Effect of the extent of well purging on laboratory parameters of groundwater samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reka Mathe, Agnes; Kohler, Artur; Kovacs, Jozsef

2017-04-01

Chemicals reaching groundwater cause water quality deterioration. Reconnaissance and remediation demands high financial and human resources. Groundwater samples are important sources of information. Representativity of these samples is fundamental to decision making. According to relevant literature the way of sampling and the sampling equipment can affect laboratory concentrations measured in samples. Detailed and systematic research on this field is missing from even international literature. Groundwater sampling procedures are regulated worldwide. Regulations describe how to sample a groundwater monitoring well. The most common element in these regulations is well purging prior to sampling. The aim of purging the well is to avoid taking the sample from the stagnant water instead of from formation water. The stagnant water forms inside and around the well because the well casing provides direct contact with the atmosphere, changing the physico-chemical composition of the well water. Sample from the stagnant water is not representative of the formation water. Regulations regarding the extent of the purging are different. Purging is mostly defined as multiply (3-5) well volumes, and/or reaching stabilization of some purged water parameters (pH, specific conductivity, etc.). There are hints for sampling without purging. To define the necessary extent of the purging repeated pumping is conducted, triplicate samples are taken at the beginning of purging, at one, two and three times well volumes and at parameter stabilization. Triplicate samples are the means to account for laboratory errors. The subsurface is not static, the test is repeated 10 times. Up to now three tests were completed.

Improving the Accuracy of Extracting Surface Water Quality Levels (SWQLs) Using Remote Sensing and Artificial Neural Network: a Case Study in the Saint John River, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sammartano, G.; Spanò, A.

2017-09-01

Delineating accurate surface water quality levels (SWQLs) always presents a great challenge to researchers. Existing methods of assessing surface water quality only provide individual concentrations of monitoring stations without providing the overall SWQLs. Therefore, the results of existing methods are usually difficult to be understood by decision-makers. Conversely, the water quality index (WQI) can simplify surface water quality assessment process to be accessible to decision-makers. However, in most cases, the WQI reflects inaccurate SWQLs due to the lack of representative water samples. It is very challenging to provide representative water samples because this process is costly and time consuming. To solve this problem, we introduce a cost-effective method which combines the Landsat-8 imagery and artificial intelligence to develop models to derive representative water samples by correlating concentrations of ground truth water samples to satellite spectral information. Our method was validated and the correlation between concentrations of ground truth water samples and predicted concentrations from the developed models reached a high level of coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.80, which is trustworthy. Afterwards, the predicted concentrations over each pixel of the study area were used as an input to the WQI developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to extract accurate SWQLs, for drinking purposes, in the Saint John River. The results indicated that SWQL was observed as 67 (Fair) and 59 (Marginal) for the lower and middle basins of the river, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of using our approach in surface water quality management.

Quality-control design for surface-water sampling in the National Water-Quality Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riskin, Melissa L.; Reutter, David C.; Martin, Jeffrey D.; Mueller, David K.

2018-04-10

The data-quality objectives for samples collected at surface-water sites in the National Water-Quality Network include estimating the extent to which contamination, matrix effects, and measurement variability affect interpretation of environmental conditions. Quality-control samples provide insight into how well the samples collected at surface-water sites represent the true environmental conditions. Quality-control samples used in this program include field blanks, replicates, and field matrix spikes. This report describes the design for collection of these quality-control samples and the data management needed to properly identify these samples in the U.S. Geological Survey’s national database.

Spatial and Temporal Variations of Water Quality and Trophic Status in Xili Reservoir: a Subtropics Drinking Water Reservoir of Southeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yunlong, Song; Zhang, Jinsong; Zhu, Jia; Li, Wang; Chang, Aimin; Yi, Tao

2017-12-01

Controlling of water quality pollution and eutrophication of reservoirs has become a very important research topic in urban drinking water field. Xili reservoir is an important water source of drinking water in Shenzhen. And its water quality has played an important role to the city’s drinking water security. A fifteen-month’s field observation was conducted from April 2013 to June 2014 in Xili reservoir, in order to analyze the temporal and spatial distribution of water quality factors and seasonal variation of trophic states. Xili reservoir was seriously polluted by nitrogen. Judged by TN most of the samples were no better than grade VI. Other water quality factor including WT, SD, pH, DO, COD, TOC, TP, Fe, silicate, turbidity, chlorophyll-a were pretty good. One-way ANOVA showed that significant difference was found in water quality factors on month (p<0.005). The spatial heterogeneity of water quality was obvious (p<0.05). The successions of water quality factors y were similar and the mainly pattern was Pre-rainy period > Latter rainy period > High temperature and rain free period > Temperature jump period > Winter drought period. Two-way ANOVA showed that months rather than locations were the key influencing factors of water quality factors succession.TLI (Σ) were about 35~52, suggesting Xili reservoir was in mycotrophic trophic states. As a result of runoff pollution, water quality at sampling sites 1 and 10 was poor. In the rainy season, near sampling sites 1 and 10, water appeared to be Light-eutrophic. The phytoplankton biomass of Xili reservoir was low. Water temperature was the main driving factor of phytoplankton succession.The 14 water quality factors were divided into five groups by factor analysis. The total interpretation rate was about 70.82%. F1 represents the climatic change represented by water temperature and organic pollution. F2 represents the concentration of nitrogen. F3 represents the phytoplankton biomass. F4 represents the sensory indexes of water body, such as turbidity, transparency.

Are extracted materials truly representative of original samples? Impact of C18 extraction on CDOM optical and chemical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrew, Andrea; Del Vecchio, Rossana; Zhang, Yi; Subramaniam, Ajit; Blough, Neil

2016-02-01

Some properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) can be easily measured directly on whole waters, while others require sample concentration and removal of natural salts. To increase CDOM content and eliminate salts, solid phase extraction is often employed. Biases following extraction and elution are inevitable, thus raising the question of how truly representative the extracted material is of the original. In this context, we investigated the wavelength dependence of extraction efficiency for C18 cartridges with respect to CDOM optical properties using samples obtained from the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) and the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean (EAO). Further, we compared the optical changes of C18 extracts and the corresponding whole water following chemical reduction with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). C18 cartridges preferentially extracted long-wavelength absorbing/emitting material for samples impacted by riverine input. Extraction efficiency overall decreased with offshore distance away from riverine input. Spectral slopes of C18-OM samples were also almost always lower than those of their corresponding CDOM samples supporting the preferential extraction of higher molecular weight absorbing material. The wavelength dependence of the optical properties (absorption, fluorescence emission and quantum yield) of the original water samples and their corresponding extracted material were very similar. C18 extracts and corresponding water samples further exhibited comparable optical changes following NaBH4 reduction, thus suggesting a similarity in nature (structure) of the optically active extracted material, independent of geographical locale. Altogether, these data suggested a strong similarity between C18 extracts and corresponding whole waters, thus indicating that extracts are representative of the CDOM content of original waters.

Are Extracted Materials Truly Representative of Original Samples? Impact of C18 Extraction on CDOM Optical and Chemical Properties

PubMed Central

Andrew, Andrea A.; Del Vecchio, Rossana; Zhang, Yi; Subramaniam, Ajit; Blough, Neil V.

2016-01-01

Some properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) can be easily measured directly on whole waters, while others require sample concentration and removal of natural salts. To increase CDOM content and eliminate salts, solid phase extraction (SPE) is often employed. Biases following extraction and elution are inevitable, thus raising the question of how truly representative the extracted material is of the original. In this context, we investigated the wavelength dependence of extraction efficiency for C18 cartridges with respect to CDOM optical properties using samples obtained from the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) and the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean (EAO). Further, we compared the optical changes of C18 extracts and the corresponding whole water following chemical reduction with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). C18 cartridges preferentially extracted long-wavelength absorbing/emitting material for samples impacted by riverine input. Extraction efficiency overall decreased with offshore distance away from riverine input. Spectral slopes of C18-OM samples were also almost always lower than those of their corresponding CDOM samples supporting the preferential extraction of higher molecular weight absorbing material. The wavelength dependence of the optical properties (absorption, fluorescence emission, and quantum yield) of the original water samples and their corresponding extracted material were very similar. C18 extracts and corresponding water samples further exhibited comparable optical changes following NaBH4 reduction, thus suggesting a similarity in nature (structure) of the optically active extracted material, independent of geographical locale. Altogether, these data suggested a strong similarity between C18 extracts and corresponding whole waters, thus indicating that extracts are representative of the CDOM content of original waters. PMID:26904536

Are Extracted Materials Truly Representative of Original Samples? Impact of C18 Extraction on CDOM Optical and Chemical Properties.

PubMed

Andrew, Andrea A; Del Vecchio, Rossana; Zhang, Yi; Subramaniam, Ajit; Blough, Neil V

2016-01-01

Some properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) can be easily measured directly on whole waters, while others require sample concentration and removal of natural salts. To increase CDOM content and eliminate salts, solid phase extraction (SPE) is often employed. Biases following extraction and elution are inevitable, thus raising the question of how truly representative the extracted material is of the original. In this context, we investigated the wavelength dependence of extraction efficiency for C18 cartridges with respect to CDOM optical properties using samples obtained from the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) and the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean (EAO). Further, we compared the optical changes of C18 extracts and the corresponding whole water following chemical reduction with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). C18 cartridges preferentially extracted long-wavelength absorbing/emitting material for samples impacted by riverine input. Extraction efficiency overall decreased with offshore distance away from riverine input. Spectral slopes of C18-OM samples were also almost always lower than those of their corresponding CDOM samples supporting the preferential extraction of higher molecular weight absorbing material. The wavelength dependence of the optical properties (absorption, fluorescence emission, and quantum yield) of the original water samples and their corresponding extracted material were very similar. C18 extracts and corresponding water samples further exhibited comparable optical changes following NaBH4 reduction, thus suggesting a similarity in nature (structure) of the optically active extracted material, independent of geographical locale. Altogether, these data suggested a strong similarity between C18 extracts and corresponding whole waters, thus indicating that extracts are representative of the CDOM content of original waters.

GROUND WATER MONITORING AND SAMPLING: MULTI-LEVEL VERSUS TRADITIONAL METHODS WHATS WHAT?

EPA Science Inventory

After years of research and many publications, the question still remains: What is the best method to collect representative ground water samples from monitoring wells? Numerous systems and devices are currently available for obtaining both multi-level samples as well as traditi...

GROUND WATER PURGING AND SAMPLING METHODS: HISTORY VS. HYSTERIA

EPA Science Inventory

It has been over 10 years since the low-flow ground water purging and sampling method was initially reported in the literature. The method grew from the recognition that well purging was necessary to collect representative samples, bailers could not achieve well purging, and high...

Field tests of diffusion samplers for inorganic constituents in wells and at a ground-water discharge zone

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.; Petkewich, Matthew D.; Campbell, Ted R.

2002-01-01

Field tests were performed on two types of diffusion samplers to collect representative samples of inorganic constituents from ground water in wells and at an arsenic-contaminated ground-water-discharge zone beneath a stream. Nylon-screen samplers and dialysis samplers were tested for the collection of arsenic, calcium, chloride, iron, manganese, sulfate, and dissolved oxygen. The investigations were conducted at the Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant (NIROP), Fridley, Minnesota, and at the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base (NAS Fort Worth JRB), Texas. Data indicate that, in general, nylon-screen and dialysis diffusion samplers are capable of obtaining concentrations of inorganic solutes in ground water that correspond to concentrations obtained by low-flow sampling. Diffusion samplers offer a potentially time-saving approach to well sampling. Particular care must be taken, however, when sampling for iron and other metals, because of the potential for iron precipitation by oxygenation and when dealing with chemically stratified sampling intervals. Simple nylon-screen jar samplers buried beneath creekbed sediment appear to be effective tools for locating discharge zones of arsenic contaminated ground water. Although the LDPE samplers have proven to be inexpensive and simple to use in wells, they are limited by their inability to provide a representative sample of ionic solutes. The success of nylon-screen samplers in sediment studies suggests that these simple samplers may be useful for collecting water samples for inorganic constituents in wells. Results using dialysis bags deployed in wells suggest that these types of samplers have the potential to provide a representative sample of both VOCs and ionic solutes from ground water (Kaplan and others, 1991; Theodore A. Ehlke, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2001). The purpose of this report is to provide results of field tests investigating the potential to use diffusion samplers to collect representative samples of inorganic constituents from ground water in wells and at an arsenic-contaminated ground-water-discharge zone beneath a stream. The investigations were performed at NIROP, Fridley, Minn. (fig. 1) and at NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas (fig. 2). Two types of samplers were tested. One type was a nylon-screen sampler, which consisted of a 30-mL jar filled with deionized water, with its opening covered by a nylon screen. The second type was a dialysis sampler that consisted of a tube of dialysis membrane filled with deionized water. The nylon-screen samplers were deployed in wells at NIROP Fridley and NAS Fort Worth JRB and beneath the ground-water/surface water interface of a stream at NAS Fort Worth JRB. The dialysis samplers were deployed only in wells at NAS Fort Worth JRB.

Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Neocalanus copepods in Port Valdez, Alaska.

PubMed

Carls, Mark G; Short, Jeffrey W; Payne, James

2006-11-01

Sampling zooplankton is a useful strategy for observing trace hydrocarbon concentrations in water because samples represent an integrated average over a considerable effective sampling volume and are more representative of the sampled environment than discretely collected water samples. We demonstrate this method in Port Valdez, Alaska, an approximately 100 km(2) basin that receives about 0.5-2.4 kg of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) per day. Total PAH (TPAH) concentrations (0.61-1.31 microg/g dry weight), composition, and spatial distributions in a lipid-rich copepod, Neocalanus were consistent with the discharge as the source of contamination. Although Neocalanus acquire PAH from water or suspended particulate matter, total PAH concentrations in these compartments were at or below method detection limits, demonstrating plankton can amplify trace concentrations to detectable levels useful for study.

Chemical concentrations in water and suspended sediment, Green River to Lower Duwamish Waterway near Seattle, Washington, 2016–17

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, Kathleen E.; Black, Robert W.; Peterson, Norman T.; Senter, Craig A.; Chapman, Elena A.

2018-01-05

From August 2016 to March 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected representative samples of filtered and unfiltered water and suspended sediment (including the colloidal fraction) at USGS streamgage 12113390 (Duwamish River at Golf Course, at Tukwila, Washington) during 13 periods of differing flow conditions. Samples were analyzed by Washington-State-accredited laboratories for a large suite of compounds, including metals, dioxins/furans, semivolatile compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, butyltins, the 209 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and total and dissolved organic carbon. Concurrent with the chemistry sampling, water-quality field parameters were measured, and representative water samples were collected and analyzed for river suspended-sediment concentration and particle-size distribution. The results provide new data that can be used to estimate sediment and chemical loads transported by the Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway.

[Water and suspended matter sampling in fresh water networks].

PubMed

Galas, Chiara; Stellato, Luisa; Barbizzi, Sabrina; Belli, Maria; Sansone, Umberto

2005-01-01

Metals and radionuclides in water systems can be easily adsorbed on suspended matter and, finally, they could eventually accumulate in the aquatic environment. The assessment of the health of a water body needs also sampling of the suspended matter fraction. In this paper sampling systems to characterise contaminants associated with the suspended matter fraction are described, with a particular attention to the collection and preservation of samples. Sampling must be representative, to obtain reliable conclusions. In this context it is stressed the importance of the evaluation of the sampling uncertainty, which contributes to a large extent to the total uncertainty.

Water-quality assessment of the eastern Iowa basins- nitrogen, phosphorus, suspended sediment, and organic carbon in surface water, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becher, Kent D.; Kalkhoff, Stephen J.; Schnoebelen, Douglas J.; Barnes, Kimberlee K.; Miller, Von E.

2001-01-01

Synoptic samples collected during low and high base flow had nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic-carbon concentrations that varied spatially and seasonally. Comparisons of water-quality data from six basic-fixed sampling sites and 19 other synoptic sites suggest that the water-quality data from basic-fixed sampling sites were representative of the entire study unit during periods of low and high base flow when most streamflow originates from ground water.

Genotype diversity of Escherichia coli isolates in natural waters determined by PFGE and ERIC-PCR.

PubMed

Casarez, Elizabeth A; Pillai, Suresh D; Di Giovanni, George D

2007-08-01

Most library-dependent bacterial source tracking studies using Escherichia coli (E. coli) have focused on strain diversity of isolates obtained from known human and animal faecal sources for library development. In contrast, this study evaluated the genotype variation of E. coli isolated from natural surface water using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) to better understand these naturally occurring populations. A total of 650 water samples were collected over a nine month period from eleven sampling stations from Lake Waco and Belton Lake in Central Texas. Of the 650 water samples collected, 412 were positive for E. coli, yielding a total of 631 E. coli isolates (1-12 isolates collected per sample). PFGE and ERIC-PCR patterns were successfully generated for 555 isolates and were compared using the curve-based Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient. The 555 E. coli isolates represented 461 PFGE genotypes, with 84% (386/461) of the genotypes being represented by individual isolates. The remaining 75 genotypes were represented by 2-5 isolates each. Using ERIC-PCR, the 555 E. coli isolates represented 175 genotypes, with 63% (109/175) of the genotypes being represented by individual isolates. In contrast to the PFGE results, two ERIC-PCR genotypes represented 37% of the E. coli isolates, (83 and 124 isolates, respectively), and were found throughout the watersheds both spatially and temporally. Based on the PFGE genotype diversity of water isolates, there is little evidence that a small number of environmentally-adapted E. coli represent dominant populations in the studied waterbodies. However, with the lower discriminatory power technique ERIC-PCR, an opposing conclusion might have been drawn. These results emphasize the importance of considering the resolving power of the source tracking technique being used when assessing strain diversity and geographical stability.

A new method of snowmelt sampling for water stable isotopes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Penna, D.; Ahmad, M.; Birks, S. J.; Bouchaou, L.; Brencic, M.; Butt, S.; Holko, L.; Jeelani, G.; Martinez, D. E.; Melikadze, G.; Shanley, J.B.; Sokratov, S. A.; Stadnyk, T.; Sugimoto, A.; Vreca, P.

2014-01-01

We modified a passive capillary sampler (PCS) to collect snowmelt water for isotopic analysis. Past applications of PCSs have been to sample soil water, but the novel aspect of this study was the placement of the PCSs at the ground-snowpack interface to collect snowmelt. We deployed arrays of PCSs at 11 sites in ten partner countries on five continents representing a range of climate and snow cover worldwide. The PCS reliably collected snowmelt at all sites and caused negligible evaporative fractionation effects in the samples. PCS is low-cost, easy to install, and collects a representative integrated snowmelt sample throughout the melt season or at the melt event scale. Unlike snow cores, the PCS collects the water that would actually infiltrate the soil; thus, its isotopic composition is appropriate to use for tracing snowmelt water through the hydrologic cycle. The purpose of this Briefing is to show the potential advantages of PCSs and recommend guidelines for constructing and installing them based on our preliminary results from two snowmelt seasons.

Quality of water and bed material in streams of Logan Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hochreiter, J.J.; Kozinski, Jane

1985-01-01

The surface water and surficial-bed material at seven stations on three streams in Logan Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey, were sampled in the fall of 1984. Samples of water were analyzed for volatile organic compounds, trace metals, and organochlorine and organophosphorous compounds. Surficial-bed material was analyzed for extractable trace metals and organochlorine compounds. Water samples from two closely spaced sampling locations along Raccoon Creek contained elevated concentrations of methylene chloride (455 and 1800 micrograms/L, respectively), a volatile organic solvent. Bed-material samples taken from Little Timber and Birch Creeks contained elevated levels of trace metals and organochlorine compounds, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's). Contaminant concentrations in bed-material samples taken from Raccoon Creek were much lower than those found previously by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1980. Only a trace of PCB 's was detected in any bed material sample taken from Racoon Creek. Gas chromatographic flame-ionization detector scans, performed on solvent extracts of all water and sediment samples, were useful in characterizing the presence or absence of organic contaminants in those samples. Changes in the character of organic contamination along the reaches of two streams were apparent when the fingerprints of chromatograms representing upstream sites were compared to those representing downstream sites. (Author 's abstract)

Applying of Factor Analyses for Determination of Trace Elements Distribution in Water from River Vardar and Its Tributaries, Macedonia/Greece

PubMed Central

Popov, Stanko Ilić; Stafilov, Trajče; Šajn, Robert; Tănăselia, Claudiu; Bačeva, Katerina

2014-01-01

A systematic study was carried out to investigate the distribution of fifty-six elements in the water samples from river Vardar (Republic of Macedonia and Greece) and its major tributaries. The samples were collected from 27 sampling sites. Analyses were performed by mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) and atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). Cluster and R mode factor analysis (FA) was used to identify and characterise element associations and four associations of elements were determined by the method of multivariate statistics. Three factors represent the associations of elements that occur in the river water naturally while Factor 3 represents an anthropogenic association of the elements (Cd, Ga, In, Pb, Re, Tl, Cu, and Zn) introduced in the river waters from the waste waters from the mining and metallurgical activities in the country. PMID:24587756

Applying of factor analyses for determination of trace elements distribution in water from Vardar and its tributaries, Macedonia/Greece.

PubMed

Popov, Stanko Ilić; Stafilov, Trajče; Sajn, Robert; Tănăselia, Claudiu; Bačeva, Katerina

2014-01-01

A systematic study was carried out to investigate the distribution of fifty-six elements in the water samples from river Vardar (Republic of Macedonia and Greece) and its major tributaries. The samples were collected from 27 sampling sites. Analyses were performed by mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) and atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). Cluster and R mode factor analysis (FA) was used to identify and characterise element associations and four associations of elements were determined by the method of multivariate statistics. Three factors represent the associations of elements that occur in the river water naturally while Factor 3 represents an anthropogenic association of the elements (Cd, Ga, In, Pb, Re, Tl, Cu, and Zn) introduced in the river waters from the waste waters from the mining and metallurgical activities in the country.

A geographic data model for representing ground water systems.

PubMed

Strassberg, Gil; Maidment, David R; Jones, Norm L

2007-01-01

The Arc Hydro ground water data model is a geographic data model for representing spatial and temporal ground water information within a geographic information system (GIS). The data model is a standardized representation of ground water systems within a spatial database that provides a public domain template for GIS users to store, document, and analyze commonly used spatial and temporal ground water data sets. This paper describes the data model framework, a simplified version of the complete ground water data model that includes two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) object classes for representing aquifers, wells, and borehole data, and the 3D geospatial context in which these data exist. The framework data model also includes tabular objects for representing temporal information such as water levels and water quality samples that are related with spatial features.

Measurement of the Water Relaxation Time of ɛ-Polylysine Aqueous Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirakashi, Ryo; Amano, Yuki; Yamada, Jun

2017-05-01

ɛ-Polylysine is an effective food preservative. In this paper, the β-relaxation time of ɛ-polylysine aqueous solutions, which represents the rotational speed of a single water molecule, was measured by broadband dielectric spectroscopy at various temperatures and concentrations. The broadband dielectric spectrum of each sample containing water ranging from 35 wt% to 75 wt% at temperatures ranging from 0°C to 25°C was measured using a co-axial semirigid cable probe. The measured dielectric spectra of the samples were composed of several Debye relaxation peaks, including a shortest single molecular rotational relaxation time of water, the β-relaxation time, longer than that of pure water. This result represents that ɛ-polylysine suppresses the molecular kinetics of water. It is also found that the β-relaxation time of an ɛ-polylysine solution that contained more than 35 wt% water showed a typical Arrhenius plot in the temperature range from 0°C to 25°C. The activation energy of each sample depends on the water content ratio of the sample. As indicated by its long β-relaxation time, ɛ-polylysine is expected to possess high abilities of suppressing freezing and ice coarsening.

[Determination of five representative ultraviolet filters in water by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Ding, Yiran; Huang, Yun; Zhao, Tingting; Cai, Qian; Luo, Yu; Huang, Bin; Zhang, Yuxia; Pan, Xuejun

2014-06-01

A method for the determination of five representative organic UV filters: ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octocrylene (OC), homosalate (HMS) in water was investigated. The method was ased on derivatization, solid phase extraction (SPE), followed by determination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The variables involved in the derivatization of BP-3 and HMS were optimized, and SPE conditions were studied. For derivatization, 100 microL N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) was used as derivatization reagent and reacted with BP-3 and HMS at 100 degrees C for 100 min. For SPE, the pH value of water sample was adjusted to 3-5. The Oasis HLB cartridges were employed and the solution of ethyl acetate and dichloromethane (1 : 1, v/v) was used as the eluting solvent, and good recoveries of the target compounds were obtained. The limits of detection (LODs) and the limits of quantification (LOQs) for the five target compounds in water samples were 0.5-1.2 ng/L and 1.4-4.0 ng/L, respectively. The recoveries of spiked water samples were 87.85%-102.34% with good repeatability and reproducibility (RSD < 5%, n = 3) for all the target compounds. Finally, the validated method was applied to analysis the representative UV filters in water samples collected from a wastewater treatment plant in Kunming city of Yunnan province.

40 CFR 257.22 - Ground-water monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... aquifer (as defined in § 257.5(b)) that: (1) Represent the quality of background ground water that has not been affected by leakage from a unit. A determination of background quality may include sampling of...) Sampling at other wells will provide an indication of background ground-water quality that is as...

40 CFR 257.22 - Ground-water monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... aquifer (as defined in § 257.5(b)) that: (1) Represent the quality of background ground water that has not been affected by leakage from a unit. A determination of background quality may include sampling of...) Sampling at other wells will provide an indication of background ground-water quality that is as...

Evaluation of Legionella Air Contamination in Healthcare Facilities by Different Sampling Methods: An Italian Multicenter Study.

PubMed

Montagna, Maria Teresa; De Giglio, Osvalda; Cristina, Maria Luisa; Napoli, Christian; Pacifico, Claudia; Agodi, Antonella; Baldovin, Tatjana; Casini, Beatrice; Coniglio, Maria Anna; D'Errico, Marcello Mario; Delia, Santi Antonino; Deriu, Maria Grazia; Guida, Marco; Laganà, Pasqualina; Liguori, Giorgio; Moro, Matteo; Mura, Ida; Pennino, Francesca; Privitera, Gaetano; Romano Spica, Vincenzo; Sembeni, Silvia; Spagnolo, Anna Maria; Tardivo, Stefano; Torre, Ida; Valeriani, Federica; Albertini, Roberto; Pasquarella, Cesira

2017-06-22

Healthcare facilities (HF) represent an at-risk environment for legionellosis transmission occurring after inhalation of contaminated aerosols. In general, the control of water is preferred to that of air because, to date, there are no standardized sampling protocols. Legionella air contamination was investigated in the bathrooms of 11 HF by active sampling (Surface Air System and Coriolis ® μ) and passive sampling using settling plates. During the 8-hour sampling, hot tap water was sampled three times. All air samples were evaluated using culture-based methods, whereas liquid samples collected using the Coriolis ® μ were also analyzed by real-time PCR. Legionella presence in the air and water was then compared by sequence-based typing (SBT) methods. Air contamination was found in four HF (36.4%) by at least one of the culturable methods. The culturable investigation by Coriolis ® μ did not yield Legionella in any enrolled HF. However, molecular investigation using Coriolis ® μ resulted in eight HF testing positive for Legionella in the air. Comparison of Legionella air and water contamination indicated that Legionella water concentration could be predictive of its presence in the air. Furthermore, a molecular study of 12 L. pneumophila strains confirmed a match between the Legionella strains from air and water samples by SBT for three out of four HF that tested positive for Legionella by at least one of the culturable methods. Overall, our study shows that Legionella air detection cannot replace water sampling because the absence of microorganisms from the air does not necessarily represent their absence from water; nevertheless, air sampling may provide useful information for risk assessment. The liquid impingement technique appears to have the greatest capacity for collecting airborne Legionella if combined with molecular investigations.

Evaluation of Legionella Air Contamination in Healthcare Facilities by Different Sampling Methods: An Italian Multicenter Study

PubMed Central

Montagna, Maria Teresa; De Giglio, Osvalda; Cristina, Maria Luisa; Napoli, Christian; Pacifico, Claudia; Agodi, Antonella; Baldovin, Tatjana; Casini, Beatrice; Coniglio, Maria Anna; D’Errico, Marcello Mario; Delia, Santi Antonino; Deriu, Maria Grazia; Guida, Marco; Laganà, Pasqualina; Liguori, Giorgio; Moro, Matteo; Mura, Ida; Pennino, Francesca; Privitera, Gaetano; Romano Spica, Vincenzo; Sembeni, Silvia; Spagnolo, Anna Maria; Tardivo, Stefano; Torre, Ida; Valeriani, Federica; Albertini, Roberto; Pasquarella, Cesira

2017-01-01

Healthcare facilities (HF) represent an at-risk environment for legionellosis transmission occurring after inhalation of contaminated aerosols. In general, the control of water is preferred to that of air because, to date, there are no standardized sampling protocols. Legionella air contamination was investigated in the bathrooms of 11 HF by active sampling (Surface Air System and Coriolis®μ) and passive sampling using settling plates. During the 8-hour sampling, hot tap water was sampled three times. All air samples were evaluated using culture-based methods, whereas liquid samples collected using the Coriolis®μ were also analyzed by real-time PCR. Legionella presence in the air and water was then compared by sequence-based typing (SBT) methods. Air contamination was found in four HF (36.4%) by at least one of the culturable methods. The culturable investigation by Coriolis®μ did not yield Legionella in any enrolled HF. However, molecular investigation using Coriolis®μ resulted in eight HF testing positive for Legionella in the air. Comparison of Legionella air and water contamination indicated that Legionella water concentration could be predictive of its presence in the air. Furthermore, a molecular study of 12 L. pneumophila strains confirmed a match between the Legionella strains from air and water samples by SBT for three out of four HF that tested positive for Legionella by at least one of the culturable methods. Overall, our study shows that Legionella air detection cannot replace water sampling because the absence of microorganisms from the air does not necessarily represent their absence from water; nevertheless, air sampling may provide useful information for risk assessment. The liquid impingement technique appears to have the greatest capacity for collecting airborne Legionella if combined with molecular investigations. PMID:28640202

An assessment of optical properties of dissolved organic material as quantitative source indicators in the Santa Ana River basin, Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Kalve, Erica; Guenther, Larry; Mendez, Gregory O.; Belitz, Kenneth

2005-01-01

The ability to rapidly, reliably, and inexpensively characterize sources of dissolved organic material (DOM) in watersheds would allow water management agencies to more quickly identify problems in water sources, and to more efficiently allocate water resources by, for example, permitting real-time identification of high-quality water suitable for ground-water recharge, or poor-quality water in need of mitigation. This study examined the feasibility of using easily measurable intrinsic optical properties' absorbance and fluorescence spectra, as quantitative indicators of DOM sources and, thus, a predictor of water quality. The study focused on the Santa Ana River Basin, in southern California, USA, which comprises an area of dense urban development and an area of intense dairy production. Base flow in the Santa Ana Basin is primarily tertiary treated wastewater discharge. Available hydrologic data indicate that urban and agricultural runoff degrades water quality during storm events by introducing pathogens, nutrients, and other contaminants, including significant amounts of DOM. These conditions provide the basis for evaluating the use of DOM optical properties as a tracer of DOM from different sources. Sample spectra representing four principal DOM sources were identified among all samples collected in 1999 on the basis of basin hydrology, and the distribution of spectral variability within all the sample data. A linear mixing model provided quantitative estimates of relative endmember contribution to sample spectra for monthly, storm, and diurnal samples. The spectral properties of the four sources (endmembers), Pristine Water, Wastewater, Urban Water, and Dairy Water, accounted for 94 percent of the variability in optical properties observed in the study, suggesting that all important DOM sources were represented. The scale and distribution of the residual spectra, that not explained by the endmembers, suggested that the endmember spectra selected did not adequately represent Urban Water base flow. However, model assignments of sources generally agreed well with those expected, based on sampling location and hydrology. The results suggest that with a fuller characterization of the endmember spectra, analysis of optical properties will provide rapid quantitative estimates of the relative contribution of DOM sources in the Santa Ana Basin.

Chemical quality of ground water in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sorenson, Stephen K.

1981-01-01

Chemical water-quality conditions were investigated in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties by canvassing available wells and sampling water from 324 representative wells. Chemical water types varied, with 73 percent of the wells sampled containing either calcium-magnesium bicarbonate, or calcium-sodium bicarbonate type water. Substantial areas contain ground water exceeding water-quality standards for boron, manganese, and nitrate. Trace elements, with the exception of boron and manganese, were present in negligible amounts. (USGS)

Identification of Giardia lamblia and the human infectious-species of Cryptosporidium in drinking water resources in Western Saudi Arabia by nested-PCR assays.

PubMed

Hawash, Y; Ghonaim, M; Hussein, Y; Alhazmi, A; Alturkistani, A

2015-06-01

The presence of Cryptosporidium and/or Giardia in drinking water represents a major public health problem. This study was the first report concerned with the occurrence of these protozoa in drinking water in Saudi Arabia. The study was undertaken in Al-Taif, a high altitude region, Western Saudi Arabia. Eight underground wells water, six desalinated water and five domestic brands of bottled water samples, 10 liter each, were monthly collected between May 2013 and April 2014. All samples (n = 228), were processed using an automated wash/elution station (IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.). Genomic DNA was directly isolated and purified from samples concentrates with QIAamp® Stool Mini Kit (Qiagen). The target protozoan DNA sequences were amplified using two previously published nested-PCR protocols. Of all the analyzed water, 31 samples (≈14%) were found contaminated with the target protozoa. Giardia lamblia was detected in ≈10% (7/72) of desalinated water and in ≈9% (9/96) of wells water. On the other hand, Cryptosporidium was identified in ≈8% (8/72) of desalinated water and in ≈7% (7/96) of wells water. All bottled water samples (n = 60) were (oo)cysts-free. Protozoan (oo)cysts were more frequently identified in water samples collected in the spring than in other seasons. The methodology established in our study proved sensitive, cost-effective and is amenable for future automation or semi-automation. For better understanding of the current situation that represent an important health threat to the local inhabitants, further studies concerned with (oo)cyst viability, infectivity, concentration and genotype identification are recommended.

Analyses of water, core material, and elutriate samples collected near Buras, Louisiana (New Orleans to Venice, Louisiana, Hurricane Protection Project)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leone, Harold A.

1977-01-01

Eight core-material-sampling sites were chosen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as possible borrow areas for fill material to be used in levee contruction near Buras, La. Eleven receiving-water sites also were selected to represent the water that will contact the porposed levees. Analyses of selected nutrients, metals, pesticides, and other organic constitutents were performed upon these bed-material and native-water samples as well as upon elutriate samples of specific core material-receiving water systems. The results of these analyses are presented without interpretation. (Woodard-USGS)

A new device for collecting time-integrated water samples from springs and surface water bodies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Panno, S.V.; Krapac, I.G.; Keefer, D.A.

1998-01-01

A new device termed the 'seepage sampler' was developed to collect representative water samples from springs, streams, and other surface-water bodies. The sampler collects composite, time-integrated water samples over short (hours) or extended (weeks) periods without causing significant changes to the chemical composition of the samples. The water sample within the sampler remains at the ambient temperature of the water body and does not need to be cooled. Seepage samplers are inexpensive to construct and easy to use. A sampling program of numerous springs and/or streams can be designed at a relatively low cost through the use of these samplers. Transient solutes migrating through such flow systems, potentially unnoticed by periodic sampling, may be detected. In addition, the mass loading of solutes (e.g., agrichemicals) may be determined when seepage samplers are used in conjunction with discharge measurements.

Sampling trace organic compounds in water: a comparison of a continuous active sampler to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coes, Alissa L.; Paretti, Nicholas V.; Foreman, William T.; Iverson, Jana L.; Alvarez, David A.

2014-01-01

A continuous active sampling method was compared to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods for the sampling of trace organic compounds (TOCs) in water. Results from each method are compared and contrasted in order to provide information for future investigators to use while selecting appropriate sampling methods for their research. The continuous low-level aquatic monitoring (CLAM) sampler (C.I.Agent® Storm-Water Solutions) is a submersible, low flow-rate sampler, that continuously draws water through solid-phase extraction media. CLAM samplers were deployed at two wastewater-dominated stream field sites in conjunction with the deployment of polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and the collection of discrete (grab) water samples. All samples were analyzed for a suite of 69 TOCs. The CLAM and POCIS samples represent time-integrated samples that accumulate the TOCs present in the water over the deployment period (19–23 h for CLAM and 29 days for POCIS); the discrete samples represent only the TOCs present in the water at the time and place of sampling. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis were used to examine patterns in both TOC detections and relative concentrations between the three sampling methods. A greater number of TOCs were detected in the CLAM samples than in corresponding discrete and POCIS samples, but TOC concentrations in the CLAM samples were significantly lower than in the discrete and (or) POCIS samples. Thirteen TOCs of varying polarity were detected by all of the three methods. TOC detections and concentrations obtained by the three sampling methods, however, are dependent on multiple factors. This study found that stream discharge, constituent loading, and compound type all affected TOC concentrations detected by each method. In addition, TOC detections and concentrations were affected by the reporting limits, bias, recovery, and performance of each method.

Sampling trace organic compounds in water: a comparison of a continuous active sampler to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods.

PubMed

Coes, Alissa L; Paretti, Nicholas V; Foreman, William T; Iverson, Jana L; Alvarez, David A

2014-03-01

A continuous active sampling method was compared to continuous passive and discrete sampling methods for the sampling of trace organic compounds (TOCs) in water. Results from each method are compared and contrasted in order to provide information for future investigators to use while selecting appropriate sampling methods for their research. The continuous low-level aquatic monitoring (CLAM) sampler (C.I.Agent® Storm-Water Solutions) is a submersible, low flow-rate sampler, that continuously draws water through solid-phase extraction media. CLAM samplers were deployed at two wastewater-dominated stream field sites in conjunction with the deployment of polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and the collection of discrete (grab) water samples. All samples were analyzed for a suite of 69 TOCs. The CLAM and POCIS samples represent time-integrated samples that accumulate the TOCs present in the water over the deployment period (19-23 h for CLAM and 29 days for POCIS); the discrete samples represent only the TOCs present in the water at the time and place of sampling. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis were used to examine patterns in both TOC detections and relative concentrations between the three sampling methods. A greater number of TOCs were detected in the CLAM samples than in corresponding discrete and POCIS samples, but TOC concentrations in the CLAM samples were significantly lower than in the discrete and (or) POCIS samples. Thirteen TOCs of varying polarity were detected by all of the three methods. TOC detections and concentrations obtained by the three sampling methods, however, are dependent on multiple factors. This study found that stream discharge, constituent loading, and compound type all affected TOC concentrations detected by each method. In addition, TOC detections and concentrations were affected by the reporting limits, bias, recovery, and performance of each method. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Latin hypercube approach to estimate uncertainty in ground water vulnerability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gurdak, J.J.; McCray, J.E.; Thyne, G.; Qi, S.L.

2007-01-01

A methodology is proposed to quantify prediction uncertainty associated with ground water vulnerability models that were developed through an approach that coupled multivariate logistic regression with a geographic information system (GIS). This method uses Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) to illustrate the propagation of input error and estimate uncertainty associated with the logistic regression predictions of ground water vulnerability. Central to the proposed method is the assumption that prediction uncertainty in ground water vulnerability models is a function of input error propagation from uncertainty in the estimated logistic regression model coefficients (model error) and the values of explanatory variables represented in the GIS (data error). Input probability distributions that represent both model and data error sources of uncertainty were simultaneously sampled using a Latin hypercube approach with logistic regression calculations of probability of elevated nonpoint source contaminants in ground water. The resulting probability distribution represents the prediction intervals and associated uncertainty of the ground water vulnerability predictions. The method is illustrated through a ground water vulnerability assessment of the High Plains regional aquifer. Results of the LHS simulations reveal significant prediction uncertainties that vary spatially across the regional aquifer. Additionally, the proposed method enables a spatial deconstruction of the prediction uncertainty that can lead to improved prediction of ground water vulnerability. ?? 2007 National Ground Water Association.

40 CFR 141.22 - Turbidity sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... requirements. 141.22 Section 141.22 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Monitoring and Analytical Requirements... suppliers of water for both community and non-community water systems at a representative entry point(s) to...

40 CFR 141.22 - Turbidity sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... requirements. 141.22 Section 141.22 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Monitoring and Analytical Requirements... suppliers of water for both community and non-community water systems at a representative entry point(s) to...

40 CFR 141.22 - Turbidity sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... requirements. 141.22 Section 141.22 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Monitoring and Analytical Requirements... suppliers of water for both community and non-community water systems at a representative entry point(s) to...

40 CFR 141.22 - Turbidity sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... requirements. 141.22 Section 141.22 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Monitoring and Analytical Requirements... suppliers of water for both community and non-community water systems at a representative entry point(s) to...

40 CFR 141.22 - Turbidity sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... requirements. 141.22 Section 141.22 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Monitoring and Analytical Requirements... suppliers of water for both community and non-community water systems at a representative entry point(s) to...

Bacterial diversity and community composition from seasurface to subseafloor.

PubMed

Walsh, Emily A; Kirkpatrick, John B; Rutherford, Scott D; Smith, David C; Sogin, Mitchell; D'Hondt, Steven

2016-04-01

We investigated compositional relationships between bacterial communities in the water column and those in deep-sea sediment at three environmentally distinct Pacific sites (two in the Equatorial Pacific and one in the North Pacific Gyre). Through pyrosequencing of the v4-v6 hypervariable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, we characterized 450,104 pyrotags representing 29,814 operational taxonomic units (OTUs, 97% similarity). Hierarchical clustering and non-metric multidimensional scaling partition the samples into four broad groups, regardless of geographic location: a photic-zone community, a subphotic community, a shallow sedimentary community and a subseafloor sedimentary community (⩾1.5 meters below seafloor). Abundance-weighted community compositions of water-column samples exhibit a similar trend with depth at all sites, with successive epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic and abyssopelagic communities. Taxonomic richness is generally highest in the water-column O2 minimum zone and lowest in the subseafloor sediment. OTUs represented by abundant tags in the subseafloor sediment are often present but represented by few tags in the water column, and represented by moderately abundant tags in the shallow sediment. In contrast, OTUs represented by abundant tags in the water are generally absent from the subseafloor sediment. These results are consistent with (i) dispersal of marine sedimentary bacteria via the ocean, and (ii) selection of the subseafloor sedimentary community from within the community present in shallow sediment.

Evaluation of nutrient quality-assurance data for Alexanders and Mount Rock Spring basins, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Witt, E. C.; Hippe, D.J.; Giovannitti, R.M.

1992-01-01

A total of 304 nutrient samples were collected from May 1990 through September 1991 to determine concentrations and loads of nutrients in water discharged from two spring basins in Cumberland County, Pa. Fifty-four percent of these nutrient samples were for the evaluation of (1) laboratory consistency, (2) container and preservative cleanliness, (3) maintenance of analyte representativeness as affected by three different preservation methods, and (4) comparison of analyte results with the "Most Probable Value" for Standard Reference Water Samples. Results of 37 duplicate analyses indicate that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Laboratories (principal laboratory) remained within its ±10 percent goal for all but one analyte. Results of the blank analysis show that the sampling containers did not compromise the water quality. However, mercuric-chloride-preservation blanks apparently contained measurable ammonium in four of five samples and ammonium plus organic nitrogen in two of five samples. Interlaboratory results indicate substantial differences in the determination of nitrate and ammonium plus organic nitrogen between the principal laboratory and the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Laboratory. In comparison with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Quality-Control Samples, the principal laboratory was sufficiently accurate in its determination of nutrient anafytes. Analysis of replicate samples indicated that sulfuric-acid preservative best maintained the representativeness of the anafytes nitrate and ammonium plus organic nitrogen, whereas, mercuric chloride best maintained the representativeness of orthophosphate. Comparison of nutrient analyte determinations with the Most Probable Value for each preservation method shows that two of five analytes with no chemical preservative compare well, three of five with mercuric-chloride preservative compare well, and three of five with sulfuricacid preservative compare well.

Rare Earth Element and Trace Element Data Associated with Hydrothermal Spring Reservoir Rock, Idaho

DOE Data Explorer

Quillinan, Scott; Bagdonas, Davin

2017-06-22

These data represent rock samples collected in Idaho that correspond with naturally occurring hydrothermal samples that were collected and analyzed by INL (Idaho Falls, ID). Representative samples of type rocks were selected to best represent the various regions of Idaho in which naturally occurring hydrothermal waters occur. This includes the Snake River Plain (SRP), Basin and Range type structures east of the SRP, and large scale/deep seated orogenic uplift of the Sawtooth Mountains, ID. Analysis includes ICP-OES and ICP-MS methods for Major, Trace, and REE concentrations.

Water quality monitoring: A comparative case study of municipal and Curtin Sarawak's lake samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand Kumar, A.; Jaison, J.; Prabakaran, K.; Nagarajan, R.; Chan, Y. S.

2016-03-01

In this study, particle size distribution and zeta potential of the suspended particles in municipal water and lake surface water of Curtin Sarawak's lake were compared and the samples were analysed using dynamic light scattering method. High concentration of suspended particles affects the water quality as well as suppresses the aquatic photosynthetic systems. A new approach has been carried out in the current work to determine the particle size distribution and zeta potential of the suspended particles present in the water samples. The results for the lake samples showed that the particle size ranges from 180nm to 1345nm and the zeta potential values ranges from -8.58 mV to -26.1 mV. High zeta potential value was observed in the surface water samples of Curtin Sarawak's lake compared to the municipal water. The zeta potential values represent that the suspended particles are stable and chances of agglomeration is lower in lake water samples. Moreover, the effects of physico-chemical parameters on zeta potential of the water samples were also discussed.

Groundwater levels and water-quality observations pertaining to the Austin Group, Bexar County, Texas, 2009-11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Banta, J.R.; Clark, Allan K.

2012-01-01

In general, the water-quality data indicated that the samples were representative of a calcium carbonate dominated system. The major ion chemistry and relations between magnesium to calcium molar ratios and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratios of samples collected from sites H and I indicated that the groundwater from these sites was most geochemically similar to groundwater collected from site B (State well AY-68-36-134), which is representative of groundwater in the Edwards aquifer. Of the sites sampled in this study, there appears to be varying hydrologic connectivity between groundwater from wells completed in the Austin Group and the Edwards aquifer.

Hexavalent and total chromium at low reporting concentrations in source-water aquifers and surface waters used for public supply in Illinois, 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mills, Patrick C.; Cobb, Richard P.

2015-01-01

There was a weak positive relation (ρ = 0.23) between concentrations of Cr(VI) and Cr(T) in untreated water samples, with a much stronger positive relation (ρ = 0.86 and ρ = 0.90, respectively) in samples collected soon after treatment and near the endpoint of distribution. The stronger relation and greater similarity between Cr(VI) and Cr(T) concentrations in treated water samples indicate that Cr(VI) represents a greater proportion of the measured concentrations of Cr(T) in treated waters than in untreated waters. The analysis of spikes and other quality-assurance samples indicate uncertainties associated with obtaining or confirming consistently accurate analytical results for Cr(VI) at near the applied reporting limit of 0.02 µg/L.

Phase II test plan for the evaluation of the performance of container filling systems

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

BOGER, R.M.

The PHMC will provide tank wastes for final treatment by BNFL from Hanford's waste tanks. Concerns about the ability for ''grab'' sampling to provide large volumes of representative waste samples has led to the development of a nested, fixed-depth sampling system. Preferred concepts for filling sample containers that meet RCRA organic sample criteria were identified by a PHMC Decision Board. These systems will replace the needle based sampling ''T'' that is currently on the sampling system. This test plan document identifies cold tests with simulants that will demonstrate the preferred bottle filling concepts abilities to provide representative waste samples andmore » will meet RCRA criteria. Additional tests are identified that evaluate the potential for cross-contamination between samples and the ability for the system to decontaminate surfaces which have contacted tank wastes. These tests will be performed with kaolid/water and sand/water slurry simulants in the test rig that was used by AEAT to complete Phase 1 tests in FY 1999.« less

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

Gardiner, W.W.; Barrows, E.S.; Antrim, L.D

Buttermilk Channel was one of seven waterways that was sampled and evaluated for dredging and sediment disposal. Sediment samples were collected and analyses were conducted on sediment core samples. The evaluation of proposed dredged material from the channel included bulk sediment chemical analyses, chemical analyses of site water and elutriate, water column and benthic acute toxicity tests, and bioaccumulation studies. Individual sediment core samples were analyzed for grain size, moisture content, and total organic carbon. A composite sediment samples, representing the entire area proposed for dredging, was analyzed for bulk density, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene. Site water and elutriatemore » were analyzed for metals, pesticides, and PCBs.« less

Optimizing fish sampling for fish–mercury bioaccumulation factors

EPA Science Inventory

Fish Bioaccumulation Factors (BAFs; ratios of mercury (Hg) in fish (Hgfish) and water (Hgwater)) are used to develop total maximum daily load and water quality criteria for Hg-impaired waters. Both applications require representative Hgfish estimates and, thus, are sensitive to s...

Storage effects on quantity and composition of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen of lake water, leaf leachate and peat soil water.

PubMed

Heinz, Marlen; Zak, Dominik

2018-03-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of freezing and cold storage at 4 °C on bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) concentration and SEC fractions determined with size exclusion chromatography (SEC), as well as on spectral properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) analyzed with fluorescence spectroscopy. In order to account for differences in DOM composition and source we analyzed storage effects for three different sample types, including a lake water sample representing freshwater DOM, a leaf litter leachate of Phragmites australis representing a terrestrial, 'fresh' DOM source and peatland porewater samples. According to our findings one week of cold storage can bias DOC and DON determination. Overall, the determination of DOC and DON concentration with SEC analysis for all three sample types were little susceptible to alterations due to freezing. The findings derived for the sampling locations investigated here may not apply for other sampling locations and/or sample types. However, DOC size fractions and DON concentration of formerly frozen samples should be interpreted with caution when sample concentrations are high. Alteration of some optical properties (HIX and SUVA 254 ) due to freezing were evident, and therefore we recommend immediate analysis of samples for spectral analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research of mine water source identification based on LIF technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Mengran; Yan, Pengcheng

2016-09-01

According to the problem that traditional chemical methods to the mine water source identification takes a long time, put forward a method for rapid source identification system of mine water inrush based on the technology of laser induced fluorescence (LIF). Emphatically analyzes the basic principle of LIF technology. The hardware composition of LIF system are analyzed and the related modules were selected. Through the fluorescence experiment with the water samples of coal mine in the LIF system, fluorescence spectra of water samples are got. Traditional water source identification mainly according to the ion concentration representative of the water, but it is hard to analysis the ion concentration of the water from the fluorescence spectra. This paper proposes a simple and practical method of rapid identification of water by fluorescence spectrum, which measure the space distance between unknown water samples and standard samples, and then based on the clustering analysis, the category of the unknown water sample can be get. Water source identification for unknown samples verified the reliability of the LIF system, and solve the problem that the current coal mine can't have a better real-time and online monitoring on water inrush, which is of great significance for coal mine safety in production.

Analysis of water from the Space Shuttle and Mir Space Station by ion chromatography and capillary electrophoresis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orta, D.; Mudgett, P. D.; Ding, L.; Drybread, M.; Schultz, J. R.; Sauer, R. L.

1998-01-01

Drinking water and condensate samples collected from the US Space Shuttle and the Russian Mir Space Station are analyzed routinely at the NASA-Johnson Space Center as part of an ongoing effort to verify water quality and monitor the environment of the spacecraft. Water quality monitoring is particularly important for the Mir water supply because approximately half of the water consumed is recovered from humidity condensate. Drinking water on Shuttle is derived from the fuel cells. Because there is little equipment on board the spacecraft for monitoring the water quality, samples collected by the crew are transported to Earth on Shuttle or Soyuz vehicles, and analyzed exhaustively. As part of the test battery, anions and cations are measured by ion chromatography, and carboxylates and amines by capillary electrophoresis. Analytical data from Shuttle water samples collected before and after several missions, and Mir condensate and potable recovered water samples representing several recent missions are presented and discussed. Results show that Shuttle water is of distilled quality, and Mir recovered water contains various levels of minerals imparted during the recovery processes as designed. Organic ions are rarely detected in potable water samples, but were present in humidity condensate samples.

Farmer Perceptions of Soil and Water Conservation Issues: Implications to Agricultural and Extension Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruening, Thomas H.; Martin, Robert A.

A sample of 731 farmers was surveyed to identify perceptions regarding selected soil and water conservation practices. The sample was stratified and proportioned by conservation district to have a representative group of respondents across Iowa. Items on the mailed questionnaire were designed to assess perceptions regarding issues in soil and…

Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment special reconnaissance report for the Deep Creek Mountains, Nevada and Utah

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

Qualheim, B.

1979-04-01

This report represents the results of the reconnaissance sampling of the Deep Creek Mountains of western Utah. The Deep Creek range is located in the northwest corner of the Delta NTMS 1:250,000 and the southwestern corner of the Tooele NTMS 1:250,000 sheets and covers an area of 1750 km/sup 2/. Samples collected in this study include dry and wet stream sediments and water from available streams, wells, and springs. The samples were analyzed for uranium, as well as 15 to 20 trace elements, using neutron activation techniques. In addition, field and laboratory measurements were made on the water samples. Analyticalmore » data and field measurements are presented in tabular hard copy and fiche format. Water-sample site locations, water-sample uranium concentrations, sediment-sample site locations, and sediment-sample uranium concentrations are shown on separate overlays.« less

Sources of Sampling Bias in Long-Screened Well

EPA Science Inventory

Results obtained from ground-water sampling in long-screened wells are often influenced by physical factors such as geologic heterogeneity and vertical hydraulic gradients. These factors often serve to bias results and increase uncertainty in the representativeness of the sample...

Application of a DNA-based luminescence switch-on method for the detection of mercury(II) ions in water samples from Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Hong-Zhang; Leung, Ka-Ho; Fu, Wai-Chung; Shiu-Hin Chan, Daniel; Leung, Chung-Hang; Ma, Dik-Lung

2012-12-01

Mercury is a highly toxic environmental contaminant that damages the endocrine and central nervous systems. In view of the contamination of Hong Kong territorial waters with anthropogenic pollutants such as trace heavy metals, we have investigated the application of our recently developed DNA-based luminescence methodology for the rapid and sensitive detection of mercury(II) ions in real water samples. The assay was applied to water samples from Shing Mun River, Nam Sang Wai and Lamma Island sea water, representing natural river, wetland and sea water media, respectively. The results showed that the system could function effectively in real water samples under conditions of low turbidity and low metal ion concentrations. However, high turbidity and high metal ion concentrations increased the background signal and reduced the performance of this assay.

Identification of Entamoeba moshkovskii in Treated Waste Water Used for Agriculture.

PubMed

Fonseca, Jairo Andres; Heredia, Rubén Darío; Ortiz, Carolina; Mazo, Martín; Clavijo-Ramírez, Carlos Arturo; Lopez, Myriam Consuelo

2016-03-01

We conducted an observational study to determine the prevalence of Entamoeba spp., in samples collected in a waste water treatment plant that provides water for agricultural irrigation. Samples were collected weekly over a period of 10 weeks at representative contamination stages from within the treatment plant. Protozoan identification was performed via light microscopy and culture. PCR amplification of small subunit rRNA gene sequences of E. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii was performed in culture positive samples. Light microscopy revealed the presence of Entamoeba spp., in 70% (14/20) of the raw waste water samples and in 80% (8/10) of the treated water samples. PCR amplification after culture at both 24 and 37°C revealed that 100% (29/29) of the raw waste water samples and 78.6% (11/14) of the treated waste water were positive for E. moshkovskii. We report the first isolation of E. moshkovskii in Colombia, confirmed by PCR. Recent reports of E. moshkovskii pathogenic potential suggest this finding could constitute a public health risk for people exposed to this water.

[Environmental surveillance of a sample of indoor swimming pools from Emilia Romagna region: microclimate characteristics and chemical parameters, particularly disinfection by products, in pool waters].

PubMed

Fantuzzi, G; Righi, E; Predieri, G; Giacobazzi, P; Mastroianni, K; Aggazzotti, G

2010-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the environmental and healthy aspects from a representative sample of indoor swimming pools located in the Emilia Romagna region. During the sampling sessions, the occupational environment was evaluated in terms of microclimate parameters and thermal comfort/discomfort conditions. Moreover the chemical risk was assessed by analyzing from the pool water the presence of disinfection by-products (DBPs), such as: trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), chlorite, chlorate and bromate. The analytical results are in agreement with the Italian legislation (Accordo Stato-Regioni; 2003) even if in some of the sampled indoor swimming pools, the dosed combined chlorine levels, were greater than the Italian limit. With the regard to the microclimate conditions evaluation, the considered thermal indices, Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD%), described a satisfactory occupational environment. Among DBPs, the THMs mean levels (41.4 +/- 30.0 microg/l) resulted close to the values of the current Italian drinking water legislation, and seem to not represent an health issue. The pool waters chlorate levels (range: 5 - 19537 microg/l) need further investigations as recent epidemiological studies on drinking water hypothesized a potential genotoxicity effect of these compounds which are involved in cellular oxidative processes.

Phylogenetic assessment of heterotrophic bacteria from a water distribution system using 16S rDNA sequencing.

PubMed

Tokajian, Sima T; Hashwa, Fuad A; Hancock, Ian C; Zalloua, Pierre A

2005-04-01

Determination of a heterotrophic plate count (HPC) for drinking-water samples alone is not enough to assess possible health hazards associated with sudden changes in the bacterial count. Speciation is very crucial to determine whether the population includes pathogens and (or) opportunistic pathogens. Most of the isolates recovered from drinking water samples could not be allocated to a specific phylogenetic branch based on the use of conventional diagnostic methods. The present study had to use phylogenetic analysis, which was simplified by determining and using the first 500-bp sequence of the 16S rDNA, to successfully identify the type and species of bacteria found in the samples. Gram-positive bacteria alpha-, beta-, and gamma-Proteobacteria were found to be the major groups representing the heterotrophic bacteria in drinking water. The study also revealed that the presence of sphingomonads in drinking water supplies may be much more common than has been reported so far and thus further studies are merited. The intermittent mode of supply, mainly characterized by water stagnation and flow interruption associated possibly with biofilm detachment, raised the possibility that the studied bacterial populations in such systems represented organisms coming from 2 different niches, the biofilm and the water column.

Reported care giver strategies for improving drinking water for young children.

PubMed

McLennan, John D; Farrelly, Ashley

2010-11-01

Care givers may engage in a variety of strategies to try and improve drinking water for children. However, the pattern of these efforts is not well known, particularly for young children in high-risk situations. The objective of this study was to determine care giver-reported strategies for young children with (1) undernutrition and (2) living in an unplanned poor peri-urban community in the Dominican Republic. Practices reported by care givers of young children from a community and clinic group were extracted from interviews conducted between 2004 and 2008 (n = 563). These results were compared to two previous similar samples interviewed in 1997 (n = 341). Bottled water is currently the most prevalent reported strategy for improving drinking water for young children. Its use increased from 6% to 69% in the community samples over the last decade and from 13% to 79% in the clinic samples. Boiling water continues to be a common strategy, particularly for the youngest children, though its overall use has decreased over time. Household-level chlorination is infrequently used and has dropped over time. Care givers are increasingly turning to bottled water in an attempt to provide safe drinking water for their children. While this may represent a positive trend for protecting children from water-transmitted diseases, it may represent an inefficient approach to safe drinking water provision that may place a financial burden on low-income families.

Hydrochemical and multivariate analysis of groundwater quality in the northwest of Sinai, Egypt.

PubMed

El-Shahat, M F; Sadek, M A; Salem, W M; Embaby, A A; Mohamed, F A

2017-08-01

The northwestern coast of Sinai is home to many economic activities and development programs, thus evaluation of the potentiality and vulnerability of water resources is important. The present work has been conducted on the groundwater resources of this area for describing the major features of groundwater quality and the principal factors that control salinity evolution. The major ionic content of 39 groundwater samples collected from the Quaternary aquifer shows high coefficients of variation reflecting asymmetry of aquifer recharge. The groundwater samples have been classified into four clusters (using hierarchical cluster analysis), these match the variety of total dissolvable solids, water types and ionic orders. The principal component analysis combined the ionic parameters of the studied groundwater samples into two principal components. The first represents about 56% of the whole sample variance reflecting a salinization due to evaporation, leaching, dissolution of marine salts and/or seawater intrusion. The second represents about 15.8% reflecting dilution with rain water and the El-Salam Canal. Most groundwater samples were not suitable for human consumption and about 41% are suitable for irrigation. However, all groundwater samples are suitable for cattle, about 69% and 15% are suitable for horses and poultry, respectively.

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.

Water quality in the tidal Potomac River and Estuary, hydrologic data report, 1979 water year

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blanchard, Stephen F.; Hahl, D.C.

1981-01-01

This report contains data on the physical and chemical properties measured during the 1979 water year for the tidal Potomac River and estuary. Data were collected routinely at five major stations and periodically at 14 intervening stations. Each major station represents a cross section through which the transport of selected dissolved and suspended materials will be computed. The intervening stations represent locations at which data were collected for special studies such as: salt water migration, dissolved oxygen dynamics, and other synoptic studies. About 960 samples were analyzed for silicate, Kjeldhal nitrogen, nitrite, phosphorus, chlorophyll and suspended sediment, with additional samples analyzed for organic carbon, calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate, sulfate, potassium, chloride, fluoride, seston and dissolved solids residue. In addition, about 1400 in-situ measurements of dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, temperature, and Secchi disk transparency are reported. (USGS)

Agricultural chemicals in Iowa's ground water, 1982-95: What are the trends?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koplin, Dana W.; Hallberg, George; Sneck-Fahrer, D. A.; Libra, Robert

1997-01-01

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Geological Survey Bureau: the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory; and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have been working together to address this question. As part of the Iowa Ground-Water Monitoring Program (IGWM). water samples have been collected from selected Iowa municipal wells since 1982. An examination of this data identified two trends: (1) concentrations of atrazine in Iowa's ground water generally were decreasing over time, and (2) concentrations of metolachlor generally were increasing. Continuing ground-water sampling can determine if these trends represent long-term changes in chemical concentrations.

Determining the sources of suspended sediment in a Mediterranean groundwater-dominated river: the Na Borges basin (Mallorca, Spain).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrany, Joan; Martinez-Carreras, Nuria

2013-04-01

Tracers have been acknowledged as a useful tool to identify sediment sources, based upon a variety of techniques and chemical and physical sediment properties. Sediment fingerprinting supports the notion that changes in sedimentation rates are not just related to increased/reduced erosion and transport in the same areas, but also to the establishment of different pathways increasing sediment connectivity. The Na Borges is a Mediterranean lowland agricultural river basin (319 km2) where traditional soil and water conservation practices have been applied over millennia to provide effective protection of cultivated land. During the twentieth century, industrialisation and pressure from tourism activities have increased urbanised surfaces, which have impacts on the processes that control streamflow. Within this context, source material sampling was focused in Na Borges on obtaining representative samples from potential sediment sources (comprised topsoil; i.e., 0-2 cm) susceptible to mobilisation by water and subsequent routing to the river channel network, while those representing channel bank sources were collected from actively eroding channel margins and ditches. Samples of road dust and of solids from sewage treatment plants were also collected. During two hydrological years (2004-2006), representative suspended sediment samples for use in source fingerprinting studies were collected at four flow gauging stations and at eight secondary sampling points using time-integrating sampling samplers. Likewise, representative bed-channel sediment samples were obtained using the resuspension approach at eight sampling points in the main stem of the Na Borges River. These deposits represent the fine sediment temporarily stored in the bed-channel and were also used for tracing source contributions. A total of 102 individual time-integrated sediment samples, 40 bulk samples and 48 bed-sediment samples were collected. Upon return to the laboratory, source material samples were oven-dried at 40° C, disaggregated using a pestle and mortar, and dry sieved to

40 CFR 257.22 - Ground-water monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... defined in § 257.5(b)) that: (1) Represent the quality of background ground water that has not been affected by leakage from a unit. A determination of background quality may include sampling of wells that... at other wells will provide an indication of background ground-water quality that is as...

40 CFR 141.71 - Criteria for avoiding filtration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Filtration and Disinfection § 141.71... developed under section 1428 of the Safe Drinking Water Act may be used, if the State deems it appropriate... representative sample of the source water immediately prior to the first or only point of disinfection...

40 CFR 258.51 - Ground-water monitoring systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the uppermost aquifer (as defined in § 258.2) that: (1) Represent the quality of background ground water that has not been affected by leakage from a unit. A determination of background quality may...; or (ii) Sampling at other wells will provide an indication of background ground-water quality that is...

On sampling biases arising from insufficient bottle flushing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Codispoti, L. A.; Paver, C. R.

2016-02-01

Collection of representative water samples using carousel bottles is important for accurately determining biological and chemical gradients. The development of more technologically advanced instrumentation and sampling apparatus causes sampling packages to increase and "soak times" to decrease, increasing the probability that insufficient bottle flushing will produce biased results. Qualitative evidence from various expeditions suggest that insufficient flushing may be a problem. Here we report on multiple field experiments that were conducted to better quantify the errors that can arise from insufficient bottle flushing. Our experiments suggest that soak times of more than 2 minutes are sometimes required to collect a representative sample.

The health-related microbiological quality of bottled drinking water sold in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

PubMed

Kassenga, Gabriel R

2007-03-01

The consumption of bottled and plastic-bagged drinking water in Tanzania has increased largely because of the deteriorating quality of tap water. It is uncertain whether these water products are safe for drinking. In this study, the microbiological quality of bottled and plastic-bagged drinking water sold in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was investigated. One hundred and thirty samples representing 13 brands of bottled water collected from shops, supermarkets and street vendors were analysed for total coliform and faecal coliform organisms as well as heterotrophic bacteria. These were compared with 61 samples of tap water. Heterotrophic bacteria were detected in 92% of the bottled water samples analysed. Total and faecal coliform bacteria were present in 4.6% and 3.6%, respectively, of samples analysed with a tendency for higher contamination rates in plastic-bagged drinking water. Microbiological quality of tap water was found to be worse compared with bottled water, with 49.2% and 26.2% of sampling points showing the presence of total coliform and faecal coliform organisms, respectively. The results suggest caution and vigilance to avert outbreaks of waterborne diseases from these types of drinking water.

Mycobacterium mucogenicum and other non-tuberculous mycobacteria in potable water of a trauma hospital: a potential source for human infection.

PubMed

Fernandez-Rendon, E; Cerna-Cortes, J F; Ramirez-Medina, M A; Helguera-Repetto, A C; Rivera-Gutierrez, S; Estrada-Garcia, T; Gonzalez-Y-Merchand, J A

2012-01-01

This study examined the frequency of occurrence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in potable water samples from a main trauma hospital in Mexico City. Sixty-nine potable water samples were collected, 23 from each source: cistern, kitchen tap and bathroom showers. Of the 69 samples, 36 harboured NTM species. Twenty-nine of the 36 isolates were Mycobacterium mucogenicum, two Mycobacterium rhodesiae, one Mycobacterium peregrinum, one Mycobacterium fortuitum and three were Mycobacterium spp. Hospital potable water harbouring NTM represents a potential source for nosocomial infections, therefore we suggest that hospital potable water microbiological guidelines should include testing for NTM species. Copyright © 2011 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The spatial geochemical characteristics of groundwater and surface in the Tuul River basin, Ulaanbatar, Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batdelger, Odsuren; Tsujimura, Maki; Zorigt, Byambasuren; Togtokh, Enkhjargal

2017-04-01

The capital city, Ulaanbaatar, is located along the Tuul River and its water supply totally dependent on the groundwater, which comes from the aquifer of the Tuul River. Due to the rapid growth of the population and the increasing human pressures in this basin, water quality has been deteriorating and has become a crucial issue for sustainable environmental and socio-economic development. Hydro-chemical and stable isotope tracing approaches were applied into the groundwater and surface water in order to study geochemical characteristics and groundwater and surface water interaction. The Tuul River water was mostly characterized by the Ca-HCO3 type, spatially variable and it changed into Ca-Na-HCO3 type in the downstream of the city after wastewater (WW) meets the river. Also, electrical conductivity (EC) values of Tuul River are increasing gradually with distance and it increased more than 2 times after WW meets the stream, therefore anthropogenic activities influence to the downstream of the river. The dominant hydro-chemical facies of groundwater were the Ca-HCO3 type, which represents 83% of the total analyzed samples, while Ca- HCO3-Cl-NO3, Na-HCO3, Ca-HCO3-SO4 each represent 4%, and Ca-mixed and Ca-Mg-HCO3 each represent 2% of the total samples. This suggests that groundwater chemistry is controlled by rock-water interaction and anthropogenic pollution. The floodplain groundwater chemical characteristics were similar to Tuul River water and showing lowest EC values. Groundwater far from floodplain showed higher EC (mean value of 498 μs/cm) values than river waters and floodplain groundwater. Also, different kinds of hydro-chemical facies were observed. The stable isotopic compositions revealed less evaporation effect on the groundwater and surface water, as well as an altitude effect in the river water. The similarity of stable isotopes and chemical characteristics of floodplain groundwater and river water suggests that alluvial groundwater is recharged by Tuul River water in the study area. The cluster analysis (CA) clearly indicated a connection between floodplain groundwater and river water, and also the effect of anthropogenic activities (such as canal and WW) in the system. The analysis results show that CA is a useful approach for future spatial sampling strategy in an optimal manner and offers a reliable classification of sampling stations in the region, especially along Tuul River. Therefore, the number of sampling stations in the monitoring network could be optimized without losing any significant information and saving cost.

Selected laboratory evaluations of the whole-water sample-splitting capabilities of a prototype fourteen-liter Teflon churn splitter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Smith, J.J.; Elrick, K.A.

2001-01-01

A prototype 14-L Teflon? churn splitter was evaluated for whole-water sample-splitting capabilities over a range of sediment concentratons and grain sizes as well as for potential chemical contamination from both organic and inorganic constituents. These evaluations represent a 'best-case' scenario because they were performed in the controlled environment of a laboratory, and used monomineralic silica sand slurries of known concentration made up in deionized water. Further, all splitting was performed by a single operator, and all the requisite concentration analyses were performed by a single laboratory. The prototype Teflon? churn splitter did not appear to supply significant concentrations of either organic or inorganic contaminants at current U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory detection and reporting limits when test samples were prepared using current USGS protocols. As with the polyethylene equivalent of the prototype Teflon? churn, the maximum usable whole-water suspended sediment concentration for the prototype churn appears to lie between 1,000 and 10,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Further, the maximum grain-size limit appears to lie between 125- and 250-microns (m). Tests to determine the efficacy of the valve baffle indicate that it must be retained to facilitate representative whole-water subsampling.

A Comparison of delO18 Composition of Water Extracted from Suction Lysimeters, Centrifugation, and Azeotropic Distillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figueroa, A.; Tindall, J. A.; Friedel, M. J.

2005-12-01

Concentration of delO18 in water samples extracted by suction lysimeters is compared to samples obtained by methods of centrifugation and azeotropic distillation. Intact soil cores (30 cm diameter by 40 cm height) were extracted from two different sites. Site 1 was rapid infiltration basin number 50, near Altamonte Springs in Seminole County, Florida on properties belonging to the Walt Disney World Resort Complex. Site 2 was the Missouri Management System Evaluation Area (MSEA) near Centralia in Boone County, Missouri. The delO18 water was analyzed on a mass spectrophotometer. Potassium Bromide (KBr) was also used as a tracer and analyzed by ion chromatography. A portion of the data obtained was modeled using CXTFIT. Water collected by centrifugation and azeotropic distillation data were about 2-5% more negative than that collected by suction lysimeter values from the Florida (sandy) soil and about 5-7 % more negative from the Missouri (well structured clay) soil. Results indicate that the majority of soil water in well structured soil is strongly bound to soil grain surfaces and is not easily sampled by suction lysimeters. Also, it is plausible that evaporation caused some delO18 enrichment in the suction lysimeters. Suction lysimeters preferentially sampled water held at lower matric potentials, which may not represent total soil water. In cases where a sufficient volume of water has passed through the soil profile and displaced all previous pore water, suction lysimeters will however collect a representative sample of all the water at that depth interval. It is suggested that for stable isotope studies monitoring precipitation and soil water, suction lysimeters be installed at shallow depths (10 cm). Samples should also be coordinated with precipitation events. The CXTFIT program worked well for Florida soils (a more homogeneous sand), but gave poor performance for Missouri soils (well structured clays) except for deeper depths where clay structure was less variable. The data also suggest that each extraction method samples a separate component of soil-pore water. Consequently, centrifugation can be used with good success, particularly for efficient sampling of large areas. Azeotropic distillation is more appropriate when strict qualitative and quantitative data for desorption, desorption, and various types of kinetic studies are needed.

Determining the Release of Radionuclides from Tank 18F Waste Residual Solids: FY2016 Report

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

King, William D.; Hobbs, David T.

Pore water leaching studies were conducted on actual Savannah River Site (SRS) Tank 18F residual waste solids to support Liquid Waste tank closure efforts. A test methodology was developed during previous simulant testing to produce slurries of tank residual solids and grout-representative solids in grout pore water solutions (based on SRS groundwater compositions) with pH and E h values expected during the aging of the closed waste tank. The target conditions are provided below where the initial pore water has a reducing potential and a relatively high pH (Reducing Region II). The pore water is expected to become increasingly oxidizingmore » with time (Oxidizing Region II) and during the latter stages of aging (Oxidizing Region III) the pH is expected to decrease. For the reducing case, tests were conducted with both unwashed and washed Tank 18F residual solids. For the oxidizing cases (Oxidizing Regions II and III), all samples were washed with simulated grout pore water solutions prior to testing, since it is expected that these conditions will occur after considerable pore water solution has passed through the system. For the reducing case, separate tests were conducted with representative ground grout solids and with calcium carbonate reagent, which is the grout phase believed to be controlling the pH. Ferrous sulfide (FeS) solids were also added to the reducing samples to lower the slurry E h value. Calcium carbonate solids were used as the grout-representative solid phase for each of the oxidizing cases. Air purge-gas with and without CO 2 removed was transferred through the oxidizing test samples and nitrogen purge-gas was transferred through the reducing test samples during leach testing. The target pH values were achieved to within 0.5 pH units for all samples. Leaching studies were conducted over an E h range of approximately 0.7 V. However, the highest and lowest E h values achieved of ~+0.5 V and ~-0.2 V were significantly less positive and less negative, respectively, than the target values. Achievement of more positive and more negative E h values is believed to require the addition of non-representative oxidants and reductants, respectively.« less

Characterizing spatial structure of sediment E. coli populations to inform sampling design.

PubMed

Piorkowski, Gregory S; Jamieson, Rob C; Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup; Bezanson, Greg S; Yost, Chris K

2014-01-01

Escherichia coli can persist in streambed sediments and influence water quality monitoring programs through their resuspension into overlying waters. This study examined the spatial patterns in E. coli concentration and population structure within streambed morphological features during baseflow and following stormflow to inform sampling strategies for representative characterization of E. coli populations within a stream reach. E. coli concentrations in bed sediments were significantly different (p = 0.002) among monitoring sites during baseflow, and significant interactive effects (p = 0.002) occurred among monitoring sites and morphological features following stormflow. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression revealed that water velocity and effective particle size (D 10) explained E. coli concentration during baseflow, whereas sediment organic carbon, water velocity and median particle diameter (D 50) were important explanatory variables following stormflow. Principle Coordinate Analysis illustrated the site-scale differences in sediment E. coli populations between disconnected stream segments. Also, E. coli populations were similar among depositional features within a reach, but differed in relation to high velocity features (e.g., riffles). Canonical correspondence analysis resolved that E. coli population structure was primarily explained by spatial (26.9–31.7 %) over environmental variables (9.2–13.1 %). Spatial autocorrelation existed among monitoring sites and morphological features for both sampling events, and gradients in mean particle diameter and water velocity influenced E. coli population structure for the baseflow and stormflow sampling events, respectively. Representative characterization of streambed E. coli requires sampling of depositional and high velocity environments to accommodate strain selectivity among these features owing to sediment and water velocity heterogeneity.

Drinking water quality assessment.

PubMed

Aryal, J; Gautam, B; Sapkota, N

2012-09-01

Drinking water quality is the great public health concern because it is a major risk factor for high incidence of diarrheal diseases in Nepal. In the recent years, the prevalence rate of diarrhoea has been found the highest in Myagdi district. This study was carried out to assess the quality of drinking water from different natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps at Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district. A cross-sectional study was carried out using random sampling method in Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district from January to June,2010. 84 water samples representing natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps from the study area were collected. The physico-chemical and microbiological analysis was performed following standards technique set by APHA 1998 and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 11.5. The result was also compared with national and WHO guidelines. Out of 84 water samples (from natural source, reservoirs and tap water) analyzed, drinking water quality parameters (except arsenic and total coliform) of all water samples was found to be within the WHO standards and national standards.15.48% of water samples showed pH (13) higher than the WHO permissible guideline values. Similarly, 85.71% of water samples showed higher Arsenic value (72) than WHO value. Further, the statistical analysis showed no significant difference (P<0.05) of physico-chemical parameters and total coliform count of drinking water for collection taps water samples of winter (January, 2010) and summer (June, 2010). The microbiological examination of water samples revealed the presence of total coliform in 86.90% of water samples. The results obtained from physico-chemical analysis of water samples were within national standard and WHO standards except arsenic. The study also found the coliform contamination to be the key problem with drinking water.

Drinking Water Quality Assessment Studies for an Urbanized Part of the Nagpur District, Central India.

PubMed

Varade, Abhay M; Yenkie, Rajshree; Shende, Rahul; Kodate, Jaya

2014-01-01

The water quality of Hingna area of Nagpur district, Central India was assessed for its suitability as drinking water. 22 water samples, representing both the surface and groundwater sources, were collected and analysed for different inorganic constituents by using the standard procedures. The result depicted abundance of major ions; Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ = HCO3- > Cl- > SO4(2-) > NO3-. The concentrations of different elements in water were compared with the drinking water standards defined by World Health Organization (WHO). The hydro-chemical results reveal that most of the samples were within the desirable limits of the drinking water quality. However, few samples of the area, showed higher values of total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), and magnesium (Mg) indicating their 'hard water type' nature and found to be unfit for the drinking purpose. Such poor water quality of these samples is found due to the combined effect of urbanization and industrial activities. The potential health risks associated with various water parameters have also been documented in this paper.

Isolation of Acinetobacter from Soil and Water

PubMed Central

Baumann, Paul

1968-01-01

An enrichment culture procedure for isolating members of the genus Acinetobacter from soil and water is described. It involves the use of vigorously aerated mineral media at relative low pH, supplemented with acetate or other suitable carbon source and nitrate as nitrogen source. With this method, virtually all samples of soil and water yielded representatives of this genus. Semiquantitative comparisons of the numbers of Acinetobacter and of all bacteria capable of aerobic growth in a complex medium revealed that Acinetobacter constituted no less than 0.001% of the total heterotrophic aerobic population in soil and water and was one of the predominant organisms in some water samples. PMID:4874313

Anthropogenic Organic Compounds in Source and Finished Groundwater of Community Water Systems in the Piedmont Physiographic Province, Potomac River Basin, Maryland and Virginia, 2003-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Banks, William S.L.; Reyes, Betzaida

2009-01-01

A source- and finished-water-quality assessment of groundwater was conducted in the Piedmont Physiographic Province of Maryland and Virginia in the Potomac River Basin during 2003-04 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. This assessment used a two-phased approach to sampling that allowed investigators to evaluate the occurrence of more than 280 anthropogenic organic compounds (volatile organic compounds, pesticides and pesticide degradates, and other anthropogenic organic compounds). Analysis of waters from 15 of the largest community water systems in the study area were included in the assessment. Source-water samples (raw-water samples collected prior to treatment) were collected at the well head. Finished-water samples (raw water that had been treated and disinfected) were collected after treatment and prior to distribution. Phase one samples, collected in August and September 2003, focused on source water. Phase two analyzed both source and finished water, and samples were collected in August and October of 2004. The results from phase one showed that samples collected from the source water for 15 community water systems contained 92 anthropogenic organic compounds (41 volatile organic compounds, 37 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and 14 other anthropogenic organic compounds). The 5 most frequently occurring anthropogenic organic compounds were detected in 11 of the 15 source-water samples. Deethylatrazine, a degradate of atrazine, was present in all 15 samples and metolachlor ethanesulfonic acid, a degradate of metolachlor, and chloroform were present in 13 samples. Atrazine and metolachlor were present in 12 and 11 samples, respectively. All samples contained a mixture of compounds with an average of about 14 compounds per sample. Phase two sampling focused on 10 of the 15 community water systems that were selected for resampling on the basis of occurrence of anthropogenic organic compounds detected most frequently during the first phase. A total of 48 different anthropogenic organic compounds were detected in samples collected from source and finished water. There were a similar number of compounds detected in finished water (41) and in source water (39). The most commonly detected group of anthropogenic organic compounds in finished water was trihalomethanes - compounds associated with the disinfection of drinking water. This group of compounds accounted for 30 percent of the detections in source water and 44 percent of the detections in finished water, and were generally found in higher concentrations in finished water. Excluding trihalomethanes, the number of total detections was about the same in source-water samples (33) as it was in finished-water samples (35). During both phases of the study, two measurements for human-health assessment were used. The first, the Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water, is set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and represents a legally enforceable maximum concentration of a contaminant permitted in drinking water. The second, the Health-Based Screening Level, was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, is not legally enforceable, and represents a limit for more chronic exposures. Maximum concentrations for each detected compound were compared with either the Maximum Contaminant Level or the Health-Based Screening Level when available. More than half of the compounds detected had either a Maximum Contaminant Level or a Health-Based Screening Level. A benchmark quotient was set at 10 percent (greater than or equal to 0.1) of the ratio of the detected concentration of a particular compound to its Maximum Contaminant Level, or Health-Based Screening Level. This was considered a threshold for further monitoring. During phase one, when only source water was sampled, seven compounds (chloroform, benzene, acrylonitrile, methylene chloride, atrazine, alachlor, and dieldrin) met or exceeded a benchmark quotient. No de

Antibiotics in Drinking Water in Shanghai and Their Contribution to Antibiotic Exposure of School Children.

PubMed

Wang, Hexing; Wang, Na; Wang, Bin; Zhao, Qi; Fang, Hong; Fu, Chaowei; Tang, Chuanxi; Jiang, Feng; Zhou, Ying; Chen, Yue; Jiang, Qingwu

2016-03-01

A variety of antibiotics have been found in aquatic environments, but antibiotics in drinking water and their contribution to antibiotic exposure in human are not well-explored. For this, representative drinking water samples and 530 urine samples from schoolchildren were selected in Shanghai, and 21 common antibiotics (five macrolides, two β-lactams, three tetracyclines, four fluoquinolones, four sulfonamides, and three phenicols) were measured in water samples and urines by isotope dilution two-dimensional ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Drinking water included 46 terminal tap water samples from different spots in the distribution system of the city, 45 bottled water samples from 14 common brands, and eight barreled water samples of different brands. Of 21 antibiotics, only florfenicol and thiamphenicol were found in tap water, with the median concentrations of 0.0089 ng/mL and 0.0064 ng/mL, respectively; only florfenicol was found in three bottled water samples from a same brand, with the concentrations ranging from 0.00060 to 0.0010 ng/mL; no antibiotics were found in barreled water. In contrast, besides florfenicol and thiamphenicol, an additional 17 antibiotics were detected in urine samples, and the total daily exposure doses and detection frequencies of florfenicol and thiamphenicol based on urine samples were significantly and substantially higher than their predicted daily exposure doses and detection frequencies from drinking water by Monte Carlo Simulation. These data indicated that drinking water was contaminated by some antibiotics in Shanghai, but played a limited role in antibiotic exposure of children.

Quantitative Analysis and Stability of the Rodenticide TETS ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal Article The determination of the rodenticide tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS) in drinking water is reportable through the use of automated sample preparation via solid phase extraction and detection using isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The method was characterized over twenty-two analytical batches with quality control samples. Accuracies for low and high concentration quality control pools were 100 and 101%, respectively. The minimum reporting level (MRL) for TETS in this method is 0.50 ug/L. Five drinking waters representing a range of water quality parameters and disinfection practices were fortified with TETS at ten times the MRL and analyzed over a 28 day period to determine the stability of TETS in these waters. The amount of TETS measured in these samples averaged 100 ± 6% of the amount fortified suggesting that tap water samples may be held for up to 28 days prior to analysis.

PRELIMINARY REPORT ON NATIONWIDE STUDY OF DRINKING WATER AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

EPA Science Inventory

This study was designed to further investigate the association(s) of cardiovascular diseases and drinking water constituents. A sample of 4200 adults were randomly selected from 35 geographic areas to represent the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the contiguous United...

Fate and Effects of Leachate Contamination on Alaska's Tribal Drinking Water Sources

EPA Science Inventory

EPA and Alaskan tribal communities identified and selected five representative Alaskan tribal landfills/dump sites and performed water quality sampling and analysis to identify chemical and microbial contaminants of concern (COCs) that could potentially impact the local drinking ...

Minero-chemical composition as environmental quality assessment tool of an artificial water reservoir: the case of the "Pietra del Pertusillo" lake (Basilicata, Italia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

fortunato, elisabetta; mongelli, giovanni; paternoster, michele; sinisi, rosa

2016-04-01

The Pietra del Pertusillo fresh-water reservoir is an artificial lake located in the High Agri River Valley (Basilicata); its dam was completed in 1963 for producing hydroelectric energy and providing water for human use to Puglia and Basilicata southern Italian regions (approximately 2 million people). Pertusillo lake lies within a national park because of the presence of many special protected areas. This reservoir is a natural laboratory for assessing the sediment pollution from human activities, including: waste-water treatment plants, landfills, farms, treatment oil plant, plastics and other industrial activities. In addition, the Pertusillo reservoir is located in the area of the largest oil field of continental Europe. This anthropogenic pressure may thus represent an impact factor on the environmental equilibrium and consequently the knowledge and control on their quality represents a relevant environmental challenge. This study reports the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary (sedimentological, mineralogical, geochemical) PhD research focused on the analysis of the lacustrine sediments filling the Pietra del Pertusillo fresh-water reservoir. The lakes and its sediments represent the natural sink for nutrients and possible pollutants which tend to accumulate in relation to the nature and composition of the solid matrix but also the concentration and characteristics of the substances themselves. Moreover the deeper sediments, deposited under undisturbed condition, represent the "historical memory" of the ecosystem. Sub-aqueous lake sediments were investigated in May 2014, sampled using a small platform and a gravity corer (UWITEC, Austria) of 90 mm diameter which allowed to drill 19 cores up to 2 m long from the sediment/water interface. Successively cores were studied and described by using facies analysis techniques; a large number of core samples (147) were collected from the working half of each core, stored in HPDE containers, and frozen at -20°C for subsequent chemical and mineralogical analysis. Further, in order to assess the provenance effects on the composition of lake sediments, the bedrock (Meso-Cenozoic rocks and Quaternary fluvial-lacustrine deposits) and the stream sediments of the main "Pietra del Pertusillo" tributaries, close to the detrital supply entry points of Pietra del Pertusillo lake were also sampled. The mineralogical composition was obtained from randomly oriented powders by XRPD. Chemistry (major, minor, and trace elements) was performed on powdered samples by ICP-MS technique after a four acids digestion and lithium metaborate/tetraborate fusion to facilitate the destruction of possible resistate minerals. Preliminary data related to the stream sediments show that both major and minor elements (including heavy metals, barium and arsenic) have a minor variability and are close to the median values of the bedrock. The mineralogical composition of the analysed samples can explain the elemental relationships,thus excluding any anthropogenic input. The mineralogical composition of the lacustrine samples is made of quartz, carbonates, feldspars, muscovite/illite, chlorite, and interstratified clay minerals, and it is constant throughout the cores. Finally, as further step ot he research plan, we are processing 20 of all lake samples with the highest peaks of interstratified clay minerals, which likely represent the most reactive phases in our sediment-water system.

Microbial pathogens in source and treated waters from drinking water treatment plants in the United States and implications for human health

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Dawn N.; Donohue, Maura J.; Vesper, Stephen J.; Villegas, Eric N.; Ware, Michael W.; Vogel, Megan E.; Furlong, Edward; Kolpin, Dana W.; Glassmeyer, Susan T.; Pfaller, Stacy

2016-01-01

An occurrence survey was conducted on selected pathogens in source and treated drinking water collected from 25 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the United States. Water samples were analyzed for the protozoa Giardia and Cryptosporidium (EPA Method 1623); the fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus (quantitative PCR [qPCR]); and the bacteria Legionella pneumophila (qPCR), Mycobacterium avium, M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis, and Mycobacterium intracellulare (qPCR and culture). Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected in 25% and in 46% of the source water samples, respectively (treated waters were not tested). Aspergillus fumigatus was the most commonly detected fungus in source waters (48%) but none of the three fungi were detected in treated water. Legionella pneumophila was detected in 25% of the source water samples but in only 4% of treated water samples. M. avium and M. intracellulare were both detected in 25% of source water, while all three mycobacteria were detected in 36% of treated water samples. Five species of mycobacteria, Mycobacterium mucogenicum, Mycobacterium phocaicum, Mycobacterium triplex, Mycobacterium fortuitum, and Mycobacterium lentiflavum were cultured from treated water samples. Although these DWTPs represent a fraction of those in the U.S., the results suggest that many of these pathogens are widespread in source waters but that treatment is generally effective in reducing them to below detection limits. The one exception is the mycobacteria, which were commonly detected in treated water, even when not detected in source waters.

Acidophiles of saline water at thermal vents of Vulcano, Italy.

PubMed

Simmons, Susan; Norris, R

2002-06-01

DNA was extracted from samples taken from close to acidic hydrothermal vents on shore of the Aeolian Island of Vulcano (Italy). RNA gene sequences were amplified by PCR, cloned, and sequenced. A sequence with an origin in samples at 35 degrees and 45 degrees C corresponded to that of a novel Acidithiobacillus species that was isolated from water close to the vents. Novel, iron-oxidizing mesophilic acidophiles were isolated through enrichment cultures with ferrous iron but were not represented in the clone banks of environmental rDNA. These acidophiles were related to Thiobacillus prosperus, which was isolated previously from Vulcano. The archaeal sequences that comprised a clone bank representing a high-temperature sample (75 degrees C) corresponded to those of Acidianus brierleyi and of thermophiles previously isolated from Vulcano, Thermoplasma volcanium and Acidianus infernus.

Export of nutrients and major ionic solutes from a rain forest catchment in the Central Amazon Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesack, Lance F. W.

1993-03-01

The relative roles of base flow runoff versus storm flow runoff versus subsurface outflow in controlling total export of solutes from a 23.4-ha catchment of undisturbed rain forest in the central Amazon Basin were evaluated from water and solute flux measurements performed over a 1 year period. Solutes exported via 173 storms during the study were estimated from stream water samples collected during base flow conditions and during eight storms, and by utilizing a hydrograph separation technique in combination with a mixing model to partition storm flow from base flow fluxes. Solutes exported by subsurface outflow were estimated from groundwater samples from three nests of piezometers installed into the streambed, and concurrent measurements of hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic head gradients. Base flow discharge represented 92% of water outflow from the basin and was the dominant pathway of solute export. Although storm flow discharge represented only 5% of total water outflow, storm flow solute fluxes represented up to 25% of the total annual export flux, though for many solutes the portion was less. Subsurface outflow represented only 2.5% of total water outflow, and subsurface solute fluxes never represented more than 5% of the total annual export flux. Measurement errors were relatively high for storm flow and subsurface outflow fluxes, but cumulative measurement errors associated with the total solute fluxes exported from the catchment, in most cases, ranged from only ±7% to 14% because base flow fluxes were measured relatively well. The export fluxes of most solutes are substantially less than previously reported for comparable small catchments in the Amazon basin, and these differences cannot be reconciled by the fact that storm flow and subsurface outflows were not appropriately measured in previous studies.

Selected water-quality characteristics in the upper Mississippi River basin, Royalton to Hastings, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Have, M.R.

1991-01-01

Results of this study show that the quality of water in the Mississippi River as it leaves the accounting unit at Hastings is not representative of water quality in most of the accounting unit. Three water-quality regions have been identified, and sampling sites are needed in each region to assess the quality of streams throughout the study area adequately.

Enteropathogenic Bacteria Contamination of Unchlorinated Drinking Water in Korea, 2010

PubMed Central

Lee, Si Won; Lee, Do Kyung; An, Hyang Mi; Cha, Min Kyeong; Kim, Kyung Jae

2011-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the microbiological quality of unchlorinated drinking water in Korea, 2010. One hundred and eighty unchlorinated drinking water samples were collected from various sites in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Methods To investigate bacterial presence, the pour plate method was used with cultures grown on selective media for total bacteria, total coliforms, and Staphylococcus spp., respectively. Results In the 180 total bacteria investigation, 72 samples from Seoul and 33 samples from Gyeonggi province were of an unacceptable quality (>102 CFU/mL). Of all the samples tested, total coliforms were detected in 28 samples (15.6%) and Staphylococcus spp. in 12 samples (6.7%). Most of the coliform isolates exhibited high-level resistance to cefazolin (88.2%), cefonicid (64.7%) and ceftazidime (20.6%). In addition, Staphylococcus spp. isolates exhibited high-level resistance to mupirocin (42%). Species of Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Cupriavidus, Hafnia, Rahnella, Serratia, and Yersinia were isolated from the water samples. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that consumption of unchlorinated drinking water could represent a notable risk to the health of consumers. As such, there is need for continuous monitoring of these water sources and to establish standards. PMID:22216417

Comparative assessment of the bacterial communities associated with Aedes aegypti larvae and water from domestic water storage containers.

PubMed

Dada, Nsa; Jumas-Bilak, Estelle; Manguin, Sylvie; Seidu, Razak; Stenström, Thor-Axel; Overgaard, Hans J

2014-08-24

Domestic water storage containers constitute major Aedes aegypti breeding sites. We present for the first time a comparative analysis of the bacterial communities associated with Ae. aegypti larvae and water from domestic water containers. The 16S rRNA-temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) was used to identify and compare bacterial communities in fourth-instar Ae. aegypti larvae and water from larvae positive and negative domestic containers in a rural village in northeastern Thailand. Water samples were cultured for enteric bacteria in addition to TTGE. Sequences obtained from TTGE and bacterial cultures were clustered into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for analyses. Significantly lower OTU abundance was found in fourth-instar Ae. aegypti larvae compared to mosquito positive water samples. There was no significant difference in OTU abundance between larvae and mosquito negative water samples or between mosquito positive and negative water samples. Larval samples had significantly different OTU diversity compared to mosquito positive and negative water samples, with no significant difference between mosquito positive and negative water samples. The TTGE identified 24 bacterial taxa, belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and TM7 (candidate phylum). Seven of these taxa were identified in larval samples, 16 in mosquito positive and 13 in mosquito negative water samples. Only two taxa, belonging to the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, were common to both larvae and water samples. Bacilli was the most abundant bacterial class identified from Ae. aegypti larvae, Gammaproteobacteria from mosquito positive water samples, and Flavobacteria from mosquito negative water samples. Enteric bacteria belonging to the class Gammaproteobacteria were sparsely represented in TTGE, but were isolated from both mosquito positive and negative water samples by selective culture. Few bacteria from water samples were identified in fourth-instar Ae. aegypti larvae, suggesting that established larval bacteria, most likely acquired at earlier stages of development, control the larval microbiota. Further studies at all larval stages are needed to fully understand the dynamics involved. Isolation of enteric bacteria from water samples supports earlier outcomes of E. coli contamination in Ae. aegypti infested domestic containers, suggesting the need to further explore the role of enteric bacteria in Ae. aegypti infestation.

Arsenic in groundwater of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), India: Critical review and modes of mitigation.

PubMed

Chakraborti, Dipankar; Das, Bhaskar; Rahman, Mohammad Mahmudur; Nayak, Bishwajit; Pal, Arup; Sengupta, Mrinal K; Ahamed, Sad; Hossain, Md Amir; Chowdhury, Uttam K; Biswas, Bhajan Kumar; Saha, Khitish Chandra; Dutta, R N

2017-08-01

This study represents the first comprehensive report of groundwater arsenic contamination status in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). During the past 23 years, 4210 groundwater samples were analysed from all 141 wards in the KMC: 14.2% and 5.2% samples had arsenic >10 μg/l and >50 μg/l, respectively, representing 77 and 37 wards. The study shows that the number of arsenic contaminated samples (and wards) in the southern part of the KMC exceeds that of other parts of the city. The daily intake of arsenic from drinking water was estimated as 0.95 μg per kg bw and the cancer risk was estimated as 1425/10 6 . Analyses of biological samples (hair, nail and urine) showed elevated concentrations of arsenic indicating the presence of subclinical arsenic poisoning, predicting an enhanced lifetime cancer risk for the population in southern part of the KMC. In the KMC, groundwater is not a sustainable source of freshwater due to arsenic, high iron, hardness and total dissolved solids. Its continued use is impelled by the lack of an adequate infrastructure to treat and supply surface water and in some wards the unaccounted for water (UFW) is even >45% incurred during distribution. The rare imposition of a water tax makes the water supply systems unsustainable and fosters indifference to water conservation. To mitigate the arsenic problem, continuous groundwater monitoring for pollutants, a treated surface water supply with strict policy implications, rainwater harvesting in the urban areas and introduction of water taxes seem to be long-term visible solutions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DISCRETE-LEVEL GROUND-WATER MONITORING SYSTEM FOR CONTAINMENT AND REMEDIAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

EPA Science Inventory

A passive discrete-level multilayer ground-water sampler was evaluated to determine its capability to obtain representative discrete-interval samples within the screen intervals of traditional monitoring wells without purging. Results indicate that the device is able to provide ...

Methods for assessing long-term mean pathogen count in drinking water and risk management implications.

PubMed

Englehardt, James D; Ashbolt, Nicholas J; Loewenstine, Chad; Gadzinski, Erik R; Ayenu-Prah, Albert Y

2012-06-01

Recently pathogen counts in drinking and source waters were shown theoretically to have the discrete Weibull (DW) or closely related discrete growth distribution (DGD). The result was demonstrated versus nine short-term and three simulated long-term water quality datasets. These distributions are highly skewed such that available datasets seldom represent the rare but important high-count events, making estimation of the long-term mean difficult. In the current work the methods, and data record length, required to assess long-term mean microbial count were evaluated by simulation of representative DW and DGD waterborne pathogen count distributions. Also, microbial count data were analyzed spectrally for correlation and cycles. In general, longer data records were required for more highly skewed distributions, conceptually associated with more highly treated water. In particular, 500-1,000 random samples were required for reliable assessment of the population mean ±10%, though 50-100 samples produced an estimate within one log (45%) below. A simple correlated first order model was shown to produce count series with 1/f signal, and such periodicity over many scales was shown in empirical microbial count data, for consideration in sampling. A tiered management strategy is recommended, including a plan for rapid response to unusual levels of routinely-monitored water quality indicators.

Water quality of the tidal Potomac River and estuary hydrologic data report, 1980 water year

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blanchard, Stephen; Coupe, R.H.; Woodward, J.C.

1982-01-01

This report contains data on the physical and chemical properties measured in the Tidal Potomac River and Estuary during the 1980 Water Year. Data were collected routinely at five stations, and periodically at 17 stations including three stations near the mouth of the Potomac River in Chesapeake Bay. Each of the five stations represent a cross section through which the transport of selected dissolved and suspended materials can be computed. The remaining stations represent locations at which data were collected for special synoptic studies such as salt water migration, and dissolved oxygen dynamics. Routinely, samples were analyzed for silica, nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, pheophytin, and suspended sediment. Additional samples were analyzed for organic carbon, calcium, manganese, magnesium, sodium, alkalinity, sulfate, iron, potassium, chloride, fluoride, seston, algal growth potential, adenosine triphosphate, nitrifying bacteria and dissolved-solids residue. In addition, solar radiation measurements and in-situ measurements of dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, pH, temperature, and Secchi disk transparency are reported. (USGS)

New biosensors for food safety screening solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyer, Maureen A.; Oberholtzer, Jennifer A.; Mulligan, David C.; Hanson, William P.

2009-05-01

Hanson Technologies has developed the automated OmniFresh 1000 system to sample large volumes of produce wash water, collect the pathogens, and detect their presence. By collecting a continuous sidestream of wash water, the OmniFresh uses a sample that represent the entire lot of produce being washed. The OmniFresh does not require bacterial culture or enrichment, and it detects both live and dead bacteria in the collected sample using an in-line sensor. Detection occurs in an array biosensor capable of handling large samples with complex matrices. Additionally, sample can be sent for traditional confirming tests after the screening performed by the OmniFresh.

Water Resources Data North Dakota Water Year 2002 Volume 1. Surface Water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harkness, R.E.; Lundgren, R.F.; Norbeck, S.W.; Robinson, S.M.; Sether, B.A.

2003-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2002 water year for North Dakota consists of records of discharge, stage, and water quality for streams; contents, stage, and water quality for lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality for ground-water wells. Volume 1 contains records of water discharge for 106 streamflow-gaging stations; stage only for 22 river-stage stations; contents and/or stage for 14 lake or reservoir stations; annual maximum discharge for 35 crest-stage stations; and water-quality for 96 streamflow-gaging stations, 3 river-stage stations, 11 lake or reservoir stations, 8 miscellaneous sample sites on rivers, and 63 miscellaneous sample sites on lakes and wetlands. Data are included for 7 water-quality monitor sites on streams and 2 precipitation-chemistry stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating Federal, State, and local agencies in North Dakota.

Water Resources Data North Dakota Water Year 2003, Volume 1. Surface Water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, S.M.; Lundgren, R.F.; Sether, B.A.; Norbeck, S.W.; Lambrecht, J.M.

2004-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2003 water year for North Dakota consists of records of discharge, stage, and water quality for streams; contents, stage, and water quality for lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality for ground-water wells. Volume 1 contains records of water discharge for 108 streamflow-gaging stations; stage only for 24 river-stage stations; contents and/or stage for 14 lake or reservoir stations; annual maximum discharge for 32 crest-stage stations; and water-quality for 99 streamflow-gaging stations, 5 river-stage stations, 11 lake or reservoir stations, 8 miscellaneous sample sites on rivers, and 63 miscellaneous sample sites on lakes and wetlands. Data are included for 7 water-quality monitor sites on streams and 2 precipitation-chemistry stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating Federal, State, and local agencies in North Dakota.

Water Resources Data North Dakota Water Year 2001, Volume 1. Surface Water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harkness, R.E.; Berkas, W.R.; Norbeck, S.W.; Robinson, S.M.

2002-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2001 water year for North Dakota consists of records of discharge, stage, and water quality for streams; contents, stage, and water quality for lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality for ground-water wells. Volume 1 contains records of water discharge for 103 streamflow-gaging stations; stage only for 20 river-stage stations; contents and/or stage for 13 lake or reservoir stations; annual maximum discharge for 35 crest-stage stations; and water-quality for 94 streamflow-gaging stations, 2 river-stage stations, 9 lake or reservoir stations, 7 miscellaneous sample sites on rivers, and 58 miscellaneous sample sites on lakes and wetlands. Data are included for 9 water-quality monitor sites on streams and 2 precipitation-chemistry stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating Federal, State, and local agencies in North Dakota.

Changes in shallow groundwater quality beneath recently urbanized areas in the Memphis, Tennessee area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, Jeannie R.; Kingsbury, James A.; Coupe, Richard H.

2012-01-01

Memphis, the largest city in the state of Tennessee, and its surrounding suburbs depend on a confined aquifer, the Memphis aquifer, for drinking water. Concern over the potential for downward movement of water from an overlying shallow aquifer to the underlying Memphis aquifer provided impetus for monitoring groundwater quality within the shallow aquifer. The occurrence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrate, and pesticides in samples from the shallow well network indicate a widespread affect on water quality from the overlying urban land use. Total pesticide concentration was generally higher in more recently recharged groundwater indicating that as the proportion of recent water increases, the occurrence of pesticides related to the current urban land use also increases. Groundwater samples with nitrate concentrations greater than 1.5 mg/l and detectable concentrations of the pesticides atrazine and simazine also had higher concentrations of chloroform, a VOC primarily associated with urban land use, than in other samples. The age of the water from these wells indicates that these concentrations are most likely not representative of past agricultural use, but of more recent urban use of these chemicals. Given that the median age of water represented by the shallow well network was 21 years, a lag time likely exists between changes in land use and the occurrence of constituents related to urbanization in shallow groundwater.

Persistence and Growth of the Fecal Indicator Bacteria Enterococci in Detritus and Natural Estuarine Plankton Communities

PubMed Central

Mote, Beth L.; Turner, Jeffrey W.

2012-01-01

Enterococci are used to evaluate recreational-water quality and health risks in marine environments. In addition to their occurrence in feces of warm blooded animals, they are also common epiphytes. We investigated the contribution of plankton- or particle-associated enterococci in estuarine and coastal water. Seven water and size-fractionated plankton samples were collected monthly between April 2008 and January 2009 in the tidal reaches of the Skidaway River (Georgia, USA). Each size fraction, along with filtered (<30 μm) and bulk estuarine water, was processed according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency method 1600. Presumptive enterococci were selected and species were identified using carbon substrate utilization patterns. The highest average densities occurred within the 30-, 63-, 105-, and 150-μm size fractions, which also represented the majority (>99%) of the particles within the sampled water. Particle-associated enterococci accounted for as little as 1% of enterococci in bulk water in April to as much as 95% in July. Enterococcus faecalis was the most commonly isolated species from both water and plankton and represented 31% (16/51) and 35% (6/17) of the identified Enterococcus species from water and plankton, respectively. Enterococcus casseliflavus represented 29% of the selected isolates from plankton and 16% from water. Both E. faecalis and E. casseliflavus were able to survive and grow in plankton suspensions significantly longer than in artificial seawater. Enterococcus spp. may be highly concentrated in plankton and associated particles, especially during summer and fall months. These findings could have implications for the effectiveness of enterococci as an indicator of coastal water quality, especially in particle-rich environments. PMID:22327586

Methods for Investigating Mercury Speciation, Transport, Methylation, and Bioaccumulation in Watersheds Affected by Historical Mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpers, C. N.; Marvin-DiPasquale, M. C.; Fleck, J.; Ackerman, J. T.; Eagles-Smith, C.; Stewart, A. R.; Windham-Myers, L.

2016-12-01

Many watersheds in the western U.S. have mercury (Hg) contamination from historical mining of Hg and precious metals (gold and silver), which were concentrated using Hg amalgamation (mid 1800's to early 1900's). Today, specialized sampling and analytical protocols for characterizing Hg and methylmercury (MeHg) in water, sediment, and biota generate high-quality data to inform management of land, water, and biological resources. Collection of vertically and horizontally integrated water samples in flowing streams and use of a Teflon churn splitter or cone splitter ensure that samples and subsamples are representative. Both dissolved and particulate components of Hg species in water are quantified because each responds to different hydrobiogeochemical processes. Suspended particles trapped on pre-combusted (Hg-free) glass- or quartz-fiber filters are analyzed for total mercury (THg), MeHg, and reactive divalent mercury. Filtrates are analyzed for THg and MeHg to approximate the dissolved fraction. The sum of concentrations in particulate and filtrate fractions represents whole water, equivalent to an unfiltered sample. This approach improves upon analysis of filtered and unfiltered samples and computation of particulate concentration by difference; volume filtered is adjusted based on suspended-sediment concentration to minimize particulate non-detects. Information from bed-sediment sampling is enhanced by sieving into multiple size fractions and determining detailed grain-size distribution. Wet sieving ensures particle disaggregation; sieve water is retained and fines are recovered by centrifugation. Speciation analysis by sequential extraction and examination of heavy mineral concentrates by scanning electron microscopy provide additional information regarding Hg mineralogy and geochemistry. Biomagnification of MeHg in food webs is tracked using phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic and emergent vegetation, invertebrates, fish, and birds. Analysis of zooplankton in multiple size fractions from multiple depths in reservoirs can provide insight into food-web dynamics. The presentation will highlight application of these methods in several Hg-contaminated watersheds, with emphasis on understanding seasonal variability in designing effective sampling strategies.

Water used to moisten vegetables is a source of Escherichia coli and protozoan parasite contamination at markets in Hanoi, Vietnam.

PubMed

Tram, Nguyen Thuy; Dalsgaard, Anders

2014-12-01

The study was done to assess the level of fecal (Escherichia coli) and protozoan parasite (Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp.) contamination in water used by traders to moisten vegetables at markets in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of 200 splashing water samples from markets located within eight districts were analyzed for E. coli and Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. (oo)cysts. Giardia cysts were found in 17 splashing water samples and Cryptosporidium oocysts in nine samples, with median values of 20 cysts ml(-1) and 10 oocysts ml(-1), respectively. E. coli was found with a median concentration of 636 cfu ml(-1) and its occurrence was negatively correlated with the numbers of protozoan parasites. The splashing water was kept in buckets that were rarely cleaned and often used for handwashing. The finding of these pathogens in splashing water is likely to represent real food safety hazards.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Kentucky River Basin, Kentucky; fixed-station network and selected water-quality data, April 1987 through August 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffin, M.S.; Martin, G.R.; White, K.D.

1994-01-01

This report describes selected data-collection activities and the associated data collected during the Kentucky River Basin pilot study of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The data are intended to provide a nationally consistent description and improved understanding of current water quality in the basin. The data were collected at seven fixed stations that represent stream cross sections where constituent transport and water-quality trends can be evaluated. The report includes descriptions of (1) the basin; (2) the design of the fixed-station network; (3) the fixed-station sites; (4) the physical and chemical measurements; (5) the methods of sample collection, processing, and analysis; and (6) the quality-assurance and quality-control procedures. Water-quality data collected at the fixed stations during routine periodic sampling and supplemental high-flow sampling from April 1987 to August 1991 are presented.

Field testing hot water temperature reduction as an energy-saving measure--does the Legionella presence change in a clinic's plumbing system?

PubMed

Völker, Sebastian; Kistemann, Thomas

2015-01-01

Legionella spp. represent a significant health risk for humans. To ensure hygienically safe drinking water, technical guidelines recommend a central potable water hot (PWH) supply temperature of at least 60°C at the calorifier. In a clinic building we monitored whether slightly lowered temperatures in the PWH system led to a systemic change in the growth of these pathogens. In four separate phases we tested different scenarios concerning PWH supply temperatures and disinfection with chlorine dioxide (ClO2). In each phase, we took 5 sets of samples at 17 representative sampling points in the building's drinking water plumbing system. In total we collected 476 samples from the PWH system. All samples were tested (culture-based) for Legionella spp. and serogroups. Additionally, quantitative parameters at each sampling point were collected, which could possibly be associated with the presence of Legionella spp. (Pseudomonas aeruginsoa, heterotrophic plate count at 20°C and 36°C, temperatures, time until constant temperatures were reached, and chlorine dioxide concentration). The presence of Legionella spp. showed no significant reactions after reducing the PWH supply temperature from 63°C to 60°C and 57°C, as long as disinfection with ClO2 was maintained. After omitting the disinfectant, the PWH system showed statistically significant growth rates at 57°C. PWH temperatures which are permanently lowered to less than recommended values should be carefully accompanied by frequent testing, a thorough evaluation of the building's drinking water plumbing system, and hygiene expertise.

Rapid habitability assessment of Mars samples by pyrolysis-FTIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordon, Peter R.; Sephton, Mark A.

2016-02-01

Pyrolysis Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (pyrolysis FTIR) is a potential sample selection method for Mars Sample Return missions. FTIR spectroscopy can be performed on solid and liquid samples but also on gases following preliminary thermal extraction, pyrolysis or gasification steps. The detection of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon gases can reveal information on sample mineralogy and past habitability of the environment in which the sample was created. The absorption of IR radiation at specific wavenumbers by organic functional groups can indicate the presence and type of any organic matter present. Here we assess the utility of pyrolysis-FTIR to release water, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and organic matter from Mars relevant materials to enable a rapid habitability assessment of target rocks for sample return. For our assessment a range of minerals were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance FTIR. Subsequently, the mineral samples were subjected to single step pyrolysis and multi step pyrolysis and the products characterised by gas phase FTIR. Data from both single step and multi step pyrolysis-FTIR provide the ability to identify minerals that reflect habitable environments through their water and carbon dioxide responses. Multi step pyrolysis-FTIR can be used to gain more detailed information on the sources of the liberated water and carbon dioxide owing to the characteristic decomposition temperatures of different mineral phases. Habitation can be suggested when pyrolysis-FTIR indicates the presence of organic matter within the sample. Pyrolysis-FTIR, therefore, represents an effective method to assess whether Mars Sample Return target rocks represent habitable conditions and potential records of habitation and can play an important role in sample triage operations.

Microbial pathogens in source and treated waters from drinking water treatment plants in the United States and implications for human health.

PubMed

King, Dawn N; Donohue, Maura J; Vesper, Stephen J; Villegas, Eric N; Ware, Michael W; Vogel, Megan E; Furlong, Edward F; Kolpin, Dana W; Glassmeyer, Susan T; Pfaller, Stacy

2016-08-15

An occurrence survey was conducted on selected pathogens in source and treated drinking water collected from 25 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the United States. Water samples were analyzed for the protozoa Giardia and Cryptosporidium (EPA Method 1623); the fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus (quantitative PCR [qPCR]); and the bacteria Legionella pneumophila (qPCR), Mycobacterium avium, M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis, and Mycobacterium intracellulare (qPCR and culture). Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected in 25% and in 46% of the source water samples, respectively (treated waters were not tested). Aspergillus fumigatus was the most commonly detected fungus in source waters (48%) but none of the three fungi were detected in treated water. Legionella pneumophila was detected in 25% of the source water samples but in only 4% of treated water samples. M. avium and M. intracellulare were both detected in 25% of source water, while all three mycobacteria were detected in 36% of treated water samples. Five species of mycobacteria, Mycobacterium mucogenicum, Mycobacterium phocaicum, Mycobacterium triplex, Mycobacterium fortuitum, and Mycobacterium lentiflavum were cultured from treated water samples. Although these DWTPs represent a fraction of those in the U.S., the results suggest that many of these pathogens are widespread in source waters but that treatment is generally effective in reducing them to below detection limits. The one exception is the mycobacteria, which were commonly detected in treated water, even when not detected in source waters. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Lithostratigraphic and Hydrogeologic Characteristics of the Ordovician Sinnipee Group in the Vicinity of Waupun, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, 1995-96

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunning, Charles P.; Yeskis, Douglas J.

2007-01-01

Three boreholes were drilled at a farm site near Waupun, Wis., to improve the understanding of regional hydrogeology of the Ordovician Sinnipee Group. At the site the Sinnipee Group is the uppermost bedrock unit and is found to be about 183 ft thick. On the basis of core descriptions by the Illinois State Geological Survey, the Sinnipee Group at the site comprises (stratigraphically lowest to highest) the Platteville Formation (about 51 ft thick), the Decorah Formation (about 14 ft thick), and the Galena Dolomite (about 119 ft thick). The Illinois State Geological Survey noted that hardgrounds were common in the rock core, some having stratigraphic significance. Four very well developed hardgrounds were identified, three of which were used as formation or member contacts. The hardground at about 797 ft NGVD 29 represents the top of the Platteville Formation, the hardground at about 754 ft represents the top of the Pecatonica Member of the Platteville Formation, and the hardground at about 746 ft represents the top of the Glenwood Formation. On the basis of samples collected from one borehole, the ground water at the site is of the calcium-magnesium bicarbonate type. Trichloroethene was detected in one sample at a concentration of 1 ?g/L, and the concentration of antimony in one sample exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Primary Drinking Water Standard. Other water samples contained aluminum and sodium in concentrations that exceeded the USEPA Secondary Drinking Water Standard and the USEPA Drinking Water Equivalent Level, respectively. Samples from various depths contained concentrations of iron, manganese, or dissolved manganese that were near or exceeded the USEPA Secondary Drinking Water Standard. The cross-borehole radar tomography data show differences in velocity and attenuation among the three major units in the Sinnipee Group. Matrix porosity measured in rock-core samples correlates well with these velocity and attenuation tomograms. The Galena Dolomite has the lowest mean porosity at 2.4 percent (7 samples) and is represented in the tomograms as generally having the lowest attenuation and greatest velocity. Below the Galena Dolomite is a transition to a zone with the greatest attenuation and lowest velocity on the tomograms. The rock core shows this interval to be the shaley dolomite of the Decorah Formation which has a mean porosity of 8.3 percent (2 samples). Below the Decorah Formation, the Platteville Formation has a mean porosity of 3.6 percent (6 samples) and is represented in the tomograms as having velocity and attenuation generally intermediate between the Galena Dolomite and the Decorah Formation. The evaluation of the single-hole directional ground-penetrating radar reflection survey in FL-800 identified 15 reflectors (secondary permeability features). Some of the reflectors do correlate with fractures and partings noted on geophysical logs and rock core; however, many additional fractures and partings identified by the televiewer log and/or core description were not measured by the borehole radar survey. Horizontal or sub-horizontal reflectors (bedding-plane partings) which do correlate with indications of bedding-plane partings on the acoustic televiewer intersect the borehole at about 917 ft, 907 ft, 870 ft, 805 ft, and 797 ft. The flowmeter profiles indicate that water entering and exiting the boreholes at seven bedding-plane partings accounts for most of the total borehole transmissivity. The flowmeter profiles in all three boreholes show that more than 90 percent of the total borehole transmissivity is provided by bedding-plane partings found at 870 ft and higher stratigraphically within the Galena Dolomite. Static water levels were measured in selected intervals of the three boreholes, and vertical hydraulic gradients were estimated by comparing levels in adjacent intervals. Gradients were found to be almost uniformly downward, ranging from -0.040 to -1.251 ft/ft. On th

Methodological approaches for monitoring opportunistic pathogens in premise plumbing: A review.

PubMed

Wang, Hong; Bédard, Emilie; Prévost, Michèle; Camper, Anne K; Hill, Vincent R; Pruden, Amy

2017-06-15

Opportunistic premise (i.e., building) plumbing pathogens (OPPPs, e.g., Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium complex, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acanthamoeba, and Naegleria fowleri) are a significant and growing source of disease. Because OPPPs establish and grow as part of the native drinking water microbiota, they do not correspond to fecal indicators, presenting a major challenge to standard drinking water monitoring practices. Further, different OPPPs present distinct requirements for sampling, preservation, and analysis, creating an impediment to their parallel detection. The aim of this critical review is to evaluate the state of the science of monitoring OPPPs and identify a path forward for their parallel detection and quantification in a manner commensurate with the need for reliable data that is informative to risk assessment and mitigation. Water and biofilm sampling procedures, as well as factors influencing sample representativeness and detection sensitivity, are critically evaluated with respect to the five representative bacterial and amoebal OPPPs noted above. Available culturing and molecular approaches are discussed in terms of their advantages, limitations, and applicability. Knowledge gaps and research needs towards standardized approaches are identified. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spread of acid rain over India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khemani, L. T.; Momin, G. A.; Rao, P. S. Prakasa; Safai, P. D.; Singh, G.; Kapoor, R. K.

Rain water and aerosol samples were collected at a few locations representative of urban and non-urban regions in India. Also, rain water samples were collected in and around a coal-fired power plant. All the rain water and aerosol samples were analyzed for major chemical components along with pH. The rain water at all the places of measurement, except near the industrial sources, has been found to be alkaline and was characterized by the presence of excess cations, particularly by Ca 2+. The acid rain near the industrial sources was associated with excess anions, especially SO 42-. The atmospheric aerosols at all the places of measurement were found rich with basic components, suggesting that the alkaline soil dust and fly ash are responsible at present for preventing the spread of acid rain in India.

High prevalence of enteric viruses in untreated individual drinking water sources and surface water in Slovenia.

PubMed

Steyer, Andrej; Torkar, Karmen Godič; Gutiérrez-Aguirre, Ion; Poljšak-Prijatelj, Mateja

2011-09-01

Waterborne infections have been shown to be important in outbreaks of gastroenteritis throughout the world. Although improved sanitary conditions are being progressively applied, fecal contaminations remain an emerging problem also in developed countries. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of fecal contaminated water sources in Slovenia, including surface waters and groundwater sources throughout the country. In total, 152 water samples were investigated, of which 72 samples represents groundwater from individual wells, 17 samples from public collection supplies and 63 samples from surface stream waters. Two liters of untreated water samples were collected and concentrated by the adsorption/elution technique with positively charged filters followed by an additional ultracentrifugation step. Group A rotaviruses, noroviruses (genogroups I and II) and astroviruses were detected with real-time RT-PCR method in 69 (45.4%) out of 152 samples collected, of which 31/89 (34.8%) drinking water and 38/63 (60.3%) surface water samples were positive for at least one virus tested. In 30.3% of drinking water samples group A rotaviruses were detected (27/89), followed by noroviruses GI (2.2%; 2/89) and astroviruses (2.2%; 2/89). In drinking groundwater samples group A rotaviruses were detected in 27 out of 72 tested samples (37.5%), genogroup I noroviruses in two (2.8%), and human astroviruses in one (1.4%) samples. In surface water samples norovirus genogroup GII was the most frequently detected (41.3%; 26/63), followed by norovirus GI (33.3%; 21/63), human astrovirus (27.0%; 17/63) and group A rotavirus (17.5%; 11/63). Our study demonstrates relatively high percentage of groundwater contamination in Slovenia and, suggests that raw groundwater used as individual drinking water supply may constitute a possible source of enteric virus infections. In the future, testing for enteric viruses should be applied for drinking water sources in waterborne outbreaks. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

From picture to porosity of river bed material using Structure-from-Motion with Multi-View-Stereo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seitz, Lydia; Haas, Christian; Noack, Markus; Wieprecht, Silke

2018-04-01

Common methods for in-situ determination of porosity of river bed material are time- and effort-consuming. Although mathematical predictors can be used for estimation, they do not adequately represent porosities. The objective of this study was to assess a new approach for the determination of porosity of frozen sediment samples. The method is based on volume determination by applying Structure-from-Motion with Multi View Stereo (SfM-MVS) to estimate a 3D volumetric model based on overlapping imagery. The method was applied on artificial sediment mixtures as well as field samples. In addition, the commonly used water replacement method was applied to determine porosities in comparison with the SfM-MVS method. We examined a range of porosities from 0.16 to 0.46 that are representative of the wide range of porosities found in rivers. SfM-MVS performed well in determining volumes of the sediment samples. A very good correlation (r = 0.998, p < 0.0001) was observed between the SfM-MVS and the water replacement method. Results further show that the water replacement method underestimated total sample volumes. A comparison with several mathematical predictors showed that for non-uniform samples the calculated porosity based on the standard deviation performed better than porosities based on the median grain size. None of the predictors were effective at estimating the porosity of the field samples.

User's guide for polyethylene-based passive diffusion bag samplers to obtain volatile organic compound concentrations in wells. Part I, Deployment, recovery, data interpretation, and quality control and assurance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2001-01-01

Diffusion samplers installed in observation wells were found to be capable of yielding representative water samples for chlorinated volatile organic compounds. The samplers consisted of polyethylene bags containing deionized water and relied on diffusion of chlorinated volatile organic compounds through the polyethylene membrane. The known ability of polyethylene to transmit other volatile compounds, such as benzene and toluene, indicates that the samplers can be used for a variety of volatile organic compounds. In wells at the study area, the volatile organic compound concentrations in water samples obtained using the samplers without prior purging were similar to concentrations in water samples obtained from the respective wells using traditional purging and sampling approaches. The low cost associated with this approach makes it a viable option for monitoring large observation-well networks for volatile organic compounds.

User's guide for polyethylene-based passive diffusion bag samplers to obtain volatile organic compound concentrations in wells. Part 2, Field tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2001-01-01

Diffusion samplers installed in observation wells were found to be capable of yielding representative water samples for chlorinated volatile organic compounds. The samplers consisted of polyethylene bags containing deionized water and relied on diffusion of chlorinated volatile organic compounds through the polyethylene membrane. The known ability of polyethylene to transmit other volatile compounds, such as benzene and toluene, indicates that the samplers can be used for a variety of volatile organic compounds. In wells at the study area, the volatile organic compound concentrations in water samples obtained using the samplers without prior purging were similar to concentrations in water samples obtained from the respective wells using traditional purging and sampling approaches. The low cost associated with this approach makes it a viable option for monitoring large observation-well networks for volatile organic compounds.

Preliminary geochemical assessment of water in selected streams, springs, and caves in the Upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paul, Angela P.; Thodal, Carl E.; Baker, Gretchen M.; Lico, Michael S.; Prudic, David E.

2014-01-01

Water in caves, discharging from springs, and flowing in streams in the upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages are important natural resources in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. Water and rock samples were collected from 15 sites during February 2009 as part of a series of investigations evaluating the potential for water resource depletion in the park resulting from the current and proposed groundwater withdrawals. This report summarizes general geochemical characteristics of water samples collected from the upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages for eventual use in evaluating possible hydrologic connections between the streams and selected caves and springs discharging in limestone terrain within each watershed.Generally, water discharging from selected springs in the upper Baker and Snake Creek watersheds is relatively young and, in some cases, has similar chemical characteristics to water collected from associated streams. In the upper Baker Creek drainage, geochemical data suggest possible hydrologic connections between Baker Creek and selected springs and caves along it. The analytical results for water samples collected from Wheelers Deep and Model Caves show characteristics similar to those from Baker Creek, suggesting a hydrologic connection between the creek and caves, a finding previously documented by other researchers. Generally, geochemical evidence does not support a connection between water flowing in Pole Canyon Creek to that in Model Cave, at least not to any appreciable extent. The water sample collected from Rosethorn Spring had relatively high concentrations of many of the constituents sampled as part of this study. This finding was expected as the water from the spring travelled through alluvium prior to being discharged at the surface and, as a result, was provided the opportunity to interact with soil minerals with which it came into contact. Isotopic evidence does not preclude a connection between Baker Creek and the water discharging from Rosethorn Spring. The residence time of water discharging into the caves and from selected springs sampled as part of this study ranged from 10 to 25 years.Within the upper Snake Creek drainage, the results of this study show geochemical similarities between Snake Creek and Outhouse Spring, Spring Creek Spring, and Squirrel Spring Cave. The strontium isotope ratio (87Sr/86Sr) for intrusive rock samples representative of the Snake Creek drainage were similar to carbonate rock samples. The water sample collected from Snake Creek at the pipeline discharge point had lower strontium concentrations than the sample downstream and a similar 87Sr/86Sr value as the carbonate and intrusive rocks. The chemistry of the water sample was considered representative of upstream conditions in Snake Creek and indicates minimal influence of rock dissolution. The results of this study suggest that water discharging from Outlet Spring is not hydrologically connected to Snake Creek but rather is recharged at high altitude(s) within the Snake Creek drainage. These findings for Outlet Spring largely stem from the relatively high specific conductance and chloride concentration, the lightest deuterium (δD) and oxygen-18 (δ18O) values, and the longest calculated residence time (60 to 90 years) relative to any other sample collected as part of this study. With the exception of water sampled from Outlet Spring, the residence time of water discharging into Squirrel Spring Cave and selected springs in the upper Snake Creek drainage was less than 30 years.

Human and bovine viruses in urban and rural streams: Hydrologic and season patterns of wastewater influence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Viruses are the cause of many waterborne diseases contracted from fecal-contaminated waters. Collection of samples that properly represent virus concentrations throughout relevant hydrologic periods has historically been difficult due to the large water volume collection and filtration required for ...

Anthropogenic organic compounds in source water of selected community water systems that use groundwater, 2002-05

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hopple, Jessica A.; Delzer, Gregory C.; Kingsbury, James A.

2009-01-01

Source water, defined as groundwater collected from a community water system well prior to water treatment, was sampled from 221 wells during October 2002 to July 2005 and analyzed for 258 anthropogenic organic compounds. Most of these compounds are unregulated in drinking water and include pesticides and pesticide degradates, gasoline hydrocarbons, personal-care and domestic-use products, and solvents. The laboratory analytical methods used in the study have detection levels that commonly are 100 to 1,000 times lower than State and Federal standards and guidelines for protecting water quality. Detections of anthropogenic organic compounds do not necessarily indicate a concern to human health but rather help to identify emerging issues and track changes in occurrence and concentrations over time. Less than one-half (120) of the 258 compounds were detected in at least one source-water sample. Chloroform, in 36 percent of samples, was the most commonly detected of the 12 compounds that were in about 10 percent or more of source-water samples. The herbicides atrazine, metolachlor, prometon, and simazine also were among the commonly detected compounds. The commonly detected degradates of atrazine - deethylatrazine and deisopropylatrazine - as well as degradates of acetochlor and alachlor, generally were detected at concentrations similar to or greater than concentrations of the parent herbicide. The compounds perchloroethene, trichloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, methyl tert-butyl ether, and cis-1,2-dichloroethene also were detected commonly. The most commonly detected compounds in source-water samples generally were among those detected commonly across the country and reported in previous studies by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Relatively few compounds were detected at concentrations greater than human-health benchmarks, and 84 percent of the concentrations were two or more orders of magnitude less than benchmarks. Five compounds (perchloroethene, trichloroethene, 1,2-dibromoethane, acrylonitrile, and dieldrin) were detected at concentrations greater than their human-health benchmark. The human-health benchmarks used for comparison were U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for regulated compounds and Health-Based Screening Levels developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies for unregulated compounds. About one-half of all detected compounds do not have human-health benchmarks or adequate toxicity information to evaluate results in a human-health context. Ninety-four source-water and finished-water (water that has passed through all the treatment processes but prior to distribution) sites were sampled at selected community water systems during June 2004 to September 2005. Most of the samples were analyzed for compounds that were detected commonly or at relatively high concentrations during the initial source-water sampling. The majority of the finished-water samples represented water blended with water from one or more other wells. Thirty-four samples were from water systems that did not blend water from sampled wells with water from other wells prior to distribution. The comparison of source- and finished-water samples represents an initial assessment of whether compounds present in source water also are present in finished water and is not intended as an evaluation of water-treatment efficacy. The treatment used at the majority of the community water systems sampled is disinfection, which, in general, is not designed to remove the compounds monitored in this study. Concentrations of all compounds detected in finished water were less than their human-health benchmarks. Two detections of perchloroethene and one detection of trichloroethene in finished water had concentrations within an order of magnitude of the MCL. Concentrations of disinfection by-products were

Yeast diversity associated to sediments and water from two Colombian artificial lakes

PubMed Central

Silva-Bedoya, L.M.; Ramírez-Castrillón, M.; Osorio-Cadavid, E.

2014-01-01

In Colombia, knowledge of the yeast and yeast-like fungi community is limited because most studies have focused on species with clinical importance. Sediments and water represent important habitats for the study of yeast diversity, especially for yeast species with industrial, biotechnological, and bioremediation potential. The main purpose of this study was to identify and compare the diversity of yeast species associated with sediment and water samples from two artificial lakes in Universidad del Valle (Cali-Colombia). Yeast samplings were performed from fifteen sediment samples and ten water samples. Grouping of similar isolates was initially based on colony and cell morphology, which was then complemented by micro/mini satellite primed PCR banding pattern analysis by using GTG5 as single primer. A representative isolate for each group established was chosen for D1/D2 domain sequencing and identification. In general, the following yeast species were identified: Candida albicans, Candida diversa, Candida glabrata, Candida pseudolambica, Cryptococcus podzolicus, Cryptococcus rajasthanensis, Cryptococcus laurentii, Williopsis saturnus, Hanseniaspora thailandica, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Torulaspora pretoriensis, Tricosporon jirovecii, Trichosporon laibachii and Yarrowia lypolitica. Two possible new species were also found, belonging to the Issatchenkia sp. and Bullera sp. genera. In conclusion, the lakes at the Universidad del Valle campus have significant differences in yeast diversity and species composition between them. PMID:24948924

Reconnaissance of arsenic concentrations in ground water from bedrock and unconsolidated aquifers in eight northern-tier counties of Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Low, Dennis J.; Galeone, Daniel G.

2007-01-01

Samples of ground water for analysis of total-arsenic concentrations were collected in eight counties--Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike, Sullivan, and Wyoming--and from eight bedrock formations (bedrock aquifers) and overlying glacial aquifers in the north-central and northeastern parts of Pennsylvania in July 2005 and from March through June 2006. The samples were collected from a total of 143 domestic wells, 2 stock wells, 4 non-community wells, 2 community water-system wells, and 3 domestic springs by well or spring owners using sampling kits provided by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). An additional 15 domestic wells were sampled by the USGS for analysis of total arsenic. These 15 samples were collected using the same methods and sampling kits provided to the homeowners. Samples were analyzed for total arsenic by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Laboratory using a minimum reporting level of 4.0 µg/L (micrograms per liter). Arsenic was detected in water from 18 domestic wells in four counties--Bradford (3 wells), Sullivan (1 well), Tioga (13 wells), and Wayne (1 well). The median concentration of total arsenic was less than 4.0 µg/L, and the maximum concentration was 188 µg/L. Water from 10 wells had concentrations of total arsenic greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level of 10 µg/L. Detectable concentrations of total arsenic were measured in water from wells that ranged in depth from 29 to 400 feet, and that were completed in three aquifers--Lock Haven Formation, Catskill Formation, and unconsolidated glacial sediments; no springs had detectable concentrations of total arsenic. Water samples representing the Lock Haven Formation were collected from 60 wells; water from 12 of these wells had detectable concentrations of total arsenic. Water samples representing the Catskill Formation were collected from 57 wells; water from 4 wells had detectable concentrations of total arsenic. Water samples representing the unconsolidated glacial sediments were collected from 17 wells; 2 wells had water with detectable concentrations of total arsenic. Contingency tables tested for significant differences in total arsenic between aquifers, topographic settings, and well depths. Concentrations of total arsenic were significantly greater (95-percent confidence level) in the Lock Haven Formation than in the other bedrock units. Concentrations of total arsenic also varied significantly by topographic setting. Wells completed in the Lock Haven Formation and located in valleys had significantly greater concentrations of total arsenic than similar wells located on hilltops or slopes. Concentrations of total arsenic did not vary significantly by topographic setting in the Catskill Formation. Concentrations of total arsenic did not vary significantly by well depth for any aquifer. Iron staining, hydrogen-sulfide odor, or both were common complaints of well owners. Iron staining was a complaint of 44 well owners. Hydrogen-sulfide odor was a complaint of 35 well owners. Fourteen well owners complained of both iron staining and hydrogen sulfide. No correlation to the presence of arsenic in the wells sampled was found with iron staining, hydrogen-sulfide odor, or both. Water from 8 of the 10 wells that contained concentrations of total arsenic greater than 10 µg/L were sampled by USGS personnel for the determination of concentrations of dissolved arsenic (minimum reporting level 0.3 µg/L) and arsenic species {arsenite [As (III)], arsenate [As (V)], monomethylarsonate (MMA), and dimethylarsinate (DMA)} at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory. Analytical results from these samples showed a median concentration of 38.7 µg/L dissolved arsenic in water and a maximum of 178 µg/L. As (III) was the most common arsenic species present in the water for seven of the eight wells and was found in water characteristic of reducing environments [pH 8.2 to 9.1, dissolved oxygen 0.06 to 0.29 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and oxidation reduction potential -63 to -203 millivolts (mv)]. As (V) was the dominant arsenic species in water characteristic of an oxidizing environment (pH 4.8, dissolved oxygen 2.15 mg/L, oxidation reduction potential 265 mv). The arsenic species MMA and DMA were detected in the water from two wells. The arsenic species MMA was detected at an estimated concentration of 0.9 µg/L in water from one well; the concentration was less than 1.2 µg/L in water from seven wells. The arsenic species DMA was detected at concentrations of 1.0 and 1.5 µg/L in water from two wells; the concentration was less than 0.6 µg/L in water from six wells. Both wells that contained detectable concentrations of MMA and DMA produced water that was characteristic of reducing environments.

Variation in aluminum, iron, and particle concentrations in oxic ground-water samples collected by use of tangential-flow ultrafiltration with low-flow sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szabo, Z.; Oden, J.H.; Gibs, J.; Rice, D.E.; Ding, Y.; ,

2001-01-01

Particulates that move with ground water and those that are artificially mobilized during well purging could be incorporated into water samples during collection and could cause trace-element concentrations to vary in unfiltered samples, and possibly in filtered samples (typically 0.45-um (micron) pore size) as well, depending on the particle-size fractions present. Therefore, measured concentrations may not be representative of those in the aquifer. Ground water may contain particles of various sizes and shapes that are broadly classified as colloids, which do not settle from water, and particulates, which do. In order to investigate variations in trace-element concentrations in ground-water samples as a function of particle concentrations and particle-size fractions, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, collected samples from five wells completed in the unconfined, oxic Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system of the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Samples were collected by purging with a portable pump at low flow (0.2-0.5 liters per minute and minimal drawdown, ideally less than 0.5 foot). Unfiltered samples were collected in the following sequence: (1) within the first few minutes of pumping, (2) after initial turbidity declined and about one to two casing volumes of water had been purged, and (3) after turbidity values had stabilized at less than 1 to 5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units. Filtered samples were split concurrently through (1) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter, (2) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter and a 0.0029-um pore size tangential-flow filter in sequence, and (3), in selected cases, a 0.45-um and a 0.05-um pore size capsule filter in sequence. Filtered samples were collected concurrently with the unfiltered sample that was collected when turbidity values stabilized. Quality-assurance samples consisted of sequential duplicates (about 25 percent) and equipment blanks. Concentrations of particles were determined by light scattering. Variations in concentrations aluminum and iron (1 -74 and 1-199 ug/L (micrograms per liter), respectively), common indicators of the presence of particulate-borne trace elements, were greatest in sample sets from individual wells with the greatest variations in turbidity and particle concentration. Differences in trace-element concentrations in sequentially collected unfiltered samples with variable turbidity were 5 to 10 times as great as those in concurrently collected samples that were passed through various filters. These results indicate that turbidity must be both reduced and stabilized even when low-flow sample-collection techniques are used in order to obtain water samples that do not contain considerable particulate artifacts. Currently (2001) available techniques need to be refined to ensure that the measured trace-element concentrations are representative of those that are mobile in the aquifer water.

Watershed and land use-based sources of trace metals in urban storm water.

PubMed

Tiefenthaler, Liesl L; Stein, Eric D; Schiff, Kenneth C

2008-02-01

Trace metal contributions in urban storm water are of concern to environmental managers because of their potential impacts on ambient receiving waters. The mechanisms and processes that influence temporal and spatial patterns of trace metal loading in urban storm water, however, are not well understood. The goals of the present study were to quantify trace metal event mean concentration (EMC), flux, and mass loading associated with storm water runoff from representative land uses; to compare EMC, flux, and mass loading associated with storm water runoff from urban (developed) and nonurban (undeveloped) watersheds; and to investigate within-storm and within-season factors that affect trace metal concentration and flux. To achieve these goals, trace metal concentrations were measured in 315 samples over 11 storm events in five southern California, USA, watersheds representing eight different land use types during the 2000 through 2005 storm seasons. In addition, 377 runoff samples were collected from 12 mass emission sites (end of watershed) during 15 different storm events. Mean flux at land use sites ranged from 24 to 1,238, 0.1 to 1,272, and 6 to 33,189 g/km(2) for total copper, total lead, and total zinc, respectively. Storm water runoff from industrial land use sites contained higher EMCs and generated greater flux of trace metals than other land use types. For all storms sampled, the highest metal concentrations occurred during the early phases of storm water runoff, with peak concentrations usually preceding peak flow. Early season storms produced significantly higher metal flux compared with late season storms at both mass emission and land use sites.

Catch me if you can: Comparing ballast water sampling skids to traditional net sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradie, Johanna; Gianoli, Claudio; Linley, Robert Dallas; Schillak, Lothar; Schneider, Gerd; Stehouwer, Peter; Bailey, Sarah

2018-03-01

With the recent ratification of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004, it will soon be necessary to assess ships for compliance with ballast water discharge standards. Sampling skids that allow the efficient collection of ballast water samples in a compact space have been developed for this purpose. We ran 22 trials on board the RV Meteor from June 4-15, 2015 to evaluate the performance of three ballast water sampling devices (traditional plankton net, Triton sampling skid, SGS sampling skid) for three organism size classes: ≥ 50 μm, ≥ 10 μm to < 50 μm, and < 10 μm. Natural sea water was run through the ballast water system and untreated samples were collected using paired sampling devices. Collected samples were analyzed in parallel by multiple analysts using several different analytic methods to quantify organism concentrations. To determine whether there were differences in the number of viable organisms collected across sampling devices, results were standardized and statistically treated to filter out other sources of variability, resulting in an outcome variable representing the mean difference in measurements that can be attributed to sampling devices. These results were tested for significance using pairwise Tukey contrasts. Differences in organism concentrations were found in 50% of comparisons between sampling skids and the plankton net for ≥ 50 μm, and ≥ 10 μm to < 50 μm size classes, with net samples containing either higher or lower densities. There were no differences for < 10 μm organisms. Future work will be required to explicitly examine the potential effects of flow velocity, sampling duration, sampled volume, and organism concentrations on sampling device performance.

Spectral analysis software improves confidence in plant and soil water stable isotope analyses performed by isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy (IRIS).

PubMed

West, A G; Goldsmith, G R; Matimati, I; Dawson, T E

2011-08-30

Previous studies have demonstrated the potential for large errors to occur when analyzing waters containing organic contaminants using isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy (IRIS). In an attempt to address this problem, IRIS manufacturers now provide post-processing spectral analysis software capable of identifying samples with the types of spectral interference that compromises their stable isotope analysis. Here we report two independent tests of this post-processing spectral analysis software on two IRIS systems, OA-ICOS (Los Gatos Research Inc.) and WS-CRDS (Picarro Inc.). Following a similar methodology to a previous study, we cryogenically extracted plant leaf water and soil water and measured the δ(2)H and δ(18)O values of identical samples by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and IRIS. As an additional test, we analyzed plant stem waters and tap waters by IRMS and IRIS in an independent laboratory. For all tests we assumed that the IRMS value represented the "true" value against which we could compare the stable isotope results from the IRIS methods. Samples showing significant deviations from the IRMS value (>2σ) were considered to be contaminated and representative of spectral interference in the IRIS measurement. Over the two studies, 83% of plant species were considered contaminated on OA-ICOS and 58% on WS-CRDS. Post-analysis, spectra were analyzed using the manufacturer's spectral analysis software, in order to see if the software correctly identified contaminated samples. In our tests the software performed well, identifying all the samples with major errors. However, some false negatives indicate that user evaluation and testing of the software are necessary. Repeat sampling of plants showed considerable variation in the discrepancies between IRIS and IRMS. As such, we recommend that spectral analysis of IRIS data must be incorporated into standard post-processing routines. Furthermore, we suggest that the results from spectral analysis be included when reporting stable isotope data from IRIS. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of microbiological quality of sachet-packaged drinking water in Western Nigeria and its public health significance.

PubMed

Olaoye, O A; Onilude, A A

2009-11-01

To assess the microbiological quality of sachet-packaged drinking water in Western Nigeria and its impact on public health. Cross-sectional microbiological testing. Ninety-two sachet-packaged water samples were analysed for microbiological and metal qualities. Total bacterial and coliform counts were determined, and the presence of Escherichia coli, an important water quality indicator, was tested. The level of conformity of the water processors with the guidelines of Nigeria's quality regulatory agency was also determined. Varying levels of microbial contamination were recorded in samples from the different sampling locations. The total bacteria count ranged between 2.86 and 3.45log colony-forming units (cfu)/ml. The highest coliform count recorded was 1.62log cfu/ml. Faecal coliform E. coli was detected in one sample from Oke-Iho and one sample from Okaka, representing 2.2% of total samples. Lead and manganese were not found in any of the samples. However, iron was detected and the highest iron concentration (0.10mg/l) was detected in samples from Ikorodu. The bacteria that were identified from the water samples included E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella sp., Proteus vulgaris, Alcaligenes faecalis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus lactis, Aeromonas sp. and Micrococcus luteum. Many of the water processors did not comply with the guidelines of the quality regulatory agency. Some of the sachet-packaged samples of drinking water were of poor quality. The results indicate a need for Nigeria's quality regulatory agency to take appropriate measures in safeguarding public health.

Quality of Source Water from Public-Supply Wells in the United States, 1993-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toccalino, Patricia L.; Norman, Julia E.; Hitt, Kerie J.

2010-01-01

More than one-third of the Nation's population receives their drinking water from public water systems that use groundwater as their source. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) sampled untreated source water from 932 public-supply wells, hereafter referred to as public wells, as part of multiple groundwater assessments conducted across the Nation during 1993-2007. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) contaminant occurrence in source water from public wells and the potential significance of contaminant concentrations to human health, (2) national and regional distributions of groundwater quality, and (3) the occurrence and characteristics of contaminant mixtures. Treated finished water was not sampled. The 932 public wells are widely distributed nationally and include wells in selected parts of 41 states and withdraw water from parts of 30 regionally extensive aquifers used for public water supply. These wells are distributed among 629 unique public water systems-less than 1 percent of all groundwater-supplied public water systems in the United States-but the wells were randomly selected within the sampled hydrogeologic settings to represent typical aquifer conditions. Samples from the 629 systems represent source water used by one-quarter of the U.S. population served by groundwater-supplied public water systems, or about 9 percent of the entire U.S. population in 2008. One groundwater sample was collected prior to treatment or blending from each of the 932 public wells and analyzed for as many as six water-quality properties and 215 contaminants. Consistent with the terminology used in the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), all constituents analyzed in water samples in this study are referred to as 'contaminants'. More contaminant groups were assessed in this study than in any previous national study of public wells and included major ions, nutrients, radionuclides, trace elements, pesticide compounds, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and fecal-indicator microorganisms. Contaminant mixtures were assessed in subsets of samples in which most contaminants were analyzed. Contaminant concentrations were compared to human-health benchmarks-regulatory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for contaminants regulated in drinking water under the SDWA or non-regulatory USGS Health-Based Screening Levels (HBSLs) for unregulated contaminants, when available. Nearly three-quarters of the contaminants assessed in this study are unregulated in drinking water, and the USEPA uses USGS data on the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in water resources to fulfill part of the SDWA requirements for determining whether specific contaminants should be regulated in drinking water in the future. More than one in five (22 percent) source-water samples from public wells contained one or more naturally occurring or man-made contaminants at concentrations greater than human-health benchmarks, and 80 percent of samples contained one or more contaminants at concentrations greater than one-tenth of benchmarks. Most individual contaminant detections, however, were less than one-tenth of human-health benchmarks. Public wells yielding water with contaminant concentrations greater than benchmarks, as well as those with concentrations greater than one-tenth of benchmarks, were distributed throughout the United States and included wells that withdraw water from all principal aquifer rock types included in this study. Ten contaminants individually were detected at concentrations greater than human-health benchmarks in at least 1 percent of source-water samples and collectively accounted for most concentrations greater than benchmarks. Seven of these 10 contaminants occur naturally, including three radionuclides (radon, radium, and gross alpha-particle radioactivity) and four trace elements (arsenic, manganese, strontium, and boron); three of these 10 contaminants (dieldrin, nitrate, and perchl

Assessment of soil and water contaminants from selected locations in and near the Idaho Army National Guard Orchard Training Area, Ada County, Idaho, 2001-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parliman, D.J.

2004-01-01

In 2001, the National Guard Bureau and the U.S. Geological Survey began a project to compile hydrogeologic data and determine presence or absence of soil, surface-water, and ground-water contamination at the Idaho Army National Guard Orchard Training Area in southwestern Idaho. Between June 2002 and April 2003, a total of 114 soil, surface-water, ground-water, precipitation, or dust samples were collected from 68 sample sites (65 different locations) in the Orchard Training Area (OTA) or along the vehicle corridor to the OTA. Soil and water samples were analyzed for concentrations of selected total trace metals, major ions, nutrients, explosive compounds, semivolatile organics, and petroleum hydrocarbons. Water samples also were analyzed for concentrations of selected dissolved trace metals and major ions. Distinguishing naturally occurring large concentrations of trace metals, major ions, and nutrients from contamination related to land and water uses at the OTA was difficult. There were no historical analyses for this area to compare with modern data, and although samples were collected from 65 locations in and near the OTA, sampled areas represented only a small part of the complex OTA land-use areas and soil types. For naturally occurring compounds, several assumptions were made?anomalously large concentrations, when tied to known land uses, may indicate presence of contamination; naturally occurring concentrations cannot be separated from contamination concentrations in mid- and lower ranges of data; and smallest concentrations may represent the lowest naturally occurring range of concentrations and (or) the absence of contaminants related to land and water uses. Presence of explosive, semivolatile organic (SVOC), and petroleum hydrocarbon compounds in samples indicates contamination from land and water uses. In areas along the vehicle corridor and major access roads within the OTA, most trace metal, major ion, and nutrient concentrations in soil samples were not in the upper 10th percentile of data, but concentrations of 25 metals, ions, or nutrients were in the upper 10th percentile in a puddle sample near the heavy equipment maneuvering area, MPRC-H. The largest concentrations of tin, ammonia, and nitrite plus nitrate (as nitrogen) in water from the OTA were detected in a sample from this puddle. Petroleum hydrocarbons were the most common contaminant, detected in all soil and surface-water samples. An SVOC, bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, a plasticizer, was detected at a site along the vehicle corridor. In Maneuver Areas within the OTA, many soil samples contained at least one trace metal, major ion, or nutrient in the upper 10th percentile of data, and the largest concentrations of cobalt, iron, mercury, titanium, sodium, ammonia, or total phosphorus were detected in 6 of 13 soil samples outside the Tadpole Lake area. The largest concentrations of aluminum, arsenic, beryllium, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, thallium, vanadium, chloride, potassium, sulfate, and nitrite plus nitrate were detected in soil samples from the Tadpole Lake area. Water from Tadpole Lake contained the largest total concentrations of 19 trace metals, 4 major ions, and 1 nutrient. Petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in 5 soil samples and water from Tadpole Lake. SVOCs related to combustion of fuel or plasticizers were detected in 1 soil sample. Explosive compounds were detected in 1 precipitation sample.In the Impact Area within the OTA, most soil samples contained at least one trace metal, major ion, or nutrient in the upper 10th percentile of data, and the largest concentrations of barium, chromium, copper, manganese, lead, or orthophosphate were detected in 6 of the 18 soil samples. Petroleum hydrocarbons were detected in 4 soil samples, SVOCs in 6 samples, and explosive compounds in 4 samples. In the mobilization and training equipment site (MATES) compound adjacent to the OTA, all soil and water samples contained at lea

Approach for environmental baseline water sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, K.S.

2011-01-01

Samples collected during the exploration phase of mining represent baseline conditions at the site. As such, they can be very important in forecasting potential environmental impacts should mining proceed, and can become measurements against which future changes are compared. Constituents in stream water draining mined and mineralized areas tend to be geochemically, spatially, and temporally variable, which presents challenges in collecting both exploration and baseline water-quality samples. Because short-term (daily) variations can complicate long-term trends, it is important to consider recent findings concerning geochemical variability of stream-water constituents at short-term timescales in designing sampling plans. Also, adequate water-quality information is key to forecasting potential ecological impacts from mining. Therefore, it is useful to collect baseline water samples adequate tor geochemical and toxicological modeling. This requires complete chemical analyses of dissolved constituents that include major and minor chemical elements as well as physicochemical properties (including pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen) and dissolved organic carbon. Applying chemical-equilibrium and appropriate toxicological models to water-quality information leads to an understanding of the speciation, transport, sequestration, bioavailability, and aquatic toxicity of potential contaminants. Insights gained from geochemical and toxicological modeling of water-quality data can be used to design appropriate mitigation and for economic planning for future mining activities.

Hydrogeology and water quality of the Pepacton Reservoir Watershed in southeastern New York. Part 1. Concentrations of pesticides and their degradates in stream baseflow, 2000-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Heisig, Paul M.

2004-01-01

Baseflow samples were collected from 20 small streams in the Pepacton Reservoir watershed in Delaware County, N.Y., from December 2000 through November 2001 as part of an investigation to define the occurrence of pesticides in shallow ground water in watersheds containing either a recent (2001) corn crop, a previous (1993-94) corn crop, or no history of row-crop cultivation. Baseflow water quality was assumed to represent the chemical quality of shallow ground water within the drainage area above each sampling site.Baseflow samples were analyzed for 57 pesticides and pesticide degradates. Three herbicides (atrazine, metolachlor and simazine) and three herbicide degradates (alachlor ESA [ethanesulfonic acid], deethylatrazine, and metolachlor ESA) were detected, but no concentrations exceeded any Federal or State water-quality criteria, and the maximum concentrations of all compounds except metolachlor ESA were less than 0.10 microgram per liter. The most frequently detected compounds (atrazine, metolachlor, deethylatrazine and metolachlor ESA) are either those typically used on corn crops, or those whose parent compounds are commonly used on corn crops and have been detected in streams that drain row-crop settings elsewhere in New York State. The pesticide and pesticide-degradate concentrations in baseflow samples collected in December 2000 and July 2001 samples generally corresponded to the amount of cornfield acreage in each watershed in 2001.The types of pesticides detected, and their median concentrations, were similar to those noted in two previous ground-water studies in row-crop areas elsewhere in upstate New York. Also the SAM ratios (ratio of metolachlor ESA concentration to metolachlor concentration) for the Pepacton samples were similar to those for ground-water samples from other agricultural settings in upstate New York, but were significantly higher than that for stormflow and baseflow samples collected in 1997-98 from Canajoharie Creek, an upstate stream that drains row-crop farmland. These comparisons confirm that the baseflow samples were derived from, and were representative of, ground water in their respective watersheds. Late-summer decreases in atrazine and deethylatrazine concentrations at a site where corn was grown in 2001 may have resulted from the seasonally dry conditions and the accompanying decrease in ground-water discharge from the upper-most part of the surficial aquifer system to streams. The lack of a similar decrease in metolachlor ESA concentrations during this period may reflect the transport of metolachlor ESA to deeper parts of the surficial aquifer that continued to discharge to streams during the dry period.

Assessing human exposure to phthalic acid and phthalate esters from mineral water stored in polyethylene terephthalate and glass bottles.

PubMed

Montuori, P; Jover, E; Morgantini, M; Bayona, J M; Triassi, M

2008-04-01

Phthalic acid and phthalate esters are of growing interest due to their significant usage and potential toxicity. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and glass are both widely used materials for bottled drinking water. In this study, phthalic acid (PhA), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiisoBP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were analysed in a large number of Italian bottled water samples. These samples showed different concentrations of phthalates are nearly 20 times higher in samples bottled in PET than those from glass bottles with total levels of phthalates of 3.52 and 0.19 microg l(-1), respectively. However, the observed levels do not represent a significant exposure pathway when considering the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) reference dose (an estimate of a daily oral exposure to the human population, including sensitive subgroups, that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime). In addition, no significant correlation was found between the phthalate concentrations and the physicochemical properties of the different water samples, apart from the still/sparkling water parameter for the PET samples. In this instance, slightly higher concentrations were observed for the PET bottled still water samples than for the sparkling water samples, although no explanation has been found yet.

The bacteriological quality of different brands of bottled water available to consumers in Ile-Ife, south-western Nigeria.

PubMed

Igbeneghu, Oluwatoyin A; Lamikanra, Adebayo

2014-11-28

The upsurge in the demand for bottled water has prompted the interest of many manufacturers in the production of bottled water and very many water bottling companies are therefore involved in its production. These range from large scale multinational companies to medium scale business enterprises, institutional and government business investment companies as well as small scale entrepreneurs. There is however little information on the comparative quality of bottled water brands produced by different classes of water bottling companies in Nigeria. This study was undertaken to determine the bacteriological quality of brands of bottled water available to consumers in Ile-Ife. Forty-three samples of bottled water comprising of three batches each of thirteen bottled water brands and two batches of two brands were purchased and analyzed for total bacterial count, presence of coliform and the presence of other bacterial indicators of drinking water quality. Only 67.4% of the water samples representing the products of 10 companies or 66.7% of the brands had heterotrophic counts within the acceptable limits. Coliforms present in 100 ml of water were detected in 26.7% of the bottled water brands. Other indicator organisms detected included Staphylococci isolated from 27.9% of the samples (33.3% of the brands) and specifically Staphylococcus aureus found in four brands constituting 14% of the samples. Pseudomonas strains were consistently detected in consecutive batches of three brands of the water samples. Bottled water samples produced by the large scale multinational producers were of acceptable bacteriological quality unlike those produced by most small companies. There is need for a greater control of water bottling processes carried out by commercial bottled water producers in Nigeria.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of drinking water: a comparison between two different concentration methods.

PubMed

Buschini, Annamaria; Giordani, Federica; Pellacani, Claudia; Rossi, Carlo; Poli, Paola

2008-04-01

The level of exposure to hazardous compounds through drinking water is low but it is maintained throughout life, therefore representing a risk factor for human health. The use of techniques averaging the consumer's exposure over time could be more useful than relying on intermittent grab samples that may misrepresent average tap water concentrations due to short-term temporal variability. In this study, we compared the induction of in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic effects (DNA damage by the comet assay) in relation to different sampling methods, i.e. exposure over time (semipermeable membrane devices, SPMDs, exposed for 30 days) or intermittent grab samples (5 weekly water sampling, C18 concentration). Waters with different chemical characteristics were sampled to test the sensitivity of the two methods. We did not found any positive correlation between the biological findings and water chemical parameters. SPMD extracts induced a significantly greater DNA damage than C18. The different behaviour was specially found for the water samples with a low level of organic compounds and when C18 extracts were highly cytotoxic. Our findings suggest that SPMD could be of a great interest in assessing genotoxic contaminants in both raw and drinking water, with great suitability for continuous monitoring. Furthermore, the results of this study have confirmed the great importance of the biological assays in evaluating the effects of a complex mixture such as water in addition to the conventional chemical examination of water quality.

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

Hurley, D.F.; Whitehouse, J.M.

A dedicated low-flow groundwater sample collection system was designed for implementation in a post-closure ACL monitoring program at the Yaworski Lagoon NPL site in Canterbury, Connecticut. The system includes dedicated bladder pumps with intake ports located in the screened interval of the monitoring wells. This sampling technique was implemented in the spring of 1993. The system was designed to simultaneously obtain samples directly from the screened interval of nested wells in three distinct water bearing zones. Sample collection is begun upon stabilization of field parameters. Other than line volume, no prior purging of the well is required. It was foundmore » that dedicated low-flow sampling from the screened interval provides a method of representative sample collection without the bias of suspended solids introduced by traditional techniques of pumping and bailing. Analytical data indicate that measured chemical constituents are representative of groundwater migrating through the screened interval. Upon implementation of the low-flow monitoring system, analytical results exhibited a decrease in concentrations of some organic compounds and metals. The system has also proven to be a cost effective alternative to pumping and bailing which generate large volumes of purge water requiring containment and disposal.« less

Parent and conjugated estrogens and progestagens in surface water of the Santa Ana River: Determination, occurrence, and risk assessment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study presents a sensitive analytical method using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the simultaneous monitoring of five estrogen conjugates, six estrogens and two progestagens in surface water of the Santa Ana River. Samples at ten representative sites along t...

Public Attitudes towards Socio-Cultural Aspects of Water Supply and Sanitation Services: Palestine as a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddad, Marwan

2005-01-01

Identifying and considering public attitudes towards various aspects of water supply and sanitation services by planners and decision makers represent an important developmental element relating to the quality, efficiency, and performance of those services. A sample of 1000 Palestinian adults completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes towards…

Controlling suspended samplers by programmable calculator and interface circuitry

Treesearch

Rand E. Eads; Mark R. Boolootian

1985-01-01

A programmable calculator connected to an interface circuit can control automatic samplers and record streamflow data. The circuit converts a voltage representing water stage to a digital signal. The sampling program logs streamflow data when there is a predefined deviation from a linear trend in the water elevation. The calculator estimates suspended sediment...

Controlling suspended sediment samplers by programmable calculator and interface circuitry

Treesearch

Rand E. Eads; Mark R. Boolootian

1985-01-01

A programmable calculator connected to an interface circuit can control automatic samplers and record streamflow data. The circuit converts a voltage representing water stage to a digital signal. The sampling program logs streamflow data when there is a predefined deviation from a linear trend in the water elevation. The calculator estimates suspended sediment...

Quality of Water from Public-Supply Wells in the United States, 1993-2007Overview of Major Findings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toccalino, Patricia L.; Hopple, Jessica A.

2010-01-01

Summary of Major Findings and Implications About 105 million people in the United States-more than one-third of the Nation's population-receive their drinking water from about 140,000 public water systems that use groundwater as their source. Although the quality of finished drinking water (after treatment and before distribution) from these public water systems is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), long-term protection and management of groundwater, a vital source of drinking water, requires an understanding of the occurrence of contaminants in untreated source water. Sources of drinking water are potentially vulnerable to a wide range of man-made and naturally occurring contaminants, including many that are not regulated in drinking water under the SDWA. In this study by the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), chemical water-quality conditions were assessed in source (untreated) groundwater from 932 public-supply wells, hereafter referred to as public wells, and in source and finished water from a subset of 94 wells. The public wells are located in selected parts of 41 states and withdraw water from parts of 30 regionally extensive water-supply aquifers, which constitute about one-half of the principal aquifers in the United States. Although the wells sampled in this study represent less than 1 percent of all groundwater-supplied public water systems in the United States, they are widely distributed nationally and were randomly selected within the sampled hydrogeologic settings to represent typical aquifer conditions. All source-water samples were collected prior to any treatment or blending that potentially could alter contaminant concentrations. As a result, the sampled groundwater represents the quality of the source water and not necessarily the quality of finished water ingested by the people served by these public wells. A greater number of chemical contaminants-as many as 337-both naturally occurring and man-made, were assessed in this study than in any previous national study of public wells (Appendixes 1 and 2). Consistent with the terminology used in the SDWA, all constituents analyzed in water samples in this study are referred to as 'contaminants,' regardless of their source, concentration, or potential for health effects (see sidebar on page 3). Eighty-three percent (279) of the contaminants analyzed in this study are not regulated in drinking water under the SDWA. The USEPA uses USGS data on the occurrence of unregulated contaminants to fulfill part of the SDWA requirements for determining whether specific contaminants should be regulated in drinking water in the future. By focusing primarily on source-water quality, and by analyzing many contaminants that are not regulated in drinking water by USEPA, this study complements the extensive sampling of public water systems that is routinely conducted for the purposes of regulatory compliance monitoring by federal, state, and local drinking-water programs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) the occurrence of contaminants in source water from public wells and their potential significance to human health, (2) whether contaminants that occur in source water also occur in finished water after treatment, and (3) the occurrence and characteristics of contaminant mixtures. To evaluate the potential significance of contaminant occurrence to human health, contaminant concentrations were compared to regulatory Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) or non-regulatory Health-Based Screening Levels (HBSLs)-collectively referred to as human-health benchmarks in this study (see sidebars on pages 4 and 19). The major findings and implications of this study are summarized below and the results are described in greater detail in the remainder of the report. These findings build upon water-quality data from previous public-well studies and

Water Quality of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and Tributary Streams, New York and Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Siemion, Jason; Murdoch, Peter S.

2010-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (UPDE) and its tributaries during the period October 1, 2005, to September 30, 2007, to document existing water quality, determine relations between land use and water quality, and identify areas of water-quality concern. A tiered water-quality monitoring framework was used, with the tiers consisting of intensively sampled sites, gradient sites representing the range of land uses present in the basin, and regional stream-survey sites. Median nitrate and total phosphorous concentrations were 1.15 and 0.01 mg/L (milligrams per liter) for three sites on the mainstem Delaware River, 1.27 and 0.009 mg/L for the East Branch Delaware River, 2.04 and 0.01 mg/L for the West Branch Delaware River, and 0.68 and 0.006 mg/L for eight tributaries that represent the range of land uses resent in the basin, respectively. The percentage of agricultural land varied by basin from 0 to 30 percent and the percentage of suburbanization varied from 0 to 17 percent. There was a positive correlation between the percentage of agricultural land use in a basin and observed concentrations of acid neutralizing capacity, calcium, potassium, nitrate, and total dissolved nitrogen, whereas no correlation between the percentage of suburbanization and water quality was detected. Results of stream surveys showed that nitrate concentrations in 55 to 65 percent of the UPDE Basin exceeded the nitrate reference condition and a suggested water-quality guideline for ecological impairment in New York State (0.98 mg/L) during the spring. Many of the affected parts of the basin were more than 90 percent forested and showed signs of episodic acidification, indicating that the long-term effects of acid deposition play a role in the high nitrate levels. Nitrate concentrations in 75 percent of samples collected from agricultural sites exceeded the suggested nitrate water-quality guideline for ecological impairment. Concentrations of nitrate and total phosphorous in samples collected from agricultural sites also were twice and 25 percent higher than those in samples from reference sites, respectively.

Simultaneous determination of fluoroquinolones in environmental water by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with direct injection: A green approach.

PubMed

Denadai, Marina; Cass, Quezia Bezerra

2015-10-30

This work describes an on-line multi-residue method for simultaneous quantification of ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, gemifloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin in superficial and wastewater samples. For that, an octyl restricted-access media bovine serum albumin column (RAM-BSA C8) was used for sample clean-up, enrichment and analysis with quantitation carried out by tandem mass spectrometry. For water samples volumes of only 500μL the method provided good selectivity, extraction efficiency, accuracy, and precision with quantification limits in the order of 20-150ngL(-1). Out of the six fluoroquinolones only ciprofloxacin (195ngL(-1)) and norfloxacin (270ngL(-1)) were quantified in an influent sample of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of São Carlos (SP, Brazil). None were found in the superficial water samples analyzed. The capability of injecting native sample in an automated mode provides high productivity and represents a greener approach in environmental sample analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Algal Data from Selected Sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Colorado, Water Years 1996-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mize, Scott V.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.

2001-01-01

Algal community samples were collected at 15 sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin in Colorado as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program during water years 1996-97. Sites sampled were located in two physiographic provinces, the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateaus, and represented agricultural, mining, urban, and mixed land uses and background conditions. Algal samples were collected once per year during low-flow conditions. Quantitative algal samples were collected within two targeted instream habitat types including a taxonomically richest-targeted habitat and a depositional-targeted habitat. This report presents the algal community data collected at the fixed sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin study unit. Algal data include densities (abundance of cells per square centimeter of substrate) and biovolumes (cubic micrometers of cells per square centimeter of substrate) for the two habitat types. Quality-assurance and quality-control results for algal samples indicate that the largest sampling variability tends to occur in samples from small streams.

Sampling of suspended particulate matter using particle traps in the Rhône River: Relevance and representativeness for the monitoring of contaminants.

PubMed

Masson, M; Angot, H; Le Bescond, C; Launay, M; Dabrin, A; Miège, C; Le Coz, J; Coquery, M

2018-05-10

Monitoring hydrophobic contaminants in surface freshwaters requires measuring contaminant concentrations in the particulate fraction (sediment or suspended particulate matter, SPM) of the water column. Particle traps (PTs) have been recently developed to sample SPM as cost-efficient, easy to operate and time-integrative tools. But the representativeness of SPM collected with PTs is not fully understood, notably in terms of grain size distribution and particulate organic carbon (POC) content, which could both skew particulate contaminant concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the representativeness of SPM characteristics (i.e. grain size distribution and POC content) and associated contaminants (i.e. polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs; mercury, Hg) in samples collected in a large river using PTs for differing hydrological conditions. Samples collected using PTs (n = 74) were compared with samples collected during the same time period by continuous flow centrifugation (CFC). The grain size distribution of PT samples shifted with increasing water discharge: the proportion of very fine silts (2-6 μm) decreased while that of coarse silts (27-74 μm) increased. Regardless of water discharge, POC contents were different likely due to integration by PT of high POC-content phytoplankton blooms or low POC-content flood events. Differences in PCBs and Hg concentrations were usually within the range of analytical uncertainties and could not be related to grain size or POC content shifts. Occasional Hg-enriched inputs may have led to higher Hg concentrations in a few PT samples (n = 4) which highlights the time-integrative capacity of the PTs. The differences of annual Hg and PCB fluxes calculated either from PT samples or CFC samples were generally below 20%. Despite some inherent limitations (e.g. grain size distribution bias), our findings suggest that PT sampling is a valuable technique to assess reliable spatial and temporal trends of particulate contaminants such as PCBs and Hg within a river monitoring network. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ground-water resources of the lower Niobrara River and Ponca Creek basins, Nebraska and South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Newport, Thomas G.; Krieger, Robert A.

1959-01-01

 The report contains an annotated bibliography of previous publications on the geology and ground-water resources of the area, brief descriptions of the Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary rocks, a map showing the contour of the water table, logs of test holes and wells not published elsewhere, results of analyses of ground- and surface-water samples, and records of all wells of large discharge and representative wells of small discharge.

Pesticides in soils and ground water in selected irrigated agricultural areas near Havre, Ronan, and Huntley, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, D.W.

1990-01-01

Three areas in Montana representing a range of agricultural practices and applied pesticides, were studied to document whether agricultural pesticides are being transported into the soil and shallow groundwater in irrigated areas. Analytical scans for triazine herbicides, organic-acid herbicides, and carbamate insecticides were performed on soil and shallow groundwater samples. The results indicate pesticide residue in both types of samples. The concentrations of pesticides in the groundwater were less than Federal health-advisory limits. At the Havre Agricultural Experiment Station, eight wells were installed at two sites. All four soil samples and two of four water samples collected after application of pesticides contained detectable concentrations of atrazine or dicamba. In an area where seed potatoes are grown near Ronan, eight wells were installed at two sites. Pesticides were not detected after initial application of pesticides and irrigation water. The site was resampled after irrigation water was reapplied, and aldicarb metabolities were detected in four of five soil samples and one of five water samples. At the Huntley Agricultural Experiment Station, five wells were installed in a no-tillage corn field where atrazine was applied in 1987. Soil and water samples were collected in June and July 1988; pesticides were not detected in any samples. Results indicate residue of two pesticides in soil samples and three soluble pesticides in groundwater samples. Therefore, irrigated agricultural areas in Montana might be susceptible to transport of soluble pesticides through permeable soil to the shallow groundwater system. (USGS)

Fungi from a Groundwater-Fed Drinking Water Supply System in Brazil

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Helena M.B.; Santos, Cledir; Paterson, R. Russell M.; Gusmão, Norma B.; Lima, Nelson

2016-01-01

Filamentous fungi in drinking water distribution systems are known to (a) block water pipes; (b) cause organoleptic biodeterioration; (c) act as pathogens or allergens and (d) cause mycotoxin contamination. Yeasts might also cause problems. This study describes the occurrence of several fungal species in a water distribution system supplied by groundwater in Recife—Pernambuco, Brazil. Water samples were collected from four sampling sites from which fungi were recovered by membrane filtration. The numbers in all sampling sites ranged from 5 to 207 colony forming units (CFU)/100 mL with a mean value of 53 CFU/100 mL. In total, 859 isolates were identified morphologically, with Aspergillus and Penicillium the most representative genera (37% and 25% respectively), followed by Trichoderma and Fusarium (9% each), Curvularia (5%) and finally the species Pestalotiopsis karstenii (2%). Ramichloridium and Leptodontium were isolated and are black yeasts, a group that include emergent pathogens. The drinking water system in Recife may play a role in fungal dissemination, including opportunistic pathogens. PMID:27005653

Fungi from a Groundwater-Fed Drinking Water Supply System in Brazil.

PubMed

Oliveira, Helena M B; Santos, Cledir; Paterson, R Russell M; Gusmão, Norma B; Lima, Nelson

2016-03-09

Filamentous fungi in drinking water distribution systems are known to (a) block water pipes; (b) cause organoleptic biodeterioration; (c) act as pathogens or allergens and (d) cause mycotoxin contamination. Yeasts might also cause problems. This study describes the occurrence of several fungal species in a water distribution system supplied by groundwater in Recife-Pernambuco, Brazil. Water samples were collected from four sampling sites from which fungi were recovered by membrane filtration. The numbers in all sampling sites ranged from 5 to 207 colony forming units (CFU)/100 mL with a mean value of 53 CFU/100 mL. In total, 859 isolates were identified morphologically, with Aspergillus and Penicillium the most representative genera (37% and 25% respectively), followed by Trichoderma and Fusarium (9% each), Curvularia (5%) and finally the species Pestalotiopsis karstenii (2%). Ramichloridium and Leptodontium were isolated and are black yeasts, a group that include emergent pathogens. The drinking water system in Recife may play a role in fungal dissemination, including opportunistic pathogens.

Detection limit of Mycobacterium chimaera in water samples for monitoring medical device safety: insights from a pilot experimental series.

PubMed

Schreiber, P W; Köhler, N; Cervera, R; Hasse, B; Sax, H; Keller, P M

2018-07-01

A growing number of Mycobacterium chimaera infections after cardiosurgery have been reported by several countries. These potentially fatal infections were traced back to contaminated heater-cooler devices (HCDs), which use water as a heat transfer medium. Aerosolization of water contaminated with M. chimaera from HCDs enables airborne transmission to patients undergoing open chest surgery. Infection control teams test HCD water samples for mycobacterial growth to guide preventive measures. The detection limit of M. chimaera in water samples, however, has not previously been investigated. To determine the detection limit of M. chimaera in water samples using laboratory-based serial dilution tests. An M. chimaera strain representative of the international cardiosurgery-associated M. chimaera outbreak was used to generate a logarithmic dilution series. Two different water volumes, 50 and 1000mL, were inoculated, and, after identical processing (centrifugation, decantation, and decontamination), seeded on mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) and Middlebrook 7H11 solid media. MGIT consistently showed a lower detection limit than 7H11 solid media, corresponding to a detection limit of ≥1.44 × 10 4 cfu/mL for 50mL and ≥2.4cfu/mL for 1000mL water samples. Solid media failed to detect M. chimaera in 50mL water samples. Depending on water volume and culture method, major differences exist in the detection limit of M. chimaera. In terms of sensitivity, 1000mL water samples in MGIT media performed best. Our results have important implications for infection prevention and control strategies in mitigation of the M. chimaera outbreak and healthcare water safety in general. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Outbreak of giardiasis associated with a community drinking-water source.

PubMed

Daly, E R; Roy, S J; Blaney, D D; Manning, J S; Hill, V R; Xiao, L; Stull, J W

2010-04-01

Giardiasis is a common waterborne gastrointestinal illness. In 2007, a community giardiasis outbreak occurred in New Hampshire, USA. We conducted a cohort study to identify risk factors for giardiasis, and stool and environmental samples were analysed. Consuming tap water was significantly associated with illness (risk ratio 4.7, 95% confidence interval 1.5-14.4). Drinking-water samples were coliform-contaminated and a suspect Giardia cyst was identified in a home water filter. One well was coliform-contaminated, and testing indicated that it was potentially under the influence of surface water. The well was located 12.5 m from a Giardia-contaminated brook, although the genotype differed from clinical specimens. Local water regulations require well placement at least 15 m from surface water. This outbreak, which caused illness in 31 persons, represents the largest community drinking-water-associated giardiasis outbreak in the USA in 10 years. Adherence to well placement regulations might have prevented this outbreak.

Identification of Opportunistic Pathogenic Bacteria in Drinking Water Samples of Different Rural Health Centers and Their Clinical Impacts on Humans

PubMed Central

Pindi, Pavan Kumar; Raghuveer Yadav, P.; Shiva Shanker, A.

2013-01-01

International drinking water quality monitoring programs have been established in order to prevent or to reduce the risk of contracting water-related infections. A survey was performed on groundwater-derived drinking water from 13 different hospitals in the Mahabubnagar District. A total of 55 bacterial strains were isolated which belonged to both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. All the taxa were identified based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis based on which they are phylogenetically close to 27 different taxa. Many of the strains are closely related to their phylogenetic neighbors and exhibit from 98.4 to 100% sequence similarity at the 16S rRNA gene sequence level. The most common group was similar to Acinetobacter junii (21.8%) and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (10.9%) which were shared by 7 and 5 water samples, respectively. Out of 55 isolates, only 3 isolates belonged to coliform group which are Citrobacter freundii and Pantoea anthophila. More than half (52.7%, 29 strains) of the phylogenetic neighbors which belonged to 12 groups were reported to be pathogenic and isolated from clinical specimens. Out of 27 representative taxa are affiliated have eight representative genera in drinking water except for those affiliated with the genera Exiguobacterium, Delftia, Kocuria, and Lysinibacillus. PMID:23862144

Bacterial diversity of floor drain biofilms and drain waters in a Listeria monocytogenes contaminated food processing environment.

PubMed

Dzieciol, Monika; Schornsteiner, Elisa; Muhterem-Uyar, Meryem; Stessl, Beatrix; Wagner, Martin; Schmitz-Esser, Stephan

2016-04-16

Sanitation protocols are applied on a daily basis in food processing facilities to prevent the risk of cross-contamination with spoilage organisms. Floor drain water serves along with product-associated samples (slicer dust, brine or cheese smear) as an important hygiene indicator in monitoring Listeria monocytogenes in food processing facilities. Microbial communities of floor drains are representative for each processing area and are influenced to a large degree by food residues, liquid effluents and washing water. The microbial communities of drain water are steadily changing, whereas drain biofilms provide more stable niches. Bacterial communities of four floor drains were characterized using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing to better understand the composition and exchange of drain water and drain biofilm communities. Furthermore, the L. monocytogenes contamination status of each floor drain was determined by applying cultivation-independent real-time PCR quantification and cultivation-dependent detection according to ISO11290-1. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes of drain water and drain biofilm bacterial communities yielded 50,611 reads, which were clustered into 641 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), affiliated to 16 phyla dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The most abundant OTUs represented either product- (Lactococcus lactis) or fermentation- and food spoilage-associated phylotypes (Pseudomonas mucidolens, Pseudomonas fragi, Leuconostoc citreum, and Acetobacter tropicalis). The microbial communities in DW and DB samples were distinct in each sample type and throughout the whole processing plant, indicating the presence of indigenous specific microbial communities in each processing compartment. The microbiota of drain biofilms was largely different from the microbiota of the drain water. A sampling approach based on drain water alone may thus only provide reliable information on planktonic bacterial cells but might not allow conclusions on the bacterial composition of the microbiota in biofilms. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Water quality assessment of the Eastern Iowa Basins: Basic water chemistry of rivers and streams, 1996-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, Kimberlee K.

2001-01-01

Basic water-quality differences related to physiographic differences and seasonality were evident in streams and rivers in the Eastern Iowa Basins. Of the three major landforms, water samples from sites within the Des Moines Lobe, the youngest landform in the study area, had significantly higher median concentrations of calcium (85 mg/L), magnesium (28 mg/L), sulfate (28 mg/L), fluoride (0.31 mg/L), and silica (16 mg/L). The Des Moines Lobe region is calcium magnesium bicarbonate-rich due to the Paleozoic source rocks (limestones and shales) in the bedrock. Water samples from sites within the Southern Iowa Drift Plain had higher median concentrations of sodium (12 mg/L), potassium (3.2 mg/L), and chloride (21 mg/L). Concentrations also varied according to the time of year. Grouping the data into four seasonal periods, water samples collected during the months of October, November, and December, had higher median concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and chloride, then samples collected during other quarters of the year. Water quality in the streams during this low-flow period (October through December) is representative of that in the contributing aquifers.

[Survey on the contamination of microcystin-LR in water supply of Shanghai city].

PubMed

Wu, He-yan; Zheng, Li-xing; Su, Jin; Shi, Wei

2005-03-01

To study the pollution level of microcystin-LR in water supply of Shanghai city and the removal efficacy for microcystin-LR through routine water treatment technique. High performance liquid chromatogram (HPLC) was applied to determine the concentration of microcystin-LR in source water, water samples after various water treatment procedures and tap water. The concentration of microcystin-LR varied with sampling seasons and sites and reached peak during summer and fall. The maximum of microcystin-LR was 2.38 microg/L in source water. Coagulation plus chlorine disinfection were found to be effective for the removal of microcystin-LR, while the remove rate through filtration was not significant. And it could also be detected in tap water as high as 1.27 microg/L. The source waters of Shanghai city were polluted by cyanobacteria toxins represented by microcystin-LR. The source water in suburb was more polluted. Routine water treatment techniques can not remove the toxins effectively.

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.

Well installation, single-well testing, and particle-size analysis for selected sites in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin, north-central Colorado, 2003-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beck, Jennifer A.; Paschke, Suzanne S.; Arnold, L. Rick

2011-01-01

This report describes results from a groundwater data-collection program completed in 2003-2004 by the U.S. Geological Survey in support of the South Platte Decision Support System and in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Two monitoring wells were installed adjacent to existing water-table monitoring wells. These wells were installed as well pairs with existing wells to characterize the hydraulic properties of the alluvial aquifer and shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin. Single-well tests were performed in the 2 newly installed wells and 12 selected existing monitoring wells. Sediment particle size was analyzed for samples collected from the screened interval depths of each of the 14 wells. Hydraulic-conductivity and transmissivity values were calculated after the completion of single-well tests on each of the selected wells. Recovering water-level data from the single-well tests were analyzed using the Bouwer and Rice method because test data most closely resembled those obtained from traditional slug tests. Results from the single-well test analyses for the alluvial aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.8 x 10-5 feet per second and geometric mean hydraulic-conductivity value of 3.4 x 10-5 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values in the alluvial aquifer were 8.6 x 10-4 feet squared per second and 4.9 x 10-4 feet squared per second, respectively. Single-well test results for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer indicate a median hydraulic-conductivity value of 5.4 x 10-6 feet per second and geometric mean value of 4.9 x 10-6 feet per second. Median and geometric mean transmissivity values for the shallow Denver Formation sandstone aquifer were 4.0 x 10-5 feet squared per second and 5.9 x 10-5 feet squared per second, respectively. Hydraulic-conductivity values for the alluvial aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin generally were greater than hydraulic-conductivity values for the Denver Formation sandstone aquifer and less than hydraulic-conductivity values for the alluvial aquifer along the main stem of the South Platte River Basin reported by previous studies. Particle sizes were analyzed for a total of 14 samples of material representative of the screened interval in each of the 14 wells tested in this study. Of the 14 samples collected, 8 samples represent the alluvial aquifer and 6 samples represent the Denver Formation sandstone aquifer in and near the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin. The sampled alluvial aquifer material generally contained a greater percentage of large particles (larger than 0.5 mm) than the sampled sandstone aquifer material. Alternatively, the sampled sandstone aquifer material generally contained a greater percentage of fine particles (smaller than 0.5 mm) than the sampled alluvial aquifer material consistent with the finding that the alluvial aquifer is more conductive than the sandstone aquifer in the vicinity of the Lost Creek Designated Ground Water Basin.

Similarity index between irrigation water and soil saturation extract in the experimental field of Yachay University, Ecuador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrera-Villacrés, D. V.; Sánchez-Gómez, V. P.; Portilla-Bravo, O. A.; Bolaños-Guerrón, D. R.

2017-08-01

Soil monitoring is a job that demands a lot of time and money. therefore, measuring the same parameters in the water becomes simple because it can be done in situ. The objective of this work was to find a similarity index for the validation of mathematical correlation models based on physicochemical parameters to verify if there is a balance between irrigation water and soil saturation extract in the experimental field Yachay that is known as the city of knowledge that is located in Imbabura province, Ecuador, for which, the sampling of water was carried out in two representative periods (dry and rainy). Sampling of 10 soil profiles was also performed, covering the total area; these samples were obtained results of Electrical Conductivity (EC), pH and total dissolved salts (TDS). With correlation models between soils and water, it is possible to predict concentrations of elements in the irrigation water. It was concluded that there is a balance between soil and water, so that the salts present in the soil are highly soluble, in addition, there is a high probability that the elements in the irrigation water are in the soil. In sample water, the same concentrations were found in the soil, at their saturation point, and very close to the field capacity.

Effects of an Extreme Flood on Trace Elements in River Water-From Urban Stream to Major River Basin.

PubMed

Barber, Larry B; Paschke, Suzanne S; Battaglin, William A; Douville, Chris; Fitzgerald, Kevin C; Keefe, Steffanie H; Roth, David A; Vajda, Alan M

2017-09-19

Major floods adversely affect water quality through surface runoff, groundwater discharge, and damage to municipal water infrastructure. Despite their importance, it can be difficult to assess the effects of floods on streamwater chemistry because of challenges collecting samples and the absence of baseline data. This study documents water quality during the September 2013 extreme flood in the South Platte River, Colorado, USA. Weekly time-series water samples were collected from 3 urban source waters (municipal tap water, streamwater, and wastewater treatment facility effluent) under normal-flow and flood conditions. In addition, water samples were collected during the flood at 5 locations along the South Platte River and from 7 tributaries along the Colorado Front Range. Samples were analyzed for 54 major and trace elements. Specific chemical tracers, representing different natural and anthropogenic sources and geochemical behaviors, were used to compare streamwater composition before and during the flood. The results differentiate hydrological processes that affected water quality: (1) in the upper watershed, runoff diluted most dissolved constituents, (2) in the urban corridor and lower watershed, runoff mobilized soluble constituents accumulated on the landscape and contributed to stream loading, and (3) flood-induced groundwater discharge mobilized soluble constituents stored in the vadose zone.

Surface-water-quality assessment of the Upper Illinois River basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; cross-sectional and depth variation of water-quality constituents and properties in the Upper Illinois River basin, 1987-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marron, Donna C.; Blanchard, Stephen F.

1995-01-01

Data on water velocity, temperature, specific con- ductance, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, chlorophyll concentration, suspended sediment con- centration, fecal-coliform counts, and the percen- tage of suspended sediment finer than 62 micrometers ranged up to 21 percent; and cross-section coefficients of variation of the concentrations of suspended sediment, fecal coliform, and chlorophyll ranged from 7 to 115 percent. Midchannel measure- ments of temperature, specific conductance, and pH were within 5 percent of mean cross-sectional values of these properties at the eight sampling sites, most of which appear well mixed because of the effect of dams and reservoirs. Measurements of the concentration of dissolved oxygen at various cross- section locations and at variable sampling depths are required to obtain a representative value of this constituent at these sites. The large varia- bility of concentrations of chlorophyll and suspended sediment, and fecal-coliform counts at the eight sampling sites indicates that composite rather than midchannel or mean values of these constituents are likely to be most representative of the channel cross section.

Combined sample collection and gas extraction for the measurement of helium isotopes and neon in natural waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roether, Wolfgang; Vogt, Martin; Vogel, Sandra; Sültenfuß, Jürgen

2013-06-01

We present a new method to obtain samples for the measurement of helium isotopes and neon in water, to replace the classical sampling procedure using clamped-off Cu tubing containers that we have been using so far. The new method saves the gas extraction step prior to admission to the mass spectrometer, which the classical method requires. Water is drawn into evacuated glass ampoules with subsequent flame sealing. Approximately 50% headspace is left, from which admission into the mass spectrometer occurs without further treatment. Extensive testing has shown that, with due care and with small corrections applied, the samples represent the gas concentrations in the water within ±0.07% (95% confidence level; ±0.05% with special handling). Fast evacuation is achieved by pumping on a small charge of water placed in the ampoule. The new method was successfully tested at sea in comparison with Cu-tubing sampling. We found that the ampoule samples were superior in data precision and that a lower percentage of samples were lost prior to measurement. Further measurements revealed agreement between the two methods in helium, 3He and neon within ±0.1%. The new method facilitates the dealing with large sample sets and minimizes the delay between sampling and measurement. The method is applicable also for gases other than helium and neon.

FINDING THE SCALES OF ECOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AND TRIBUTARY INPUTS TO OPEN NEARSHORE WATERS, A GREAT LAKES COAST-WIDE EXPERIENCE

EPA Science Inventory

In 2002 we sampled over 40 stretches of open coastline across the US portion of the Great Lakes with an equal effort planned for 2003. Sites were selected to represent an intended gradient of landscape disturbance in watersheds hydrologically-connected to nearshore waters. Half t...

Geochemistry and Hydrogeology of Water-Filled Sinkholes at Bitter Lake NWR, Roswell, NM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premo, Z. E.; Crossey, L. J.

2008-12-01

Bitter Lake NWR in southeast (Roswell) New Mexico is located at the convergence of the Pecos River and the surface discharge region in the Roswell Artesian Basin (shallow alluvial aquifer and carbonate aquifer). The Refuge hosts approximately 50 water-filled sinkholes, which each support a unique and diverse aquatic ecosystem. An initial survey of water chemistries indicates that each sink has a unique chemical identity and neutral to alkaline pH. Sinkholes are filled by one or more artesian springs, groundwater seepage and possible hydrothermal water sources. We present results of water and gas analyses of 10 representative sinkholes, sampled during spring and summer, 2008. Analytical results, including major ions, metals (arsenic, selenium, iron), and gas chemistries are compared with monitoring well data from wells found to the north of the Refuge, along the Pecos River, and to the west, along the Pecos Slope - the regional aquifer recharge area. Well samples representative of regional groundwater provide potential end member perspectives for sources of sinkhole waters. Samples were collected incrementally from the surface to sinkhole floor to profile the limnological structure and to assess chemical variation and mixing through the water column. A sonde was deployed to measure and record physical parameters. Results of the analysis are used to describe the geochemical mixing that is occurring within the sinks. As each sink behaves as an independent unit, those separated by less than 10 meters can have dramatic variability in chemical signature and biological influence. For example, among the 29 sinks sampled during the initital survey, chloride concentrations range from 1.912x10-3 to 1.405 mol/kg; sulfate from 7.204x10-4 to 0.1364 mol/kg; and fluoride from 3.579x10-4 to 3.453x10-3 mol/kg. Along the Pecos Slope, groundwater chloride concentrations increase from less than 1.410x10-3 mol/kg near the major recharge area in the Sacramento Mountains to 0.141 mol/kg in the discharge area at the Pecos River to the east of Roswell, which includes the Refuge. Sinks are thus analyzed on three resolutions: regional distribution of sink chemistry (both within the Refuge and along and to the west of the Pecos River); variability between mature and immature sinks; and the anatomy of a representative sink.

Is drinking water a major route of human exposure to alkylphenol and bisphenol contaminants in France?

PubMed

Colin, Adeline; Bach, Cristina; Rosin, Christophe; Munoz, Jean-François; Dauchy, Xavier

2014-01-01

The main objective of this study was to evaluate potential exposure of a significant part of the French population to alkylphenol and bisphenol contaminants due to water consumption. The occurrence of 11 alkylphenols and bisphenols was studied in raw water and treated water samples from public water systems. One sampling campaign was performed from October 2011 to May 2012. Sampling was equally distributed across 100 French departments. In total, 291 raw water samples and 291 treated water samples were analyzed in this study, representing approximately 20 % of the national water supply flow. The occurrence of the target compounds was also determined for 29 brands of bottled water (polyethylene terephthalate [PET] bottles, polycarbonate [PC] reusable containers, and aluminum cans [ACs]) and in 5 drinking water networks where epoxy resin has been used as coating for pipes. In raw water samples, the highest individual concentration was 1,430 ng/L for bisphenol A (BPA). Of the investigated compounds, nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol 1-carboxylic acid (NP1EC), BPA, and nonylphenol 2-ethoxylate (NP2EO) predominated (detected in 18.6, 18.6, 14.4, and 10 % of samples, respectively). Geographical variability was observed with departments crossed by major rivers or with high population densities being more affected by contamination. In treated water samples, the highest individual concentration was 505 ng/L for NP. Compared with raw water, target compounds were found in lower amounts in treated water. This difference suggests a relative effectiveness of certain water treatments for the elimination of these pollutants; however, there is also their possible transformation by reaction with chlorine. No target compounds were found in drinking water pipes coated with epoxy resin, in PET bottled water, or in water from ACs. However, levels of BPA in PC bottled water ranged from 70 to 4,210 ng/L with greater level observed in newly manufactured bottles. 4-Tert-butylphenol was only detected in recently manufactured bottles. The values observed for the monitored compounds indicate that drinking water is most likely not the main source of exposure.

A Four-Hour Yeast Bioassay for the Direct Measure of Estrogenic Activity in Wastewater without Sample Extraction, Concentration, or Sterilization

PubMed Central

Balsiger, Heather A.; de la Torre, Roberto; Lee, Wen-Yee; Cox, Marc B.

2010-01-01

The assay described here represents an improved yeast bioassay that provides a rapid yet sensitive screening method for EDCs with very little hands-on time and without the need for sample preparation. Traditional receptor-mediated reporter assays in yeast were performed twelve to twenty four hours after ligand addition, used colorimetric substrates, and, in many cases, required high, non-physiological concentrations of ligand. With the advent of new chemiluminescent substrates a ligand-induced signal can be detected within thirty minutes using high picomolar to low nanomolar concentrations of estrogen. As a result of the sensitivity (EC50 for estradiol is ~ 0.7 nM) and the very short assay time (2-4 hours) environmental water samples can typically be assayed directly without sterilization, extraction, and concentration. Thus, these assays represent rapid and sensitive approaches for determining the presence of contaminants in environmental samples. As proof of principle, we directly assayed wastewater influent and effluent taken from a wastewater treatment plant in the El Paso, TX area for the presence of estrogenic activity. The data obtained in the four-hour yeast bioassay directly correlated with GC-mass spectrometry analysis of these same water samples. PMID:20074779

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

King, David A.

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), under the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) contract, collected split surface water samples with Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) representatives on August 21, 2013. Representatives from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation were also in attendance. Samples were collected at four surface water stations, as required in the approved Request for Technical Assistance number 11-018. These stations included Nolichucky River upstream (NRU), Nolichucky River downstream (NRD), Martin Creek upstream (MCU), and Martin Creek downstream (MCD). Both ORAU and NFS performed gross alpha and gross betamore » analyses, and the comparison of results using the duplicate error ratio (DER), also known as the normalized absolute difference, are tabulated. All DER values were less than 3 and results are consistent with low (e.g., background) concentrations.« less

Characteristic sediment and water column chlorophyll-a in the sea cucumber’s Paracaudina sp. habitat on the Kenjeran Water, Surabaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widianingsih, W.; Zaenuri, M.; Anggoro, S.; Kusumaningrum, H. P.; Hartati, R.

2018-03-01

The study of characteristic sediment and water column chlorophyll-a has an important role in the sea cucumber habitat. Sediment chlorophyll-a represents a productivity primer for the benthic community. This research has a purpose to investigate characteristic sediment and water column chlorophyll-a on the Kenjeran water, Surabaya. Sediment samples were collected by the ekman grab for analysis, grain size and nutrient. The sample for sediment chlorophyll-a was taken by core sampler. The water samples were taken with Nansen Bottles. According to the research result, the values of sediment chlorophyll-a at station 10, 11 and 12 were higher than the other stations. In contrast, the value of chlorophyll-a in the column water had almost the same value for each station. The sediment chlorophyll-a value on clay and silt sediment type was higher than the fine sand and coarse sediment type. The suitable habitat characteristic for Paracaudina sp. was clay and silt sediment with sediment chlorophyll concentration ranging from 347.82 mg·m-2 to 1135.52 mg·m-2.

Optimization of groundwater sampling approach under various hydrogeological conditions using a numerical simulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Shengqi; Hou, Deyi; Luo, Jian

2017-09-01

This study presents a numerical model based on field data to simulate groundwater flow in both the aquifer and the well-bore for the low-flow sampling method and the well-volume sampling method. The numerical model was calibrated to match well with field drawdown, and calculated flow regime in the well was used to predict the variation of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration during the purging period. The model was then used to analyze sampling representativeness and sampling time. Site characteristics, such as aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and sampling choices, such as purging rate and screen length, were found to be significant determinants of sampling representativeness and required sampling time. Results demonstrated that: (1) DO was the most useful water quality indicator in ensuring groundwater sampling representativeness in comparison with turbidity, pH, specific conductance, oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and temperature; (2) it is not necessary to maintain a drawdown of less than 0.1 m when conducting low flow purging. However, a high purging rate in a low permeability aquifer may result in a dramatic decrease in sampling representativeness after an initial peak; (3) the presence of a short screen length may result in greater drawdown and a longer sampling time for low-flow purging. Overall, the present study suggests that this new numerical model is suitable for describing groundwater flow during the sampling process, and can be used to optimize sampling strategies under various hydrogeological conditions.

Study design and percent recoveries of anthropogenic organic compounds with and without the addition of ascorbic acid to preserve water samples containing free chlorine, 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Valder, Joshua F.; Delzer, Gregory C.; Price, Curtis V.; Sandstrom, Mark W.

2008-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began implementing Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs) in 2002 that focus on characterizing the quality of source water and finished water of aquifers and major rivers used by some of the larger community water systems in the United States. As used for SWQA studies, source water is the raw (ambient) water collected at the supply well prior to water treatment (for ground water) or the raw (ambient) water collected from the river near the intake (for surface water). Finished water is the water that is treated, which typically involves, in part, the addition of chlorine or other disinfection chemicals to remove pathogens, and is ready to be delivered to consumers. Finished water is collected before the water enters the distribution system. This report describes the study design and percent recoveries of anthropogenic organic compounds (AOCs) with and without the addition of ascorbic acid to preserve water samples containing free chlorine. The percent recoveries were determined by using analytical results from a laboratory study conducted in 2004 by the USGS's National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and from data collected during 2004-06 for a field study currently (2008) being conducted by the USGS's NAWQA Program. The laboratory study was designed to determine if preserving samples with ascorbic acid (quenching samples) adversely affects analytical performance under controlled conditions. During the laboratory study, eight samples of reagent water were spiked for each of five analytical schedules evaluated. Percent recoveries from these samples were then compared in two ways: (1) four quenched reagent spiked samples analyzed on day 0 were compared with four quenched reagent spiked samples analyzed on day 7 or 14, and (2) the combined eight quenched reagent spiked samples analyzed on day 0, 7, or 14 were compared with eight laboratory reagent spikes (LRSs). Percent recoveries from the quenched reagent spiked samples that were analyzed at two different times (day 0 and day 7 or 14) can be used to determine the stability of the quenched samples held for an amount of time representative of the normal amount of time between sample collection and analysis. The comparison between the quenched reagent spiked samples and the LRSs can be used to determine if quenching samples adversely affects the analytical performance under controlled conditions. The field study began in 2004 and is continuing today (February 2008) to characterize the effect of quenching on field-matrix spike recoveries and to better understand the potential oxidation and transformation of 277 AOCs. Three types of samples were collected from 11 NAWQA Study Units across the Nation: (1) quenched finished-water samples (not spiked), (2) quenched finished-water spiked samples, and (3) nonquenched finished-water spiked samples. Percent recoveries of AOCs in quenched and nonquenched finished-water spiked samples collected during 2004-06 are presented. Comparisons of percent recoveries between quenched and nonquenched spiked samples can be used to show how quenching affects finished-water samples. A maximum of 6 surface-water and 7 ground-water quenched finished-water spiked samples paired with nonquenched finished-water spiked samples were analyzed. Analytical results for the field study are presented in two ways: (1) by surface-water supplies or ground-water supplies, and (2) by use (or source) group category for surface-water and ground-water supplies. Graphical representations of percent recoveries for the quenched and nonquenched finished-water spiked samples also are presented.

Arsenic occurrence in drinking water supply systems in ten municipalities in Vojvodina Region, Serbia.

PubMed

Jovanovic, Dragana; Jakovljević, Branko; Rašić-Milutinović, Zorica; Paunović, Katarina; Peković, Gordana; Knezević, Tanja

2011-02-01

Vojvodina, a northern region of Serbia, belongs to the Pannonian Basin, whose aquifers contain high concentrations of arsenic. This study represents arsenic levels in drinking water in ten municipalities in Serbia. Around 63% of all water samples exceeded Serbian and European standards for arsenic in drinking water. Large variations in arsenic were observed among supply systems. Arsenic concentrations in public water supply systems in Vojvodina were much higher than in other countries in the Pannonian Basin. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two and three-dimensional quantitative neutron imaging of the water distribution during ponded infiltration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sacha, Jan; Snehota, Michal; Jelinkova, Vladimira

2016-04-01

Information on spatial and temporal water and air distribution in a soil sample during hydrological processes is important for evaluating current and developing new water transport models. Modern imaging techniques such as neutron imaging (NI) allow relatively short acquisition times and high resolution of images. At the same time, the appropriate data processing has to be applied to obtain results free of bias and artifacts. In this study a ponded infiltration experiments were conducted on two soil samples packed into the quartz glass columns of inner diameter of 29 and 34 mm, respectively. First sample was prepared by packing of fine and coarse fractions of sand and the second sample was packed using coarse sand and disks of fine porous ceramic. Ponded infiltration experiments conducted on both samples were monitored by neutron radiography to produce two dimensional (2D) projection images during the transient phase of infiltration. During the steady state flow stage of experiments neutron tomography was utilized to obtain three-dimensional (3D) information on gradual water redistribution. The acquired radiographic images were normalized for background noise and spatial inhomogeneity of the detector, fluctuations of the neutron flux in time and for spatial inhomogeneity of the neutron beam. The radiograms of dry sample were subtracted from all subsequent radiograms to determine water thickness in the 2D projection images. All projections were corrected for beam hardening and neutron scattering by empirical method of Kang et al. (2013). Parameters of the correction method uses were identified by two different approaches. The first approach was based on fitting the NI derived water thickness representing the water filled region in the layer of water above the sample surface to actual water thickness. In the second approach the NI derived volume of water in the entire sample in given time was fitted to corresponding gravimetrically determined amount of water in the sample. Tomography images were reconstructed from the both corrected and uncorrected water thickness maps to obtain the 3D spatial distribution of water content within the sample. Without the correction the beam hardening and scattering effects overestimated the water content values close to the sample perimeter and underestimated the values close to the center of the sample, however the total water content of whole sample was the same in both cases.

Evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal from Hudson River, New York

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

Gardiner, W.W.; Barrows, E.S.; Antrim, L.D.

1996-09-01

The Hudson River (Federal Project No. 41) was one of seven waterways that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-New York District (USACE-NYD) requested the Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) to sample and evaluate for dredging and disposal in March 1994. Sediment samples were collected from the Hudson River. Tests and analyses were conducted on Hudson River sediment core samples. The evaluation of proposed dredged material from the Hudson River included bulk sediment chemical analyses, chemical analyses of site water and elutriate, water-column and benthic acute toxicity tests, and bioaccumulation studies. Individual sediment core samples collected from Hudson River were analyzedmore » for grain size, moisture content, and total organic carbon (TOC). A composite sediment sample, representing the entire area proposed for dredging, was analyzed for bulk density, specific gravity, metals, chlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and 1,4-dichlorobenzene. Site water and elutriate water, prepared from the suspended-particulate phase (SPP) of Hudson River sediment, were analyzed for metals, pesticides, and PCBS. Water-column or SPP toxicity tests were performed with three species. Benthic acute toxicity tests were performed. Bioaccumulation tests were also conducted.« less

Effects of small-scale vertical variations in well-screen inflow rates and concentrations of organic compounds on the collection of representative ground-water-quality samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibs, Jacob; Brown, G. Allan; Turner, Kenneth S.; MacLeod, Cecilia L.; Jelinski, James; Koehnlein, Susan A.

1993-01-01

Because a water sample collected from a well is an integration of water from different depths along the well screen, measured concentrations can be biased if analyte concentrations are not uniform along the length of the well screen. The resulting concentration in the sample, therefore, is a function of variations in well-screen inflow rate and analyte concentration with depth. A multiport sampler with seven short screened intervals was designed and used to investigate small-scale vertical variations in water chemistry and aquifer hydraulic conductivity in ground water contaminated by leaded gasoline at Galloway Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. The multiport samplers were used to collect independent samples from seven intervals within the screened zone that were flow-rate weighted and integrated to simulate a 5-foot-long, 2.375-inch- outside-diameter conventional wire-wound screen. The integration of the results of analyses of samples collected from two multiport samplers showed that a conventional 5-foot-long well screen would integrate contaminant concentrations over its length and resulted in an apparent contaminant concentration that was a little as 28 percent of the maximum concentration observed in the multiport sampler.

Sampling colloids and colloid-associated contaminants in ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Backhus, Debera A.; Ryan, Joseph N.; Groher, Daniel M.; MacFarlane, John K.; Gschwend, Philip M.

1993-01-01

It has recently been recognized that mobile colloids may affect the transport of contaminants in ground water. To determine the significance of this process, knowledge of both the total mobile load (dissolved + colloid-associated) and the dissolved concentration of a ground-water contaminant must be obtained. Additional information regarding mobile colloid characteristics and concentrations are required to predict accurately the fate and effects of contaminants at sites where significant quantities of colloids are found. To obtain this information, a sampling scheme has been designed and refined to collect mobile colloids while avoiding the inclusion of normally immobile subsurface and well-derived solids. The effectiveness of this sampling protocol was evaluated at a number of contaminated and pristine sites.The sampling results indicated that slow, prolonged pumping of ground water is much more effective at obtaining ground-water samples that represent in situ colloid populations than bailing. Bailed samples from a coal tar-contaminated site contained 10–100 times greater colloid concentrations and up to 750 times greater polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations as were detected in slowly pumped samples. The sampling results also indicated that ground-water colloid concentrations should be monitored in the field to determine the adequacy of purging if colloid and colloid-associated contaminants are of interest. To avoid changes in the natural ground-water colloid population through precipitation or coagulation, in situ ground-water chemistry conditions must be preserved during sampling and storage. Samples collected for determination of the total mobile load of colloids and low-solubility contaminants must not be filtered because some mobile colloids are removed by this process. Finally, suggestions that mobile colloids are present in ground water at any particular site should be corroborated with auxiliary data, such as colloid levels in “background” wells, colloid-size distributions, ground-water geochemistry, and colloid surface characteristics.

High-throughput immunomagnetic scavenging technique for quantitative analysis of live VX nerve agent in water, hamburger, and soil matrixes.

PubMed

Knaack, Jennifer S; Zhou, Yingtao; Abney, Carter W; Prezioso, Samantha M; Magnuson, Matthew; Evans, Ronald; Jakubowski, Edward M; Hardy, Katelyn; Johnson, Rudolph C

2012-11-20

We have developed a novel immunomagnetic scavenging technique for extracting cholinesterase inhibitors from aqueous matrixes using biological targeting and antibody-based extraction. The technique was characterized using the organophosphorus nerve agent VX. The limit of detection for VX in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-grade water, defined as the lowest calibrator concentration, was 25 pg/mL in a small, 500 μL sample. The method was characterized over the course of 22 sample sets containing calibrators, blanks, and quality control samples. Method precision, expressed as the mean relative standard deviation, was less than 9.2% for all calibrators. Quality control sample accuracy was 102% and 100% of the mean for VX spiked into HPLC-grade water at concentrations of 2.0 and 0.25 ng/mL, respectively. This method successfully was applied to aqueous extracts from soil, hamburger, and finished tap water spiked with VX. Recovery was 65%, 81%, and 100% from these matrixes, respectively. Biologically based extractions of organophosphorus compounds represent a new technique for sample extraction that provides an increase in extraction specificity and sensitivity.

Effects of an extreme flood on trace elements in river water—From urban stream to major river basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, Larry B.; Paschke, Suzanne; Battaglin, William A.; Douville, Chris; Fitzgerald, Kevin C.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Roth, David A.; Vajda, Alan M.

2017-01-01

Major floods adversely affect water quality through surface runoff, groundwater discharge, and damage to municipal water infrastructure. Despite their importance, it can be difficult to assess the effects of floods on streamwater chemistry because of challenges collecting samples and the absence of baseline data. This study documents water quality during the September 2013 extreme flood in the South Platte River, Colorado, USA. Weekly time-series water samples were collected from 3 urban source waters (municipal tap water, streamwater, and wastewater treatment facility effluent) under normal-flow and flood conditions. In addition, water samples were collected during the flood at 5 locations along the South Platte River and from 7 tributaries along the Colorado Front Range. Samples were analyzed for 54 major and trace elements. Specific chemical tracers, representing different natural and anthropogenic sources and geochemical behaviors, were used to compare streamwater composition before and during the flood. The results differentiate hydrological processes that affected water quality: (1) in the upper watershed, runoff diluted most dissolved constituents, (2) in the urban corridor and lower watershed, runoff mobilized soluble constituents accumulated on the landscape and contributed to stream loading, and (3) flood-induced groundwater discharge mobilized soluble constituents stored in the vadose zone.

Perchlorate Contamination of Drinking Water: Regulatory Issues and Legislative Actions

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-23

health risks of perchlorate exposures include effects on the developing nervous systems and thyroid tumors, based on rat studies that observed benign...supplies nationwide. The regulation required monitoring by all water systems serving more than 10,000 persons and by a representative sample of smaller... systems . In 2004, EPA reported that perchlorate has been detected in public water systems in 24 states and Puerto Rico.4 The agency also reported

Deciphering Martian climatic history using returned samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paige, D. A.; Krieger, D. B.; Brigham, C. A.

1988-01-01

By necessity, a Mars sample return mission must sample the upper few meters of the Martian surface. This material was subjected to a wide variety of physical processes. Presently, the most important processes are believed to be wind-driven erosion and deposition, and water ice accumulation at higher latitudes. A sample return mission represents an opportunity to better understand and quantify these important geological processes. By obtaining sample cores at key locations, it may be possible to interpret much of recent Martian climatic history.

Preliminary Assessment/Site Inspection Work Plan for Granite Mountain Radio Relay System

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

represent field conditions, and (3) sampling results are repeatable. Final (04 WV---,,1-, ,W•, S 2, mbr . 19W4 13 RyCWed 1.5.2 Sample Handling Sample...procedures specified in Section 2.1.3. Samples collected from shallow depths will be obtained by submerging a stainless- steel, Teflon, or glass... submerged in a manner that minimizes agitation of sediment and the water sample. If a seep or spring has minimal discharge flow, gravel, boulders, and soil

Comparison of water-quality samples collected by siphon samplers and automatic samplers in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graczyk, David J.; Robertson, Dale M.; Rose, William J.; Steur, Jeffrey J.

2000-01-01

In small streams, flow and water-quality concentrations often change quickly in response to meteorological events. Hydrologists, field technicians, or locally hired stream ob- servers involved in water-data collection are often unable to reach streams quickly enough to observe or measure these rapid changes. Therefore, in hydrologic studies designed to describe changes in water quality, a combination of manual and automated sampling methods have commonly been used manual methods when flow is relatively stable and automated methods when flow is rapidly changing. Auto- mated sampling, which makes use of equipment programmed to collect samples in response to changes in stage and flow of a stream, has been shown to be an effective method of sampling to describe the rapid changes in water quality (Graczyk and others, 1993). Because of the high cost of automated sampling, however, especially for studies examining a large number of sites, alternative methods have been considered for collecting samples during rapidly changing stream conditions. One such method employs the siphon sampler (fig. 1). also referred to as the "single-stage sampler." Siphon samplers are inexpensive to build (about $25- $50 per sampler), operate, and maintain, so they are cost effective to use at a large number of sites. Their ability to collect samples representing the average quality of water passing though the entire cross section of a stream, however, has not been fully demonstrated for many types of stream sites.

Examination of Hydrate Formation Methods: Trying to Create Representative Samples

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

Kneafsey, T.J.; Rees, E.V.L.; Nakagawa, S.

2011-04-01

Forming representative gas hydrate-bearing laboratory samples is important so that the properties of these materials may be measured, while controlling the composition and other variables. Natural samples are rare, and have often experienced pressure and temperature changes that may affect the property to be measured [Waite et al., 2008]. Forming methane hydrate samples in the laboratory has been done a number of ways, each having advantages and disadvantages. The ice-to-hydrate method [Stern et al., 1996], contacts melting ice with methane at the appropriate pressure to form hydrate. The hydrate can then be crushed and mixed with mineral grains under controlledmore » conditions, and then compacted to create laboratory samples of methane hydrate in a mineral medium. The hydrate in these samples will be part of the load-bearing frame of the medium. In the excess gas method [Handa and Stupin, 1992], water is distributed throughout a mineral medium (e.g. packed moist sand, drained sand, moistened silica gel, other porous media) and the mixture is brought to hydrate-stable conditions (chilled and pressurized with gas), allowing hydrate to form. This method typically produces grain-cementing hydrate from pendular water in sand [Waite et al., 2004]. In the dissolved gas method [Tohidi et al., 2002], water with sufficient dissolved guest molecules is brought to hydrate-stable conditions where hydrate forms. In the laboratory, this is can be done by pre-dissolving the gas of interest in water and then introducing it to the sample under the appropriate conditions. With this method, it is easier to form hydrate from more soluble gases such as carbon dioxide. It is thought that this method more closely simulates the way most natural gas hydrate has formed. Laboratory implementation, however, is difficult, and sample formation is prohibitively time consuming [Minagawa et al., 2005; Spangenberg and Kulenkampff, 2005]. In another version of this technique, a specified quantity of gas is placed in a sample, then the sample is flooded with water and cooled [Priest et al., 2009]. We have performed a number of tests in which hydrate was formed and the uniformity of the hydrate formation was examined. These tests have primarily used a variety of modifications of the excess gas method to make the hydrate, although we have also used a version of the excess water technique. Early on, we found difficulties in creating uniform samples with a particular sand/ initial water saturation combination (F-110 Sand, {approx} 35% initial water saturation). In many of our tests we selected this combination intentionally to determine whether we could use a method to make the samples uniform. The following methods were examined: Excess gas, Freeze/thaw/form, Freeze/pressurize/thaw, Excess gas followed by water saturation, Excess water, Sand and kaolinite, Use of a nucleation enhancer (SnoMax), and Use of salt in the water. Below, each method, the underlying hypothesis, and our results are briefly presented, followed by a brief conclusion. Many of the hypotheses investigated are not our own, but were presented to us. Much of the data presented is from x-ray CT scanning our samples. The x-ray CT scanner provides a three-dimensional density map of our samples. From this map and the physics that is occurring in our samples, we are able to gain an understanding of the spatial nature of the processes that occur, and attribute them to the locations where they occur.« less

Water-quality assessment of the Delmarva Peninsula, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia; results of investigations, 1987-91

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shedlock, Robert J.; Denver, J.M.; Hayes, M.A.; Hamilton, P.A.; Koterba, M.T.; Bachman, L.J.; Phillips, P.J.; Banks, W.S.

1999-01-01

A regional ground-water-quality assessment of the Delmarva Peninsula was conducted as a pilot study for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The study focused on the surficial aquifer and used both existing data and new data collected between 1988 and 1991. The new water samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, radon, volatile organic compounds, and a suite of herbicides and insecticides commonly used on corn, soybeans, and small grains. Samples also were collected from wells completed in deeper, confined aquifers and from selected streams, and analyzed for most of these constituents. The study employed a multi-scale network design. Regional networks were chosen to provide broad geographic coverage of the study area and to ensure that the major hydrogeologic settings of the surficial aquifer were adequately represented. Both the existing data and the data from samples collected during the study showed that agricultural activities had affected the quality of water in the surficial aquifer over most of the Peninsula.

Nationwide Drinking Water Sampling Campaign for Exposure Assessments in Denmark

PubMed Central

Voutchkova, Denitza Dimitrova; Hansen, Birgitte; Ernstsen, Vibeke; Kristiansen, Søren Munch

2018-01-01

Nationwide sampling campaign of treated drinking water of groundwater origin was designed and implemented in Denmark in 2013. The main purpose of the sampling was to obtain data on the spatial variation of iodine concentration and speciation in treated drinking water, which was supplied to the majority of the Danish population. This data was to be used in future exposure and epidemiologic studies. The water supply sector (83 companies, owning 144 waterworks throughout Denmark) was involved actively in the planning and implementation process, which reduced significantly the cost and duration of data collection. The dataset resulting from this collaboration covers not only iodine species (I−, IO3−, TI), but also major elements and parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, DOC, TC, TN, F−, Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+) and a long list of trace elements (n = 66). The water samples represent 144 waterworks abstracting about 45% of the annual Danish groundwater abstraction for drinking water purposes, which supply about 2.5 million Danes (45% of all Danish residents). This technical note presents the design, implementation, and limitations of such a sampling design in detail in order (1) to facilitate the future use of this dataset, (2) to inform future replication studies, or (3) to provide an example for other researchers. PMID:29518987

Determination of some organophosphorus pesticides in water and watermelon samples by microextraction prior to high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Wang, Chun; Wu, Qiuhua; Wu, Chunxia; Wang, Zhi

2011-11-01

A novel method based on simultaneous liquid-liquid microextraction and carbon nanotube reinforced hollow fiber microporous membrane solid-liquid phase microextraction has been developed for the determination of six organophosphorus pesticides, i.e. isocarbophos, phosmet, parathion-methyl, triazophos, fonofos and phoxim, in water and watermelon samples prior to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Under the optimum conditions, the method shows a good linearity within a range of 1-200 ng/mL for water samples and 5-200 ng/g for watermelon samples, with the correlation coefficients (r) varying from 0.9990 to 0.9997 and 0.9986 to 0.9995, respectively. The limits of detection (LODs) were in the range between 0.1 and 0.3 ng/mL for water samples and between 1.0 and 1.5 ng/g for watermelon samples. The recoveries of the method at spiking levels of 5.0 and 50.0 ng/mL for water samples were between 85.4 and 100.8%, and at spiking levels of 5.0 and 50.0 ng/g for watermelon samples, they were between 82.6 and 92.4%, with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) varying from 4.5-6.9% and 5.2-7.4%, respectively. The results suggested that the developed method represents a simple, low-cost, high analytes preconcentration and excellent sample cleanup procedure for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water and watermelon samples. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Distribution patterns of phytoplankton in the Changjiang River estuary and adjacent waters in spring 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Fanzhou; Xu, Zijun; Yu, Rencheng; Yuan, Yongquan; Zhou, Mingjiang

2016-09-01

The Changjiang River estuary and adjacent waters are one of the most notable regions for red tides/harmful algal blooms in China's coastal waters. In this study, phytoplankton samples were collected and analyzed during the outbreak stage of red tides in May 2009. It was found that dinoflagellates, Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia mikimotoi, and diatoms, Skeletonema spp. and Paralia sulcata, were the major taxa dominating the phytoplankton community. Cluster analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) was conducted on a data matrix including taxa composition and cell abundance of the phytoplankton samples. The analyses categorized the samples into three groups at a similarity level of 30%. Group I was characterized by estuarine diatoms and distributed mainly in the highly turbid estuarine region. Group II, which was dominated by the diatom Skeletonema spp. and represented the red tide of Skeletonema spp., was situated around Group I in the sea area west of 122°50'E. Group III was characterized by a high proportion of dinoflagellates and was found further offshore compared with Groups I and II. Group III was further divided into two subgroups (III-S1 and III-S2) at a similarity level of 40%. Group III-S1 was characterized by the presence of the benthic diatom P. sulcata, representing phytoplankton samples collected either from the bottom or from the sea area affected by upwelling. Group III-S2 was dominated by dinoflagellates and represented red tides formed by P. donghaiense and K. mikimotoi. A gradual change of red-tide causative species was observed from the estuary to the offshore sea area, from diatoms to armored dinoflagellates and then unarmored dinoflagellates. Environmental factors associated with each group, and thus affecting the distribution of phytoplankton and red tides, are discussed.

Clustering and estimating fish fingerling abundance in a tidal river in close ploximity to a thermal power plant in Southern Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesoh, S.; Lim, A.; Luangthuvapranit, C.

2018-04-01

This study aimed to cluster and to quantify the wild-caught fingerlings nearby thermal power plant. Samples were monthly collected by bongo nets from four upstream sites of the Na Thap tidal river in Thailand from 2008 to 2013. Each caught species was identified, counted and calculated density in term of individuals per 1,000 cubic meters. A total of 45 aquatic animal fingerlings was commonly trapped in the average density of 2,652 individuals per 1,000 cubic meters of water volume (1,235–4,570). The results of factor analysis revealed that factor 1 was represented by the largest group of freshwater fish species, factors 2 represented a medium-sized group of mesohaline species, factor 3 represented several brackish species and factor 4 was a few euryhaline species. All four factor reached maximum levels during May to October. Total average numbers of fish fingerling caught at the outflow showed greater than those of other sampling sites. The impact of heated pollution from power plant effluents did not clearly detected. Overall water quality according the Thailand Surface Water Quality Standards Coastal tidal periodic and seasonal runoff phenomena exhibit influentially factors. Continuous ecological monitoring is strongly recommended.

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)

National Contaminant Occurrence Database (NCOD)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This site describes water sample analytical data that EPA is currently using and has used in the past for analysis, rulemaking, and rule evaluation. The data have been checked for data quality and analyzed for national representativeness.

Present-day monitoring underestimates the risk of exposure to pathogenic bacteria from cold water storage tanks

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Water-borne bacteria, found in cold water storage tanks, are causative agents for various human infections and diseases including Legionnaires’ disease. Consequently, regular microbiological monitoring of tank water is undertaken as part of the regulatory framework used to control pathogenic bacteria. A key assumption is that a small volume of water taken from under the ball valve (where there is easy access to the stored water) will be representative of the entire tank. To test the reliability of this measure, domestic water samples taken from different locations of selected tanks in London properties between November 2015 and July 2016 were analysed for TVCs, Pseudomonas and Legionella at an accredited laboratory, according to regulatory requirements. Out of ~6000 tanks surveyed, only 15 were selected based on the ability to take a water sample from the normal sampling hatch (located above the ball valve) and from the far end of the tank (usually requiring disassembly of the tank lid with risk of structural damage), and permission being granted by the site manager to undertake the additional investigation and sampling. Despite seasonal differences in water temperature, we found 100% compliance at the ball valve end. In contrast, 40% of the tanks exceeded the regulatory threshold for temperature at the far end of the tank in the summer months. Consequently, 20% of the tanks surveyed failed to trigger appropriate regulatory action based on microbiological analyses of the water sample taken under the ball valve compared to the far end sample using present-day standards. These data show that typical water samples collected for routine monitoring may often underestimate the microbiological status of the water entering the building, thereby increasing the risk of exposure to water bourne pathogens with potential public health implications. We propose that water storage tanks should be redesigned to allow access to the far end of tanks for routine monitoring purposes, and that water samples used to ascertain the regulatory compliance of stored water in tanks should be taken at the point at which water is abstracted for use in the building. PMID:29649274

NMR imaging of fluid exchange between macropores and matrix in eogenetic karst

USGS Publications Warehouse

Florea, L.J.; Cunningham, K.J.; Altobelli, S.

2009-01-01

Sequential time-step images acquired using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) show the displacement of deuterated water (D2O) by fresh water within two limestone samples characterized by a porous and permeable limestone matrix of peloids and ooids. These samples were selected because they have a macropore system representative of some parts of the eogenetic karst limestone of the Biscayne Aquifer in southeastern Florida. The macroporosity, created by the trace fossil Ophiomorpha, is principally well connected and of centimeter scale. These macropores occur in broadly continuous stratiform zones that create preferential flow layers within the hydrogeologic units of the Biscayne. This arrangement of porosity is important because in coastal areas, it could produce a preferential pathway for salt water intrusion. Two experiments were conducted in which samples saturated with D2O were placed in acrylic chambers filled with fresh water and examined with NMR. Results reveal a substantial flux of fresh water into the matrix porosity with a simultaneous loss of D 2O. Specifically, we measured rates upward of 0.001 mL/h/g of sample in static conditions, and perhaps as great as 0.07 mL/h/g of sample when fresh water continuously flows past a sample at velocities less than those found within stressed areas of the Biscayne. These experiments illustrate how fresh water and D2O, with different chemical properties, migrate within one type of matrix porosity found in the Biscayne. Furthermore, these experiments are a comparative exercise in the displacement of sea water by fresh water in the matrix of a coastal, karst aquifer since D2O has a greater density than fresh water. ?? 2008 National Ground Water Association.

Correlation of quantitative PCR for a poultry-specific brevibacterium marker gene with bacterial and chemical indicators of water pollution in a watershed impacted by land application of poultry litter.

PubMed

Weidhaas, Jennifer L; Macbeth, Tamzen W; Olsen, Roger L; Harwood, Valerie J

2011-03-01

The impact of fecal contamination from human and agricultural animal waste on water quality is a major public health concern. Identification of the dominant source(s) of fecal pollution in a watershed is necessary for assessing the safety of recreational water and protecting water resources. A field study was conducted using quantitative PCR (qPCR) for the 16S rRNA gene of Brevibacterium sp. LA35 to track feces-contaminated poultry litter in environmental samples. Based on sensitivity and specificity characteristics of the qPCR method, the Bayesian conditional probability that detection of the LA35 marker gene in a water sample represented a true-positive result was 93%. The marker's covariance with fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and metals associated with poultry litter was also assessed in litter, runoff, surface water, and groundwater samples. LA35 was detected in water and soil samples collected throughout the watershed, and its concentration covaried with concentrations of Escherichia coli, enterococci, As, Cu, P, and Zn. Significantly greater concentrations of FIB, As, Cu, P, and Zn were observed in edge-of-field runoff samples in which LA35 was detected, compared to samples in which it was not detected. Furthermore, As, Cu, P, and Zn concentrations covaried in environmental samples in which LA35 was detected and typically did not in samples in which the marker gene was not detected. The covariance of the poultry-specific LA35 marker gene with these known contaminants from poultry feces provides further evidence that it is a useful tool for assessing the impact of poultry-derived fecal pollution in environmental waters.

Identification of Species and Sources of Cryptosporidium Oocysts in Storm Waters with a Small-Subunit rRNA-Based Diagnostic and Genotyping Tool

PubMed Central

Xiao, Lihua; Alderisio, Kerri; Limor, Josef; Royer, Michael; Lal, Altaf A.

2000-01-01

The identification of Cryptosporidium oocysts in environmental samples is largely made by the use of an immunofluorescent assay. In this study, we have used a small-subunit rRNA-based PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique to identify species and sources of Cryptosporidium oocysts present in 29 storm water samples collected from a stream in New York. A total of 12 genotypes were found in 27 positive samples; for 4 the species and probable origins were identified by sequence analysis, whereas the rest represent new genotypes from wildlife. Thus, this technique provides an alternative method for the detection and differentiation of Cryptosporidium parasites in environmental samples. PMID:11097935

Monitoring the aftermath of Flint drinking water contamination crisis: Another case of sampling bias?

PubMed

Goovaerts, Pierre

2017-07-15

The delay in reporting high levels of lead in Flint drinking water, following the city's switch to the Flint River as its water supply, was partially caused by the biased selection of sampling sites away from the lead pipe network. Since Flint returned to its pre-crisis source of drinking water, the State has been monitoring water lead levels (WLL) at selected "sentinel" sites. In a first phase that lasted two months, 739 residences were sampled, most of them bi-weekly, to determine the general health of the distribution system and to track temporal changes in lead levels. During the same period, water samples were also collected through a voluntary program whereby concerned citizens received free testing kits and conducted sampling on their own. State officials relied on the former data to demonstrate the steady improvement in water quality. A recent analysis of data collected by voluntary sampling revealed, however, an opposite trend with lead levels increasing over time. This paper looks at potential sampling bias to explain such differences. Although houses with higher WLL were more likely to be sampled repeatedly, voluntary sampling turned out to reproduce fairly well the main characteristics (i.e. presence of lead service lines (LSL), construction year) of Flint housing stock. State-controlled sampling was less representative; e.g., sentinel sites with LSL were mostly built between 1935 and 1950 in lower poverty areas, which might hamper our ability to disentangle the effects of LSL and premise plumbing (lead fixtures and pipes present within old houses) on WLL. Also, there was no sentinel site with LSL in two of the most impoverished wards, including where the percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels tripled following the switch in water supply. Correcting for sampling bias narrowed the gap between sampling programs, yet overall temporal trends are still opposite. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Real-time PCR detection of Didemnum perlucidum (Monniot, 1983) and Didemnum vexillum (Kott, 2002) in an applied routine marine biosecurity context.

PubMed

Simpson, Tiffany J S; Dias, P Joana; Snow, Michael; Muñoz, Julieta; Berry, Tina

2017-05-01

Prevention and early detection are well recognized as the best strategies for minimizing the risks posed by nonindigenous species (NIS) that have the potential to become marine pests. Central to this is the ability to rapidly and accurately identify the presence of NIS, often from complex environmental samples like biofouling and ballast water. Molecular tools have been increasingly applied to assist with the identification of NIS and can prove particularly useful for taxonomically difficult groups like ascidians. In this study, we have developed real-time PCR assays suited to the specific identification of the ascidians Didemnum perlucidum and Didemnum vexillum. Despite being recognized as important global pests, this is the first time specific molecular detection methods have been developed that can support the early identification and detection of these species from a broad range of environmental sample types. These fast, robust and high-throughput assays represent powerful tools for routine marine biosecurity surveillance, as detection and confirmation of the early presence of species could assist in the timely establishment of emergency responses and control strategies. This study applied the developed assays to confirm the ability to detect Didemnid eDNA in water samples. While previous work has focused on detection of marine larvae from water samples, the development of real-time PCR assays specifically aimed at detecting eDNA of sessile invertebrate species in the marine environment represents a world first and a significant step forwards in applied marine biosecurity surveillance. Demonstrated success in the detection of D. perlucidum eDNA from water samples at sites where it could not be visually identified suggests value in incorporating such assays into biosecurity survey designs targeting Didemnid species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of Sachet Water Consumption on Exposure to Microbe-Contaminated Drinking Water: Household Survey Evidence from Ghana

PubMed Central

Wright, Jim; Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli; Wardrop, Nicola A.; Johnston, Richard; Hill, Allan; Aryeetey, Genevieve; Adanu, Richard

2016-01-01

There remain few nationally representative studies of drinking water quality at the point of consumption in developing countries. This study aimed to examine factors associated with E. coli contamination in Ghana. It drew on a nationally representative household survey, the 2012−2013 Living Standards Survey 6, which incorporated a novel water quality module. E. coli contamination in 3096 point-of-consumption samples was examined using multinomial regression. Surface water use was the strongest risk factor for high E. coli contamination (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 32.3, p < 0.001), whilst packaged (sachet or bottled) water use had the greatest protective effect (RRR = 0.06, p < 0.001), compared to water piped to premises. E. coli contamination followed plausible patterns with digit preference (tendency to report values ending in zero) in bacteria counts. The analysis suggests packaged drinking water use provides some protection against point-of-consumption E. coli contamination and may therefore benefit public health. It also suggests viable water quality data can be collected alongside household surveys, but field protocols require further revision. PMID:27005650

Effects of Sachet Water Consumption on Exposure to Microbe-Contaminated Drinking Water: Household Survey Evidence from Ghana.

PubMed

Wright, Jim; Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli; Wardrop, Nicola A; Johnston, Richard; Hill, Allan; Aryeetey, Genevieve; Adanu, Richard

2016-03-09

There remain few nationally representative studies of drinking water quality at the point of consumption in developing countries. This study aimed to examine factors associated with E. coli contamination in Ghana. It drew on a nationally representative household survey, the 2012-2013 Living Standards Survey 6, which incorporated a novel water quality module. E. coli contamination in 3096 point-of-consumption samples was examined using multinomial regression. Surface water use was the strongest risk factor for high E. coli contamination (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 32.3, p < 0.001), whilst packaged (sachet or bottled) water use had the greatest protective effect (RRR = 0.06, p < 0.001), compared to water piped to premises. E. coli contamination followed plausible patterns with digit preference (tendency to report values ending in zero) in bacteria counts. The analysis suggests packaged drinking water use provides some protection against point-of-consumption E. coli contamination and may therefore benefit public health. It also suggests viable water quality data can be collected alongside household surveys, but field protocols require further revision.

Uncertainties in selected river water quality data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rode, M.; Suhr, U.

2007-02-01

Monitoring of surface waters is primarily done to detect the status and trends in water quality and to identify whether observed trends arise from natural or anthropogenic causes. Empirical quality of river water quality data is rarely certain and knowledge of their uncertainties is essential to assess the reliability of water quality models and their predictions. The objective of this paper is to assess the uncertainties in selected river water quality data, i.e. suspended sediment, nitrogen fraction, phosphorus fraction, heavy metals and biological compounds. The methodology used to structure the uncertainty is based on the empirical quality of data and the sources of uncertainty in data (van Loon et al., 2005). A literature review was carried out including additional experimental data of the Elbe river. All data of compounds associated with suspended particulate matter have considerable higher sampling uncertainties than soluble concentrations. This is due to high variability within the cross section of a given river. This variability is positively correlated with total suspended particulate matter concentrations. Sampling location has also considerable effect on the representativeness of a water sample. These sampling uncertainties are highly site specific. The estimation of uncertainty in sampling can only be achieved by taking at least a proportion of samples in duplicates. Compared to sampling uncertainties, measurement and analytical uncertainties are much lower. Instrument quality can be stated well suited for field and laboratory situations for all considered constituents. Analytical errors can contribute considerably to the overall uncertainty of river water quality data. Temporal autocorrelation of river water quality data is present but literature on general behaviour of water quality compounds is rare. For meso scale river catchments (500-3000 km2) reasonable yearly dissolved load calculations can be achieved using biweekly sample frequencies. For suspended sediments none of the methods investigated produced very reliable load estimates when weekly concentrations data were used. Uncertainties associated with loads estimates based on infrequent samples will decrease with increasing size of rivers.

Uncertainties in selected surface water quality data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rode, M.; Suhr, U.

2006-09-01

Monitoring of surface waters is primarily done to detect the status and trends in water quality and to identify whether observed trends arise form natural or anthropogenic causes. Empirical quality of surface water quality data is rarely certain and knowledge of their uncertainties is essential to assess the reliability of water quality models and their predictions. The objective of this paper is to assess the uncertainties in selected surface water quality data, i.e. suspended sediment, nitrogen fraction, phosphorus fraction, heavy metals and biological compounds. The methodology used to structure the uncertainty is based on the empirical quality of data and the sources of uncertainty in data (van Loon et al., 2006). A literature review was carried out including additional experimental data of the Elbe river. All data of compounds associated with suspended particulate matter have considerable higher sampling uncertainties than soluble concentrations. This is due to high variability's within the cross section of a given river. This variability is positively correlated with total suspended particulate matter concentrations. Sampling location has also considerable effect on the representativeness of a water sample. These sampling uncertainties are highly site specific. The estimation of uncertainty in sampling can only be achieved by taking at least a proportion of samples in duplicates. Compared to sampling uncertainties measurement and analytical uncertainties are much lower. Instrument quality can be stated well suited for field and laboratory situations for all considered constituents. Analytical errors can contribute considerable to the overall uncertainty of surface water quality data. Temporal autocorrelation of surface water quality data is present but literature on general behaviour of water quality compounds is rare. For meso scale river catchments reasonable yearly dissolved load calculations can be achieved using biweekly sample frequencies. For suspended sediments none of the methods investigated produced very reliable load estimates when weekly concentrations data were used. Uncertainties associated with loads estimates based on infrequent samples will decrease with increasing size of rivers.

A Synopsis of Technical Issues for Monitoring Sediment in Highway and Urban Runoff

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bent, Gardner C.; Gray, John R.; Smith, Kirk P.; Glysson, G. Douglas

2000-01-01

Accurate and representative sediment data are critical for assessing the potential effects of highway and urban runoff on receiving waters. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified sediment as the most widespread pollutant in the Nation's rivers and streams, affecting aquatic habitat, drinking water treatment processes, and recreational uses of rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Representative sediment data are also necessary for quantifying and interpreting concentrations, loads, and effects of trace elements and organic constituents associated with highway and urban runoff. Many technical issues associated with the collecting, processing, and analyzing of samples must be addressed to produce valid (useful for intended purposes), current, complete, and technically defensible data for local, regional, and national information needs. All aspects of sediment data-collection programs need to be evaluated, and adequate quality-control data must be collected and documented so that the comparability and representativeness of data obtained for highway- and urban-runoff studies may be assessed. Collection of representative samples for the measurement of sediment in highway and urban runoff involves a number of interrelated issues. Temporal and spatial variability in runoff result from a combination of factors, including volume and intensity of precipitation, rate of snowmelt, and features of the drainage basin such as area, slope, infiltration capacity, channel roughness, and storage characteristics. In small drainage basins such as those found in many highway and urban settings, automatic samplers are often the most suitable method for collecting samples of runoff for a variety of reasons. Indirect sediment-measurement methods are also useful as supplementary and(or) surrogate means for monitoring sediment in runoff. All of these methods have limitations in addition to benefits, which must be identified and quantified to produce representative data. Methods for processing raw sediment samples (including homogenization and subsampling) for subsequent analysis for total suspended solids or suspended-sediment concentration often increase variance and may introduce bias. Processing artifacts can be substantial if the methods used are not appropriate for the concentrations and particle-size distributions present in the samples collected. Analytical methods for determining sediment concentrations include the suspended-sediment concentration and the total suspended solids methods. Although the terms suspended-sediment concentration and total suspended solids are often used interchangeably to describe the total concentration of suspended solid-phase material, the analytical methods differ and can produce substantially different results. The total suspended solids method, which commonly is used to produce highway- and urban-runoff sediment data, may not be valid for studies of runoff water quality. Studies of fluvial and highway-runoff sediment data indicate that analyses of samples by the total suspended solids method tends to under represent the true sediment concentration, and that relations between total suspended solids and suspended-sediment concentration are not transferable from site to site even when grain-size distribution information is available. Total suspended solids data used to calculate suspended-sediment loads in highways and urban runoff may be fundamentally unreliable. Consequently, use of total suspended solids data may have adverse consequences for the assessment, design, and maintenance of sediment-removal best management practices. Therefore, it may be necessary to analyze water samples using the suspended-sediment concentration method. Data quality, comparability, and utility are important considerations in collection, processing, and analysis of sediment samples and interpretation of sediment data for highway- and urban-runoff studies. Results from sediment studies must be comparable and readily transf

Influence of dissolved oxygen convection on well sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, D.A.; Casey, C.C.; Lowery, M.A.

2007-01-01

Convective transport of dissolved oxygen (D.O.) from shallow to deeper parts of wells was observed as the shallow water in wells in South Carolina became cooler than the deeper water in the wells due to seasonal changes. Wells having a relatively small depth to water were more susceptible to thermally induced convection than wells where the depth to water was greater because the shallower water levels were more influenced by air temperature. The potential for convective transport of D.O. to maintain oxygenated conditions in a well screened in an anaerobic aquifer was diminished as ground water exchange through the well screen increased and as oxygen demand increased. Transport of D.O. to the screened interval can adversely affect the ability of passive samplers to produce accurate concentrations of oxygen-sensitive solutes such as iron, other redox indicators, and microbiological data. A comparison of passive sampling to low-flow sampling in a well undergoing convection, however, showed general agreement of volatile organic compound concentrations. During low-flow sampling, the pumped water may be a mixture of convecting water from within the well casing and aquifer water moving inward through the screen. This mixing of water during low-flow sampling can substantially increase equilibration times, can cause false stabilization of indicator parameters, can give false indications of the redox state, and can provide microbiological data that are not representative of the aquifer conditions. Data from this investigation show that simple in-well devices can effectively mitigate convective transport of oxygen. The devices can range from inflatable packers to simple, inexpensive baffle systems. ?? 2007 National Ground Water Association.

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.

Potential sources of bacteriological pollution for two bays with marinas in Trinidad.

PubMed

Bullock, Christine Ann; Moonesar, Indar

2005-05-01

Welcome Bay and Chaguaramas Bay in the northwest peninsula of Trinidad contain large marinas and smaller sections of bathing beaches. Bacteriological surveys were conducted at both bays to assess water quality and to determine potential sources of pollution. These surveys were conducted during the wet season of 1996 and the dry season of 1997. Eleven sample stations were established at Welcome Bay and 12 at Chaguaramas Bay. Freshwater samples were collected from rivers and drains within the survey area. Marine water samples were collected from marinas, bathing beaches and inshore and outer areas at both bays. Five water samples were collected from each sampling station during the wet season of 1996 and six during the dry season of 1997. The membrane filter technique was used to determine faecal coliform and Escherichia coli levels in all samples. There was a seasonal effect on water quality, with significantly higher faecal coliform levels in the wet season, when water quality was not in compliance with international standards. This represents a potential health risk in bathing areas. Water quality was better at the outer area of both bays. Water quality at the inner bay areas was most likely adversely affected by land-based sources of pollution identified in this study. These sources include three drains and two rivers, which discharged into the bays. Yachts were apparently not a source of sewage pollution: there was no significant relationship between yacht number and faecal coliform levels.

Investigation of drinking water quality in Kosovo.

PubMed

Berisha, Fatlume; Goessler, Walter

2013-01-01

In the recent years, not much environmental monitoring has been conducted in the territory of Kosovo. This study represents the first comprehensive monitoring of the drinking water situation throughout most of the territory of Kosovo. We present the distribution of major and minor trace elements in drinking water samples from Kosovo. During our study we collected 951 samples from four different sources: private-bored wells; naturally flowing artesian water; pumped-drilled wells; and public water sources (tap water). The randomly selected drinking water samples were investigated by routine water analyses using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) for 32 elements (Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Ba, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, U). Even though there are set guidelines for elemental exposure in drinking water worldwide, in developing countries, such as Kosovo, the lack of monitoring drinking water continues to be an important health concern. This study reports the concentrations of major and minor elements in the drinking water in Kosovo. Additionally, we show the variation of the metal concentration within different sources. Of the 15 regulated elements, the following five elements: Mn, Fe, Al, Ni, As, and U were the elements which most often exceeded the guidelines set by the EU and/or WHO.

Fine-Scale Spatial Heterogeneity in the Distribution of Waterborne Protozoa in a Drinking Water Reservoir.

PubMed

Burnet, Jean-Baptiste; Ogorzaly, Leslie; Penny, Christian; Cauchie, Henry-Michel

2015-09-23

The occurrence of faecal pathogens in drinking water resources constitutes a threat to the supply of safe drinking water, even in industrialized nations. To efficiently assess and monitor the risk posed by these pathogens, sampling deserves careful design, based on preliminary knowledge on their distribution dynamics in water. For the protozoan pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia, only little is known about their spatial distribution within drinking water supplies, especially at fine scale. Two-dimensional distribution maps were generated by sampling cross-sections at meter resolution in two different zones of a drinking water reservoir. Samples were analysed for protozoan pathogens as well as for E. coli, turbidity and physico-chemical parameters. Parasites displayed heterogeneous distribution patterns, as reflected by significant (oo)cyst density gradients along reservoir depth. Spatial correlations between parasites and E. coli were observed near the reservoir inlet but were absent in the downstream lacustrine zone. Measurements of surface and subsurface flow velocities suggest a role of local hydrodynamics on these spatial patterns. This fine-scale spatial study emphasizes the importance of sampling design (site, depth and position on the reservoir) for the acquisition of representative parasite data and for optimization of microbial risk assessment and monitoring. Such spatial information should prove useful to the modelling of pathogen transport dynamics in drinking water supplies.

An Investigation of the Marine Geochemistry of Gold

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-01

platinum group elements both in the water column and in the sediments. This study represents an initial effort towards characterizing the behavior of Au inl...mechanisms of Au remain, the 198Au studies do raise issues pertinent to the preservation of natural water samples: 1) Indiscriminate acid additions can...chamber was chilled to 15’C throughout this work. Studies have clearly shown that lowering the temperature of the spray chamber to 2’C reduces the water

Associations between Perceptions of Drinking Water Service Delivery and Measured Drinking Water Quality in Rural Alabama

PubMed Central

Wedgworth, Jessica C.; Brown, Joe; Johnson, Pauline; Olson, Julie B.; Elliott, Mark; Forehand, Rick; Stauber, Christine E.

2014-01-01

Although small, rural water supplies may present elevated microbial risks to consumers in some settings, characterizing exposures through representative point-of-consumption sampling is logistically challenging. In order to evaluate the usefulness of consumer self-reported data in predicting measured water quality and risk factors for contamination, we compared matched consumer interview data with point-of-survey, household water quality and pressure data for 910 households served by 14 small water systems in rural Alabama. Participating households completed one survey that included detailed feedback on two key areas of water service conditions: delivery conditions (intermittent service and low water pressure) and general aesthetic characteristics (taste, odor and color), providing five condition values. Microbial water samples were taken at the point-of-use (from kitchen faucets) and as-delivered from the distribution network (from outside flame-sterilized taps, if available), where pressure was also measured. Water samples were analyzed for free and total chlorine, pH, turbidity, and presence of total coliforms and Escherichia coli. Of the 910 households surveyed, 35% of participants reported experiencing low water pressure, 15% reported intermittent service, and almost 20% reported aesthetic problems (taste, odor or color). Consumer-reported low pressure was associated with lower gauge-measured pressure at taps. While total coliforms (TC) were detected in 17% of outside tap samples and 12% of samples from kitchen faucets, no reported water service conditions or aesthetic characteristics were associated with presence of TC. We conclude that consumer-reported data were of limited utility in predicting potential microbial risks associated with small water supplies in this setting, although consumer feedback on low pressure—a risk factor for contamination—may be relatively reliable and therefore useful in future monitoring efforts. PMID:25046635

Associations between perceptions of drinking water service delivery and measured drinking water quality in rural Alabama.

PubMed

Wedgworth, Jessica C; Brown, Joe; Johnson, Pauline; Olson, Julie B; Elliott, Mark; Forehand, Rick; Stauber, Christine E

2014-07-18

Although small, rural water supplies may present elevated microbial risks to consumers in some settings, characterizing exposures through representative point-of-consumption sampling is logistically challenging. In order to evaluate the usefulness of consumer self-reported data in predicting measured water quality and risk factors for contamination, we compared matched consumer interview data with point-of-survey, household water quality and pressure data for 910 households served by 14 small water systems in rural Alabama. Participating households completed one survey that included detailed feedback on two key areas of water service conditions: delivery conditions (intermittent service and low water pressure) and general aesthetic characteristics (taste, odor and color), providing five condition values. Microbial water samples were taken at the point-of-use (from kitchen faucets) and as-delivered from the distribution network (from outside flame-sterilized taps, if available), where pressure was also measured. Water samples were analyzed for free and total chlorine, pH, turbidity, and presence of total coliforms and Escherichia coli. Of the 910 households surveyed, 35% of participants reported experiencing low water pressure, 15% reported intermittent service, and almost 20% reported aesthetic problems (taste, odor or color). Consumer-reported low pressure was associated with lower gauge-measured pressure at taps. While total coliforms (TC) were detected in 17% of outside tap samples and 12% of samples from kitchen faucets, no reported water service conditions or aesthetic characteristics were associated with presence of TC. We conclude that consumer-reported data were of limited utility in predicting potential microbial risks associated with small water supplies in this setting, although consumer feedback on low pressure-a risk factor for contamination-may be relatively reliable and therefore useful in future monitoring efforts.

Aqueous Geochemistry of Lake Tuscaloosa, West-Central Alabama, USA: Drought Response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creech, L., Jr.; Donahoe, R. J.

2008-12-01

Lake Tuscaloosa was created in 1969 by the impoundment of the North River near Northport and Tuscaloosa, AL. The reservoir is 25 miles long with a capacity of 123,000 acre-feet, a surface area of 5,885 acres, and an estimated safe yield of 200 M gal/d. It is the receiving water body of a 432 square mile watershed. This project studies the aqueous geochemistry of surface waters using samples representative of different seasonal conditions and land cover. Of the 21 sample locations in this study, three are located on tributaries, four transect the axis of the lake, and the rest are divided among semi-restricted coves representing forested and residential land cover. Sample chemistry is quantified for major, minor, and trace cations, anions, and nutrients, total dissolved nitrogen, DOC, and ALK. The current study presents data collected from the lake and its tributaries during recent severe drought conditions impacting much of the southeastern United States. These data are compared with data from an identical study conducted five years ago during a more normal water year. For each sampling year, four seasonal sampling events were conducted. Both intra- and inter-annual results are reported. Historical USGS data for seven locations sampled since 1986 on a semi-annual basis illustrate a general increase in TDS and nutrients since the lake's creation. Some USGS sample locations coincide with those of the current study. Recently collected data agrees well with recent USGS data for the same locations. It is likely that trends observed in this study are related to anthropogenic effects along the lake shore, as evidenced by the geochemical differences between residential and forested coves. Long-term trends observed in historical data are likely the result of land use in the watershed related to mining, agriculture, and residential development. It is also observed that lower flow conditions are associated with increased solute concentrations, indicating that dilution by rainfall-runoff events is an important factor moderating water quality. These data provide some insight into the impacts prolonged drought may have on Lake Tuscaloosa water quality.

Quality of surface-water runoff in selected streams in the San Antonio segment of the Edwards aquifer recharge zone, Bexar County, Texas, 1997-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Opsahl, Stephen P.

2012-01-01

During 1997–2012, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System, collected and analyzed water-quality constituents in surface-water runoff from five ephemeral stream sites near San Antonio in northern Bexar County, Texas. The data were collected to assess the quality of surface water that recharges the Edwards aquifer. Samples were collected from four stream basins that had small amounts of developed land at the onset of the study but were predicted to undergo substantial development over a period of several decades. Water-quality samples also were collected from a fifth stream basin located on land protected from development to provide reference data by representing undeveloped land cover. Water-quality data included pH, specific conductance, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved solids (filtered residue on evaporation in milligrams per liter, dried at 180 degrees Celsius), suspended solids, major ions, nutrients, trace metals, and pesticides. Trace metal concentration data were compared to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality established surface water quality standards for human health protection (water and fish). Among all constituents in all samples for which criteria were available for comparison, only one sample had one constituent which exceeded the surface water criteria on one occasion. A single lead concentration (2.76 micrograms per liter) measured in a filtered water sample exceeded the surface water criteria of 1.15 micrograms per liter. The average number of pesticide detections per sample in stream basins undergoing development ranged from 1.8 to 6.0. In contrast, the average number of pesticide detections per sample in the reference stream basin was 0.6. Among all constituents examined in this study, pesticides, dissolved orthophosphate phosphorus, and dissolved total phosphorus demonstrated the largest differences between the four stream basins undergoing development and the reference stream basin with undeveloped land cover.

Some thoughts on problems associated with various sampling media used for environmental monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.

1997-01-01

Modern analytical instrumentation is capable of measuring a variety of trace elements at concentrations down into the single or double digit parts-per-trillion (ng l-1) range. This holds for the three most common sample media currently used in environmental monitoring programs: filtered water, whole-water and separated suspended sediment. Unfortunately, current analytical capabilities have exceeded the current capacity to collect both uncontaminated and representative environmental samples. The success of any trace element monitoring program requires that this issue be both understood and addressed. The environmental monitoring of trace elements requires the collection of calendar- and event-based dissolved and suspended sediment samples. There are unique problems associated with the collection and chemical analyses of both types of sample media. Over the past 10 years, reported ambient dissolved trace element concentrations have declined. Generally, these decreases do not reflect better water quality, but rather improvements in the procedures used to collect, process, preserve and analyze these samples without contaminating them during these steps. Further, recent studies have shown that the currently accepted operational definition of dissolved constituents (material passing a 0.45 ??m membrane filter) is inadequat owing to sampling and processing artifacts. The existence of these artifacts raises questions about the generation of accurate, precise and comparable 'dissolved' trace element data. Suspended sediment and associated trace elements can display marked short- and long-term spatial and temporal variability. This implies that spatially representative samples only can be obtained by generating composites using depth- and width-integrated sampling techniques. Additionally, temporal variations have led to the view that the determination of annual trace element fluxes may require nearly constant (e.g., high-frequency) sampling and subsequent chemical analyses. Ultimately, sampling frequency for flux estimates becomes dependent on the time period of concern (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) and the amount of acceptable error associated with these estimates.

Investigation of the prevalence of Legionella species in domestic hot water systems.

PubMed

Bates, M N; Maas, E; Martin, T; Harte, D; Grubner, M; Margolin, T

2000-06-09

To investigate the prevalence of Legionella spp. in the hot water systems of a representative sample of Wellington domestic residences with electrically heated hot water systems, and to investigate risk factors (eg water temperature, plumbing materials) for such contamination. 100 households with electrically heated hot water systems in the Wellington area were investigated. Samples of hot water from several hot water outlets were collected, and characteristics of the plumbing system were recorded. Water samples and swabs were cultured and further examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct fluorescence antibody (DFA) testing to identify Legionella spp. and serogroups. No Legionella spp. were isolated by culture. PCR tested positive for Legionella in specimens from twelve residences. Six of these were also positive by DFA testing. The only environmental factor found to be associated with the presence of Legionella was recent plumbing work on the hot water system. Five of the twelve PCR-positive residences, and four of the six DFA-confirmed residences had hot water delivery temperatures in excess of 60 degrees C. The results suggest that either Legionellae colonise domestic hot water reticulation systems and/or that the organisms are killed during passage through the hot water tank. Both possibilities may be correct. Further work to characterise the microbial ecology of Legionella-positive hot water distribution systems would be useful, as would the development of improved methods for culturing the organisms from potable water.

Real-time, continuous water-quality monitoring in Indiana and Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shoda, Megan E.; Lathrop, Timothy R.; Risch, Martin R.

2015-01-01

Water-quality “super” gages (also known as “sentry” gages) provide real-time, continuous measurements of the physical and chemical characteristics of stream water at or near selected U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgages in Indiana and Kentucky. A super gage includes streamflow and water-quality instrumentation and representative stream sample collection for laboratory analysis. USGS scientists can use statistical surrogate models to relate instrument values to analyzed chemical concentrations at a super gage. Real-time, continuous and laboratory-analyzed concentration and load data are publicly accessible on USGS Web pages.

Low faunal diversity on Maltese sandy beaches: fact or artefact?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deidun, Alan; Azzopardi, Marthese; Saliba, Stephen; Schembri, Patrick J.

2003-10-01

Eight sandy beaches on Malta and two on Gozo were sampled for macrofauna to test the hypothesis that Maltese beaches have an intrinsically low diversity. Stations distributed in the supralittoral (dry zone), mediolittoral (wet zone) and upper infralittoral (submerged zone to 1 m water depth) were sampled by sieving core samples and standardised searching during daytime, and pitfall trapping and standardised sweeping of the water column using a hand-net at night, as appropriate. Physical parameters of the sediment were measured and human occupancy of the beaches was estimated. From the supralittoral and mediolittoral, 39 species represented by 1584 individuals were collected by the combined techniques of pitfall trapping, sieving and standard searching. For Ramla beach, which had the highest diversity, 267 individuals representing 25 infaunal species were collected by sieving from a combined volume of 1.175 m 3 of sand, and 149 individuals representing 28 epifaunal species were collected by standardised searching from a combined area of 700 m 2 of sand during two winter and two summer sampling sessions between 1992 and 1993. For nine other beaches sampled during the summer of 2000, only six macrofaunal species were collected from core samples, with overall population densities ranging from 4.13 to 45.45 individuals m -2. Only 92 individuals belonging to 12 species were collected by hand-net from the uppermost infralittoral of five beaches sampled using this method during the summer of 2000. Taxa of gastropods, bivalves, decapods, mysids and staphylinid beetles generally abundant on Mediterranean sandy beaches, were entirely absent from the beaches sampled. Few correlations that could explain the impoverishment of Maltese sandy beaches were found between physical parameters and faunal abundances, and other factors such as inadequate sampling effort, human disturbance and marine pollution were also excluded; however, seasonally biased sampling may partly explain the results obtained. One factor that may explain why certain species are missing could be lack of recruitment, due to Malta's geographical isolation from the European and African mainlands.

Organic compounds in produced waters from coalbed natural gas wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orem, W.H.; Tatu, C.A.; Lerch, H.E.; Rice, C.A.; Bartos, T.T.; Bates, A.L.; Tewalt, S.; Corum, M.D.

2007-01-01

The organic composition of produced water samples from coalbed natural gas (CBNG) wells in the Powder River Basin, WY, sampled in 2001 and 2002 are reported as part of a larger study of the potential health and environmental effects of organic compounds derived from coal. The quality of CBNG produced waters is a potential environmental concern and disposal problem for CBNG producers, and no previous studies of organic compounds in CBNG produced water have been published. Organic compounds identified in the produced water samples included: phenols, biphenyls, N-, O-, and S-containing heterocyclic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic amines, various non-aromatic compounds, and phthalates. Many of the identified organic compounds (phenols, heterocyclic compounds, PAHs) are probably coal-derived. PAHs represented the group of organic compounds most commonly observed. Concentrations of total PAHs ranged up to 23 ??g/L. Concentrations of individual compounds ranged from about 18 to <0.01 ??g/L. Temporal variability of organic compound concentrations was documented, as two wells with relatively high organic compound contents in produced water in 2001 had much lower concentrations in 2002. In many areas, including the PRB, coal strata provide aquifers for drinking water wells. Organic compounds observed in produced water are also likely present in drinking water supplied from wells in the coal. Some of the organic compounds identified in the produced water samples are potentially toxic, but at the levels measured in these samples are unlikely to have acute health effects. The human health effects of low-level, chronic exposure to coal-derived organic compounds in drinking water are currently unknown. Continuing studies will evaluate possible toxic effects from low level, chronic exposure to coal-derived organic compounds in drinking water supplies.

Patterns of Antimicrobial Resistance Observed in Escherichia coli Isolates Obtained from Domestic- and Wild-Animal Fecal Samples, Human Septage, and Surface Water

PubMed Central

Sayah, Raida S.; Kaneene, John B.; Johnson, Yvette; Miller, RoseAnn

2005-01-01

A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the patterns of antimicrobial resistance in 1,286 Escherichia coli strains isolated from human septage, wildlife, domestic animals, farm environments, and surface water in the Red Cedar watershed in Michigan. Isolation and identification of E. coli were done by using enrichment media, selective media, and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by the disk diffusion method was conducted for neomycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, ofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, ampicillin, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, cephalothin, and sulfisoxazole. Resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent was demonstrated in isolates from livestock, companion animals, human septage, wildlife, and surface water. In general, E. coli isolates from domestic species showed resistance to the largest number of antimicrobial agents compared to isolates from human septage, wildlife, and surface water. The agents to which resistance was demonstrated most frequently were tetracycline, cephalothin, sulfisoxazole, and streptomycin. There were similarities in the patterns of resistance in fecal samples and farm environment samples by animal, and the levels of cephalothin-resistant isolates were higher in farm environment samples than in fecal samples. Multidrug resistance was seen in a variety of sources, and the highest levels of multidrug-resistant E. coli were observed for swine fecal samples. The fact that water sample isolates were resistant only to cephalothin may suggest that the resistance patterns for farm environment samples may be more representative of the risk of contamination of surface waters with antimicrobial agent-resistant bacteria. PMID:15746342

OUTPACE long duration stations: physical variability, context of biogeochemical sampling, and evaluation of sampling strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Verneil, Alain; Rousselet, Louise; Doglioli, Andrea M.; Petrenko, Anne A.; Maes, Christophe; Bouruet-Aubertot, Pascale; Moutin, Thierry

2018-04-01

Research cruises to quantify biogeochemical fluxes in the ocean require taking measurements at stations lasting at least several days. A popular experimental design is the quasi-Lagrangian drifter, often mounted with in situ incubations or sediment traps that follow the flow of water over time. After initial drifter deployment, the ship tracks the drifter for continuing measurements that are supposed to represent the same water environment. An outstanding question is how to best determine whether this is true. During the Oligotrophy to UlTra-oligotrophy PACific Experiment (OUTPACE) cruise, from 18 February to 3 April 2015 in the western tropical South Pacific, three separate stations of long duration (five days) over the upper 500 m were conducted in this quasi-Lagrangian sampling scheme. Here we present physical data to provide context for these three stations and to assess whether the sampling strategy worked, i.e., that a single body of water was sampled. After analyzing tracer variability and local water circulation at each station, we identify water layers and times where the drifter risks encountering another body of water. While almost no realization of this sampling scheme will be truly Lagrangian, due to the presence of vertical shear, the depth-resolved observations during the three stations show most layers sampled sufficiently homogeneous physical environments during OUTPACE. By directly addressing the concerns raised by these quasi-Lagrangian sampling platforms, a protocol of best practices can begin to be formulated so that future research campaigns include the complementary datasets and analyses presented here to verify the appropriate use of the drifter platform.

Classification and authentication of unknown water samples using machine learning algorithms.

PubMed

Kundu, Palash K; Panchariya, P C; Kundu, Madhusree

2011-07-01

This paper proposes the development of water sample classification and authentication, in real life which is based on machine learning algorithms. The proposed techniques used experimental measurements from a pulse voltametry method which is based on an electronic tongue (E-tongue) instrumentation system with silver and platinum electrodes. E-tongue include arrays of solid state ion sensors, transducers even of different types, data collectors and data analysis tools, all oriented to the classification of liquid samples and authentication of unknown liquid samples. The time series signal and the corresponding raw data represent the measurement from a multi-sensor system. The E-tongue system, implemented in a laboratory environment for 6 numbers of different ISI (Bureau of Indian standard) certified water samples (Aquafina, Bisleri, Kingfisher, Oasis, Dolphin, and McDowell) was the data source for developing two types of machine learning algorithms like classification and regression. A water data set consisting of 6 numbers of sample classes containing 4402 numbers of features were considered. A PCA (principal component analysis) based classification and authentication tool was developed in this study as the machine learning component of the E-tongue system. A proposed partial least squares (PLS) based classifier, which was dedicated as well; to authenticate a specific category of water sample evolved out as an integral part of the E-tongue instrumentation system. The developed PCA and PLS based E-tongue system emancipated an overall encouraging authentication percentage accuracy with their excellent performances for the aforesaid categories of water samples. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Holding effects on coliform enumeration in drinking water samples.

PubMed Central

McDaniels, A E; Bordner, R H; Gartside, P S; Haines, J R; Brenner, K P; Rankin, C C

1985-01-01

Standard procedures for analyzing drinking water stress the need to adhere to the time and temperature conditions recommended for holding samples collected for microbiological testing. The National Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program requires compliance with these holding limits, but some investigators have reported difficulties in meeting them. Research was conducted by standard analytical methods to determine if changes occurred when samples were held at 5 and 22 degrees C and analyzed at 0, 24, 30, and 48 h. Samples were analyzed for coliforms by the membrane filter and fermentation-tube procedures and for heterotrophs by the pour plate method. A total of 17 treated water samples were collected from a large municipal distribution system from August to December 1981, and 12 samples were collected from January to May 1983. The samples were dosed with coliforms previously isolated from the water system, Enterobacter cloacae in 1981 and Citrobacter freundii in 1983. The coliform counts declined linearly over time, and the rates of decline were significant at both 5 and 22 degrees C. Within 24 h at 22 degrees C, levels of E. cloacae and C. freundii decreased by 47 and 26%, respectively, and at 5 degrees C, E. cloacae numbers declined by 23%. Results from these representative laboratory-grown coliforms reinforced those previously obtained with naturally occurring coliforms under the same experimental conditions. Significantly, some samples with initially unacceptable counts (greater than 4/100 ml) met the safe drinking water limits after storage at 24 h at 5 and 22 degrees C and would have been classified as satisfactory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Images PMID:4083877

Relationships between free-living protozoa, cultivable Legionella spp., and water quality characteristics in three drinking water supplies in the Caribbean.

PubMed

Valster, Rinske M; Wullings, Bart A; van den Berg, Riemsdijk; van der Kooij, Dick

2011-10-01

The study whose results are presented here aimed at identifying free-living protozoa (FLP) and conditions favoring the growth of these organisms and cultivable Legionella spp. in drinking water supplies in a tropical region. Treated and distributed water (±30°C) of the water supplies of three Caribbean islands were sampled and investigated with molecular techniques, based on the 18S rRNA gene. The protozoan host Hartmannella vermiformis and cultivable Legionella pneumophila were observed in all three supplies. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with the highest similarity to the potential or candidate hosts Acanthamoeba spp., Echinamoeba exundans, E. thermarum, and an Neoparamoeba sp. were detected as well. In total, 59 OTUs of FLP were identified. The estimated protozoan richness did not differ significantly between the three supplies. In supply CA-1, the concentration of H. vermiformis correlated with the concentration of Legionella spp. and clones related to Amoebozoa predominated (82%) in the protozoan community. These observations, the low turbidity (<0.2 nephelometric turbidity units [NTU]), and the varying ATP concentrations (1 to 12 ng liter(-1)) suggest that biofilms promoted protozoan growth in this supply. Ciliophora represented 25% of the protozoan OTUs in supply CA-2 with elevated ATP concentrations (maximum, 55 ng liter(-1)) correlating with turbidity (maximum, 62 NTU) caused by corroding iron pipes. Cercozoan types represented 70% of the protozoan clones in supply CA-3 with ATP concentrations of <1 ng liter(-1) and turbidity of <0.5 NTU in most samples of distributed water. The absence of H. vermiformis in most samples from supply CA-3 suggests that growth of this protozoan is limited at ATP concentrations of <1 ng liter(-1).

Relationships between Free-Living Protozoa, Cultivable Legionella spp., and Water Quality Characteristics in Three Drinking Water Supplies in the Caribbean▿†

PubMed Central

Valster, Rinske M.; Wullings, Bart A.; van den Berg, Riemsdijk; van der Kooij, Dick

2011-01-01

The study whose results are presented here aimed at identifying free-living protozoa (FLP) and conditions favoring the growth of these organisms and cultivable Legionella spp. in drinking water supplies in a tropical region. Treated and distributed water (±30°C) of the water supplies of three Caribbean islands were sampled and investigated with molecular techniques, based on the 18S rRNA gene. The protozoan host Hartmannella vermiformis and cultivable Legionella pneumophila were observed in all three supplies. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with the highest similarity to the potential or candidate hosts Acanthamoeba spp., Echinamoeba exundans, E. thermarum, and an Neoparamoeba sp. were detected as well. In total, 59 OTUs of FLP were identified. The estimated protozoan richness did not differ significantly between the three supplies. In supply CA-1, the concentration of H. vermiformis correlated with the concentration of Legionella spp. and clones related to Amoebozoa predominated (82%) in the protozoan community. These observations, the low turbidity (<0.2 nephelometric turbidity units [NTU]), and the varying ATP concentrations (1 to 12 ng liter−1) suggest that biofilms promoted protozoan growth in this supply. Ciliophora represented 25% of the protozoan OTUs in supply CA-2 with elevated ATP concentrations (maximum, 55 ng liter−1) correlating with turbidity (maximum, 62 NTU) caused by corroding iron pipes. Cercozoan types represented 70% of the protozoan clones in supply CA-3 with ATP concentrations of <1 ng liter−1 and turbidity of <0.5 NTU in most samples of distributed water. The absence of H. vermiformis in most samples from supply CA-3 suggests that growth of this protozoan is limited at ATP concentrations of <1 ng liter−1. PMID:21873489

Groundwater quality assessment using geospatial and statistical tools in Salem District, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arulbalaji, P.; Gurugnanam, B.

2017-10-01

The water quality study of Salem district, Tamil Nadu has been carried out to assess the water quality for domestic and irrigation purposes. For this purpose, 59 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), major anions (HCO3 -, CO3 -, F-, Cl-, NO2 - + NO3 -, and SO4 2-), major cations (Ca2+ Mg2+, Na+, and K+), alkalinity (ALK), and hardness (HAR). To assess the water quality, the following chemical parameters were calculated based on the analytical results, such as Piper plot, water quality index (WQI), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium hazard (MH), Kelly index (KI), and residual sodium carbonate (RSC). Wilcox diagram represents that 23% of the samples are excellent to good, 40% of the samples are good to permissible, 10% of the samples are permissible to doubtful, 24% of the samples are doubtful unsuitable, and only 3% of the samples are unsuitable for irrigation. SAR values shows that 52% of the samples indicate high-to-very high and low-to-medium alkali water. KI values indicate good quality (30%) and not suitable (70%) for irrigation purposes. RSC values indicate that 89% of samples are suitable for irrigation purposes. MH reveals that 17% suitable and 83% samples are not suitable for irrigation purposes and for domestic purposes the excellent (8%), good (48%), and poor (44%). The agricultural waste, fertilizer used, soil leaching, urban runoff, livestock waste, and sewages are the sources of poor water quality. Some samples are not suitable for irrigation purposes due to high salinity, hardness, and magnesium concentration. In general, the groundwater of the Salem district was polluted by agricultural activities, anthropogenic activities, ion exchange, and weathering.

Comparing PAH availability from manufactured gas plant soils and sediments with chemical and biological tests. 1. PAH release during water desorption and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction.

PubMed

Hawthorne, Steven B; Poppendieck, Dustin G; Grabanski, Carol B; Loehr, Raymond C

2002-11-15

Soil and sediment samples from oil gas (OG) and coal gas (CG) manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites were selected to represent a range of PAH concentrations (150-40,000 mg/kg) and sample matrix compositions. Samples varied from vegetated soils to lampblack soot and had carbon contents from 3 to 87 wt %. SFE desorption (120 min) and water/XAD2 desorption (120 days) curves were determined and fit with a simple two-site model to determine the rapid-released fraction (F) for PAHs ranging from naphthalene to benzo[ghi]perylene. F values varied greatly among the samples, from ca. 10% to >90% for the two- and three-ring PAHs and from <1% to ca. 50% for the five- and six-ring PAHs. Release rates did not correlate with sample matrix characteristics including PAH concentrations, elemental composition (C, H, N, S), or "hard" and "softs" organic carbon, indicating that PAH release cannot easily be estimated on the basis of sample matrix composition. Fvalues for CG site samples obtained with SFE and water desorption agreed well (linear correlation coefficient, r2 = 0.87, slope = 0.93), but SFE yielded higher F values for the OG samples. These behaviors were attributed to the stronger ability of carbon dioxide than water to desorb PAHs from the highly aromatic (hard) carbon of the OG matrixes, while carbon dioxide and water showed similar abilities to desorb PAHs from the more polar (soft) carbon of the CG samples. The combined SFE and water desorption approaches should improve the understanding of PAH sequestration and release from contaminated soils and sediments and provide the basis for subsequent studies using the same samples to compare PAH release with PAH availability to earthworms.

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

None

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), under the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) contract, collected split surface water samples with Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) representatives on November 15, 2012. Representatives from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation were also in attendance. Samples were collected at four surface water stations, as required in the approved Request for Technical Assistance number 11-018. These stations included Nolichucky River upstream (NRU), Nolichucky River downstream (NRD), Martin Creek upstream (MCU), and Martin Creek downstream (MCD). Both ORAU and NFS performed gross alpha and gross beta analyses, andmore » the results are compared using the duplicate error ratio (DER), also known as the normalized absolute difference. A DER {<=} 3 indicates that, at a 99% confidence interval, split sample results do not differ significantly when compared to their respective one standard deviation (sigma) uncertainty (ANSI N42.22). The NFS split sample report does not specify the confidence level of reported uncertainties (NFS 2012). Therefore, standard two sigma reporting is assumed and uncertainty values were divided by 1.96. In conclusion, all DER values were less than 3 and results are consistent with low (e.g., background) concentrations.« less

Studies of molecular diffusion in single-supported bilayer lipid membranes at low hydration by quasielastic neutron scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miskowiec, A.; Bai, M.; Lever, M.; Taub, H.; Hansen, F. Y.; Jenkins, T.; Tyagi, M.; Neumann, D. A.; Diallo, S. O.; Mamontov, E.; Herwig, K. W.

2011-03-01

We have extended our investigation of the quasielastic neutron scattering from single-supported bilayer lipid membranes to a sample of lower hydration using the backscattering spectrometer BASIS at the SNS of ORNL. To focus on the diffusive motion of the water, tail-deuterated DMPC membranes were deposited onto Si O2 -coated Si(100) substrates and characterized by AFM. Compared to a sample of higher hydration, the dryer sample does not have a step-like freezing transition at ~ 267 K and shows less intensity at higher temperatures of a broad Lorentzian component representing bulk-like water. However, the broad component of the ``wet'' and ``dry'' samples behaves similarly at lower temperatures. The dryer sample also shows evidence of a narrow Lorentzian component that has a different temperature dependence than that attributed to conformational changes of the alkyl tails of the lipid molecules in the wet sample. We tentatively identify this slower diffusive motion (time scale ~ 1 ns) with water more tightly bound to the membrane. Supported by NSF Grant No. DMR-0705974.

Composite analysis for Escherichia coli at coastal beaches

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bertke, E.E.

2007-01-01

At some coastal beaches, concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria can differ substantially between multiple points at the same beach at the same time. Because of this spatial variability, the recreational water quality at beaches is sometimes determined by stratifying a beach into several areas and collecting a sample from each area to analyze for the concentration of fecal-indicator bacteria. The average concentration of bacteria from those points is often used to compare to the recreational standard for advisory postings. Alternatively, if funds are limited, a single sample is collected to represent the beach. Compositing the samples collected from each section of the beach may yield equally accurate data as averaging concentrations from multiple points, at a reduced cost. In the study described herein, water samples were collected at multiple points from three Lake Erie beaches and analyzed for Escherichia coli on modified mTEC agar (EPA Method 1603). From the multiple-point samples, a composite sample (n = 116) was formed at each beach by combining equal aliquots of well-mixed water from each point. Results from this study indicate that E. coli concentrations from the arithmetic average of multiple-point samples and from composited samples are not significantly different (t = 1.59, p = 0.1139) and yield similar measures of recreational water quality; additionally, composite samples could result in a significant cost savings.

The effect of sampling frequency on the accuracy of nitrogen load estimates from a drained loblolly pine plantation in eastern North Carolina

Treesearch

George M. Chescheir; François Birgand; Shiying Tian; Mohamed A. Youssef; Devendra M. Amatya

2010-01-01

Nutrient loading in drainage outflow is estimated from measured flows and nutrient concentrations in the drainage water. The loading function is ideally continuous, representing the product of continuously measured outflows and nutrient concentrations in drainage water. However, loading is often estimated as the product of continuously measured outflow and nutrient...

Surface-water-quality assessment of the upper Illinois River Basin in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin; fixed-station network and selected water-quality data for April 1987-September 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, Daniel J.; Blanchard, Stephen F.

1994-01-01

This report describes and presents the sampling design, methods, quality assurance methods and results, and information on how to obtain data collected at eight fixed stations in the upper Illinois River Basin as part of the pilot phase of the National Water-Quality Assessment program. Data were collected monthly from April 1987-August l990; these data were supplemented with data collected during special events, including high and low flows. Each fixed station represents a cross section at which the transport of selected dissolved and suspended materials can be computed. Samples collected monthly and during special events were analyzed for concentrations of major ions, nutrients, trace elements, organic carbon, chlorophyll-a, suspended sediment, and other constituents. Field measurements of water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and indicator bacteria also were made at each site. Samples of suspended sediment were analyzed for concentrations of major ions and trace elements. In addition, samples were analyzed seasonally for concentrations of antimony, bromide, molybdenum, and the radionuclides gross alpha and gross beta.

Environmental Survey of Drinking Water Sources in Kampala, Uganda, during a Typhoid Fever Outbreak

PubMed Central

Kahler, A. M.; Nansubuga, I.; Nanyunja, E. M.; Kaplan, B.; Jothikumar, N.; Routh, J.; Gómez, G. A.; Mintz, E. D.; Hill, V. R.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT In 2015, a typhoid fever outbreak began in downtown Kampala, Uganda, and spread into adjacent districts. In response, an environmental survey of drinking water source types was conducted in areas of the city with high case numbers. A total of 122 samples was collected from 12 source types and tested for Escherichia coli, free chlorine, and conductivity. An additional 37 grab samples from seven source types and 16 paired large volume (20 liter) samples from wells and springs were also collected and tested for the presence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. Escherichia coli was detected in 60% of kaveras (drinking water sold in plastic bags) and 80% of refilled water bottles; free chlorine was not detected in either source type. Most jerry cans (68%) contained E. coli and had free chlorine residuals below the WHO-recommended level of 0.5 mg/liter during outbreaks. Elevated conductivity readings for kaveras, refilled water bottles, and jerry cans (compared to treated surface water supplied by the water utility) suggested that they likely contained untreated groundwater. All unprotected springs and wells and more than 60% of protected springs contained E. coli. Water samples collected from the water utility were found to have acceptable free chlorine levels and no detectable E. coli. While S. Typhi was not detected in water samples, Salmonella spp. were detected in samples from two unprotected springs, one protected spring, and one refilled water bottle. These data provided clear evidence that unregulated vended water and groundwater represented a risk for typhoid transmission. IMPORTANCE Despite the high incidence of typhoid fever globally, relatively few outbreak investigations incorporate drinking water testing. During waterborne disease outbreaks, measurement of physical-chemical parameters, such as free chlorine residual and electrical conductivity, and of microbiological parameters, such as the presence of E. coli or the implicated etiologic agent, in drinking water samples can identify contaminated sources. This investigation indicated that unregulated vended water and groundwater sources were contaminated and were therefore a risk to consumers during the 2015 typhoid fever outbreak in Kampala. Identification of contaminated drinking water sources and sources that do not contain adequate disinfectant levels can lead to rapid targeted interventions. PMID:28970225

Preliminary assessment of a water-quality monitoring program for total maximum daily loads in Johnson County, Kansas, January 2015 through June 2016

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Paxson, Chelsea R.

2017-08-25

Municipalities in Johnson County in northeastern Kansas are required to implement stormwater management programs to reduce pollutant discharges, protect water quality, and comply with applicable water-quality regulations in accordance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for stormwater discharge. To this end, municipalities collect grab samples at streams entering and leaving their jurisdiction to determine levels of excessive nutrients, sediment, and fecal bacteria to characterize pollutants and understand the factors affecting them.In 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program, with input from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, initiated a 5-year monitoring program to satisfy minimum sampling requirements for each municipality as described by new stormwater permits issued to Johnson County municipalities. The purpose of this report is to provide a preliminary assessment of the monitoring program. The monitoring program is described, a preliminary assessment of the monitoring program design is provided using water-quality data collected during the first 2 years of the program, and the ability of the current monitoring network and sampling plan to provide data sufficient to quantify improvements in water quality resulting from implemented and planned best management practices is evaluated. The information in this initial report may be used to evaluate changes in data collection methods while data collection is still ongoing that may lead to improved data utility.Discrete water-quality samples were collected at 27 sites and analyzed for nutrients, Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, total suspended solids, and suspended-sediment concentration. In addition, continuous water-quality data (water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, turbidity, and nitrate plus nitrite) were collected at one site to characterize variability and provide a basis for comparison to discrete data. Base flow samples indicated that point sources are likely affecting nutrient concentrations and E. coli bacteria densities at several sites. Concentrations of all analytes in storm runoff samples were characterized by substantial variability among sites and samples. About one-half of the sites, representing different watersheds, had storm runoff samples with nitrogen concentrations greater than 10 milligrams per liter. About one-third of the sites, representing different watersheds, had storm runoff samples with total phosphorus concentrations greater than 3 milligrams per liter. Six sites had samples with E. coli densities greater than 100,000 colonies per 100 milliliters of water. Total suspended solids concentrations of about 12,000 milligrams per liter or greater occurred in samples from three sites.Data collected for this monitoring program may be useful for some general assessment purposes but may also be limited in potential to fully inform stormwater management activities. Valuable attributes of the monitoring program design included incorporating many sites across the county for comparisons among watersheds and municipalities, using fixed-stage samplers to collect multiple samples during single events, collection of base flow samples in addition to storm samples to isolate possible point sources from stormwater sources, and use of continuous monitors to characterize variability. Limiting attributes of the monitoring program design included location of monitoring sites along municipal boundaries to satisfy permit requirements rather than using watershed-based criteria such as locations of tributaries, potential pollutant sources, and implemented management practices. Additional limiting attributes include having a large number of widespread sampling locations, which presented logistical challenges for predicting localized rainfall and collecting and analyzing samples during short timeframes associated with storms, and collecting storm samples at fixed-stage elevations only during the rising limb of storms, which does not characterize conditions over the storm hydrograph. The small number of samples collected per site resulted in a sample size too small to be representative of site conditions, including seasonal and hydrologic variability, and insufficient for meaningful statistical analysis or site-specific modeling.Several measures could be taken to improve data utility and include redesigning the monitoring network according to watershed characteristics, incorporating a nested design in which data are collected at different scales (watershed, subwatershed, and best management practices), increasing sampling frequency, and combining different methods to allow for flexibility to focus on areas and conditions of particular interest. A monitoring design that would facilitate most of these improvements would be to focus efforts on a limited number of watersheds for several years, then cycle to the next set of watersheds for several years, eventually returning to previously monitored watersheds to document changes.Redesign of the water-quality monitoring program requires considerable effort and commitment from municipalities of Johnson County. However, the long-term benefit likely is a monitoring program that results in improved stream conditions and more effective management practices and efficient expenditure of resources.

Statistical generation of training sets for measuring NO3(-), NH4(+) and major ions in natural waters using an ion selective electrode array.

PubMed

Mueller, Amy V; Hemond, Harold F

2016-05-18

Knowledge of ionic concentrations in natural waters is essential to understand watershed processes. Inorganic nitrogen, in the form of nitrate and ammonium ions, is a key nutrient as well as a participant in redox, acid-base, and photochemical processes of natural waters, leading to spatiotemporal patterns of ion concentrations at scales as small as meters or hours. Current options for measurement in situ are costly, relying primarily on instruments adapted from laboratory methods (e.g., colorimetric, UV absorption); free-standing and inexpensive ISE sensors for NO3(-) and NH4(+) could be attractive alternatives if interferences from other constituents were overcome. Multi-sensor arrays, coupled with appropriate non-linear signal processing, offer promise in this capacity but have not yet successfully achieved signal separation for NO3(-) and NH4(+)in situ at naturally occurring levels in unprocessed water samples. A novel signal processor, underpinned by an appropriate sensor array, is proposed that overcomes previous limitations by explicitly integrating basic chemical constraints (e.g., charge balance). This work further presents a rationalized process for the development of such in situ instrumentation for NO3(-) and NH4(+), including a statistical-modeling strategy for instrument design, training/calibration, and validation. Statistical analysis reveals that historical concentrations of major ionic constituents in natural waters across New England strongly covary and are multi-modal. This informs the design of a statistically appropriate training set, suggesting that the strong covariance of constituents across environmental samples can be exploited through appropriate signal processing mechanisms to further improve estimates of minor constituents. Two artificial neural network architectures, one expanded to incorporate knowledge of basic chemical constraints, were tested to process outputs of a multi-sensor array, trained using datasets of varying degrees of statistical representativeness to natural water samples. The accuracy of ANN results improves monotonically with the statistical representativeness of the training set (error decreases by ∼5×), while the expanded neural network architecture contributes a further factor of 2-3.5 decrease in error when trained with the most representative sample set. Results using the most statistically accurate set of training samples (which retain environmentally relevant ion concentrations but avoid the potential interference of humic acids) demonstrated accurate, unbiased quantification of nitrate and ammonium at natural environmental levels (±20% down to <10 μM), as well as the major ions Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Cl(-), and SO4(2-), in unprocessed samples. These results show promise for the development of new in situ instrumentation for the support of scientific field work.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in different water resources by Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).

PubMed

Gallas-Lindemann, Carmen; Sotiriadou, Isaia; Mahmoodi, Mohammad Reza; Karanis, Panagiotis

2013-02-01

Human toxoplasmosis is potentially contracted due to consumption of contaminated drinking water and represents an increasing public health risk worldwide. Toxoplasma gondii oocysts can be resistant to standard disinfection processes, including UV radiation. Increased awareness of the risk of waterborne toxoplasmosis outbreaks has led to an increase in research interest in the detection of oocysts in environmental water systems. Ninety-five environmental water samples from the Lower Rhine area in Germany have been included in the study and examined for the presence of Toxoplasma. Water samples were filtered or flocculated by aluminum sulfate and purified by sucrose density gradient. DNA was then extracted, and the DNA samples were then examined by LAMP analysis. T. gondii DNA was detected in eight out of 83 (9.6%) influent and effluent samples obtained from wastewater treatment plants. All samples (n=12) from the surface, ground, raw and tap waters tested negative. The purpose of this work was to investigate the occurrence and distribution of Toxoplasma oocysts on the Lower Rhine in Germany. Our study provides evidence that the assay is a sensitive, specific, rapid and cost effective method for the detection of T. gondii and is useful for both the investigations of cases of waterborne outbreaks and for identifying the source of contamination. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concentrations of nitrate in drinking water in the lower Yakima River Basin, Groundwater Management Area, Yakima County, Washington, 2017

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huffman, Raegan L.

2018-05-29

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the lower Yakima River Basin Groundwater Management Area (GWMA) group, conducted an intensive groundwater sampling collection effort of collecting nitrate concentration data in drinking water to provide a baseline for future nitrate assessments within the GWMA. About every 6 weeks from April through December 2017, a total of 1,059 samples were collected from 156 wells and 24 surface-water drains. The domestic wells were selected based on known location, completion depth, ability to collect a sample prior to treatment on filtration, and distribution across the GWMA. The drains were pre-selected by the GWMA group, and further assessed based on ability to access sites and obtain a representative sample. More than 20 percent of samples from the domestic wells and 12.8 percent of drain samples had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 milligrams per liter established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. At least one nitrate concentration above the MCL was detected in 26 percent of wells and 33 percent of drains sampled. Nitrate was not detected in 13 percent of all samples collected.

Rainfall, Streamflow, and Water-Quality Data During Stormwater Monitoring, Halawa Stream Drainage Basin, Oahu, Hawaii, July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Presley, Todd K.; Jamison, Marcael T.J.; Young-Smith, Stacie T. M.

2006-01-01

Storm runoff water-quality samples were collected as part of the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation Stormwater Monitoring Program. This program is designed to assess the effects of highway runoff and urban runoff on Halawa Stream. For this program, rainfall data were collected at two stations, continuous discharge data at one station, continuous streamflow data at two stations, and water-quality data at five stations, which include the continuous discharge and streamflow stations. This report summarizes rainfall, discharge, streamflow, and water-quality data collected between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006. A total of 23 samples was collected over five storms during July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006. The goal was to collect grab samples nearly simultaneously at all five stations, and flow-weighted time-composite samples at the three stations equipped with automatic samplers; however, all five storms were partially sampled owing to lack of flow at the time of sampling at some sites, or because some samples collected by the automatic sampler did not represent water from the storm. Samples were analyzed for total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, nutrients, chemical oxygen demand, and selected trace metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc). Additionally, grab samples were analyzed for oil and grease, total petroleum hydrocarbons, fecal coliform, and biological oxygen demand. Quality-assurance/quality-control samples were also collected during storms and during routine maintenance to verify analytical procedures and check the effectiveness of equipment-cleaning procedures.

Biomonitoring of cyanotoxins in two tropical reservoirs by cladoceran toxicity bioassays.

PubMed

da S Ferrão-Filho, Aloysio; Soares, Maria Carolina S; de Freitas Magalhães, Valeria; Azevedo, Sandra M F O

2009-02-01

This study evaluates the potential for the use of cladocerans in biomonitoring of cyanobacterial toxins. Two zooplankton species (Daphnia gessneri and Moina micrura) were cultivated in the laboratory for use in acute (48 h) and chronic (10 days) bioassays. Water samples were collected from two reservoirs and diluted in mineral water at four concentrations. Survivorship in the acute bioassays was used to calculate LC50, and survivorship and fecundity in chronic bioassays were used to calculate the intrinsic population growth rate (r) and the EC50. Analysis of phytoplankton in the water samples from one reservoir revealed that cyanobacteria were the dominant group, represented by the genera Anabaena, Cylindrospermopsis, and Microcystis. Results of bioassays showed adverse effects including death, paralysis, and reduced population growth rate, generally proportional to the reservoir water concentration. These effects may be related to the presence of cyanobacteria toxins (microcystins or saxitoxins) in the water.

Stratification of living organisms in ballast tanks: how do organism concentrations vary as ballast water is discharged?

PubMed

First, Matthew R; Robbins-Wamsley, Stephanie H; Riley, Scott C; Moser, Cameron S; Smith, George E; Tamburri, Mario N; Drake, Lisa A

2013-05-07

Vertical migrations of living organisms and settling of particle-attached organisms lead to uneven distributions of biota at different depths in the water column. In ballast tanks, heterogeneity could lead to different population estimates depending on the portion of the discharge sampled. For example, concentrations of organisms exceeding a discharge standard may not be detected if sampling occurs during periods of the discharge when concentrations are low. To determine the degree of stratification, water from ballast tanks was sampled at two experimental facilities as the tanks were drained after water was held for 1 or 5 days. Living organisms ≥50 μm were counted in discrete segments of the drain (e.g., the first 20 min of the drain operation, the second 20 min interval, etc.), thus representing different strata in the tank. In 1 and 5 day trials at both facilities, concentrations of organisms varied among drain segments, and the patterns of stratification varied among replicate trials. From numerical simulations, the optimal sampling strategy for stratified tanks is to collect multiple time-integrated samples spaced relatively evenly throughout the discharge event.

Determination of diphacinone in sea water, vertebrates, invertebrates, and bait pellet formulations following aerial broadcast on Mokapu Island, Molokai, Hawai'i

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gale, Robert W.; Tanner, Michael; Orazio, Carl E.

2008-01-01

This report presents the results of a study to determine diphacinone concentrations in samples of sea water and in fillet samples of fish and in limpets from the ocean adjacent to Mokapu Island and from reference samples from Molokai, Hawai'i; concentrations of the active ingredient (diphacinone) were also determined in samples of the Ramik Green bait pellets used for the broadcast study. After preparation, diphacinone concentrations were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. No detectable concentrations of diphacinone were found in the fish, limpets, or sea-water samples from Mokapu Island or from the reference sites. The limit of detection for diphacinone in sea water was 18 nanograms per milliliter (parts per billion); the limit of detection in fish fillets was 10 nanograms per gram (parts per billion); and the limit of detection in limpets was 17 nanograms per gram. The average concentration of diphacinone in the Ramik Green bait pellets was 45 micrograms per gram (parts per million), which represents 90 percent of the nominal concentration stated for the product by the manufacturer.

Mycobacteria in water used for personal hygiene in heavy industry and collieries: a potential risk for employees.

PubMed

Ulmann, Vit; Kracalikova, Anna; Dziedzinska, Radka

2015-03-04

Environmental mycobacteria (EM) constitute a health risk, particularly for immunocompromised people. Workers in heavy industry and in collieries represent an at-risk group of people as their immunity is often weakened by long-term employment in dusty environments, frequent smoking and an increased occurrence of pulmonary diseases. This study was concerned with the presence of EM in non-drinking water used for the hygiene of employees in six large industrial companies and collieries. Over a period of ten years, 1096 samples of surface water treated for hygiene purposes (treated surface water) and treated surface water diluted with mining water were examined. EM were detected in 63.4 and 41.5% samples of treated surface water and treated surface water diluted with mining water, respectively. Mycobacterium gordonae, M. avium-intracellulare and M. kansasii were the most frequently detected species. Adoption of suitable precautions should be enforced to reduce the incidence of mycobacteria in shower water and to decrease the infectious pressure on employees belonging to an at-risk group of people.

Methodological Approaches for Monitoring Opportunistic Pathogens in Premise Plumbing: A Review

PubMed Central

Wang, Hong; Bedard, Emilie; Prevost, Michele; Camper, Anne K.; Hill, Vincent R.; Pruden, Amy

2017-01-01

Opportunistic pathogens inhabiting premise (i.e., building) plumbing (OPPPs, e.g., L. pneumophila, M. avium complex, P. aeruginosa, Acanthamoeba, and N. fowleri) are a significant and growing source of disease. Because OPPPs establish and grow as part of the native drinking water microbiota, they do not correspond to fecal indicators, presenting a significant challenge to common and effective monitoring strategies. Further, different OPPPs present distinct requirements for sampling, preservation, and analysis, creating a significant impediment to their parallel detection. The aim of this critical review is to synthesize the state of the science of monitoring OPPPs and to identify a path forward for their simultaneous detection and quantification in a manner commensurate with the need for reliable data to inform risk assessment and mitigation. Water and biofilm sampling procedures, as well as factors influencing sample representativeness and detection sensitivity, are critically evaluated with respect to the five representative bacterial and amoebal OPPPs noted above. Available culturing and molecular approaches are discussed in terms of their advantages, limitations, and applicability. Knowledge gaps and research needs are identified. PMID:28390237

Hydrogeological characteristics of aquifer near Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station on King George Island (South Shetland Islands), Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krogulec, Ewa; Krogulec, Tomasz; Małecki, Jerzy; Pietrzykowski, Paweł; Dobak, Paweł

2018-06-01

During the Antarctic summer season of 2015/2016, the groundwater studies were performed in the area of Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station on King George Island (South Shetland Islands) in Admiralty Bay of Antarctica. Rock and groundwater samples were collected from 14 research excavations down to a depth of 0.8-2.5 m b.g.l. Analyses of surface waters were performed on water samples from streams, mossland, and a drinking water reservoir. The scope of hydrochemical studies comprised analyses of temperature, pH, mineralization, phosphates, nitrates, macroelements and selected microelements. Using empirical formulas, granulometric analysis of rock samples from various depths, measurements of sample moisture, and calculations of the hydraulic conductivity were performed. The groundwater is poorly mineralized, representing chloride-sulfate-bicarbonate-sodium and chloride-bicarbonate-sodium-calcium types. Studies on hydrochemical indicators show a small range of the effect of animal ecosystems on the waters; no effects of organic matter have been identified in the study area. Results of hydrogeochemical studies of waters and observations of groundwater levels in the summer season indicate groundwater recharge in a shallow groundwater circulation system, lateral inflow direction from land toward the seashore, and a low rate of rainwater infiltration. Groundwater drainage occurs through evapotranspiration and water runoff to the sea.

Use of a Filter Cartridge for Filtration of Water Samples and Extraction of Environmental DNA.

PubMed

Miya, Masaki; Minamoto, Toshifumi; Yamanaka, Hiroki; Oka, Shin-Ichiro; Sato, Keiichi; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Sado, Tetsuya; Doi, Hideyuki

2016-11-25

Recent studies demonstrated the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) from fishes to be appropriate as a non-invasive monitoring tool. Most of these studies employed disk fiber filters to collect eDNA from water samples, although a number of microbial studies in aquatic environments have employed filter cartridges, because the cartridge has the advantage of accommodating large water volumes and of overall ease of use. Here we provide a protocol for filtration of water samples using the filter cartridge and extraction of eDNA from the filter without having to cut open the housing. The main portions of this protocol consists of 1) filtration of water samples (water volumes ≤4 L or >4 L); (2) extraction of DNA on the filter using a roller shaker placed in a preheated incubator; and (3) purification of DNA using a commercial kit. With the use of this and previously-used protocols, we perform metabarcoding analysis of eDNA taken from a huge aquarium tank (7,500 m 3 ) with known species composition, and show the number of detected species per library from the two protocols as the representative results. This protocol has been developed for metabarcoding eDNA from fishes, but is also applicable to eDNA from other organisms.

Microbial Quality and Phylogenetic Diversity of Fresh Rainwater and Tropical Freshwater Reservoir

PubMed Central

Kaushik, Rajni; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar; Dunstan, Hugh

2014-01-01

The impact of rainwater on the microbial quality of a tropical freshwater reservoir through atmospheric wet deposition of microorganisms was studied for the first time. Reservoir water samples were collected at four different sampling points and rainwater samples were collected in the immediate vicinity of the reservoir sites for a period of four months (January to April, 2012) during the Northeast monsoon period. Microbial quality of all fresh rainwater and reservoir water samples was assessed based on the counts for the microbial indicators: Escherichia coli (E. coli), total coliforms, and Enterococci along with total heterotrophic plate counts (HPC). The taxonomic richness and phylogenetic relationship of the freshwater reservoir with those of the fresh rainwater were also assessed using 16 S rRNA gene clone library construction. The levels of E. coli were found to be in the range of 0 CFU/100 mL – 75 CFU/100 mL for the rainwater, and were 10–94 CFU/100 mL for the reservoir water. The sampling sites that were influenced by highway traffic emissions showed the maximum counts for all the bacterial indicators assessed. There was no significant increase in the bacterial abundances observed in the reservoir water immediately following rainfall. However, the composite fresh rainwater and reservoir water samples exhibited broad phylogenetic diversity, including sequences representing Betaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Lentisphaerae and Bacteriodetes. Members of the Betaproteobacteria group were the most dominant in both fresh rainwater and reservoir water, followed by Alphaproteobacteria, Sphingobacteria, Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria. PMID:24979573

Microbial quality and phylogenetic diversity of fresh rainwater and tropical freshwater reservoir.

PubMed

Kaushik, Rajni; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar; Dunstan, Hugh

2014-01-01

The impact of rainwater on the microbial quality of a tropical freshwater reservoir through atmospheric wet deposition of microorganisms was studied for the first time. Reservoir water samples were collected at four different sampling points and rainwater samples were collected in the immediate vicinity of the reservoir sites for a period of four months (January to April, 2012) during the Northeast monsoon period. Microbial quality of all fresh rainwater and reservoir water samples was assessed based on the counts for the microbial indicators: Escherichia coli (E. coli), total coliforms, and Enterococci along with total heterotrophic plate counts (HPC). The taxonomic richness and phylogenetic relationship of the freshwater reservoir with those of the fresh rainwater were also assessed using 16 S rRNA gene clone library construction. The levels of E. coli were found to be in the range of 0 CFU/100 mL-75 CFU/100 mL for the rainwater, and were 10-94 CFU/100 mL for the reservoir water. The sampling sites that were influenced by highway traffic emissions showed the maximum counts for all the bacterial indicators assessed. There was no significant increase in the bacterial abundances observed in the reservoir water immediately following rainfall. However, the composite fresh rainwater and reservoir water samples exhibited broad phylogenetic diversity, including sequences representing Betaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Lentisphaerae and Bacteriodetes. Members of the Betaproteobacteria group were the most dominant in both fresh rainwater and reservoir water, followed by Alphaproteobacteria, Sphingobacteria, Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria.

Noble Gases in Iddingsite from the Lafayette Meteorite: Evidence for Liquid Water on Mars in the Last Few Hundred Million Years

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swindle, T. D.; Treiman, A. H.; Lindstrom, D. J.; Brkland, M. K.; Cohen, B. A.; Grier, J. A.; Li, B.; Olson, E. K.

2000-01-01

We analyzed noble gases from 18 samples of weathering products ("iddingsite") from the Lafayette meteorite. Potassium-argon ages of 12 samples range from near zero to 670 +/- 91 Ma. These ages confirm the martian origin of the iddingsite, but it is not clear whether any or all of the ages represent iddingsite formation as opposed to later alteration or incorporation of martian atmospheric Ar-40. In any case, because iddingsite formation requires liquid water, this data requires the presence of liquid water near the surface of Mars at least as recently as 1300 Ma ago, and probably as recently as 650 Ma ago. Krypton and Xe analysis of a single 34 microg sample indicates the presence of fractionated martian atmosphere within the iddingsite. This also confirms the martian origin of the iddingsite. The mechanism of incorporation could either be through interaction with liquid water during iddingsite formation or a result of shock implantation of adsorbed atmospheric gas.

Presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bottled drinking water in Mexico City.

PubMed

Salinas, Rutilio Ortiz; Bermudez, Beatriz Schettino; Tolentino, Rey Gutiérrez; Gonzalez, Gilberto Díaz; Vega y León, Salvador

2010-10-01

This paper describes the concentrations of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bottled drinking water samples that were collected over 1 year from Mexico City in two sizes (1.5 and 19 L), using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector. PCBs 28 (0.018-0.042 μg/L), 52 (0.006-0.015 μg/L) and 101 (0.001-0.039 μg/L) were the most commonly found and were present in the majority of the samples. However, total concentrations of PCBs in bottled drinking water (0.035-0.039 μg/L) were below the maximum permissible level of 0.50 μg/L stated in Mexican regulations and probably do not represent a hazard to human health. PCBs were detectable in all samples and we recommend a monitoring program be established to better understand the quality of drinking bottled water over time; this may help in producing solutions for reducing the presence of organic contaminants.

Bottled water: analysis of mycotoxins by LC-MS/MS.

PubMed

Mata, A T; Ferreira, J P; Oliveira, B R; Batoréu, M C; Barreto Crespo, M T; Pereira, V J; Bronze, M R

2015-06-01

The presence of mycotoxins in food samples has been widely studied as well as its impact in human health, however, information about its distribution in the environment is scarce. An analytical method comprising a solid phase extraction procedure followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis was implemented and validated for the trace analysis of mycotoxins in drinking bottled waters. Limits of quantification achieved for the method were between 0.2ngL(-1) for aflatoxins and ochratoxin, and 2.0ngL(-1) for fumonisins and neosolaniol. The method was applied to real samples. Aflatoxin B2 was the most frequently detected mycotoxin in water samples, with a maximum concentration of 0.48±0.05ngL(-1) followed by aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin G1 and ochratoxin A. The genera Cladosporium, Fusarium and Penicillium were the fungi more frequently detected. These results show that the consumption of these waters does not represent a toxicological risk for an adult. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cloud water in windward and leeward mountain forests: The stable isotope signature of orographic cloud water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scholl, M.A.; Giambelluca, T.W.; Gingerich, S.B.; Nullet, M.A.; Loope, L.L.

2007-01-01

Cloud water can be a significant hydrologic input to mountain forests. Because it is a precipitation source that is vulnerable to climate change, it is important to quantify amounts of cloud water input at watershed and regional scales. During this study, cloud water and rain samples were collected monthly for 2 years at sites on windward and leeward East Maui. The difference in isotopic composition between volume‐weighted average cloud water and rain samples was 1.4‰ δ18O and 12‰ δ2H for the windward site and 2.8‰ δ18O and 25‰ δ2H for the leeward site, with the cloud water samples enriched in 18O and 2H relative to the rain samples. A summary of previous literature shows that fog and/or cloud water is enriched in 18O and 2H compared to rain at many locations around the world; this study documents cloud water and rain isotopic composition resulting from weather patterns common to montane environments in the trade wind latitudes. An end‐member isotopic composition for cloud water was identified for each site and was used in an isotopic mixing model to estimate the proportion of precipitation input from orographic clouds. Orographic cloud water input was 37% of the total precipitation at the windward site and 46% at the leeward site. This represents an estimate of water input to the forest that could be altered by changes in cloud base altitude resulting from global climate change or deforestation.

The Canadian Geo-location Endeavour Using Isotopes and Trace Elements in Hair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chartrand, Michelle M. G.; St-Jean, Gilles; Dalpe, Claude; Wojtyk, James

2010-05-01

The Canadian human hair provenance project has two main objectives: 1) to build a Canadian database of isotopes and trace elements from tap water and hair samples, and 2) to assess the extent of temporal effects on these samples. To address objective 1, a cross-Canada sampling campaign has been started to collect hair and tap water samples. In the past two years, our group has collected samples from the eastern part of Canada (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Ontario). Water samples are divided into three groups - groundwater, surface water and bottled water. The GIS maps show the isotopic distribution of the tap water sources varies with latitude. Hair is analyzed for carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H) isotopes. The C and N results show that in general, Canadians eat a typical diet showing a small isotopic variation. However, some cases will be presented which may explain why some people have C and N values outlying the collected sample average. In terms of H isotopes in human hair, GIS maps illustrate the distribution of this isotope in the eastern provinces of Canada. In some cases, a large variation in H was observed for the same locality with no significant difference in human activities and/or consumption. However, based on hair collected from across Canada from previous years, H isotopes in hair show a correlation to water collected from the same locality. To address objective 2, hair and tap water samples were collected at 4 month intervals (to represent different seasons in Canada) from several volunteers residing in two cities located in the province of Ontario (i.e. Sudbury and Ottawa) and one city from the province of Quebec (i.e. Montreal). For all isotopes measured, there was little variation observed over the course of the year in any individual from those small to medium-size cities. On-going sampling efforts will address if any variation may occur on a yearly basis.

Geochemical reconnaissance study of Vassar Meadow (Adams Rib) wetlands and vicinity, Eagle County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen, Douglass E.; Breit, George N.

1995-01-01

Wetlands are known to be efficient filters of metals dissolved in ground and surface waters. This paper presents the results of geochemical reconnaissance sampling done at the request of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in wetlands in Vassar Meadow, Eagle County, Colorado. Ten wetlands were sampled and found to be variously enriched in chromium, molybdenum, and uranium. The uranium and chromium concentrations (and, to a lesser extent, molybdenum) represent an environmental concern should they be released as a result of anthropogenic disturbance. The metal accumulation in these wetlands documents that the wetlands have been functioning as filters that protect water quality in East Brush Creek by lowering the dissolved metal content in water.

Arsenic and heavy metals contamination, risk assessment and their source in drinking water of the Mardan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

PubMed

Gul, Nida; Shah, Mohammad Tahir; Khan, Sardar; Khattak, Nimat Ullah; Muhammad, Said

2015-12-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the physico-chemical characteristics in drinking water of Mardan District, Pakistan. Furthermore, water quality was evaluated for the risk assessment of arsenic and heavy metals (HMs) and their contamination sources. Representative groundwater samples of shallow and deep sources were collected in the study area. These samples were analyzed for physical parameters, anions, light metals (LMs) and HMs. Results were compared with the drinking water guideline values set by the World Health Organization and the US Environmental Protection Agency. Average concentrations of anions, LMs and HMs were found within the maximum allowable contaminant levels except for bicarbonates, Fe, Cu, and Pb. Results revealed that hazard quotients >1 were observed for shallow groundwater for 10% samples only, suggesting potential health risk from water consumption. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis showed a relationship among various physico-chemical parameters in both shallow and deep groundwater. Statistical analyses suggested the geogenic and anthropogenic sources for possible enhancement of various physico-chemical parameters in the aquifer system of the study area.

Characterization of bottom-sediment, water, and elutriate chemistry at selected stations at Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Broshears, R.E.

1991-01-01

To better-understand and predict the potential effect of dredging on water quality at Reelfoot Lake, chemical analyses were conducted on samples of lake water, bottom sediment, and elutriate water. Chemical analyses were conducted on samples of lake water, bottom sediment, and elutriate water collected at five stations in the lake during November 1988. Lake water was of the calcium magnesium bicarbonate type with an average dissolved-solids concentration of 120 milligrams per liter. Trace constituents were present in bottom sediments at concentrations representative of their average relative abundance in the earth?s crust. Elutriate waters prepared by mixing bottom sediment and lake water had suspended-solids concentrations as high as 2,000 milligrams per liter which exerted significant oxygen demand Trace constituents in the unfiltered elutriate waters were elevated with respect to lake water; elevated concentrations were attributable to the increased suspended-solids concentrations. Concentrations of total-recoverable copper, lead., and zinc in many elutriate waters exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?s water-quality criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life. The toxicity of elutriate waters, as measured by a 48-hour bioassay with Ceriodaphnia dubia, was low.

Bacterial diversity and bioprospecting for cold-active enzymes from culturable bacteria associated with sediment from a melt water stream of Midtre Lovenbreen glacier, an Arctic glacier.

PubMed

Vardhan Reddy, Puram Vishnu; Shiva Nageswara Rao, Singireesu Soma; Pratibha, Mambatta Shankaranarayanan; Sailaja, Buddhi; Kavya, Bakka; Manorama, Ravoori Ruth; Singh, Shiv Mohan; Radha Srinivas, Tanuku Naga; Shivaji, Sisinthy

2009-10-01

Culturable bacterial diversity of Midtre Lovenbreen glacier, an Arctic glacier, was studied using 12 sediment samples collected from different points, along a transect, from the snout of Midtre Lovenbreen glacier up to the convergence point of the melt water stream with the sea. Bacterial abundance appeared to be closer to the convergence point of the glacial melt water stream with the sea than at the snout of the glacier. A total of 117 bacterial strains were isolated from the sediment samples. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, the isolates (n=117) could be categorised in to 32 groups, with each group representing a different taxa belonging to 4 phyla (Actinobacteria, Bacilli, Flavobacteria and Proteobacteria). Representatives of the 32 groups varied in their growth temperature range (4-37 degrees C), in their tolerance to NaCl (0.1-1M NaCl) and in the growth pH range (2-13). Only 14 of 32 representative strains exhibited amylase, lipase and (or) protease activity and only one isolate (AsdM4-6) showed all three enzyme activities at 5 and 20 degrees C respectively. More than half of the isolates were pigmented. Fatty acid profile studies indicated that short-chain fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, branched fatty acids, cyclic and cis fatty acids are predominant in the psychrophilic bacteria.

NASA JSC water monitor system: City of Houston field demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Jeffers, E. L.; Fricks, D. H.

1979-01-01

A water quality monitoring system with on-line and real time operation similar to the function in a spacecraft was investigated. A system with the capability to determine conformance to future high effluent quality standards and to increase the potential for reclamation and reuse of water was designed. Although all system capabilities were not verified in the initial field trial, fully automated operation over a sustained period with only routine manual adjustments was accomplished. Two major points were demonstrated: (1) the water monitor system has great potential in water monitoring and/or process control applications; and (2) the water monitor system represents a vast improvement over conventional (grab sample) water monitoring techniques.

Optimizing fish sampling for fish - mercury bioaccumulation factors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scudder Eikenberry, Barbara C.; Riva-Murray, Karen; Knightes, Christopher D.; Journey, Celeste A.; Chasar, Lia C.; Brigham, Mark E.; Bradley, Paul M.

2015-01-01

Fish Bioaccumulation Factors (BAFs; ratios of mercury (Hg) in fish (Hgfish) and water (Hgwater)) are used to develop Total Maximum Daily Load and water quality criteria for Hg-impaired waters. Both applications require representative Hgfish estimates and, thus, are sensitive to sampling and data-treatment methods. Data collected by fixed protocol from 11 streams in 5 states distributed across the US were used to assess the effects of Hgfish normalization/standardization methods and fish sample numbers on BAF estimates. Fish length, followed by weight, was most correlated to adult top-predator Hgfish. Site-specific BAFs based on length-normalized and standardized Hgfish estimates demonstrated up to 50% less variability than those based on non-normalized Hgfish. Permutation analysis indicated that length-normalized and standardized Hgfish estimates based on at least 8 trout or 5 bass resulted in mean Hgfish coefficients of variation less than 20%. These results are intended to support regulatory mercury monitoring and load-reduction program improvements.

Problems associated with using filtration to define dissolved trace element concentrations in natural water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Lum, K.R.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hall, G.E.M.; Lemieux, C.; Demas, C.R.

1996-01-01

Field and laboratory experiments indicate that a number of factors associated with filtration other than just pore size (e.g., diameter, manufacturer, volume of sample processed, amount of suspended sediment in the sample) can produce significant variations in the 'dissolved' concentrations of such elements as Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, and Ni. The bulk of these variations result from the inclusion/exclusion of colloidally associated trace elements in the filtrate, although dilution and sorption/desorption from filters also may be factors. Thus, dissolved trace element concentrations quantitated by analyzing filtrates generated by processing whole water through similar pore-sized filters may not be equal or comparable. As such, simple filtration of unspecified volumes of natural water through unspecified 0.45-??m membrane filters may no longer represent an acceptable operational definition for a number of dissolved chemical constituents.

Investigation of Drinking Water Quality in Kosovo

PubMed Central

Berisha, Fatlume; Goessler, Walter

2013-01-01

In the recent years, not much environmental monitoring has been conducted in the territory of Kosovo. This study represents the first comprehensive monitoring of the drinking water situation throughout most of the territory of Kosovo. We present the distribution of major and minor trace elements in drinking water samples from Kosovo. During our study we collected 951 samples from four different sources: private-bored wells; naturally flowing artesian water; pumped-drilled wells; and public water sources (tap water). The randomly selected drinking water samples were investigated by routine water analyses using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) for 32 elements (Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Ba, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, U). Even though there are set guidelines for elemental exposure in drinking water worldwide, in developing countries, such as Kosovo, the lack of monitoring drinking water continues to be an important health concern. This study reports the concentrations of major and minor elements in the drinking water in Kosovo. Additionally, we show the variation of the metal concentration within different sources. Of the 15 regulated elements, the following five elements: Mn, Fe, Al, Ni, As, and U were the elements which most often exceeded the guidelines set by the EU and/or WHO. PMID:23509472

Fine-Scale Spatial Heterogeneity in the Distribution of Waterborne Protozoa in a Drinking Water Reservoir

PubMed Central

Burnet, Jean-Baptiste; Ogorzaly, Leslie; Penny, Christian; Cauchie, Henry-Michel

2015-01-01

Background: The occurrence of faecal pathogens in drinking water resources constitutes a threat to the supply of safe drinking water, even in industrialized nations. To efficiently assess and monitor the risk posed by these pathogens, sampling deserves careful design, based on preliminary knowledge on their distribution dynamics in water. For the protozoan pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia, only little is known about their spatial distribution within drinking water supplies, especially at fine scale. Methods: Two-dimensional distribution maps were generated by sampling cross-sections at meter resolution in two different zones of a drinking water reservoir. Samples were analysed for protozoan pathogens as well as for E. coli, turbidity and physico-chemical parameters. Results: Parasites displayed heterogeneous distribution patterns, as reflected by significant (oo)cyst density gradients along reservoir depth. Spatial correlations between parasites and E. coli were observed near the reservoir inlet but were absent in the downstream lacustrine zone. Measurements of surface and subsurface flow velocities suggest a role of local hydrodynamics on these spatial patterns. Conclusion: This fine-scale spatial study emphasizes the importance of sampling design (site, depth and position on the reservoir) for the acquisition of representative parasite data and for optimization of microbial risk assessment and monitoring. Such spatial information should prove useful to the modelling of pathogen transport dynamics in drinking water supplies. PMID:26404350

Significance of bacteria associated with invertebrates in drinking water distribution networks.

PubMed

Wolmarans, E; du Preez, H H; de Wet, C M E; Venter, S N

2005-01-01

The implication of invertebrates found in drinking water distribution networks to public health is of concern to water utilities. Previous studies have shown that the bacteria associated with the invertebrates could be potentially pathogenic to humans. This study investigated the level and identity of bacteria commonly associated with invertebrates collected from the drinking water treatment systems as well as from the main pipelines leaving the treatment works. On all sampling occasions bacteria were isolated from the invertebrate samples collected. The highest bacterial counts were observed for the samples taken before filtration as was expected. There were, however, indications that optimal removal of invertebrates from water did not always occur. During the investigation, 116 colonies were sampled for further identification. The isolates represent several bacterial genera and species that are pathogenic or opportunistic pathogens of humans. Diarrhoea, meningitis, septicaemia and skin infections are among the diseases associated with these organisms. The estimated number of bacteria that could be associated with a single invertebrate (as based on average invertebrate numbers) could range from 10 to 4000 bacteria per organism. It can, therefore, be concluded that bacteria associated with invertebrates might under the worst case scenario pose a potential health risk to water users. In the light of the above findings it is clear that invertebrates in drinking water should be controlled at levels as low as technically and economically feasible.

Residues of selected antibiotics in the South Moravian Rivers, Czech Republic.

PubMed

Jarova, Katerina; Vavrova, Milada; Koleckarova, Alice

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the contamination level of aquatic ecosystems of the Oslava and the Jihlava Rivers, and of the Nove Mlyny Water Reservoir, situated in the South Moravian Region (Czech Republic), by residues of selected veterinary pharmaceuticals. We isolated and determined 10 sulfonamide antibiotics in samples of surface water and bottom sediments using optimized analytical methods. A representative number of sampling sites in the entire basin of selected waters were chosen. Samples were collected particularly near the larger cities in order to assess their possible impact to the aquatic ecosystems. Extraction, pre-concentration and purification of samples were performed using optimized methods of solid phase extraction and pressurized solvent extraction. Final identification and quantification were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector. The concentration of sulfonamides in water samples were all under the limit of detection. Regarding sediment samples, sulfadimidine was found at most sampling sites; its highest values were recorded in the Jihlava River (up to 979.8 µg.kg(-1) dry matter). Other frequently detected sulfonamides were sulfamethoxazole and sulfamerazine. Most other sulfonamides were under the limit of detection or limit of quantification. Monitoring of antibiotic residues in the environment, especially in the aquatic ecosystem, is a current topic due to the growing worldwide use in both human and veterinary medicine. According to obtained results, we document the pollution of selected rivers and water reservoir by particular sulfonamides which basically reflects their application in veterinary medicine.

Effects of land use and seasonality on stream water quality in a small tropical catchment: The headwater of Córrego Água Limpa, São Paulo (Brazil).

PubMed

Rodrigues, Valdemir; Estrany, Joan; Ranzini, Mauricio; de Cicco, Valdir; Martín-Benito, José Mª Tarjuelo; Hedo, Javier; Lucas-Borja, Manuel E

2018-05-01

Stream water quality is controlled by the interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors over a range of temporal and spatial scales. Among these anthropogenic factors, land cover changes at catchment scale can affect stream water quality. This work aims to evaluate the influence of land use and seasonality on stream water quality in a representative tropical headwater catchment named as Córrego Água Limpa (Sao Paulo, Brasil), which is highly influenced by intensive agricultural activities and urban areas. Two systematic sampling approach campaigns were implemented with six sampling points along the stream of the headwater catchment to evaluate water quality during the rainy and dry seasons. Three replicates were collected at each sampling point in 2011. Electrical conductivity, nitrates, nitrites, sodium superoxide, Chemical Oxygen Demand (DQO), colour, turbidity, suspended solids, soluble solids and total solids were measured. Water quality parameters differed among sampling points, being lower at the headwater sampling point (0m above sea level), and then progressively higher until the last downstream sampling point (2500m above sea level). For the dry season, the mean discharge was 39.5ls -1 (from April to September) whereas 113.0ls -1 were averaged during the rainy season (from October to March). In addition, significant temporal and spatial differences were observed (P<0.05) for the fourteen parameters during the rainy and dry period. The study enhance significant relationships among land use and water quality and its temporal effect, showing seasonal differences between the land use and water quality connection, highlighting the importance of multiple spatial and temporal scales for understanding the impacts of human activities on catchment ecosystem services. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variation in aluminum, iron, and particle concentrations in oxic groundwater samples collected by use of tangential-flow ultrafiltration with low-flow sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabo, Zoltan; Oden, Jeannette H.; Gibs, Jacob; Rice, Donald E.; Ding, Yuan

2002-02-01

Particulates that move with ground water and those that are artificially mobilized during well purging could be incorporated into water samples during collection and could cause trace-element concentrations to vary in unfiltered samples, and possibly in filtered samples (typically 0.45-um (micron) pore size) as well, depending on the particle-size fractions present. Therefore, measured concentrations may not be representative of those in the aquifer. Ground water may contain particles of various sizes and shapes that are broadly classified as colloids, which do not settle from water, and particulates, which do. In order to investigate variations in trace-element concentrations in ground-water samples as a function of particle concentrations and particle-size fractions, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, collected samples from five wells completed in the unconfined, oxic Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system of the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Samples were collected by purging with a portable pump at low flow (0.2-0.5 liters per minute and minimal drawdown, ideally less than 0.5 foot). Unfiltered samples were collected in the following sequence: (1) within the first few minutes of pumping, (2) after initial turbidity declined and about one to two casing volumes of water had been purged, and (3) after turbidity values had stabilized at less than 1 to 5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units. Filtered samples were split concurrently through (1) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter, (2) a 0.45-um pore size capsule filter and a 0.0029-um pore size tangential-flow filter in sequence, and (3), in selected cases, a 0.45-um and a 0.05-um pore size capsule filter in sequence. Filtered samples were collected concurrently with the unfiltered sample that was collected when turbidity values stabilized. Quality-assurance samples consisted of sequential duplicates (about 25 percent) and equipment blanks. Concentrations of particles were determined by light scattering.

Bacterial composition in a metropolitan drinking water distribution system utilizing different source waters.

PubMed

Gomez-Alvarez, Vicente; Humrighouse, Ben W; Revetta, Randy P; Santo Domingo, Jorge W

2015-03-01

We investigated the bacterial composition of water samples from two service areas within a drinking water distribution system (DWDS), each associated with a different primary source of water (groundwater, GW; surface water, SW) and different treatment process. Community analysis based on 16S rRNA gene clone libraries indicated that Actinobacteria (Mycobacterium spp.) and α-Proteobacteria represented nearly 43 and 38% of the total sequences, respectively. Sequences closely related to Legionella, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio spp. were also identified. In spite of the high number of sequences (71%) shared in both areas, multivariable analysis revealed significant differences between the GW and SW areas. While the dominant phylotypes where not significantly contributing in the ordination of samples, the populations associated with the core of phylotypes (1-10% in each sample) significantly contributed to the differences between both service areas. Diversity indices indicate that the microbial community inhabiting the SW area is more diverse and contains more distantly related species coexisting with local assemblages as compared with the GW area. The bacterial community structure of SW and GW service areas were dissimilar, suggesting that their respective source water and/or water quality parameters shaped by the treatment processes may contribute to the differences in community structure observed.

Comparison and cost analysis of drinking water quality monitoring requirements versus practice in seven developing countries.

PubMed

Crocker, Jonny; Bartram, Jamie

2014-07-18

Drinking water quality monitoring programs aim to support provision of safe drinking water by informing water quality management. Little evidence or guidance exists on best monitoring practices for low resource settings. Lack of financial, human, and technological resources reduce a country's ability to monitor water supply. Monitoring activities were characterized in Cambodia, Colombia, India (three states), Jordan, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda according to water sector responsibilities, monitoring approaches, and marginal cost. The seven study countries were selected to represent a range of low resource settings. The focus was on monitoring of microbiological parameters, such as E. coli, coliforms, and H2S-producing microorganisms. Data collection involved qualitative and quantitative methods. Across seven study countries, few distinct approaches to monitoring were observed, and in all but one country all monitoring relied on fixed laboratories for sample analysis. Compliance with monitoring requirements was highest for operational monitoring of large water supplies in urban areas. Sample transport and labor for sample collection and analysis together constitute approximately 75% of marginal costs, which exclude capital costs. There is potential for substantive optimization of monitoring programs by considering field-based testing and by fundamentally reconsidering monitoring approaches for non-piped supplies. This is the first study to look quantitatively at water quality monitoring practices in multiple developing countries.

Performance of a novel high throughput method for the determination of VX in drinking water samples.

PubMed

Knaack, Jennifer S; Zhou, Yingtao; Magnuson, Matthew; Silvestri, Erin; Johnson, Rudolph C

2013-03-05

VX (O-ethyl-S-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioate) is a highly toxic organophosphorus nerve agent, and even low levels of contamination in water can be harmful. Measurement of low concentrations of VX in aqueous matrixes is possible using an immunomagnetic scavenging technique and detection using liquid chromatography/tandem-mass spectrometry. Performance of the method was characterized in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-grade water preserved with sodium omadine, an antimicrobial agent, and sodium thiosulfate, a dechlorinating agent, over eight analytical batches with quality control samples analyzed over 10 days. The minimum reportable level was 25 ng/L with a linear dynamic range up to 4.0 μg/L. The mean accuracies for two quality control samples containing VX at concentrations of 0.250 and 2.00 μg/L were 102 ± 3% and 103 ± 6%, respectively. The stability of VX was determined in five tap water samples representing a range of water quality parameters and disinfection practices over a 91 day period. In preserved tap water samples, VX recovery was between 81 and 92% of the fortified amount, 2.0 μg/L, when analyzed immediately after preparation. Recovery of VX decreased to between 31 and 45% of the fortified amount after 91 days, indicating hydrolysis of VX. However, the preservatives minimized the hydrolysis rate to close to the theoretical limit. The ability to detect low concentrations of VX in preserved tap water 91 days after spiking suggests applicability of this method for determining water contamination with VX and utility during environmental remediation.

Differential soil water sourcing of managed Loblolly Pine and Sweet Gum revealed by stable isotopes in the Upper Coastal Plain, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brockman, L. E.; Younger, S. E.; Jackson, C. R.; McDonnell, J.; Janzen, K. F.

2017-12-01

Stable isotope signatures of stem water can illuminate where in the soil profile different types of trees are accessing soil water and thereby contribute to our understanding of water movement through the soil plant atmosphere continuum. The objective of this study was to use 2H and 18O isotopes to characterize water sources of fourteen-year-old intensively managed Loblolly Pine and Sweet Gum stands in replicated (n=3) paired plots. In order to differentiate the isotopic signatures of tree and soil water, both species and five soil depths were sampled monthly for one year. Tree sap and soil water were extracted cryogenically and their isotopic signatures were determined. Although plant water uptake is generally considered a non-fractionating process, our dataset suggests a source of fractionation in 2H signatures in both species and during most of the thirteen sampling events. As a result, only the 18O isotopic data were used to determine the vertical distribution of soil water contributions to stem water. Statistically, we grouped the five soil sampling depths into three isotopic horizons. Shallow, intermediate and deep soil represent sampling depths of 0-10cm, 30-70cm and 100-125cm, respectively. These isotopic horizons were used in a direct inference approach and Bayesian mixing model analysis to determine the origin of stem water. In this study, Loblolly Pine used more water from intermediate and deep soil while Sweet Gum used more water from shallow and intermediate soil. In the winter months, January through March, Loblolly Pine transpired primarily deep soil where as Sweet Gum mainly utilized shallow soil for transpiration. These results indicate that both species have opportunistic water use patterns with seasonal variation.

Microplastic litter composition of the Turkish territorial waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and its occurrence in the gastrointestinal tract of fish.

PubMed

Güven, Olgaç; Gökdağ, Kerem; Jovanović, Boris; Kıdeyş, Ahmet Erkan

2017-04-01

Microplastic pollution of marine environment is receiving increased publicity over the last few years. The present survey is, according to our knowledge, the survey with the largest sample size analyzed, to date. In total, 1337 specimens of fish were examined for the presence of plastic microlitter representing 28 species and 14 families. In addition, samples of seawater and sediment were also analyzed for the quantification of microplastic in the same region. Samples of water/sediment were collected from 18 locations along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. 94% of all collected plastic microlitter from the sea was in the size range between 0.1 and 2.5 mm, while the occurrence of other sizes was rare. The quantity of microplastic particles in surface water samples ranged from 16 339 to 520 213 per km 2 . Fish were collected from 10 locations from which 8 were either shared with or situated in the proximity of water/sediment sampling locations. A total of 1822 microplastic particles were extracted from stomach and intestines of fish. Majority of ingested particles were represented by fibers (70%) and hard plastic (20.8%), while the share of other groups: nylon (2.7%), rubber (0.8%) and miscellaneous plastic (5.5%) were low. The blue color of plastic was the most dominant color. 34% of all examined fish had microplastic in the stomach. On average, fish which had microplastic contained 1.80 particles per stomach. 41% of all fish had microplastic in the intestines with an average of 1.81 particles per fish. 771 specimens contained microplastic in either stomach and/or intestines representing 58% of the total sample with an average of 2.36 particles per fish. Microplastic was found in all species/families that had sample size of at least 2 individuals. The number of particles present in either stomach or intestines ranged between 1 and 35. Ingested microplastic had an average diameter ±SD of 656 ± 803 μm, however particles as small as 9 μm were detected. The trophic level of fish species had no influence whatsoever on the amount of ingested microplastic. Pelagic fish ingested more microplastic than demersal species. In general, fish that ingested higher number of microplastic particles originated from the sites that also had a higher particle count in the seawater and sediment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interpolation of Water Quality Along Stream Networks from Synoptic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyon, S. W.; Seibert, J.; Lembo, A. J.; Walter, M. T.; Gburek, W. J.; Thongs, D.; Schneiderman, E.; Steenhuis, T. S.

2005-12-01

Effective catchment management requires water quality monitoring that identifies major pollutant sources and transport and transformation processes. While traditional monitoring schemes involve regular sampling at fixed locations in the stream, there is an interest synoptic or `snapshot' sampling to quantify water quality throughout a catchment. This type of sampling enables insights to biogeochemical behavior throughout a stream network at low flow conditions. Since baseflow concentrations are temporally persistence, they are indicative of the health of the ecosystems. A major problem with snapshot sampling is the lack of analytical techniques to represent the spatially distributed data in a manner that is 1) easily understood, 2) representative of the stream network, and 3) capable of being used to develop land management scenarios. This study presents a kriging application using the landscape composition of the contributing area along a stream network to define a new distance metric. This allows for locations that are more `similar' to stay spatially close together while less similar locations `move' further apart. We analyze a snapshot sampling campaign consisting of 125 manually collected grab samples during a summer recession flow period in the Townbrook Research Watershed. The watershed is located in the Catskill region of New York State and represents the mixed forest-agriculture land uses of the region. Our initial analysis indicated that stream nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and chemical (major cations and anions) concentrations are controlled by the composition of landscape characteristics (landuse classes and soil types) surrounding the stream. Based on these relationships, an intuitively defined distance metric is developed by combining the traditional distance between observations and the relative difference in composition of contributing area. This metric is used to interpolate between the sampling locations with traditional geostatistic techniques (semivariograms and ordinary kriging). The resulting interpolations provide continuous stream nutrient and chemical concentrations with reduced kriging RMSE (i.e., the interpolation fits the actual data better) performed without path restriction to the stream channel (i.e., the current default for most geostatistical packages) or performed with an in-channel, Euclidean distance metric (i.e., `as the fish swims' distance). In addition to being quantifiably better, the new metric also produces maps of stream concentrations that match expected continuous stream concentrations based on expert knowledge of the watershed. This analysis and its resulting stream concentration maps provide a representation of spatially distributed synoptic data that can be used to quantify water quality for more effective catchment management that focuses on pollutant sources and transport and transformation processes.

[Spatiotemporal variation characteristics of heavy metals pollution in the water, soil and sediments environment of the Lean River-Poyang Lake Wetland].

PubMed

Jian, Min-Fei; Li, Ling-Yu; Xu, Peng-Fei; Chen, Pu-Qing; Xiong, Jian-Qiu; Zhou, Xue-Ling

2014-05-01

Overlying water, sediments, surface soils in the typical wetland areas of Lean River and Poyang Lake which were rich in non-ferrous metal mineral resources on both sides of the river, were chosen for monitoring heavy metals including copper, lead and cadmium of base flow in average season, flood season, and dry season in 2012. Statistical analysis methods were coupled to characterize the spatiotemporal variation of heavy metals pollution and identify the main sources. The results indicated that the concentrations of copper were the highest in all samples of each sampling sites in the Lean River-Poyang Lake wetland. And the content values of copper, lead and cadmium in different samples of different sampling sites also showed that the content values of copper were higher than those of lead, and the content values of lead were also higher than those of cadmium. The results also showed that the heavy metals pollution of copper, lead and cadmium in flood season was the heaviest whereas the heavy metals pollution in dry season was comparatively light. The results of the contents of the three kinds of heavy metals elements in different sampling sites of the watersheds of lean River showed that the contents of copper in the samples from the upstream sampling sites of Lean River were higher than those of other samples from other sites. And the contents of lead in the samples from the downstream sampling sites of Lean River were higher than those of other samples from other sampling sites. The contents of cadmium in the samples from the midstream sampling sites of Lean River were higher than those of other samples from other sites. The first principal component representing copper pollution explained 36. 99% of the total variance of water quality. The second principal component concerning representing lead pollution explained 30. 12% of the total variance. The correlation analysis results showed that there were significant positive correlations among the contents of copper in sediments and the contents of copper in overlying water. And there was also significant positive correlation between the contents of copper in sediments and the contents of copper in the surface soils. And the correlation analysis showed that there were significant positive correlations among the contents of cadmium in sediments and the contents of cadmium in surface soils. The above results reflected that the copper pollution or cadmium sources of water, soil and sediments were consistent, which were mainly from heavy metal acidic waste of mining emissions. The correlations between other components were not very obvious, which reflected the sources of pollutants were different.

Reconnaissance survey of sulfonamide, sulfonylurea, and imidazolinone herbicides in surface streams and groundwater of the Midwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinheimer, T.R.; Pfeiffer, R.L.; Scoggin, K.D.; Battaglin, W.A.

2000-01-01

The study objective was to conduct a small scale synoptic survey of representative water resources draining agricultural land for occurrence of several herbicide residues. These new classes of herbicides are commonly applied pre-emergence or post-emergence in conservation tillage systems to control grasses and broadleaf weeds in cropped and noncropped areas. Both surface water and groundwater samples were collected from 44 midwestern locations during the summer of 1997, and analyzed for herbicide residues of 15 sulfonylurea and imidazolinone chemicals, and one sulfonamide. Each site was sampled between mid-June and late-October with several stream sites sampled twice. The method, developed jointly by the chemical manufacturer's and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, provides a 100 ng/L limit of quantitation in surface water for all analytes. Analytes were detected and identity confirmed in surface water at six sites and in ground water at two sites. The most frequently detected herbicides were imazaquin, imazethapyr, and nicosulfuron. For field studies in which the source of surface and ground water associated with the farming system on the agricultural landscape is known, the sensitivity of the method can be improved with only minor modifications in detection criteria.

Natural attenuation in a surface water channel and a coastal aquifer by monitoring presence and removal of indicator bacteria, pathogens and antibiotic resistance gene: model development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masciopinto, Costantino; Visino, Fabrizio; Luprano, Maria Laura; Levantesi, Caterina; Tandoi, Valter

2015-04-01

The spreading of microbial contamination into the environment, represents a very relevant problem, which leads to an increasing health concern. For this reason, it is important to identify and characterize the extent of natural depuration in water environmental particularly for reducing the presence of faecal contamination indicator bacteria, pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARG). In this study, the presence of the above reported microbial parameters was analyzed in a surface water channel and in a coastal aquifer in southern Italy (Ostuni) southern Italy, both affected by Ostuni municipal treatment plant effluents and by local run-off. Several samples were collected from surface water, flowing in channels, and from wells in our study area. In particular, the water samples were analyzed to detect 7 fecal contamination indicators (E. coli, total coliforms, Clostridium p. spores, somatic coliphages, Enterococci and heterotrophic bacteria), Salmonella spp and the presence of ARGs. The water samples were also tested for chemical constituents. Finally a mathematical model has been developed in order to simulate pathogen migration pathways in the fractured groundwater and corresponding possible mitigation of pathogens in pumping wells.

Hydraulic considerations in sampling the unsaturated zone with inclined gravity lysimeters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oaksford, E.T.

1983-01-01

Inclined gravity lysimeters as deep as 5.39 meters below land surface designed for sampling soil water in coarse sand under continuous ponding conditions, were shown to be capable of collecting 10 liters per hour at an infiltration rate of 0.5 meter per hour. This represents a capture efficiency of approximately 50%, a value observed in two similar but shallower lysimeters. When lysimeters are installed from a trench or observation manhole, soil-water samples can be taken under virtually undisturbed conditions, avoiding the soil disturbance and filtration associated with porous-cup vacuum lysimeters. Successful operation requires that the sampler be designed for the hydraulic characteristics of the soil from which the water sample is to be extracted. Criteria for lysimeter dimensions can be established on the basis of pressure heads experienced during sampling, can be induced to flow into the lysimeter by gradient manipulation. Observed head gradients outside the lysimeter ranged between 1.7 and 2.2 times those across the lysimeter, which would seem to explain the observed capture efficiency. (USGS)

Chemical analyses of hot springs, pools, geysers, and surface waters from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, and vicinity, 1974-1975

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ball, James W.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Jenne, Everett A.; Vivit, Davison V.

1998-01-01

This report presents all analytical determinations for samples collected from Yellowstone National Park and vicinity during 1974 and 1975. Water temperature, pH, Eh, and dissolved O2 were determined on-site. Total alkalinity and F were determined on the day of sample collection. Flame atomic-absorption spectrometry was used to determine concentrations of Li, Na, K, Ca, and Mg. Ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry was used to determine concentrations of Fe(II), Fe(III), As(III), and As(V). Direct-current plasma-optical-emission spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of B, Ba, Cd, Cs, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, and Zn. Two samples collected from Yellowstone Park in June 1974 were used as reference samples for testing the plasma analytical method. Results of these tests demonstrate acceptable precision for all detectable elements. Charge imbalance calculations revealed a small number of samples that may have been subject to measurement errors in pH or alkalinity. These data represent some of the most complete analyses of Yellowstone waters available.

Chlorinated and ultraviolet radiation -treated reclaimed irrigation water is the source of Aeromonas found in vegetables used for human consumption.

PubMed

Latif-Eugenín, Fadua; Beaz-Hidalgo, Roxana; Silvera-Simón, Carolina; Fernandez-Cassi, Xavi; Figueras, María J

2017-04-01

Wastewater is increasingly being recognized as a key water resource, and reclaimed water (or treated wastewater) is used for irrigating vegetables destined for human consumption. The aim of the present study was to determine the diversity and prevalence of Aeromonas spp. both in reclaimed water used for irrigation and in the three types of vegetables irrigated with that water. Seven of the 11 (63.6%) samples of reclaimed water and all samples of vegetables were positive for the presence of Aeromonas. A total of 216 Aeromonas isolates were genotyped and corresponded to 132 different strains that after identification by sequencing the rpoD gene belonged to 10 different species. The prevalence of the species varied depending on the type of sample. In the secondary treated reclaimed water A. caviae and A. media dominated (91.4%) while A. salmonicida, A. media, A. allosaccharophila and A. popoffii represented 74.0% of the strains in the irrigation water. In vegetables, A. caviae (75.0%) was the most common species, among which a strain isolated from lettuce had the same genotype (ERIC pattern) as a strain recovered from the irrigation water. Furthermore, the same genotype of the species A. sanarellii was recovered from parsley and tomatoes demonstrating that irrigation water was the source of contamination and confirming the risk for public health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Occurrence of bacteria of the Yersinia genus in surface water].

PubMed

Krogulska, B; Maleszewska, J

1992-01-01

The aim of the study was determination of the frequency of occurrence of Yersinia genus bacteria in surface waters polluted to various degrees with bacteria of the coliform and of fecal coli. For detection of Yersinia rods the previously elaborated medium Endo MLCe and the membrane filter method were applied. Samples of 42 surface waters were examined, including 26 from rivers and 16 from lakes, ponds and clay-pits. On the basis of sanitary bacteriological analysis 16 surface waters were classified to class I purity, 10 to class II, the remaining ones to class III or beyond classification. Yersinia rods were detected in 15 water bodies that is 35.7% of the examined waters. A total of 27 Yersinia strains were identified with dominance of Y. intermedia (14 strains) and Y. enterocolitica (10 strains). Three strains represented by the species Yersinia frederiksenii. Most of the Y. enterocolitica strains belonged to biotype 1, the particular strains being represented by various serotypes. Hence their different origin may be concluded. The pathogenic serotypes 0:3 and 0:9 of Yersinia enterocolitica were not detected.

Prevalence of Legionella in premise plumbing in Hungary.

PubMed

Barna, Zsófia; Kádár, Mihály; Kálmán, Emese; Scheirich Szax, Anita; Vargha, Márta

2016-03-01

Legionella is one of the emerging concerns of water quality in built water environments. Premise plumbing systems are among the recognised sources of infection. In the present study, colonisation of hot water networks in health care facilities, schools, hotels, private residences, office and industrial buildings was investigated. Data was analysed in connection with building and premise plumbing characteristics. Over 60% of all buildings were colonised by Legionella; counts were over 1000 CFU/L in 49%. The most prevalent type was Legionella pneumophila serogroup 2-14, isolated from 75% of the positive samples. Centrally produced hot water was found to be a key risk factor (46% of the samples were positive vs. 16% in individual systems); within this group the type of the building was less relevant. Colonisation levels in schools were similar to hotels or hospitals, representing a previously underestimated risk setting. Systems supplied by water from deep groundwater sources were significantly less likely to be colonised than more vulnerable sources (bank-wall filtration, surface water abstraction or karstic water; 28% vs. 51% positive), regardless of the type of treatment applied, including the presence of disinfection. The aggravating effect of larger, more complex and older buildings on colonisation was also confirmed. The present study represents the first baseline analysis, pre-empting regulation or monitoring requirements for Legionella. The prevalence of legionellae and the identified risk factors are indicative for other settings lacking targeted interventions. The statistically confirmed risk factors can serve as indicators for preliminary risk assessment and the prioritisation of interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water isotope partitioning and ecohydrologic separation in mixed conifer forest explored with a centrifugation water extraction method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowers, W.; Mercer, J.; Pleasants, M.; Williams, D. G.

2017-12-01

Isotopic partitioning of water within soil into tightly and loosely bound fractions has been proposed to explain differences between isotopic water sources used by plants and those that contribute to streams and ground water, the basis for the "two water worlds" hypothesis. We examined the isotope ratio values of water in trees, bulk soil, mobile water collected from soil lysimeters, stream water, and GW at three different hillslopes in a mixed conifer forest in southeastern Wyoming, USA. Hillslopes differed in aspect and topographic position with corresponding differences in surface energy balance, snowmelt timing, and duration of soil moisture during the dry summer. The isotopic results support the partitioning of water within the soil; trees apparently used a different pool of water for transpiration than that recovered from soil lysimeters and the source was not resolved with the isotopic signature of the water that was extracted from bulk soil via cryogenic vacuum distillation. Separating and measuring the isotope ratios values in these pools would test the assumption that the tightly bound water within the soil has the same isotopic signature as the water transpired by the trees. We employed a centrifugation approach to separate water within the soil held at different tensions by applying stepwise increases in rotational velocity and pressures to the bulk soil samples. Effluent and the remaining water (cryogenically extracted) at each step were compared. We first applied the centrifugation method in a simple lab experiment using sandy loam soil and separate introductions of two isotopically distinct waters. We then applied the method to soil collected from the montane hillslopes. For the lab experiment, we predicted that effluents would have distinct isotopic signatures, with the last effluent and extracted water more closely representing the isotopic signature of the first water applied. For our field samples, we predicted that the isotopic signature of the water discharged in the last centrifuge step and final extraction would more closely represent the isotopic signature of water extracted from trees. Understanding the isotopic partitioning of water within soil is important for interpreting plant water isotope values within the context of the "two water worlds" hypothesis.

The Occurrence and Toxicity of Disinfection Byproducts in European Drinking Waters in Relation with the HIWATE Epidemiology Study

PubMed Central

Jeong, Clara H.; Wagner, Elizabeth D.; Siebert, Vincent R.; Anduri, Sridevi; Richardson, Susan D.; Daiber, Eric J.; McKague, A. Bruce; Kogevinas, Manolis; Villanueva, Cristina M.; Goslan, Emma H.; Luo, Wentai; Isabelle, Lorne M.; Pankow, James F.; Grazuleviciene, Regina; Cordier, Sylvaine; Edwards, Susan C.; Righi, Elena; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; Plewa, Michael J.

2012-01-01

The HIWATE (Health Impacts of long-term exposure to disinfection byproducts in drinking WATEr) project was a systematic analysis that combined the epidemiology on adverse pregnancy outcomes and other health effects with long term exposure to low levels of drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in the European Union. The present study focused on the relationship of the occurrence and concentration of DBPs with in vitro mammalian cell toxicity. Eleven drinking water samples were collected from 5 European countries. Each sampling location corresponded with an epidemiological study for the HIWATE program. Over 90 DBPs were identified; the range in the number of DBPs and their levels reflected the diverse collection sites, different disinfection processes, and the different characteristics of the source waters. For each sampling site, chronic mammalian cell cytotoxicity correlated highly with the numbers of DBPs identified and the levels of DBP chemical classes. Although there was a clear difference in the genotoxic responses among the drinking waters, these data did not correlate as well with the chemical analyses. Thus, the agents responsible for the genomic DNA damage observed in the HIWATE samples may be due to unresolved associations of combinations of identified DBPs, unknown emerging DBPs that were not identified, or other toxic water contaminants. This study represents the first to integrate quantitative in vitro toxicological data with analytical chemistry and human epidemiologic outcomes for drinking water DBPs. PMID:22958121

Typhoon impacts on chemical weathering source provenance of a High Standing Island watershed, Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Kevin J.; Carey, Anne E.; You, Chen-Feng

2017-10-01

Chemical weathering source provenance changes associated with Typhoon Mindulle (2004) were identified for the Choshui River Watershed in west-central Taiwan using radiogenic Sr isotope (87Sr/86Sr) and major ion chemistry analysis of water samples collected before, during, and following the storm event. Storm water sampling over 72 h was conducted in 3 h intervals, allowing for novel insight into weathering regime changes in response to intense rainfall events. Chemical weathering sources were determined to be bulk silicate and disseminated carbonate minerals at the surface and silicate contributions from deep thermal waters. Loss on ignition analysis of collected rock samples indicate disseminated carbonate can compose over 25% by weight of surface mineralogy, but typically makes up ∼2-3% of watershed rock. 87Sr/86Sr and major element molar ratios indicate that Typhoon Mindulle caused a weathering regime switch from normal flow incorporating a deep thermal signature to that of a system dominated by surface weathering. The data suggest release of silicate solute rich soil pore waters during storm events, creating a greater relative contribution of silicate weathering to the solute load during periods of increased precipitation and runoff. Partial depletion of this soil solute reservoir and possible erosion enhanced carbonate weathering lead to increased importance of carbonates to the weathering regime as the storm continues. Major ion data indicate that complex mica weathering (muscovite, biotite, illite, chlorite) may represent an important silicate weathering pathway in the watershed. Deep thermal waters represent an important contribution to river solutes during normal non-storm flow conditions. Sulfuric acid sourced from pyrite weathering is likely a major weathering agent in the Choshui River watershed.

Summary of available state ambient stream-water-quality data, 1990-98, and limitations for national assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, Larry M.; Rosner, Stacy M.; Hoffman, Darren C.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

2004-01-01

The investigation described in this report summarized data from State ambient stream-water-quality monitoring sites for 10 water-quality constituents or measurements (suspended solids, fecal coliform bacteria, ammonia as nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen, total phosphorus, total arsenic, dissolved solids, chloride, sulfate, and pH). These 10 water-quality constituents or measurements commonly are listed nationally as major contributors to degradation of surface water. Water-quality data were limited to that electronically accessible from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Storage and Retrieval System (STORET), the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System (NWIS), or individual State databases. Forty-two States had ambient stream-water-quality data electronically accessible for some or all of the constituents or measurements summarized during this investigation. Ambient in this report refers to data collected for the purpose of evaluating stream ecosystems in relation to human health, environmental and ecological conditions, and designated uses. Generally, data were from monitoring sites assessed for State 305(b) reports. Comparisons of monitoring data among States are problematic for several reasons, including differences in the basic spatial design of monitoring networks; water-quality constituents for which samples are analyzed; water-quality criteria to which constituent concentrations are compared; quantity and comprehensiveness of water-quality data; sample collection, processing, and handling; analytical methods; temporal variability in sample collection; and quality-assurance practices. Large differences among the States in number of monitoring sites precluded a general assumption that statewide water-quality conditions were represented by data from these sites. Furthermore, data from individual monitoring sites may not represent water-quality conditions at the sites because sampling conditions and protocols are unknown. Because of these factors, a high level of uncertainty exists in a national assessment of water quality. The purpose of this report is to present a summary of electronically available State ambient stream-water-quality data for 10 selected constituents and measurements from monitoring sites with nine or more analyses for 199098 and to discuss limitations for use of the data for national assessment. These analyses were statistiscally summarized by monitoring site and State, and the results presented in tabular format. Most of the selected constituents or measurements have U.S. Environmental Protection Agency criteria or guidelines for aquatic-life or drinking-water purposes. A significant finding of this investigation is that for a large percentage of monitoring sites in the Nation, there are insufficient data to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommendations for determining if water-quality conditions are degraded and for making informed decisions regarding total maximum daily loads.

Trace-Element Concentrations in Tissues of Aquatic Organisms from Rivers and Streams of the United States, 1992-1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeWeese, Lawrence R.; Stephens, Verlin C.; Short, Terry M.; Dubrovsky, Neil M.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program collected tissue samples from a variety of aquatic organisms during 1992-1999 within 47 study units across the United States. These tissue samples were collected to determine the occurrence and distribution of 20 major and minor trace elements in aquatic organisms. This report presents the tissue trace-element concentration data, sample summaries, and concentration statistics for 1,457 tissue samples representing 76 species or groups of fish, aquatic invertebrates, and plants were collected at 824 sampling sites.

Occurrence of steroid hormones and antibiotics in shallow groundwater impacted by livestock waste control facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon; Snow, Daniel D.; Damon-Powell, Teyona; Miesbach, David

2011-04-01

Wastewater impoundments at concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) represent a potential source of veterinary pharmaceuticals and steroid hormone contamination to shallow groundwater. This study investigates the occurrence of seventeen veterinary pharmaceuticals and thirteen steroid hormones and hormone metabolites in lagoons and adjacent groundwater at operating swine and beef cattle facilities. These sites were chosen because subsurface geology and previous monitoring of nitrate, ammonia and chloride levels in shallow ground water strongly indicated direct infiltration, and as such represent worst cases for ground water contamination by waste water. Pharmaceutical compounds detected in samples obtained from cattle facilities include sulfamerazine; sulfamethazine; erythromycin; monensin; tiamulin; and sulfathiazole. Lincomycin; ractopamine; sulfamethazine; sulfathiazole; erythromycin; tiamulin and sulfadimethoxine were detected in wastewater samples obtained from swine facilities. Steroid hormones were detected less frequently than veterinary pharmaceuticals in this study. Estrone, testosterone, 4-androstenedione, and androsterone were detected in wastewater impoundments at concentrations ranging from 30 to 3600 ng/L, while only estrone and testosterone were detected in groundwater samples at concentrations up to 390 ng/L. The co-occurrence of veterinary pharmaceutical and steroid hormone contamination in groundwater at these locations and the correlation between pharmaceutical occurrence in lagoon wastewater and hydraulically downgradient groundwater indicates that groundwater underlying some livestock wastewater impoundments is susceptible to contamination by veterinary pharmaceuticals and steroid hormones originating in wastewater lagoons.

Estimated intake of the sweeteners, acesulfame-K and aspartame, from soft drinks, soft drinks based on mineral waters and nectars for a group of Portuguese teenage students.

PubMed

Lino, C M; Costa, I M; Pena, A; Ferreira, R; Cardoso, S M

2008-11-01

In a survey of levels of acesulfame-K and aspartame in soft drinks and in light nectars, the intake of these intense sweeteners was estimated for a group of teenage students. Acesulfame-K was detected in 72% of the soft drinks, with a mean concentration of 72 mg l(-1) and aspartame was found in 92% of the samples with a mean concentration of 89 mg l(-1). When data on the content of these sweeteners in soft drinks were analysed according to flavour, cola drinks had the highest mean levels for both sweeteners with 98 and 103 mg l(-1) for acesulfame-K and aspartame, respectively. For soft drinks based on mineral water, aspartame was found in 62% of the samples, with a mean concentration of 82 mg l(-1) and acesulfame-K was found in 77%, with a mean level of 48 mg l(-1). All samples of nectars contained acesulfame-K, with a mean concentration of 128 mg l(-1) and aspartame was detected in 80% of the samples with a mean concentration of 73 mg l(-1). A frequency questionnaire, designed to identify adolescents having high consumption of these drinks, was completed by a randomly selected sample of teenagers (n = 65) living in the city of Coimbra, in 2007. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of acesulfame-K and aspartame for the average consumer were below the acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). For acesulfame-K, the EDI was 0.7 mg kg(-1) bw day(-1) for soft drinks, 0.2 mg kg(-1) bw day(-1) for soft drinks based on mineral waters, and 0.5 mg kg(-1) bw day(-1) for nectars, representing 8.0%, 2.2%, and 5.8% of the ADI, respectively. A similar situation was observed for aspartame. In this way, the EDI for soft drinks was 1.1 mg kg(-1) day(-1), representing only 2.9% of the ADI. In respect of nectars, the EDI was 0.2 mg kg(-1) bw day(-1), representing 0.5% of the ADI. Soft drinks based on mineral waters showed the lowest EDI values of 0.3 mg kg(-1) bw day(-1), accounting for 0.7% of the ADI.

Pesticides and their breakdown products in Lake Waxahachie, Texas, and in finished drinking water from the lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ging, Patricia B.

2002-01-01

Since 1991, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program has collected pesticide data from streams and aquifers throughout the Nation (Gilliom and others, 1995). However, little published information on pesticides in public drinking water is available. The NAWQA Program usually collects data on the sources of drinking water but not on the finished drinking water. Therefore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), in conjunction with the NAWQA Program, has initiated a nationwide pilot project to collect information on concentrations of pesticides and their breakdown products in finished drinking water, in source waters such as reservoirs, and in the basins that contribute water to the reservoirs. The pilot project was designed to collect water samples from finished drinking-water supplies and the associated source water from selected reservoirs that receive runoff from a variety of land uses. Lake Waxahachie, in Ellis County in north-central Texas, was chosen to represent a reservoir receiving water that includes runoff from cotton cropland. This fact sheet presents the results of pesticide sampling of source water from Lake Waxahachie and in finished drinking water from the lake. Analyses are compared to indicate differences in pesticide detections and concentrations between lake water and finished drinking water.

Validation of feasibility and quality of chicken breast meat cooked under various water-cooking conditions.

PubMed

Chumngoen, Wanwisa; Chen, Hsin-Yi; Tan, Fa-Jui

2016-12-01

Under laboratory conditions, the qualities of boneless chicken breasts are commonly determined by placing them in a bag and cooking them in a water bath. The results are often applied as references for comparing the influences of cooking techniques. However, whether a sample cooked under this "laboratory" condition actually represents the meat cooked under the "real-life" condition in which meat is frequently cooked directly in water without packaging remains unclear. Whether the two cooking conditions lead to comparable results in meat quality should be determined. This study evaluated the influence of cooking conditions, including "placed-in-bag and cooked in a water bath (BC)" and "cooked directly in hot water (WC)" conditions, on the quality of chicken meat. The results reveal that BC samples had a longer cooking time. Deboned-and-skinless BC samples had a higher cooking loss and lower protein solubility (P < 0.01). BC samples with bone and skin had a higher lightness in both skin and muscle. No significant differences were observed in attributes, including shear force, collagen solubility, microstructures, redness, yellowness and descriptive sensory characteristics between treatments. Based on the results, considering the quality attributes that might be influenced, is critical when conducting relevant research. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Assessment of 226Ra, 238U, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K activities from the northern coastline of Oman Sea (water and sediments).

PubMed

Darabi-Golestan, F; Hezarkhani, A; Zare, M R

2017-05-15

Water and sediment samples were collected from northern coast of Oman Sea covering from Goatr to Hormoz canyon seaport. Water and sediment quality assessment for naturally or anthropogenic radionuclides at Oman Sea as a main strategic golf for trade and transit, is an important issue. Correspondence analysis (CA) by R-mode analysis represents that sigma(T)-temperature-conductivity-O 2 parameters are well-correlated with 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K. Accordingly Q-mode analysis revealed an indicator samples of ST13W for different radionuclides, ST03W for O 2 , and simultaneously ST34W-ST21W-ST08W-ST04W for sigma(T) parameters. The CA results overlapped with factor and cluster analysis results that explained 85.8% of total variance of water samples. Descriptive analysis of sediments indicates more significant variation than water samples. The 232 Th and 226 Ra generally showing that ST13D to ST25D sediments that restricted to Pi Bashk coastline are concentrated from 137 Cs and 40 K. By comparison with reference-values from Iran and other parts of the world, they are acceptable with respect to environmental and radioisotope hazards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical quality of tap water in Madrid: multicase control cancer study in Spain (MCC-Spain).

PubMed

Fernández-Navarro, Pablo; Villanueva, Cristina M; García-Pérez, Javier; Boldo, Elena; Goñi-Irigoyen, Fernando; Ulibarrena, Enrique; Rantakokko, Panu; García-Esquinas, Esther; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; Pollán, Marina; Aragonés, Nuria

2017-02-01

Chronic consumption of water, which contains contaminants, may give rise to adverse health effects. The Madrid region, covered by the population-based multicase-control (MCC-Spain) study, includes two drinking water supply areas. The different sources of the water, coupled together with the possible differences in water management, mean that there may be differences in drinking water quality. In the context of the MCC study, our aims were to describe contaminant concentrations in tap water drawn from various sampling points distributed around the region, assess these concentrations by reference to guideline values and study possible differences between the two supply areas. Tap water samples were collected from 34 sampling points in 7 towns in the Madrid region (19-29 April 2010), and 23 contaminants (metals, nitrates, disinfection by-product and Mutagen X levels) were quantified. We undertook a descriptive analysis of the contaminant concentrations in the water and compared them between the two water supply areas (Wilcoxon test). We created maps representing the distribution of the concentrations observed at water sampling points and assessed the correlations (Spearman's coefficient) between the different parameters measured. The concentrations of the contaminants were below guideline values. There were differences between the two supply areas in concentration of nitrates (p value = 0.0051) and certain disinfection by-products. While there were positive correlations (rho >0.70) among some disinfection by-products, no correlations were found in metals or nitrates. The differences in nitrate levels could be linked to differences in farming/industrial activities in the catchment areas and in disinfection by-products might be related to the existence of different treatment systems or bromine content in source waters.

Letter Report: Stable Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotope Analysis of B-Complex Perched Water Samples

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

Lee, Brady D.; Moran, James J.; Nims, Megan K.

Fine-grained sediments associated with the Cold Creek Unit at Hanford have caused the formation of a perched water aquifer in the deep vadose zone at the B Complex area, which includes waste sites in the 200-DV-1 Operable Unit and the single-shell tank farms in Waste Management Area B-BX-BY. High levels of contaminants, such as uranium, technetium-99, and nitrate, make this aquifer a continuing source of contamination for the groundwater located a few meters below the perched zone. Analysis of deuterium ( 2H) and 18-oxygen ( 18O) of nine perched water samples from three different wells was performed. Samples represent timemore » points from hydraulic tests performed on the perched aquifer using the three wells. The isotope analyses showed that the perched water had δ 2H and δ 18O ratios consistent with the regional meteoric water line, indicating that local precipitation events at the Hanford site likely account for recharge of the perched water aquifer. Data from the isotope analysis can be used along with pumping and recovery data to help understand the perched water dynamics related to aquifer size and hydraulic control of the aquifer in the future.« less

Spatial distribution of Legionella pneumophila MLVA-genotypes in a drinking water system.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Martínez, Sarah; Sharaby, Yehonatan; Pecellín, Marina; Brettar, Ingrid; Höfle, Manfred; Halpern, Malka

2015-06-15

Bacteria of the genus Legionella cause water-based infections, resulting in severe pneumonia. To improve our knowledge about Legionella spp. ecology, its prevalence and its relationships with environmental factors were studied. Seasonal samples were taken from both water and biofilm at seven sampling points of a small drinking water distribution system in Israel. Representative isolates were obtained from each sample and identified to the species level. Legionella pneumophila was further determined to the serotype and genotype level. High resolution genotyping of L. pneumophila isolates was achieved by Multiple-Locus Variable number of tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA). Within the studied water system, Legionella plate counts were higher in summer and highly variable even between adjacent sampling points. Legionella was present in six out of the seven selected sampling points, with counts ranging from 1.0 × 10(1) to 5.8 × 10(3) cfu/l. Water counts were significantly higher in points where Legionella was present in biofilms. The main fraction of the isolated Legionella was L. pneumophila serogroup 1. Serogroup 3 and Legionella sainthelensis were also isolated. Legionella counts were positively correlated with heterotrophic plate counts at 37 °C and negatively correlated with chlorine. Five MLVA-genotypes of L. pneumophila were identified at different buildings of the sampled area. The presence of a specific genotype, "MLVA-genotype 4", consistently co-occurred with high Legionella counts and seemed to "trigger" high Legionella counts in cold water. Our hypothesis is that both the presence of L. pneumophila in biofilm and the presence of specific genotypes, may indicate and/or even lead to high Legionella concentration in water. This observation deserves further studies in a broad range of drinking water systems to assess its potential for general use in drinking water monitoring and management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a quantitative H2S MPN test for fecal microbes analysis of water using biochemical and molecular identification.

PubMed

McMahan, Lanakila; Grunden, Amy M; Devine, Anthony A; Sobsey, Mark D

2012-04-15

The sensitivity and specificity of the H(2)S test to detect fecal bacteria in water has been variable and uncertain in previous studies, partly due to its presence-absence results. Furthermore, in groundwater samples false-positive results have been reported, with H(2)S-positive samples containing no fecal coliforms or Escherichia coli. False-negative results also have been reported in other studies, with H(2)S-negative samples found to contain E. coli. Using biochemical and molecular methods and a novel quantitative test format, this research identified the types and numbers of microbial community members present in natural water samples, including fecal indicators and pathogens as well as other bacteria. Representative water sources tested in this study included cistern rainwater, a protected lake, and wells in agricultural and forest settings. Samples from quantitative H(2)S tests of water were further cultured for fecal bacteria by spread plating onto the selective media for detection and isolation of Aeromonas spp., E. coli, Clostridium spp., H(2)S-producers, and species of Salmonella and Shigella. Isolates were then tested for H(2)S production, and identified to the genus and species level using biochemical methods. Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (TRFLP) was the molecular method employed to quantitatively characterize microbial community diversity. Overall, it was shown that water samples testing positive for H(2)S bacteria also had bacteria of likely fecal origin and waters containing fecal pathogens also were positive for H(2)S bacteria. Of the microorganisms isolated from natural water, greater than 70 percent were identified using TRFLP analysis to reveal a relatively stable group of organisms whose community composition differed with water source and over time. These results further document the validity of the H(2)S test for detecting and quantifying fecal contamination of water. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in sample collection and analytical techniques and effects on retrospective comparability of low-level concentrations of trace elements in ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivahnenko, T.; Szabo, Z.; Gibs, J.

2001-01-01

Ground-water sampling techniques were modified to reduce random low-level contamination during collection of filtered water samples for determination of trace-element concentrations. The modified sampling techniques were first used in New Jersey by the US Geological Survey in 1994 along with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis to determine the concentrations of 18 trace elements at the one microgram-per-liter (μg/L) level in the oxic water of the unconfined sand and gravel Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system. The revised technique tested included a combination of the following: collection of samples (1) with flow rates of about 2L per minute, (2) through acid-washed single-use disposable tubing and (3) a single-use disposable 0.45-μm pore size capsule filter, (4) contained within portable glove boxes, (5) in a dedicated clean sampling van, (6) only after turbidity stabilized at values less than 2 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), when possible. Quality-assurance data, obtained from equipment blanks and split samples, indicated that trace element concentrations, with the exception of iron, chromium, aluminum, and zinc, measured in the samples collected in 1994 were not subject to random contamination at 1μg/L.Results from samples collected in 1994 were compared to those from samples collected in 1991 from the same 12 PVC-cased observation wells using the available sampling and analytical techniques at that time. Concentrations of copper, lead, manganese and zinc were statistically significantly lower in samples collected in 1994 than in 1991. Sampling techniques used in 1994 likely provided trace-element data that represented concentrations in the aquifer with less bias than data from 1991 when samples were collected without the same degree of attention to sample handling.

Electro-thermal vaporization direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry for water contaminant analysis during space missions.

PubMed

Dwivedi, Prabha; Gazda, Daniel B; Keelor, Joel D; Limero, Thomas F; Wallace, William T; Macatangay, Ariel V; Fernández, Facundo M

2013-10-15

The development of a direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (DART-MS) method and first prototype vaporizer for the detection of low molecular weight (∼30-100 Da) contaminants representative of those detected in water samples from the International Space Station is reported. A temperature-programmable, electro-thermal vaporizer (ETV) was designed, constructed, and evaluated as a sampling interface for DART-MS. The ETV facilitates analysis of water samples with minimum user intervention while maximizing analytical sensitivity and sample throughput. The integrated DART-ETV-MS methodology was evaluated in both positive and negative ion modes to (1) determine experimental conditions suitable for coupling DART with ETV as a sample inlet and ionization platform for time-of-flight MS, (2) to identify analyte response ions, (3) to determine the detection limit and dynamic range for target analyte measurement, and (4) to determine the reproducibility of measurements made with the method when using manual sample introduction into the vaporizer. Nitrogen was used as the DART working gas, and the target analytes chosen for the study were ethyl acetate, acetone, acetaldehyde, ethanol, ethylene glycol, dimethylsilanediol, formaldehyde, isopropanol, methanol, methylethyl ketone, methylsulfone, propylene glycol, and trimethylsilanol.

Lithium in the Natural Waters of the South East of Ireland

PubMed Central

Kavanagh, Laurence; Keohane, Jerome; Cleary, John; Garcia Cabellos, Guiomar; Lloyd, Andrew

2017-01-01

The South East of Ireland (County Carlow) contains a deposit of the valuable lithium-bearing mineral spodumene (LiAl(SiO3)2). This resource has recently attracted interest and abstractive mining in the area is a possibility for the future. The open cast mining of this resource could represent a potential hazard in the form of metalliferous pollution to local water. The population of County Carlow is just under 60,000. The local authority reports that approximately 75.7% of the population’s publicly supplied drinking water is abstracted from surface water and 11.6% from groundwater. In total, 12.7% of the population abstract their water from private groundwater wells. Any potential entry of extraneous metals into the area’s natural waters will have implications for people in county Carlow. It is the goal of this paper to establish background concentrations of lithium and other metals in the natural waters prior to any mining activity. Our sampling protocol totaled 115 sites along five sampling transects, sampled through 2015. From this dataset, we report a background concentration of dissolved lithium in the natural waters of County Carlow, surface water at x¯ = 0.02, SD = 0.02 ranging from 0 to 0.091 mg/L and groundwater at x¯ = 0.023, SD = 0.02 mg/L ranging from 0 to 0.097 mg/L. PMID:28587126

Lithium in the Natural Waters of the South East of Ireland.

PubMed

Kavanagh, Laurence; Keohane, Jerome; Cleary, John; Garcia Cabellos, Guiomar; Lloyd, Andrew

2017-05-26

The South East of Ireland (County Carlow) contains a deposit of the valuable lithium-bearing mineral spodumene (LiAl(SiO₃)₂). This resource has recently attracted interest and abstractive mining in the area is a possibility for the future. The open cast mining of this resource could represent a potential hazard in the form of metalliferous pollution to local water. The population of County Carlow is just under 60,000. The local authority reports that approximately 75.7% of the population's publicly supplied drinking water is abstracted from surface water and 11.6% from groundwater. In total, 12.7% of the population abstract their water from private groundwater wells. Any potential entry of extraneous metals into the area's natural waters will have implications for people in county Carlow. It is the goal of this paper to establish background concentrations of lithium and other metals in the natural waters prior to any mining activity. Our sampling protocol totaled 115 sites along five sampling transects, sampled through 2015. From this dataset, we report a background concentration of dissolved lithium in the natural waters of County Carlow, surface water at x ¯ = 0.02, SD = 0.02 ranging from 0 to 0.091 mg/L and groundwater at x ¯ = 0.023, SD = 0.02 mg/L ranging from 0 to 0.097 mg/L.

Multistate Evaluation of an Ultrafiltration-Based Procedure for Simultaneous Recovery of Enteric Microbes in 100-Liter Tap Water Samples▿

PubMed Central

Hill, Vincent R.; Kahler, Amy M.; Jothikumar, Narayanan; Johnson, Trisha B.; Hahn, Donghyun; Cromeans, Theresa L.

2007-01-01

Ultrafiltration (UF) is increasingly being recognized as a potentially effective procedure for concentrating and recovering microbes from large volumes of water and treated wastewater. Because of their very small pore sizes, UF membranes are capable of simultaneously concentrating viruses, bacteria, and parasites based on size exclusion. In this study, a UF-based water sampling procedure was used to simultaneously recover representatives of these three microbial classes seeded into 100-liter samples of tap water collected from eight cities covering six hydrologic areas of the United States. The UF-based procedure included hollow-fiber UF as the primary step for concentrating microbes and then used membrane filtration for bacterial culture assays, immunomagnetic separation for parasite recovery and quantification, and centrifugal UF for secondary concentration of viruses. Water samples were tested for nine water quality parameters to investigate whether water quality data correlated with measured recovery efficiencies and molecular detection levels. Average total method recovery efficiencies were 71, 97, 120, 110, and 91% for φX174 bacteriophage, MS2 bacteriophage, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens spores, and Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, respectively. Real-time PCR and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for seeded microbes and controls indicated that tap water quality could affect the analytical performance of molecular amplification assays, although no specific water quality parameter was found to correlate with reduced PCR or RT-PCR performance. PMID:17483281

Detection of Acanthamoeba spp. in water samples collected from natural water reservoirs, sewages, and pharmaceutical factory drains using LAMP and PCR in China.

PubMed

Lass, Anna; Guerrero, Milena; Li, Xiuping; Karanis, Gabriele; Ma, Liqing; Karanis, Panagiotis

2017-04-15

Various species of amoebas belonging to the genus Acanthamoeba are widely distributed in many parts of the world. Some strains of these protozoans may exist as parasites and pose risks to human health as causative agents of serious human diseases. Currently in China there is a lack of information about the distribution of Acanthamoeba strains in the environment. Accordingly, 261 environmental water samples taken from rivers, sewage, and pharmaceutical factory drains were collected in Qinghai Province, China. The material was filtered and then analysed with both LAMP and PCR assays. Of the samples examined, Acanthamoeba DNA was found in 32 (14.68%) samples with the use of LAMP; in 13 of these samples, DNA from this amoeba was also detected using PCR. Sequencing of selected positive samples confirmed that the PCR products were fragments of the Acanthamoeba 18S rRNA gene and that isolates represent the T4 genotype, known as the most common strain related to AK cases. The results indicate that surface water, as well as water taken from sewage and pharmaceutical drains, may be a source of acanthamoebic strains potentially pathogenic for humans in China. It has been also demonstrated that LAMP assays is more sensitive than PCR and can be regarded as useful tool for screening the environment for Acanthamoeba spp. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of beta activity in water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, F.B.; Robinson, B.P.

1963-01-01

Many elements have one or more naturally radioactive isotopes, and several hundred other radionuclides have been produced artificially. Radioactive substances may be present in natural water as a result of geochemical processes or the release of radioactive waste and other nuclear debris to the environment. The Geological Survey has developed methods for measuring certain of these .radioactive substances in water. Radioactive substances often are present in water samples in microgram quantities or less. Therefore, precautions must be taken to prevent loss of material and to assure that the sample truly represents its source at the time of collection. Addition of acids, complexing agents, or stable isotopes often aids in preventing loss of radioactivity on container walls, on sediment, or on other solid materials in contact with the sample. The disintegration of radioactive atoms is a random process subject to established methods of statistical analysis. Because many water samples contain small amounts of radioactivity, low-level counting techniques must be used. The usual assumption that counting data follow a Gaussian distribution is invalid under these conditions, and statistical analyses must be based on the Poisson distribution. The gross beta activity in water samples is determined from the residue left after evaporation of the sample to dryness. Evaporation is accomplished first in a teflon dish, then the residue is transferred with distilled water to a counting planchet and again is reduced to dryness. The radioactivity on the planchet is measured with an anticoincidence-shielded, low-background, beta counter and is compared with measurements of a strontium-90-yttrium-90 standard prepared and measured in the same manner. Control charts are used to assure consistent operation of the counting instrument.

Chemical Constituents in Groundwater from Multiple Zones in the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2005-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholomay, Roy C.; Twining, Brian V.

2010-01-01

From 2005 to 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey's Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Project office, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, collected water-quality samples from multiple water-bearing zones in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer. Water samples were collected from six monitoring wells completed in about 350-700 feet of the upper part of the aquifer, and the samples were analyzed for major ions, selected trace elements, nutrients, selected radiochemical constituents, and selected stable isotopes. Each well was equipped with a multilevel monitoring system containing four to seven sampling ports that were each isolated by permanent packer systems. The sampling ports were installed in aquifer zones that were highly transmissive and that represented the water chemistry of the top four to five model layers of a steady-state and transient groundwater-flow model. The model's water chemistry and particle-tracking simulations are being used to better define movement of wastewater constituents in the aquifer. The results of the water chemistry analyses indicated that, in each of four separate wells, one zone of water differed markedly from the other zones in the well. In four wells, one zone to as many as five zones contained radiochemical constituents that originated from wastewater disposal at selected laboratory facilities. The multilevel sampling systems are defining the vertical distribution of wastewater constituents in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and the concentrations of wastewater constituents in deeper zones in wells Middle 2051, USGS 132, and USGS 103 support the concept of groundwater flow deepening in the southwestern part of the INL.

Identification of culturable stream water bacteria from urban, agricultural, and forested watersheds using 16S rRNA gene sequencing

Treesearch

Kenneth T. Belt; Christina Hohn; Aiah Gbakima; James A. Higgins

2007-01-01

Bacteria present in water samples taken on a weekly basis, from June 2004 through June 2005, from three streams, were cultured on Coliscan® Easygel® agar plates. Colonies representative of a variety of colors and morphologies were subjected to amplification and sequencing of a 1000-1100 nt portion of the 16S rRNA gene. A total of 528 colonies were...

Continental bottled water assessment by stir bar sorptive extraction followed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SBSE-GC-MS/MS).

PubMed

Guart, Albert; Calabuig, Ignacio; Lacorte, Silvia; Borrell, Antonio

2014-02-01

This study was aimed to determine the presence of 69 organic contaminants in 77 representative bottled waters collected from 27 countries all over the world. All water samples were contained in polyethylene terephthalate bottles. Target compounds were (1) environmental contaminants (including 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 31 pesticides including organochlorine (OCPs), organophosphorus, and pyrethroids; 7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); and 7 triazines) and (2) plasticizers (including 6 phthalates and 5 other compounds). Samples were analyzed by stir bar sorptive extraction followed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PAHs, OCPs, PCBs, and triazines, which are indicators of groundwater pollution, were not detected in most of the samples, except for naphthalene (0.005-0.202 μg/L, n = 16). On the other hand, plastic components were detected in 77 % of the samples. Most frequently detected compounds were dimethyl phthalate and benzophenone at concentrations of 0.005-0.125 (n = 41) and 0.014-0.921 (n = 32), respectively. Levels detected are discussed in terms of contamination origin and geographical distribution. Target compounds were detected at low concentrations. Results obtained showed the high quality of bottled water in the different countries around the world.

Preliminary estimates of residence times and apparent ages of ground water in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and water-quality data from a survey of springs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Focazio, Michael J.; Plummer, Niel; Bohlke, John K.; Busenberg, Eurybiades; Bachman, L. Joseph; Powars, David S.

1998-01-01

Knowledge of the residence times of the ground-water systems in Chesapeake Bay watershed helps resource managers anticipate potential delays between implementation of land-management practices and any improve-ments in river and estuary water quality. This report presents preliminary estimates of ground-water residence times and apparent ages of water in the shallow aquifers of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A simple reservoir model, published data, and analyses of spring water were used to estimate residence times and apparent ages of ground-water discharge. Ranges of aquifer hydraulic characteristics throughout the Bay watershed were derived from published literature and were used to estimate ground-water residence times on the basis of a simple reservoir model. Simple combinations of rock type and physiographic province were used to delineate hydrogeomorphic regions (HGMR?s) for the study area. The HGMR?s are used to facilitate organization and display of the data and analyses. Illustrations depicting the relation of aquifer characteristics and associated residence times as a continuum for each HGMR were developed. In this way, the natural variation of aquifer characteristics can be seen graphically by use of data from selected representative studies. Water samples collected in September and November 1996, from 46 springs throughout the watershed were analyzed for chlorofluorocarbons (CFC?s) to estimate the apparent age of ground water. For comparison purposes, apparent ages of water from springs were calculated assuming piston flow. Additi-onal data are given to estimate apparent ages assuming an exponential distribution of ages in spring discharge. Additionally, results from previous studies of CFC-dating of ground water from other springs and wells in the watershed were compiled. The CFC data, and the data on major ions, nutrients, and nitrogen isotopes in the water collected from the 46 springs are included in this report. The apparent ages of water discharging from 30 of the 46 springs sampled were less than 20 years, including 5 that were 'modern' (0-4 years). Four samples had apparent ages of 22 to 34 years, and two others from thermal springs were 40 years or greater. The remaining ten samples were contaminated with local sources of CFC and could not be dated. Nitrate concentrations and nitrate delta 15 nitrogen (15N) values in water from many springs are similar to those in shallow ground water beneath fertilized fields, and some values are high enough to indicate a probable source from animal-waste components. The nitrogen data reported here highlight the significance of the springs sampled during this study as pathways for nutrient transport in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Ground-water samples were collected from springs during an unusually high flow period and thus may not be representative of low base-flow conditions. Residence times estimated from plausible ranges of aquifer properties and results of previous age-dating analyses generally corroborate the apparent-age analysis made in the current study and suggests that some residence times could be much longer. The shortest residence times tend to be in the Blue Ridge and northern carbonate areas; however, the data are preliminary and not appropriate for statistical tests of significance or variance. Because the age distributions in the aquifer discharging to the springs are not known, and because the apparent ages of water from the springs are based on various com-binations of CFC criteria, the apparent ages and calculated residence times are compared for illustrative purposes but are considered preliminary until further work is accomplished.

Modeling relative permeability of water in soil: Application of effective-medium approximation and percolation theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghanbarian, Behzad; Sahimi, Muhammad; Daigle, Hugh

2016-07-01

Accurate prediction of the relative permeability to water under partially saturated condition has broad applications and has been studied intensively since the 1940s by petroleum, chemical, and civil engineers, as well as hydrologists and soil scientists. Many models have been developed for this purpose, ranging from those that represent the pore space as a bundle of capillary tubes, to those that utilize complex networks of interconnected pore bodies and pore throats with various cross-section shapes. In this paper, we propose an approach based on the effective-medium approximation (EMA) and percolation theory in order to predict the water relative permeability. The approach is general and applicable to any type of porous media. We use the method to compute the water relative permeability in porous media whose pore-size distribution follows a power law. The EMA is invoked to predict the relative permeability from the fully saturated pore space to some intermediate water saturation that represents a crossover from the EMA to what we refer to as the "critical region." In the critical region below the crossover water saturation Swx, but still above the critical water saturation Swc (the residual saturation or the percolation threshold of the water phase), the universal power law predicted by percolation theory is used to compute the relative permeability. To evaluate the accuracy of the approach, data for 21 sets of undisturbed laboratory samples were selected from the UNSODA database. For 14 cases, the predicted relative permeabilities are in good agreement with the data. For the remaining seven samples, however, the theory underestimates the relative permeabilities. Some plausible sources of the discrepancy are discussed.

Evaluation of Legionella pneumophila contamination in Italian hotel water systems by quantitative real-time PCR and culture methods.

PubMed

Bonetta, Sa; Bonetta, Si; Ferretti, E; Balocco, F; Carraro, E

2010-05-01

This study was designed to define the extent of water contamination by Legionella pneumophila of certain Italian hotels and to compare quantitative real-time PCR with the conventional culture method. Nineteen Italian hotels of different sizes were investigated. In each hotel three hot water samples (boiler, room showers, recycling) and one cold water sample (inlet) were collected. Physico-chemical parameters were also analysed. Legionella pneumophila was detected in 42% and 74% of the hotels investigated by the culture method and by real-time PCR, respectively. In 21% of samples analysed by the culture method, a concentration of >10(4) CFU l(-1) was found, and Leg. pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated from 10.5% of the hotels. The presence of Leg. pneumophila was significantly influenced by water sample temperature, while no association with water hardness or residual-free chlorine was found. This study showed a high percentage of buildings colonized by Leg. pneumophila. Moreover, real-time PCR proved to be sensitive enough to detect lower levels of contamination than the culture method. This study indicates that the Italian hotels represent a possible source of risk for Legionnaires' disease and confirms the sensitivity of the molecular method. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate Legionella contamination in Italian hotels using real-time PCR and culture methods.

Environmental Survey of Drinking Water Sources in Kampala, Uganda, during a Typhoid Fever Outbreak.

PubMed

Murphy, J L; Kahler, A M; Nansubuga, I; Nanyunja, E M; Kaplan, B; Jothikumar, N; Routh, J; Gómez, G A; Mintz, E D; Hill, V R

2017-12-01

In 2015, a typhoid fever outbreak began in downtown Kampala, Uganda, and spread into adjacent districts. In response, an environmental survey of drinking water source types was conducted in areas of the city with high case numbers. A total of 122 samples was collected from 12 source types and tested for Escherichia coli , free chlorine, and conductivity. An additional 37 grab samples from seven source types and 16 paired large volume (20 liter) samples from wells and springs were also collected and tested for the presence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. Escherichia coli was detected in 60% of kaveras (drinking water sold in plastic bags) and 80% of refilled water bottles; free chlorine was not detected in either source type. Most jerry cans (68%) contained E. coli and had free chlorine residuals below the WHO-recommended level of 0.5 mg/liter during outbreaks. Elevated conductivity readings for kaveras, refilled water bottles, and jerry cans (compared to treated surface water supplied by the water utility) suggested that they likely contained untreated groundwater. All unprotected springs and wells and more than 60% of protected springs contained E. coli Water samples collected from the water utility were found to have acceptable free chlorine levels and no detectable E. coli While S Typhi was not detected in water samples, Salmonella spp. were detected in samples from two unprotected springs, one protected spring, and one refilled water bottle. These data provided clear evidence that unregulated vended water and groundwater represented a risk for typhoid transmission. IMPORTANCE Despite the high incidence of typhoid fever globally, relatively few outbreak investigations incorporate drinking water testing. During waterborne disease outbreaks, measurement of physical-chemical parameters, such as free chlorine residual and electrical conductivity, and of microbiological parameters, such as the presence of E. coli or the implicated etiologic agent, in drinking water samples can identify contaminated sources. This investigation indicated that unregulated vended water and groundwater sources were contaminated and were therefore a risk to consumers during the 2015 typhoid fever outbreak in Kampala. Identification of contaminated drinking water sources and sources that do not contain adequate disinfectant levels can lead to rapid targeted interventions. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Occurrence of anthropogenic organic compounds in ground water and finished water of community water systems in Eagle and Spanish Springs Valleys, Nevada, 2002-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosen, Michael R.; Shaefer, Donald H.; Toccalino, Patricia A.; Delzer, Gregory C.

2006-01-01

As a part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program, an effort to characterize the quality of major rivers and aquifers used as a source of supply to some of the largest community water systems (CWSs) in the United States has been initiated. These studies, termed Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs), consist of two sampling phases. Phase 1 was designed to determine the frequency of detection and concentrations of about 260 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides and pesticide degradates, and other anthropogenic organic compounds in source water of 15 CWS wells in each study. Phase 2 monitors concentrations in the source water and also the associated finished water of CWSs for compounds most frequently detected during phase 1. One SWQA was completed in the Nevada Basin and Range area in Nevada. Ten CWS wells in Eagle Valley and five CWS wells in Spanish Springs Valley were sampled. For phase 2, two wells were resampled in Eagle Valley. Samples were collected during 2002-2004 for both phases. Water use in Eagle Valley is primarily for domestic purposes and is supplied through CWSs. Ground-water sources provide about 55 percent of the public-water supply, and surface-water sources supply about 45 percent. Lesser amounts of water are provided by domestic wells. Very little water is used for agriculture or manufacturing. Spanish Springs Valley has water-use characteristics similar to those in Eagle Valley, although there is more agricultural water use in Spanish Springs Valley than in Eagle Valley. Maximum contaminant concentrations were compared to two human-health benchmarks, if available, to describe the water-quality data in a human-health context for these findings. Measured concentrations of regulated contaminants were compared to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Nevada Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) values. Measured concentrations of unregulated contaminants were compared to Health-Based Screening Levels, which are not regulatory standards and are not legally enforceable values. All of the contaminants detected in this study were found at concentrations less than available human-health benchmarks. In the source waters sampled in phase 1, 10 contaminants of the approximately 260 measured were detected in samples collected from Eagle Valley, and 4 contaminants were detected in samples from Spanish Springs Valley. The most frequently detected compounds in the Eagle Valley source water were chloroform (a disinfection by-product), which was detected in samples from four wells, and deethylatrazine (a degradation product of the herbicide atrazine), which was detected in samples from three wells. Each of the four contaminants detected in the Spanish Springs Valley source waters was detected in samples from one well. The detection frequencies of VOCs and pesticides in samples from the SWQA wells were similar to those in samples from both shallow and deep monitoring wells in Carson City, Reno, and Spanish Springs. This indicates that the SWQA sampling is representative of the organic chemical compounds likely to be detected in the aquifers sampled. However, more organic compounds were detected at low frequencies and concentrations in samples from the monitoring wells than in samples from SWQA wells. Three contaminants were detected in one finished-water sample collected from Eagle Valley. Comparison of SWQA results in the Nevada Basin and Range Study Unit to results of an SWQA in the larger urban area of Salt Lake City showed that fewer anthropogenic compounds were detected in Eagle and Spanish Springs Valleys and generally at lower concentrations than in the Salt Lake City study.

Potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the United States.

PubMed

Battaglin, W A; Smalling, K L; Anderson, C; Calhoun, D; Chestnut, T; Muths, E

2016-10-01

To investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 States in the United States (US) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. All samples were analyzed for >90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) using molecular methods. Pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected frequently in frog breeding habitats (water and sediment) as well as in frog tissue. Fungicides occurred more frequently in water, sediment, and tissue than was expected based upon their limited use relative to herbicides or insecticides. Pesticide occurrence in water or sediment was not a strong predictor of occurrence in tissue, but pesticide concentrations in tissue were correlated positively to agricultural and urban land, and negatively to forested land in 2-km buffers around the sites. Bd was detected in water at 45% of sites, and on 34% of swabbed frogs. Bd detections in water were not associated with differences in land use around sites, but sites with detections had colder water. Frogs that tested positive for Bd were associated with sites that had higher total fungicide concentrations in water and sediment, but lower insecticide concentrations in sediments relative to frogs that were Bd negative. Bd concentrations on frog swabs were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, and negatively correlated to pH and water temperature. Data were collected from a range of locations and amphibian habitats and represent some of the first field-collected information aimed at understanding the interactions between pesticides, land use, and amphibian disease. These interactions are of particular interest to conservation efforts as many amphibians live in altered habitats and may depend on wetlands embedded in these landscapes to survive. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, William A.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Anderson, Chauncey; Calhoun, Daniel L.; Chestnut, Tara E.; Muths, Erin L.

2016-01-01

To investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 States in the United States (US) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. All samples were analyzed for > 90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) using molecular methods. Pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected frequently in frog breeding habitats (water and sediment) as well as in frog tissue. Fungicides occurred more frequently in water, sediment, and tissue than was expected based upon their limited use relative to herbicides or insecticides. Pesticide occurrence in water or sediment was not a strong predictor of occurrence in tissue, but pesticide concentrations in tissue were correlated positively to agricultural and urban land, and negatively to forested land in 2-km buffers around the sites. Bd was detected in water at 45% of sites, and on 34% of swabbed frogs. Bd detections in water were not associated with differences in land use around sites, but sites with detections had colder water. Frogs that tested positive for Bd were associated with sites that had higher total fungicide concentrations in water and sediment, but lower insecticide concentrations in sediments relative to frogs that were Bd negative. Bd concentrations on frog swabs were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, and negatively correlated to pH and water temperature.Data were collected from a range of locations and amphibian habitats and represent some of the first field-collected information aimed at understanding the interactions between pesticides, land use, and amphibian disease. These interactions are of particular interest to conservation efforts as many amphibians live in altered habitats and may depend on wetlands embedded in these landscapes to survive.

Hydrologic data, 1974-77, Stovepipe Wells Hotel area, Death Valley National Monument, Inyo County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lamb, Charles Edwin; Downing, D.J.

1979-01-01

Ground-water levels in most wells did not change significantly from 1974 to 1977 in the Stovepipe Wells Hotel area, California. The average water-level decline was less than 0.10 foot between August 1974 and August 1977 in 10 observation wells. Water-level contours show a depression centered on the two pumping wells, but this depression existed before the National Park Service started pumping its well. The chemical quality of the ground water is poor. Dissolved-solids concentrations in water samples ranged from 2,730 to 6,490 milligrams per liter. Analyses of water samples from two wells showed large changes in some constituents from 1976 to 1977. Streamflow in Salt Creek has been monitored since February 1974. Base flow is seasonal, being 0.10 to 0.20 cubic foot per second during the summer and as much as three times that amount during the winter. Two chemical analyses of water from Salt Creek, representing summer and winter flow conditions, show large differences for many constituents. (Woodard-USGS)

Dissolved Pesticide and Organic Carbon Concentrations Detected in Surface Waters, Northern Central Valley, California, 2001-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, James L.; Jacobson, Lisa A.; Kuivila, Kathryn

2004-01-01

Field and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the effects of pesticide mixtures on Chinook salmon under various environmental conditions in surface waters of the northern Central Valley of California. This project was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of California. The project focused on understanding the environmental factors that influence the toxicity of pesticides to juvenile salmon and their prey. During the periods January through March 2001 and January through May 2002, water samples were collected at eight surface water sites in the northern Central Valley of California and analyzed by the USGS for dissolved pesticide and dissolved organic carbon concentrations. Water samples were also collected by the USGS at the same sites for aquatic toxicity testing by the Aquatic Toxicity Laboratory at the University of California Davis; however, presentation of the results of these toxicity tests is beyond the scope of this report. Samples were collected to characterize dissolved pesticide and dissolved organic carbon concentrations, and aquatic toxicity, associated with winter storm runoff concurrent with winter run Chinook salmon out-migration. Sites were selected that represented the primary habitat of juvenile Chinook salmon and included major tributaries within the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins and the Sacramento?San Joaquin Delta. Water samples were collected daily for a period of seven days during two winter storm events in each year. Additional samples were collected weekly during January through April or May in both years. Concentrations of 31 currently used pesticides were measured in filtered water samples using solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry at the U.S. Geological Survey's organic chemistry laboratory in Sacramento, California. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were analyzed in filtered water samples using a Shimadzu TOC-5000A total organic carbon analyzer.

Lentic small water bodies: Variability of pesticide transport and transformation patterns.

PubMed

Ulrich, Uta; Hörmann, Georg; Unger, Malte; Pfannerstill, Matthias; Steinmann, Frank; Fohrer, Nicola

2018-03-15

Lentic small water bodies have a high ecological potential as they fulfill several ecosystem services such as the retention of water and pollutants. They serve as a hot spot of biodiversity. Due to their location in or adjacent to agricultural fields, they can be influenced by inputs of pesticides and their transformation products. Since small water bodies have rarely been part of monitorings/campaigns up to now, their current exposure and processes guiding the pesticide input are not understood, yet. This study presents results of a sampling campaign of 10 lentic small water bodies from 2015 to 2016. They were sampled once after the spring application for a pesticide target screening, before autumn application and three times after rainfall events following the application. The autumn sampling focused on the herbicides metazachlor, flufenacet and their transformation products - oxalic acid and - sulfonic acid as representatives for common pesticides in the study region. The concentrations were associated with rainfall before and after application, characteristics of the site and the water bodies, physicochemical parameters and the applied amount of pesticides. The key results of the pesticide screening in spring indicate positive detections of pesticides which have not been applied for years to the single fields. The autumn sampling showed frequent occurrences of the transformation products, which are formed in soil, from 39% to 94% of all samples (n=71). Discharge patterns were observed for metazachlor with highest concentrations in the first sample after application and then decreasing, but not for flufenacet. The concentrations of the transformation products increased over time and revealed highest values mainly in the last sample. Besides rainfall patterns right after application, the spatial and temporal dissemination of the pesticides to the water bodies seems to play a major role to understand the exposure of lentic small water bodies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Zoonotic Cryptosporidium Species in Animals Inhabiting Sydney Water Catchments

PubMed Central

Zahedi, Alireza; Monis, Paul; Aucote, Sarah; King, Brendon; Paparini, Andrea; Jian, Fuchun; Yang, Rongchang; Oskam, Charlotte; Ball, Andrew; Robertson, Ian; Ryan, Una

2016-01-01

Cryptosporidium is one of the most common zoonotic waterborne parasitic diseases worldwide and represents a major public health concern of water utilities in developed nations. As animals in catchments can shed human-infectious Cryptosporidium oocysts, determining the potential role of animals in dissemination of zoonotic Cryptosporidium to drinking water sources is crucial. In the present study, a total of 952 animal faecal samples from four dominant species (kangaroos, rabbits, cattle and sheep) inhabiting Sydney’s drinking water catchments were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium using a quantitative PCR (qPCR) and positives sequenced at multiple loci. Cryptosporidium species were detected in 3.6% (21/576) of kangaroos, 7.0% (10/142) of cattle, 2.3% (3/128) of sheep and 13.2% (14/106) of rabbit samples screened. Sequence analysis of a region of the 18S rRNA locus identified C. macropodum and C. hominis in 4 and 17 isolates from kangaroos respectively, C. hominis and C. parvum in 6 and 4 isolates respectively each from cattle, C. ubiquitum in 3 isolates from sheep and C. cuniculus in 14 isolates from rabbits. All the Cryptosporidium species identified were zoonotic species with the exception of C. macropodum. Subtyping using the 5’ half of gp60 identified C. hominis IbA10G2 (n = 12) and IdA15G1 (n = 2) in kangaroo faecal samples; C. hominis IbA10G2 (n = 4) and C. parvum IIaA18G3R1 (n = 4) in cattle faecal samples, C. ubiquitum subtype XIIa (n = 1) in sheep and C. cuniculus VbA23 (n = 9) in rabbits. Additional analysis of a subset of samples using primers targeting conserved regions of the MIC1 gene and the 3’ end of gp60 suggests that the C. hominis detected in these animals represent substantial variants that failed to amplify as expected. The significance of this finding requires further investigation but might be reflective of the ability of this C. hominis variant to infect animals. The finding of zoonotic Cryptosporidium species in these animals may have important implications for the management of drinking water catchments to minimize risk to public health. PMID:27973572

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

Last, G.V.; Eddy, P.A.; Airhart, S.P.

The information presented in this report was collected during limited site investigation activities conducted in the vicinity of Landfills 1 and 4 at Fort Lewis. The purpose of this work was to provide a means of detecting and evaluating the impacts of these inactive landfills on ground-water quality and adjacent lands. This effort included the design and construction of ground-water monitoring systems for compliance with applicable federal and state regulations governing Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)-type landfills. Ground-water samples were collected from both existing (1981 and 1984) wells and the newly installed (1988) wells. The analytical results from themore » water samples indicate that the ground water in and around Landfill 1 contains limited contamination. Contaminants may include volatile organic compounds and nitrate. The primary concern in the area around Landfill 1 was the determination that ground water from two wells may contain cis-1,2-dichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethylene above drinking water standards. Nitrate levels in the downgradient wells were greater than those in upgradient wells and exceeded drinking water standards in some of the less-representative samples. Analyses of ground-water samples from wells in and around Landfill 4 indicate several contaminants may be present. These include volatile organic compounds (principally cis-1,2-dichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethylene), coliform, oil and grease, and perhaps some metals (iron and magnesium). The primary concern in the area around Landfill 4 was the determination that ground water from five wells contained cis-1,2-dichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethylene above drinking water standards. The source of contaminants beneath either landfill cannot yet be identified. Insufficient data exist to disprove or confirm either landfill as possible contributors. 19 refs., 32 figs., 17 tabs.« less

Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Viable Giardia Cysts and Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts in Large-Volume Water Samples with Wound Fiberglass Cartridge Filters and Reverse Transcription-PCR

PubMed Central

Kaucner, Christine; Stinear, Timothy

1998-01-01

We recently described a reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for detecting low numbers of viable Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts spiked into clarified environmental water concentrates. We have now modified the assay for direct analysis of primary sample concentrates with simultaneous detection of viable C. parvum oocysts, Giardia cysts, and a novel type of internal positive control (IPC). The IPC was designed to assess both efficiency of mRNA isolation and potential RT-PCR inhibition. Sensitivity testing showed that low numbers of organisms, in the range of a single viable cyst and oocyst, could be detected when spiked into 100-μl packed pellet volumes of concentrates from creek and river water samples. The RT-PCR was compared with an immunofluorescence (IF) assay by analyzing 29 nonspiked environmental water samples. Sample volumes of 20 to 1,500 liters were concentrated with a wound fiberglass cartridge filter. Frequency of detection for viable Giardia cysts increased from 24% by IF microscopy to 69% by RT-PCR. Viable C. parvum oocysts were detected only once by RT-PCR (3%) in contrast to detection of viable Cryptosporidium spp. in four samples by IF microscopy (14%), suggesting that Cryptosporidium species other than C. parvum were present in the water. This combination of the large-volume sampling method with RT-PCR represents a significant advance in terms of protozoan pathogen monitoring and in the wider application of PCR technology to this field of microbiology. PMID:9572946

Impact of sampling techniques on measured stormwater quality data for small streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harmel, R.D.; Slade, R.M.; Haney, R.L.

2010-01-01

Science-based sampling methodologies are needed to enhance water quality characterization for setting appropriate water quality standards, developing Total Maximum Daily Loads, and managing nonpoint source pollution. Storm event sampling, which is vital for adequate assessment of water quality in small (wadeable) streams, is typically conducted by manual grab or integrated sampling or with an automated sampler. Although it is typically assumed that samples from a single point adequately represent mean cross-sectional concentrations, especially for dissolved constituents, this assumption of well-mixed conditions has received limited evaluation. Similarly, the impact of temporal (within-storm) concentration variability is rarely considered. Therefore, this study evaluated differences in stormwater quality measured in small streams with several common sampling techniques, which in essence evaluated within-channel and within-storm concentration variability. Constituent concentrations from manual grab samples and from integrated samples were compared for 31 events, then concentrations were also compared for seven events with automated sample collection. Comparison of sampling techniques indicated varying degrees of concentration variability within channel cross sections for both dissolved and particulate constituents, which is contrary to common assumptions of substantial variability in particulate concentrations and of minimal variability in dissolved concentrations. Results also indicated the potential for substantial within-storm (temporal) concentration variability for both dissolved and particulate constituents. Thus, failing to account for potential cross-sectional and temporal concentration variability in stormwater monitoring projects can introduce additional uncertainty in measured water quality data. Copyright ?? 2010 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

ICR SS protozoan data site-by-site: a picture of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in U.S. surface water.

PubMed

Ongerth, Jerry E

2013-09-17

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Information Collection Rule Supplemental Survey (ICR SS) required analysis of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in 10 L surface water samples twice a week for a year by USEPA Method 1623 at 80 representative U.S. public water systems (PWS). The resulting data are examined site-by-site in relation to objectives of the Federal drinking water regulation, The Long-Term (2) Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2), currently under formal 6-year review by the USEPA. The data describe Cryptosporidium and Giardia in watersheds nation-wide over a single annual cycle. Due to limited recovery efficiency measurement results are not fully quantified. In the required sample volumes of 10 L no Cryptosporidium were found in 86% of samples and no Giardia were found in 67% of samples. Yet, organisms were found in enough samples at 34 of 80 sites to detail a specrtum of occurrence and variability for both organisms. The data are shown to describe indivudual site risk essential for guidance of watershed and water treatment management by PWSs. The span of median occurrence for both organisms was about 2 orders of magnitude above the limit of detection (LD), ca. 0.05 raw no's/L for Cryptosporidium and ca. 0.10 raw no's/L for Giardia. Data analysis illustrates key features of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in surface water: presence is continuous not intermittent; zeros indicate presence below the LD; occurrence level and variations depend on watershed sources; risk depends on both magnitude and variability of concentration; accurate estimation of risk requires routine measurement of recovery efficiency and calculation of concentration. The data and analysis illustrate features of Cryptosporidium and Giardia occurrence in surface water relevant to their effective regulation for public health protection.

Assessment and modeling of groundwater quality using WQI and GIS in Upper Egypt area.

PubMed

Rabeiy, Ragab ElSayed

2017-04-04

The continuous growth and development of population need more fresh water for drinking, irrigation, and domestic in arid countries like Egypt. Evaluation the quality of groundwater is an essential study to ensure its suitability for different purposes. In this study, 812 groundwater samples were taken within the middle area of Upper Egypt (Sohag Governorate) to assess the quality of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. Eleven water parameters were analyzed at each groundwater sample (Na + , K + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , HCO 3 - SO 4 2- , Fe 2+ , Mn 2+ , Cl - , electrical conductivity, and pH) to exploit them in water quality evaluation. A classical statistics were applied for the raw data to examine the distribution of physicochemical parameters in the investigated area. The relationship between groundwater parameters was tested using the correlation coefficient where a strong relationship was found between several water parameters such as Ca 2+ and Cl - . Water quality index (WQI) is a mathematical model used to transform many water parameters into a single indicator value which represents the water quality level. Results of WQI showed that 20% of groundwater samples are excellent, 75% are good for drinking, and 7% are very poor water while only 1% of samples are unsuitable for drinking. To test the suitability of groundwater for irrigation, three indices are used; they are sodium adsorption ration (SAR), sodium percentage (Na%), and permeability index (PI). For irrigation suitability, the study proved that most sampling sites are suitable while less than 3% are unsuitable for irrigation. The spatial distribution of the estimated values of WQI, SAR, Na%, PI, and each groundwater parameter was spatially modeled using GIS.

Porosity of the Marcellus Shale: A contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bahadur, Jitendra; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Pipich, Vitaliy; Sakurovs, Richard; Melnichenko, Yuri B.

2018-01-01

Neutron scattering techniques were used to determine the effect of mineral matter on the accessibility of water and toluene to pores in the Devonian Marcellus Shale. Three Marcellus Shale samples, representing quartz-rich, clay-rich, and carbonate-rich facies, were examined using contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering (CM-SANS) at ambient pressure and temperature. Contrast matching compositions of H2O, D2O and toluene, deuterated toluene were used to probe open and closed pores of these three shale samples. Results show that although the mean pore radius was approximately the same for all three samples, the fractal dimension of the quartz-rich sample was higher than for the clay-rich and carbonate-rich samples, indicating different pore size distributions among the samples. The number density of pores was highest in the clay-rich sample and lowest in the quartz-rich sample. Contrast matching with water and toluene mixtures shows that the accessibility of pores to water and toluene also varied among the samples. In general, water accessed approximately 70–80% of the larger pores (>80 nm radius) in all three samples. At smaller pore sizes (~5–80 nm radius), the fraction of accessible pores decreases. The lowest accessibility to both fluids is at pore throat size of ~25 nm radii with the quartz-rich sample exhibiting lower accessibility than the clay- and carbonate-rich samples. The mechanism for this behaviour is unclear, but because the mineralogy of the three samples varies, it is likely that the inaccessible pores in this size range are associated with organics and not a specific mineral within the samples. At even smaller pore sizes (~<2.5 nm radius), in all samples, the fraction of accessible pores to water increases again to approximately 70–80%. Accessibility to toluene generally follows that of water; however, in the smallest pores (~<2.5 nm radius), accessibility to toluene decreases, especially in the clay-rich sample which contains about 30% more closed pores than the quartz- and carbonate-rich samples. Results from this study show that mineralogy of producing intervals within a shale reservoir can affect accessibility of pores to water and toluene and these mineralogic differences may affect hydrocarbon storage and production and hydraulic fracturing characteristics

Water-quality assessment of the Sacramento River basin, California : water quality of fixed sites, 1996-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Dileanis, Peter D.

2000-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected from 12 sites in the Sacramento River Basin, Cali-fornia, from February 1996 through April 1998. Field measurements (dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, alkalinity, and water tem-perature) were completed on all samples, and laboratory analyses were done for suspended sediments, nutrients, dissolved and particulate organic carbon, major ions, trace elements, and mercury species. Samples were collected at four types of locations on the Sacramento River?large tributaries to the Sacramento River, agricul-tural drainage canals, an urban stream, and a flood control channel. The samples were collected across a range of flow conditions representative of those sites during the timeframe of the study. The water samples from the Sacramento River indi-cate that specific conductance increases slightly downstream but that the water quality is indicative of dilute water. Water temperature of the Sacramento River increases below Shasta Lake during the spring and summer irrigation season owing to diversion of water out of the river and subsequent lower flow. All 12 sites had generally low concentrations of nutrients, but chlorophyll concentrations were not measured; therefore, the actual consequences of nutrient loading could not be adequately assessed. Concentrations of dis-solved organic carbon in samples from the Sacramento River and the major tributaries were generally low; the formation of trihalomethanes probably does not currently pose a problem when water from the Sacramento River and its major tributaries is chlorinated for drinking-water purposes. However, dissolved organic carbon concentrations were higher in the urban stream and in agricultural drainage canals, but were diluted upon mixing with the Sacramento River. The only trace element that currently poses a water-quality problem in the Sacramento River is mercury. A federal criterion for the protection of aquatic life was exceeded during this study, and floodwater concentrations of mercury were mostly higher than the criterion. Exceedances of water-quality standards happened most frequently during winter when suspended-sediment concen-trations also were elevated. Most mercury is found in association with suspended sediment. The greatest loading or transport of mercury out of the Sacramento River Basin to the San Francisco Bay occurs in the winter and principally follows storm events.

Occurrence of antibiotic compounds in source water and finished drinking water from the upper Scioto River Basin, Ohio, 2005-6

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finnegan, Dennis P.; Simonson, Laura A.; Meyer, Michael T.

2010-01-01

The occurrence of antibiotics in surface water and groundwater in urban basins has become a topic of increasing interest in recent years. Little is known about the occurrence, fate, or transport of these compounds and the possible health effects in humans and aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Columbus, Division of Power and Water, did a study to provide a synoptic view of the occurrence of antibiotics in source and finished waters in the upper Scioto River Basin. Water samples were collected seasonally-winter (December 2005), spring (May 2006), summer (August 2006) and fall (October 2006)-at five surface-water sites, one groundwater site, and three water-treatment plants (WTPs). Within the upper Scioto River Basin, sampling at each WTP involved two sampling sites: a source-water intake site and a finished-water site. One or more antibiotics were detected at 11 of the 12 sampling sites. Of the 49 targeted antibiotic compounds, 12 (24 percent) were detected at least one time for a total of 61 detections overall. These compounds were azithromycin, tylosin, erythromycin-H2O, erythromycin, roxithromycin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, iso-chlorotetracycline, lincomycin, and trimethoprim. Detection results were at low levels, with an overall median of 0.014 (u or mu)g/L. Hap Cremean WTP had the fewest detections, with two source-water detections of sulfamethoxazole and azithromycin and no detections in the finished water. Of the total of 61 detections, 31 were in the winter sample run. Sulfamethoxazale and azithromycin detections represent 41 percent of all antibiotic detections. Azithromycin was detected only in the winter sample. Some antibiotics, such as those in the quinoline and tetracycline families, dissipate more quickly in warm water, which may explain why they were detected in the cool months (winter, spring, and fall) and not in the summer. Antibiotic data collected during this study were compared to antibiotic data collected in previous national, regional, and local studies. Many of the same antibiotic compounds detected in the upper Scioto River Basin also were detected in those investigations.

A new validated analytical method for the determination of tributyltin in water samples at the quantification level set by the European Union.

PubMed

Devos, Christophe; David, Frank; Sandra, Pat

2012-10-26

According to recent directives of the European Union (EU), limits of quantification (LOQ) for the determination of tributyltin (TBT) in surface waters should be ca. 60 pg/L (ppq). This put very stringent requirements on analytical methodologies; definitely when they have to be applied in a routine environment. Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), followed by thermal desorption (TD) and capillary gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) can provide accurate and precise data at the 2 ng/L level (ppt). For lower concentrations, matrix and reagent interferences together with contamination may provide too high TBT values. A two-dimensional heart-cut GC method was developed to fractionate TBT from interferences. The GC-GC-MS/MS method shows excellent linearity in the range 50 pg/L-4 ng/L, good repeatability (RSD<20% at 200 pg/L), and a limit of detection of 11 pg/L. The method performance is demonstrated with representative samples i.e. harbor water and waste water samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[H2O ortho-para spin conversion in aqueous solutions as a quantum factor of Konovalov paradox].

PubMed

Pershin, S M

2014-01-01

Recently academician Konovalov and co-workers observed an increase in electroconductivity and biological activity simultaneously with diffusion slowing (or nanoobject diameter increasing) and extremes of other parameters (ζ-potential, surface tension, pH, optical activity) in low concentration aqueous solutions. This phenomenon completely disappeared when samples were shielded against external electromagnetic fields by a Faraday cage. A conventional theory of water and water solutions couldn't explain "Konovalov paradox" observed in numerous experiments (representative sampling about 60 samples and 7 parameters). The new approach was suggested to describe the physics of water and explain "Konovalov paradox". The proposed concept takes into account the quantum differences of ortho-para spin isomers of H2O in bulk water (rotational spin-selectivity upon hydration and spontaneous formation of ice-like structures, quantum beats and spin conversion induced in the presence of a resonant electromagnetic radiation). A size-dependent self-assembly of amorphous complexes of H2O molecules more than 275 leading to the ice Ih structure observed in the previous experiments supports this concept.

Electrokinetic coupling in unsaturated porous media.

PubMed

Revil, A; Linde, N; Cerepi, A; Jougnot, D; Matthäi, S; Finsterle, S

2007-09-01

We consider a charged porous material that is saturated by two fluid phases that are immiscible and continuous on the scale of a representative elementary volume. The wetting phase for the grains is water and the nonwetting phase is assumed to be an electrically insulating viscous fluid. We use a volume-averaging approach to derive the linear constitutive equations for the electrical current density as well as the seepage velocities of the wetting and nonwetting phases on the scale of a representative elementary volume. These macroscopic constitutive equations are obtained by volume-averaging Ampère's law together with the Nernst-Planck equation and the Stokes equations. The material properties entering the macroscopic constitutive equations are explicitly described as functions of the saturation of the water phase, the electrical formation factor, and parameters that describe the capillary pressure function, the relative permeability functions, and the variation of electrical conductivity with saturation. New equations are derived for the streaming potential and electro-osmosis coupling coefficients. A primary drainage and imbibition experiment is simulated numerically to demonstrate that the relative streaming potential coupling coefficient depends not only on the water saturation, but also on the material properties of the sample, as well as the saturation history. We also compare the predicted streaming potential coupling coefficients with experimental data from four dolomite core samples. Measurements on these samples include electrical conductivity, capillary pressure, the streaming potential coupling coefficient at various levels of saturation, and the permeability at saturation of the rock samples. We found very good agreement between these experimental data and the model predictions.

Low-Level Volatile Organic Compounds in Active Public Supply Wells as Ground-Water Tracers in the Los Angeles Physiographic Basin, California, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shelton, Jennifer L.; Burow, Karen R.; Belitz, Kenneth; Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Land, Michael; Gronberg, JoAnn

2001-01-01

Data were collected to evaluate the use of low-level volatile organic compounds (VOC) to assess the vulnerability of public supply wells in the Los Angeles physiographic basin. Samples of untreated ground water from 178 active public supply wells in the Los Angeles physiographic basin show that VOCs were detected in 61 percent of the ground-water samples; most of these detections were low, with only 29 percent above 1 mg/L (microgram per liter). Thirty-nine of the 86 VOCs analyzed were detected in at least one sample, and 11 VOCs were detected in 7 percent or more of the samples. The six most frequently detected VOCs were trichloromethane (chloroform) (46 percent); trichloroethene (TCE) (28 percent); tetrachloro-ethene (PCE) (19 percent); methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) (14 percent); 1,1-dichloroethane (11 percent); and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) (11 percent). These VOCs were also the most frequently detected VOCs in ground water representative of a wide range of hydrologically conditions in urban areas nationwide. Only two VOCs (TCE and PCE) exceeded state and federal primary maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for drinking water in a total of seven samples. Because samples were collected prior to water treatment, sample concentrations do not represent the concentrations entering the drinking-water system.Ground water containing VOCs may be considered to be a tracer of postindustrial-aged water-water that was recharged after the onset of intense urban development. The overall distribution of VOC detections is related to the hydrological and the engineered recharge facilities in the Coastal Los Angeles Basin and the Coastal Santa Ana Basin that comprise the Los Angeles physiographic basin. Most of the ground-water recharge occurs at engineered recharge facilities in the generally coarse-grained northeastern parts of the study area (forebay areas). Ground-water recharge from the land surface is minimal in the southwestern part of the basins, distal from the recharge facilities, where clay layers impede the vertical migration of ground water (pressure areas).VOCs are not uniformly distributed over the study area. Most of the wells with multiple VOC detections, which also have the highest concentrations, are in the forebay areas and are clustered proximal to the recharge facilities. In addition, the number of VOC detections and VOC concentrations decrease beyond about 10-15 kilometers from the recharge facilities. The distribution of individual VOCs is also related to their history of use. MTBE traces ground water recharged during about the last decade and is detected almost exclusively in the forebay areas. Chloroform, which has been used since the 1920s, is more widely distributed and is detected at the greatest distances from the recharge facilities.Downward migration of VOCs from the land surface may be a viable process for VOCs to reach aquifers in parts of the forebay areas, but there is little indication that the same process is active in the pressure area. The lack of contrast in the number of VOC detections between wells of different depths over most of the study area suggests that the downward migration from the land surface is not a dominant pathway for VOCs to travel to the capture zones of public supply wells. Isolated occurrences of multiple VOC detections and high concentrations of VOCs in individual wells may indicate rapid vertical transport from a localized source. Stable isotope data indicate that ground water containing VOCs is a mixture of local precipitation and runoff with water that is isotopically lighter (more negative) than the local sources. The isotopically lighter water could either be Colorado River water or State Water Project water, both of which are imported to the basin and used as a source of recharge to the ground-water flow system. The stable isotope data support the interpretation that VOCs in ground water are associated with the engineered recharge facilities.Two of the most frequently detecte

Geohydrology of the High Energy Laser System Test Facility site, White Sands Missile Range, Tularosa Basin, south-central New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Basabilvazo, G.T.; Nickerson, E.L.; Myers, R.G.

1994-01-01

The Yesum-HoHoman and Gypsum land (hummocky) soils at the High Energy Laser System Test Facility (HELSTF) represent wind deposits from recently desiccated lacustrine deposits and deposits from the ancestral Lake Otero. The upper 15-20 feet of the subsurface consists of varved gypsiferous clay and silt. Below these surfidai deposits the lithology consists of interbedded clay units, silty-clay units, and fine- to medium-grained quartz arenite units in continuous and discontinuous horizons. Clay horizons can cause perched water above the water table. Analyses of selected clay samples indicate that clay units are composed chiefly of kaolinire and mixed-layer illite/ smectite. The main aquifer is representative of a leaky-confined aquifer. Estimated aquifer properties are: transmissivity (T) = 780 feet squared per day, storage coefficient (S) = 3.1 x 10-3, and hydraulic conductivity (K) = 6.0 feet per day. Ground water flows south and southwest; the estimated hydraulic gradient is 5.3 feet per mile. Analyses of water samples indicate that ground water at the HELSTF site is brackish to slightly saline at the top of the main aquifer. Dissolved-solids concentration near the top of the main aquifer ranges from 5,940 to 11,800 milligrams per liter. Predominant ions are sodium and sulfate. At 815 feet below land surface, the largest dissolved-solids concentration measured is 111,000 milligrams per liter, which indicates increasing salinity with depth. Predominant ions are sodium and chloride.

Multilocus phylogeography and systematic revision of North American water shrews (genus: Sorex)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hope, Andrew G.; Panter, Nicholas; Cook, Joseph A.; Talbot, Sandra L.; Nagorsen, David W.

2014-01-01

North American water shrews, which have traditionally included Sorex alaskanus, S. bendirii, and S. palustris, are widely distributed through Nearctic boreal forests and adapted for life in semiaquatic environments. Molecular mitochondrial signatures for these species have recorded an evolutionary history with variable levels of regional divergence, suggesting a strong role of Quaternary environmental change in speciation processes. We expanded molecular analyses, including more-comprehensive rangewide sampling of specimens representing North American water shrew taxa, except S. alaskanus, and sequencing of 4 independent loci from the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. We investigated relative divergence of insular populations along the North Pacific Coast, and newly recognized diversity from southwestern montane locations, potentially representing refugial isolates. Congruent independent genealogies, lack of definitive evidence for contemporary gene flow, and high support from coalescent species trees indicated differentiation of 4 major geographic lineages over multiple glacial cycles of the late Quaternary, similar to a growing number of boreal taxa. Limited divergence of insular populations suggested colonization following the last glacial. Characterization of southwestern montane diversity will require further sampling but divergence over multiple loci is indicative of a relictual sky-island fauna. We have reviewed and revised North American water shrew taxonomy including the recognition of 3 species within what was previously known as S. palustris. The possibility of gene flow between most distantly related North American water shrew lineages coupled with unresolved early diversification of this group and other sibling species reflects a complex but potentially productive system for investigating speciation processes.

A novel method for the rapid determination of polyethoxylated tallow amine surfactants in water and sediment using large volume injection with high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Ross, Andrew R S; Liao, Xiangjun

2015-08-19

Polyethoxylated tallow amine (POEA) surfactants have been used in many glyphosate-based herbicide formulations for agricultural, industrial and residential weed control. The potential for release of these compounds into the environment is of increasing concern due to their toxicity towards aquatic organisms. Current methods for analysis of POEA surfactants require significant time and effort to achieve limits of quantification that are often higher than the concentrations at which biological effects have been observed (as low as 2 ng mL(-1)). We have developed a rapid and robust method for quantifying the POEA surfactant mixture MON 0818 at biologically relevant concentrations in fresh water, sea water and lake sediment using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Water samples preserved by 1:1 v/v dilution with methanol are analyzed directly following centrifugation. Sediment samples undergo accelerated solvent extraction in aqueous methanol prior to analysis. Large volume (100 μL) sample injection and multiple reaction monitoring of a subset of the most abundant POEA homologs provide limits of quantification of 0.5 and 2.9 ng mL(-1) for MON 0818 in fresh water and sea water, respectively, and 2.5 ng g(-1) for total MON 0818 in lake sediment. Average recoveries of 93 and 75% were achieved for samples of water and sediment, respectively spiked with known amounts of MON 0818. Precision and accuracy for the analysis of water and sediment samples were within 10 and 16%, respectively based upon replicate analyses of calibration standards and representative samples. Results demonstrate the utility of the method for quantifying undegraded MON 0818 in water and sediment, although a more comprehensive method may be needed to identify and determine other POEA mixtures and degradation profiles that might occur in the environment. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water resources data--North Dakota water year 2005, Volume 1. Surface water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, S.M.; Lundgren, R.F.; Sether, B.A.; Norbeck, S.W.; Lambrecht, J.M.

2006-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2005 water year for North Dakota consists of records of discharge, stage, and water quality for streams; contents, stage, and water quality for lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality for ground-water wells. Volume 1 contains records of water discharge for 107 streamflow-gaging stations; stage only for 22 river-stage stations; contents and/or stage for 13 lake or reservoir stations; annual maximum discharge for 31 crest-stage stations; and water quality for 93 streamflow-gaging stations, 6 river-stage stations, 15 lake or reservoir stations, and about 50 miscellaneous sample sites on lakes and wetlands. Data are included for 8 water-quality monitor sites on streams and 2 precipitation-chemistry stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating Federal, State, and local agencies in North Dakota.

A Clonal Lineage of Fusarium oxysporum Circulates in the Tap Water of Different French Hospitals

PubMed Central

Sautour, Marc; Gautheron, Nadine; Laurent, Julie; Aho, Serge; Bonnin, Alain; Sixt, Nathalie; Hartemann, Philippe; Dalle, Frédéric; Steinberg, Christian

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Fusarium oxysporum is typically a soilborne fungus but can also be found in aquatic environments. In hospitals, water distribution systems may be reservoirs for the fungi responsible for nosocomial infections. F. oxysporum was previously detected in the water distribution systems of five French hospitals. Sixty-eight isolates from water representative of all hospital units that were previously sampled and characterized by translation elongation factor 1α sequence typing were subjected to microsatellite analysis and full-length ribosomal intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence typing. All but three isolates shared common microsatellite loci and a common two-locus sequence type (ST). This ST has an international geographical distribution in both the water networks of hospitals and among clinical isolates. The ST dominant in water was not detected among 300 isolates of F. oxysporum that originated from surrounding soils. Further characterization of 15 isolates by vegetative compatibility testing allowed us to conclude that a clonal lineage of F. oxysporum circulates in the tap water of the different hospitals. IMPORTANCE We demonstrated that a clonal lineage of Fusarium oxysporum inhabits the water distribution systems of several French hospitals. This clonal lineage, which appears to be particularly adapted to water networks, represents a potential risk for human infection and raises questions about its worldwide distribution. PMID:27663024

Stability of ricinine, abrine, and alpha-amanitin in finished tap ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal Article Ricinine and abrine are potential indicators of drinking water contamination by the biotoxins ricin and abrin, respectively. Simultaneous detection of ricinine and abrine, along with α-amanitin, another potential biotoxin water contaminant, is reportable through the use of automated sample preparation via solid phase extraction and detection using liquid chromatography/tandem-mass spectrometry. Performance of the method was characterized over eight analytical batches with quality control samples analyzed over 10 days. For solutions of analytes prepared with appropriate preservatives, the minimum reporting level (MRL) was 0.50 μg/L for ricinine and abrine and 2.0 μg/L for α-amanitin. Among the analytes, the accuracy of the analysis ranged between 93 and 100% at concentrations of 1-2.5 x the MRL, with analytical precision ranging from 4 to 8%. Five drinking waters representing a range of water quality parameters and disinfection practices were fortified with the analytes and analyzed over a 28 day period to determine their storage stability in these waters. Ricinine was observed to be stable for 28 days in all tap waters. The analytical signal decreased within 5 hrs of sample preparation for abrine and μ-amanitin in some waters, but afterwards, remained stable for 28 days. The magnitude of the decrease correlated with common water quality parameters potentially related to sorption of contaminants onto dissolved and colloidal components within

Comparison and Cost Analysis of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Requirements versus Practice in Seven Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Crocker, Jonny; Bartram, Jamie

2014-01-01

Drinking water quality monitoring programs aim to support provision of safe drinking water by informing water quality management. Little evidence or guidance exists on best monitoring practices for low resource settings. Lack of financial, human, and technological resources reduce a country’s ability to monitor water supply. Monitoring activities were characterized in Cambodia, Colombia, India (three states), Jordan, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda according to water sector responsibilities, monitoring approaches, and marginal cost. The seven study countries were selected to represent a range of low resource settings. The focus was on monitoring of microbiological parameters, such as E. coli, coliforms, and H2S-producing microorganisms. Data collection involved qualitative and quantitative methods. Across seven study countries, few distinct approaches to monitoring were observed, and in all but one country all monitoring relied on fixed laboratories for sample analysis. Compliance with monitoring requirements was highest for operational monitoring of large water supplies in urban areas. Sample transport and labor for sample collection and analysis together constitute approximately 75% of marginal costs, which exclude capital costs. There is potential for substantive optimization of monitoring programs by considering field-based testing and by fundamentally reconsidering monitoring approaches for non-piped supplies. This is the first study to look quantitatively at water quality monitoring practices in multiple developing countries. PMID:25046632

State-of-the-art lab chip sensors for environmental water monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Am; Zou, Zhiwei; Kug Lee, Kang; Ahn, Chong H.; Bishop, Paul L.

2011-03-01

As a result of increased water demand and water pollution, both surface water and groundwater quantity and quality are of major concern worldwide. In particular, the presence of nutrients and heavy metals in water is a serious threat to human health. The initial step for the effective management of surface waters and groundwater requires regular, continuous monitoring of water quality in terms of contaminant distribution and source identification. Because of this, there is a need for screening and monitoring measurements of these compounds at contaminated areas. However, traditional monitoring techniques are typically still based on laboratory analyses of representative field-collected samples; this necessitates considerable effort and expense, and the sample may change before analysis. Furthermore, currently available equipment is so large that it cannot usually be made portable. Alternatively, lab chip and electrochemical sensing-based portable monitoring systems appear well suited to complement standard analytical methods for a number of environmental monitoring applications. In addition, this type of portable system could save tremendous amounts of time, reagent, and sample if it is installed at contaminated sites such as Superfund sites (the USA's worst toxic waste sites) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) facilities or in rivers and lakes. Accordingly, state-of-the-art monitoring equipment is necessary for accurate assessments of water quality. This article reviews details on our development of these lab-on-a-chip (LOC) sensors.

Reconnaissance of ground-water quality in the Papio-Missouri river natural resources district, Eastern Nebraska, July through September 1992. Water resources investigation

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

Verstraeten, I.M.; Ellis, M.J.

1995-12-31

The purpose of this report is to describe the water quality of the principal aquifers in the study area. Wells representative of the geology and land use in the study area were selected for water-quality sampling. Variations in constituent concentration among aquifers are discussed. The report describes the spatial distributions of dissolved nitrite plus-nitrate as nitrogen and triazine and other acetanilide herbicides and evaluates the effects of cropland application of nitrogen and herbicides on the ground-water quality within the study area. The report also summarizes the concentrations of dissolved major and trace constituents including radionuclide activity and concentration.

Hydrochemical determination of source water contributions to Lake Lungo and Lake Ripasottile (central Italy)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Archer, Claire; Noble, Paula; Kreamer, David; Piscopo, Vincenzo; Petitta, Marco; Rosen, Michael R.; Poulson, Simon R.; Piovesan, Gianluca; Mensing, Scott

2017-01-01

Lake Lungo and Lake Ripasottile are two shallow (4-5 m) lakes located in the Rieti Basin, central Italy, that have been described previously as surface outcroppings of the groundwater table. In this work, the two lakes as well as springs and rivers that represent their potential source waters are characterized physio-chemically and isotopically, using a combination of environmental tracers. Temperature and pH were measured and water samples were analyzed for alkalinity, major ion concentration, and stable isotope (δ2H, δ18O, δ13C of dissolved inorganic carbon, and δ34S and δ18O of sulfate) composition. Chemical data were also investigated in terms of local meteorological data (air temperature, precipitation) to determine the sensitivity of lake parameters to changes in the surrounding environment. Groundwater represented by samples taken from Santa Susanna Spring was shown to be distinct with SO42- and Mg2+ content of 270 and 29 mg/L, respectively, and heavy sulfate isotopic composition(δ34S=15.2 ‰ and δ18O=10‰). Outflow from the Santa Susanna Spring enters Lake Ripasottile via a canal and both spring and lake water exhibits the same chemical distinctions and comparatively low seasonal variability. Major ion concentrations in Lake Lungo are similar to the Vicenna Riara Spring and are interpreted to represent the groundwater locally recharged within the plain. The δ13CDIC exhibit the same groupings as the other chemical parameters, providing supporting evidence of the source relationships. Lake Lungo exhibited exceptional ranges of δ13CDIC (±5 ‰) and δ2H, δ18O (±5 ‰ and ±7 ‰, respectively), attributed to sensitivity to seasonal changes. The hydrochemistry results, particularly major ion data, highlight how the two lakes, though geographically and morphologically similar, represent distinct hydrochemical facies. These data also show a different response in each lake to temperature and precipitation patterns in the basin that may be attributed to lake water retention time. The sensitivity of each lake to meteorological patterns can be used to understand the potential effects from long-term climate variability.

Work plan for determining the occurrence of glyphosate, its transformation product AMPA, other herbicide compounds, and antibiotics in midwestern United States streams, 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, W.A.; Thurman, E.M.; Kolpin, D.W.; Scribner, E.A.; Sandstrom, M.W.; Kuivila, K.M.

2003-01-01

The objective of this study is to determine the distribution of glyphosate and its primary transformation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in midwestern streams during post-application and harvest-season runoff events. Water samples will be collected in 2002 during two post-herbicide-application runoff events and one harvest-season runoff event from 53 sites on streams in the Midwestern United States. All samples will be analyzed at the U.S. Geological Survey Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas, for glyphosate and 20 other herbicides. Samples will also be analyzed for a glyphosate transformation product (AMPA) and 26 other herbicide transformation products, using GC/MS or HPLC/MS. Selected samples will be analyzed for 36 antibiotics or antibiotic transformational products. Results from this study will represent the first broad-scale investigation of glyphosate and AMPA in U.S. water resources.

Archaeal Diversity in Waters from Deep South African Gold Mines

PubMed Central

Takai, Ken; Moser, Duane P.; DeFlaun, Mary; Onstott, Tullis C.; Fredrickson, James K.

2001-01-01

A culture-independent molecular analysis of archaeal communities in waters collected from deep South African gold mines was performed by performing a PCR-mediated terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of rRNA genes (rDNA) in conjunction with a sequencing analysis of archaeal rDNA clone libraries. The water samples used represented various environments, including deep fissure water, mine service water, and water from an overlying dolomite aquifer. T-RFLP analysis revealed that the ribotype distribution of archaea varied with the source of water. The archaeal communities in the deep gold mine environments exhibited great phylogenetic diversity; the majority of the members were most closely related to uncultivated species. Some archaeal rDNA clones obtained from mine service water and dolomite aquifer water samples were most closely related to environmental rDNA clones from surface soil (soil clones) and marine environments (marine group I [MGI]). Other clones exhibited intermediate phylogenetic affiliation between soil clones and MGI in the Crenarchaeota. Fissure water samples, derived from active or dormant geothermal environments, yielded archaeal sequences that exhibited novel phylogeny, including a novel lineage of Euryarchaeota. These results suggest that deep South African gold mines harbor novel archaeal communities distinct from those observed in other environments. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of archaeal strains and rDNA clones, including the newly discovered archaeal rDNA clones, the evolutionary relationship and the phylogenetic organization of the domain Archaea are reevaluated. PMID:11722932

Pleistocene paleo-groundwater as a pristine fresh water resource in southern Germany--evidence from stable and radiogenic isotopes.

PubMed

van Geldern, Robert; Baier, Alfons; Subert, Hannah L; Kowol, Sigrid; Balk, Laura; Barth, Johannes A C

2014-10-15

Shallow groundwater aquifers are often influenced by anthropogenic contaminants or increased nutrient levels. In contrast, deeper aquifers hold potentially pristine paleo-waters that are not influenced by modern recharge. They thus represent important water resources, but their recharge history is often unknown. In this study groundwater from two aquifers in southern Germany were analyzed for their hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope compositions. One sampling campaign targeted the upper aquifer that is actively recharged by modern precipitation, whereas the second campaign sampled the confined, deep Benkersandstein aquifer. The groundwater samples from both aquifers were compared to the local meteoric water line to investigate sources and conditions of groundwater recharge. In addition, the deep groundwater was dated by tritium and radiocarbon analyses. Stable and radiogenic isotope data indicate that the deep-aquifer groundwater was not part of the hydrological water cycle in the recent human history. The results show that the groundwater is older than ~20,000 years and most likely originates from isotopically depleted melt waters of the Pleistocene ice age. Today, the use of this aquifer is strictly regulated to preserve the pristine water. Clear identification of such non-renewable paleo-waters by means of isotope geochemistry will help local water authorities to enact and justify measures for conservation of these valuable resources for future generations in the context of a sustainable water management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

'Peeling a comet': Layering of comet analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufmann, E.; Hagermann, A.

2017-09-01

Using a simple comet analogue we investigate the influence of subsurface solar light absorption by dust. We found that a sample initially consisting of loose water ice grains and carbon particles becomes significantly harder after being irradiated with artificial sunlight for several hours. Further a drastic change of the sample surface could be observed. These results suggests that models should treat the nucleus surface as an interactive transitional zone to better represent cometary processes.

Frequent Detection and Genetic Diversity of Human Bocavirus in Urban Sewage Samples.

PubMed

Iaconelli, M; Divizia, M; Della Libera, S; Di Bonito, P; La Rosa, Giuseppina

2016-12-01

The prevalence and genetic diversity of human bocaviruses (HBoVs) in sewage water samples are largely unknown. In this study, 134 raw sewage samples from 25 wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) in Italy were analyzed by nested PCR and sequencing using species-specific primer pairs and broad-range primer pairs targeting the capsid proteins VP1/VP2. A large number of samples (106, 79.1 %) were positive for HBoV. Out of these, 49 were classified as HBoV species 2, and 27 as species 3. For the remaining 30 samples, sequencing results showed mixed electropherograms. By cloning PCR amplicons and sequencing, we confirmed the copresence of species 2 and 3 in 29 samples and species 2 and 4 in only one sample. A real-time PCR assay was also performed, using a newly designed TaqMan assay, for quantification of HBoVs in sewage water samples. Viral load quantification ranged from 5.51E+03 to 1.84E+05 GC/L (mean value 4.70E+04 GC/L) for bocavirus 2 and from 1.89E+03 to 1.02E+05 GC/L (mean value 2.27E+04 GC/L) for bocavirus 3. The wide distribution of HBoV in sewages suggests that this virus is common in the population, and the most prevalent are the species 2 and 3. HBoV-4 was also found, representing the first detection of this species in Italy. Although there is no indication of waterborne transmission for HBoV, the significant presence in sewage waters suggests that HBoV may spread to other water environments, and therefore, a potential role of water in the HBoV transmission should not be neglected.

Geochemical Investigation of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer, South-Central Oklahoma, 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christenson, Scott; Hunt, Andrew G.; Parkhurst, David L.

2009-01-01

A geochemical reconnaissance investigation of the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer in south-central Oklahoma was initiated in 2004 to characterize the ground-water quality at an aquifer scale, to describe the chemical evolution of ground water as it flows from recharge areas to discharge in wells and springs, and to determine the residence time of ground water in the aquifer. Thirty-six water samples were collected from 32 wells and springs distributed across the aquifer for chemical analysis of major ions, trace elements, isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, dissolved gases, and age-dating tracers. In general, the waters from wells and springs in the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer are chemically suitable for all regulated uses, such as public supplies. Dissolved solids concentrations are low, with a median of 347 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Two domestic wells produced water with nitrate concentrations that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's nitrate maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L. Samples from two wells in the confined part of the aquifer exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) for chloride of 250 mg/L and the SMCL of 500 mg/L for dissolved solids. Water samples from these two wells are not representative of water samples from the other wells and springs completed in the unconfined part of the aquifer. No other water samples from the Arbuckle-Simpson geochemical reconnaissance exceeded MCLs or SMCLs, although not every chemical constituent for which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a MCL or SMCL was analyzed as part of the Arbuckle-Simpson geochemical investigation. The major ion chemistry of 34 of the 36 samples indicates the water is a calcium bicarbonate or calcium magnesium bicarbonate water type. Calcium bicarbonate water type is found in the western part of the aquifer, which is predominantly limestone. Calcium magnesium bicarbonate water is found in the eastern part of the aquifer, which is predominantly a dolomite. The major ion chemistry for these 34 samples is consistent with a set of water-rock interactions. Rainfall infiltrates the soil zone, where the host rock, limestone or dolomite, dissolves as a result of uptake of carbon dioxide gas. Some continued dissolution of dolomite and precipitation of calcite occur as the water flows through the saturated zone. The major ion chemistry of the two samples from wells completed in the confined part of the aquifer indicates the water is a sodium chloride type. Geochemical inverse modeling determined that mixing of calcite-saturated recharge water with brine and dissolving calcite, dolomite, and gypsum accounts for the water composition of these two samples. One of the two samples, collected at Vendome Well in Chickasaw National Recreation Area, had a mixing fraction of brine of about 1 percent. The brine component of the sample at Vendome Well is likely to account for the relatively large concentrations of many of the trace elements (potassium, fluoride, bromide, iodide, ammonia, arsenic, boron, lithium, selenium, and strontium) measured in the water sample. Carbon-14, helium-3/tritium, and chlorofluorocarbons were used to calculate ground-water ages, recharge temperatures, and mixtures of ground water in the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer. Thirty four of 36 water samples recharged the aquifer after 1950, indicating that water is moving quickly from recharge areas to discharge at streams and springs. Two exceptions to this classification were noted in samples 6 and 15 (Vendome Well). Ground-water ages determined for these two samples by using carbon-14 are 34,000 years (site 6) and 10,500 years (site 15). Concentrations of dissolved argon, neon, and xenon in water samples were used to determine the temperature of the water when it recharged the aquifer. The mean annual air temperature at Ada, Oklahoma, is 16 degrees Celsius (C) and the median temperature of the 30 reconnaissance water samples was 18.1 C. The av

Faecal contamination of household drinking water in Rwanda: A national cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kirby, Miles A; Nagel, Corey L; Rosa, Ghislaine; Iyakaremye, Laurien; Zambrano, Laura Divens; Clasen, Thomas F

2016-11-15

Unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among young children in low-income settings. We conducted a national survey in Rwanda to determine the level of faecal contamination of household drinking water and risk factors associated therewith. Drinking water samples were collected from a nationally representative sample of 870 households and assessed for thermotolerant coliforms (TTC), a World Health Organization (WHO)-approved indicator of faecal contamination. Potential household and community-level determinants of household drinking water quality derived from household surveys, the 2012 Rwanda Population and Housing Census, and a precipitation dataset were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Widespread faecal contamination was present, and only 24.9% (95% CI 20.9-29.4%, n=217) of household samples met WHO Guidelines of having no detectable TTC contamination, while 42.5% (95% CI 38.0-47.1%, n=361) of samples had >100TTC/100mL and considered high risk. Sub-national differences were observed, with poorer water quality in rural areas and Eastern province. In multivariate analyses, there was evidence for an association between detectable contamination and increased open waste disposal in a sector, lower elevation, and water sources other than piped to household or rainwater/bottled. Risk factors for intermediate/high risk contamination (>10TTC/100mL) included low population density, increased open waste disposal, lower elevation, water sources other than piped to household or rainwater/bottled, and occurrence of an extreme rain event the previous day. Modelling suggests non-household-based risk factors are determinants of water quality in this setting, and these results suggest a substantial proportion of Rwanda's population are exposed to faecal contamination through drinking water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrences of nitrosamines in chlorinated and chloraminated drinking water in three representative cities, China.

PubMed

Luo, Qian; Wang, Donghong; Wang, Zijian

2012-10-15

An investigation of the occurrence of nine nitrosamines in drinking water following different water treatment processes was conducted using samples from seven drinking water treatment plants in three cities and tap waters in one city in China. The total nitrosamine levels ranged from not detected (n.d.) to 43.45 ng/L. The species and concentrations of the nine nitrosamines varied with disinfection methods and source waters. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is the nitrosamines of greatest concern, was identified in raw water, disinfecting water, finished water and tap water samples, ranging from 0.8 to 21.6, 0.12 to 24.2, n.d. to 8.8, and n.d. to 13.3 ng/L, respectively. Chloramination alone produced the most significant amounts of NDMA, while ozonation followed by chloramination led to moderately reduced levels. Additionally, chlorination produced relatively less NDMA, while low pressure ultraviolet radiation followed by chlorination could also significantly reduce them. Total organic carbon is one of the most important factors influencing nitrosamines formation in disinfecting water. In contrast, the addition of chlorine following any other disinfection was found to increase the formation of the other eight species of nitrosamines. The three nitrosamines recommended for monitoring by the US EPA were detected in the tap water samples, but most were present at levels below those that pose a risk to human health. Nevertheless, the occurrence and concentration of nitrosamines regulated in the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List could cause some potential human effects and therefore warrant attention. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlation Between Surface Area and Dissolving Properties of Lead - A Step in the Investigation of Higher than Standard Lead Concentration in Drinking Water in Washington, D.C.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, M.; Garduno, L.; Mondragon, J. D.; Cuff, K. E.

2004-12-01

Several recently published articles by the Washington Post exposing the alarming concentration of lead in drinking water from schools and homes in the Washington D.C. area sparked our interest in the correlation between lead-containing materials used in plumbing and rate of lead solubility. Elementary children who attend schools in various regions of the District were contacted by San Francisco Bay Area- based high school students who are participants in the NSF-sponsored Environmental Science Information Technology Activities (ESITA) project. After receiving a thorough explanation of required sampling procedures, the elementary school children sent 500 ml water samples from their homes and schools to Berkeley along with information on the locations from which the water samples were collected. These water samples were analyzed for lead content at the Environmental Science Research Program laboratory at Lawrence Hall of Science. The majority of the samples contained more than 15 ppb of lead, which is the EPA action level. We hypothesize that there are three possible sources of lead in the drinking water: 1) lead pipes in the water main; 2) lead pipes in the service main; and 3) lead soldering that was often previously used to connect piping. We chose to investigate the effect of lead-based solder on the overall lead concentration in water. Using a soldering iron, we melted lead solder to create discs ranging from one to five centimeter diameter and one to thirty-six grams of mass. These discs were then placed into a beaker with 500 ml of 7.1pH distilled water and allowed to stand for 48 hours. At the end of 48 hours, the water samples were prepared for analysis using the EPA approved lead-dithizone procedure. Results showed an exponential relationship between disc surface area and the concentration of dissolved lead measured in the sample. Therefore, lead-based solder can represent a possible major source of lead contamination.

Prevalence of Rotavirus Genogroup A and Norovirus Genogroup II in Bassaseachic Falls National Park Surface Waters in Chihuahua, Mexico.

PubMed

Delgado-Gardea, Ma Carmen E; Tamez-Guerra, Patricia; Gomez-Flores, Ricardo; Mendieta-Mendoza, Aurora; Zavala-Díaz de la Serna, Francisco Javier; Contreras-Cordero, Juan Francisco; Erosa-de la Vega, Gilberto; Pérez-Recoder, María Concepción; Sánchez-Ramírez, Blanca; González-Horta, Carmen; Infante-Ramírez, Rocío

2017-05-05

In areas lacking potable water treatment, drinking contaminated water may represent a public health threat. In addition to enteropathogenic bacteria and parasites, fecal contamination in water environments is associated with the transmission of enteric viruses and other causal agents of infectious disease. Rotavirus and norovirus are the main enteric viral agents responsible for diarrheic outbreaks. The aim of the present study was to detect seasonal variation of rotavirus and norovirus in the surface water at Bassaseachic Falls National Park during 2013. Rivers and streams within and nearby this park were sampled once in each season during 2013. Viral concentration was carried out by a handmade filtration equipment, using a commercial electropositive membrane coupled with the virus absortion elution technique (VIRADEL©). Detection of rotavirus and norovirus was performed by SYBR Green reverse transcription-real time polymerase chain reaction (SYBR GREEN© RT-qPCR) analyses. Norovirus genogroup II was detected in samples collected in June and October 2013. In the case of rotavirus, genogroup A was detected in March and June. The presence of rotavirus and norovirus was related to viral acute diarrhea in children less than five years of age, who were inhabiting the sampled areas. This may indicates that the contaminated water was potentially a risk factor for regional diarrheic outbreaks.

AUTOMATED DEAD-END ULTRAFILTRATION FOR ENHANCED SURVEILLANCE OF LEGIONELLA 2 PNEUMOPHILA AND LEGIONELLA SPP. IN COOLING TOWER WATERS

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

Brigmon, R.; Leskinen, S.; Kearns, E.

2011-10-10

Detection of Legionella pneumophila in cooling towers and domestic hot water systems involves concentration by centrifugation or membrane filtration prior to inoculation onto growth media or analysis using techniques such as PCR or immunoassays. The Portable Multi-use Automated Concentration System (PMACS) was designed for concentrating microorganisms from large volumes of water in the field and was assessed for enhancing surveillance of L. pneumophila at the Savannah River Site, SC. PMACS samples (100 L; n = 28) were collected from six towers between August 2010 and April 2011 with grab samples (500 ml; n = 56) being collected before and aftermore » each PMACS sample. All samples were analyzed for the presence of L. pneumophila by direct fluorescence immunoassay (DFA) using FITC-labeled monoclonal antibodies targeting serogroups 1, 2, 4 and 6. QPCR was utilized for detection of Legionella spp. in the same samples. Counts of L. pneumophila from DFA and of Legionella spp. from qPCR were normalized to cells/L tower water. Concentrations were similar between grab and PMACS samples collected throughout the study by DFA analysis (P = 0.4461; repeated measures ANOVA). The same trend was observed with qPCR. However, PMACS concentration proved advantageous over membrane filtration by providing larger volume, more representative samples of the cooling tower environment, which led to reduced variability among sampling events and increasing the probability of detection of low level targets. These data highlight the utility of the PMACS for enhanced surveillance of L. pneumophila by providing improved sampling of the cooling tower environment.« less

Radon and temperature as tracer of geothermal flow system: application to Arxan geothermal system, Northeastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, X.; Shao, J.; Cui, Y.

2017-12-01

In this work, hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations were applied to explain geothermal system factors controlling groundwater mineralization in Arxan geothermal system, Northeastern China. Geothermal water samples were collected from different locations (thermal baths and wells). Radon concentrations of water samples representing different water types and depths were controlled using RAD7. In addition to radon concentration, physical parameters such as temperature (T), pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and TDS were measured in situ, while major ions were analyzed in laboratory. Temperature spatial variability in the study area was described using kriging interpolation method. Hydrochemical analysis and thermal parameters suggest two distinct hydrogeological systems. The first type was dominated by a moderate temperature (25 41°C) with a chemical facies Na-HCO3, which characterizes Jurassic deep water. The second water type was characterized by Ca.Na-HCO3 type with a temperature <25 °C and represents the shallow aquifer. Superficial aquifer displays higher radon concentration (37 to 130 Bq/L), while deep groundwater from Jurassic aquifer shows relatively a low radon concentration (6 to 57.4 Bq/L). Seasonal and geographical variations of radon give insight into the processes controlling radon activities in the Arxan groundwater. Radon concentrations along with spatial distribution of water temperature reveal the existence of vertical communication between shallow aquifer and deep Jurassic aquifer through vertical faults and fractures system, the emanation of radon from thermal water and groundwater is controlled by the geological structure of the area. Furthermore, the knowledge and conclusion demonstrates that combined use of radon and temperature as tracers can give insight into the characteristics of geological structure and geothermal flow system.

Analysis on the spatiotemporal characteristics of water quality and trophic states in Tiegang Reservoir: A public drinking water supply reservoir in South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yun-long; Zhu, Jia; Li, Wang; Tao, Yi; Zhang, Jin-song

2017-08-01

Shenzhen is the most densely populated city in China and with a severe shortage of water. The per capita water resource is less than 200 m3, which is approximately 1/12 of the national average level. In 2016, nearly 90% of Shenzhen’s drinking water needed to be imported from the Pearl River. After arrived at Shenzhen, overseas water was firstly stockpiled in local reservoirs and then was supplied to nearby water works. Tiegang Reservoir is the largest drinking water supply reservoir and its water quality has played an important role to the city’s drinking water security. A fifteen-month’s field observation was conducted from April 2013 to June 2014 in Tiegang Reservoir, in order to analyze the temporal and spatial distribution of water quality factors and seasonal variation of trophic states. One-way ANOVA showed that significant difference was found in water quality factors on month (p<0.005). The spatial heterogeneity of water quality was obvious (p<0.05). The distribution pattern of WT, TOC, Silicate, NO3 --N, TN and Fe was pre-rainy period > latter rainy period > high temperature and rain free period > temperature jump period > winter drought period, while SD showed the contrary. Two-way ANOVA showed that months rather than locations were the key influencing factors of water quality factors succession. Tiegang reservoir was seriously polluted by TN, as a result WQI were at IV∼V level. If TN was not taken into account, WQI were atI∼III level. TLI (Σ) were about 35∼60, suggesting Tiegang reservoir was in mesotrophic and light-eutrophic trophic states. The WQI and TLI (Σ) in sampling sites 9 and 10 were poorer than that of other sites. The 14 water quality factors were divided into 5 groups by factor analysis (FA). The total interpretation rate was 73.54%. F1 represents the climatic change represented by water temperature. F2 and F4 represent the concentration of nutrients. F3 and F5 represent the sensory indexes of water body, such as turbidity, transparency. The FA results indicated that water quality potential risk factors was total nitrogen (TN), and potential risk factors also include chlorophyll-a and nitrate nitrogen (NO3 --N).

Contamination levels of human pharmaceutical compounds in French surface and drinking water.

PubMed

Mompelat, S; Thomas, O; Le Bot, B

2011-10-01

The occurrence of 20 human pharmaceutical compounds and metabolites from 10 representative therapeutic classes was analysed from resource and drinking water in two catchment basins located in north-west France. 98 samples were analysed from 63 stations (surface water and drinking water produced from surface water). Of the 20 human pharmaceutical compounds selected, 16 were quantified in both the surface water and drinking water, with 22% of the values above the limit of quantification for surface water and 14% for drinking water). Psychostimulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, iodinated contrast media and anxiolytic drugs were the main therapeutic classes of human pharmaceutical compounds detected in the surface water and drinking water. The results for surface water were close to results from previous studies in spite of differences in prescription rates of human pharmaceutical compounds in different countries. The removal rate of human pharmaceutical compounds at 11 water treatment units was also determined. Only caffeine proved to be resistant to drinking water treatment processes (with a minimum rate of 5%). Other human pharmaceutical compounds seemed to be removed more efficiently (average elimination rate of over 50%) by adsorption onto activated carbon and oxidation/disinfection with ozone or chlorine (not taking account of the disinfection by-products). These results add to the increasing evidence of the occurrence of human pharmaceutical compounds in drinking water that may represent a threat to human beings exposed to a cocktail of human pharmaceutical compounds and related metabolites and by-products in drinking water.

Watershed-based survey designs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Detenbeck, N.E.; Cincotta, D.; Denver, J.M.; Greenlee, S.K.; Olsen, A.R.; Pitchford, A.M.

2005-01-01

Watershed-based sampling design and assessment tools help serve the multiple goals for water quality monitoring required under the Clean Water Act, including assessment of regional conditions to meet Section 305(b), identification of impaired water bodies or watersheds to meet Section 303(d), and development of empirical relationships between causes or sources of impairment and biological responses. Creation of GIS databases for hydrography, hydrologically corrected digital elevation models, and hydrologic derivatives such as watershed boundaries and upstream–downstream topology of subcatchments would provide a consistent seamless nationwide framework for these designs. The elements of a watershed-based sample framework can be represented either as a continuous infinite set defined by points along a linear stream network, or as a discrete set of watershed polygons. Watershed-based designs can be developed with existing probabilistic survey methods, including the use of unequal probability weighting, stratification, and two-stage frames for sampling. Case studies for monitoring of Atlantic Coastal Plain streams, West Virginia wadeable streams, and coastal Oregon streams illustrate three different approaches for selecting sites for watershed-based survey designs.

Comparison of active and passive sampling strategies for the monitoring of pesticide contamination in streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assoumani, Azziz; Margoum, Christelle; Guillemain, Céline; Coquery, Marina

2014-05-01

The monitoring of water bodies regarding organic contaminants, and the determination of reliable estimates of concentrations are challenging issues, in particular for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. Several strategies can be applied to collect water samples for the determination of their contamination level. Grab sampling is fast, easy, and requires little logistical and analytical needs in case of low frequency sampling campaigns. However, this technique lacks of representativeness for streams with high variations of contaminant concentrations, such as pesticides in rivers located in small agricultural watersheds. Increasing the representativeness of this sampling strategy implies greater logistical needs and higher analytical costs. Average automated sampling is therefore a solution as it allows, in a single analysis, the determination of more accurate and more relevant estimates of concentrations. Two types of automatic samplings can be performed: time-related sampling allows the assessment of average concentrations, whereas flow-dependent sampling leads to average flux concentrations. However, the purchase and the maintenance of automatic samplers are quite expensive. Passive sampling has recently been developed as an alternative to grab or average automated sampling, to obtain at lower cost, more realistic estimates of the average concentrations of contaminants in streams. These devices allow the passive accumulation of contaminants from large volumes of water, resulting in ultratrace level detection and smoothed integrative sampling over periods ranging from days to weeks. They allow the determination of time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of the dissolved fraction of target contaminants, but they need to be calibrated in controlled conditions prior to field applications. In other words, the kinetics of the uptake of the target contaminants into the sampler must be studied in order to determine the corresponding sampling rate constants (Rs). Each constant links the mass of the a target contaminant accumulated in the sampler to its concentration in water. At the end of the field application, the Rs are used to calculate the TWA concentration of each target contaminant with the final mass of the contaminants accumulated in the sampler. Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) is a solvent free sample preparation technique dedicated to the analysis of moderately hydrophobic to hydrophobic compounds in liquid and gas samples. It is composed of a magnet enclosed in a glass tube coated with a thick film of polydimethysiloxane (PDMS). We recently developed the in situ application of SBSE as a passive sampling technique (herein named "Passive SBSE") for the monitoring of agricultural pesticides. The aim of this study is to perform the calibration of the passive SBSE in the laboratory, and to apply and compare this technique to active sampling strategies for the monitoring of 16 relatively hydrophobic to hydrophobic pesticides in streams, during 2 1-month sampling campaigns. Time-weighted averaged concentrations of the target pesticides obtained from passive SBSE were compared to the target pesticide concentrations of grab samples, and time-related and flow-dependent samples of the streams. Results showed passive SBSE as an efficient alternative to conventional active sampling strategies.

Fat- and water-soluble vitamin concentrations in human milk: effects of collection protocol, circadian variation and acute maternal supplementation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Importance: Human milk is the subject of many nutrition studies but methods for representative sample collection are not established. Our recently improved, validated methods for analyzing micronutrients in human milk now enable systematic study of factors affecting their concentration. Objective:...

NETWORK DESIGN FACTORS FOR ASSESSING TEMPORAL VARIABILITY IN GROUND-WATER QUALITY

EPA Science Inventory

A 1.5 year benchmark data Set was collected at biweekly frequency from two siteS in shallow sand and gravel deposits in West Central Illinois. ne site was near a hog-processing facility and the other represented uncontaminated conditions. onsistent sampling and analytical protoco...

Water resources data Virginia water year 2005 Volume 1. Surface-water discharge and surface-water quality records

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wicklein, Shaun M.; Powell, Eugene D.; Guyer, Joel R.; Owens, Joseph A.

2006-01-01

Water-resources data for the 2005 water year for Virginia includes records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams and stage, contents, and water quality of lakes and reservoirs. This volume contains records for water discharge at 172 gaging stations; stage only at 2 gaging stations; elevation at 2 reservoirs and 2 tide gages; contents at 1 reservoir, and water quality at 25 gaging stations. Also included are data for 50 crest-stage partial-record stations. Locations of these sites are shown on figures 4A-B and 5A-B. Miscellaneous hydrologic data were collected at 128 measuring sites and 19 water-quality sampling sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program. The data in this report represent that part of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Virginia.

Spatial and Temporal Variations in Diatoms from la Chaine des Lacs Urban Watershed, Nord-Pas France, in Relation to Water Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noble, P. J.; Van de Vijver, B.; Verleyen, E.; Prygiel, J.; Ivanovsky, A.; Lesven, L.; Billon, G.

2016-12-01

Diatom analysis was conducted on lake sediments in la Chaîne des Lacs (CDL), a shallow eutrophic urban park and storm control system in Villeneuve d'Ascq, France, to address both the present day water quality, and the evolution of this urban system over its 40 year history. The main lake, Lac du Héron (LDH), received recent attention because of water quality problems, including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and invasion by the macrophyte Elodea in 2012. A total of 17 sites were collected in CDL, 11 of which were in LDH, to document spatial variability, and a 26cm long core addresses historical changes. The bulk of the diatom assemblage in LDH can be classified as both eutrophic and moderately metal tolerant, using modern national diatom indices developed and used by the French regional water agencies. Surface sediment samples within LDH show large spatial variations in %Cocconeis placentula whose habitat is epiphytic growth on Elodea. Other variation is reflected in the phytoplankton composition both spatially, and interannually. Aulacoseira muzzanensis and Cyclostephanos dubius showed greater abundance in the open water habitats in LDH, whereas sites in CDL outside of LDH had greater Cyclotella meneghiniana. Temporally, Stephanodicsus (largely S. hantzschii), the dominant diatom in early spring, were present in greater abundances in the 2016 surface sediment samples than in any of the 2015 samples. One possible explanation is that the 2016 samples, taken March 30th, preferentially preserved the early spring Stephanodiscus bloom, in contrast to the 2015 samples, which were taken in January. The sediment core provides an historical record, where the uppermost 4cm plot with the bulk of the LDH surface samples and contain abundant Cocconeis, 4 -14cm is phytoplankton-rich, largely Cyclostephanos dubius and Aulacoseira muzzanensis, and represents a less weed-choked environment prior to the 2012 Elodea invasion. The base of the core is dominated by Amphora and Rhoicosphenia abbreviata, is most similar to an outlier site on the Marque River, and represents early conditions after the reservoir was established. Continued work will focus on relating these results to urban development, improvements of the sewage system, and meteorological patterns.

Male-specific coliphages for source tracking fecal contamination in surface waters and prevalence of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli in a major produce production region of the Central Coast of California.

PubMed

Ravva, Subbarao V; Sarreal, Chester Z; Cooley, Michael B

2015-07-01

To provide data for traditional trace-back studies from fork to farm, it is necessary to determine the environmental sources for Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli. We developed SYBR green based reverse-transcriptase PCR methods to determine the prevalence of F+ RNA coliphages (FRNA) as indicators of fecal contamination. Male-specific coliphages, determined using a single-agar overlay method, were prevalent in all surface waters sampled for 8 months. F+ DNA coliphages (FDNA) were predominant compared to FRNA in water samples from majority of sampling locations. Most (90%) of the FRNA were sourced to humans and originated from human-impacted sites. Members of genogroup III represented 77% of FRNA originated from human sources. Furthermore, 93% of FRNA sourced to animals were also detected in water samples from human-impacted sites. Eighty percent of all FRNA were isolated during the winter months indicating seasonality in prevalence. In contrast, FDNA were more prevalent during summer months. E. coli O157:H7 and Shiga-toxigenic E. coli were detected in water samples from locations predominantly influenced by agriculture. Owing to their scarcity, their numbers could not be correlated with the prevalence of FRNA or FDNA in water samples. Both coliform bacteria and generic E. coli from agricultural or human-impacted sites were similar in numbers and thus could not be used to determine the sources of fecal contamination. Data on the prevalence of male-specific coliphages may be invaluable for predicting the sources of fecal contamination and aid in developing methods to prevent enteric pathogen contamination from likely sources during produce production.

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.

Quantitation of microorganic compounds in waters of the Great Lakes by adsorption on activated carbon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Daniels, Stacy L.; Kempe, Lloyd L.; Graham, E. S.; Beeton, Alfred M.

1963-01-01

Microorganic compounds in waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron have been sampled by adsorption on activated carbon in filters installed aboard the M/V Cisco and at the Hammond Bay Laboratory of the U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. The organic compounds were eluted from the carbon according to techniques developed at the U.S. Public Health Service. On the assumption that chloroform eluates represent less polar compounds from industrial sources and alcohol eluates the more polar varieties of natural origin, plots of chloroform eluates against alcohol eluates appear to be useful in judging water qualities. Based upon these criteria, the data in this paper indicate that both the waters of northern Lake Michigan and of Lake Huron, in the vicinity of Hammond Bay, Michigan, are relatively free from pollution. The limnetic waters of Lake Michigan showed a particularly high ratio of alcohol to chloroform eluates. Data for monthly samples indicated that this ratio fluctuated seasonally. The periodicity of the fluctuations was similar to those of lake levels and water temperatures.

Monitoring and assessment of water quality of Tasik Cempaka, Bangi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabri, Nurul Ain Syahirah Mohamad; Abdullah, Md Pauzi; Mat, Sohif

2014-09-01

A study was carried out to determine the status of water quality of Tasik Cempaka which is a part of Sg. Air Itam, located near the Bangi industrial area. The study was carried out for eight months from May and to December 2013. Eight sampling stations were selected from upstream to downstream of Sg. Air Itam which represent the entire body of the lake water. There are 8 parameters measured and Water Quality Indices (WQI) was calculated and classified according to the National Water Quality Standard (NWQS). The physical and chemical parameters were temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolve oxygen (DO), total suspended solid (TSS), ammoniacal nitrogen (AN), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Among parameters that are affected by pollution is AN, COD and BOD. Classification by WQI shows that the average for all sampling was 54 (dry) and 52 (wet). Both are of class III according to National Water Quality Standard (NWQS) indicating slightly polluted. This is mainly due to drainage from Bangi Golf Resort and Bangi-Putrajaya Hotel. Other factors are activities around Sg. Air Itam such as municipal activities, settlements and manufacturing industries.

Water-quality data collected to determine the presence, source, and concentration of lead in the drinking water supply at Pipe Spring National Monument, northern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macy, Jamie P.; Sharrow, David; Unema, Joel

2013-01-01

Pipe Spring National Monument in northern Arizona contains historically significant springs. The groundwater source of these springs is the same aquifer that presently is an important source of drinking water for the Pipe Spring National Monument facilities, the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, and the community of Moccasin. The Kaibab Paiute Tribe monitored lead concentrations from 2004 to 2009; some of the analytical results exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency action level for treatment technique for lead of 15 parts per billion. The National Park Service and the Kaibab Paiute Tribe were concerned that the local groundwater system that provides the domestic water supply might be contaminated with lead. Lead concentrations in water samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from three springs, five wells, two water storage tanks, and one faucet were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency action level for treatment technique. Lead concentrations of rock samples representative of the rock units in which the local groundwater resides were less than 22 parts per million.

Hyperspectral signatures and WorldView-3 imagery of Indian River Lagoon and Banana River Estuarine water and bottom types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostater, Charles R.; Oney, Taylor S.; Rotkiske, Tyler; Aziz, Samin; Morrisette, Charles; Callahan, Kelby; Mcallister, Devin

2017-10-01

Hyperspectral signatures and imagery collected during the spring and summer of 2017 and 2016 are presented. Ground sampling distances (GSD) and pixel sizes were sampled from just over a meter to less than 4.0 mm. A pushbroom hyperspectral imager was used to calculate bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) signatures. Hyperspectral signatures of different water types and bottom habitats such as submerged seagrasses, drift algae and algal bloom waters were scanned using a high spectral and digital resolution solid state spectrograph. WorldView-3 satellite imagery with minimal water wave sun glint effects was used to demonstrate the ability to detect bottom features using a derivative reflectance spectroscopy approach with the 1.3 m GSD multispectral satellite channels centered at the solar induced fluorescence band. The hyperspectral remote sensing data collected from the Banana River and Indian River Lagoon watersheds represents previously unknown signatures to be used in satellite and airborne remote sensing of water in turbid waters along the US Atlantic Ocean coastal region and the Florida littoral zone.

Dissolved oxygen content as an index of water quality in San Vicente Bay, Chile (36 degrees 45'S).

PubMed

Rudolph, Anny; Ahumada, Ramón; Pérez, Claudio

2002-08-01

The present report describes some effects of industrial and municipal effluents on the waters of San Vicente Bay. Analyses of the main substances contained in the fishing industry effluent suggest rating criteria based on the oxygen saturation of the water as an assessment of organic pollution. Six cruises were carried out throughout the Bay, from June to December 1996. Water samples were analyzed for dissolved oxygen, oil and grease content, and sediment samples for organic matter content. Water parameters (salinity, temperature) were used to characterize the Bay's hydrography, and to calculate values for oxygen saturation. The measurements demonstrated a local broad range of oxygen deficit, with a maximum of 45% in the winter to 95% in the spring. In November more than 65% of the Bay's area showed oxygen deficits greater than 40%. Organic matter was unusually high in sediments along the northern sector of the Bay. The results suggest that the oxygen depletion was a representative parameter for establishing a relative scale of water quality in this Bay.

Chlorinated and ultraviolet radiation -treated reclaimed irrigation water is the source of Aeromonas found in vegetables used for human consumption

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

Latif-Eugenín, Fadua; Beaz-Hidalgo, Roxana; Silver

Wastewater is increasingly being recognized as a key water resource, and reclaimed water (or treated wastewater) is used for irrigating vegetables destined for human consumption. The aim of the present study was to determine the diversity and prevalence of Aeromonas spp. both in reclaimed water used for irrigation and in the three types of vegetables irrigated with that water. Seven of the 11 (63.6%) samples of reclaimed water and all samples of vegetables were positive for the presence of Aeromonas. A total of 216 Aeromonas isolates were genotyped and corresponded to 132 different strains that after identification by sequencing themore » rpoD gene belonged to 10 different species. The prevalence of the species varied depending on the type of sample. In the secondary treated reclaimed water A. caviae and A. media dominated (91.4%) while A. salmonicida, A. media, A. allosaccharophila and A. popoffii represented 74.0% of the strains in the irrigation water. In vegetables, A. caviae (75.0%) was the most common species, among which a strain isolated from lettuce had the same genotype (ERIC pattern) as a strain recovered from the irrigation water. Furthermore, the same genotype of the species A. sanarellii was recovered from parsley and tomatoes demonstrating that irrigation water was the source of contamination and confirming the risk for public health. - Highlights: • Reclaimed water (= treated wastewater) is used for the irrigation of vegetables. • Aeromonas was found in reclaimed water and irrigated vegetables with this water. • The prevalence of Aeromonas spp. varied between irrigation water and vegetables. • Epidemiological relationships were found between irrigation water and vegetables. • The water was the source of contamination which means a risk for the public health.« less

Interactions of diffuse and focused allogenic recharge in an eogenetic karst aquifer (Florida, USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langston, Abigail L.; Screaton, Elizabeth J.; Martin, Jonathan B.; Bailly-Comte, Vincent

2012-06-01

The karstic upper Floridan aquifer in north-central Florida (USA) is recharged by both diffuse and allogenic recharge. To understand how recharged water moves within the aquifer, water levels and specific conductivities were monitored and slug tests were conducted in wells installed in the aquifer surrounding the Santa Fe River Sink and Rise. Results indicate that diffuse recharge does not mix rapidly within the aquifer but instead flows horizontally. Stratification may be aided by the high matrix porosity of the eogenetic karst aquifer. Purging wells for sample collection perturbed conductivity for several days, reflecting mixing of the stratified water and rendering collection of representative samples difficult. Interpretive numerical simulations suggest that diffuse recharge impacts the intrusion of allogenic water from the conduit by increasing hydraulic head in the surrounding aquifer and thereby reducing influx to the aquifer from the conduit. In turn, the increase of head within the conduits affects flow paths of diffuse recharge by moving newly recharged water vertically as the water table rises and falls. This movement may result in a broad vertical zone of dissolution at the water table above the conduit system, with thinner and more focused water-table dissolution at greater distance from the conduit.

Isolation and properties of viruses from poultry in Hong Kong which represent a new (sixth) distinct group of avian paramyxoviruses.

PubMed

Shortridge, K F; Alexander, D J; Collins, M S

1980-08-01

Eight viruses isolated in Hong Kong were shown to be serologically related. One was obtained from the tracheal swab of a chicken and four were from cloacal swabs of ducks sampled at a poultry dressing plant. Three isolations were made from samples taken at a duck farm: two from pond water and one from faeces. Representatives of these isolates were shown to be paramyxoviruses but were serologically distinct from other avian and mammalian paramyxoviruses by haemagglutination inhibition and neuraminidase inhibition tests. Slight variations were seen in the properties of three isolates examined in detail. All three were apathogenic for chickens. The structural polypeptides of one isolate, PMV-6/duck/Hong Kong/199/77, were examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Seven polypeptides were detected, with mol. wt. 180000, 76000, 60000, 55000, 51000, 48000 and 40000. The isolates represent a sixth serologically distinct avian paramyxovirus group.

Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Packaged Sachet Water and Household Stored Drinking Water in Freetown, Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Jalloh, Mohamed F.; Saquee, George; Bain, Robert E. S.; Bartram, Jamie K.

2015-01-01

Packaged drinking water (PW) sold in bottles and plastic bags/sachets is widely consumed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and many urban users in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) rely on packaged sachet water (PSW) as their primary source of water for consumption. However, few rigorous studies have investigated PSW quality in SSA, and none have compared PSW to stored household water for consumption (HWC). A clearer understanding of PSW quality in the context of alternative sources is needed to inform policy and regulation. As elsewhere in SSA, PSW is widely consumed in Sierra Leone, but government oversight is nearly nonexistent. This study examined the microbiological and chemical quality of a representative sample of PSW products in Freetown, Sierra Leone at packaged water manufacturing facilities (PWMFs) and at points of sale (POSs). Samples of HWC were also analyzed for comparison. The study did not find evidence of serious chemical contamination among the parameters studied. However, 19% of 45 PSW products sampled at the PWMF contained detectable Escherichia coli (EC), although only two samples exceeded 10 CFU/100 mL. Concentrations of total coliforms (TC) in PSW (but not EC) increased along the supply chain. Samples of HWC from 60 households in Freetown were significantly more likely to contain EC and TC than PSW at the point of production (p<0.01), and had significantly higher concentrations of both bacterial indicators (p<0.01). These results highlight the need for additional PSW regulation and surveillance, while demonstrating the need to prioritize the safety of HWC. At present, PSW may be the least unsafe option for many households. PMID:26162082

Microbiological and Chemical Quality of Packaged Sachet Water and Household Stored Drinking Water in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Fisher, Michael B; Williams, Ashley R; Jalloh, Mohamed F; Saquee, George; Bain, Robert E S; Bartram, Jamie K

2015-01-01

Packaged drinking water (PW) sold in bottles and plastic bags/sachets is widely consumed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and many urban users in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) rely on packaged sachet water (PSW) as their primary source of water for consumption. However, few rigorous studies have investigated PSW quality in SSA, and none have compared PSW to stored household water for consumption (HWC). A clearer understanding of PSW quality in the context of alternative sources is needed to inform policy and regulation. As elsewhere in SSA, PSW is widely consumed in Sierra Leone, but government oversight is nearly nonexistent. This study examined the microbiological and chemical quality of a representative sample of PSW products in Freetown, Sierra Leone at packaged water manufacturing facilities (PWMFs) and at points of sale (POSs). Samples of HWC were also analyzed for comparison. The study did not find evidence of serious chemical contamination among the parameters studied. However, 19% of 45 PSW products sampled at the PWMF contained detectable Escherichia coli (EC), although only two samples exceeded 10 CFU/100 mL. Concentrations of total coliforms (TC) in PSW (but not EC) increased along the supply chain. Samples of HWC from 60 households in Freetown were significantly more likely to contain EC and TC than PSW at the point of production (p<0.01), and had significantly higher concentrations of both bacterial indicators (p<0.01). These results highlight the need for additional PSW regulation and surveillance, while demonstrating the need to prioritize the safety of HWC. At present, PSW may be the least unsafe option for many households.

Hydrologic and Water-Quality Responses in Shallow Ground Water Receiving Stormwater Runoff and Potential Transport of Contaminants to Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada, 2005-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, Jena M.; Thodal, Carl E.; Welborn, Toby L.

2008-01-01

Clarity of Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada has been decreasing due to inflows of sediment and nutrients associated with stormwater runoff. Detention basins are considered effective best management practices for mitigation of suspended sediment and nutrients associated with runoff, but effects of infiltrated stormwater on shallow ground water are not known. This report documents 2005-07 hydrogeologic conditions in a shallow aquifer and associated interactions between a stormwater-control system with nearby Lake Tahoe. Selected chemical qualities of stormwater, bottom sediment from a stormwater detention basin, ground water, and nearshore lake and interstitial water are characterized and coupled with results of a three-dimensional, finite-difference, mathematical model to evaluate responses of ground-water flow to stormwater-runoff accumulation in the stormwater-control system. The results of the ground-water flow model indicate mean ground-water discharge of 256 acre feet per year, contributing 27 pounds of phosphorus and 765 pounds of nitrogen to Lake Tahoe within the modeled area. Only 0.24 percent of this volume and nutrient load is attributed to stormwater infiltration from the detention basin. Settling of suspended nutrients and sediment, biological assimilation of dissolved nutrients, and sorption and detention of chemicals of potential concern in bottom sediment are the primary stormwater treatments achieved by the detention basins. Mean concentrations of unfiltered nitrogen and phosphorus in inflow stormwater samples compared to outflow samples show that 55 percent of nitrogen and 47 percent of phosphorus are trapped by the detention basin. Organic carbon, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, phosphorus, and zinc in the uppermost 0.2 foot of bottom sediment from the detention basin were all at least twice as concentrated compared to sediment collected from 1.5 feet deeper. Similarly, concentrations of 28 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds were all less than laboratory reporting limits in the deeper sediment sample, but 15 compounds were detected in the uppermost 0.2 foot of sediment. Published concentrations determined to affect benthic aquatic life also were exceeded for copper, zinc, benz[a]anthracene, phenanthrene, and pyrene in the shallow sediment sample. Isotopic composition of water (oxygen 18/16 and hydrogen 2/1 ratios) for samples of shallow ground water, lakewater, and interstitial water from Lake Tahoe indicate the lake was well mixed with a slight ground-water signature in samples collected near the lakebed. One interstitial sample from 0.8 foot beneath the lakebed was nearly all ground water and concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were comparable to concentrations in shallow ground-water samples. However, ammonium represented 65 percent of filtered nitrogen in this interstitial sample, but only 10 percent of the average nitrogen in ground-water samples. Nitrate was less than reporting limits in interstitial water, compared with mean nitrate concentration of 750 micrograms per liter in ground-water samples, indicating either active dissimilative nitrate reduction to ammonium by micro-organisms or hydrolysis of organic nitrogen to ammonium with concomitant nitrate reduction. The other interstitial sample falls along a mixing line between ground water and lake water and most of the nitrogen was organic nitrogen.

Environmental assessment of creosote-treated pilings in the marine environment

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

Butala, J.H.; Webb, D.A.; Jop, K.M.

1995-12-31

A comprehensive ecological risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of creosote-treated pilings in the marine environment at Moss Landing Harbor, Moss Landing, California. Four areas of investigation comprising the risk assessment were (1) evaluation of environmental conditions around existing creosote-treated pilings (2) investigating effects related to restoration of pilings (3) assessing creosote migration into surrounding environment, one year after pile-driving and (4) confirmation of creosote toxicity in laboratory studies. Biological and chemical evaluation of the impact of creosote-treated pilings was conducted on surface sheen, water column and sediment samples collected at Moss Landing Harbor. Water samples (surfacemore » sheen, water column and sediment pore water) were evaluated using short-term chronic exposures with Mysidopsis bahia, while bulk sediment samples were evaluated with 10-day sediment toxicity tests with Ampelisca abdita. Samples of surface, column water and sediment were analyzed for the constituents of creosote by GC mass spectrometry. In addition, a sample of neat material used to preserve treated pilings represented a reference for the polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Verification of organism response and analyses of field collected samples was performed by conducting 10-day A. abdita sediment and 7-day M. bahia elutriate exposures with creosote applied to clean sediment collected at Moss Landing, Evaluations were also performed to determine the effects of photoinduced toxicity on test organisms exposed to PAHs. The biological and analytical results of the field and laboratory exposures are being used to evaluate and determine risk of creosote-treated pilings on the marine environment.« less

Emission of nitrous acid from soil and biological soil crusts represents an important source of HONO in the remote atmosphere in Cyprus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meusel, Hannah; Tamm, Alexandra; Kuhn, Uwe; Wu, Dianming; Lena Leifke, Anna; Fiedler, Sabine; Ruckteschler, Nina; Yordanova, Petya; Lang-Yona, Naama; Pöhlker, Mira; Lelieveld, Jos; Hoffmann, Thorsten; Pöschl, Ulrich; Su, Hang; Weber, Bettina; Cheng, Yafang

2018-01-01

Soil and biological soil crusts can emit nitrous acid (HONO) and nitric oxide (NO). The terrestrial ground surface in arid and semiarid regions is anticipated to play an important role in the local atmospheric HONO budget, deemed to represent one of the unaccounted-for HONO sources frequently observed in field studies. In this study HONO and NO emissions from a representative variety of soil and biological soil crust samples from the Mediterranean island Cyprus were investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. A wide range of fluxes was observed, ranging from 0.6 to 264 ng m-2 s-1 HONO-N at optimal soil water content (20-30 % of water holding capacity, WHC). Maximum NO-N fluxes at this WHC were lower (0.8-121 ng m-2 s-1). The highest emissions of both reactive nitrogen species were found from bare soil, followed by light and dark cyanobacteria-dominated biological soil crusts (biocrusts), correlating well with the sample nutrient levels (nitrite and nitrate). Extrapolations of lab-based HONO emission studies agree well with the unaccounted-for HONO source derived previously for the extensive CYPHEX field campaign, i.e., emissions from soil and biocrusts may essentially close the Cyprus HONO budget.

Baseline geochemical data for stream sediment and surface water samples from Panther Creek, the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, and the Main Salmon River from North Fork to Corn Creek, collected prior to the severe wildfires of 2000 in central Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eppinger, Robert G.; Briggs, Paul H.; Brown, Zoe Ann; Crock, James G.; Meier, Allen; Theodorakos, Peter M.; Wilson, Stephen A.

2001-01-01

In 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a reconnaissance baseline geochemical study in central Idaho. The purpose of the baseline study was to establish a 'geochemical snapshot' of the area, as a datum for monitoring future change in the geochemical landscape, whether natural or human-induced. This report presents the methology, analytical results, and sample descriptions for water, sediment, and heavy-mineral concentrate samples collected during this geochemical investigation. In the summer of 2000, the Clear Creek, Little Pistol, and Shellrock wildfires swept across much of the area that was sampled. Thus, these data represent a pre-fire baseline geochemical dataset. A 2001 post- fire study is planned and will involve re-sampling of the pre-fire baseline sites, to allow for pre- and post-fire comparison.

A water-resources data-network evaluation for Monterey County, California; Phase 3, Northern Salinas River drainage basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Templin, W.E.; Schluter, R.C.

1990-01-01

This report evaluates existing data collection networks and possible additional data collection to monitor quantity and quality of precipitation, surface water, and groundwater in the northern Salinas River drainage basin, California. Of the 34 precipitation stations identified, 20 were active and are concentrated in the northwestern part of the study area. No precipitation quality networks were identified, but possible data collection efforts include monitoring for acid rain and pesticides. Six of ten stream-gaging stations are active. Two surface water quality sites are sampled for suspended sediment, specific conductance, and chloride; one U.S. Geological Survey NASOAN site and one site operated by California Department of Water Resources make up the four active sampling locations; reactivation of 45 inactive surface water quality sites might help to achieve objectives described in the report. Three local networks measure water levels in 318 wells monthly, during peak irrigation, and at the end of the irrigation season. Water quality conditions are monitored in 379 wells; samples are collected in summer to monitor saltwater intrusion near Castroville and are also collected annually throughout the study area for analysis of chloride, specific conductance, and nitrate. An ideal baseline network would be an evenly spaced grid of index wells with a density of one per section. When baseline conditions are established, representative wells within the network could be monitored periodically according to specific data needs. (USGS)

Evaluation of an anion exchange resin-based method for concentration of F-RNA coliphages (enteric virus indicators) from water samples.

PubMed

Pérez-Méndez, A; Chandler, J C; Bisha, B; Goodridge, L D

2014-08-01

Enteric viral contaminants in water represent a public health concern, thus methods for detecting these viruses or their indicator microorganisms are needed. Because enteric viruses and their viral indicators are often found at low concentrations in water, their detection requires upfront concentration methods. In this study, a strong basic anion exchange resin was evaluated as an adsorbent material for the concentration of F-RNA coliphages (MS2, Qβ, GA, and HB-P22). These coliphages are recognized as enteric virus surrogates and fecal indicator organisms. Following adsorption of the coliphages from 50ml water samples, direct RNA isolation and real time RT-PCR detection were performed. In water samples containing 10(5)pfu/ml of the F-RNA coliphages, the anion exchange resin (IRA-900) adsorbed over 96.7% of the coliphages present, improving real time RT-PCR detection by 5-7 cycles compared to direct testing. F-RNA coliphage RNA recovery using the integrated method ranged from 12.6% to 77.1%. Resin-based concentration of samples with low levels of the F-RNA coliphages allowed for 10(0)pfu/ml (MS2 and Qβ) and 10(-1)pfu/ml (GA and HB-P22) to be detected. The resin-based method offers considerable advantages in cost, speed, simplicity and field adaptability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A supersensitive silver nanoprobe based aptasensor for low cost detection of malathion residues in water and food samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bala, Rajni; Mittal, Sherry; Sharma, Rohit K.; Wangoo, Nishima

2018-05-01

In the present study, we report a highly sensitive, rapid and low cost colorimetric monitoring of malathion (an organophosphate insecticide) employing a basic hexapeptide, malathion specific aptamer (oligonucleotide) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a nanoprobe. AgNPs are made to interact with the aptamer and peptide to give different optical responses depending upon the presence or absence of malathion. The nanoparticles remain yellow in color in the absence of malathion owing to the binding of aptamer with peptide which otherwise tends to aggregate the particles because of charge based interactions. In the presence of malathion, the agglomeration of the particles occurs which turns the solution orange. Furthermore, the developed aptasensor was successfully applied to detect malathion in various water samples and apple. The detection offered high recoveries in the range of 89-120% with the relative standard deviation within 2.98-4.78%. The proposed methodology exhibited excellent selectivity and a very low limit of detection i.e. 0.5 pM was achieved. The developed facile, rapid and low cost silver nanoprobe based on aptamer and peptide proved to be potentially applicable for highly selective and sensitive colorimetric sensing of trace levels of malathion in complex environmental samples. Figure S2. HPLC Chromatogram of KKKRRR. Figure S3. UV- Visible spectra of AgNPs in the presence of increasing peptide concentrations. Inset shows respective color changes of AgNPs with peptide concentrations ranging from 0.1 mM to 100 mM (a to e). Figure S4. UV- Visible spectra of AgNPs in the presence 10 mM peptide and varying aptamer concentrations. Inset shows the corresponding color changes. a to e shows aptamer concentrations ranging from 10 nM to 1000 nM. Figure S5. Interference Studies. Ratio of A520 nm/390 nm of AgNPs in the presence of 10 mM peptide, 500 nM aptamer, 0.5 nM malathion and 0.5 mM interfering components i.e. sodium, potassium, calcium, alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, ascorbic acid (AA) and glucose. Figure S6. (A) Absorbance spectra of AgNPs with increasing malathion concentrations. (B) Calibration plot for spiked lake water. Inset shows their respective images where a to g represents malathion concentrations from 0.01 nM to 0.75 nM. Each point represents an average of three individual measurements and error bars indicate standard deviation. Figure S7. (A) Absorbance spectra of AgNPs with increasing malathion concentrations in spiked tap water samples. (B) Calibration plot for the biosensor. Inset represents the color changes. a to g represents varying malathion concentrations from 0.01 nM to 0.75 nM. Each point represents an average of three individual measurements and error bars indicate standard deviation. Figure S8. (A) Absorbance spectra of AgNPs in the presence of different malathion concentrations in spiked apple samples. (B) Calibration plot for spiked apple. Inset displays the corresponding color changes. a to g shows the color of solutions having malathion concentrations from 0.01 nM to 0.75 nM. Each point represents an average of three individual measurements and error bars indicate standard deviation.

Occurrence of Selected Organic Compounds in Groundwater Used for Public Supply in the Plio-Pleistocene Deposits in East-Central Nebraska and the Dawson and Denver Aquifers near Denver, Colorado, 2002-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bails, Jeffrey B.; Dietsch, Benjamin J.; Landon, Matthew K.; Paschke, Suzanne S.

2009-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey has an ongoing Source Water-Quality Assessment program designed to characterize the quality of water in aquifers used as a source of drinking-water supply for some of the largest metropolitan areas in the Nation. In addition to the sampling of the source waters, sampling of finished or treated waters was done in the second year of local studies to evaluate if the organic compounds detected in the source waters also were present in the water supplied to the public. An evaluation of source-water quality used in selected groundwater-supplied public water systems in east-central Nebraska and in the south Denver metropolitan area of Colorado was completed during 2002 through 2004. Fifteen wells in the Plio-Pleistocene alluvial and glacial deposits in east-central Nebraska (the High Plains study) and 12 wells in the Dawson and Denver aquifers, south of Denver (the South Platte study), were sampled during the first year to obtain information on the occurrence and distribution of selected organic chemicals in the source waters. During the second year of the study, two wells in east-central Nebraska were resampled, along with the associated finished water derived from these wells, to determine if organic compounds detected in the source water also were present in the finished water. Selection of the second-phase sampling sites was based on detections of the most-frequently occurring organic compounds from the first-year Source Water-Quality Assessment study results. The second-year sampling also required that finished waters had undergone water-quality treatment processes before being distributed to the public. Sample results from the first year of sampling groundwater wells in east-central Nebraska show that the most-frequently detected organic compounds were the pesticide atrazine and its degradate, deethylatrazine (DEA, otherwise known as 2-chloro-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s-triazine or CIAT), which were detected in 9 of the 15 wells (60 percent of the samples). The second most frequently detected organic compound was tetrachloroethylene, detected in 4 of the 15 wells (27 percent of the samples), followed by chloroform, trichloroethylene, and 2-hydroxyatrazine (2-hydroxy-4-isopropylamino-6-ethylamino-s-triazine, or OIET), present in 3 of the 15 wells (20 percent of the samples). The pesticide compounds deisopropylatrazine (2-chloro-6-ethylamino-4-amino-s-triazine, or CEAT), metolachlor, and simazine and the volatile organic compound cis-1,2-dichloroethylene were detected in 2 of the 15 wells, and the compounds diuron and 1,2-dichloroethane were detected in only 1 of the 15 wells during the first-year sampling. Most detections of these compounds were at or near the minimum reporting levels, and none were greater than their regulatory maximum contaminant level. There were few detections of organic compounds during the first year of sampling groundwater wells in the South Platte study area. The compounds atrazine, deethylatrazine, picloram, tetrachloroethylene, methyl-tert-butyl-ether (MTBE), tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate, and bromoform were detected only once in all the samples from the 12 wells. Most detections of these compounds were at or near the minimum reporting levels, and none were greater than their regulatory maximum contaminant level. Second-year sampling, which included the addition of paired source- and finished-water samples, was completed at two sites in the High Plains study area. Source-water samples from the second-year sampling had detections of atrazine and deethylatrazine; at one site deisopropylatrazine and chloroform also were detected. The finished-water samples, which represent the source water after blending with water from other wells and treatment, indicated a decrease in the concentrations of the pesticides at one site, whereas concentrations remained nearly constant at a second site. The trihalomethanes (THMs or disinfec

Methylmercury and other chemical constituents in Pacific coastal fog water from seven sites in Central/Northern California (FogNet) during the summer of 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss-Penzias, P. S.; Heim, W. A.; Fernandez, D.; Coale, K. H.; Oliphant, A. J.; Dann, D.; Porter, M.; Hoskins, D.; Dodge, C.

2014-12-01

This project investigates the mercury content in summertime Pacific coastal fog in California and whether fog could be an important vector for ocean emissions of mercury to be deposited via fog drip to upland coastal ecosystems. Efforts began in early 2014 with the building of 7 active-strand fog collectors based on the Colorado State University Caltech CASCC design. The new UCSC CASCC includes doors sealing the collector which open under microcomputer control based on environmental sensing (relative humidity). Seven sites spanning from Trinidad in the north to Marina in the south have collected samples June-August 2014 under a project called FogNet. Fog conditions were favorable for collecting large water volumes (> 250 mL) at many sites. Fog samplers were cleaned with soap and deionized water daily and field blanks taken immediately following cleaning. Fog water samples were collected overnight, split into an aliquot for anion and DOC/DIC analysis and the remaining sample was acidified. Monomethyl mercury (MMHg) concentrations in samples and field blanks for 3 sites in FogNet are shown in the accompanying figure. The range of MMHg concentrations from 10 fog water samples > 100 mL in volume was 0.9-9.3 ng/L (4.5-46.4 pM). Elevated MMHg concentrations (> 5 ng/L, 25 pM) were observed at 2 sites: UC Santa Cruz and Bodega Bay. The field blanks produced MMHg concentrations of 0.08-0.4 ng/L (0.4-2.0 pM), which was on average < 10% of the sample concentration and suggests the artifact due to sampling was small. The observed MMHg concentrations in fog water observed is this study are 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than MMHg concentrations seen previously in rain water samples from the California coast suggesting an additional source of MMHg to fog. Shipboard measurements of dimethyl mercury (DMHg) in coastal California seawater during the time period of FogNet operations (summer 2014) reveal surface waters that were supersaturated in DMHg which represents a potential source of organic mercury to the overlying fog bank.

Impact Of Standing Water On Saltstone Placement II - Hydraulic Conductivity Data

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

Cozzi, A. D.; Pickenheim, B. R.

2012-12-06

The amount of water present during placement and subsequent curing of saltstone has the potential to impact several properties important for grout quality. An active drain water system can remove residual standing water and expose the surface of the placed saltstone to air. Oxidation of the saltstone may result in an increase in the leachability of redox sensitive elements. A dry surface can lead to cracking, causing an increase in hydraulic conductivity. An inactive drain water system can allow standing water that generates unnecessary hydrostatic head on the vault walls. Standing water that cannot be removed via the drain systemmore » will be available for potential incorporation into subsequent grout placements. The objective of this work is to study the impact of standing water on grout quality pertaining to disposal units. A series of saltstone mixes was prepared and cured at ambient temperature to evaluate the impact of standing water on saltstone placement. The samples were managed to control drying effects on leachability by either exposing or capping the samples. The water to premix ratio was varied to represent a range of processing conditions. Samples were analyzed for density, leachability, and hydraulic conductivity. Report SRNL-STI-2012-00546 was issued detailing the experimental procedure, results, and conclusions related to density and leachability. In the previous report, it was concluded that: density tends to increase toward the bottom of the samples. This effect is pronounced with excess bleed water; drying of the saltstone during curing leads to decreased Leachability Index (more leaching) for potassium, sodium, rhenium, nitrite, and nitrate; there is no noticeable effect on saltstone oxidation/leachability by changing the water to premix ratio (over the range studied), or by pouring into standing water (when tested up to 10 volume percent). The hydraulic conductivity data presented in this report show that samples cured exposed to the atmosphere had about three orders of magnitude higher hydraulic conductivity than any of the other samples. Considering these data, along with the results presented in the previous report, leads to the conclusion that small changes in water to premix ratio and the inclusion of up to 10 volume percent standing water should not be expected to have a detrimental effect on saltstone grout quality. The hydraulic conductivity results further demonstrate that curing in a moist environment is critical to maintaining saltstone quality.« less

Recent and ancient recharge deciphered by multi-dating tracer technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogramaci, Shawan; Cook, Peter; Mccallum, Jimes; Purtchert, Roland

2017-04-01

Determining groundwater residence time from environmental tracer concentrations obtained from open bores or long screened intervals is fraught with difficulty because the sampled water represents variety of ages. Information on the distribution of groundwater age is commonly obtained by measuring more than one tracer. We examined the use of the multi-tracer technique representing different time frames (39Ar, 85Kr, 14C, 3H, CFC 11- CFC-12 CFC-113, SF6 and Cl,) to decipher the groundwater ages sampled from long screened bores in a regional aquifer in the Pilbara region of northwest Australia. We then applied a technique that assumes limited details of the form of the age distribution. Tracer concentrations suggest that groundwater samples are a mixture of young and old water - the former is inferred to represent localised recharge from an adjacent creek, and the latter to be diffuse recharge. Using our method, we were able to identify distinct age components in the groundwater. The results suggest the presence of four distinct age groups; zero and 20 years, 50 to 100 years, 100 to 600 years and approximately 1000 years old. These relatively high recharge events were consistent with local recharge sources (50-100 years) and confirmed by palaeo-climate record obtained from lake sediments. We found that although the ages of these components were well constrained, the relative proportions of each component was highly sensitive to errors of environmental tracer data. Our results show that the method we implemented can identify distinct age groups in groundwater samples without prior knowledge of the age distribution. The presence of distinct recharge times gives insight into groundwater flow conditions over long periods of time.

Extracting Hydrologic Understanding from the Unique Space-time Sampling of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nickles, C.; Zhao, Y.; Beighley, E.; Durand, M. T.; David, C. H.; Lee, H.

2017-12-01

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission is jointly developed by NASA, the French space agency (CNES), with participation from the Canadian and UK space agencies to serve both the hydrology and oceanography communities. The SWOT mission will sample global surface water extents and elevations (lakes/reservoirs, rivers, estuaries, oceans, sea and land ice) at a finer spatial resolution than is currently possible enabling hydrologic discovery, model advancements and new applications that are not currently possible or likely even conceivable. Although the mission will provide global cover, analysis and interpolation of the data generated from the irregular space/time sampling represents a significant challenge. In this study, we explore the applicability of the unique space/time sampling for understanding river discharge dynamics throughout the Ohio River Basin. River network topology, SWOT sampling (i.e., orbit and identified SWOT river reaches) and spatial interpolation concepts are used to quantify the fraction of effective sampling of river reaches each day of the three-year mission. Streamflow statistics for SWOT generated river discharge time series are compared to continuous daily river discharge series. Relationships are presented to transform SWOT generated streamflow statistics to equivalent continuous daily discharge time series statistics intended to support hydrologic applications using low-flow and annual flow duration statistics.

Evaluation of contaminant removal of reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation in full-scale operation by combining passive sampling with chemical analysis and bioanalytical tools.

PubMed

Escher, Beate I; Lawrence, Michael; Macova, Miroslava; Mueller, Jochen F; Poussade, Yvan; Robillot, Cedric; Roux, Annalie; Gernjak, Wolfgang

2011-06-15

Advanced water treatment of secondary treated effluent requires stringent quality control to achieve a water quality suitable for augmenting drinking water supplies. The removal of micropollutants such as pesticides, industrial chemicals, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC), pharmaceuticals, and personal care products (PPCP) is paramount. As the concentrations of individual contaminants are typically low, frequent analytical screening is both laborious and costly. We propose and validate an approach for continuous monitoring by applying passive sampling with Empore disks in vessels that were designed to slow down the water flow, and thus uptake kinetics, and ensure that the uptake is only marginally dependent on the chemicals' physicochemical properties over a relatively narrow molecular size range. This design not only assured integrative sampling over 27 days for a broad range of chemicals but also permitted the use of a suite of bioanalytical tools as sum parameters, representative of mixtures of chemicals with a common mode of toxic action. Bioassays proved to be more sensitive than chemical analysis to assess the removal of organic micropollutants by reverse osmosis, followed by UV/H₂O₂ treatment, as many individual compounds fell below the quantification limit of chemical analysis, yet still contributed to the observed mixture toxicity. Nonetheless in several cases, the responses in the bioassays were also below their quantification limits and therefore only three bioassays were evaluated here, representing nonspecific toxicity and two specific end points for estrogenicity and photosynthesis inhibition. Chemical analytical techniques were able to quantify 32 pesticides, 62 PCPPs, and 12 EDCs in reverse osmosis concentrate. However, these chemicals could explain only 1% of the nonspecific toxicity in the Microtox assay in the reverse osmosis concentrate and 0.0025% in the treated water. Likewise only 1% of the estrogenic effect in the E-SCREEN could be explained by the quantified EDCs after reverse osmosis. In comparison, >50% of the estrogenic effect can typically be explained in sewage. Herbicidal activity could be fully explained by chemical analysis as the sampling period coincided with an illegal discharge and two herbicides dominated the mixture effect. The mass balance of the reverse osmosis process matched theoretical expectations for both chemical analysis and bioanalytical tools. Overall the investigated treatment train removed >97% estrogenicity, >99% herbicidal activity, and >96% baseline toxicity, confirming the suitability of the treatment train for polishing water for indirect potable reuse. The product water was indistinguishable from local tap water in all three bioassays. This study demonstrates the suitability and robustness of passive sampling linked with bioanalytical tools for semicontinuous monitoring of advanced water treatment with respect to micropollutant removal.

Characteristics of produced water discharged to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxiczone.

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

Veil, J. A.; Kimmell, T. A.; Rechner, A. C.

2005-08-24

Each summer, an area of low dissolved oxygen (the hypoxic zone) forms in the shallow nearshore Gulf of Mexico waters from the Mississippi River Delta westward to near the Texas/Louisiana border. Most scientists believe that the leading contributor to the hypoxic zone is input of nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus compounds) from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. The nutrients stimulate growth of phytoplankton. As the phytoplankton subsequently die, they fall to the bottom waters where they are decomposed by microorganisms. The decomposition process consumes oxygen in the bottom waters to create hypoxic conditions. Sources other than the two rivers mentionedmore » above may also contribute significant quantities of oxygen-demanding pollutants. One very visible potential source is the hundreds of offshore oil and gas platforms located within or near the hypoxic zone. Many of these platforms discharge varying volumes of produced water. However, only limited data characterizing oxygen demand and nutrient concentration and loading from offshore produced water discharges have been collected. No comprehensive and coordinated oxygen demand data exist for produced water discharges in the Gulf of Mexico. This report describes the results of a program to sample 50 offshore oil and gas platforms located within the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. The program was conducted in response to a requirement in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for offshore oil and gas discharges. EPA requested information on the amount of oxygen-demanding substances contained in the produced water discharges. This information is needed as inputs to several water quality models that EPA intends to run to estimate the relative contributions of the produced water discharges to the occurrence of the hypoxic zone. Sixteen platforms were sampled 3 times each at approximately one-month intervals to give an estimate of temporal variability. An additional 34 platforms were sampled one time. The 50 sampled platforms were scattered throughout the hypoxic zone to give an estimate of spatial variability. Each platform was sampled for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total organic carbon (TOC), nitrogen (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen [TKN]), and phosphorus (total phosphorus and orthophosphate). In addition to these parameters, each sample was monitored for pH, conductivity, salinity, and temperature. The sampling provided average platform concentrations for each parameter. Table ES-1 shows the mean, median, maximum, and minimum for the sampled parameters. For some of the parameters, the mean is considerably larger than the median, suggesting that one or a few data points are much higher than the rest of the points (outliers). Chapter 4 contains an extensive discussion of outliers and shows how the sample results change if outliers are deleted from consideration. A primary goal of this study is to estimate the mass loading (lb/day) of each of the oxygen-demanding pollutants from the 50 platforms sampled in the study. Loading is calculated by multiplying concentrations by the discharge volume and then by a conversion factor to allow units to match. The loadings calculated in this study of 50 platforms represent a produced water discharge volume of about 176,000 bbl/day. The total amount of produced water generated in the hypoxic zone during the year 2003 was estimated as 508,000 bbl/day. This volume is based on reports by operators to the Minerals Management Service each year. It reflects the volume of produced water that is generated from each lease, not the volume that is discharged from each platform. The mass loadings from offshore oil and gas discharges to the entire hypoxic zone were estimated by multiplying the 50-platform loadings by the ratio of total water generated to 50-platform discharge volume. The loadings estimated for the 50 platforms and for the entire hypoxic zone are shown in Table ES-2. These estimates and the sampling data from 50 platforms represent the most complete and comprehensive effort ever undertaken to characterize the amount and potential sources of the oxygen demand in offshore oil and gas produced water discharges.« less

Persistence of pharmaceutical compounds and other organic wastewater contaminants in a conventional drinking-water-treatment plant.

PubMed

Stackelberg, Paul E; Furlong, Edward T; Meyer, Michael T; Zaugg, Steven D; Henderson, Alden K; Reissman, Dori B

2004-08-15

In a study conducted by the US Geological Survey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 water samples were collected at selected locations within a drinking-water-treatment (DWT) facility and from the two streams that serve the facility to evaluate the potential for wastewater-related organic contaminants to survive a conventional treatment process and persist in potable-water supplies. Stream-water samples as well as samples of raw, settled, filtered, and finished water were collected during low-flow conditions, when the discharge of effluent from upstream municipal sewage-treatment plants accounted for 37-67% of flow in stream 1 and 10-20% of flow in stream 2. Each sample was analyzed for 106 organic wastewater-related contaminants (OWCs) that represent a diverse group of extensively used chemicals. Forty OWCs were detected in one or more samples of stream water or raw-water supplies in the treatment plant; 34 were detected in more than 10% of these samples. Several of these compounds also were frequently detected in samples of finished water; these compounds include selected prescription and non-prescription drugs and their metabolites, fragrance compounds, flame retardants and plasticizers, cosmetic compounds, and a solvent. The detection of these compounds suggests that they resist removal through conventional water-treatment processes. Other compounds that also were frequently detected in samples of stream water and raw-water supplies were not detected in samples of finished water; these include selected prescription and non-prescription drugs and their metabolites, disinfectants, detergent metabolites, and plant and animal steroids. The non-detection of these compounds indicates that their concentrations are reduced to levels less than analytical detection limits or that they are transformed to degradates through conventional DWT processes. Concentrations of OWCs detected in finished water generally were low and did not exceed Federal drinking-water standards or lifetime health advisories, although such standards or advisories have not been established for most of these compounds. Also, at least 11 and as many as 17 OWCs were detected in samples of finished water. Drinking-water criteria currently are based on the toxicity of individual compounds and not combinations of compounds. Little is known about potential human-health effects associated with chronic exposure to trace levels of multiple OWCs through routes such as drinking water. The occurrence in drinking-water supplies of many of the OWCs analyzed for during this study is unregulated and most of these compounds have not been routinely monitored for in the Nation's source- or potable-water supplies. This study provides the first documentation that many of these compounds can survive conventional water-treatment processes and occur in potable-water supplies. It thereby provides information that can be used in setting research and regulatory priorities and in designing future monitoring programs. The results of this study also indicate that improvements in water-treatment processes may benefit from consideration of the response of OWCs and other trace organic contaminants to specific physical and chemical treatments.

Persistence of pharmaceutical compounds and other organic wastewater contaminants in a conventional drinking-water-treatment plant

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stackelberg, P.E.; Furlong, E.T.; Meyer, M.T.; Zaugg, S.D.; Henderson, A.K.; Reissman, D.B.

2004-01-01

In a study conducted by the US Geological Survey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 water samples were collected at selected locations within a drinking-water-treatment (DWT) facility and from the two streams that serve the facility to evaluate the potential for wastewater-related organic contaminants to survive a conventional treatment process and persist in potable-water supplies. Stream-water samples as well as samples of raw, settled, filtered, and finished water were collected during low-flow conditions, when the discharge of effluent from upstream municipal sewage-treatment plants accounted for 37-67% of flow in stream 1 and 10-20% of flow in stream 2. Each sample was analyzed for 106 organic wastewater-related contaminants (OWCs) that represent a diverse group of extensively used chemicals. Forty OWCs were detected in one or more samples of stream water or raw-water supplies in the treatment plant; 34 were detected in more than 10% of these samples. Several of these compounds also were frequently detected in samples of finished water; these compounds include selected prescription and non-prescription drugs and their metabolites, fragrance compounds, flame retardants and plasticizers, cosmetic compounds, and a solvent. The detection of these compounds suggests that they resist removal through conventional water-treatment processes. Other compounds that also were frequently detected in samples of stream water and raw-water supplies were not detected in samples of finished water; these include selected prescription and non-prescription drugs and their metabolites, disinfectants, detergent metabolites, and plant and animal steroids. The non-detection of these compounds indicates that their concentrations are reduced to levels less than analytical detection limits or that they are transformed to degradates through conventional DWT processes. Concentrations of OWCs detected in finished water generally were low and did not exceed Federal drinking-water standards or lifetime health advisories, although such standards or advisories have not been established for most of these compounds. Also, at least 11 and as many as 17 OWCs were detected in samples of finished water. Drinking-water criteria currently are based on the toxicity of individual compounds and not combinations of compounds. Little is known about potential human-health effects associated with chronic exposure to trace levels of multiple OWCs through routes such as drinking water. The occurrence in drinking-water supplies of many of the OWCs analyzed for during this study is unregulated and most of these compounds have not been routinely monitored for in the Nation's source- or potable-water supplies. This study provides the first documentation that many of these compounds can survive conventional water-treatment processes and occur in potable-water supplies. It thereby provides information that can be used in setting research and regulatory priorities and in designing future monitoring programs. The results of this study also indicate that improvements in water-treatment processes may benefit from consideration of the response of OWCs and other trace organic contaminants to specific physical and chemical treatments. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water quality, organic chemistry of sediment, and biological conditions of streams near an abandoned wood-preserving plant site at Jackson, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradfield, A.D.; Flexner, N.M.; Webster, D.A.

1993-01-01

An investigation of water quality, organic sediment chemistry, and biological conditions of streams near an abandoned wood-preserving plant site at Jackson, Tennessee, was conducted during December 1990. The study was designed to assess the extent of possible contamination of water and biota in the streams from creosote-related discharge originating at this Superfund site. Central Creek, adjacent to the plant, had degraded water quality and biological conditions. Water samples from the most downstream station on Central Creek contained 30 micrograms per liter of pentachlorophenol, which exceeds the State's criterion maximum concentrations of 9 micrograms per liter for fish and aquatic life. Bottom-sediment samples from stations on Central Creek contained concentrations of acenaphthene, napthalene, and phenanthrene ranging from 1,400 to 2,500 micrograms per kilogram. Chronic or acute toxicity resulted during laboratory experiments using test organisms exposed to creosote-related contaminants. Sediment elutriate samples from Central Creek caused slightly to highly toxic effects on Ceriodaphnia dubia. Pimephales promelas, and Photobacterium phosphoreum. Fish-tissue samples from this station contained concentrations of naphthalene. dibenzofuran, fluorene, and phenanthrene ranging from 1.5 to 3.9 micrograms per kilogram Blue-green algae at this station represented about 79 percent of the organisms counted, whereas diatoms accounted for only 11 percent. Benthic invertebrate and fish samples from Central Creek had low diversity and density. Sediment samples from a station on the South Fork Forked Deer River downstream from its confluence with Central Creek contained concentrations of acenaphthene, anthracene, chrysene, fluoranthene, fluorene, pyrere, and phenanthrene ranging from 2,800 to 69,000 micrograms per kilogram. Sediment elutriate samples using water as elutriate from this station contained concentrations of extractable organic compounds ranging from an estimated 43 to 420 micrograms per liter. Sediment elutriate samples were toxic to Ceriodaphnia dubta, Pimephales promelas, Photobacterium phosphoreum, and Salenastrum capricornulum.

Temporal and Spatial Diversity of Bacterial Communities in Coastal Waters of the South China Sea

PubMed Central

Du, Jikun; Xiao, Kai; Li, Li; Ding, Xian; Liu, Helu; Lu, Yongjun; Zhou, Shining

2013-01-01

Bacteria are recognized as important drivers of biogeochemical processes in all aquatic ecosystems. Temporal and geographical patterns in ocean bacterial communities have been observed in many studies, but the temporal and spatial patterns in the bacterial communities from the South China Sea remained unexplored. To determine the spatiotemporal patterns, we generated 16S rRNA datasets for 15 samples collected from the five regularly distributed sites of the South China Sea in three seasons (spring, summer, winter). A total of 491 representative sequences were analyzed by MOTHUR, yielding 282 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) grouped at 97% stringency. Significant temporal variations of bacterial diversity were observed. Richness and diversity indices indicated that summer samples were the most diverse. The main bacterial group in spring and summer samples was Alphaproteobacteria, followed by Cyanobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, whereas Cyanobacteria dominated the winter samples. Spatial patterns in the samples were observed that samples collected from the coastal (D151, D221) waters and offshore (D157, D1512, D224) waters clustered separately, the coastal samples harbored more diverse bacterial communities. However, the temporal pattern of the coastal site D151 was contrary to that of the coastal site D221. The LIBSHUFF statistics revealed noticeable differences among the spring, summer and winter libraries collected at five sites. The UPGMA tree showed there were temporal and spatial heterogeneity of bacterial community composition in coastal waters of the South China Sea. The water salinity (P=0.001) contributed significantly to the bacteria-environment relationship. Our results revealed that bacterial community structures were influenced by environmental factors and community-level changes in 16S-based diversity were better explained by spatial patterns than by temporal patterns. PMID:23785512

Hydro-chemical Characterization of Glacier Melt Water of Ponkar Glacier, Manang, Nepal.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, R.; Sandeep, S.

2017-12-01

The study was carried out in Ponkar Glacier, representing Himalayan glacier of Nepal. The study aims in determining the physical-chemical properties of the glacier melt water. The sampling sites included moraine dammed, Ponkar Lake at 4100 m a.s.l to the downstream glaciated stream at 3580 m a.s.l. The water samples were collected from the seven different sites. Temperature was recorded by digital multi-thermometer on site. The samples were brought to the laboratory and the parameters were analyzed according to the APHA, AWWA and WEF standards. The glacier meltwater was slightly basic with pH 7.44 (±0.307). The meltwater was found to be in the range 30-60 which implies the water is moderately soft resulting value of concentration 36.429±8.664 mg CaCO3 L-1 and the electrical conductivity was found to be 47.14 (±11.18) µS/cm. The concentration of anion was in the order of HCO3 - > Cl- > SO42- > NO3- > TP-PO43- with the concentration 194.286±40.677, 55.707±30.265, 11.533±1.132 mgL-1, 1.00±0.7 mgL-1 and 0.514±0.32 mgL-1 respectively. Calcium carbonate weathering was found out to be the major source of dissolved ions in the region. The heavy metals were found in the order Al>Fe>Mn>Zn with concentration 1.34±0.648, 1.103±0.917, 0.08±0.028 and 0.023±0.004 mgL-1 respectively. The concentration of iron, manganese and zinc in some sites were below the detection limit. These results represent baseline data for the physical-chemical properties of the glacier meltwater

Bioanalytical tools for the evaluation of organic micropollutants during sewage treatment, water recycling and drinking water generation.

PubMed

Macova, Miroslava; Toze, Simon; Hodgers, Leonie; Mueller, Jochen F; Bartkow, Michael; Escher, Beate I

2011-08-01

A bioanalytical test battery was used for monitoring organic micropollutants across an indirect potable reuse scheme testing sites across the complete water cycle from sewage to drinking water to assess the efficacy of different treatment barriers. The indirect potable reuse scheme consists of seven treatment barriers: (1) source control, (2) wastewater treatment plant, (3) microfiltration, (4) reverse osmosis, (5) advanced oxidation, (6) natural environment in a reservoir and (7) drinking water treatment plant. Bioanalytical results provide complementary information to chemical analysis on the sum of micropollutants acting together in mixtures. Six endpoints targeting the groups of chemicals with modes of toxic action of particular relevance for human and environmental health were included in the evaluation: genotoxicity, estrogenicity (endocrine disruption), neurotoxicity, phytotoxicity, dioxin-like activity and non-specific cell toxicity. The toxicity of water samples was expressed as toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQ), a measure that translates the effect of the mixtures of unknown and potentially unidentified chemicals in a water sample to the effect that a known reference compound would cause. For each bioassay a different representative reference compound was selected. In this study, the TEQ concept was applied for the first time to the umuC test indicative of genotoxicity using 4-nitroquinoline as the reference compound for direct genotoxicity and benzo[a]pyrene for genotoxicity after metabolic activation. The TEQ were observed to decrease across the seven treatment barriers in all six selected bioassays. Each bioassay showed a differentiated picture representative for a different group of chemicals and their mixture effect. The TEQ of the samples across the seven barriers were in the same order of magnitude as seen during previous individual studies in wastewater and advanced water treatment plants and reservoirs. For the first time a benchmarking was performed that allows direct comparison of different treatment technologies and covers several orders of magnitude of TEQ from highly contaminated sewage to drinking water with TEQ close or below the limit of detection. Detection limits of the bioassays were decreased in comparison to earlier studies by optimizing sample preparation and test protocols, and were comparable to or lower than the quantification limits of the routine chemical analysis, which allowed monitoring of the presence and removal of micropollutants post Barrier 2 and in drinking water. The results obtained by bioanalytical tools were reproducible, robust and consistent with previous studies assessing the effectiveness of the wastewater and advanced water treatment plants. The results of this study indicate that bioanalytical results expressed as TEQ are useful to assess removal efficiency of micropollutants throughout all treatment steps of water recycling. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of invertebrates at 38 stream sites in the Mississippi Embayment study unit, 1996-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Caskey, Brian J.; Justus, B.G.; Zappia, Humbert

2002-01-01

A total of 88 invertebrate species and 178 genera representing 59 families, 8 orders, 6 classes, and 3 phyla was identified at 38 stream sites in the Mississippi Embayment Study Unit from 1996 through 1999 as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Sites were selected based on land use within the drainage basins and the availability of long-term streamflow data. Invertebrates were sampled as part of an overall sampling design to provide information related to the status and trends in water quality in the Mississippi Embayment Study Unit, which includes parts of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Invertebrate sampling and processing was conducted using nationally standardized techniques developed for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. These techniques included both a semi-quantitative method, which targeted habitats where invertebrate diversity is expected to be highest, and a qualitative multihabitat method, which samples all available habitat types possible within a sampling reach. All invertebrate samples were shipped to the USGS National Water-Quality Laboratory (NWQL) where they were processed. Of the 365 taxa identified, 156 were identified with the semi-quantitative method that involved sampling a known quantity of what was expected to be the richest habitat, woody debris. The qualitative method, which involved sampling all available habitats, identified 345 taxa The number of organisms identified in the semi-quantitative samples ranged from 74 to 3,295, whereas the number of taxa identified ranged from 9 to 54. The number of organisms identified in the qualitative samples ranged from 42 to 29,634, whereas the number of taxa ranged from 18 to 81. From all the organisms identified, chironomid taxa were the most frequently identified, and plecopteran taxa were among the least frequently identified.

Analysis of Actinobacteria from mould-colonized water damaged building material.

PubMed

Schäfer, Jenny; Jäckel, Udo; Kämpfer, Peter

2010-08-01

Mould-colonized water damaged building materials are frequently co-colonized by actinomycetes. Here, we report the results of the analyses of Actinobacteria on different wall materials from water damaged buildings obtained by both cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent methods. Actinobacteria were detected in all but one of the investigated materials by both methods. The detected concentrations of Actinobacteria ranged between 1.8 x 10(4) and 7.6 x 10(7) CFUg(-1) of investigated material. A total of 265 isolates from 17 materials could be assigned to 31 different genera of the class Actinobacteria on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses. On the basis of the cultivation-independent approach, 16S rRNA gene inserts of 800 clones (50%) were assigned to 47 different genera. Representatives of the genera Streptomyces, Amycolatopsis, Nocardiopsis, Saccharopolyspora, Promicromonospora, and Pseudonocardia were found most frequently. The results derived from both methods indicated a high abundance and variety of Actinobacteria in water damaged buildings. Four bioaerosol samples were investigated by the cultivation-based approach in order to compare the communities of Actinobacteria in building material and associated air samples. A comparison of the detected genera of bioaerosol samples with those directly obtained from material samples resulted in a congruent finding of 9 of the overall 35 detected genera (25%), whereas four genera were only detected in bioaerosol samples. Copyright 2010 Elsevier GmbH. 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.

Stable Isotope Analysis of Water Indicates that Mixing Occurs between Mobile and Tightly-Bound Soil Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas, A. I.; Schaffer, B.; Yuhong, L.; Sternberg, L. O.

2016-12-01

Stable oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotope composition of precipitation, soil and plants have been studied over the years to understand the mechanism of soil water movement and the depth of plant water uptake in the soil water profile. Recent studies have suggested that in soil during the wet season, tightly bound water does not mix with mobile water but is retained in the soil until the dry season when it is taken up by plants via the force of transpiration. To test this, we sampled δ18O and δ2H in plant stems as a proxy for wet season mobile water and dry season bound water in two types of soils to determine if mixing occurs between mobile and tightly bound soil water. Plastic pots were filled with clay or very gravelly loam soil and a Persea americana tree was planted in each pot. Soil in each pot was first saturated with tap water to fully label the bound water with the isotopic identity of tap water and then fully saturated with either tap water (T) or isotopically-enriched pool water (P) and covered with white polyethylene to prevent evaporation. After saturating the soil, δ18O and δ2H of water draining from each pot were similar to those of water added to each pot for both the T and P treatments. For each treatment, δ18O and δ2H in plant stems were sampled 2-3 days after soil was initially saturated (simulated wet season; soil tension < 0.10 kPa) representing the mobile water and again 7-9 days after soil was saturated representing the bound water (simulated dry season; soil tension > 80.0 kPa). During the "dry season", there was a significant difference between T and P treatments for δ18O and δ2H in plant stems, indicating that bound water accessed by plants in the P treatment did not retain the tap water label and mixing occurred between mobile and bound water in the soil. Comparing P-T in the wet season with P-T in the dry season indicated that as much as 95% of water freely exchanged between the mobile and bound components of the soil. This is contrary to recent studies suggesting that no mixing occurs.

Comparison of Enterococcus Species Diversity in Marine Water and Wastewater Using Enterolert and EPA Method 1600

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Donna M.; Griffith, John F.; McGee, Charles D.; Weisberg, Stephen B.; Hagedorn, Charles

2013-01-01

EPA Method 1600 and Enterolert are used interchangeably to measure Enterococcus for fecal contamination of public beaches, but the methods occasionally produce different results. Here we assess whether these differences are attributable to the selectivity for certain species within the Enterococcus group. Both methods were used to obtain 1279 isolates from 17 environmental samples, including influent and effluent of four wastewater treatment plants, ambient marine water from seven different beaches, and freshwater urban runoff from two stream systems. The isolates were identified to species level. Detection of non-Enterococcus species was slightly higher using Enterolert (8.4%) than for EPA Method 1600 (5.1%). E. faecalis and E. faecium, commonly associated with human fecal waste, were predominant in wastewater; however, Enterolert had greater selectivity for E. faecalis, which was also shown using a laboratory-created sample. The same species selectivity was not observed for most beach water and urban runoff samples. These samples had relatively higher proportions of plant associated species, E. casseliflavus (18.5%) and E. mundtii (5.7%), compared to wastewater, suggesting environmental inputs to beaches and runoff. The potential for species selectivity among water testing methods should be considered when assessing the sanitary quality of beaches so that public health warnings are based on indicators representative of fecal sources. PMID:23840233

Real-time PCR assay for the detection and quantification of Legionella pneumophila in environmental water samples: utility for daily practice.

PubMed

Morio, Florent; Corvec, Stéphane; Caroff, Nathalie; Le Gallou, Florence; Drugeon, Henri; Reynaud, Alain

2008-07-01

We developed a quantitative real-time PCR assay targeting the mip gene of Legionella pneumophila for a prospective study from September 2004 to April 2005. It was compared with a standard culture method (French guideline AFNOR T90-431), analysing 120 water samples collected to monitor the risk related to Legionellae at Nantes hospital and to investigate a case of legionellosis acquired from hospital environment. Samples from six distinct water distribution systems were analysed by DNA extraction, amplification and detection with specific primers and FRET probes. The detection limit was 100 genomic units of L. pneumophila per liter (GU/l), the positivity threshold about 600 GU/l and the quantification limit 800 GU/l. PCR results were divided into three groups: negative (n=63), positive but non-quantifiable (n=22) or positive (n=35). PCR showed higher sensitivity than culture, whereas four culture-positive samples appeared negative by PCR (PCR inhibitor detected for two of them). Although no correlation was observed between both methods and real-time PCR cannot substitute for the reference method, it represents an interesting complement. Its sensitivity, reproducibility and rapidity appear particularly interesting in epidemic contexts in order to identify the source of contamination or to evaluate critical points of contamination in water distribution systems.

Occurrence of Legionella in showers at recreational facilities.

PubMed

De Filippis, Patrizia; Mozzetti, Cinzia; Amicosante, Massimo; D'Alò, Gian Loreto; Messina, Alessandra; Varrenti, Donatella; Giammattei, Roberto; Di Giorgio, Floriana; Corradi, Stefania; D'Auria, Alberto; Fraietta, Roberta; Gabrieli, Rosanna

2017-06-01

Critical environments, including water systems in recreational settings, represent an important source of Legionella pneumophila infection in humans. In order to assess the potential risk for legionellosis, we analyzed Legionella contamination of water distribution systems in 36 recreational facilities equipped with swimming pools. One hundred and sixty water samples were analyzed from shower heads or taps located in locker rooms or in bathrooms. By culture method and polymerase chain reaction, 41/160 samples were positive for Legionella from 12/36 recreational centers. Hotels (57.1%) and sports centers (41.2%) were the most contaminated. L. pneumophila serotypes 2-14 (25/41) were more frequently found than serotype 1 (10/41). Samples at temperature ≥30 °C were more frequently positive than samples at temperature <30 °C (n = 39 vs n = 2, p < 0.00001). The presence of L. pneumophila was investigated by comparison with heterotrophic plate count (HPC), an indicator of water quality. The presence of L. pneumophila was associated more frequently with high and intermediate HPC load at 37 °C, therefore should be considered a potential source when HPC at 37 °C is >10 CFU/mL. Maintenance, good hygiene practices, interventions on the hydraulic system and regular controls must be implemented to minimize exposure to L. pneumophila infection risk.

Estimates of microbial quality and concentration of copper in distributed drinking water are highly dependent on sampling strategy.

PubMed

Lehtola, Markku J; Miettinen, Ilkka T; Hirvonen, Arja; Vartiainen, Terttu; Martikainen, Pertti J

2007-12-01

The numbers of bacteria generally increase in distributed water. Often household pipelines or water fittings (e.g., taps) represent the most critical location for microbial growth in water distribution systems. According to the European Union drinking water directive, there should not be abnormal changes in the colony counts in water. We used a pilot distribution system to study the effects of water stagnation on drinking water microbial quality, concentration of copper and formation of biofilms with two commonly used pipeline materials in households; copper and plastic (polyethylene). Water stagnation for more than 4h significantly increased both the copper concentration and the number of bacteria in water. Heterotrophic plate counts were six times higher in PE pipes and ten times higher in copper pipes after 16 h of stagnation than after only 40 min stagnation. The increase in the heterotrophic plate counts was linear with time in both copper and plastic pipelines. In the distribution system, bacteria originated mainly from biofilms, because in laboratory tests with water, there was only minor growth of bacteria after 16 h stagnation. Our study indicates that water stagnation in the distribution system clearly affects microbial numbers and the concentration of copper in water, and should be considered when planning the sampling strategy for drinking water quality control in distribution systems.

Seasonal Variation in Drinking and Domestic Water Sources and Quality in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Kumpel, Emily; Cock-Esteb, Alicea; Duret, Michel; de Waal, Dominick; Khush, Ranjiv

2017-01-01

We compared dry and rainy season water sources and their quality in the urban region of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Representative sampling indicated that municipal water supplies represent < 1% of the water sources. Residents rely on privately constructed and maintained boreholes that are supplemented by commercially packaged bottled and sachet drinking water. Contamination by thermotolerant coliforms increased from 21% of drinking water sources in the dry season to 42% of drinking water sources in the rainy season (N = 356 and N = 397). The most significant increase was in sachet water, which showed the lowest frequencies of contamination in the dry season compared with other sources (15%, N = 186) but the highest frequencies during the rainy season (59%, N = 76). Only half as many respondents reported drinking sachet water in the rainy season as in the dry season. Respondents primarily used flush or pour-flush toilets connected to septic tanks (85%, N = 399). The remainder relied on pit latrines and hanging (pier) latrines that drained into surface waters. We found significant associations between fecal contamination in boreholes and the nearby presence of hanging latrines. Sanitary surveys of boreholes showed that more than half were well-constructed, and we did not identify associations between structural or site deficiencies and microbial water quality. The deterioration of drinking water quality during the rainy season is a serious public health risk for both untreated groundwater and commercially packaged water, highlighting a need to address gaps in monitoring and quality control. PMID:27821689

Viability of the ground of Shithatha, western Iraqi plateau, for industrial and commercial uses via hydrochemistry analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Qaraghuli, S. A.

2017-08-01

Iraqi western plateau is considered as one of the most resourceful areas of the middle east, that is not yet well explored, due to the many political disturbances and security issues. The viability of underground water for the various industrial, municipal, commercial and agricultural uses is examined for Shithatha, Karbala governorates as a representative for the western plateau via chemical and physical analysis of water samples that are taken from 9 wells and 3 springs all-around the study area during the wet and dry periods. Hydro chemical and statistical analysis for the field samples have proved that groundwater of the studied area is classified as slightly-brackish water and water hardness is very high. Also, the results of the analyses of trace elements in the groundwater of the study area have confirmed the contamination of groundwater with some elements such as (Fe, Cd, Pb, Ni) in concentrations that have exceeded the WHO and Iraqi national standards IQS, permissible limits. The application of Hydro-chemical formulae of Kurlouv and Piper, Schoeller, Stiff classifications have demonstrated that most samples of the study area have water type of (Na2SO4) while other samples have ranged between (MgSO4), and (NaCl) water type. The quality of groundwater is unsuitable for drinking and industrial purposes and it is almost suitable for irrigation purposes, but it is suitable for livestock, building and agricultural purposes because the salinity of the water is within the permissible limits when considering the nature of the soil.

Evaluation of selected information on splitting devices for water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Capel, P.D.; Larson, S.J.

1996-01-01

Four devices for splitting water samples into representative aliquots are used by the U.S. Geological Survey's Water Resources Division. A thorough evaluation of these devices (14-liter churn, 8-liter churn, plastic cone, and Teflon cone) encompasses a wide variety of concerns, based on both chemical and physical considerations. This report surveys the existing data (as of April 1994) on cleaning efficiency and splitting capability of these devices and presents the data in a systematic framework for evaluation. From the existing data, some of these concerns are adequately or partially addressed, but the majority of concerns could not be addressed because of the lack of data. In general, the existing cleaning and transport protocols are adequate at the milligram per liter level, but the adequacy is largely unknown for trace elements and organic chemicals at lower concen- trations. The existing data indicate that better results are obtained when the splitters are cleaned in the laboratory rather than in the field. Two conclusions that can be reached on the splitting capability of solids are that more work must be done with all four devices to characterize and quantify their limitations and range of usefulness, and that the 14-liter churn (and by association, the 8-liter churn) is not useful in obtaining representative splits of sand-sized particles.

Analysis of dissolved gas and fluid chemistry in mountainous region of Goaping river watershed in southern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Kai-Wen; Chen, Cheng-Hong; Liu, Tsung-Kwei

2016-04-01

Annual rainfall in Taiwan is up to 2500 mm, about 2.5 times the average value of the world. However due to high topographic relief of the Central Mountain Range in Taiwan, groundwater storage is critical for water supply. Mountain region of the Goaping river watershed in southern Taiwan is one of the potential areas to develop groundwater recharge model. Therefore the target of this study is to understand sources of groundwater and surface water using dissolved gas and fluid chemistry. Four groundwater and 6 surface water samples were collected from watershed, 5 groundwater and 13 surface water samples were collected from downstream. All samples were analyzed for stable isotopes (hydrogen and oxygen), dissolved gases (including nitrogen, oxygen, argon, methane and carbon dioxide), noble gases (helium and radon) and major ions. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic ratios of surface water and groundwater samples aligned along meteoric water line. For surface water, dissolved gases are abundant in N2 (>80%) and O2 (>10%); helium isotopic ratio is approximately equal to 1 RA (RA is 3He/4He ratio of air); radon-222 concentration is below the detection limit (<200 Bq/m3); and concentrations of major anions and cations are low (Na+ <20 ppm, Ca2+ < 60 ppm, Cl- <2 ppm). All these features indicate that surface waters are predominately recharged by precipitation. For groundwater, helium isotopic ratios (0.9˜0.23 RA) are lower and radon-222 concentrations (300˜6000 Bq/m3) are much higher than the surface water. Some samples have high amounts of dissolved gases, such as CH4 (>20%) or CO2 (>10%), most likely contributed by biogenic or geogenic sources. On the other hand, few samples that have temperature 5° higher than the average of other samples, show significantly high Na+ (>1000 ppm), Ca2+ (>150 ppm) and Cl- (>80 ppm) concentrations. An interaction between such groundwater and local hot springs is inferred. Watershed and downstream samples differ in dissolved gas species and fluid chemistry for groundwater and surface water. The higher hydrogen and oxygen isotopic ratios for surface water from downstream are most probably caused by evaporation. Low radon-222 concentrations of some groundwater from downstream may represent sources from different aquifers. Therefore, we conclude that surface water from downstream are recharged directly from its watershed, but groundwater are influenced by the local geological environment. Keywords: groundwater, dissolved gas, noble gas, radon in water, 3He/4He

Chemical characteristics of ground-water discharge along the south rim of Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 2000-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monroe, Stephen A.; Antweiler, Ronald C.; Hart, Robert J.; Taylor, Howard E.; Truini, Margot; Rihs, John R.; Felger, Tracey J.

2005-01-01

Springs flowing from the south rim of Grand Canyon are an important resource of Grand Canyon National Park, offering refuge to endemic and exotic terrestrial wildlife species and maintaining riparian areas. Population growth on the Coconino Plateau has increased the demand for additional development of ground-water resources, and such development could reduce spring discharge and affect the sustainability of riparian areas within the park. In addition, springs are an important source of drinking water for hikers and are culturally and economically important to Native Americans living in the region. Water samples were collected from May 2000 to September 2001 from 20 spring and creek sites that discharge water from the Redwall-Muav Limestone aquifer along the south rim of Grand Canyon. Sample collection sites were described and samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, trace elements, radioactivity, and selected isotopes, and potential sources of ground-water flow to the springs. Rock samples representing the major stratigraphic units of Grand Canyon were collected near the Bright Angel Fault and analyzed for mineralogy, strontium-87/strontium-86, and carbon-13/carbon-12. The chemical composition of water samples collected from a given spring did not vary appreciably over the course of the study. Although water at each spring had a temporally constant composition, the composition was chemically distinct from that of every other spring sampled, indicating spatial variability in the ground-water composition. Most samples had a calcium magnesium bicarbonate composition; a few had a substantial sulfate component. Concentrations of arsenic, nitrate, selenium, uranium, and gross alpha approached or exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Levels in water discharging from some springs. Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions varied little among samples, and for most sites the isotopic data plot close to the global meteoric water line or below the local meteoric water line. Isotopic enrichment indicates fractionation due to evaporation occurs at some sites. The evaporative process may occur prior to recharge or post-discharge. Flow paths are differentiated between the eastern part of the study area where strontium-87/strontium-86 values for water from springs and creeks are more radiogenic than strontium-87/strontium-86 values for water that discharges from sites farther west. Tritium and carbon isotope analyses indicate that residence time of ground-water discharge from springs and creeks ranges from less than 50 years to about 3,400 years. Water with a residence time of less than 50 years is absent at several sites. Discharge of most springs and creeks is a mixture of younger and older waters.

Water-quality assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas : shallow ground-water quality and land use in the Albuquerque area, central New Mexico, 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderholm, Scott K.

1997-01-01

This report describes the quality of shallow ground water and the relations between land use and the quality of that shallow ground water in an urban area in and adjacent to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Water samples were collected from 24 shallow wells. Samples were analyzed for selected common constituents, nutrients, trace elements, radionuclides, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. The study area, which is in the Albuquerque Basin in central New Mexico, was limited to the Rio Grande flood plain; depth to water in this area generally is less than 25 feet. The amount and composition of recharge to the shallow ground-water system are important factors that affect shallow ground-water composition in this area. Important sources of recharge that affect shallow ground-water quality in the area include infiltration of surface water, which is used in agricultural land-use areas to irrigate crops, and infiltration of septic-system effluent in residential areas. Agricultural land use represents about 28 percent of the area, and residential land use represents about 35 percent of the total study area. In most of the study area, agricultural land use is interspersed with residential land use and neither is the dominant land use in the area. Land use in the study area historically has been changing from agricultural to urban. The composition of shallow ground water in the study area varies considerably. The dissolved solids concentration in shallow ground water in the study area ranges from 272 to 1,650 milligrams per liter, although the relative percentages of selected cations and anions do not vary substantially. Calcium generally is the dominant cation and bicarbonate generally is the dominant anion. Concentrations of nutrients generally were less than 1 milligram per liter. The concentration of many trace elements in shallow ground water was below or slightly above 1 microgram per liter and there was little variation in the concentrations. Barium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and uranium were the only trace elements analyzed for that had median concentrations greater than 5 micrograms per liter. Volatile organic compounds were detected in 5 of 24 samples. Cis-1,2-dichloroethene and 1,1-dichloroethane were the most commonly detected volatile organic compounds (detected in two samples each). Pesticides were detected in 8 of 24 samples. Prometon was the most commonly detected pesticide (detected in 5 of 24 samples). Concentrations of volatile organic compounds and pesticides detected were much smaller than any U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards that have been established. Infiltration of surface water and the evaporation or transpiration of this water, which partially is the result of past and present agricultural land use, seem to affect the concentrations of common constituents in shallow ground water in the study area. The small excess chloride in shallow ground water relative to surface water that has been affected by evaporation or transpiration could be due to mixing of shallow ground water with small amounts of precipitation/bulk deposition or septic-system effluent. Infiltration of septic-system effluent (residential land use) has affected the shallow ground-water composition in parts of the study area on the basis of the small dissolved oxygen concentrations, large dissolved organic carbon concentrations, and excess chloride. Despite the loading of nitrogen to the shallow ground-water system as the result of infiltration of septic-system effluent, the small nitrogen concentrations in shallow ground water probably are due to the small dissolved oxygen concentrations and relatively large dissolved organic carbon concentrations. The small concentrations and lack of variation of most trace elements indicate that land use has not substantially affected the concentration

Water quality in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska, water years 2006-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schuster, Paul F.; Maracle, Karonhiakta'tie Bryan; Herman-Mercer, Nicole

2010-01-01

The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and the U.S. Geological Survey developed a water-quality monitoring program to address a shared interest in the water quality of the Yukon River and its relation to climate. This report contains water-quality data from samples collected in the Yukon River Basin during water years 2006 through 2008. A broad range of chemical analyses from 44 stations throughout the YRB are presented. On August 8, 2009 the USGS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council representing the culmination of 5 years of dedicated efforts to forge a working collaboration and partnership with expectations of continuing into the foreseeable future. The Memorandum of Understanding may be viewed at http://www.usgs.gov/mou/docs/yritwc_mou.pdf.

Physical data and biological data for algae, aquatic invertebrates, and fish from selected reaches on the Carson and Truckee rivers, Nevada and California, 1993-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lawrence, S.J.; Seiler, R.L.

2002-01-01

This report, a product of the National Water- Quality Assessment Program, is a compilation of physical data and biological data for algae, aquatic invertebrates, and fish collected in the Carson and Truckee River Basins, Nevada and California. Most of the data were collected between 1993 and 1996 at selected reaches on the Carson and Truckee Rivers. Algae and aquatic invertebrate samples were collected from cobble riffles, submerged woody-snag habitats, and from depositional areas such as pools. Between 1993 and 1996, fish and crayfish were collected from all wadeable habitats at each of seven basic-fixed sites using either electroshocking methods or seining. Additional fish and crayfish were collected at one site on the Truckee River in 1997. Fish were identified to species, measured for total and standard length, checked for anomalies, and weighed at the collection site. Fish were returned to the stream after measurements were taken. Measurements of water depth, stream velocity, determinations of substrate type and substrate embeddedness were made at each sampling site. Algae and aquatic invertebrate samples were sent to the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Laboratory for identification and enumeration. A total of 103 semi-quantitative and 55 qualitative algae samples were collected at 20 river reaches on the Carson and Truckee Rivers between 1993 and 1996. These samples represent algae in cobble riffles, on submerged woody snags, and on sediment surfaces in depositional areas. In those 158 samples, 514 algal species, varieties, or forms were identified. Of the 8 algal phyla represented, the diatoms (Phylum Bacillariophyta) were the most abundant with 351 species, varieties, or forms. The green algae (Phylum Chlorophyta) were next in abundance with 108 species, varieties, or forms followed by the blue-green algae (Phylum Cyanophyta) with 41 species, varieties, or forms. A total of 49 semi-quantitative aquatic invertebrate samples were collected at 27 river reaches on the Carson and Truckee Rivers between 1993 and 1996. These samples represent invertebrates in cobble riffles and on submerged woody snags. In those 49 samples, members of 6 phyla were identified. Roundworms were identified only to phylum (Nematoda) and free-living flatworms and snails were identified only to class (Turbellaria and Gastroda). Organisms were identified as belonging to 19 invertebrate orders. Most of the invertebrates that could be identified to genus or species belonged in the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera of the arthropod class Insecta. Fish and crayfish populations in the Carson and Truckee Rivers were sampled 29 times between 1993 and 1997. These collections resulted in the identification of 18 fish species and one endemic crayfish species. Twelve of the 18 fish species identified are not native to the Carson and Truckee River Basins.

Ground-water-quality data in Pennsylvania: A compilation of computerized [electronic] databases, 1979-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Low, Dennis J.; Chichester, Douglas C.

2006-01-01

This study, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), provides a compilation of ground-water-quality data for a 25-year period (January 1, 1979, through August 11, 2004) based on water samples from wells. The data are from eight source agencies唯orough of Carroll Valley, Chester County Health Department, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection-Ambient and Fixed Station Network, Montgomery County Health Department, Pennsylvania Drinking Water Information System, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Susquehanna River Basin Commission, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The ground-water-quality data from the different source agencies varied in type and number of analyses; however, the analyses are represented by 12 major analyte groups:biological (bacteria and viruses), fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, major ions, minor ions (including trace elements), nutrients (dominantly nitrate and nitrite as nitrogen), pesticides, radiochemicals (dominantly radon or radium), volatile organic compounds, wastewater compounds, and water characteristics (dominantly field pH, field specific conductance, and hardness).A summary map shows the areal distribution of wells with ground-water-quality data statewide and by major watersheds and source agency. Maps of 35 watersheds within Pennsylvania are used to display the areal distribution of water-quality information. Additional maps emphasize the areal distribution with respect to 13 major geolithologic units in Pennsylvania and concentration ranges of nitrate (as nitrogen). Summary data tables by source agency provide information on the number of wells and samples collected for each of the 35 watersheds and analyte groups. The number of wells sampled for ground-water-quality data varies considerably across Pennsylvania. Of the 8,012 wells sampled, the greatest concentration of wells are in the southeast (Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties), in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, and in the northwest (Erie County). The number of wells sampled is relatively sparse in south-central (Adams, Cambria, Cumberland, and Franklin Counties), central (Centre, Indiana, and Snyder Counties), and north-central (Bradford, Potter, and Tioga Counties) Pennsylvania. Little to no data are available for approximately one-third of the state. Water characteristics and nutrients were the most frequently sampled major analyte groups; approximately 21,000 samples were collected for each group. Major and minor ions were the next most-frequently sampled major analyte groups; approximately 17,000 and 12,000 samples were collected, respectively. For the remaining eight major analyte groups, the number of samples collected ranged from a low of 307 samples (wastewater compounds) to a high of approximately 3,000 samples (biological).The number of samples that exceeded a maximum contaminant level (MCL) or secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) by major analyte group also varied. Of the 2,988 samples in the biological analyte group, 53 percent had water that exceeded an MCL. Almost 2,500 samples were collected and analyzed for volatile organic compounds; 14 percent exceeded an MCL. Other major analyte groups that frequently exceeded MCLs or SMCLs included major ions (17,465 samples and a 33.9 percent exceedence), minor ions (11,905 samples and a 17.1 percent exceedence), and water characteristics (21,183 samples and a 20.3 percent exceedence). Samples collected and analyzed for fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides (4,062 samples), radiochemicals (1,628 samples), wastewater compounds (307 samples), and nutrients (20,822 samples) had the lowest exceedences of 0.3, 8.4, 0.0, and 8.8 percent, respectively.

Determination of toxic inorganic elements pollution in ground waters of Kahuta Industrial Triangle Islamabad, Pakistan using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kausar, Rubina; Ahmad, Zulfiqar

2009-10-01

The present study deals with the ground water quality assessment in Kahuta Industrial Triangle Islamabad, Pakistan. The objective of the study was to assess ground water quality against the drinking water standards for various toxic inorganic elements. Representative groundwater samples were collected and analyzed in the Water Quality Laboratory of Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) at Islamabad, Pakistan. The samples were run on ICP-MS (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), which has the capability to separate and quantify 70 elements at a time. One of the finding of study is that ICP-MS is a very good tool to analyze broad range of toxic inorganic elements to the level of parts per billion (ppb). World Health Organization drinking water standards shows that these toxic inorganic elements such as heavy metals even at this concentration level (ppb) are injurious to human health. This analysis indicated pollution of various toxic elements including Selenium. Vertical leachate through industrial waste septic tanks is identified as major cause of groundwater pollution in the Industrial Triangle. Monitoring of the septic tanks and groundwater quality in study area is suggested along with remedial measures.

Occurrence of organic wastewater contaminants, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products in selected water supplies, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, June 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Marc J.

2005-01-01

In June 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, sampled water from 14 wastewater sources and drinking-water supplies on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for the presence of organic wastewater contaminants, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. The geographic distribution of sampling locations does not represent the distribution of drinking-water supplies on Cape Cod. The environmental presence of the analyte compounds is mostly unregulated; many of the compounds are suspected of having adverse ecological and human health effects. Of the 85 different organic analyte compounds, 43 were detected, with 13 detected in low concentrations (less than 1 microgram per liter) from drinking-water supplies thought to be affected by wastewater because of previously detected high nitrate concentrations. (Phenol and d-limonene, detected in equipment blanks at unacceptably high concentrations, are not included in counts of detections in this report.) Compounds detected in the drinking-water supplies included the solvent, tetrachloroethylene; the analgesic, acetaminophen; the antibiotic, sulfamethoxazole; and the antidepressant, carbamazapine. Nitrate nitrogen, an indicator of wastewater, was detected in water supplies in concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 8.8 milligrams per liter.

Hydrological and nutrient fluxes in the soil-atmosphere interface in Brazilian semiarid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leal, Karinne; Borma, Laura; Forti, Cristina

2014-05-01

Semiarids are water stress regions caused by the association of high potential evapotranspiration, high temperatures (in summer) and generally low rainfall. Although unfavorable climatic conditions, semiarid regions represent about 14% global population and has been suffering land transformation, such as replacement by pastures and croplands. Crescent demand for agricultural and forests products in Brazilian semiarid has taken Caatinga deforestations, typical vegetation of that area that covers about 10% of Brazilian territory, with consequences in hydrology and biogeochemistry. The effect of these disruptions are poorly understood. The aim of this research is to characterize the differences in transfers of water and nutrients, in soil-atmosphere interface, between a typical Caatinga vegetation and pasture. Two field campaigns were made to sample and measure the water from rainfall, throughfall, stemflow, runoff and soil water. The collections were conducted during the rainy season, extended from April to August in 2012 and 2013, in São João, a county in the semiarid region of Pernambuco State, in the northeast of Brazil. The samples are being analyzed in order to determine their major cations and anions concentrations, total dissolved carbon (TDC), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), alkalinity and pH. The observed precipitation represented about 40% and 50% of the historical average precipitation, in 2012 and 2013, respectively. This observations highlight the severe drought experienced in the region, mainly in the first year of sampling. The throughfall represented about 35% of the rainfall in 2012, and about 25% in 2013. In semiarid vegetations the average throughfall is about 49%, with variation coefficient of ±32%, so the observed data are consistent with those reported in the literature. These observations suggests that in drier years the vegetation holds more moisture than in wetter years. However, these data must be correlated with others parameters that influence the relationship between rainfall and troughfall, such as intensity and duration of the rain, wind speed and air humidity before the rainfall. The runoff was an order of magnitude lower in 2012 than in 2013. The chemical analyzes are still being processed. Key-words: Caatinga, carbon, nitrogen, land transformation.

Comparison of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis Strains isolated from water and clinical samples: antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic relationships.

PubMed

Castillo-Rojas, Gonzalo; Mazari-Hiríart, Marisa; Ponce de León, Sergio; Amieva-Fernández, Rosa I; Agis-Juárez, Raúl A; Huebner, Johannes; López-Vidal, Yolanda

2013-01-01

Enterococci are part of the normal intestinal flora in a large number of mammals, and these microbes are currently used as indicators of fecal contamination in water and food for human consumption. These organisms are considered one of the primary causes of nosocomial and environmental infections due to their ability to survive in the environment and to their intrinsic resistance to antimicrobials. The aims of this study were to determine the biochemical patterns and antimicrobial susceptibilities of Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium isolates from clinical samples and from water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and treated water from the Mexico City Metropolitan Area) and to determine the genetic relationships among these isolates. A total of 121 enterococcus strains were studied; 31 and 90 strains were isolated from clinical samples and water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and water for agricultural irrigation), respectively. Identification to the species level was performed using a multiplex PCR assay, and antimicrobial profiles were obtained using a commercial kit. Twenty-eight strains were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). E. faecium strains isolated from water showed an atypical biochemical pattern. The clinical isolates showed higher resistance to antibiotics than those from water. Both the enterococci isolated from humans, and those isolated from water showed high genetic diversity according to the PFGE analysis, although some strains seemed to be closely related. In conclusion, enterococci isolated from humans and water are genetically different. However, water represents a potential route of transmission to the community and a source of antimicrobial resistance genes that may be readily transmitted to other, different bacterial species.

Comparison of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis Strains Isolated from Water and Clinical Samples: Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Genetic Relationships

PubMed Central

Castillo-Rojas, Gonzalo; Mazari-Hiríart, Marisa; Ponce de León, Sergio; Amieva-Fernández, Rosa I.; Agis-Juárez, Raúl A.; Huebner, Johannes; López-Vidal, Yolanda

2013-01-01

Enterococci are part of the normal intestinal flora in a large number of mammals, and these microbes are currently used as indicators of fecal contamination in water and food for human consumption. These organisms are considered one of the primary causes of nosocomial and environmental infections due to their ability to survive in the environment and to their intrinsic resistance to antimicrobials. The aims of this study were to determine the biochemical patterns and antimicrobial susceptibilities of Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium isolates from clinical samples and from water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and treated water from the Mexico City Metropolitan Area) and to determine the genetic relationships among these isolates. A total of 121 enterococcus strains were studied; 31 and 90 strains were isolated from clinical samples and water (groundwater, water from the Xochimilco wetland, and water for agricultural irrigation), respectively. Identification to the species level was performed using a multiplex PCR assay, and antimicrobial profiles were obtained using a commercial kit. Twenty-eight strains were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). E. faecium strains isolated from water showed an atypical biochemical pattern. The clinical isolates showed higher resistance to antibiotics than those from water. Both the enterococci isolated from humans, and those isolated from water showed high genetic diversity according to the PFGE analysis, although some strains seemed to be closely related. In conclusion, enterococci isolated from humans and water are genetically different. However, water represents a potential route of transmission to the community and a source of antimicrobial resistance genes that may be readily transmitted to other, different bacterial species. PMID:23560050

Influence of various water quality sampling strategies on load estimates for small streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Roerish, Eric D.

1999-01-01

Extensive streamflow and water quality data from eight small streams were systematically subsampled to represent various water‐quality sampling strategies. The subsampled data were then used to determine the accuracy and precision of annual load estimates generated by means of a regression approach (typically used for big rivers) and to determine the most effective sampling strategy for small streams. Estimation of annual loads by regression was imprecise regardless of the sampling strategy used; for the most effective strategy, median absolute errors were ∼30% based on the load estimated with an integration method and all available data, if a regression approach is used with daily average streamflow. The most effective sampling strategy depends on the length of the study. For 1‐year studies, fixed‐period monthly sampling supplemented by storm chasing was the most effective strategy. For studies of 2 or more years, fixed‐period semimonthly sampling resulted in not only the least biased but also the most precise loads. Additional high‐flow samples, typically collected to help define the relation between high streamflow and high loads, result in imprecise, overestimated annual loads if these samples are consistently collected early in high‐flow events.

Variability in stream chemistry in relation to urban development and biological condition in seven metropolitan areas of the United States, 1999-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beaulieu, Karen M.; Bell, Amanda H.; Coles, James F.

2012-01-01

Beginning in 1999, the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program investigated the effects of urban development on stream ecosystems in nine metropolitan study areas across the United States. In seven of these study areas, stream-chemistry samples were collected every other month for 1 year at 6 to 10 sites. Within a study area, the sites collectively represented a gradient of urban development from minimally to highly developed watersheds, based on the percentage of urban land cover; depending on study area, the land cover before urban development was either forested or agricultural. The stream-chemistry factors measured in the samples were total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chloride, and pesticide toxicity. These data were used to characterize the stream-chemistry factors in four ways (hereafter referred to as characterizations)—seasonal high-flow value, seasonal low-flow value, the median value (representing a single integrated value of the factor over the year), and the standard deviation of values (representing the variation of the factor over the year). Aquatic macroinvertebrate communities were sampled at each site to infer the biological condition of the stream based on the relative sensitivity of the community to environmental stressors. A Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate relations between (1) urban development and each characterization of the stream-chemistry factors and (2) the biological condition of a stream and the different characterizations of chloride and pesticide toxicity. Overall, the study areas where the land cover before urban development was primarily forested had a greater number of moderate and strong relations compared with the study areas where the land cover before urban development was primarily agriculture; this was true when urban development was correlated with the stream-chemistry factors (except chloride) and when chloride and pesticide toxicity was correlated with the biological condition. Except for primarily phosphorus in two study areas, stream-chemistry factors generally increased with urban development, and among the different characterizations, the median value typically indicated the strongest relations. The variation in stream-chemistry factors throughout the year generally increased with urban development, indicating that water quality became less consistent as watersheds were developed. In study areas with high annual snow fall, the variation in chloride concentrations throughout the year was particularly strongly related to urban development, likely a result of road salt applications during the winter. The relations of the biological condition to chloride and pesticide toxicity were calculated irrespective of urban development, but the overall results indicated that the relations were still stronger in the study areas that had been forested before urban development. The weaker relations in the study areas that had been agricultural before urban development were likely the results of biological communities having been degraded from agricultural practices in the watersheds. Collectively, these results indicated that, compared with sampling a stream at a single point in time, sampling at regular intervals during a year may provide a more representative measure of water quality, especially in the areas of high urban development where water quality fluctuated more widely between samples. Furthermore, the use of "integrated" values of stream chemistry factors may be more appropriate when assessing relations to the biological condition of a stream because the taxa composition of a biological community typically reflects the water-quality conditions over time.

Power Distribution and Adoption of Agricultural Innovations: A Structural Analysis of Villages in Pakistan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, David M.; And Others

1982-01-01

Data collected from a sample of farmers representing 15 Pakistani villages show that greater equality in village power distribution is positively related to greater adoption of agricultural technology as analyzed at the village level. When effects of water control are parceled out, the power-adoption relationship is strengthened. (LC)

Laboratory Evaluation of Effects of Soil Properties on Termiticide Performance against Formosan Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fourteen Mississippi soils representing a range of soil properties were treated with bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, or fipronil at two rates of each termiticide. Treated soils were placed in well-drained containers, then watered. Two weeks post-treatment, core samples were removed, divided into three 5-c...

Effect of sample preparation on the discrimination of bacterial isolates cultured in liquid nutrient media using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is used as the basis for discrimination between 2 genera of gram-negative bacteria and 2 genera of gram-positive bacteria representing pathogenic threats commonly found in poultry processing rinse waters. Because LIBS-based discrimination relies primarily ...

Just Around the Riverbend: Seasonal hydrologic controls on dynamic hyporheic zone redox biogeochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saup, C. M.; Sawyer, A. H.; Williams, K. H.; Wilkins, M.

2017-12-01

Upland rivers host exceptionally strong linkages between the terrestrial and aquatic elemental cycles. The weathering of mineral phases, coupled with degradation of organic matter and anthropogenic influences can result in the export of carbon, metals, and nutrients in upland fluvial systems, often decreasing downstream water quality with negative impacts on both human usage and ecosystem functioning. Within these fluvial networks, zones of hyporheic mixing—regions within the riverbed where surface water and groundwater mix—are thought to represent hotspots of biogeochemical activity, thus exerting significant control over elemental cycling and solute export. To investigate how the deeper exchange of oxic river water into the riverbed during snowmelt-driven peak discharge affects microbial degradation (oxidation) of carbon pools, depth resolved pore water samples were recovered from multiple locations around a representative meander on the East River near Crested Butte, CO. At each location, a series of temperature and redox probes were installed in the riverbed to track the extent of hyporheic mixing and the impact of this process on riverbed biogeochemistry. We complemented this real-time data with discrete samples collected during peak flow, intermediate flow, and base flow at a 10 cm resolution over 70 cm vertical profiles for a suite of microbiological and geochemical analyses. Results revealed elevated pore fluid concentrations of dissolved metals and recalcitrant DOC species under reducing conditions induced by base flow, while regions that were more influenced by down-welling oxic surface water hosted distinct microbial communities and lower metal concentrations. Overall, our results indicate that mixing-driven vertical redox gradients exert a strong control on biogeochemical processing in riverbeds, with implications for downstream water quality and solute export from watersheds.

Determination of uranium in natural waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, Franklin Butt; Johnson, J.O.; Edwards, K.W.; Robinson, B.P.

1965-01-01

A method is described for the determination of very low concentrations of uranium in water. The method is based on the fluorescence of uranium in a pad prepared by fusion of the dried solids from the water sample with a flux of 10 percent NaF 45.5 percent Na2CO3 , and 45.5 percent K2CO3 . This flux permits use of a low fusion temperature and yields pads which are easily removed from the platinum fusion dishes for fluorescence measurements. Uranium concentrations of less than 1 microgram per liter can be determined on a sample of 10 milliliters, or less. The sensitivity and accuracy of the method are dependent primarily on the purity of reagents used, the stability and linearity of the fluorimeter, and the concentration of quenching elements in the water residue. A purification step is recommended when the fluorescence is quenched by more than 30 percent. Equations are given for the calculation of standard deviations of analyses by this method. Graphs of error functions and representative data are also included.

Can tintinnids be used for discriminating water quality status in marine ecosystems?

PubMed

Feng, Meiping; Zhang, Wuchang; Wang, Weiding; Zhang, Guangtao; Xiao, Tian; Xu, Henglong

2015-12-30

Ciliated protozoa have many advantages in bioassessment of water quality. The ability of tintinnids for assessing water quality status was studied during a 7-yearcycle in Jiaozhou Bay of the Yellow Sea, northern China. The samples were collected monthly at four sites with a spatial gradient of environmental pollution. Environmental variables, e.g., temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a (Chl a), dissolved inorganic nitrogen, soluble reactive phosphate (SRP), and soluble active silicate (SRSi), were measured synchronously for comparison with biotic parameters. Results showed that: (1) tintinnid community structures represented significant differences among the four sampling sites; (2) spatial patterns of the tintinnid communities were significantly correlated with environmental variables, especially SRSi and nutrients; and (3) the community structural parameters and the five dominant species were significantly correlated with SRSi and nutrients. We suggested that tintinnids may be used as a potential bioindicator for discriminating water quality status in marine ecosystems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical equilibria of thermal waters for the application of geothermometers from the Guanzhong basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xilai, Zheng; Armannsson, Halldor; Yongle, Li; Hanxue, Qiu

2002-03-01

In this study, representative samples from thermal wells and springs were chemically analyzed and geothermometers were used to calculate the deep temperatures of geothermal reservoirs on the basis of water-mineral equilibrium. In some cases, however, the chemical components are not in equilibrium with the minerals in the reservoir. Therefore, log( Q/ K) diagrams are used to study the chemical equilibrium for the minerals that are likely to participate. The Na-K-Mg triangular diagram is also applied to evaluate the equilibrium of water with reservoir rocks. Standard curves at the reference temperatures are prepared to reveal which type of silica geothermometer is appropriate for the specified condition. This study shows that water samples from geothermal wells W9 and W12 are in equilibrium with the selective minerals, and chalcedony may control the fluid-silica equilibrium. It is estimated that there is an exploitable low-temperature reservoir with possible temperatures of 80-90°C in the Guanzhong basin.

A Clonal Lineage of Fusarium oxysporum Circulates in the Tap Water of Different French Hospitals.

PubMed

Edel-Hermann, Véronique; Sautour, Marc; Gautheron, Nadine; Laurent, Julie; Aho, Serge; Bonnin, Alain; Sixt, Nathalie; Hartemann, Philippe; Dalle, Frédéric; Steinberg, Christian

2016-11-01

Fusarium oxysporum is typically a soilborne fungus but can also be found in aquatic environments. In hospitals, water distribution systems may be reservoirs for the fungi responsible for nosocomial infections. F. oxysporum was previously detected in the water distribution systems of five French hospitals. Sixty-eight isolates from water representative of all hospital units that were previously sampled and characterized by translation elongation factor 1α sequence typing were subjected to microsatellite analysis and full-length ribosomal intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence typing. All but three isolates shared common microsatellite loci and a common two-locus sequence type (ST). This ST has an international geographical distribution in both the water networks of hospitals and among clinical isolates. The ST dominant in water was not detected among 300 isolates of F. oxysporum that originated from surrounding soils. Further characterization of 15 isolates by vegetative compatibility testing allowed us to conclude that a clonal lineage of F. oxysporum circulates in the tap water of the different hospitals. We demonstrated that a clonal lineage of Fusarium oxysporum inhabits the water distribution systems of several French hospitals. This clonal lineage, which appears to be particularly adapted to water networks, represents a potential risk for human infection and raises questions about its worldwide distribution. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Assessment of Surface Water Contamination from Coalbed Methane Fracturing-Derived Volatile Contaminants in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA.

PubMed

Meszaros, Nicholas; Subedi, Bikram; Stamets, Tristan; Shifa, Naima

2017-09-01

There is a growing concern over the contamination of surface water and the associated environmental and public health consequences from the recent proliferation of hydraulic fracturing in the USA. Petroleum hydrocarbon-derived contaminants of concern [benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX)] and various dissolved cations and anions were spatially determined in surface waters around 15 coalbed methane fracking wells in Sullivan County, IN, USA. At least one BTEX compound was detected in 69% of sampling sites (n = 13) and 23% of sampling sites were found to be contaminated with all of the BTEX compounds. Toluene was the most common BTEX compound detected across all sampling sites, both upstream and downstream from coalbed methane fracking wells. The average concentration of toluene at a reservoir and its outlet nearby the fracking wells was ~2× higher than other downstream sites. However, one of the upstream sites was found to be contaminated with BTEX at similar concentrations as in a reservoir site nearby the fracking well. Calcium (~60 ppm) and sulfates (~175 ppm) were the dominant cations and anions, respectively, in surface water around the fracking sites. This study represents the first report of BTEX contamination in surface water from coalbed methane hydraulic fracturing wells.

Microbiological effectiveness and cost of boiling to disinfect drinking water in rural Vietnam.

PubMed

Clasen, Thomas F; Thao, Do Hoang; Boisson, Sophie; Shipin, Oleg

2008-06-15

Despite certain shortcomings, boiling is still the most common means of treating water in the home and the benchmark against which alternative household-based disinfection and filtration methods must be measured. We assessed the microbiological effectiveness and cost of boiling among a vulnerable population relying on unimproved water sources and commonly practicing boiling as a means of disinfecting water. In a 12 week study among 50 households from a rural community in Vietnam, boiling was associated with a 97% reduction in geometric mean thermotolerant coliforms (TTCs) (p < 0.001). Despite high levels of faecal contamination in source water, 37% of stored water samples from self-reported boilers met the WHO standard for safe drinking water (0 TTC/100 mL), and 38.3% fell within the low risk category (1--10 TTC/100 mL). Nevertheless, 60.5% of stored drinking water samples were positive for TTC, with 22.2% falling into the medium risk category (11--100 TTC/100 mL). The estimated cost of wood used to boil water was US$ 0.272 per month for wood collectors and US$ 1.68 per month for wood purchasers, representing approximately 0.48% to 1.04%, respectively, of the average monthly income of participating households.

Avoidance of strobe lights by zooplankton

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamel, Martin J.; Richards, Nathan S.; Brown, Michael L.; Chipps, Steven R.

2010-01-01

Underwater strobe lights can influence the behavior and distribution of fishes and are increasingly used as a technique to divert fish away from water intake structures on dams. However, few studies examine how strobe lights may affect organisms other than targeted species. To gain insight on strobe lighting effects on nontarget invertebrates, we investigated whether underwater strobe lights influence zooplankton distributions and abundance in Lake Oahe, South Dakota. Zooplankton were collected using vertical tows at 3 discrete distances from an underwater strobe light to quantify the influence of light intensity on zooplankton density. Samples were collected from 3 different depth ranges (0–10 m, 10–20 m and 20–30 m) at <1 m, 15 m and ⩾100 m distance intervals away from the strobe light. Copepods represented 67.2% and Daphnia spp. represented 23.3% of all zooplankton sampled from 17 August to 15 September 2004. Night time zooplankton densities significantly decreased in surface waters when strobe lights were activated. Copepods exhibited the greatest avoidance patterns, while Daphnia avoidance varied throughout sampling depths. These results indicate that zooplankton display negative phototaxic behavior to strobe lights and that researchers must be cognizant of potential effects to the ecosystem such as altering predator–prey interactions or affecting zooplankton distribution and growth.

Hydrology and Water Quality of the Rio Chama River, Northern New Mexico: Establishing a Base Line to Manage Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvato, L.; Crossey, L. J.

2013-12-01

The Rio Chama is the largest stream tributary to the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico. The river's geographic location in a semiarid region results in high rates of evapotranspiration and highly variable streamflow. The Rio Chama is part of the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project, in which water from the San Juan River, southern Colorado, is diverted across the continental divide to the Rio Chama. Surface water moves through Abiquiu, El Vado and Heron Reservoirs to the Rio Grande to supply Albuquerque with potable drinking water. The results of these anthropogenic influences are a modified flow regime, less variability, greater base-flows, and smaller peak flows. We examined selected locations throughout the Rio Chama system to provide base-line water quality data for ongoing studies. This information will contribute to the development of the best plan to optimize flow releases and maximize benefits of the stakeholders and especially the riparian and stream ecosystems. We report results of two sampling trips representing extremes of the hydrograph in summer 2012 and fall 2012. We collected field parameters, processed water samples, and analyzed them for major anions and cations. The geochemistry enables us to better understand the impact of monthly releases of San Juan river water. We captured two points of the river's streamflow range, 54 cubic feet per second in October 2012 and 1,000 cubic feet per second in August 2012 and looked for variability within the results. We found that the reservoirs exhibit varying anion concentrations from samples taken at different depths. We compared stream waters and selected well samples at a stream transect. These samples allowed us to compare shallow ground water with the stream, and they indicated that the changes in ground water are attributed to sulfate reduction. The anion and cation inputs were most likely derived from gypsum, calcite, and salts, as there are many creeks discharging into the Rio Chama whose drainage basins contain exposures of strata bearing these minerals. We established base-line information at the extremes of flow, and our future work will integrate repeat sampling with water level data to more robustly correlate water quality characteristics with release flows. Rio Chama River, Northern New Mexico

Theory of the spatial resolution of (scanning) transmission electron microscopy in liquid water or ice layers.

PubMed

de Jonge, Niels

2018-04-01

The sample dependent spatial resolution was calculated for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning TEM (STEM) of objects (e.g., nanoparticles, proteins) embedded in a layer of liquid water or amorphous ice. The theoretical model includes elastic- and inelastic scattering, beam broadening, and chromatic aberration. Different contrast mechanisms were evaluated as function of the electron dose, the detection angle, and the sample configuration. It was found that the spatial resolution scales with the electron dose to the -1/4th power. Gold- and carbon nanoparticles were examined in the middle of water layers ranging from 0.01--10 µm thickness representing relevant classes of experiments in both materials science and biology. The optimal microscope settings differ between experimental configurations. STEM performs the best for gold nanoparticles for all layer thicknesses, while carbon is best imaged with phase-contrast TEM for thin layers but bright field STEM is preferred for thicker layers. The resolution was also calculated for a water layer enclosed between thin membranes. The influence of chromatic aberration correction for TEM was examined as well. The theory is broadly applicable to other types of materials and sample configurations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal from Bronx River Project Area, New York

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

Gruendell, B.D.; Gardiner, W.W.; Antrim, L.D.

1996-12-01

The objective of the Bronx River project was to evaluate proposed dredged material from the Bronx River project area in Bronx, New York, to determine its suitability for unconfined ocean disposal at the Mud Dump Site. Bronx River was one of five waterways that the US Army Corps of Engineers-New York District (USAGE-NYD) requested the Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) to sample and to evaluate for dredging and disposal. Sediment samples were submitted for physical and chemical analyses, chemical analyses of dredging site water and elutriate, benthic and water-column acute toxicity tests, and bioaccumulation studies. Fifteen individual sediment core samplesmore » collected from the Bronx River project area were analyzed for grain size, moisture content, and total organic carbon (TOC). One composite sediment sample, representing the entire reach of the area proposed for dredging, was analyzed for bulk density, specific gravity, metals, chlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and 1,4- dichlorobenzene. Dredging site water and elutriate water, which was prepared from the suspended-particulate phase (SPP) of the Bronx River sediment composite, were analyzed for metals, pesticides, and PCBS.« less

Thermal Desorption Analysis of Effective Specific Soil Surface Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smagin, A. V.; Bashina, A. S.; Klyueva, V. V.; Kubareva, A. V.

2017-12-01

A new method of assessing the effective specific surface area based on the successive thermal desorption of water vapor at different temperature stages of sample drying is analyzed in comparison with the conventional static adsorption method using a representative set of soil samples of different genesis and degree of dispersion. The theory of the method uses the fundamental relationship between the thermodynamic water potential (Ψ) and the absolute temperature of drying ( T): Ψ = Q - aT, where Q is the specific heat of vaporization, and a is the physically based parameter related to the initial temperature and relative humidity of the air in the external thermodynamic reservoir (laboratory). From gravimetric data on the mass fraction of water ( W) and the Ψ value, Polyanyi potential curves ( W(Ψ)) for the studied samples are plotted. Water sorption isotherms are then calculated, from which the capacity of monolayer and the target effective specific surface area are determined using the BET theory. Comparative analysis shows that the new method well agrees with the conventional estimation of the degree of dispersion by the BET and Kutilek methods in a wide range of specific surface area values between 10 and 250 m2/g.

Factors associated with sources, transport, and fate of volatile organic compounds and their mixtures in aquifers of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Squillace, P.J.; Moran, M.J.

2007-01-01

Factors associated with sources, transport, and fate of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater from aquifers throughout the United States were evaluated using statistical methods. Samples were collected from 1631 wells throughout the conterminous United States between 1996 and 2002 as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Water samples from wells completed in aquifers used to supply drinking water were analyzed for more than 50 VOCs. Wells were primarily rural domestic water supplies (1184), followed by public water supplies (216); the remaining wells (231) supplied a variety of uses. The median well depth was 50 meters. Age-date information shows that about 60% of the samples had a fraction of water recharged after 1953. Chloroform, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene were some of the frequently detected VOCs. Concentrations generally were less than 1 ??g/L. Source factors include, in order of importance, general land-use activity, septic/sewer density, and sites where large concentrations of VOCs are potentially released, such as leaking underground storage tanks. About 10% of all samples had VOC mixtures that were associated with concentrated sources; 20% were associated with dispersed sources. Important transport factors included well/screen depth, precipitation/groundwater recharge, air temperature, and various soil characteristics. Dissolved oxygen was strongly associated with VOCs and represents the fate of many VOCs in groundwater. Well type (domestic or public water supply) was also an important explanatory factor. Results of multiple analyses show the importance of (1) accounting for both dispersed and concentrated sources of VOCs, (2) measuring dissolved oxygen when sampling wells to help explain the fate of VOCs, and (3) limiting the type of wells sampled in monitoring networks to avoid unnecessary variance in the data, or controlling for this variance during data analysis.

In-well time-of-travel approach to evaluate optimal purge duration during low-flow sampling of monitoring wells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harte, Philip T.

2017-01-01

A common assumption with groundwater sampling is that low (<0.5 L/min) pumping rates during well purging and sampling captures primarily lateral flow from the formation through the well-screened interval at a depth coincident with the pump intake. However, if the intake is adjacent to a low hydraulic conductivity part of the screened formation, this scenario will induce vertical groundwater flow to the pump intake from parts of the screened interval with high hydraulic conductivity. Because less formation water will initially be captured during pumping, a substantial volume of water already in the well (preexisting screen water or screen storage) will be captured during this initial time until inflow from the high hydraulic conductivity part of the screened formation can travel vertically in the well to the pump intake. Therefore, the length of the time needed for adequate purging prior to sample collection (called optimal purge duration) is controlled by the in-well, vertical travel times. A preliminary, simple analytical model was used to provide information on the relation between purge duration and capture of formation water for different gross levels of heterogeneity (contrast between low and high hydraulic conductivity layers). The model was then used to compare these time–volume relations to purge data (pumping rates and drawdown) collected at several representative monitoring wells from multiple sites. Results showed that computation of time-dependent capture of formation water (as opposed to capture of preexisting screen water), which were based on vertical travel times in the well, compares favorably with the time required to achieve field parameter stabilization. If field parameter stabilization is an indicator of arrival time of formation water, which has been postulated, then in-well, vertical flow may be an important factor at wells where low-flow sampling is the sample method of choice.

A GIS-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources from oil and gas development in eastern Sheridan County, Montana.

PubMed

Preston, Todd M; Chesley-Preston, Tara L; Thamke, Joanna N

2014-02-15

Water (brine) co-produced with oil in the Williston Basin is some of the most saline in the nation. The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), characterized by glacial sediments and numerous wetlands, covers the northern and eastern portion of the Williston Basin. Sheridan County, Montana, lies within the PPR and has a documented history of brine contamination. Surface water and shallow groundwater in the PPR are saline and sulfate dominated while the deeper brines are much more saline and chloride dominated. A Contamination Index (CI), defined as the ratio of chloride concentration to specific conductance in a water sample, was developed by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology to delineate the magnitude of brine contamination in Sheridan County. Values >0.035 indicate contamination. Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a county level geographic information system (GIS)-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources in the PPR of the Williston Basin based on the age and density of oil wells, number of wetlands, and stream length per county. To validate and better define this assessment, a similar approach was applied in eastern Sheridan County at a greater level of detail (the 2.59 km(2) Public Land Survey System section grid) and included surficial geology. Vulnerability assessment scores were calculated for the 780 modeled sections and these scores were divided into ten equal interval bins representing similar probabilities of contamination. Two surface water and two groundwater samples were collected from the section with the greatest acreage of Federal land in each bin. Nineteen of the forty water samples, and at least one water sample from seven of the ten selected sections, had CI values indicating contamination. Additionally, CI values generally increased with increasing vulnerability assessment score, with a stronger correlation for groundwater samples (R(2)=0.78) than surface water samples (R(2)=0.53). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A GIS-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources from oil and gas development in eastern Sheridan County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, Todd M.; Chesley-Preston, Tara L.; Thamke, Joanna N.

2014-01-01

Water (brine) co-produced with oil in the Williston Basin is some of the most saline in the nation. The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), characterized by glacial sediments and numerous wetlands, covers the northern and eastern portion of the Williston Basin. Sheridan County, Montana, lies within the PPR and has a documented history of brine contamination. Surface water and shallow groundwater in the PPR are saline and sulfate dominated while the deeper brines are much more saline and chloride dominated. A Contamination Index (CI), defined as the ratio of chloride concentration to specific conductance in a water sample, was developed by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology to delineate the magnitude of brine contamination in Sheridan County. Values > 0.035 indicate contamination. Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey completed a county level geographic information system (GIS)-based vulnerability assessment of brine contamination to aquatic resources in the PPR of the Williston Basin based on the age and density of oil wells, number of wetlands, and stream length per county. To validate and better define this assessment, a similar approach was applied in eastern Sheridan County at a greater level of detail (the 2.59 km2 Public Land Survey System section grid) and included surficial geology. Vulnerability assessment scores were calculated for the 780 modeled sections and these scores were divided into ten equal interval bins representing similar probabilities of contamination. Two surface water and two groundwater samples were collected from the section with the greatest acreage of Federal land in each bin. Nineteen of the forty water samples, and at least one water sample from seven of the ten selected sections, had CI values indicating contamination. Additionally, CI values generally increased with increasing vulnerability assessment score, with a stronger correlation for groundwater samples (R2 = 0.78) than surface water samples (R2 = 0.53).

[Suitable investigation method of exploration and suggestions for investigating Chinese materia medica resources from wetland and artificial water of Hongze Lake region].

PubMed

Liu, Rui; Yan, Hui; Duan, Jin-Ao; Liu, Xing-Jian; Ren, Quan-Jin; Li, Hui-Wei; Bao, Bei-Hua; Zhang, Zhao-Hui

2016-08-01

According to the technology requirements of the fourth national survey of Chinese Materia Medica resources (pilot), suitable investigation method of exploration and suggestions for investigating Chinese Materia Medica resources was proposed based on the type of wetland and artificial water of Hongze Lake region. Environment of Hongze Lake and overview of wetland, present situation of ecology and vegetation and vegetation distribution were analyzed. Establishment of survey plan, selection of sample area and sample square and confirmation of representative water area survey plan were all suggested. The present study provide references for improving Chinese materia medica resources survey around Hongze Lake, and improving the technical specifications. It also provide references for investigating Chinese Materia Medica resources survey on similar ecological environment under the condition of artificial intervention. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Aqueous solubility calculation for petroleum mixtures in soil using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography analysis data.

PubMed

Mao, Debin; Lookman, Richard; Van De Weghe, Hendrik; Vanermen, Guido; De Brucker, Nicole; Diels, Ludo

2009-04-03

An assessment of aqueous solubility (leaching potential) of soil contaminations with petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) is important in the context of the evaluation of (migration) risks and soil/groundwater remediation. Field measurements using monitoring wells often overestimate real TPH concentrations in case of presence of pure oil in the screened interval of the well. This paper presents a method to calculate TPH equilibrium concentrations in groundwater using soil analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (HPLC-GCXGC). The oil in the soil sample is divided into 79 defined hydrocarbon fractions on two GCXGC color plots. To each of these fractions a representative water solubility is assigned. Overall equilibrium water solubility of the non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) present in the sample and the water phase's chemical composition (in terms of the 79 fractions defined) are then calculated using Raoult's law. The calculation method was validated using soil spiked with 13 different TPH mixtures and 1 field-contaminated soil. Measured water solubilities using a column recirculation equilibration experiment agreed well to calculated equilibrium concentrations and water phase TPH composition.

Detection of oral streptococci in dental unit water lines after therapy with air turbine handpiece: biological fluid retraction more frequent than expected.

PubMed

Petti, Stefano; Moroni, Catia; Messano, Giuseppe Alessio; Polimeni, Antonella

2013-03-01

Oral streptococci detected in water from dental unit water lines (DUWLs) are a surrogate marker of patients' biological fluid retraction during therapy. We investigated oral streptococci detection rate in DUWLs in a representative sample of private offices in real-life conditions. Samples of nondisinfected water (100 ml) were collected from the DUWL designated for the air turbine handpiece in 81 dental units, immediately after dental treatment of patients with extensive air turbine handpiece use. Water was filtered and plated on a selective medium for oral streptococci and, morphologically, typical colonies of oral streptococci were counted. The lowest detection limit was 0.01 CFU/ml. The oral streptococci detection rate was 72% (95% CI: 62-81%), with a mean level of 0.7 CFU/ml. Oral streptococci detection was not affected by handpiece age or dental treatment type, but was associated with dental unit age. Biological fluid retraction into DUWLs during patient treatment and, possibly, the risk for patient-to-patient blood- or air-borne pathogen transmission are more frequent than expected.

Water quality transformations during soil aquifer treatment at the Mesa Northwest Water Reclamation Plant, USA.

PubMed

Fox, P; Narayanaswamy, K; Genz, A; Drewes, J E

2001-01-01

Water quality transformations during soil aquifer treatment at the Mesa Northwest Water Reclamation Plant (NWWRP) were evaluated by sampling a network of groundwater monitoring wells located within the reclaimed water plume. The Mesa Northwest Water Reclamation Plant has used soil aquifer treatment (SAT) since it began operation in 1990 and the recovery of reclaimed water from the impacted groundwater has been minimal. Groundwater samples obtained represent travel times from several days to greater than five years. Samples were analyzed for a wide range of organic and inorganic constituents. Sulfate was used as a tracer to estimate travel times and define reclaimed water plume movement. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were reduced to approximately 1 mg/L after 12 to 24 months of soil aquifer treatment with an applied DOC concentration from the NWWRP of 5 to 7 mg/L. The specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA) increased during initial soil aquifer treatment on a time-scale of days and then decreased as longer term soil aquifer treatment removed UV absorbing compounds. The trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP) was a function of the dissolved organic carbon concentration and ranged from 50 to 65 micrograms THMFP/mg DOC. Analysis of trace organics revealed that the majority of trace organics were removed as DOC was removed with the exception of organic iodine. The majority of nitrogen was applied as nitrate-nitrogen and the reclaimed water plume had lower nitrate-nitrogen concentrations as compared to the background groundwater. The average dissolved organic carbon concentrations in the reclaimed water plume were less than 50% of the drinking water dissolved organic concentrations from which the reclaimed water originated.

Comparative persistence of human sewage-specific enterococcal bacteriophages in freshwater and seawater.

PubMed

Booncharoen, Namfon; Mongkolsuk, Skorn; Sirikanchana, Kwanrawee

2018-07-01

Enterococcus faecalis bacteria have been recently reported for their ability to host bacteriophages that are specifically from human sewage, suggesting their application to track human fecal contamination in water resources. However, little is known about the survivability of sewage-specific enterococcal bacteriophages in various water matrices under ambient and storage conditions. In this study, bacteriophages that were derived from the Thailand-isolated E. faecalis strains AIM06 and SR14 exhibited morphologies consistent with the Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, and Myoviridae families. Four representative bacteriophages were separately spiked into environmental water samples (n = 7) comprising freshwater and seawater with low- and high-pollution (LF, HF, LS, and HS, respectively) levels, defined according to Thailand Water Quality Standards. All bacteriophages decayed fastest in HS or HF samples at 30 °C, reaching a 5-log 10 reduction in 2.2 to 9.8 days, and slowest in LS samples, requiring 8.8 to 23.5 days. The decay rates were 5 to 53 times lower at a storage temperature of 5 °C. HF samples could be stored for as little as 2.5 days to prevent the decay of 50% of the phages. Myoviridae phages decayed faster than Siphoviridae phages and Podoviridae phages in most water matrices at 30 °C. Moreover, the decay rates were 1.8 to 92 times slower in filtered samples, emphasizing a strong role for water constituents, i.e., suspended solids and natural microorganisms, in phage persistence. This study emphasized that differential enterococcal bacteriophage persistence should be considered when planning the monitoring and interpreting of fecal sources by microbial source tracking.

A comparison of extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli from clinical, recreational water and wastewater samples associated in time and location

PubMed Central

Søraas, Arne V.; Arnesen, Lotte S.; Leegaard, Truls M.; Sundsfjord, Arnfinn; Jenum, Pål A.

2017-01-01

Extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) are excreted via effluents and sewage into the environment where they can re-contaminate humans and animals. The aim of this observational study was to detect and quantify ESBL-EC in recreational water and wastewater, and perform a genetic and phenotypic comparative analysis of the environmental strains with geographically associated human urinary ESBL-EC. Recreational fresh- and saltwater samples from four different beaches and wastewater samples from a nearby sewage plant were filtered and cultured on differential and ESBL-selective media. After antimicrobial susceptibility testing and multi-locus variable number of tandem repeats assay (MLVA), selected ESBL-EC strains from recreational water were characterized by whole genome sequencing (WGS) and compared to wastewater and human urine isolates from people living in the same area. We detected ESBL-EC in recreational water samples on 8/20 occasions (40%), representing all sites. The ratio of ESBL-EC to total number of E. coli colony forming units varied from 0 to 3.8%. ESBL-EC were present in all wastewater samples in ratios of 0.56–0.75%. ST131 was most prevalent in urine and wastewater samples, while ST10 dominated in water samples. Eight STs and identical ESBL-EC MLVA-types were detected in all compartments. Clinical ESBL-EC isolates were more likely to be multidrug-resistant (p<0.001). This study confirms that ESBL-EC, including those that are capable of causing human infection, are present in recreational waters where there is a potential for human exposure and subsequent gut colonisation and infection in bathers. Multidrug-resistant E. coli strains are present in urban aquatic environments even in countries where antibiotic consumption in both humans and animals is highly restricted. PMID:29040337

Prevalence of Rotavirus Genogroup A and Norovirus Genogroup II in Bassaseachic Falls National Park Surface Waters in Chihuahua, Mexico

PubMed Central

Delgado-Gardea, Ma. Carmen E.; Tamez-Guerra, Patricia; Gomez-Flores, Ricardo; Mendieta-Mendoza, Aurora; Zavala-Díaz de la Serna, Francisco Javier; Contreras-Cordero, Juan Francisco; Erosa-de la Vega, Gilberto; Pérez-Recoder, María Concepción; Sánchez-Ramírez, Blanca; González-Horta, Carmen; Infante-Ramírez, Rocío

2017-01-01

In areas lacking potable water treatment, drinking contaminated water may represent a public health threat. In addition to enteropathogenic bacteria and parasites, fecal contamination in water environments is associated with the transmission of enteric viruses and other causal agents of infectious disease. Rotavirus and norovirus are the main enteric viral agents responsible for diarrheic outbreaks. The aim of the present study was to detect seasonal variation of rotavirus and norovirus in the surface water at Bassaseachic Falls National Park during 2013. Rivers and streams within and nearby this park were sampled once in each season during 2013. Viral concentration was carried out by a handmade filtration equipment, using a commercial electropositive membrane coupled with the virus absortion elution technique (VIRADEL©). Detection of rotavirus and norovirus was performed by SYBR Green reverse transcription-real time polymerase chain reaction (SYBR GREEN© RT-qPCR) analyses. Norovirus genogroup II was detected in samples collected in June and October 2013. In the case of rotavirus, genogroup A was detected in March and June. The presence of rotavirus and norovirus was related to viral acute diarrhea in children less than five years of age, who were inhabiting the sampled areas. This may indicates that the contaminated water was potentially a risk factor for regional diarrheic outbreaks. PMID:28475152

Geotechnical soil characterization of intact Quaternary deposits forming the March 22, 2014 SR-530 (Oso) landslide, Snohomish County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riemer, Michael F.; Collins, Brian D.; Badger, Thomas C.; Toth, Csilla; Yu, Yat Chun

2015-01-01

This report provides a description of the methods used to obtain and test the intact soil stratigraphy behind the headscarp of the March 22 landslide. Detailed geotechnical index testing results are presented for 24 soil samples representing the stratigraphy at 19 different depths along a 650 ft (198 m) soil profile. The results include (1) the soil's in situ water content and unit weight (where applicable); (2) specific gravity of soil solids; and (3) each sample's grain-size distribution, critical limits for fine-grain water content states (that is, the Atterberg limits), and official Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) designation. In addition, preliminary stratigraphy and geotechnical relations within and between soil units are presented.

Modelling of in-stream nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations using different sampling strategies for calibration data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jomaa, Seifeddine; Jiang, Sanyuan; Yang, Xiaoqiang; Rode, Michael

2016-04-01

It is known that a good evaluation and prediction of surface water pollution is mainly limited by the monitoring strategy and the capability of the hydrological water quality model to reproduce the internal processes. To this end, a compromise sampling frequency, which can reflect the dynamical behaviour of leached nutrient fluxes responding to changes in land use, agriculture practices and point sources, and appropriate process-based water quality model are required. The objective of this study was to test the identification of hydrological water quality model parameters (nitrogen and phosphorus) under two different monitoring strategies: (1) regular grab-sampling approach and (2) regular grab-sampling with additional monitoring during the hydrological events using automatic samplers. First, the semi-distributed hydrological water quality HYPE (Hydrological Predictions for the Environment) model was successfully calibrated (1994-1998) for discharge (NSE = 0.86), nitrate-N (lowest NSE for nitrate-N load = 0.69), particulate phosphorus and soluble phosphorus in the Selke catchment (463 km2, central Germany) for the period 1994-1998 using regular grab-sampling approach (biweekly to monthly for nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations). Second, the model was successfully validated during the period 1999-2010 for discharge, nitrate-N, particulate-phosphorus and soluble-phosphorus (lowest NSE for soluble phosphorus load = 0.54). Results, showed that when additional sampling during the events with random grab-sampling approach was used (period 2011-2013), the hydrological model could reproduce only the nitrate-N and soluble phosphorus concentrations reasonably well. However, when additional sampling during the hydrological events was considered, the HYPE model could not represent the measured particulate phosphorus. This reflects the importance of suspended sediment during the hydrological events increasing the concentrations of particulate phosphorus. The HYPE model could reproduce the total phosphorus during the period 2011-2013 only when the sediment transport-related model parameters was re-identified again considering the automatic sampling during the high-flow conditions.

Multielement chemical and statistical analyses from a uranium hydrogeochemical and stream-sediment survey in and near the Elkhorn Mountains, Jefferson County, Montana; Part I, Surface water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Suits, V.J.; Wenrich, K.J.

1982-01-01

Fifty-two surface-water samples, collected from an area south of Helena, Jefferson County, were analyzed for 51 chemical species. Of these variables, 35 showed detectable variation over the area, and 29 were utilized in a correlation analysis. Two populations are distinguished in the collected samples and are especially evident in the plot of Ca versus U. Samples separated on the basis of U versus Ca proved to represent drainage areas of two differing lithologies. One group was from waters that drain the Boulder batholith, the other from those that drain the Elkhorn Mountains volcanic rocks. These two groups of samples, in general, proved to have parallel but different linear trends between U and other elements. Therefore, the two groups of samples were treated separately in the statistical analyses. Over the area that drains the Boulder batholith, U concentrations in water ranged from 0.37 to 13.0 ?g/l , with a mean of 1.9 ?g/l. The samples from streams draining volcanic areas ranged from 0.04 to 1.5 ?g/l, with a mean of 0.42 ?g/l. The highest U values (12 and 13 ?g/l) occur along Badger Creek, Rawhide Creek, Little Buffalo Gulch, and an unnamed tributary to Clancy Creek. Conductivity, hardness, Ba, Ca, CI, K, Mg, Na and Sr are significantly correlated with U at or better than the 95 percent confidence limit in both populations. For water draining the Boulder batholith, uranium correlates significantly with akalinity, pH, bicarbonate, Li, Mo, NO2+NO3, P04, SiO2, SO4, F, and inorganic carbon. These correlations are similar to those found in a previous study of water samples in north-central New Mexico (Wenrich-Verbeek, 1977b). Uranium in water from the volcanic terrane does not show correlations with any of the above constituents, but does correlate well with V. This relationship with V is absent within the Boulder batholith samples.

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

Du Preez, S. P.; Beukes, J. P.; Van Dalen, W. P. J.

The production of ferrochrome (FeCr) is a reducing process. However, it is impossible to completely exclude oxygen from all of the high-temperature production process steps, which may lead to unintentional formation of small amounts of Cr(VI). The majority of Cr(VI) is associated with particles found in the off-gas of the high-temperature processes, which are cleaned by means of venturi scrubbers or bag filter dust (BFD) systems. BFD contains the highest concentration of Cr(VI) of all FeCr wastes. In this study, the solubility of Cr(VI) present in BFD was determined by evaluating four different BFD samples. The results indicate that themore » currently applied Cr(VI) treatment strategies of the FeCr producer (with process water pH ≤ 9) only effectively extract and treat the water-soluble Cr(VI) compounds, which merely represented approximately 31% of the total Cr(VI) present in the BFD samples evaluated. Extended extraction time, within the afore-mentioned pH range, proved futile in extracting sparingly-soluble and water-insoluble Cr(VI) species, which represented approximately 34% and 35% of the total Cr(VI), respectively. Due to the deficiencies of the current treatment strategies, it is highly likely that sparingly water-soluble Cr(VI) compounds will leach from waste storage facilities (e.g. slimes dams) over time. Therefore, it is critical that improved Cr(VI) treatment strategies be formulated, which should be an important future perspective for FeCr producers and researchers alike.« less

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.

Assessment of Spatial and Temporal Variation of Surface Water Quality in Streams Affected by Coalbed Methane Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chitrakar, S.; Miller, S. N.; Liu, T.; Caffrey, P. A.

2015-12-01

Water quality data have been collected from three representative stream reaches in a coalbed methane (CBM) development area for over five years to improve the understanding of salt loading in the system. These streams are located within Atlantic Rim development area of the Muddy Creek in south-central Wyoming. Significant development of CBM wells is ongoing in the study area. Three representative sampling stream reaches included the Duck Pond Draw and Cow Creek, which receive co-produced water, and; South Fork Creek, and upstream Cow Creek which do not receive co-produced water. Water samples were assayed for various parameters which included sodium, calcium, magnesium, fluoride, chlorine, nitrate, O-phosphate, sulfate, carbonate, bicarbonates, and other water quality parameters such as pH, conductivity, and TDS. Based on these water quality parameters we have investigated various hydrochemical and geochemical processes responsible for the high variability in water quality in the region. However, effective interpretation of complex databases to understand aforementioned processes has been a challenging task due to the system's complexity. In this work we applied multivariate statistical techniques including cluster analysis (CA), principle component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) to analyze water quality data and identify similarities and differences among our locations. First, CA technique was applied to group the monitoring sites based on the multivariate similarities. Second, PCA technique was applied to identify the prevalent parameters responsible for the variation of water quality in each group. Third, the DA technique was used to identify the most important factors responsible for variation of water quality during low flow season and high flow season. The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of factors or sources influencing the spatial and temporal variation of water quality. The ultimate goal of this whole research is to develop coupled salt loading and GIS-based hydrological modelling tool that will be able to simulate the salt loadings under various user defined scenarios in the regions undergoing CBM development. Therefore, the findings from this study will be used to formulate the predominant processes responsible for solute loading.

Molecular method for detection of total coliforms in drinking water samples.

PubMed

Maheux, Andrée F; Boudreau, Dominique K; Bisson, Marc-Antoine; Dion-Dupont, Vanessa; Bouchard, Sébastien; Nkuranga, Martine; Bergeron, Michel G; Rodriguez, Manuel J

2014-07-01

This work demonstrates the ability of a bacterial concentration and recovery procedure combined with three different PCR assays targeting the lacZ, wecG, and 16S rRNA genes, respectively, to detect the presence of total coliforms in 100-ml samples of potable water (presence/absence test). PCR assays were first compared to the culture-based Colilert and MI agar methods to determine their ability to detect 147 coliform strains representing 76 species of Enterobacteriaceae encountered in fecal and environmental settings. Results showed that 86 (58.5%) and 109 (74.1%) strains yielded a positive signal with Colilert and MI agar methods, respectively, whereas the lacZ, wecG, and 16S rRNA PCR assays detected 133 (90.5%), 111 (75.5%), and 146 (99.3%) of the 147 total coliform strains tested. These assays were then assessed by testing 122 well water samples collected in the Québec City region of Canada. Results showed that 97 (79.5%) of the samples tested by culture-based methods and 95 (77.9%), 82 (67.2%), and 98 (80.3%) of samples tested using PCR-based methods contained total coliforms, respectively. Consequently, despite the high genetic variability of the total coliform group, this study demonstrated that it is possible to use molecular assays to detect total coliforms in potable water: the 16S rRNA molecular assay was shown to be as efficient as recommended culture-based methods. This assay might be used in combination with an Escherichia coli molecular assay to assess drinking water quality. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Method for Detection of Total Coliforms in Drinking Water Samples

PubMed Central

Boudreau, Dominique K.; Bisson, Marc-Antoine; Dion-Dupont, Vanessa; Bouchard, Sébastien; Nkuranga, Martine; Bergeron, Michel G.; Rodriguez, Manuel J.

2014-01-01

This work demonstrates the ability of a bacterial concentration and recovery procedure combined with three different PCR assays targeting the lacZ, wecG, and 16S rRNA genes, respectively, to detect the presence of total coliforms in 100-ml samples of potable water (presence/absence test). PCR assays were first compared to the culture-based Colilert and MI agar methods to determine their ability to detect 147 coliform strains representing 76 species of Enterobacteriaceae encountered in fecal and environmental settings. Results showed that 86 (58.5%) and 109 (74.1%) strains yielded a positive signal with Colilert and MI agar methods, respectively, whereas the lacZ, wecG, and 16S rRNA PCR assays detected 133 (90.5%), 111 (75.5%), and 146 (99.3%) of the 147 total coliform strains tested. These assays were then assessed by testing 122 well water samples collected in the Québec City region of Canada. Results showed that 97 (79.5%) of the samples tested by culture-based methods and 95 (77.9%), 82 (67.2%), and 98 (80.3%) of samples tested using PCR-based methods contained total coliforms, respectively. Consequently, despite the high genetic variability of the total coliform group, this study demonstrated that it is possible to use molecular assays to detect total coliforms in potable water: the 16S rRNA molecular assay was shown to be as efficient as recommended culture-based methods. This assay might be used in combination with an Escherichia coli molecular assay to assess drinking water quality. PMID:24771030

Boron in Pariette Wetland Sediments, Aquatic Vegetation & Benthic Organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasudeva, P.; Jones, C. P.; Powelson, D.; Jacobson, A. R.

2015-12-01

The Pariette Wetlands are comprised of 20 ponds located in Utah's Uintah Basin. Boron concentration in the Pariette Wetlands have been observed to exceed the total maximum daily limit of 750 µg L-1. Considering water flow in and out of the wetlands, boron is accumulating within the wetlands where it is sorbed to sediments and bioconcentrated by wetland plant and macro invertebrates. Since boron is an avian teratogen, an estimate of boron ingestion exposure is warranted. Samples from 3 of the 23 Pariette Wetland ponds with one pond near the inlet, one near the outlet, and one in the middle were collected. Five sampling points were designated along a 100 m transect of each pond. At each sampling point duplicate (or triplicate) samples of water, sediments, benthic organisms and wetland vegetation were collected. The sediments were collected with a KB-corer and divided at depths of 0-2 cm, 2-7 cm, and 7+ cm from the sediment surface. Sample splits were sent to the USU Bug lab for identification of invertebrate species. Whenever this transect was not intercepting vegetation, 2-3 additional sample sites were identified at the pond within stands of representative vegetation where bird nests are located. The plant parts used for boron analyses will include seeds, shoot and roots of vascular plants, as well as algae or duckweeds skimmed from the surface. Samples were processed within 2 days of collection. Water samples filtered through a 0.45 μ membrane filter were analyzed for DOC, pH and ECe. The dried and washed vegetation samples were ground and stored. The benthic organisms and macro invertebrates were netted at the water surface. The dried samples were weighed, ground and stored. Samples were weighed, oven dried and reweighed. For plant and macro-invertebrate samples, a nitric and hydrogen peroxide digestion procedure is used to dissolve environmentally available elements. The Hot Water extraction and DTPA-Sorbitol extraction were compared to estimate wetland plant available boron in the sediments. Boron in water, soil/sediment extracts and digested plant materials was analyzed by Azomethine-H colorimetric method. Additional Sample Characterization Analyses were conducted to interpret results and explain differences in the fate of boron among the sample sites.

Monitoring of 45 pesticides in Lebanese surface water using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aisha, Al Ashi; Hneine, Wael; Mokh, Samia; Devier, Marie-Hélène; Budzinski, Hélèn; Jaber, Farouk

2017-09-01

The aim of this study is to assess the dissolved concentration of 45 pesticides in the surface waters of the Lebanese Republic using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler "POCIS". All of the sampling sites are located in the major agricultural land areas in Lebanon. POCIS (n = 3) were deployed at Ibrahim River, Qaraoun Lake and Hasbani River for a duration of 14 days. The total concentration of pesticides ranged from not detected (nd) to 137.66 ng.L-1. Chlorpyrifos, DDE-pp, diazinon and Fenpropathrin were the most abundant compounds. Qaraoun Lake and Hasbani River were found to be more polluted than Ibrahim River, since they receive large amounts of waste water derived from nearby agricultural lands and they had the lowest dilution factor. The aqueous average concentration of the target compounds were estimated using sampling rates obtained from the literature. Comparison between Time Weighed Average concentrations "TWA" using POCIS and spot sampling is presented. Results showed that POCIS TWA concentrations are in agreement with spot sampling concentrations for Ibrahim and Hasbani Rivers. The toxicity of the major detected pesticides on three representative aquatic species ( Daphnia magna, Scenedesmus quadricauda and Oncorhynchus mykiss) is also reported.

Improved method for the determination of nonpurgeable suspended organic carbon in natural water by silver filter filtration, wet chemical oxidation, and infrared spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burkhardt, Mark R.; Brenton, Ronald W.; Kammer, James A.; Jha, Virenda K.; O'Mara-Lopez, Peggy G.; Woodworth, Mark T.

1999-01-01

Precision and accuracy are reported for the first time for the analysis of nonpurgeable suspended organic carbon by silver membrane filtration followed by wet chemical oxidation. A water sample is pressure filtered through a 0.45‐μm‐pore‐size, 47‐mm‐diameter silver membrane filter. The silver membrane filter then is cut into ribbons and placed in a flame‐sealable glass ampule. The organic material trapped on the membrane filter strips is acidified, purged with oxygen to remove inorganic carbonates and volatile organic compounds, and oxidized to carbon dioxide (CO2) using phosphoric acid and potassium persulfate in the sealed glass ampule. The resulting CO2 is measured by a nondispersive infrared CO2 detector. The amount of CO2 is proportional to the concentration of chemically oxidizable nonpurgeable organic carbon in the environmental water sample. The quantitation and method detection limit for routine analysis is 0.2 mg/L. The average percent recovery in five representative matrices was 97 ± 11%. The errors associated with sampling and sample preparation of nonpurgeable suspended organic carbon are also described.

Salinity increases in the navajo aquifer in southeastern Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naftz, D.L.; Spangler, L.E.

1994-01-01

Salinity increases in water in some parts of the Navajo aquifer in southeastern Utah have been documented previously. The purpose of this paper is to use bromide, iodide, and chloride concentrations and del oxygen-18 and deuterium values in water from the study area to determine if oil-field brines (OFB) could be the source of increased salinity. Mixing-model results indicate that the bromide-to-chloride X 10,000 weight ratio characteristic of OFB in and outside the study area could not be causing the bromide depletion with increasing salinity in the Navajo aquifer. Mixing-model results indicate that a mixture of one percent OFB with 99 percent Navajo aquifer water would more than double the bromide-to-chloride weight ratio, instead of the observed decrease in the weight ratio with increasing chloride concentration. The trend of the mixing line representing the isotopically enriched samples from the Navajo aquifer does not indicate OFB as the source of isotopically enriched water; however, the simulated isotopic composition of injection water could be a salinity source. The lighter isotopic composition of OFB samples from the Aneth, Ratherford, White Mesa Unit, and McElmo Creek injection sites relative to the Ismay site is a result of continued recycling of injection water mixed with various proportions of isotopically lighter make-up water from the alluvial aquifer along the San Juan River. A mixing model using the isotopic composition of the simulated injection water suggests that enriched samples from the Navajo aquifer are composed of 36 to 75 percent of the simulated injection water. However, chloride concentrations predicted by the isotopic mixing model are up to 13.4 times larger than the measured chloride concentrations in isotopically enriched samples from the Navajo aquifer, indicating that injection water is not the source of increased salinity. Geochemical data consistently show that OFB and associated injection water from the Greater Aneth Oil Field are not the source of salinity increases in the Navajo aquifer.

Pesticides in water sources from the East of Santiago del Estero, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inés Mas, Laura; Aparicio, Virginia; De Geronimo, Eduardo; Costa, José Luis

2017-04-01

Occurrence of pesticides in water, specially when it comes to drinking water, is a topic of great concern for local communities of agricultural areas. Therefore, the aim of this study was to monitor the presence of pesticides in water samples from different sources and to determine if the values found represent a risk for the population that consumes it. Samplings took place between April 2014 and July 2016 and were carried out in times when sprays are normally made in the crops of the areas surrounding the cities of Sachayoj and Bandera, in the province of Santiago del Estero. Samples belonged to groundwater, surface water and tanks in which the rainwater is collected. 48 compounds, between pesticides and secondary metabolites, were analyzed by ultra high resolution liquid chromatography (UHPLC) combined with an MS / MS detector. Preliminary results indicate that almost half of the active substances were absent or had a very low occurrence (<15%). Those with higher frequency but below 50% generally had a significant number of cases below the limit of quantification. Finally, the molecules of higher prevalence correspond to the most commonly used pesticides, and they are mainly herbicides. For example, atrazina was present in 100% of the samples, and glyphosate appeared in 80% of the samples, with a frequency similar to its secondary metabolite, AMPA. These three molecules were also the ones that showed the highest concentrations. In all cases the measured values are below the limits of the EPA and WHO, but when compared with the limits established by the EU, although only 7% of the data obtained for the individual molecules exceeds the limit of 0.1 μg L-1, adding all the molecules for each site and sampling date 87% exceeds the limit of 0.5 μg L-1.

Estimation of Pig Fecal Contamination in a River Catchment by Real-Time PCR Using Two Pig-Specific Bacteroidales 16S rRNA Genetic Markers▿

PubMed Central

Mieszkin, Sophie; Furet, Jean-Pierre; Corthier, Gérard; Gourmelon, Michèle

2009-01-01

The microbiological quality of coastal or river water can be affected by fecal contamination from human or animal sources. To discriminate pig fecal pollution from other pollution, a library-independent microbial source tracking method targeting Bacteroidales host-specific 16S rRNA gene markers by real-time PCR was designed. Two pig-specific Bacteroidales markers (Pig-1-Bac and Pig-2-Bac) were designed using 16S rRNA gene Bacteroidales clone libraries from pig feces and slurry. For these two pig markers, 98 to 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity were obtained when tested by TaqMan real-time PCR. A decrease in the concentrations of Pig-1-Bac and Pig-2-Bac markers was observed throughout the slurry treatment chain. The two newly designed pig-specific Bacteroidales markers, plus the human-specific (HF183) and ruminant-specific (BacR) Bacteroidales markers, were then applied to river water samples (n = 24) representing 14 different sites from the French Daoulas River catchment (Brittany, France). Pig-1-Bac and Pig-2-Bac were quantified in 25% and 62.5%, respectively, of samples collected around pig farms, with concentrations ranging from 3.6 to 4.1 log10 copies per 100 ml of water. They were detected in water samples collected downstream from pig farms but never detected near cattle farms. HF183 was quantified in 90% of water samples collected downstream near Daoulas town, with concentrations ranging between 3.6 and 4.4 log10 copies per 100 ml of water, and BacR in all water samples collected around cattle farms, with concentrations ranging between 4.6 and 6.0 log10 copies per 100 ml of water. The results of this study highlight that pig fecal contamination was not as frequent as human or bovine fecal contamination and that fecal pollution generally came from multiple origins. The two pig-specific Bacteroidales markers can be applied to environmental water samples to detect pig fecal pollution. PMID:19329663

Reconnaissance of land-use sources of pesticides in drinking water, McKenzie River, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Valerie J.; Anderson, Chauncey W.; Morgenstern, Karl

2012-01-01

The Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) provides water and electricity to the City of Eugene, Oregon, from the McKenzie River. In the spring of 2002, EWEB initiated a pesticide monitoring program in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey as part of their Drinking Water Source Protection Plan. Approximately twice yearly pesticide samples were collected from 2002 to 2010 at a suite of sampling sites representing varying land uses in the lower McKenzie River basin. A total of 117 ambient samples were collected from 28 tributary and mainstem sites, including those dominated by forestry, urban, and agricultural activities, as well as the mouths of major tributaries characterized by a mixture of upstream land use. Constituents tested included 175 compounds in filtered water (72 herbicides, 43 insecticides, 10 fungicides, and 36 of their degradation products, as well as 14 pharmaceutical compounds). No attempt was made to sample different site types equivalently; sampling was instead designed primarily to characterize representative storm events during spring and fall runoff conditions in order to assess or confirm the perceived importance of the different site types as sources for pesticides. Sampling was especially limited for agricultural sites, which were only sampled during two spring storm surveys. A total of 43 compounds were detected at least once, with many of these detected only at low concentrations (<0.1 micrograms per liter). Nine compounds were detected at the drinking- water intake, and most of these were reported as estimates less than the laboratory reporting level. Human-health benchmark concentrations were consistently several orders of magnitude higher than detected concentrations at the intake, indicating that pesticide concentrations present a negligible threat to human health. The largest number of pesticide detections occurred during spring storm surveys and primarily were associated with urban stormwater drains. Urban sites also were associated with the highest concentrations, occasionally exceeding 1 microgram per liter. Many of the compounds detected at urban sites were relatively hydrophobic (do not mix easily with water), persistent, and suspected of endocrine disruption. In contrast, forestry compounds were rarely detectable in the McKenzie River, even though forest land predominates in the basin and forestry pesticide use was detected in small tributaries draining forested lands following application. Agricultural pesticide runoff was not well characterized by the limited data available, although a large number of compounds was estimated to be used in the basin and concentrations were moderately high in the few samples collected from small tributaries draining agricultural lands. Results from this analysis indicate that urban pesticide use is potentially an important source for pesticides of concern for drinking water, not limited exclusively to storm conditions. Forestry pesticide use is not considered a likely threat to drinking water quality at the present time (2012). A more complete understanding of agricultural chemicals in runoff in the McKenzie River basin requires further investigation. In addition to evaluating the data collected in this study, a conceptual model describing pesticide contamination in the McKenzie River basin is provided, based on current scientific understanding that is consistent with the data analysis presented in this report. This model is intended to provide a foundation for future monitoring in the basin.

Shallow groundwater quality and geochemistry in the Fayetteville Shale gas-production area, north-central Arkansas, 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kresse, Timothy M.; Warner, Nathaniel R.; Hays, Phillip D.; Down, Adrian; Vengosh, Avner; Jackson, Robert B.

2012-01-01

The Mississippian Fayetteville Shale serves as an unconventional gas reservoir across north-central Arkansas, ranging in thickness from approximately 50 to 550 feet and varying in depth from approximately 1,500 to 6,500 feet below the ground surface. Primary permeability in the Fayetteville Shale is severely limited, and successful extraction of the gas reservoir is the result of advances in horizontal drilling techniques and hydraulic fracturing to enhance and develop secondary fracture porosity and permeability. Drilling and production of gas wells began in 2004, with a steady increase in production thereafter. As of April 2012, approximately 4,000 producing wells had been completed in the Fayetteville Shale. In Van Buren and Faulkner Counties, 127 domestic water wells were sampled and analyzed for major ions and trace metals, with a subset of the samples analyzed for methane and carbon isotopes to describe general water quality and geochemistry and to investigate the potential effects of gas-production activities on shallow groundwater in the study area. Water-quality analyses from this study were compared to historical (pregas development) shallow groundwater quality collected in the gas-production area. An additional comparison was made using analyses from this study of groundwater quality in similar geologic and topographic areas for well sites less than and greater than 2 miles from active gas-production wells. Chloride concentrations for the 127 groundwater samples collected for this study ranged from approximately 1.0 milligram per liter (mg/L) to 70 mg/L, with a median concentration of 3.7 mg/L, as compared to maximum and median concentrations for the historical data of 378 mg/L and 20 mg/L, respectively. Statistical analysis of the data sets revealed statistically larger chloride concentrations (p-value <0.001) in the historical data compared to data collected for this study. Chloride serves as an important indicator parameter based on its conservative transport characteristics and relatively elevated concentrations in production waters associated with gas extraction activities. Major ions and trace metals additionally had lower concentrations in data gathered for this study than in the historical analyses. Additionally, no statistical difference existed between chloride concentrations from water-quality data collected for this study from 94 wells located less than 2 miles from a gas-production well and 33 wells located 2 miles or more from a gas-production well; a Wilcoxon rank-sum test showed a p-value of 0.71. Major ion chemistry was investigated to understand the effects of geochemical and reduction-oxidation (redox) processes on the shallow groundwater in the study area along a continuum of increased rock-water interaction represented by increases in dissolved solids concentration. Groundwater in sandstone formations is represented by a low dissolved solids concentration (less than 30 mg/L) and slightly acidic water type. Shallow shale aquifers were represented by dissolved solids concentrations ranging upward to 686 mg/L, and water types evolving from a dominantly mixed-bicarbonate and calcium-bicarbonate to a strongly sodium-bicarbonate water type. Methane concentration and carbon isotopic composition were analyzed in 51 of the 127 samples collected for this study. Methane occurred above a detection limit of 0.0002 mg/L in 32 of the 51 samples, with concentrations ranging upward to 28.5 mg/L. Seven samples had methane concentrations greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/L. The carbon isotopic composition of these higher concentration samples, including the highest concentration of 28.5 mg/L, shows the methane was likely biogenic in origin with carbon isotope ratio values ranging from -57.6 to -74.7 per mil. Methane concentrations increased with increases in dissolved solids concentrations, indicating more strongly reducing conditions with increasing rock-water interaction in the aquifer. As such, groundwater-quality data collected for this study indicate that groundwater chemistry in the shallow aquifer system in the study area is a result of natural processes, beginning with recharge of dilute atmospheric precipitation and evolution of observed groundwater chemistry through rock-water interaction and redox processes.

Evaluation of Ground-Water and Boron Sources by Use of Boron Stable-Isotope Ratios, Tritium, and Selected Water-Chemistry Constituents near Beverly Shores, Northwestern Indiana, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buszka, Paul M.; Fitzpatrick, John A.; Watson, Lee R.; Kay, Robert T.

2007-01-01

Concentrations of boron greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 900 ?g/L removal action level (RAL) standard were detected in water sampled by the USEPA in 2004 from three domestic wells near Beverly Shores, Indiana. The RAL regulates only human-affected concentrations of a constituent. A lack of well logs and screened depth information precluded identification of whether water from sampled wells, and their boron sources, were from human-affected or natural sources in the surficial aquifer, or associated with a previously defined natural, confined aquifer source of boron from the subtill or basal sand aquifers. A geochemically-based classification of the source of boron in ground water could potentially determine the similarity of boron to known sources or mixtures between known sources, or classify whether the relative age of the ground water predated the potential sources of contamination. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the USEPA, investigated the use of a geochemical method that applied boron stable isotopes, and concentrations of boron, tritium, and other constituents to distinguish between natural and human-affected sources of boron in ground water and thereby determine if the RAL was applicable to the situation. Boron stable-isotope ratios and concentrations of boron in 17 ground-water samples and tritium concentrations in 9 ground-water samples collected in 2004 were used to identify geochemical differences between potential sources of boron in ground water near Beverly Shores, Indiana. Boron and d11B analyses for this investigation were made on unacidified samples to assure consistency of the result with unacidified analyses of d11B values from other investigations. Potential sources of boron included surficial-aquifer water affected by coal-combustion products (CCP) or domestic-wastewater, upward discharge of ground water from confined aquifers, and unaffected water from the surficial aquifer that was distant from human-affected boron sources. Boron concentrations in potential ground-water sources of boron were largest (15,700 to 24,400 ?g/L) in samples of CCP-affected surficial aquifer water from four wells at a CCP landfill and smallest (27 to 63 ?g/L) in three wells in the surficial aquifer that were distant from human-affected boron sources. Boron concentrations in water from the basal sand aquifer ranged from 656 ?g/L to 1,800 ?g/L. Boron concentrations in water from three domestic-wastewater-affected surficial aquifer wells ranged from 84 to 387 ?g/L. Among the representative ground-water samples, boron concentrations from all four samples of CCP-affected surficial aquifer water and four of five samples of water from the basal sand aquifer had concentrations greater than the RAL. A comparison of boron concentrations in acid-preserved and unacidified samples indicated that boron concentrations reported for this investigation may be from about 11 to 16 percent less than would be reported in a standard analysis of an acidified sample. The stable isotope boron-11 was most enriched in comparison to boron-10 in ground water from a confined aquifer, the basal sand aquifer (d11B, 24.6 to 34.0 per mil, five samples); it was most depleted in CCP-affected water from the surficial aquifer (d11B, 0.1 to 6.6 per mil, four samples). Domestic-wastewater-affected water from the surficial aquifer (d11B, 8.7 to 11.7 per mil, four samples) was enriched in boron-11, in comparison to individual samples of a borax detergent additive and a detergent with perborate bleach; it was intermediate in composition between basal sand aquifer water and CCP-affected water from the surficial aquifer. The similarity between a ground-water sample from the surficial aquifer and a hypothetical mixture of unaffected surficial aquifer and basal sand aquifer waters indicates the potential for long-term upward discharge of ground water into the surficial aquifer from one or more confined aquifers. Est

Water-quality characteristics and ground water quantity of the Fraser River Watershed, Grand County, Colorado, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bauch, Nancy J.; Bails, Jeffrey B.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Grand County Board of County Commissioners, conducted a 4-year study to assess ground- and surface-water-quality conditions and ground-water quantity in the 302-square-mile Fraser River watershed in north-central Colorado. The Fraser River flows north about 28 miles from the headwaters near the Continental Divide, through the towns of Winter Park, Fraser, Tabernash, and Granby, and is one of the major tributaries to the Upper Colorado River. Increasing urban development, as well as the seasonal influx of tourists, is placing more demands on the water resources in the Fraser River watershed. A ground-water sampling network of 11 wells was established to represent different aquifer systems (alluvial, Troublesome Formation, Precambrian granite), land uses (urban, nonurban), and areas with or without individual septic disposal system use. The well network was sampled for ground-water quality on a semiannual basis from August 1998 through September 2001. The sampling included field properties and the collection of water samples for analysis of major ions, trace elements, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, bacteria, methylene blue active substances, and radon-222. One surface-water site, on the Fraser River just downstream from the town of Tabernash, Colorado, was sampled bimonthly from August 1998 through September 2001 to assess the cumulative effects of natural and human processes on water quality in the upper part of the Fraser River watershed. Surface-water-quality sampling included field properties and the collection of water-quality samples for analysis of major ions, trace elements, nutrients, organic carbon, and bacteria. Ground water was a calcium-bicarbonate type water and is suitable as a drinking-water, domestic, municipal, industrial, and irrigation source. In general, no widespread ground-water-quality problems were indicated. All pH values and concentrations of dissolved solids, chloride, fluoride, sulfate, nitrite, and nitrate in the ground-water samples met or were substantially less than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards and health advisories or State of Colorado water-quality standards. Federal standards for turbidity and concentrations of iron, manganese, methylene blue active substances, and radon-222 were not met in water samples from at least one well. The only ground-water-quality concern assessed by this study is radon-222, which was detected in all radon- analyzed samples from 10 wells at levels exceeding the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standard of 300 picocuries per liter. Concentrations of chloride, magnesium, and sulfate were statistically different (higher) in ground-water samples from wells completed in the alluvial aquifer, urbanized areas, and areas with individual septic disposal system use than those from wells completed in the Troublesome Formation, nonurban areas, and areas without individual septic disposal system use. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were statistically higher in ground-water samples from wells completed in the alluvial aquifer and areas without individual septic disposal system use than those from wells completed in the Troublesome Formation and areas with individual septic disposal system use. Differences in dissolved organic-carbon concentrations between the latter category and areas without septic systems likely had no environmental significance. Surface water at the site Fraser River below Crooked Creek at Tabernash was a calcium-bicarbonate type water and is suitable as a drinking-water, residential, commercial, and irrigation resource. All pH values and concentrations of dissolved oxygen were within the State of Colorado instream water-quality standards, and all concentrations of chloride, sulfate, iron, manganese, un-ionized ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and fecal coliform bacteria met State standards. Seasonal changes in the values or conc

Ground-water quality beneath an urban residential and commercial area, Montgomery, Alabama, 1999-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, James L.

2002-01-01

The Black Warrior River aquifer, which is composed of the Coker, Gordo, and Eutaw Formations, supplies more than 50 percent of the ground water used for public water supply in the Mobile River Basin. The city of Montgomery, Alabama, is partially built upon a recharge area for the Black Warrior River aquifer, and is one of many major population centers that depend on the Black Warrior River aquifer for public water supply. To represent the baseline ground-water quality in the Black Warrior River aquifer, water samples were collected from 30 wells located in a low-density residential or rural setting; 9 wells were completed in the Coker Formation, 9 wells in the Gordo Formation, and 12 wells in the Eutaw Formation. To describe the ground-water quality beneath Montgomery, Alabama, water samples also were collected from 30 wells located in residential and commercial areas of Montgomery, Alabama; 16 wells were completed in the Eutaw Formation, 8 wells in alluvial deposits, and 6 wells in terrace deposits. The alluvial and terrace deposits directly overlie the Eutaw Formation with little or no hydraulic separation. Ground-water samples collected from both the rural and urban wells were analyzed for physical properties, major ions, nutrients, metals, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. Samples from the urban wells also were analyzed for bacteria, chlorofluorocarbons, dissolved gases, and sulfur hexafluoride. Ground-water quality beneath the urban area was compared to baseline water quality in the Black Warrior River aquifer.Compared to the rural wells, ground-water samples from urban wells contained greater concentrations or more frequent detections of chloride and nitrate, and the trace metals aluminium, chromium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and zinc. Pesticides and volatile organic compounds were detected more frequently and in greater concentrations in ground-water samples collected from urban wells than in ground-water samples from rural wells.The Spearman rho test was used to check for statistically significant covariance among urban ground-water quality and land-use type. The number of pesticides and volatile organic compounds detected and concentrations of nickel increased as the percentage of residential land use increased. Greater nickel concentrations also were associated with a greater number of volatile organic compounds detected. As the percentage of commercial land use increased, the numbers of pesticides and volatile organic compounds detected decreased. The number of pesticides detected in the urban ground-water samples increased as concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate increased; the number of pesticides detected and the concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate decreased as the age of the ground water increased. These correlations may indicate that, with time, pesticides and nitrate are removed from the ground-water system by physical, chemical, or biological processes.The effects of surficial geology on the occurrence of pesticides and volatile organic compounds was investigated by calculating frequencies of detection. The detection frequency for pesticides was greater for urban samples collected from wells where the surficial geology is sand than for urban samples collected from wells where the surficial geology is clay. The frequency of detection of volatile organic compounds did not show this relation.

Water bags as a potential vehicle for transmitting disease in a West African capital, Bissau.

PubMed

Bordalo, Adriano A; Machado, Ana

2015-01-01

Street vendors of chilled packaged water have an increasing role in meeting the drinking water demand of people on the move in developing nations. Hygienic conditions can be questionable, and water quality screening scarce or non-existent. In order to ascertain the quality of the packaged water sold by street vendors in Bissau, the capital of the Western African country Guinea-Bissau, water bags were screened in 2011 and during the 2012 cholera outbreak for key physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. Water used to fill the hand-filled hand-tied bags originated from communal tap water and melted ice. All samples (n=36) were microbiologically contaminated, although levels showed a pronounced variability (e.g. 7-493 372 cfu 250 ml(-1) for Escherichia coli). In 2012, the fecal contamination levels increased (p<0.05), and Vibrio cholerae was detected in all water bags obtained from the neighborhood where the outbreak started. Findings showed that all packaged water samples were unfit for human consumption and during the 2012 cholera outbreak represented a potential vehicle for the spread of the disease. The design of measures to decrease the risk associated to the consumption of highly contaminated chilled water is clearly required. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Monitoring of chlorsulfuron in biological fluids and water samples by molecular fluorescence using rhodamine B as fluorophore.

PubMed

Alesso, Magdalena; Escudero, Luis A; Talio, María Carolina; Fernández, Liliana P

2016-11-01

A new simple methodology is proposed for chlorsufuron (CS) traces quantification based upon enhancement of rhodamine B (RhB) fluorescent signal. Experimental variables that influence fluorimetric sensitivity have been studied and optimized. The zeroth order regression calibration was linear from 0.866 to 35.800µgL(-1) CS, with a correlation coefficient of 0.99. At optimal experimental conditions, a limit of detection of 0.259µgL(-1) and a limit of quantification of 0.866µgL(-1) were obtained. The method showed good sensitivity and adequate selectivity and was applied to the determination of trace amounts of CS in plasma, serum and water samples with satisfactory results analyzed by ANOVA test. The proposed methodology represents an alternative to traditional chromatographic techniques for CS monitoring in complex samples, using an accessible instrument in control laboratories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of membrane filtration on dissolved trace element concentrations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Lum, K.R.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hall, G.E.M.; Lemieux, C.; Demas, C.R.

1996-01-01

The almost universally accepted operational definition for dissolved constituents is based on processing whole-water samples through a 0.45-??m membrane filter. Results from field and laboratory experiments indicate that a number of factors associated with filtration, other than just pore size (e.g., diameter, manufacturer, volume of sample processed, amount of suspended sediment in the sample), can produce substantial variations in the 'dissolved' concentrations of such elements as Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, and Ni. These variations result from the inclusion/exclusion of colloidally- associated trace elements. Thus, 'dissolved' concentrations quantitated by analyzing filtrates generated by processing whole-water through similar pore- sized membrane filters may not be equal/comparable. As such, simple filtration through a 0.45-??m membrane filter may no longer represent an acceptable operational definition for dissolved chemical constituents. This conclusion may have important implications for environmental studies and regulatory agencies.

Trends in monitoring pharmaceuticals and personal-care products in the aquatic environment by use of passive sampling devices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mills, G.A.; Vrana, B.; Allan, I.; Alvarez, D.A.; Huckins, J.N.; Greenwood, R.

2007-01-01

The use of passive sampling in monitoring pharmaceuticals and personal-care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment is discussed. The utility of passive sampling methods for monitoring the fraction of heavy metals and the biologically available fraction of non-polar organic priority pollutants is recognized and these technologies are being used in surveys of water quality. These devices are used to measure the dissolved fraction and they can yield information that can be used in the development of risk assessments models. These devices can also be used to locate illegal dumping and to monitor specific sources of input of PPCPs into the environment, or to monitor the effectiveness of water treatment processes in the removal of these compounds from wastewater. These devices can provide representative information at low cost which necessitate a combination of laboratory calibration and field studies for emerging pollutants.

Hydrogen Isotope Geochemistry of Mariana Trough Lavas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oleary, J.; Kitchen, N.; Eiler, J.

2002-12-01

Basaltic lavas from the Marianas trough vary in water content from values similar to mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) to ten times those values. These variations plausibly reflect addition of subducted water to the mantle wedge, but must also reflect variations in extent of melting and crystallization-differentiation. We report hydrogen isotope data for 18 samples of lavas from the Mariana trough; these measurements, when combined with other geochemical data, constrain the relative proportions of subducted vs. 'primitive' water in their mantle sources. Previous measurements of the hydrogen isotope composition of Mariana trough lavas [1] found a correlation between dD and measured water content, consistent with two-component mixing between water in the ambient MORB source and water from the subducted slab, but include only four samples, only two of which have known major and minor element geochemistry. Our purpose is to confirm this result and expand it to include a more representative sampling. Our measurements made use of a recently developed technique for on-line stepped heating, water reduction and hydrogen isotope mass spectrometry [2]. This method is appropriate for relatively small samples of basaltic glass (ca. 100 μg to 1 mg) and up to 10 analyses can be performed per day. Its principle advantages for our purposes are that it can be applied to even small or glass-poor samples and it is fast enough to permit replication of all data and analysis of relatively large numbers of standards. Hydrogen isotope compositions of Mariana trough lavas vary between -74 per mil and -34 per mil (SMOW); this compares with a range of -46 to -32 per mil for related lavas in [1] and is similar to the previously observed range for back-arc-basin basalts generally (-70 to -32 per mil). Two-thirds of our sample suite span a small range in dD (-40+/-4 ). We suggest this average is the most representative value for back arc basin basalts measured to-date. Our data are inconsistent with the correlation between dD and measured water content suggested for back-arc basin basalts by [ref], even considering only lavas spanning a small range in MgO. This suggests one or both of two things: (1) melting and/or crystallization differentiation produce variations in water abundance unrelated to the abundance and dD of water in the mantle source; (2) there are three or more reservoirs in the mantle wedge of the Mariana arc, all of which differ in dD and water content (i.e., such that data do not define a simple line in a plot of dD vs. 1/H2O). The first of these is significant, but there is also evidence for the second. In particular, dD values decrease monotonically with increasing abundance of highly incompatible trace elements and with increasing La/Sm and K2O/H2O ratios; the lowest dD sample in our suite is an enriched basalt (La/Sm = 3.6) with an 'arc like' K2O content (0.71 wt. %). These data suggest that water in the mantle wedge of the Mariana arc is derived from three sources: ambient water common to the MORB source (ca. 0.02 wt. % H2O; dD ~ -65 to -75 per mil), subducted water (dD ~ -30 per mil) and an enriched source having high abundances of water and other incompatible trace elements and a dD value of ca. -80 per mil. [1] Poreda, 1985, EPSL 73, 244-254 [2] Eiler and Kitchen, 2001, GCA 65, 24, 4467-4479

California Tribal Nations Technical Water Research

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

Ben, C; Coty, J

2005-08-15

This research focused on identifying the key technical water issues of federally recognized California Native American tribes, the context within which these water issues arise for the tribes, and an appropriate format for potentially opening further dialogue on water research issues between the tribes and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists. At LLNL, a Water Quality and Resource Management Issues Workshop held in January of 2003 resulted in multiple recommendations, one proposing a LLNL dialogue with California tribes to further inform LLNL's prioritization of water issues based on identified needs across national sectors. The focus of this aforementioned Water Qualitymore » and Resource Management Issues Workshop was to identify national and international priority water research issues with which LLNL may align their research efforts and contribute to resolving these needs. LLNL staff researched various sectors to delineate the key water issues associated with each. This preliminary water issue research included diverse entities such as international water agencies, federal and state agencies, industry, non-governmental agencies, and private organizations. The key (identified) water issues across these sectors were presented to workshop attendees and used during workshop debates and sessions. However, the key water issues of federally recognized Native American tribes remained less understood, resulting in a workshop proposal for additional research and LLNL potentially hosting a dialog with representatives of these tribes. Federally recognized Native American tribes have a unique government-to-government relationship with the United States (U.S.) government, in contrast to other sectors researched for the workshop. Within the U.S., the number of federally recognized tribes currently stands at 562 and, in addition to this large number of tribes, much diversity across these tribes exists. For the purposes of this preliminary research and report, it was necessary to confine the analysis to a smaller geographic area, yet still represent the diversity of tribes and context within which tribal water issues arise. The state of California provides this opportunity. California has 106 federally recognized tribes. California is diverse in its geography, environment, demographics, and economic bases; California tribes demonstrate similar diversity. Additionally, no central repository of national or state tribal water issues exists and information must be aggregated, in general, tribe by tribe. This presents research challenges and, for this report, these were overcome by developing a method to essentially ''sub-sample'' the 106 federally recognized tribes in the state, while making every effort to maintain a sub-sample that broadly represents all of the 106 tribes. n an effort to develop an equitable and appropriate method with which to identify this set of representative tribes, multiple entities were contacted for guidance. Consultation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Indian Health Services (IHS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and Tribal Environmental Directors, provided key information and recommendations to guide the research process. It is hoped that an appropriate representation of the diversity of tribes across the state has been achieved; this includes an adequate representation of similarities and differences between Californian tribes on key water research issues (and the same between regions). This research occurred over a limited time period (i.e., three months) and given a general concern that this may not be sufficient, any information and conclusions in this report should be viewed with this in mind. Finally, it is hoped that this research allows for an (enhanced) informed capacity to better propose further dialog between tribes and LLNL to continue to exchange water research perspectives and define potential research collaborations.« less

"Know Your Well" A Groundwater Quality Project to Inform Students and Well-Owners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, C.; Snow, D.; Samal, A.; Ray, C.; Kreifels, M.

2017-12-01

Over 15 million U.S. households rely on private, household wells for drinking water, and these sources are not protected under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Data on private well water quality is slowly being collected and evaluated from a number of different agencies, sources and projects. A new project is designed both for training high school students and to help assess the quality of water from rural domestic wells in Nebraska. This "crowd sourced" program engaging high school agricultural education programs, FFA chapters, and science classes with students sampling and testing water sampling from rural domestic wells from 12 districts across the state. Students and teachers from selected school were trained through multiple school visits, both in the classroom and in the field. Classroom visits were used to introduce topics such as water quality and groundwater, and testing methods for specific analytes. During the field visit, students were exposed to field techniques, the importance of accuracy in data collection, and what factors might influence the water in sampled wells. High school students learn to sample and test water independently. Leadership and initiative is developed through the program, and many experience the enlightenment that comes with citizen science. A customized mobile app was developed for ease of data entry and visualization, and data uploaded to a secure website where information was stored and compared to laboratory tests of the same measurements. General water quality parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity, major anions are tested in the field and laboratory, as well as environmental contaminants such as arsenic, uranium, pesticides, bacteria. Test kits provided to each class were used by the students to measure selected parameters, and then duplicate water samples were analyzed at a university laboratory. Five high schools are involved in the project during its first year. Nitrate, bacteria and pesticides represent major concerns for private well owners across the U.S. and preliminary results indicate that nitrate concentrations can range up to 70 mg/L, while detections of bacteria and traces of pesticide residues are consistent with other studies. This project will help both high school students and private well owner become better-informed about water quality in Nebraska.

Bioassay of estrogenicity and chemical analyses of estrogens in streams across the United States associated with livestock operations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alvarez, David A.; Shappell, Nancy W.; Billey, L.O.; Bermudez, Dietrich S.; Wilson, Vickie S.; Kolpin, Dana W.; Perkins, Stephanie D.; Evans, Nicola; Foreman, William T.; Gray, James L.; Shipitalo, J.M.; Meyer, Michael T.

2013-01-01

Animal manures, used as a nitrogen source for crop production, are often associated with negative impacts on nutrient levels in surface water. The concentrations of estrogens in streams from these manures also are of concern due to potential endocrine disruption in aquatic species. Streams associated with livestock operations were sampled by discrete samples (n = 38) or by time-integrated polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS,n = 19). Samples were analyzed for estrogens by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MSM2) and estrogenic activity was assessed by three bioassays: Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES), T47D-KBluc Assay, MCF-7 Estrogenicity Screen (E-Screen). Samples were collected from 19 streams within small (∼1-30 km2) watersheds in 12 U.S. states representing a range of hydrogeologic conditions, dominated by: dairy (3), grazing beef (3), feedlot cattle (1); swine (5); poultry (3); and 4 areas where no livestock were raised or manure was applied. Water samples were consistently below the United Kingdom proposed Lowest Observable Effect Concentration for 17b-estradiol in fish (10 ng/L) in all watersheds, regardless of land use. Estrogenic activity was often higher in samples during runoff conditions following a period of manure application. Estrone was the most commonly detected estrogen (13 of 38 water samples, mean 1.9, maximum 8.3 ng/L). Because of the T47D-KBluc assay’s sensitivity towards estrone (1.4 times 17β-estradiol) it was the most sensitive method for detecting estrogens, followed by the E-Screen, GC-MS2, and YES. POCIS resulted in more frequent detections of estrogens than discrete water samples across all sites, even when applying the less-sensitive YES bioassay to the POCIS extracts.

Nonpoint source of nutrients and herbicides associated with sugarcane production and its impact on Louisiana coastal water quality.

PubMed

Yu, Kewei; Delaune, Ronald D; Tao, Rui; Beine, Robert L

2008-01-01

A watershed analysis of nonpoint-source pollution associated with sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) production was conducted. Runoff water samples following major rainfall events from two representative sugarcane fields (SC1 and SC2) were collected and analyzed. The impact of runoff on two receiving water bodies, St. James canal (SJC) and Bayou Chevreuil (BC) in a drainage basin (Baratarian Basin), was studied. Results show that runoff flow/rainfall ratios at the SC1 were significantly higher (P < 0.0001, n = 14) than at the SC2, probably mainly due to higher sand content and higher infiltration rate of surface soil at the SC2. In runoff water samples, total suspended solids (TSS) showed a significant correlation with the concentrations of N and P. Sugarcane runoff showed a direct impact on the SJC and BC locations where seasonal variations of pollutant concentrations in the waters followed the patterns of runoff loadings. Swamp forest runoff (SFR) location showed a buffering effect of forested wetlands on water quality with the lowest measured pollutant concentrations. The ratios in total N/total P and in inorganic N/organic N in runoff waters indicated that fertilization in spring greatly contributed to the temporal increase of N loadings, especially in forms of inorganic N. Isotope signature of (15)N-nitrate in the water samples verified that the nitrate was derived from fertilizers and was consumed during transportation. Both N and P concentrations in the receiving water bodies were above the eutrophic level. During the study period, herbicide concentrations in the receiving water bodies rarely exceeded the drinking water standards.

Drinking Water Intake Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality among French Adults

PubMed Central

Gazan, Rozenn; Sondey, Juliette; Maillot, Matthieu; Guelinckx, Isabelle; Lluch, Anne

2016-01-01

This study aimed to examine the association between drinking water intake and diet quality, and to analyse the adherence of French men and women to the European Food Safety Authority 2010 Adequate Intake (EFSA AI). A representative sample of French adults (≥18) from the Individual and National Survey on Food Consumption (INCA2) was classified, by sex, into small, medium, and large drinking water consumers. Diet quality was assessed with several nutritional indices (mean adequacy ratio (MAR), mean excess ratio (MER), probability of adequate intakes (PANDiet), and solid energy density (SED)). Of the total sample, 72% of men and 46% of women were below the EFSA AI. This percentage of non-adherence decreased from the small to the large drinking water consumers (from 95% to 34% in men and from 81% to 9% in women). For both sexes, drinking water intake was associated with higher diet quality (greater MAR and PANDiet). This association remained significant independently of socio-economic status for women only. Low drinking water consumers did not compensate with other sources (beverages and food moisture) and a high drinking water intake was not a guarantee for reaching the EFSA AI, meaning that increasing consumption of water should be encouraged in France. PMID:27809236

Drinking Water Intake Is Associated with Higher Diet Quality among French Adults.

PubMed

Gazan, Rozenn; Sondey, Juliette; Maillot, Matthieu; Guelinckx, Isabelle; Lluch, Anne

2016-10-31

This study aimed to examine the association between drinking water intake and diet quality, and to analyse the adherence of French men and women to the European Food Safety Authority 2010 Adequate Intake (EFSA AI). A representative sample of French adults (≥18) from the Individual and National Survey on Food Consumption (INCA2) was classified, by sex, into small, medium, and large drinking water consumers. Diet quality was assessed with several nutritional indices (mean adequacy ratio (MAR), mean excess ratio (MER), probability of adequate intakes (PANDiet), and solid energy density (SED)). Of the total sample, 72% of men and 46% of women were below the EFSA AI. This percentage of non-adherence decreased from the small to the large drinking water consumers (from 95% to 34% in men and from 81% to 9% in women). For both sexes, drinking water intake was associated with higher diet quality (greater MAR and PANDiet). This association remained significant independently of socio-economic status for women only. Low drinking water consumers did not compensate with other sources (beverages and food moisture) and a high drinking water intake was not a guarantee for reaching the EFSA AI, meaning that increasing consumption of water should be encouraged in France.

Bio-optical properties of coastal waters in the Eastern English Channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vantrepotte, Vincent; Brunet, Christophe; Mériaux, Xavier; Lécuyer, Eric; Vellucci, Vincenzo; Santer, Richard

2007-03-01

Strong tidal currents, shallow water and numerous freshwater inputs characterize the coastal waters of the eastern English Channel. These case 2 waters were investigated through an intensive sampling effort in 2000 aiming to study the distribution and variability of the Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM), Non-Algal Particles (NAP) and phytoplankton absorption at the mesoscale. Four cruises were carried out in February, March, May and July and more than 80 stations each cruise were sampled for hydrographical, chemical and bio-optical analyses. Results showed two distinct situations, the winter period characterized by the strong dominance of CDOM absorption over the particulate matter, and the spring-summer period when phytoplankton and CDOM represented the same contribution. Meteorology was the main factor driving the bio-optical properties of the water column in winter whereas in spring-summer the biological activity seemed to be the more active driving force. The algal community composition in term of dominant cell size and, therefore pigment packaging, is the main factor driving the phytoplankton specific absorption in the water column. Photoprotective pigments did not significantly influence algal absorption, due to turbid and highly mixed water masses. This feature also explained the bio-optical homogeneity found along the water column. On the mesoscale, distinct bio-optical provinces were defined in relation with the observed bio-hydrographical variability.

Water Recovery from Advanced Water Purification Facility Reverse Osmosis Concentrate by Photobiological Treatment Followed by Secondary Reverse Osmosis.

PubMed

Ikehata, Keisuke; Zhao, Yuanyuan; Kulkarni, Harshad; Li, Yuan; Snyder, Shane A; Ishida, Kenneth P; Anderson, Michael A

2018-06-19

Reverse osmosis (RO)-based desalination and advanced water purification facilities have inherent challenges associated with concentrate management and disposal. Although enhanced permeate recovery and concentrate minimization are desired, membrane scaling due to inorganic constituents such as silica, calcium, phosphate, and iron hinders the process. To solve this problem, a new diatom-based photobiological process has been developed to remove these scaling constituents by biological uptake and precipitation. In this study, RO concentrate samples were collected from a full-scale advanced water reclamation facility in California and were treated in 3.8- and 57-L photobioreactors inoculated with a brackish water diatom Pseudostaurosira trainorii PEWL001 using light-emitting diode bulbs or natural sunlight as a light source. The photobiological treatment removed 95% of reactive silica and 64% of calcium and enabled additional water recovery using a secondary RO at a recovery rate up to 66%. This represents 95% overall recovery including 85% recovery in the primary RO unit. In addition to the scaling constituents, the photobiological treatment removed twelve pharmaceuticals and personal care products, as well as N-nitrosodimethylamine, from RO concentrate samples primarily via photolysis. This novel approach has a strong potential for application to brackish water desalination and advanced water purification in arid and semi-arid areas.

Chemical Analysis of Water-accommodated Fractions of Crude Oil Spills Using TIMS-FT-ICR MS.

PubMed

Benigni, Paolo; Marin, Rebecca; Sandoval, Kathia; Gardinali, Piero; Fernandez-Lima, Francisco

2017-03-03

Multiple chemical processes control how crude oil is incorporated into seawater and also the chemical reactions that occur overtime. Studying this system requires the careful preparation of the sample in order to accurately replicate the natural formation of the water-accommodated fraction that occurs in nature. Low-energy water-accommodated fractions (LEWAF) are carefully prepared by mixing crude oil and water at a set ratio. Aspirator bottles are then irradiated, and at set time points, the water is sampled and extracted using standard techniques. A second challenge is the representative characterization of the sample, which must take into consideration the chemical changes that occur over time. A targeted analysis of the aromatic fraction of the LEWAF can be performed using an atmospheric-pressure laser ionization source coupled to a custom-built trapped ion mobility spectrometry-Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (TIMS-FT-ICR MS). The TIMS-FT-ICR MS analysis provides high-resolution ion mobility and ultrahigh-resolution MS analysis, which further allow the identification of isomeric components by their collision cross-sections (CCS) and chemical formula. Results show that as the oil-water mixture is exposed to light, there is significant photo-solubilization of the surface oil into the water. Over time, the chemical transformation of the solubilized molecules takes place, with a decrease in the number of identifications of nitrogen- and sulfur-bearing species in favor of those with a greater oxygen content than were typically observed in the base oil.

Benchmarking Water Quality from Wastewater to Drinking Waters Using Reduced Transcriptome of Human Cells.

PubMed

Xia, Pu; Zhang, Xiaowei; Zhang, Hanxin; Wang, Pingping; Tian, Mingming; Yu, Hongxia

2017-08-15

One of the major challenges in environmental science is monitoring and assessing the risk of complex environmental mixtures. In vitro bioassays with limited key toxicological end points have been shown to be suitable to evaluate mixtures of organic pollutants in wastewater and recycled water. Omics approaches such as transcriptomics can monitor biological effects at the genome scale. However, few studies have applied omics approach in the assessment of mixtures of organic micropollutants. Here, an omics approach was developed for profiling bioactivity of 10 water samples ranging from wastewater to drinking water in human cells by a reduced human transcriptome (RHT) approach and dose-response modeling. Transcriptional expression of 1200 selected genes were measured by an Ampliseq technology in two cell lines, HepG2 and MCF7, that were exposed to eight serial dilutions of each sample. Concentration-effect models were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and to calculate effect concentrations (ECs) of DEGs, which could be ranked to investigate low dose response. Furthermore, molecular pathways disrupted by different samples were evaluated by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. The ability of RHT for representing bioactivity utilizing both HepG2 and MCF7 was shown to be comparable to the results of previous in vitro bioassays. Finally, the relative potencies of the mixtures indicated by RHT analysis were consistent with the chemical profiles of the samples. RHT analysis with human cells provides an efficient and cost-effective approach to benchmarking mixture of micropollutants and may offer novel insight into the assessment of mixture toxicity in water.

Community structure of age-0 fishes in paired mainstem and created shallow-water habitats in the Lower Missouri River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Starks, Trevor A.; Long, James M.; Dzialowski, Andrew R.

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic alterations to aquatic ecosystems have greatly reduced and homogenized riverine habitat, especially those used by larval and juvenile fishes. Creation of shallow-water habitats is used as a restoration technique in response to altered conditions in several studies globally, but only recently in the USA. In the summer of 2012, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sampled larval and juvenile fishes at six paired sites (mainstem and constructed chute shallow-water habitats) along a section of the Missouri River between Rulo, NE and St. Louis, MO, USA. From those samples, we enumerated and identified a total of 7622 fishes representing 12 families. Community responses of fishes to created shallow-water habitats were assessed by comparisons of species richness and diversity measures between paired sites and among sampling events. Shannon entropy measures were transformed, and gamma diversity (total diversity) was partitioned into two components, alpha (within community) and beta (between community) diversity using a multiplicative decomposition method. Mantel test results suggest site location, time of sampling event and habitat type were drivers of larval and juvenile community structure. Paired t-test results indicated little to no differences in beta diversity between habitat types; however, chute habitats had significantly higher alpha and gamma diversity as well as increased abundances of Asian carp larvae when compared with mainstem shallow-water habitat. Our results not only show the importance of created shallow-water habitat in promoting stream fish diversity but also highlight the role space and time may play in future restoration and management efforts. 

An examination of short-term variations in water quality at a karst spring in Kentucky

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

Ryan, M.; Meiman, J.

1996-01-01

Water quality at many karst springs undergoes very high amplitude but relatively brief degradation following influxes of runoff. Accurately recording transient variations requires more rigorous sampling strategies than traditional methods. A pilot study to determine the usefulness of high-frequency, flow-dependent sampling strategies, combined with coincidental quantitative dye tracer tests, was implemented in the Big Spring Ground-Water Basin in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. Data recorded following two separate runoff events showed that the concentrations of two nonpoint source pollutants, fecal coliform bacteria and suspended sediment, greatly exceeded prerunoff event values for very short periods of time. A phreatic conduit segment,more » calculated at 17 million liters in volume, instantaneously propagated head changes, caused by direct runoff entering the aquifer, from the ground-water inputs to Big Spring. A significant delay between the initial increases in discharge and the arrival of direct runoff, as indicated by a steady decrease in specific conductance, represented the time required to displace this volume of phreatic water. The delay showed that sampling a karst spring only during peak discharge would be an unreliable sampling method. Runoff from two different subcatchments was tagged with tracer dye and the timing of the passage of the resultant dye clouds through Big Spring were compared to water quality variations. Distinct lag times between the arrival of direct runoff at Big Spring and the bacteria and suspended sediment waveforms were shown through the concurrent quantitative tracer tests to be related to the areal distribution of land-cover type within the basin.« less

Design and methods of the Midwest Stream Quality Assessment (MSQA), 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrett, Jessica D.; Frey, Jeffrey W.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Journey, Celeste A.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Button, Daniel T.; Nowell, Lisa H.

2017-10-18

During 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA), in collaboration with the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA), and the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs assessed stream quality across the Midwestern United States. This Midwest Stream Quality Assessment (MSQA) simultaneously characterized watershed and stream-reach water-quality stressors along with instream biological conditions, to better understand regional stressor-effects relations. The MSQA design focused on effects from the widespread agriculture in the region and urban development because of their importance as ecological stressors of particular concern to Midwest region resource managers.A combined random stratified selection and a targeted selection based on land-use data were used to identify and select sites representing gradients in agricultural intensity across the region. During a 14-week period from May through August 2013, 100 sites were selected and sampled 12 times for contaminants, nutrients, and sediment. This 14-week water-quality “index” period culminated with an ecological survey of habitat, periphyton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish at all sites. Sediment was collected during the ecological survey for analysis of sediment chemistry and toxicity testing. Of the 100 sites, 50 were selected for the MSQA random stratified group from 154 NRSA sites planned for the region, and the other 50 MSQA sites were selected as targeted sites to more evenly cover agricultural and urban stressor gradients in the study area. Of the 50 targeted sites, 12 were in urbanized watersheds and 21 represented “good” biological conditions or “least disturbed” conditions. The remaining 17 targeted sites were selected to improve coverage of the agricultural intensity gradient or because of historical data collection to provide temporal context for the study.This report provides a detailed description of the MSQA study components, including surveys of ecological conditions, routine water sampling, deployment of passive polar organic compound integrative samplers, and stream sediment sampling at all sites. Component studies that were completed to provide finer scale temporal data or more extensive analysis at selected sites, included continuous water-quality monitoring, daily pesticide sampling, laboratory and in-stream water toxicity testing efforts, and deployment of passive suspended-sediment samplers.

Comparison of laboratory and in-situ measurements of waterflood residual oil saturations for the Cormorant field

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

van Poelgeest, F.; Niko, H.; Modwid, A.R.

1991-03-01

Shell Expro and Koninklijke/Shell E and P Laboratorium (KSEPL) have been engaged in a multidisciplinary effort to determine the water flood residual oil saturation (ROS) in two principal reservoirs of the Cormorant oil field in the U.K. sector of the North Sea. Data acquisition included special coring and testing. The study, which involved new reservoir-engineering and petrophysical techniques, was aimed at establishing consistent ROS values. This paper reports that reservoir-engineering work centered on reservoir-condition corefloods in the relative-permeability-at-reservoir-conditions (REPARC) apparatus, in which restoration of representative wettability condition was attempted with the aging technique. Aging results in a consistent reduction ofmore » water-wetness of all core samples. The study indicated that ROS values obtained on aged cores at water throughputs of at least 5 PV represented reservoir conditions. The petrophysical part of the study involved ROS estimation from sponge-core analysis and log evaluation.« less

On-line solid-phase microextraction of triclosan, bisphenol A, chlorophenols, and selected pharmaceuticals in environmental water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection.

PubMed

Kim, Dalho; Han, Jungho; Choi, Yongwook

2013-01-01

A method using on-line solid-phase microextraction (SPME) on a carbowax-templated fiber followed by liquid chromatography (LC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection was developed for the determination of triclosan in environmental water samples. Along with triclosan, other selected phenolic compounds, bisphenol A, and acidic pharmaceuticals were studied. Previous SPME/LC or stir-bar sorptive extraction/LC-UV for polar analytes showed lack of sensitivity. In this study, the calculated octanol-water distribution coefficient (log D) values of the target analytes at different pH values were used to estimate polarity of the analytes. The lack of sensitivity observed in earlier studies is identified as a lack of desorption by strong polar-polar interactions between analyte and solid-phase. Calculated log D values were useful to understand or predict the interaction between analyte and solid phase. Under the optimized conditions, the method detection limit of selected analytes by using on-line SPME-LC-UV method ranged from 5 to 33 ng L(-1), except for very polar 3-chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol which was obscured in wastewater samples by an interfering substance. This level of detection represented a remarkable improvement over the conventional existing methods. The on-line SPME-LC-UV method, which did not require derivatization of analytes, was applied to the determination of TCS including phenolic compounds and acidic pharmaceuticals in tap water and river water and municipal wastewater samples.

Spatial and temporal variability in benthic invertebrate assemblages in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stauffer-Olsen, Natalie J.; Carter, James L.; Fend, Steven V.

2017-01-01

Upper Klamath Lake (UKL) in southern Oregon has experienced declines in water quality due to excessive nutrient loading. This has led to annual cyanobacterial blooms, primarily of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA). Benthic invertebrates are important food resources for benthic feeding fishes; however, they can increase autochthonous nutrient cycling in lakes and as a result might be contributing to poor water quality in UKL. This study determined the density and taxonomic richness of benthic invertebrate assemblages in three geographic regions (north, central, and south) and three habitats (littoral, open-water and trench) across UKL. Sediment composition and water quality were also characterized at each of the 21 benthic invertebrate collection sites. Three sampling trips were made from May–July 2013. Mean lake-wide invertebrate density was 12 617 ± 7506 individuals m-2 (n = 63, based on 189 Ekman grabs) with oligochaetes, chironomids, and leeches representing 97% of all individuals. Mean invertebrate richness per sample was 16 ± 4 (n = 63). Two and three-way repeated measures ANOVAs identified differences in invertebrate densities and richness among regions, habitats, and sampling periods. There were no differences in total density among sampling periods. Total density was higher in littoral compared to open-water habitats, and in the northern region, proximal to all riverine inputs to the lake, compared to the central or southern regions. Although variances were heterogeneous, the number of taxa appeared to differ between habitats and regions.

Method validation and reconnaissance of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and alkylphenols in surface waters, sediments, and mussels in an urban estuary.

PubMed

Klosterhaus, Susan L; Grace, Richard; Hamilton, M Coreen; Yee, Donald

2013-04-01

Novel methods utilizing liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were validated for low-level detection of 104 pharmaceuticals and personal care products ingredients (PPCPs) and four alkylphenols (APs) in environmental samples. The methods were applied to surface water, sediment, and mussel tissue samples collected from San Francisco Bay, CA, USA, an urban estuary that receives direct discharge from over forty municipal and industrial wastewater outfalls. Among the target PPCPs, 35% were detected in at least one sample, with 31, 10, and 17 compounds detected in water, sediment, and mussels, respectively. Maximum concentrations were 92 ng/L in water (valsartan), 33 ng/g dry weight (dw) in sediments (triclocarban), and 14 ng/g wet weight (ww) in mussels (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). Nonylphenol was detected in water (<2-73 ng/L), sediments (22-86 ng/g dw), and mussels (<0.04-95 ng/g ww), and nonylphenol mono- and diethoxylates were detected in sediments (<1-40 ng/g dw) and mussels (<5-192 ng/g ww). The concentrations of PPCPs and APs detected in the San Francisco Bay samples were generally at least an order of magnitude below concentrations expected to elicit toxic effects in aquatic organisms. This study represents the first reconnaissance of PPCPs in mussels living in an urban estuary and provides the first field-derived bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for select compounds in aquatic organisms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeochemical investigations in the Osgood mountains, north-central Nevada. Chapter B.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wanty, Richard B.; Berger, Byron R.; Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Briggs, Paul H.; Meier, Allen L.; Crock, James G.; Stillings, Lisa L.

2006-01-01

Field investigations performed in the Osgood Mountains during the summers of 1999 and 2000 were designed to test methods of combining geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical investigations. The goals were to develop a more thorough understanding of the movement of water through the study area and to understand the water-rock reactions that may occur along flow paths. The Osgood Mountains were chosen for study because they represent a well-defined geologic system, based on existing and new field data. New work in the area focused on gathering more data about fractures, faults, and joints and on collecting water samples to evaluate the role of geologic structures on hydrologic and geochemical properties of the ground-water/surface-water system. Chemical methods employed in the study included measuring traditional field parameters (e.g., pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen) as well as Fe2+ and collecting a variety of samples that were preserved for later laboratory analysis. Hydrologic methods included closely spaced evaluations of substream hydraulic head to define ground-water discharge and recharge zones as well as some measurements of stream discharge. Geologic investigations focused on the locations and orientations of fractures and kinematic indicators of slip observable in outcrops.

New biosensor for detection of copper ions in water based on immobilized genetically modified yeast cells.

PubMed

Vopálenská, Irena; Váchová, Libuše; Palková, Zdena

2015-10-15

Contamination of water by heavy metals represents a potential risk for both aquatic and terrestrial organisms, including humans. Heavy metals in water resources can come from various industrial activities, and drinking water can be ex-post contaminated by heavy metals such as Cu(2+) from house fittings (e.g., water reservoirs) and pipes. Here, we present a new copper biosensor capable of detecting copper ions at concentrations of 1-100 μM. This biosensor is based on cells of a specifically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain immobilized in alginate beads. Depending on the concentration of copper, the biosensor beads change color from white, when copper is present in concentrations below the detection limit, to pink or red based on the increase in copper concentration. The biosensor was successfully tested in the determination of copper concentrations in real samples of water contaminated with copper ions. In contrast to analytical methods or other biosensors based on fluorescent proteins, the newly designed biosensor does not require specific equipment and allows the quick detection of copper in many parallel samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How well do testate amoebae transfer functions relate to high-resolution water-table records?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holden, Joseph; Swindles, Graeme; Raby, Cassandra; Blundell, Antony

2014-05-01

Testate amoebae (TA) community composition records from peat cores are often used to infer past water-table conditions on peatland sites. However, one of the problems is that validation of water-table depths used in such work typically comes from a one-off water-table measurement or a few measurements of water-table depth from the testate amoebae sample extraction point. Furthermore, one value of water-table depth is produced by the transfer function reconstruction, with sample-specific errors generated through a statistical resampling approach. However, we know that water tables fluctuate in peatlands and are dynamic. Traditional TA water-table data may not adequately capture a mean value from a site, and may not account for water-table dynamics (e.g. seasonal or annual variability) that could influence the TA community composition. We analysed automatically logged (at least hourly, mainly 15-min) peatland water-table data from 72 different dipwells located across northern Sweden, Wales and the Pennine region of England. Each location had not been subject to recent management intervention. A suite of characteristics of water-table dynamics for each point were determined. At each point surface samples were extracted and the TA community composition was determined. Our results show that estimated water-table depth based on the TA community transfer functions poorly represents the real mean or median water tables for the study sites. The TA approach does, however, generally identify sites that have water tables that are closer to the surface for a greater proportion of the year compared to sites with deeper water tables for large proportions of the year. However, the traditional TA approach does not differentiate between sites with similar mean (or median) water-table depths yet which have quite different water table variability (e.g. interquartile range). We suggest some ways of improving water-table metrics for use in Holocene peatland hydrology reconstructions.

Diffusion and drive-point sampling to detect ordnance-related compounds in shallow ground water beneath Snake Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2001-02

USGS Publications Warehouse

LeBlanc, Denis R.

2003-01-01

Diffusion samplers and temporary drive points were used to test for ordnance-related compounds in ground water discharging to Snake Pond near Camp Edwards at the Massachusetts Military Reservation, Cape Cod, MA. The contamination resulted from artillery use and weapons testing at various ranges upgradient of the pond.The diffusion samplers were constructed with a high-grade cellulose membrane that allowed diffusion of explosive compounds, such as RDX (Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) and HMX (Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine), into deionized water inside the samplers. Laboratory tests confirmed that the cellulose membrane was permeable to RDX and HMX. One transect of 22 diffusion samplers was installed and retrieved in August-September 2001, and 12 transects with a total of 108 samplers were installed and retrieved in September-October 2001. The diffusion samplers were buried about 0.5 feet into the pond-bottom sediments by scuba divers and allowed to equilibrate with the ground water beneath the pond bottom for 13 to 27 days before retrieval. Water samples were collected from temporary well points driven about 2-4 feet into the pond bottom at 21 sites in December 2001 and March 2002 for analysis of explosives and perchlorate to confirm the diffusion-sampling results. The water samples from the diffusion samplers exhibited numerous chromatographic peaks, but evaluation of the photo-diode-array spectra indicated that most of the peaks did not represent the target compounds. The peaks probably are associated with natural organic compounds present in the soft, organically enriched pond-bottom sediments. The presence of four explosive compounds at five widely spaced sites was confirmed by the photo-diode-array analysis, but the compounds are not generally found in contaminated ground water near the ranges. No explosives were detected in water samples obtained from the drive points. Perchlorate was detected at less than 1 microgram per liter in two drive-point samples collected at the same site on two dates about 3 months apart. The source of the perchlorate in the samples could not be related directly to other contamination from Camp Edwards with the available information. The results from the diffusion and drive-point sampling do not indicate an area of ground-water discharge with concentrations of the ordnance-related compounds that are sufficiently elevated to be detected by these sampling methods. The diffusion and drive-point sampling data cannot be interpreted further without additional information concerning the pattern of ground-water flow at Snake Pond and the distributions of RDX, HMX, and perchlorate in ground water in the aquifer near the pond.

Quantification of mine-drainage inflows to Little Cottonwood Creek, Utah, using a tracer-injection and synoptic-sampling study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimball, B.; Runkel, R.; Gerner, L.

2001-01-01

Historic mining in Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah has left behind many mine drainage tunnels that discharge water to Little Cottonwood Creek. To quantify the major sources of mine drainage to the stream, synoptic sampling was conducted during a tracer injection under low flow conditions (September 1998). There were distinct increases in discharge downstream from mine drainage and major tributary inflows that represented the total surface and subsurface contributions. The chemistry of stream water determined from synoptic sampling was controlled by the weathering of carbonate rocks and mine drainage inflows. Buffering by carbonate rocks maintained a high pH throughout the study reach. Most of the metal loading was from four surface-water inflows and three subsurface inflows. The main subsurface inflow was from a mine pool in the Wasatch Tunnel. Natural attenuation of all the metals resulted in the formation of colloidal solids, sorption of some metals, and accumulation onto the streambed. The deposition on the streambed could contribute to chronic toxicity for aquatic organisms. Information from the study will help to make decisions about environmental restoration.

Gas chromatographic determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and smoked rice samples after solid-phase microextraction using multiwalled carbon nanotube loaded hollow fiber.

PubMed

Matin, Amir Abbas; Biparva, Pourya; Gheshlaghi, Mohammad

2014-12-29

A novel solid-phase microextraction fiber was prepared based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) loaded on hollow fiber membrane pores. Stainless steel wire was used as unbreakable support. The major advantages of the proposed fiber are its (a) high reproducibility due to the uniform structure of the hollow fiber membranes, (b) high extraction capacity related to the porous structure of the hollow fiber and outstanding adsorptive characteristics of MWCNTs. The proposed fiber was applied for the microextraction of five representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from aqueous media (river and hubble-bubble water) and smoked rice samples followed by gas chromatographic determination. Analytical merits of the method, including high correlation coefficients [(0.9963-0.9992) and (0.9982-0.9999)] and low detection limits [(9.0-13.0ngL(-1)) and (40.0-150.0ngkg(-1))] for water and rice samples, respectively, made the proposed method suitable for the ultra-trace determination of PAHs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of Legionella in UK household showers.

PubMed

Collins, Samuel; Stevenson, David; Bennett, Allan; Walker, Jimmy

2017-04-01

Household water systems have been proposed as a source of sporadic, community acquired Legionnaires' disease. Showers represent a frequently used aerosol generating device in the domestic setting yet little is known about the occurrence of Legionella spp. in these systems. This study has investigated the prevalence of Legionella spp. by culture and qPCR in UK household showers. Ninety nine showers from 82 separate properties in the South of England were sampled. Clinically relevant Legionella spp. were isolated by culture in 8% of shower water samples representing 6% of households. Legionella pneumophila sg1 ST59 was isolated from two showers in one property and air sampling demonstrated its presence in the aerosol state. A further 31% of showers were positive by Legionella spp. qPCR. By multi-variable binomial regression modelling Legionella spp. qPCR positivity was associated with the age of the property (p=0.02), the age of the shower (p=0.01) and the frequency of use (p=0.09). The concentration of Legionella spp. detected by qPCR was shown to decrease with increased frequency of use (p=0.04) and more frequent showerhead cleaning (p=0.05). There was no association between Legionella spp. qPCR positivity and the cold water supply or the showerhead material (p=0.65 and p=0.71, respectively). Household showers may be important reservoirs of clinically significant Legionella and should be considered in source investigations. Simple public health advice may help to mitigate the risk of Legionella exposure in the domestic shower environment. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Visualization and Enumeration of Marine Planktonic Archaea and Bacteria by Using Polyribonucleotide Probes and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization

PubMed Central

DeLong, Edward F.; Taylor, Lance Trent; Marsh, Terence L.; Preston, Christina M.

1999-01-01

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using rRNA-specific oligonucleotide probes has emerged as a popular technique for identifying individual microbial cells. In natural samples, however, the signal derived from fluor-labeled oligonucleotide probes often is undetectable above background fluorescence in many cells. To circumvent this difficulty, we applied fluorochrome-labeled polyribonucleotide probes to identify and enumerate marine planktonic archaea and bacteria. The approach greatly enhanced the sensitivity and applicability of FISH with seawater samples, allowing confident identification and enumeration of planktonic cells to ocean depths of 3,400 m. Quantitative whole-cell hybridization experiments using these probes accounted for 90 to 100% of the total 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained cells in most samples. As predicted in a previous study (R. Massana, A. E. Murray, C. M. Preston, and E. F. DeLong, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63:50–56, 1997), group I and II marine archaea predominate in different zones in the water column, with maximal cell densities of 105/ml. The high cell densities of archaea, extending from surface waters to abyssal depths, suggest that they represent a large and significant fraction of the total picoplankton biomass in coastal ocean waters. The data also show that the vast majority of planktonic prokaryotes contain significant numbers of ribosomes, rendering them easily detectable with polyribonucleotide probes. These results imply that the majority of planktonic cells visualized by DAPI do not represent lysed cells or “ghosts,” as was suggested in a previous report. PMID:10584017

The pH and ionic composition of stratiform cloud water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, Raymond A.; Jiusto, James E.; Mclaren, Eugene

Over 50 cloud water samples were collected during five comprehensive case studies of the water chemistry of stratiform clouds at Whiteface Mountain, New York. The water samples were analyzed for pH, conductivity and ions of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, ammonium, sulfate, chloride and nitrate. Trajectory analyses and cloud condensation nucleus concentrations at 0.5 % confirmed that the air masses in all five of these cases represented continental air that was relatively clean (low aerosol concentration) for the northeystern United States. The major ions related to cloud water pH were found to be sulfate, nitrate, potassium, ammonium and calcium. The results revealed a mean hydrogen ion concentration [ H+] = 0.239 meq ℓ -1 ( σ = ± 0.21) which converts to a mean pH = 3.6 for all collected cloud samples. The low pH values are related to a normal background of nitrate ions found in the rural continental air masses plus sulfate ions largely from the industrial emissions of the midwestern United States. The [NO -3], in two of the three cases presented, demonstrates the importance of the nitrate ions' contribution to the pH of cloud water. A dependent means analysis of 40 events yielded a significant difference (0.04 level of significance), with the mean pH of precipitation (4.2) being greater than the mean pH of cloud water (4.0) for event samples. The ion concentrations indicated that the cloud rainout process contributed from 67 % to almost 100% of the total ion concentration of the precipitation. The washout process, i.e. precipitation scavenging below the cloud base, contributed considerably less than the cloud/rainout process of those total precipitation anions associated with air pollution.

Characterization of naphthenic acids in oil sands wastewaters by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Holowenko, Fervone M; MacKinnon, Michael D; Fedorak, Phillip M

2002-06-01

The water produced during the extraction of bitumen from oil sands is toxic to aquatic organisms due largely to a group of naturally occurring organic acids, naphthenic acids (NAs), that are solubilized from the bitumen during processing. NAs are a complex mixture of alkyl-substituted acyclic and cycloaliphatic carboxylic acids, with the general chemical formula CnH(2n + Z)O2, where n is the carbon number and Z specifies a homologous family. Gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry was used to characterize NAs in nine water samples derived from oil sands extraction processes. For each sample, the analysis provided the relative abundances for up to 156 base peaks, with each representing at least one NA structure. Plotting the relative abundances of NAs as three-dimensional bar graphs showed differences among samples. The relative abundance of NAs with carbon numbers < or = 21 to those in the "C22 + cluster" (sum of all NAs with carbon numbers > or = 22 in Z families 0 to -12) proved useful for comparing the water samples that had a range of toxicities. A decrease in toxicity of process-affected waters accompanied an increase in the proportion of NAs in the "C22 + cluster", likely caused by biodegradation of NAs with carbon numbers of < or = 21. In addition, an increase in the proportion of NAs in the "C22 + cluster" accompanied a decrease in the total NAs in the process-affected waters, again suggesting the selective removal of NAs with carbon numbers of < or = 21. This is the first investigation in which changes in the fingerprint of the NA fraction of process-affected waters from the oil sands operations has corresponded with measured toxicity in these waters.

Integrated assessment of river water quality in contrasting catchments: Impact of urbanization on particle bound pollutant fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grathwohl, Peter; Ruegner, Hermann; Schwientek, Marc; Beckingham, Barbara

2013-04-01

Water quality in rivers typically depends on the degree of urbanization or the population density in a catchment. Transport of many pollutants in rivers is coupled to transport of suspended particles, potentially dominated by storm water overflows and mobilization of legacy contamination of sediments. Concentration of pollutants strongly sorbed to suspended particles cannot be diluted by water directly, but depends on the mixture of "polluted" urban and "clean" background particles. In the current study, the total concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the amount of total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity were measured on a monthly basis in water samples from 5 neighbouring catchments with contrasting land use in Southwest Germany over 1.5 years. In addition, single flood events with large changes in turbidity were sampled at high temporal resolution. Linear correlations of turbidity and TSS where obtained over all catchments investigated. From linear regressions of turbidity vs. total PAH concentrations in water, robust mean concentrations of PAHs on suspended particles could be obtained, which were distinct for each catchment depending on urban influence. PAH concentrations on suspended particles were stable over a large turbidity range (up to 900 NTU) confirmed by samples taken during flood events. No pronounced effects due to changing particle size or origin have been observed for the catchments investigated (< 150 squared km). Regression of total concentrations of PAHs in water samples vs. turbidity thus comprises a robust measure of the average sediment quality in a given catchment and this correlates to the degree of urbanization represented by the number of inhabitants per total flux of suspended particles. The findings are very promising for other particle-bound contaminant fluxes (PCBs, phosphorus, etc.) and in terms of on-line monitoring of turbidity as a proxy for pollution.