysis indicates that the greatest risk to piscivorous wildlife was from total DDT, total PCBs, TCDD-EQ, mercury, and selenium. Bald eagles were at greater risk to total DDT and total PCBs than mink, whereas risks of TCDD-EQ, mercury, and selenium were greater to mink than bald eagle. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.

Contaminant profiles for surface water, sediment, flora and fauna associated with the mangrove fringe along middle and lower eastern Tampa Bay.

PubMed

Lewis, M A; Russell, M J

2015-06-15

Contaminant concentrations are reported for surface water, sediment, flora and fauna collected during 2010-2011 from the mangrove fringe along eastern Tampa Bay, Florida. Concentrations of trace metals, chlorinated pesticides, atrazine, total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls were species-, chemical- and location-specific. Contaminants in sediments did not exceed proposed individual sediment quality guidelines. Most sediment quality assessment quotients were less than one indicating the likelihood of no inhibitory effect based on chemical measurements alone. Faunal species typically contained more contaminants than plant species; seagrass usually contained more chemicals than mangroves. Bioconcentration factors for marine angiosperms were usually less than 10 and ranged between 1 and 31. Mercury concentrations (ppm) in blue crabs and fish did not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fish tissue criterion of 0.3 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration action level of 1.0. In contrast, total mercury concentrations in faunal species often exceeded guideline values for wildlife consumers of aquatic biota. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Comparison of waste anesthetic gases in operating rooms with or without an scavenging system in a Brazilian University Hospital].

PubMed

Braz, Leandro Gobbo; Braz, José Reinaldo Cerqueira; Cavalcante, Guilherme Aparecido Silva; Souza, Kátina Meneghetti; Lucio, Lorena Mendes de Carvalho; Braz, Mariana Gobbo

Occupational exposure to waste anesthetic gases in operating room (OR) without active scavenging system has been associated with adverse health effects. Thus, this study aimed to compare the trace concentrations of the inhaled anesthetics isoflurane and sevoflurane in OR with and without central scavenging system. Waste concentrations of isoflurane and sevoflurane were measured by infrared analyzer at different locations (near the respiratory area of the assistant nurse and anesthesiologist and near the anesthesia station) and at two times (30 and 120minutes after the start of surgery) in both OR types. All isoflurane and sevoflurane concentrations in unscavenged OR were higher than the US recommended limit (2 parts per million), regardless of the location and time evaluated. In scavenged OR, the average concentrations of isoflurane were within the limit of exposure, except for the measurements near the anesthesia station, regardless of the measurement times. For sevoflurane, concentrations exceeded the limit value at all measurement locations and at both times. The exposure to both anesthetics exceeded the international limit in unscavenged OR. In scavenged OR, the concentrations of sevoflurane, and to a lesser extent those of isoflurane, exceeded the recommended limit value. Thus, the OR scavenging system analyzed in the present study decreased the anesthetic concentrations, although not to the internationally recommended values. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

An examination of water quality indicators in swim sites located in the upper Los Angeles River Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, C. M.; Morris, K.; Fingland, N. K.; Johnstone, K.; Pendleton, L.; Ponce, A.; Tang, C.; Griffith, J. F.; Steele, N. L.

2013-12-01

Multiple sites in the upper Los Angeles River watershed were sampled during summer 2012 and measured for Escherichia coli, enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens (vegetative cells and spores) using culture-based analyses and preserved for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. The objective of this work includes the characterization of how well indicators correlated with each other, with respect to background levels and to 'spikes' from background, possibly indicative of a pollution input, environmental/physicochemical parameters, as well as in the context of recreational water quality standards. The 2nd objective of this work was to evaluate the economic impact of implementing qPCR at our study sites for rapid water quality monitoring. None of the species of indicators correlated well with each other (R2 < 0.1) across sites and dates when the sample set was examined in its entirety, though C. perfringens vegetative cells and spores were moderately correlated (R2 = 0.31, p = 0.07). The observation of concentration 'spikes' against background levels, suggesting a potential input of contamination, were observed on holiday sampling days and will be examined further. In general, the number of swimmers present was not linked with indicator concentrations; however, incidence of water quality exceedances (for E. coli 235 CFU or MPN/100 mL sample) were more likely to occur on the weekend or holidays (for E. coli, , suggesting that the presence/absence of swimmers may be an important variable at our sites. Clostridium perfringens may be a useful indicator at our study sites, as a comparison of vegetative to endospore forms of this organism may be used to understand how recently a contamination event or input occurred.

Preliminary experiences with 222Rn gas in Arizona homes.

PubMed

Kearfott, K J

1989-02-01

Results of a survey of 222Rn gas using four-day charcoal canister tests in 759 Arizona homes are reported. Although the study was not random with respect to population or land area, it was useful in identifying areas at risk and locating several homes having elevated indoor 222Rn air concentrations. Approximately 18% of the homes tested exceeded 150 Bq m-3 (4 pCi L-1), with 7% exceeding 300 Bq m-3 (8 pCi L-1). Several Arizona cities had larger fractions of homes exceeding 150 Bq m-3 (4 pCi L-1), such as Carefree and Cave Creek (23%), Paradise Valley (30%), Payson (33%), and Prescott (31%). The Granite Dells and Groom Creek areas of Prescott had in excess of 40-60% of the houses tested exceeding 150 Bq m-3 (4 pCi L-1). Elevated 222Rn concentrations were measured for a variety of home types having different construction materials. Private well water was identified as a potentially significant source of 222Rn gas in Prescott homes, with water from one well testing over 3.5 MBq m-3 (94,000 pCi L-1). A 222Rn concentration in air exceeding 410,000 Bq m-3 (11,000 pCi L-1) was measured using a four-day charcoal canister test in a house in Prescott which had a well opening into a living space. Additional measurements in this 150-m3 dwelling revealed a strikingly heterogeneous 222Rn concentration. The excessive 222Rn level in the dwelling was reduced to less than 190 Bq m-3 (5.2 pCi L-1) by sealing the well head with caulking and providing passive ventilation through a pipe.

Preliminary experiences with /sup 222/Rn gas in Arizona homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kearfott, K.J.

1989-02-01

Results of a survey of 222Rn gas using four-day charcoal canister tests in 759 Arizona homes are reported. Although the study was not random with respect to population or land area, it was useful in identifying areas at risk and locating several homes having elevated indoor 222Rn air concentrations. Approximately 18% of the homes tested exceeded 150 Bq m-3 (4 pCi L-1), with 7% exceeding 300 Bq m-3 (8 pCi L-1). Several Arizona cities had larger fractions of homes exceeding 150 Bq m-3 (4 pCi L-1), such as Carefree and Cave Creek (23%), Paradise Valley (30%), Payson (33%), and Prescottmore » (31%). The Granite Dells and Groom Creek areas of Prescott had in excess of 40-60% of the houses tested exceeding 150 Bq m-3 (4 pCi L-1). Elevated 222Rn concentrations were measured for a variety of home types having different construction materials. Private well water was identified as a potentially significant source of 222Rn gas in Prescott homes, with water from one well testing over 3.5 MBq m-3 (94,000 pCi L-1). A 222Rn concentration in air exceeding 410,000 Bq m-3 (11,000 pCi L-1) was measured using a four-day charcoal canister test in a house in Prescott which had a well opening into a living space. Additional measurements in this 150-m3 dwelling revealed a strikingly heterogeneous 222Rn concentration. The excessive 222Rn level in the dwelling was reduced to less than 190 Bq m-3 (5.2 pCi L-1) by sealing the well head with caulking and providing passive ventilation through a pipe.« less

Chester County ground-water atlas, Chester County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ludlow, Russell A.; Loper, Connie A.

2004-01-01

Chester County encompasses 760 square miles in southeastern Pennsylvania. Groundwater-quality studies have been conducted in the county over several decades to address specific hydrologic issues. This report compiles and describes water-quality data collected during studies conducted mostly after 1990 and summarizes the data in a county-wide perspective.In this report, water-quality constituents are described in regard to what they are, why the constituents are important, and where constituent concentrations vary relative to geology or land use. Water-quality constituents are grouped into logical units to aid presentation: water-quality constituents measured in the field (pH, alkalinity, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen), common ions, metals, radionuclides, bacteria, nutrients, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds. Water-quality constituents measured in the field, common ions (except chloride), metals, and radionuclides are discussed relative to geology. Bacteria, nutrients, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds are discussed relative to land use. If the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or Chester County Health Department has drinking water standards for a constituent, the standards are included. Tables and maps are included to assist Chester County residents in understanding the water-quality constituents and their distribution in the county.Ground water in Chester County generally is of good quality and is mostly acidic except in the carbonate rocks and serpentinite, where it is neutral to strongly basic. Calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate are major constituents of these rocks. Both compounds have high solubility, and, as such, both are major contributors to elevated pH, alkalinity, specific conductance, and the common ions. Elevated pH and alkalinity in carbonate rocks and serpentinite can indicate a potential for scaling in water heaters and household plumbing. Low pH and low alkalinity in the schist, quartzite, and gneiss rocks can indicate a potential for corrosive water. The only constituent measured in the field that has a USEPA Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) is pH. The SMCL for pH is 6.5-8.5; 64 percent of samples analyzed for pH were acidic (below pH 6.5). Only 1 percent of samples were basic (above pH 8.5).Of the common ions, the USEPA has SMCLs for chloride, sulfate, and total dissolved solids. The USEPA has a SMCL and a Primary Maximum Contaminant Level (PMCL) for fluoride. Chloride is more closely related to land use than geology. In Chester County, chloride exceeded the SMCL (250 mg/L) only in 5 percent of the services (commercial services, community services, and military) land-use areas. No samples analyzed for sulfate exceeded the SMCL (250 mg/L). Only 3 percent of samples analyzed for total dissolved solids exceeded the SMCL (500 milligrams per liter) (mg/L). No samples analyzed for fluoride equaled or exceeded the SMCL (2.0 mg/L) or PMCL (4.0 mg/L).Iron concentrations exceeded the USEPA SMCL in 11 percent of samples and were highest in schist (14 percent) and gneiss (13 percent). Manganese concentrations exceeded the SMCL in 19 percent of samples and were highest in quartzite and schist (both 28 percent). Lead and arsenic were present in low concentrations: the highest concentrations of lead occurred in water from quartzite (8 percent exceeded the USEPA Action Level), and arsenic was detected mostly in Triassic sedimentary rocks (9 percent exceeded the USEPA PMCL). The highest concentrations of copper occurred more frequently in quartzite rocks, and to a lesser extent were evenly distributed between ground water in gneiss, schist, and Triassic sedimentary rocks.Elevated concentrations of radon-222 and the combined radium-226/radium-228 radionuclides were common in water from quartzite and schist. Gross alpha and gross beta particle activities were elevated in water from quartzite and carbonate rocks. In contrast, elevated concentrations of uranium primarily were measured in water from Triassic sedimentary and carbonate rocks.Despite a sampling bias towards agricultural land use, only two samples indicated the presence of fecal coliforms.Samples analyzed for nutrients generally exhibited low concentrations, but about 11 percent of samples collected for nitrate exceeded the USEPA PMCL. Only one nitrite sample (less than 1 percent) exceeded the respective USEPA PMCL.Approximately 190 samples were collected for each of the three pesticides in this report: lindane, dieldrin, and diazinon. Sampling was biased towards agricultural, low-medium density residential, and wooded land uses. Approximately 95 percent of samples for each pesticide were below minimum reporting levels (MRL). Only lindane has a USEPA PMCL, and only one sample exceeded the standard. Results for dieldrin and diazinon were similar, except results for two diazinon samples where concentrations were 57.0 and 490 micrograms per liter (μg/L).Volatile organic compounds in this report were analyzed in water from 198 samples. Sampling was biased towards agricultural, low-medium density residential, and wooded land uses. Two percent of samples analyzed for trichloroethylene and less than 1 percent of samples analyzed for tetrachloroethylene exceeded their respective USEPA PMCLs (each 5.0 μg/L). No samples analyzed for 1,1,1-trichloroethane exceeded the USEPA PMCL (200 μg/L). No samples analyzed for methyl tert-butyl ether exceeded the USEPA Drinking Water Advisory (20μg/L).

Occupational exposure to airborne asbestos from phenolic molding material (Bakelite) during sanding, drilling, and related activities.

PubMed

Mowat, Fionna; Bono, Michael; Lee, R J; Tamburello, Susan; Paustenbach, Dennis

2005-10-01

In this study, a historical phenolic (Bakelite) molding material, BMMA-5353, was tested to determine the airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers released during four different activities (sawing, sanding, drilling, and cleanup of dust generated from these activities). Each activity was performed for 30 min, often in triplicate. The primary objective for testing BMMA-5353 was to quantitatively determine the airborne concentration of asbestos fibers, if any, in the breathing zone of workers. Uses of this product typically did not include sawing or sanding, but it may have been drilled occasionally. For this reason, only small quantities were sawed, sanded, and drilled in this simulation study. Personal (n = 40), area (n = 80), and background/clearance (n = 88) air samples were collected during each activity and analyzed for total fiber concentrations using phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and, for asbestos fiber counts, transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The raw PCM-total fiber concentrations were adjusted based on TEM analyses that reported the fraction of asbestos fibers, to derive a PCM-asbestos concentration that would enable calculation of an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). The estimated 8-hour TWAs ranged from 0.006 to 0.08 fibers per cubic centimeter using a variety of worker exposure scenarios. Therefore, assuming an exposure scenario in which a worker uses power tools to cut and sand products molded from BMMA-5353 and similar products in the manner evaluated in this study, airborne asbestos concentrations should not exceed current or historical occupational exposure limits.

Short term serum pharmacokinetics of diammine silver fluoride after oral application

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is growing interest in the use of diammine silver fluoride (DSF) as a topical agent to treat dentin hypersensitivity and dental caries as gauged by increasing published research from many parts of the world. While DSF has been available in various formulations for many years, most of its pharmacokinetic aspects within the therapeutic concentration range have never been fully characterized. Methods This preliminary study determined the applied doses (3 teeth treated), maximum serum concentrations, and time to maximum serum concentration for fluoride and silver in 6 adults over 4 h. Fluoride was determined using the indirect diffusion method with a fluoride selective electrode, and silver was determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The mean amount of DSF solution applied to the 3 teeth was 7.57 mg (6.04 μL). Results Over the 4 hour observation period, the mean maximum serum concentrations were 1.86 μmol/L for fluoride and 206 nmol/L for silver. These maximums were reached 3.0 h and 2.5 h for fluoride and silver, respectively. Conclusions Fluoride exposure was below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oral reference dose. Silver exposure exceeded the EPA oral reference dose for cumulative daily exposure over a lifetime, but for occasional use was well below concentrations associated with toxicity. This preliminary study suggests that serum concentrations of fluoride and silver after topical application of DSF should pose little toxicity risk when used in adults. Clinical trials registration NCT01664871. PMID:23272643

Assessing potential health risks to fish and humans using mercury concentrations in inland fish from across western Canada and the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lepak, Jesse M.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Tate, Michael T.; Lutz, Michelle A.; Ackerman, Joshua T.; Willacker, James J.; Jackson, Allyson K.; Evers, David C.; Wiener, James G.; Pritz, Colleen Flanagan; Davis, Jay

2016-01-01

Fish represent high quality protein and nutrient sources, but Hg contamination is ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and can pose health risks to fish and their consumers. Potential health risks posed to fish and humans by Hg contamination in fish were assessed in western Canada and the United States. A large compilation of inland fish Hg concentrations was evaluated in terms of potential health risk to the fish themselves, health risk to predatory fish that consume Hg contaminated fish, and to humans that consume Hg contaminated fish. The probability that a fish collected from a given location would exceed a Hg concentration benchmark relevant to a health risk was calculated. These exceedance probabilities and their associated uncertainties were characterized for fish of multiple size classes at multiple health-relevant benchmarks. The approach was novel and allowed for the assessment of the potential for deleterious health effects in fish and humans associated with Hg contamination in fish across this broad study area. Exceedance probabilities were relatively common at low Hg concentration benchmarks, particularly for fish in larger size classes. Specifically, median exceedances for the largest size classes of fish evaluated at the lowest Hg concentration benchmarks were 0.73 (potential health risks to fish themselves), 0.90 (potential health risk to predatory fish that consume Hg contaminated fish), and 0.97 (potential for restricted fish consumption by humans), but diminished to essentially zero at the highest benchmarks and smallest fish size classes. Exceedances of benchmarks are likely to have deleterious health effects on fish and limit recommended amounts of fish humans consume in western Canada and the United States. Results presented here are not intended to subvert or replace local fish Hg data or consumption advice, but provide a basis for identifying areas of potential health risk and developing more focused future research and monitoring efforts.

Groundwater quality and the relation between pH values and occurrence of trace elements and radionuclides in water samples collected from private wells in part of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma Jurisdictional Area, central Oklahoma, 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, Carol J.

2013-01-01

From 1999 to 2007, the Indian Health Service reported that gross alpha-particle activities and concentrations of uranium exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Levels for public drinking-water supplies in water samples from six private wells and two test wells in a rural residential neighborhood in the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma Jurisdictional Area, in central Oklahoma. Residents in this rural area use groundwater from Quaternary-aged terrace deposits and the Permian-aged Garber-Wellington aquifer for domestic purposes. Uranium and other trace elements, specifically arsenic, chromium, and selenium, occur naturally in rocks composing the Garber-Wellington aquifer and in low concentrations in groundwater throughout its extent. Previous studies have shown that pH values above 8.0 from cation-exchange processes in the aquifer cause selected metals such as arsenic, chromium, selenium, and uranium to desorb (if present) from mineral surfaces and become mobile in water. On the basis of this information, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, conducted a study in 2011 to describe the occurrence of selected trace elements and radionuclides in groundwater and to determine if pH could be used as a surrogate for laboratory analysis to quickly and inexpensively identify wells that might contain high concentrations of uranium and other trace elements. The pH and specific conductance of groundwater from 59 private wells were measured in the field in an area of about 18 square miles in Lincoln and Pottawatomie Counties. Twenty of the 59 wells also were sampled for dissolved concentrations of major ions, trace elements, gross alpha-particle and gross beta-particle activities, uranium, radium-226, radium-228, and radon-222 gas. Arsenic concentrations exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level of 10 micrograms per liter in one sample having a concentration of 24.7 micrograms per liter. Selenium concentrations exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level of 50 micrograms per liter in one sample having a concentration of 147 micrograms per liter. Both samples had alkaline pH values, 8.0 and 8.4, respectively. Uranium concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 383 micrograms per liter with 5 of 20 samples exceeding the Maximum Contaminant Level of 30 micrograms per liter; the five wells with uranium concentrations exceeding 30 micrograms per liter had pH values ranging from 8.0 to 8.5. Concentrations of uranium and radon-222 and gross alpha-particle activity showed a positive relation to pH, with the highest concentrations and activity in samples having pH values of 8.0 or above. The groundwater samples contained dissolved oxygen and high concentrations of bicarbonate; these characteristics are also factors in increasing uranium solubility. Concentrations of radium-226 and radium-228 (combined) ranged from 0.03 to 1.7 picocuries per liter, with a median concentration of 0.45 picocuries per liter for all samples. Radon-222 concentrations ranged from 95 to 3,600 picocuries per liter with a median concentration of 261 picocuries per liter. Eight samples having pH values ranging from 8.0 to 8.7 exceeded the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level of 300 picocuries per liter for radon-222. Eight samples exceeded the 15 picocuries per liter Maximum Contaminant Level for gross alpha-particle activity at 72 hours (after sample collection) and at 30 days (after the initial count); those samples had pH values ranging from 8.0 to 8.5. Gross beta-particle activity increased in 15 of 21 samples during the interval from 72 hours to 30 days. The increase in gross beta-particle activity over time probably was caused by the ingrowth and decay of uranium daughter products that emit beta particles. Water-quality data collected for this study indicate that pH values above 8.0 are associated with potentially high concentrations of uranium and radon-222 and high gross alpha-particle activity in the study area. High pH values also are associated with potentially high concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and selenium in groundwater when these elements occur in the aquifer matrix along groundwater-flow paths.

Arsenic exposure in drinking water: an unrecognized health threat in Peru.

PubMed

George, Christine Marie; Sima, Laura; Arias, M Helena Jahuira; Mihalic, Jana; Cabrera, Lilia Z; Danz, David; Checkley, William; Gilman, Robert H

2014-08-01

To assess the extent of arsenic contamination of groundwater and surface water in Peru and, to evaluate the accuracy of the Arsenic Econo-Quick(™) (EQ) kit for measuring water arsenic concentrations in the field. Water samples were collected from 151 water sources in 12 districts of Peru, and arsenic concentrations were measured in the laboratory using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The EQ field kit was validated by comparing a subset of 139 water samples analysed by laboratory measurements and the EQ kit. In 86% (96/111) of the groundwater samples, arsenic exceeded the 10 µg/l arsenic concentration guideline given by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water. In 56% (62/111) of the samples, it exceeded the Bangladeshi threshold of 50 µg/l; the mean concentration being 54.5 µg/l (range: 0.1-93.1). In the Juliaca and Caracoto districts, in 96% (27/28) of groundwater samples arsenic was above the WHO guideline; and in water samples collected from the section of the Rímac river running through Lima, all had arsenic concentrations exceeding the WHO limit. When validated against laboratory values, the EQ kit correctly identified arsenic contamination relative to the guideline in 95% (106/111) of groundwater and in 68% (19/28) of surface water samples. In several districts of Peru, drinking water shows widespread arsenic contamination, exceeding the WHO arsenic guideline. This poses a public health threat requiring further investigation and action. For groundwater samples, the EQ kit performed well relative to the WHO arsenic limit and therefore could provide a vital tool for water arsenic surveillance.

Contaminant levels, source strengths, and ventilation rates in California retail stores.

PubMed

Chan, W R; Cohn, S; Sidheswaran, M; Sullivan, D P; Fisk, W J

2015-08-01

This field study measured ventilation rates and indoor air quality in 21 visits to retail stores in California. Three types of stores, such as grocery, furniture/hardware stores, and apparel, were sampled. Ventilation rates measured using a tracer gas decay method exceeded the minimum requirement of California's Title 24 Standard in all but one store. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone, and carbon dioxide measured indoors and outdoors were analyzed. Even though there was adequate ventilation according to standard, concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde exceeded the most stringent chronic health guidelines in many of the sampled stores. The whole-building emission rates of VOCs were estimated from the measured ventilation rates and the concentrations measured indoor and outdoor. Estimated formaldehyde emission rates suggest that retail stores would need to ventilate at levels far exceeding the current Title 24 requirement to lower indoor concentrations below California's stringent formaldehyde reference level. Given the high costs of providing ventilation, effective source control is an attractive alternative. Field measurements suggest that California retail stores were well ventilated relative to the minimum ventilation rate requirement specified in the Building Energy Efficiency Standards Title 24. Concentrations of formaldehyde found in retail stores were low relative to levels found in homes but exceeded the most stringent chronic health guideline. Looking ahead, California is mandating zero energy commercial buildings by 2030. To reduce the energy use from building ventilation while maintaining or even lowering formaldehyde in retail stores, effective formaldehyde source control measures are vitally important. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Concentration, distribution, and translocation of mercury and methylmercury in mine-waste, sediment, soil, water, and fish collected near the Abbadia San Salvatore mercury mine, Monte Amiata district, Italy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rimondi, V.; Gray, J.E.; Costagliola, P.; Vaselli, O.; Lattanzi, P.

2012-01-01

The distribution and translocation of mercury (Hg) was studied in the Paglia River ecosystem, located downstream from the inactive Abbadia San Salvatore mine (ASSM). The ASSM is part of the Monte Amiata Hg district, Southern Tuscany, Italy, which was one of the world’s largest Hg districts. Concentrations of Hg and methyl-Hg were determined in mine-waste calcine (retorted ore), sediment, water, soil, and freshwater fish collected from the ASSM and the downstream Paglia River. Concentrations of Hg in calcine samples ranged from 25 to 1500 μg/g, all of which exceeded the industrial soil contamination level for Hg of 5 μg/g used in Italy. Stream and lake sediment samples collected downstream from the ASSM ranged in Hg concentration from 0.26 to 15 μg/g, of which more than 50% exceeded the probable effect concentration for Hg of 1.06 μg/g, the concentration above which harmful effects are likely to be observed in sediment-dwelling organisms. Stream and lake sediment methyl-Hg concentrations showed a significant correlation with TOC indicating considerable methylation and potential bioavailability of Hg. Stream water contained Hg as high as 1400 ng/L, but only one water sample exceeded the 1000 ng/L drinking water Hg standard used in Italy. Concentrations of Hg were elevated in freshwater fish muscle samples and ranged from 0.16 to 1.2 μg/g (wet weight), averaged 0.84 μg/g, and 96% of these exceeded the 0.3 μg/g (methyl-Hg, wet weight) USEPA fish muscle standard recommended to protect human health. Analysis of fish muscle for methyl-Hg confirmed that > 90% of the Hg in these fish is methyl-Hg. Such highly elevated Hg concentrations in fish indicated active methylation, significant bioavailability, and uptake of Hg by fish in the Paglia River ecosystem. Methyl-Hg is highly toxic and the high Hg concentrations in these fish represent a potential pathway of Hg to the human food chain.

Second report on the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant fish kill for Upper East Fork Poplar Creek

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Etnier, E.L.; Opresko, D.M.; Talmage, S.S.

1994-08-01

This report summarizes the monitoring of fish kills in upper East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) from July 1990 to June 1993. Since the opening of Lake Reality (LR) in 1988, total numbers of fish inhabiting upper EFPC have increased. However, species diversity has remained poor. Water quality data have been collected in upper EFPC during the time period covered in this report. Total residual chlorine (TRC) levels have exceeded federal and state water quality criteria over the years. However, with the installation of two dechlorination systems in late 1992, TRC levels have been substantially lowered in most portions of uppermore » EFPC. By June 1993, concentrations of TRC were 0.04 to 0.06 mg/L at the north-south pipes (NSP) and below detection limits at sampling station AS-8 and were 0 to 0.01 mg/L at the inlet and outlet of LR. The daily chronic fish mortality in upper EFPC has been attributed to background stress resulting from the continuous discharge of chlorine into upper EFPC. Mean daily mortality rates for 22 acute fish kills were three fold or more above background and usually exceeded ten fish per day. Total number of dead fish collected per acute kill event ranged from 30 to over 1,000 fish; predominant species killed were central stonerollers (Campostoma anomalum) and striped shiners (Luxilus chrysocephalus). Spills or elevated releases of toxic chemicals, such as acids, organophosphates, aluminum nitrate, ammonia, or chlorine, were identified as possible causative agents; however, a definitive cause-effect relationship was rarely established for any acute kills. Ambient toxicity testing, in situ chemical monitoring, and streamside experiments were used to examine TRC dynamics and ambient toxicity in EFPC.« less

Applications of stochastic models and geostatistical analyses to study sources and spatial patterns of soil heavy metals in a metalliferous industrial district of China.

PubMed

Zhong, Buqing; Liang, Tao; Wang, Lingqing; Li, Kexin

2014-08-15

An extensive soil survey was conducted to study pollution sources and delineate contamination of heavy metals in one of the metalliferous industrial bases, in the karst areas of southwest China. A total of 597 topsoil samples were collected and the concentrations of five heavy metals, namely Cd, As (metalloid), Pb, Hg and Cr were analyzed. Stochastic models including a conditional inference tree (CIT) and a finite mixture distribution model (FMDM) were applied to identify the sources and partition the contribution from natural and anthropogenic sources for heavy metal in topsoils of the study area. Regression trees for Cd, As, Pb and Hg were proved to depend mostly on indicators of anthropogenic activities such as industrial type and distance from urban area, while the regression tree for Cr was found to be mainly influenced by the geogenic characteristics. The FMDM analysis showed that the geometric means of modeled background values for Cd, As, Pb, Hg and Cr were close to their background values previously reported in the study area, while the contamination of Cd and Hg were widespread in the study area, imposing potentially detrimental effects on organisms through the food chain. Finally, the probabilities of single and multiple heavy metals exceeding the threshold values derived from the FMDM were estimated using indicator kriging (IK) and multivariate indicator kriging (MVIK). The high probabilities exceeding the thresholds of heavy metals were associated with metalliferous production and atmospheric deposition of heavy metals transported from the urban and industrial areas. Geostatistics coupled with stochastic models provide an effective way to delineate multiple heavy metal pollution to facilitate improved environmental management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concentrations of Trace Elements in Hemodialysis Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Tonelli, Marcello; Wiebe, Natasha; Bello, Aminu; Field, Catherine J; Gill, John S; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Holmes, Daniel T; Jindal, Kailash; Klarenbach, Scott W; Manns, Braden J; Thadhani, Ravi; Kinniburgh, David

2017-11-01

Low concentrations and excessive concentrations of trace elements have been commonly reported in hemodialysis patients, but available studies have several important limitations. Random sample of patients drawn from a prospective cohort. 198 incident hemodialysis patients treated in 3 Canadian centers. We used mass spectrometry to measure plasma concentrations of the 25 elements at baseline, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years following enrollment in the cohort. We focused on low concentrations of zinc, selenium, and manganese and excessive concentrations of lead, arsenic, and mercury; low and excessive concentrations of the other 19 trace elements were treated as exploratory analyses. Low and excessive concentrations were based on the 5th and 95th percentile plasma concentrations from healthy reference populations. At all 4 occasions, low zinc, selenium, and manganese concentrations were uncommon in study participants (≤5.1%, ≤1.8%, and ≤0.9% for zinc, selenium, and manganese, respectively) and a substantial proportion of participants had concentrations that exceeded the 95th percentile (≥65.2%, ≥74.2%, and ≥19.7%, respectively). Almost all participants had plasma lead concentrations above the 95th percentile at all time points. The proportion of participants with plasma arsenic concentrations exceeding the 95th percentile was relatively constant over time (9.1%-9.8%); the proportion with plasma mercury concentrations that exceeded the 95th percentile varied between 15.2% and 29.3%. Low arsenic, platinum, tungsten, and beryllium concentrations were common (>50%), as were excessive cobalt, manganese, zinc, vanadium, cadmium, selenium, barium, antimony, nickel, molybdenum, lead, and chromium concentrations. There was no evidence that low zinc, selenium, or manganese concentrations exist in most contemporary Canadian hemodialysis patients. Some patients have excessive plasma arsenic and mercury concentrations, and excessive lead concentrations were common. These findings require further investigation. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of heavy metal concentration and soil pH on the abundance of selected microbial groups within ArcelorMittal Poland steelworks in Cracow.

PubMed

Lenart, Anna; Wolny-Koładka, Katarzyna

2013-01-01

The present study aimed to identify the effect of heavy metal concentration and soil pH on the abundance of the selected soil microorganisms within ArcelorMittal Poland steelworks, Cracow. The analysis included 20 soil samples, where the concentration of Fe, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, Mn, Cr and soil pH were evaluated together with the number of mesophilic bacteria, fungi, Actinomycetes and Azotobacter spp. In the majority of samples soil pH was alkaline. The limits of heavy metals exceeded in eight samples and in one sample, the concentration of Zn exceeded 31-fold. Chromium was the element which most significantly limited the number of bacteria and Actinomycetes.

Selenium, selected inorganic elements, and organochlorine pesticides in bottom material and biota from the Colorado River delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia-Hernandez, J.; King, K.A.; Velasco, A.L.; Shumilin, E.; Mora, M.A.; Glenn, E.P.

2001-01-01

Concentrations of selenium (Se) in bottom material ranged from 0.6 to 5.0 μg g−1, and from 0.5 to 18.3 μg g−1in biota; 23% of samples exceeded the toxic threshold. Concentrations of DDE in biota exceeded the toxic threshold in 30% of the samples. Greater concentrations of selenium in biota were found at sites with strongly reducing conditions, no output, alternating periods of drying and flooding or dredging activities, and at sites that received water directly from the Colorado River. The smallest Se concentrations in biota were found at sites where an outflow and exposure or physical disturbance of the bottom material were uncommon.

Coherent photon scattering background in sub- GeV / c 2 direct dark matter searches

DOE PAGES

Robinson, Alan E.

2017-01-18

Here, proposed dark matter detectors with eV-scale sensitivities will detect a large background of atomic (nuclear) recoils from coherent photon scattering of MeV-scale photons. This background climbs steeply below ~10 eV, far exceeding the declining rate of low-energy Compton recoils. The upcoming generation of dark matter detectors will not be limited by this background, but further development of eV-scale and sub-eV detectors will require strategies, including the use of low nuclear mass target materials, to maximize dark matter sensitivity while minimizing the coherent photon scattering background.

Airborne bio-aerosols and noise in a dry waste treatment plant in Pietarsaari, Finland.

PubMed

Tolvanen, O K

2001-04-01

Ewapower Ltd in Pietarsaari, Finland produces pellets from paper and plastic waste for burning. During 1998 and 1999, several measurements were made to determine the dust, particle, microbe and endotoxin concentrations, and also the noise level in the hall where the waste is received and pre-crushed. The noise level exceeded the Finnish recommended level of 85 dBA. The dust and the particle concentrations were low, but the microbe concentrations, especially in the summer and in the autumn, were at a level which may be harmful to health. The total concentration of microbes (both dead and alive) was high--approximately 4.8 million particles m(-3). The concentrations of endotoxins was high in summer and in autumn, from 340 to 1000 ng m(-3) and exceeded recommended values. In the winter, the concentration of the endotoxin was lower, ranging between 4.7 and 33 ng m(-3).

Ground-Water Quality in the St. Lawrence River Basin, New York, 2005-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nystrom, Elizabeth A.

2007-01-01

The Federal Clean Water Act requires that States monitor and report on the quality of ground water and surface water. To satisfy part of these requirements, the U.S. Geological Survey and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have developed a program in which ground-water quality is assessed in 2 to 3 of New York State's 14 major river basins each year. To characterize the quality of ground water in the St. Lawrence River Basin in northern New York, water samples were collected from 14 domestic and 11 production wells between August 2005 and January 2006. Eight of the wells were finished in sand and gravel and 17 wells were finished in bedrock. Ground-water samples were collected and processed using standard U.S. Geological Survey procedures and were analyzed for 229 constituents and physical properties, including inorganic constituents, nutrients, trace elements, radon-222, pesticides and pesticide degradates, volatile organic compounds, and bacteria. Sixty-six constituents were detected above laboratory reporting levels. Concentrations of most compounds at most sites were within drinking water standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New York State Department of Health, but a few compounds exceeded drinking water standards at some sites. Water in the basin is generally hard to very hard (hardness equal to 121 mg/L as CaCO3 or greater); hardness and alkalinity were generally higher in the St. Lawrence Valley than in the Adirondack Mountains. The cation with the highest median concentration was calcium; the anion with the highest median concentration was bicarbonate. The concentration of chloride in one sample exceeded the 250 milligrams per liter U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Standard; the concentration of sulfate in one sample also exceeded the 250 milligrams per liter U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Standard. Nitrate was the predominant nutrient detected but no sample exceeded the 10 mg/L U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level. The trace elements detected with the highest median concentrations were strontium, barium, and iron. Concentration of trace elements in several samples exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Standards, including aluminum (50 micrograms per liter, 4 samples), iron (300 micrograms per liter, 5 samples), and manganese (50 micrograms per liter, 4 samples). The concentration of uranium in one sample from a domestic well finished in crystalline bedrock was three times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level of 30 micrograms per liter. The median concentration of radon-222 was 600 picoCuries per liter, but concentrations as high as 18,800 picoCuries per liter were detected; two wells with high radon concentrations also had high uranium concentrations. Radon-222 is not currently regulated, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a Maximum Contaminant Level of 300 picoCuries per liter along with an Alternative Maximum Contaminant Level of 4,000 picoCuries per liter, to be in effect in states that have programs to address radon in indoor air. Concentrations of radon-222 exceeded the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level in 60 percent of samples and exceeded the proposed Alternative Maximum Contaminant Level in 8 percent of samples. Six pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected; all were amide or triazine herbicides or degradates. Five volatile organic compounds were detected, including disinfection byproducts such as trichloromethane and gasoline components or additives such as methyl tert-butyl ether. No pesticides, pesticide degradates, or volatile organic compounds were detected above established limits. Coliform bacteria, including Escherichia coli, were detected in three wells finished in carbonate bedrock.

Urinary metabolite levels and symptoms in Filipino workers using organic solvents.

PubMed

Cucueco, M T; Espinosa, N C; Villanueva, M B; Castro, F T; Sison, S Y; Ortega, V S; Hisanaga, N

1993-01-01

To compare symptoms with urinary metabolite levels, 900 workers from 7 organic solvent-using industries were studied. Urinary metabolites were determined using a high performance liquid chromatograph. Urinary hippuric acid concentrations exceeding the reference value (2.5 g/g creatinine) were found in 78 (8.7%) workers. However, only 3 (0.3%) and 1 (0.1%) of the participants exceeded the reference value for mandelic (0.8 g/g creatinine) and total methylhippuric acid (1.5 g/g creatinine), respectively. The sum of the values of the ratio of measured urinary metabolite concentration to the corresponding ACGIH's biological exposure indices (BEI) [(HA/BEI of HA + MHA/BEI of MHA + MA/BEI of MA)] exceeded 1.0 in 166 (18.4%) workers. Majority of them were from the footwear manufacturing industry (63/129 or 49.2%). Questionnaire interviews were also administered to determine the prevalence of symptoms while at work (acute symptoms) or within the past 6 months (chronic symptoms). Urinary metabolite levels of individual and mixed solvents were compared with the symptoms of all workers. Analysis using Spearman's rank correlation showed in workers whose urinary hippuric acid exceeded 3.75 g/g creatine (1.5 x BEI), significant correlation between their hippuric acid levels and subjective complaints. Workers whose sum of the values of the ratio of measured urinary metabolite concentration to corresponding BEI exceeded 1.5 were selected and comparing this level with their symptoms, significant correlation was also noted in some complaints.

46 CFR 113.50-15 - Loudspeakers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... loudspeakers must be watertight and suitably protected from the effects of the wind and seas. (c) There must be... emergency announcements must be— (1) In interior spaces, 75 dB(A) or, if the background noise level exceeds 75 dB(A), then at least 20 dB(A) above maximum background noise level; and (2) In exterior spaces, 80...

Perception and reality of particulate matter exposure in New York City taxi drivers

PubMed Central

Gany, Francesca; Bari, Sehrish; Prasad, Lakshmi; Leng, Jennifer; Lee, Trevor; Thurston, George D; Gordon, Terry; Acharya, Sudha; Zelikoff, Judith T

2017-01-01

Background Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) have been linked to negative health risks, but exposure among professional taxi drivers is unknown. This study measured drivers' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KAB) about air pollution compared to direct measures of exposures. Methods Roadside and in-vehicle levels of PM2.5 and BC were continuously measured over a single shift and compared to central site monitoring. Participants completed an air pollution KAB questionnaire. Results Taxicab PM2.5 and BC concentrations were elevated compared to central monitoring. Average PM2.5 concentrations per 15-minute interval were 4 - 49 μg/m3; 1-minute peaks measured up to 452 μg/m3. BC levels were also elevated; reaching > 10 μg/m3. 56 of 100 drivers surveyed believed they were more exposed than non-drivers; 81 believed air pollution causes health problems. Conclusions Air pollution exposure among drivers likely exceeds EPA recommendations. Future studies should focus on reducing exposures and increasing awareness among taxi drivers. PMID:27168392

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robinson, Alan E.

Here, proposed dark matter detectors with eV-scale sensitivities will detect a large background of atomic (nuclear) recoils from coherent photon scattering of MeV-scale photons. This background climbs steeply below ~10 eV, far exceeding the declining rate of low-energy Compton recoils. The upcoming generation of dark matter detectors will not be limited by this background, but further development of eV-scale and sub-eV detectors will require strategies, including the use of low nuclear mass target materials, to maximize dark matter sensitivity while minimizing the coherent photon scattering background.

Widespread and persistent ozone pollution in eastern China during the non-winter season of 2015: observations and source attributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guohui; Bei, Naifang; Cao, Junji; Wu, Jiarui; Long, Xin; Feng, Tian; Dai, Wenting; Liu, Suixin; Zhang, Qiang; Tie, Xuexi

2017-02-01

Rapid growth of industrialization, transportation, and urbanization has caused increasing emissions of ozone (O3) precursors recently, enhancing the O3 formation in eastern China. We show here that eastern China has experienced widespread and persistent O3 pollution from April to September 2015 based on the O3 observations in 223 cities. The observed maximum 1 h O3 concentrations exceed 200 µg m-3 in almost all the cities, 400 µg m-3 in more than 25 % of the cities, and even 800 µg m-3 in six cities in eastern China. The average daily maximum 1 h O3 concentrations are more than 160 µg m-3 in 45 % of the cities, and the 1 h O3 concentrations of 200 µg m-3 have been exceeded on over 10 % of days from April to September in 129 cities. Analyses of pollutant observations from 2013 to 2015 have shown that the concentrations of CO, SO2, NO2, and PM2.5 from April to September in eastern China have considerably decreased, but the O3 concentrations have increased by 9.9 %. A widespread and severe O3 pollution episode from 22 to 28 May 2015 in eastern China has been simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled to chemistry (WRF-CHEM) to evaluate the O3 contribution of biogenic and various anthropogenic sources. The model generally performs reasonably well in simulating the temporal variations and spatial distributions of near-surface O3 concentrations. Using the factor separation approach, sensitivity studies have indicated that the industry source plays the most important role in the O3 formation and constitutes the culprit of the severe O3 pollution in eastern China. The transportation source contributes considerably to the O3 formation, and the O3 contribution of the residential source is not significant generally. The biogenic source provides a background O3 source, and also plays an important role in the south of eastern China. Further model studies are needed to comprehensively investigate O3 formation for supporting the design and implementation of O3 control strategies, considering rapid changes of emission inventories and photolysis caused by the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan released by the Chinese State Council in 2013.

The excessive enrichment of trace elements in migratory and breeding red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in China.

PubMed

Jinming, Luo; Yongjie, Wang; Zhongyan, Gao; Wenfeng, Wang

2017-07-01

The excessive enrichment of trace elements, such as Pb and Cd, from food may contribute to the decline of migratory red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in China. To test this prediction, we determined the concentrations of Pb and Cd, as well as further macro and trace elements (Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn) in the target species and their prey (sediment, reed root, mollusk, arthropods, and common fish species) in both the wintering (Yancheng wetland) and breeding sites (Zhalong wetland) of cranes in China. The maximum concentrations of Pb (130 mg kg -1 dry weight (dw)) and Cd (10.60 mg kg -1 dw) in the sediments of breeding site and the maximum concentration of Cd (4.50 mg kg -1 dw) in the sediments of wintering site exceeded the probable effect level values (91.30 mg kg -1 for Pb and 3.53 mg kg -1 for Cd), suggesting the potential exposure risk of the examined species. Indeed, Pb and Cd contents of essential foods, i.e., aquatic animals, sampled in two sites were above the limit of allowable concentration recommended by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization food standards program. Approximately 80, 31.4, and 60.3 mg kg -1 dw of Pb were detected in the eggshells, liver, and kidney, respectively, of the target species, and the values are above the levels of concern (1.7 mg kg -1 for eggshell and 30 mg kg -1 for liver and kidney) in common birds. Nevertheless, the increased Pb and Cd levels in the prey and bodies of the red-crowned cranes did not induce the levels of Ca and Mg depletion. Average contents of the macronutrients, Ca (1.38 g kg -1 dw) and Mg (1.32 g kg -1 dw), in the liver of the examined species exceeded the background concentrations (0.2-0.4 g kg -1 for Ca and 0.4-0.8 g kg -1 for Mg) in the liver of birds. Consumption of Ca-rich foods, e.g., grits and exoskeleton species, may aid in compensating the possible loss caused by the increased Pb and Cd concentrations in the bodies of the cranes.

Organochlorine compounds and trace elements in fish tissue and bed sediments in the lower Snake River basin, Idaho and Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Gregory M.; Maret, Terry R.

1998-01-01

Fish-tissue and bed-sediment samples were collected to determine the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine compounds and trace elements in the lower Snake River Basin. Whole-body composite samples of suckers and carp from seven sites were analyzed for organochlorine compounds; liver samples were analyzed for trace elements. Fillets from selected sportfish were analyzed for organochlorine compounds and trace elements. Bed-sediment samples from three sites were analyzed for organochlorine compounds and trace elements. Twelve different organochlorine compounds were detected in 14 fish-tissue samples. All fish-tissue samples contained DDT or its metabolites. Concentrations of total DDT ranged from 11 micrograms per kilogram wet weight in fillets of yellow perch from C.J. Strike Reservoir to 3,633 micrograms per kilogram wet weight in a whole-body sample of carp from Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River. Total DDT concentrations in whole-body samples of sucker and carp from the Snake River at C.J. Strike Reservoir, Snake River at Swan Falls, Snake River at Nyssa, and Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River exceeded criteria established for the protection of fish-eating wildlife. Total PCB concentrations in a whole-body sample of carp from Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River also exceeded fish-eating wildlife criteria. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds in whole-body samples, in general, were larger than concentrations in sportfish fillets. However, concentrations of dieldrin and total DDT in fillets of channel catfish from the Snake River at Nyssa and Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River, and concentrations of total DDT in fillets of smallmouth bass and white crappie from Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River exceeded a cancer risk screening value of 10-6 established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds in bed sediment were smaller than concentrations in fish tissue. Concentrations of p,p'DDE, the only compound detected in all three bed-sediment samples, ranged from 1.1 micrograms per kilogram dry weight in C.J. Strike Reservoir to 11 micrograms per kilogram dry weight in Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River. Data from this study, compared with data collected in the upper Snake River Basin from 1992 to 1994, indicates that, in general, organochlorine concentrations in fish tissue and bed sediment increased from the headwaters of the Snake River in Wyoming downstream to Brownlee Reservoir. The largest trace-element concentrations in fish tissue were in liver samples from carp from Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River and suckers from the Boise River near Twin Springs. Concentrations of most trace elements were larger in livers than in the sport- fish fillets. However, mercury concentrations were generally larger in the sportfish fillets; they ranged from 0.08 microgram per gram wet weight in yellow perch from C.J. Strike Reservoir to 0.32 microgram per gram wet weight in channel catfish from Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River. None of the trace-element concentrations in fillets exceeded median international standards or U.S. Food and Drug Administration action levels. Large trace-element concentrations in the upper Snake River Basin were reported in liver samples from suckers from headwater streams, probably a result of historical mining and weathering of metal-rich rocks. Concentrations of most trace elements in the bed-sediment samples were largest in Brownlee Reservoir at Mountain Man Lodge. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc in bed sediment from the Mountain Man Lodge site exceeded either the threshold effect level or probable effect level established by the Canadian Government for the protection of benthic life. Arsenic, chromium, copper, and nickel concentrations in bed sediment from Brownlee Reservoir at Burnt River and chromium, copper, and nickel in bed sediment from C.J. Strike Reservoir also exceeded the threshold effect level.

Mercury in Indiana watersheds: retrospective for 2001-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Risch, Martin R.; Baker, Nancy T.; Fowler, Kathleen K.; Egler, Amanda L.; Lampe, David C.

2010-01-01

Information about total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in water samples and mercury concentrations in fish-tissue samples was summarized for 26 watersheds in Indiana that drain most of the land area of the State. Mercury levels were interpreted with information on streamflow, atmospheric mercury deposition, mercury emissions to the atmosphere, mercury in wastewater, and landscape characteristics. Unfiltered total mercury concentrations in 411 water samples from streams in the 26 watersheds had a median of 2.32 nanograms per liter (ng/L) and a maximum of 28.2 ng/L. When these concentrations were compared to Indiana water-quality criteria for mercury, 5.4 percent exceeded the 12-ng/L chronic-aquatic criterion, 59 percent exceeded the 1.8-ng/L Great Lakes human-health criterion, and 72.5 percent exceeded the 1.3-ng/L Great Lakes wildlife criterion. Mercury concentrations in water were related to streamflow, and the highest mercury concentrations were associated with the highest streamflows. On average, 67 percent of total mercury in streams was in a particulate form, and particulate mercury concentrations were significantly lower downstream from dams than at monitoring stations not affected by dams. Methylmercury is the organic fraction of total mercury and is the form of mercury that accumulates and magnifies in food chains. It is made from inorganic mercury by natural processes under specific conditions. Unfiltered methylmercury concentrations in 411 water samples had a median of 0.10 ng/L and a maximum of 0.66 ng/L. Methylmercury was a median 3.7 percent and maximum 64.8 percent of the total mercury in 252 samples for which methylmercury was reported. The percentages of methylmercury in water samples were significantly higher downstream from dams than at other monitoring stations. Nearly all of the total mercury detected in fish tissue was assumed to be methylmercury. Fish-tissue samples from the 26 watersheds had wet-weight mercury concentrations that exceeded the 0.3 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) methylmercury criterion in 12.4 percent of the 1,731 samples. The median wet-weight concentration in the fish-tissue samples was 0.13 mg/kg, and the maximum was 1.07 mg/kg. A coarse-scale analysis of all fish-tissue data in each watershed and a fine-scale analysis of data within 5 kilometers (km) of the downstream end of each watershed showed similar results overall. Mercury concentrations in fish-tissue samples were highest in the White River watershed in southern Indiana and the Fall Creek watershed in central Indiana. In fish-tissue samples within 5 km of the downstream end of a watershed, the USEPA methylmercury criterion was exceeded by 45 percent of mercury concentrations from the White River watershed and 40 percent of the mercury concentration from the Fall Creek watershed. A clear relation between mercury concentrations in fish-tissue samples and methylmercury concentrations in water was not observed in the data from watersheds in Indiana. Average annual atmospheric mercury wet-deposition rates were mapped with data at 156 locations in Indiana and four surrounding states for 2001-2006. These maps revealed an area in southeastern Indiana with high mercury wet-deposition rates-from 15 to 19 micrograms per square meter per year (ug/m2/yr). Annual atmospheric mercury dry-deposition rates were estimated with an inferential method by using concentrations of mercury species in air samples at three locations in Indiana. Mercury dry deposition-rates were 5.6 to 13.6 ug/m2/yr and were 0.49 to 1.4 times mercury wet-deposition rates. Total mercury concentrations were detected in 96 percent of 402 samples of wastewater effluent from 50 publicly owned treatment works in the watersheds; the median concentration was 3.0 ng/L, and the maximum was 88 ng/L. When these concentrations were compared to Indiana water-quality criteria for mercury, 12 percent exceeded the 12-n

Characterization of shallow groundwater quality in the Lower St. Johns River Basin: a case study.

PubMed

Ouyang, Ying; Zhang, Jia-En; Parajuli, Prem

2013-12-01

Characterization of groundwater quality allows the evaluation of groundwater pollution and provides information for better management of groundwater resources. This study characterized the shallow groundwater quality and its spatial and seasonal variations in the Lower St. Johns River Basin, Florida, USA, under agricultural, forest, wastewater, and residential land uses using field measurements and two-dimensional kriging analysis. Comparison of the concentrations of groundwater quality constituents against the US EPA's water quality criteria showed that the maximum nitrate/nitrite (NO x ) and arsenic (As) concentrations exceeded the EPA's drinking water standard limits, while the maximum Cl, SO 4 (2-) , and Mn concentrations exceeded the EPA's national secondary drinking water regulations. In general, high kriging estimated groundwater NH 4 (+) concentrations were found around the agricultural areas, while high kriging estimated groundwater NO x concentrations were observed in the residential areas with a high density of septic tank distribution. Our study further revealed that more areas were found with high estimated NO x concentrations in summer than in spring. This occurred partially because of more NO x leaching into the shallow groundwater due to the wetter summer and partially because of faster nitrification rate due to the higher temperature in summer. Large extent and high kriging estimated total phosphorus concentrations were found in the residential areas. Overall, the groundwater Na and Mg concentration distributions were relatively more even in summer than in spring. Higher kriging estimated groundwater As concentrations were found around the agricultural areas, which exceeded the EPA's drinking water standard limit. Very small variations in groundwater dissolved organic carbon concentrations were observed between spring and summer. This study demonstrated that the concentrations of groundwater quality constituents varied from location to location, and impacts of land uses on groundwater quality variation were profound.

Relation of Mercury to Other Chemical Constituents in Ground Water in the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer System, New Jersey Coastal Plain, and Mechanisms for Mobilization of Mercury from Sediments to Ground Water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, Julia L.; MacLeod, Cecilia L.

2001-01-01

Water from 265 domestic wells that tap the unconfined Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the Coastal Plain of New Jersey contained concentrations of mercury that are equal to or exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 2 ug/L (micrograms per liter). The wells range in depth from 50 to 200 feet, and are located in 32 discrete, mostly residential, areas that were developed primarily on former agricultural land during the 1950?s through the 1970?s. Concentrations in two other areas exceeded 1 ug/L. Naturally occurring mercury concentrations in ground water from the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system typically are less than 0.01 ug/L, but concentrations in water from some wells were as much as 42 ug/L. No evidence currently exists that conclusively links known point sources such as landfills, industrial operations, or commercial enterprises to most of the elevated concentrations of mercury in ground water in the residential areas. Possible sources of the mercury include pesticides and atmospheric deposition. Analysis of water from wells in 6 of the 34 areas for other constituents indicates that nitrate concentrations also commonly are elevated above background levels (which typically are undetectable at 0.01 milligrams per liter), and exceed the MCL of 10 milligrams per liter in some samples. Several volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including chloroform, also have been measured in water from wells at many of the 34 sites. Analytical results for water samples collected at several depths from boreholes at 2 of the 34 sites indicate elevated concentrations of calcium, magnesium, barium, strontium, nitrate, and chloride, which may be related to both agricultural chemical applications and septic-system effluent. Determinations of tritium and helium concentrations indicate that water containing elevated concentrations of mercury recharged the aquifer between 9.4 and 79 years ago, which includes the period during which many of the 34 sites were undergoing a change from agricultural or undeveloped to residential land use. Batch equilibrium experiments were used to measure adsorption of dissolved mercury, mercuric chloride, and phenylmercuric acetate by aquifer sediments at pH 3.5-4.0, 4.5-5.0, and 5.5-6.0. In nearly all cases, 55 to 95 percent of the mercury added to the sediments was adsorbed. Mercury mobilization from aquifer sediments inoculated with mercury was investigated by leaching the sediments with two concentrations of nitric acid (a component of acid rain), a sodium chloride solution (simulating road salt), and three fertilizer solutions. A solution of 20-20-20 (nitrogenphosphorous-potassium) fertilizer removed virtually all of the mercury with which the sediments had been inoculated. The sodium chloride solution was moderately effective in removing applied mercury from the sediments, as was a solution of nitric acid. A more dilute nitric acid solution and two sodium nitrate fertilizer solutions were less effective. Results of these experiments indicate that mercury adsorbs to aquifer sediments, but that varying amounts can be removed by infiltrating solutions, some of which can be related to specific land uses. Land-use history at the 34 sites generally indicates a change from agricultural or undeveloped settings to residential settings. Whatever the source of mercury to these sites, a change in the geochemical environment of the soil and aquifer brought about by land-use change probably provides mechanisms for mobilizing the mercury from soils and sediments to ground water.

Ground-water quality in the Red River of the North Basin, Minnesota and North Dakota, 1991-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cowdery, T.K.

1998-01-01

Agricultural land use and soil texture can explain pesticide distributions; soil texture best explains nutrient distributions in waters in surficial aquifers. Confining beds protect waters in buried glacial aquifers from land use effects, resulting in no or low concentrations of nutrients and pesticides. Upward movement of bedrock waters high in dissolved solids concentration can increase concentrations in waters in buried glacial and, to a lesser degree, waters in surficial aquifers in the Lake Plain and Drift Prairie areas. Waters in surficial aquifers exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level in drinking water for nitrate in the Drift Prairie (27 percent) and Moraine (8 percent) areas. Their limited areal extent and susceptibility to contamination restrict the usefulness of surficial aquifers as a drinking water source. Waters in buried glacial aquifers exceeded USEPA health advisories for dissolved solids, sodium, and manganese. Sixty-six percent of waters in surficial aquifers also exceeded the Health Advisory for manganese.

Ground-water quality for Grainger County, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weaver, J.D.; Patel, A.R.; Hickey, A.C.

1994-01-01

The residents of Grainger County depend on ground water for many of their daily needs including personal consumption and crop irrigation. To address concerns associated with ground-water quality related to domestic use, the U.S. Geological Survey collected water samples from 35 wells throughout the county during the summer 1992. The water samples were analyzed to determine if pesticides, nutrients, bacteria, and other selected constituents were present in the ground water. Wells selected for the study were between 100 and 250 feet deep and yielded 10 to 50 gallons of water per minute. Laboratory analyses of the water found no organic pesticides at concentrations exceeding the primary maximum contaminant levels established by the State of Tennessee for wells used for public supply. However, fecal coliform bacteria were detected at concentrations exceeding the State's maximum contaminant level in water from 15 of the 35 wells sampled. Analyses also indicated several inorganic compounds were present in the water samples at concentrations exceeding the secondary maximum contaminant level.

Towards environmental management of water turbidity within open coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

PubMed

Macdonald, Rachael K; Ridd, Peter V; Whinney, James C; Larcombe, Piers; Neil, David T

2013-09-15

Water turbidity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) are commonly used as part of marine monitoring and water quality plans. Current management plans utilise threshold SSC values derived from mean-annual turbidity concentrations. Little published work documents typical ranges of turbidity for reefs within open coastal waters. Here, time-series turbidity measurements from 61 sites in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Moreton Bay, Australia, are presented as turbidity exceedance curves and derivatives. This contributes to the understanding of turbidity and SSC in the context of environmental management in open-coastal reef environments. Exceedance results indicate strong spatial and temporal variability in water turbidity across inter/intraregional scales. The highest turbidity across 61 sites, at 50% exceedance (T50) is 15.3 NTU and at 90% exceedance (T90) 4.1 NTU. Mean/median turbidity comparisons show strong differences between the two, consistent with a strongly skewed turbidity regime. Results may contribute towards promoting refinement of water quality management protocols. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemical disturbance of soil cover in the nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin.

PubMed

Timofeev, Ivan V; Kosheleva, Natalia E

2017-08-01

The anthropogenic geochemical transformation of soil cover in large nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin was assessed. The results of the geochemical survey of 2010-2012 revealed the spatial distribution patterns and abundances of 18 hazardous heavy metals and metalloids in the soils of Erdenet (Mongolia) and Zakamensk (Buryat republic, Russian Federation). In both cities, mining activities disturbed soil cover which accumulates Mo, Cu, As, Sb, W in Erdenet and Bi, W, Cd, Be, Pb, Mo, Sb in Zakamensk. Maximum accumulation of elements in Erdenet is restricted to the industrial zone. In Zakamensk, it has spread on ½ of the territory with the degree of multielemental pollution exceeding the extremely dangerous level by 16 times. The effect of mining centers on the state of the river system is local and does not spread to the Selenga River. Downstream from Erdenet, an artificial pool intercepts heavy metal and metalloid flows of the Erdenetii-Gol River. By contrast, downstream from the tailing dumps of the Dzhida tungsten-molybdenum plant the concentrations of ore elements W and Mo and their accessories Bi and Cd in the Modonkul River exceed background values by 146, 20, 57, and 21 times, respectively, decreasing by an order of magnitude 30 km downstream.

An integrated approach to identify the origin of PM10 exceedances.

PubMed

Amodio, M; Andriani, E; de Gennaro, G; Demarinis Loiotile, A; Di Gilio, A; Placentino, M C

2012-09-01

This study was aimed to the development of an integrated approach for the characterization of particulate matter (PM) pollution events in the South of Italy. PM(10) and PM(2.5) daily samples were collected from June to November 2008 at an urban background site located in Bari (Puglia Region, South of Italy). Meteorological data, particle size distributions and atmospheric dispersion conditions were also monitored in order to provide information concerning the different features of PM sources. The collected data allowed suggesting four indicators to characterize different PM(10) exceedances. PM(2.5)/PM(10) ratio, natural radioactivity, aerosol maps and back-trajectory analysis and particle distributions were considered in order to evaluate the contribution of local anthropogenic sources and to determine the different origins of intrusive air mass coming from long-range transport, such as African dust outbreaks and aerosol particles from Central and Eastern Europe. The obtained results were confirmed by applying principal component analysis to the number particle concentration dataset and by the chemical characterization of the samples (PM(10) and PM(2.5)). The integrated approach for PM study suggested in this paper can be useful to support the air quality managers for the development of cost-effective control strategies and the application of more suitable risk management approaches.

The contribution of neighbouring countries to pesticide levels in Dutch surface waters.

PubMed

Van 'T Zelfde, M; Tamis, W L M; Vijver, M G; De Snoo, G R

2011-01-01

Compared with other European countries, Dutch consumption of pesticides is high, particularly in agriculture, with many of the compounds found in surface waters in high concentrations and various standards being exceeded. Surface water quality is routinely monitored and the data obtained are published in the Dutch Pesticides Atlas. One important mechanism for reducing pesticide levels in surface waters is authorisation policy, which proceeds on the assumption that the pollution concerned has taken place in the Netherlands. The country straddles the delta of several major European rivers, however, and as river basins do not respect national borders some of the water quality problems will derive from neighbouring countries. Against this background the general question addressed in this article is the following: To what extent do countries neighbouring on the Netherlands contribute to pesticide pollution of Dutch surface waters? To answer this question, data from the Pesticides Atlas for the period 2005-2009 were used. Border zones with Belgium and Germany were defined and the data for these zones compared with Dutch data. In the analyses, due allowance was also made for authorised and non-authorised compounds and for differences between flowing and stagnant waters. Monitoring efforts in the border zones and in the Netherlands were also characterised, showing that efforts in the former are similar to those in the rest of the country. In the border zone with Belgium the relative number of non-authorised pesticides exceeding the standards is clearly higher than in the rest of the Netherlands. These exceedances are observed mainly in flowing waters. In contrast, there is no difference in the relative number of standard-exceeding measurements between the border zones and the rest of the Netherlands. In the boundary zones the array of standard-exceeding compounds clearly deviates from that in the rest of the Netherlands, with compounds authorised in the neighbouring countries but not in the Netherlands, such as flufenacet, featuring prominently. The share of the neighbouring countries in the total number of exceedances in the Netherlands is roughly proportional to the relative area of the border zones. Although there is a certain influx of pesticides from across national borders, the magnitude of the problem appears to be limited.

14 CFR 121.578 - Cabin ozone concentration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Cabin ozone concentration. 121.578 Section... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Flight Operations § 121.578 Cabin ozone concentration... successfully demonstrated to the Administrator that the concentration of ozone inside the cabin will not exceed...

14 CFR 121.578 - Cabin ozone concentration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Cabin ozone concentration. 121.578 Section... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Flight Operations § 121.578 Cabin ozone concentration... successfully demonstrated to the Administrator that the concentration of ozone inside the cabin will not exceed...

14 CFR 121.578 - Cabin ozone concentration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Cabin ozone concentration. 121.578 Section... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Flight Operations § 121.578 Cabin ozone concentration... successfully demonstrated to the Administrator that the concentration of ozone inside the cabin will not exceed...

14 CFR 121.578 - Cabin ozone concentration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Cabin ozone concentration. 121.578 Section... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Flight Operations § 121.578 Cabin ozone concentration... successfully demonstrated to the Administrator that the concentration of ozone inside the cabin will not exceed...

14 CFR 121.578 - Cabin ozone concentration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cabin ozone concentration. 121.578 Section... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Flight Operations § 121.578 Cabin ozone concentration... successfully demonstrated to the Administrator that the concentration of ozone inside the cabin will not exceed...

Distribution of organochlorine compounds in superficial sediments from the Gulf of Lion, northwestern Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvadó, Joan A.; Grimalt, Joan O.; López, Jordi F.; Durrieu de Madron, Xavier; Pasqual, Catalina; Canals, Miquel

2013-11-01

Superficial sediments from Cap de Creus to the Rhone Delta, in the Gulf of Lion, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea, including the mid-shelf mud belt and the continental slope were collected between 2005 and 2008 to assess the levels, main sources and distribution patterns of organochlorine pollutants. Discharges from the Rhone River are the main source for all these compounds around the area. The spatial distribution of organochlorine pollutants was also related to their physicochemical properties and to sediment grain size and composition. The concentrations of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites (DDD and DDE), and the chlorobenzenes (CBzs) - pentachlorobenzene (PeCB) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) - decreased westwards along the mid-shelf mud belt. In contrast, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), namely lindane (γ-HCH), followed another concentration pattern suggesting a different transport mode. The major concentrations of organochlorine compounds were observed off the Rhone River mouth, in the prodelta, where PCB, DDT and CBz concentrations reached 38, 29 and 8.3 ng g-1, respectively. These average concentrations in the mid continental shelf were two to ten times lower than those found in a study performed about 20 years ago, albeit in almost all the sites the values of PCBs and DDTs still exceed the NOAA’s Sediment Quality Guidelines. In contrast, the concentrations in the continental slope were nearly the same as 20 years ago, which may evidence that even most of these compounds were banned decades ago, their background concentrations associated to diffuse pollution have not decreased in the deep continental margin.

Influence of mining-related activities on concentrations of metals in water and sediment from streams of the Black Hills, South Dakota.

PubMed

May, T W; Wiedmeyer, R H; Gober, J; Larson, S

2001-01-01

Water and sediment samples were collected from streams in Spearfish Creek, Whitewood Creek, and Bear Butte Creek watersheds in the Black Hills, SD, an area impacted by gold mining operations. Arsenic concentrations that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Concentration Limit of 50 microg/L for drinking water were found in water from Annie Creek, a tributary of Spearfish Creek, and from Whitewood Creek. Gold Run, a tributary of Whitewood Creek, and Annie Creek contained Se concentrations in water that exceeded the EPA Ecotox threshold of 5 microg/L and were classified as a high hazard for Se accumulation from water into the planktonic food chain and for resultant toxicity to fish and aquatic birds. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in sediment exceeded EPA Ecotox thresholds in one or more of the watersheds suggesting potential adverse ecological effects. Sediment from Rubicon Creek, a tributary of Spearfish Creek, contained Se concentrations high enough (4.0 microg/g) to be a moderate hazard for accumulation from sediments into the benthic food chain, with resultant dietary toxicity to fish and aquatic birds. These results are discussed in light of historical mining activities and recent clean-up and reclamation efforts. Based on the results and comparisons to Ecotox tresholds, further studies of ecological effects are warranted.

Influence of mining-related activities on concentrations of metals in water and sediment from streams of the Black Hills, South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

May, T.W.; Wiedmeyer, Ray H.; Gober, J.; Larson, S.

2001-01-01

Water and sediment samples were collected from streams in Spearfish Creek, Whitewood Creek, and Bear Butte Creek watersheds in the Black Hills, SD, an area impacted by gold mining operations. Arsenic concentrations that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Concentration Limit of 50 μg/L for drinking water were found in water from Annie Creek, a tributary of Spearfish Creek, and from Whitewood Creek. Gold Run, a tributary of Whitewood Creek, and Annie Creek contained Se concentrations in water that exceeded the EPA Ecotox threshold of 5 μg/L and were classified as a high hazard for Se accumulation from water into the planktonic food chain and for resultant toxicity to fish and aquatic birds. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn in sediment exceeded EPA Ecotox thresholds in one or more of the watersheds suggesting potential adverse ecological effects. Sediment from Rubicon Creek, a tributary of Spearfish Creek, contained Se concentrations high enough (4.0 μg/g) to be a moderate hazard for accumulation from sediments into the benthic food chain, with resultant dietary toxicity to fish and aquatic birds. These results are discussed in light of historical mining activities and recent clean-up and reclamation efforts. Based on the results and comparisons to Ecotox tresholds, further studies of ecological effects are warranted.

Metal uptake by homegrown vegetables - the relative importance in human health risk assessments at contaminated sites.

PubMed

Augustsson, Anna L M; Uddh-Söderberg, Terese E; Hogmalm, K Johan; Filipsson, Monika E M

2015-04-01

Risk assessments of contaminated land often involve the use of generic bioconcentration factors (BCFs), which express contaminant concentrations in edible plant parts as a function of the concentration in soil, in order to assess the risks associated with consumption of homegrown vegetables. This study aimed to quantify variability in BCFs and evaluate the implications of this variability for human exposure assessments, focusing on cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in lettuce and potatoes sampled around 22 contaminated glassworks sites. In addition, risks associated with measured Cd and Pb concentrations in soil and vegetable samples were characterized and a probabilistic exposure assessment was conducted to estimate the likelihood of local residents exceeding tolerable daily intakes. The results show that concentrations in vegetables were only moderately elevated despite high concentrations in soil, and most samples complied with applicable foodstuff legislation. Still, the daily intake of Cd (but not Pb) was assessed to exceed toxicological thresholds for about a fifth of the study population. Bioconcentration factors were found to vary more than indicated by previous studies, but decreasing BCFs with increasing metal concentrations in the soil can explain why the calculated exposure is only moderately affected by the choice of BCF value when generic soil guideline values are exceeded and the risk may be unacceptable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A national statistical survey assessment of mercury concentrations in fillets of fish collected in the U.S. EPA national rivers and streams assessment of the continental USA.

PubMed

Wathen, John B; Lazorchak, James M; Olsen, Anthony R; Batt, Angela

2015-03-01

The U.S. EPA conducted a national statistical survey of fish fillet tissue with a sample size of 541 sites on boatable rivers =>5th order in 2008-2009. This is the first such study of mercury (Hg) in fish tissue from river sites focused on potential impacts to human health from fish consumption to also address wildlife impacts. Sample sites were identified as being urban or non-urban. All sample mercury concentrations were above the 3.33ugkg(-1) (ppb) quantitation limit, and an estimated 25.4% (±4.4%) of the 51663 river miles assessed exceeded the U.S. EPA 300ugkg(-1) fish-tissue based water quality criterion for mercury, representing 13144±181.8 river miles. Estimates of river miles exceeding comparable aquatic life thresholds (translated from fillet concentrations to whole fish equivalents) in avian species were similar to the number of river miles exceeding the human health threshold, whereas some mammalian species were more at risk than human from lower mercury concentrations. A comparison of means from the non-urban and urban data and among three ecoregions did not indicate a statistically significant difference in fish tissue Hg concentrations at p<0.05. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The kinetics of nucleated polymerizations at high concentrations: amyloid fibril formation near and above the "supercritical concentration".

PubMed

Powers, Evan T; Powers, David L

2006-07-01

The formation of amyloid and other types of protein fibrils is thought to proceed by a nucleated polymerization mechanism. One of the most important features commonly associated with nucleated polymerizations is a strong dependence of the rate on the concentration. However, the dependence of fibril formation rates on concentration can weaken and nearly disappear as the concentration increases. Using numerical solutions to the rate equations for nucleated polymerization and analytical solutions to some limiting cases, we examine this phenomenon and show that it is caused by the concentration approaching and then exceeding the equilibrium constant for dissociation of monomers from species smaller than the nucleus, a quantity we have named the "supercritical concentration". When the concentration exceeds the supercritical concentration, the monomer, not the nucleus, is the highest-energy species on the fibril formation pathway, and the fibril formation reaction behaves initially like an irreversible polymerization. We also derive a relation that can be used in a straightforward method for determining the nucleus size and the supercritical concentration from experimental measurements of fibril formation rates.

Quality of shallow ground water in alluvial aquifers of the Willamette Basin, Oregon, 1993-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinkle, Stephen R.

1997-01-01

The current (1993?95) quality of shallow ground water (generally, <25 meters below land surface) in Willamette Basin alluvium is described using results from two studies. A Study-Unit Survey, or regional assessment of shallow groundwater quality in alluvium, was done from June through August 1993. During the Study-Unit Survey, data were collected from 70 domestic wells chosen using a random-selection process and located mostly in areas of agricultural land use. An urban Land-Use Study, which was a reconnaissance of shallow urban ground-water quality from 10 monitoring wells installed in areas of residential land use, was done in July 1995. Concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate (henceforth, nitrate, because nitrite concentrations were low) ranged from <0.05 to 26 mg N/L (milligrams nitrogen per liter) in ground water from 70 Study-Unit-Survey wells; concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 mg N/L in 9 percent of Study-Unit-Survey samples. Relationships were observed between nitrate concentrations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations, the amount of clay present within and overlying aquifers, overlying geology, and upgradient land use. Tritium (3H) data indicate that 21 percent of Study-Unit-Survey samples represented water recharged prior to 1953. Nitrogen-fertilizer application rates in the basin have increased greatly over the past several decades. Thus, some observed nitrate concentrations may reflect nitrogen loading rates that were smaller than those presently applied in the basin. Concentrations of phosphorus ranged from <0.01 to 2.2 mg/L in 70 Study-Unit-Survey wells and exceeded 0.10 mg/L in 60 percent of the samples. Phosphorus and nitrate concentrations were inversely correlated. From 1 to 5 pesticides and pesticide degradation products (henceforth, pesticides) were detected in ground water from each of 23 Study-Unit-Survey wells (33 percent of 69 wells sampled for pesticides) for a total of 51 pesticide detections. Thirteen different pesticides were detected; atrazine was the most frequently encountered pesticide. Although detections were widespread, concentrations were low (generally <1,000 ng/L [nanograms per liter]). (One ng/L is equal to 0.001 mg/L [micrograms per liter].) One detection (dinoseb, at 7,900 ng/L) exceeded a USEPA MCL. Relationships were observed between the occurrence of pesticides and the amount of clay present within and overlying aquifers, overlying geology, and land use. Between 1 and 5 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected at each of 7 Study-Unit-Survey sites (11 percent of 65 sites evaluated), for a total of 14 VOC detections. One detection (tetrachloroethylene, at 29 mg/L) exceeded a USEPA MCL. Other detections were at low concentrations (0.2 to 2.0 mg/L). VOC detections generally were from sites associated with urban land use. Concentrations of arsenic ranged from <1 to 13 mg/L in 70 Study-Unit-Survey wells. Concentrations in 16 percent of samples exceeded the USEPA Risk-Specific-Dose Health Advisory of 2 mg/L. Radon concentrations ranged from 200 to 1,200 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) in 51 Study-Unit-Survey wells. All samples exceeded the USEPA Risk-Specific-Dose Health Advisory of 150 pCi/L. All urban Land-Use-Study samples were well oxygenated; thus, nitrate reduction probably did not affect these samples. Urban Land-Use-Study nitrate concentrations were similar to those of the well oxygenated, agricultural subset of Study-Unit-Survey samples. Pesticides were detected in samples from three urban Land-Use-Study sites, but concentrations were low (1 to 5 ng/L). In contrast, VOCs were detected in ground water from 80 percent of urban Land-Use-Study wells; concentrations ranged up to 7.6 mg/L. Trace-element concentrations in the urban Land-Use Study samples were low. Median concentrations consistently were <10 mg/L and frequently were <1 mg/L

Assessment of Heavy and Trace Metals in Surface Soil Nearby an Oil Refinery, Saudi Arabia, Using Geoaccumulation and Pollution Indices.

PubMed

Alshahri, Fatimh; El-Taher, A

2018-04-30

The present study deals with the measurement of heavy and trace metals in the soils of Ras Tanura city nearby one of the oldest and largest oil refineries located on Arabian Gulf, eastern Saudi Arabia. Metals were analyzed in 34 surface soil samples using plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICPE-9820). The result showed that the mean values of the metals concentrations were in the order: Cd > Mo > Tb > Ce > Hf > Eu > Yb > U > Sm > Rb > Cr > Ni > Pb > Sc > Cs > Zn > Lu > Co. The mean values of Cd (39.9 mg/kg), Mo (13.2 mg/kg), Eu (4.01 mg/kg), Hf (6.09 mg/kg), Tb (8.23 mg/kg), and Yb (3.88) in soil samples were higher than the background values in soil and the world average. The obtained results indicated to elevated levels of Cd and Mo in most samples, with mean concentrations exceeded the background levels by 113 times for Cd and 5 times for Mo. Pollution index (PI) and Geoaccumulation (I geo ) for each metal were calculated to assess the metal contamination level of surface soil in the study area. The assessment results of PI and I geo revealed a significant pollution by Cd, Mo, Eu, Hf, Tb, and Yb in most of sampling sites nearby Ras Tanura refinery.

Environmental setting, water quality, and ecological indicators of surface-water quality in the Mermentau River Basin, southwestern Louisiana, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skrobialowski, Stanley C.; Mize, Scott V.; Demcheck, Dennis K.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey collected data from 29 wells and 24 surface-water sites in the Mermentau River Basin, 1998-2001, to better understand ground-water and surface-water quality; aquatic invertebrate communities; and habitat conditions, in relation to land use. This study was apart of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, which was designed to assess water quality as it relates to various land uses. Water-quality data were evaluated with criteria established for the protection of drinking water and aquatic life, and bed-sediment data were compared to aquatic life criteria. Water-quality and ecological data were analyzed statistically in relation to drainage area and agricultural land-use integrity. Concentrations of nutrients and major inorganic ions in ground water and surface water generally were highest in the southeastern part of the study area where soils contain thick loess deposits. Peak concentrations of nutrients in surface water occurred March-may at two sites with high agricultural intensity; the lowest concentrations occurred August-January. The greatest potential for eutrophic conditions in surface water, based on nutrient concentrations, existed March-May, at about the same time or shortly after ricefields were drained. Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) were exceeded for sulfate, chloride, iron, or manganese in samples from 20 wells, and for iron or manganese in samples from all surface-water sites. Fewer pesticides were detected in ground water than in surface water. In 11 of of the 29 wells sampled, at least one pesticide or pesticide degradation product was detected. The most frequently detected pesticides or pesticide degradation products in ground water were the herbicides benzaton and atrazine. Concentrations of 47 pesticides and degradation products were detected in surface water. At least 3 pesticides were detected in all surface-water samples. In 72 percent of the samples at least 5 hydrophilic pesticides were detected, and in more than 70 percent of the samples at least 3 hydrophobic pesticides were detected. Although atrazine concentrations in three samples collected in the spring exceeded 3 micrograms per liter, the USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level of 3 micrograms per liter was not exceeded because it is based on an annual average of quarterly samples. Concentrations larger than 3.0 micrograms per liter were not detected in samples collected during other times of the year. Tebuthiuron was detected at all surface-water sites; the largest concentration (6.33 micrograms per liter) was detected at a site on Bayou des Cannes, and was the only detection that exceeded the criterion (1.6 micrograms per liter) for the protection of aquatic life. Malathion was detected at 16 surface-water sites; the largest concentration (0.113 micrograms per liter) was detected at a site on Bayou Lacassine and was the only detection that exceeded the criterion (0.1 micrograms per liter) for the protection of aquatic life. Concentrations of fipronil exceeded numeric targets for acute total maximum daily loads (2.3 micrograms per liter) at 3 sites and chronic total maximum daily loads (4.6 micrograms per liter) at 14 sites. Maximum pesticide concentrations in surface water usually occurred in the spring at about the same time or shortly after ricefields were drained. Concentrations of DDE in bed sediment at two sites exceeded interim freshwater sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Fipronil sulfide and desulfinylpronil were detected at all 17 sites from which bed-sediment samples were collected, but there are no current (2002) guidelines with which to evaluate the environmental effects of fipronil and degradation products. Two methods were used to group the ecological data-collection sites: (1) Sites were grouped before data collection (according to the study design) using drainage area

Concentrations of pesticides and pesticide degradates in the Croton River Watershed in southeastern New York, July-September 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Bode, Robert W.

2002-01-01

Thirty-seven pesticides and (or) pesticide degradates were detected in baseflow samples collected from 47 stream sites in the Croton River Watershed (374 square miles) in southeastern New York in the summer of 2000. The Croton Reservoir provides about 10 percent of New York City's water supply. Maximum concentrations of most pesticides detected did not exceed 0.1 μg/L (micrograms per liter). This study, by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, was conducted from July through September 2000 and entailed analysis of the samples for more than 150 pesticides and their degradates. Nine compounds were detected at a concentration greater than 0.10 μg/L; three of these were insecticides (diazinon, carbaryl, and imidacloprid), one was a fungicide (mycobutanil), and five were herbicides (simazine, 2,4-D, diuron, hexazinone, and 2,4-D methyl esther). Only two of these compounds (simazine and 2,4-D) were detected at a concentration exceeding 1 μg/L; the simazine concentration exceeded the New York State surface-water standard of 0.5 μg/L. Two insecticides (diazinon and azinphos-methyl) exceeded aquatic-life-protection standard in one sample each. Concentrations of three insecticides (chlorpyrifos, carbaryl, and malathion) were more than 50 percent of the aquatic-life-protection standards in one sample each.Total concentrations of insecticides and herbicides (the sum of the concentrations, whereby all concentrations below the detection limit were set to zero), and the concentrations of the herbicide prometon and the insecticide diazinon, were highest in samples from watersheds with population densities greater than 510 per square mile (21 sites); therefore, the presence of these compounds is attributable to urban, residential, and other developed land uses.The data obtained in this study are useful for making general comparisons among watersheds with differing land uses, but the concentrations represent baseflow conditions and, thus, are probably lower than the annual maximum concentrations in these streams. A July baseflow sample had total insecticide and fungicide concentrations of less than 0.03 μg/L, whereas a stormflow sample collected at the same site 2 weeks later had a corresponding concentration greater than 0.10 μg/L. Total herbicide concentrations for the July baseflow and stormflow samples were around 0.03 μg/L, but that for a stormflow sample collected at the same site 2 months later was greater than 20 μg/L.

High concentrations of heavy metals in PM from ceramic factories of Southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez de la Campa, Ana M.; de la Rosa, Jesús D.; González-Castanedo, Yolanda; Fernández-Camacho, Rocío; Alastuey, Andrés; Querol, Xavier; Pio, Casimiro

2010-06-01

In this study, physicochemical characterization of Atmospheric Particulate Matter (PM) was performed in an urban-industrial site background (Bailén, Southern Spain), highly influenced by the impact of emission plumes from ceramic factories. This area is considered one of the towns with the highest PM 10 levels and average SO 2 concentration in Spain. A three stages methodology was used: 1) real-time measurements of levels of PM 10 and gaseous pollutants, and sampling of PM; 2) chemical characterization using ICP-MS, ICP-OES, CI and TOT, and source apportionment analysis (receptor modelling) of PM; and 3) chemical characterization of emission plumes derived from representative factories. High ambient air concentrations were found for most major components and trace elements compared with other industrialized towns in Spain. V and Ni are considered fingerprints of PM derived from the emissions of brick factories in this area, and were shown to be of particular interest. This highlights the high V and Ni concentrations in PM 10 (122 ngV/m 3 and 23.4 ngNi/m 3), with Ni exceeding the 2013 annual target value for the European Directive 2004/107/EC (20 ng/m 3). The methodology of this work can be used by Government departments responsible for Environment and Epidemiology in planning control strategies for improving air quality.

An overview comparing results from two decades of monitoring for pesticides in the Nation’s streams and rivers, 1992-2001 and 2002-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Wesley W.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Martin, Jeffrey D.

2014-01-01

This report provides an overview of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program and National Stream Quality Accounting Network findings for pesticide occurrence in U.S. streams and rivers during 2002–11 and compares them to findings for the previous decade (1992–2001). In addition, pesticide stream concentrations were compared to Human Health Benchmarks (HHBs) and chronic Aquatic Life Benchmarks (ALBs). The comparisons between the decades were intended to be simple and descriptive. Trends over time are being evaluated separately in a series of studies involving rigorous trend analysis. During both decades, one or more pesticides or pesticide degradates were detected more than 90 percent of the time in streams across all types of land uses. For individual pesticides during 2002–11, atrazine (and degradate, deethylatrazine), carbaryl, fipronil (and degradates), metolachlor, prometon, and simazine were detected in streams more than 50 percent of the time. In contrast, alachlor, chlorpyrifos, cyanazine, diazinon, EPTC, Dacthal, and tebuthiuron were detected less frequently in streams during the second decade than during the first decade. During 2002–11, only one stream had an annual mean pesticide concentration that exceeded an HHB. In contrast, 17 percent of agriculture land-use streams and one mixed land-use stream had annual mean pesticide concentrations that exceeded HHBs during 1992–2001. The difference between the first and second decades in terms of percent of streams exceeding HHBs was attributed to regulatory changes. During 2002–11, nearly two-thirds of agriculture land-use streams and nearly one-half of mixed land-use streams exceeded chronic ALBs. For urban land use, 90 percent of the streams exceeded a chronic ALB. Fipronil, metolachlor, malathion, cis-permethrin, and dichlorvos exceeded chronic ALBs for more than 10 percent of the streams. For agriculture and mixed land-use streams, the overall percent of streams that exceeded a chronic ALB was very similar between the decades. For urban land-use streams, the percent of streams exceeding a chronic ALB during 2002–11 nearly doubled that seen during 1992–2001. The reason for this difference was the inclusion of fipronil monitoring during the second decade. Across all land-use streams, the percent of streams exceeding a chronic ALB for fipronil during 2002–11 was greater than all other insecticides during both decades. The percent of streams exceeding a chronic ALB for metolachlor, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, and carbaryl decreased from the first decade to the second decade. The results of the 2002–11 summary and comparison to 1992–2001 are consistent with the results from more rigorous trend analysis of pesticide stream concentrations for individual streams in various regions of the U.S.

Arsenic exposure in drinking water: an unrecognized health threat in Peru

PubMed Central

Sima, Laura; Arias, M Helena Jahuira; Mihalic, Jana; Cabrera, Lilia Z; Danz, David; Checkley, William; Gilman, Robert H

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To assess the extent of arsenic contamination of groundwater and surface water in Peru and, to evaluate the accuracy of the Arsenic Econo-Quick™ (EQ) kit for measuring water arsenic concentrations in the field. Methods Water samples were collected from 151 water sources in 12 districts of Peru, and arsenic concentrations were measured in the laboratory using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The EQ field kit was validated by comparing a subset of 139 water samples analysed by laboratory measurements and the EQ kit. Findings In 86% (96/111) of the groundwater samples, arsenic exceeded the 10 µg/l arsenic concentration guideline given by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water. In 56% (62/111) of the samples, it exceeded the Bangladeshi threshold of 50 µg/l; the mean concentration being 54.5 µg/l (range: 0.1–93.1). In the Juliaca and Caracoto districts, in 96% (27/28) of groundwater samples arsenic was above the WHO guideline; and in water samples collected from the section of the Rímac river running through Lima, all had arsenic concentrations exceeding the WHO limit. When validated against laboratory values, the EQ kit correctly identified arsenic contamination relative to the guideline in 95% (106/111) of groundwater and in 68% (19/28) of surface water samples. Conclusion In several districts of Peru, drinking water shows widespread arsenic contamination, exceeding the WHO arsenic guideline. This poses a public health threat requiring further investigation and action. For groundwater samples, the EQ kit performed well relative to the WHO arsenic limit and therefore could provide a vital tool for water arsenic surveillance. PMID:25177071

Potential risks of copper, zinc, and cadmium pollution due to pig manure application in a soil-rice system under intensive farming: a case study of Nanhu, China.

PubMed

Shi, Jiachun; Yu, Xiulin; Zhang, Mingkui; Lu, Shenggao; Wu, Weihong; Wu, Jianjun; Xu, Jianming

2011-01-01

Heavy metal (copper [Cu], zinc [Zn], and cadmium [Cd]) pollution of soils from pig manures in soil-rice ( L.) systems under intensive farming was investigated, taking Nanhu, China, as the case study area. Two hundred pig manures and 154 rice straws, brown rice samples, and corresponding surface soil (0-15 cm) samples were collected in paddy fields from 150 farms in 16 major villages within the study area. The mean Cu and Zn concentrations in pig manures consistently exceeded the related standard. About 44 and 60% of soil samples exceed the Chinese Soil Cu and Cd Environmental Quality Standards, respectively. The concentration of Cu, Zn, and Cd in brown rice did not exceed the Chinese Food Hygiene Standard. There was a significant positive correlation between total Cu and Zn contents in soil and application rate of pig manures. Strong correlation was observed between the extractable Cu, Zn, and Cd in soil and the Cu, Zn, and Cd contents in the brown rice. The spatial distribution maps of Cu and Zn concentrations in brown rice, straw, and extractable soil Cu and Zn concentration also showed similar geographical trends. Further analyses on heavy metals loading flux and accumulation rates from pig manure applied suggested that Cu and Cd contents in soil currently have already exceeded the maximum permissible limit, and Zn, if still at current manure application rates, will reach the ceiling concentration limits in 9 yr. This study assists in understanding the risk of heavy metals accumulating from pig manure applications to agricultural soils. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Evaluating the spatial distribution of pollutants and associated maintenance requirements in an 11 year-old bioretention cell in urban Charlotte, NC.

PubMed

Johnson, Jeffrey P; Hunt, William F

2016-12-15

Bioretention cells (BRCs) are an increasingly popular Stormwater Control Measure used to mitigate the hydrologic and water quality impacts of urbanization. Previous BRC research has demonstrated a strong capacity for pollutant removal; however, long-term sequestration of pollutants within soil media can elevate concentrations to levels fostering environmental and human health risks. Soil media samples were collected from an 11 year-old BRC in Charlotte, NC, and analyzed for the accumulation and spatial distribution of zinc, copper, and phosphorus. Pollutant distribution varied significantly with respect to depth and ordinate distance from the BRC inlet. Zinc concentrations (0.9-228.6 mg kg -1 soil) exceeded environmental thresholds and phosphorus concentrations (5.1-173.3 mg kg -1 soil) increased from initial levels by a factor of seven; however, notable accumulation was restricted to the BRC forebay. Maximum zinc and copper concentrations in soil media did not exceed 1% of mandatory cleanup levels and with regular maintenance of the forebay, the effective life of BRC media should exceed the life of the developments they treat. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water supply implications of herbicide sampling: Hydrologic conditions may affect concentrations of organonitrogen herbicides and may be important considerations in complying with drinking water regulations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stamer, J.K.

1996-01-01

The temporal distribution of the herbicides alachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, and metolachlor was documented from September 1991 through August 1992 in the Platte River at Louisville, Neb., the drainage of the Central Nebraska Basins. Lincoln, Ornaha, and other municipalities withdraw groundwater for public supplies from the adjacent alluvium, which is hydraulically connected to the Platte River. Data were collected, in part, to provide information to managers, planners, and public utilities on the likelihood of water supplies being adversely affected by these herbicides. Three computational procedures - monthly means, monthly subsampling, and quarterly subsampling - were used to calculate annual mean herbicide concentrations. When the sampling was conducted quarterly rather than monthly, alachlor and atrazine concentrations were more likely to exceed their respective maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) of 2.0 μg/L and 3.0 μg/L, and cyanazine concentrations were more likely to exceed the health advisory level of 1.0 μg/L. The US Environmental Protection Agency has established a tentative MCL of 1.0 μg/L for cyanazine; data indicate that cyanazine is likely to exceed this level under most hydrologic conditions.

Occurrence of Selected Pharmaceutical and Organic Wastewater Compounds in Effluent and Water Samples from Municipal Wastewater and Drinking-Water Treatment Facilities in the Tar and Cape Fear River Basins, North Carolina, 2003-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrell, G.M.

2009-01-01

Samples of treated effluent and treated and untreated water were collected at 20 municipal wastewater and drinkingwater treatment facilities in the Tar and Cape Fear River basins of North Carolina during 2003 and 2005. The samples were analyzed for a variety of prescription and nonprescription pharmaceutical compounds and a suite of organic compounds considered indicative of wastewater. Concentrations of these compounds generally were less than or near the detection limits of the analytical methods used during this investigation. None of these compounds were detected at concentrations that exceeded drinking-water standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Bromoform, a disinfection byproduct, was the only compound detected at a concentration that exceeded regulatory guidelines. The concentration of bromoform in one finished drinking-water sample, 26 micrograms per liter, exceeded North Carolina water-quality criteria. Drinking-water treatment practices were effective at removing many of the compounds detected in untreated water. Disinfection processes used in wastewater treatment - chlorination or irradiation with ultraviolet light - did not seem to substantially degrade the organic compounds evaluated during this study.

Water-quality assessment of part of the upper Mississippi River basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin - Pesticides in streams, streambed sediment, and ground water, 1974-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fallon, J.D.; Fong, A.L.; Andrews, W.J.

1997-01-01

Atrazine was the only pesticide that equaled or exceeded a maximum contaminant level (of 3.0 micrograms per liter) for drinking water. Two stream samples from a small urban watershed in Minneapolis had atrazine concentrations of 3.6 and 3.8 micrograms per liter, and one ground-water sample had a concentration of 3.0 micrograms per liter. Trace concentrations (less than 0.06 micrograms per liter) of the organochlorine insecticides chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, and heptachlor exceeded chronic freshwater-quality criteria in stream samples from the Mississippi, Minnesota, St. Croix, and Vemillion Rivers in 1981 and 1990.

The lasting effect of limonene-induced particle formation on air quality in a genuine indoor environment.

PubMed

Rösch, Carolin; Wissenbach, Dirk K; von Bergen, Martin; Franck, Ulrich; Wendisch, Manfred; Schlink, Uwe

2015-09-01

Atmospheric ozone-terpene reactions, which form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles, can affect indoor air quality when outdoor air mixes with indoor air during ventilation. This study, conducted in Leipzig, Germany, focused on limonene-induced particle formation in a genuine indoor environment (24 m(3)). Particle number, limonene and ozone concentrations were monitored during the whole experimental period. After manual ventilation for 30 min, during which indoor ozone levels reached up to 22.7 ppb, limonene was introduced into the room at concentrations of approximately 180 to 250 μg m(-3). We observed strong particle formation and growth within a diameter range of 9 to 50 nm under real-room conditions. Larger particles with diameters above 100 nm were less affected by limonene introduction. The total particle number concentrations (TPNCs) after limonene introduction clearly exceed outdoor values by a factor of 4.5 to 41 reaching maximum concentrations of up to 267,000 particles cm(-3). The formation strength was influenced by background particles, which attenuated the formation of new SOA with increasing concentration, and by ozone levels, an increase of which by 10 ppb will result in a six times higher TPNC. This study emphasizes indoor environments to be preferred locations for particle formation and growth after ventilation events. As a consequence, SOA formation can produce significantly higher amounts of particles than transported by ventilation into the indoor air.

Maps of heavy metals in the soils of the European Union and proposed priority areas for detailed assessment.

PubMed

Tóth, Gergely; Hermann, Tamás; Szatmári, Gábor; Pásztor, László

2016-09-15

Soil contamination is one of the greatest concerns among the threats to soil resources in Europe and globally. Despite of its importance there was only very course scale (1/5000km(2)) data available on soil heavy metal concentrations prior to the LUCAS topsoil survey, which had a sampling density of 200km(2). Based on the results of the LUCAS sampling and auxiliary information detailed and up-to-date maps of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn, Sb, Co and Ni) in the topsoil of the European Union were produced. Using the maps of heavy metal concentration in topsoil we made a spatial prediction of areas where local assessment is suggested to monitor and eventually control the potential threat from heavy metals. Most of the examined elements remain under the corresponding threshold values in the majority of the land of the EU. However, one or more of the elements exceed the applied threshold concentration on 1.2Mkm(2), which is 28.3% of the total surface area of the EU. While natural backgrounds might be the reason for high concentrations on large proportion of the affected soils, historical and recent industrial and mining areas show elevated concentrations (predominantly of As, Cd, Pb and Hg) too, indicating the magnitude of anthropogenic effect on soil quality in Europe. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relationship between historical development and potentially toxic element concentrations in urban soils.

PubMed

McIlwaine, Rebekka; Doherty, Rory; Cox, Siobhan F; Cave, Mark

2017-01-01

Increasing urbanisation has a direct impact on soil quality, resulting in elevated concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils. This research aims to assess if soil PTE concentrations can be used as an 'urbanisation tracer' by investigating geogenic and anthropogenic source contributions and controls, and considering PTE enrichment across historical urban development zones. The UK cities of Belfast and Sheffield are chosen as study areas, where available shallow and deep concentrations of PTEs in soil are compared to identify geogenic and anthropogenic contributions to PTEs. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis are used to elucidate the main controls over PTE concentrations. Pollution indices indicate that different periods of historical development are linked to enrichment of different PTEs. Urban subdomains are identified and background values calculated using various methodologies and compared to generic site assessment criteria. Exceedances for a number of the PTEs considered suggest a potential human health risk could be posed across subdomains of both Belfast and Sheffield. This research suggests that airborne diffuse contamination from often historical sources such as traffic, domestic combustion and industrial processes contribute greatly to soil contamination within urban environments. The relationship between historical development and differing PTEs is a novel finding, suggesting that PTEs have the potential for use as 'urbanisation tracers'. The investigative methodology employed has potential applications for decision makers, urban planners, regulators and developers of urban areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elements in whole blood of Northwestern Crows (Corvus caurinus) in Alaska: No evidence for an association with beak deformities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Handel, Colleen M.

2016-01-01

A recent outbreak of beak deformities among resident birds in Alaska has raised concern about environmental contamination as a possible underlying factor. We measured whole blood concentrations of 30 essential and nonessential elements to determine whether any were associated with beak deformities in Northwestern Crows (Corvus caurinus). We tested for differences between 1) adults with versus those without beak deformities and 2) unaffected adults versus juveniles. Crows with beak deformities had slightly higher levels of barium, molybdenum, and vanadium (all P<0.05), but concentrations were generally low and within the range of values reported from other apparently healthy wild birds. Concentrations of several elements, including selenium, were higher in birds without versus birds with beak deformities (all P<0.05), a difference that may be explained in part by compromised foraging ability associated with the deformities. Adult crows had higher concentrations of cadmium, silicon, and zinc than juveniles (all P<0.05), although differences were relatively small and values were similar to those from other wild birds. Our results suggest that neither selenium nor other tested elements are likely to be causing beak deformities in Alaskan crows. We also provide the first data on elemental concentrations in Northwestern Crows. Levels of selenium far exceeded those typically found in passerine birds and were similar to those in marine-associated waterfowl, suggesting that background levels should be interpreted relative to a species's environment.

Dietary Supplement Ingredient Database (DSID) release 4.0

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nearly half of U.S. adults report taking dietary supplements (DS). A single serving of a DS may contain amounts of nutrients or other bioactive compounds that exceed their concentration in foods. During the manufacturing of DS, ingredients may be added in amounts exceeding the label claims in orde...

Environmental Assessment of the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center near Butlerville, Indiana, October and November 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Risch, Martin R.; Ulberg, Amanda L.; Robinson, Bret A.

2007-01-01

Concentrations of constituents detected in these samples were compared with regulatory standards (the Indiana Surface-Water-Quality Standards and Indiana Ground-Water-Quality Standards) and guidance criteria from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's Risk Integrated System of Closures for contaminated soil and ground water. Standards or criteria were exceeded by 17 constituent concentrations in 11 environmental samples from 5 of the 7 geographic study areas. Standards or criteria were exceeded for 10 constituents: ammonia, arsenic, benzo(a)pyrene, beryllium, chloride, chloroform, copper, lead, sulfate, and zinc.

Pesticides and their metabolites in wells of Suffolk County, New York, 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Eckhardt, D.A.; Terracciano, S.A.; Rosenmann, Larry

1999-01-01

Five insecticide residues and 20 herbicide residues were detected in water samples collected from 50 shallow wells screened in the surficial sand and gravel aquifer in Suffolk County, Long Island in areas with known or suspected residues. Laboratory analytical methods with extremely low detection limits - from 0.001 to 0.2 ?g/L (micrograms per liter) - were used to analyze the samples for 60 pesticide residues. Forty-four of the samples contained at least one pesticide residue, and some samples contained as many as 11 different pesticides or pesticide metabolites. Only four water- quality standards were exceeded in the samples collected in this study. Dieldrin exceeded the New York State Class GA standard (0.004 ?g/L) in samples from eight wells. The Federal and New York State Maximum Contaminant Level for simazine (4 ?g/L) was exceeded in samples from two wells, and the State Class GA standard for simazine (0.5 ?g/L) was exceeded in samples from six wells. Federal water-quality standards have not been established for many of the compounds detected in this study, including herbicide metabolites. Maximum concentrations of four herbicide metabolites -metolachlor ESA (ethanesulfonic acid), metolachlor OA (oxanilic acid), and the alachlor metabolites alachlor ESA and alachlor OA -exceeded 20 ?g/L. The maximum concentration of one herbicide (tebuthiuron) exceeded 10 ?g/L, and the maximum concentration of three herbicides (simazine, metolachlor, and atrazine) and one herbicide metabolite (deisopropylatrazine) ranged from 1 to 10 ?g/L. The herbicide metolachlor, which is used on potato fields in Suffolk County, and its metabolites (metolachlor ESA and metolachlor OA) were most frequently detected in samples from agricultural areas. The herbicides simazine and tebuthiuron, which were used in utility rights-of-way, and the simazine metabolite deisopropylatrazine were detected at concentrations greater than 0.05 ?g/L most frequently in samples from residential and mixed land-use areas. The results of this investigation are not necessarily representative of conditions throughout the remainder of Long Island, because these samples were collected in areas of known or suspected residues.

Geologic sources and concentrations of selenium in the West-Central Denver Basin, including the Toll Gate Creek watershed, Aurora, Colorado, 2003-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paschke, Suzanne S.; Walton-Day, Katherine; Beck, Jennifer A.; Webbers, Ank; Dupree, Jean A.

2014-01-01

Toll Gate Creek, in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, is a perennial stream in which concentrations of dissolved selenium have consistently exceeded the Colorado aquatic-life standard of 4.6 micrograms per liter. Recent studies of selenium in Toll Gate Creek identified the Denver lignite zone of the non-marine Cretaceous to Tertiary-aged (Paleocene) Denver Formation underlying the watershed as the geologic source of dissolved selenium to shallow ground-water and surface water. Previous work led to this study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Aurora Utilities Department, which investigated geologic sources of selenium and selenium concentrations in the watershed. This report documents the occurrence of selenium-bearing rocks and groundwater within the Cretaceous- to Tertiary-aged Denver Formation in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, including the Toll Gate Creek watershed. The report presents background information on geochemical processes controlling selenium concentrations in the aquatic environment and possible geologic sources of selenium; the hydrogeologic setting of the watershed; selenium results from groundwater-sampling programs; and chemical analyses of solids samples as evidence that weathering of the Denver Formation is a geologic source of selenium to groundwater and surface water in the west-central part of the Denver Basin, including Toll Gate Creek. Analyses of water samples collected from 61 water-table wells in 2003 and from 19 water-table wells in 2007 indicate dissolved selenium concentrations in groundwater in the west-central Denver Basin frequently exceeded the Colorado aquatic-life standard and in some locations exceeded the primary drinking-water standard of 50 micrograms per liter. The greatest selenium concentrations were associated with oxidized groundwater samples from wells completed in bedrock materials. Selenium analysis of geologic core samples indicates that total selenium concentrations were greatest in samples containing indications of reducing conditions and organic matter (dark gray to black claystones and lignite horizons). The Toll Gate Creek watershed is situated in a unique hydrogeologic setting in the west-central part of the Denver Basin such that weathering of Cretaceous- to Tertiary-aged, non-marine, selenium-bearing rocks releases selenium to groundwater and surface water under present-day semi-arid environmental conditions. The Denver Formation contains several known and suspected geologic sources of selenium including: (1) lignite deposits; (2) tonstein partings; (3) organic-rich bentonite claystones; (4) salts formed as secondary weathering products; and possibly (5) the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Organically complexed selenium and/or selenium-bearing pyrite in the enclosing claystones are likely the primary mineral sources of selenium in the Denver Formation, and correlations between concentration of dissolved selenium and dissolved organic carbon in groundwater indicate weathering and dissolution of organically complexed selenium from organic-rich claystone is a primary process mobilizing selenium. Secondary salts accumulated along fractures and bedding planes in the weathered zone are another potential geologic source of selenium, although their composition was not specifically addressed by the solids analyses. Results from this and previous work indicate that shallow groundwater and streams similarly positioned over Denver Formation claystone units at other locations in the Denver Basin also may contain concentrations of dissolved selenium greater than the Colorado aquatic-life standard or the drinking- water standard.

The geochemistry of Seine River Basin particulate matter: Distribution of an integrated metal pollution index

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meybeck, Michel; Horowitz, A.J.; Grosbois, C.

2004-01-01

Spatial analysis (1994-2001) and temporal trends (1980-2000) for particulate-associated metals at key stations in the Seine River Basin have been determined using a new metal pollution index (MPI). The MPI is based on the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn, normalized to calculated background levels estimated for each particulate matter samples for four fractions (clays and other aluminosilicates, carbonates, organic matter, and quartz). Background levels ascribed to each fraction were determined from a specific set of samples collected from relatively pristine areas in the upper Seine basin and validated on prehistoric samples. The unitless MPI is designed to vary between 0 for pristine samples to 100 for the ones extremely impacted by human activities and to assess the trends of general metal contamination and its mapping. Throughout the Seine basin, MPI currently range from 1 to 40, but values exceeding 100 have been found in periurban streams and the Eure tributary. Based on the MPI spatial distribution, the Seine River Basin displays a wide range of anthropogenic impacts linked to variations in population density, stream order, wastewater discharges and industrial activities. Correlations between the MPI and other trace elements indicate that anthropogenic impacts also strongly affect the concentrations of Ag, Sb, and P, marginally affect the concentrations of Ba, Ni, and Cr, and appear to have little effect on the concentrations of Li, Be, V, Co, and the major elements. Temporal MPI trends can also be reconstituted from past regulatory surveys. In the early 1980s, MPI were 2-5 times higher than nowadays at most locations, particularly downstream of Greater Paris where it reached levels as high as 250 (now 40), a value characteristic of present Paris urban sewage. The exceptional contamination of the Seine basin is gradually improving over the last 20 years but remains very high. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-term observation of water-soluble chemical components in the bulk atmospheric aerosols collected at Okinawa, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handa, Daishi; Somada, Yuka; Ijyu, Moriaki; Azechi, Sotaro; Nakaema, Fumiya; Arakaki, Takemitsu; Tanahara, Akira

2010-05-01

The economic development and population growth in recent Asia spread air pollution. Emission rate of air pollutants from Asia, in particular oxides of nitrogen, surpassed those from North America and Europe and should continue to exceed them for decades. The study of the long-range transported air pollution from Asian continent has gained a special attention in Japan because of increase in photochemical oxidants in relatively remote islands. Okinawa Island is situated approximately 1500 km south of Tokyo, Japan, 2000 km southeast of Beijing, China, and 1000 km south of South Korea. Its location in Asia is well suited for studying long-range transport of air pollutants in East Asia because maritime air mass prevails during summer, while continental air mass dominates during fall, winter, and spring. The maritime air mass data can be seen as background and can be compared with continental air masses which have been affected by anthropogenic activities. Bulk aerosol samples were collected on quartz filters by using a high volume air sampler. Sampling duration was one week for each sample. We determined the concentrations of water-soluble anions, cations and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the bulk aerosols collected at the Cape Hedo Atmosphere and Aerosol Monitoring Station (CHAAMS) using ion chromatography, atomic absorption spectrometry, and total organic carbon analyzer, respectively. We will report water-soluble chemical components data of anions, cations and DOC in bulk atmospheric aerosols collected at CHAAMS during August, 2005 to April, 2010. Seasonal variation of water-soluble chemical components showed that the concentrations were relatively low in summer, higher in fall and winter, and the highest in spring. When air mass came from Asian Continent, the concentrations of water-soluble chemical components were much higher compared to the other directions. In addition, we calculated background concentration of water-soluble chemical components at Okinawa, Japan.

Geochemistry and health risk assessment of arsenic exposure to street dust in the zinc smelting district, Northeast China.

PubMed

Xu, Sujuan; Zheng, Na; Liu, Jingshuang; Wang, Yang; Chang, Shouzhi

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate arsenic (As) accumulation in street dust and health risk of population. The investigation concentrated on: a. pollution levels of As in street dust; b. spatial distribution of As in street dust; c. physicochemical properties analysis of street dust; and d. assessment of population health risk due to As exposure to street dust. As concentration in street dust ranged from 3.33 to 185.1 mg kg(-1), with a mean of 33.10 mg kg(-1), which was higher than the background value of Liaoning soil. As contamination level of the area closing to Huludao Zinc Plant (HZP) was highest. Spatial variation showed that the pollution center was close to HZP, formed radial distribution pattern and extended to the northeast and southwest of HZP. The pH and organic matter of street dust were both higher than the background values of soil in Liaoning. There was significantly negative correlation between As concentration and the pH. The mass percentages of particles 180-100, <100-75, <75-63, and <63 μm were 29.8, 3.7, 21.3, and 4.2 %, respectively. The highest of As concentration was found in the smallest particle size (<63 μm). As loadings in the particles of grain size 180-100 and <75-63 μm were higher than other particle fractions. Results of the risk assessment indicated that the highest risk was associated with the ingestion of street dust particles. Health risk for different use scenarios to human decreased in the order of HZP > Industrial district > School > Commercial center > Residential area. Around HZP, Hazard Index (HI) for children and cancer risk of As by street dust exposure exceeded the acceptable values. It indicated that there was a potential adverse effect on children health by As exposure to the street dust of Huludao.

[Source apportionment of soil heavy metals in Jiapigou goldmine based on the UNMIX model].

PubMed

Ai, Jian-chao; Wang, Ning; Yang, Jing

2014-09-01

The paper determines 16 kinds of metal elements' concentration in soil samples which collected in Jipigou goldmine upper the Songhua River. The UNMIX Model which was recommended by US EPA to get the source apportionment results was applied in this study, Cd, Hg, Pb and Ag concentration contour maps were generated by using Kriging interpolation method to verify the results. The main conclusions of this study are: (1)the concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb and Ag exceeded Jilin Province soil background values and enriched obviously in soil samples; (2)using the UNMIX Model resolved four pollution sources: source 1 represents human activities of transportation, ore mining and garbage, and the source 1's contribution is 39. 1% ; Source 2 represents the contribution of the weathering of rocks and biological effects, and the source 2's contribution is 13. 87% ; Source 3 is a comprehensive source of soil parent material and chemical fertilizer, and the source 3's contribution is 23. 93% ; Source 4 represents iron ore mining and transportation sources, and the source 4's contribution is 22. 89%. (3)the UNMIX Model results are in accordance with the survey of local land-use types, human activities and Cd, Hg and Pb content distributions.

Presence of organoarsenicals used in cotton production in agricultural water and soil of the Southern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bednar, A.J.; Garbarino, J.R.; Ranville, J.F.; Wildeman, T.R.

2002-01-01

Arsenicals have been used extensively in agriculture in the United States as insecticides and herbicides. Mono- and disodium methylarsonate and dimethylarsinic acid are organoarsenicals used to control weeds in cotton fields and as defoliation agents applied prior to cotton harvesting. Because the toxicity of most organoarsenicals is less than that of inorganic arsenic species, the introduction of these compounds into the environment might seem benign. However, biotic and abiotic degradation reactions can produce more problematic inorganic forms of arsenic, such as arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)]. This study investigates the occurrences of these compounds in samples of soil and associated surface and groundwaters. Preliminary results show that surface water samples from cotton-producing areas have elevated concentrations of methylarsenic species (>10 ??g of As/L) compared to background areas (<1 ??g of As/L). Species transformations also occur between surface waters and adjacent soils and groundwaters, which also contain elevated arsenic. The data indicate that point sources of arsenic related to agriculture might be responsible for increased arsenic concentrations in local irrigation wells, although the elevated concentrations did not exceed the new (2002) arsenic maximum contaminant level of 10 ??g/L in any of the wells sampled thus far.

The fine and coarse particulate matter at four major Mediterranean cities: local and regional sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitriou, Konstantinos; Kassomenos, Pavlos

2013-11-01

Particulate air pollution is associated with adverse health effects to the population exposed. The aim of this paper is the identification of local and regional sources, affecting PM10 and PM2.5 levels in four large cities of southern Europe, namely: Lisbon, Madrid, Marseille, and Rome. Air pollution data from seven sampling sites of the European Union network were used. These stations were selected due to their ability of monitoring PM2.5 concentrations and providing reliable series of data. Each station's background was also taken into account. Pearson correlation coefficients and primal component analysis components were extracted separately for cold and warm periods in order to define the relationships among particle matters (PMs) and gaseous pollutants (CO, NO2, SO2, and O3) and evaluate the contributions of local sources. Possible seasonal variations of PM2.5/PM10 ratio daily values were also used as markers of PM sources, influencing particulate size distribution. Particle emissions were primarily attributed to traffic and secondarily to natural sources. Minimum daily values of PM2.5/PM10 ratio were observed during warm periods, particularly at suburban stations with rural background, due to dust resuspension and also due to the increase of biogenic coarse PM (pollen, dust, etc.). Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model trajectory model was used in order to compute the 4-day backward trajectories of the air masses that affected the four cities which are under study during days with recorded PM10 exceedances, within a 5-year period (2003-2007), at 300, 750, and 1,500 m above ground level (AGL). The trajectories were then divided to clusters with a K-means analysis. In all four cities, the influence of slow-moving air masses was associated with a large fraction of PM10 exceedances and with high average and maximum daily mean PM10 concentrations, principally at the 300 m AGL analysis. As far the issue of the increased PM10 concentrations, the results were weaker in Marseille and particularly in Rome, probably due to their greater distance from Northwest Africa, in comparison to Madrid and Lisbon. Dust intrusions from the Sahara desert and transportation of Mediterranean/Atlantic sea spray, were characterized as primary regional sources of exogenous PM10 in all four cities. Continental trajectories from the industrialized northern Italy affected PM10 levels particularly in Marseille and Rome, due to their more eastern geographical position.

Irrigation-induced contamination of water, sediment, and biota in the western United States-synthesis of data from the National Irrigation Water Quality Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, Ralph L.; Skorupa, Joseph P.; Naftz, David L.; Nolan, B. Thomas

2003-01-01

In October 1985 the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), through the National Irrigation Water Quality Program (NIWQP), began a series of field investigations at 26 areas in the Western United States to determine whether irrigation drainage has had harmful effects on fish, wildlife, and humans or has reduced beneficial uses of water. In 1992 NIWQP initiated the Data Synthesis Project to evaluate data collected during the field investigations. Geologic, climatologic, and hydrologic data were evaluated and water, sediment, and biota from the 26 areas were analyzed to identify commonalities and dominant factors that result in irrigation-induced contamination of water and biota. Data collected for the 26 area investigations have been compiled and merged into a common data base. The structure of the data base is designed to enable assessment of relations between contaminant concentrations in water, sediment, and biota. The data base is available to the scientific community through the World Wide Web at URL http://www.usbr.gov/niwqp. Analysis of the data base for the Data Synthesis included use of summary statistics, factor analysis, and logistic regression. A Geographic Information System was used to store and analyze spatially oriented digital data such as land use, geology and evaporation rates. In the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) study areas, samples of water, bottom sediment, and biota were collected for trace-element and pesticide analysis. Contaminants most commonly associated with irrigation drainage were identified by comparing concentrations in water with established criteria. For surface water, the criteria used were typically chronic criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life. Because ground water can discharge to the surface where wildlife can be exposed to it, the criteria used for ground water were both the maximum contaminant levels (MCL's) for drinking water and the chronic criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life. Data collected by the NIWQP studies indicated that, in surface water, filtered and unfiltered samples had nearly the same concentrations of arsenic, boron, molybdenum, and selenium for concentrations greater than about 10 micrograms per liter. Therefore, in this concentration range, filtered concentrations can be directly compared to biological-effect levels developed for unfiltered samples. In the range of 1 to 10 micrograms per liter there may be a tendency for unfiltered arsenic concentrations to be greater than filtered concentrations. For selenium, however, the data suggest differences from equality in that range result from analytical imprecision and not a general tendency for unfiltered concentrations to be greater than filtered concentrations. This relation may not be true in lentic, nutrient-rich waters because in such settings algae can bioaccumulate large amounts of selenium and other trace elements. Selenium was the trace element in surface water that most commonly exceeded chronic criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life; more than 40 percent of the selenium concentrations in surface-water samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) aquatic-life chronic criterion (5 micrograms per liter). In 12 of the 26 areas at least 25 percent of the surface water-samples had selenium concentrations that either equaled or exceeded the chronic criterion (5 micrograms per liter). More than 28 percent of boron concentrations and almost 17 percent of the molybdenum concentrations exceeded the aquatic life criteria established by the State of California (550 and 19 micrograms per liter, respectively). In ground water, more than 22 percent of the arsenic concentrations and more than 35 percent of the selenium concentrations exceeded the MCL (10 and 50 micrograms per liter, respectively). Few samples of uranium in surface water exceeded a criterion for the protection of aquatic life (300 micrograms per liter), but 44 percent

Analysis of Japanese Radionuclide Monitoring Data of Food Before and After the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

In an unprecedented food monitoring campaign for radionuclides, the Japanese government took action to secure food safety after the Fukushima nuclear accident (Mar. 11, 2011). In this work we analyze a part of the immense data set, in particular radiocesium contaminations in food from the first year after the accident. Activity concentrations in vegetables peaked immediately after the campaign had commenced, but they decreased quickly, so that by early summer 2011 only a few samples exceeded the regulatory limits. Later, accumulating mushrooms and dried produce led to several exceedances of the limits again. Monitoring of meat started with significant delay, especially outside Fukushima prefecture. After a buildup period, contamination levels of meat peaked by July 2011 (beef). Levels then decreased quickly, but peaked again in September 2011, which was primarily due to boar meat (a known accumulator of radiocesium). Tap water was less contaminated; any restrictions for tap water were canceled by April 1, 2011. Pre-Fukushima 137Cs and 90Sr levels (resulting from atmospheric nuclear explosions) in food were typically lower than 0.5 Bq/kg, whereby meat was typically higher in 137Cs and vegetarian produce was usually higher in 90Sr. The correlation of background radiostrontium and radiocesium indicated that the regulatory assumption after the Fukushima accident of a maximum activity of 90Sr being 10% of the respective 137Cs concentrations may soon be at risk, as the 90Sr/137Cs ratio increases with time. This should be taken into account for the current Japanese food policy as the current regulation will soon underestimate the 90Sr content of Japanese foods. PMID:25621976

A fresh look at road salt: aquatic toxicity and water-quality impacts on local, regional, and national scales.

PubMed

Corsi, Steven R; Graczyk, David J; Geis, Steven W; Booth, Nathaniel L; Richards, Kevin D

2010-10-01

A new perspective on the severity of aquatic toxicity impact of road salt was gained by a focused research effort directed at winter runoff periods. Dramatic impacts were observed on local, regional, and national scales. Locally, samples from 7 of 13 Milwaukee, Wisconsin area streams exhibited toxicity in Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas bioassays during road-salt runoff. Another Milwaukee stream was sampled from 1996 to 2008 with 72% of 37 samples exhibiting toxicity in chronic bioassays and 43% in acute bioassays. The maximum chloride concentration was 7730 mg/L. Regionally, in southeast Wisconsin, continuous specific conductance was monitored as a chloride surrogate in 11 watersheds with urban land use from 6.0 to 100%. Elevated specific conductance was observed between November and April at all sites, with continuing effects between May and October at sites with the highest specific conductance. Specific conductance was measured as high as 30,800 μS/cm (Cl = 11,200 mg/L). Chloride concentrations exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) acute (860 mg/L) and chronic (230 mg/L) water-quality criteria at 55 and 100% of monitored sites, respectively. Nationally, U.S. Geological Survey historical data were examined for 13 northern and 4 southern metropolitan areas. Chloride concentrations exceeded USEPA water-quality criteria at 55% (chronic) and 25% (acute) of the 168 monitoring locations in northern metropolitan areas from November to April. Only 16% (chronic) and 1% (acute) of sites exceeded criteria from May to October. At southern sites, very few samples exceeded chronic water-quality criteria, and no samples exceeded acute criteria.

Aflatoxin and ochratoxin A content of spices in Hungary.

PubMed

Fazekas, B; Tar, A; Kovács, M

2005-09-01

In October and November 2004, 91 spice samples (70 ground red pepper, six black pepper, five white pepper, five spice mix and five chilli samples), the majority of which originated from commercial outlets, were analysed for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) and ochratoxin A (OTA) content by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after immunoaffinity column clean-up. Eighteen of the 70 ground red pepper samples contained AFB1, seven of them in a concentration exceeding the 'maximum level' of 5 microg kg(-1) (range 6.1-15.7 microg kg(-1)). Of the other spices assayed, the AFB1 contamination of one chilli sample exceeded 5 microg kg(-1) (8.1 microg kg(-1)). Thirty-two of the 70 ground red pepper samples contained OTA, eight of them in a concentration exceeding the 10 microg kg(-1) 'maximum level' (range 10.6-66.2 microg kg(-1)). One chilli sample was contaminated with OTA at 2.1 microg kg(-1). The AFB1 and OTA contamination of ground red pepper exceeding the 'maximum level' (5 and 10 microg kg(-1), respectively) was obviously the consequence of mixing imported ground red pepper batches heavily contaminated with AFB1 and OTA with red pepper produced in Hungary. This case calls attention to the importance of consistently screening imported batches of ground red pepper for aflatoxin and ochratoxin A content and strictly prohibiting the use of batches containing mycotoxin concentrations exceeding the maximum permitted level.

Spatiotemporal trend analysis of metal concentrations in sediments of a residential California stream with toxicity and regulatory implications.

PubMed

Hall, Lenwood W; Anderson, Ronald D; Killen, William D

2017-06-07

The objective of this study was to determine if concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc measured in the sediments of a residential stream in California (Pleasant Grove Creek) have changed temporally or spatially from 2006 to 2016. Threshold Effect Levels (TELs), conservative ecological effects benchmarks, and exceedances for the seven metals were also evaluated over the 11-year time period to provide insight into potential metal toxicity to resident benthic communities. In addition, the bioavailability of metals in sediments was also determined by calculating Simultaneous Extracted Metal/Acid Volatle Sulfide (SEM/AVS) ratios to allow an additional assessment of toxicity. Regulatory implications of this data set and the role of metal toxicity are also discussed. Stream-wide temporal trend analysis showed no statistically significant trends for any of the metals. However, spatial analysis for several sites located near storm drains did show a significant increase for most metals over the 11-year period. TEL exceedances during the 7 years of sampling, spanning 2006-2016, were reported for all metals with the number of exceedances ranging from 47 for copper and zinc to 1 for lead. A spatial analysis showed that the highest number of TEL exceedances and the highest number of SEM/AVS ratios greater than one with at least one metal exceeding a TEL occurred at upstream sites. The potentially toxic metal concentrations reported in Pleasant Grove Creek should be used in the 303 (d) listing process for impaired water bodies in California.

Levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in food of animal origin in the Netherlands during the period 2001-2011.

PubMed

Adamse, Paulien; Schoss, Stefanie; Theelen, Rob M C; Hoogenboom, Ron L A P

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess levels of dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (DL-PCBs) in food of animal origin produced in the Netherlands, including potential trends in time. Test results from about 2500 samples of animal derived food products (beef, veal, lamb, chicken, pork, deer, milk and eggs), sampled for the National Residue Monitoring Plan from 2001-2011, were evaluated. Most samples were screened with a bioassay and, if suspected, analysed by GC-HRMS. The fraction of samples which were non-compliant with European maximum levels was rather low, being below 1% for most food products, except for lamb. Exceedance of action levels was particularly observed for lamb and beef. To obtain an insight into background levels, a randomly taken part of the samples was directly analysed by GC-HRMS. In general, only minor decreases in mean PCDD/F and DL-PCB concentrations could be observed for the period 2001-2011. This may be due to a plateauing of current background levels but also to factors like the sensitivity of the analytical method.

Effluent migration from septic tank systems in two different lithologies, Broward County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waller, B.G.; Howie, Barbara; Causaras, C.R.

1987-01-01

Two septic tank test sites, one in sand and one in limestone, in Broward County, Florida, were analyzed for effluent migration. Groundwater from shallow wells, both in background areas and hydraulically down-gradient of the septic tank system, was sampled during a 16-month period from April 1983 through August 1984. Water quality indicators were used to determine the effluent affected zone near the septic tank systems. Specific conductance levels and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, ammonium, and nitrate indicated effluent movement primarily in a vertical direction with abrupt dilution as it moved down-gradient. Effluent was detected in the sand to a depth more than 20 ft below the septic tank outlet, but was diluted to near background conditions 50 ft down-gradient from the tank. Effluent in the limestone was detected in all three observation wells to depths exceeding 25 ft below the septic tank outlet and was diluted, but still detectable, 40 ft down-gradient. The primary controls on effluent movement from septic tank systems in Broward County are the lithology and layering of the geologic materials, hydraulic gradients, and the volume and type of use the system receives. (Author 's abstract)

Remote sensing of volcanic CO2, HF, HCl, SO2, and BrO in the downwind plume of Mt. Etna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butz, André; Solvejg Dinger, Anna; Bobrowski, Nicole; Kostinek, Julian; Fieber, Lukas; Fischerkeller, Constanze; Giuffrida, Giovanni Bruno; Hase, Frank; Klappenbach, Friedrich; Kuhn, Jonas; Lübcke, Peter; Tirpitz, Lukas; Tu, Qiansi

2017-01-01

Remote sensing of the gaseous composition of non-eruptive, passively degassing volcanic plumes can be a tool to gain insight into volcano interior processes. Here, we report on a field study in September 2015 that demonstrates the feasibility of remotely measuring the volcanic enhancements of carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen fluoride (HF), hydrogen chloride (HCl), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and bromine monoxide (BrO) in the downwind plume of Mt. Etna using portable and rugged spectroscopic instrumentation. To this end, we operated the Fourier transform spectrometer EM27/SUN for the shortwave-infrared (SWIR) spectral range together with a co-mounted UV spectrometer on a mobile platform in direct-sun view at 5 to 10 km distance from the summit craters. The 3 days reported here cover several plume traverses and a sunrise measurement. For all days, intra-plume HF, HCl, SO2, and BrO vertical column densities (VCDs) were reliably measured exceeding 5 × 1016, 2 × 1017, 5 × 1017, and 1 × 1014 molec cm-2, with an estimated precision of 2.2 × 1015, 1.3 × 1016, 3.6 × 1016, and 1.3 × 1013 molec cm-2, respectively. Given that CO2, unlike the other measured gases, has a large and well-mixed atmospheric background, derivation of volcanic CO2 VCD enhancements (ΔCO2) required compensating for changes in altitude of the observing platform and for background concentration variability. The first challenge was met by simultaneously measuring the overhead oxygen (O2) columns and assuming covariation of O2 and CO2 with altitude. The atmospheric CO2 background was found by identifying background soundings via the co-emitted volcanic gases. The inferred ΔCO2 occasionally exceeded 2 × 1019 molec cm-2 with an estimated precision of 3.7 × 1018 molec cm-2 given typical atmospheric background VCDs of 7 to 8 × 1021 molec cm-2. While the correlations of ΔCO2 with the other measured volcanic gases confirm the detection of volcanic CO2 enhancements, correlations were found of variable significance (R2 ranging between 0.88 and 0.00). The intra-plume VCD ratios ΔCO2 / SO2, SO2 / HF, SO2 / HCl, and SO2 / BrO were in the range 7.1 to 35.4, 5.02 to 21.2, 1.54 to 3.43, and 2.9 × 103 to 12.5 × 103, respectively, showing pronounced day-to-day and intra-day variability.

An evaluation of selenium concentrations in water, sediment, invertebrates, and fish from the Republican River Basin: 1997-1999.

PubMed

May, T W; Walther, M J; Petty, J D; Fairchild, J F; Lucero, J; Delvaux, M; Manring, J; Armbruster, M; Hartman, D

2001-11-01

The Republican River Basin of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas lies in a valley which contains Pierre Shale as part of its geological substrata. Selenium is an indigenous constituent in the shale and is readily leached into surrounding groundwater. The Basin is heavily irrigated through the pumping of groundwater, some of which is selenium-contaminated, onto fields in agricultural production. Water, sediment, benthic invertebrates, and/or fish were collected from 46 sites in the Basin and were analyzed for selenium to determine the potential for food-chain bioaccumulation, dietary toxicity, and reproductive effects of selenium in biota. Resulting selenium concentrations were compared to published guidelines or biological effects thresholds. Water from 38% of the sites (n = 18) contained selenium concentrations exceeding 5 microg L(-1), which is reported to be a high hazard for selenium accumulation into the planktonic food chain. An additional 12 sites (26% of the sites) contained selenium in water between 3-5 microg L(-1), constituting a moderate hazard. Selenium concentrations in sediment indicated little to no hazard for selenium accumulation from sediments into the benthic food chain. Ninety-five percent of benthic invertebrates collected exhibited selenium concentrations exceeding 3 microg g(-1), a level reported as potentially lethal to fish and birds that consume them. Seventy-five percent of fish collected in 1997, 90% in 1998, and 64% in 1999 exceeded 4 microg g(-1) selenium, indicating a high potential for toxicity and reproductive effects. However, examination of weight profiles of various species of collected individual fish suggested successful recruitment in spite of selenium concentrations that exceeded published biological effects thresholds for health and reproductive success. This finding suggested that universal application of published guidelines for selenium may be inappropriate or at least may need refinement for systems similar to the Republican River Basin. Additional research is needed to determine the true impact of selenium on fish and wildlife resources in the Basin.

[PM₂.₅ Background Concentration at Different Directions in Beijing in 2013].

PubMed

Li, Yun-ting; Cheng, Niam-liang; Zhang, Da-wei; Sun, Rui-wen; Dong, Xin; Sun, Nai-di; Chen, Chen

2015-12-01

PM₂.₅, background concentration at different directions in 2013 in Beijing was analyzed combining the techniques of mathematical statistics, physical identification and numerical simulation (CMAQ4.7.1) as well as using monitoring data of six PM₂.₅ auto-monitoring sites and five meteorological sites in 2013. Results showed that background concentrations of PM₂.₅ at northwest, northeast, eastern, southeast, southern and southwest boundary sites were between 40.3 and 85.3 µg · m⁻³ in Beijing. From the lowest to the highest, PMPM₂.₅ background concentrations at different sites were: Miyun reservoir, Badaling, Donggaocun, Yufa, Yongledian and Liulihe. Background concentration of PM₂.₅ was the lowest under north wind, then under west wind, and significantly higher under south and east wind. Calculated PM₂.₅ background average concentrations were 6.5-27.9, 22.4-73.4, 67.2-91.7, 40.7-116.1 µg · m⁻³ respectively in different wind directions. Simulated PM₂.₅ background concentration showed a clear north-south gradient distribution and the surrounding area had a notable effect on the spatial distribution of PM₂.₅ background concentration in 2013 in Beijing.

Seasonal Variability and Effects of Stormflow on Concentrations of Pesticides and their Degradates in Kisco River and Middle Branch Croton River Surface Water, Croton Reservoir System, New York, May 2000-February 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Bode, Robert W.

2004-01-01

Seven herbicides (2,4-D, 2,4-D methyl ester, bromacil, dicamba, diuron, imazaquin, and sulfometuron), four insecticides (carbaryl, diazinon, imidacloprid, and malathion), two fungicides (metalaxyl and myclobutanil), and caffeine (an indicator of wastewater) were detected in at least one sample from the Kisco River at concentrations above 0.1 ug/L (micrograms per liter). Four of these compounds - 2,4-D, 2,4-D methyl ester, dicamba, and metalaxyl - were detected in at least one sample from the Kisco River at a concentration above 1 ug/L. Only three herbicides (2,4-D, imazethapyr, and prometon) and caffeine were detected at concentrations above 0.1 ug/L in one or more of the Middle Branch Croton River samples, and no compounds were detected above 0.4 ug/L in Middle Branch Croton River samples. No samples contained concentrations of pesticides that exceeded human health-based water-quality standards. However, samples from the Kisco River contained four insecticides (carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion) and one herbicide (2,4-D) in concentrations that exceeded water-quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life. Aquatic-life protection criteria were generally exceeded only in stormflow samples collected in June, September, and December 2000. No samples from the Middle Branch Croton River contained target compounds that exceeded water-quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life. Pesticide concentrations were generally higher, and the numbers of compounds generally larger in samples from the Kisco River than in samples from the Middle Branch Croton River, probably because the Kisco River watershed has a greater population density and is more extensively developed. The highest concentrations of most compounds in both streams were detected in stormflow samples collected in June, September, and December 2000. This indicates that stormflow sampling is essential in assessments of pesticide occurrence in streams that drain developed lands. The lowest concentrations of most compounds at both sites were detected in baseflow samples collected from October 2000 through February 2001, although the concentrations of several compounds increased substantially during stormflows at the Kisco River site in November and December, 2000.

Sediment concentration and turbidity changes during culvert removals

Treesearch

Randy B. Foltz; Kristina A. Yanosek; Timothy M. Brown

2008-01-01

The concentrations of sediment and turbidity in stream water were monitored during culvert removals to determine the short term effects of road obliteration. Sediment concentration was measured at 11 stream crossings among two locations in Idaho and one in Washington. Sediment concentration immediately below the culvert outlet exceeded levels above the culvert outlet...

Factors influencing mercury concentrations in walleyes in northern Wisconsin lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiener, J.G.; Martini, R.E.; Sheffy, T.B.; Glass, G.E.

1990-01-01

The authors examined relations between mercury concentrations in walleyes Stizostedion vitreum and the characteristics of clear-water Wisconsin lakes, which spanned a broad range of pH values (5.0-8.1) and acid- neutralizing capacities (-9 to 1,017 mu eq/L). Total concentrations of mercury in axial muscle tissue of walleyes (total length, 25-56 cm) varied from 0.12 to 1.74 mu g/g wet weight. Concentrations were greatest in fish from the eight lakes with pH less than 7.0; concentrations in these fish equaled or exceeded 0.5 mu g/g in 88% of the samples analyzed and 1.0 mu g/g in 44%. In the five lakes with pH of 7.0 and above, concentrations exceeded 0.5 mu g/g in only 1 of 21 walleyes. Multiple regression revealed that lake pH and total length of fish accounted for 69% of the variation in mercury concentration in walleyes. Regression models with total length and either waterborne calcium or acid-neutralizing capacity as independent variables accounted for 67% of the variation in concentration.

Persistence of organochlorine chemical residues in fish from the Tombigbee River (Alabama, USA): Continuing risk to wildlife from a former DDT manufacturing facility

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, J.E.; Norstrom, R.J.; Orazio, C.E.; Schmitt, C.J.; Tillitt, D.E.

2009-01-01

Organochlorine pesticide and total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were measured in largemouth bass from the Tombigbee River near a former DDT manufacturing facility at McIntosh, Alabama. Evaluation of mean p,p???- and o,p???-DDT isomer concentrations and o,p???- versus p,p???-isomer proportions in McIntosh bass indicated that DDT is moving off site from the facility and into the Tombigbee River. Concentrations of p,p???-DDT isomers in McIntosh bass remained unchanged from 1974 to 2004 and were four times greater than contemporary concentrations from a national program. Total DDT in McIntosh bass exceeded dietary effect concentrations developed for bald eagle and osprey. Hexachlorobenzene, PCBs, and toxaphene concentrations in bass from McIntosh also exceeded thresholds to protect fish and piscivorous wildlife. Whereas concentrations of DDT and most other organochlorine chemicals in fish have generally declined in the U.S. since their ban, concentrations of DDT in fish from McIntosh remain elevated and represent a threat to wildlife.

The Kinetics of Nucleated Polymerizations at High Concentrations: Amyloid Fibril Formation Near and Above the “Supercritical Concentration”

PubMed Central

Powers, Evan T.; Powers, David L.

2006-01-01

The formation of amyloid and other types of protein fibrils is thought to proceed by a nucleated polymerization mechanism. One of the most important features commonly associated with nucleated polymerizations is a strong dependence of the rate on the concentration. However, the dependence of fibril formation rates on concentration can weaken and nearly disappear as the concentration increases. Using numerical solutions to the rate equations for nucleated polymerization and analytical solutions to some limiting cases, we examine this phenomenon and show that it is caused by the concentration approaching and then exceeding the equilibrium constant for dissociation of monomers from species smaller than the nucleus, a quantity we have named the “supercritical concentration”. When the concentration exceeds the supercritical concentration, the monomer, not the nucleus, is the highest-energy species on the fibril formation pathway, and the fibril formation reaction behaves initially like an irreversible polymerization. We also derive a relation that can be used in a straightforward method for determining the nucleus size and the supercritical concentration from experimental measurements of fibril formation rates. PMID:16603497

Concentrations of lead, cadmium and barium in urban garden-grown vegetables: the impact of soil variables

PubMed Central

McBride, Murray B.; Shayler, Hannah A.; Spliethoff, Henry M.; Mitchell, Rebecca G.; Marquez-Bravo, Lydia G.; Ferenz, Gretchen S.; Russell-Anelli, Jonathan M.; Casey, Linda; Bachman, Sharon

2014-01-01

Paired vegetable/soil samples from New York City and Buffalo, NY, gardens were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and barium (Ba). Vegetable aluminum (Al) was measured to assess soil adherence. Soil and vegetable metal concentrations did not correlate; vegetable concentrations varied by crop type. Pb was below health-based guidance values (EU standards) in virtually all fruits. 47% of root crops and 9% of leafy greens exceeded guidance values; over half the vegetables exceeded the 95th percentile of market-basket concentrations for Pb. Vegetable Pb correlated with Al; soil particle adherence/incorporation was more important than Pb uptake via roots. Cd was similar to market-basket concentrations and below guidance values in nearly all samples. Vegetable Ba was much higher than Pb or Cd, although soil Ba was lower than soil Pb. The poor relationship between vegetable and soil metal concentrations is attributable to particulate contamination of vegetables and soil characteristics that influence phytoavailability. PMID:25163429

Concentrations of lead, cadmium and barium in urban garden-grown vegetables: the impact of soil variables.

PubMed

McBride, Murray B; Shayler, Hannah A; Spliethoff, Henry M; Mitchell, Rebecca G; Marquez-Bravo, Lydia G; Ferenz, Gretchen S; Russell-Anelli, Jonathan M; Casey, Linda; Bachman, Sharon

2014-11-01

Paired vegetable/soil samples from New York City and Buffalo, NY, gardens were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and barium (Ba). Vegetable aluminum (Al) was measured to assess soil adherence. Soil and vegetable metal concentrations did not correlate; vegetable concentrations varied by crop type. Pb was below health-based guidance values (EU standards) in virtually all fruits. 47% of root crops and 9% of leafy greens exceeded guidance values; over half the vegetables exceeded the 95th percentile of market-basket concentrations for Pb. Vegetable Pb correlated with Al; soil particle adherence/incorporation was more important than Pb uptake via roots. Cd was similar to market-basket concentrations and below guidance values in nearly all samples. Vegetable Ba was much higher than Pb or Cd, although soil Ba was lower than soil Pb. The poor relationship between vegetable and soil metal concentrations is attributable to particulate contamination of vegetables and soil characteristics that influence phytoavailability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Waste Load Allocation for Conservative Substances to Protect Aquatic Organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutcheson, M. R.

1992-01-01

A waste load allocation process is developed to determine the maximum effluent concentration of a conservative substance that will not harm fish and wildlife propagation. If this concentration is not exceeded in the effluent, the acute toxicity criterion will not be violated in the receiving stream, and the chronic criterion will not be exceeded in the zone of passage, defined in many state water quality standards to allow the movement of aquatic organisms past a discharge. Considerable simplification of the concentration equation, which is the heart of any waste load allocation, is achieved because it is based on the concentration in the receiving stream when the concentration gradient on the zone of passage boundary is zero. Consequently, the expression obtained for effluent concentration is independent of source location or stream morphology. Only five independent variables, which are routinely available to regulatory agencies, are required to perform this allocation. It aids in developing permit limits which are protective without being unduly restrictive or requiring large expenditures of money and manpower on field investigations.

Evaluation of Trace Metal Levels in Tissues of Two Commercial Fish Species in Kapar and Mersing Coastal Waters, Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Bashir, Fathi Alhashmi; Shuhaimi-Othman, Mohammad; Mazlan, A. G.

2012-01-01

This study is focused on evaluating the trace metal levels in water and tissues of two commercial fish species Arius thalassinus and Pennahia anea that were collected from Kapar and Mersing coastal waters. The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Al, As, Cd and Pb in these coastal waters and muscle, liver and gills tissues of the fishes were quantified. The relationship among the metal concentrations and the height and weight of the two species were also examined. Generally, the iron has the highest concentrations in both water and the fish species. However, Cd in both coastal waters showed high levels exceeding the international standards. The metal level concentration in the sample fishes are in the descending order livers > gills > muscles. A positive association between the trace metal concentrations and weight and length of the sample fishes was investigated. Fortunately the level of these metal concentrations in fish has not exceeded the permitted level of Malaysian and international standards. PMID:22046193

Response of Stream Chemistry During Base Flow to Gradients of Urbanization in Selected Locations Across the Conterminous United States, 2002-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sprague, Lori A.; Harned, Douglas A.; Hall, David W.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Bauch, Nancy J.; Richards, Kevin D.

2007-01-01

During 2002-2004, the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program conducted a study to determine the effects of urbanization on stream water quality and aquatic communities in six environmentally heterogeneous areas of the conterminous United States--Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Milwaukee-Green Bay, Wisconsin; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Denver, Colorado; and Portland, Oregon. This report compares and contrasts the response of stream chemistry during base flow to urbanization in different environmental settings and examines the relation between the exceedance of water-quality benchmarks and the level of urbanization in these areas. Chemical characteristics studied included concentrations of nutrients, dissolved pesticides, suspended sediment, sulfate, and chloride in base flow. In three study areas where the background land cover in minimally urbanized basins was predominantly forested (Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, and Portland), urban development was associated with increased concentrations of nitrogen and total herbicides in streams. In Portland, there was evidence of mixed agricultural and urban influences at sites with 20 to 50 percent urban land cover. In two study areas where agriculture was the predominant background land cover (Milwaukee-Green Bay and Dallas-Fort Worth), concentrations of nitrogen and herbicides were flat or decreasing as urbanization increased. In Denver, which had predominantly shrub/grass as background land cover, nitrogen concentrations were only weakly related to urbanization, and total herbicide concentrations did not show any clear pattern relative to land cover - perhaps because of extensive water management in the study area. In contrast, total insecticide concentrations increased with increasing urbanization in all six study areas, likely due to high use of insecticides in urban applications and, for some study areas, the proximity of urban land cover to the sampling sites. Phosphorus concentrations increased with urbanization only in Portland; in Atlanta and Raleigh-Durham, leachate from septic tanks may have increased phosphorus concentrations in basins with minimal urban development. Concentrations of suspended sediment were only weakly associated with urbanization, probably because this study analyzed only base-flow samples, and the bulk of sediment loads to streams is transported in storm runoff rather than base flow. Sulfate and chloride concentrations increased with increasing urbanization in four study areas (Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Milwaukee-Green Bay, and Portland), likely due to increasing contributions from urban sources of these constituents. The weak relation between sulfate and chloride concentrations and urbanization in Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver was likely due in part to high sulfate and chloride concentrations in ground-water inflow, which would have obscured any pattern of increasing concentration with urbanization. Pesticides often were detected at multiple sites within a study area, so that the pesticide 'signature' for a given study area - the mixtures of pesticides detected, and their relative concentrations, at streams within the study area - tended to show some pesticides as dominant. The type and concentrations of the dominant pesticides varied markedly among sites within a study area. There were differences between pesticide signatures during high and low base-flow conditions in five of the six study areas. Normalization of absolute pesticide concentrations by the pesticide toxicity index (a relative index indicating potential toxicity to aquatic organisms) dramatically changed the pesticide signatures, indicating that the pesticides with the greatest potential to adversely affect cladocerans or fish were not necessarily the pesticides detected at the highest concentrations. In a screening-level assessment, measured contaminant concentrations in individual base-flow water samples were compared with various water-qual

Mercury concentrations in water, and mercury and selenium concentrations in fish from Brownlee Reservoir and selected sites in Boise and Snake Rivers, Idaho and Oregon, 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacCoy, Dorene E.

2014-01-01

Mercury (Hg) analyses were conducted on samples of sport fish and water collected from six sampling sites in the Boise and Snake Rivers, and Brownlee Reservoir to meet National Pollution Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements for the City of Boise, Idaho. A water sample was collected from each site during October and November 2013 by the City of Boise personnel and was analyzed by the Boise City Public Works Water Quality Laboratory. Total Hg concentrations in unfiltered water samples ranged from 0.73 to 1.21 nanograms per liter (ng/L) at five river sites; total Hg concentration was highest (8.78 ng/L) in a water sample from Brownlee Reservoir. All Hg concentrations in water samples were less than the EPA Hg chronic aquatic life criterion in Idaho (12 ng/L). The EPA recommended a water-quality criterion of 0.30 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) methylmercury (MeHg) expressed as a fish-tissue residue value (wet-weight MeHg in fish tissue). MeHg residue in fish tissue is considered to be equivalent to total Hg in fish muscle tissue and is referred to as Hg in this report. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality adopted the EPA’s fish-tissue criterion and a reasonable potential to exceed (RPTE) threshold 20 percent lower than the criterion or greater than 0.24 mg/kg based on an average concentration of 10 fish from a receiving waterbody. NPDES permitted discharge to waters with fish having Hg concentrations exceeding 0.24 mg/kg are said to have a reasonable potential to exceed the water-quality criterion and thus are subject to additional permit obligations, such as requirements for increased monitoring and the development of a Hg minimization plan. The Idaho Fish Consumption Advisory Program (IFCAP) issues fish advisories to protect general and sensitive populations of fish consumers and has developed an action level of 0.22 mg/kg wet weight Hg in fish tissue. Fish consumption advisories are water body- and species-specific and are used to advise of allowable fish consumption from specific water bodies. The geometric mean Hg concentration of 10 fish of a single species collected from a single water body (lake or stream) in Idaho is compared to the action level to determine if a fish consumption advisory should be issued. The U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed individual fillets of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) for Hg. The median Hg concentration of 0.32 mg/kg exceeded the Idaho water-quality criterion at the site in Brownlee Reservoir. Average Hg concentrations from Brownlee Reservoir (0.32 mg/kg) and the Boise River at mouth (0.33 mg/kg) exceeded the Hg RPTE threshold (>0.24 mg/kg). IFCAP action levels also were exceeded at the sites on Brownlee Reservoir and at the mouth of the Boise River. Median Hg concentrations in fish at the remaining four river sites were less than 0.20 mg/kg with average concentrations ranging from 0.14 to 0.21 mg/kg Hg. Selenium (Se) analysis also was conducted on one composite fish tissue sample per site to screen for general concentrations and to provide information for future risk assessments. Concentrations of Se ranged from 0.07 to 0.49 mg/kg wet weight; average concentrations were highest in smallmouth bass (0.40 mg/kg) and lowest in mountain whitefish (0.12 mg/kg).

Effects of surface applications of biosolids on soil, crops, ground water, and streambed sediment near Deer Trail, Colorado, 1999-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Tracy J.B.; Smith, David B.; Crock, James G.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Metro Wastewater Reclamation District and North Kiowa Bijou Groundwater Management District, studied natural geochemical effects and the effects of biosolids applications to the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District properties near Deer Trail, Colorado, during 1999 through 2003 because of public concern about potential contamination of soil, crops, ground water, and surface water from biosolids applications. Parameters analyzed for each monitoring component included arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, and zinc (the nine trace elements regulated by Colorado for biosolids), gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity, and plutonium, as well as other parameters. Concentrations of the nine regulated trace elements in biosolids were relatively uniform and did not exceed applicable regulatory standards. All plutonium concentrations in biosolids were below the minimum detectable level and were near zero. The most soluble elements in biosolids were arsenic, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, and selenium. Elevated concentrations of bismuth, mercury, phosphorus, and silver would be the most likely inorganic biosolids signature to indicate that soil or streambed sediment has been affected by biosolids. Molybdenum and tungsten, and to a lesser degree antimony, cadmium, cobalt, copper, mercury, nickel, phosphorus, and selenium, would be the most likely inorganic 'biosolids signature' to indicate ground water or surface water has been affected by biosolids. Soil data indicate that biosolids have had no measurable effect on the concentration of the constituents monitored. Arsenic concentrations in soil of both Arapahoe and Elbert County monitoring sites (like soil from all parts of Colorado) exceed the Colorado soil remediation objectives and soil cleanup standards, which were determined by back-calculating a soil concentration equivalent to a one-in-a-million cumulative cancer risk. Lead concentrations in soil slightly exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency toxicity-derived ecological soil-screening levels for avian wildlife. Plutonium concentration in the soil was near zero. Wheat-grain data were insufficient to determine any measurable effects from biosolids. Comparison with similar data from other parts of North America where biosolids were not applied indicates similar concentrations. However, the Deer Trail study area had higher nickel concentrations in wheat from both the biosolids-applied fields and the control fields. Plutonium content of the wheat was near zero. Ground-water levels generally declined at most wells during 1999 through 2003. Ground-water quality did not correlate with ground-water levels. Vertical ground-water gradients during 1999 through 2003 indicate that bedrock ground-water resources downgradient from the biosolids-applied areas are not likely to be contaminated by biosolids applications unless the gradients change as a result of pumping. Ground-water quality throughout the study area varied over time at each site and from site to site at the same time, but plutonium concentrations in the ground water always were near zero. Inorganic concentrations at well D6 were relatively high compared to other ground-water sites studied. Ground-water pH and concentrations of fluoride, nitrite, aluminum, arsenic, barium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, silver, zinc, and plutonium in the ground water of the study area met Colorado standards. Concentrations of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, boron, iron, manganese, and selenium exceeded Colorado ground-water standards at one or more wells. Nitrate concentrations at well D6 significantly (alpha = 0.05) exceeded the Colorado regulatory standard. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc in ground water had no significant (alpha = 0.05) upward trends. During 1999-2003, concentrations of nitrate, copper, molybdenum, and selenium

Modeling Source Water Threshold Exceedances with Extreme Value Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajagopalan, B.; Samson, C.; Summers, R. S.

2016-12-01

Variability in surface water quality, influenced by seasonal and long-term climate changes, can impact drinking water quality and treatment. In particular, temperature and precipitation can impact surface water quality directly or through their influence on streamflow and dilution capacity. Furthermore, they also impact land surface factors, such as soil moisture and vegetation, which can in turn affect surface water quality, in particular, levels of organic matter in surface waters which are of concern. All of these will be exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change. While some source water quality parameters, particularly Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and bromide concentrations, are not directly regulated for drinking water, these parameters are precursors to the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which are regulated in drinking water distribution systems. These DBPs form when a disinfectant, added to the water to protect public health against microbial pathogens, most commonly chlorine, reacts with dissolved organic matter (DOM), measured as TOC or dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and inorganic precursor materials, such as bromide. Therefore, understanding and modeling the extremes of TOC and Bromide concentrations is of critical interest for drinking water utilities. In this study we develop nonstationary extreme value analysis models for threshold exceedances of source water quality parameters, specifically TOC and bromide concentrations. In this, the threshold exceedances are modeled as Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD) whose parameters vary as a function of climate and land surface variables - thus, enabling to capture the temporal nonstationarity. We apply these to model threshold exceedance of source water TOC and bromide concentrations at two locations with different climate and find very good performance.

A 12-Month Study of Food Crops Contaminated by Heavy Metals, Lusaka, Zambia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holden, J. A.; Malamud, B. D.; Chishala, B. H.; Kapungwe, E.; Volk, J.; Harpp, K. S.

2009-04-01

We investigate heavy-metal contamination of irrigation water used for urban agriculture and subsequent contamination of food crops in Chunga, NW Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Inhabitants of the Chunga area rely on urban agriculture as both a major source of income and food. From August 2004 to July 2005, monthly samples of irrigation water used and edible portions of food crops were taken from a farmer's plot at Chunga. The food crops (cabbage, Chinese cabbage, pumpkin leaves, rape, sweet potato leaves and tomatoes) are grown using irrigation throughout the year. Irrigation water samples and digested food crop samples were analysed using ICP-MS at the Department of Geology, Colgate University, USA for Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb, and U. We find heavy-metal concentrations present in both irrigation water and food crop samples. Zambian sample concentrations were compared to Zambian and international legislative and guideline limits for concentrations of heavy metals in industrial effluent, heavy metals in irrigation water and heavy metals in foods. In irrigation water samples recommended national and/or international legislative limits for Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Hg, Pb and U were exceeded. Limits for Hg were exceeded by up to 130 times. There were heavy-metal concentrations above recommended limits in food crops for Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Pb throughout the different food crops grown and throughout the year. In all 14 samples recommended limits for Cr, Fe and Hg were exceeded. Zambian legislated limits for food crops were exceeded by up to 16 times for Pb and 58 times for Hg. The results of this study show that heavy metal contamination is present in irrigation water used and food crops grown in urban agriculture in Chunga, Lusaka, Zambia. Recommended maximum limits for heavy metals in irrigation water and food are exceeded in some samples indicating there may be a risk to health.

Population exposure to trace elements in the Kilembe copper mine area, Western Uganda: A pilot study.

PubMed

Mwesigye, Abraham R; Young, Scott D; Bailey, Elizabeth H; Tumwebaze, Susan B

2016-12-15

The mining and processing of copper in Kilembe, Western Uganda, from 1956 to 1982 left over 15 Mt. of tailings containing cupriferous and cobaltiferous pyrite dumped within a mountain river valley. This pilot study was conducted to assess the nature and extent of risk to local populations from metal contamination arising from those mining activities. We determined trace element concentrations in mine tailings, soils, locally cultivated foods, house dust, drinking water and human biomarkers (toenails) using ICP-MS analysis of acid digested samples. The results showed that tailings, containing higher concentrations of Co, Cu, Ni and As compared with world average crust values had eroded and contaminated local soils. Pollution load indices revealed that 51% of agricultural soils sampled were contaminated with trace elements. Local water supplies were contaminated, with Co concentrations that exceeded Wisconsin (US) thresholds in 25% of domestic water supplies and 40% of Nyamwamba river water samples. Zinc exceeded WHO/FAO thresholds of 99.4mgkg -1 in 36% of Amaranthus vegetable samples, Cu exceeded EC thresholds of 20mgkg -1 in 19% of Amaranthus while Pb exceeded WHO thresholds of 0.3mgkg -1 in 47% of Amaranthus vegetables. In bananas, 20% of samples contained Pb concentrations that exceeded the WHO/FAO recommended threshold of 0.3mgkg -1 . However, risk assessment of local foods and water, based on hazard quotients (HQ values) revealed no potential health effects. The high external contamination of volunteers' toenails with some elements (even after a washing process) calls into question their use as a biomarker for metal exposure in human populations where feet are frequently exposed to soil dust. Any mitigation of Kilembe mine impacts should be aimed at remediation of agricultural soils, regulating the discharge of underground contaminated water but also containment of tailing erosion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality of bottom material and elutriates in the lower Willamette River, Portland Harbor, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fuhrer, Gregory J.

1989-01-01

In October 1983 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, collected bottom-material and water samples from Portland Harbor, Oregon to determine concentrations of trace metals and organic compounds in elutriate-test filtrate and bottom material. Of the trace metals examined in bottom material, concentrations of cadmium slightly exceed those of local rocks, whereas lead and zinc exceedance is substantially larger. Of the organochlorine compounds examined in bottom material chlordane, DDD, DDE, DDT, dieldrin, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) were detected and quantified in at least 30% of the samples tested. A large DDT concentration (2,700 microgram/kilogram) near Doane Lake outlet is indicative of recent contamination. Polychlorinated biphenyls are ubiquitous in bottom sediments; median concentrations are nearly 65 micrograms/kilogram and as large as 550 microgram/kilogram. PCB loading to the Columbia River from Willamette River suspended sediment has been estimated to be 72 kilograms/year, nearly five times the PCB dredge load of 15 kilogram/year. The acid and base-neutral extractable di-n-butyl phthalate and bis (2-ethylhexyl)phthalate occur in sediments of Terminal No. 2 in concentrations as large as 1,965 and 2,200 micrograms/kilogram, respectively. Of the trace metals examined in both standard and oxic elutriate-test filtrate, only copper concentration in an oxic elutriate-test filtrate (19 micrograms/L) exceeded the water quality criteria (5.7 micrograms/L). (USGS)

Quality of water and chemistry of bottom sediment in the Rillito Creek basin, Tucson, Arizona, 1992-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tadayon, Saeid

1995-01-01

Physical and chemical data were collected from four surface-water sites, six ground-water sites, and two bottom-sediment sites during 1992-93. Specific conductance, hardness, alkalinity, and dissolved- solids concentrations generally were higher in ground water than in surface water. The median concentrations of dissolved major ions, with the exception of potassium, were higher in ground water than in surface water. In surface water and ground water, calcium was the dominant cation, and bicarbonate was the dominant anion. Concentrations of dissolved nitrite and nitrite plus nitrate in surface water and ground water did not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels of 1 and 10 milligrams per liter for drinking water, respectively. Ammonium plus organic nitrogen in bottom sediment was detected at the highest concentration of any nitrogen species. Median values for most of the dissolved trace elements in surface water and ground water were below the detection levels. Dissolved trace elements in surface water and ground water did not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels for drinking water. Trace-element concentrations in bottom sediment were similar to trace-element concentrations reported for soils of the western conterminous United States. Several organochlorine pesticides and priority pollutants were detected in surface-water and bottom-sediment samples; however, they did not exceed water-quality standards. Pesticides or priority pollutants were not detected in ground-water samples.

Widespread arsenic contamination of soils in residential areas and public spaces: an emerging regulatory or medical crisis?

PubMed

Belluck, D A; Benjamin, S L; Baveye, P; Sampson, J; Johnson, B

2003-01-01

A critical review finds government agencies allow, permit, license, or ignore arsenic releases to surface soils. Release rates are controlled or evaluated using risk-based soil contaminant numerical limits employing standardized risk algorithms, chemical-specific and default input values. United States arsenic residential soil limits, approximately 0.4- approximately 40 ppm, generally correspond to a one-in-one-million to a one-in-ten-thousand incremental cancer risk range via ingestion of or direct contact with contaminated residential soils. Background arsenic surface soil levels often exceed applicable limits. Arsenic releases to surface soils (via, e.g., air emissions, waste recycling, soil amendments, direct pesticide application, and chromated copper arsenic (CCA)-treated wood) can result in greatly elevated arsenic levels, sometimes one to two orders of magnitude greater than applicable numerical limits. CCA-treated wood, a heavily used infrastructure material at residences and public spaces, can release sufficient arsenic to result in surface soil concentrations that exceed numerical limits by one or two orders of magnitude. Although significant exceedence of arsenic surface soil numerical limits would normally result in regulatory actions at industrial or hazardous waste sites, no such pattern is seen at residential and public spaces. Given the current risk assessment paradigm, measured or expected elevated surface soil arsenic levels at residential and public spaces suggest that a regulatory health crisis of sizeable magnitude is imminent. In contrast, available literature and a survey of government agencies conducted for this paper finds no verified cases of human morbidity or mortality resulting from exposure to elevated levels of arsenic in surface soils. This concomitance of an emerging regulatory health crisis in the absence of a medical crisis is arguably partly attributable to inadequate government and private party attention to the issue.

Characterisation of allergens and airborne fungi in low and middle-income homes of primary school children in Durban, South Africa

PubMed Central

Jafta, Nkosana; Batterman, Stuart A.; Gqaleni, Nceba; Naidoo, Rajen N.; Robins, Thomas G.

2012-01-01

The South Durban Health Study is a population-based study that examined the relationship between exposure to ambient air pollutants and respiratory disease among school children with high prevalence of asthma who resided in two purposely-selected communities in north and south Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. From these participants, a subgroup of 135 families was selected for investigation of household characteristics potentially related to respiratory health. In these households, a walkthrough investigation was conducted, and settled dust and air samples were collected for allergen and fungal measurements using standardised techniques. Asp f1 allergen was detected in all homes, and Bla g1 allergen was detected in half of the homes. House dust allergens, Der f1 and Der p1 exceeded concentrations associated with risk of sensitization and exacerbation of asthma in 3 and 13%, respectively, of the sampled homes, while Bla g1 exceeded guidance values in 13% of the homes. Although airborne fungal concentrations in sleep areas and indoors were lower than outdoor concentrations, they exceeded 1000 CFU/m3 in 29% of the homes. Multivariate analyses identified several home characteristics that were predictors of airborne fungal concentrations, including moisture, ventilation, floor type and bedding type. Airborne fungal concentrations were similar indoors and outdoors, which likely reduced the significance of housing and indoor factors as determinants of indoor concentrations. Conclusion Allergen concentrations were highly variable in homes, and a portion of the variability can be attributed to easily-recognised conditions. PMID:22674665

An evaluation of the results of alluvial groundwater sampling from 1987--1990 at the Durango disposal site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-04-01

This evaluation was conducted to determine if surface discharges of contaminated water from a retention pond and seepage of tailings pore water from the disposal cell have affected ground I water quality in the alluvial deposits east and northeast of the Bodo Canyon disposal cell. The question of whether corrective remedial action is needed for the alluvial groundwater downgradient of the disposal cell is also addressed. Maximum observed concentrations of seven hazardous constituents equalled or exceeded proposed US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum concentration limits (MCLs) in the alluvial groundwater downgradient of the disposal cell. These constituents include chromium, lead,more » molybdenum, net gross alpha, radium-226 and -228, selenium, and uranium. Concentrations greater than MCLs for molybdenum, net gross alpha, and radium-226 and -228 may be naturally occurring in the alluvial groundwater. There is no statistical evidence that these hazardous constituents are groundwater contaminants with concentrations that exceed the MCLs in alluvial groundwater. However, the median selenium concentration in monitor well 608 exceeds the MCL. Therefore, selenium contamination in the alluvial groundwater in the area of monitor well 608 is possible. Selenium concentrations show no definite increasing or decreasing trend. Since groundwater contamination by selenium is possible in one monitor well, but concentrations are not increasing, corrective action is not warranted at this time. Alluvial groundwater quality will continue to be monitored quarterly and the discharge from the retention pond should be sampled after treatment to ascertain its potential affects on groundwater quality.« less

Satellite Remote Sensing of Chlorophyll a in Support of Nutrient Management in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) has adopted as a water quality standard that chlorophyll a concentration should not exceed 40 ug/L in sounds, estuaries and other slow-moving waters. Exceedances require regulators to develop a Total Maximum Daily Limit...

Satellite remote sensing of chlorophyll a in support of nutrient management in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River (North Carolina) estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) has adopted as a water quality standard that chlorophyll a concentration should not exceed 40 ug/L in sounds, estuaries and other slow-moving waters. Exceedances require regulators to develop a Total Maximum Daily Limit...

Radionuclides, stable isotopes, inorganic constituents, and organic compounds in water from selected wells and springs from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman area, Idaho, 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholomay, Roy C.; Edwards, Daniel D.; Campbell, Linford J.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Idaho Department of Water Resources, in response to a request from the U.S. Department of Energy, sampled 19 sites as part of a long-term project to monitor water quality of the Snake River Plain aquifer from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman area. Water samples were collected and analyzed for selected radionuclides, stable isotopes, inorganic constituents, and organic compounds. The samples were collected from seven irrigation wells, four domestic wells, two springs, one stock well, three dairy wells, one observation well, and one commercial well. Two quality assurance samples also were collected and analyzed. None of the radionuclides, inorganic constituents, or organic compounds exceeded the established maximum contaminant levels for drinking water. Most of the radionuclide and inorganic constituent concen- trations exceeded their respective laboratory reporting levels. All samples analyzed for surfactants and dissolved organic carbon had concentrations that exceeded their reporting level. Ethylbenzene concentrations exceeded the reporting level in one water sample.

Metal concentrations of tadpoles in experimental ponds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sparling, D.W.; Lowe, T.P.

1996-01-01

Anuran tadpoles are found in a variety of habitats, many of which are acidified or have high ambient concentrations of metals from anthropogenic sources. A few studies that have been conducted on metals in tadpoles demonstrate that they can contain high concentrations of some metals but have not demonstrated clear relationships between ambient conditions and metal concentrations. This study examines the influence of soil, water treatment, amphibian species, and body portion analyzed on metal concentration in tadpoles. In northern cricket frogs, gray treefrogs, and green frogs, concentrations of Al and Fe exceeded I0000 g.g-1 and Mg and Mn exceeded 1000 g g-1. Body concentrations of Ba, Be, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Sr increased with soil concentrations. Acidification reduced body concentrations of Be and Sr, and pH correlated with Be, Mg, and Sr. Gray treefrogs had significantly lower concentrations of most metals compared to northern cricket frogs, possibly because of differences in microhabitats and soil ingestion. More than half of most metals was sequestered in the gut coil of green frog tadpoles, probably mixed with soil. Depending on bio-availability, many of the metals in gut coils and whole bodies of these tadpoles could be potentially toxic to predators.

Ozone and its projection in regard to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melkonyan, Ani; Wagner, Patrick

2013-03-01

In this paper, the dependence of ozone-forming potential on temperature was analysed based on data from two stations (with an industrial and rural background, respectively) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, for the period of 1983-2007. After examining the interrelations between ozone, NOx and temperature, a projection of the days with ozone exceedance (over a limit value of a daily maximum 8-h average ≥ 120 μg m-3 for 25 days per year averaged for 3 years) in terms of global climate change was made using probability theory and an autoregression integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. The results show that with a temperature increase of 3 K, the frequency of days when ozone exceeds its limit value will increase by 135% at the industrial station and by 87% at the rural background station.

Radionuclides, stable isotopes, inorganic constituents, and organic compounds in water from selected wells and springs from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman Area, Idaho, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bartholomay, R.C.; Williams, L.M.; Campbell, L.J.

1995-10-01

The US Geological Survey and the Idaho Department of Water Resources, in response to a request from the US Department of Energy, samples 18 sites as part of a long-term project to monitor water quality of the Snake River Plain aquifer from the southern boundary of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to the Hagerman area. Water samples were collected and analyzed for selected radionuclides, stable isotopes, inorganic constituents, and organic compounds. The samples were collected from seven irrigation wells, seven domestic wells, two springs, one stock well, and one observation well. Two quality assurance samples also were collected and analyzed.more » None of the radionuclide, inorganic constituent, or organic compound concentrations exceeded the established maximum contaminant levels for drinking water. Many of the radionuclide and inorganic constituent concentrations exceeded their respective reporting levels. All samples analyzed for dissolved organic carbon had concentrations that exceeded their minimum reporting levels.« less

Partial least squares for efficient models of fecal indicator bacteria on Great Lakes beaches

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Wesley R.; Fienen, Michael N.; Corsi, Steven R.

2013-01-01

At public beaches, it is now common to mitigate the impact of water-borne pathogens by posting a swimmer's advisory when the concentration of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) exceeds an action threshold. Since culturing the bacteria delays public notification when dangerous conditions exist, regression models are sometimes used to predict the FIB concentration based on readily-available environmental measurements. It is hard to know which environmental parameters are relevant to predicting FIB concentration, and the parameters are usually correlated, which can hurt the predictive power of a regression model. Here the method of partial least squares (PLS) is introduced to automate the regression modeling process. Model selection is reduced to the process of setting a tuning parameter to control the decision threshold that separates predicted exceedances of the standard from predicted non-exceedances. The method is validated by application to four Great Lakes beaches during the summer of 2010. Performance of the PLS models compares favorably to that of the existing state-of-the-art regression models at these four sites.

Development of Prototype HTS Components for Magnetic Suspension Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haldar, P.; Hoehn, J., Jr.; Selvamanickam, V.; Farrell, R. A.; Balachandran, U.; Iyer, A. N.; Peterson, E.; Salazar, K.

1996-01-01

We have concentrated on developing prototype lengths of bismuth and thallium based silver sheathed superconductors by the powder-in-tube approach to fabricate high temperature superconducting (HTS) components for magnetic suspension applications. Long lengths of mono and multi filament tapes are presently being fabricated with critical current densities useful for maglev and many other applications. We have recently demonstrated the prototype manufacture of lengths exceeding 1 km of Bi-2223 multi filament conductor. Long lengths of thallium based multi-filament conductor have also been fabricated with practical levels of critical current density and improved field dependence behavior. Test coils and magnets have been built from these lengths and characterized over a range of temperatures and background fields to determine their performance. Work is in progress to develop, fabricate and test HTS windings that will be suitable for magnetic suspension, levitation and other electric power related applications.

Ground-water monitoring plan, water quality, and variability of agricultural chemicals in the Missouri River alluvial aquifer near the City of Independence, Missouri, well field, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Brian P.

2002-01-01

A detailed ground-water sampling plan was developed and executed for 64 monitoring wells in the city of Independence well field to characterize ground-water quality in the 10-year zone of contribution. Samples were collected from monitoring wells, combined Independence well field pumpage, and the Missouri River at St. Joseph, Missouri, from 1998 through 2000. In 328 ground-water samples from the 64 monitoring wells and combined well field pumpage samples, specific conductance values ranged from 511 to 1,690 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, pH values ranged from 6.4 to 7.7, water temperature ranged from 11.3 to 23.6 degrees Celsius, and dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 0 to 3.3 milligrams per liter. In 12 samples from the combined well field pumpage samples, specific conductance values ranged from 558 to 856 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, pH values ranged from 6.9 to 7.7, water temperature ranged from 5.8 to 22.9 degrees Celsius, and dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 0 to 2.4 milligrams per liter. In 45 Missouri River samples, specific conductance values ranged from 531 to 830 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, pH ranged from 7.2 to 8.7, water temperature ranged from 0 to 30 degrees Celsius, and dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 5.0 to 17.6 milligrams per liter. The secondary maximum contaminant level for sulfate in drinking water was exceeded once in samples from two monitoring wells, the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for antimony was exceeded once in a sample from one monitoring well, and the MCL for barium was exceeded once in a sample from one monitoring well. The MCL for iron was exceeded in samples from all monitoring wells except two. The MCL for manganese was exceeded in all samples from monitoring wells and combined well field pumpage. Enzyme linked immunoassay methods indicate total benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX) was detected in samples from five wells. The highest total BTEX concentration was less than the MCL of toluene, ethyl benzene, or xylene but greater than the MCL for benzene. Total BTEX was not detected in samples from any well more than once. Atrazine was detected in samples from nine wells, and exceeded the MCL once in a sample from one well. Alachlor was detected in samples from 22 wells but the MCL was never exceeded in any sample. Samples from five wells analyzed for a large number of organic compounds indicate concentrations of volatile organic compounds did not exceed the MCL for drinking water. No semi-volatile organic compounds were detected; dieldrin was detected in one well sample, and no other pesticides, herbicides, polychlorinated biphenyls, or polychlorinated napthalenes were detected. Dissolved ammonia, dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved orthophosphorus, alachlor, and atrazine analyses were used to determine the spatial and temporal variability of agricultural chemicals in ground water. Detection frequencies for dissolved ammonia increased with well depth, decreased with depth for dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, and remained relatively constant with depth for dissolved orthophosphorus. Maximum concentrations of dissolved ammonia, dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, and dissolved orthophosphorus were largest in the shallowest wells and decreased with depth, which may indicate the land surface as the source. However, median concentrations increased with depth for dissolved ammonia, were less than the detection limit for dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, and decreased with depth for dissolved orthophosphorus. This pattern does not indicate a well-defined single source for these constituents. Dissolved orthophosphorus median concentrations were similar, but decreased slightly with depth, and may indicate the land surface as the source. Seasonal variability of dissolved ammonia, dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, a

Conversion of Isatin to Isatate as Related to Growth Promotion in Avena Coleoptile and Pisum Stem Sections 1

PubMed Central

Chen, H.-R.; Galston, A. W.; Milstone, L.

1966-01-01

Isatin, (indole 2,3-dione), which promotes elongation of Pisum stem sections at concentrations exceeding 0.1 mm, promotes elongation of Avena coleoptile sections only at higher concentrations, exceeding 1 mm. Aged isatin solutions are more active than fresh solutions, due to the slow, spontaneous conversion to isatate (o-aminophenylglyoxylate). A concentration of 0.1 mm aged isatin is as active in Avena coleoptile sections as in peas. Isatate has been independently synthesized and its auxin activity in both Avena coleoptile and Pisum stem sections confirmed. The synthetic isatate is more effective than isatin in both systems. This suggests that the auxin activity of isatin is due to its conversion to isatate. PMID:16656429

Thermal and solutal conditions at the tips of a directional dendritic growth front

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccay, T. D.; Mccay, Mary H.; Hopkins, John A.

1991-01-01

The line-of-sight averaged, time-dependent dendrite tip concentrations for the diffusion dominated vertical directional solidification of a metal model (ammonium chloride and water) were obtained by extrapolating exponentially fit diffusion layer profiles measured using a laser interferometer. The tip concentrations were shown to increase linearly with time throughout the diffusion dominated growth process for an initially stagnant dendritic array. The process was terminated for the cases chosen by convective breakdown suffered when the conditionally stable diffusion layer exceeded the critical Rayleigh criteria. The transient tip concentrations were determined to significantly exceed the values predicted for steady state, thus producing much larger constitutional undercoolings. This has ramifications for growth speeds, arm spacings and the dendritic structure itself.

Summary of surface-water-quality data collected for the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins National Water-Quality Assessment Program in the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille and Spokane River basins, Montana, Idaho, and Washington, water years 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beckwith, Michael A.

2003-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected at 10 sites in the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille and Spokane River Basins in water years 1999 – 2001 as part of the Northern Rockies Intermontane Basins (NROK) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Sampling sites were located in varied environments ranging from small streams and rivers in forested, mountainous headwater areas to large rivers draining diverse landscapes. Two sampling sites were located immediately downstream from the large lakes; five sites were located downstream from large-scale historical mining and oreprocessing areas, which are now the two largest “Superfund” (environmental remediation) sites in the Nation. Samples were collected during a wide range of streamflow conditions, more frequently during increasing and high streamflow and less frequently during receding and base-flow conditions. Sample analyses emphasized major ions, nutrients, and selected trace elements. Streamflow during the study ranged from more than 130 percent of the long-term average in 1999 at some sites to 40 percent of the long-term average in 2001. River and stream water in the study area exhibited small values for specific conductance, hardness, alkalinity, and dissolved solids. Dissolved oxygen concentrations in almost all samples were near saturation. Median total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations in samples from most sites were smaller than median concentrations reported for many national programs and other NAWQA Program study areas. The only exceptions were two sites downstream from large wastewater-treatment facilities, where median concentrations of total nitrogen exceeded the national median. Maximum concentrations of total phosphorus in samples from six sites exceeded the 0.1 milligram per liter threshold recommended for limiting nuisance aquatic growth. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc were largest in samples from sites downstream from historical mining and ore-processing areas in the upper Clark Fork in Montana and the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River in Idaho. Concentrations of dissolved lead in all 32 samples from the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River exceeded the Idaho chronic criterion for the protection of aquatic life at the median hardness level measured during the study. Concentrations of dissolved zinc in all samples collected at this site exceeded both the chronic and acute criteria at all hardness levels measured. When all data from all NROK sites were combined, median concentrations of dissolved arsenic, dissolved and total recoverable copper, total recoverable lead, and total recoverable zinc in the NROK study area appeared to be similar to or slightly smaller than median concentrations at sites in other NAWQA Program study areas in the Western United States affected by historical mining activities. Although the NROK median total recoverable lead concentration was the smallest among the three Western study areas compared, concentrations in several NROK samples were an order of magnitude larger than the maximum concentrations measured in the Upper Colorado River and Great Salt Lake Basins. Dissolved cadmium, dissolved lead, and total recoverable zinc concentrations at NROK sites were more variable than in the other study areas; concentrations ranged over almost three orders of magnitude between minimum and maximum values; the range of dissolved zinc concentrations in the NROK study area exceeded three orders of magnitude.

Quest to identify geochemical risk factors associated with chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in an endemic region of Sri Lanka-a multimedia laboratory analysis of biological, food, and environmental samples.

PubMed

Levine, Keith E; Redmon, Jennifer Hoponick; Elledge, Myles F; Wanigasuriya, Kamani P; Smith, Kristin; Munoz, Breda; Waduge, Vajira A; Periris-John, Roshini J; Sathiakumar, Nalini; Harrington, James M; Womack, Donna S; Wickremasinghe, Rajitha

2016-10-01

The emergence of a new form of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka's North Central Province (NCP) has become a catastrophic health crisis. CKDu is characterized as slowly progressing, irreversible, and asymptomatic until late stages and, importantly, not attributed to diabetes, hypertension, or other known risk factors. It is postulated that the etiology of CKDu is multifactorial, involving genetic predisposition, nutritional and dehydration status, exposure to one or more environmental nephrotoxins, and lifestyle factors. The objective of this limited geochemical laboratory analysis was to determine the concentration of a suite of heavy metals and trace element nutrients in biological samples (human whole blood and hair) and environmental samples (drinking water, rice, soil, and freshwater fish) collected from two towns within the endemic NCP region in 2012 and 2013. This broad panel, metallomics/mineralomics approach was used to shed light on potential geochemical risk factors associated with CKDu. Based on prior literature documentation of potential nephrotoxins that may play a role in the genesis and progression of CKDu, heavy metals and fluoride were selected for analysis. The geochemical concentrations in biological and environmental media areas were quantified. Basic statistical measurements were subsequently used to compare media against applicable benchmark values, such as US soil screening levels. Cadmium, lead, and mercury were detected at concentrations exceeding US reference values in many of the biological samples, suggesting that study participants are subjected to chronic, low-level exposure to these elements. Within the limited number of environmental media samples, arsenic was determined to exceed initial risk screening and background concentration values in soil, while data collected from drinking water samples reflected the unique hydrogeochemistry of the region, including the prevalence of hard or very hard water, and fluoride, iron, manganese, sodium, and lead exceeding applicable drinking water standards in some instances. Current literature suggests that the etiology of CKDu is likely multifactorial, with no single biological or hydrogeochemical parameter directly related to disease genesis and progression. This preliminary screening identified that specific constituents may be present above levels of concern, but does not compare results against specific kidney toxicity values or cumulative risk related to a multifactorial disease process. The data collected from this limited investigation are intended to be used in the subsequent study design of a comprehensive and multifactorial etiological study of CKDu risk factors that includes sample collection, individual surveys, and laboratory analyses to more fully evaluate the potential environmental, behavioral, genetic, and lifestyle risk factors associated with CKDu.

California Baseline Ozone Transport Study (CABOTS): Ozonesonde Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiserloh, A. J., Jr.; Chiao, S.; Spitze, J.; Cauley, S.; Clark, J.; Roberts, M.

2016-12-01

Because the EPA recently lowered the ambient air quality standard for the 8-hr average of ozone (O3) to70 ppbv, California must continue to achieve significant reductions in ozone precursor emissions and prepare for new State Implementation Plans (SIP) to demonstrate how ground-level ambient ozone will be reduced below the new health-based standard. Prior studies suggest that background levels of ozone traveling across the Pacific Ocean can significantly influence surface ozone throughout California, particularly during the spring. Evidence has been presented indicating that background levels of ozone continue to increase in the western United States over the recent few decades, implying more ozone exceedances in the future. To better understand the contributions of the external natural and anthropogenic pollution sources as well as atmospheric processes for surface ozone concentrations in California during the spring and summer months, the California Baseline Ozone Transport Study (CABOTS) has been established. One major goal of CABOTS is to implement near daily ozonesonde measurements along the California Coast to quantify background ozone aloft before entering the State during high ozone season. CABOTS has been ongoing from May through August of 2016 launching ozonesondes from Bodega Bay and Half Moon Bay, California. The temporal progression of ozonesonde measurements and subsequent analysis of the data will be discussed with a focus on the contribution of background ozone to surface ozone sites inland as well as likely origins of layers aloft. Comparisons of current ozonesondes versus prior ozonesonde studies of California will also be performed. A few selected cases of high ozone layers moving onshore from different sources will be discussed as well.

Regression models for explaining and predicting concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in fish from streams in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nowell, Lisa H.; Crawford, Charles G.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Stone, Wesley W.; Thelin, Gail; Wolock, David M.

2009-01-01

Empirical regression models were developed for estimating concentrations of dieldrin, total chlordane, and total DDT in whole fish from U.S. streams. Models were based on pesticide concentrations measured in whole fish at 648 stream sites nationwide (1992-2001) as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program. Explanatory variables included fish lipid content, estimates (or surrogates) representing historical agricultural and urban sources, watershed characteristics, and geographic location. Models were developed using Tobit regression methods appropriate for data with censoring. Typically, the models explain approximately 50 to 70% of the variability in pesticide concentrations measured in whole fish. The models were used to predict pesticide concentrations in whole fish for streams nationwide using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's River Reach File 1 and to estimate the probability that whole-fish concentrations exceed benchmarks for protection of fish-eating wildlife. Predicted concentrations were highest for dieldrin in the Corn Belt, Texas, and scattered urban areas; for total chlordane in the Corn Belt, Texas, the Southeast, and urbanized Northeast; and for total DDT in the Southeast, Texas, California, and urban areas nationwide. The probability of exceeding wildlife benchmarks for dieldrin and chlordane was predicted to be low for most U.S. streams. The probability of exceeding wildlife benchmarks for total DDT is higher but varies depending on the fish taxon and on the benchmark used. Because the models in the present study are based on fish data collected during the 1990s and organochlorine pesticide residues in the environment continue to decline decades after their uses were discontinued, these models may overestimate present-day pesticide concentrations in fish. ?? 2009 SETAC.

An update of hydrologic conditions and distribution of selected constituents in water, Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, Emphasis 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Linda C.

2006-01-01

Radiochemical and chemical wastewater discharged since 1952 to infiltration ponds, evaporation ponds, and disposal wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has affected water quality in the Snake River Plain aquifer underlying the INL. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains ground-water monitoring networks at the INL to determine hydrologic trends, and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from wells in the USGS ground-water monitoring networks during 1999-2001. Water in the Snake River Plain aquifer moves principally through fractures and interflow zones in basalt, generally flows southwestward, and eventually discharges at springs along the Snake River. The aquifer is recharged principally from infiltration of irrigation water, infiltration of streamflow, ground-water inflow from adjoining mountain drainage basins, and infiltration of precipitation. Water levels in wells rose in the northern and west-central parts of the INL by 1 to 3 feet, and declined in the southwestern parts of the INL by up to 4 feet during 1999-2001. Detectable concentrations of radiochemical constituents in water samples from wells in the Snake River Plain aquifer at the INL generally decreased or remained constant during 1999-2001. Decreases in concentrations were attributed to decreased rates of radioactive-waste disposal, radioactive decay, changes in waste-disposal methods, and dilution from recharge. Tritium concentrations in water samples decreased as much as 8.3 picocuries per milliliter (pCi/mL) during 1999-2001, ranging from 0.43?0.14 to 13.6?0.6 pCi/mL in October 2001. Tritium concentrations in five wells near the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) increased a few picocuries per milliliter from October 2000 to October 2001. Strontium-90 concentrations decreased or remained constant during 1999-2001, ranging from 2.1?0.6 to 42.4?1.4 pCi/L in October 2001. During 1999-2001, concentrations of cesium-137, plutonium-238, and plutonium-239, -240 (undivided) were less than the reporting level in water samples from all wells sampled at the INL. The concentration of americium-241 in one sample was 0.003?0.001 pCi/L, the reporting level for that constituent. Cobalt-60 was not detected in any samples collected during 1999-2001. Changes in detectable concentrations of nonradioactive chemical constituents in water from the Snake River Plain aquifer at the INL varied during 1999-2001. In October 2001, water from one well south of the Reactor Technology Complex (RTC) [known as the Test Reactor Area (TRA) until 2005] contained 139 micrograms per liter (?g/L) of chromium, a decrease from the concentration of 168 ?g/L detected in October 1998. Other water samples contained from less than 16.7 to 21.3 ?g/L of chromium. In October 2001, concentrations of sodium in water samples from most of the wells in the southern part of the INL were larger than the background concentration of 10 mg/L, but were similar to or slightly less than October 1998 concentrations. The largest sodium concentration was 75 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in water from well USGS 113. In 2001, chloride concentrations in most water samples from the INTEC and the Central Facilities Area (CFA) exceeded ambient concentrations of 10 and 20 mg/L, respectively. Chloride concentrations in water from wells near the RTC were less than 20 mg/L. At the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC), chloride concentrations in water from wells USGS 88, 89, and 120 were 81, 40, and 23 mg/L, respectively. Concentrations of chloride in all other wells near the RWMC were less than 19 mg/L. During 2001, concentrations of sulfate in water from two wells near the RTC, two wells near the RWMC, and one well near the CFA exceeded 40 mg/L, the estimated background concentration of sulfate in the Snake River

Relation of pesticide concentrations to season, streamflow, and land use in seven New Jersey streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reiser, Robert G.

1999-01-01

The presence and variability of pesticides in seven New Jersey streams was documented by analyzing 146 samples collected from the streams from April 1996 through June 1998. The samples were analyzed for 85 pesticides, including 50 herbicides, 28 insecticides, and 7 degradation products, at method detection limits that ranged from 0.001 to 0.018 μg/L (micrograms per liter). Pesticides were frequently detected; however, concentrations were generally low. The pesticides most frequently detected were atrazine, in 97 percent of the samples; prometon, 96 percent; metolachlor, 95 percent; desethyl-atrazine, 91 percent; simazine, 88 percent; diazinon, 58 percent; alachlor, 56 percent; and carbaryl, 54 percent. Detection frequencies were highest during the growing season (April-September). At least one pesticide was detected in all but one of these samples, and 49 percent of the samples contained 9 or more pesticides. The numbers of pesticides detected at a given site ranged from 13 to 29. Ten pesticides were detected at concentrations that exceeded established water-quality criteria. Thirty-one of these detections were in samples collected during the growing season and one during the nongrowing season. The pesticides that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level for drinking water were atrazine, which exceeded 3 μg/L in four samples, and alachlor, 2 μg/L in two samples. Cyanazine exceeded the USEPA liftime health advisory level (HAL) of 1 μg/L in two samples. These eight detections occurred during runoff shortly after spring pesticide applications and represent a potential threat to municipal water supplies in the Raritan River basin. Concentrations of chlorpyrifos, chlorthalonil, diazinon, ethyl-parathion, and methyl-azinphos exceeded the chronic life criteria for the protection of aquatic life (ACQR) in 20 samples at four sites during the growing season. Dieldrin was detected in four samples and DDE in two samples at concentrations that exceeded New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) human health criteria. Individual and total-pesticide concentrations and total numbers of pesticides detected in the samples varied with season and flow conditions. Median and maximum concentrations of most of the pesticides were highest during runoff in the growing season. Pesticide concentrations were typically lower and less variable in the nongrowing season than in the growing season, regardless of changes in hydrologic conditions; however, median concentrations of most pesticides were slightly lower during runoff than during base flow. The median total-pesticide concentration and median total number of pesticides detected were highest and most variable in runoff samples in the growing season. In the nongrowing season, the median total-pesticide concentration was lowest in runoff samples and least variable during base-flow conditions. Median total numbers of pesticides were lowest and least varibale in the nongrowing season during base-flow conditions at most sites. The highest total-pesticide concentrations were detected in samples from the two small agricultural basins (greater than 25 percent of land use is agricultural) during runoff in late spring and early summer. In general, insecticides were detected more frequently and in greater concentrations at urban sites. Concentrations of agricultural herbicides generally decreased with increasing flow at the four sites with less than 10 percent agriculture land use and increased with increasing flow at the three sites with more than 25 percent agricultural land use. Most of the pesticides that correlated positively with streamflow were detected at sites where land use in the basin would indicate the use of those particular pesticides. Most of the pesticides that correlated negatively with streamflow were present at the site in the Coastal Plain or at sites in which the land use in the basin would not indicate heavy u

An analytic resolution to the competition between Lyman-Werner radiation and metal winds in direct collapse black hole hosts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Bhaskar; Regan, John; Klessen, Ralf S.; Downes, Turlough P.; Zackrisson, Erik

2017-10-01

A near pristine atomic cooling halo close to a star forming galaxy offers a natural pathway for forming massive direct collapse black hole (DCBH) seeds, which could be the progenitors of the z > 6 redshift quasars. The close proximity of the haloes enables a sufficient Lyman-Werner flux to effectively dissociate H2 in the core of the atomic cooling halo. A mild background may also be required to delay star formation in the atomic cooling halo, often attributed to distant background galaxies. In this paper, we investigate the impact of metal pollution from both the background galaxies and the close star forming galaxy under extremely unfavourable conditions such as instantaneous metal mixing. We find that within the time window of DCBH formation, the level of pollution never exceeds the critical threshold (Zcr ˜ 1 × 10-5 Z⊙) and attains a maximum metallicity of Z ˜ 2 × 10- 6 Z⊙. As the system evolves, the metallicity eventually exceeds the critical threshold, long after the DCBH has formed.

Vitamin B(12) Immunoassay on Roche Elecsys 2010: Effects of High Excess Concentration of Serum Vitamin B(12) in CKD Patients on Parenteral Administration.

PubMed

Basu, Surupa; Chaudhuri, Subimal

2011-10-01

Vitamin B(12) being water soluble is excreted in the urine when administered in excess. The probability of finding an abnormally excess serum concentration would be almost surreal. We report a peculiar clinical situation that may impact the vitamin B(12) immunoassay on the Roche Elecsys 2010 due to excess analyte concentration. In separate episodes (Feb and June 2010), the Biochemistry laboratory of a tertiary-care hospital, Kolkata, India, encountered two critically ill patients with background chronic kidney disease (CKD), low urine output, and on cyanocoabalamin supplementation, who had serum vitamin B(12) concentrations far exceeding expected values; even post dialysis. The B(12) assays (pmol/l) were performed using electrochemiluminiscence immunoassay on Roche Elecsys 2010, the assay validity confirmed by concomitant quality control runs. The immunoassays failed to deliver results, flagged with "signal level below limit". Biotin therapy was ruled out as a possible interferent. In the first episode, re-assay of a repeat draw yielded same outcome; outsourcing on Immulite provided concentration of >738 pmol/l. Serial dilution gave result of >29520 pmol/l on Elecsys 2010. In the second, we gained from past experience. Vitamin B(12) concentration >59040 pmol/l was conveyed to the treating nephrologist the very day. The B(12) immunoassay on the Elecsys 2010 employs sequential incubation steps for competitive binding that is compromised in the event of abnormally excess B(12) concentration in patient sera akin to the prozone effect. This knowledge may be beneficial while assaying sera of CKD patients to avoid financial loss due unnecessary repeats and delay in turnaround time.

In situ formation and spatial variability of particle number concentration in a European megacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikridas, M.; Sciare, J.; Freutel, F.; Crumeyrolle, S.; von der Weiden-Reinmüller, S.-L.; Borbon, A.; Schwarzenboeck, A.; Merkel, M.; Crippa, M.; Kostenidou, E.; Psichoudaki, M.; Hildebrandt, L.; Engelhart, G. J.; Petäjä, T.; Prévôt, A. S. H.; Drewnick, F.; Baltensperger, U.; Wiedensohler, A.; Kulmala, M.; Beekmann, M.; Pandis, S. N.

2015-09-01

Ambient particle number size distributions were measured in Paris, France, during summer (1-31 July 2009) and winter (15 January to 15 February 2010) at three fixed ground sites and using two mobile laboratories and one airplane. The campaigns were part of the Megacities: Emissions, urban, regional and Global Atmospheric POLlution and climate effects, and Integrated tools for assessment and mitigation (MEGAPOLI) project. New particle formation (NPF) was observed only during summer on approximately 50 % of the campaign days, assisted by the low condensation sink (about 10.7 ± 5.9 × 10-3 s-1). NPF events inside the Paris plume were also observed at 600 m altitude onboard an aircraft simultaneously with regional events identified on the ground. Increased particle number concentrations were measured aloft also outside of the Paris plume at the same altitude, and were attributed to NPF. The Paris plume was identified, based on increased particle number and black carbon concentration, up to 200 km away from the Paris center during summer. The number concentration of particles with diameters exceeding 2.5 nm measured on the surface at the Paris center was on average 6.9 ± 8.7 × 104 and 12.1 ± 8.6 × 104 cm-3 during summer and winter, respectively, and was found to decrease exponentially with distance from Paris. However, further than 30 km from the city center, the particle number concentration at the surface was similar during both campaigns. During summer, one suburban site in the NE was not significantly affected by Paris emissions due to higher background number concentrations, while the particle number concentration at the second suburban site in the SW increased by a factor of 3 when it was downwind of Paris.

Uranium and radon in ground water in the lower Illinois River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morrow, William S.

2001-01-01

Uranium and radon are present in ground water throughout the United States, along with other naturally occurring radionuclides. The occurrence and distribution of uranium and radon are of concern because these radionuclides are carcinogens that can be ingested through drinking water. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program, water samples were collected and analyzed for uranium and radon from 117 wells in four aquifers in the lower Illinois River Basin (LIRB) from 1996 to 1997. The aquifers were the shallow glacial drift deposits of the Bloomington Ridged Plain (BRP) not overlying a buried bedrock valley (BRP N/O BV), shallow glacial drift deposits of the BRP overlying the Mahomet Buried Bedrock Valley (BRP O/L MBBV), shallow glacial drift deposits of the Galesburg/Springfield Plain not overlying a buried bedrock valley (GSP N/O BV), and the deep glacial drift deposits of the Mahomet Buried Bedrock Valley (MBBV). Uranium was detected in water samples from all aquifers except the MBBV and ranged in concentration from less than 1 microgram per liter ( ? g/L) to 17 ? g/L. Uranium concentrations did not exceed 20 ? g/L, the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) at the time of sampling (1996?97). The current (2001) promulgated MCL is 30 ? g/L (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). The highest median uranium concentration (2.0 ? g/L) among the four aquifers was in the BRP N/O BV. Uranium most often occurred in oxidizing and sulfate-rich water. Radon was detected in water samples from all aquifers in the LIRB. Radon concentrations in all aquifers ranged from less than 80 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) to 1,300 pCi/L. Of 117 samples, radon concentrations exceeded 300 pCi/L (the proposed USEPA MCL) in 34 percent of the samples. Radon concentrations exceeded 300 pCi/L in more than one-half of the samples from the GSP N/O BV and the BRP O/L MBBV. No sample exceeded the proposed Alternative Maximum Contaminant Level (AMCL) of 4,000 pCi/L. Concentrations of uranium and radon were not correlated.

Nitrate pollution and surface water chemistry in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakagawa, K.; Amano, H.

2017-12-01

Shimabara city has been experiencing serious nitrate pollution in groundwater. To evaluate nitrate pollution and water chemistry in surface water, water samples were collected at 42 sampling points in 15 rivers in Shimabara including a part of Unzen city from January to February 2017. Firstly, spatial distribution of water chemistry was assessed by describing stiff and piper-trilinear diagrams using major ions concentrations. Most of the samples showed Ca-HCO3 or Ca-(NO3+SO4) water types. It corresponds to groundwater chemistry. Some samples were classified into characteristic water types such as Na-Cl, (Na+K)-HCO3, and Ca-Cl. These results indicate sea water mixing and anthropogenic pollution. At the upstream of Nishi-river, although water chemistry showed Ca-HCO3, ions concentrations were higher than that of the other rivers. It indicates that this site was affected by the peripheral anthropogenic activities. Secondly, nitrate-pollution assessment was performed by using NO3-, NO2-, coprostanol (5β(H)-Cholestan-3β-ol), and cholestanol (5α(H)-Cholestan-3β-ol). NO2-N was detected at the 2 sampling points and exceeded drinking standard 0.9 mg L-1 for bottle-fed infants (WHO, 2011). NO3-N + NO2-N concentrations exceeded Japanese drinking standard 10 mg L-1 at 18 sampling points. The highest concentration was 27.5 mg L-1. Higher NO3-N levels were observed in the rivers in the northern parts of the study area. Coprostanol has been used as a fecal contamination indicator, since it can be found in only feces of higher animals. Coprostanol concentrations at 8 sampling points exceeded 700 ng L-1 (Australian drinking water standard). Coprostanol has a potential to distinguish the nitrate pollution sources between chemical fertilizer or livestock wastes, since water samples with similar NO3-N + NO2-N concentration showed distinct coprostanol concentration. The sterols ratio (5β/ (5β+5α)) exceeded 0.5 at 18 sampling points. This reveals that fecal pollution has occurred.

Occupational hygiene in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols at two solid waste management plants in Finland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehtinen, Jenni, E-mail: jenni.k.lehtinen@jyu.fi; Tolvanen, Outi; Nivukoski, Ulla

Highlights: ► Odorous VOCs: acetic acid, 2,3-butanedione, ethyl acetate, alpha-pinene and limonene. ► VOC concentrations did not exceed occupational exposure limit concentrations. ► 2,3-Butanedione as the health effecting compound is discussed. ► Endotoxin concentrations may cause health problems in waste treatment. - Abstract: Factors affecting occupational hygiene were measured at the solid waste transferring plant at Hyvinkää and at the optic separation plant in Hämeenlinna. Measurements consisted of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols including microbes, dust and endotoxins. The most abundant compounds in both of the plants were aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters of carboxylic acids, ketones and terpenes.more » In terms of odour generation, the most important emissions were acetic acid, 2,3-butanedione, ethyl acetate, alpha-pinene and limonene due to their low threshold odour concentrations. At the optic waste separation plant, limonene occurred at the highest concentration of all single compounds of identified VOCs. The concentration of any single volatile organic compound did not exceed the occupational exposure limit (OEL) concentration. However, 2,3-butanedione as a health risk compound is discussed based on recent scientific findings linking it to lung disease. Microbe and dust concentrations were low at the waste transferring plant. Only endotoxin concentrations may cause health problems; the average concentration inside the plant was 425 EU/m{sup 3} which clearly exceeded the threshold value of 90 EU/m{sup 3}. In the wheel loader cabin the endotoxin concentrations were below 1 EU/m{sup 3}. High microbial and endotoxin concentrations were measured in the processing hall at the optic waste separation plant. The average concentration of endotoxins was found to be 10,980 EU/m{sup 3}, a concentration which may cause health risks. Concentrations of viable fungi were quite high in few measurements in the control room. The most problematic factor was endotoxins whose average measured concentrations was 4853 EU/m{sup 3}.« less

Pregnancy Specific Glycoprotein 17 Binds to the Extracellular Loop 2 of its Receptor, CD9, and Induces the Secretion of IL-lO, IL-6, PGE2 and TGFbeta1 in Murine Macrophages

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-07-09

reaches up to 200-400 µg/ml at term, far exceeding the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and alpha fetoprotein [42, 43]. Low...reach up to 200-400 µg/ml at term, far exceeding the concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha fetoprotein [2]. Abnormally low levels...Human placental lactogen, pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein and alpha - fetoprotein in serum in threatened abortion. Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 1983. 21

Modelling NO2 concentrations at the street level in the GAINS integrated assessment model: projections under current legislation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiesewetter, G.; Borken-Kleefeld, J.; Schöpp, W.; Heyes, C.; Thunis, P.; Bessagnet, B.; Gsella, A.; Amann, M.

2013-08-01

NO2 concentrations at the street level are a major concern for urban air quality in Europe and have been regulated under the EU Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution. Despite the legal requirements, limit values are exceeded at many monitoring stations with little or no improvement during recent years. In order to assess the effects of future emission control regulations on roadside NO2 concentrations, a downscaling module has been implemented in the GAINS integrated assessment model. The module follows a hybrid approach based on atmospheric dispersion calculations and observations from the AirBase European air quality data base that are used to estimate site-specific parameters. Pollutant concentrations at every monitoring site with sufficient data coverage are disaggregated into contributions from regional background, urban increment, and local roadside increment. The future evolution of each contribution is assessed with a model of the appropriate scale - 28 × 28 km grid based on the EMEP Model for the regional background, 7 × 7 km urban increment based on the CHIMERE Chemistry Transport Model, and a chemical box model for the roadside increment. Thus, different emission scenarios and control options for long-range transport, regional and local emissions can be analysed. Observed concentrations and historical trends are well captured, in particular the differing NO2 and total NOx = NO + NO2 trends. Altogether, more than 1950 air quality monitoring stations in the EU are covered by the model, including more than 400 traffic stations and 70% of the critical stations. Together with its well-established bottom-up emission and dispersion calculation scheme, GAINS is thus able to bridge the scales from European-wide policies to impacts in street canyons. As an application of the model, we assess the evolution of attainment of NO2 limit values under current legislation until 2030. Strong improvements are expected with the introduction of the Euro 6 emission standard for light duty vehicles; however, for some major European cities, further measures may be required, in particular if aiming to achieve compliance at an earlier time.

Modelling NO2 concentrations at the street level in the GAINS integrated assessment model: projections under current legislation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiesewetter, G.; Borken-Kleefeld, J.; Schöpp, W.; Heyes, C.; Thunis, P.; Bessagnet, B.; Terrenoire, E.; Gsella, A.; Amann, M.

2014-01-01

NO2 concentrations at the street level are a major concern for urban air quality in Europe and have been regulated under the EU Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution. Despite the legal requirements, limit values are exceeded at many monitoring stations with little or no improvement in recent years. In order to assess the effects of future emission control regulations on roadside NO2 concentrations, a downscaling module has been implemented in the GAINS integrated assessment model. The module follows a hybrid approach based on atmospheric dispersion calculations and observations from the AirBase European air quality database that are used to estimate site-specific parameters. Pollutant concentrations at every monitoring site with sufficient data coverage are disaggregated into contributions from regional background, urban increment, and local roadside increment. The future evolution of each contribution is assessed with a model of the appropriate scale: 28 × 28 km grid based on the EMEP Model for the regional background, 7 × 7 km urban increment based on the CHIMERE Chemistry Transport Model, and a chemical box model for the roadside increment. Thus, different emission scenarios and control options for long-range transport as well as regional and local emissions can be analysed. Observed concentrations and historical trends are well captured, in particular the differing NO2 and total NOx = NO + NO2 trends. Altogether, more than 1950 air quality monitoring stations in the EU are covered by the model, including more than 400 traffic stations and 70% of the critical stations. Together with its well-established bottom-up emission and dispersion calculation scheme, GAINS is thus able to bridge the scales from European-wide policies to impacts in street canyons. As an application of the model, we assess the evolution of attainment of NO2 limit values under current legislation until 2030. Strong improvements are expected with the introduction of the Euro 6 emission standard for light duty vehicles; however, for some major European cities, further measures may be required, in particular if aiming to achieve compliance at an earlier time.

Trace gas transport out of the Indian Summer Monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomsche, Laura; Pozzer, Andrea; Zimmermann, Peter; Parchatka, Uwe; Fischer, Horst

2016-04-01

The trace gas transport out of the Indian summer monsoon was investigated during the aircraft campaign OMO (Oxidation Mechanism Observations) with the German research aircraft HALO (High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft) in July/August 2015. HALO was based at Paphos/Cyprus and also on Gan/Maledives. Flights took place over the Mediterranean Sea, the Arabian Peninsula and the Arabian Sea. In this work the focus is on the distribution of carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4) in the upper troposphere. They were measured with the laser absorption spectrometer TRISTAR on board of HALO. During the Indian summer monsoon strong convection takes place over India and the Bay of Bengal. In this area the population is high accompanied by many emission sources e.g. wetlands and cultivation of rice. Consequently the boundary layer is polluted containing high concentrations of trace gases like methane and carbon monoxide. Due to vertical transport these polluted air masses are lifted to the upper troposphere. Here they circulate with the so called Asian monsoon anticyclone. In the upper troposphere polluted air masses lead to a change in the chemical composition thus influence the chemical processes. Furthermore the anticyclone spreads the polluted air masses over a larger area. Thus the outflow of the anticyclone in the upper troposphere leads to higher concentrations of trace gases over the Arabian Sea, the Arabian Peninsula and also over the eastern part of North Africa and the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. During OMO higher concentrations of methane and carbon monoxide were detected at altitudes between 11km and 15km. The highest measured concentrations of carbon monoxide and methane were observed over Oman. The CO concentration in the outflow of the monsoon exceeds background levels by 10-15ppb. However the enhancement in the concentration is not obviously connected to the monsoon due to the natural variability in the troposphere. The enhancement in the methane concentration (30-40ppb) is more obviously connected to the monsoon because it is much higher than the natural variability. Consequently methane is a very good tracer for the monsoon influenced air masses. Beside flights into the outflow of the Indian summer monsoon, there were also measurements of background concentrations in the upper troposphere in air not influenced by the monsoon. Profiles have shown that the high concentrations of trace gases are only observed in the upper troposphere. The high concentrations in the upper troposphere cannot be explained by vertical transport form local ground sources.

Evaluation of anthropogenic influence on thermodynamics, gas and aerosol composition of city air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzhegova, Nina; Belan, Boris; Antokhin, Pavel; Zhidovkhin, Evgenii; Ivlev, Georgii; Kozlov, Artem; Fofonov, Aleksandr

2010-05-01

In the last 40-50 years there is a global tendency of urbanisation, which is a consequence of most countries' economical development. Concurrently, the issue of environment's ecological state has become critical. Urban air pollution is among the most important ecological problems nowadays. World Health Organization (WHO) points out certain "classical" polluting agents: carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), troposphere ozone (O3) (studied here), as well as lead, carbon dioxide (CO2), aldehydes, soot, benzpyrene and dredges (including dust, haze and smoke) [1]. An evaluation of antropogenic component's weight in the thermodynamical conditions and gas and aerosol composition of a city's atmosphere (by the example of Tomsk) is given in this paper. Tomsk is located at the South of West Siberia and is the administrative center of Tomsk region. The city's area is equal to 294,6 km2. Its population is 512.6 thousands of people. The overall number of registered motor vehicles in the city in 2008 was 131 700. That is, every fourth city inhabitant has a personal car. From 2002 to 2008 the number of motor vehicles in Tomsk has increased by 25 thousands units [2]. This increase consists mostly of passenger cars. There is also a positive trend in fuel consumtion by the city's industries and motor vehicles - from 2004 to 2007 it has increased by 10%. Such a quick rate of transport quantity's increase in the city provides reason to suggest an unfavorable ecological situation in Tomsk. For this study we have used the AKV-2 mobile station designed by the SB RAS Institute of Atmospheric Optics. The station's equipment provides the following measurements [3]: air temperature and humidity; aerosol disperse composition in 15 channels with a particle size range of 0.3-20 µm by use of the Grimm-1.108 aerosol spectrometer; NO, NO2, O3, SO2, CO, CO2 concentration. This paper describes a single experiment conducted in Tomsk. Date of experiment: Thursday, 14.05.2009. Local time: 15:00-17:30. Weather: clear, no precipitation. The measurements had been conducted on a "snake" route through the city including all of the main traffic arteries. Taking the wind rose into account, a background (clear) point had been selected for comparison with the city measurements. Temperature: The measurements have shown that air temperature in the city is higher than in suburbs by 1-1.5 оC on average. In the main traffic arteries the temperature difference between the city and suburbs (∆Т) is largest and reaches 3.19 оC. Absolute humidity: The measurements have shown that the absolute humidity in the city is higher than the background value by 2.5 g/m3 on average. This suggests an additional source of water vapor in the city. Taking into account that the area of maximum ∆А (3.16 g/m3) is located along one of the city's main streets, we can assume that the main source of water vapor in the city is automobile transport. Gas composition: Judging by gas composition, the area for background measurements had been chosen correctly. Daily average MPC for the main polluting agents (except for ozone) did not exceed the normal values. Opposite situation has been observed in the city. We have found out that the city is a "pollution island". Concentration of admixtures (NO, NO2, CO) in the city's center are considerably higher than in the background area. At the main traffic arteries daily average MPC has been considerably exceeded, as well as one-time MPC for certain pollution agents. Ozone concentration value in the city's atmosphere is inversely proportional to the nitric oxide concentration, because NO is involved in cycles leading to ozone destruction in the troposphere. Thus, a negative ∆O3 has been observed almost everywhere in the city. Aerosol composition: Two areas of maximum values of aerosol bulk concentration have been delimited in different city parts. One is a source of fine aerosol (r < 0.9 µm), the other - of the coarse one (r > 0.9 µm). Summary: 1. Apart from the obvious inflow of anthropogenic heat, an additional source of moisture has been discovered in the city. Apparently, it is automobile transport. 2. The measurements have discovered areas with significantly exceeded daily and one-time MPCs for such dangerous polluting agents as CO, NO, NO2. These are the areas with the most intensive car traffic. 3. A high level of ozone concentration has been discovered in the city's background area and the Academgorodok. 4. It is necessary to build up statistics for this type of studies and introduce this method into the air quality control methodology. As an addition to the practiced methods it will allow to achieve a more complete and correct picture of air pollution. 1. WHO. Air quality guidelines. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1999. Downloaded in February 2002 2. B. D. Belan, O. A. Pelymskii, Uzhegova N.V. (2009) Atmos. Oceanic Opt. Study of the Anthropogenic Component of Urban Heat Balance. Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 441-445. 3. Arshinov, M.Y., B.D. Belan, D.K. Davydov, G.A. Ivlev, A.V. Kozlov, D.A. Pestunov, E.V. Pokrovskii, D.V. Simonenkov, N.V. Uzhegova, A.V. Fofonov (2005) Atmos. Oceanic Opt. AKV-2 mobile station and its use in Tomsk city as an example. No. 8, pp. 575-580

Toxicological Benchmarks for Screening of Potential Contaminants of Concern for Effects on Aquatic Biota on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suter, G.W., II

1993-01-01

One of the initial stages in ecological risk assessment of hazardous waste sites is the screening of contaminants to determine which, if any, of them are worthy of further consideration; this process is termed contaminant screening. Screening is performed by comparing concentrations in ambient media to benchmark concentrations that are either indicative of a high likelihood of significant effects (upper screening benchmarks) or of a very low likelihood of significant effects (lower screening benchmarks). Exceedance of an upper screening benchmark indicates that the chemical in question is clearly of concern and remedial actions are likely to be needed. Exceedance ofmore » a lower screening benchmark indicates that a contaminant is of concern unless other information indicates that the data are unreliable or the comparison is inappropriate. Chemicals with concentrations below the lower benchmark are not of concern if the ambient data are judged to be adequate. This report presents potential screening benchmarks for protection of aquatic life from contaminants in water. Because there is no guidance for screening benchmarks, a set of alternative benchmarks is presented herein. The alternative benchmarks are based on different conceptual approaches to estimating concentrations causing significant effects. For the upper screening benchmark, there are the acute National Ambient Water Quality Criteria (NAWQC) and the Secondary Acute Values (SAV). The SAV concentrations are values estimated with 80% confidence not to exceed the unknown acute NAWQC for those chemicals with no NAWQC. The alternative chronic benchmarks are the chronic NAWQC, the Secondary Chronic Value (SCV), the lowest chronic values for fish and daphnids, the lowest EC20 for fish and daphnids from chronic toxicity tests, the estimated EC20 for a sensitive species, and the concentration estimated to cause a 20% reduction in the recruit abundance of largemouth bass. It is recommended that ambient chemical concentrations be compared to all of these benchmarks. If NAWQC are exceeded, the chemicals must be contaminants of concern because the NAWQC are applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs). If NAWQC are not exceeded, but other benchmarks are, contaminants should be selected on the basis of the number of benchmarks exceeded and the conservatism of the particular benchmark values, as discussed in the text. To the extent that toxicity data are available, this report presents the alternative benchmarks for chemicals that have been detected on the Oak Ridge Reservation. It also presents the data used to calculate the benchmarks and the sources of the data. It compares the benchmarks and discusses their relative conservatism and utility. This report supersedes a prior aquatic benchmarks report (Suter and Mabrey 1994). It adds two new types of benchmarks. It also updates the benchmark values where appropriate, adds some new benchmark values, replaces secondary sources with primary sources, and provides more complete documentation of the sources and derivation of all values.« less

Sediment studies in the Assabet River, central Massachusetts, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Marc J.; Sorenson, Jason R.

2005-01-01

From its headwaters in Westborough, Massachusetts, to its confluence with the Sudbury River, the 53-kilometer-long Assabet River passes through a series of small towns and mixed land-use areas. Along the way, wastewater-treatment plants release nutrient-rich effluents that contribute to the eutrophic state of this waterway. This condition is most obvious where the river is impounded by a series of dams that have sequestered large amounts of sediment and support rooted and floating macrophytes and epiphytic algae. The water in parts of these impoundments may also have low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, another symptom of eutrophication. All of the impoundments had relatively shallow maximum water depths, which ranged from approximately 2.4 to 3.4 meters, and all had extensive shallow areas. Sediment volumes estimated for the six impoundments ranged from approximately 380 cubic meters in the Aluminum City impoundment to 580,000 cubic meters in the Ben Smith impoundment. The other impoundments had sediment volumes of 120,000 cubic meters (Powdermill), 67,000 cubic meters (Gleasondale), 55,000 cubic meters (Hudson), and 42,000 cubic meters (Allen Street). The principal objective of this study was the determination of sediment volume, extent, and chemistry, in particular, the characterization of toxic inorganic and organic chemicals in the sediments. To determine the bulk-sediment chemical-constituent concentrations, more than one hundred sediment cores were collected in pairs from the six impoundments. One core from each pair was sampled for inorganic constituents and the other for organic constituents. Most of the cores analyzed for inorganics were sectioned to provide information on the vertical distribution of analytes; a subset of the cores analyzed for organics was also sectioned. Approximately 200 samples were analyzed for inorganic constituents and 100 for organics; more than 10 percent were quality-control replicate or blank samples. Maximum bulk-sediment phosphorus concentrations in surface samples from the impoundments increased along a downstream gradient, with the exception of samples from the last impoundment, where the concentrations decreased. In addition, the highest phosphorus concentrations were generally in the surface samples; this finding may prove helpful if surface dredging is selected as a means to control phosphorus release from sediments. There is no known relation, however, between bulk-sediment concentration of phosphorus and the concentrations of phosphorus available to biota. Potentially toxic metals, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc were frequently measured at concentrations that exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sediment-quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and that occasionally exceeded Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection guidelines governing landfill disposal (reuse). Due to the effects of matrix interference and sample dilution on laboratory analyses, neither pesticides nor volatile organic compounds were detected at any sites. However, samples collected in other studies from nearby streams indicated the possibility that pesticides might have been detected in the impoundments if not for these analytical problems. Although polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations, as individual Aroclors, generally exceeded published U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline concentrations for potential effects on aquatic life, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline concentrations for human contact or the Massachusetts guidelines for landfill reuse were rarely exceeded. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, both individually and total, frequently were greater than guideline concentrations. Concentrations of total extractable petroleum hydrocarbons did not exceed Massachusetts guideline concentrations in any samples. When the sediment analytes from surface samples are considered togethe

A Fresh Look at Road Salt: Aquatic Toxicity and Water-Quality Impacts on Local, Regional, and National Scales

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

A new perspective on the severity of aquatic toxicity impact of road salt was gained by a focused research effort directed at winter runoff periods. Dramatic impacts were observed on local, regional, and national scales. Locally, samples from 7 of 13 Milwaukee, Wisconsin area streams exhibited toxicity in Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas bioassays during road-salt runoff. Another Milwaukee stream was sampled from 1996 to 2008 with 72% of 37 samples exhibiting toxicity in chronic bioassays and 43% in acute bioassays. The maximum chloride concentration was 7730 mg/L. Regionally, in southeast Wisconsin, continuous specific conductance was monitored as a chloride surrogate in 11 watersheds with urban land use from 6.0 to 100%. Elevated specific conductance was observed between November and April at all sites, with continuing effects between May and October at sites with the highest specific conductance. Specific conductance was measured as high as 30 800 μS/cm (Cl = 11 200 mg/L). Chloride concentrations exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) acute (860 mg/L) and chronic (230 mg/L) water-quality criteria at 55 and 100% of monitored sites, respectively. Nationally, U.S. Geological Survey historical data were examined for 13 northern and 4 southern metropolitan areas. Chloride concentrations exceeded USEPA water-quality criteria at 55% (chronic) and 25% (acute) of the 168 monitoring locations in northern metropolitan areas from November to April. Only 16% (chronic) and 1% (acute) of sites exceeded criteria from May to October. At southern sites, very few samples exceeded chronic water-quality criteria, and no samples exceeded acute criteria. PMID:20806974

A fresh look at road salt: Aquatic toxicity and water-quality impacts on local, regional, and national scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corsi, S.R.; Graczyk, D.J.; Geis, S.W.; Booth, N.L.; Richards, K.D.

2010-01-01

A new perspective on the severity of aquatic toxicity impact of road salt was gained by a focused research effort directed at winter runoff periods. Dramatic impacts were observed on local, regional, and national scales. Locally, samples from 7 of 13 Milwaukee, Wisconsin area streams exhibited toxicity in Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas bioassays during road-salt runoff. Another Milwaukee stream was sampled from 1996 to 2008 with 72% of 37 samples exhibiting toxicity in chronic bioassays and 43% in acute bioassays. The maximum chloride concentration was 7730 mg/L. Regionally, in southeast Wisconsin, continuous specific conductance was monitored as a chloride surrogate in 11 watersheds with urban land use from 6.0 to 100%. Elevated specific conductance was observed between November and April at all sites, with continuing effects between May and October at sites with the highest specific conductance. Specific conductance was measured as high as 30 800 ??S/cm (Cl = 11 200 mg/L). Chloride concentrations exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) acute (860 mg/L) and chronic (230 mg/L) water-quality criteria at 55 and 100% of monitored sites, respectively. Nationally, U.S. Geological Survey historical data were examined for 13 northern and 4 southern metropolitan areas. Chloride concentrations exceeded USEPA water-quality criteria at 55% (chronic) and 25% (acute) of the 168 monitoring locations in northern metropolitan areas from November to April. Only 16% (chronic) and 1% (acute) of sites exceeded criteria from May to October. At southern sites, very few samples exceeded chronic water-quality criteria, and no samples exceeded acute criteria. ?? 2010 American Chemical Society.

Continuous real-time water-quality monitoring and regression analysis to compute constituent concentrations and loads in the North Fork Ninnescah River upstream from Cheney Reservoir, south-central Kansas, 1999–2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Mandy L.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Gatotho, Jackline W.

2013-01-01

Cheney Reservoir, located in south-central Kansas, is the primary water supply for the city of Wichita. The U.S. Geological Survey has operated a continuous real-time water-quality monitoring station since 1998 on the North Fork Ninnescah River, the main source of inflow to Cheney Reservoir. Continuously measured water-quality physical properties include streamflow, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. Discrete water-quality samples were collected during 1999 through 2009 and analyzed for sediment, nutrients, bacteria, and other water-quality constituents. Regression models were developed to establish relations between discretely sampled constituent concentrations and continuously measured physical properties to compute concentrations of those constituents of interest that are not easily measured in real time because of limitations in sensor technology and fiscal constraints. Regression models were published in 2006 that were based on data collected during 1997 through 2003. This report updates those models using discrete and continuous data collected during January 1999 through December 2009. Models also were developed for four new constituents, including additional nutrient species and indicator bacteria. In addition, a conversion factor of 0.68 was established to convert the Yellow Springs Instruments (YSI) model 6026 turbidity sensor measurements to the newer YSI model 6136 sensor at the North Ninnescah River upstream from Cheney Reservoir site. Newly developed models and 14 years of hourly continuously measured data were used to calculate selected constituent concentrations and loads during January 1999 through December 2012. The water-quality information in this report is important to the city of Wichita because it allows the concentrations of many potential pollutants of interest to Cheney Reservoir, including nutrients and sediment, to be estimated in real time and characterized over conditions and time scales that would not be possible otherwise. In general, model forms and the amount of variance explained by the models was similar between the original and updated models. The amount of variance explained by the updated models changed by 10 percent or less relative to the original models. Total nitrogen, nitrate, organic nitrogen, E. coli bacteria, and total organic carbon models were newly developed for this report. Additional data collection over a wider range of hydrological conditions facilitated the development of these models. The nitrate model is particularly important because it allows for comparison to Cheney Reservoir Task Force goals. Mean hourly computed total suspended solids concentration during 1999 through 2012 was 54 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The total suspended solids load during 1999 through 2012 was 174,031 tons. On an average annual basis, the Cheney Reservoir Task Force runoff (550 mg/L) and long-term (100 mg/L) total suspended solids goals were never exceeded, but the base flow goal was exceeded every year during 1999 through 2012. Mean hourly computed nitrate concentration was 1.08 mg/L during 1999 through 2012. The total nitrate load during 1999 through 2012 was 1,361 tons. On an annual average basis, the Cheney Reservoir Task Force runoff (6.60 mg/L) nitrate goal was never exceeded, the long-term goal (1.20 mg/L) was exceeded only in 2012, and the base flow goal of 0.25 mg/L was exceeded every year. Mean nitrate concentrations that were higher during base flow, rather than during runoff conditions, suggest that groundwater sources are the main contributors of nitrate to the North Fork Ninnescah River above Cheney Reservoir. Mean hourly computed phosphorus concentration was 0.14 mg/L during 1999 through 2012. The total phosphorus load during 1999 through 2012 was 328 tons. On an average annual basis, the Cheney Reservoir Task Force runoff goal of 0.40 mg/L for total phosphorus was exceeded in 2002, the year with the largest yearly mean turbidity, and the long-term goal (0.10 mg/L) was exceeded in every year except 2011 and 2012, the years with the smallest mean streamflows. The total phosphorus base flow goal of 0.05 mg/L was exceeded every year. Given that base flow goals for total suspended solids, nitrate, and total phosphorus were exceeded every year despite hydrologic conditions, the established base flow goals are either unattainable or substantially more best management practices will need to be implemented to attain them. On an annual average basis, no discernible patterns were evident in total suspended sediment, nitrate, and total phosphorus concentrations or loads over time, in large part because of hydrologic variability. However, more rigorous statistical analyses are required to evaluate temporal trends. A more rigorous analysis of temporal trends will allow evaluation of watershed investments in best management practices.

Machine-related backgrounds in the SiD detector at ILC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denisov, D. S.; Mokhov, N. V.; Striganov, S. I.; Kostin, M. A.; Tropin, I. S.

2006-12-01

With a multi-stage collimation system and magnetic iron spoilers in the tunnel, the background particle fluxes on the ILC detector can be substantially reduced. At the same time, beam-halo interactions with collimators and protective masks in the beam delivery system create fluxes of muons and other secondary particles which can still exceed the tolerable levels for some of the ILC sub-detectors. Results of modeling of such backgrounds in comparison to those from the e+e- interactions are presented in this paper for the SiD detector.

A Complete Analytical Screening Identifies the Real Pesticide Contamination of Surface Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moschet, Christoph; Wittmer, Irene; Simovic, Jelena; Junghans, Marion; Singer, Heinz; Stamm, Christian; Leu, Christian; Hollender, Juliane

2014-05-01

A comprehensive assessment of pesticides in surface waters is challenging due to the large number of potential contaminants. In Switzerland for example, roughly 500 active ingredients are registered as either plant protection agent (PPA) or as biocide. In addition, an unlimited number of transformations products (TPs) can enter or be formed in surfaced waters. Most scientific publications or regulatory monitoring authorities have implemented 15-40 pesticides in their analytics. Only a few TPs are normally included. Interpretations of the surface water quality based on these subsets remains error prone. In the presented study, we carried out a nearly complete analytical screening covering 86% of all polar organic pesticides (from agricultural and urban sources) in Switzerland (300 substances) and 134 TPs with limits of quantification in the low ng/L range. The comprehensive pesticide screening was conducted by liquid-chromatography coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Five medium-sized rivers (Strahler stream order 3-4, catchment size 35-105 km2), containing high percentiles of diverse crops, orchards and urban settlements in their catchments, were sampled from March till July 2012. Nine subsequent time-proportional bi-weekly composite samples were taken in order to quantify average concentrations. In total, 104 different active ingredients could be detected in at least one of the five rivers. Thereby, 82 substances were only registered as PPA, 20 were registered as PPA and as biocide and 2 were only registered as biocide. Within the PPAs, herbicides had the most frequent detections and the highest concentrations, followed by fungicides and insecticides. Most concentrations were found between 1 and 50 ng/L; however 31 substances (mainly herbicides) had concentrations above 100 ng/L and 3 herbicides above 1000 ng/L. It has to be noted that the measured concentrations are average concentrations over two weeks in medium sized streams and that maximum concentrations, especially in smaller streams, can be much higher. In each sample, between 30-50 pesticides were detected and the concentration sum of all active ingredients exceeded 1000 ng/L in 78% of the samples. Forty of the 134 investigated TPs could be detected in all the five rivers. As for the active ingredients, herbicide TPs dominated the detection frequency and the concentration range. Twelve TPs exceeded 100 ng/L in at least one sample. Between 15 and 25 TPs were detected in each sample, and 35% of all samples had a concentration sum of more than 1000 ng/L. The comparison of the measured concentrations of the parent compounds with chronic environmental quality standards (AA-EQS), revealed that 70% of all surface water samples exceeded at least one of them; in some samples up to seven AA-EQS exceedances were observed. In total, 19 substances (mainly herbicides and insecticides) exceeded critical concentrations in at least one sample. The conducted study showed that the investigated medium-sized rivers were exposed to a large number of pesticides and TPs over the whole sampling period. For a correct assessment of the surface water quality, it is therefore crucial to measure as many pesticides as possible in order to get the real contamination of pesticides in surface waters.

Factors affecting occurrence and distribution of selected contaminants in ground water from selected areas in the Piedmont Aquifer System, Eastern United States, 1993-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindsey, Bruce D.; Falls, W. Fred; Ferrari, Matthew J.; Zimmerman, Tammy M.; Harned, Douglas A.; Sadorf, Eric M.; Chapman, Melinda J.

2006-01-01

Results of ground-water sampling from 255 wells and 19 springs in 11 studies done by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program within the Piedmont Aquifer System (PAS) were analyzed to determine the factors affecting occurrence and distribution of selected contaminants. The contaminants, which were selected on the basis of potential human-health effects, included nitrate, pesticides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and radon.The PAS was subdivided on the basis of the general rock type of the aquifers into three areas for the study—crystalline, carbonate, and siliciclastic. The 11 studies were designed to areally represent an individual aquifer rock type and overall are representative of the PAS in their distribution; 7 studies are in the crystalline-rock aquifers, 3 studies are in the siliciclasticrock aquifers, and 1 study is in the carbonate-rock aquifers. Four of the studies were focused on land use, 1 in an agricultural area and 3 in urban areas. The remaining studies had wells representing a range of land-use types.Analysis of results of nitrate sampling indicated that in 8 of the 10 areas where nitrate concentrations were measured, median concentrations of nitrate were below 3 mg/L (milligrams per liter); 2 of the 10 areas had statistically significant higher median concentrations when compared to the other 8 areas. The agricultural land-use study in the carbonate-rock aquifer in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin had the highest median nitrate concentration (11 mg/L), and 60 percent of the wells sampled exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 mg/L. The major aquifer study in the crystalline-rock aquifer of the Lower Susquehanna River Basin Study Unit had the second-highest median nitrate concentration. Nitrate concentrations were positively correlated to the percentage of agricultural land use around the well, the total input of nitrogen from all sources, dissolved oxygen concentration, lithology, depth to water, and soil-matrix characteristics. A linear regression model was used to determine that increases in the percentage of agricultural land use, the input of nitrogen from all sources, and dissolved oxygen were the most significant variables affecting increased concentration of nitrate. A logistic regression model was used to determine that those same factors were the most significant variables affecting whether or not the nitrate concentration would exceed 4 mg/L.Of the analysis of samples from 253 wells and 19 springs for 47 pesticides, no sample had a pesticide concentration that exceeded any USEPA MCL. The most frequently detected pesticide was desethyl atrazine, a degradation product of atrazine; the detection frequency was 47 percent. Other frequently detected pesticides included atrazine, metolachlor, simazine, alachlor, prometon, and dieldrin. Detection frequency was affected by the analytical reporting limits; the frequency of detection was somewhat lower when all pesticides were censored to the highest common detection limit. Source factors such as agricultural land use (for agricultural herbicides), urban land use (for insecticides), and the application rate were found to have positive statistical correlations with pesticide concentration. Transport factors such as depth to water and percentage of well-drained soils, sand, or silt typically were positively correlated with higher pesticide concentrations.Sampling for VOCs was conducted in 187 wells and 19 springs that were sampled for 59 VOCs. There were 137 detections of VOCs above the common censoring limit of 0.2 µg/L. The most frequently detected VOCs were chloroform, a trihalomethane, and methyl-tert butyl ether (MTBE), a fuel oxygenate. Seventy-nine wells had at least one VOC detected. The detections were related to land use and well depth. Kendall’s tau correlations indicated a significant positive correlation between chloroform concentration and urban land use, leaking underground storage tanks, population density, and well depth. MTBE concentrations also were positively correlated to urban land use, leaking underground storage tanks, population density, and well depth.Radon was sampled at 205 sites. The subdivisions used for analysis of other contaminants were not adequate for analysis of radon because radon varies on the basis of variations in mineralogy that are not reflected by the general lithologic categories used for the rest of the studies. Concentrations of radon were highest in areas where the crystalline-rock aquifers had felsic mineralogy, and the lowest concentrations of radon were in areas where the crystalline-rocks aquifer had mafic mineralogy. Water from wells in siliciclastic-rock aquifers had concentrations of radon lower than that in the felsic crystalline-rock aquifers. More than 90 percent of the wells sampled for radon exceeded the proposed MCL of 300 pCi/L (picoCuries per liter); however, only 13 percent of those wells had concentrations in water that exceeded the alternative maximum contaminant level (AMCL), a higher level that can be used by municipalities addressing other sources of radon exposure.Overall, concentrations of constituents were related to land-use factors for nitrate, pesticides, VOCs, and to aquifer lithology for radon. None of the 47 pesticides or 59 VOCs analyzed exceeded the MCLs where those constituents were sampled. Concentrations exceeded the MCL for nitrate in 11 percent of the wells sampled. Nearly 91 percent of the wells sampled exceeded the proposed MCL for radon. Additional sampling in selected areas would improve overall understanding of the PAS and increase the possibility of creating predictive models of ground-water quality in this area.

Observational Studies and a Statistical Early Warning of Surface Ozone Pollution in Tangshan, the Largest Heavy Industry City of North China

PubMed Central

Li, Pei; Xin, Jinyuan; Bai, Xiaoping; Wang, Yuesi; Wang, Shigong; Liu, Shixi; Feng, Xiaoxin

2013-01-01

Continuous measurements of surface ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) at an urban site (39°37′N, 118°09′E) in Tangshan, the largest heavy industry city of North China during summertime from 2008 to 2011 are presented. The pollution of O3 was serious in the city. The daily maximum 1 h means (O3_1-hr max) reached 157 ± 55, 161 ± 54, 120 ± 50, and 178 ± 75 μg/m3 corresponding to an excess over the standard rates of 21%, 27%, 10%, and 40% in 2008–2011, respectively. The total oxidant level (OX = O3 + NO2) was high, with seasonal average concentrations up to 100 μg/m3 in summer. The level of OX at a given location was made up of NOX-independent and NOX-dependent contributions. The independent part can be considered as a regional contribution and was about 100 μg/m3 in Tangshan. Statistical early warning analysis revealed that the O3 levels would exceed the standard rate by 50% on the day following a day when the daily average ozone concentration (O3_mean) exceeded 87 μg/m3 and the daily maximum temperature (T_max) exceeded 29 °C. The exceed-standard rate would reach 80% when O3_mean and T_max exceeded 113 μg/m3 and 31 °C. Similarly, the exceed-standard rate would reach 100% when O3_mean and T_max exceeded 127 μg/m3 and 33 °C, respectively. PMID:23485953

Distribution of fluoride in ground water of West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathes, M.V.; Waldron, M.C.

1993-01-01

This report describes the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, to evaluate the distribution of fluoride in ground water of West Virginia. Fluoride is a natural chemical constituent in domestic and public water supplies in West Virginia. Fluoride concentrations of about 1.0 milligram per liter in drinking water are beneficial to dental health. Concentrations greater than 2.0 milligrams per liter, however, could harm teeth and bones. Fluoride concentra- tions in ground water of West Virginia range from less than 0.1 to 12 milligrams per liter. Fluoride concentrations that exceed 2.0 milligrams per liter are found in wells drilled to all depths, wells drilled in all topographic settings, and wells drilled into most geologic units. Most fluoride concentrations that exceed 2.0 milligrams per liter are located at sites clustered in the northwestern part of the State.

Aerosol particle and organic vapor concentrations at industrial work sites in Malaysia.

PubMed

Armstrong, R W; Rood, M J; Sani, S; Mohamed, M; Rashid, M; Jab, A T; Landsberger, S

2001-01-01

The objective of this study was to establish baseline data about air pollutants potentially related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Federal Territory and Selangor, Malaysia. During 1991-1993, ambient air quality was monitored at 42 work sites representing ten industrial sectors: adhesive manufacturing, foundries, latex processing, metalworking, plywood/veneer milling, ricemilling, rubber tire manufacturing, sawmilling, shoemaking, and textile related industries. At each work site, aerosol particle size distributions and concentrations of formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, and furfural were measured. Mean aerosol particle concentrations ranged from 61 micrograms/m3 in foundries to 5,578 micrograms/m3 in ricemills, with five industries (adhesives, metalworking, ricemilling, sawmilling, and shoemaking) exceeding the US EPA 24-hr ambient air standard for PM-10. Formaldehyde concentrations exceeded the threshold limit value (TLV) in adhesives factories. Other vapours and elements measured were well below TLVs.

Epiphytic lichenosynusia under conditions of chemical pollution: Dose-effect dependencies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mikhailova, I.N.; Vorobeichik, E.L.

1995-11-01

The dose-effect dependencies, which characterize response of the epiphytic lichenosynusia of southern taiga in the Middle Urals to pollution by discharges of a copper-smelting plant, are substantially non-linear and, in most cases, have an S-shaped form. A transition from background to impact state is very sharp and begins when the background level of pollution is exceeded by 1.5 - 2.3 times.

Limnological Conditions and Occurrence of Taste-and-Odor Compounds in Lake William C. Bowen and Municipal Reservoir #1, Spartanburg County, South Carolina, 2006-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Journey, Celeste A.; Arrington, Jane M.; Beaulieu, Karen M.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Bradley, Paul M.

2011-01-01

Limnological conditions and the occurrence of taste-and-odor compounds were studied in two reservoirs in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, from May 2006 to June 2009. Lake William C. Bowen and Municipal Reservoir #1 are relatively shallow, meso-eutrophic, warm monomictic, cascading impoundments on the South Pacolet River. Overall, water-quality conditions and phytoplankton community assemblages were similar between the two reservoirs but differed seasonally. Median dissolved geosmin concentrations in the reservoirs ranged from 0.004 to 0.006 microgram per liter. Annual maximum dissolved geosmin concentrations tended to occur between March and May. In this study, peak dissolved geosmin production occurred in April and May 2008, ranging from 0.050 to 0.100 microgram per liter at the deeper reservoir sites. Peak dissolved geosmin production was not concurrent with maximum cyanobacterial biovolumes, which tended to occur in the summer (July to August), but was concurrent with a peak in the fraction of genera with known geosmin-producing strains in the cyanobacteria group. Nonetheless, annual maximum cyanobacterial biovolumes rarely resulted in cyanobacteria dominance of the phytoplankton community. In both reservoirs, elevated dissolved geosmin concentrations were correlated to environmental factors indicative of unstratified conditions and reduced algal productivity, but not to nutrient concentrations or ratios. With respect to potential geosmin sources, elevated geosmin concentrations were correlated to greater fractions of genera with known geosmin-producing strains in the cyanobacteria group and to biovolumes of a specific geosmin-producing cyanobacteria genus (Oscillatoria), but not to actinomycetes concentrations. Conversely, environmental factors that correlated with elevated cyanobacterial biovolumes were indicative of stable water columns (stratified conditions), warm water temperatures, reduced nitrogen concentrations, longer residence times, and high phosphorus concentrations in the hypolimnion. Biovolumes of Cylindrospermopsis, Planktolyngbya, Synechococcus, Synechocystis, and Aphanizomenon correlated with the greater cyanobacteria biovolumes and were the dominant taxa in the cyanobacteria group. Related environmental variables were selected as input into multiple logistic regression models to evaluate the likelihood that geosmin concentrations could exceed the threshold level for human detection. In Lake William C. Bowen, the likelihood that dissolved geosmin concentrations exceeded the human detection threshold was estimated by greater mixing zone depths and differences in the 30-day prior moving window averages of overflow and flowthrough at Lake Bowen dam and by lower total nitrogen concentrations. At the R.B. Simms Water Treatment Plant, the likelihood that total geosmin concentrations in the raw water exceeded the human detection threshold was estimated by greater outflow from Reservoir #1 and lower concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Overall, both models indicated greater likelihood that geosmin could exceed the human detection threshold during periods of lower nitrogen concentrations and greater water movement in the reservoirs.

Occurrence and Distribution of Mercury in the SurficialAquifer, Long Neck Peninsula, Sussex County, Delaware, 2003-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koterba, Michael T.; Andres, A. Scott; Vrabel, Joseph; Crilley, Dianna M.; Szabo, Zoltan; DeWild, John F.; Aiken, George R.; Reyes-Padro, Betzaida

2006-01-01

In January 2001, mercury (Hg) was detected (500 nanograms per liter, ng/L, or greater) in the distribution system of the Long Neck Water Company (LNWC), Pot Nets, Delaware. By April 2001, two LNWC production wells had been taken off-line because discharge concentrations of total mercury (HgT) either had exceeded or approached the Federal limit of 2,000 ng/L. From October 2003 through January 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey, Delaware Geological Survey, and Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control conducted a cooperative study to (a) determine if the Hg contamination was widespread, (b) identify possible forms of Hg in ground water, and (c) examine Hg occurrence in relation to (geo)chemical conditions and characteristics of ground water and sediment in the surficial aquifer on the Long Neck Peninsula, Sussex County, Delaware. An initial water-quality survey conducted with samples from 22 production wells revealed that concentrations of HgT in ground water in the surficial aquifer ranged from 0.11 to 1,820 ng/L. Shallow ground water (less than 120 feet below land surface) throughout most of the peninsula, including that which contained elevated concentrations of HgT (exceeding 100 ng/L), appeared to be affected by human activities. All samples contained volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and elevated nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N, exceeding 0.4 milligrams per liter, mg/L). Most (16 of 22) samples had elevated specific conductance (SC, in excess of 100 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius). Elevated concentrations of HgT, however, only occurred in five production wells in the Pot Nets Bayside and Lakeside communities. The vertical distribution of HgT in shallow ground water (less than 80 feet below land surface) was determined with samples collected at 5 to 6 vertical-nest short-screened (2 - 5-foot length) monitoring wells installed near Bayside and Lakeside production wells with the highest HgT concentrations (exceeding 1,000 ng/L). Elevated concentrations ofHgT (100-6,380 ng/L) occurred in the shallow aquifer near each well at different depths. Chemical analyses of selected soil, fill, and aquifer sediment samples, obtained during the installation of nested wells, indicated that little HgT occurred in soil or fill at either site (40 micrograms per kilogram, ?g/kg, or less). No HgT was detected (less than 20 ?g/kg) in aquifer sediment samples. These low HgT concentrations imply that neither the soil, fill, nor aquifer sediment was a likely source of the elevated Hg in ground water. Given Hg occurrence appeared to be a ground-water transport phenomenon, the forms of Hg in transport were investigated. Differences in HgT concentrations between raw and filtered (0.1- and (or) 0.4-absolute micrometer pore size) samples from nested wells were random in sign and similar in magnitude to the variability in measuring HgT attributed to field and laboratory methods (? 5-10 percent, for HgT concentrations exceeding 100 ng/L). Thus, Hg transport likely occurred in a dissolved or fine-colloidal nonparticulate phase. Methyl mercury (HgMe) only was detected at low concentrations (0.06 ng/L or less) in nested-well samples with low to moderate concentrations of HgT (less than 366 ng/L). Whether HgMe occurred at similar concentrations in samples with high HgT concentrations was unresolved due to a sample-matrix interference problem. Potential complex forms of Hg were investigated in relation to the occurrence of selected ligands (organic carbon, sulfide, and chloride concentrations) and geochemical conditions (for example, pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations). Only dissolved organic carbon (DOC) appeared directly related to Hg occurrence. Elevated concentrations of HgT and DOC co-occurred in ground water at both Pot Nets sites. The average concentration of DOC was about four times greater in samples from the Pot Nets wells with the highest HgT concentrations (exceeding 1,000 ng/L) than in most Pot Nets o

Sedimentation in Goose Pasture Tarn, 1965-2005, Breckenridge, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, John G.; Char, Stephen J.; Linhart, Samuel M.; Stephens, V. Cory; O'Neill, Gregory B.

2006-01-01

Goose Pasture Tarn, a 771-acre-foot reservoir in Summit County, Colorado, is the principal domestic water-storage facility for the Town of Breckenridge and collects runoff from approximately 42 square miles of the upper Blue River watershed. In the 40 years since the reservoir was constructed, deltaic deposits have accumulated at the mouths of two perennial streams that provide most of the inflow and sediment to the reservoir. The Blue River is a low-gradient braided channel and transports gravel- to silt-size sediment. Indiana Creek is a steep-gradient channel that transports boulder- to silt-size sediment. Both deltas are composed predominantly of gravel, sand, and silt, but silt has been deposited throughout the reservoir. In 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Town of Breckenridge, began a study to determine the volume of accumulated sediment in Goose Pasture Tarn, the long-term sedimentation rate for the reservoir, and the particle-size and chemical characteristics of the sediment. Exposed delta deposits occupied 0.91 acre and had an estimated volume of 0.6 acre-foot in 2005. Aerial photographic analysis indicated both the Blue River and Indiana Creek deltas grew rapidly during time intervals that included larger-than-average annual flood peaks on the Blue River. Sediment-transport relations could not be developed for the Blue River or Indiana Creek because of minimal streamflow and infrequently observed sediment transport during the study; however, suspended-sediment loads ranged from 0.02 to 1.60 tons per day in the Blue River and from 0.06 to 1.55 tons per day in Indiana Creek. Bedload as a percentage of total load ranged from 9 to 27 percent. New reservoir stage-area and stage-capacity relations were developed from bathymetric and topographic surveys of the reservoir bed. The original 1965 reservoir bed topography and the accumulated sediment thickness were estimated from a seismic survey and manual probing. The surface area of Goose Pasture Tarn in 2005 was 66.4 acres, and the reservoir capacity was 771.1 acre-feet at a full-pool elevation of 9,886.4 feet. The 1965 surface area was 67.1 acres, and the reservoir capacity was 818.0 acre-feet, indicating that the reservoir surface area has decreased by 0.7 acre, or about 1.1 percent, and the reservoir capacity has decreased by 46.9 acre-feet, or about 5.7 percent over a 40-year period. Sediment thickness determined with seismic profiling ranged from 0 to 4.0 feet and averaged 0.7 foot, with lesser thicknesses in the deeper parts of the reservoir and greater thicknesses near the deltas. Probe-determined sediment thickness ranged from 1.0 to 4.4 feet and averaged 2.8 feet near the Blue River delta and ranged from 0.3 to 6.0 feet and averaged 3.6 feet near the Indiana Creek delta. Approximately 47.5 acre-feet of sediment has accumulated in Goose Pasture Tarn and in the Blue River and Indiana Creek deltas, or an average of 1.19 acre-feet per year. Sediment cores from several locations in the reservoir showed stratification, which is indicative of different depositional dates or mechanisms. Metal and trace-constituent levels from the cores were compared with three standards. Silver, cadmium, europium, lead, and zinc were present in greater concentrations than Southern Rocky Mountain background levels in four sediment cores, and cadmium, lead, and zinc levels also were equal to or exceeded the Threshold Effect Concentration standards. Lead exceeded the Probable Effect Concentration standard in silt from the Blue River delta and deep water near the north shore. Tin was present in greater concentrations than Southern Rocky Mountain background levels in deep water near the east shore, and chromium and copper levels were equal to or exceeded the Threshold Effect Concentration standards in these cores.

Variability of mercury concentrations in domestic well water, New Jersey Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szabo, Zoltan; Barringer, Julia L.; Jacobsen, Eric; Smith, Nicholas P; Gallagher, Robert A; Sites, Andrew

2010-01-01

Concentrations of total (unfiltered) mercury (Hg) exceed the Maximum Contaminant Level (2 µg/L) in the acidic water withdrawn by more than 700 domestic wells from the areally extensive unconfined Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system. Background concentrations of Hg generally are <0.01 µg/L. The source of the Hg contamination has been hypothesized to arise from Hg of pesticide-application, atmospheric, and geologic origin being mobilized by some component(s) of septic-system effluent or urban leachates in unsewered residential areas. Initial results at many affected wells were not reproducible upon later resampling despite rigorous quality assurance, prompting concerns that duration of well flushing could affect the Hg concentrations. A cooperative study by the U.S. Geological Survey and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection examined variability in Hg results during the flushing of domestic wells. Samples were collected at regular intervals (about 10 minutes) during flushing for eight domestic wells, until stabilization criteria was met for field-measured parameters; the Hg concentrations in the final samples ranged from about 0.0005 to 11 µg/L. Unfiltered Hg concentrations in samples collected during purging varied slightly, but particulate Hg concentration (unfiltered – filtered (0.45 micron capsule) concentration) typically was highly variable for each well, with no consistent pattern of increase or decrease in concentration. Surges of particulates probably were associated with pump cycling. Pre-pumping samples from the holding tanks generally had the lowest Hg concentrations among the samples collected at the well that day. Comparing the newly obtained results at each well to results from previous sampling indicated that Hg concentrations in water from the Hg-contaminated areas were generally greater among samples collected on different dates (long-term variations, months to years) than among samples collected on the same day (short-term variations, minutes to hours). The long-term variations likely are caused by changes in local pumping regimes and time-varying capture of slugs of Hg-contaminated water moving on flowpaths.

Air radon concentration decrease in a waste water treatment plant.

PubMed

Juste, B; Ortiz, J; Verdú, G; Martorell, S

2015-06-01

(222)Rn is a naturally occurring gas created from the decay of (226)Ra. The long-term health risk of breathing radon is lung cancer. One particular place where indoor radon concentrations can exceed national guidelines is in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) where treatment processes may contribute to ambient airborne concentrations. The aim of this paper was to study the radon concentration decrease after the application of corrective measures in a Spanish WWTP. According to first measures, air radon concentration exceeded International Commission Radiologica1 Protection (ICRP) normative (recommends intervention between 400 and 1000 Bq m(-3)). Therefore, the WWTP improved mechanical forced ventilation to lower occupational exposure. This measure allowed to increase the administrative controls, since the limitation of workers access to the plant changed from 2 h d(-1) (considering a maximum permissible dose of 20 mSv y(-1) averaged over 5 y) to 7 h d(-1). © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Statistical analysis of PM₁₀ concentrations at different locations in Malaysia.

PubMed

Sansuddin, Nurulilyana; Ramli, Nor Azam; Yahaya, Ahmad Shukri; Yusof, Noor Faizah Fitri Md; Ghazali, Nurul Adyani; Madhoun, Wesam Ahmed Al

2011-09-01

Malaysia has experienced several haze events since the 1980s as a consequence of the transboundary movement of air pollutants emitted from forest fires and open burning activities. Hazy episodes can result from local activities and be categorized as "localized haze". General probability distributions (i.e., gamma and log-normal) were chosen to analyze the PM(10) concentrations data at two different types of locations in Malaysia: industrial (Johor Bahru and Nilai) and residential (Kota Kinabalu and Kuantan). These areas were chosen based on their frequently high PM(10) concentration readings. The best models representing the areas were chosen based on their performance indicator values. The best distributions provided the probability of exceedances and the return period between the actual and predicted concentrations based on the threshold limit given by the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Guidelines (24-h average of 150 μg/m(3)) for PM(10) concentrations. The short-term prediction for PM(10) exceedances in 14 days was obtained using the autoregressive model.

Metal/metalloid content in plant parts and soils of Corylus spp. influenced by mining-metallurgical production of copper.

PubMed

Radojevic, Ana A; Serbula, Snezana M; Kalinovic, Tanja S; Kalinovic, Jelena V; Steharnik, Mirjana M; Petrovic, Jelena V; Milosavljevic, Jelena S

2017-04-01

The town of Bor and its surroundings (Serbia) have been under environmental pollution for more than a century, due to exploitation of large copper deposits. Naturally present Corylus spp. were sampled in the surroundings of the mine and flotation tailings at 12 sites distributed in six zones with different pollution loads, under the assumption that all the zones were endangered except for the background. As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn inputs from soil and the air were evaluated in plant parts, in terms of absorption, accumulation and indication abilities of Corylus spp. The obtained results showed that As and Cu were the most enriched elements in soil, and their concentration exceeded the limit and remediation values proposed by the regulation. Plant parts (root, branch, leaf and catkin) also showed enrichment of most studied elements in wide ranges. According to the enrichment factor for plant, metal/metalloid inputs, particularly in leaves, were from anthropogenic origin. Plant absorption which occurred at the soil-root interface was low, based on the bioaccumulation factor, which could be indicative of resistance mechanisms of root to abiotic stress induced by a high content of elements in soil substrate. The values of bioaccumulation coefficient suggested weak and intermediate absorption and exclusion abilities of Corylus spp. to the studied elements. Element concentrations differ in unwashed and washed leaves, as well as pollution loads in plant and soil samples from the background, traffic and the sites with clear mining-metallurgical influence. Therefore, Corylus spp. could be promising in biomonitoring studies.

A chemical status predictor. A methodology based on World-Wide sediment samples.

PubMed

Gredilla, A; Fdez-Ortiz de Vallejuelo, S; de Diego, A; Arana, G; Stoichev, T; Amigo, J M; Wasserman, J C; Botello, A V; Sarkar, S K; Schäfer, J; Moreno, C; Guardia, M de la; Madariaga, J M

2015-09-15

As a consequence of the limited resources of underdeveloped countries and the limited interest of the developed ones, the assessment of the chemical quality of entire water bodies around the world is a utopia in the near future. The methodology described here may serve as a first approach for the fast identification of water bodies that do not meet the good chemical status demanded by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). It also allows estimating the natural background (or reference values of concentration) of the areas under study using a simple criterion. The starting point is the calculation the World-Wide Natural Background Levels (WWNBLs) and World-Wide Threshold Values (WWTVs), two indexes that depend on the concentration of seven elements present in sediments. These elements, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn, have been selected taking into account the recommendations of the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), that describe them as elements of concern with respect to environmental toxicity. The methodology has been exemplified in a case study that includes 134 sediment samples collected in 11 transitional water bodies from 7 different countries and 4 different continents. Six of the water bodies considered met the good chemical status demanded by the WFD. The rest of them exceeded the reference WWTVs, at least for one of the elements. The estuaries of the Nerbioi-Ibaizabal (Basque Country) and Cavado (Portugal), the sea inlet of Río San Pedro (Spain), the Sepetiba Bay (Brazil) and the Yucateco lagoon (Mexico) belong to that group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emissions of Methane and Other Hydrocarbons Due to Wellbore Leaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyman, S. N.; Mansfield, M. L.

2013-12-01

The explosive growth of oil and gas production in the United States has focused public and regulatory attention on environmental impacts of hydrocarbon extraction, including air quality and climate impacts. However, EPA and others have acknowledged that current air emissions factors and inventories for many oil and gas-related source categories are inadequate or lacking entirely. One potentially important emissions source is leakage of natural gas from wellbores. This phenomenon has long been recognized to occur, but no attempt has been made to quantify emission rates of gas leaked from wellbores to the atmosphere. Soil gas measurements carried out by USGS over the last several years in Utah's oil and gas fields have shown that, while concentrations of methane in soils near many wells are low, soil gas near some wells can contain more than 10% methane, indicating that underground leakage is occurring. In summer 2013 we carried out a campaign to measure the emission rate of methane and other hydrocarbons from soils near wells in two oil and gas fields in Utah. We measured emissions from several locations on some well pads to determine the change in emission rate with distance from well heads, and we measured at non-well sites in the same fields to determine background emission rates. Methane emission rates at some wells exceeded 3 g m-2 h-1, while emission rates at other wells were similar to background levels, and a correlation was observed between soil gas methane concentrations and methane emission rates from the soil. We used these data to estimate total methane and hydrocarbon emission rates from these two fields.

Estimating historical atmospheric mercury concentrations from silver mining and their legacies in present-day surface soil in Potosí, Bolivia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagan, Nicole; Robins, Nicholas; Hsu-Kim, Heileen; Halabi, Susan; Morris, Mark; Woodall, George; Zhang, Tong; Bacon, Allan; Richter, Daniel De B.; Vandenberg, John

2011-12-01

Detailed Spanish records of mercury use and silver production during the colonial period in Potosí, Bolivia were evaluated to estimate atmospheric emissions of mercury from silver smelting. Mercury was used in the silver production process in Potosí and nearly 32,000 metric tons of mercury were released to the environment. AERMOD was used in combination with the estimated emissions to approximate historical air concentrations of mercury from colonial mining operations during 1715, a year of relatively low silver production. Source characteristics were selected from archival documents, colonial maps and images of silver smelters in Potosí and a base case of input parameters was selected. Input parameters were varied to understand the sensitivity of the model to each parameter. Modeled maximum 1-h concentrations were most sensitive to stack height and diameter, whereas an index of community exposure was relatively insensitive to uncertainty in input parameters. Modeled 1-h and long-term concentrations were compared to inhalation reference values for elemental mercury vapor. Estimated 1-h maximum concentrations within 500 m of the silver smelters consistently exceeded present-day occupational inhalation reference values. Additionally, the entire community was estimated to have been exposed to levels of mercury vapor that exceed present-day acute inhalation reference values for the general public. Estimated long-term maximum concentrations of mercury were predicted to substantially exceed the EPA Reference Concentration for areas within 600 m of the silver smelters. A concentration gradient predicted by AERMOD was used to select soil sampling locations along transects in Potosí. Total mercury in soils ranged from 0.105 to 155 mg kg-1, among the highest levels reported for surface soils in the scientific literature. The correlation between estimated air concentrations and measured soil concentrations will guide future research to determine the extent to which the current community of Potosí and vicinity is at risk of adverse health effects from historical mercury contamination.

Estimation of external dose by car-borne survey in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Hosoda, Masahiro; Tokonami, Shinji; Omori, Yasutaka; Sahoo, Sarata Kumar; Akiba, Suminori; Sorimachi, Atsuyuki; Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Nair, Raghu Ram; Jayalekshmi, Padmavathy Amma; Sebastian, Paul; Iwaoka, Kazuki; Akata, Naofumi; Kudo, Hiromi

2015-01-01

A car-borne survey was carried out in Kerala, India to estimate external dose. Measurements were made with a 3-in × 3-in NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer from September 23 to 27, 2013. The routes were selected from 12 Panchayats in Karunagappally Taluk which were classified into high level, mid-level and low level high background radiation (HBR) areas. A heterogeneous distribution of air kerma rates was seen in the dose rate distribution map. The maximum air kerma rate, 2.1 μGy/h, was observed on a beach sand surface. 232Th activity concentration for the beach sand was higher than that for soil and grass surfaces, and the range of activity concentration was estimated to be 0.7-2.3 kBq/kg. The contribution of 232Th to air kerma rate was over 70% at the measurement points with values larger than 0.34 μGy/h. The maximum value of the annual effective dose in Karunagappally Taluk was observed around coastal areas, and it was estimated to be 13 mSv/y. More than 30% of all the annual effective doses obtained in this survey exceeded 1 mSv/y.

Photosensitized Formation of Secondary Organic Aerosols above the Air/Water Interface

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

In this study, we evaluated photosensitized chemistry at the air–sea interface as a source of secondary organic aerosols (SOA). Our results show that, in addition to biogenic emissions, abiotic processes could also be important in the marine boundary layer. Photosensitized production of marine secondary organic aerosol was studied in a custom-built multiphase atmospheric simulation chamber. The experimental chamber contained water, humic acid (1–10 mg L–1) as a proxy for dissolved organic matter, and nonanoic acid (0.1–10 mM), a fatty acid proxy which formed an organic film at the air–water interface. Dark secondary reaction with ozone after illumination resulted in SOA particle concentrations in excess of 1000 cm–3, illustrating the production of unsaturated compounds by chemical reactions at the air–water interface. SOA numbers via photosensitization alone and in the absence of ozone did not exceed background levels. From these results, we derived a dependence of SOA numbers on nonanoic acid surface coverage and dissolved organic matter concentration. We present a discussion on the potential role of the air–sea interface in the production of atmospheric organic aerosol from photosensitized origins. PMID:27434860

Screening for Autochthonous Phytoextractors in a Heavy Metal Contaminated Coal Mining Area

PubMed Central

Li, Kuangjia; Lun, Zijian; Zhao, Lin; Zhu, Qilong; Gu, Yansheng; Li, Manzhou

2017-01-01

In order to protect public health and crops from soil heavy metal (HM) contamination at a coal mining area in Henan, central China, HM pollution investigation and screening of autochthonous HM phytoextractors were conducted. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in surface soils exceeded the corresponding local background values and the China National Standard (CNS). The maximum potential ecological risk (RI) was 627.30, indicating very high ecological risk. The monomial risk of Cd contributed the most to the RI, varying from 85.48% to 96.48%. The plant community structure in the study area was simple, and was composed of 24 families, 37 genera and 40 species. B. pilosa, A. roxburghiana, A. argyi, A. hispidus were found to be the most dominant species at considerable risk sites. Based on the comprehensive analysis of Cd concentration, bioconcentration factor, translocation factor and adaptability factor, B. pilosa and A. argyi had potential for phytoextraction at considerable risk sites. A. roxburghiana had potential for Cd phytoextraction at moderately risk sites and A. hispidus seemed suitable for phytostabilization. The results could contribute to the phytoremediation of the similar sites. PMID:28914778

Extemporaneous sildenafil citrate oral suspensions for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in children.

PubMed

Nahata, Milap C; Morosco, Richard S; Brady, Michael T

2006-02-01

The stability of sildenafil citrate 2.5 mg/mL in two extemporaneously prepared oral suspensions stored at 4 and 25 degrees C was studied. Thirty 25-mg tablets of sildenafil citrate were ground to powder, and the powder was combined with a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet and Ora-Plus or a 1:1 mixture of methylcellulose 1% and Simple Syrup, NF, to produce two 2.5-mg/mL suspensions. Five plastic bottles of each suspension were stored in amber plastic prescription bottles at 4 or 25 degrees C. Samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, and 91 for analysis of sildenafil content by high-performance liquid chromatography; pH was also measured. Samples were visually observed against black and white backgrounds. The mean concentration of sildenafil citrate exceeded 98% of the initial concentration in all samples at both temperatures throughout the 91-day study period. No changes in pH, odor, or physical appearance were observed. Sildenafil citrate 2.5 mg/mL in two extemporaneously compounded oral suspensions was stable for 91 days in plastic prescription bottles at 4 and 25 degrees C.

Baseline models of trace elements in major aquifers of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, L.; Helsel, D.

2005-01-01

Trace-element concentrations in baseline samples from a survey of aquifers used as potable-water supplies in the United States are summarized using methods appropriate for data with multiple detection limits. The resulting statistical distribution models are used to develop summary statistics and estimate probabilities of exceeding water-quality standards. The models are based on data from the major aquifer studies of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. These data were produced with a nationally-consistent sampling and analytical framework specifically designed to determine the quality of the most important potable groundwater resources during the years 1991-2001. The analytical data for all elements surveyed contain values that were below several detection limits. Such datasets are referred to as multiply-censored data. To address this issue, a robust semi-parametric statistical method called regression on order statistics (ROS) is employed. Utilizing the 90th-95th percentile as an arbitrary range for the upper limits of expected baseline concentrations, the models show that baseline concentrations of dissolved Ba and Zn are below 500 ??g/L. For the same percentile range, dissolved As, Cu and Mo concentrations are below 10 ??g/L, and dissolved Ag, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Sb and Se are below 1-5 ??g/L. These models are also used to determine the probabilities that potable ground waters exceed drinking water standards. For dissolved Ba, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Mo and Se, the likelihood of exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency standards at the well-head is less than 1-1.5%. A notable exception is As, which has approximately a 7% chance of exceeding the maximum contaminant level (10 ??g/L) at the well head.

Behavior, distribution and variability of surface ozone at an arid region in the south of Iberian Peninsula (Seville, Spain).

PubMed

Adame, José A; Lozano, Antonio; Bolívar, Juan P; De la Morena, Benito A; Contreras, Juan; Godoy, Francisca

2008-01-01

In order to improve our knowledge of the surface ozone in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, annual, monthly, weekly and daily ozone concentrations have been closely monitored in the Seville metropolitan area highlighting those episodes that exceed the European Ozone Directive. A three-year period (2003-2005) and eight ozone stations were used; five of them located in the city's busiest areas and the rest in adjacent zones ( approximately 25km). In addition, the wind regime was also studied in order to understand the main characteristics of the surface atmospheric dynamics. The lowest ozone concentrations 17-33microgm(-3) took place in January while the highest 57-95microgm(-3) occurred in June. The ozone concentration week-weekend differences from May to September indicate that this phenomenon does not affect the ozone stations analysed. Daily cycles show minimum values between 7:00 and 8:00 UTC and maximum at noon, exceeding 90microgm(-3) during summer months. From March to October the ozone concentrations were above the target value for the protection of human health, especially during the summer months, with values up to 30% over the limit. The information threshold has been exceeded at all ozone stations studied but with greater frequency in the stations far from the city centre. In addition, at these latter stations the alert threshold was also exceeded on six occasions. This study in the city of Seville indicates that the high ozone levels are due to local atmospheric effects, mainly since the ozone air masses may undergo recirculation processes. The ozone is transported to the city from the S-SW, having a major impact in the NE areas.

Toxicological benchmarks for screening potential contaminants of concern for effects on aquatic biota: 1994 Revision

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suter, G.W. II; Mabrey, J.B.

1994-07-01

This report presents potential screening benchmarks for protection of aquatic life from contaminants in water. Because there is no guidance for screening benchmarks, a set of alternative benchmarks is presented herein. The alternative benchmarks are based on different conceptual approaches to estimating concentrations causing significant effects. For the upper screening benchmark, there are the acute National Ambient Water Quality Criteria (NAWQC) and the Secondary Acute Values (SAV). The SAV concentrations are values estimated with 80% confidence not to exceed the unknown acute NAWQC for those chemicals with no NAWQC. The alternative chronic benchmarks are the chronic NAWQC, the Secondary Chronicmore » Value (SCV), the lowest chronic values for fish and daphnids from chronic toxicity tests, the estimated EC20 for a sensitive species, and the concentration estimated to cause a 20% reduction in the recruit abundance of largemouth bass. It is recommended that ambient chemical concentrations be compared to all of these benchmarks. If NAWQC are exceeded, the chemicals must be contaminants of concern because the NAWQC are applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs). If NAWQC are not exceeded, but other benchmarks are, contaminants should be selected on the basis of the number of benchmarks exceeded and the conservatism of the particular benchmark values, as discussed in the text. To the extent that toxicity data are available, this report presents the alternative benchmarks for chemicals that have been detected on the Oak Ridge Reservation. It also presents the data used to calculate benchmarks and the sources of the data. It compares the benchmarks and discusses their relative conservatism and utility.« less

Development of Welding Fumes Health Index (WFHI) for Welding Workplace’s Safety and Health Assessment

PubMed Central

HARIRI, Azian; PAIMAN, Nuur Azreen; LEMAN, Abdul Mutalib; MD. YUSOF, Mohammad Zainal

2014-01-01

Abstract Background This study aimed to develop an index that can rank welding workplace that associate well with possible health risk of welders. Methods Welding Fumes Health Index (WFHI) were developed based on data from case studies conducted in Plant 1 and Plant 2. Personal sampling of welding fumes to assess the concentration of metal constituents along with series of lung function tests was conducted. Fifteen metal constituents were investigated in each case study. Index values were derived from aggregation analysis of metal constituent concentration while significant lung functions were recognized through statistical analysis in each plant. Results The results showed none of the metal constituent concentration was exceeding the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for all plants. However, statistical analysis showed significant mean differences of lung functions between welders and non-welders. The index was then applied to one of the welding industry (Plant 3) for verification purpose. The developed index showed its promising ability to rank welding workplace, according to the multiple constituent concentrations of welding fumes that associates well with lung functions of the investigated welders. Conclusion There was possibility that some of the metal constituents were below the detection limit leading to ‘0’ value of sub index, thus the multiplicative form of aggregation model was not suitable for analysis. On the other hand, maximum or minimum operator forms suffer from compensation issues and were not considered in this study. PMID:25927034

Nitrogen in rock: Occurrences and biogeochemical implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holloway, J.M.; Dahlgren, R.A.

2002-01-01

There is a growing interest in the role of bedrock in global nitrogen cycling and potential for increased ecosystem sensitivity to human impacts in terrains with elevated background nitrogen concentrations. Nitrogen-bearing rocks are globally distributed and comprise a potentially large pool of nitrogen in nutrient cycling that is frequently neglected because of a lack of routine analytical methods for quantification. Nitrogen in rock originates as organically bound nitrogen associated with sediment, or in thermal waters representing a mixture of sedimentary, mantle, and meteoric sources of nitrogen. Rock nitrogen concentrations range from trace levels (>200 mg N kg -1) in granites to ecologically significant concentrations exceeding 1000 mg N kg -1 in some sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks. Nitrate deposits accumulated in arid and semi-arid regions are also a large potential pool. Nitrogen in rock has a potentially significant impact on localized nitrogen cycles. Elevated nitrogen concentrations in water and soil have been attributed to weathering of bedrock nitrogen. In some environments, nitrogen released from bedrock may contribute to nitrogen saturation of terrestrial ecosystems (more nitrogen available than required by biota). Nitrogen saturation results in leaching of nitrate to surface and groundwaters, and, where soils are formed from ammonium-rich bedrock, the oxidation of ammonium to nitrate may result in soil acidification, inhibiting revegetation in certain ecosystems. Collectively, studies presented in this article reveal that geologic nitrogen may be a large and reactive pool with potential for amplification of human impacts on nitrogen cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Air quality in urban parking garages (PM10, major and trace elements, PAHs): Instrumental measurements vs. active moss biomonitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuković, Gordana; Aničić Urošević, Mira; Razumenić, Ivana; Kuzmanoski, Maja; Pergal, Miodrag; Škrivanj, Sandra; Popović, Aleksandar

2014-03-01

This study was performed in four parking garages in downtown of Belgrade with the aim to provide multi-pollutant assessment. Concentrations of 16 US EPA priority PAHs and Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn were determined in PM10 samples. The carcinogenic health risk of employees' occupational exposure to heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb) and PAHs (B[a]A, Cry, B[b]F, B[k]F, B[a]P and DB[ah]A) was estimated. A possibility of using Sphagnum girgensohnii moss bags for monitoring of trace element air pollution in semi-enclosed spaces was evaluated as well. The results showed that concentrations of PM10, Cd, Ni and B[a]P exceeded the EU Directive target values. Concentration of Zn, Ba and Cu were two orders of magnitude higher than those measured at different urban sites in European cities. Cumulative cancer risk obtained for heavy metals and PAHs was 4.51 × 10-5 and 3.75 × 10-5 in M and PP, respectively; upper limit of the acceptable US EPA range is 10-4. In the moss, higher post-exposure than pre-exposure (background) element concentrations was observed. In comparison with instrumental monitoring data, similar order of abundances of the most elements in PM10 and moss samples was found. However, using of the S. girgensohnii moss bag technique in indoor environments needs further justification.

Selenium in irrigated agricultural areas of the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nolan, B.T.; Clark, M.L.

1997-01-01

A logistic regression model was developed to predict the likelihood that Se exceeds the USEPA chronic criterion for aquatic life (5 ??g/L) in irrigated agricultural areas of the western USA. Preliminary analysis of explanatory variables used in the model indicated that surface-water Se concentration increased with increasing dissolved solids (DS) concentration and with the presence of Upper Cretaceous, mainly marine sediment. The presence or absence of Cretaceous sediment was the major variable affecting Se concentration in surface-water samples from the National Irrigation Water Quality Program. Median Se concentration was 14 ??g/L in samples from areas underlain by Cretaceous sediments and < 1 ??g/L in samples from areas underlain by non-Cretaceous sediments. Wilcoxon rank sum tests indicated that elevated Se concentrations in samples from areas with Cretaceous sediments, irrigated areas, and from closed lakes and ponds were statistically significant. Spearman correlations indicated that Se was positively correlated with a binary geology variable (0.64) and DS (0.45). Logistic regression models indicated that the concentration of Se in surface water was almost certain to exceed the Environmental Protection Agency aquatic-life chronic criterion of 5 ??g/L when DS was greater than 3000 mg/L in areas with Cretaceous sediments. The 'best' logistic regression model correctly predicted Se exceedances and nonexceedances 84.4% of the time, and model sensitivity was 80.7%. A regional map of Cretaceous sediment showed the location of potential problem areas. The map and logistic regression model are tools that can be used to determine the potential for Se contamination of irrigated agricultural areas in the western USA.

Air formaldehyde and solvent concentrations during surface coating with acid-curing lacquers and paints in the woodworking and furniture industry.

PubMed

Thorud, Syvert; Gjolstad, Merete; Ellingsen, Dag G; Molander, Paal

2005-06-01

An investigation of contemporary exposure to formaldehyde and organic solvents has been carried out during surface coating with acid-curing lacquers and paints in the Norwegian woodworking and furniture industry over a period of 3 years. The investigation covered 27 factories of different sizes and with different types of production, and totally 557 parallel formaldehyde and solvent samples were collected. The formaldehyde concentration (geometric mean) was 0.15 ppm (range 0.01-1.48 ppm) with about 10% of the samples exceeding the Norwegian occupational exposure limit of 0.5 ppm. The solvent concentration as additive effect (geometric mean) was 0.13 (range 0.0004-5.08) and about 5% of the samples exceeded the Norwegian occupational exposure limit. The most frequently occurring solvents from acid-curing lacquers were n-butyl acetate, ethanol, ethyl acetate and 1-butanol, which were found in 88-98% of the samples. Toluene, n-butyl acetate and 1-butanol were the only solvents with maximum concentrations exceeding their respective occupational exposure limits. Curtain painting machine operators were exposed to the highest concentrations of both formaldehyde (geometric mean 0.51 ppm, range 0.08-1.48 ppm) and organic solvents (additive effect, geometric mean 1.18, range 0.02-5.08). Other painting application work tasks such as automatic and manual spray-painting, manual painting and dip painting, showed on average considerably lower concentrations of both formaldehyde (geometric means 0.07-0.16 ppm) and organic solvents (additive effect, geometric mean 0.02-0.18). Non-painting work tasks also displayed moderate concentrations of formaldehyde (geometric means 0.11-0.17 ppm) and organic solvents (additive effect, geometric mean 0.04-0.07).

Effects of reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations on physiology and fluorescence of hermatypic corals and benthic algae

PubMed Central

Smith, Jennifer E.; Thompson, Melissa

2014-01-01

While shifts from coral to seaweed dominance have become increasingly common on coral reefs and factors triggering these shifts successively identified, the primary mechanisms involved in coral-algae interactions remain unclear. Amongst various potential mechanisms, algal exudates can mediate increases in microbial activity, leading to localized hypoxic conditions which may cause coral mortality in the direct vicinity. Most of the processes likely causing such algal exudate induced coral mortality have been quantified (e.g., labile organic matter release, increased microbial metabolism, decreased dissolved oxygen availability), yet little is known about how reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations affect competitive dynamics between seaweeds and corals. The goals of this study were to investigate the effects of different levels of oxygen including hypoxic conditions on a common hermatypic coral Acropora yongei and the common green alga Bryopsis pennata. Specifically, we examined how photosynthetic oxygen production, dark and daylight adapted quantum yield, intensity and anatomical distribution of the coral innate fluorescence, and visual estimates of health varied with differing background oxygen conditions. Our results showed that the algae were significantly more tolerant to extremely low oxygen concentrations (2–4 mg L−1) than corals. Furthermore corals could tolerate reduced oxygen concentrations, but only until a given threshold determined by a combination of exposure time and concentration. Exceeding this threshold led to rapid loss of coral tissue and mortality. This study concludes that hypoxia may indeed play a significant role, or in some cases may even be the main cause, for coral tissue loss during coral-algae interaction processes. PMID:24482757

Effects of reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations on physiology and fluorescence of hermatypic corals and benthic algae.

PubMed

Haas, Andreas F; Smith, Jennifer E; Thompson, Melissa; Deheyn, Dimitri D

2014-01-01

While shifts from coral to seaweed dominance have become increasingly common on coral reefs and factors triggering these shifts successively identified, the primary mechanisms involved in coral-algae interactions remain unclear. Amongst various potential mechanisms, algal exudates can mediate increases in microbial activity, leading to localized hypoxic conditions which may cause coral mortality in the direct vicinity. Most of the processes likely causing such algal exudate induced coral mortality have been quantified (e.g., labile organic matter release, increased microbial metabolism, decreased dissolved oxygen availability), yet little is known about how reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations affect competitive dynamics between seaweeds and corals. The goals of this study were to investigate the effects of different levels of oxygen including hypoxic conditions on a common hermatypic coral Acropora yongei and the common green alga Bryopsis pennata. Specifically, we examined how photosynthetic oxygen production, dark and daylight adapted quantum yield, intensity and anatomical distribution of the coral innate fluorescence, and visual estimates of health varied with differing background oxygen conditions. Our results showed that the algae were significantly more tolerant to extremely low oxygen concentrations (2-4 mg L(-1)) than corals. Furthermore corals could tolerate reduced oxygen concentrations, but only until a given threshold determined by a combination of exposure time and concentration. Exceeding this threshold led to rapid loss of coral tissue and mortality. This study concludes that hypoxia may indeed play a significant role, or in some cases may even be the main cause, for coral tissue loss during coral-algae interaction processes.

Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations in Urban Chinese Cities, 2005-2016: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

He, Mike Z; Zeng, Xiange; Zhang, Kaiyue; Kinney, Patrick L

2017-02-14

Background : Particulate matter pollution has become a growing health concern over the past few decades globally. The problem is especially evident in China, where particulate matter levels prior to 2013 are publically unavailable. We conducted a systematic review of scientific literature that reported fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) concentrations in different regions of China from 2005 to 2016. Methods : We searched for English articles in PubMed and Embase and for Chinese articles in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). We evaluated the studies overall and categorized the collected data into six geographical regions and three economic regions. Results : The mean (SD) PM 2.5 concentration, weighted by the number of sampling days, was 60.64 (33.27) μg/m³ for all geographic regions and 71.99 (30.20) μg/m³ for all economic regions. A one-way ANOVA shows statistically significant differences in PM 2.5 concentrations between the various geographic regions (F = 14.91, p < 0.0001) and the three economic regions (F = 4.55, p = 0.01). Conclusions: This review identifies quantifiable differences in fine particulate matter concentrations across regions of China. The highest levels of fine particulate matter were found in the northern and northwestern regions and especially Beijing. The high percentage of data points exceeding current federal regulation standards suggests that fine particulate matter pollution remains a huge problem for China. As pre-2013 emissions data remain largely unavailable, we hope that the data aggregated from this systematic review can be incorporated into current and future models for more accurate historical PM 2.5 estimates.

Distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), upper Santa Cruz River watershed, southern Arizona, 2011-12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lester, Michael B.; van Riper, Charles

2014-01-01

Riparian ecosystems in arid environments provide critical habitat for breeding, migratory, and wintering birds, yet are often at risk of contamination by heavy metals. Birds and other animals living in contaminated areas are susceptible to adverse health effects as a result of long-term exposure and bioaccumulation of heavy metals. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metal accumulation in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) in Arizona’s upper Santa Cruz River watershed. This study had three goals: (1) quantify the degree of heavy metal accumulation in sparrows and determine the distributional patterns among study sites, (2) compare concentrations of metals found in this study to those found in studies performed prior to the 2009 international wastewater treatment plant upgrade, and (3) assess sparrow condition among sites with differing potential sources of contamination exposure. We examined six study sites that reflected different potential sources of contamination. Hematocrit values, body mass residuals, and leukocyte counts were used to assess sparrow condition. Cadmium, copper, mercury, nickel, and selenium exceeded background concentrations at some sites, but generally were lower than or similar to concentrations found in earlier studies performed prior to the 2009 international wastewater treatment plant upgrade. Concentrations were higher in recaptured birds in 2012 than in 2011 for 7 metals in feathers and 14 metals in blood, suggesting possible bioaccumulation. We found no cascading effects as a result of heavy metal exposure, but did find that heavy metal concentrations were reduced following the 2009 international wastewater treatment plant upgrade.