sampling environmental sites: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for sampling environmental sites

Using maximum entropy modeling for optimal selection of sampling sites for monitoring networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, Thomas J.; Kumar, Sunil; Barnett, David T.; Evangelista, Paul H.

2011-01-01

Environmental monitoring programs must efficiently describe state shifts. We propose using maximum entropy modeling to select dissimilar sampling sites to capture environmental variability at low cost, and demonstrate a specific application: sample site selection for the Central Plains domain (453,490 km2) of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). We relied on four environmental factors: mean annual temperature and precipitation, elevation, and vegetation type. A “sample site” was defined as a 20 km × 20 km area (equal to NEON’s airborne observation platform [AOP] footprint), within which each 1 km2 cell was evaluated for each environmental factor. After each model run, the most environmentally dissimilar site was selected from all potential sample sites. The iterative selection of eight sites captured approximately 80% of the environmental envelope of the domain, an improvement over stratified random sampling and simple random designs for sample site selection. This approach can be widely used for cost-efficient selection of survey and monitoring sites.
Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites

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

None

2012-10-24

This plan incorporates U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) standard operating procedures (SOPs) into environmental monitoring activities and will be implemented at all sites managed by LM. This document provides detailed procedures for the field sampling teams so that samples are collected in a consistent and technically defensible manner. Site-specific plans (e.g., long-term surveillance and maintenance plans, environmental monitoring plans) document background information and establish the basis for sampling and monitoring activities. Information will be included in site-specific tabbed sections to this plan, which identify sample locations, sample frequencies, types of samples, field measurements, and associatedmore » analytes for each site. Additionally, within each tabbed section, program directives will be included, when developed, to establish additional site-specific requirements to modify or clarify requirements in this plan as they apply to the corresponding site. A flowchart detailing project tasks required to accomplish routine sampling is displayed in Figure 1. LM environmental procedures are contained in the Environmental Procedures Catalog (LMS/PRO/S04325), which incorporates American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), DOE, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance. Specific procedures used for groundwater and surface water monitoring are included in Appendix A. If other environmental media are monitored, SOPs used for air, soil/sediment, and biota monitoring can be found in the site-specific tabbed sections in Appendix D or in site-specific documents. The procedures in the Environmental Procedures Catalog are intended as general guidance and require additional detail from planning documents in order to be complete; the following sections fulfill that function and specify additional procedural requirements to form SOPs. Routine revision of this Sampling and Analysis Plan will be conducted annually at the beginning of each fiscal year when attachments in Appendix D, including program directives and sampling location/analytical tables, will be reviewed by project personnel and updated. The sampling location/analytical tables in Appendix D, however, may have interim updates according to project direction that are not reflected in this plan. Deviations from location/analytical tables in Appendix D prior to sampling will be documented in project correspondence (e.g., startup letters). If significant changes to other aspects of this plan are required before the annual update, then the plan will be revised as needed.« less
Comparison of the incidence of Listeria on equipment versus environmental sites within dairy processing plants.

PubMed

Pritchard, T J; Flanders, K J; Donnelly, C W

1995-08-01

This study was undertaken to compare the incidence of Listeria contamination of processing equipment with that of the general dairy processing environment. A total of 378 sponge samples obtained from 21 dairy plants were analyzed for Listeria using three different enrichment media. Use of extended microbiological analysis allowed us to identify 26 Listeria positive sites which would have not been identified had a single test format been employed. Eighty (80) of 378 sites (21.2%) were identified as Listeria positive. Listeria innocua was isolated from 59 of the 80 (73.8%) positive samples, L. monocytogenes was identified in 35 (43.8%) of the positive samples, and L. seeligeri was isolated from 5 (6.3%) of the Listeria positive samples. Positive equipment samples were obtained from 6 of the 21 (28.6%) plants and 19 of the 21 (90.5%) plants had positive environmental sites. Seventeen of the 215 (7.9%) samples from equipment were positive for Listeria species. Eleven of these sites, including 3 holding tanks, 2 table tops, 3 conveyor/chain systems, a pasta filata wheel, a pint milk filler and a brine pre-filter machine, were positive for L. monocytogenes. Nineteen of the 21 (90.5%) plants had positive environmental sites. Sixty-three of the 163 (41.1%) samples from environmental sites were Listeria positive and 24 were positive for L. monocytogenes. Two-tailed student t-test analysis of the mean frequencies indicated that the level of contamination was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in 'environmental' (49.7%) as opposed to 'equipment' samples (7.0%). Our study indicates that environmental contamination with Listeria does not necessarily translate into contamination of equipment within the same plant, and that greater emphasis needs to be placed on the cleaning and sanitizing of the plant environment.
Monitoring Environmental Recovery at Terminated Produced Water Discharge Sites in Coastal Louisiana Waters

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

Continental Shelf Associates, Inc.

1999-08-16

This report presents the results of a study of terminated produced water discharge sites in the coastal waters of Louisiana. Environmental recovery at the sites is documented by comparing pre-termination and post-termination (six months and one year) data. Produced water, sediments, and sediment interstitial water samples were analyzed for radionuclides, metals, and hydrocarbons. Benthic infauna were identified from samples collected in the vicinity of the discharge and reference sites. Radium isotope activities were determined in fish and crustacean samples. In addition, an environmental risk assessment is made on the basis of the concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons determined in themore » samples.« less
GEOSTATISTICAL SAMPLING DESIGNS FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES

EPA Science Inventory

This chapter discusses field sampling design for environmental sites and hazardous waste sites with respect to random variable sampling theory, Gy's sampling theory, and geostatistical (kriging) sampling theory. The literature often presents these sampling methods as an adversari...
Analytical results from an environmental investigation of six sites on Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1993-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, Ralph

1995-01-01

The six sites investigated include silver recovery units; a buried caustic drain line; a neutralization pit; an evaporation/infiltration pond; the Manzano fire training area; and a waste oil underground storage tank. Environmental samples of soil, pond sediment, soil gas, and water and gas in floor drains were collected and analyzed. Field quality-control samples were also collected and analyzed in association with the environmental samples. The six sites were investigated because past or current activities could have resulted in contamination of soil, pond sediment, or water and sediment in drains.
Surface Environmental Surveillance Project: Locations Manual Volume 1 – Air and Water Volume 2 – Farm Products, Soil & Vegetation, and Wildlife

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

Fritz, Brad G.; Patton, Gregory W.; Stegen, Amanda

2009-01-01

This report describes all environmental monitoring locations associated with the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project. Environmental surveillance of the Hanford site and surrounding areas is conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Sampling is conducted to evaluate levels of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants in the Hanford environs, as required in DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection Program, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. The environmental surveillance sampling design is described in the Hanford Site Environmental Monitoring Plan, United States Department of Energy, Richland Operation Office (DOE/RL-91-50). This documentmore » contains the locations of sites used to collect samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP). Each section includes directions, maps, and pictures of the locations. A general knowledge of roads and highways on and around the Hanford Site is necessary to successfully use this manual. Supplemental information (Maps, Gazetteer, etc.) may be necessary if user is unfamiliar with local routes. The SESP is a multimedia environmental surveillance effort to measure the concentrations of radionuclides and chemicals in environmental media to demonstrate compliance with applicable environmental quality standards and public exposure limits, and assessing environmental impacts. Project personnel annually collect selected samples of ambient air, surface water, agricultural products, fish, wildlife, and sediments. Soil and vegetation samples are collected approximately every 5 years. Analytical capabilities include the measurement of radionuclides at very low environmental concentrations and, in selected media, nonradiological chemicals including metals, anions, volatile organic compounds, and total organic carbon.« less
SMARTE'S SITE CHARACTERIZATION TOOL

EPA Science Inventory

Site Characterization involves collecting environmental data to evaluate the nature and extent of contamination. Environmental data could consist of chemical analyses of soil, sediment, water or air samples. Typically site characterization data are statistically evaluated for thr...
Molecular detection of airborne Coccidioides in Tucson, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chow, Nancy A.; Griffin, Dale W.; Barker, Bridget M.; Loparev, Vladimir N.; Litvintseva, Anastasia P.

2016-01-01

Environmental surveillance of the soil-dwelling fungus Coccidioides is essential for the prevention of Valley fever, a disease primarily caused by inhalation of the arthroconidia. Methods for collecting and detectingCoccidioides in soil samples are currently in use by several laboratories; however, a method utilizing current air sampling technologies has not been formally demonstrated for the capture of airborne arthroconidia. In this study, we collected air/dust samples at two sites (Site A and Site B) in the endemic region of Tucson, Arizona, and tested a variety of air samplers and membrane matrices. We then employed a single-tube nested qPCR assay for molecular detection. At both sites, numerous soil samples (n = 10 at Site A and n = 24 at Site B) were collected and Coccidioides was detected in two samples (20%) at Site A and in eight samples (33%) at Site B. Of the 25 air/dust samples collected at both sites using five different air sampling methods, we detected Coccidioides in three samples from site B. All three samples were collected using a high-volume sampler with glass-fiber filters. In this report, we describe these methods and propose the use of these air sampling and molecular detection strategies for environmental surveillance of Coccidioides.
The Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program. Fourth quarter, 1989

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

Not Available

1989-12-31

The Environmental Monitoring Section of the Environmental and Health Protection (EHP) Department administers the Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program. During fourth quarter 1989 (October--December), EHP conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EHP collected the drinking water samples from Savannah River Site (SRS) drinking water systems supplied by wells. EHP established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. An explanation of flagging criteria for the fourth quarter is presented in the Flagging Criteria sectionmore » of this document. All analytical results from fourth quarter 1989 are listed in this report, which is distributed to all waste-site custodians.« less
Use of mass spectrometry coupled with a solids insertion probe to prescreen soil samples for environmental samples

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

Check, C.E.; Bach, S.B.H.

1995-12-31

The contamination of air, water, and soils by a myriad of sources generates a large sample Currently, sample volume for hazardous constituent analyses is approximately half a million samples per year. The total analytical costs associated with this are astronomical. The analysis of these samples is vital in terms of assessing the types of contamination present and to what degree a site has been contaminated. The results of these analyses are very important for making an informed, knowledgeable decision as to the need for remediation and what type of remediation processes should be initiated based on site suitability vs non-actionmore » for the various sample sites. With an ever growing environmental consciousness in today`s society, the assessment and subsequent remediation of a site needs to be accomplished promptly despite the time constraints traditional methods place on such actions. In order to facilitate a rapid assessment, it is desirable to utilize instrumentation and equipment which afford the most information about a site allowing for optimization in environmental assessment while maintaining a realistic time schedule for the resulting remediation process. Because there are various types of environmental samples that can be taken at a site, different combinations of instrumentation and methods are required for assessing the level and type of contamination present whether it is in air, water, or soils. This study is limited to analyzing soil-like media that would normally fall under EPA Method 8270 which is used to analyze solid waste matrices, soils, and groundwater for semi-volatile organic compounds.« less
The Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program, third quarter 1991

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

Not Available

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site`s (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During third quarter 1991, EPD/EMS conducted extensive sampling of monitoring wells. Analytical results from third quarter 1991 are listed in this report.
Objective sampling design in a highly heterogeneous landscape - characterizing environmental determinants of malaria vector distribution in French Guiana, in the Amazonian region.

PubMed

Roux, Emmanuel; Gaborit, Pascal; Romaña, Christine A; Girod, Romain; Dessay, Nadine; Dusfour, Isabelle

2013-12-01

Sampling design is a key issue when establishing species inventories and characterizing habitats within highly heterogeneous landscapes. Sampling efforts in such environments may be constrained and many field studies only rely on subjective and/or qualitative approaches to design collection strategy. The region of Cacao, in French Guiana, provides an excellent study site to understand the presence and abundance of Anopheles mosquitoes, their species dynamics and the transmission risk of malaria across various environments. We propose an objective methodology to define a stratified sampling design. Following thorough environmental characterization, a factorial analysis of mixed groups allows the data to be reduced and non-collinear principal components to be identified while balancing the influences of the different environmental factors. Such components defined new variables which could then be used in a robust k-means clustering procedure. Then, we identified five clusters that corresponded to our sampling strata and selected sampling sites in each stratum. We validated our method by comparing the species overlap of entomological collections from selected sites and the environmental similarities of the same sites. The Morisita index was significantly correlated (Pearson linear correlation) with environmental similarity based on i) the balanced environmental variable groups considered jointly (p = 0.001) and ii) land cover/use (p-value < 0.001). The Jaccard index was significantly correlated with land cover/use-based environmental similarity (p-value = 0.001). The results validate our sampling approach. Land cover/use maps (based on high spatial resolution satellite images) were shown to be particularly useful when studying the presence, density and diversity of Anopheles mosquitoes at local scales and in very heterogeneous landscapes.
Objective sampling design in a highly heterogeneous landscape - characterizing environmental determinants of malaria vector distribution in French Guiana, in the Amazonian region

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Sampling design is a key issue when establishing species inventories and characterizing habitats within highly heterogeneous landscapes. Sampling efforts in such environments may be constrained and many field studies only rely on subjective and/or qualitative approaches to design collection strategy. The region of Cacao, in French Guiana, provides an excellent study site to understand the presence and abundance of Anopheles mosquitoes, their species dynamics and the transmission risk of malaria across various environments. We propose an objective methodology to define a stratified sampling design. Following thorough environmental characterization, a factorial analysis of mixed groups allows the data to be reduced and non-collinear principal components to be identified while balancing the influences of the different environmental factors. Such components defined new variables which could then be used in a robust k-means clustering procedure. Then, we identified five clusters that corresponded to our sampling strata and selected sampling sites in each stratum. Results We validated our method by comparing the species overlap of entomological collections from selected sites and the environmental similarities of the same sites. The Morisita index was significantly correlated (Pearson linear correlation) with environmental similarity based on i) the balanced environmental variable groups considered jointly (p = 0.001) and ii) land cover/use (p-value << 0.001). The Jaccard index was significantly correlated with land cover/use-based environmental similarity (p-value = 0.001). Conclusions The results validate our sampling approach. Land cover/use maps (based on high spatial resolution satellite images) were shown to be particularly useful when studying the presence, density and diversity of Anopheles mosquitoes at local scales and in very heterogeneous landscapes. PMID:24289184
Environmental baseline study of the Huron River Watershed, Baraga and Marquette Counties, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodruff, Laurel G.; Weaver, Thomas L.; Cannon, William F.

2010-01-01

This report summarizes results of a study to establish water-quality and geochemical baseline conditions within a small watershed in the Lake Superior region. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a survey of water-quality parameters and soil and streambed sediment geochemistry of the 83 mi2 Huron River Watershed in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Streamflow was measured and water-quality samples collected at a range of flow conditions from six sites on the major tributaries of the Huron River. All water samples were analyzed for a suite of common ions, nutrients, and trace metals. In addition, water samples from each site were analyzed for unfiltered total and methylmercury once during summer low-flow conditions. Soil samples were collected from 31 sites, with up to 4 separate samples collected at each site, delineated by soil horizon. Streambed sediments were collected from 11 sites selected to cover most of the area drained by the Huron River system. USGS data were supplemented with ecological assessments completed in 2006 by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality using a modified version of their Great Lakes Environmental Assessment Section procedure 51, and again during 2008 using volunteers under supervision of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Results from this study define a hydrological, geological, and environmental baseline for the Huron River Watershed prior to any significant mineral exploration or development. Results from the project also serve to refine the design of future regional environmental baseline studies in the Lake Superior Basin.
Water Quality, Fish Tissue, and Bed Sediment Monitoring in Waterbodies of Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center, Arkansas, 2002-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Justus, B.G.; Stanton, Gregory P.

2005-01-01

The Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center is a facility used to train as many as 50,000 Arkansas National Guardsmen each year. Due to the nature of ongoing training and also to a poor understanding of environmental procedures that were practiced in the World War II era, areas within Fort Chaffee have the potential to be sources of a large number of contaminants. Because some streams flow on to Fort Chaffee, there is also the potential for sources that are off post to affect environmental conditions on post. This study evaluates constituent concentrations in water, fish tissue, and bed sediment collected from waterbodies on Fort Chaffee between September 2002 and July 2004. Constituent concentrations detected in the three media and measured at nine stream sites and four lake sites were compared to national and regional criteria when available. Two of the larger streams, Big and Vache Grasse Creeks, were sampled at multiple sites. All three sampled media were analyzed for insecticides, PCBs, explosives, and trace elements. Additionally, water samples were analyzed for nutrients and herbicides. The different constituents detected in the three sample media (water, fish tissue, and bed sediment) indicate that land-use activities both on and off post are influencing environmental conditions. Contaminants such as explosives that were sometimes detected in water samples have an obvious relation to military training; however, the occurrence and locations of some nutrients, insecticides, and trace elements suggest that land use both on and off post also could be influencing environmental conditions to some degree. Constituent concentrations at sites on Vache Grasse Creek, and particularly the most upstream site, which was located immediately downstream from an off-post wastewater-treatment facility, indicate that environmental conditions were being influenced by an off-post source. The most upstream site on Vache Grasse Creek had both the highest number of detections and the highest concentrations detected of all sites sampled. Event-mean storm concentrations and storm loads calculated from storm-flow samples at two sites each for Big and Vache Grasse Creeks indicate that storm loads were highest at the two Vache Grasse Creek sites for 24 of the 25 constituents detected. Further evaluation by normalizing storm loads at Big Creek to storm loads at Vache Grasse Creek by stream flow indicate that event loads at Vache Grasse Creek were about two or more times higher than those on Big Creek for 15 of the 25 constituents measured. Low concentrations of arsenic and lead were detected in water samples, but all detections for the two trace elements occurred in samples collected at the upstream site on Vache Grasse Creek. The nickel concentration in fish livers collected from the upstream site on Vache Grasse Creek was 45 percent higher than the median of a national study of 145 sites. Mercury concentrations in edible fish tissue, which are a widespread concern in the United States, exceeded an USEPA criterion for methylmercury of 300 ?g/kg in four of nine samples; however, concentrations are typical of mercury concentrations in fish tissues for the State of Arkansas. Constituent concentrations at some sites indicate that environmental conditions are being influenced by on-post activities. Of the 55 (excluding total organic carbon) organic constituents analyzed in water samples, only 10 were detected above the minimum detection limit but four of those were explosives. Bed-sediment samples from one site located on Grayson Creek, and nearest the administrative and residential (cantonment) area, had detections for arsenic, copper, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc that were above background concentrations, and concentrations for arsenic and nickel at this site exceeded lowest effect level criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The site on Grayson Creek also had the only detections of DDT metabolites in bed sedi
Geochemical Data from Produced Water Contamination Investigations: Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research (OSPER) Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thordsen, James J.; Kharaka, Yousif K.; Ambats, Gil; Kakouros, Evangelos; Abbott, Marvin M.

2007-01-01

We report chemical and isotopic analyses of 345 water samples collected from the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research (OSPER) project. Water samples were collected as part of an ongoing multi-year USGS investigation to study the transport, fate, natural attenuation, and ecosystem impacts of inorganic salts and organic compounds present in produced water releases at two oil and gas production sites from an aging petroleum field located in Osage County, in northeast Oklahoma. The water samples were collected primarily from monitoring wells and surface waters at the two research sites, OSPER A (legacy site) and OSPER B (active site), during the period March, 2001 to February, 2005. The data include produced water samples taken from seven active oil wells, one coal-bed methane well and two domestic groundwater wells in the vicinity of the OSPER sites.
The Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program, first quarter 1989

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

Not Available

The Environmental Monitoring Section of the Environmental and Health Protection (EHP) Department administers the Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program. During first quarter 1989 (January--March), EHP conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EHP collected the drinking water samples from Savannah River Site (SRS) drinking water systems supplied by wells. EHP established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. The flagging criteria are based on detection limits, background levels in SRS groundwater, and drinking watermore » standards. An explanation of flagging criteria for the first quarter is presented in the Flagging Criteria section of this document. All analytical results from first quarter 1989 are listed in this report, which is distributed to all waste-site custodians.« less
The Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program, third quarter 1989

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

Not Available

The Environmental Monitoring Section of the Environmental and Health Protection (EHP) Department administers the Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program. During third quarter 1989 (July--September), EHP conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EHP collected the drinking water samples from Savannah River Site (SRS) drinking water systems supplied by wells. EHP established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria do not define contamination levels; instead they aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. The flagging criteria are based on detection limits, backgroundmore » levels in SRS groundwater, and drinking water standards. An explanation of flagging criteria for the third quarter is presented in the Flagging Criteria section of this document. All analytical results from third quarter 1989 are listed in this report, which is distributed to all waste-site custodians.« less
Characterizing the environmental impact of metals in construction and demolition waste.

PubMed

Yu, Danfeng; Duan, Huabo; Song, Qingbin; Li, Xiaoyue; Zhang, Hao; Zhang, Hui; Liu, Yicheng; Shen, Weijun; Wang, Jinben

2018-05-01

Large quantities of construction and demolition (C&D) waste are generated in China every year, but their potential environmental impacts on the surrounding areas are rarely assessed. This study focuses on metals contained in C&D waste, characterizing the metal concentrations and their related environmental risks. C&D waste samples were collected in Shenzhen City, China, from building demolition sites, renovation areas undergoing refurbishment, landfill sites, and recycling companies (all located in Shenzhen city) that produce recycled aggregate, in order to identify pollution levels of the metals As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn. The results showed that (1) the metal concentrations in most demolition and renovation waste samples were below the soil environmental quality standard for agricultural purposes (SQ-Agr.) in China; (2) Cd, Cu, and Zn led to relatively higher environmental risks than other metals, especially for Zn (DM5 tile sample, 360 mg/kg; R4 tile sample, 281 mg/kg); (3) non-inert C&D waste such as wall insulation and foamed plastic had high concentrations of As and Cd, so that these materials required special attention for sound waste management; and (4) C&D waste collected from landfill sites had higher concentrations of Cd and Cu than did waste collected from demolition and refurbishment sites.

Argonne National Laboratory-East site environmental report for calendar year 1998.

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

Golchert, N.W.; Kolzow, R.G.

1999-08-26

This report discusses the results of the environmental protection program at Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) for 1998. To evaluate the effects of ANL-E operations on the environment, samples of environmental media collected on the site, at the site boundary, and off the ANL-E site were analyzed and compared with applicable guidelines and standards. A variety of radionuclides were measured in air, surface water, on-site groundwater, and bottom sediment samples. In addition, chemical constituents in surface water, groundwater, and ANL-E effluent water were analyzed. External penetrating radiation doses were measured, and the potential for radiation exposure to off-site population groups wasmore » estimated. Results are interpreted in terms of the origin of the radioactive and chemical substances (i.e., natural, fallout, ANL-E, and other) and are compared with applicable environmental quality standards. A US Department of Energy dose calculation methodology, based on International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations and the US Environmental Protection Agency's CAP-88 (Clean Air Act Assessment Package-1988) computer code, was used in preparing this report. The status of ANL-E environmental protection activities with respect to the various laws and regulations that govern waste handling and disposal is discussed, along with the progress of environmental corrective actions and restoration projects.« less
Data Validation Package - July 2016 Groundwater Sampling at the Gunnison, Colorado, Disposal Site

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

Linard, Joshua; Campbell, Sam

Groundwater sampling at the Gunnison, Colorado, Disposal Site is conducted every 5 years to monitor disposal cell performance. During this event, samples were collected from eight monitoring wells as specified in the 1997 Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the Gunnison, Colorado, Disposal Site. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan for US Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Planned monitoring locations are shown in Attachment 1, Sampling and Analysis Work Order. A duplicate sample was collected from location 0723. Water levels were measured at all monitoring wells thatmore » were sampled and seven additional wells. The analytical data and associated qualifiers can be viewed in environmental database reports and are also available for viewing with dynamic mapping via the GEMS (Geospatial Environmental Mapping System) website at http://gems.lm.doe.gov/#. No issues were identified during the data validation process that require additional action or follow-up.« less
Metal-organic framework based in-syringe solid-phase extraction for the on-site sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental water samples.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoqiong; Wang, Peiyi; Han, Qiang; Li, Hengzhen; Wang, Tong; Ding, Mingyu

2018-04-01

In-syringe solid-phase extraction is a promising sample pretreatment method for the on-site sampling of water samples because of its outstanding advantages of portability, simple operation, short extraction time, and low cost. In this work, a novel in-syringe solid-phase extraction device using metal-organic frameworks as the adsorbent was fabricated for the on-site sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental waters. Trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were effectively extracted through the self-made device followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis. Owing to the excellent adsorption performance of metal-organic frameworks, the analytes could be completely adsorbed during one adsorption cycle, thus effectively shortening the extraction time. Moreover, the adsorbed analytes could remain stable on the device for at least 7 days, revealing the potential of the self-made device for on-site sampling of degradable compounds in remote regions. The limit of detection ranged from 0.20 to 1.9 ng/L under the optimum conditions. Satisfactory recoveries varying from 84.4 to 104.5% and relative standard deviations below 9.7% were obtained in real samples analysis. The results of this study promote the application of metal-organic frameworks in sample preparation and demonstrate the great potential of in-syringe solid-phase extraction for the on-site sampling of trace contaminants in environmental waters. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Assessment of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in the Autauga Creek watershed, Autauga County, Alabama, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mooty, Will S.; Gill, Amy C.

2011-01-01

Only four families within the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera orders were found during a 1999 survey of aquatic macroinvertebrates in Autauga Creek, Autauga County, Alabama, by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The low number of taxa of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera families indicated that the aquatic macroinvertebrate community was in poor condition, and the creek was placed on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management 303(d) list. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study in 2009 to provide data for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and other water management agencies to re-evaluate aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in Autauga Creek to see if they meet Alabama Department of Environmental Management water-quality criteria. Aquatic macroinvertebrate communities were evaluated at three sites in the Autauga Creek watershed. Macroinvertebrates were sampled at two sites on Autauga Creek and one on Bridge Creek, the largest tributary to Autauga Creek. Water-quality field parameters were assessed at 11 sites. During the 2009 sampling, 12 families within the orders of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera were found at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's assessment site whereas only four were found in 1999. The upstream site on Autauga Creek had consistently higher numbers of taxa than the Bridge Creek site and the lower site on Autauga Creek which is the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's assessment site. Chironomid richness was noticeably higher on the two Autauga Creek sites than the Bridge Creek site.
Hanford Site Environmental Surveillance Data Report for Calendar Year 2000

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

Bisping, Lynn E.

2001-09-27

This data report contains the actual raw data used to create tables and summaries in the Hanford Site Environmental Report 2000. This report also includes data from special sampling studies performed in 2000.
Oak Ridge Reservation: Annual Site Environmental Report for 2015

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

Rochelle, James; Rogers, Ben; Roche, Paula R.

The Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report is prepared annually and presents summary environmental data to (1) characterize environmental performance, (2) summarize environmental occurrences reported during the year, (3) confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and (4) highlight significant program activities. The report fulfills the requirement contained in DOE Order 231.1A, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting (DOE 2004) that an integrated annual site environmental report be prepared. The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2015. This report is not intended to nor does it present the results of all environmentalmore » monitoring associated with the ORR. Data collected for other site and regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration/remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws and are referenced herein as appropriate. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists primarily of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents at the points of release to the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminant levels, assessment of radiation and chemical exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of direct measurements and collection and analysis of samples taken from the site and its environs exclusive of effluents; these activities provide information on contaminant concentrations in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media. Environmental surveillance data support determinations regarding environmental compliance and, when combined with data from effluent monitoring, support chemical and radiation dose and exposure assessments of the potential effects of ORR operations, if any, on the local environment.« less
The Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program

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

Not Available

1989-01-01

The Environmental Monitoring Section of the Environmental and Health Protection (EHP) Department administers the Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program. During fourth quarter 1989 (October--December), EHP conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EHP collected the drinking water samples from Savannah River Site (SRS) drinking water systems supplied by wells. EHP established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. An explanation of flagging criteria for the fourth quarter is presented in the Flagging Criteria sectionmore » of this document. All analytical results from fourth quarter 1989 are listed in this report, which is distributed to all waste-site custodians.« less
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.
Selecting Performance Reference Compounds (PRCS)for Polyethylene Passive Samplers Deployed at Contaminated Sediment Sites

EPA Science Inventory

Use of equilibrium passive samplers for performing aquatic environmental monitoring at contaminated sediment sites, including Superfund sites, is becoming more common. However, a current challenge in passive sampling is determining when equilibrium is achieved between the sampl...
Improving Sampling, Analysis, and Data Management for Site Investigation and Cleanup

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports the adoption of streamlined approaches to sampling, analysis, and data management activities conducted during site assessment, characterization, and cleanup.
Data Validation Package - June 2016 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site

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

Linard, Joshua; Price, Jeffrey

This event included annual sampling of groundwater and surface water locations at the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for US. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lrnldownloads/sampling-and- analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Samples were collected from 15 monitoring wells and two surface locations at the disposal site as specified in the draft 2011 Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site. Planned monitoring locations are shown in Attachment 1, Sampling and Analysis Work Order. A duplicate sample was collected from location 0179. Onemore » equipment blank was collected during this sampling event. Water levels were measured at all monitoring wells that were sampled. See Attachment 2, Trip Reports for additional details. The analytical data and associated qualifiers can be viewed in environmental database reports and are also available for viewing with dynamic mapping via the GEMS (Geospatial Environmental Mapping System) website at http://gems.lm.doe.gov/#. No issues were identified during the data validation process that requires additional action or follow-up.« less
The Savannah River Site`s groundwater monitoring program. Third quarter 1990

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

Not Available

1991-05-06

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site`s (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During third quarter 1990 (July through September) EPD/EMS conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EPD/EMS established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria do not define contamination levels; instead they aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. The flagging criteria are based on detection limits, background levels in SRS groundwater, and drinking water standards. All analytical results from third quarter 1990 are listed in thismore » report, which is distributed to all site custodians. One or more analytes exceeded Flag 2 in 87 monitoring well series. Analytes exceeded Flat 2 for the first since 1984 in 14 monitoring well series. In addition to groundwater monitoring, EPD/EMS collected drinking water samples from SRS drinking water systems supplied by wells. The drinking water samples were analyzed for radioactive constituents.« less
Adaptive Sampling approach to environmental site characterization at Joliet Army Ammunition Plant: Phase 2 demonstration

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

Bujewski, G.E.; Johnson, R.L.

1996-04-01

Adaptive sampling programs provide real opportunities to save considerable time and money when characterizing hazardous waste sites. This Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) project demonstrated two decision-support technologies, SitePlanner{trademark} and Plume{trademark}, that can facilitate the design and deployment of an adaptive sampling program. A demonstration took place at Joliet Army Ammunition Plant (JAAP), and was unique in that it was tightly coupled with ongoing Army characterization work at the facility, with close scrutiny by both state and federal regulators. The demonstration was conducted in partnership with the Army Environmental Center`s (AEC) Installation Restoration Program and AEC`s Technology Developmentmore » Program. AEC supported researchers from Tufts University who demonstrated innovative field analytical techniques for the analysis of TNT and DNT. SitePlanner{trademark} is an object-oriented database specifically designed for site characterization that provides an effective way to compile, integrate, manage and display site characterization data as it is being generated. Plume{trademark} uses a combination of Bayesian analysis and geostatistics to provide technical staff with the ability to quantitatively merge soft and hard information for an estimate of the extent of contamination. Plume{trademark} provides an estimate of contamination extent, measures the uncertainty associated with the estimate, determines the value of additional sampling, and locates additional samples so that their value is maximized.« less
The Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program. Second quarter, 1991

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

Not Available

1992-01-10

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site`s (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During second quarter 1991 EPD/EMS conducted extensive sampling of monitoring wells. EPD/EMS established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria do not define contamination levels; instead, they aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. Beginning in 1991, the flagging criteria are based on EPA drinking water standards and method detection limits. A detailed explanation of the current flagging criteria is presented in the Flagging Criteria section of this document.more » Analytical results from second quarter 1991 are listed in this report.« less
Environmental Survey preliminary report, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico

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

Not Available

1988-01-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), conducted March 29, 1987 through April 17, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team components are outside experts being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the LANL. The Survey covers all environmental media andmore » all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at the LANL, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing certain of the environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The Sampling and Analysis Plan will be executed by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the LANL Environmental Survey Interim Report. The Interim Report will reflect the final determinations of the Survey for the LANL. 65 refs., 68 figs., 73 tabs.« less
Environmental Survey preliminary report, Pantex Facility, Amarillo, Texas

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

Not Available

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Pantex Facility, conducted November 3 through 14, 1986.The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialist, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team components are outside experts being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the Pantex Facility. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation.more » It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. The on-site phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at the Pantex Facility, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing certain of the environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The Sampling and Analysis Plan will be executed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the Pantex Facility Environmental Survey Interim Report. The Interim Report will reflect the final determinations of the Survey for the Pantex Facility. 65 refs., 44 figs., 27 tabs.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, B.B.; Ripp, J.; Sims, R.C.

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is studying the environmental impact of preservatives associated with in-service utility poles. As part of this endeavor, two EPRI contractors, META Environmental, Inc. (META) and Atlantic Environmental Services, Inc. (Atlantic), have collected soil samples from around wood utility poles nationwide, for various chemical and physical analyses. This report covers the results for 107 pole sites in the US. These pole sites included a range of preservative types, soil types, wood types, pole sizes, and in-service ages. The poles in this study were preserved with one of two types of preservative: pentachlorophenol (PCP) or creosote.more » Approximately 40 to 50 soil samples were collected from each wood pole site in this study. The soil samples collected from the pole sites were analyzed for chlorinated phenols and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) if the pole was preserved with PCP, or for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) if the pole was preserved with creosote. The soil samples were also analyzed for physical/chemical parameters, such as pH, total organic carbon (TOC), and cationic exchange capacity (CEC). Additional samples were used in studies to determine biological degradation rates, and soil-water distribution and retardation coefficients of PCP in site soils. Methods of analysis followed standard EPA and ASTM methods, with some modifications in the chemical analyses to enable the efficient processing of many samples with sufficiently low detection limits for this study. All chemical, physical, and site-specific data were stored in a relational computer database.« less
The procedures manual of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. Volume 2, 28. edition

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

Chieco, N.A.

1997-02-01

This report contains environmental sampling and analytical chemistry procedures that are performed by the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. The purpose of environmental sampling and analysis is to obtain data that describe a particular site at a specific point in time from which an evaluation can be made as a basis for possible action.
Taking a statistical approach

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

Wild, M.; Rouhani, S.

1995-02-01

A typical site investigation entails extensive sampling and monitoring. In the past, sampling plans have been designed on purely ad hoc bases, leading to significant expenditures and, in some cases, collection of redundant information. In many instances, sampling costs exceed the true worth of the collected data. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) therefore has advocated the use of geostatistics to provide a logical framework for sampling and analysis of environmental data. Geostatistical methodology uses statistical techniques for the spatial analysis of a variety of earth-related data. The use of geostatistics was developed by the mining industry to estimate oremore » concentrations. The same procedure is effective in quantifying environmental contaminants in soils for risk assessments. Unlike classical statistical techniques, geostatistics offers procedures to incorporate the underlying spatial structure of the investigated field. Sample points spaced close together tend to be more similar than samples spaced further apart. This can guide sampling strategies and determine complex contaminant distributions. Geostatistic techniques can be used to evaluate site conditions on the basis of regular, irregular, random and even spatially biased samples. In most environmental investigations, it is desirable to concentrate sampling in areas of known or suspected contamination. The rigorous mathematical procedures of geostatistics allow for accurate estimates at unsampled locations, potentially reducing sampling requirements. The use of geostatistics serves as a decision-aiding and planning tool and can significantly reduce short-term site assessment costs, long-term sampling and monitoring needs, as well as lead to more accurate and realistic remedial design criteria.« less
Representativeness-based sampling network design for the State of Alaska

Treesearch

Forrest M. Hoffman; Jitendra Kumar; Richard T. Mills; William W. Hargrove

2013-01-01

Resource and logistical constraints limit the frequency and extent of environmental observations, particularly in the Arctic, necessitating the development of a systematic sampling strategy to maximize coverage and objectively represent environmental variability at desired scales. A quantitative methodology for stratifying sampling domains, informing site selection,...

Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report for 2009

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

Bechtel Jacobs

2010-09-01

The Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report is prepared animally and presents summary environmental data to (1) characterize environmental performance, (2) summarize environmental occurrences reported during the year, (3) confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and (4) highlight significant program activities. The report fulfills the requirement contained in DOE Order 231.1 A, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting (DOE 2004) that an integrated annual site environmental report be prepared. The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2009. This report is not intended to nor does it present the results of allmore » environmental monitoring associated with the ORR. Data collected for other site and regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration/remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws and are referenced herein as appropriate. Appendix A to this report identifies corrections to the 2008 report. Appendix B contains a glossary of technical terms that may be useful for understanding the terminology used in this document. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists primarily of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents at the points of release to the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminant levels, assessment of radiation and chemical exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of direct measurements and collection and analysis of samples taken from the site and its environs exclusive of effluents; these activities provide information on contaminant concentrations in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media. Environmental surveillance data support determinations regarding environmental compliance and, when combined with data from effluent monitoring, support chemical and radiation dose and exposure assessments regarding the potential effects of ORR operations, if any, on the local environment.« less
Use of immunomagnetic separation for the detection of Desulfovibrio vulgaris from environmental samples

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

Chakraborty, R.; Hazen, T.C.; Joyner, D.C.

2011-04-15

Immunomagnetic separation (IMS) has proved highly efficient for recovering microorganisms from heterogeneous samples. Current investigation targeted the separation of viable cells of the sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio vulgaris. Streptavidin-coupled paramagnetic beads and biotin labeled antibodies raised against surface antigens of this microorganism were used to capture D. vulgaris cells in both bioreactor grown laboratory samples and from extremely low-biomass environmental soil and subsurface drilling samples. Initial studies on detection, recovery efficiency and viability for IMS were performed with laboratory grown D. vulgaris cells using various cell densities. Efficiency of cell isolation and recovery (i.e., release of the microbial cells from themore » beads following separation) was followed by microscopic imaging and acridine orange direct counts (AODC). Excellent recovery efficiency encouraged the use of IMS to capture Desulfovibrio spp. cells from low-biomass environmental samples. The environmental samples were obtained from a radionuclide-contaminated site in Germany and the chromium (VI)-contaminated Hanford site, an ongoing bioremediation project of the U.S. Department of Energy. Field deployable IMS technology may greatly facilitate environmental sampling and bioremediation process monitoring and enable transcriptomics and proteomics/metabolomics-based studies directly on cells collected from the field.« less
The Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program, third quarter 1991

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

Not Available

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site's (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During third quarter 1991, EPD/EMS conducted extensive sampling of monitoring wells. Analytical results from third quarter 1991 are listed in this report.
The Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program, third quarter 1989

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

Not Available

The Environmental Monitoring Section of the Environmental and Health Protection (EHP) Department administers the Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program. During third quarter 1989 (July--September), EHP conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EHP collected the drinking water samples from Savannah River Site (SRS) drinking water systems supplied by wells. EHP established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria do not define contamination levels; instead they aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. The flagging criteria are based on detection limits, backgroundmore » levels in SRS groundwater, and drinking water standards. An explanation of flagging criteria for the third quarter is presented in the Flagging Criteria section of this document. All analytical results from third quarter 1989 are listed in this report, which is distributed to all waste-site custodians.« less
The Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program, first quarter 1989

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

Not Available

The Environmental Monitoring Section of the Environmental and Health Protection (EHP) Department administers the Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program. During first quarter 1989 (January--March), EHP conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EHP collected the drinking water samples from Savannah River Site (SRS) drinking water systems supplied by wells. EHP established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. The flagging criteria are based on detection limits, background levels in SRS groundwater, and drinking watermore » standards. An explanation of flagging criteria for the first quarter is presented in the Flagging Criteria section of this document. All analytical results from first quarter 1989 are listed in this report, which is distributed to all waste-site custodians.« less
Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report for 2010

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

Thompson, Sharon D

2011-10-01

The Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report is prepared annually and presents summary environmental data to (1) characterize environmental performance, (2) summarize environmental occurrences reported during the year, (3) confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and (4) highlight significant program activities. The report fulfills the requirement contained in DOE Order 231.1A, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting (DOE 2004) that an integrated annual site environmental report be prepared. The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2010. This report is not intended to nor does it present the results of all environmentalmore » monitoring associated with the ORR. Data collected for other site and regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration/remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws and are referenced herein as appropriate. Appendix A to this report identifies corrections to the 2009 report. Appendix B contains a glossary of technical terms that may be useful for understanding the terminology used in this document. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists primarily of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents at the points of release to the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminant levels, assessment of radiation and chemical exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of direct measurements and collection and analysis of samples taken from the site and its environs exclusive of effluents; these activities provide information on contaminant concentrations in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media. Environmental surveillance data support determinations regarding environmental compliance and, when combined with data from effluent monitoring, support chemical and radiation dose and exposure assessments of the potential effects of ORR operations, if any, on the local environment.« less
Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report for 2009

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

Thompson, Sharon D; Loffman, Regis S

2010-10-01

The Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report is prepared annually and presents summary environmental data to (1) characterize environmental performance, (2) summarize environmental occurrences reported during the year, (3) confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and (4) highlight significant program activities. The report fulfills the requirement contained in DOE Order 231.1A, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting (DOE 2004) that an integrated annual site environmental report be prepared. The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2009. This report is not intended to nor does it present the results of all environmentalmore » monitoring associated with the ORR. Data collected for other site and regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration/remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws and are referenced herein as appropriate. Appendix A to this report identifies corrections for the 2008 report. Appendix B contains a glossary of technical terms that may be useful for understanding the terminology used in this document. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists primarily of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents at the points of release to the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminant levels, assessment of radiation and chemical exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of direct measurements and collection and analysis of samples taken from the site and its environs exclusive of effluents; these activities provide information on contaminant concentrations in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media. Environmental surveillance data support determinations regarding environmental compliance and, when combined with data from effluent monitoring, support chemical and radiation dose and exposure assessments regarding the potential effects of ORR operations, if any, on the local environment.« less
Environmental surveillance master sampling schedule

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

Bisping, L.E.

This document contains the planned 1994 schedules for routine collection of samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project (SESP), Drinking Water Project, and Ground-Water Surveillance Project. Samples are routinely collected for the SESP and analyzed to determine the quality of air, surface water, soil, sediment, wildlife, vegetation, foodstuffs, and farm products at Hanford Site and surrounding communities. The responsibility for monitoring the onsite drinking water falls outside the scope of the SESP. The Hanford Environmental Health Foundation is responsible for monitoring the nonradiological parameters as defined in the National Drinking Water Standards while PNL conducts the radiological monitoring of themore » onsite drinking water. PNL conducts the drinking water monitoring project concurrent with the SESP to promote efficiency and consistency, utilize the expertise developed over the years, and reduce costs associated with management, procedure development, data management, quality control and reporting. The ground-water sampling schedule identifies ground-water sampling events used by PNL for environmental surveillance of the Hanford Site.« less
Environmental Survey preliminary report, Kansas City Plant, Kansas City, Missouri

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

Not Available

1988-01-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Kansas City Plant (KCP), conducted March 23 through April 3, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by a multidisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team members are outside experts being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with the KCP. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areasmore » of environmental regulations. It is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data observations of the operations performed at the KCP, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing certain environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The Sampling and Analysis Plan is being executed by DOE's Argonne National Laboratory. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the KCP Environmental Survey Interim Report. The Interim Report will reflect the final determinations of the KCP Survey. 94 refs., 39 figs., 55 tabs.« less
Environmental Survey preliminary report, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York

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

Not Available

1988-06-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) conducted April 6 through 17, 1987. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team components are being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental problems and areas of environmental risk associated with BNL. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. Itmore » is being performed in accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at BNL, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing specific environmental problems identified during its on-site activities. The Sampling and Analysis Plan will be executed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. When completed, the results will be incorporated into the BNL Environmental Survey Interim Report. The Interim Report will reflect the final determinations of the BNL Survey. 80 refs., 24 figs., 48 tabs.« less
Quality of volatile organic compound data from groundwater and surface water for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, October 1996–December 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bender, David A.; Zogorski, John S.; Mueller, David K.; Rose, Donna L.; Martin, Jeffrey D.; Brenner, Cassandra K.

2011-01-01

This report describes the quality of volatile organic compound (VOC) data collected from October 1996 to December 2008 from groundwater and surface-water sites for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The VOC data described were collected for three NAWQA site types: (1) domestic and public-supply wells, (2) monitoring wells, and (3) surface-water sites. Contamination bias, based on the 90-percent upper confidence limit (UCL) for the 90th percentile of concentrations in field blanks, was determined for VOC samples from the three site types. A way to express this bias is that there is 90-percent confidence that this amount of contamination would be exceeded in no more than 10 percent of all samples (including environmental samples) that were collected, processed, shipped, and analyzed in the same manner as the blank samples. This report also describes how important native water rinsing may be in decreasing carryover contamination, which could be affecting field blanks. The VOCs can be classified into four contamination categories on the basis of the 90-percent upper confidence limit (90-percent UCL) concentration distribution in field blanks. Contamination category 1 includes compounds that were not detected in any field blanks. Contamination category 2 includes VOCs that have a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that is about an order of magnitude lower than the concentration distribution of the environmental samples. Contamination category 3 includes VOCs that have a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that is within an order of magnitude of the distribution in environmental samples. Contamination category 4 includes VOCs that have a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that is at least an order of magnitude larger than the concentration distribution of the environmental samples. Fifty-four of the 87 VOCs analyzed in samples from domestic and public-supply wells were not detected in field blanks (contamination category 1), and 33 VOC were detected in field blanks. Ten of the 33 VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that was at least an order of magnitude lower than the concentration distribution in environmental samples (contamination category 2). These 10 VOCs may have had some contamination bias associated with the environmental samples, but the potential contamination bias was negligible in comparison to the environmental data; therefore, the field blanks were assumed to be representative of the sources of contamination bias affecting the environmental samples for these 10 VOCs. Seven VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution of the field blanks that was within an order of magnitude of the concentration distribution of the environmental samples (contamination category 3). Sixteen VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in the field blanks that was at least an order of magnitude greater than the concentration distribution of the environmental samples (contamination category 4). Field blanks for these 16 VOCs appear to be nonrepresentative of the sources of contamination bias affecting the environmental samples because of the larger concentration distributions (and sometimes higher frequency of detection) in field blanks than in environmental samples. Forty-three of the 87 VOCs analyzed in samples from monitoring wells were not detected in field blanks (contamination category 1), and 44 VOCs were detected in field blanks. Eight of the 44 VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that was at least an order of magnitude lower than concentrations in environmental samples (contamination category 2). These eight VOCs may have had some contamination bias associated with the environmental samples, but the potential contamination bias was negligible in comparison to the environmental data; therefore, the field blanks were assumed to be representative. Seven VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that was of the same order of magnitude as the concentration distribution of the environmental samples (contamination category 3). Twenty-nine VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in the field blanks that was an order of magnitude greater than the distribution of the environmental samples (contamination category 4). Field blanks for these 29 VOCs appear to be nonrepresentative of the sources of contamination bias to the environmental samples. Fifty-four of the 87 VOCs analyzed in surface-water samples were not detected in field blanks (category 1), and 33 VOC were detected in field blanks. Sixteen of the 33 VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that was at least an order of magnitude lower than the concentration distribution in environmental samples (contamination category 2). These 16 VOCs may have had some contamination bias associated with the environmental samples, but the potential contamination bias was negligible in comparison to the environmental data; therefore, the field blanks were assumed to be representative. Ten VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in field blanks that was similar to the concentration distribution of environmental samples (contamination category 3). Seven VOCs had a 90-percent UCL concentration distribution in the field blanks that was greater than the concentration distribution in environmental samples (contamination category 4). Field-blank samples for these seven VOCs appear to be nonrepresentative of the sources of contamination bias to the environmental samples. The relation between the detection of a compound in field blanks and the detection in subsequent environmental samples appears to be minimal. The median minimum percent effectiveness of native water rinsing is about 79 percent for the 19 VOCs detected in more than 5 percent of field blanks from all three site types. The minimum percent effectiveness of native water rinsing (10 percent) was for toluene in surface-water samples, likely because of the large detection frequency of toluene in surface-water samples (about 79 percent) and in the associated field-blank samples (46.5 percent). The VOCs that were not detected in field blanks (contamination category 1) from the three site types can be considered free of contamination bias, and various interpretations for environmental samples, such as VOC detection frequency at multiple assessment levels and comparisons of concentrations to benchmarks, are not limited for these VOCs. A censoring level for making comparisons at different assessment levels among environmental samples could be applied to concentrations of 9 VOCs in samples from domestic and public-supply wells, 16 VOCs in samples from monitoring wells, and 9 VOCs in surface-water samples to account for potential low-level contamination bias associated with these selected VOCs. Bracketing the potential contamination by comparing the detection and concentration statistics with no censoring applied to the potential for contamination bias on the basis of the 90-percent UCL for the 90th-percentile concentrations in field blanks may be useful when comparisons to benchmarks are done in a study. The VOCs that were not detected in field blanks (contamination category 1) from the three site types can be considered free of contamination bias, and various interpretations for environmental samples, such as VOC detection frequency at multiple assessment levels and comparisons of concentrations to benchmarks, are not limited for these VOCs. A censoring level for making comparisons at different assessment levels among environmental samples could be applied to concentrations of 9 VOCs in samples from domestic and public-supply wells, 16 VOCs in samples from monitoring wells, and 9 VOCs in surface-water samples to account for potential low-level contamination bias associated with these selected VOCs. Bracketing the potential contamination by comparing the detection and concentration statistics with no censoring applied to the potential for contamination bias on the basis of the 90-percent UCL for the 90th-percentile concentrations in field blanks may be useful when comparisons to benchmarks are done in a study.
Sampling and monitoring for the mine life cycle

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLemore, Virginia T.; Smith, Kathleen S.; Russell, Carol C.

2014-01-01

Sampling and Monitoring for the Mine Life Cycle provides an overview of sampling for environmental purposes and monitoring of environmentally relevant variables at mining sites. It focuses on environmental sampling and monitoring of surface water, and also considers groundwater, process water streams, rock, soil, and other media including air and biological organisms. The handbook includes an appendix of technical summaries written by subject-matter experts that describe field measurements, collection methods, and analytical techniques and procedures relevant to environmental sampling and monitoring.The sixth of a series of handbooks on technologies for management of metal mine and metallurgical process drainage, this handbook supplements and enhances current literature and provides an awareness of the critical components and complexities involved in environmental sampling and monitoring at the mine site. It differs from most information sources by providing an approach to address all types of mining influenced water and other sampling media throughout the mine life cycle.Sampling and Monitoring for the Mine Life Cycle is organized into a main text and six appendices that are an integral part of the handbook. Sidebars and illustrations are included to provide additional detail about important concepts, to present examples and brief case studies, and to suggest resources for further information. Extensive references are included.
Termites as bioindicators of habitat quality in the caatinga, Brazil: is there agreement between structural habitat variables and the sampled assemblages?

PubMed

Alves, W de F; Mota, A S; Lima, R A A de; Bellezoni, R; Vasconcellos, A

2011-01-01

The composition of termite assemblages was analyzed in three caatinga sites of the Estação Ecológica do Seridó, located in the municipality of Serra Negra do Norte, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. These sites have been subjected to selective logging, and cleared for pasture and farming. A standardized sampling protocol for termite assemblages (30h/person/site) was conducted between September 2007 and February 2009. At each site we measured environmental variables, such as soil pH and organic matter, necromass stock, vegetation height, stem diameter at ankle height (DAH) and the largest and the smallest crown width. Ten species of termites, belonging to eight genera and three families, were found at the three experimental sites. Four feeding groups were sampled: wood-feeders, soil-feeders, wood-soil interface feeders and leaf-feeders. The wood-feeders were dominant in number of species and number of encounters at all sites. In general, the sites were not significantly different in relation to the environmental variables measured. The same pattern was observed for termite assemblages, where no significant differences in species richness, relative abundance and taxonomic and functional composition were observed between the three sites. The agreement between composition of assemblages and environmental variables reinforces the potential of termites as biological indicators of habitat quality.
Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report, 2003

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

Hughes, JF

2004-08-24

This document is prepared annually to summarize environmental activities, primarily environmental-monitoring activities, on the ORR and within the ORR surroundings. The document fulfills the requirement of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 231.1, ''Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,'' for an annual summary of environmental data to characterize environmental performance. The environmental monitoring criteria are described in DOE Order 450.1, ''Environmental Protection Program''. The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2003. This report is not intended to provide the results of all sampling on the ORR. Additional data collected for other site andmore » regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws. Corrections to the report for the previous year are found in Appendix A. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists primarily of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents at the point of release to the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminants, assessment of radiation and chemical exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of the collection and analysis of environmental samples from the site and its environs; these activities provide direct measurement of contaminants in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media subsequent to effluent release into the environment. Environmental surveillance data provide information regarding conformity with applicable DOE orders and, combined with data from effluent monitoring, allow the determination of chemical and radiation dose/exposure assessments of ORR operations and effects, if any, on the local environment.« less
Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report for 2003

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

None

2004-09-30

This document is prepared annually to summarize environmental activities, primarily environmental-monitoring activities, on the ORR and within the ORR surroundings. The document fulfills the requirement of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 231.1, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” for an annual summary of environmental data to characterize environmental performance. The environmental monitoring criteria are described in DOE Order 450.1, “Environmental Protection Program.” The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2003. This report is not intended to provide the results of all sampling on the ORR. Additional data collected for other site andmore » regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws. Corrections to the report for the previous year are found in Appendix A. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists primarily of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents at the point of release to the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminants, assessment of radiation and chemical exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of the collection and analysis of environmental samples from the site and its environs; these activities provide direct measurement of contaminants in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media subsequent to effluent release into the environment. Environmental surveillance data provide information regarding conformity with applicable DOE orders and, combined with data from effluent monitoring, allow the determination of chemical and radiation dose/exposure assessments of ORR operations and effects, if any, on the local environment.« less
Environmental Survey preliminary report, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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

Not Available

1989-02-01

This report presents the preliminary findings from the first phase of the Environmental Survey of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) conducted March 14 through 25, 1988. The Survey is being conducted by an interdisciplinary team of environmental specialists, led and managed by the Office of Environment, Safety and Health's Office of Environmental Audit. Individual team components are being supplied by a private contractor. The objective of the Survey is to identify environmental risk associated with ORGDP. The Survey covers all environmental media and all areas of environmental regulation. It is being performed inmore » accordance with the DOE Environmental Survey Manual. This phase of the Survey involves the review of existing site environmental data, observations of the operations carried on at ORGDP, and interviews with site personnel. The Survey team developed a Sampling and Analysis Plan to assist in further assessing certain of the environmental problems identified during is on-site activities. The Sampling and Analysis Plan will be executed by Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). When completed, the results will be incorporated into the ORGDP Survey findings for in inclusion into the Environmental Survey Summary Report. 120 refs., 41 figs., 74 tabs.« less
The Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program: Second quarter 1992

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

Rogers, C.D.

1992-10-07

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site's (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During second quarter 1992, EPD/EMS conducted extensive sampling of monitoring wells. EPD/EMS established two sets of criteria to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria do not define contamination levels; instead, they aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. Since 1991, the flagging criteria have been based on the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards and on method detection limits. A detailed explanation of the current flagging criteria is presented in the Flagging Criteria sectionmore » of this document. Analytical results from second quarter 1992 are listed in this report.« less
ENVIRONMENTALLY STRATIFIED SAMPLING DESIGN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREAT LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS

EPA Science Inventory

Ecological indicators must be shown to be responsive to stress. For large-scale observational studies the best way to demonstrate responsiveness is by evaluating indicators along a gradient of stress, but such gradients are often unknown for a population of sites prior to site se...
Methods to characterize environmental settings of stream and groundwater sampling sites for National Water-Quality Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nakagaki, Naomi; Hitt, Kerie J.; Price, Curtis V.; Falcone, James A.

2012-01-01

Characterization of natural and anthropogenic features that define the environmental settings of sampling sites for streams and groundwater, including drainage basins and groundwater study areas, is an essential component of water-quality and ecological investigations being conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Quantitative characterization of environmental settings, combined with physical, chemical, and biological data collected at sampling sites, contributes to understanding the status of, and influences on, water-quality and ecological conditions. To support studies for the National Water-Quality Assessment program, a geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop a standard set of methods to consistently characterize the sites, drainage basins, and groundwater study areas across the nation. This report describes three methods used for characterization-simple overlay, area-weighted areal interpolation, and land-cover-weighted areal interpolation-and their appropriate applications to geographic analyses that have different objectives and data constraints. In addition, this document records the GIS thematic datasets that are used for the Program's national design and data analyses.
A Discussion of Procedures and Equipment for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty On-Site Inspection Environmental Sampling and Analysis

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

Wogman, Ned A.; Milbrath, Brian D.; Payne, Rosara F.

This paper is intended to serve as a scientific basis to start discussions of the available environmental sampling techniques and equipment that have been used in the past that could be considered for use within the context of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) on-site inspections (OSI). This work contains information on the techniques, equipment, costs, and some operational procedures associated with environmental sampling that have actually been used in the past by the United States for the detection of nuclear explosions. This paper also includes a discussion of issues, recommendations, and questions needing further study within the context of themore » sampling and analysis of aquatic materials, atmospheric gases, atmospheric particulates, vegetation, sediments and soils, fauna, and drill-back materials.« less

Maywood Interim Storage Site environmental report for calendar year 1992, 100 West Hunter Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

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

Not Available

1993-05-01

This report describes the environmental surveillance program at the Maywood Interim Storage Site (MISS) and provides the results for 1992. Environmental monitoring of MISS began in 1984, when the site was assigned to DOE by Congress through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act and was placed under DOE`s Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP was established to identify and decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation`s atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. MISS is part of amore » National Priorities List (NPL) site. The environmental surveillance program at MISS includes sampling networks for radon and thoron in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and radium-226, radium-228, thorium-232, and total uranium in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, chemical analysis includes metals and organic compounds in surface water and groundwater and metals in sediments. This program assists in fulfilling the DOE objective of measuring and monitoring effluents from DOE activities and calculating hypothetical doses to members of the general public. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other DOE requirements. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment. The radiological data for all media sampled support the conclusion that doses to the public are not distinguishable from natural background radiation.« less
Radionuclide Concentrations in Terrestrial Vegetation and Soil Samples On and Around the Hanford Site, 1971 Through 2008

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

Simmons, Mary Ann; Poston, Ted M.; Fritz, Brad G.

2011-07-29

Environmental monitoring is conducted on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site to comply with DOE Orders and federal and state regulations. Major objectives of the monitoring are to characterize contaminant levels in the environment and to determine site contributions to the contaminant inventory. This report focuses on surface soil and perennial vegetation samples collected between 1971 and 2008 as part of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Surface Environmental Surveillance Project performed under contract to DOE. Areas sampled under this program are located on the Hanford Site but outside facility boundaries and on public lands surrounding the Hanford Site.more » Additional samples were collected during the past 8 years under DOE projects that evaluated parcels of land for radiological release. These data were included because the same sampling methodology and analytical laboratory were used for the projects. The spatial and temporal trends of six radionuclides collected over a 38-year period were evaluated. The radionuclides----cobalt-60, cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium-238, plutonium-239/240, and uranium (reported either as uranium-238 or total uranium)----were selected because they persist in the environment and are still being monitored routinely and reported in Hanford Site environmental reports. All these radionuclides were associated with plutonium production and waste management of activities occurring on the site. Other sources include fallout from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, which ended in 1980, and the Chernobyl explosion in 1986. Uranium is also a natural component of the soil. This assessment of soil and vegetation data provides important information on the distribution of radionuclides in areas adjacent to industrial areas, established perimeter locations and buffer areas, and more offsite nearby and distant locations. The concentrations reflect a tendency for detection of some radionuclides close to where they were utilized onsite, but as one moves to unindustrialized areas on the site, surrounding buffer areas and perimeter location into the more distant sites, concentrations of these radionuclides approach background and cannot be distinguished from fallout activity. More importantly, concentrations in soil and vegetation samples did not exceed environmental benchmark concentrations, and associated exposure to human and ecological receptors were well below levels that are demonstratively hazardous to human health and the environment.« less
BIOHAZ: Rapid On-Site Biological Detection for First Responders

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

numbers comprise the compilation report: ADP013371 thru ADP013468 UNCLASSIFIED 84. BIORAZ: Rapid On- Site Biological Detection for First Responders Randall... responders an integated capability to collect an environmental sample and to rapidly screen that sample on site for the presence of biological material. This...further analyzed on site with immunoassay tickets before being sent to a laboratory. This system provides the emergency responders with a capability that
GY SAMPLING THEORY IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 2: SUBSAMPLING ERROR MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling can be a significant source of error in the measurement process. The characterization and cleanup of hazardous waste sites require data that meet site-specific levels of acceptable quality if scientifically supportable decisions are to be made. In support of this effort,...
Using a Hydrological Model to Determine Environmentally Safer Windows for Herbicide Application

Treesearch

J.L. Michael; M.C. Smith; W.G. Knisel; D.G. Neary; W.P. Fowler; D.J. Turton

1996-01-01

A modification of the GLEAMS model was used to determine application windows which would optimise efficacy and environmental safety for herbicide application to a forest site. Herbicide/soil partition coefficients were determined using soil samples collected from the study site for two herbicides (imazapyr, Koc=46, triclopyr ester, K
Discovering time-trends of the German populations exposure to contaminants by analysis of human samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB).

PubMed

Göen, Thomas; Lermen, Dominik; Hildebrand, Jörg; Bartel-Steinbach, Martina; Weber, Till; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

2018-06-12

The German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) is a monitoring instrument of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservationand Nuclear Safety. The permanent biobank facility is run since 1981 containing environmental and human samples from Germany. All samples are collected according to standard operating procedures (SOP). An annually standardized collection of human samples at four different regional sites of the country has been established since 1997. Routine sampling is done once a year, recruiting healthy non occupationally exposed students aged 20-29 years, in an equal gender distribution. The number of participants recruited is approximately 120 students per site and year. Directly after the annual sampling process, the human samples are analyzed for selected environmental chemicals. The time-trends of lead in blood, mercury and pentachlorophenol in 24 h-urine and polychlorinated biphenyls in plasma demonstrated a decrease of exposure during the last two decades by about 40 - 90 percent. In parallel retrospective studies using cryo-archived samples revealed increasing time trends of emerging chemicals used as substitutes for regulated toxicants. The data demonstrates the great relevance of the ESB for the health related environmental monitoring and shows the importance of human biomonitoring as a tool in information based policy making. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Occurency of Giardia duodenalis assemblages in river water sources of Black Sea, Turkey.

PubMed

Koloren, Zeynep; Seferoğlu, Onuralp; Karanis, Panagiotis

2016-12-01

A total of 420 environmental water samples and 120 drinking water samples from 45 different sampling sites of the Black Sea in Turkey were collected between 2012 and 2014. Genomic DNA was isolated from all the investigated water samples and comparativelly analyzed by Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of the elongation factor 1 Alfa (EF1α) gene, and by nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (nPCR) of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA and semi-nested PCR (snPCR) of the glutamate dehydrogenase gene (GDH). 141 (58.7%), 125 (52.1%) and 120 (50%) samples respectivelly were positive by each method. Out of 240 environmental samples collected from 25 sites of Samsun Province have been found positive for G. duodenalis by LAMP, nPCR and snPCR, respectively. 55 (30.5%), 50 (27.8%) and 47 (26.1%) of 180 environmental samples collected from 20 other sampling sites of Giresun Province were positive for Giardia by LAMP, nPCR and snPCR, respectively. Five PCR products from different samples of the Giresun Province and 10 other samples from the Samsun Province were found positive for G. duodenalis assemblage B. Five PCR products from Giresun Province and 5 samples from Samsun Province were found positive for G. duodenalis assemblage A. This is the first report about G. duodenalis assemblages A and B from water samples investigations in Black Sea of Turkey. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Savannah River Site`s Groundwater Monitoring Program: Third quarter 1992

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

Rogers, C.D.

1993-02-04

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site`s (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During third quarter 1992, EPD/EMS conducted extensive sampling of monitoring wells. Table 1 lists those well series with constituents in the groundwater above Flag 2 during third quarter 1992, organized by location. Results from all laboratory analyses are used to generate this table. Specific conductance and pH data from the field also are included in this table.
Niagara Falls Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Lewiston, New York. [Niagara Falls Storage Site

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at NFSS began in 1981. The site is owned by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and is assigned to the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP is a program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program atmore » NFSS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water, sediments, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters including seven metals are routinely measured in groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment.« less
Hanford Site Environmental Surveillance Master Sampling Schedule for Calendar Year 2007

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

Bisping, Lynn E.

2007-01-31

This document contains the calendar year 2007 schedule for the routine collection of samples for the Surface Environmental Surveillance Project and Drinking Water Monitoring Project. Each section includes sampling locations, sampling frequencies, sample types, and analyses to be performed. In some cases, samples are scheduled on a rotating basis and may not be collected in 2007 in which case the anticipated year for collection is provided. Maps showing approximate sampling locations are included for media scheduled for collection in 2007.
Soil sampling strategies for site assessments in petroleum-contaminated areas.

PubMed

Kim, Geonha; Chowdhury, Saikat; Lin, Yen-Min; Lu, Chih-Jen

2017-04-01

Environmental site assessments are frequently executed for monitoring and remediation performance evaluation purposes, especially in total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)-contaminated areas, such as gas stations. As a key issue, reproducibility of the assessment results must be ensured, especially if attempts are made to compare results between different institutions. Although it is widely known that uncertainties associated with soil sampling are much higher than those with chemical analyses, field guides or protocols to deal with these uncertainties are not stipulated in detail in the relevant regulations, causing serious errors and distortion of the reliability of environmental site assessments. In this research, uncertainties associated with soil sampling and sample reduction for chemical analysis were quantified using laboratory-scale experiments and the theory of sampling. The research results showed that the TPH mass assessed by sampling tends to be overestimated and sampling errors are high, especially for the low range of TPH concentrations. Homogenization of soil was found to be an efficient method to suppress uncertainty, but high-resolution sampling could be an essential way to minimize this.
Water quality in alluvial aquifers of the southern Rocky Mountains Physiographic Province, upper Colorado River basin, Colorado, 1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Apodaca, Lori Estelle; Bails, Jeffrey B.

2000-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected in the summer of 1997 from 45 sites (43 wells and 2 springs) in selected alluvial aquifers throughout the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province of the Upper Colorado River Basin study unit as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The objective of this study was to assess the water-quality conditions in selected alluvial aquifers in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province. Alluvial aquifers are productive aquifers in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province and provide for easily developed wells. Water-quality samples were collected from areas where ground water is used predominantly for domestic or public water supply. Twenty-three of the 45 sites sampled were located in or near mining districts. No statistical differences were observed between the mining sites and sites not associated with mining activities for the majority of the constituents analyzed. Water samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, trace elements, radon-222, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, bacteria, and methylene blue active substances. In addition, field parameters consisting of water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and alkalinity were measured at all sites.Specific conductance for the ground-water sites ranged from 57 to 6,650 microsiemens per centimeter and had higher concentrations measured in areas such as the northwestern part of the study unit. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 0.1 to 6.0 mg/L (milligrams per liter) and had a median concentration of 2.9 mg/L. The pH field values ranged from 6.1 to 8.1; about 4 percent of the sites (2 of 45) had pH values outside the range of 6.5 to 8.5 and so did not meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level standard for drinking water. About 5 percent (2 of 43) of the samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended turbidity value of 5 nephelometric turbidity units; one of these samples was from a monitoring well. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant levels for dissolved solids, sulfate, iron, and manganese were exceeded at some of the sites. Higher dissolved-solids concentrations were detected where sedimentary rocks are exposed, such as in the northwestern part of the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province. The dominant water compositions for the sites sampled are calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. However, sites in areas where sedimentary rocks are exposed and sites located in or near mining areas show more sulfate-dominated waters. Nutrient concentrations were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. Only one site had a nitrate concentration greater than 3.0 mg/L, a level indicating possible influence from human activities. No significant differences among land-use/land-cover classifications (forest, rangeland, and urban) for drinking-water wells (42 sites) were identified for dissolved-solids, sulfate, nitrate, iron or manganese concentrations. Radon concentrations were higher in parts of the study unit where Precambrian rocks are exposed. All radon concentrations in ground water exceeded the previous U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed maximum contaminant level for drinking water, which has been withdrawn pending further review.Pesticide detections were at concentrations below the reporting limits and were too few to allow for comparison of the data. Eight volatile organic compounds were detected at six sites; all concentrations complied with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. Total coliform bacteria were detected at six sites, but no Escherichia coli (E. coli) was detected. Methylene blue active substances were detected at three sites at concentrations just above the reporting limit. Overall, the water quality in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiograph
Occurrence of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater constituents in selected streams in northern Arkansas, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.; Haggard, Brian E.; Meyers, Michael T.; Green, W. Reed

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the University of Arkansas and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, collected data in 2004 to determine the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater constituents, including many constituents of emerging environmental concern, in selected streams in northern Arkansas. Samples were collected in March and April 2004 from 17 sites located upstream and downstream from wastewater- treatment plant effluent discharges on 7 streams in northwestern Arkansas and at 1 stream site in a relatively undeveloped basin in north-central Arkansas. Additional samples were collected at three of the sites in August 2004. The targeted organic wastewater constituents and sample sites were selected because wastewater-treatment plant effluent discharge provides a potential point source of these constituents and analytical techniques have improved to accurately measure small amounts of these constituents in environmental samples. At least 1 of the 108 pharmaceutical or other organic wastewater constituents was detected at all sites in 2004, except at Spavinaw Creek near Maysville, Arkansas. The number of detections generally was greater at sites downstream from municipal wastewater-treatment plant effluent discharges (mean = 14) compared to sites not influenced by wastewatertreatment plants (mean = 3). Overall, 42 of the 108 constituents targeted in the collected water-quality samples were detected. The most frequently detected constituents included caffeine, phenol, para-cresol, and acetyl hexamethyl tetrahydro naphthalene.
Detection of genomic loci associated with environmental variables using generalized linear mixed models.

PubMed

Lobréaux, Stéphane; Melodelima, Christelle

2015-02-01

We tested the use of Generalized Linear Mixed Models to detect associations between genetic loci and environmental variables, taking into account the population structure of sampled individuals. We used a simulation approach to generate datasets under demographically and selectively explicit models. These datasets were used to analyze and optimize GLMM capacity to detect the association between markers and selective coefficients as environmental data in terms of false and true positive rates. Different sampling strategies were tested, maximizing the number of populations sampled, sites sampled per population, or individuals sampled per site, and the effect of different selective intensities on the efficiency of the method was determined. Finally, we apply these models to an Arabidopsis thaliana SNP dataset from different accessions, looking for loci associated with spring minimal temperature. We identified 25 regions that exhibit unusual correlations with the climatic variable and contain genes with functions related to temperature stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) in The Intensive Care Unit in a Nonoutbreak Setting: Identification of Potential Reservoirs and Epidemiological Associations Between Patient and Environmental VRE.

PubMed

McDermott, Hélène; Skally, Mairead; O'Rourke, James; Humphreys, Hilary; Fitzgerald-Hughes, Deirdre

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE Among nosocomial bloodstream infections caused by enterococcal species, Ireland has the highest proportion caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in Europe at 45.8%. The contribution of the near-patient environment to VRE transmission outside of outbreaks was investigated. DESIGN A prospective observational study was conducted during 7 sampling periods. METHODS Recovery of VRE isolates by swabbing the near-patient environment and patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) was conducted to identify reservoirs, clinical and molecular epidemiological associations, and the success of active surveillance cultures (ASCs). RESULTS Of 289 sampling occasions involving 157 patients and their bed spaces, VRE isolates were recovered from patient bed spaces, clinical samples, or both on 114 of 289 sampling occasions (39.4%). The patient and their bed space were positive for VRE on 34 of 114 VRE-associated sampling occasions (29.8%). Of 1,647 environment samples, 107 sites (6.5%) were VRE positive, with significantly greater VRE recovery from isolation rooms than from the open-plan area (9.1% vs 4.1%; P < .0001). The most frequently VRE-contaminated sites were the drip stand, bed control panel, and chart holders, which together accounted for 61% of contaminated sites. The use of ASCs resulted in a 172% increase in identification of VRE-colonized patients. Molecular typing revealed 2 environmental clusters, 1 cluster involving 3 patients and generally greater heterogeneity of patient isolates compared to environmental isolates. CONCLUSION Even outside of outbreaks, near-patient ICU environmental contamination with VRE is common. Better infection control policies that limit environmental transmission of VRE in the ICU and that are supported by molecular epidemiological studies, in real time, are needed. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:40-45.
The Savannah River Site's groundwater monitoring program

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

Not Available

1991-05-06

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site's (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During third quarter 1990 (July through September) EPD/EMS conducted routine sampling of monitoring wells and drinking water locations. EPD/EMS established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria do not define contamination levels; instead they aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. The flagging criteria are based on detection limits, background levels in SRS groundwater, and drinking water standards. All analytical results from third quarter 1990 are listed in thismore » report, which is distributed to all site custodians. One or more analytes exceeded Flag 2 in 87 monitoring well series. Analytes exceeded Flat 2 for the first since 1984 in 14 monitoring well series. In addition to groundwater monitoring, EPD/EMS collected drinking water samples from SRS drinking water systems supplied by wells. The drinking water samples were analyzed for radioactive constituents.« less
Colonie Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Colonie, New York. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Colonie Interim Storage Site (CISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at CISS began in 1984 when Congress added the site to the US Department of Energy`s Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. CISS property and surrounding areas were radioactively contaminated by operations conducted by National Lead Industries, which manufactured various components from uranium and thorium from 1958 to 1984. The environmental monitoring program at CISS includes sampling networks for external gamma radiation exposure and for radium-226, thorium-232, and total uranium concentrations inmore » surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in groundwater. In 1992 the program will also include sampling networks for radioactive and chemical contaminants in stormwater to meet permit application requirements under the Clean Water Act. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE.orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment. Results of environmental monitoring during 1991 indicate that average concentrations of radioactive contaminants of concern were well below applicable standards and DCGS. Concentrations of some chemical contaminants in groundwater were above-the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Class GA) and EPA guidelines for drinking water. The potential annual radiation exposure (excluding background) calculated for a hypothetical maximally exposed individual is 0.23 mrem (milliroentgen equivalent man), which is less than an individual would receive while traveling in an airplane at 12,000 meters (39,000 feet) for one hour.« less
Water-Quality Assessment of the Yellowstone River Basin, Montana and Wyoming-Water Quality of Fixed Sites, 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Kirk A.; Clark, Melanie L.; Wright, Peter R.

2005-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey initiated an assessment in 1997 of the quality of water resources in the Yellowstone River Basin. Water-quality samples regularly were collected during 1999-2001 at 10 fixed sites on streams representing the major environmental settings of the basin. Integrator sites, which are heterogeneous in land use and geology, were established on the mainstem of the Yellowstone River (4 sites) and on three major tributaries?Clarks Fork Yellowstone River (1 site), the Bighorn River (1 site), and the Powder River (1 site). Indicator sites, which are more homogeneous in land use and geology than the integrator sites, were located on minor tributaries with important environmental settings?Soda Butte Creek in a mineral resource area (1 site), the Tongue River in a forested area (1 site), and the Little Powder River in a rangeland area (1 site). Water-quality sampling frequency generally was at least monthly and included field measurements and laboratory analyses of fecal-indicator bacteria, major ions, dissolved solids, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and suspended sediment. Median concentrations of fecal coliform and Escherichia coli were largest for basins that were predominantly rangeland and smallest for basins that were predominantly forested. Concentrations of fecal coliform and Escherichia coli significantly varied by season (p-value <0.001); the smallest median concentrations were during January?March and the largest median concentrations were during April?June. Fecal-coliform concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended limit for a single sample of 400 colonies per 100 milliliters in 2.6 percent of all samples. Escherichia coli concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended limit for a single sample of 298 colonies per 100 milliliters for moderate use, full-body contact recreation in 7.6 percent of all samples. Variations in water type in the basin are reflective of the diverse geologic terrain in the Yellowstone River Basin. The water type of Soda Butte Creek and the Tongue River was calcium bicarbonate. These two sites are in forested and mountainous areas where igneous rocks and Paleozoic-era and Mesozoic-era sedimentary rocks are the dominant geologic groups. The water type of the Little Powder River was sodium sulfate. The Little Powder River originates in the plains, and geology of the basin is nearly homogenous with Tertiary-period sedimentary rocks. Water type of the Yellowstone River changed from a mixed-cation bicarbonate type upstream to a mixed-cation sulfate type downstream. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from fairly dilute in Soda Butte Creek, which had a median concentration of 118 milligrams per liter, to concentrated in the Little Powder River, which had a median concentration of 2,840 milligrams per liter. Nutrient concentrations generally were small and reflect the relatively undeveloped conditions in the basin; however, some correlations were made with anthropogenic factors. Median dissolved-nitrate concentrations in all samples from the fixed sites ranged from 0.04 milligram per liter to 0.54 milligram per liter. Flow-weighted mean dissolved-nitrate concentrations were positively correlated with increasing agricultural land use and rangeland on alluvial deposits upstream from the sites and negatively correlated with increasing forested land. Ammonia concentrations generally were largest in samples collected from the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs, Montana, which is downstream from Yellowstone National Park and receives discharge from geothermal waters that are high in ammonia. Median total-phosphorus concentrations ranged from 0.007 to 0.18 milligram per liter. Median total-phosphorus concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended goal of 0.10 milligram per liter for preventing nuisance plant growth for samples collec
Quality of Streams in Johnson County, Kansas, and Relations to Environmental Variables, 2003-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Poulton, Barry C.; Graham, Jennifer L.

2009-01-01

The quality of streams and relations to environmental variables in Johnson County, northeastern Kansas, were evaluated using water, streambed sediment, land use, streamflow, habitat, algal periphyton (benthic algae), and benthic macroinvertebrate data. Water, streambed sediment, and macroinvertebrate samples were collected in March 2007 during base flow at 20 stream sites that represent 11 different watersheds in the county. In addition, algal periphyton samples were collected twice (spring and summer 2007) at one-half of the sites. Environmental data including water and streambed-sediment chemistry data (primarily nutrients, fecal-indicator bacteria, and organic wastewater compounds), land use, streamflow, and habitat data were used in statistical analyses to evaluate relations between biological conditions and variables that may affect them. This report includes an evaluation of water and streambed-sediment chemistry, assessment of habitat conditions, comparison of biological community attributes (such as composition, diversity, and abundance) among sampling sites, placement of sampling sites into impairment categories, evaluation of biological data relative to environmental variables, and evaluation of changes in biological communities and effects of urbanization. This evaluation is useful for understanding factors that affect stream quality, for improving water-quality management programs, and for documenting changing conditions over time. The information will become increasingly important for protecting streams in the future as urbanization continues. Results of this study indicate that the biological quality at nearly all biological sampling sites in Johnson County has some level of impairment. Periphyton taxa generally were indicative of somewhat degraded conditions with small to moderate amounts of organic enrichment. Camp Branch in the Blue River watershed was the only site that met State criteria for full support of aquatic life in 2007. Since 2003, biological quality improved at one rural sampling site, possibly because of changes in wastewater affecting the site, and declined at three urban sites possibly because of the combined effects of ongoing development. Rural streams in the western and southern parts of the county, with land-use conditions similar to those found at the State reference site (Captain Creek), continue to support some organisms normally associated with healthy streams. Several environmental factors contribute to biological indicators of stream quality. The primary factor explaining biological quality at sites in Johnson County was the amount of urbanization upstream in the watershed. Specific conductance of stream water, which is a measure of dissolved solids in water and is determined primarily by the amount of groundwater contributing to streamflow, the amount of urbanization, and discharges from wastewater and industrial sites, was strongly negatively correlated with biological stream quality as indicated by macroinvertebrate metrics. Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in streambed sediment also was negatively correlated with biological stream quality. Individual habitat variables that most commonly were positively correlated with biological indicators included stream sinuosity, buffer length, and substrate cover diversity. Riffle substrate embeddedness and sediment deposition commonly were negatively correlated with favorable metric scores. Statistical analysis indicated that specific conductance, impervious surface area (a measure of urbanization), and stream sinuosity explained 85 percent of the variance in macroinvertebrate communities. Management practices affecting environmental variables that appear to be most important for Johnson County streams include protection of stream corridors, measures that reduce the effects of impervious surfaces associated with urbanization, reduction of dissolved solids in stream water, reduction of PAHs entering streams and
Data Validation Package, April and June 2016 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Gunnison, Colorado, Processing Site, October 2016

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

Linard, Joshua; Campbell, Sam

This event included annual sampling of groundwater and surface water locations at the Gunnison, Colorado, Processing Site. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for US Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Samples were collected from 28 monitoring wells, three domestic wells, and six surface locations in April at the processing site as specified in the draft 2010 Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Gunnison, Colorado, Processing Site. Planned monitoring locations are shown in Attachment 1, Sampling and Analysis Work Order. Domestic wells 0476 and 0477 weremore » sampled in June because the homes were unoccupied in April, and the wells were not in use. Duplicate samples were collected from locations 0126, 0477, and 0780. One equipment blank was collected during this sampling event. Water levels were measured at all monitoring wells that were sampled. See Attachment 2, Trip Reports for additional details. The analytical data and associated qualifiers can be viewed in environmental database reports and are also available for viewing with dynamic mapping via the GEMS (Geospatial Environmental Mapping System) website at http://gems.lm.doe.gov/#. No issues were identified during the data validation process that requires additional action or follow-up. An assessment of anomalous data is included in Attachment 3. Interpretation and presentation of results, including an assessment ofthe natural flushing compliance strategy, will be reported in the upcoming 2016 Verification Monitoring Report. U.S.« less

Base Realignment and Closure Environmental Evaluation (BRAC EE) Fort Devens, Massachusetts

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-09-01

Not Sampled ......... 6 2.3.2 Transformer Sites Sampled ........................ 7 2.4 Soil Sampling Protocol and Analytical Program ...Evaluation (AREE) 66. The study included evaluating the current PCB Transformer Management Program administered by the Fort Devens Environmental Management...Office (EMO), the Fort Devens Spill Contingency Plan, and the ongoing transformer inspection program . Personnel in both the Fort Devens EMO and the Fort
No-migration variance petition. Appendices C--J: Volume 5, Revision 1

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

Not Available

1990-03-01

Volume V contains the appendices for: closure and post-closure plans; RCRA ground water monitoring waver; Waste Isolation Division Quality Program Manual; water quality sampling plan; WIPP Environmental Procedures Manual; sample handling and laboratory procedures; data analysis; and Annual Site Environmental Monitoring Report for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Caliente, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Englebrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Beatty, Sarcobatus Flats, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d).more » The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less
Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Englebrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Pahranagat NWR, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d). The trailermore » is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data on completion of the site's sampling program.« less
Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Pahranagat NWR, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d). The trailermore » is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data on completion of the site's sampling program.« less
DOE/NV/26383-LTR2008-01 Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Caliente, Lincoln County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Beatty, Sarcobatus Flats, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d).more » The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less
Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Tonopah Airport, Nye County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Tonopah Airport, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and the Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al.,more » 2007a-d). The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less
Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Tonopah Airport, Nye County, Nevada

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

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Tonopah Airport, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and the Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al.,more » 2007a-d). The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less
SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF MONITORING WELLS AT EPA RESEARCH SITES

EPA Science Inventory

I have been asked to speak to the Environmental Science class at ECU on 04-26-04 on the subject of sample collection and analysis of monitoring wells at EPA research sites that I have been involved with. I plan on demonstrating the techniques of well water collection and meter a...
40 CFR 761.283 - Determination of the number of samples to collect and sample collection locations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs...-Implementing Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With... locations for bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces destined to remain at a cleanup site after...
40 CFR 761.283 - Determination of the number of samples to collect and sample collection locations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs...-Implementing Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With... locations for bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces destined to remain at a cleanup site after...
Parker Street Waste Site | New England | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2017-09-18

EPA is conducting sampling and other response actions at Parker Street Waste Site according to its authority under Secton 104 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensaton, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
Niagara Falls Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Lewiston, New York

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at NFSS began in 1981. The site is owned by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and is assigned to the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP is a program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation`s atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program atmore » NFSS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water, sediments, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters including seven metals are routinely measured in groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment.« less
Assessment of environmentally persistent free radicals in soils and sediments from three Superfund sites.

PubMed

dela Cruz, Albert Leo N; Cook, Robert L; Dellinger, Barry; Lomnicki, Slawomir M; Donnelly, Kirby C; Kelley, Matthew A; Cosgriff, David

2014-01-01

We previously reported the presence of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in pentachlorophenol (PCP) contaminated soils at a closed wood treatment facility site in Georgia. The reported EPFRs were pentachlorophenoxyl radicals formed on soils under ambient conditions via electron transfer from PCP to electron acceptors in the soil. In this study, we present results for soil and sediment samples from additional Superfund sites in Montana and Washington. Paramagnetic centers associated with different chemical environments were characterized by distinct g-factors and line widths (ΔHp-p). EPFR concentrations in contaminated samples were ~30×, ~12×, and ~2× higher than background samples at the Georgia, Montana, and Washington sites, respectively. EPR signals in the Montana contaminated soils were very similar to those previously observed for pentachlorophenol contaminated soils at the Georgia site, i.e., g = 2.00300 and ΔHp-p = 6.0 G, whereas signals in the Washington sediment samples were similar to those previously observed for other PAH contaminated soils, i.e., g = 2.00270 and ΔHp-p = 9.0 G. Total carbon content measurements exhibited direct correlation with EPFR concentration. The presence of radicals in sites contaminated a decade to a century ago suggests continuous formation of EPFRs from molecular contaminants in the soil and sediment.
Assessment of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals in Soils and Sediments from Three Superfund Sites

PubMed Central

dela Cruz, Albert Leo N.; Cook, Robert L.; Dellinger, Barry; Lomnicki, Slawomir M.; Donnelly, Kirby C.; Kelley, Matthew A.; Cosgriff, David

2014-01-01

We previously reported the presence of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in pentachlorophenol (PCP) contaminated soils at a closed wood treatment facility site in Georgia. The reported EPFRs were pentachlorophenoxyl radicals formed on soils under ambient conditions via electron transfer from PCP to electron acceptors in the soil. In this study, we present results for soil and sediment samples from additional Superfund sites in Montana and Washington. Paramagnetic centers associated with different chemical environments were characterized by distinct g-factors and line widths (ΔHp-p). EPFR concentrations in contaminated samples were ~30x, ~12x, and ~2x higher than background samples at the Georgia, Montana, and Washington sites, respectively. EPR signals in the Montana contaminated soils were very similar to those previously observed for pentachlorophenol contaminated soils at the Georgia site, i.e., g = 2.00300 and ΔHp-p = 6.0 G, whereas signals in the Washington sediment samples were similar to those previously observed for other PAH contaminated soils, i.e., g = 2.00270 and ΔHp-p = 9.0G. Total carbon content measurements exhibited direct correlation with EPFR concentration. The presence of radicals in sites contaminated a decade to a century ago suggests continuous formation of EPFRs from molecular contaminants in the soil and sediment. PMID:24244947
Genetic Diversity of Giardia duodenalis: Multilocus Genotyping Reveals Zoonotic Potential between Clinical and Environmental Sources in a Metropolitan Region of Brazil

PubMed Central

Durigan, Mauricio; Abreu, Aluana Gonçalves; Zucchi, Maria Imaculada; Franco, Regina Maura Bueno; de Souza, Anete Pereira

2014-01-01

Background Giardia duodenalis is a flagellate protozoan that parasitizes humans and several other mammals. Protozoan contamination has been regularly documented at important environmental sites, although most of these studies were performed at the species level. There is a lack of studies that correlate environmental contamination and clinical infections in the same region. The aim of this study is to evaluate the genetic diversity of a set of clinical and environmental samples and to use the obtained data to characterize the genetic profile of the distribution of G. duodenalis and the potential for zoonotic transmission in a metropolitan region of Brazil. Methodology/Principal Findings The genetic assemblages and subtypes of G. duodenalis isolates obtained from hospitals, a veterinary clinic, a day-care center and important environmental sites were determined via multilocus sequence-based genotyping using three unlinked gene loci. Cysts of Giardia were detected at all of the environmental sites. Mixed assemblages were detected in 25% of the total samples, and an elevated number of haplotypes was identified. The main haplotypes were shared among the groups, and new subtypes were identified at all loci. Ten multilocus genotypes were identified: 7 for assemblage A and 3 for assemblage B. Conclusions/Significance There is persistent G. duodenalis contamination at important environmental sites in the city. The identified mixed assemblages likely represent mixed infections, suggesting high endemicity of Giardia in these hosts. Most Giardia isolates obtained in this study displayed zoonotic potential. The high degree of genetic diversity in the isolates obtained from both clinical and environmental samples suggests that multiple sources of infection are likely responsible for the detected contamination events. The finding that many multilocus genotypes (MLGs) and haplotypes are shared by different groups suggests that these sources of infection may be related and indicates that there is a notable risk of human infection caused by Giardia in this region. PMID:25536055
Maywood Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Maywood, New Jersey. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Maywood Interim Storage Site (MISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring of MISS began in 1984 when congress added the site to the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP is a DOE program to identify and decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation`s atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program at MISS includesmore » sampling networks for radon and thoron concentrations in air; external gamma radiation-exposure; and total uranium, radium-226, radium-228, thorium-232, and thorium-230 concentrations in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment.« less
Maywood Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Maywood, New Jersey. [Maywood Interim Storage Site

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

None

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Maywood Interim Storage Site (MISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring of MISS began in 1984 when congress added the site to the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP is a DOE program to identify and decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program at MISS includesmore » sampling networks for radon and thoron concentrations in air; external gamma radiation-exposure; and total uranium, radium-226, radium-228, thorium-232, and thorium-230 concentrations in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment.« less
PHILIS (PORTABLE HIGH-THROUGHPUT INTEGRATED LABORATORY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These mobile laboratory assets, for the on-site analysis of chemical warfare agent (CWA) and toxic industrial compound (TIC) contaminated environmental samples, are part of the evolving Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN).
Moving your laboratories to the field--Advantages and limitations of the use of field portable instruments in environmental sample analysis.

PubMed

Gałuszka, Agnieszka; Migaszewski, Zdzisław M; Namieśnik, Jacek

2015-07-01

The recent rapid progress in technology of field portable instruments has increased their applications in environmental sample analysis. These instruments offer a possibility of cost-effective, non-destructive, real-time, direct, on-site measurements of a wide range of both inorganic and organic analytes in gaseous, liquid and solid samples. Some of them do not require the use of reagents and do not produce any analytical waste. All these features contribute to the greenness of field portable techniques. Several stationary analytical instruments have their portable versions. The most popular ones include: gas chromatographs with different detectors (mass spectrometer (MS), flame ionization detector, photoionization detector), ultraviolet-visible and near-infrared spectrophotometers, X-ray fluorescence spectrometers, ion mobility spectrometers, electronic noses and electronic tongues. The use of portable instruments in environmental sample analysis gives a possibility of on-site screening and a subsequent selection of samples for routine laboratory analyses. They are also very useful in situations that require an emergency response and for process monitoring applications. However, quantification of results is still problematic in many cases. The other disadvantages include: higher detection limits and lower sensitivity than these obtained in laboratory conditions, a strong influence of environmental factors on the instrument performance and a high possibility of sample contamination in the field. This paper reviews recent applications of field portable instruments in environmental sample analysis and discusses their analytical capabilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Moving your laboratories to the field – Advantages and limitations of the use of field portable instruments in environmental sample analysis

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

Gałuszka, Agnieszka, E-mail: Agnieszka.Galuszka@ujk.edu.pl; Migaszewski, Zdzisław M.; Namieśnik, Jacek

The recent rapid progress in technology of field portable instruments has increased their applications in environmental sample analysis. These instruments offer a possibility of cost-effective, non-destructive, real-time, direct, on-site measurements of a wide range of both inorganic and organic analytes in gaseous, liquid and solid samples. Some of them do not require the use of reagents and do not produce any analytical waste. All these features contribute to the greenness of field portable techniques. Several stationary analytical instruments have their portable versions. The most popular ones include: gas chromatographs with different detectors (mass spectrometer (MS), flame ionization detector, photoionization detector),more » ultraviolet–visible and near-infrared spectrophotometers, X-ray fluorescence spectrometers, ion mobility spectrometers, electronic noses and electronic tongues. The use of portable instruments in environmental sample analysis gives a possibility of on-site screening and a subsequent selection of samples for routine laboratory analyses. They are also very useful in situations that require an emergency response and for process monitoring applications. However, quantification of results is still problematic in many cases. The other disadvantages include: higher detection limits and lower sensitivity than these obtained in laboratory conditions, a strong influence of environmental factors on the instrument performance and a high possibility of sample contamination in the field. This paper reviews recent applications of field portable instruments in environmental sample analysis and discusses their analytical capabilities. - Highlights: • Field portable instruments are widely used in environmental sample analysis. • Field portable instruments are indispensable for analysis in emergency response. • Miniaturization of field portable instruments reduces resource consumption. • In situ analysis is in agreement with green analytical chemistry principles. • Performance requirements in field analysis stimulate technological progress.« less
A portable cryo-plunger for on-site intact cryogenic microscopy sample preparation in natural environments.

PubMed

Comolli, Luis R; Duarte, Robert; Baum, Dennis; Luef, Birgit; Downing, Kenneth H; Larson, David M; Csencsits, Roseann; Banfield, Jillian F

2012-06-01

We present a modern, light portable device specifically designed for environmental samples for cryogenic transmission-electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) by on-site cryo-plunging. The power of cryo-TEM comes from preparation of artifact-free samples. However, in many studies, the samples must be collected at remote field locations, and the time involved in transporting samples back to the laboratory for cryogenic preservation can lead to severe degradation artifacts. Thus, going back to the basics, we developed a simple mechanical device that is light and easy to transport on foot yet effective. With the system design presented here we are able to obtain cryo-samples of microbes and microbial communities not possible to culture, in their near-intact environmental conditions as well as in routine laboratory work, and in real time. This methodology thus enables us to bring the power of cryo-TEM to microbial ecology. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fukushima Daiichi reactor source term attribution using cesium isotope ratios from contaminated environmental samples

DOE PAGES

Snow, Mathew S.; Snyder, Darin C.; Delmore, James E.

2016-01-18

Source term attribution of environmental contamination following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) disaster is complicated by a large number of possible similar emission source terms (e.g. FDNPP reactor cores 1–3 and spent fuel ponds 1–4). Cesium isotopic analyses can be utilized to discriminate between environmental contamination from different FDNPP source terms and, if samples are sufficiently temporally resolved, potentially provide insights into the extent of reactor core damage at a given time. Rice, soil, mushroom, and soybean samples taken 100–250 km from the FDNPP site were dissolved using microwave digestion. Radiocesium was extracted and purified using two sequentialmore » ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile columns, following which 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Results were compared with data reported previously from locations to the northwest of FDNPP and 30 km to the south of FDNPP. 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios from samples 100–250 km to the southwest of the FDNPP site show a consistent value of 0.376 ± 0.008. 135Cs/ 137Cs versus 134Cs/ 137Cs correlation plots suggest that radiocesium to the southwest is derived from a mixture of FDNPP reactor cores 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions from the cesium isotopic data are in agreement with those derived independently based upon the event chronology combined with meteorological conditions at the time of the disaster. In conclusion, cesium isotopic analyses provide a powerful tool for source term discrimination of environmental radiocesium contamination at the FDNPP site. For higher precision source term attribution and forensic determination of the FDNPP core conditions based upon cesium, analyses of a larger number of samples from locations to the north and south of the FDNPP site (particularly time-resolved air filter samples) are needed. Published in 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.« less
Fukushima Daiichi reactor source term attribution using cesium isotope ratios from contaminated environmental samples

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

Snow, Mathew S.; Snyder, Darin C.; Delmore, James E.

Source term attribution of environmental contamination following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) disaster is complicated by a large number of possible similar emission source terms (e.g. FDNPP reactor cores 1–3 and spent fuel ponds 1–4). Cesium isotopic analyses can be utilized to discriminate between environmental contamination from different FDNPP source terms and, if samples are sufficiently temporally resolved, potentially provide insights into the extent of reactor core damage at a given time. Rice, soil, mushroom, and soybean samples taken 100–250 km from the FDNPP site were dissolved using microwave digestion. Radiocesium was extracted and purified using two sequentialmore » ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile columns, following which 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Results were compared with data reported previously from locations to the northwest of FDNPP and 30 km to the south of FDNPP. 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios from samples 100–250 km to the southwest of the FDNPP site show a consistent value of 0.376 ± 0.008. 135Cs/ 137Cs versus 134Cs/ 137Cs correlation plots suggest that radiocesium to the southwest is derived from a mixture of FDNPP reactor cores 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions from the cesium isotopic data are in agreement with those derived independently based upon the event chronology combined with meteorological conditions at the time of the disaster. In conclusion, cesium isotopic analyses provide a powerful tool for source term discrimination of environmental radiocesium contamination at the FDNPP site. For higher precision source term attribution and forensic determination of the FDNPP core conditions based upon cesium, analyses of a larger number of samples from locations to the north and south of the FDNPP site (particularly time-resolved air filter samples) are needed. Published in 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.« less
Fukushima Daiichi reactor source term attribution using cesium isotope ratios from contaminated environmental samples.

PubMed

Snow, Mathew S; Snyder, Darin C; Delmore, James E

2016-02-28

Source term attribution of environmental contamination following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) disaster is complicated by a large number of possible similar emission source terms (e.g. FDNPP reactor cores 1-3 and spent fuel ponds 1-4). Cesium isotopic analyses can be utilized to discriminate between environmental contamination from different FDNPP source terms and, if samples are sufficiently temporally resolved, potentially provide insights into the extent of reactor core damage at a given time. Rice, soil, mushroom, and soybean samples taken 100-250 km from the FDNPP site were dissolved using microwave digestion. Radiocesium was extracted and purified using two sequential ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile columns, following which (135)Cs/(137) Cs isotope ratios were measured using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Results were compared with data reported previously from locations to the northwest of FDNPP and 30 km to the south of FDNPP. (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios from samples 100-250 km to the southwest of the FDNPP site show a consistent value of 0.376 ± 0.008. (135)Cs/(137)Cs versus (134)Cs/(137)Cs correlation plots suggest that radiocesium to the southwest is derived from a mixture of FDNPP reactor cores 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions from the cesium isotopic data are in agreement with those derived independently based upon the event chronology combined with meteorological conditions at the time of the disaster. Cesium isotopic analyses provide a powerful tool for source term discrimination of environmental radiocesium contamination at the FDNPP site. For higher precision source term attribution and forensic determination of the FDNPP core conditions based upon cesium, analyses of a larger number of samples from locations to the north and south of the FDNPP site (particularly time-resolved air filter samples) are needed. Published in 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Executive summary: Weldon Spring Site Environmental Report for calendar year 1992. Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project, Weldon Spring, Missouri

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

Not Available

1993-06-01

This report has been prepared to provide information about the public safety and environmental protection programs conducted by the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project. The Weldon Spring site is located in southern St. Charles County, Missouri, approximately 48 km (30 mi) west of St. Louis. The site consists of two main areas, the Weldon Spring Chemical Plant and raffinate pits and the Weldon Spring Quarry. The objectives of the Site Environmental Report are to present a summary of data from the environmental monitoring program, to characterize trends and environmental conditions at the site, and to confirm compliance with environmentalmore » and health protection standards and requirements. The report also presents the status of remedial activities and the results of monitoring these activities to assess their impacts on the public and environment. The scope of the environmental monitoring program at the Weldon Spring site has changed since it was initiated. Previously, the program focused on investigations of the extent and level of contaminants in the groundwater, surface waters, buildings, and air at the site. In 1992, the level of remedial activities required monitoring for potential impacts of those activities, particularly on surface water runoff and airborne effluents. This report includes monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological sampling activities. These data include estimates of dose to the public from the Weldon Spring site; estimates of effluent releases; and trends in groundwater contaminant levels. Also, applicable compliance requirements, quality assurance programs, and special studies conducted in 1992 to support environmental protection programs are reviewed.« less
QA/QC requirements for physical properties sampling and analysis

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

Innis, B.E.

1993-07-21

This report presents results of an assessment of the available information concerning US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) requirements and guidance applicable to sampling, handling, and analyzing physical parameter samples at Comprehensive Environmental Restoration, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) investigation sites. Geotechnical testing laboratories measure the following physical properties of soil and sediment samples collected during CERCLA remedial investigations (RI) at the Hanford Site: moisture content, grain size by sieve, grain size by hydrometer, specific gravity, bulk density/porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, and permeability of rocks by flowing air. Geotechnical testing laboratories alsomore » measure the following chemical parameters of soil and sediment samples collected during Hanford Site CERCLA RI: calcium carbonate and saturated column leach testing. Physical parameter data are used for (1) characterization of vadose and saturated zone geology and hydrogeology, (2) selection of monitoring well screen sizes, (3) to support modeling and analysis of the vadose and saturated zones, and (4) for engineering design. The objectives of this report are to determine the QA/QC levels accepted in the EPA Region 10 for the sampling, handling, and analysis of soil samples for physical parameters during CERCLA RI.« less
Reconnaissance of Organic Wastewater Compounds at a Concentrated Swine Feeding Operation in the North Carolina Coastal Plain, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harden, Stephen L.

2009-01-01

Water-quality and hydrologic data were collected during 2008 to examine the occurrence of organic wastewater compounds at a concentrated swine feeding operation located in the North Carolina Coastal Plain. Continuous groundwater level and stream-stage data were collected at one monitoring well and one stream site, respectively, throughout 2008. One round of environmental and quality-control samples was collected in September 2008 following a period of below-normal precipitation and when swine waste was not being applied to the spray fields. Samples were collected at one lagoon site, seven shallow groundwater sites, and one surface-water site for analysis of 111 organic wastewater compounds, including household, industrial, and agricultural-use compounds, sterols, pharmaceutical compounds, hormones, and antibiotics. Analytical data for environmental samples collected during the study provide preliminary information on the occurrence of organic wastewater compounds in the lagoon-waste source material, groundwater beneath fields that receive spray applications of the lagoon wastes, and surface water in the tributary adjacent to the site. Overall, 28 organic wastewater compounds were detected in the collected samples, including 11 household, industrial, and agricultural-use compounds; 3 sterols; 2 pharmaceutical compounds; 5 hormones; and 7 antibiotics. The lagoon sample had the greatest number (20) and highest concentrations of compounds compared to groundwater and surface-water samples. The antibiotic lincomycin had the maximum detected concentration (393 micrograms per liter) in the lagoon sample. Of the 11 compounds identified in the groundwater and surface-water samples, all with reported concentrations less than 1 microgram per liter, only lincomycin identified in groundwater at 1 well and 3-methyl-1H-indole and indole identified in surface water at 1 site also were identified in the lagoon waste material.
Radionuclides, Metals, and Hydrocarbons in Oil and Gas Operational Discharges and Environmental Samples Associated with Offshore Production Facilities on the Texas/Louisiana Continental Shelf with an Environmental Assessment of Metals and Hydrocarbons.

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

NONE

1997-06-01

This report presents concentrations of radionuclides, metals, and hydrocarbons in samples of produced water and produced sand from oil and gas production platforms located offshore Texas and Louisiana. concentrations in produced water discharge plume / receiving water, ambient seawater, sediment, interstitial water, and marine animal tissue samples collected in the vicinity of discharging platforms and reference sites distant from discharges are also reported and discussed. An environmental risk assessment is made on the basis of the concentration of metals and hydrocarbons determined in the samples.
Radionuclides, Metals, and Hydrocarbons in Oil and Gas Operational Discharges and Environmental Samples Associated with Offshore Production Facilities on the Texas/Louisiana Continental Shelf with an Environmental Assessment of Metals and Hydrocarbons

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

Continental Shelf Associates, Inc.

1999-08-16

This report presents concentrations of radionuclides, metals, and hydrocarbons in samples of produced water and produced sand from oil and gas production platforms located offshore Texas and Louisiana. Concentrations in produced water discharge plume/receiving water, ambient seawater, sediment, interstitial water, and marine animal tissue samples collected in the vicinity of discharging platforms and reference sites distant from discharges are also reported and discussed. An environmental risk assessment is made on the basis of the concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons determined in the samples.
Environmental monitoring and analysis of faecal contamination in an urban setting in the city of Bari (Apulia region, Italy): health and hygiene implications.

PubMed

Tarsitano, Elvira; Greco, Grazia; Decaro, Nicola; Nicassio, Francesco; Lucente, Maria Stella; Buonavoglia, Canio; Tempesta, Maria

2010-11-01

Few studies have been conducted in Italy to quantify the potential risk associated with dynamics and distribution of pathogens in urban settings. The aim of this study was to acquire data on the environmental faecal contamination in urban ecosystems, by assessing the presence of pathogens in public areas in the city of Bari (Apulia region, Italy). To determine the degree of environmental contamination, samples of dog faeces and bird guano were collected from different areas in the city of Bari (park green areas, playgrounds, public housing areas, parkways, and a school). A total of 152 canine faecal samples, in 54 pools, and two samples of pigeon guano from 66 monitored sites were examined. No samples were found in 12 areas spread over nine sites. Chlamydophila psittaci was detected in seven canine and two pigeon guano samples. Salmonella species were not found. On the other hand, four of 54 canine faecal samples were positive for reovirus. Thirteen canine faecal samples were positive for parasite eggs: 8/54 samples contained Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina eggs and 5/54 samples contained Ancylostoma caninum eggs. Our study showed that public areas are often contaminated by potentially zoonotic pathogens.
Associations between degraded benthic communities and contaminated sediments: Sabine Lake, Lake Pontchartrain, and Choctawhatchee Bay

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

Engle, V.D.; Summers, J.K.; Macauley, J.M.

1994-12-31

The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Estuaries (EMAP-E) in the Gulf of Mexico supplements its base sampling effort each year with localized, intensive spatial sampling in selected large estuarine systems. By selecting random locations within 70 km{sup 2} hexagonal areas, individual estuaries were sampled using EMAP methods but at four times the density as base sampling. In 1992, 19 sites were sampled in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana. In 1 993, 18 sites were sampled in Sabine Lake, Texas and 12 sites were sampled in Choctawhatchee Bay, Florida. At all sites, sediment grabs were taken and analyzed for benthic species compositionmore » and abundance, for toxicity to Ampelisca, and for organic and inorganic sediment contaminants. An indicator of biotic integrity, the benthic index, was calculated to represent the status of benthic communities. A series of statistical techniques, such as stepwise regression analysis, were employed to determine whether the variation in the benthic index could be associated with variation in sediment contaminants, sediment toxicity, or levels of dissolved oxygen. Spatial distributions of these parameters were examined to determine the geographical co-occurrence of degraded benthic communities and environmental stressors. In Lake Pontchartrain, for example, 85% of the variation in the benthic index was associated with decreased levels of dissolved oxygen, and increased concentrations of PCBs, alkanes, copper, tin, and zinc in the sediments.« less
Characterisation of a reference site for quantifying uncertainties related to soil sampling.

PubMed

Barbizzi, Sabrina; de Zorzi, Paolo; Belli, Maria; Pati, Alessandra; Sansone, Umberto; Stellato, Luisa; Barbina, Maria; Deluisa, Andrea; Menegon, Sandro; Coletti, Valter

2004-01-01

The paper reports a methodology adopted to face problems related to quality assurance in soil sampling. The SOILSAMP project, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency of Italy (APAT), is aimed at (i) establishing protocols for soil sampling in different environments; (ii) assessing uncertainties associated with different soil sampling methods in order to select the "fit-for-purpose" method; (iii) qualifying, in term of trace elements spatial variability, a reference site for national and international inter-comparison exercises. Preliminary results and considerations are illustrated.
Predicting risk of trace element pollution from municipal roads using site-specific soil samples and remotely sensed data.

PubMed

Reeves, Mari Kathryn; Perdue, Margaret; Munk, Lee Ann; Hagedorn, Birgit

2018-07-15

Studies of environmental processes exhibit spatial variation within data sets. The ability to derive predictions of risk from field data is a critical path forward in understanding the data and applying the information to land and resource management. Thanks to recent advances in predictive modeling, open source software, and computing, the power to do this is within grasp. This article provides an example of how we predicted relative trace element pollution risk from roads across a region by combining site specific trace element data in soils with regional land cover and planning information in a predictive model framework. In the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, we sampled 36 sites (191 soil samples) adjacent to roads for trace elements. We then combined this site specific data with freely-available land cover and urban planning data to derive a predictive model of landscape scale environmental risk. We used six different model algorithms to analyze the dataset, comparing these in terms of their predictive abilities and the variables identified as important. Based on comparable predictive abilities (mean R 2 from 30 to 35% and mean root mean square error from 65 to 68%), we averaged all six model outputs to predict relative levels of trace element deposition in soils-given the road surface, traffic volume, sample distance from the road, land cover category, and impervious surface percentage. Mapped predictions of environmental risk from toxic trace element pollution can show land managers and transportation planners where to prioritize road renewal or maintenance by each road segment's relative environmental and human health risk. Published by Elsevier B.V.
The Savannah River Site's Groundwater Monitoring Program

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

Not Available

1992-01-10

The Environmental Protection Department/Environmental Monitoring Section (EPD/EMS) administers the Savannah River Site's (SRS) Groundwater Monitoring Program. During second quarter 1991 EPD/EMS conducted extensive sampling of monitoring wells. EPD/EMS established two sets of flagging criteria in 1986 to assist in the management of sample results. The flagging criteria do not define contamination levels; instead, they aid personnel in sample scheduling, interpretation of data, and trend identification. Beginning in 1991, the flagging criteria are based on EPA drinking water standards and method detection limits. A detailed explanation of the current flagging criteria is presented in the Flagging Criteria section of this document.more » Analytical results from second quarter 1991 are listed in this report.« less
Thermal Desorption Capability Development for Enhanced On-site Health Risk Assessment: HAPSITE (registered trademark) ER Passive Sampling in the Field

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-07

Field-Portable Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer.” Forensic Toxicol, 2006, 24, 17-22. Smith, P. “Person-Portable Gas Chromatography : Rapid Temperature...bench-top Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) system (ISQ). Nine sites were sampled and analyzed for compounds using Environmental Protection...extraction methods for Liquid Chromatography -MS (LC- MS). Additionally, TD is approximately 1000X more sensitive, requires minimal sample preparation
Forensic source differentiation of petrogenic, pyrogenic, and biogenic hydrocarbons in Canadian oil sands environmental samples.

PubMed

Wang, Zhendi; Yang, C; Parrott, J L; Frank, R A; Yang, Z; Brown, C E; Hollebone, B P; Landriault, M; Fieldhouse, B; Liu, Y; Zhang, G; Hewitt, L M

2014-04-30

To facilitate monitoring efforts, a forensic chemical fingerprinting methodology has been applied to characterize and differentiate pyrogenic (combustion derived) and biogenic (organism derived) hydrocarbons from petrogenic (petroleum derived) hydrocarbons in environmental samples from the Canadian oil sands region. Between 2009 and 2012, hundreds of oil sands environmental samples including water (snowmelt water, river water, and tailings pond water) and sediments (from river beds and tailings ponds) have been analyzed. These samples were taken from sites where assessments of wild fish health, invertebrate communities, toxicology and detailed chemistry are being conducted as part of the Canada-Alberta Joint Oil Sands Monitoring Plan (JOSMP). This study describes the distribution patterns and potential sources of PAHs from these integrated JOSMP study sites, and findings will be linked to responses in laboratory bioassays and in wild organisms collected from these same sites. It was determined that hydrocarbons in Athabasca River sediments and waters were most likely from four sources: (1) petrogenic heavy oil sands bitumen; (2) biogenic compounds; (3) petrogenic hydrocarbons of other lighter fuel oils; and (4) pyrogenic PAHs. PAHs and biomarkers detected in snowmelt water samples collected near mining operations imply that these materials are derived from oil sands particulates (from open pit mines, stacks and coke piles). Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Hazelwood Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Hazelwood, Missouri

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Hazelwood Interim Storage Site (HISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring of HISS began in 1984 when the site was assigned to the US Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the decontamination research and development project authorized by Congress under the 1984 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. DOE placed responsibility for HISS under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), a DOE program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of themore » nation`s atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program at HISS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and radium-226, thorium-230, and total uranium concentrations in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards and DCGs are established to protect public health and the environment.« less
Colonie Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Colonie, New York

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Colonie Interim Storage Site (CISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at CISS began in 1984 when Congress added the site to the US Department of Energy's Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. CISS property and surrounding areas were radioactively contaminated by operations conducted by National Lead Industries, which manufactured various components from uranium and thorium from 1958 to 1984. The environmental monitoring program at CISS includes sampling networks for external gamma radiation exposure and for radium-226, thorium-232, and total uranium concentrations inmore » surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in groundwater. In 1992 the program will also include sampling networks for radioactive and chemical contaminants in stormwater to meet permit application requirements under the Clean Water Act. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE.orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment. Results of environmental monitoring during 1991 indicate that average concentrations of radioactive contaminants of concern were well below applicable standards and DCGS. Concentrations of some chemical contaminants in groundwater were above-the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Class GA) and EPA guidelines for drinking water. The potential annual radiation exposure (excluding background) calculated for a hypothetical maximally exposed individual is 0.23 mrem (milliroentgen equivalent man), which is less than an individual would receive while traveling in an airplane at 12,000 meters (39,000 feet) for one hour.« less
Data Summary Report for teh Remedial Investigation of Hanford Site Releases to the Columbia River, Hanford Site, Washington

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

Hulstrom, L.

2011-02-07

This data summary report summarizes the investigation results to evaluate the nature and distribution of Hanford Site-related contaminants present in the Columbia River. As detailed in DOE/RL-2008-11, more than 2,000 environmental samples were collected from the Columbia River between 2008 and 2010. These samples consisted of island soil, sediment, surface water, groundwater upwelling (pore water, surface water, and sediment), and fish tissue.

Summary environmental site assessment report for the U.S. Department of Energy Oxnard Facility, Oxnard, California

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

NONE

1996-02-01

This report summarizes the investigations conducted by Rust Geotech at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oxnard facility, 1235 East Wooley Road, Oxnard, California. These investigations were designed to locate, identify, and characterize any regulated contaminated media on the site. The effort included site visits; research of ownership, historical uses of the Oxnard facility and adjacent properties, incidences of and investigations for contaminants on adjacent properties, and the physical setting of the site; sampling and analysis; and reporting. These investigations identified two friable asbestos gaskets on the site, which were removed, and nonfriable asbestos, which will be managed through themore » implementation of an asbestos management plan. The California primary drinking water standards were exceeded for aluminum on two groundwater samples and for lead in one sample collected from the shallow aquifer underlying the site; remediation of the groundwater in this aquifer is not warranted because it is not used. Treated water is available from a municipal water system. Three sludge samples indicated elevated heavy metals concentrations; the sludge must be handled as a hazardous waste if disposed. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were detected at concentrations below remediation criteria in facility soils at two locations. In accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State of California guidance, remediation of the PCBs is not required. No other hazardous substances were detected in concentrations exceeding regulatory limits.« less
EPA Making a Visible Difference Alexandria/Pineville, LA Sampling Results

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Alexandria/Pineville was identified with the help of local citizens who raised environmental concerns related to two creosoting facilities, two federal Superfund sites, a state Superfund site, and a metal recycling facility near these towns.
Gastrointestinal anthrax after an animal-hide drumming event - New Hampshire and Massachusetts, 2009.

PubMed

2010-07-23

On December 24, 2009, a woman aged 24 years from New Hampshire was confirmed to have gastrointestinal anthrax on the basis of clinical findings and a Bacillus anthracis blood culture isolate. Her symptoms began on December 5. One day before symptom onset, she had participated in a drumming event at a community organization's building where animal-hide drums of multiple ages and origins were played. This report describes the case and subsequent investigation, which identified 84 persons potentially exposed to anthrax, including those persons at the drumming event and those who lived or worked at the event site. Review of New Hampshire disease surveillance data and clinical microbiology records for periods before and after the event identified no additional anthrax cases. Initial qualitative environmental testing of the event site yielded three positive samples (two from drum heads and one composite sample of three electrical outlets in the main drumming room). Wider, targeted, semi-quantitative environmental testing of the site and additional drums yielded six positive samples (two from one drum and four from environmental locations in the building). These results suggested that aerosolization of spores from drumheads had occurred. All isolates obtained from environmental and drum samples matched the patient's isolate by multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis using eight loci (MLVA-8). Public health agencies and persons with exposure to animal-hide drums should be aware of the potential, although remote, risk for anthrax exposure associated with these drums.
Sample Collection Information Document for Chemical & Radiochemical Analytes – Companion to Selected Analytical Methods for Environmental Remediation and Recovery (SAM) 2012

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Sample Collection Information Document is intended to provide sampling information to be used during site assessment, remediation and clearance activities following a chemical or radiological contamination incident.
Hazelwood Interim Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Hazelwood, Missouri. [Hazelwood Interim Storage Site

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

Not Available

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Hazelwood Interim Storage Site (HISS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring of HISS began in 1984 when the site was assigned to the US Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the decontamination research and development project authorized by Congress under the 1984 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. DOE placed responsibility for HISS under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), a DOE program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of themore » nation's atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program at HISS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and radium-226, thorium-230, and total uranium concentrations in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards and DCGs are established to protect public health and the environment.« less
Water-quality assessment of part of the upper Mississippi River basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin: Design and implementation of water-quality studies, 1995-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stark, James R.; Fallon, J.D.; Fong, A.L.; Goldstein, R.M.; Hanson, P.E.; Kroening, S.E.; Lee, K.E.

1999-01-01

This report describes the design, site-selection, and implementation of the study. Methods used to collect, process, and analyze samples; characterize sites; and assess habitat are described. A comprehensive list of sample sites is provided. Sample analyses for water-quality studies included chlorophyll a, major inorganic constituents, nutrients, trace elements, tritium, radon, environmental isotopes, organic carbon, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and other synthetic and naturallyoccurring organic compounds. Aquatic-biological samples included fish, benthic macroinvertebrates, and algal enumeration and identification, as well as synthetic-organic compounds and trace elements in fish tissue.
From process to proxy: Ecological challenges and opportunities of tree-ring based environmental reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilmking, Martin; Buras, Allan; Heinrich, Ingo; Scharnweber, Tobias; Simard, Sonia; Smiljanic, Marko; van der Maaten, Ernst; van der Maaten-Theunissen, Marieke

2014-05-01

Trees are sessile, long-living organisms and as such constantly need to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Accordingly, they often show high phenotypic plasticity (the ability to change phenotypic traits, such as allocation of resources) in response to environmental change. This high phenotypic plasticity is generally considered as one of the main ingredients for a sessile organism to survive and reach high ages. Precisely because of the ability of trees to reach old age and their in-ability to simply run away when conditions get worse, growth information recorded in tree rings has long been used as a major environmental proxy, covering time scales from decades to millennia. Past environmental conditions (e.g. climate) are recorded in i.e. annual tree-ring width, early- and latewood width, wood density, isotopic concentrations, cell anatomy or wood chemistry. One prerequisite for a reconstruction is that the relationship between the environmental variable influencing tree growth and the tree-growth variable itself is stable through time. This, however, might contrast the ecological theory of high plasticity and the trees ability to adapt to change. To untangle possible mechanisms leading to stable or unstable relationships between tree growth and environmental variables, it is helpful to have exact site information and several proxy variables of each tree-ring series available. Although we gain insight into the environmental history of a sampling site when sampling today, this is extremely difficult when using archeological wood. In this latter case, we face the additional challenge of unknown origin, provenance and (or) site conditions, making it even more important to use multiple proxy time-series from the same sample. Here, we review typical examples, where the relationship between tree growth and environmental variables seems 1) stable and 2) instable through time, and relate these two cases to ecological theory. Based on ecological theory, we then give recommendations to improve the reliability of environmental reconstructions using tree rings.
A soil sampling reference site: the challenge in defining reference material for sampling.

PubMed

de Zorzi, Paolo; Barbizzi, Sabrina; Belli, Maria; Fajgelj, Ales; Jacimovic, Radojko; Jeran, Zvonka; Sansone, Umberto; van der Perk, Marcel

2008-11-01

In the frame of the international SOILSAMP project, funded and coordinated by the Italian Environmental Protection Agency, an agricultural area was established as a reference site suitable for performing soil sampling inter-comparison exercises. The reference site was characterized for trace element content in soil, in terms of the spatial and temporal variability of their mass fraction. Considering that the behaviour of long-lived radionuclides in soil can be expected to be similar to that of some stable trace elements and that the distribution of these trace elements in soil can simulate the distribution of radionuclides, the reference site characterised in term of trace elements, can be also used to compare the soil sampling strategies developed for radionuclide investigations.
40 CFR 761.272 - Chemical extraction and analysis of samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... samples. 761.272 Section 761.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in... composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated under subpart...
40 CFR 761.272 - Chemical extraction and analysis of samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... samples. 761.272 Section 761.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in... composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated under subpart...
40 CFR 761.272 - Chemical extraction and analysis of samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... samples. 761.272 Section 761.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in... composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated under subpart...
40 CFR 761.272 - Chemical extraction and analysis of samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... samples. 761.272 Section 761.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in... composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated under subpart...
THE USE AND LIMITATIONS OF DETECTION AND QUANTITATION LIMITS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

Site assessment, remediation and compliance monitoring require the routine determination of the concentration of regulated substances in environmental samples. Each measurement methodology providing the concentration determinations, is required to specify key data quality elemen...
Concentrations of selected pharmaceuticals and antibiotics in south-central Pennsylvania waters, March through September 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loper, Connie A.; Crawford, J. Kent; Otto, Kim L.; Manning, Rhonda L.; Meyer, Michael T.; Furlong, Edward T.

2007-01-01

This report presents environmental and quality-control data from analyses of 15 pharmaceutical and 31 antibiotic compounds in water samples from streams and wells in south-central Pennsylvania. The analyses are part of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to define concentrations of selected emerging contaminants in streams and well water in Pennsylvania. Sampling was conducted at 11 stream sites and at 6 wells in 9 counties of south-central Pennsylvania. Five of the streams received municipal wastewater and 6 of the streams received runoff from agricultural areas dominated by animal-feeding operations. For all 11 streams, samples were collected at locations upstream and downstream of the municipal effluents or animal-feeding operations. All six wells were in agricultural settings. A total of 120 environmental samples and 21 quality-control samples were analyzed for the study. Samples were collected at each site in March/April, May, July, and September 2006 to obtain information on changes in concentration that could be related to seasonal use of compounds.For streams, 13 pharmaceuticals and 11 antibiotics were detected at least 1 time. Detections included analytical results that were estimated or above the minimum reporting limits. Seventy-eight percent of all detections were analyzed in samples collected downstream from municipal-wastewater effluents. For streams receiving wastewater effluents, the pharmaceuticals caffeine and para-xanthine (a degradation product of caffeine) had the greatest concentrations, 4.75 μg/L (micrograms per liter) and 0.853 μg/L, respectively. Other pharmaceuticals and their respective maximum concentrations were carbamazepine (0.516 μg/L) and ibuprofen (0.277 μg/L). For streams receiving wastewater effluents, the antibiotic azithromycin had the greatest concentration (1.65 μg/L), followed by sulfamethoxazole (1.34 μg/L), ofloxacin (0.329 μg/L), and trimethoprim (0.256 μg/L).For streams receiving runoff from animal-feeding operations, the only pharmaceuticals detected were acetaminophen, caffeine, cotinine, diphenhydramine, and carbamazepine. The maximum concentration for pharmaceuticals was 0.053 μg/L. Three streams receiving runoff from animal-feeding operations had detections of one or more antibiotic compound--oxytetracycline, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, and tylosin. The maximum concentration for antibiotics was 0.157 μg/L. The average number of compounds (pharmaceuticals and antibiotics) detected in sites downstream from animal-feeding operations was three. The average number of compounds detected downstream from municipal-wastewater effluents was 13.For wells used to supply livestock, four compounds were detected--two pharmaceuticals (cotinine and diphenhydramine) and two antibiotics (tylosin and sulfamethoxazole). There were five detections in all the well samples. The maximum concentration detected in well water was for cotinine, estimated to be 0.024 μg/L.Seasonal occurrence of pharmaceutical and antibiotic compounds in stream water varied by compound and site type. At four stream sites, the same compounds were detected in all four seasonal samples. At other sites, pharmaceutical or antibiotic compounds were detected only one time in seasonal samples. Winter samples collected in streams receiving municipalwastewater effluent had the greatest number of compounds detected (21). Research analytical methods were used to determine concentrations for pharmaceuticals and antibiotics. To assist in evaluating the quality of the analyses, detailed information is presented on laboratory methodology and results from qualitycontrol samples. Quality-control data include results for nine blanks, nine duplicate environmental sample pairs, and three laboratory-spiked environmental samples as well as the recoveries of compounds in laboratory surrogates and laboratory reagent spikes.
Automated collection and processing of environmental samples

DOEpatents

Troyer, Gary L.; McNeece, Susan G.; Brayton, Darryl D.; Panesar, Amardip K.

1997-01-01

For monitoring an environmental parameter such as the level of nuclear radiation, at distributed sites, bar coded sample collectors are deployed and their codes are read using a portable data entry unit that also records the time of deployment. The time and collector identity are cross referenced in memory in the portable unit. Similarly, when later recovering the collector for testing, the code is again read and the time of collection is stored as indexed to the sample collector, or to a further bar code, for example as provided on a container for the sample. The identity of the operator can also be encoded and stored. After deploying and/or recovering the sample collectors, the data is transmitted to a base processor. The samples are tested, preferably using a test unit coupled to the base processor, and again the time is recorded. The base processor computes the level of radiation at the site during exposure of the sample collector, using the detected radiation level of the sample, the delay between recovery and testing, the duration of exposure and the half life of the isotopes collected. In one embodiment, an identity code and a site code are optically read by an image grabber coupled to the portable data entry unit.
Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report for 2006

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

McMahon, Wayne; Hughes, Joan; Coffey, Mike

2007-09-01

This document is prepared annually to summarize environmental activities, primarily environmental-monitoring activities, on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) and within the ORR surroundings. The document fulfills the requirement of Department of Energy (DOE) Order 23l.IA, 'Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,' for an annual summary of environmental data to characterize environmental performance. The environmental-monitoring criteria are described in DOE Order 450.1, 'Environmental Protection Program.' The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2006. This report is not intended to provide the results of all sampling on the ORR. Additional data collected for other sitemore » and regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws and are referenced herein as appropriate. Corrections to the report for the previous year are found in Appendix A. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists primarily of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents at the point of release to the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminants, assessment of radiation and chemical exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of the collection and analysis of environmental samples from the site and its environs; these activities provide direct measurement of contaminant concentrations in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media. Environmental surveillance data provide information regarding conformity with applicable DOE orders and, combined with data from effluent monitoring, allow the determination of chemical and radiation dose/exposure assess ments of ORR operations and effects, if any, on the local environment.« less
Herd-level prevalence of Map infection in dairy herds of southern Chile determined by culture of environmental fecal samples and bulk-tank milk qPCR.

PubMed

Kruze, J; Monti, G; Schulze, F; Mella, A; Leiva, S

2013-09-01

Paratuberculosis, an infectious disease of domestic and wild ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map), is an economically important disease in dairy herds worldwide. In Chile the disease has been reported in domestic and wildlife animals. However, accurate and updated estimations of the herd-prevalence in cattle at national or regional level are not available. The objectives of this study were to determine the herd-level prevalence of dairy herds with Map infected animals of Southern Chile, based on two diagnostic tests: culture of environmental fecal samples and bulk-tank milk qPCR. Two composite environmental fecal samples and one bulk-tank milk sample were collected during September 2010 and September 2011 from 150 dairy farms in Southern Chile. Isolation of Map from environmental fecal samples was done by culture of decontaminated samples on a commercial Herrold's Egg Yolk Medium (HEYM) with and without mycobactin J. Suspicious colonies were confirmed to be Map by conventional IS900 PCR. Map detection in bulk-tank milk samples was done by real time IS900 PCR assay. PCR-confirmed Map was isolated from 58 (19.3%) of 300 environmental fecal samples. Holding pens and manure storage lagoons were the two more frequent sites found positive for Map, representing 35% and 33% of total positive samples, respectively. However, parlor exits and cow alleyways were the two sites with the highest proportion of positive samples (40% and 32%, respectively). Herd prevalence based on environmental fecal culture was 27% (true prevalence 44%) compared to 49% (true prevalence 87%) based on bulk-tank milk real time IS900 PC. In both cases herd prevalence was higher in large herds (>200 cows). These results confirm that Map infection is wide spread in dairy herds in Southern Chile with a rough herd-level prevalence of 28-100% depending on the herd size, and that IS900 PCR on bulk-tank milk samples is more sensitive than environmental fecal culture to detect Map-infected dairy herds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Oak Ridge Reservation annual site environmental report summary for 1995

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

NONE

1996-12-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) requires an annual site environmental report from each of the sites operating under its authority. The reports present the results from the various environmental monitoring and surveillance programs carried out during the year. In addition to meeting the DOE requirement, the reports also document compliance with various state and federal laws and regulations. This report was published to fulfill those requirements for the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) for calendar year 1995. The report is based on thousands of environmental samples collected on and around the ORR and analyzed during the year. The data onmore » which the report is based are published in Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance on the Oak Ridge Reservation: 1995 Data (ES/ESH-71). Both documents are highly detailed. This summary report is meant for readers who are interested in the monitoring results but who do not need to review the details.« less
Evidence for Environmental Contamination in Residential Neighborhoods Surrounding the Defense Depot of Memphis, Tennessee

PubMed Central

Greene, Natasha A.; White, Jason D.; Morris, Vernon R.; Roberts, Stephanie; Jones, Kimberly L.; Warrick, Cynthia

2006-01-01

An interdisciplinary environmental assessment team from the Howard University Environmental Justice Partnership (HUEJP) conducted a site visit and assessment of the Defense Depot of Memphis, Tennessee in February of 2000. This depot was built in the late 1940’s for storage of numerous chemicals and munitions. As the years progressed, many Memphis citizens have grown to believe that the activities and chemical stockpile located at this site have negatively affected the health environment of their residents. There is anecdotal evidence and documentation of numerous cancers and other illnesses in those local territories, and specifically, at the Memphis Depot site. Currently, this depot is closed and in remediation by the local government. Particularly, citizens of the Rozelle community have started a campaign to investigate any signs of exposure pathways to noted health risks. The HUEJP was contacted and asked to investigate the community concerns. Obliging to the request, we aimed to sample at three drainage sites and a residential site, talk to local citizens, and gain any additional information that would be helpful in relieving anxiety in the Rozelle community. Soil, sediment, and water samples were collected and analyzed for total organic carbon, inorganic anions, and heavy metals. These data show that for the four sites sampled, the highest concentrations of organic compounds and heavy metals were located either within a residential area or in an area with a direct transport pathway to the community. Atomic absorption analysis revealed detectable amounts of cadmium, lead and chromium metals at all sites with direct transport pathways into the residential community, with chromium concentrations being far in excess of the EPA standard limits. PMID:16968970
40 CFR 761.253 - Chemical analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Chemical analysis. 761.253 Section 761.253 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Sample Sites, Collecting Surface Samples, and Analyzing Standard PCB Wipe Samples § 761.253 Chemical...

40 CFR 761.253 - Chemical analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Chemical analysis. 761.253 Section 761.253 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Sample Sites, Collecting Surface Samples, and Analyzing Standard PCB Wipe Samples § 761.253 Chemical...
40 CFR 761.253 - Chemical analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Chemical analysis. 761.253 Section 761.253 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Sample Sites, Collecting Surface Samples, and Analyzing Standard PCB Wipe Samples § 761.253 Chemical...
40 CFR 761.253 - Chemical analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Chemical analysis. 761.253 Section 761.253 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Sample Sites, Collecting Surface Samples, and Analyzing Standard PCB Wipe Samples § 761.253 Chemical...
40 CFR 761.253 - Chemical analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Chemical analysis. 761.253 Section 761.253 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Sample Sites, Collecting Surface Samples, and Analyzing Standard PCB Wipe Samples § 761.253 Chemical...
Perspectives on land snails - sampling strategies for isotopic analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwiecien, Ola; Kalinowski, Annika; Kamp, Jessica; Pellmann, Anna

2017-04-01

Since the seminal works of Goodfriend (1992), several substantial studies confirmed a relation between the isotopic composition of land snail shells (d18O, d13C) and environmental parameters like precipitation amount, moisture source, temperature and vegetation type. This relation, however, is not straightforward and site dependent. The choice of sampling strategy (discrete or bulk sampling) and cleaning procedure (several methods can be used, but comparison of their effects in an individual shell has yet not been achieved) further complicate the shell analysis. The advantage of using snail shells as environmental archive lies in the snails' limited mobility, and therefore an intrinsic aptitude of recording local and site-specific conditions. Also, snail shells are often found at dated archaeological sites. An obvious drawback is that shell assemblages rarely make up a continuous record, and a single shell is only a snapshot of the environmental setting at a given time. Shells from archaeological sites might represent a dietary component and cooking would presumably alter the isotopic signature of aragonite material. Consequently, a proper sampling strategy is of great importance and should be adjusted to the scientific question. Here, we compare and contrast different sampling approaches using modern shells collected in Morocco, Spain and Germany. The bulk shell approach (fine-ground material) yields information on mean environmental parameters within the life span of analyzed individuals. However, despite homogenization, replicate measurements of bulk shell material returned results with a variability greater than analytical precision (up to 2‰ for d18O, and up to 1‰ for d13C), calling for caution analyzing only single individuals. Horizontal high-resolution sampling (single drill holes along growth lines) provides insights into the amplitude of seasonal variability, while vertical high-resolution sampling (multiple drill holes along the same growth line) produces replicable results. This reproducibility enables not only sequential testing of isotopic changes in shells exposed to artificially elevated temperatures, but also systematic assessment of different cleaning methods. Goodfriend, 1992. The use of land snail shells in paleoenvironmental reconstruction, EPSL 11, 655-685
ROLE OF LABORATORY SAMPLING DEVICES AND LABORATORY SUBSAMPLING METHODS IN OPTIMIZING REPRESENTATIVENESS STRATEGIES

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling is the act of selecting items from a specified population in order to estimate the parameters of that population (e.g., selecting soil samples to characterize the properties at an environmental site). Sampling occurs at various levels and times throughout an environmenta...
Impact of an urban multi-metal contamination gradient: metal bioaccumulation and tolerance of river biofilms collected in different seasons.

PubMed

Faburé, Juliette; Dufour, Marine; Autret, Armelle; Uher, Emmanuelle; Fechner, Lise C

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the repeatability and seasonal variability of the biological response of river biofilms chronically exposed to a multi-metal pressure in an urban contamination gradient. Biofilms were grown on immersed plastic membranes at three sites on the Seine river upstream (site 1) and downstream (sites 2 and 3) from Paris (France). They were collected in four different seasons (autumn, spring, summer and winter). Biofilm tolerance to Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn was measured using a PICT (Pollution-Induced Community Tolerance) approach with a previously developed short-term toxicity test based on β-glucosidase (heterotrophic) activity. Metal concentrations in the river and also in the biofilm samples (total and non-exchangeable bioaccumulated metals) were also monitored. Biofilm-accumulated metal concentrations reflected the increase of the multi-metal exposure along the urban gradient. These concentrations were strongly correlated with dissolved and particulate organic carbon and with the total metal fraction in the river water, which recalls the significant influence of the environmental parameters on metal uptake processes in river biofilms. Overall, natural biofilms allow monitoring water quality by integrating the variations of a diffuse metal contamination overtime. Tolerance levels globally increased from site 1 to site 3 reflecting the metal pollution gradient measured in the river water collected at the three sites. Cu tolerance tended to increase during warm seasons but no clear seasonal tendency could be found for Ni, Pb and Zn. Furthermore, principal component analysis clearly discriminated samples collected upstream (site 1) from samples collected downstream (sites 2 and 3) along the first principal component which was correlated to the metal gradient. Samples collected in winter were also separated from the others along the second principal component correlated to parameters like water temperature and Total Suspended Solids concentration. This study shows that chronic in situ exposure to environmental metal concentrations has a significant impact on natural biofilms. Biofilm tolerance to metals and biofilm metal bioaccumulation both reflect metal exposure levels although they remain low when compared to Environmental Quality Standards from the European Water Framework Directive. Yet temperature appears as an important environmental variable shaping community structure and response to toxic exposure which shows that the sampling date is an important parameter to consider when using natural river biofilms to assess the impacts of urban pressure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Informal e-waste recycling: environmental risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in Mandoli industrial area, Delhi, India.

PubMed

Pradhan, Jatindra Kumar; Kumar, Sudhir

2014-01-01

Nowadays, e-waste is a major source of environmental problems and opportunities due to presence of hazardous elements and precious metals. This study was aimed to evaluate the pollution risk of heavy metal contamination by informal recycling of e-waste. Environmental risk assessment was determined using multivariate statistical analysis, index of geoaccumulation, enrichment factor, contamination factor, degree of contamination and pollution load index by analysing heavy metals in surface soils, plants and groundwater samples collected from and around informal recycling workshops in Mandoli industrial area, Delhi, India. Concentrations of heavy metals like As (17.08 mg/kg), Cd (1.29 mg/kg), Cu (115.50 mg/kg), Pb (2,645.31 mg/kg), Se (12.67 mg/kg) and Zn (776.84 mg/kg) were higher in surface soils of e-waste recycling areas compared to those in reference site. Level exceeded the values suggested by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). High accumulations of heavy metals were also observed in the native plant samples (Cynodon dactylon) of e-waste recycling areas. The groundwater samples collected form recycling area had high heavy metal concentrations as compared to permissible limit of Indian Standards and maximum allowable limit of WHO guidelines for drinking water. Multivariate analysis and risk assessment studies based on total metal content explains the clear-cut differences among sampling sites and a strong evidence of heavy metal pollution because of informal recycling of e-waste. This study put forward that prolonged informal recycling of e-waste may accumulate high concentration of heavy metals in surface soils, plants and groundwater, which will be a matter of concern for both environmental and occupational hazards. This warrants an immediate need of remedial measures to reduce the heavy metal contamination of e-waste recycling sites.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON BENTHIC COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN A GREAT LAKES EMBAYMENT

EPA Science Inventory

An Intensified Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) sampling grid in the St. Louis River estuary of western Lake Superior was used toassess the relationship between surficial sediment characteristics and benthic community structure. Ninety sites within two habit...
ANALYSIS OF MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSEMBLAGES IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENTS IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

Using redundancy analysis (RDA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), we assessed relationships among chemical and physical characteristics and macroinvertebrate assemblages at stream sites sampled by the Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (R-EMAP) in...
Data Validation Package - June 2015 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Green River, Utah, Disposal Site

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

Linard, Joshua; Price, Jeffrey

2015-08-01

Groundwater samples were collected during the 2015 sampling event from point-of-compliance (POC) wells 0171, 0173, 0176, 0179, 0181, and 0813 to monitor the disposition of contaminants in the middle sandstone unit of the Cedar Mountain Formation. Groundwater samples also were collected from alluvium monitoring wells 0188, 0189, 0192, 0194, and 0707, and basal sandstone monitoring wells 0182, 0184, 0185, and 0588 as a best management practice. Surface locations 0846 and 0847 were sampled to monitor for degradation of water quality in the backwater area of Brown’s Wash and in the Green River immediately downstream of Brown’s Wash. The Green Rivermore » location 0801 is upstream from the site and is sampled to determine background-threshold values (BTVs). Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated, http://energy.gov/lm/downloads/sampling-and- analysis-plan-us-department-energy-office-legacy-management-sites). Water levels were measured at each sampled well. The analytical data and associated qualifiers can be viewed in environmental database reports and are also available for viewing with dynamic mapping via the GEMS (Geospatial Environmental Mapping System) website at http://gems.lm.doe.gov/#. All six POC wells are completed in the middle sandstone unit of the Cedar Mountain Formation and are monitored to measure contaminant concentrations for comparison to proposed alternate concentration limits (ACLs), as provided in Table 1. Contaminant concentrations in the POC wells remain below their respective ACLs.« less
Soil moisture ground truth, Lafayette, Indiana, site; St. Charles Missouri, site; Centralia, Missouri, site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, E. B.

1975-01-01

The soil moisture ground-truth measurements and ground-cover descriptions taken at three soil moisture survey sites located near Lafayette, Indiana; St. Charles, Missouri; and Centralia, Missouri are given. The data were taken on November 10, 1975, in connection with airborne remote sensing missions being flown by the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan under the auspices of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Emphasis was placed on the soil moisture in bare fields. Soil moisture was sampled in the top 0 to 1 in. and 0 to 6 in. by means of a soil sampling push tube. These samples were then placed in plastic bags and awaited gravimetric analysis.
Influence of near-bottom environmental conditions on the structure of bathyal macrobenthic crustacean assemblages from the Capbreton canyon (Bay of Biscay, NE Atlantic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marquiegui, Mikel A.; Sorbe, Jean Claude

1999-07-01

Sled and box-corer samplings were performed at two sites in the Capbreton canyon in order to appreciate the influence of near-bottom environmental conditions on the structure of their macrobenthic communities (crustaceans). Although located at similar depths (ca. 1 000 m), these two sites were characterised by different physicochemical conditions at the sediment-water interface, probably related with the morphology of the submarine valley (reduced environment, oxygen depletion and stagnation of bottom water at site A; normal oceanic conditions on the near-bottom environment of site B). The analysis of the collected fauna revealed a low similarity between the two sites, mainly due to the unusual dominance of three epibenthic species in sled samples from site A: the amphipod Bonnierella abyssorum, the tanaid Apseudes spinosus and the isopod Arcturopsis giardi. Due to their apparent rarity or absence in adjacent non-canyon communities, such epibenthic crustaceans may be considered as `canyon indicator species' able to exhibit abundant populations within the peculiar confinement area of this canyon.
Study on accumulation ability of two lichen species Hypogymnia physodes and Usnea hirta at iron-steel factory site, Turkey.

PubMed

Cansaran-Duman, Demet

2011-11-01

The use of biological responses to contaminant exposure by lichen species has become a useful tool in environmental quality evaluation and risk assesment. Lichen Hypogymnia physodes and Usnea hirta samples were collected in 2006 from 10 sites around iron-steel factory in Karabük, Turkey. H. physodes and U. hirta samples from Yenice forest were used as a control. The aim of present study was to evaluate the bioaccumulation ability and to determine the environmental impact of an iron-steel factory in Karabük. Seven elements (Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd) were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The analytical results were compared statistically by using SPSS. As expected, the study area (Yenice forest, Karabük) chosen as control site (site no 11) showed significantly lower impact in comparison to other site (site no 1-10). Compared with the two lichen species, H. physodes showed highest metal accumulating capacity while U. hirta showed lowest. These criteria attested the best suitability for H. physodes, followed by U. hirta.
Oak Ridge Reservation annual site environmental report for 1996

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

NONE

1997-10-01

The US Department of Energy currently oversees activities on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), a government-owned, contractor-operated facility. Three sites compose the reservation: the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and East Tennessee Technology Park (formerly the K-25 Site). The ORR was established in the early 1940s as part of the Manhattan Project, a secret undertaking that produced the materials for the first atomic bombs. The reservation`s role has evolved over the years, and it continues to adapt to meet the changing defense, energy, and research needs of the US. Both the work carried out for the warmore » effort and subsequent research, development, and production activities have produced (and continue to produce) radiological and hazardous wastes. This document contains a summary of environmental monitoring activities on the ORR and its surroundings. Environmental monitoring on the ORR consists of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring involves the collection and analysis of samples or measurements of liquid and gaseous effluents prior to release into the environment; these measurements allow the quantification and official reporting of contaminants, assessment of radiation exposures to the public, and demonstration of compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements. Environmental surveillance consists of the collection and analysis of environmental samples from the site and its environs; this provides direct measurement of contaminants in air, water, groundwater, soil, foods, biota, and other media subsequent to effluent release into the environment. Environmental surveillance data verify ORR`s compliance status and, combined with data from effluent monitoring, allow the determination of chemical and radiation dose/exposure assessment of ORR operations and effects, if any, on the local environment.« less
Final report: survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at environmental restoration sites, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. Volume 2

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

Lambert, K.A.; Mitchell, M.M.; Jean, D.

1997-09-01

This report contains the Appendices A-L including Voluntary Corrective Measure Plans, Waste Management Plans, Task-Specific Health and Safety Plan, Analytical Laboratory Procedures, Soil Sample Results, In-Situ Gamma Spectroscopy Results, Radionuclide Activity Summary, TCLP Soil Sample Results, Waste Characterization Memoranda, Waste Drum Inventory Data, Radiological Risk Assessment, and Summary of Site-Specific Recommendations.
Sample Collection Information Document for Pathogens and Biotoxins − Companion to Standardized Analytical Methods for Environmental Restoration Following Homeland Security Events (SAM) Revision 5.0

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Sample Collection Information Document is intended to provide sampling information to be used during site assessment, remediation and clearance activities following a biological or biotoxin contamination incident.
40 CFR 761.348 - Contemporaneous sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.348 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
40 CFR 761.348 - Contemporaneous sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.348 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
40 CFR 761.348 - Contemporaneous sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.348 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...

40 CFR 761.243 - Standard wipe sample method and size.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Determining a PCB Concentration for Purposes of Abandonment or Disposal of Natural Gas Pipeline: Selecting Sample Sites, Collecting Surface Samples, and Analyzing Standard PCB Wipe.../Rinse Cleanup as Recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency PCB Spill Cleanup Policy,” dated...
40 CFR 761.269 - Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste. 761.269 Section 761.269 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance...
40 CFR 761.269 - Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste. 761.269 Section 761.269 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance...
40 CFR 761.269 - Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste. 761.269 Section 761.269 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance...
40 CFR 761.269 - Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Sampling liquid PCB remediation waste. 761.269 Section 761.269 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC..., AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance...
Assessment of environmental DNA for detecting presence of imperiled aquatic amphibian species in isolated wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mckee, Anna; Calhoun, Daniel L.; Barichivich, William J.; Spear, Stephen F.; Goldberg, Caren S.; Glenn, Travis C

2015-01-01

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging tool that allows low-impact sampling for aquatic species by isolating DNA from water samples and screening for DNA sequences specific to species of interest. However, researchers have not tested this method in naturally acidic wetlands that provide breeding habitat for a number of imperiled species, including the frosted salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum), reticulated flatwoods salamanders (Ambystoma bishopi), striped newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus), and gopher frog (Lithobates capito). Our objectives for this study were to develop and optimize eDNA survey protocols and assays to complement and enhance capture-based survey methods for these amphibian species. We collected three or more water samples, dipnetted or trapped larval and adult amphibians, and conducted visual encounter surveys for egg masses for target species at 40 sites on 12 different longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) tracts. We used quantitative PCRs to screen eDNA from each site for target species presence. We detected flatwoods salamanders at three sites with eDNA but did not detect them during physical surveys. Based on the sample location we assumed these eDNA detections to indicate the presence of frosted flatwoods salamanders. We did not detect reticulated flatwoods salamanders. We detected striped newts with physical and eDNA surveys at two wetlands. We detected gopher frogs at 12 sites total, three with eDNA alone, two with physical surveys alone, and seven with physical and eDNA surveys. We detected our target species with eDNA at 9 of 11 sites where they were present as indicated from traditional surveys and at six sites where they were not detected with traditional surveys. It was, however, critical to use at least three water samples per site for eDNA. Our results demonstrate eDNA surveys can be a useful complement to traditional survey methods for detecting imperiled pond-breeding amphibians. Environmental DNA may be particularly useful in situations where detection probability using traditional survey methods is low or access by trained personnel is limited.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT " ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Synchronous Scanning Luminoscope (Luminoscope) developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in collaboration with Environmental Systems Corporation (ESC) was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in June 2000 at the Navy Base Ventura County site in Port Hueneme, California. The purpose of the demonstration was to collect reliable performance and cost data for the Luminoscope and six other field measurement devices for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil. In addition to assessing ease of device operation, the key objectives of the demonstration included determining the (1) method detection limit, (2) accuracy and precision, (3) effects of interferents and soil moisture content on TPH measurement, (4) sample throughput, and (5) TPH measurement costs for each device. The demonstration involved analysis of both performance evaluation samples and environmental samples collected in five areas contaminated with gasoline, diesel, lubricating oil, or other petroleum products. The performance and cost results for a given field measurement device were compared to those for an off-site laboratory reference method,
Estimating the uncertainty from sampling in pollution crime investigation: The importance of metrology in the forensic interpretation of environmental data.

PubMed

Barazzetti Barbieri, Cristina; de Souza Sarkis, Jorge Eduardo

2018-07-01

The forensic interpretation of environmental analytical data is usually challenging due to the high geospatial variability of these data. The measurements' uncertainty includes contributions from the sampling and from the sample handling and preparation processes. These contributions are often disregarded in analytical techniques results' quality assurance. A pollution crime investigation case was used to carry out a methodology able to address these uncertainties in two different environmental compartments, freshwater sediments and landfill leachate. The methodology used to estimate the uncertainty was the duplicate method (that replicates predefined steps of the measurement procedure in order to assess its precision) and the parameters used to investigate the pollution were metals (Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn) in the leachate, the suspect source, and in the sediment, the possible sink. The metal analysis results were compared to statutory limits and it was demonstrated that Cr and Ni concentrations in sediment samples exceeded the threshold levels at all sites downstream the pollution sources, considering the expanded uncertainty U of the measurements and a probability of contamination >0.975, at most sites. Cu and Zn concentrations were above the statutory limits at two sites, but the classification was inconclusive considering the uncertainties of the measurements. Metal analyses in leachate revealed that Cr concentrations were above the statutory limits with a probability of contamination >0.975 in all leachate ponds while the Cu, Ni and Zn probability of contamination was below 0.025. The results demonstrated that the estimation of the sampling uncertainty, which was the dominant component of the combined uncertainty, is required for a comprehensive interpretation of the environmental analyses results, particularly in forensic cases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Using geostatistics to evaluate cleanup goals

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

Marcon, M.F.; Hopkins, L.P.

1995-12-01

Geostatistical analysis is a powerful predictive tool typically used to define spatial variability in environmental data. The information from a geostatistical analysis using kriging, a geostatistical. tool, can be taken a step further to optimize sampling location and frequency and help quantify sampling uncertainty in both the remedial investigation and remedial design at a hazardous waste site. Geostatistics were used to quantify sampling uncertainty in attainment of a risk-based cleanup goal and determine the optimal sampling frequency necessary to delineate the horizontal extent of impacted soils at a Gulf Coast waste site.
Multiple site receptor modeling with a minimal spanning tree combined with a Kohonen neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopke, Philip K.

1999-12-01

A combination of two pattern recognition methods has been developed that allows the generation of geographical emission maps form multivariate environmental data. In such a projection into a visually interpretable subspace by a Kohonen Self-Organizing Feature Map, the topology of the higher dimensional variables space can be preserved, but parts of the information about the correct neighborhood among the sample vectors will be lost. This can partly be compensated for by an additional projection of Prim's Minimal Spanning Tree into the trained neural network. This new environmental receptor modeling technique has been adapted for multiple sampling sites. The behavior of the method has been studied using simulated data. Subsequently, the method has been applied to mapping data sets from the Southern California Air Quality Study. The projection of a 17 chemical variables measured at up to 8 sampling sites provided a 2D, visually interpretable, geometrically reasonable arrangement of air pollution source sin the South Coast Air Basin.
Environmental factors influence on chemical polymorphism of the essential oils of Lychnophora ericoides.

PubMed

Curado, Marco A; Oliveira, Carolina B A; Jesus, José G; Santos, Suzana C; Seraphin, José C; Ferri, Pedro H

2006-11-01

Lychnophora ericoides is a Brazilian medicinal plant used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent. The essential oils from leaves of two populations with and without scent, collected at 2-month intervals during an 1-year period, were analysed by GC-MS. The results were submitted to principal component and cluster analysis which allowed two groups of essential oils to be distinguished with respect to sampling site and scent: cluster I (Vianópolis site, with specimens exhibiting an aromatic scent) containing a high percentage of alpha-bisabolol (44.7-76.4%) and alpha-cadinol (10.9-23.5%), and cluster II (Cristalina site, with specimens without scent) characterised by a high content of (E)-nerolidol (31.3-47.1%) and ar-dihydro-turmerone (4.8-15.4%). The canonical discriminant analysis showed that using the data set of the seven sampling months and (E)-nerolidol and alpha-bisabolol as predictable variables, it was possible to distinguish between the samples harvested according to Cerrado seasons, dry winter (May-September) and humid summer (November-March). In addition, canonical correlation analysis between the soil sampling sites and the populations revealed a significant relationship between oil components and edaphic factors. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes and potential acidity, Al saturation, cationic exchange capacity, silt, and sand load as the first canonical variate were fairly strongly related to samples collected in Vianópolis site. On the other hand, monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were strongly related to chemical balance in soils (organic matter, P and base saturation), which is related to samples at the Cristalina site. The chemovariation observed appears to be environmentally determined.
Application of passive sampling for measuring dissolved concentrations of organic contaminants in the water column at three marine superfund sites.

PubMed

Burgess, Robert M; Lohmann, Rainer; Schubauer-Berigan, Joseph P; Reitsma, Pamela; Perron, Monique M; Lefkovitz, Lisa; Cantwell, Mark G

2015-08-01

Currently, there is an effort under way to encourage remedial project managers at contaminated sites to use passive sampling to collect freely dissolved concentrations (Cfree ) of hydrophobic organic contaminants to improve site assessments. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of passive sampling for measuring water column Cfree for several hydrophobic organic contaminants at 3 US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites. Sites investigated included New Bedford Harbor (New Bedford, MA, USA), Palos Verdes Shelf (Los Angeles, CA, USA), and Naval Station Newport (Newport, RI, USA); and the passive samplers evaluated were polyethylene, polydimethylsiloxane-coated solid-phase microextraction fibers, semipermeable membrane devices, and polyoxymethylene. In general, the different passive samplers demonstrated good agreement, with Cfree values varying by a factor of 2 to 3. Further, at New Bedford Harbor, where conventional water sample concentrations were also measured (i.e., grab samples), passive sampler-based Cfree values agreed within a factor of 2. These findings suggest that all of the samplers were experiencing and measuring similar Cfree during their respective deployments. Also, at New Bedford Harbor, a strong log-linear, correlative, and predictive relationship was found between polyethylene passive sampler accumulation and lipid-normalized blue mussel bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (r(2) = 0.92, p < 0.05). The present study demonstrates the utility of passive sampling for generating scientifically accurate water column Cfree values, which is critical for making informed environmental management decisions at contaminated sediment sites. Published 2015 SETAC. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Analysis of native water, bed material, and elutriate samples of major Louisiana waterways, 1975

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demas, Charles R.

1976-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, conducted a series of elutriate studies in selected reaches of major navigable waterways of Louisiana. As defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an elutriate is the supernatant resulting from the vigorous 30-minute shaking of one part bottom sediment from the dredging site with four parts water (vol/vol) collected from the dredging site followed by one hour settling time and appropriate centrifugation and a 0.45-micron filtration. The elutriate studies were initiated to evaluate possible environmental effects of proposed dredging activities in selected reaches of Louisiana waterways. The waterways investigated were the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, Breton Sound, Mississippi River downstream from Baton Rouge, Bayou Long, Intracoastal Waterway (east and west of the Harvey Canal), Three Rivers area, Ouachita River, Barataria Bay, Houma Navigation Canal, Atchafalaya Bay (Ship Channel), Berwick Bay, Intracoastal Waterway (Port Allen to Morgan City), Petite Anse area, and Calcasieu River and Ship Channel. The Geological Survey collected 227 samples of native water and bed (bottom) material from 130 different sites. These samples (as well as elutriates prepared from mixtures of native water and bed material) were analyzed for selected metal, pesticide, nutrient, and organic constituents. An additional 116 bed samples collected at 58 sites were analyzed for selected pesticides; and 4 additional native-water samples from 2 sites were analyzed for selected metal pesticide, nutrient, and organic constituents. (Woodard-USGS)
Phytolith aided paleoenvironmental studies from the Dutch Neolithic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persaits, Gergő; Gulyás, Sándor; Náfrádi, Katalin; Sümegi, Pál; Szalontai, Csaba

2015-11-01

There is increasing evidence for crop cultivation at sites of the Neolithic Swifterbant culture from ca. 4300 B.C. onwards. Presence of cereal fields at the Swifterbant S2, S3 and S4 sites has been corroborated from micro morphological studies of soil samples. Swifterbant sites with evidence for cultivated plants are still scarce though and only emerging, and have produced very low numbers of charred cereals only. The major aim of our work was to elucidate the environmental background of the Dutch Neolithic site Swifterbant S4 based on the investigation of phytolith remains retrieved from soil samples. In addition to find evidence for crop cultivation independently from other studies. Samples were taken at 1 cm intervals vertically from the soil section at the central profile of site S4. Additional samples were taken from pocket-like structures and adjacent horizons above and below. Pig coprolites yielded an astonishing phytolith assemblage which was compared to that of the soil samples. A pig tooth also yielded evaluable material via detailed investigation using SEM. The evaluation of phytolith assemblages retrieved from the soil horizons plus those ending up in the droppings of pigs feasting in the area enabled to draw a relatively reliable environmental picture of the area. All these refer to the presence of a Neolithic horticulture (cereal cultivation) under balanced micro-climatic conditions as a result of the vicinity of the nearby floodplain. These findings corroborate those of previous soil micro-morphological studies.
On-site comprehensive analysis of explosives using HPLC-UV-PAED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marple, Ronita L.; LaCourse, William R.

2004-03-01

High-performance liquid chromatography with ultra violet and photo-assisted electrochemical detection (HPLC-UV-PAED) has been developed for the sensitive and selective detection of explosives in ground water and soil extracts. Fractionation and preconcentration of explosives is accomplished with on-line solid phase extraction (SPE), which minimizes sample pretreatment and enables faster and more accurate on-site assessment of a contaminated site. Detection limits are equivalent or superior (i.e., <1 part-per-trillion for HMX) to those achieved using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 8330. This approach is more broadly applicable, as it is capable of determining a wider range of organic nitro compounds. Soil samples are extracted using pressurized fluid extraction (PFE), and this technique is automatable, field-compatible, and environmentally friendly, adding to the overall efficiency of the methodology.
Wayne Interim Storage Site environmental report for calendar year 1992, 868 Black Oak Ridge Road, Wayne, New Jersey. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

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

Not Available

1993-05-01

This report describes the environmental surveillance program at the Wayne Interim Storage Site (WISS) and provides the results for 1992. The fenced, site, 32 km (20 mi) northwest of Newark, New Jersey, was used between 1948 and 1971 for commercial processing of monazite sand to separate natural radioisotopes - predominantly thorium. Environmental surveillance of WISS began in 1984 in accordance with Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 when Congress added the site to DOE`s Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The environmental surveillance program at WISS includes sampling networks for radon and thoron in air; external gamma radiation exposure;more » radium-226, radium-228, thorium-230, thorium-232, total uranium, and several chemicals in surface water and sediment; and total uranium, radium-226, radium-228, thorium-230, thorium-232, and organic and inorganic chemicals in groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other DOE requirements. This monitoring program assists in fulfilling the DOE policy of measuring and monitoring effluents from DOE activities and calculating hypothetical doses. Results for environmental surveillance in 1992 show that the concentrations of all radioactive and most chemical contaminants were below applicable standards.« less
XANES Identification of Plutonium Speciation in RFETS Samples

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

LoPresti, V.; Conradson, S.D.; Clark, D.L.

2009-06-03

Using primarily X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) with standards run in tandem with samples, probable plutonium speciation was determined for 13 samples from contaminated soil, acid-splash or fire-deposition building interior surfaces, or asphalt pads from the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). Save for extreme oxidizing situations, all other samples were found to be of Pu(IV) speciation, supporting the supposition that such contamination is less likely to show mobility off site. EXAFS analysis conducted on two of the 13 samples supported the validity of the XANES features employed as determinants of the plutonium valence.
Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

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

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and others. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerning a procedure,more » it has been included to indicate special studies or applications perhaps more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized.« less
Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

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

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and other biological material. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerningmore » a procedure, it has been included to indicate special studies or applications more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized.« less
Hanford Site near-facility environmental monitoring annual report, calendar year 1997

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

Perkins, C.J.

1998-07-28

Near-facility environmental monitoring provides a means to measure the impacts of operations, waste management, and remediation activities on the environment adjacent to facilities and ensure compliance with local, state, and federal environmental regulations. Specifically, near-facility environmental monitoring monitors new and existing sites, processes, and facilities for potential impacts and releases; fugitive emissions and diffuse sources associated with contaminated areas, facilities (both active and those undergoing surveillance and maintenance), and environmental restoration activities. External radiation, ambient air particulates, ground and surface water, soil, sediment, and biota (plants and animals) are sampled or monitored. Parameters include, as appropriate, radionuclides; radiation fields; chemicalmore » or physical constituents, such as nitrates; pH; and water temperature. All ambient air results were below the US Department of Energy (DOE) Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs). Groundwater concentrations at the two wells at the 107-N Facility were below both the DOE DCG and US Environmental Protection Agency Interim Drinking Water Standards for gamma emitting radionuclides. Soil and vegetation results were generally within historic ranges and mostly below the Accessible Soil Concentration limits (included in HNF-PRO-454, Inactive Waste Sites) with the exception of one soil sampling location at 1 00 N Area. External radiation fields continued an overall downward trend. Surface water disposal unit samples (water, sediment, and aquatic vegetation) showed radionuclide concentrations below their respective DCG and Accessible Soil Concentration limits. The 100 N Area Columbia river shoreline springs results were below DCGs with the exception of one Sr concentration. More than 4,600 ha (11,300 acres) of radiologically controlled areas were surveyed in 1997, approximately the same as in 1996.« less

40 CFR 761.292 - Chemical extraction and analysis of individual samples and composite samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... individual samples and composite samples. 761.292 Section 761.292 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761... individual and composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated...
40 CFR 761.292 - Chemical extraction and analysis of individual samples and composite samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... individual samples and composite samples. 761.292 Section 761.292 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761... individual and composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated...
40 CFR 761.292 - Chemical extraction and analysis of individual samples and composite samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... individual samples and composite samples. 761.292 Section 761.292 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761... individual and composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated...
40 CFR 761.292 - Chemical extraction and analysis of individual samples and composite samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... individual samples and composite samples. 761.292 Section 761.292 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761... individual and composite samples of PCB remediation waste. Use Method 8082 from SW-846, or a method validated...
40 CFR 761.346 - Three levels of sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.346 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
40 CFR 761.346 - Three levels of sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.346 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
40 CFR 761.346 - Three levels of sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.346 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
2010 Groundwater Monitoring and Inspection Report Gnome-Coach Site, New Mexico

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

None

2011-02-01

This report presents the 2010 groundwater monitoring results collected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) at the Gnome-Coach (Gnome) Site in New Mexico (Figure 1). Groundwater monitoring consisted of collecting hydraulic head data and groundwater samples from the wells on site. Historically, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had conducted these annual activities under the Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program (LTHMP). LM took over the sampling and data collection activities in 2008 but continues to use the EPA Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada, to analyze the water samples. This reportmore » summarizes groundwater monitoring and site investigation activities that were conducted at the site during calendar year 2010.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Virginia Finley; Sheneman, Robert S.; Levine, Jerry D.

Contained in the following report are data for radioactivity in the environment collected and analyzed by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s Princeton Environmental, Analytical, and Radiological Laboratory (PEARL). The PEARL is located on-site and is certified for analyzing radiological and non-radiological parameters through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Laboratory Certification Program, Certification Number 12471. Non-radiological surface and ground water samples are analyzed by NJDEP certified subcontractor laboratories – QC, Inc. and Accutest Laboratory. To the best of our knowledge, these data, as contained in the “Annual Site Environmental Report for 2011,” are documented and certified to be correct.
The importance of accounting for larval detectability in mosquito habitat-association studies.

PubMed

Low, Matthew; Tsegaye, Admasu Tassew; Ignell, Rickard; Hill, Sharon; Elleby, Rasmus; Feltelius, Vilhelm; Hopkins, Richard

2016-05-04

Mosquito habitat-association studies are an important basis for disease control programmes and/or vector distribution models. However, studies do not explicitly account for incomplete detection during larval presence and abundance surveys, with potential for significant biases because of environmental influences on larval behaviour and sampling efficiency. Data were used from a dip-sampling study for Anopheles larvae in Ethiopia to evaluate the effect of six factors previously associated with larval sampling (riparian vegetation, direct sunshine, algae, water depth, pH and temperature) on larval presence and detectability. Comparisons were made between: (i) a presence-absence logistic regression where samples were pooled at the site level and detectability ignored, (ii) a success versus trials binomial model, and (iii) a presence-detection mixture model that separately estimated presence and detection, and fitted different explanatory variables to these estimations. Riparian vegetation was consistently highlighted as important, strongly suggesting it explains larval presence (-). However, depending on how larval detectability was estimated, the other factors showed large variations in their statistical importance. The presence-detection mixture model provided strong evidence that larval detectability was influenced by sunshine and water temperature (+), with weaker evidence for algae (+) and water depth (-). For larval presence, there was also some evidence that water depth (-) and pH (+) influenced site occupation. The number of dip-samples needed to determine if larvae were likely present at a site was condition dependent: with sunshine and warm water requiring only two dips, while cooler water and cloud cover required 11. Environmental factors influence true larval presence and larval detectability differentially when sampling in field conditions. Researchers need to be more aware of the limitations and possible biases in different analytical approaches used to associate larval presence or abundance with local environmental conditions. These effects can be disentangled using data that are routinely collected (i.e., multiple dip samples at each site) by employing a modelling approach that separates presence from detectability.
Colonie Interim Storage Site environmental report for calendar year 1992, 1130 Central Avenue, Colonie, New York. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

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

Not Available

1993-05-01

This report describes the environmental surveillance program at the Colonie Interim Storage Site (CISS) and provides the results for 1992. The site is located in eastern New York State, approximately 6.4 km (4.0 mi) northwest of downtown Albany. From 1958 to 1984, National Lead (NL) Industries used the facility to manufacture various components from depleted and enriched uranium natural thorium. Environmental monitoring of CISS began in 1984 when Congress added, the site to the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP is a program established to identify and decontaminate or otherwise control sites wheremore » residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation`s atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental surveillance program at CISS includes sampling networks for external gamma radiation exposure and for thorium-232 and total uranium concentrations in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Several chemical parameters are also measured in groundwater, including total metals, volatile organics, and water quality parameters. This surveillance program assists in fulfilling the DOE policy of measuring and monitoring effluents from DOE activities and calculating hypothetical doses. Results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other DOE requirements.« less
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.
ICBMs and the environment: Assessments at a base in Kazakhstan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matzko, J.R.; Butler, B.

1999-01-01

A paper by two U.S. scientists explores the environmental/health hazard posed by abandoned missile launch sites and control facilities (dismantled by 1998 as part of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program) at an ICBM base in north-central Kazakhstan. It summarizes the findings of Environmental Site Assessment Reports based on a program of water and soil sampling at the sites, with a particular focus on testing for the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls, various toxic metals, and radiation. The study is important in that it documents levels of contamination (and describes abatement measures) at a former Soviet missile base.
The role of physical habitat and sampling effort on estimates of benthic macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness at basin and site scales.

PubMed

Silva, Déborah R O; Ligeiro, Raphael; Hughes, Robert M; Callisto, Marcos

2016-06-01

Taxonomic richness is one of the most important measures of biological diversity in ecological studies, including those with stream macroinvertebrates. However, it is impractical to measure the true richness of any site directly by sampling. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of sampling effort on estimates of macroinvertebrate family and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) genera richness at two scales: basin and stream site. In addition, we tried to determine which environmental factors at the site scale most influenced the amount of sampling effort needed. We sampled 39 sites in the Cerrado biome (neotropical savanna). In each site, we obtained 11 equidistant samples of the benthic assemblage and multiple physical habitat measurements. The observed basin-scale richness achieved a consistent estimation from Chao 1, Jack 1, and Jack 2 richness estimators. However, at the site scale, there was a constant increase in the observed number of taxa with increased number of samples. Models that best explained the slope of site-scale sampling curves (representing the necessity of greater sampling effort) included metrics that describe habitat heterogeneity, habitat structure, anthropogenic disturbance, and water quality, for both macroinvertebrate family and EPT genera richness. Our results demonstrate the importance of considering basin- and site-scale sampling effort in ecological surveys and that taxa accumulation curves and richness estimators are good tools for assessing sampling efficiency. The physical habitat explained a significant amount of the sampling effort needed. Therefore, future studies should explore the possible implications of physical habitat characteristics when developing sampling objectives, study designs, and calculating the needed sampling effort.
ENANTIOMER FRACTIONS OF CHLORDANE COMPOUNDS IN SEDIMENT SAMPLES FROM U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SITES IN LAKES, RIVERS, AND RESERVOIRS

EPA Science Inventory

More than 500 important environmental contaminants are chiral (having structures that are nonsuperimposible mirror images). Although enantiomer pairs have identical physical-chemical properties, their toxicity, biodegradation, and environmental fate often are different. Cyclo...
Multicenter Study on Incubation Conditions for Environmental Monitoring and Aseptic Process Simulation.

PubMed

Guinet, Roland; Berthoumieu, Nicole; Dutot, Philippe; Triquet, Julien; Ratajczak, Medhi; Thibaudon, Michel; Bechaud, Philippe; Arliaud, Christophe; Miclet, Edith; Giordano, Florine; Larcon, Marjorie; Arthaud, Catherine

Environmental monitoring and aseptic process simulations represent an integral part of the microbiological quality control system of sterile pharmaceutical products manufacturing operations. However, guidance documents and manufacturers practices differ regarding recommendations for incubation time and incubation temperature, and, consequently, the environmental monitoring and aseptic process simulation incubation strategy should be supported by validation data. To avoid any bias coming from in vitro studies or from single-site manufacturing in situ studies, we performed a collaborative study at four manufacturing sites with four samples at each location. The environmental monitoring study was performed with tryptic soy agar settle plates and contact plates, and the aseptic process simulation study was performed with tryptic soy broth and thioglycolate broth. The highest recovery rate was obtained with settle plates (97.7%) followed by contact plates (65.4%) and was less than 20% for liquid media (tryptic soy broth 19% and thioglycolate broth 17%). Gram-positive cocci and non-spore-forming Gram-positive rods were largely predominant with more than 95% of growth and recovered best at 32.5 °C. The highest recovery of molds was obtained at 22.5 °C alone or as the first incubation temperature. Strict anaerobes were not recovered. At the end of the five days of incubation no significant statistical difference was obtained between the four conditions. Based on these data a single incubation temperature at 32.5 °C could be recommended for these four manufacturing sites for both environmental monitoring and aseptic process simulation, and a second plate could be used, periodically incubated at 22.5 °C. Similar studies should be considered for all manufacturing facilities in order to determine the optimal incubation temperature regime for both viable environmental monitoring and aseptic process simulation. Microbiological environmental monitoring and aseptic process simulation confirm that pharmaceutical cleanrooms are in an appropriate hygienic condition for manufacturing of sterile drug products. Guidance documents from different health authorities or expert groups differ regarding recommendation of the applied incubation time and incubation temperature, leading to variable manufacturers practices. Some recent publications have demonstrated that laboratory studies are not relevant to determine the best incubation regime and that in situ manufacturing site studies should be used. To solve any possible bias coming from laboratory studies or single-site in situ studies, we conducted a multicenter study at four manufacturing sites with a significant amount of real environmental monitoring samples collected directly from the environment in pharmaceutical production during manufacturing operations with four solid and liquid nutrient media. These samples were then incubated under four different conditions suggested in the guidance documents. We believe that the results of our multicenter study confirming recent other single-site in situ studies could be the basis of the strategy to determine the best incubation regime for both viable environmental monitoring and aseptic process simulation in any manufacturing facility. © PDA, Inc. 2017.
I Environmental DNA sampling is more sensitive than a traditional survey technique for detecting an aquatic invader.

PubMed

Smart, Adam S; Tingley, Reid; Weeks, Andrew R; van Rooyen, Anthony R; McCarthy, Michael A

2015-10-01

Effective management of alien species requires detecting populations in the early stages of invasion. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling can detect aquatic species at relatively low densities, but few studies have directly compared detection probabilities of eDNA sampling with those of traditional sampling methods. We compare the ability of a traditional sampling technique (bottle trapping) and eDNA to detect a recently established invader, the smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris vulgaris, at seven field sites in Melbourne, Australia. Over a four-month period, per-trap detection probabilities ranged from 0.01 to 0.26 among sites where L. v. vulgaris was detected, whereas per-sample eDNA estimates were much higher (0.29-1.0). Detection probabilities of both methods varied temporally (across days and months), but temporal variation appeared to be uncorrelated between methods. Only estimates of spatial variation were strongly correlated across the two sampling techniques. Environmental variables (water depth, rainfall, ambient temperature) were not clearly correlated with detection probabilities estimated via trapping, whereas eDNA detection probabilities were negatively correlated with water depth, possibly reflecting higher eDNA concentrations at lower water levels. Our findings demonstrate that eDNA sampling can be an order of magnitude more sensitive than traditional methods, and illustrate that traditional- and eDNA-based surveys can provide independent information on species distributions when occupancy surveys are conducted over short timescales.
In vitro micronuclei tests to evaluate the genotoxicity of surface water under the influence of tanneries.

PubMed

Lemos, A O; Oliveira, N C D; Lemos, C T

2011-06-01

Leather manufacturing has a high potential for environmental pollution due to hides and chemicals that are not completely absorbed during the tanning process. This study aims to investigate the mutagenic potential of surface water samples from Cadeia and Feitoria rivers (RS, Brazil) in areas influenced by tanneries and leather footwear industry. Micronucleus assays using V79 cells and human lymphocytes were used. Cells were exposed to surface water collected bimonthly from three sites for a year, totaling six samples. Significant MN induction in human lymphocytes was shown by 83% of samples from sites FEI001 and CAD001 located downstream from the industrial area, followed by FEI004 (33%), upstream. Only a single sample from site FEI004 showed a positive response for MN in V79 cells. Thirteen discordant and five concordant responses were found between the two in vitro tests. Mutagenic agents were found at the sites where chemical quality was worst, corroborating studies on chronic toxicity, oxidative stress and mutagenicity performed in this area. The assay using human lymphocytes was more sensitive than V79 cells to detect the contaminants from this area, showing that it is an excellent biomarker of environmental genotoxicity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Trace element, semivolatile organic, and chlorinated organic compound concentrations in bed sediments of selected streams at Fort Gordon, Georgia, February-April 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Lashun K.; Journey, Celeste A.; Stringfield, Whitney J.; Clark, Jimmy M.; Bradley, Paul M.; Wellborn, John B.; Ratliff, Hagan; Abrahamsen, Thomas A.

2011-01-01

A spatial survey of streams was conducted from February to April 2010 to assess the concentrations of major ions, selected trace elements, semivolatile organic compounds, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls associated with the bed sediments of surface waters at Fort Gordon military installation near Augusta, Georgia. This investigation expanded a previous study conducted in May 1998 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, that evaluated the streambed sediment quality of selected surface waters at Fort Gordon. The data presented in this report are intended to help evaluate bed sediment quality in relation to guidelines for the protection of aquatic life, and identify temporal trends in trace elements and semivolatile organic compound concentrations at streambed sites previously sampled. Concentrations of 34 major ions and trace elements and 102 semivolatile organic, organochlorine pesticide, and polychlorinated biphenyl compounds were determined in the fine-grained fraction of bed sediment samples collected from 13 of the original 29 sites in the previous study, and 22 additional sites at Fort Gordon. Three of the sites were considered reference sites as they were presumed to be located away from potential sources of contaminants and were selected to represent surface waters flowing onto the fort, and the remaining 32 nonreference sites were presumed to be located within the contamination area at the fort. Temporal trends in trace elements and semivolatile organic compound concentrations also were evaluated at 13 of the 32 nonreference sites to provide an assessment of the variability in the number of detections and concentrations of constituents in bed sediment associated with potential sources, accumulation, and attenuation processes. Major ion and trace element concentrations in fine-grained bed sediment samples from most nonreference sites exceeded concentrations in samples from reference sites at Fort Gordon. Bed sediments from one of the nonreference sites sampled contained the highest concentrations of copper and lead with elevated levels of zinc and chromium relative to reference sites. The percentage change of major ions, trace elements, and total organic carbon that had been detected at sites previously sampled in May 1998 and current bed sediment sites ranged from -4 to 8 percent with an average percentage change of less than 1 percent. Concentrations of major ions and trace elements in bed sediments exceeded probable effect levels for aquatic life (based on the amphipod Hyalella azteca) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 46 and 69 percent of the current and previously sampled locations, respectively. The greatest frequency of exceedances for major ions and trace elements in bed sediments was observed for lead. Concentrations of semivolatile organic compounds, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in bed sediment samples at 94 percent of the sites currently sampled. Detections of these organic compounds were reported with greater frequency in bed sediments at upstream sampling locations, when compared to downstream locations. The greatest number of detections of these compounds was reported for bed sediment samples collected from two creeks above a lake. The percentage change of semivolatile organic compounds detected at previously sampled and current bed sediment sites ranged from -68 to 100 percent with the greatest percentage increase reported for one of the creeks above the lake. Concentrations of semivolatile organic compounds and polychlorinated biphenyls in bed sediments exceeded aquatic life criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at three sites. Contaminant compounds exceeding aquatic life criteria included fluoranthene, phenanthrene, anthracene, benzo(a)anthracene
Allium-test as a tool for toxicity testing of environmental radioactive-chemical mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oudalova, A. A.; Geras'kin, S. A.; Dikareva, N. S.; Pyatkova, S. V.

2017-01-01

Bioassay-based approaches have been propagated to assess toxicity of unknown mixtures of environmental contaminants, but it was rarely applied in cases of chemicals with radionuclides combinations. Two Allium-test studies were performed to assess environmental impact from potential sources of combined radioactive-chemical pollution. Study sites were located at nuclear waste storage facilities in European and in Far-Eastern parts of Russia. As environmental media under impact, waters from monitor wells and nearby water bodies were tested. Concentrations of some chemicals and radionuclides in the samples collected enhanced the permitted limits. Cytogenetic and cytotoxic effects were used as biological endpoints, namely, frequency and spectrum of chromosome aberrations and mitotic abnormalities in anatelophase cells as well as mitotic activity in Allium root tips. Sample points were revealed where waters have an enhanced mutagenic potential. The findings obtained could be used to optimize monitoring system and advance decision making on management and rehabilitation of industrial sites. The Allium-test could be recommended and applied as an effective tool for toxicity testing in case of combined contamination of environmental compartments with radionuclides and chemical compounds.

Use of fluorescent tagging for assessment of environmental cleaning and disinfection in a veterinary hospital.

PubMed

Weese, J S; Lowe, T; Walker, M

2012-09-01

Environmental cleaning was assessed at a small animal veterinary referral hospital and associated primary healthcare facility. A convenience sample of surfaces was contaminated with fluorescent dye, and then cleaning was assessed 24 hours later by UV light visualisation. Five hundred sixty-three sites were assessed; however, 70 sites were unable to be evaluated 24 hours later because equipment had been removed or because rooms were occupied at the time of re-evaluation. Overall, dye was removed from 212/493 (43%) of sites. Site-specific rates ranged from 14% (computer keyboards and mice, 9/66 site cleaned) to 81% (examination tables, 44/54 sites cleaned). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of successful cleaning by general location (P < 0.0001) and surface type (P < 0.0001). Environmental tagging was an easy and low-cost tool to assess cleaning practices. Results prompted further infection control investigations to explain selected deficiencies, leading to identification of inadequacies in protocols and practices. Environmental tagging may be a useful infection control tool for establishing baseline cleaning rates, identifying deficiencies in protocols, evaluating the effects of interventions and education of personnel.
40 CFR 761.267 - Sampling non-porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Sampling non-porous surfaces. 761.267 Section 761.267 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES... PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance with Â§ 761.61(a)(2...
40 CFR 761.265 - Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces. 761.265 Section 761.265 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY..., DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste...
40 CFR 761.267 - Sampling non-porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Sampling non-porous surfaces. 761.267 Section 761.267 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES... PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance with Â§ 761.61(a)(2...
40 CFR 761.265 - Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces. 761.265 Section 761.265 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY..., DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste...
40 CFR 761.267 - Sampling non-porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Sampling non-porous surfaces. 761.267 Section 761.267 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES... PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance with Â§ 761.61(a)(2...
40 CFR 761.265 - Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces. 761.265 Section 761.265 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY..., DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste...
40 CFR 761.265 - Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces. 761.265 Section 761.265 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY..., DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste...
Analyses of native water, bottom material, elutriate samples, and dredged material from selected southern Louisiana waterways and selected areas in the Gulf of Mexico, 1979-81

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lurry, Dee L.

1983-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey was requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, to provide water-quality data to evaluate environmental effects of dredging activities in selected reaches of the Calcasieu River in southwestern Louisiana. Samples were collected from the upper and lower Calcasieu River between January 1980 and March 1981. Thirty-three samples (22 native-water and 11 effluent) were collected from eleven dredging sites. In addition, a series of elutriate studies were conducted between July 1979 and July 1981 to determine water quality as a basis for assessing possible environmental effects of proposed dredging activities in the following areas: Grand Bayou and Martins Canal near Happy Jack, unnamed bayou near Port Sulphur, Grand Bayou and Pipeline Canal near Port Sulphur and Bayou des Plantins near Empire; Mississippi River Gulf Outlet and Inner Harbor Navigation Canal; Southwest Pass; Barataria Bay; Atchafalaya Bay at Eugene Island; Calcasieu Ship Channel. Samples of native water and samples of bottom material were collected from 22 different sites and elutriate (mixtures of native water and bottom material) samples were prepared and analyzed. Four proposed ocean-disposal sites were sampled for bottom material only. Samples were analyzed for selected chemical and biological constituents and physical properties. (USGS)
Development of a Standardized Approach for Environmental Microbiota Investigations related to Asthma Development in Children

PubMed Central

Fujimura, Kei E.; Rauch, Marcus; Matsui, Elizabeth; Iwai, Shoko; Calatroni, Agustin; Lynn, Henry; Mitchell, Herman; Johnson, Christine C.; Gern, James E.; Togias, Alkis; Boushey, Homer A.; Kennedy, Suzanne; Lynch, Susan V.

2013-01-01

Summary Standardized studies examining environmental microbial exposure in populations at risk for asthma are necessary to improve our understanding of the role this factor plays in disease development. Here we describe studies aimed at developing guidelines for high-resolution culture-independent microbiome profiling, using a phylogenetic microarray (PhyloChip), of house dust samples in a cohort collected as part of the NIH-funded Inner City Asthma Consortium (ICAC). We demonstrate that though extracted DNA concentrations varied across dust samples, the majority produced sufficient 16S rRNA to be profiled by the array. Comparison of array and 454-pyrosequencing performed in parallel on a subset of samples, illustrated that increasingly deeper sequencing efforts validated greater numbers of array-detected taxa. Community composition agreement across samples exhibited a hierarchy in concordance, with the highest level of agreement in replicate array profiles followed by samples collected from adjacent 1×1 m2 sites in the same room, adjacent sites with different sized sampling quadrants (1×1 and 2×2 m2), different sites within homes (living and bedroom) to lowest in living room samples collected from different homes. The guidelines for sample collection and processing in this pilot study extend beyond PhyloChip based studies of house-associated microbiota, and bear relevance for other microbiome profiling approaches such as next-generation sequencing. PMID:22975469
Environmental impact assessment of oilfield upgrades in Bohai Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ruihui; Xiong, Yanna; Li, Jiao; Li, Xianbo

2018-02-01

This paper designed 65 environmental monitoring sites to collect samples and analyze for better evaluating the environmental impact generated by cuttings, mud, produced water with oil and oil pollutions that produced during the upgrading in the Bohai Sea where the oil field 34-1 upgraded. Collecting samples include ocean water, marine life and sediments and test items involve PH, dissolved oxygen (DO), salinity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), phosphate, organic carbon, sulfide, inorganic nitrogen, petroleum, copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), total chromium (Cr), total mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As). Meanwhile sample sites collect and analyze the abundance and diversity of marine plants and elaborated the environmental impact caused by upgrading renovation project from the aspects of sea water, marine life and marine sediments. Through analysis and comparison we found that seawater quality conform the Ш seawater quality standards, the excessive rate of Cu is 10%, the average diversity index of marine life is 2.34 and evenness is 0.68. Influence range of marine sediments and pollutants of production is within 2.68km and basically has no serious impact in the surrounding sea area. It’s worth nothing that reconstruction project has the risk of oil spilling and protective measures must be prepared.
Sediment toxicity in mid-continent great rivers (USA)

EPA Science Inventory

In this study, 530 sediment samples were collected from 447 sites between 2004 and 2006 at randomly selected shoreline sites along the main channel of the Ohio, Missouri and Upper Mississippi Rivers as part of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Great Rivers E...
Ecological drivers and habitat associations of estuarine bivalves

PubMed Central

Tunberg, Björn G.; Johnston, Cora A.; Barshis, Daniel J.

2015-01-01

Community composition of the infaunal bivalve fauna of the St. Lucie Estuary and southern Indian River Lagoon, eastern Florida was sampled quarterly for 10 years as part of a long-term benthic monitoring program. A total of 38,514 bivalves of 137 taxa were collected and identified. We utilized this data, along with sediment samples and environmental measurements gathered concurrently, to assess the community composition, distribution, and ecological drivers of the infaunal bivalves of this estuary system. Salinity had the strongest influence on bivalve assemblage across the 15 sites, superseding the influences of sediment type, water turbidity, temperature and other environmental parameters. The greatest diversity was found in higher salinity euhaline sites, while the greatest abundance of individual bivalves was found in medium salinity mixohaline sites, the lowest diversity and abundances were found in the low salinity oligohaline sites, demonstrating a strong positive association between salinity and diversity/abundance. Water management decisions for the estuary should incorporate understanding of the role of salinity on bivalve diversity, abundance, and ecosystem function. PMID:26587338
Ecological drivers and habitat associations of estuarine bivalves.

PubMed

McKeon, C Seabird; Tunberg, Björn G; Johnston, Cora A; Barshis, Daniel J

2015-01-01

Community composition of the infaunal bivalve fauna of the St. Lucie Estuary and southern Indian River Lagoon, eastern Florida was sampled quarterly for 10 years as part of a long-term benthic monitoring program. A total of 38,514 bivalves of 137 taxa were collected and identified. We utilized this data, along with sediment samples and environmental measurements gathered concurrently, to assess the community composition, distribution, and ecological drivers of the infaunal bivalves of this estuary system. Salinity had the strongest influence on bivalve assemblage across the 15 sites, superseding the influences of sediment type, water turbidity, temperature and other environmental parameters. The greatest diversity was found in higher salinity euhaline sites, while the greatest abundance of individual bivalves was found in medium salinity mixohaline sites, the lowest diversity and abundances were found in the low salinity oligohaline sites, demonstrating a strong positive association between salinity and diversity/abundance. Water management decisions for the estuary should incorporate understanding of the role of salinity on bivalve diversity, abundance, and ecosystem function.
May 2011 Groundwater and Surface Water Sampling at the Rio Blanco, Colorado, Site (Data Validation Package)

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

Hutton, Rick

2011-12-01

Annual sampling was conducted at the Rio Blanco, Colorado, site for the Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program May 16-17, 2011, to monitor groundwater and surface water for potential radionuclide contamination. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated). A duplicate sample was collected from location Johnson Artesian WL. Samples were analyzed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Radiation&Indoor Environments National Laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada. Samples were analyzed for gamma-emitting radionuclides by high-resolution gamma spectrometry, and for tritium using the conventional method.more » Tritium was not measured using the enrichment method because the EPA laboratory no longer offers that service. Results of this monitoring at the Rio Blanco site demonstrate that groundwater and surface water outside the boundaries have not been affected by project-related contaminants.« less
Nutrient, suspended-sediment, and total suspended-solids data for surface water in the Great Salt Lake basins study unit, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, 1980-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hadley, Heidi K.

2000-01-01

Selected nitrogen and phosphorus (nutrient), suspended-sediment and total suspended-solids surface-water data were compiled from January 1980 through December 1995 within the Great Salt Lake Basins National Water-Quality Assessment study unit, which extends from southeastern Idaho to west-central Utah and from Great Salt Lake to the Wasatch and western Uinta Mountains. The data were retrieved from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System and the State of Utah, Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality database. The Division of Water Quality database includes data that are submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STOrage and RETrieval system. Water-quality data included in this report were selected for surface-water sites (rivers, streams, and canals) that had three or more nutrient, suspended-sediment, or total suspended-solids analyses. Also, 33 percent or more of the measurements at a site had to include discharge, and, for non-U.S. Geological Survey sites, there had to be 2 or more years of data. Ancillary data for parameters such as water temperature, pH, specific conductance, streamflow (discharge), dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, alkalinity, and turbidity also were compiled, as available. The compiled nutrient database contains 13,511 samples from 191 selected sites. The compiled suspended-sediment and total suspended-solids database contains 11,642 samples from 142 selected sites. For the nutrient database, the median (50th percentile) sample period for individual sites is 6 years, and the 75th percentile is 14 years. The median number of samples per site is 52 and the 75th percentile is 110 samples. For the suspended-sediment and total suspended-solids database, the median sample period for individual sites is 9 years, and the 75th percentile is 14 years. The median number of samples per site is 76 and the 75th percentile is 120 samples. The compiled historical data are being used in the basinwide sampling strategy to characterize the broad-scale geographic and seasonal water-quality conditions in relation to major contaminant sources and background conditions. Data for this report are stored on a compact disc.
Detection of Influenza A viruses at migratory bird stopover sites in Michigan, USA.

PubMed

Lickfett, Todd M; Clark, Erica; Gehring, Thomas M; Alm, Elizabeth W

2018-01-01

Introduction: Influenza A viruses have the potential to cause devastating illness in humans and domestic poultry. Wild birds are the natural reservoirs of Influenza A viruses and migratory birds are implicated in their global dissemination. High concentrations of this virus are excreted in the faeces of infected birds and faecal contamination of shared aquatic habitats can lead to indirect transmission among birds via the faecal-oral route. The role of migratory birds in the spread of avian influenza has led to large-scale surveillance efforts of circulating avian influenza viruses through direct sampling of live and dead wild birds. Environmental monitoring of bird habitats using molecular detection methods may provide additional information on the persistence of influenza virus at migratory stopover sites distributed across large spatial scales. Materials and methods: In the current study, faecal and water samples were collected at migratory stopover sites and evaluated for Influenza A by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Results and Discussion: This study found that Influenza A was detected at 53% of the evaluated stopover sites, and 7% and 4.8% of the faecal and water samples, respectively, tested positive for Influenza A virus. Conclusion: Environmental monitoring detected Influenza A at stopover sites used by migratory birds.
Bioaccumulation Using Surrogate Samplers (Bass): Evaluation Of A Passive Sampler As An Alternative Monitoring Tool For Environmental Contaminants At The Savannah River Site

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

Paller, M.; Knox, A.; Kuhne, W.

2015-10-15

DOE sites conduct traditional environmental monitoring programs that require collecting, processing, and analyzing water, sediment, and fish samples. However, recently developed passive sampling technologies, such as Diffusive Gradient in Thin films (DGT), may measure the chemical phases that are available and toxic to organisms (the bioavailable fraction), thereby producing more accurate and economical results than traditional methods. Our laboratory study showed that dissolved copper concentrations measured by DGT probes were strongly correlated with the uptake of copper by Lumbriculus variegatus, an aquatic worm, and with concentrations of copper measured by conventional methods. Dissolved copper concentrations in DGT probes increased with timemore » of exposure, paralleling the increase in copper with time that ocurred in Lumbriculus. Additional studies with a combination of seven dissolved metals showed similar results. These findings support the use of DGT as a biomimetic monitoring tool and provide a basis for refinement of these methods for cost-effective environmental monitoring at DOE sites.« less
Nitrogen and phosphorus data for surface water in the Upper Colorado River basin, Colorado, 1980-94

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wynn, K.H.; Spahr, N.E.

1997-01-01

This report documents, summarizes, and provides on 3.5-in. diskette the surface-water data collected from January 1980 through August 1994 for nitrogen and phosphorus in the Upper Colorado River Basin from the Colorado-Utah State line to the Continental Divide. Ancillary data for parameters, such as water temperature, streamflow, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and alkalinity, also are compiled, if available. Data were retrieved from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STORET (STOrage and RETrieval) system. The water-quality data are presented for sites having five or more nutrient analyses that reflect ambient stream conditions. The compiled data base contains 4,927 samples from 123 sites. The median sample period of record for individual sites is 2.5 years, and the seventy-fifth percentile is about 12 years. Sixteen sites have only five samples each. The median number of samples per site is 14 samples, whereas the seventy-fifth percentile is 65 samples. The compiled data set was used in the design of a basinwide sampling network that incorporates sites that lack historic surface-water-quality data.
In vitro assessment of estrogenic bioactivity in complex environmental effluents**

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental effluents contain a diversity of chemicals, can originate from a variety of sources, and have been found to contain estrogenic and/or androgenic activity. In this study, samples were collected from targeted sites or as runoff from an agriculture field that was spray...

In vitro assessment of estrogenic bioactivity in complex environmental effluents

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental effluents contain a diversity of chemicals, can originate from a variety of sources, and have been found to contain estrogenic and/or androgenic activity. In this study, samples were collected from targeted sites or as runoff from an agriculture field that was spray...
Oxidative stress enzyme and histopathological lesions in Colossoma macropomum (pisces, ariidae) for environmental impact assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade, Ticianne de Sousa de Oliveira Mota; Sousa, Debora Batista Pinheiro; Dantas, Janaina Gomes; Castro, Jonatas da Silva; Neta, Raimunda Nonata Fortes Carvalho

2015-12-01

This study used oxidative stress enzyme (Glutathione S-Transferase and Catalase), histopathological lesions (Branchial lesions) and biometric data in the freshwater fish tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, to assess environmental impacts in an Environmental Protection Area at São Luis, Brazil. Fish were sampled from two locations (A1 = contaminated area and A2 = reference site) within the protected area on four occasions. The activity of catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in C. macropomum was compared with biometric data and histopathological lesions. Results have shown that biometric data decreased significantly in fish (p<0.05) at the contaminated site. The activity of CAT was higher in fish specifically caught in A1. A significant difference was observed in the GST activity in the liver of C. macropomum when comparing fish from the contaminated site and those from the reference site (p<0.05).
Relations Between Environmental and Water-Quality Variables and Escherichia coli in the Cuyahoga River With Emphasis on Turbidity as a Predictor of Recreational Water Quality, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Amie M.G.; Plona, Meg B.

2009-01-01

During the recreational season of 2008 (May through August), a regression model relating turbidity to concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) was used to predict recreational water quality in the Cuyahoga River at the historical community of Jaite, within the present city of Brecksville, Ohio, a site centrally located within Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Samples were collected three days per week at Jaite and at three other sites on the river. Concentrations of E. coli were determined and compared to environmental and water-quality measures and to concentrations predicted with a regression model. Linear relations between E. coli concentrations and turbidity, gage height, and rainfall were statistically significant for Jaite. Relations between E. coli concentrations and turbidity were statistically significant for the three additional sites, and relations between E. coli concentrations and gage height were significant at the two sites where gage-height data were available. The turbidity model correctly predicted concentrations of E. coli above or below Ohio's single-sample standard for primary-contact recreation for 77 percent of samples collected at Jaite.
Comparison of American Fisheries Society (AFS) standard fish sampling techniques and environmental DNA for characterizing fish communities in a large reservoir

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perez, Christina R.; Bonar, Scott A.; Amberg, Jon J.; Ladell, Bridget; Rees, Christopher B.; Stewart, William T.; Gill, Curtis J.; Cantrell, Chris; Robinson, Anthony

2017-01-01

Recently, methods involving examination of environmental DNA (eDNA) have shown promise for characterizing fish species presence and distribution in waterbodies. We evaluated the use of eDNA for standard fish monitoring surveys in a large reservoir. Specifically, we compared the presence, relative abundance, biomass, and relative percent composition of Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum measured through eDNA methods and established American Fisheries Society standard sampling methods for Theodore Roosevelt Lake, Arizona. Catches at electrofishing and gillnetting sites were compared with eDNA water samples at sites, within spatial strata, and over the entire reservoir. Gizzard Shad were detected at a higher percentage of sites with eDNA methods than with boat electrofishing in both spring and fall. In contrast, spring and fall gillnetting detected Gizzard Shad at more sites than eDNA. Boat electrofishing and gillnetting detected Largemouth Bass at more sites than eDNA; the exception was fall gillnetting, for which the number of sites of Largemouth Bass detection was equal to that for eDNA. We observed no relationship between relative abundance and biomass of Largemouth Bass and Gizzard Shad measured by established methods and eDNA copies at individual sites or lake sections. Reservoirwide catch composition for Largemouth Bass and Gizzard Shad (numbers and total weight [g] of fish) as determined through a combination of gear types (boat electrofishing plus gillnetting) was similar to the proportion of total eDNA copies from each species in spring and fall field sampling. However, no similarity existed between proportions of fish caught via spring and fall boat electrofishing and the proportion of total eDNA copies from each species. Our study suggests that eDNA field sampling protocols, filtration, DNA extraction, primer design, and DNA sequencing methods need further refinement and testing before incorporation into standard fish sampling surveys.
Landscape Changes Influence the Occurrence of the Melioidosis Bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei in Soil in Northern Australia

PubMed Central

Kaestli, Mirjam; Mayo, Mark; Harrington, Glenda; Ward, Linda; Watt, Felicity; Hill, Jason V.; Cheng, Allen C.; Currie, Bart J.

2009-01-01

Background The soil-dwelling saprophyte bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei is the cause of melioidosis, a severe disease of humans and animals in southeast Asia and northern Australia. Despite the detection of B. pseudomallei in various soil and water samples from endemic areas, the environmental habitat of B. pseudomallei remains unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings We performed a large survey in the Darwin area in tropical Australia and screened 809 soil samples for the presence of these bacteria. B. pseudomallei were detected by using a recently developed and validated protocol involving soil DNA extraction and real-time PCR targeting the B. pseudomallei–specific Type III Secretion System TTS1 gene cluster. Statistical analyses such as multivariable cluster logistic regression and principal component analysis were performed to assess the association of B. pseudomallei with environmental factors. The combination of factors describing the habitat of B. pseudomallei differed between undisturbed sites and environmentally manipulated areas. At undisturbed sites, the occurrence of B. pseudomallei was found to be significantly associated with areas rich in grasses, whereas at environmentally disturbed sites, B. pseudomallei was associated with the presence of livestock animals, lower soil pH and different combinations of soil texture and colour. Conclusions/Significance This study contributes to the elucidation of environmental factors influencing the occurrence of B. pseudomallei and raises concerns that B. pseudomallei may spread due to changes in land use. PMID:19156200
From Microhabitat of Floral Nectar Up to Biogeographic Scale: Novel Insights on Neutral and Niche Bacterial Assemblies.

PubMed

Aizenberg-Gershtein, Yana; Izhaki, Ido; Halpern, Malka

2017-07-01

Microbial model systems are very useful in addressing macro-ecological questions. Two major theories exist to date, to explain the community structure of organisms: (1) the dispersal (neutral) assembly theory which predicts that community similarity decreases with increasing geographic distance, independent of any environmental variables, and (2) the niche assembly theory which predicts that the communities' compositions are more homogeneous among sites characterized by similar environmental conditions. Our study system offered a unique opportunity to investigate the relative role of environmental conditions and spatial factors in shaping community composition. We explored the bacterial community composition (BCC) of Nicotiana glauca floral nectar using the Illumina MiSeq technique at three spatial scales (plants, site, and region) and two taxonomic levels. Floral nectar samples were collected from 69 N. glauca plants at 11 different sites along a 200-km transect in Israel, along three biogeographic regions. A distance decay of BCC was found among all plants throughout Israel, but such pattern was not found among either sites or biogeographical regions. The BCC was also governed by environmental conditions in all examined scales (from the plant up to the biogeographical region). We also found that taxonomic resolution (89 and 97% sequence identity for clustering operational taxonomic units) affected the results of these BCC analyses. Hence, our study revealed that the BCC in N. glauca floral nectar is shaped by both the environmental conditions and the distance between plants, depending on the sampling scale under examination as well as by taxonomic resolution.
Evaluating the efficiency of environmental monitoring programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levine, Carrie R.; Yanai, Ruth D.; Lampman, Gregory G.; Burns, Douglas A.; Driscoll, Charles T.; Lawrence, Gregory B.; Lynch, Jason; Schoch, Nina

2014-01-01

Statistical uncertainty analyses can be used to improve the efficiency of environmental monitoring, allowing sampling designs to maximize information gained relative to resources required for data collection and analysis. In this paper, we illustrate four methods of data analysis appropriate to four types of environmental monitoring designs. To analyze a long-term record from a single site, we applied a general linear model to weekly stream chemistry data at Biscuit Brook, NY, to simulate the effects of reducing sampling effort and to evaluate statistical confidence in the detection of change over time. To illustrate a detectable difference analysis, we analyzed a one-time survey of mercury concentrations in loon tissues in lakes in the Adirondack Park, NY, demonstrating the effects of sampling intensity on statistical power and the selection of a resampling interval. To illustrate a bootstrapping method, we analyzed the plot-level sampling intensity of forest inventory at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH, to quantify the sampling regime needed to achieve a desired confidence interval. Finally, to analyze time-series data from multiple sites, we assessed the number of lakes and the number of samples per year needed to monitor change over time in Adirondack lake chemistry using a repeated-measures mixed-effects model. Evaluations of time series and synoptic long-term monitoring data can help determine whether sampling should be re-allocated in space or time to optimize the use of financial and human resources.
Surveillance of Avian H7N9 Virus in Various Environments of Zhejiang Province, China before and after Live Poultry Markets Were Closed in 2013–2014

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoxiao; Liu, Shelan; Mao, Haiyan; Yu, Zhao; Chen, Enfu; Chai, Chengliang

2015-01-01

Background To date, there have been a total of 637 laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus across mainland China, with 28% (179/637) of these reported in Zhejiang Province. Surveillance of avian H7N9 virus was conducted to investigate environmental contamination during H7N9 outbreaks. We sought to evaluate the prevalence of H7N9 in the environment, and the effects of poultry market closures on the incidence of human H7N9 cases. Methods We collected 6740 environmental samples from 751 sampling sites across 11 cities of Zhejiang Province (China) between January 2013 and March 2014. The presence of H7N9 was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, with prevalence compared between sites and over time. The relationship between environmental contamination and human cases of H7N9 infection were analyzed using Spearman’s ranked correlation coefficient. Results Of the 6740 samples, 10.09% (680/6740) were H7N9-positive. The virus was found to circulate seasonally, and peaked during the spring and winter of 2013–2014. The prevalence of the virus decreased from the north to the southeast of the province, coinciding with the geographical distribution of human H7N9 cases. Compared with other sampling sites, live poultry markets (LPMs) had the highest prevalence of H7N9 virus at 13.94% (667/4784). Of the various sample types analyzed, virus prevalence was highest for chopping board swabs at 15.49% (110/710). The prevalence of the virus in the environment positively correlated with the incidence of human H7N9 cases (r2 = 0.498; P < 0.01). Cities with a higher incidence of human H7N9 cases also had a higher prevalence of H7N9 among samples and at sampling sites. Following the closure of LPMs at the end of January 2014, the prevalence of H7N9 decreased from 19.18% (487/2539) to 6.92% (79/1141). This corresponded with a decrease in the number of human H7N9 cases reported. Conclusions The prevalence of H7N9 virus in environmental samples oscillated seasonally, regardless of whether LPMs were open. The presence of H7N9 in environmental samples positively correlated with the number of human H7N9 cases, indicating that eradication of the virus from the environment is essential in reducing the numbers of H7N9 cases and halting the spread of the virus. PMID:26308215
Report of sampling and analysis results, Addison Army housing units, Addison, Illinois. Final report

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

Not Available

1990-09-01

The objectives of this sampling and analysis effort include further characterization of environmental contamination identified in an enhanced preliminary assessment carried out in 1989. The specific activities performed at this site were identification, evaluation of the condition, and collection of samples from specific suspected asbestos-containing materials, including floor tiles, pipe run and pipe fitting insulation, dust in the ductwork, and exterior siding, where present. These evaluation were necessary to clarify potential environmental issues identified in the earlier report, prior to the sale or realignment of the property.
Quantifying environmental limiting factors on tree cover using geospatial data.

PubMed

Greenberg, Jonathan A; Santos, Maria J; Dobrowski, Solomon Z; Vanderbilt, Vern C; Ustin, Susan L

2015-01-01

Environmental limiting factors (ELFs) are the thresholds that determine the maximum or minimum biological response for a given suite of environmental conditions. We asked the following questions: 1) Can we detect ELFs on percent tree cover across the eastern slopes of the Lake Tahoe Basin, NV? 2) How are the ELFs distributed spatially? 3) To what extent are unmeasured environmental factors limiting tree cover? ELFs are difficult to quantify as they require significant sample sizes. We addressed this by using geospatial data over a relatively large spatial extent, where the wall-to-wall sampling ensures the inclusion of rare data points which define the minimum or maximum response to environmental factors. We tested mean temperature, minimum temperature, potential evapotranspiration (PET) and PET minus precipitation (PET-P) as potential limiting factors on percent tree cover. We found that the study area showed system-wide limitations on tree cover, and each of the factors showed evidence of being limiting on tree cover. However, only 1.2% of the total area appeared to be limited by the four (4) environmental factors, suggesting other unmeasured factors are limiting much of the tree cover in the study area. Where sites were near their theoretical maximum, non-forest sites (tree cover < 25%) were primarily limited by cold mean temperatures, open-canopy forest sites (tree cover between 25% and 60%) were primarily limited by evaporative demand, and closed-canopy forests were not limited by any particular environmental factor. The detection of ELFs is necessary in order to fully understand the width of limitations that species experience within their geographic range.
Environmental characteristics of the Grand Fir Mosaic and adjacent habitat types

Treesearch

Dennis E. Ferguson; John C. Byrne

2000-01-01

Grand Fir Mosaic habitats differ from adjacent forest habitats in their slow rate of secondary succession to woody vegetation. Remote monitoring stations were used to sample the environment at a Grand Fir Mosaic site and three adjacent habitat types. The Grand Fir Mosaic site has shorter growing seasons, cooler temperatures, and more soil moisture than the other sites...
Quality of water and sediment in streams affected by historical mining, and quality of Mine Tailings, in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin, Big Bend Area of the United States and Mexico, August 2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2008-01-01

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffert, M.; Anderson, R. E.; Stepanauskas, R.; Huber, J. A.

2017-12-01

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents sustain diverse communities of microorganisms. The effects of geochemical and biological interactions on the process of evolution in these ecosystems remains poorly understood because the majority of subsurface microorganisms remain uncultivated. By examining metagenomic samples from hydrothermal fluids and mapping the samples to closely-related genomes found in vent sites, we can better understand how the process of evolution is affected by the geochemical and environmental context in deep-sea vents. The Mid-Cayman Rise is a spreading ridge that hosts both mafic-influenced and ultramafic-influenced vent fields. Previous research on metagenomic samples from sites in the Mid-Cayman Rise has shown that these vents contain metabolically and taxonomically diverse microbial communities. Here, we investigate five single cell amplified Methanothermococcus genomes (SAGs) to investigate patterns in pangenomic variation and molecular evolution in these methanogens. Mappings of metagenomic reads from 15 sample sites to the SAGs reveal substantial variation in Methanothermococcus population abundance, nucleotide variability and selection pressure among the 15 geochemically distinct sample sites. Within each sample site, we observed distinct patterns of single nucleotide variant (SNV) accumulation and selection pressure within the SAG populations. Closely related genomes showed similar patterns of SNV accumulation. Analysis of open reading frames (ORFs) from the SAGs indicated that homologous genes accumulated variation at the same rate. For example, a genomic island for Nif genes was identified in three of the five genomes with significantly elevated SNV counts. dN/dS analyses revealed evidence for frequency-dependent selection, in which genes unique to individual SAGs displayed elevated diversifying selection relative to other genes. These results indicate that different strains of Methanothermococcus outcompete others in specific environmental settings, and that these fitness advantages may result from variation in the pangenome, as revealed by dN/dS and SNV analyses. By examining variation and the scale of nucleotide and genes, we aim to gain insight into the roles of genetic diversity and environmental selection on microbial evolution in these ecosystems.
Data Validation Package May 2016 Groundwater Sampling at the Lakeview, Oregon, Processing Site August 2016

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

Linard, Joshua; Hall, Steve

2016-08-01

This biennial event includes sampling five groundwater locations (four monitoring wells and one domestic well) at the Lakeview, Oregon, Processing Site. For this event, the domestic well (location 0543) could not be sampled because no one was in residence during the sampling event (Note: notification was provided to the resident prior to the event). Per Appendix A of the Groundwater Compliance Action Plan, sampling is conducted to monitor groundwater quality on a voluntary basis. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in the Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated).more » One duplicate sample was collected from location 0505. Water levels were measured at each sampled monitoring well. The constituents monitored at the Lakeview site are manganese and sulfate. Monitoring locations that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels for these constituents are listed in Table 1. Review of time-concentration graphs included in this report indicate that manganese and sulfate concentrations are consistent with historical measurements.« less
DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDEX OF BIOTIC INTEGRITY FOR THE MID-ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS REGION

EPA Science Inventory

From 1993 to 1996, fish assemblage data were collected from 309 wadeable streams in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Highlands region as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program. Stream sites were selected with a probabilistic sampl...
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bush, Richard; Lemke, Peter

The groundwater compliance strategy for the Tuba City, Arizona, Disposal Site is defined in the 1999 Phase I Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Tuba City, Arizona, UMTRA Site. Samples are collected and analyzed on a semiannual basis to evaluate the performance of the Phase I remediation system. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) groundwater standards were exceeded in samples collected from monitoring wells as listed in Table 1. The data from this sampling eventmore » are generally consistent with previously obtained values and are acceptable for general use as qualified. Data anomalies are not significant with respect to the known nature and extent of contamination and progress of remedial action at the site. The data from this sampling event will be incorporated into the annual performance evaluation report that will present a comprehensive hydrologic summary and evaluation of groundwater remedial action performance at the Tuba City site through March 2016.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bush, Richard; Lemke, Peter

The groundwater compliance strategy for the Tuba City, Arizona, Disposal Site is defined in the 1999 Phase I Ground Water Compliance Action Plan for the Tuba City, Arizona, UMTRA Site. Samples are collected and analyzed on a semiannual basis to evaluate the performance of the Phase I remediation system. Sampling and analyses were conducted as specified in Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites (LMS/PRO/S04351, continually updated). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) groundwater standards were exceeded in samples collected from monitoring wells and extraction wells as listed in Table 1. The data frommore » this sampling event are generally consistent with previously obtained values and are acceptable for general use as qualified. Data anomalies are not significant with respect to the known nature and extent of contamination and progress of remedial action at the site. The data from this sampling event will be incorporated into the annual performance evaluation report that will present a comprehensive hydrologic summary and evaluation of groundwater remedial action performance at the Tuba City site through March 2016.« less
Assessment of the environmental impact of landfill sites with open combustion located in arid regions by combined chemical and ecotoxicological studies.

PubMed

Wichmann, H; Kolb, M; Jopke, P; Schmidt, C; Alawi, M; Bahadir, M

2006-12-01

Two different waste disposal sites in Jordan were investigated in order to determine the environmental situation in context with waste disposal techniques. One landfill, located at Marka/Amman, had been closed about 25 years ago and covered with soil. Here, the waste had been actively open combusted and openings in the cover, still emitting smoke, indicated that waste was still smoldering inside the landfill's body. The second disposal site close to Ekeeder/Irbid is still operated. On this ground, the solid waste is not intentionally burned, although spontaneous fires frequently come up. Samples of waste, soil, and entrained dust were collected and analyzed. From the solid samples, respectively, their eluates, sum parameters, ecotoxicological effects as well as contents of elements/heavy metals and organic pollutants (PAH, PCDD/F) were determined. In general, the Ekeeder-samples were low-contaminated. The investigation of the Marka-samples showed higher contamination of the site's center, clearly being influenced by combustion processes. A significant contamination of the landfill's vicinity by its emissions could not be derived from the analytical data. Ecotoxicological investigations, applying a bio-test battery, revealed correlations with the sum parameters but not with the trace pollutants. Thus, the Marka-samples with the highest measured values of sum parameters caused adverse effects on three different test species, whereas other samples from Marka and Ekeeder had small or no effects. The results of these investigations depict the influence of different disposal techniques on the contamination situation of a landfill and they shall contribute to assess the conditions of other disposal sites in (semi)arid regions.
Four studies on effects of environmental factors on the quality of National Atmospheric Deposition Program measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetherbee, Gregory A.; Latysh, Natalie E.; Lehmann, Christopher M.B.; Rhodes, Mark F.

2011-01-01

Selected aspects of National Atmospheric Deposition Program / National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) protocols are evaluated in four studies. Meteorological conditions have minor impacts on the error in NADP/NTN sampling. Efficiency of frozen precipitation sample collection is lower than for liquid precipitation samples. Variability of NTN measurements is higher for relatively low-intensity deposition of frozen precipitation than for higher-intensity deposition of liquid precipitation. Urbanization of the landscape surrounding NADP/NTN sites is not affecting trends in wet-deposition chemistry data to a measureable degree. Five NADP siting criteria intended to preserve wet-deposition sample integrity have varying degrees of effectiveness. NADP siting criteria for objects within the 90 degrees cones and trees within the 120 degrees cones projected from the collector bucket to sky are important for protecting sample integrity. Tall vegetation, fences, and other objects located within 5 meters of the collectors are related to the frequency of visible sample contamination, indicating the importance of these factors in NADP siting criteria.
Validation of eDNA markers for New Zealand mudsnail surveillance and initial eDNA monitoring at Mississippi River Basin sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merkes, Christopher; Turnquist, Keith N.; Rees, Christopher B.; Amberg, Jon J.

2015-01-01

The duplex assay was chosen as the most efficient assay and was used at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center to analyze triplicate samples from 29 streams in Wisconsin, 8 streams in Illinois, and 8 streams in Iowa. In order to verify results, additional triplicate samples were collected from two of the streams in Iowa and two of the streams in Wisconsin for analysis at the Molecular Conservation Genetics Laboratory. All samples at all sites were negative for NZMS DNA.

Environmental Assessment of the Bolinas Lagoon: a study utilizing benthic foraminifera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benton, L.; Espinoza Madrid, N.; Grande, C.

2016-12-01

Benthic foraminifera have long been recognized for their utility in environmental assessments. They are abundant, diverse, and found in all marine environments, but species distributions depend largely on local environmental conditions. This study analyses benthic foraminiferal assemblages from the Bolinas Lagoon, Marin County, California. The Careers in Science Intern Program collected 36 sediment samples from 13 sites within the Bolinas Lagoon. Foraminiferal assemblages for each site are reported, and species richness, relative abundance, and Shannon's diversity calculated. Results indicate that Shannon's diversity is low throughout the Bolinas Lagoon and stress tolerant taxa are abundant, which suggests that current conditions in the Bolinas Lagoon are sub optimal.
Impact of hydrogeological data on measures of uncertainty, site characterization and environmental performance metrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Barros, Felipe P. J.; Ezzedine, Souheil; Rubin, Yoram

2012-02-01

The significance of conditioning predictions of environmental performance metrics (EPMs) on hydrogeological data in heterogeneous porous media is addressed. Conditioning EPMs on available data reduces uncertainty and increases the reliability of model predictions. We present a rational and concise approach to investigate the impact of conditioning EPMs on data as a function of the location of the environmentally sensitive target receptor, data types and spacing between measurements. We illustrate how the concept of comparative information yield curves introduced in de Barros et al. [de Barros FPJ, Rubin Y, Maxwell R. The concept of comparative information yield curves and its application to risk-based site characterization. Water Resour Res 2009;45:W06401. doi:10.1029/2008WR007324] could be used to assess site characterization needs as a function of flow and transport dimensionality and EPMs. For a given EPM, we show how alternative uncertainty reduction metrics yield distinct gains of information from a variety of sampling schemes. Our results show that uncertainty reduction is EPM dependent (e.g., travel times) and does not necessarily indicate uncertainty reduction in an alternative EPM (e.g., human health risk). The results show how the position of the environmental target, flow dimensionality and the choice of the uncertainty reduction metric can be used to assist in field sampling campaigns.
Reconnaissance soil geochemistry at the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, Fremont County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, David B.; Sweat, Michael J.

2012-01-01

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

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will discuss the fundamentals of the EMAP sample design and program elements. Central components of EMAP such as the methodology for site selection and data analysis, indicator selection and interpretation will be discussed. Examples from wadeable surfact water,...
A SEDIMENT TOXICITY EVALUATION OF THREE LARGE RIVER SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment toxicity samples were collected from selected sites on the Ohio River, Missouri River and upper Mississippi River as part of the 2004 and 2005 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Great Rivers Ecosystems Study (EMAP-GRE). Samples were collected by compositing...
40 CFR 761.286 - Sample size and procedure for collecting a sample.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... collecting a sample. 761.286 Section 761.286 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... PCB remediation waste or porous surfaces, collect at least 20 milliliters of waste, or a portion of...
40 CFR 761.286 - Sample size and procedure for collecting a sample.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... collecting a sample. 761.286 Section 761.286 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... PCB remediation waste or porous surfaces, collect at least 20 milliliters of waste, or a portion of...
40 CFR 761.286 - Sample size and procedure for collecting a sample.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... collecting a sample. 761.286 Section 761.286 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... PCB remediation waste or porous surfaces, collect at least 20 milliliters of waste, or a portion of...
40 CFR 761.286 - Sample size and procedure for collecting a sample.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... collecting a sample. 761.286 Section 761.286 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... PCB remediation waste or porous surfaces, collect at least 20 milliliters of waste, or a portion of...
Final Report: Results of Environmental Site Investigation at Sylvan Grove, Kansas

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

LaFreniere, Lorraine M

Sylvan Grove is located in western Lincoln County, approximately 60 mi west of Salina, Kansas (Figure 1.1). From 1954 to 1966, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), operated a grain storage facility at the northeastern edge of Sylvan Grove. During this time, commercial grain fumigants containing carbon tetrachloride were in common use to preserve grain in storage. In 1998, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) found carbon tetrachloride above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 μg/L in groundwater from one private well used for livestock and lawn and gardenmore » watering. The 1998 KDHE sampling at Sylvan Grove was conducted under the USDA private well sampling program. To determine whether the former CCC/USDA facility at Sylvan Grove is a potential contaminant source and its possible relationship to the contamination in groundwater, the CCC/USDA proposed to conduct an environmental site investigation, in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement between the KDHE and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the USDA. Argonne National Laboratory, on behalf of the CCC/USDA, developed a work plan (Argonne 2012) for the site investigation and a supplemental work plan for indoor and ambient air sampling (Appendix A). The proposed work was approved by the KDHE (2012a, 2013). The investigations were performed by the Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory, on behalf of the CCC/USDA. The main activities for the site investigation were conducted in June 2012, and indoor and ambient air sampling was performed in February 2013. This report presents the findings of the investigations at Sylvan Grove.« less
Comparison of radionuclide levels in soil, sagebrush, plant litter, cryptogams, and small mammals

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

Landeen, D.S.

1994-09-01

Soil, sagebrush, plant litter, cryptogam, and small mammal samples were collected and analyzed for cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium-238, plutonium 239/240, technetium-99, and iodine-129 from 1981 to 1986 at the US Department of Energy Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State as part of site characterization and environmental monitoring activities. Samples were collected on the 200 Areas Plateau, downwind from ongoing waste management activities. Plant litter, cryptogams, and small mammals are media that are not routinely utilized in monitoring or characterization efforts for determination of radionuclide concentrations. Studies at Hanford, other US Department of Energy sites, and in eastern Europe have indicated thatmore » plant litter and cryptogams may serve as effective ``natural`` monitors of air quality. Plant litter in this study consists of fallen leaves from sagebrush and ``cryptogams`` describes that portion of the soil crust composed of mosses, lichens, algae, and fungi. Comparisons of cesium-137 and strontium-90 concentrations in the soil, sagebrush, litter, and cryptogams revealed significantly higher (p<0.05) levels in plant litter and cryptogams. Technetium-99 values were the highest in sagebrush and litter. Plutonium-238 and 239/40 and iodine-129 concentrations never exceeded 0.8 pCi/gm in all media. No evidence of any significant amounts of any radionuclides being incorporated into the small mammal community was discovered. The data indicate that plant litter and cryptogams may be better, indicators of environmental quality than soil or vegetation samples. Augmenting a monitoring program with samples of litter and cryptogams may provide a more accurate representation of radionuclide environmental uptake and/or contamination levels in surrounding ecosystems. The results of this study may be applied directly to other radioecological monitoring conducted at other nuclear sites and to the monitoring of other pollutants.« less
Avian influenza surveillance in domestic waterfowl and environment of live bird markets in Bangladesh, 2007-2012.

PubMed

Khan, Salah Uddin; Gurley, Emily S; Gerloff, Nancy; Rahman, Md Z; Simpson, Natosha; Rahman, Mustafizur; Haider, Najmul; Chowdhury, Sukanta; Balish, Amanda; Zaman, Rashid Uz; Nasreen, Sharifa; Chandra Das, Bidhan; Azziz-Baumgartner, Eduardo; Sturm-Ramirez, Katharine; Davis, C Todd; Donis, Ruben O; Luby, Stephen P

2018-06-20

Avian influenza viruses, including highly pathogenic strains, pose severe economic, animal and public health concerns. We implemented live bird market surveillance in Bangladesh to identify the subtypes of avian influenza A viruses in domestic waterfowl and market environments. We collected waterfowl samples monthly from 4 rural sites from 2007 to 2012 and environmental samples from 4 rural and 16 urban sites from 2009 to 2012. Samples were tested through real-time RT-PCR, virus culture, and sequencing to detect and characterize avian influenza A viruses. Among 4,308 waterfowl tested, 191 (4.4%) were positive for avian influenza A virus, including 74 (1.9%) avian influenza A/H5 subtype. The majority (99%, n = 73) of the influenza A/H5-positive samples were from healthy appearing waterfowl. Multiple subtypes, including H1N1, H1N3, H3N2, H3N6, H3N8, H4N1, H4N2, H4N6, H5N1 (clades 2.2.2, 2.3.2.1a, 2.3.4.2), H5N2, H6N1, H7N9, H9N2, H11N2 and H11N3, H11N6 were detected in waterfowl and environmental samples. Environmental samples tested positive for influenza A viruses throughout the year. Avian influenza viruses, including H5N1 and H9N2 subtypes were also identified in backyard and small-scale raised poultry. Live bird markets could be high-risk sites for harboring the viruses and have the potential to infect naive birds and humans exposed to them.
Hydrogeology and chemical quality of water and soil at Carroll Island, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tenbus, F.J.; Phillips, S.W.

1996-01-01

Carroll Island was used for open-air testing of chemical warfare agents from the late 1940's until 1971. Testing and disposal activities weresuspected of causing environmental contamination at 16 sites on the island. The hydrogeology and chemical quality of ground water, surface water, and soil at these sites were investigated with borehole logs, environmental samples, water-level measurements, and hydrologic tests. A surficial aquifer, upper confining unit, and upper confined aquifer were defined. Ground water in the surficial aquifer generally flows from the east-central part of the island toward the surface-water bodies, butgradient reversals caused by evapotranspiration can occur during dry seasons. In the confined aquifer, hydraulic gradients are low, and hydraulic head is affected by tidal loading and by seasonal pumpage from the west. Inorganic chemistry in the aquifers is affected by brackish-water intrusion from gradient reversals and by dissolution ofcarboniferous shell material in the confining unit.The concentrations of most inorganic constituents probably resulted from natural processes, but some concentrations exceeded Federal water-quality regulations and criteria. Organic compounds were detected in water and soil samples at maximum concentrations of 138 micrograms per liter (thiodiglycol in surface water) and 12 micrograms per gram (octadecanoic acid in soil).Concentrations of organic compounds in ground water exceeded Federal drinking-water regulations at two sites. The organic compounds that weredetected in environmental samples were variously attributed to natural processes, laboratory or field- sampling contamination, fallout from industrial air pollution, and historical military activities.
A preliminary analysis of environmental dilemmas and environmental ethical reasoning among Hispanic and non-Hispanic forest visitors

Treesearch

Thomas C. Swearingen; Robert E. Pfister

1995-01-01

In a preliminary investigation of environmental reasoning, Hispanic and Anglo-American visitors were interviewed during the summer of 1991 in two National Forests near Los Angeles. A bilingual research technician approached parties visiting the sample sites and, after a brief introduction, requested that they participate in the study. No more than two persons from each...
Estimating variation in stomatal frequency at intra-individual, intra-site, and inter-taxonomic levels in populations of the Leonardoxa africana (Fabaceae) complex over environmental gradients in Cameroon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finsinger, Walter; Dos Santos, Thibaut; McKey, Doyle

2013-07-01

Variation of stomatal frequency (stomatal density and stomatal index) includes genetically-based, potentially-adaptive variation, and variation due to phenotypic plasticity, the degree of which may be fundamental to the ability to maintain high water-use efficiency and thus to deal with environmental change. We analysed stomatal frequency and morphology (pore length, pore width) in leaves from several individuals from nine populations of four sub-species of the Leonardoxa africana complex. The dataset represents a hierarchical sampling wherein factors are nested within each level (leaves in individuals, individuals in sites, etc.), allowing estimation of the contribution of different levels to overall variation, using variance-component analysis. SI showed significant variation among sites ("site" is largely confounded with "sub-species"), being highest in the sub-species localized in the highest-elevation site. However, most of the observed variance was accounted for at intra-site and intra-individual levels. This variance could reflect great phenotypic plasticity, presumably in response to highly local variation in micro-environmental conditions.
Summary and Preliminary Interpretation of Tritium and Dissolved Noble Gas Data from Site 300

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

Visser, A.; Singleton, M.; Madrid, V.

2014-01-29

In October 2013, groundwater samples were collected from 10 wells from Site 300 and analyzed by the Environmental Radiochemistry Laboratory at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Groundwater samples were analyzed for groundwater age tracers: tritium, the helium isotope ratio of dissolved helium and the concentrations of dissolved noble gases (Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, and Xenon). A subset of the samples was also analyzed for excess nitrogen due to saturated zone denitrification. The age-dating data were used to evaluate the degree to which groundwater at a particular monitoring well was derived from pre-modern and/or modern sources. More specifically, the analyses canmore » be used to determine whether the recharge age of the groundwater beneath the site pre-dates anthropogenic activities at the site.« less
Non-targeted analysis of petroleum metabolites in groundwater using GC×GC-TOFMS.

PubMed

Mohler, Rachel E; O'Reilly, Kirk T; Zemo, Dawn A; Tiwary, Asheesh K; Magaw, Renae I; Synowiec, Karen A

2013-09-17

Groundwater at fuel release sites often contains nonpolar hydrocarbons that originate from both the fuel release and other environmental sources, as well as polar metabolites of petroleum biodegradation. These compounds, along with other polar artifacts, can be quantified as "total petroleum hydrocarbons" using USEPA Methods 3510/8015B, unless a silica gel cleanup step is used to separate nonpolar hydrocarbons from polar compounds prior to analysis. Only a limited number of these metabolites have been identified by traditional GC-MS methods, because they are difficult to resolve using single-column configurations. Additionally, the targeted use of derivatization limits the detection of many potential metabolites of interest. The objective of this research was to develop a nontargeted GC×GC-TOFMS approach to characterize petroleum metabolites in environmental samples gathered from fuel release sites. The method tentatively identified more than 760 unique polar compounds, including acids/esters, alcohols, phenols, ketones, and aldehydes, from 22 groundwater samples collected at five sites. Standards for 28 polar compounds indicate that effective limits of quantitation for most of these compounds in the groundwater samples range from 1 to 11 μg/L.
Life cycle of petroleum biodegradation metabolite plumes, and implications for risk management at fuel release sites.

PubMed

Zemo, Dawn A; O'Reilly, Kirk T; Mohler, Rachel E; Magaw, Renae I; Espino Devine, Catalina; Ahn, Sungwoo; Tiwary, Asheesh K

2017-07-01

This paper summarizes the results of a 5-y research study of the nature and toxicity of petroleum biodegradation metabolites in groundwater at fuel release sites that are quantified as diesel-range "Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons" (TPH; also known as TPHd, diesel-range organics (DRO), etc.), unless a silica gel cleanup (SGC) step is used on the sample extract prior to the TPH analysis. This issue is important for site risk management in regulatory jurisdictions that use TPH as a metric; the presence of these metabolites may preclude site closure even if all other factors can be considered "low-risk." Previous work has shown that up to 100% of the extractable organics in groundwater at petroleum release sites can be biodegradation metabolites. The metabolites can be separated from the hydrocarbons by incorporating an SGC step; however, regulatory agency acceptance of SGC has been inconsistent because of questions about the nature and toxicity of the metabolites. The present study was conducted to answer these specific questions. Groundwater samples collected from source and downgradient wells at fuel release sites were extracted and subjected to targeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nontargeted two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS) analyses, and the metabolites identified in each sample were classified according to molecular structural classes and assigned an oral reference dose (RfD)-based toxicity ranking. Our work demonstrates that the metabolites identified in groundwater at biodegrading fuel release sites are in classes ranked as low toxicity to humans and are not expected to pose significant risk to human health. The identified metabolites naturally attenuate in a predictable manner, with an overall trend to an increasingly higher proportion of organic acids and esters, and a lower human toxicity profile, and a life cycle that is consistent with the low-risk natural attenuation paradigm adopted by many regulatory agencies for petroleum release sites. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:714-727. © 2016 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2016 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
A New Approach to Standardize Multicenter Studies: Mobile Lab Technology for the German Environmental Specimen Bank

PubMed Central

Lermen, Dominik; Schmitt, Daniel; Bartel-Steinbach, Martina; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; von Briesen, Hagen; Zimmermann, Heiko

2014-01-01

Technical progress has simplified tasks in lab diagnosis and improved quality of test results. Errors occurring during the pre-analytical phase have more negative impact on the quality of test results than errors encountered during the total analytical process. Different infrastructures of sampling sites can highly influence the quality of samples and therewith of analytical results. Annually the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) collects, characterizes, and stores blood, plasma, and urine samples of 120–150 volunteers each on four different sampling sites in Germany. Overarching goal is to investigate the exposure to environmental pollutants of non-occupational exposed young adults combining human biomonitoring with questionnaire data. We investigated the requirements of the study and the possibility to realize a highly standardized sampling procedure on a mobile platform in order to increase the required quality of the pre-analytical phase. The results lead to the development of a mobile epidemiologic laboratory (epiLab) in the project “Labor der Zukunft” (future’s lab technology). This laboratory includes a 14.7 m2 reception area to record medical history and exposure-relevant behavior, a 21.1 m2 examination room to record dental fillings and for blood withdrawal, a 15.5 m2 biological safety level 2 laboratory to process and analyze samples on site including a 2.8 m2 personnel lock and a 3.6 m2 cryofacility to immediately freeze samples. Frozen samples can be transferred to their final destination within the vehicle without breaking the cold chain. To our knowledge, we herewith describe for the first time the implementation of a biological safety laboratory (BSL) 2 lab and an epidemiologic unit on a single mobile platform. Since 2013 we have been collecting up to 15.000 individual human samples annually under highly standardized conditions using the mobile laboratory. Characterized and free of alterations they are kept ready for retrospective analyses in their final archive, the German ESB. PMID:25141120
A new approach to standardize multicenter studies: mobile lab technology for the German Environmental Specimen Bank.

PubMed

Lermen, Dominik; Schmitt, Daniel; Bartel-Steinbach, Martina; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; von Briesen, Hagen; Zimmermann, Heiko

2014-01-01

Technical progress has simplified tasks in lab diagnosis and improved quality of test results. Errors occurring during the pre-analytical phase have more negative impact on the quality of test results than errors encountered during the total analytical process. Different infrastructures of sampling sites can highly influence the quality of samples and therewith of analytical results. Annually the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) collects, characterizes, and stores blood, plasma, and urine samples of 120-150 volunteers each on four different sampling sites in Germany. Overarching goal is to investigate the exposure to environmental pollutants of non-occupational exposed young adults combining human biomonitoring with questionnaire data. We investigated the requirements of the study and the possibility to realize a highly standardized sampling procedure on a mobile platform in order to increase the required quality of the pre-analytical phase. The results lead to the development of a mobile epidemiologic laboratory (epiLab) in the project "Labor der Zukunft" (future's lab technology). This laboratory includes a 14.7 m(2) reception area to record medical history and exposure-relevant behavior, a 21.1 m(2) examination room to record dental fillings and for blood withdrawal, a 15.5 m(2) biological safety level 2 laboratory to process and analyze samples on site including a 2.8 m(2) personnel lock and a 3.6 m2 cryofacility to immediately freeze samples. Frozen samples can be transferred to their final destination within the vehicle without breaking the cold chain. To our knowledge, we herewith describe for the first time the implementation of a biological safety laboratory (BSL) 2 lab and an epidemiologic unit on a single mobile platform. Since 2013 we have been collecting up to 15.000 individual human samples annually under highly standardized conditions using the mobile laboratory. Characterized and free of alterations they are kept ready for retrospective analyses in their final archive, the German ESB.

Site Environmental Report for 2009, Volume 2

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

Xu, Suying

2010-08-19

Volume II of the Site Environmental Report for 2009 is provided by Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a supplemental appendix to Volume I, which contains the body of the report. Volume II contains the environmental monitoring and sampling data used to generate summary results of routine and nonroutine sampling at the Laboratory, except for groundwater sampling data, which may be found in the reports referred to in Chapter 4 of Volume I. The results from sample collections are more comprehensive in Volume II than in Volume I: for completeness, all results from sample collections that began or endedmore » in calendar year (CY) 2009 are included in this volume. However, the samples representing CY 2008 data have not been used in the summary results that are reported in Volume I. (For example, although ambient air samples collected on January 6, 2009, are presented in Volume II, they represent December 2008 data and are not included in Table 4-2 in Volume I.) When appropriate, sampling results are reported in both conventional and International System (SI) units. For some results, the rounding procedure used in data reporting may result in apparent differences between the numbers reported in SI and conventional units. (For example, stack air tritium results reported as < 1.5 Bq/m3 are shown variously as < 39 and < 41 pCi/m3. Both of these results are rounded correctly to two significant digits.)« less
Naturally occurring bacteraemia in American lobsters, Homarus americanus Milne-Edwards, in Long Island Sound.

PubMed

Bartlett, S L; Wooster, G A; Sokolowski, M S; Dove, A D M; Bowser, P R

2008-01-01

The health status of the American lobster, Homarus americanus Milne-Edwards, in Long Island Sound (LIS) has been in decline, with seasonal mortality events occurring since 1998. In order to assess the potential effects of environmental conditions on lobster health via haemolymph analysis, lobsters collected from various sites in LIS were examined and sampled while concurrent environmental data (water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen) were recorded. The pH of the haemolymph of each lobster was tested, followed by a collection of haemolymph for serum biochemistry analysis and bacterial culture. This report focuses on the results of the bacterial sampling. The majority of bacteria cultured were opportunistic pathogens commonly found in the environment, including some that are associated with sewage and pollution. The prevalence of bacteraemia was correlated with the site of collection, the month in which the lobsters were sampled, and water temperature.
Environmental quality of Korean coasts as determined by modified Shannon-Wiener evenness proportion.

PubMed

Yoo, Jae-Won; Lee, Yong-Woo; Ruesink, Jennifer L; Lee, Chang-Gun; Kim, Chang-Soo; Park, Mi-Ra; Yoon, Kon-Tak; Hwang, In-Seo; Maeng, Jun-Ho; Rosenberg, Rutger; Hong, Jae-Sang

2010-11-01

The coast of the Korean peninsula experiences a range of human impacts, including pollution, shipping, reclamation, and aquaculture, that have motivated numerous local studies of macrobenthic organisms. In this paper, 1,492 subtidal stations were compiled from 23 studies (areas) to evaluate environmental quality on a broader scale. A common index in biomonitoring, Shannon-Wiener evenness proportion (SEP), could not incorporate azoic or single-species samples. This shortcoming was overcome by developing an inverse function of SEP (ISEP), which was positively correlated with independent measures of water quality available for nine sites and was not biased by the size of the sampling unit. Additionally, at Shihwa Dike, where samples were collected before and after reinstating a tidal connection with the ocean, ISEP values improved over time, as expected. Thus, it is now possible to assign Korean subtidal sites to seven ISEP "grades" and to use their values and trends to guide coastal management.
Stir bar sorptive extraction approaches with a home-made portable electric stirrer for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds in environmental water.

PubMed

Mao, Xiangju; Hu, Bin; He, Man; Fan, Wenying

2012-10-19

In this study, novel off/on-site stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) approaches with a home-made portable electric stirrer have been developed for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds (PAHs). In these approaches, a miniature battery-operated electric stirrer was employed to provide agitation of sample solutions instead of the commonly used large size magnetic stirrer powered by alternating current in conventional SBSE process, which could extend the SBSE technique from the conventional off-site analysis to the on-site sampling. The applicability of the designed off/on-site SBSE sampling approaches was evaluated by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating SBSE-high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) analysis of six target PAHs in environmental water. The home-made portable electric stirrer is simple, easy-to-operate, user friendly, low cost, easy-to-be-commercialized, and can be processed in direct immersion SBSE, headspace sorptive extraction (HSSE) and continuous flow (CF)-SBSE modes. Since the stir bar was fixed onto the portable device by magnetic force, it is very convenient to install, remove and replace the stir bar, and the coating friction loss which occurred frequently in conventional SBSE process could be avoided. The parameters affecting the extraction of six target PAHs by the home-made portable SBSE sampling device with different sampling modes were studied. Under the optimum extraction conditions, good linearity was obtained by all of three SBSE extraction modes with correlation coefficient (R) higher than 0.9971. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N=3) were 0.05-3.41 ng L(-1) for direct immersion SBSE, 0.03-2.23 ng L(-1) for HSSE and 0.09-3.75 ng L(-1) for CF-SBSE, respectively. The proposed portable PDMS-SBSE-HPLC-FLD method was applied for the analysis of six target PAHs in East Lake water, and the analytical results obtained by on-site SBSE sampling were in good agreement with that obtained by off-site SBSE sampling. The accuracy of the developed method was evaluated by recovery test and the recoveries for the spiked sample were found to be in the range of 87.1-122.8% for off-site CF-SBSE, 88.8-114.3% for on-site sampling, and 87.7-123.6% for off-site SBSE, respectively. The developed method is one of the most sensitive methods for PAHs determination and the home-designed SBSE system is feasible for the field sampling. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
EMMMA: A web-based system for environmental mercury mapping, modeling, and analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn,, Paul P.; Wente, Stephen P.; Donato, David I.; Aguinaldo, John J.

2006-01-01

tissue, atmospheric emissions and deposition, stream sediments, soils, and coal) and mercuryrelated data (mine locations); 2) Interactively view and access predictions of the National Descriptive Model of Mercury in Fish (NDMMF) at 4,976 sites and 6,829 sampling events (events are unique combinations of site and sampling date) across the United States; and 3) Use interactive mapping and graphing capabilities to visualize spatial and temporal trends and study relationships between mercury and other variables.
Improving the monitoring of a dumping site in a dynamic environment. Example of the Octeville site (Bay of Seine, English Channel).

PubMed

Méar, Yann; Poizot, Emmanuel; Murat, Anne; Beryouni, Khadija; Baux, Noémie; Dauvin, Jean-Claude

2018-04-01

Dredged sediments have different physical and chemical characteristics compared with the sediments in place, which generates multiple effects on the environment. In this study, we show that the sampling strategy used to monitor the effects of dredge spoil deposition on the surrounding environment can lead to different interpretations. It appears that sediment sample replicates may or may not be necessary, depending on the studied area, the prevailing environmental forcings before sediment sampling and the combination of these two factors. The proposed modus operandi allows us to optimize both the confidence on the obtained results and the cost of the sediment studies (sampling and laboratory analyses). The results are based on the sediment fine fraction, which is considered as a key environmental component due, for example, to its strong association with the structure of benthic faunal communities as well as its role in the build-up of pollutants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mercury accumulation in snow on the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and surrounding region, southeast Idaho, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Susong, D.D.; Abbott, M.L.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.

2003-01-01

Snow was sampled and analyzed for total mercury (THg) on the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and surrounding region prior to the start-up of a large (9-11 g/h) gaseous mercury emission source. The objective was to determine the effects of the source on local and regional atmospheric deposition of mercury. Snow samples collected from 48 points on a polar grid near the source had THg concentrations that ranged from 4.71 to 27.26 ng/L; snow collected from regional background sites had THg concentrations that ranged from 0.89 to 16.61 ng/L. Grid samples had higher concentrations than the regional background sites, which was unexpected because the source was not operating yet. Emission of Hg from soils is a possible source of Hg in snow on the INEEL. Evidence from Hg profiles in snow and from unfiltered/filtered split samples supports this hypothesis. Ongoing work on the INEEL is investigating Hg fluxes from soils and snow.
Comparison of different incubation conditions for microbiological environmental monitoring.

PubMed

Gordon, Oliver; Berchtold, Manfred; Staerk, Alexandra; Roesti, David

2014-01-01

Environmental monitoring represents an integral part of the microbiological quality control system of a pharmaceutical manufacturing operation. However, guidance documents differ regarding recommendation of a procedure, particularly regarding incubation time, incubation temperature, or nutrient media. Because of these discrepancies, many manufacturers decide for a particular environmental monitoring sample incubation strategy and support this decision with validation data. Such validations are typically laboratory-based in vitro studies, meaning that these are based on comparing incubation conditions and nutrient media through use of cultured microorganisms. An informal survey of the results of these in vitro studies performed at Novartis or European manufacturing sites of different pharmaceutical companies highlighted that no consensus regarding the optimal incubation conditions for microbial recovery existed. To address this question differently, we collected a significant amount of samples directly from air, inanimate surfaces, and personnel in pharmaceutical production and packaging rooms during manufacturing operation (in situ study). Samples were incubated under different conditions suggested in regulatory guidelines, and recovery of total aerobic microorganisms as well as moulds was assessed. We found the highest recovery of total aerobic count from areas with personnel flow using a general microbiological growth medium incubated at 30-35 °C. The highest recovery of moulds was obtained with mycological medium incubated at 20-25 °C. Single-plate strategies (two-temperature incubation or an intermediate incubation temperature of 25-30 °C) also yielded reasonable recovery of total aerobic count and moulds. However, recovery of moulds was found to be highly inefficient at 30-35 °C compared to lower incubation temperatures. This deficiency could not be rectified by subsequent incubation at 20-25 °C. A laboratory-based in vitro study performed in parallel was inconclusive. We consider our results potentially conferrable to other pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in moderate climate zones and believe that these should represent a valuable reference for definition of the incubation strategy of microbiological environmental monitoring samples. Microbiological environmental monitoring confirms that pharmaceutical cleanrooms are in an appropriate hygienic condition for manufacturing of drug products. Guidance documents from different health authorities or expert groups differ regarding recommendation of the applied incubation time, incubation temperature, or nutrient media. Therefore, many pharmaceutical manufacturers perform studies that aim to identify the optimal incubation setup for environmental monitoring samples. An informal survey of the results of such studies, which had been performed at Novartis or European manufacturing sites of different pharmaceutical companies, highlighted no consensus regarding the optimal incubation conditions for microbial recovery. All these studies had been conducted in the laboratory using selections of cultured microbial strains. We tried to solve this disagreement by collecting a significant amount of real environmental monitoring samples directly from the environment in pharmaceutical production and packaging rooms during manufacturing operation. These samples were then incubated under different conditions suggested in the regulatory guidelines. We believe that the results of our study are more meaningful than laboratory-based experiments because we used environmental samples with microorganisms directly isolated from the manufacturing area. Therefore, we believe that our results should represent a valuable reference for definition of the incubation strategy of microbiological environmental monitoring samples. © PDA, Inc. 2014.
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.
Variability of Total and Pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus Densities in Northern Gulf of Mexico Water and Oysters▿

PubMed Central

Zimmerman, A. M.; DePaola, A.; Bowers, J. C.; Krantz, J. A.; Nordstrom, J. L.; Johnson, C. N.; Grimes, D. J.

2007-01-01

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is indigenous to coastal environments and a frequent cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis in the United States, primarily due to raw-oyster consumption. Previous seasonal-cycle studies of V. parahaemolyticus have identified water temperature as the strongest environmental predictor. Salinity has also been identified, although it is evident that its effect on annual variation is not as pronounced. The effects of other environmental factors, both with respect to the seasonal cycle and intraseasonal variation, are uncertain. This study investigated intraseasonal variations of densities of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus organisms in oysters and overlying waters during the summer of 2004 at two sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Regression analyses indicated significant associations (P < 0.001) between total V. parahaemolyticus densities and salinity, as well as turbidity in water and in oysters at the Mississippi site but not at the Alabama site. Pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus organisms in Mississippi oyster and water samples were detected in 56% (9 out of 16) and 78% (43 out of 55) of samples, respectively. In contrast, 44% (7 out of 16) of oyster samples and 30% (14 out of 47) of water samples from Alabama were positive. At both sites, there was greater sample-to-sample variability in pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus densities than in total V. parahaemolyticus densities. These data suggest that, although total V. parahaemolyticus densities may be very informative, there is greater uncertainty when total V. parahaemolyticus densities are used to predict the risk of infection by pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus than previously recognized. PMID:17921270
Variability of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus densities in northern Gulf of Mexico water and oysters.

PubMed

Zimmerman, A M; DePaola, A; Bowers, J C; Krantz, J A; Nordstrom, J L; Johnson, C N; Grimes, D J

2007-12-01

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is indigenous to coastal environments and a frequent cause of seafood-borne gastroenteritis in the United States, primarily due to raw-oyster consumption. Previous seasonal-cycle studies of V. parahaemolyticus have identified water temperature as the strongest environmental predictor. Salinity has also been identified, although it is evident that its effect on annual variation is not as pronounced. The effects of other environmental factors, both with respect to the seasonal cycle and intraseasonal variation, are uncertain. This study investigated intraseasonal variations of densities of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus organisms in oysters and overlying waters during the summer of 2004 at two sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Regression analyses indicated significant associations (P < 0.001) between total V. parahaemolyticus densities and salinity, as well as turbidity in water and in oysters at the Mississippi site but not at the Alabama site. Pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus organisms in Mississippi oyster and water samples were detected in 56% (9 out of 16) and 78% (43 out of 55) of samples, respectively. In contrast, 44% (7 out of 16) of oyster samples and 30% (14 out of 47) of water samples from Alabama were positive. At both sites, there was greater sample-to-sample variability in pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus densities than in total V. parahaemolyticus densities. These data suggest that, although total V. parahaemolyticus densities may be very informative, there is greater uncertainty when total V. parahaemolyticus densities are used to predict the risk of infection by pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus than previously recognized.
Analyses of native water, core material, and elutriate samples collected from the Atchafalaya River and Atchafalaya Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demas, Charles R.

1977-01-01

During October and November 1976 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected native water and core material from 14 sites along the Atchafalya River in Louisiana (from the head of Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel to American Pass) and 5 sites in Atchafalya Bay for evaluation of possible environmental effects of a proposed channel-enlargement project. Core material from all river sites and one bay site was collected to a depth of 50 feet (15 meters). At the remaining bay sites, samples were collected to a depth of less than 6 inches (15 centimeters) using a pipe dredge. Core material and native water were analyzed (separately and as elutriate samples prepared from mixtures) for selected metals, nutrients, organic compounds, and physical characteristics. No interpretation of the data is given. (Woodard-USGS)
Site and soil characterization of hazardous waste sites using an expert system guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, Roy E.

1993-03-01

An expert system guide (knowledge book) has been devised to assist field personnel who must identify, describe, sample, and interpret size and soil characteristics of hazardous waste sites. The guide takes an approach that will be unfamiliar to most soil and environmental scientists and is directed to on-scene coordinators and project managers and others who may have little soil science training. It meets the need of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for standard procedures, guidelines, or protocols that address soil and site contamination, particularly heavy metals. The guide is organized to include: (1) general considerations and processes for collecting and using site and soils data, (2) detailed knowledge frames (descriptive profiles) of likely site and soil conditions, (3) a citation of references, (4) an appendix listing common sources of characterization data, and (5) a glossary of more than 900 general definitions.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERATURE, PHYSICAL HABITAT AND FISH ASSEMBLAGE DATA IN A STATE WIDE PROBABILITY SURVEY OF OREGON STREAMS

EPA Science Inventory

To assess the ecological condition of streams and rivers in Oregon, we sampled 146 sites
in summer, 1997 as part of the U.S. EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program.
Sample reaches were selected using a systematic, randomized sample design from the blue-line n...
Impacts of iron and steelmaking facilities on soil quality.

PubMed

Strezov, Vladimir; Chaudhary, Chandrakant

2017-12-01

Iron and steel are highly important materials used in a wide range of products with important contribution to the economic development. The processes for making iron and steel are energy intensive and known to contribute to local pollution. Deposition of the metals may also have adverse impacts on soil quality, which requires detailed assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of iron and steelmaking facilities on the local soil quality. Soil samples were collected in the vicinity of two steelmaking sites in Australia, one based on blast furnace steelmaking operation, while the second site was based on electric arc furnace steel recycling. The soil samples were compared to a background site where no industrial impact is expected. The soil collected near industrial facilities contained larger toxic metal contents, however this concentration for all priority metals was within the Australian National Environmental Protection Measure guidelines for the acceptable recreational soil quality. When compared to the international soil quality guidelines, some of the soils collected near the industrial sites, particularly near the blast furnace operated steelmaking, exceeded the arsenic, iron and manganese (according to United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines) and chromium, copper and nickel concentrations (according to the Canadian guidelines). The work further provided a novel environmental assessment model taking into consideration the environmental and health impacts of each element. The environmental assessment revealed most significant contribution of manganese, followed by titanium, zinc, chromium and lead. Titanium was the second most important contributor to the soil quality, however this metal is currently not included in any of the international soil quality guidelines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
EPA COMPARES THREE SOIL-GAS SAMPLING SYSTEMS FOR VAPOR INTRUSION INVESTIGATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

This newsletter article summarizes the finding of "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Comparison of Geoprobe PRT, AMS GVP Soil-Gas Sampling Systems with Dedicated Vapor Probes in Sandy Soils at the Raymark Superfund Site, EPA/600/R-06/11, November 2006. "
40 CFR 761.358 - Determining the PCB concentration of samples of waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance With Â§ 761.61 § 761.358 Determining the PCB... samples of waste. 761.358 Section 761.358 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING...
40 CFR 761.356 - Conducting a leach test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.356 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
40 CFR 761.358 - Determining the PCB concentration of samples of waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance With Â§ 761.61 § 761.358 Determining the PCB... samples of waste. 761.358 Section 761.358 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING...
40 CFR 761.356 - Conducting a leach test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.356 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...

40 CFR 761.358 - Determining the PCB concentration of samples of waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance With Â§ 761.61 § 761.358 Determining the PCB... samples of waste. 761.358 Section 761.358 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING...
40 CFR 761.356 - Conducting a leach test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.356 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
40 CFR 761.356 - Conducting a leach test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... PROHIBITIONS Sampling Non-Liquid, Non-Metal PCB Bulk Product Waste for Purposes of Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal... Section 761.356 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES...
40 CFR 761.358 - Determining the PCB concentration of samples of waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance With Â§ 761.61 § 761.358 Determining the PCB... samples of waste. 761.358 Section 761.358 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBs) MANUFACTURING, PROCESSING...
Isotopic signatures: An important tool in today`s world

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

Rokop, D.J.; Efurd, D.W.; Benjamin, T.M.

1995-12-01

High-sensitivity/high-accuracy actinide measurement techniques developed to support weapons diagnostic capabilities at the Los Alamos National Laboratory are now being used for environmental monitoring. The measurement techniques used are Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), Alpha Spectrometry(AS), and High Resolution Gamma Spectrometry(HRGS). These techniques are used to address a wide variety of actinide inventory issues: Environmental surveillance, site characterizations, food chain member determination, sedimentary records of activities, and treaty compliance concerns. As little as 10 femtograms of plutonium can be detected in samples and isotopic signatures determined on samples containing sub-100 femtogram amounts. Uranium, present in all environmental samples, can generally yieldmore » isotopic signatures of anthropogenic origin when present at the 40 picogam/gram level. Solid samples (soils, sediments, fauna, and tissue) can range from a few particles to several kilograms in size. Water samples can range from a few milliliters to as much as 200 liters.« less
Recovery and Determination of Adsorbed Technetium on Savannah River Site Charcoal Stack Samples

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

Lahoda, Kristy G.; Engelmann, Mark D.; Farmer, Orville T.

2008-03-01

Experimental results are provided for the sample analyses for technetium (Tc) in charcoal samples placed in-line with a Savannah River Site (SRS) processing stack effluent stream as a part of an environmental surveillance program. The method for Tc removal from charcoal was based on that originally developed with high purity charcoal. Presented is the process that allowed for the quantitative analysis of 99Tc in SRS charcoal stack samples with and without 97Tc as a tracer. The results obtained with the method using the 97Tc tracer quantitatively confirm the results obtained with no tracer added. All samples contain 99Tc at themore » pg g-1 level.« less
Oak Ridge Reservation annual site environmental report for 2008

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

none,

2009-09-01

The Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) consists of three major government-owned, contractor-operated facilities: the Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and East Tennessee Technology Park. The ORR was established in the early 1940s as part of the Manhattan Project, a secret undertaking that produced materials for the first atomic bombs. The reservation’s role has evolved over the years, and it continues to adapt to meet the changing defense, energy, and research needs of the United States. Both the work carried out for the war effort and subsequent research, development, and production activities have involved, and continue to involve, themore » use of radiological and hazardous materials. The Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental Report and supporting data are available at http://www.ornl.gov/sci/env_rpt or from the project director. This document is prepared annually to summarize environmental activities, primarily environmental monitoring activities, on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) and within the ORR surroundings. The document fulfills the requirement of Department of Energy (DOE) Order 231.1A, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting, for an annual summary of environmental data to characterize environmental performance. The environmental monitoring criteria are described in DOE Order 450.1A, Environmental Protection Program. The results summarized in this report are based on data collected prior to and through 2008. This report is not intended to provide the results of all sampling on the ORR. Additional data collected for other site and regulatory purposes, such as environmental restoration/remedial investigation reports, waste management characterization sampling data, and environmental permit compliance data, are presented in other documents that have been prepared in accordance with applicable DOE guidance and/or laws and are referenced herein as appropriate. Corrections to the report for the previous year are found in Appendix A. Appendix B contains a glossary of technical terms that may be useful for clarifying some of the language used in this document.« less
Cadmium mobility in sediments and soils from a coal mining area on Tibagi River watershed: environmental risk assessment.

PubMed

Galunin, Evgeny; Ferreti, Jeferson; Zapelini, Iago; Vieira, Isadora; Ricardo Teixeira Tarley, César; Abrão, Taufik; Santos, Maria Josefa

2014-01-30

The risk of cadmium contamination in the Tibagi River watershed (Parana State, Brazil) affected by past coal mining activities was assessed through sorption-desorption modeling for sediment and soil samples. The acidic character of the samples resulted in more competition between the cadmium ions and protons, thereby influencing the cadmium sorption-desorption. The sorption isotherms were fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich single models and to the dual-site Langmuir-Freundlich (or Sips) model. The single-site models indicated a low-energy character of sorption sites on the sample sorption sites, whereas the dual-site model explained the availability of higher-affinity and lower-affinity non-specific sites. The correlation of the sorption and desorption constants with the physicochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the samples showed that the cadmium sorption behavior was significantly affected by the pH, point of zero charge, and also by the magnesium, aluminum, calcium and manganese amounts. Besides, the desorption rate and hysteresis index suggested a high risk of cadmium mobilization along the Tibagi River basin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Amphibian skin may select for rare environmental microbes

PubMed Central

Walke, Jenifer B; Becker, Matthew H; Loftus, Stephen C; House, Leanna L; Cormier, Guy; Jensen, Roderick V; Belden, Lisa K

2014-01-01

Host-microbe symbioses rely on the successful transmission or acquisition of symbionts in each new generation. Amphibians host a diverse cutaneous microbiota, and many of these symbionts appear to be mutualistic and may limit infection by the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has caused global amphibian population declines and extinctions in recent decades. Using bar-coded 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we addressed the question of symbiont transmission by examining variation in amphibian skin microbiota across species and sites and in direct relation to environmental microbes. Although acquisition of environmental microbes occurs in some host-symbiont systems, this has not been extensively examined in free-living vertebrate-microbe symbioses. Juvenile bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana), adult red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens), pond water and pond substrate were sampled at a single pond to examine host-specificity and potential environmental transmission of microbiota. To assess population level variation in skin microbiota, adult newts from two additional sites were also sampled. Cohabiting bullfrogs and newts had distinct microbial communities, as did newts across the three sites. The microbial communities of amphibians and the environment were distinct; there was very little overlap in the amphibians' core microbes and the most abundant environmental microbes, and the relative abundances of OTUs that were shared by amphibians and the environment were inversely related. These results suggest that, in a host species-specific manner, amphibian skin may select for microbes that are generally in low abundance in the environment. PMID:24858782
Stored Radioactive Material Landfill Site no. 7 (LF-7), Massachusetts Military Reservation, Cape Cod, MA

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-07

Consultative Letter 3. DATES COVERED (From – To) July 2012 – January 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Stored Radioactive Material Landfill Site #7 (LF-7...performed 9-13 Jul 2012 at the stored radioactive material landfill site (LF-7) on Camp Edwards, Massachusetts Military Reservation, Cape Cod, MA...Walkover surveillance and environmental sampling were used to characterize any radioactive material presence at the LF-7 site. No observable or
The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site environmental report for calendar Year 1990

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

Hoff, D.L.; Mitchell, R.G.; Moore, R.

1991-06-01

The results of the various monitoring programs for 1990 indicate that most radioactivity from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) operations could not be distinguished from worldwide fallout and natural radioactivity in the region surrounding the INEL Site. Although some radioactive materials were discharged during Site operations, concentrations and doses to the surrounding population were of no health consequence and were far less than State of Idaho and Federal health protection guidelines. The first section of the report summarizes Calendar Year 1990 and January 1 through April 1, 1991, INEL activities related to compliance with environmental regulations and laws. Themore » balance of the report describes the surveillance program, the collection of foodstuffs at the INEL boundary and distant offsite locations, and the collection of air and water samples at onsite locations and offsite boundary and distant locations. The report also compares and evaluates the sample results and discusses implications, if any. Nonradioactive and radioactive effluent monitoring at the Site, and the US Geological Survey (USGS) ground-water monitoring program are also summarized. 33 refs., 18 figs., 29 tabs.« less
Geodatabase of environmental information for Air Force Plant 4 and Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base Carswell Field, Fort Worth, Texas, 1990-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shah, Sachin D.; Quigley, Sean M.

2005-01-01

Air Force Plant 4 (AFP4) and adjacent Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base (NAS-JRB) at Fort Worth, Tex., constitute a government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) facility that has been in operation since 1942. Contaminants from the facility, primarily volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals, have entered the groundwater-flow system through leakage from waste-disposal sites (landfills and pits) and from manufacturing processes (U.S. Air Force, Aeronautical Systems Center, 1995). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force (USAF), Aeronautical Systems Center, Environmental Management Directorate (ASC/ENVR), developed a comprehensive database (or geodatabase) of temporal and spatial environmental information associated with the geology, hydrology, and water quality at AFP4 and NAS-JRB. The database of this report provides information about the AFP4 and NAS-JRB study area including sample location names, identification numbers, locations, historical dates, and various measured hydrologic data. This database does not include every sample location at the site, but is limited to an aggregation of selected digital and hardcopy data of the USAF, USGS, and various consultants who have previously or are currently working at the site.
Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2015 through September 2016) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Turner, Matthew A.

2018-03-30

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in selected streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork Basin of western Montana. The sampling program was led by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork Basin, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 20 sites from October 2015 through September 2016. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2016.This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2015 through September 2016. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Samples for analysis of turbidity were collected at 13 sites, whereas samples for analysis of dissolved organic carbon were collected at 10 sites. In addition, samples for analysis of nitrogen (nitrate plus nitrite) were collected at two sites. Daily values of mean suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for three sites. Seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for five sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained (less than 0.063 millimeter) fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin are provided for the period of record.
Isotopic tracking of Hanford 300 area derived uranium in the Columbia River.

PubMed

Christensen, John N; Dresel, P Evan; Conrad, Mark E; Patton, Gregory W; DePaolo, Donald J

2010-12-01

Our objectives in this study are to quantify the discharge rate of uranium (U) to the Columbia River from the Hanford Site's 300 Area and to follow that U downriver to constrain its fate. Uranium from the Hanford Site has variable isotopic composition due to nuclear industrial processes carried out at the site. This characteristic makes it possible to use high-precision isotopic measurements of U in environmental samples to identify even trace levels of contaminant U, determine its sources, and estimate discharge rates. Our data on river water samples indicate that as much as 3.2 kg/day can enter the Columbia River from the 300 Area, which is only a small fraction of the total load of dissolved natural background U carried by the Columbia River. This very low level of Hanford-derived U can be discerned, despite dilution to <1% of natural background U, 400 km downstream from the Hanford Site. These results indicate that isotopic methods can allow the amounts of U from the 300 Area of the Hanford Site entering the Columbia River to be measured accurately to ascertain whether they are an environmental concern or insignificant relative to natural uranium background in the Columbia River.
Assessment of urban and industrial contamination levels in the bay of Cádiz, SW Spain.

PubMed

Carrasco, M; López-Ramírez, J A; Benavente, J; López-Aguayo, F; Sales, D

2003-03-01

Measuring the amount of pollution is of particular importance in assessing the quality and general condition of an ecosystem. In this paper, some of the results obtained as a consequence of the specific agreement between the Environmental Agency (Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía) and the University of Cadiz to assess the environmental condition of the marine bottom and waters are showed. Physical and chemical analyses in water and sediments were undertaken at various sampling sites close to urban and industrial locations. Later on, these results were studied under statistical analysis to reveal any possible relationships between the parameters employed, and to identify any analogous behaviour between the sampling sites. Physical-chemical data revealed that sediments and waters analysed were moderately contaminated and, in addition, no great differences were found between in rising and ebbing tide conditions. Finally, considering only the pollution level, from the cluster analysis of sediments two major groups appear, one of which corresponded to those sites located in the outer bay, and the other to those situated in the inner bay. However, number 6 and 14 sampling sites cannot be associated to those groups due to be related to points with important local discharges.
Comparing efficiency of American Fisheries Society standard snorkeling techniques to environmental DNA sampling techniques

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ulibarri, Roy M.; Bonar, Scott A.; Rees, Christopher B.; Amberg, Jon J.; Ladell, Bridget; Jackson, Craig

2017-01-01

Analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) is an emerging technique used to detect aquatic species through water sampling and the extraction of biological material for amplification. Our study compared the efficacy of eDNA methodology to American Fisheries Society (AFS) standard snorkeling surveys with regard to detecting the presence of rare fish species. Knowing which method is more efficient at detecting target species will help managers to determine the best way to sample when both traditional sampling methods and eDNA sampling are available. Our study site included three Navajo Nation streams that contained Navajo Nation Genetic Subunit Bluehead Suckers Catostomus discobolus and Zuni Bluehead Suckers C. discobolus yarrowi. We first divided the entire wetted area of streams into consecutive 100-m reaches and then systematically selected 10 reaches/stream for snorkel and eDNA surveys. Surface water samples were taken in 10-m sections within each 100-m reach, while fish presence was noted via snorkeling in each 10-m section. Quantitative PCR was run on each individual water sample in quadruplicate to test for the presence or absence of the target species. With eDNA sampling techniques, we were able to positively detect both species in two out of the three streams. Snorkeling resulted in positive detection of both species in all three streams. In streams where the target species were detected with eDNA sampling, snorkeling detected fish at 11–29 sites/stream, whereas eDNA detected fish at 3–12 sites/stream. Our results suggest that AFS standard snorkeling is more effective than eDNA for detecting target fish species. To improve our eDNA procedures, the amount of water collected and tested should be increased. Additionally, filtering water on-site may improve eDNA techniques for detecting fish. Future research should focus on standardization of eDNA sampling to provide a widely operational sampling tool.
Alternative modelling approaches for estimating pyrogenic carbon, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in contrasting ecoregions within the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jauss, Verena; Sullivan, Patrick; Lehmann, Johannes; Sanderman, Jonathan; Daub, Markus

2017-04-01

Given that turnover rates of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in soil are substantially slower than those of other organic carbon input, it is considered an important carbon pool and its function and fate are relevant to global environmental change processes. Research on PyC has expanded greatly over recent years, but the analytical challenges of determining environmental core factors influencing its production, accumulation and dispersion still require elucidation across different scales. Mid-infrared spectroscopy and partial least-squares analysis were used in conjunction with ultraviolet photo-oxidation followed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques, to quantify PyC, soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (total N) amounts for samples we collected of surface and subsurface soils across the United States at National Science Foundation supported Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites as well as samples from a national soil sampling effort by the U.S. Geological Survey. In our study, we illustrate the impact of the aforementioned natural factors by examining their correlation with PyC content in soils under contrasting environmental conditions thus identifying the factors affecting PyC accumulation. Our central findings revealed a statistically significant relationship of PyC with environmental variables soil drainage, lignin content of the vegetation, mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation as well as for the USGS sites total soil sulphur. During our investigations we evaluated PyC on different spatial scales. On a geographically smaller scale we examined samples from New England and New York. We developed a new and innovative Bayesian framework and applied three spatial models to the data in order to relate critical environmental covariates to changes in spatial density of PyC over the landscape. Akaike Information Criterion demonstrated that the Bayesian Multivariate Linear Regression model performed best (r2=0.6; p<<0.0001) in our analysis, giving global mean density estimates for PyC of 25.8 g kg-1 (12.2 Gg km-2) as opposed to the Ordinary Kriging model, which performed worst (r2=0.0; p>>0.05) with estimates of 11.0 g kg-1 (0.84 Gg km-2). On a larger scale, we looked at selected profiles at five diverse LTER sites as well as sites along a vegetation gradient in Oregon. At the LTER sites PyC content ranged from 9.8 mg g-1 (Coweeta, NC) to 56.4 mg g-1 (Bonanza, AK). Furthermore, we examined the multivariate relationships between environmental factors and our measurements of PyC, SOC and total N at the LTER sites through the application of a canonical correspondence analysis. Using our Oregon samples, we expanded on a previously established method to predict soil properties vertically in the soil profile using equal-area quadratic splines in order to calculate PyC stocks as well as to infer and visualize PyC contents, which were most prevalent in the first 0.2 m with 7-24% of SOC, and could be found in the subsoil of all locations. However, PyC contents did not change consistently with soil depth.
Maywood Interim Storage Site: Annual environmental report for calendar year 1990, Maywood, New Jersey

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

Not Available

1991-09-01

Environmental monitoring of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Maywood Interim Storage Site (MISS) and surrounding area began in 1984. MISS is part of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP), a DOE program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The MISS Environmental monitoring programs was established to accommodate facility characteristics, applicable regulations, hazard potential, quantities and concentrations of materials released, extent and use of affected land and water, and localmore » public interest or concern. The environmental monitoring program at MISS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium, radium-226, and thorium-232 concentrations in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in surface water, sediment, and groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards; federal, state, and local applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs); and/or DOE derived concentration guidelines (DCGs). Environmental standards, ARARs, and DCGs are established to protect public health and the environment. Results from the 1990 environmental monitoring program show that concentrations of the contaminants of concern were all below applicable standards. Because the site is used only for interim storage and produces no processing effluents, all monitoring, except for radon and direct gamma radiation, was done on a quarterly basis. 18 refs., 17 figs., 28 tabs.« less
Health Risks to Ecological Workers on Contaminated Sites - the Department of Energy as a Case Study

PubMed Central

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael

2016-01-01

Background At most contaminated sites the risk to workers focuses on those ‘hazardous waste workers’ directly exposed to chemicals or radionuclides, and to the elaborate approaches implemented to protecting their health and safety. Ecological workers generally are not considered. Objectives To explore the risks to the health and safety of ecological workers on sites with potential chemical and radiological exposures before, during or after remediation of contamination. To use the U.S. Department of Energy as a case study, and to develop concepts that apply generally to sites contaminated with hazardous or nuclear wastes, Methods Develop categories of ecological workers, describe their usual jobs, and provide information on the kinds of risks they face. Ecological activities include continued surveillance and monitoring work on any sites with residual contamination, subject to institutional controls and engineered barriers following closure as well as the restoration. Results The categories of ecological workers and their tasks include 1) Ecological characterization, mapping and monitoring, 2) biodiversity studies, 2) Contaminant fate and transport, 3) On-going industrial activities 4) Remediation activities (environmental management), 5) Environmental restoration, 6) Post-cleanup surveillance and monitoring, and 7) Post-closure future site activities. There are a set of functional activities that can occur with different frequencies and intensities, including visual inspection, collecting biological samples, collecting media physical samples, collecting biological debris, restoration planting, and maintaining ecosystems. Conclusions Ecological workers face different exposures and risks than other environmental cleanup workers. Many of their tasks mimic shift work with long hours leading to fatigue, and they are exposed to biological as well as chemical/radiological hazards. DOE and other entities need to examine the risks to ecological workers on site with an eye to risk reduction. PMID:27668128
Bayesian focalization: quantifying source localization with environmental uncertainty.

PubMed

Dosso, Stan E; Wilmut, Michael J

2007-05-01

This paper applies a Bayesian formulation to study ocean acoustic source localization as a function of uncertainty in environmental properties (water column and seabed) and of data information content [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and number of frequencies]. The approach follows that of the optimum uncertain field processor [A. M. Richardson and L. W. Nolte, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 89, 2280-2284 (1991)], in that localization uncertainty is quantified by joint marginal probability distributions for source range and depth integrated over uncertain environmental properties. The integration is carried out here using Metropolis Gibbs' sampling for environmental parameters and heat-bath Gibbs' sampling for source location to provide efficient sampling over complicated parameter spaces. The approach is applied to acoustic data from a shallow-water site in the Mediterranean Sea where previous geoacoustic studies have been carried out. It is found that reliable localization requires a sufficient combination of prior (environmental) information and data information. For example, sources can be localized reliably for single-frequency data at low SNR (-3 dB) only with small environmental uncertainties, whereas successful localization with large environmental uncertainties requires higher SNR and/or multifrequency data.

Report: Independent Environmental Sampling Shows Some Properties Designated by EPA as Available for Use Had Some Contamination

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #15-P-0221, July 21, 2015. Some OIG sampling results showed contamination was still present at sites designated by the EPA as ready for reuse. This was unexpected and could signal a need to implement changes to ensure human health protection.
MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL STREAMS STUDY: STATISTICAL DESIGN FOR REGIONAL ASSESSMENT AND LANDSCAPE MODEL DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A network of stream-sampling sites was developed for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (New Jersey through North Carolina) a collaborative study between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey. A stratified random sampling with unequal weighting was u...
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND RELATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR A LARGE SCALE, MULTI-SITE RESEARCH PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

During the summer of 2000, as part of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study designed to improve microbial water quality monitoring protocols at public beaches, over 11,000 water samples were collected at five selected beaches across the country. At each beach, samples wer...
MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL STREAMS STUDY: STATISTICAL DESIGN FOR REGIONAL ASSESSMENT AND LANDSCAPE MODEL DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A network of stream-sampling sites was developed for the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (New Jersey through North Carolina) as part of collaborative research between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey. A stratified random sampling with unequal wei...
Assessing Brook Trout populations in headwater streams of the Adirondack Mountains using environmental DNA -- Summary report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldigo, Barry P.; George, Scott D.; Sporn, Lee Ann; Ball, Jacob

2016-01-01

This project evaluated standard fish-survey and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling methods to determine the ability of eDNA to accurately predict the presence and abundance of resident Brook Trout populations in 40 headwater streams mainly in the western Adirondack Mountains during 2014–2015 (Figure 2). Standard 3-pass electrofishing surveys found that Brook Trout were absent from about 25 percent of study sites, and at low densities in 25 percent of sites, moderate densities in 25 percent of sites, and high densities in 25 percent of sites. Environmental DNA results correctly predicted the presence/absence of Brook Trout in 85.0 to 92.5 percent of study sites and explained 44.0 percent of the variability in density and 24 percent of the variability in biomass of their populations. The findings indicate that eDNA surveys will enable researchers to effectively characterize the presence as well as the abundance of Brook Trout and other species populations in headwater streams across the Adirondack Mountains and elsewhere.
Determination of an effective sampling regime to detect salmonella enteritidis in the environment of poultry units.

PubMed

Davies, R H; Wray, C

1996-05-01

A study of the dissemination of Salmonella enteritidis in the poultry breeder industry in the UK showed that the choice of sites for sampling the environment of occupied houses and empty houses which had been disinfected after depopulation had a significant influence on the outcome. Increased isolation rates could be achieved by sampling nest box floors and dust in open slave feed hoppers in occupied poultry houses. Nest box floors were the most sensitive sites for detection of residual environmental contamination in poultry houses where enrofloxacin treatment had been used. Floor sweepings, nest box floors, slave feed hoppers, hydrated wall fabric junctions and high beams and pipes were the most sensitive sample sites in cleansed and disinfected poultry houses. The use of universal disinfectant neutralisers gave good results in laboratory trials but appeared to reduce the isolation rate from field samples.
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.
A whole-cell bioreporter assay for quantitative genotoxicity evaluation of environmental samples.

PubMed

Jiang, Bo; Li, Guanghe; Xing, Yi; Zhang, Dayi; Jia, Jianli; Cui, Zhisong; Luan, Xiao; Tang, Hui

2017-10-01

Whole-cell bioreporters have emerged as promising tools for genotoxicity evaluation, due to their rapidity, cost-effectiveness, sensitivity and selectivity. In this study, a method for detecting genotoxicity in environmental samples was developed using the bioluminescent whole-cell bioreporter Escherichia coli recA::luxCDABE. To further test its performance in a real world scenario, the E. coli bioreporter was applied in two cases: i) soil samples collected from chromium(VI) contaminated sites; ii) crude oil contaminated seawater collected after the Jiaozhou Bay oil spill which occurred in 2013. The chromium(VI) contaminated soils were pretreated by water extraction, and directly exposed to the bioreporter in two phases: aqueous soil extraction (water phase) and soil supernatant (solid phase). The results indicated that both extractable and soil particle fixed chromium(VI) were bioavailable to the bioreporter, and the solid-phase contact bioreporter assay provided a more precise evaluation of soil genotoxicity. For crude oil contaminated seawater, the response of the bioreporter clearly illustrated the spatial and time change in genotoxicity surrounding the spill site, suggesting that the crude oil degradation process decreased the genotoxic risk to ecosystem. In addition, the performance of the bioreporter was simulated by a modified cross-regulation gene expression model, which quantitatively described the DNA damage response of the E. coli bioreporter. Accordingly, the bioluminescent response of the bioreporter was calculated as the mitomycin C equivalent, enabling quantitative comparison of genotoxicities between different environmental samples. This bioreporter assay provides a rapid and sensitive screening tool for direct genotoxicity assessment of environmental samples. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and in biological tissue from streams and their relations to land use, central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gebler, Joseph B.

2000-01-01

Streambed-sediment samples from 13 sites and biological-tissue samples from 11 sites in the Gila River Basin in central Arizona were analyzed for 32 organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and 28 compounds in biological tissue during 1996 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. The objectives of the study were to determine the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine compounds and their relation to land use. Sampling sites were categorized on the basis of major land uses in the basin or the source of water in the stream. Because land uses were mixed or had changed over time, some land-use categories were combined. Sites were categorized as forest/rangeland (6), forest/urban (1), urban (4), or agricultural/urban (2). Thirteen organochlorine compounds were detected in streambed-sediment samples, and 10 were detected in tissue samples. The number of compounds found in streambed-sediment samples from individual sites ranged from 0 to 10, and the range for individual tissue samples was 0 to 7. Comparison of the number of detections in streambed-sediment samples to the number of detections in tissue samples from particular sites where both were sampled yielded five instances where more compounds were detected in streambed sediment, six instances where more compounds were detected in tissue, and five instances where the number of detections in streambed sediment and tissue were equal. The frequency of detection of particular compounds for sites where both streambed sediment and tissue were sampled resulted in five compounds being detected more frequently in streambed sediment, five more frequently in tissue, and three compounds that were equally frequent in streambed sediment and in tissue. Few contaminants were detected in samples from the forest/rangeland sites; greater numbers of compounds were detected at the urban sites and at the forest/urban site. The greatest number of compounds and the highest concentrations of many contaminants were detected at agriculture/urban sites. The compound detected most frequently in streambed-sediment and tissue samples was p,p'-DDE. Streambed-sediment guideline values for the protection of aquatic life for p,p'-DDE and total DDT were exceeded at both agricultural/urban sites, The streambed-sediment guideline value for the protection of aquatic life for total chlordane was exceeded at one agricultural/urban site, one urban site, and the forest/urban site. The streambed-sediment guideline value for the protection of aquatic life for total PCB’s was exceeded at one agricultural/urban site. Guideline values for the protection of fish-eating wildlife for total DDT and for toxaphene were exceeded only in samples from the two agricultural/urban sites. The guideline value for the protection of fish-eating wildlife for total PCB’s was equaled or exceeded in samples from two sites—one urban and one agricultural/urban site. Screening values established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the protection of human health for edible portions of fish were exceeded by total DDT and by toxaphene in fish-tissue samples from both agricultural/urban sites. The human-health criterion for total PCB’s was exceeded in two fish-tissue samples from an agricultural site and from an urban site. Tissue samples analyzed in this study were for whole fish, and thus, concentration data are not entirely comparable to the screening values of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Because these exceedences were an order of magnitude above the criteria, however, it is possible that concentrations in the edible portions of fish from these locations could present a human- health risk. Analyses of samples of edible portions of fish from these locations would be needed to adequately assess the presence or absence of a human-health risk. The similarity of the results of this study to the results of other studies of organochlorine compounds in the environment suggests that there is a correlation between contaminants in sediment and biological-tissue samples and land uses. As with other studies of the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine contaminants in streambed sediments and biological tissue, this study shows that many organochlorine compounds continue to persist in the environment and thus could pose a threat to aquatic life, fish-eating wildlife, and possibly to humans who consume contaminated fish.
Environmental setting, water quality, and ecological indicators of surface-water quality in the Mermentau River Basin, southwestern Louisiana, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skrobialowski, Stanley C.; Mize, Scott V.; Demcheck, Dennis K.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey collected data from 29 wells and 24 surface-water sites in the Mermentau River Basin, 1998-2001, to better understand ground-water and surface-water quality; aquatic invertebrate communities; and habitat conditions, in relation to land use. This study was apart of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, which was designed to assess water quality as it relates to various land uses. Water-quality data were evaluated with criteria established for the protection of drinking water and aquatic life, and bed-sediment data were compared to aquatic life criteria. Water-quality and ecological data were analyzed statistically in relation to drainage area and agricultural land-use integrity. Concentrations of nutrients and major inorganic ions in ground water and surface water generally were highest in the southeastern part of the study area where soils contain thick loess deposits. Peak concentrations of nutrients in surface water occurred March-may at two sites with high agricultural intensity; the lowest concentrations occurred August-January. The greatest potential for eutrophic conditions in surface water, based on nutrient concentrations, existed March-May, at about the same time or shortly after ricefields were drained. Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) were exceeded for sulfate, chloride, iron, or manganese in samples from 20 wells, and for iron or manganese in samples from all surface-water sites. Fewer pesticides were detected in ground water than in surface water. In 11 of of the 29 wells sampled, at least one pesticide or pesticide degradation product was detected. The most frequently detected pesticides or pesticide degradation products in ground water were the herbicides benzaton and atrazine. Concentrations of 47 pesticides and degradation products were detected in surface water. At least 3 pesticides were detected in all surface-water samples. In 72 percent of the samples at least 5 hydrophilic pesticides were detected, and in more than 70 percent of the samples at least 3 hydrophobic pesticides were detected. Although atrazine concentrations in three samples collected in the spring exceeded 3 micrograms per liter, the USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level of 3 micrograms per liter was not exceeded because it is based on an annual average of quarterly samples. Concentrations larger than 3.0 micrograms per liter were not detected in samples collected during other times of the year. Tebuthiuron was detected at all surface-water sites; the largest concentration (6.33 micrograms per liter) was detected at a site on Bayou des Cannes, and was the only detection that exceeded the criterion (1.6 micrograms per liter) for the protection of aquatic life. Malathion was detected at 16 surface-water sites; the largest concentration (0.113 micrograms per liter) was detected at a site on Bayou Lacassine and was the only detection that exceeded the criterion (0.1 micrograms per liter) for the protection of aquatic life. Concentrations of fipronil exceeded numeric targets for acute total maximum daily loads (2.3 micrograms per liter) at 3 sites and chronic total maximum daily loads (4.6 micrograms per liter) at 14 sites. Maximum pesticide concentrations in surface water usually occurred in the spring at about the same time or shortly after ricefields were drained. Concentrations of DDE in bed sediment at two sites exceeded interim freshwater sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. Fipronil sulfide and desulfinylpronil were detected at all 17 sites from which bed-sediment samples were collected, but there are no current (2002) guidelines with which to evaluate the environmental effects of fipronil and degradation products. Two methods were used to group the ecological data-collection sites: (1) Sites were grouped before data collection (according to the study design) using drainage area
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant environmental report for 1989

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

Turner, J.W.

1990-10-01

This calendar year 1989 annual report on environmental surveillance of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) and its environs consists of two parts: the Summary, Discussion, and Conclusions (Part 1) and the Data Presentation (Part 2). The objectives of this report are the following: report 1989 monitoring data for the installation and its environs that may have been affected by operations on the plant site, provide reasonably detailed information about the plant site and plant operations, provide detailed information on input and assumptions used in all calculations, provide trend analyses (where appropriate) to indicate increasesmore » and decreases in environmental impact, and provide general information on plant quality assurance. Routine monitoring and sampling for radiation, radioactive materials, and chemical substances on and off the DOE site are used to document compliance with appropriate standards, to identify trends, to provide information for the public, and to contribute to general environmental knowledge. The surveillance program assists in fulfilling the DOE policy of protecting the public, employees, and environment from harm that could be caused by its activities and reducing negative environmental impacts to the greatest degree practicable. Environmental-monitoring information complements data on specific releases, trends, and summaries. 26 refs.« less
Cryptosporidium source tracking in the Potomac River watershed.

PubMed

Yang, Wenli; Chen, Plato; Villegas, Eric N; Landy, Ronald B; Kanetsky, Charles; Cama, Vitaliano; Dearen, Theresa; Schultz, Cherie L; Orndorff, Kenneth G; Prelewicz, Gregory J; Brown, Miranda H; Young, Kim Roy; Xiao, Lihua

2008-11-01

To better characterize Cryptosporidium in the Potomac River watershed, a PCR-based genotyping tool was used to analyze 64 base flow and 28 storm flow samples from five sites in the watershed. These sites included two water treatment plant intakes, as well as three upstream sites, each associated with a different type of land use. The uses, including urban wastewater, agricultural (cattle) wastewater, and wildlife, posed different risks in terms of the potential contribution of Cryptosporidium oocysts to the source water. Cryptosporidium was detected in 27 base flow water samples and 23 storm flow water samples. The most frequently detected species was C. andersoni (detected in 41 samples), while 14 other species or genotypes, almost all wildlife associated, were occasionally detected. The two common human-pathogenic species, C. hominis and C. parvum, were not detected. Although C. andersoni was common at all four sites influenced by agriculture, it was largely absent at the urban wastewater site. There were very few positive samples as determined by Environmental Protection Agency method 1623 at any site; only 8 of 90 samples analyzed (9%) were positive for Cryptosporidium as determined by microscopy. The genotyping results suggest that many of the Cryptosporidium oocysts in the water treatment plant source waters were from old calves and adult cattle and might not pose a significant risk to human health.
Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and their relations with environmental variables in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River drainages, California, 1993-1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.; May, Jason T.

2000-01-01

Data were collected in the San Joaquin and Sacramento river drainages to evaluate associations between macroinvertebrate assemblages and environmental variables as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Samples were collected at 53 sites from 1993 to 1995 in the San Joaquin River drainage and in 1996 and 1997 in the Sacramento River drainage. Macroinvertebrates were collected from riffles or from large woody debris (snags) when riffles were absent. Macroinvertebrate taxa were aggregated to the family (or higher) level of taxonomic organization, resulting in 81 taxa for analyses. Only the 50 most common taxa were used for two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and canonical correspondence analysis. TWINSPAN analysis defined four groups of riffle samples and four groups of snag samples based on macroinvertebrate assemblages. Analysis of variance identified differences in environmental and biotic characteristics of the groups. These results combined with the results of canonical correspondence analysis indicated that patterns in riffle sample assemblage structure were highly correlated with a gradient in physical and chemical conditions associated with elevation. The results also suggested that flow regulation associated with large storage reservoirs has negative effects on the total number of taxa and density of macroinvertebrates below foothill dams. Analysis of the snag samples showed that, although elevation remained a significant variable, mean dominant substrate size, gradient, specific conductance, water temperature, percentage of the basin in agricultural land use, and percentage of the basin in combined agricultural and urban land uses were more important factors in explaining assemblage structure. Macroinvertebrate assemblages on snags may be useful in family level bioassessments of environmental conditions in valley floor habitats. In the Sierra Nevada and its foothills, the strong influence of elevation made it difficult to attribute differences in macroinvertebrate assemblage structure among sites to specific environmental conditions. Additional work is needed in the foothills and Sierra Nevada to better define macroinvertebrate assemblages and their relations to environmental variables.
90Sr and 137Cs in environmental samples from Dolon near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.

PubMed

Gastberger, M; Steinhäusler, F; Gerzabek, M H; Hubmer, A; Lettner, H

2000-09-01

The (90)Sr and (137)Cs activities of soil, plant, and milk samples from the village of Dolon, located close to the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan, were determined. The areal deposition at the nine sampling sites is in the range of <500 to 6,100 Bq m(-2) and 300 to 7,900 Bq m-2 for (90)Sr and (137)Cs, respectively. Similar values have been reported in the literature. At some of the sites both nuclides mainly have remained in the top 6 cm of the soil profiles; at others they were partly transported into deeper soil layers since the deposition. For most of the samples the (90)Sr yield after destruction of the soil matrix is significantly higher than after extracting with 6 M HCl indicating that (90)Sr is partly associated with fused silicates. The low mean (90)Sr activity concentrations of vegetation samples (14 Bq kg(-1) dw) and milk samples (0.05 Bq kg(-1) fw) suggest that this has favorable consequences in terms of limiting its bioavailability.
Microbiological quality of Puget Sound Basin streams and identification of contaminant sources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Embrey, S.S.

2001-01-01

Fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, and somatic coliphages were detected in samples from 31 sites on streams draining urban and agricultural regions of the Puget Sound Basin Lowlands. Densities of bacteria in 48 and 71 percent of the samples exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's freshwater recreation criteria for Escherichia coli and enterococci, respectively, and 81 percent exceeded Washington State fecal coliform standards. Male-specific coliphages were detected in samples from 15 sites. Male-specific F+RNA coliphages isolated from samples taken at South Fork Thornton and Longfellow Creeks were serotyped as Group II, implicating humans as potential contaminant sources. These two sites are located in residential, urban areas. F+RNA coliphages in samples from 10 other sites, mostly in agricultural or rural areas, were serotyped as Group I, implicating non-human animals as likely sources. Chemicals common to wastewater, including fecal sterols, were detected in samples from several urban streams, and also implicate humans, at least in part, as possible sources of fecal bacteria and viruses to the streams.
Journal Article: EPA's National Dioxin Air Monitoring Network ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) established the National Dioxin Air Monitoring Network (NDAMN) in June of 1998, and operated it until November of 2004. The objective of NDAMN was to determine background air concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs). NDAMN started with 10 sampling sites, adding more over time until the final count of 34 sites was reached by the beginning of 2003. Samples were taken quarterly, and the final sample count was 685. All samples were measured for 17 PCDD/PCDF congeners, 8 PCDD/PCDF homologue groups, and 7 dl-PCBs (note: 5 additional dl-PCBs were added for samples starting in the summer of 2002; 317 samples had measurements of 12 dl-PCBs). The overall average total toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentration in the United States was 11.2 fg TEQ m−3 with dl-PCBs contributing 0.8 fg TEQ m−3 (7%) to this total. The archetype dioxin and furan background air congener profile was seen in the survey averages and in most individual samples. This archetype profile is characterized by low and similar concentrations for tetra – through hexa PCDD/PCDF congeners, with elevations in four congeners – a hepta dioxin and furan congener, and both octa congeners. Sites were generally categorized as urban (4 sites), rural (23 sites), or remote (7 sites). The average TEQ concentrations over all sites and samples within these cat
RCRA Facility Investigation report for Waste Area Grouping 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 1. Sections 1 through 3

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

None

1991-09-01

WAG 6 comprises a shallow land burial facility used for disposal of low-level radioactive wastes (LLW) and, until recently, chemical wastes. As such, the site is subject to regulation under RCRA and the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). To comply with these regulations, DOE, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), developed a strategy for closure and remediation of WAG 6 by 1997. A key component of this strategy was to complete an RFI by September 1991. The primary objectives of the RFI were to evaluate themore » site's potential human health and environmental impacts and to develop a preliminary list of alternatives to mitigate these impacts. The WAG 6 one of three solid waste management units evaluated Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) existing waste disposal records and sampling data and performed the additional sampling and analysis necessary to: describe the nature and extent of contamination; characterize key contaminant transport pathways; and assess potential risks to human health and the environment by developing and evaluating hypothetical receptor scenarios. Estimated excess lifetime cancer risks as a result for exposure to radionuclides and chemicals were quantified for each hypothetical human receptor. For environmental receptors, potential impacts were qualitatively assessed. Taking into account regulatory requirements and base line risk assessment results, preliminary site closure and remediation objectives were identified, and a preliminary list of alternatives for site closure and remediation was developed.« less
Idaho's surface-water-quality monitoring program: results from five sites sampled during water years 1990-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1994-01-01

In 1990, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Environmental Quality, implemented a statewide water-quality monitoring program in response to Idaho's antidegradation policy as required by the Clean Water Act. The program objective is to provide water-quality managers with a coordinated statewide network to detect trends in surface-water quality. The monitoring program includes the collection and analysis of samples from 56 sites on the Bear, Clearwater, Kootenai, Pend Oreille, Salmon, Snake, and Spokane Rivers and their tributaries (fig. 1). Samples are collected every year at 5 sites (annual sites) in drainage basins where long-term water-quality management is practiced, every other year at 19 sites (biennial sites) in basins where land and water uses change slowly, and every third year at 32 sites (triennial sites) where future development may affect water quality. Each year, 25 of the 56 sites are sampled. This report discusses results of sampling at five annual sites. During water years 1990-93 (October 1, 1989, through September 30, 1993), samples were collected six times per year at the five annual sites (fig. 1). Onsite analyses were made for discharge, specific conductance, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, bacteria (fecal coliform and fecal streptococci), and alkalinity. Laboratory analyses were made for major ions, nutrients, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Suspended sediment, nitrate, fecal coliform, trace elements, and specific conductance were used to characterize surface-water quality. Because concentrations of all trace elements except zinc were near detection limits, only zinc is discussed.
Distribution and Diversity of Soil Microfauna from East Antarctica: Assessing the Link between Biotic and Abiotic Factors

PubMed Central

Velasco-Castrillón, Alejandro; Schultz, Mark B.; Colombo, Federica; Gibson, John A. E.; Davies, Kerrie A.; Austin, Andrew D.; Stevens, Mark I.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial life in Antarctica has been described as some of the simplest on the planet, and mainly confined to soil microfaunal communities. Studies have suggested that the lack of diversity is due to extreme environmental conditions and thought to be driven by abiotic factors. In this study we investigated soil microfauna composition, abundance, and distribution in East Antarctica, and assessed correlations with soil geochemistry and environmental variables. We examined 109 soil samples from a wide range of ice-free habitats, spanning 2000 km from Framnes Mountains to Bailey Peninsula. Microfauna across all samples were patchily distributed, from complete absence of invertebrates to over 1600 specimens/gram of dry weight of soil (gdw), with highest microfauna abundance observed in samples with visible vegetation. Bdelloid rotifers were on average the most widespread found in 87% of sampled sites and the most abundant (44 specimens/gdw). Tardigrades occurred in 57% of the sampled sites with an abundance of 12 specimens/gdw. Nematodes occurred in 71% of samples with a total abundance of 3 specimens/gdw. Ciliates and mites were rarely found in soil samples, with an average abundance of 1.3 and 0.04 specimens/gdw, respectively. We found that microfaunal composition and abundance were mostly correlated with the soil geochemical parameters; phosphorus, NO3 − and salinity, and likely to be the result of soil properties and historic landscape formation and alteration, rather than the geographic region they were sampled from. Studies focusing on Antarctic biodiversity must take into account soil geochemical and environmental factors that influence population and species heterogeneity. PMID:24498126
An integrated multi criteria approach for landfill siting in a conflicting environmental, economical and socio-cultural area.

PubMed

Eskandari, Mahnaz; Homaee, Mehdi; Mahmodi, Shahla

2012-08-01

Landfill site selection is a complicated multi criteria land use planning that should convince all related stakeholders with different insights. This paper addresses an integrating approach for landfill siting based on conflicting opinions among environmental, economical and socio-cultural expertise. In order to gain optimized siting decision, the issue was investigated in different viewpoints. At first step based on opinion sampling and questionnaire results of 35 experts familiar with local situations, the national environmental legislations and international practices, 13 constraints and 15 factors were built in hierarchical structure. Factors divided into three environmental, economical and socio-cultural groups. In the next step, the GIS-database was developed based on the designated criteria. In the third stage, the criteria standardization and criteria weighting were accomplished. The relative importance weights of criteria and subcriteria were estimated, respectively, using analytical hierarchy process and rank ordering methods based on different experts opinions. Thereafter, by using simple additive weighting method, the suitability maps for landfill siting in Marvdasht, Iran, was evaluated in environmental, economical and socio-cultural visions. The importance of each group of criteria in its own vision was assigned to be higher than two other groups. In the fourth stage, the final suitability map was obtained after crossing three resulted maps in different visions and reported in five suitability classes for landfill construction. This map indicated that almost 1224 ha of the study area can be considered as best suitable class for landfill siting considering all visions. In the last stage, a comprehensive field visit was performed to verify the selected site obtained from the proposed model. This field inspection has confirmed the proposed integrating approach for the landfill siting. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental sciences information storage and retrieval system

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

Engstrom, D.E.; White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co., Inc. (REECo), has since 1970 accumulated information relating to the AEC's Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) programs at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). These programs, involving extensive soil, vegetation, and small-animal studies, have generated informational data concerning the collecting, processing, analyzing, and shipping of sample materials to various program participants and contractors. Future plans include incorporation of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory's resuspension study data, REECo's on-site air data, and EPA's large-animal, off-site air, and off-site soil data. (auth)
Health assessment for Mid-America Tanning Company, Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury County, Iowa, Region 7. CERCLIS No. IAD085824688. Preliminary report

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

Not Available

1990-06-08

The Mid-America Tanning Company (MAT) Site is proposed to be listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the National Priorities List (NPL). Mid-America Tanning, now U.S. Tanning, is an animal hide processing plant located on 98.7 acres approximately five miles south of Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury County, Iowa. From June 1978 to the present, use of chromium has been extended to the entire process, which involves the treatment of approximately 1000 hides per day. The process utilizes trivalent chromium and produces waste sludge and liquids that are treated on-site at the company wastewater treatment facility. Based on the availablemore » information, this site is considered to be of potential public health concern because of the risk to human health caused by the likelihood of exposure to hazardous substances via groundwater, surface water and soil. Further environmental characterization and sampling of the site and impacted off-site areas during the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) should be conducted to address the environmental and human exposure pathways discussed above and to further define the extent of contamination at the site.« less
Sampling protocol for post-landfall Deepwater Horizon oil release, Gulf of Mexico, 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilde, F.D.; Skrobialowski, S.C.; Hart, J.S.

2010-01-01

The protocols and procedures described in this report are designed to be used by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) field teams for the collection of environmental data and samples in coastal areas affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This sampling protocol focuses specifically on sampling for water, sediments, benthic invertebrates, and microorganisms (ambient bacterial populations) after shoreline arrival of petroleum-associated product on beach, barrier island, and wetland environments of the Gulf of Mexico coastal states. Deployment to sampling sites, site setup, and sample collection in these environments necessitates modifications to standard USGS sampling procedures in order to address the regulatory, logistical, and legal requirements associated with samples collected in oil-impacted coastal areas. This document, therefore, has been written as an addendum to the USGS National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (NFM) (http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A/), which provides the basis for training personnel in the use of standard USGS sampling protocols. The topics covered in this Gulf of Mexico oil-spill sampling protocol augment NFM protocols for field-deployment preparations, health and safety precautions, sampling and quality-assurance procedures, and decontamination requirements under potentially hazardous environmental conditions. Documentation procedures and maintenance of sample integrity by use of chain-of-custody procedures also are described in this protocol.
Preliminary Public Health, Environmental Risk, and Data Requirements Assessment for the Herbicide Orange Storage Site at Johnston Island

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

an average concentration of 0.8 ppb. 2,4-D in surface soil ranges from 2.5 ppb to 281,330 ppb with an average of 49,986 ppb. 2,4,5-T in surface soil...ranges from 53 ppb to 237,155 ppb, with an average of 48,914 ppb. Approximately 25% of the site was sampled for subsurface TCDD in the 3-7 inch layer of...subsurface soil. Values ranged from 0.02 ppb to 207 ppb, with an average reading of 15 ppb. Approximately 2% of the site was sampled for subsurface
77 FR 66979 - Ellis Road/American Electric Corporation, Jacksonville, Duval County, FL, Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-08

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL 9750-7; CERCLA-04-2010-3768] Ellis Road/American Electric... conduct sampling, perform a clean-up and compromise cost with over 80 settling parties at the Ellis Road.... Submit your comments by Site name Ellis Road/American Electric Corporation Site by one of the following...
An evaluation of traditional and emerging remote sensing technologies for the detection of fugitive contamination at selected Superfund hazardous waste sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slonecker, E. Terrence; Fisher, Gary B.

2011-01-01

This report represents a remote sensing research effort conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the EPA Office of Inspector General. The objective of this investigation was to explore the efficacy of remote sensing as a technology for postclosure monitoring of hazardous waste sites as defined under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-510, 42 U.S.C. §9601 et seq.), also known as \\"Superfund.\\" Five delisted Superfund sites in Maryland and Virginia were imaged with a hyperspectral sensor and visited for collection of soil, water, and spectral samples and inspection of general site conditions. This report evaluates traditional and hyperspectral imagery and field spectroscopic measurement techniques in the characterization and analysis of fugitive (anthropogenic, uncontrolled) contamination at previously remediated hazardous waste disposal sites.
Population genetic structure of Attalea vitrivir Zona (Arecaceae) in fragmented areas of southeast Brazil.

PubMed

Santos, R R M; Cavallari, M M; Pimenta, M A S; Abreu, A G; Costa, M R; Guedes, M L

2015-06-11

Attalea vitrivir Zona (synonym Orbignya oleifera) is one of the six species of Arecaceae known as "babassu". This species is used to make cosmetics, food, and detergents due to the high concentration of oil in the seeds. It is found only in fragmented areas of southern Bahia State and northern Minas Gerais State, southeast Brazil, and this fragmentation has affected both its ecological and genetic characteristics. We evaluated the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of A. vitrivir in six areas of two different regions at the extremes of its geographical range, in order to gain a better understanding of the factors that affect the distribution and partitioning of its diversity. Nine inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers amplified 74 polymorphic bands, resulting in large diversity values (Shannon diversity index, 0.37-0.47; intrapopulation genetic diversity, 0.25-0.34). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed considerable differentiation between sampling sites (30.03%) and regions (12.08%), although most of the diversity was observed within sampling sites (69%). Further differentiation between sampling sites was noted more in the northern region than in the southern region, highlighting the genetic connectivity between the sampling sites within Rio Pandeiros Environmental Protection Area (southern region). The identification of two distinct genetic clusters (K = 2) corresponded to the northern and southern regions, and corroborated the AMOVA results. We suggest that the northern area, outside Rio Pandeiros Environmental Protection Area, must be included in future management plans for this species.
Quality of water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, February 1999 through February 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trombley, T.J.

2001-01-01

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorch, Jeffrey M.; Muller, Laura K.; Russell, Robin E.; O'Connor, Michael; Lindner, Daniel L.; Blehert, David S.

2013-01-01

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats caused by the recently described fungus Geomyces destructans. First isolated in 2008, the origins of this fungus in North America and its ability to persist in the environment remain undefined. To investigate the correlation between manifestation of WNS and distribution of G. destructans in the U.S., we analyzed sediment samples collected from 55 bat hibernacula (caves and mines) both within and outside the known range of WNS using a newly developed real-time PCR assay. Geomyces destructans was detected in 17 of 21 sites within the known range of WNS at the time the samples were collected; the fungus was not found in 28 sites beyond the known range of the disease at the time that environmental samples were collected. These data indicate that distribution of G. destructans is correlated with disease in hibernating bats and support the hypothesis that the fungus is likely an exotic species in North America. Additionally, we examined whether G. destructans persists in infested bat hibernacula when bats are absent. Sediment samples were collected from 14 WNS-positive hibernacula, and the samples were screened for viable fungus using a culture technique. Viable G. destructans was cultivated from 7 of the 14 sites sampled during late summer when bats were no longer in hibernation, suggesting the fungus can persist in the environment in the absence of bat hosts for long periods of time.
Ames Laboratory site environmental report, calendar year 1988

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

Mathison, L.K.

1989-05-01

The summarized data and conclusions from the Ames Laboratory environmental monitoring program are presented in this Annual Site Environmental Report. Ames Laboratory is located on the campus of Iowa State University (ISU) and occupies several buildings owned by the Department of Energy. A study is being conducted to identify environmental sampling methods which can characterize and separate the impact of Ames Laboratory's campus activities and that of ISU. This will enable the Laboratory to determine what possible impact it's operations may be having to the environment, if any. Two Pollution Abatement projects were begun in 1988. They were: removal ofmore » thorium contaminated soil resulting from a historical release of thorium at the Laboratory, to the Ames, Iowa Water Pollution Control (sewage) Plant and demolition of a small Blockhouse'' constructed of concrete block which had been used for low level radioactive waste handling. The contaminated soil has been removed and transported to Hanford, WA for disposal. A final site radiological survey for thorium is pending. In addition, contaminated debris was transported to Hanford, WA for disposal and a final site survey is pending. 7 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less
Evaluating the adequacy of a reference site pool for ecological assessments in environmentally complex regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ode, Peter R.; Rehn, Andrew C.; Mazor, Raphael D.; Schiff, Kenneth C.; Stein, Eric D.; May, Jason; Brown, Larry R.; Herbst, David B.; Gillette, D.D.; Lunde, Kevin; Hawkins, Charles P.

2016-01-01

Many advances in the field of bioassessment have focused on approaches for objectively selecting the pool of reference sites used to establish expectations for healthy waterbodies, but little emphasis has been placed on ways to evaluate the suitability of the reference-site pool for its intended applications (e.g., compliance assessment vs ambient monitoring). These evaluations are critical because an inadequately evaluated reference pool may bias assessments in some settings. We present an approach for evaluating the adequacy of a reference-site pool for supporting biotic-index development in environmentally heterogeneous and pervasively altered regions. We followed common approaches for selecting sites with low levels of anthropogenic stress to screen 1985 candidate stream reaches to create a pool of 590 reference sites for assessing the biological integrity of streams in California, USA. We assessed the resulting pool of reference sites against 2 performance criteria. First, we evaluated how well the reference-site pool represented the range of natural gradients present in the entire population of streams as estimated by sites sampled through probabilistic surveys. Second, we evaluated the degree to which we were successful in rejecting sites influenced by anthropogenic stress by comparing biological metric scores at reference sites with the most vs fewest potential sources of stress. Using this approach, we established a reference-site pool with low levels of human-associated stress and broad coverage of environmental heterogeneity. This approach should be widely applicable and customizable to particular regional or programmatic needs.
Site vegetation report: Terrestrial vegetation survey (1993--1995) for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

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

NONE

1997-06-01

The Ecological Monitoring Program (EcMP) was designed to investigate the long-term ecological trends in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at the US Department of energy`s (DOE`s) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) (DOE 1993). Field sampling was conducted during 1993, 1994, and 1995, until the program was terminated in late 1995. This report presents the terrestrial vegetation data that were gathered by the EcMP. The site is located on the Colorado Piedmont, east of the Front Range, between Boulder and Golden, approximately 25 km (16 miles) northwest of Denver. The topography and proximity of the Site to the mountain front resultmore » in an interesting mixture of prairie and mountain plant species. The Site is one of the few large, relatively undisturbed areas of its kind that remains along the Colorado Piedmont. Until 1989, the primary mission of the Site was the production of nuclear weapons components (DOE 1993). After production ceased, Site personnel shifted their focus to cleanup and closure.« less
Cliff swallows Petrochelidon pyrrhonota as bioindicators of environmental mercury, Cache Creek Watershed, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hothem, Roger L.; Trejo, Bonnie S.; Bauer, Marissa L.; Crayon, John J.

2008-01-01

To evaluate mercury (Hg) and other element exposure in cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), eggs were collected from 16 sites within the mining-impacted Cache Creek watershed, Colusa, Lake, and Yolo counties, California, USA, in 1997-1998. Nestlings were collected from seven sites in 1998. Geometric mean total Hg (THg) concentrations ranged from 0.013 to 0.208 ??g/g wet weight (ww) in cliff swallow eggs and from 0.047 to 0.347 ??g/g ww in nestlings. Mercury detected in eggs generally followed the spatial distribution of Hg in the watershed based on proximity to both anthropogenic and natural sources. Mean Hg concentrations in samples of eggs and nestlings collected from sites near Hg sources were up to five and seven times higher, respectively, than in samples from reference sites within the watershed. Concentrations of other detected elements, including aluminum, beryllium, boron, calcium, manganese, strontium, and vanadium, were more frequently elevated at sites near Hg sources. Overall, Hg concentrations in eggs from Cache Creek were lower than those reported in eggs of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from highly contaminated locations in North America. Total Hg concentrations were lower in all Cache Creek egg samples than adverse effects levels established for other species. Total Hg concentrations in bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and foothill yellow-legged frogs (Rana boylii) collected from 10 of the study sites were both positively correlated with THg concentrations in cliff swallow eggs. Our data suggest that cliff swallows are reliable bioindicators of environmental Hg. ?? Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007.
Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2014 through September 2015) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Turner, Matthew A.

2017-01-19

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in selected streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork Basin of western Montana. The sampling program was led by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork Basin, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 20 sites from October 2014 through September 2015. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2015.This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2014 through September 2015. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. At 12 sites, samples for analysis of dissolved organic carbon and turbidity were collected. In addition, samples for analysis of nitrogen (nitrate plus nitrite) were collected at two sites. Daily values of mean suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for three sites. Seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin are provided for the period of record.
The negative effect of environmental geological conditions of some geo-archaeological sites of North Coast and Alexandria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Hani; Kamh, Gamal

2005-12-01

Three geo-archaeological sites at the North Coast and Alexandria, namely, the Alexandria wall (El Shalalat Park site), Abu Soir temple, and Marina excavations, were investigated to determine the negative impact of a salty environmental condition. The monuments suffer from rock decay of different rates. The geo-archaeological sites were built mainly from oolitic limestone blocks (i.e., the Alexandria wall at the El Shalalat Park site and Abu Soir temple) or excavated on them (i.e., Marina excavations). Field inspection and a lab analysis were carried out to understand the weathering mechanism. Salt weathering criteria such as disintegration, pitting, scaling, exfoliation, and honeycomb are observed on the Alexandria wall and upper parts of the Abu Soir temple, while dangerous cracks are detected on the Marina excavation tombs. The petrographic study of the oolitic limestone samples shows that they consist mainly of oolities and drusy sparite as a cement (oolitic grainstone). Some oolities have quartz grains as nuclei. Hydrochemical analysis shows that the total dissolved salts of extracted solutions of the North Coast quarry samples range from 539 to 686 ppm and dramatically increase (i.e., ten times) for extracted solutions from monument samples, ranging from 5395 to 6880 ppm. The dominant cation is sodium while the dominant anion is chlorine. Acid insoluble residue analysis shows that the carbonate content ranges from 89.2% to 96.4% for fresh samples from quarries and from 9.2% to 94.8% for weathered monument samples. The weight loss of the quarry oolitic limestone samples range from 30.7% to 32.7% and its physical and mechanical properties become worse after being subjected to 15 cycles of a durability simulation soundness test (using a sodium sulphate solution). Our main recommendations are to use suitable grouting for binding the cracks, high durability reconstruction rocks, and suitable cleaning methods to remove salts from the monuments.
USE OF MOLECULAR PROBES TO ASSESS GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF PFIESTERIA SPECIES. (R827084)

EPA Science Inventory

We have developed multiple polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for the
detection of Pfiesteria sp. in cultures and environmental samples. More than 2,100 water and
sediment samples from estuarine sites of the U.S. Atlantic and gulf coasts were assayed for the
p...
40 CFR 761.298 - Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling. 761.298 Section 761.298 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761...
40 CFR 761.345 - Form of the waste to be sampled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....345 Section 761.345 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC... Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off... waste and PCB remediation waste destined for off-site disposal must be in the form of either flattened...
40 CFR 761.345 - Form of the waste to be sampled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....345 Section 761.345 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC... Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off... waste and PCB remediation waste destined for off-site disposal must be in the form of either flattened...
40 CFR 761.298 - Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling. 761.298 Section 761.298 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761...

40 CFR 761.345 - Form of the waste to be sampled.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....345 Section 761.345 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC... Characterization for PCB Disposal in Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off... waste and PCB remediation waste destined for off-site disposal must be in the form of either flattened...
40 CFR 761.298 - Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling. 761.298 Section 761.298 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761...
40 CFR 761.298 - Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Decisions based on PCB concentration measurements resulting from sampling. 761.298 Section 761.298 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Cleanup and On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761...
Fish Assemblage Structure Under Variable Environmental Conditions in the Ouachita Mountains

Treesearch

Christopher M. Taylor; Lance R. Williams; Riccardo A. Fiorillo; R. Brent Thomas; Melvin L. Warren

2004-01-01

Abstract - Spatial and temporal variability of fish assemblages in Ouachita Mountain streams, Arkansas, were examined for association with stream size and flow variability. Fishes and habitat were sampled quarterly for four years at 12 sites (144 samples) in the Ouachita Mountains Ecosystem Management Research Project, Phase III watersheds. Detrended...
Chemical mixtures and environmental effects: a pilot study to assess ecological exposure and effects in streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buxton, Herbert T.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Kuivila, Kathryn; Kolpin, Dana W.; Bradley, Paul M.; Villeneuve, Daniel L.; Mills, Marc A.

2015-01-01

Assessment and management of the risks of exposure to complex chemical mixtures in streams are priorities for human and environmental health organizations around the world. The current lack of information on the composition and variability of environmental mixtures and a limited understanding of their combined effects are fundamental obstacles to timely identification and prevention of adverse human and ecological effects of exposure. This report describes the design of a field-based study of the composition and biological activity of chemical mixtures in U.S. stream waters affected by a wide range of human activities and contaminant sources. The study is a collaborative effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Scientists sampled 38 streams spanning 24 States and Puerto Rico. Thirty-four of the sites were located in watersheds impacted by multiple contaminant sources, including industrial and municipal wastewater discharges, crop and animal agricultural runoff, urban runoff, and other point and nonpoint contaminant sources. The remaining four sites were minimally development reference watersheds. All samples underwent comprehensive chemical and biological characterization, including sensitive and specific direct analysis for over 700 dissolved organic and inorganic chemicals and field parameters, identification of unknown contaminants (environmental diagnostics), and a variety of bioassays to evaluate biological activity and toxicity.
Spatiotemporal Variation in Environmental Vibrio cholerae in an Estuary in Southern Coastal Ecuador.

PubMed

Ryan, Sadie J; Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M; Ordóñez-Enireb, Eunice; Chu, Winnie; Finkelstein, Julia L; King, Christine A; Escobar, Luis E; Lupone, Christina; Heras, Froilan; Tauzer, Erica; Waggoner, Egan; James, Tyler G; Cárdenas, Washington B; Polhemus, Mark

2018-03-10

Cholera emergence is strongly linked to local environmental and ecological context. The 1991-2004 pandemic emerged in Perú and spread north into Ecuador's El Oro province, making this a key site for potential re-emergence. Machala, El Oro, is a port city of 250,000 inhabitants, near the Peruvian border. Many livelihoods depend on the estuarine system, from fishing for subsistence and trade, to domestic water use. In 2014, we conducted biweekly sampling for 10 months in five estuarine locations, across a gradient of human use, and ranging from inland to ocean. We measured water-specific environmental variables implicated in cholera growth and persistence: pH, temperature, salinity, and algal concentration, and evaluated samples in five months for pathogenic and non-pathogenic Vibrio cholerae , by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We found environmental persistence of pandemic strains O1 and O139, but no evidence for toxigenic strains. Vibrio cholerae presence was coupled to algal and salinity concentration, and sites exhibited considerable seasonal and spatial heterogeneity. This study indicates that environmental conditions in Machala are optimal for cholera re-emergence, with risk peaking during September, and higher risk near urban periphery low-income communities. This highlights a need for surveillance of this coupled cholera-estuarine system to anticipate potential future cholera outbreaks.
Spatiotemporal Variation in Environmental Vibrio cholerae in an Estuary in Southern Coastal Ecuador

PubMed Central

Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M.; Ordóñez-Enireb, Eunice; Chu, Winnie; Finkelstein, Julia L.; King, Christine A.; Escobar, Luis E.; Lupone, Christina; Heras, Froilan; Tauzer, Erica; Waggoner, Egan; Polhemus, Mark

2018-01-01

Cholera emergence is strongly linked to local environmental and ecological context. The 1991–2004 pandemic emerged in Perú and spread north into Ecuador’s El Oro province, making this a key site for potential re-emergence. Machala, El Oro, is a port city of 250,000 inhabitants, near the Peruvian border. Many livelihoods depend on the estuarine system, from fishing for subsistence and trade, to domestic water use. In 2014, we conducted biweekly sampling for 10 months in five estuarine locations, across a gradient of human use, and ranging from inland to ocean. We measured water-specific environmental variables implicated in cholera growth and persistence: pH, temperature, salinity, and algal concentration, and evaluated samples in five months for pathogenic and non-pathogenic Vibrio cholerae, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We found environmental persistence of pandemic strains O1 and O139, but no evidence for toxigenic strains. Vibrio cholerae presence was coupled to algal and salinity concentration, and sites exhibited considerable seasonal and spatial heterogeneity. This study indicates that environmental conditions in Machala are optimal for cholera re-emergence, with risk peaking during September, and higher risk near urban periphery low-income communities. This highlights a need for surveillance of this coupled cholera–estuarine system to anticipate potential future cholera outbreaks. PMID:29534431
Environmental heterogeneity, dispersal mode, and co-occurrence in stream macroinvertebrates

PubMed Central

Heino, Jani

2013-01-01

Both environmental heterogeneity and mode of dispersal may affect species co-occurrence in metacommunities. Aquatic invertebrates were sampled in 20–30 streams in each of three drainage basins, differing considerably in environmental heterogeneity. Each drainage basin was further divided into two equally sized sets of sites, again differing profoundly in environmental heterogeneity. Benthic invertebrate data were divided into three groups of taxa based on overland dispersal modes: passive dispersers with aquatic adults, passive dispersers with terrestrial winged adults, and active dispersers with terrestrial winged adults. The co-occurrence of taxa in each dispersal mode group, drainage basin, and heterogeneity site subset was measured using the C-score and its standardized effect size. The probability of finding high levels of species segregation tended to increase with environmental heterogeneity across the drainage basins. These patterns were, however, contingent on both dispersal mode and drainage basin. It thus appears that environmental heterogeneity and dispersal mode interact in affecting co-occurrence in metacommunities, with passive dispersers with aquatic adults showing random patterns irrespective of environmental heterogeneity, and active dispersers with terrestrial winged adults showing increasing segregation with increasing environmental heterogeneity. PMID:23467653
Environmental colonization and onward clonal transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in a medical intensive care unit: the case for environmental hygiene.

PubMed

Ng, Deborah H L; Marimuthu, Kalisvar; Lee, Jia Jun; Khong, Wei Xin; Ng, Oon Tek; Zhang, Wei; Poh, Bee Fong; Rao, Pooja; Raj, Maya Devi Rajinder; Ang, Brenda; De, Partha Pratim

2018-01-01

In May 2015, we noticed an increase in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) infections in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). To investigate this, we studied the extent of environmental contamination and subsequent onward clonal transmission of CRAB. We conducted a one-day point prevalence screening (PPS) of the patients and environment in the MICU. We screened patients using endotracheal tube aspirates and swabs from nares, axillae, groin, rectum, wounds, and exit sites of drains. We collected environmental samples from patients' rooms and environment outside the patients' rooms. CRAB isolates from the PPS and clinical samples over the subsequent one month were studied for genetic relatedness by whole genome sequencing (WGS). We collected 34 samples from seven patients and 244 samples from the environment. On the day of PPS, we identified 8 CRAB carriers: 3 who screened positive and 5 previously known clinical infections. We detected environmental contamination in nearly two-thirds of the rooms housing patients with CRAB. WGS demonstrated genetic clustering of isolates within rooms but not across rooms. We analysed 4 CRAB isolates from clinical samples following the PPS. One genetically-related CRAB was identified in the respiratory sample of a patient with nosocomial pneumonia, who was admitted to the MICU five days after the PPS. The extensive environmental colonization of CRAB by patients highlights the importance of environmental hygiene. The transmission dynamics of CRAB needs further investigation.
Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2010 through September 2011) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2013-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana; additional water samples were collected from near Galen to near Missoula at select sites as part of a supplemental sampling program. The sampling program was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 20 sites from October 2010 through September 2011. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 14 sites during August 2011. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2010 through September 2011. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for water samples collected at the four sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.
Water-Quality, Bed-Sediment, and Biological Data (October 2005 through September 2006) and Statistical Summaries of Long-Term Data for Streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2007-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Milltown Reservoir as part of a long-term monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin; additional water-quality samples were collected in the Clark Fork basin from sites near Milltown Reservoir downstream to near the confluence of the Clark Fork and Flathead River as part of a supplemental sampling program. The sampling programs were conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water-quality samples were collected periodically at 22 sites from October 2005 through September 2006. Bed-sediment and biological samples were collected once at 12 sites during August 2006. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at all long-term and supplemental monitoring sites from October 2005 through September 2006. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace ele-ments, and suspended sediment. Nutrients also were analyzed in the supplemental water-quality samples. Daily values of suspended-sed-iment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites, and seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-ele-ment concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Bio-logical data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of long-term water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.
Marine biodegradation of crude oil in temperate and Arctic water samples.

PubMed

Kristensen, Mette; Johnsen, Anders R; Christensen, Jan H

2015-12-30

Despite increased interest in marine oil exploration in the Arctic, little is known about the fate of Arctic offshore oil pollution. Therefore, in the present study, we examine the oil degradation potential for an Arctic site (Disko Bay, Greenland) and discuss this in relation to a temperate site (North Sea, Denmark). Biodegradation was assessed following exposure to Oseberg Blend crude oil (100 mg L(-1)) in microcosms. Changes in oil hydrocarbon fingerprints of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkyl-substituted PAHs, dibenzothiophenes, n-alkanes and alkyltoluenes were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In the Disko Bay sample, the degradation order was n-alkanes>alkyltoluenes (para->meta->ortho-isomers)>PAHs and dibenzothiophenes, whereas, the degradation order in the North Sea samples was PAHs and dibenzothiophenes>alkyltoluenes>n-alkanes. These differences in degradation patterns significantly affect the environmental risk of oil spills and emphasise the need to consider the specific environmental conditions when conducting risk assessments of Arctic oil pollution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT " ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EnSys Petro Test System developed by Strategic Diagnostics Inc. (SDI), was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in June 2000 at the Navy Base Ventura County site in Port Hueneme, California. The purpose of the demonstration was to collect reliable performance and cost data for the EnSys Petro Test System and six other field measurement devices for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil. In addition to assessing ease of device operation, the key objectives of the demonstration included determining the (1) method detection limit, (2) accuracy and precision, (3) effects of interferents and soil moisture content on TPH measurement, (4) sample throughput, and (5) TPH measurement costs for each device. The demonstration involved analysis of both performance evaluation samples and environmental samples collected in four areas contaminated with gasoline, diesel, or other petroleum products. The performance and cost results for a given field measurement device were compared to those for an off-site laboratory reference method,
Burden of disease from toxic waste sites in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines in 2010.

PubMed

Chatham-Stephens, Kevin; Caravanos, Jack; Ericson, Bret; Sunga-Amparo, Jennifer; Susilorini, Budi; Sharma, Promila; Landrigan, Philip J; Fuller, Richard

2013-07-01

Prior calculations of the burden of disease from toxic exposures have not included estimates of the burden from toxic waste sites due to the absence of exposure data. We developed a disability-adjusted life year (DALY)-based estimate of the disease burden attributable to toxic waste sites. We focused on three low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Sites were identified through the Blacksmith Institute's Toxic Sites Identification Program, a global effort to identify waste sites in LMICs. At least one of eight toxic chemicals was sampled in environmental media at each site, and the population at risk estimated. By combining estimates of disease incidence from these exposures with population data, we calculated the DALYs attributable to exposures at each site. We estimated that in 2010, 8,629,750 persons were at risk of exposure to industrial pollutants at 373 toxic waste sites in the three countries, and that these exposures resulted in 828,722 DALYs, with a range of 814,934-1,557,121 DALYs, depending on the weighting factor used. This disease burden is comparable to estimated burdens for outdoor air pollution (1,448,612 DALYs) and malaria (725,000 DALYs) in these countries. Lead and hexavalent chromium collectively accounted for 99.2% of the total DALYs for the chemicals evaluated. Toxic waste sites are responsible for a significant burden of disease in LMICs. Although some factors, such as unidentified and unscreened sites, may cause our estimate to be an underestimate of the actual burden of disease, other factors, such as extrapolation of environmental sampling to the entire exposed population, may result in an overestimate of the burden of disease attributable to these sites. Toxic waste sites are a major, and heretofore underrecognized, global health problem.
Use of Electronic Hand-held Devices for Collection of Savannah River Site Environmental Data - 13329

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

Marberry, Hugh; Moore, Winston

2013-07-01

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions has begun using Xplore Tablet PC's to collect data in the field for soil samples, groundwater samples, air samples and round sheets at the Savannah River Site (SRS). EPA guidelines for groundwater sampling are incorporated into the application to ensure the sample technician follows the proper protocol. The sample technician is guided through the process for sampling and round sheet data collection by a series of menus and input boxes. Field measurements and well stabilization information are entered into the tablet for uploading into Environmental Restoration Data Management System (ERDMS). The process helps to eliminate inputmore » errors and provides data integrity. A soil sample technician has the ability to collect information about location of sample, field parameter, describe the soil sample, print bottle labels, and print chain of custody for the sample that they have collected. An air sample technician has the ability to provide flow, pressure, hours of operation, print bottle labels and chain of custody for samples they collect. Round sheets are collected using the information provided in the various procedures. The data are collected and uploaded into ERDMS. The equipment used is weather proof and hardened for the field use. Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities are integrated into the applications to provide the location where samples were collected and to help sample technicians locate wells that are not visited often. (authors)« less
In situ detection of warfarin using time-correlated single-photon counting

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

Rosengren, Annika M.; Karlsson, Bjoern C.G.; Naeslund, Inga

Highlights: {yields} Direct in situ measurement of specific isomeric forms of the anticoagulant warfarin. {yields} TCSPC spectroscopy in conjunction with synthetic Sudlow I binding site receptors. {yields} Development of sensor principle for use in clinical and environmental monitoring. -- Abstract: Here we report on a novel method for the direct in situ measurement of specific isomeric forms of the anticoagulant warfarin using time correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) spectroscopy in conjunction with synthetic Sudlow I binding site receptors. The method is highly robust over the clinically significant concentration range, and demonstrates the potential of the binding site mimics in conjunction withmore » the spectroscopic strategy employed here for the determination of this important pharmaceutical in clinical or even environmental samples.« less
Legacy sample disposition project. Volume 2: Final report

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

Gurley, R.N.; Shifty, K.L.

1998-02-01

This report describes the legacy sample disposition project at the Idaho Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), which assessed Site-wide facilities/areas to locate legacy samples and owner organizations and then characterized and dispositioned these samples. This project resulted from an Idaho Department of Environmental Quality inspection of selected areas of the INEEL in January 1996, which identified some samples at the Test Reactor Area and Idaho Chemical Processing Plant that had not been characterized and dispositioned according to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements. The objective of the project was to manage legacy samples in accordance with all applicable environmentalmore » and safety requirements. A systems engineering approach was used throughout the project, which included collecting the legacy sample information and developing a system for amending and retrieving the information. All legacy samples were dispositioned by the end of 1997. Closure of the legacy sample issue was achieved through these actions.« less
Environmental signatures and effects of an oil and gas wastewater spill in the Williston Basin, North Dakota.

PubMed

Cozzarelli, I M; Skalak, K J; Kent, D B; Engle, M A; Benthem, A; Mumford, A C; Haase, K; Farag, A; Harper, D; Nagel, S C; Iwanowicz, L R; Orem, W H; Akob, D M; Jaeschke, J B; Galloway, J; Kohler, M; Stoliker, D L; Jolly, G D

2017-02-01

Wastewaters from oil and gas development pose largely unknown risks to environmental resources. In January 2015, 11.4ML (million liters) of wastewater (300g/L TDS) from oil production in the Williston Basin was reported to have leaked from a pipeline, spilling into Blacktail Creek, North Dakota. Geochemical and biological samples were collected in February and June 2015 to identify geochemical signatures of spilled wastewaters as well as biological responses along a 44-km river reach. February water samples had elevated chloride (1030mg/L) and bromide (7.8mg/L) downstream from the spill, compared to upstream levels (11mg/L and <0.4mg/L, respectively). Lithium (0.25mg/L), boron (1.75mg/L) and strontium (7.1mg/L) were present downstream at 5-10 times upstream concentrations. Light hydrocarbon measurements indicated a persistent thermogenic source of methane in the stream. Semi-volatile hydrocarbons indicative of oil were not detected in filtered samples but low levels, including tetramethylbenzenes and di-methylnaphthalenes, were detected in unfiltered water samples downstream from the spill. Labile sediment-bound barium and strontium concentrations (June 2015) were higher downstream from the Spill Site. Radium activities in sediment downstream from the Spill Site were up to 15 times the upstream activities and, combined with Sr isotope ratios, suggest contributions from the pipeline fluid and support the conclusion that elevated concentrations in Blacktail Creek water are from the leaking pipeline. Results from June 2015 demonstrate the persistence of wastewater effects in Blacktail Creek several months after remediation efforts started. Aquatic health effects were observed in June 2015; fish bioassays showed only 2.5% survival at 7.1km downstream from the spill compared to 89% at the upstream reference site. Additional potential biological impacts were indicated by estrogenic inhibition in downstream waters. Our findings demonstrate that environmental signatures from wastewater spills are persistent and create the potential for long-term environmental health effects. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Scale-Dependence of Processes Structuring Dung Beetle Metacommunities Using Functional Diversity and Community Deconstruction Approaches

PubMed Central

da Silva, Pedro Giovâni; Hernández, Malva Isabel Medina

2015-01-01

Community structure is driven by mechanisms linked to environmental, spatial and temporal processes, which have been successfully addressed using metacommunity framework. The relative importance of processes shaping community structure can be identified using several different approaches. Two approaches that are increasingly being used are functional diversity and community deconstruction. Functional diversity is measured using various indices that incorporate distinct community attributes. Community deconstruction is a way to disentangle species responses to ecological processes by grouping species with similar traits. We used these two approaches to determine whether they are improvements over traditional measures (e.g., species composition, abundance, biomass) for identification of the main processes driving dung beetle (Scarabaeinae) community structure in a fragmented mainland-island landscape in southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We sampled five sites in each of four large forest areas, two on the mainland and two on the island. Sampling was performed in 2012 and 2013. We collected abundance and biomass data from 100 sampling points distributed over 20 sampling sites. We studied environmental, spatial and temporal effects on dung beetle community across three spatial scales, i.e., between sites, between areas and mainland-island. The γ-diversity based on species abundance was mainly attributed to β-diversity as a consequence of the increase in mean α- and β-diversity between areas. Variation partitioning on abundance, biomass and functional diversity showed scale-dependence of processes structuring dung beetle metacommunities. We identified two major groups of responses among 17 functional groups. In general, environmental filters were important at both local and regional scales. Spatial factors were important at the intermediate scale. Our study supports the notion of scale-dependence of environmental, spatial and temporal processes in the distribution and functional organization of Scarabaeinae beetles. We conclude that functional diversity may be used as a complementary approach to traditional measures, and that community deconstruction allows sufficient disentangling of responses of different trait-based groups. PMID:25822150
Chemical characterization and spatial distribution of PAHs and heavy hydrocarbons in rural sites of Campania Region, South Italy.

PubMed

Monaco, D; Riccio, A; Chianese, E; Adamo, P; Di Rosa, S; Fagnano, M

2015-10-01

In this paper, the behaviour and distribution patterns of heavy hydrocarbons and several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) priority pollutants, as listed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, were evaluated in 891 soil samples. The samples were collected in three expected polluted rural sites in Campania (southern Italy) as part of the LIFE11 ECOREMED project, funded by the European Commission, to test innovative agriculture-based soil restoration techniques. These sites have been selected because they have been used for the temporary storage of urban and building waste (Teverola), subject to illicit dumping of unknown material (Trentola-Ducenta), or suspected to be polluted by metals due to agricultural practices (Giugliano). Chemical analysis of soil samples allowed the baseline pollution levels to be determined prior to any intervention. It was found that these areas can be considered contaminated for residential use, in accordance with Italian environmental law (Law Decree 152/2006). Statistical analysis applied to the data proved that average mean concentrations of heavy hydrocarbons could be as high as 140 mg/kg of dry soil with peaks of 700 mg/kg of dry soil, for the Trentola-Ducenta site; the median concentration of analytical results for hydrocarbon (HC) concentration for the Trentola-Ducenta and Giugliano sites was 63 and 73.4 mg/kg dry soil, respectively; for Teverola, the median level was 35 mg/kg dry soil. Some PAHs (usually benzo(a)pyrene) also exceeded the maximum allowed level in all sites. From the principal component analysis applied to PAH concentrations, it emerged that pollutants can be supposed to derive from a single source for the three sites. Diagnostic ratios calculated to determine possible PAH sources suggest petroleum combustion or disposal practice. Our sampling protocol also showed large dishomogeneity in soil pollutant spatial distribution, even at a scale as small as 3.3 m, indicating that variability could emerge at very short spatial scales.

Development of Analytical Methods for Escort Herbicide in Forest Environment Samples

Treesearch

Joseph Fischer; Jerry Michael

1990-01-01

The USDA Forest Service laboratory in Auburn, Alabama, is engaged in research to determine the environmental fate and ecosystem inipadts of forestry herbicides. Much of the effort is associated with the conduct of field dissipation studies in which herbicides are applied to forest sites and then monitored over time in a variety of environmental matrices (soil, water,...
Reconnaissance-Level Assessment of Water Quality Near Flandreau, South Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

associations with adverse health effects have been established. Con- centrations of some selected analytes were less than U.S. Environmental ...unregulated synthetic organic compounds in aquatic environments . This study provides information concerning the occurrence of selected organic compounds...water sites. Selected data from various other investigations also are described. A total of 15 environmental samples, which included two sets of
Accumulation and potential health risks of cadmium, lead and arsenic in vegetables grown near mining sites in Northern Vietnam.

PubMed

Bui, Anh T K; Nguyen, Ha T H; Nguyen, Minh N; Tran, Tuyet-Hanh T; Vu, Toan V; Nguyen, Chuyen H; Reynolds, Heather L

2016-09-01

The effect of environmental pollution on the safety of vegetable crops is a serious global public health issue. This study was conducted to assess heavy metal concentrations in soil, irrigation water, and 21 local vegetable species collected from four sites near mining activities and one control site in Northern Vietnam. Soils from vegetable fields in the mining areas were contaminated with cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As), while irrigation water was contaminated with Pb. Average concentrations of Pb and As in fresh vegetable samples collected at the four mining sites exceeded maximum levels (MLs) set by international food standards for Pb (70.6 % of vegetable samples) and As (44.1 % of vegetable samples), while average Cd concentrations in vegetables at all sites were below the MLs of 0.2. The average total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) across all vegetable species sampled was higher than the safety threshold of 1.0, indicating a health risk. Based on the weight of evidence, we find that cultivation of vegetables in the studied mining sites is an important risk contributor for local residents' health.
A Wide Area Risk Assessment Framework for Underwater Military Munitions Response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holland, K. T.; Calantoni, J.

2017-12-01

Our objective was to develop a prototype statistical framework supporting Wide Area Assessment and Remedial Investigation decisions relating to the risk of unexploded ordnance and other military munitions concentrated in underwater environments. Decision making involving underwater munitions is inherently complex due to the high degree of uncertainty in the environmental conditions that force munitions responses (burial, decay, migration, etc.) and associated risks to the public. The prototype framework provides a consistent approach to accurately delineating contaminated areas at underwater munitions sites through the estimation of most probable concentrations. We adapted existing deterministic models and environmental data services for use within statistical modules that allowed the estimation of munition concentration given historic site information and environmental attributes. Ultimately this risk surface can be used to evaluate costs associated with various remediation approaches (e.g. removal, monitoring, etc.). Unfortunately, evaluation of the assessment framework was limited due to the lack of enduser data services from munition site managers. Of the 450 U.S. sites identified as having potential contamination with underwater munitions, assessment of available munitions information (including historic firing or disposal records, and recent ground-truth munitions samples) indicated very limited information in the databases. Example data types include the most probable munition types, approximate firing / disposal dates and locations, and any supportive munition survey or sampling results. However the overall technical goal to integrate trained statistical belief networks with detailed geophysical knowledge of sites, of sensors and of the underwater environment was demonstrated and should allow probabilistic estimates of the most likely outcomes and tradeoffs while managing uncertainty associated with military munitions response.
High-resolution real-time optical studies of radiological air sample filtration processes in an environmental continuous air monitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodgers, John C.; Wasiolek, Piotr T.; Schery, Stephen D.; Alcantara, Raul E.

1999-01-01

The need for a continuous air monitor capable of quick and accurate measurements of airborne radioactivity in close proximity to the work environment during waste management, site restoration, and D&D operations led to the Los Alamos National Laboratory development of an environmental continuous air monitor (ECAM). Monitoring the hostile work environment of waste recovery, for example, presents unique challenges for detector design for detectors previously used for the clean room conditions of the typical plutonium laboratory. The environmental and atmospheric conditions (dust, high wind, etc.) influence aerosol particle penetration into the ECAM sampling head as well as the build-up of deposits on the ECAM filter.
Factors associated with the likelihood of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. in soil from dairy farms.

PubMed

Barwick, R S; Mohammed, H O; White, M E; Bryant, R B

2003-03-01

A study was conducted to identify factors associated with the likelihood of detecting Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. in the soil of dairy farms in a watershed area. A total of 37 farms were visited, and 782 soil samples were collected from targeted areas on these farms. The samples were analyzed for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts, Giardia spp. cysts, percent moisture content, and pH. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with the likelihood of the presence of these organisms. The use of the land at the sampling site was associated with the likelihood of environmental contamination with Cryptosporidium spp. Barn cleaner equipment area and agricultural fields were associated with increased likelihood of environmental contamination with Cryptosporidium spp. The risk of environmental contamination decreased with the pH of the soil and with the score of the potential likelihood of Cryptosporidium spp. The size of the sampling site, as determined by the sampling design, in square feet, was associated nonlinearly with the risk of detecting Cryptosporidium spp. The likelihood of the Giardia cyst in the soil increased with the prevalence of Giardia spp. in animals (i.e., 18 to 39%). As the size of the farm increased, there was decreased risk of Giardia spp. in the soil, and sampling sites which were covered with brush or bare soil showed a decrease in likelihood of detecting Giardia spp. when compared to land which had managed grass. The number of cattle on the farm less than 6 mo of age was negatively associated with the risk of detecting Giardia spp. in the soil, and the percent moisture content was positively associated with the risk of detecting Giardia spp. Our study showed that these two protozoan exist in dairy farm soil at different rates, and this risk could be modified by manipulating the pH of the soil.
Characterization of the microbial community composition and the distribution of Fe-metabolizing bacteria in a creek contaminated by acid mine drainage.

PubMed

Sun, Weimin; Xiao, Enzong; Krumins, Valdis; Dong, Yiran; Xiao, Tangfu; Ning, Zengping; Chen, Haiyan; Xiao, Qingxiang

2016-10-01

A small watershed heavily contaminated by long-term acid mine drainage (AMD) from an upstream abandoned coal mine was selected to study the microbial community developed in such extreme system. The watershed consists of AMD-contaminated creek, adjacent contaminated soils, and a small cascade aeration unit constructed downstream, which provide an excellent contaminated site to study the microbial response in diverse extreme AMD-polluted environments. The results showed that the innate microbial communities were dominated by acidophilic bacteria, especially acidophilic Fe-metabolizing bacteria, suggesting that Fe and pH are the primary environmental factors in governing the indigenous microbial communities. The distribution of Fe-metabolizing bacteria showed distinct site-specific patterns. A pronounced shift from diverse communities in the upstream to Proteobacteria-dominated communities in the downstream was observed in the ecosystem. This location-specific trend was more apparent at genus level. In the upstream samples (sampling sites just below the coal mining adit), a number of Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria such as Alicyclobacillus spp., Metallibacterium spp., and Acidithrix spp. were dominant, while Halomonas spp. were the major Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria observed in downstream samples. Additionally, Acidiphilium, an Fe(III)-reducing bacterium, was enriched in the upstream samples, while Shewanella spp. were the dominant Fe(III)-reducing bacteria in downstream samples. Further investigation using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe), principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering confirmed the difference of microbial communities between upstream and downstream samples. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and Spearman's rank correlation indicate that total organic carbon (TOC) content is the primary environmental parameter in structuring the indigenous microbial communities, suggesting that the microbial communities are shaped by three major environmental parameters (i.e., Fe, pH, and TOC). These findings were beneficial to a better understanding of natural attenuation of AMD.
Concentrations of selected metals in Quaternary-age fluvial deposits along the lower Cheyenne and middle Belle Fourche Rivers, western South Dakota, 2009-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stamm, John F.; Hoogestraat, Galen K.

2012-01-01

The headwaters of the Cheyenne and Belle Fourche Rivers drain the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, an area that has been affected by mining and ore-milling operations since the discovery of gold in 1875. A tributary to the Belle Fourche River is Whitewood Creek, which drains the area of the Homestake Mine, a gold mine that operated from 1876 to 2001. Tailings discharged into Whitewood Creek contained arsenopyrite, an arsenic-rich variety of pyrite associated with gold ore, and mercury used as an amalgam during the gold-extraction process. Approximately 18 percent of the tailings that were discharged remain in fluvial deposits on the flood plain along Whitewood Creek, and approximately 25 percent remain in fluvial deposits on the flood plain along the Belle Fourche River, downstream from Whitewood Creek. In 1983, a 29-kilometer (18-mile) reach of Whitewood Creek and the adjacent flood plain was included in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priority List of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, commonly referred to as a "Superfund site." Listing of this reach of Whitewood Creek was primarily in response to arsenic toxicity of fluvial deposits on the flood plain. Lands along the lower Cheyenne River were transferred to adjoining States and Tribes in response to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1999. An amendment in 2000 to WRDA required a study of sediment contamination of the Cheyenne River. In response to the WRDA amendment, the U.S. Geological Survey completed field sampling of reference sites (not affected by mine-tailing disposal) along the lower Belle Fourche and lower Cheyenne Rivers. Reference sites were located on stream terraces that were elevated well above historical stream stages to ensure no contamination from historical mining activity. Sampling of potentially contaminated sites was performed on transects of the active flood plain and adjacent terraces that could potentially be inundated during high-flow events. Sampling began in 2009 and was completed in 2010. A total of 74 geochemical samples were collected from fluvial deposits at reference sites, and 473 samples were collected from potentially contaminated sites. Sediment samples collected were analyzed for 23 metals, including arsenic and mercury. Sequential replicate, split duplicate, and field quality-control samples were analyzed for quality assurance of data-collection methods. The metal concentrations in sediment samples and location information are presented in this report in electronic format (Microsoft Excel), along with non-parametric summary statistics of those data. Cross-sectional topography is graphed with arsenic and mercury concentrations on transects at the potentially contaminated sites. The mean arsenic concentration in reference sediment samples was 8 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), compared to 250, 650, and 76 mg/kg for potentially contaminated sediment samples at the surface of the middle Belle Fourche River site, the subsurface of the middle Belle Fourche River site, and the surface of the lower Cheyenne River site, respectively. The mean mercury concentration in reference sediment samples was 16 micrograms per kilogram (μg/kg), compared to 130, 370, and 71 μg/kg for potentially contaminated sediment samples at the surface of the middle Belle Fourche River site, the subsurface of the middle Belle Fourche River site, and the surface of the lower Cheyenne River site, respectively.
Work Site-Based Environmental Interventions to Reduce Sedentary Behavior: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hutcheson, Amanda K; Piazza, Andrew J; Knowlden, Adam P

2018-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to systematically review work site-based, environmental interventions to reduce sedentary behavior following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Data were extracted from Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science between January 2005 and December 2015. Inclusion criteria were work site interventions, published in peer-reviewed journals, employing environmental modalities, targeting sedentary behavior, and using any quantitative design. Exclusion criteria were noninterventions and non-English publications. Data extracted included study design, population, intervention dosage, intervention activities, evaluation measures, and intervention effects. Data were tabulated quantitatively and synthesized qualitatively. A total of 15 articles were identified for review and 14 reported statistically significant decreases in sedentary behavior. The majority of studies employed a randomized controlled trial design (n = 7), used inclinometers to measure sedentary behavior (n = 9), recruited predominantly female samples (n = 15), and utilized sit-to-stand desks as the primary intervention modality (n = 10). The mean methodological quality score was 6.2 out of 10. Environmental work site interventions to reduce sedentary behavior show promise because work sites often have more control over environmental factors. Limitations of this intervention stream include inconsistent measurement of sedentary behavior, absence of theoretical frameworks to guide program development, and absence of long-term evaluation. Future studies should include clear reporting of intervention strategies and explicit operationalization of theoretical constructs.
Monitoring Metal Pollution Levels in Mine Wastes around a Coal Mine Site Using GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanliyuksel Yucel, D.; Yucel, M. A.; Ileri, B.

2017-11-01

In this case study, metal pollution levels in mine wastes at a coal mine site in Etili coal mine (Can coal basin, NW Turkey) are evaluated using geographical information system (GIS) tools. Etili coal mine was operated since the 1980s as an open pit. Acid mine drainage is the main environmental problem around the coal mine. The main environmental contamination source is mine wastes stored around the mine site. Mine wastes were dumped over an extensive area along the riverbeds, and are now abandoned. Mine waste samples were homogenously taken at 10 locations within the sampling area of 102.33 ha. The paste pH and electrical conductivity values of mine wastes ranged from 2.87 to 4.17 and 432 to 2430 μS/cm, respectively. Maximum Al, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn and Ni concentrations of wastes were measured as 109300, 70600, 309.86, 115.2, 38 and 5.3 mg/kg, respectively. The Al, Fe and Pb concentrations of mine wastes are higher than world surface rock average values. The geochemical analysis results from the study area were presented in the form of maps. The GIS based environmental database will serve as a reference study for our future work.
Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals in Soils of Past Coking Sites: Distribution and Stabilization.

PubMed

Jia, Hanzhong; Zhao, Song; Nulaji, Gulimire; Tao, Kelin; Wang, Fu; Sharma, Virender K; Wang, Chuanyi

2017-06-06

This study presents the existence of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) in soils of past coking sites, mainly contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Measurements of EPFRs were conducted by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) technique with numerous soil samples, which were collected from different distances (0-1000 m) and different depths (0-30 cm) of three contaminant sources. EPR signals with ∼3 × 10 17 radicals/g of the soil samples were obtained, which are very similar to that generated in PAHs contaminated clays, that is, g = 2.0028-2.0036. Concentrations of PAHs and soil components were determined to understand their role in producing EPFRs. PAHs, clay, and iron predominately contributed to generating EPRFs. Meanwhile, organic matter negatively influenced the production of EPRFs. The effects of environmental factors (moisture and oxic/anoxic) were also studied to probe the persistency of EPFRs under various simulated conditions. The EPFRs are stable under relatively dry and oxic conditions. Under anoxic conditions without O 2 and H 2 O, the spin densities decrease initially, followed by gradual increase before attaining constant values in two months period time. The present work implies that continuous formation of EPFRs induced by PAHs is largely responsible for the presence of relatively stable radicals in soils of coking sites.
Remedial Investigation Work Plan for Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Operable Unit 3 at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Environmental Restoration Program

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

Not Available

1993-08-01

Upper East Fork Popular Creek Operable Unit 3 (UEFPC OU 3) is a source term OU composed of seven sites, and is located in the western portion of the Y-12 Plant. For the most part, the UEFPC OU 3 sites served unrelated purposes and are geographically removed from one another. The seven sites include the following: Building 81-10, the S-2 Site, Salvage Yard oil storage tanks, the Salvage Yard oil/solvent drum storage area, Tank Site 2063-U, the Salvage Yard drum deheader, and the Salvage Yard scrap metal storage area. All of these sites are contaminated with at least one ormore » more hazardous and/or radioactive chemicals. All sites have had some previous investigation under the Y-12 Plant RCRA Program. The work plan contains summaries of geographical, historical, operational, geological, and hydrological information specific to each OU 3 site. The potential for release of contaminants to receptors through various media is addressed, and a sampling and analysis plan is presented to obtain objectives for the remedial investigation. Proposed sampling activities are contingent upon the screening level risk assessment, which includes shallow soil sampling, soil borings, monitoring well installation, groundwater sampling, and surface water sampling. Data from the site characterization activities will be used to meet the above objectives. A Field Sampling Investigation Plan, Health and Safety Plan, and Waste Management Plan are also included in this work plan.« less
Interpretation of stable isotope, denitrification, and groundwater age data for samples collected from Sandia National Laboratories /New Mexico (SNL/NM) Burn Site Groundwater Area of Concern

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

Madrid, V.; Singleton, M. J.; Visser, A.

This report combines and summarizes results for two groundwater-sampling events (October 2012 and October/November 2015) from the Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) Burn Site Groundwater (BSG) Area of Concern (AOC) located in the Lurance Canyon Arroyo southeast of Albuquerque, NM in the Manzanita Mountains. The first phase of groundwater sampling occurred in October 2012 including samples from 19 wells at three separate sites that were analyzed by the Environmental Radiochemistry Laboratory at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as part of a nitrate Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) evaluation. The three sites (BSG, Technical Area-V, and Tijeras Arroyo) are shown on the regionalmore » hydrogeologic map and described in the Sandia Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report. The first phase of groundwater sampling included six monitoring wells at the Burn Site, eight monitoring wells at Technical Area-V, and five monitoring wells at Tijeras Arroyo. Each groundwater sample was analyzed using the two specialized analytical methods, age-dating and denitrification suites. In September 2015, a second phase of groundwater sampling took place at the Burn Site including 10 wells sampled and analyzed by the same two analytical suites. Five of the six wells sampled in 2012 were resampled in 2015. This report summarizes results from two sampling events in order to evaluate evidence for in situ denitrification, the average age of the groundwater, and the extent of recent recharge of the bedrock fracture system beneath the BSG AOC.« less
Fort Devens Feasibility Study (FS) for Group 1A Sites, Final Data Gap Activities Work Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

3-6 3.1.7 Railroad Roundhouse ......................... 3-7 3.2 COLD SPRING BROOK LANDFILL BACKGROUND AND U CONDITIONS...wells SHL-3 and SHL-7) is the site of a former railroad roundhouse . This roundhouse was used between 1900 and 1935. Because of the age of the... Roundhouse 5 Environmental samples will be collected at four locations at the site of the former railroad roundhouse adjacent to Shepley’s Hill
Cryptosporidium Source Tracking in the Potomac River Watershed▿

PubMed Central

Yang, Wenli; Chen, Plato; Villegas, Eric N.; Landy, Ronald B.; Kanetsky, Charles; Cama, Vitaliano; Dearen, Theresa; Schultz, Cherie L.; Orndorff, Kenneth G.; Prelewicz, Gregory J.; Brown, Miranda H.; Young, Kim Roy; Xiao, Lihua

2008-01-01

To better characterize Cryptosporidium in the Potomac River watershed, a PCR-based genotyping tool was used to analyze 64 base flow and 28 storm flow samples from five sites in the watershed. These sites included two water treatment plant intakes, as well as three upstream sites, each associated with a different type of land use. The uses, including urban wastewater, agricultural (cattle) wastewater, and wildlife, posed different risks in terms of the potential contribution of Cryptosporidium oocysts to the source water. Cryptosporidium was detected in 27 base flow water samples and 23 storm flow water samples. The most frequently detected species was C. andersoni (detected in 41 samples), while 14 other species or genotypes, almost all wildlife associated, were occasionally detected. The two common human-pathogenic species, C. hominis and C. parvum, were not detected. Although C. andersoni was common at all four sites influenced by agriculture, it was largely absent at the urban wastewater site. There were very few positive samples as determined by Environmental Protection Agency method 1623 at any site; only 8 of 90 samples analyzed (9%) were positive for Cryptosporidium as determined by microscopy. The genotyping results suggest that many of the Cryptosporidium oocysts in the water treatment plant source waters were from old calves and adult cattle and might not pose a significant risk to human health. PMID:18776033
Development and validation of a simulation method, PeCHREM, for evaluating spatio-temporal concentration changes of paddy herbicides in rivers.

PubMed

Imaizumi, Yoshitaka; Suzuki, Noriyuki; Shiraishi, Fujio; Nakajima, Daisuke; Serizawa, Shigeko; Sakurai, Takeo; Shiraishi, Hiroaki

2018-01-24

In pesticide risk management in Japan, predicted environmental concentrations are estimated by a tiered approach, and the Ministry of the Environment also performs field surveys to confirm the maximum concentrations of pesticides with risk concerns. To contribute to more efficient and effective field surveys, we developed the Pesticide Chemicals High Resolution Estimation Method (PeCHREM) for estimating spatially and temporally variable emissions of various paddy herbicides from paddy fields to the environment. We used PeCHREM and the G-CIEMS multimedia environmental fate model to predict day-to-day environmental concentration changes of 25 herbicides throughout Japan. To validate the PeCHREM/G-CIEMS model, we also conducted a field survey, in which river waters were sampled at least once every two weeks at seven sites in six prefectures from April to July 2009. In 20 of 139 sampling site-herbicide combinations in which herbicides were detected in at least three samples, all observed concentrations differed from the corresponding prediction by less than one order of magnitude. We also compared peak concentrations and the dates on which the concentrations reached peak values (peak dates) between predictions and observations. The peak concentration differences between predictions and observations were less than one order of magnitude in 66% of the 166 sampling site-herbicide combinations in which herbicide was detected in river water. The observed and predicted peak dates differed by less than two weeks in 79% of these 166 combinations. These results confirm that the PeCHREM/G-CIEMS model can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of surveys by predicting the peak concentrations and peak dates of various herbicides.
Water-Quality, Bed-Sediment, and Biological Data (October 2007 through September 2008) and Statistical Summaries of Long-Term Data for Streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2009-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to near Missoula as part of a long-term monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin; additional water samples were collected in the Clark Fork basin from sites near Missoula downstream to near the confluence of the Clark Fork and Flathead River as part of a supplemental sampling program. The sampling programs were conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 23 sites from October 2007 through September 2008. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2008. This report presents the analytical results and quality assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at all long-term and supplemental monitoring sites from October 2007 through September 2008. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for water samples collected at sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined and at Clark Fork above Missoula. Nutrients also were analyzed at all the supplemental water-quality sites, except for Clark Fork Bypass, near Bonner. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites, and seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of long-term water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.
Optimizing detection of noble gas emission at a former UNE site: sample strategy, collection, and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkham, R.; Olsen, K.; Hayes, J. C.; Emer, D. F.

2013-12-01

Underground nuclear tests may be first detected by seismic or air samplers operated by the CTBTO (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization). After initial detection of a suspicious event, member nations may call for an On-Site Inspection (OSI) that in part, will sample for localized releases of radioactive noble gases and particles. Although much of the commercially available equipment and methods used for surface and subsurface environmental sampling of gases can be used for an OSI scenario, on-site sampling conditions, required sampling volumes and establishment of background concentrations of noble gases require development of specialized methodologies. To facilitate development of sampling equipment and methodologies that address OSI sampling volume and detection objectives, and to collect information required for model development, a field test site was created at a former underground nuclear explosion site located in welded volcanic tuff. A mixture of SF-6, Xe127 and Ar37 was metered into 4400 m3 of air as it was injected into the top region of the UNE cavity. These tracers were expected to move towards the surface primarily in response to barometric pumping or through delayed cavity pressurization (accelerated transport to minimize source decay time). Sampling approaches compared during the field exercise included sampling at the soil surface, inside surface fractures, and at soil vapor extraction points at depths down to 2 m. Effectiveness of various sampling approaches and the results of tracer gas measurements will be presented.
Medium rare or well done - how would you like your snail? Influence of cooking practices on the isotopic composition of land snails' shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwiecien, O.; Breitenbach, S. F. M.

2017-12-01

Since the seminal work of Goodfriend (1992, EPSL 11), several studies confirmed a relation between the isotopic composition (δ18O, δ13C) of land snail shell carbonate, and environmental parameters like precipitation amount, moisture source, temperature and vegetation. This relation, however, is not straightforward and, importantly, site dependent. The choice of sampling strategy (discrete or bulk sampling), cleaning procedure, and/or pre-depositional history further complicate the shell analysis. The advantage of using snail shells as environmental archive lies in their limited mobility, and thus an intrinsic aptitude of recording local and site-specific conditions. However, snail shells found at archaeological sites, even if of local origin, often represent a dietary component and boiling/roasting could potentially alter the isotopic signature of aragonite material. While thermal processing affects the clumped isotope composition of carbonates, its influence on traditional isotopes is still debated (Ritter et al. 2017, Sedimentology; Müller et al. 2017, Scientific Reports). Consequently, a proper sampling strategy is of great importance and should be chosen according to scientific question. Horizontal high-resolution shell sampling (drill holes along growth axis, across growth lines) provides insights into the amplitude of seasonal variability, while vertical high-resolution sampling (multiple drill holes along the same growth line) produces reproducible results. We took advantage of this reproducibility and, on a yet unprecedented scale, experimentally and sequentially tested the influence of boiling on the δ18O and δ13C signature of shells of modern Helix pomatia. Our results challenge recent reports on alteration due to boiling (Müller et al., 2017, Scientific Reports) and support uncompromised application of snail shells from archeological sites for paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
Water-Quality, Bed-Sediment, and Biological Data (October 2006 through September 2007) and Statistical Summaries of Long-Term Data for Streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2008-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Milltown Reservoir as part of a long-term monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin; additional water-quality samples were collected in the Clark Fork basin from sites near Milltown Reservoir downstream to near the confluence of the Clark Fork and Flathead River as part of a supplemental sampling program. The sampling programs were conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water-quality samples were collected periodically at 22 sites from October 2006 through September 2007. Bed-sediment and biological samples were collected once at 12 sites during August 2007. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at all long-term and supplemental monitoring sites from October 2006 through September 2007. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for samples collected at sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Nutrients also were analyzed in the supplemental water-quality samples. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites, and seasonal daily values of turbidity were determined for five sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of long-term water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.

Occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and trace elements in fish tissue in the lower Tennessee River basin, 1980-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knight, R.R.; Powell, J.R.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, evaluated the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and trace elements in fish tissue in samples collected in the lower Tennessee River Basin study unit. Fish tissue analysis provides a time-averaged measurement of contaminants as well as a direct measurement of the contaminants that bioaccumulate in fish tissue. Bioaccumulation of contaminants in fish tissue may result in concentrations that can affect human, wildlife, or aquatic health. Data for two types of tissue analyses were evaluated to assess the occurrence and distribution of contaminants: whole fish for organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls and fish fillets for organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and trace elements. The fish tissue data analyzed for this study cover an 18-year span including data collected in 1998 by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program; data collected from 1980 through 1997 by the Tennessee Valley Authority; and data collected from 1992 through 1997 by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Concentration data for constituents that are on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Priority Pollutant List were summarized and compared against existing action levels or guidelines.From the list of organochlorine pesticide compounds analyzed, p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), a breakdown product of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), was the most commonly detected compound with detections at 83 percent of the sites sampled. Eleven p,p'-DDE samples exceeded action levels or guidelines with concentrations ranging from 0.20 to 12.8 milligrams per kilogram. Five other organochlorine compounds, p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p'-DDD), dieldrin, endrin, chlordane, and polychlorinated biphenyls, also exceeded action levels and guidelines, but the detection frequencies at sampling sites generally were less than 70 percent. Mercury, the only trace element to exceed a guideline, was detected at 51 of 102 sites sampled for trace elements. Selenium was detected in fish fillet samples from 70 of 102 sites sampled, which was more sites than for any other trace element; however, selenium did not exceed the 50 micrograms per gram U.S. Environmental Protection Agency screening criteria. Arsenic and cadmium also were detected at 44 and 54 percent of the sampling sites, respectively.
Prevalence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in oyster and clam culturing environments in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yu, Wei-Ting; Jong, Koa-Jen; Lin, Yu-Ren; Tsai, Shing-en; Tey, Yao Hsien; Wong, Hin-chung

2013-01-01

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the most prevalent gastroenteritis pathogen in Taiwan and some other Asian countries, and it frequently occurs in oysters and other seafood. This study monitors changes in the density of V. parahaemolyticus and environmental parameters in oyster and hard clam aquacultural environments in Taiwan. Water, sediment and shellfish samples were collected from five sampling sites in 2008-2010, and analyzed for environmental physiochemical parameters, numbers of indicator bacteria (total aerobic counts, total coliforms and fecal coliforms), Vibrio and V. parahaemolyticus present. The results for open oyster farms and hard clam ponds did not differ significantly. V. parahaemolyticus was detected in 77.5, 77.5, 70.8 and 68.8% of the water, sediment, oyster and clam samples, respectively. The densities of V. parahaemolyticus were significantly higher in shellfish than in sediment or water samples, with mean values of 1.33, 1.04 and -0.02 Log CFU/g, respectively. Among these five sampling sites, Shengang and Fangyuan yielded significantly different data from those obtained at the other three sites. As determined by linear multiple regression, V. parahaemolyticus density in water samples depended significantly on the precipitation and Vibrio count, while the V. parahaemolyticus density in the sediment or shellfish samples depended significantly on the salinity of the seawater. Among 1076 isolates examined, a total of three putative pathogenic isolates were identified from 2.5% of the examined samples, and these isolates exhibited hemolytic or urease activities and the presence of gene markers for tdh, trh, type III secretion system (T3SS) 1 (vcrD1) or T3SS2α (vcrD2). The results herein may facilitate the assessment of risk associated with this pathogen in Taiwan and other geographically similar regions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Niagara Falls Storage Site annual site environmental monitoring report. Calendar year 1985

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

Not Available

1986-04-01

During 1985, an environmental monitoring program was continued at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS), a United States Department of Energy (DOE) surplus facility located in Niagara County, New York, presently used for the interim storage of low-level radioactive residues and contaminated soils and rubble. The monitoring program is being conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. Monitoring results show that the NFSS is in compliance with DOE concentration guides and radiation protection standards. Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs) represent the concentrations of radionuclides in air or water that would limit the radiation dose to 100 mrem/yr. The applicable limits have been revisedmore » since the 1984 environmental monitoring report was published. The limits applied in 1984 were based on a radiation protection standard of 500 mrem/yr; the limits applied for the 1985 are based on a standard of 100 mrem/yr. To determine whether the site is in compliance with DOE standards, environmental measurements are expressed as percentages of the applicable DCG, while the calculated doses to the public are expressed as percentages of the applicable radiation protection standard. The monitoring program measured radon gas concentrations in air; uranium and radium concentrations in surface water, groundwater, and sediments; and external gamma dose rates. Environmental samples collected were analyzed to determine compliance with applicable standards. Potential radiation doses to the public were also calculated.« less
40 CFR 761.295 - Reporting and recordkeeping of the PCB concentrations in samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... concentrations in samples. 761.295 Section 761.295 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... concentrations for bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces on a dry weight basis and as micrograms of PCBs...
40 CFR 761.295 - Reporting and recordkeeping of the PCB concentrations in samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... concentrations in samples. 761.295 Section 761.295 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... concentrations for bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces on a dry weight basis and as micrograms of PCBs...
40 CFR 761.295 - Reporting and recordkeeping of the PCB concentrations in samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentrations in samples. 761.295 Section 761.295 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... concentrations for bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces on a dry weight basis and as micrograms of PCBs...
40 CFR 761.295 - Reporting and recordkeeping of the PCB concentrations in samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... concentrations in samples. 761.295 Section 761.295 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... On-Site Disposal of Bulk PCB Remediation Waste and Porous Surfaces in Accordance With Â§ 761.61(a)(6... concentrations for bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces on a dry weight basis and as micrograms of PCBs...
Groundwater, surface-water, and water-chemistry data from C-aquifer monitoring program, northeastern Arizona, 2005-11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Christopher R.; Macy, Jamie P.

2012-01-01

Water-chemistry data for selected wells and baseflow investigations sites are presented. No well samples analyzed exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level standards for drinking water, but several samples exceeded Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level standards for chloride, fluoride, sulfate, iron, and total dissolved solids.
Evaluation of organic compounds and trace elements in Amazon Creek Basin, Oregon, September 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rinella, F.A.

1993-01-01

Water and bottom sediment were collected from Amazon Creek, Oregon during a summer low-flow condition and analyzed for different classes of organic compounds, including many from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's priority pollutant list. Bottom sediment also was analyzed for trace elements typically associated with urban runoff. Trace-element concentrations in the less than 63 micrometer fraction of Amazon Creek bottom-sediment samples were compared with baseline concentrations (expected 95 percent confidence range) for soils from the Western United States and with concen- trations found in bottom sediment from the Willamette River Basin. Total-digestion concentrations of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, silver, titanium, and zinc were enriched at some or all sites sampled. Whole-water samples from some sites contained concentrations of several chlorophenoxy-acid herbicides, the organophosphorus insecticide diazinon, and several semivolatile priority pollutants. Classes of compounds not detected in whole-water samples included carbamate insecticides, triazine and other nitrogen-containing herbicides, and purgeable organic compounds. Bottom-sediment samples contained many organochlorine compounds, including chlordane, DDT plus metabolites, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor epoxide (a metabolite of heptachlor), and PCBs at some or all sites sampled. Twenty-four of 54 semivolatile compounds were detected in bottom- sediment samples at some or all sites sampled.
Signatures of chlorinated dioxins and furans along the exposure path - The relation between vegetation and soil.

PubMed

Hangen, Edzard; Gonser, Stefan; Köhler, Jutta

2018-08-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzo-furans (PCDD/Fs) belong to the most toxic persistent organic environmental pollutants. Therefore, knowledge about their fate along the exposure path is of special concern. In order to comprehend the transfer of PCDD/Fs across different environmental compartments, PCDD/F concentrations in plants and in soil were evaluated. Pairs of soil and plant samples were selected according to the shortest distance between sampling points. At 15 sites PCDD/F concentrations in spruce needles and in forest humus layers where compared. Summer conditions were evaluated on the basis of 8 sites with ryegrass- and grassland topsoil samples. Autumn conditions were addressed using 7 sites with curly kale and topsoil samples under grassland. Correlation analyses of the PCDD/F congener profiles for plant- and soil samples were conducted. The correlations were compared to influencing site (e.g. local temperature) and spatial as well as temporal offset parameters. No governing parameter that decisively influenced the similarity between plant and soil signature became evident. By means of the toxicity factors of TEQ-WHO, tetra- and penta-PCDD/F homologues were assigned to the group of low-chlorinated homologues (lcH), and hexa-, hepta- and octa-PCDD/F homologues to the high-chlorinated homologues (hcH). lcH and hcH are presumed to differ in solubility, volatility and rate of degradation. The ratio of lcH/hcH revealed characteristic fingerprints that enabled the differentiation of the individual PCDD/F-plant and -soil pairs. Spruce-humus pairs showed a close relation during winter exposure times, while the lower summer concentrations were not reflected in the humus layer. Kale was exposed at the beginning of the season with elevated PCDD/F immissions, and showed a closer relation to grassland topsoil than did ryegrass. lcH/hcH proved as a simple criterion that can reveal related PCDD/F fingerprints of different environmental compartments despite signal attenuation due to decomposition, volatilization and particulate transport. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Public concerns about and perceptions of solid waste dump sites and selection of sanitary landfill sites in the West Bank, Palestinian territory.

PubMed

Al-Khatib, Issam A; Abu Hammad, Ahmad; Sharkas, Othman A; Sato, Chikashi

2015-04-01

Palestinian inhabitants have disposed of their solid wastes at open dumpsites over the past 40 years without an adequate solid waste management (SWM) plans. Recently, the Palestinian Authority initiated SWM planning to establish controlled sanitary landfills, based on a participatory approach. The purpose of this study was to assess public concerns about existing solid waste dumpsites and public perceptions of sanitary landfill site selection. The study will also take into consideration the effect of diverse social, economic, and environmental related factors of the inhabitants on sitting suitable landfill sites in three Palestinian districts in the West Bank, namely, "Nablus," "Salfit," and "Ramallah and Al-Bireh." The results of this study showed that 64.9% of the sample population are aware of the problems and potential impacts associated with random dumpsites, and 41.6% think that they are suffering from the dumps. Among the environmental, socioeconomic, and political factors, the environmental factors, air pollution in particular, are thought be the most important consideration in selecting a landfill site. The "fairness in selecting a landfill site" was chosen to be one of the most important socioeconomic factors, possibly as a reaction to the Israeli occupation and subsequent land use restrictions in the West Bank, Palestinian territory.
Site environmental report for Calendar Year 1994 on radiological and nonradiological parameters

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

NONE

1995-06-30

Battelle Memorial Institute`s nuclear research facilities are currently being maintained in a surveillance and maintenance (S&M) mode with continual decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) activities being conducted under Department of Energy (DOE) Contract W-7405-ENG-92. These activities are referred to under the Contract as the Battelle Columbus Laboratories Decommissioning Project (BCLDP). Operations referenced in this report are performed in support of S&M and D&D activities. Battelle`s King Avenue facility is not considered in this report to the extent that the West Jefferson facility is. The source term at the King Avenue site is a small fraction of the source term at themore » West Jefferson site. Off site levels of radionuclides that could be attributed to the west Jefferson and King Avenue nuclear operations wereindistinguishable from background levels at specific locations where air, water, and direct radiation measurements were performed. Environmental monitoring continued to demonstrate compliance by Battelle with federal, state and local regulations. Routine, nonradiological activities performed include monitoring liquid effluents and monitoring the ground water system for the West Jefferson North site. Samples of various environmental media including air, water, grass, fish, field and garden crops, sediment and soil were collected from the region surrounding the two sites and analyzed.« less
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT XRF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Rigaku ZSX Mini II (ZSX Mini II) XRF Services x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer was demon-strated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The field portion of the demonstration was conducted in January 2005 at the Kennedy Athletic, Recreational and Social Park (KARS) at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. The demonstration was designed to collect reliable performance and cost data for the ZSX Mini II analyzer and seven other commercially available XRF instruments for measuring trace elements in soil and sediment. The performance and cost data were evaluated to document the relative performance of each XRF instrument. This innovative technology verification report describes the objectives and the results of that evaluation and serves to verify the performance and cost of the ZSX Mini II analyzer. Separate reports have been prepared for the other XRF instruments that were evaluated as part of the demonstration. The objectives of the evaluation included determining each XRF instrument’s accuracy, precision, sample throughput, and tendency for matrix effects. To fulfill these objectives, the field demonstration incorporated the analysis of 326 prepared samples of soil and sediment that contained 13 target elements. The prepared samples included blends of environmental samples from nine different sample collection sites as well as spiked samples with certified element con
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT XRF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Rontec PicoTAX x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The field portion of the demonstration was conducted in January 2005 at the Kennedy Athletic, Recreational and Social Park (KARS) at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. The demonstration was designed to collect reliable performance and cost data for the PicoTAX analyzer and seven other commercially available XRF instruments for measuring trace elements in soil and sediment. The performance and cost data were evaluated to document the relative performance of each XRF instrument. This innovative technology verification report describes the objectives and the results of that evaluation and serves to verify the performance and cost of the PicoTAX analyzer. Separate reports have been prepared for the other XRF instruments that were evaluated as part of the demonstration. The objectives of the evaluation included determining each XRF instrument’s accuracy, precision, sample throughput, and tendency for matrix effects. To fulfill these objectives, the field demonstration incorporated the analysis of 326 prepared samples of soil and sediment that contained 13 target elements. The prepared samples included blends of environmental samples from nine different sample collection sites as well as spiked samples with certified element concentrations. Accuracy was assessed by c
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT XRF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Niton XLt 700 Series (XLt) XRF Services x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The field portion of the demonstration was conducted in January 2005 at the Kennedy Athletic, Recreational and Social Park (KARS) at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. The demonstration was designed to collect reliable performance and cost data for the XLt analyzer and seven other commercially available XRF instruments for measuring trace elements in soil and sediment. The performance and cost data were evaluated to document the relative performance of each XRF instrument. This innovative technology verification report describes the objectives and the results of that evaluation and serves to verify the performance and cost of the XLt analyzer. Separate reports have been prepared for the other XRF instruments that were evaluated as part of the demonstration. The objectives of the evaluation included determining each XRF instrument’s accuracy, precision, sample throughput, and tendency for matrix effects. To fulfill these objectives, the field demonstration incorporated the analysis of 326 prepared samples of soil and sediment that contained 13 target elements. The prepared samples included blends of environmental samples from nine different sample collection sites as well as spiked samples with certified element concentrations. Accuracy
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT XRF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Oxford ED2000 x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The field portion of the demonstration was conducted in January 2005 at the Kennedy Athletic, Recreational and Social Park (KARS) at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. The demonstration was designed to collect reliable performance and cost data for the ED2000 analyzer and seven other commercially available XRF instruments for measuring trace elements in soil and sediment. The performance and cost data were evaluated to document the relative performance of each XRF instrument. This innovative technology verification report describes the objectives and the results of that evaluation and serves to verify the performance and cost of the ED2000 analyzer. Separate reports have been prepared for the other XRF instruments that were evaluated as part of the demonstration. The objectives of the evaluation included determining each XRF instrument’s accuracy, precision, sample throughput, and tendency for matrix effects. To fulfill these objectives, the field demonstration incorporated the analysis of 326 prepared samples of soil and sediment that contained 13 target elements. The prepared samples included blends of environmental samples from nine different sample collection sites as well as spiked samples with certified element concentrations. Accuracy was assessed by com
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT XRF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Innov-X XT400 Series (XT400) x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The field portion of the demonstration was conducted in January 2005 at the Kennedy Athletic, Recreational and Social Park (KARS) at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. The demonstration was designed to collect reliable performance and cost data for the XT400 analyzer and seven other commercially available XRF instruments for measuring trace elements in soil and sediment. The performance and cost data were evaluated to document the relative performance of each XRF instrument. This innovative technology verification report describes the objectives and the results of that evaluation and serves to verify the performance and cost of the XT400 analyzer. Separate reports have been prepared for the other XRF instruments that were evaluated as part of the demonstration. The objectives of the evaluation included determining each XRF instrument’s accuracy, precision, sample throughput, and tendency for matrix effects. To fulfill these objectives, the field demonstration incorporated the analysis of 326 prepared samples of soil and sediment that contained 13 target elements. The prepared samples included blends of environmental samples from nine different sample collection sites as well as spiked samples with certified element concentrations. Accuracy was as
Environmental concentrations of copper, chromium, and arsenic released from a chromated-copper-arsenate-(CCA-C-) treated wetland boardwalk

Treesearch

Stan T. Lebow; Daniel Foster

2005-01-01

A study was conducted to evaluate environmental accumulation and mobility of total copper, chromium, and arsenic adjacent to a chromated-copper-arsenate-(CCA-C-) treated wetland boardwalk. The study was considered a severe test because it included a large volume of treated wood in a site with high annual rainfall. Soil and sediment samples were collected before...
Spread of hybridization between native westslope cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi, and nonnative rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hitt, Nathaniel P.; Frissell, Christopher A.; Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Fred W. Allendorf,

2003-01-01

We examined spatial and temporal patterns of hybridization between native westslope cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi, and nonnative rainbow trout, O. mykiss, in streams of the Flathead River system in Montana, U.S.A. We detected hybridization in 24 of 42 sites sampled from 1998 to 2001. We found new Oncorhynchus mykiss introgression in seven of 11 sample populations that were determined to be nonhybridized in 1984. Patterns of spatial autocorrelation and linkage disequilibrium indicated that hybridization is spreading among sites and is advancing primarily via post-F1 hybrids. Although hybridized populations were distributed widely throughout the study area, the genetic contribution from O. mykiss decreased with increasing upstream distance from the Flathead River mainstem, suggesting that O. mykiss introgression is spreading in an upstream direction. The spread of hybridization may be constrained more by demographic than by environmental factors, given that (i) hybridized populations generally encompassed the range of environmental variability in nonhybridized populations, and (ii) hybridization status was more strongly associated with neighborhood statistics than measured environmental gradients.
Early detection of marine invasive species, Bugula neritina (Bryozoa: Cheilostomatida), using species-specific primers and environmental DNA analysis in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Philjae; Kim, Donghwan; Yoon, Tae Joong; Shin, Sook

2018-08-01

The bryozoan, Bugula neritina, is one of the most widespread sessile marine invasive species. Since its first discovery in Korea in 1978, the gradual increase in the distribution and abundance of this species resulted in a significant damage to growth of aquaculture. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a potentially useful tool for species detection including rare, invasive and threatened native species. In this study, species-specific primers and probe were designed to amplify a 185-bp region based on mitochondrial COI of B. neritina for monitoring, and tested on environmental samples from 35 harbors of Korea in 2017. Among 35 sites monitored, B. neritina colonies were detected in 27 sites during field survey. However, B. neritina DNA was detected in all examined eDNA isolated from seawater. These results suggested that eDNA-based methods coupled with simple seawater sampling could be suitable for determining the distribution and abundance of B. neritina as complementary traditional monitoring. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Statistical design and analysis of environmental studies for plutonium and other transuranics at NAEG ''safety-shot'' sites

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

Gilbert, R.O.; Eberhardt, L.L.; Fowler, E.B.

This paper is centered around the use of stratified random sampling for estimating the total amount (inventory) of $sup 239-240$Pu and uranium in surface soil at ten ''safety-shot'' sites on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and Tonopah Test Range (TTR) that are currently being studied by the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG). The use of stratified random sampling has resulted in estimates of inventory at these desert study sites that have smaller standard errors than would have been the case had simple random sampling (no stratification) been used. Estimates of inventory are given for $sup 235$U, $sup 238$U, and $supmore » 239-240$Pu in soil at A Site of Area 11 on the NTS. Other results presented include average concentrations of one or more of these isotopes in soil and vegetation and in soil profile samples at depths to 25 cm. The regression relationship between soil and vegetation concentrations of $sup 235$U and $sup 238$U at adjacent sampling locations is also examined using three different models. The applicability of stratified random sampling to the estimation of concentration contours of $sup 239-240$Pu in surface soil using computer algorithms is also investigated. Estimates of such contours are obtained using several different methods. The planning of field sampling plans for estimating inventory and distribution is discussed. (auth)« less
Fish assemblages of the Casiquiare River, a corridor and zoogeographical filter for dispersal between the Orinoco and Amazon basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winemiller, K.O.; Lopez-Fernandez, H.; Taphorn, D.C.; Nico, L.G.; Duque, A.B.

2008-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether the Casiquiare River functions as a free dispersal corridor or as a partial barrier (i.e. filter) for the interchange of fish species of the Orinoco and Negro/Amazon basins using species assemblage patterns according to geographical location and environmental features. Location: The Casiquiare, Upper Orinoco and Upper Negro rivers in southern Venezuela, South America. Methods: Our study was based on an analysis of species presence/absence data and environmental information (11 habitat characteristics) collected by the authors and colleagues between the years 1984 and 1999. The data set consisted of 269 sampled sites and 452 fish species (> 50,000 specimens). A wide range of habitat types was included in the samples, and the collection sites were located at various points along the entire length of the Casiquiare main channel, at multiple sites on its tributary streams, as well as at various nearby sites outside the Casiquiare drainage, within the Upper Orinoco and Upper Rio Negro river systems. Most specimens and field data used in this analysis are archived in the Museo de Ciencias Naturales in Guanare, Venezuela. We performed canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) based on species presence/absence using two versions of the data set: one that eliminated sites having < 5 species and species occurring at < 5 sites; and another that eliminated sites having < 10 species and species occurring at < 10 sites. Cluster analysis was performed on sites based on species assemblage similarity, and a separate analysis was performed on species based on CCA loadings. Results: The CCA results for the two versions of the data set were qualitatively the same. The dominant environmental axis contrasted assemblages and sites associated with blackwater vs. clearwater conditions. Longitudinal position on the Casiquiare River was correlated (r2 = 0.33) with CCA axis-1 scores, reflecting clearwater conditions nearer to its origin (bifurcation of the Orinoco) and blackwater conditions nearer to its mouth (junction with the Rio Negro). The second CCA axis was most strongly associated with habitat size and structural complexity. Species associations derived from the unweighted pair-group average clustering method and pair-wise squared Euclidean distances calculated from species loadings on CCA axes 1 and 2 showed seven ecological groupings. Cluster analysis of species assemblages according to watershed revealed a stronger influence of local environmental conditions than of geographical proximity. Main conclusions: Fish assemblage composition is more consistently associated with local environmental conditions than with geographical position within the river drainages. Nonetheless, the results support the hypothesis that the mainstem Casiquiare represents a hydrochemical gradient between clearwaters at its origin and blackwaters at its mouth, and as such appears to function as a semi-permeable barrier (environmental filter) to dispersal and faunal exchanges between the partially vicariant fish faunas of the Upper Orinoco and Upper Negro rivers. ?? 2008 The Authors.
Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2009 through September 2010) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2012-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin. The sampling program was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 20 sites from October 2009 through September 2010. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2010. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2009 through September 2010. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for water samples collected at the four sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.
Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2011 through September 2012) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Clark Fork Basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2014-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork Basin of western Montana. The sampling program was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork Basin, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 20 sites from October 2011 through September 2012. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2012. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at sites from October 2011 through September 2012. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for water samples collected at the four sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.
Microsoft PowerPoint - Walter Coke Comm May 19 Karen correction presentation [Compatibility Mode

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Contains slides from a presentation to Collegeville, Harriman Park, and Fairmont neighborhoods in North Birmingham, Alabama updating the community on the environmental sampling and next steps on the Walter Coke cleanup site.
Selected environmental plutonium research reports of the NAEG

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

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

Twenty-one papers were presented on various aspects of plutonium and radioisotope ecology at the Nevada Test Site. This includes studies of wildlife, microorganisms, and the plant-soil system. Analysis and sampling techniques are also included.
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Program: Environmental contaminants and their effects on fish in the Yukon River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, Jo Ellen; Bartish, Timothy M.; Blazer, Vicki; Denslow, Nancy D.; Gross, Tim S.; Myers, Mark S.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Orazio, Carl E.; Tillitt, Donald E.

2004-01-01

This project collected, examined, and analyzed 217 fish representing three species at 10 stations in the U.S. portion of the Yukon River Basin (YRB) from May to October 2002. Four sampling sites were located on the Yukon River; two were located on the Porcupine River, and one site was on each of the Ray, Tanana, Tolavana, and Innoko Rivers. Norther pike (Esox lucius), longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), and burbot (Lota lota) were weighed and measured, and examined in the field for external and internal lesions, and liver, spleen, and gonads were weighed to compute somatic indices. Selected tissues and fluids were collected and preserved for analysis of fish health and reproductive biomarkers. Composite samples of whole fish from each station were grouped by species and gender and analyzed for organochlorines and elemental contaminants and for dioxin-like activity using H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay.
Determination of an environmental background level of 90Sr in urine for the Hanford bioassay program.

PubMed

Antonio, C L; Rivard, J W

2009-11-01

During the decommissioning and maintenance of some of the facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington State, workers have potential for a Sr intake. However, because of worldwide radioactive fallout, Sr is present in our environment and can be detectable in routine urine bioassay samples. It is important for the Hanford Site bioassay program to discriminate an occupational intake from a non-occupational environmental one. A detailed study of the background Sr in the urine of unexposed Hanford workers was performed. A survey of the Hanford Site bioassay database found 128 Hanford workers who were hired between 1997 and 2002 and who had a very low potential for an occupational exposure prior to the baseline strontium urinalysis. Each urinalysis sample represented excretion during an approximate 24-h period. The arithmetic mean value for the 128 pre-exposure baselines was 3.6 +/- 5.1 mBq d. The 99 percentile result was 17 mBq d, which was interpreted to mean that 1% of Hanford workers not occupationally exposed to strontium might exceed 17 mBq d.
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Pacific Oyster Hemolymph Microbiota across Multiple Scales

PubMed Central

Lokmer, Ana; Goedknegt, M. Anouk; Thieltges, David W.; Fiorentino, Dario; Kuenzel, Sven; Baines, John F.; Wegner, K. Mathias

2016-01-01

Unveiling the factors and processes that shape the dynamics of host associated microbial communities (microbiota) under natural conditions is an important part of understanding and predicting an organism's response to a changing environment. The microbiota is shaped by host (i.e., genetic) factors as well as by the biotic and abiotic environment. Studying natural variation of microbial community composition in multiple host genetic backgrounds across spatial as well as temporal scales represents a means to untangle this complex interplay. Here, we combined a spatially-stratified with a longitudinal sampling scheme within differentiated host genetic backgrounds by reciprocally transplanting Pacific oysters between two sites in the Wadden Sea (Sylt and Texel). To further differentiate contingent site from host genetic effects, we repeatedly sampled the same individuals over a summer season to examine structure, diversity and dynamics of individual hemolymph microbiota following experimental removal of resident microbiota by antibiotic treatment. While a large proportion of microbiome variation could be attributed to immediate environmental conditions, we observed persistent effects of antibiotic treatment and translocation suggesting that hemolymph microbial community dynamics is subject to within-microbiome interactions and host population specific factors. In addition, the analysis of spatial variation revealed that the within-site microenvironmental heterogeneity resulted in high small-scale variability, as opposed to large-scale (between-site) stability. Similarly, considerable within-individual temporal variability was in contrast with the overall temporal stability at the site level. Overall, our longitudinal, spatially-stratified sampling design revealed that variation in hemolymph microbiota is strongly influenced by site and immediate environmental conditions, whereas internal microbiome dynamics and oyster-related factors add to their long-term stability. The combination of small and large scale resolution of spatial and temporal observations therefore represents a crucial but underused tool to study host-associated microbiome dynamics. PMID:27630625
Soil Viral Communities Vary Temporally and along a Land Use Transect as Revealed by Virus-Like Particle Counting and a Modified Community Fingerprinting Approach (fRAPD)

PubMed Central

Narr, Anja; Nawaz, Ali; Wick, Lukas Y.; Harms, Hauke; Chatzinotas, Antonis

2017-01-01

Environmental surveys on soil viruses are still rare and mostly anecdotal, i. e., they mostly report on viruses at one location or for only a few sampling dates. Detailed time-series analysis with multiple samples can reveal the spatio-temporal dynamics of viral communities and provide important input as to how viruses interact with their potential hosts and the environment. Such surveys, however, require fast, easy-to-apply and reliable methods. In the present study we surveyed monthly across 13 months the abundance of virus-like particles (VLP) and the structure of the viral communities in soils along a land use transect (i.e., forest, pasture, and cropland). We evaluated 32 procedures to extract VLP from soil using different buffers and mechanical methods. The most efficient extraction was achieved with 1× saline magnesium buffer in combination with 20 min vortexing. For community structure analysis we developed an optimized fingerprinting approach (fluorescent RAPD-PCR; fRAPD) by combining RAPD-PCR with fluorescently labeled primers in order to size the obtained fragments on a capillary sequencing machine. With the concomitantly collected data of soil specific factors and weather data, we were able to find correlations of viral abundance and community structure with environmental variables and sampling site. More specifically, we found that soil specific factors such as pH and total nitrogen content played a significant role in shaping both soil viral abundance and community structure. The fRAPD analysis revealed high temporal changes and clustered the viral communities according to sampling sites. In particular we observed that temperature and rainfall shaped soil viral communities in non-forest sites. In summary our findings suggest that sampling site was a key factor for shaping the abundance and community structure of soil viruses, and when site vegetation was reduced, temperature and rainfall were also important factors. PMID:29067022
Distribution of trace metals at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Berks and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, Ronald A.; Reif, Andrew G.

2011-01-01

Hopewell Furnace, located approximately 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia, was a cold-blast, charcoal iron furnace that operated for 113 years (1771 to 1883). The purpose of this study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, was to determine the distribution of trace metals released to the environment from an historical iron smelter at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (NHS). Hopewell Furnace used iron ore from local mines that contained abundant magnetite and accessory sulfide minerals enriched in arsenic, cobalt, copper, and other metals. Ore, slag, cast iron furnace products, soil, groundwater, stream base flow, streambed sediment, and benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled for this study. Soil samples analyzed in the laboratory had concentrations of trace metals low enough to meet Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection standards for non-residential use. Groundwater samples from the supply well met U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water regulations. Concentrations of metals in surface-water base flow at the five stream sampling sites were below continuous concentration criteria for protection of aquatic organisms. Concentrations of metals in sediment at the five stream sites were below probable effects level guidelines for protection of aquatic organisms except for copper at site HF-3. Arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, and possibly cobalt were incorporated into the cast iron produced by Hopewell Furnace. Manganese was concentrated in slag along with iron, nickel, and zinc. The soil near the furnace has elevated concentrations of chromium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc compared to background soil concentrations. Concentrations of toxic elements were not present at concentrations of concern in water, soil, or stream sediments, despite being elevated in ore, slag, and cast iron furnace products. The base-flow surface-water samples indicated good overall quality. The five sampled sites generally had low concentrations of nutrients and major ions but had elevated concentrations of iron, manganese, and strontium when compared to sites sampled in adjacent watersheds. The background site on Baptism Creek generally had the lowest concentrations and yields of constituents. Low concentrations of nutrients and major ions at all five sites indicate that measured concentrations can be attributed to general land use and geology and not to point sources. Streambed-sediment sampling results indicated higher concentrations of all metals except nickel at sites on French Creek compared to the background site on Baptism Creek. Concentrations of aluminum, cadmium, and nickel were highest in sediment from the sampling site upstream from Hopewell Furnace. The highest concentrations of arsenic, boron, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, and zinc were detected at the site just below Hopewell Furnace, which indicates that the source of these metals may be in Hopewell Furnace NHS. The invertebrate community at the background site on Baptism Creek was dominated by pollution sensitive taxa indicating a healthy, diverse benthic-macroinvertebrate community. Benthic-macroinvertebrate communities at sampling sites on French Creek indicated disturbed communities when compared to the background site on Baptism Creek and that the overall stream quality immediately above and below Hopewell Furnace NHS is degraded. The benthic-macroinvertebrate communities were dominated by pollution-tolerant taxa, and taxa were less diverse than at the background site. Habitat conditions at the upstream site on French Creek were good but were degraded at downstream sites on French Creek. The major habitat issues at these sites were related to a lack of stable substrate, erosion, and deposition. Water quality and streambed-sediment quality do not indicate that the degraded benthic-macroinvertebrate communities are the result of poor water quality. Habitat conditions (erosion and sedimentation) and physical alterations (water temperature) from the outfall of Hopewell Lake are the most likely causes of the impaired communities.
Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 2008 through September 2009) and statistical summaries of long-term data for streams in the Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Dyke, Jessica

2010-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to near Missoula, Montana, as part of a long-term monitoring program in the upper Clark Fork basin; additional water samples were collected in the Clark Fork basin from sites near Missoula downstream to near the confluence of the Clark Fork and Flathead River as part of a supplemental sampling program. The sampling programs were conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize aquatic resources in the Clark Fork basin of western Montana, with emphasis on trace elements associated with historic mining and smelting activities. Sampling sites were located on the Clark Fork and selected tributaries. Water samples were collected periodically at 24 sites from October 2008 through September 2009. Bed-sediment and biota samples were collected once at 13 sites during August 2009. This report presents the analytical results and quality-assurance data for water-quality, bed-sediment, and biota samples collected at all long-term and supplemental monitoring sites from October 2008 through September 2009. Water-quality data include concentrations of selected major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment. Turbidity was analyzed for water samples collected at the four sites where seasonal daily values of turbidity were being determined as well as at Clark Fork above Missoula. Nutrients also were analyzed at all the supplemental water-quality sites, except for Clark Fork Bypass, near Bonner. Daily values of suspended-sediment concentration and suspended-sediment discharge were determined for four sites. Bed-sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine-grained fraction. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Statistical summaries of long-term water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data for sites in the upper Clark Fork basin are provided for the period of record since 1985.
Review and Synthesis of Evidence Regarding Environmental Risks Posed by Munitions Constituents (MC) in Aquatic Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

Munitions response diver approaching an unexploded 1,000 pound General Purpose Bomb at Bahia Salina del Sur (Island of Vieques, PR). Photo provided...30 4.4 Isla de Vieques bombing range (PR, USA) .................................................... 30 4.4.1 Site...45 5.2 Sites reporting MC contamination in water samples ................................... 46 5.2.1 Isla de Vieques Bombing
An integrated approach for identifying priority contaminant in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Environmental assessment of complex mixtures typically requires integration of chemical and biological measurements. This study demonstrates the use of a combination of instrumental chemical analyses, effects-based monitoring, and bio-effects prediction approaches to help identify potential hazards and priority contaminants in two Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), the Lower Green Bay/Fox River located near Green Bay, WI, USA and the Milwaukee River Estuary, located near Milwaukee, WI, USA. Fathead minnows were caged at four sites within each AOC (eight sites total). Following 4 d of in situ exposure, tissues and biofluids were sampled and used for targeted biological effects analyses. Additionally, 4 d composite water samples were collected concurrently at each caged fish site and analyzed for 134 analytes as well as evaluated for total estrogenic and androgenic activity using cell-based bioassays. Of the analytes examined, 75 were detected in composite samples from at least one site. Based on multiple analyses, one site in the East River and another site near a paper mill discharge from lower Green Bay/Fox River AOC, were prioritized due to their estrogenic and androgenic acitvity, respectively. The water samples from other sites generally did not exhibit significant estrogenic or androgenic activity, nor was there evidence for endocrine disruption in the fish exposed at these sites as indicated the the lack of alterations in ex vivo steroid production, c
A temporal and spatial assessment of TBT concentrations at dredged material disposal sites around the coast of England and Wales.

PubMed

Bolam, Thi; Barry, Jon; Law, Robin J; James, David; Thomas, Boby; Bolam, Stefan G

2014-02-15

Despite legislative interventions since the 1980s, contemporary concentrations of organotin compounds in marine sediments still impose restrictions on the disposal of dredged material in the UK. Here, we analyse temporal and spatial data to assess the effectiveness of the ban on the use of TBT paints in reducing concentrations at disposal sites. At a national scale, there was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of samples in which the concentration was below the limit of detection (LOD) from 1998 to 2010. This was observed for sediments both inside and outside the disposal sites. However, this temporal decline in organotin concentration is disposal site-specific. Of the four sites studied in detail, two displayed significant increases in proportion of samples below LOD over time. We argue that site-specificity in the effectiveness of the TBT ban results from variations in historical practices at source and unique environmental characteristics of each site. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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.
Molecular diversity and distribution of marine fungi across 130 European environmental samples.

PubMed

Richards, Thomas A; Leonard, Guy; Mahé, Frédéric; Del Campo, Javier; Romac, Sarah; Jones, Meredith D M; Maguire, Finlay; Dunthorn, Micah; De Vargas, Colomban; Massana, Ramon; Chambouvet, Aurélie

2015-11-22

Environmental DNA and culture-based analyses have suggested that fungi are present in low diversity and in low abundance in many marine environments, especially in the upper water column. Here, we use a dual approach involving high-throughput diversity tag sequencing from both DNA and RNA templates and fluorescent cell counts to evaluate the diversity and relative abundance of fungi across marine samples taken from six European near-shore sites. We removed very rare fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) selecting only OTUs recovered from multiple samples for a detailed analysis. This approach identified a set of 71 fungal 'OTU clusters' that account for 66% of all the sequences assigned to the Fungi. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that this diversity includes a significant number of chytrid-like lineages that had not been previously described, indicating that the marine environment encompasses a number of zoosporic fungi that are new to taxonomic inventories. Using the sequence datasets, we identified cases where fungal OTUs were sampled across multiple geographical sites and between different sampling depths. This was especially clear in one relatively abundant and diverse phylogroup tentatively named Novel Chytrid-Like-Clade 1 (NCLC1). For comparison, a subset of the water column samples was also investigated using fluorescent microscopy to examine the abundance of eukaryotes with chitin cell walls. Comparisons of relative abundance of RNA-derived fungal tag sequences and chitin cell-wall counts demonstrate that fungi constitute a low fraction of the eukaryotic community in these water column samples. Taken together, these results demonstrate the phylogenetic position and environmental distribution of 71 lineages, improving our understanding of the diversity and abundance of fungi in marine environments. © 2015 The Authors.
Molecular diversity and distribution of marine fungi across 130 European environmental samples

PubMed Central

Richards, Thomas A.; Leonard, Guy; Mahé, Frédéric; del Campo, Javier; Romac, Sarah; Jones, Meredith D. M.; Maguire, Finlay; Dunthorn, Micah; De Vargas, Colomban; Massana, Ramon; Chambouvet, Aurélie

2015-01-01

Environmental DNA and culture-based analyses have suggested that fungi are present in low diversity and in low abundance in many marine environments, especially in the upper water column. Here, we use a dual approach involving high-throughput diversity tag sequencing from both DNA and RNA templates and fluorescent cell counts to evaluate the diversity and relative abundance of fungi across marine samples taken from six European near-shore sites. We removed very rare fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) selecting only OTUs recovered from multiple samples for a detailed analysis. This approach identified a set of 71 fungal ‘OTU clusters' that account for 66% of all the sequences assigned to the Fungi. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that this diversity includes a significant number of chytrid-like lineages that had not been previously described, indicating that the marine environment encompasses a number of zoosporic fungi that are new to taxonomic inventories. Using the sequence datasets, we identified cases where fungal OTUs were sampled across multiple geographical sites and between different sampling depths. This was especially clear in one relatively abundant and diverse phylogroup tentatively named Novel Chytrid-Like-Clade 1 (NCLC1). For comparison, a subset of the water column samples was also investigated using fluorescent microscopy to examine the abundance of eukaryotes with chitin cell walls. Comparisons of relative abundance of RNA-derived fungal tag sequences and chitin cell-wall counts demonstrate that fungi constitute a low fraction of the eukaryotic community in these water column samples. Taken together, these results demonstrate the phylogenetic position and environmental distribution of 71 lineages, improving our understanding of the diversity and abundance of fungi in marine environments. PMID:26582030
A biogeochemical and genetic survey of acetylene fermentation by environmental samples and bacterial isolates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Laurence G.; Baesman, Shaun M.; Kirshtein, Julie; Voytek, Mary A.; Oremland, Ronald S.

2013-01-01

Anoxic samples (sediment and groundwater) from 13 chemically diverse field sites were assayed for their ability to consume acetylene (C2H2). Over incubation periods ranging from ˜ 10 to 80 days, selected samples from 7 of the 13 tested sites displayed significant C2H2 removal. No significant formation of ethylene was noted in these incubations; therefore, C2H2 consumption could be attributed to acetylene hydratase (AH) rather than nitrogenase activity. This putative AH (PAH) activity was observed in only 21% of the total of assayed samples, while amplification of AH genes from extracted DNA using degenerate primers derived from Pelobacter acetylenicus occurred in even fewer (9.8%) samples. Acetylene-fermenting bacteria were isolated as a pure culture from the sediments of a tidal mudflat in San Francisco Bay (SFB93) and as an enrichment culture from freshwater Searsville Lake (SV7). Comparison of 16S rDNA clone libraries revealed that SFB93 was closely related to P. carbolinicus, while SV7 consisted of several unrelated bacteria. AH gene was amplified from SFB93 but not SV7. The inability of the primers to generate amplicons in the SV7 enrichment, as well as from several of the environmental samples that displayed PAH activity, implied that either the primers were too highly constrained in their specificity or that there was a different type of AH gene in these environmental samples than occurs in P. acetylenicus. The significance of this work with regard to the search for life in the outer Solar System, where C2HL2 is abundant, is discussed.
Spatial distribution, enrichment, and source of environmentally important elements in Batticaloa lagoon, Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Adikaram, Madurya; Pitawala, Amarasooriya; Ishiga, Hiroaki; Jayawardana, Daham

2017-01-01

The present paper is the first documentation of distribution and contamination status of environmentally important elements of superficial sediments in the Batticaloa lagoon that is connected to the largest bay of the world. Surface sediment samples were collected from 34 sites covering all over the lagoon. Concentrations of elements such as As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sc, Sr, Th, V, Y, Zn, and Zr were measured by X-ray florescence analysis. Geochemically, the lagoon has three different zones that were influenced mainly by fresh water sources, marine fronts, and intermediate mixing zones. The marine sediment quality standards indicate that Zr and Th values are exceeded throughout the lagoon. According to the freshwater sediment quality standards, Cr levels of all sampling sites exceed the threshold effect level (TEL) and 17 % of them are even above the probable effect level (PEL). Most sampling sites of the channel discharging areas show minor enrichment of Cu, Ni, and Zn with respect to the TEL. Contamination indices show that the lagoon mouth area is enriched with As. Statistical analysis implies that discharges from agricultural channel and marine fluxes of the lagoon effects on the spatial distribution of measured elements. Further research is required to understand the rate of contamination in the studied marine system.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Enterococcus spp. Isolated from Environmental Samples in an Area of Intensive Poultry Production

PubMed Central

Furtula, Vesna; Jackson, Charlene R.; Farrell, Erin Gwenn; Barrett, John B.; Hiott, Lari M.; Chambers, Patricia A.

2013-01-01

Enterococcus spp. from two poultry farms and proximate surface and ground water sites in an area of intensive poultry production were tested for resistance to 16 clinical antibiotics. Resistance patterns were compared to assess trends and possible correlations for specific antimicrobials and levels of resistance. Enterococci were detected at all 12 surface water sites and three of 28 ground water sites. Resistance to lincomycin, tetracycline, penicillin and ciprofloxacin in poultry litter isolates was high (80.3%, 65.3%, 61.1% and 49.6%, respectively). Resistance in the surface water to the same antibiotics was 87.1%, 24.1%, 7.6% and 12.9%, respectively. Overall, 86% of litter isolates, 58% of surface water isolates and 100% of ground water isolates were resistant to more than one antibiotic. Fifty-four different resistance patterns were recognised in isolates obtained from litter and environmental samples and several E. faecium and E. faecalis isolates from litter and environment samples shared the same resistance pattern. Multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR) indices calculated to assess health risks due to the presence of resistant enterococci suggested an increased presence of antibiotics in surface water, likely from poultry sources as no other wastewater contributions in the area were documented. PMID:23481592
Multi-biomarker approach using the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) to assess the quality of marine environments: season and habitat-related impacts.

PubMed

Brenner, M; Broeg, K; Frickenhaus, S; Buck, B H; Koehler, A

2014-04-01

Using a comprehensive approach, intertidal, near- and offshore sites in the German Bight were analysed for their environmental quality by assessing the health of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). During a ten month sampling period mussels were studied with a set of biomarkers comprising lysosomal membrane stability and accumulation of lipofuscin, supplemented by biomarkers indicating nutritional status such as neutral lipids and glycogen in the cells of the digestive gland. Data were analysed in relation to sex, gonadal status, condition index and for the presence of parasites, to determine the overall health status of mussels at the respective sites. Mussels from all sites showed clear signs of stress, indicating an inferior environmental quality throughout the southern German Bight. Further, habitat characteristics such as inundation time and growing on- or off-bottom, as well as seasonal factors, can clearly influence the response of biomarkers in mussels exposed to similar levels of chemical environmental stress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
An Effort to Isolate Mycobacterium bovis from Environmental Substrates during Investigations of Bovine Tuberculosis Transmission Sites (Cattle Farms and Wildlife Areas) in Michigan, USA

PubMed Central

Fine, Amanda E.; O'Brien, Daniel J.; Winterstein, Scott R.; Kaneene, John B.

2011-01-01

Deer movements on cattle farms, wildlife feeding, and livestock management practices in Michigan are thought to create opportunities for indirect transmission of Mycobacterium bovis via environmental substrates. To confirm the presence of viable M. bovis in the environment, substrates were collected from 13 farms with culture-confirmed M. bovis in cattle and 5 sites with high prevalence of M. bovis in free-ranging deer. None of the samples processed for mycobacterial culture were positive for M. bovis. Agent, host, and landscape-level factors decrease the probability of detecting M. bovis in the environment using conventional mycobacterial culture. Molecular techniques that increase the probability of M. bovis detection in environmental substrates should be applied to known sites of M. bovis transmission in Michigan. In the interim, epidemiological investigations informed by experimental studies will be most effective in characterizing M. bovis persistence in the environment and its role in the indirect interspecies transmission of M. bovis. PMID:23738108
Acquisition of background and technical information and class trip planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackinnon, R. M.; Wake, W. H.

1981-01-01

Instructors who are very familiar with a study area, as well as those who are not, find the field trip information acquisition and planning process speeded and made more effective by organizing it in stages. The stage follow a deductive progression: from the associated context region, to the study area, to the specific sample window sites, and from generalized background information on the study region to specific technical data on the environmental and human use systems to be interpreted at each site. On the class trip and in the follow up laboratory, the learning/interpretive process are at first deductive in applying previously learned information and skills to analysis of the study site, then inductive in reading and interpreting the landscape, imagery, and maps of the site, correlating them with information of other samples sites and building valid generalizations about the larger study area, its context region, and other (similar and/or contrasting) regions.
Detection of the actinides and cesium from environmental samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snow, Mathew Spencer

Detection of the actinides and cesium in the environment is important for a variety of applications ranging from environmental remediation to safeguards and nuclear forensics. The utilization of multiple different elemental concentrations and isotopic ratios together can significantly improve the ability to attribute contamination to a unique source term and/or generation process; however, the utilization of multiple elemental "signatures" together from environmental samples requires knowledge of the impact of chemical fractionation for various elements under a variety of environmental conditions (including predominantly aqueous versus arid conditions). The research reported in this dissertation focuses on three major areas: 1. Improving the understanding of actinide-mineral interactions at ultra-low concentrations. Chapter 2 reports a batch sorption and modeling study of Np(V) sorption to the mineral goethite from attomolar to micromolar concentrations. 2. Improving the detection capabilities for Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) analyses of ultra-trace cesium from environmental samples. Chapter 4 reports a new method which significantly improves the chemical yields, purification, sample processing time, and ultimately, the detection limits for TIMS analyses of femtogram quantities of cesium from a variety of environmental sample matrices. 3. Demonstrating how actinide and cesium concentrations and isotopic ratios from environmental samples can be utilized together to determine a wealth of information including environmental transport mechanisms (e.g. aqueous versus arid transport) and information on the processes which generated the original material. Chapters1, 3 and 5 demonstrate these principles using Pu, Am, Np, and Cs concentrations and isotopic ratios from contaminated soils taken near the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) of Idaho National Laboratory (INL) (a low level radioactive waste disposal site in southeastern Idaho).
What is living on your dog's skin? Characterization of the canine cutaneous mycobiota and fungal dysbiosis in canine allergic dermatitis.

PubMed

Meason-Smith, Courtney; Diesel, Alison; Patterson, Adam P; Older, Caitlin E; Mansell, Joanne M; Suchodolski, Jan S; Rodrigues Hoffmann, Aline

2015-12-01

To characterize the skin-associated fungal microbiota (mycobiota) in dogs, and to evaluate the influence of body site, individual dog or health status on the distribution of fungi, next-generation sequencing was performed targeting the internal transcribed spacer region. A total of 10 dogs with no history of skin disease were sampled at 10 distinct body sites consisting of haired and mucosal skin, and 8 dogs with diagnosed skin allergies were sampled at six body sites commonly affected by allergic disease. Analysis of similarities revealed that body site was not an influencing factor on membership or structure of fungal communities in healthy skin; however, the mucosal sites were significantly reduced in fungal richness. The mycobiota from body sites in healthy dogs tended to be similar within a dog, which was visualized in principle coordinates analysis (PCoA) by clustering of all sites from one dog separate from other dogs. The mycobiota of allergic skin was significantly less rich than that of healthy skin, and all sites sampled clustered by health status in PCoA. Interestingly, the most abundant fungi present on canine skin, across all body sites and health statuses, were Alternaria and Cladosporium--two of the most common fungal allergens in human environmental allergies. © FEMS 2015.
What is living on your dog's skin? Characterization of the canine cutaneous mycobiota and fungal dysbiosis in canine allergic dermatitis

PubMed Central

Meason-Smith, Courtney; Diesel, Alison; Patterson, Adam P.; Older, Caitlin E.; Mansell, Joanne M.; Suchodolski, Jan S.; Rodrigues Hoffmann, Aline

2015-01-01

To characterize the skin-associated fungal microbiota (mycobiota) in dogs, and to evaluate the influence of body site, individual dog or health status on the distribution of fungi, next-generation sequencing was performed targeting the internal transcribed spacer region. A total of 10 dogs with no history of skin disease were sampled at 10 distinct body sites consisting of haired and mucosal skin, and 8 dogs with diagnosed skin allergies were sampled at six body sites commonly affected by allergic disease. Analysis of similarities revealed that body site was not an influencing factor on membership or structure of fungal communities in healthy skin; however, the mucosal sites were significantly reduced in fungal richness. The mycobiota from body sites in healthy dogs tended to be similar within a dog, which was visualized in principle coordinates analysis (PCoA) by clustering of all sites from one dog separate from other dogs. The mycobiota of allergic skin was significantly less rich than that of healthy skin, and all sites sampled clustered by health status in PCoA. Interestingly, the most abundant fungi present on canine skin, across all body sites and health statuses, were Alternaria and Cladosporium—two of the most common fungal allergens in human environmental allergies. PMID:26542075
Environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting the probability of occurrence of Oncomegas wageneri (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

PubMed

Vidal-Martínez, Víctor M; Torres-Irineo, Edgar; Romero, David; Gold-Bouchot, Gerardo; Martínez-Meyer, Enrique; Valdés-Lozano, David; Aguirre-Macedo, M Leopoldina

2015-11-26

Understanding the environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing the probability of occurrence of the marine parasitic species is fundamental for determining the circumstances under which they can act as bioindicators of environmental impact. The aim of this study was to determine whether physicochemical variables, polyaromatic hydrocarbons or sewage discharge affect the probability of occurrence of the larval cestode Oncomegas wageneri, which infects the shoal flounder, Syacium gunteri, in the southern Gulf of Mexico. The study area included 162 sampling sites in the southern Gulf of Mexico and covered 288,205 km(2), where the benthic sediments, water and the shoal flounder individuals were collected. We used the boosted generalised additive models (boosted GAM) and the MaxEnt to examine the potential statistical relationships between the environmental variables (nutrients, contaminants and physicochemical variables from the water and sediments) and the probability of the occurrence of this parasite. The models were calibrated using all of the sampling sites (full area) with and without parasite occurrences (n = 162) and a polygon area that included sampling sites with a depth of 1500 m or less (n = 134). Oncomegas wageneri occurred at 29/162 sampling sites. The boosted GAM for the full area and the polygon area accurately predicted the probability of the occurrence of O. wageneri in the study area. By contrast, poor probabilities of occurrence were obtained with the MaxEnt models for the same areas. The variables with the highest frequencies of appearance in the models (proxies for the explained variability) were the polyaromatic hydrocarbons of high molecular weight (PAHH, 95 %), followed by a combination of nutrients, spatial variables and polyaromatic hydrocarbons of low molecular weight (PAHL, 5 %). The contribution of the PAHH to the variability was explained by the fact that these compounds, together with N and P, are carried by rivers that discharge into the ocean, which enhances the growth of hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria and the productivity and number of the intermediate hosts. Our results suggest that sites with PAHL/PAHH ratio values up to 1.89 promote transmission based on the high values of the prevalence of O. wageneri in the study area. In contrast, PAHL/PAHH ratio values ≥ 1.90 can be considered harmful for the transmission stages of O. wageneri and its hosts (copepods, shrimps and shoal flounders). Overall, the results indicate that the PAHHs affect the probability of occurrence of this helminth parasite in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
CASTNet Air Toxics Monitoring Program (CATMP): VOC and carbonyl data for July, 1993 through March, 1994

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

Harlos, D.P.; Edgerton, E.S.

1994-12-31

The US EPA has, under the auspices of the CASTNet program (Clean Air Status and Trends Network), initiated the CASTNet Air Toxics Monitoring Program (CATMP). Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and carbonyls and metals are sampled for 24-hour periods on a 12-day schedule using TO-14 samplers (SUMMA canisters) and dinitrophenylhydrazine-coated (dmph) sorbent cartridges and high volume particle samplers. Sampling was begun at most sites in July of 1993. The sites are operated by state and local air pollution control programs and all analysis is performed by Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE) in Gainesville, Florida. The network currently supports 15 VOC sites,more » of which 7 also sample carbonyls. Three sites sample metals only in Pinellas County, Florida. The limits of detection of 0.05 ppb for VOCs allow routine tracking of a wide range of pollutants including several greenhouse gases, transportation pollutants and photochemically-derived compounds. The sites range from major urban areas (Chicago, St. Louis) to a rural village (Waterbury, Vermont). Results of the first three quarters of VOC and carbonyl data collection are summarized in this presentation.« less
Restriction-Site-Specific PCR as a Rapid Test To Detect Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strains in Environmental Samples

PubMed Central

Kimura, Richard; Mandrell, Robert E.; Galland, John C.; Hyatt, Doreene; Riley, Lee W.

2000-01-01

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is an important food-borne pathogen in industrialized countries. We developed a rapid and simple test for detecting E. coli O157:H7 using a method based on restriction site polymorphisms. Restriction-site-specific PCR (RSS-PCR) involves the amplification of DNA fragments using primers based on specific restriction enzyme recognition sequences, without the use of endonucleases, to generate a set of amplicons that yield “fingerprint” patterns when resolved electrophoretically on an agarose gel. The method was evaluated in a blinded study of E. coli isolates obtained from environmental samples collected at beef cattle feedyards. The 54 isolates were all initially identified by a commonly used polyclonal antibody test as belonging to O157:H7 serotype. They were retested by anti-O157 and anti-H7 monoclonal antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The RSS-PCR method identified all 28 isolates that were shown to be E. coli O157:H7 by the monoclonal antibody ELISA as belonging to the O157:H7 serotype. Of the remaining 26 ELISA-confirmed non-O157:H7 strains, the method classified 25 strains as non-O157:H7. The specificity of the RSS-PCR results correlated better with the monoclonal antibody ELISA than with the polyclonal antibody latex agglutination tests. The RSS-PCR method may be a useful test to distinguish E. coli O157:H7 from a large number of E. coli isolates from environmental samples. PMID:10831431
A multi-residue method for characterization and determination of atmospheric pesticides measured at two French urban and rural sampling sites.

PubMed

Baraud, Laurent; Tessier, Didier; Aaron, Jean-Jacques; Quisefit, Jean-Paul; Pinart, Johann

2003-12-01

The extensive use of pesticides to protect agricultural crops can result in the transfer of these compounds into the atmosphere and their diffusion towards urban areas. Precise evaluation of the geographic impact of this type of pollution is important environmentally. In this paper, analytical methods for the sampling, characterization, and determination of agricultural pesticides in air were developed; the methods were then applied in the Paris and Champagne regions. Sixteen pesticides belonging to nine chemical families were monitored. Sampling was carried out in urban (Paris) and rural (Aube district) sites, utilizing either a high-volume pump (12.5 m3 h(-1)) (urban site) or a low-volume pump (2.3 m3 h(-1)) for the rural site. Quartz filters and polyurethane foams (PUF) were used for sampling in all cases. After extracting the samples and concentrating the recovered solutions, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with UV detection was performed. Identification of the pesticides was confirmed by applying to the HPLC measurements a novel UV-detection procedure based on the normalized absorbance variation with wavelength (Noravawa procedure). The presence of metsulfuron methyl, isoproturon, linuron, deltamethrin (and/or malathion), and chlorophenoxy acids (2,4-D and MCPP) was found at the urban sampling site at levels ranging from about 1 to 1130 ng m(-3) of air, depending on the compound and sampling period. On the rural sampling site residues of isoproturon, deltamethrin (and/or malathion), MCPP, and 2,4-D were generally detected at higher levels (19-5130 ng m(-3)) than on the urban site, as expected. The effects of the weather conditions and agricultural activity on the atmospheric concentrations of pesticides are discussed, as are long-range atmospheric transfer processes for these pesticides.
An approach for addressing hard-to-detect hot spots.

PubMed

Abelquist, Eric W; King, David A; Miller, Laurence F; Viars, James A

2013-05-01

The Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) survey approach is comprised of systematic random sampling coupled with radiation scanning to assess acceptability of potential hot spots. Hot spot identification for some radionuclides may not be possible due to the very weak gamma or x-ray radiation they emit-these hard-to-detect nuclides are unlikely to be identified by field scans. Similarly, scanning technology is not yet available for chemical contamination. For both hard-to-detect nuclides and chemical contamination, hot spots are only identified via volumetric sampling. The remedial investigation and cleanup of sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act typically includes the collection of samples over relatively large exposure units, and concentration limits are applied assuming the contamination is more or less uniformly distributed. However, data collected from contaminated sites demonstrate contamination is often highly localized. These highly localized areas, or hot spots, will only be identified if sample densities are high or if the environmental characterization program happens to sample directly from the hot spot footprint. This paper describes a Bayesian approach for addressing hard-to-detect nuclides and chemical hot spots. The approach begins using available data (e.g., as collected using the standard approach) to predict the probability that an unacceptable hot spot is present somewhere in the exposure unit. This Bayesian approach may even be coupled with the graded sampling approach to optimize hot spot characterization. Once the investigator concludes that the presence of hot spots is likely, then the surveyor should use the data quality objectives process to generate an appropriate sample campaign that optimizes the identification of risk-relevant hot spots.
An experimental investigation of the effect of impact generated micro-deformations in Moenkopi and Coconino Sandstone from Meteor Crater, Arizona on subsequent weathering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, A.; Bourke, M. C.; Osinski, G.; Viles, H. A.; Blanco, J. D. R.

2017-12-01

Impact cratering is an important geological process that affects all planetary bodies in our solar system. As rock breakdown plays an important role in the evolution of landforms and sediments, it is important to assess the role of inheritance in the subsequent breakdown of impacted rocks.The shock pressure of several gigapascals generated during the impact can exceed the effective strength of target lithology by three to four orders of magnitude and is responsible for melting, vaporisation, shock metamorphism, fracturing and fragmentation of rocks. Environmental conditions and heterogeneities in rock properties exert an important control in rock breakdown. Similar to other subaerial rocks, impacted rocks are affected by a range of rock breakdown processes. In order to better understand the role of inheritance of the impact on rock breakdown, a rock breakdown experiment was conducted in a simulated environmental cabinet under conditions similar to the arid conditions found at the Meteor Crater site. We sampled Moenkopi and Coconino Sandstone from the Meteor Crater impact site in Arizona. For comparison, samples were also collected at control sites close by that have similar rock formations but did not undergo impact. Several established techniques (X-ray CT, SEM, Equotip, SfM) were used to characterise the rock samples before the environmental cabinet experiments. Our laboratory analysis (XRD, SEM, optical microscopy, X-ray CT) on impacted rock samples from Meteor Crater, show that rock porosity and permeability changes due to compaction and fracturing during impact. There were no high-pressure polymorphs of quartz or glass detected in XRD analysis. We ran the experiments on a total of 28 petrophysically characterised 5x5x5 cm sample blocks of Coconino and Moenkopi Sandstone (24 impacted rocks and 4 non-impacted). The results will be presented at the AGU Fall meeting 2017.
The use of forensic botany and geology in war crimes investigations in NE Bosnia.

PubMed

Brown, A G

2006-11-22

From 1997 to 2002 the United Nations International Criminal Tribune for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) undertook the exhumation of mass graves in NE Bosnia as part of the war crimes investigations aimed at providing evidence for the prosecution of war criminals in The Hague. This involved the location and exhumation of seven former mass graves (primary sites) dug following the fall of Srebrenica in July 1995. These primary mass graves were secretly and hurriedly exhumed three months later and most of the bodies or body parts transported and reburied in a large number of secondary sites many of which were subsequently exhumed by ICTY. The aim of the pollen and soil/sediment studies was to provide an 'environmental profile' of the original site of the samples and use this to match the relocated bodies to the original mass graves. This was part of completing the chain of evidence, providing evidence of the scale and organization of the original atrocities and the subsequent attempts to conceal the evidence related to them. All the primary sites were located in areas of contrasting geology, soils and vegetation, and this allowed matching of the sediment transported in intimate contact with the bodies to the original burial sites, which in some cases were also the execution sites. In all, over 24 sites were investigated, over 240 samples collected and analyzed under low power microscopy and 65 pollen sub-samples fully analyzed. The pollen and sediment descriptions were used in conjunction with the mineralogy (using XRD) of primary and secondary sites in order to provide matches. These matches were then compared with matching evidence from ballistic studies and clothing. The evidence has been used in court and is now in the public domain. It is believed this is the first time 'environmental profiling' techniques have been used in a systematic manner in a war crimes investigation.
Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 562: Waste Systems Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Revision 0

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

Alfred Wickline

2009-04-01

Corrective Action Unit 562 is located in Areas 2, 23, and 25 of the Nevada Test Site, which is approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. Corrective Action Unit 562 is comprised of the 13 corrective action sites (CASs) listed below: • 02-26-11, Lead Shot • 02-44-02, Paint Spills and French Drain • 02-59-01, Septic System • 02-60-01, Concrete Drain • 02-60-02, French Drain • 02-60-03, Steam Cleaning Drain • 02-60-04, French Drain • 02-60-05, French Drain • 02-60-06, French Drain • 02-60-07, French Drain • 23-60-01, Mud Trap Drain and Outfall • 23-99-06, Grease Trap • 25-60-04, Buildingmore » 3123 Outfalls These sites are being investigated because existing information on the nature and extent of potential contamination is insufficient to evaluate and recommend corrective action alternatives. Additional information will be obtained by conducting a corrective action investigation before evaluating corrective action alternatives and selecting the appropriate corrective action for each CAS. The results of the field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of viable corrective action alternatives that will be presented in the Corrective Action Decision Document. The sites will be investigated based on the data quality objectives (DQOs) developed on December 11, 2008, by representatives of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office; Stoller-Navarro Joint Venture; and National Security Technologies, LLC. The DQO process was used to identify and define the type, amount, and quality of data needed to develop and evaluate appropriate corrective actions for CAU 562. Appendix A provides a detailed discussion of the DQO methodology and the DQOs specific to each CAS. The scope of the corrective action investigation for CAU 562 includes the following activities: • Move surface debris and/or materials, as needed, to facilitate sampling. • Conduct radiological surveys. • Perform field screening. • Collect and submit environmental samples for laboratory analysis to determine the nature and extent of any contamination released by each CAS. • Collect samples of source material to determine the potential for a release. • Collect samples of potential remediation wastes. • Collect quality control samples. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the State of Nevada; DOE, Environmental Management; U.S. Department of Defense; and DOE, Legacy Management (FFACO, 1996; as amended February 2008). Under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, this Corrective Action Investigation Plan will be submitted to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for approval. Fieldwork will be conducted following approval of the plan.« less
Aroclor misidentification in environmental samples: how do we communicate more effectively between the laboratory and the data user?

PubMed

Erickson, Mitchell D

2018-06-01

Disposal of carbonless copy paper (CCP) paper sludge during the 1960s contaminated a site in the USA with PCBs. Despite historic records of CCP sludge disposal and absence of evidence of any other disposal, a dispute arose among the parties over the source of the PCBs. Aroclor 1242 is well documented as the PCB mixture used in CCP, yet Aroclors 1242, 1248, 1254, and 1260 were reported by the analytical laboratory. How could the PCBs at a single, small site be reported as four different Aroclors? Some claimed that there had to be at least four Aroclors source inputs to the site. Disposal of four different Aroclors at this site would simply defy logic and the historic record. Weathering of the mixtures is part of the story. A larger issue is the conflict between the intent of the USEPA 8082 method to determine the total PCB content in environmental samples to facilitate environmental cleanup and disposal decisions within a regulatory context versus the data users' intent to identify the PCB sources. This inappropriate extension of the data leads to erroneous conclusions. To mitigate problems like this, laboratory analysis requests need to be matched to the intended data usage; conversely, the data must not be over-interpreted beyond the limits of the method. The PCB analysis community needs to develop a better articulation of the limits of Aroclor identification for the broader community that may naïvely assume that if the laboratory reports "Aroclor 1248," then someone must have placed Aroclor 1248 at the site. After all, when a laboratory reports "lead" or "chloroform," those identifications are never in question.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Regulatory and Evaluation Framework for Demonstrating Radiation Protection of the Environment: Implementation at the Hanford Site

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

Antonio, Ernest J.; Tiller, Brett L.; Domotor, S. L.

2005-08-01

Abstract. In 2001, a multi-agency study was conducted to characterize potential environmental effects from radiological and chemical contaminants on the near-shore environment of the Columbia River at the 300 Area of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site. Historically, the 300 Area was the location of nuclear fuel fabrication and was the main location for research and development activities from the 1940s until the late 1980s. During past waste handling practices uranium, copper, and other heavy metals were routed to liquid waste streams and ponds near the Columbia River shoreline. The Washington State Department of Health and the Pacific Northwestmore » National Laboratory’s Surface Environmental Surveillance Project sampled various environmental components including river water, riverbank spring water, sediment, fishes, crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, aquatic insects, riparian vegetation, small mammals, and terrestrial invertebrates for analyses of radiological and chemical constituents. The radiological analysis results for water and sediment were used as initial input into the RESRAD BIOTA. The RESRAD BIOTA code showed that maximum radionuclide concentrations measured in water and sediment were lower than the initial screening criteria for concentrations to produce dose rates at existing or proposed limits. Radionuclide concentrations measured in biota samples were used to calculate site-specific bioaccumulation coefficients (Biv) to test the utility of the RESRAD BIOTA’s site-specific screening phase. To further evaluate site-specific effects, the default Relative Biological Effect (RBE) for internal alpha particle emissions was reduced by half and the program’s kinetic/allometric calculation approach was initiated. The subsequent calculations showed the initial RESRAD BIOTA results to be conservative, which is appropriate for screening purposes.« less
Variability in Lotic Communities in Three Contrasting Stream Environments in the Santa Ana River Basin, California, 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen A.

2008-01-01

Biotic communities and environmental conditions can be highly variable between natural ecosystems. The variability of natural assemblages should be considered in the interpretation of any ecological study when samples are either spatially or temporally distributed. Little is known about biotic variability in the Santa Ana River Basin. In this report, the lotic community and habitat assessment data from ecological studies done as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program are used for a preliminary assessment of variability in the Santa Ana Basin. Habitat was assessed, and benthic algae, benthic macroinvertebrate, and fish samples were collected at four sites during 1999-2001. Three of these sites were sampled all three years. One of these sites is located in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the other two sites are located in the alluvial basin. Analysis of variance determined that the three sites with multiyear data were significantly different for 41 benthic algae metrics and 65 macroinvertebrate metrics and fish communities. Coefficients of variation (CVs) were calculated for the habitat measurements, metrics of benthic algae, and macroinvertebrate data as measures of variability. Annual variability of habitat data was generally greater at the mountain site than at the basin sites. The mountain site had higher CVs for water temperature, depth, velocity, canopy angle, streambed substrate, and most water-quality variables. In general, CVs of most benthic algae metrics calculated from the richest-targeted habitat (RTH) samples were greater at the mountain site. In contrast, CVs of most benthic algae metrics calculated from depositional-targeted habitat (DTH) samples were lower at the mountain site. In general, CVs of macroinvertebrate metrics calculated from qualitative multihabitat (QMH) samples were lower at the mountain site. In contrast, CVs of many metrics calculated from RTH samples were greater at the mountain site than at one of the basin sites. Fish communities were more variable at the basin sites because more species were present at these sites. Annual variability of benthic algae metrics was related to annual variability in habitat variables. The CVs of benthic algae metrics related to the most CVs of habitat variables included QMH taxon richness, the RTH percentage richness, RTH abundance of tolerant taxa, RTH percentage richness of halophilic diatoms, RTH percentage abundance of sestonic diatoms, DTH percentage richness of nitrogen heterotrophic diatoms, and DTH pollution tolerance index. The CVs of macroinvertebrate metrics related to the most CVs of habitat variables included the RTH trichoptera, RTH EPT, RTH scraper richness, RTH nonchironomid dipteran abundance (in percent), and RTH EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) tolerance, which is based on abundance. Many of the CVs of habitat variables related to CVs of macroinvertebrate metrics were the same habitat variables that were related to the CVs of benthic algae metrics. On the basis of these results, annual variability may have a role in the relationship of benthic algae and macroinvertebrates assemblages with habitat and water quality in the Santa Ana Basin. This report provides valuable baseline data on the variability of biological communities in the Santa Ana Basin.
A soil sampling intercomparison exercise for the ALMERA network.

PubMed

Belli, Maria; de Zorzi, Paolo; Sansone, Umberto; Shakhashiro, Abduhlghani; Gondin da Fonseca, Adelaide; Trinkl, Alexander; Benesch, Thomas

2009-11-01

Soil sampling and analysis for radionuclides after an accidental or routine release is a key factor for the dose calculation to members of the public, and for the establishment of possible countermeasures. The IAEA organized for selected laboratories of the ALMERA (Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity) network a Soil Sampling Intercomparison Exercise (IAEA/SIE/01) with the objective of comparing soil sampling procedures used by different laboratories. The ALMERA network is a world-wide network of analytical laboratories located in IAEA member states capable of providing reliable and timely analysis of environmental samples in the event of an accidental or intentional release of radioactivity. Ten ALMERA laboratories were selected to participate in the sampling exercise. The soil sampling intercomparison exercise took place in November 2005 in an agricultural area qualified as a "reference site", aimed at assessing the uncertainties associated with soil sampling in agricultural, semi-natural, urban and contaminated environments and suitable for performing sampling intercomparison. In this paper, the laboratories sampling performance were evaluated.
Landscape and environmental influences on Mycobacterium ulcerans distribution among aquatic sites in Ghana.

PubMed

Pileggi, Shannon M; Jordan, Heather; Clennon, Julie A; Whitney, Ellen; Benbow, M Eric; Merritt, Richard; McIntosh, Mollie; Kimbirauskas, Ryan; Small, Pamela; Boakye, Daniel; Quaye, Charles; Qi, Jiaguo; Campbell, Lindsay; Gronseth, Jenni; Ampadu, Edwin; Opare, William; Waller, Lance A

2017-01-01

Buruli ulcer, caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is highly endemic in West Africa. While the mode of transmission is unknown, many studies associate Buruli ulcer with different types of water exposure. We present results from the largest study to date to test for M. ulcerans in aquatic sites and identify environmental attributes associated with its presence. Environmental samples from 98 aquatic sites in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Volta regions of Ghana were tested for the presence of M. ulcerans DNA by polymerase chain reaction. The proportion of aquatic sites positive for M. ulcerans varied by region: Ashanti 66% (N = 39), Greater Accra 34% (N = 29), and Volta 0% (N = 30). We explored the spatial distribution of M. ulcerans positive and negative water bodies and found no significant clusters. We also determined both highly localized water attributes and broad scale remotely sensed land cover and terrain environmental characteristics associated with M. ulcerans presence through logistic regression. Our results concur with published results regarding conditions suitable for M. ulcerans growth and associations with Buruli ulcer disease burden with regards to water characteristics and disturbed environments, but differ from others with regards to spatial associations and topographic effects such as elevation and wetness. While our results suggest M. ulcerans is an environmental organism existing in a specific ecological niche, they also reveal variation in the elements defining this niche across the sites considered. In addition, despite the causal association between Buruli ulcer and M. ulcerans, we observed no significant statistical association between case reports of Buruli ulcer and presence of M. ulcerans in nearby waterbodies.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2007. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

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

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Lenox, Art

2008-09-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2007 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988; all subsequentmore » radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. In May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV were suspended until DOE completes the SSFL Area IV Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The environmental monitoring programs were continued throughout the year. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2007 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and/or other licensed sites approved by DOE for radioactive waste disposal. No liquid radioactive wastes were released into the environment in 2007.« less
Assessment of water quality, benthic invertebrates, and periphyton in the Threemile Creek basin, Mobile, Alabama, 1999-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPherson, Ann K.; Gill, Amy C.; Moreland, Richard S.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a 4-year investigation of water quality and aquatic-community structure in Threemile Creek, an urban stream that drains residential areas in Mobile, Alabama. Water-quality samples were collected between March 2000 and September 2003 at four sites on Threemile Creek, and between March 2000 and October 2001 at two tributary sites that drain heavily urbanized areas in the watershed. Stream samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, fecal-indicator bacteria, and selected organic wastewater compounds. Continuous measurements of dissolved-oxygen concentrations, water temperature, specific conductance, and turbidity were recorded at three sites on Threemile Creek during 1999?2003. Aquatic-community structure was evaluated by conducting one survey of the benthic invertebrate community and multiple surveys of the algal community (periphyton). Benthic invertebrate samples were collected in July 2000 at four sites on Threemile Creek; periphyton samples were collected at four sites on Threemile Creek and the two tributary sites during 2000 ?2003. The occurrence and distribution of chemical constituents in the water column provided an initial assessment of water quality in the streams; the structure of the benthic invertebrate and algal communities provided an indication of the cumulative effects of water quality on the aquatic biota. Information contained in this report can be used by planners and resource managers in the evaluation of proposed total maximum daily loads and other restoration efforts that may be implemented on Threemile Creek. The three most upstream sites on Threemile Creek had similar water chemistry, characterized by a strong calcium-bicarbonate component; the most downstream site on Threemile Creek was affected by tidal fluctuations and mixing from Mobile Bay and had a strong sodium-chloride component. The water chemistry at the tributary site on Center Street was characterized by a strong sodium-chloride component; the water chemistry at the second tributary site, Toulmins Spring Branch, was characterized by a strong calcium component without a dominant anionic species. The ratios of sodium to chloride at the tributary at Center Street were higher than typical values for seawater, indicating that sources other than seawater (such as leaking or overflowing sewer systems or industrial discharge) likely are contributors to the increased levels of sodium and chloride. Concentrations of fluoride and boron also were elevated at this site, indicating possible anthropogenic sources. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations were not always within levels established by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management; continuous monitors recorded dissolved-oxygen concentrations that were repeatedly less than the minimum criterion (3.0 milligrams per liter) at the most downstream site on Threemile Creek. Water temperature exceeded the recommended criterion (32.2 degrees Celsius) at five of six sites in the Threemile Creek basin. The pH values were within established criteria (6.0 ? 8.5) at sites on Threemile Creek; however, pH values ranged from 7.2 to 10.0 at the tributary at Center Street and from 6.6 to 9.9 at Toulmins Spring Branch. Nutrient concentrations in the Threemile Creek basin reflect the influences of both land use and the complex hydrologic systems in the lower part of the basin. Nitrite-plus-nitrate concentrations exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ecoregion nutrient criteria in 88 percent of the samples. In 45 percent of the samples, total phosphorus concentrations exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency goal of 0.1 milligram per liter for preventing nuisance aquatic growth. Ratios of nitrogen to phosphorus indicate that both nutrients have limiting effects. Median concentrations of enterococci and fecal coliform bacteria were highest at the two tributary sites and lowest at the most upstream site on Threemile Creek. In general, concentrations o
SPECIES-SPECIFIC DETECTION OF HYDROCARBON UTILIZING BACTERIA. (R825810)

EPA Science Inventory

Rapid detection and quantitative assessment of specific microbial species in environmental samples is desirable for monitoring changes in ecosystems and for tracking natural or introduced microbial species during bioremediation of contaminated sites. In the interests of develo...
Camp Minden Fact Sheet August 2015

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On August 13, 2015, The Louisiana Military Department (LMD) led an Environmental Workshop presenting details on the future Work Plan and Quality Assurance Sampling plan for the site. The destruction of the M6 and CBI will happen in 3 phases.
Establishment of sentinel sampling sites to monitor changes in water and sediment quality and biota related to visitor use at Lake Powell, Arizona and Utah, 2004-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, Robert J.; Taylor, Howard E.; Anderson, G.M.

2012-01-01

Twenty sentinel sampling sites were established and sampled during 2004–06 at Lake Powell, Arizona and Utah, by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service—Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The sentinel sampling sites provide sampling locations on Lake Powell, the Nation’s second largest reservoir that can be visited and sampled repeatedly over time to monitor changes in water and sediment quality and also biota. The sites were established in response to an Environmental Impact Statement that addressed the use of personal watercraft on Lake Powell. The use of personal watercraft can potentially introduce hydrocarbons and other contaminants and are of concern to the health of visitors and aquatic habitats of these environments. Data from this initial sampling period (2004–06) include (1) discrete measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and water clarity; (2) major ions, nutrients, and organic carbon; (3) trace elements including rare earths; (4) organic compounds including oil and grease, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds; (5) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lakebed sediments; and (6) continuous depth profile measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. Also, the National Park Service-Glen Canyon National Recreation Area collected bacteria samples during this initial sampling period.
Phase II. Environmental baseline survey of McCormick Ranch, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Part 4. Final report, October 1993-January 1995

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

Hagaraty, G.; Johnson, J.; Middlebrooks, P.

The Phase II EBS results document the extent of environmental contamination believed to be present on McCormick Ranch. Explosive test areas having the greatest potential for containing soil contaminants were identified using several geophysical survey methods: EM 31 terrain conductivity meter, magnetometer/gradiometer, and ground penetrating radar. From the geophysical surveys, five areas selected to conduct further environmental analysis. A total of 310 soil samples were collected from the five areas and 13 specific high explosive test sites. The samples were screened for semi-volatile organic compounds, PETN, TNT, TNT-degradation products, nitrates and radioactivity. Laboratory analyses were performed and no explosives ormore » degradation products were identified. Semi-volatile organic compounds were in 2 samples, manganese was detected in 3 samples, nitrates were discovered below soil action levels, and radiation levels were below background. Consequently, it is unlikely that significant contamination exists.« less
Phase II. Environmental baseline survey of McCormick Ranch, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Part 3. Final report, October 1993-January 1995

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

Hagaraty, G.; Johnson, J.; Middlebrooks, P.

The Phase II EBS results document the extent of environmental contamination believed to be present on McCormick Ranch. Explosive test areas having the greatest potential for containing soil contaminants were identified using several geophysical survey methods: EM 31 terrain conductivity meter, magnetometer/gradiometer, and ground penetrating radar. From the geophysical surveys, five areas were selected to conduct further environmental analysis. A total of 310 soil samples were collected from the five areas and 13 specific high explosive test sites. The samples were screened for semi-volatile organic compounds, PETN, TNT, TNT-degradation products, nitrates and radioactivity. Laboratory analyses were and no explosives ormore » degradation products were identified. Semi-volatile organic compounds were in 2 samples, manganese was detected in 3 samples, nitrates were discovered below soil action levels, and radiation levels were below background. Consequently, it is unlikely that significant contamination exists.« less
Phase II. Environmental baseline survey of McCormick Ranch, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Part 1. Final report, October 1993-January 1995

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

Hagaraty, G.; Johnson, J.; Middlebrooks, P.

The Phase II EBS results document the extent of environmental contamination believed to be present on McCormick Ranch. Explosive test areas having the greatest potential for containing soil contaminants were identified using several geophysical survey methods: EM 31 terrain conductivity meter, magnetometer/gradiometer, and ground penetrating radar. From the geophysical surveys, five areas were selected to conduct further environmental analysis. A total of 310 soil samples were collected from the and 13 specific high explosive test sites. The samples were screened for semi-volatile organic PETN, TNT, TNT-degradation products, nitrates and radioactivity. Laboratory analyses were and no explosives or degradation products weremore » identified. Semi-volatile organic compounds were in 2 samples, manganese was detected in 3 samples, nitrates were discovered below soil action levels, and radiation levels were below background. Consequently, it is unlikely that significant contamination exists.« less
Phase II. Environmental baseline survey of McCormick Ranch, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Part 2. Final report, October 1993-January 1995

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

Hagaraty, G.; Johnson, J.; Middlebrooks, P.

The Phase II EBS results document the extent of environmental contamination believed to be present on McCormick Ranch. Explosive test areas having the greatest potential for containing soil contaminants were identified using several geophysical survey methods: EM 31 terrain conductivity meter, magnetometer/gradiometer, and ground penetrating radar. From the geophysical surveys, five areas were selected to conduct further environmental analysis. A total of 310 soil samples were collected from the five areas and 13 specific high explosive test sites. The samples were screened for semi-volatile organic compounds, PETN, TNT, TNT-degradation products, nitrates and radioactivity. Laboratory analyses were performed and no explosivesmore » or degradation products were identified. Semi-volatile organic compounds were found in 2 samples, manganese was detected in 3 samples, nitrates were discovered below soil action levels, and radiation levels were below background. Consequently, it is unlikely that significant contamination exists.« less
Phase II. Environmental baseline survey of McCormick Ranch, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Part 5. Final report, October 1993-January 1995

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

Hagaraty, G.; Johnson, J.; Middlebrooks, P.

The Phase II EBS results document the extent of environmental contamination believed to be present on McCormick Ranch. Explosive test areas having the greatest potential for containing soil contaminants were identified using several geophysical survey methods: EM 31 terrain conductivity meter, magnetometer/gradiometer, and ground penetrating radar. From the geophysical surveys, five areas were selected to conduct further environmental analysis. A total of 310 soil samples were collected from the areas and 13 specific high explosive test sites. The samples were screened for semi-volatile organic compounds, PETN, TNT, TNT-degradation products, nitrates and radioactivity. Laboratory analyses were performed and no explosives ormore » degradation products were identified. Semi-volatile organic compounds were in 2 samples, manganese was detected in 3 samples, nitrates were discovered below soil action levels and radiation levels were below background. Consequently, it is unlikely that significant contamination exists.« less
Rio Blanco, Colorado, Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program Sampling and Analysis Results for 2009

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

None

2009-12-21

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management conducted annual sampling at the Rio Blanco, Colorado, Site, for the Long-Term Hydrologic Monitoring Program (LTHMP) on May 13 and 14, 2009. Samples were analyzed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Radiation&Indoor Environments National Laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada. Samples were analyzed for gamma-emitting radionuclides by high-resolution gamma spectroscopy and tritium using the conventional and enriched methods.
Soil sampling strategies: evaluation of different approaches.

PubMed

de Zorzi, Paolo; Barbizzi, Sabrina; Belli, Maria; Mufato, Renzo; Sartori, Giuseppe; Stocchero, Giulia

2008-11-01

The National Environmental Protection Agency of Italy (APAT) performed a soil sampling intercomparison, inviting 14 regional agencies to test their own soil sampling strategies. The intercomparison was carried out at a reference site, previously characterised for metal mass fraction distribution. A wide range of sampling strategies, in terms of sampling patterns, type and number of samples collected, were used to assess the mean mass fraction values of some selected elements. The different strategies led in general to acceptable bias values (D) less than 2sigma, calculated according to ISO 13258. Sampling on arable land was relatively easy, with comparable results between different sampling strategies.
Optimal Configurations for Aerosol Monitoring with Multi-Rotor Small Unmanned Aerial Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-23

Defense, or the United States Government. This material is declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the...Justification This research has direct impact to environmental, health and safety industries. The US Environmental Protection Agency, National...sampling platform to measure vertical and horizontal profiles of aerosol particle and CO2 concentrations at a coastal site in Southern California. Using
In Search of Shared and Nonshared Environmental Factors in Security of Attachment: A Behavior-Genetic Study of the Association between Sensitivity and Attachment Security

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fearon, R. M. Pasco; Van IJzendoorn, Marinus H.; Fonagy, Peter; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.; Schuengel, Carlo; Bokhorst, Caroline L.

2006-01-01

The current article presents results from a twin study of genetic and environmental components of maternal sensitivity and infant attachment and their association. The sample consisted of 136 twin pairs from 2 sites: Leiden, the Netherlands, and London, UK. Maternal sensitivity was assessed in the home at 9-10 months, and infant attachment…
Anopheles species associations in Southeast Asia: indicator species and environmental influences.

PubMed

Obsomer, Valérie; Dufrene, Marc; Defourny, Pierre; Coosemans, Marc

2013-05-04

Southeast Asia presents a high diversity of Anopheles. Environmental requirements differ for each species and should be clarified because of their influence on malaria transmission potential. Monitoring projects collect vast quantities of entomological data over the whole region and could bring valuable information to malaria control staff but collections are not always standardized and are thus difficult to analyze. In this context studying species associations and their relation to the environment offer some opportunities as they are less subject to sampling error than individual species. Using asymmetrical similarity coefficients, indirect clustering and the search of indicator species, this paper identified species associations. Environmental influences were then analysed through canonical and discriminant analysis using climatic and topographic data, land cover in a 3 km buffer around villages and vegetation indices. Six groups of sites characterized the structure of the species assemblage. Temperature, rainfall and vegetation factors all play a role. Four out of the six groups of sites based on species similarities could be discriminated using environmental information only. Vegetation indices derived from satellite imagery proved very valuable with one variable explaining more variance of the species dataset than any other variable. The analysis could be improved by integrating seasonality in the sampling and collecting at least 4 consecutive days.
Understanding Cu release into environment from Kure massive sulfide ore deposits, Kastamonu, NW Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demirel, Cansu; Sonmez, Seref; Balci, Nurgul

2014-05-01

Covering a wide range on the earth's crust, oxidation of metal sulfide minerals have vital environmental impacts on the aquatic environment, causing one of the major environmental problems known as acid mine drainage (AMD). Located in the Kastamonu province of the Western Black Sea region, Kure district is one of the major copper mining sites in Turkey. Mining activities in the area heads back to ancient times, such that operation is thought to be started with the Roman Empire. Currently, only the underground mining tunnels of Bakibaba and Asikoy are being operated. Thus, mining heaps and ores of those pyritic deposits have been exposed to the oxidative conditions for so long. As a result of weathering processes of past and recent heaps of the Kure volcanic massive sulfide deposits in addition to the main ore mineral (chalcopyrite), significant amount of metals, especially Cu, are being released into the environment creating undesirable environmental conditions. In order to elucidate Cu release mechanisms from Kure pyritic ore deposits and mining wastes, field and laboratory approaches were used. Surface water and sediment samples from the streams around the mining and waste sites were collected. Groundwater samples from the active underground mining site were also collected. Physical parameters (pH, Eh, T°C, and EC) of water samples were determined in situ and in the laboratory using probes (WTW pH 3110, WTW Multi 9310 and CRISON CM 35). Metal and ion concentrations of the water samples were analysed using ICP-MS and DR 2800 spectrophotometer, respectively. High Cu, Co, Zn and Fe concentrations were determined in the water samples with pH values ranging from 2.9- 4. Cu concentrions ranges from 345 ppm to 36 ppm in the water samples. Consistent with the water samples, high Cu, Fe, Zn and Co were also determined in the sediment samples. Laboratory chalcopyrite oxidation experiments under the conditions representing the field site were set up as biological and abiotic in order to elucidate Cu release from ore and wastes. Greater Cu release were measured from the biological experiments carried out with S and Fe oxidizers compared to those from the chemical experiments. Fe-oxide precipitation experiments carried out in the laboratory showed high Cu absorbtion into Fe-oxides produced by biological reactions carried out with Fe oxidizers. Overall, these preliminary experimental results showed that Cu release and migration from the source can be controlled by various microorganims which regulate S and Fe cycles in the field. Key words: Metal sulfide oxidation, Kure pyritic copper mines, AMD, Bioleaching, Secondary Fe-oxide precipitation
Measurement of attitudes toward commercial development of geothermal energy in Federal Region IX. Final report

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

Not Available

1981-06-01

A survey was conducted of ten target study groups and subgroups for Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Susanville, California: local government, current and potential industry at the site, relocators to the site, current and potential financial community, regulators, and current and potential promoters and developers. The results of benchmark attitudinal measurement is presented separately for each target group. A literature review was conducted and Macro-environmental attitudes of a sample of local government and industry personnel at the sites were assessed. An assessment of capabilities was made which involved two measurements. The first was a measurement of a sample of promoters, developers,more » and industrial service companies active at the site to determine infrastructure capabilities required by industry for geothermal plants. The second measurement involved analyzing a sample of industry management in the area and defining their requirements for plant retrofit and expansion. Finally, the processes used by the study group to analyze information to reach commitment and regulatory decisions that significantly impact on geothermal energy projects at the site were identified and defined.« less
Influence of environmental factors on biotic responses to nutrient enrichment in agricultural streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maret, Terry R.; Konrad, Christopher P.; Tranmer, Andrew W.

2010-01-01

The influence of environmental factors on biotic responses to nutrients was examined in three diverse agricultural regions of the United States. Seventy wadeable sites were selected along an agricultural land use gradient while minimizing natural variation within each region. Nutrients, habitat, algae, macroinvertebrates, and macrophyte cover were sampled during a single summer low-flow period in 2006 or 2007. Continuous stream stage and water temperature were collected at each site for 30 days prior to sampling. Wide ranges of concentrations were found for total nitrogen (TN) (0.07-9.61 mg/l) and total phosphorus (TP) (R2) for nutrients and biotic measures across all sites ranged from 0.08 to 0.32 and generally were not higher within each region. The biotic measures (RCHL, SCHL, and AQM) were combined in an index to evaluate eutrophic status across sites that could have different biotic responses to nutrient enrichment. Stepwise multiple regression identified TN, percent canopy, median riffle depth, and daily percent change in stage as significant factors for the eutrophic index (R2 = 0.50, p < 0.001). A TN threshold of 0.48 mg/l was identified where eutrophic index scores became less responsive to increasing TN concentrations, for all sites. Multiple plant growth indicators should be used when evaluating eutrophication, especially when streams contain an abundance of macrophytes.
Subsurface Noble Gas Sampling Manual

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

Carrigan, C. R.; Sun, Y.

2017-09-18

The intent of this document is to provide information about best available approaches for performing subsurface soil gas sampling during an On Site Inspection or OSI. This information is based on field sampling experiments, computer simulations and data from the NA-22 Noble Gas Signature Experiment Test Bed at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site (NNSS). The approaches should optimize the gas concentration from the subsurface cavity or chimney regime while simultaneously minimizing the potential for atmospheric radioxenon and near-surface Argon-37 contamination. Where possible, we quantitatively assess differences in sampling practices for the same sets of environmental conditions. We recognize that allmore » sampling scenarios cannot be addressed. However, if this document helps to inform the intuition of the reader about addressing the challenges resulting from the inevitable deviations from the scenario assumed here, it will have achieved its goal.« less
Effects of urbanization, construction activity, management practices, and impoundments on suspended-sediment transport in Johnson County, northeast Kansas, February 2006 through November 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Casey J.; Ziegler, Andrew C.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Johnson County, Kansas, Stormwater Management Program, investigated the effects of urbanization, construction activity, management practices, and impoundments on suspended-sediment transport in Johnson County from February 2006 through November 2008. Streamgages and continuous turbidity sensors were operated at 15 sites within the urbanizing 57-square-mile Mill Creek Basin, and 4 sites downstream from the other largest basins (49 to 66 square miles) in Johnson County. The largest sediment yields in Johnson County were observed downstream from basins with increased construction activity. Sediment yields attributed to the largest (68 acre) active construction site in the study area were 9,300 tons per square mile in 2007 and 12,200 tons per square mile in 2008; 5 to 55 times larger than yields observed at other sampling sites. However, given erodible soils and steep slopes at this site, sediment yields were relatively small compared to the range in historic values from construction sites without erosion and sediment controls in the United States (2,300 to 140,000 tons per square mile). Downstream from this construction site, a sediment forebay and wetland were constructed in series upstream from Shawnee Mission Lake, a 120-acre reservoir within Shawnee Mission Park. Although the original intent of the sediment forebay and constructed wetland were unrelated to upstream construction, they were nonetheless evaluated in 2008 to characterize sediment removal before stream entry into the lake. The sediment forebay was estimated to reduce 33 percent of sediment transported to the lake, whereas the wetland did not appear to decrease downstream sediment transport. Comparisons of time-series data and relations between turbidity and sediment concentration indicate that larger silt-sized particles were deposited within the sediment forebay, whereas smaller silt and clay-sized sediments were transported through the wetland and into the lake. Data collected at sites up and downstream from the constructed wetland indicated that hydraulic retention alone did not substantially reduce sediment loading to Shawnee Mission Lake. Mean-daily turbidity values at sampling sites downstream from basins with increased construction activity were compared to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency turbidity criteria designed to reduce discharge of pollutants from construction sites. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency numeric turbidity criteria specifies that effluent from construction sites greater than 20 acres not exceed a mean-daily turbidity value of 280 nephelometric turbidity units beginning in 2011; this criteria will apply to sites greater than 10 acres beginning in 2014. Although numeric criteria would not have been applicable to data from sampling sites in Johnson County because they were not directly downstream from construction sites and because individual states still have to determine additional details as to how this criteria will be enforced, comparisons were made to characterize the potential of construction site effluent in Johnson County to exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criteria, even under extensive erosion and sediment controls. Numeric criteria were exceeded at sampling sites downstream from basins with increased construction activity for multiple days during the study period, potentially indicating the need for additional erosion and sediment controls and (or) treatment to bring discharges from construction sites into compliance with future numeric turbidity criteria. Among sampling sites in the Mill Creek Basin, sediment yields from the urbanizing Clear Creek Basin were approximately 2 to 3 times those from older, more stable urban or rural basins. Sediments eroded from construction sites adjacent to or surrounding streams appear to be more readily transported downstream, whereas sediments eroded from construction sites in headwater areas are more likely to

Assessment of biological conditions at selected stream sites in Johnson County, Kansas, and Cass and Jackson Counties, Missouri, 2003 and 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poulton, Barry C.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Lee, Casey J.

2007-01-01

Macroinvertebrate samples were collected at 15 stream sites representing 11 different watersheds in Johnson County, Kansas, in 2003 and 2004 to assess biological conditions in streams and relations to environmental variables. Published data from an additional seven stream sites, one in Johnson County, Kansas, and six others in adjacent Cass and Jackson Counties in Missouri also were evaluated. Multimetric scores, which integrated a combination of measures that describe various aspects of biological community abundance and diversity, were used to evaluate and compare the biological health of streams. In addition, for 15 of 16 Johnson County stream sites, environmental data (streamflow, precipitation, and land use) and water- and sediment-quality data (primarily nutrients, indicator bacteria, and organic wastewater compounds) were used in statistical analyses to evaluate relations between macroinvertebrate metrics and variables that may affect them. The information is useful for defining current conditions, evaluating conditions relative to State aquatic-life support and total maximum daily load requirements, evaluating effects of urbanization, developing effective water-quality management plans, and documenting changes in biological condition and water quality.Biological conditions in selected Johnson County streams generally reflected a gradient in the degree of human disturbances upstream from the sites, including percentage of urban and agricultural land use as well as the presence, absence, and proximity of wastewater treatment discharges. In this report, the term gradient is used to describe a continuum in the conditions (biological, environmental, or land use) observed at the study sites. Upstream Blue River sites, downstream from primarily agricultural land use, consistently scored among the sites least impacted by human disturbance, and in some metrics these sites scored higher than the State reference site (Captain Creek). The term impact, as used in this report, refers to a negative biological response at a site associated with one or more human-induced sources of disturbance or stress. However, no sites, including the Captain Creek reference site, met Kansas Department of Health and Environment criteria for full support of aquatic life during the 2 years of sample collection. Upstream sites on Kill and Cedar Creeks also consistently scored among the least impacted. Sites less than 3 miles downstream from municipal wastewater treatment facility discharges (two Indian Creek sites) and sites with no wastewater discharge but with substantial impervious surface area within their respective watersheds (Tomahawk, Turkey, and Brush Creeks) consistently scored among the sites most impacted by human disturbance.
Comparison between infaunal communities of the deep floor and edge of the Tonga Trench: Possible effects of differences in organic matter supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leduc, Daniel; Rowden, Ashley A.; Glud, Ronnie N.; Wenzhöfer, Frank; Kitazato, Hiroshi; Clark, Malcolm R.

2016-10-01

Hadal trenches are characterised by environmental conditions not found in any other environment, thereby providing new opportunities to understand the processes that shape deep-sea benthic communities. Technological advances have led to an increase in the number of investigations in hadal trenches over the last two decades. However, more quantitative samples including the deepest parts of trenches is needed to better understand trends in benthic diversity, abundance, biomass and community structure in these extreme habitats, and how these may be shaped by environmental and/or evolutionary factors. In this study, we describe and compare the abundance, biomass, vertical distribution in the sediment, diversity, and community structure of nematodes and other infauna in sediments from the Horizon Deep ( 10 800 m) in the Tonga Trench and a site on the edge of the trench ( 6250 m). Mean nematode abundance was six times greater at the Horizon Deep site (387 ind. 10 cm-2) than at the trench edge site (65 ind. 10 cm-2). A similar pattern was observed for biomass (15 vs 2 μgDW 10 cm-2, respectively), which likely resulted from elevated organic matter supply at the Horizon Deep site. There was no significant difference in nematode species richness between the two sites, but diversity measured using rarefaction was significantly greater at the trench edge site than at the Horizon Deep site [ES(20); 13.8 vs 7.8]. Dominance was much more pronounced in the Horizon Deep, which may be due to competitive exclusion by a small number of opportunistic species. Nematode community structure differed significantly both between sites and among sediment depth layers. The presence of subsurface peaks in pigment concentrations, bacteria abundance, and nematode abundance at the Horizon Deep site is consistent with a recent turbidite event, and may also reflect high rates of bioturbation by larger fauna resulting from high food availability. Determining the relative influences of different environmental factors on hadal trench benthic communities will require further investigation based on quantitative samples encompassing the trench axis as well as the oceanic and continental slopes.
NEW COLUMN SEPARATION METHOD FOR EMERGENCY URINE SAMPLES

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

Maxwell, S; Brian Culligan, B

2007-08-28

The Savannah River Site Environmental Bioassay Lab participated in the 2007 NRIP Emergency Response program administered by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in May, 2007. A new rapid column separation method was applied directly to the NRIP 2007 emergency urine samples, with only minimal sample preparation to reduce preparation time. Calcium phosphate precipitation, previously used to pre-concentrate actinides and Sr-90 in NRIP 2006 urine and water samples, was not used for the NRIP 2007 urine samples. Instead, the raw urine was acidified and passed directly through the stacked resin columns (TEVA+TRU+SR Resins) to separate the actinides andmore » strontium from the NRIP urine samples more quickly. This improvement reduced sample preparation time for the NRIP 2007 emergency urine analyses significantly. This approach works well for small volume urine samples expected during an emergency response event. Based on initial feedback from NIST, the SRS Environmental Bioassay Lab had the most rapid analysis times for actinides and strontium-90 analyses for NRIP 2007 urine samples.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaFreniere, L. M.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), operated grain storage facilities at two different locations at Everest, Kansas (Figure 1.1). One facility (referred to in this report as the Everest facility) was at the western edge of the city of Everest. The CCC/USDA operated this facility from 1950 until the early 1970s. The second facility (referred to in this report as Everest East) was about 0.5 mi northeast of the town. The CCC/USDA operated this facility from 1954 until the early 1970s. While these two former CCC/USDA grain storage facilities were in operation,more » commercial grain fumigants containing carbon tetrachloride were in common use by the CCC/USDA and the private grain storage industry to preserve grain. In 1997, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) sampled several domestic drinking water and nondrinking water wells in the Everest area. The KDHE sampling was part of the CCC/USDA Private Well Sampling Program, which was initiated to determine whether carbon tetrachloride was present in domestic wells near former CCC/USDA grain storage facilities in Kansas. All of the sampled domestic drinking water wells were located outside the Everest city boundaries. As a result of this sampling, carbon tetrachloride contamination was identified at a single domestic drinking water well (the Nigh well; DW06) approximately 3/8 mi northwest of the former Everest CCC/USDA grain storage facility. The CCC/USDA subsequently connected the Nigh residence to the Everest municipal water system. As a result of the detection of carbon tetrachloride in this well, the KDHE conducted preliminary investigations to further evaluate the existence of contamination and its potential effect on public health and the environment. The KDHE concluded that carbon tetrachloride in groundwater at Everest might, in part, be linked to historical use of carbon tetrachloride-based grain fumigants at the former CCC/USDA facilities. For this reason, the CCC/USDA is conducting an environmental site investigation to determine the source(s) and extent of the carbon tetrachloride contamination at Everest and to assess whether the contamination requires remedial action. The investigation at Everest is being performed by the Environmental Research Division of Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary research center operated by the University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The CCC/USDA has entered into an interagency agreement with DOE, under which Argonne provides technical assistance to the CCC/USDA with environmental site characterization and remediation at its former grain storage facilities. At these facilities, Argonne is applying its QuickSite{reg_sign} environmental site characterization methodology. This methodology has been applied successfully at a number of former CCC/USDA facilities in Kansas and Nebraska and has been adopted by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM 1998) as standard practice for environmental site characterization. Phase I of the QuickSite{reg_sign} investigation examined the key geologic, hydrogeologic, and hydrogeochemical relationships that define potential contaminant migration pathways at Everest (Argonne 2001). Phase II of the QuickSite{reg_sign} investigation at Everest was undertaken with the primary goal of delineating and improving understanding of the distribution of carbon tetrachloride contamination in groundwater at this site and the potential source area(s) that might have contributed to this contamination. To address this goal, four specific technical objectives were developed to guide the Phase II field studies. Sampling of near-surface soils at the former Everest CCC/USDA facility that was originally planned for Phase I had to be postponed until October 2000 because of access restrictions. Viable vegetation was not available for sampling then. This period is termed the first session of Phase II field work at Everest. The main session of field work for the Phase II QuickSite{reg_sign} investigation of the Everest site began on March 6, 2001. Work was suspended at the site on April 6, 2001, (1) because of access limitations to key properties, located north and west of the former CCC/USDA facility, imposed by the private owners at the onset of the spring planting season and (2) to permit further documentation by Argonne, at the request of the CCC/USDA, of the land use and ownership history of the Nigh property as a precursor to completion of the field work. This period is termed the second session of Phase II field work at Everest. Investigation of the Nigh property history was prompted by groundwater contamination evidence obtained during the second session of Phase II field activities (discussed in Section 3.7).« less
Determination of an Environmental Background Level of Sr-90 in Urine for the Hanford Bioassay Program Determination of an Environmental Background Level of Sr-90 in Urine for the Hanford Bioassay Program

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

Antonio, Cheryl L.; Rivard, James W.

2009-11-01

During the decommissioning and maintenance of some of the facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington State, workers have potential for a 90Sr intake. However, because of worldwide radioactive fallout, 90Sr is present in our environment, and can be detectable in routine urine bioassay samples. It is important for the Hanford Site bioassay program to discern an occupational intake from a non-occupational environmental one. A detailed study of the background 90Sr in the urine of unexposed Hanford workers was performed. A survey of the Hanford Site bioassay database found 128 Hanford workers who were hired betweenmore » 1997 and 2002 and who had a very low potential for an occupational exposure prior to the baseline strontium urinalysis. Each urinalysis sample represented excretion during an approximate 24-hr period. The arithmetic mean value for the 128 pre-exposure baselines was 3.6 ± 5.1 mBq d-1. The 90Sr activities in urine varied from -12 to 20 mBq. The 99th percentile result was 16.4 mBqd-1, which was interpreted to mean that 1% of Hanford workers not occupationally exposed to strontium might exceed 16.4 mBq d-1.« less
Metacommunity analysis of amoeboid protists in grassland soils

PubMed Central

Fiore-Donno, Anna Maria; Weinert, Jan; Wubet, Tesfaye; Bonkowski, Michael

2016-01-01

This study reveals the diversity and distribution of two major ubiquitous groups of soil amoebae, the genus Acanthamoeba and the Myxomycetes (plasmodial slime-moulds) that are rarely, if ever, recovered in environmental sampling studies. We analyzed 150 grassland soil samples from three Biodiversity Exploratories study regions in Germany. We developed specific primers targeting the V2 variable region in the first part of the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene for high-throughput pyrotag sequencing. From ca. 1 million reads, applying very stringent filtering and clustering parameters to avoid overestimation of the diversity, we obtained 273 acanthamoebal and 338 myxomycete operational taxonomic units (OTUs, 96% similarity threshold). This number is consistent with the genetic diversity known in the two investigated lineages, but unequalled to date by any environmental sampling study. Only very few OTUs were identical to already known sequences. Strikingly different OTUs assemblages were found between the three German regions (PerMANOVA p.value = 0.001) and even between sites of the same region (multiple-site Simpson-based similarity indices <0.4), showing steep biogeographical gradients. PMID:26750872
Metacommunity analysis of amoeboid protists in grassland soils.

PubMed

Fiore-Donno, Anna Maria; Weinert, Jan; Wubet, Tesfaye; Bonkowski, Michael

2016-01-11

This study reveals the diversity and distribution of two major ubiquitous groups of soil amoebae, the genus Acanthamoeba and the Myxomycetes (plasmodial slime-moulds) that are rarely, if ever, recovered in environmental sampling studies. We analyzed 150 grassland soil samples from three Biodiversity Exploratories study regions in Germany. We developed specific primers targeting the V2 variable region in the first part of the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene for high-throughput pyrotag sequencing. From ca. 1 million reads, applying very stringent filtering and clustering parameters to avoid overestimation of the diversity, we obtained 273 acanthamoebal and 338 myxomycete operational taxonomic units (OTUs, 96% similarity threshold). This number is consistent with the genetic diversity known in the two investigated lineages, but unequalled to date by any environmental sampling study. Only very few OTUs were identical to already known sequences. Strikingly different OTUs assemblages were found between the three German regions (PerMANOVA p.value = 0.001) and even between sites of the same region (multiple-site Simpson-based similarity indices <0.4), showing steep biogeographical gradients.
An integrated approach to assess broad-scale condition of coastal wetlands - The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Wetlands pilot survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nestlerode, J.A.; Engle, V.D.; Bourgeois, P.; Heitmuller, P.T.; Macauley, J.M.; Allen, Y.C.

2009-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated a two-year regional pilot survey in 2007 to develop, test, and validate tools and approaches to assess the condition of northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) coastal wetlands. Sampling sites were selected from estuarine and palustrine wetland areas with herbaceous, forested, and shrub/scrub habitats delineated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory Status and Trends (NWI S&T) program and contained within northern GOM coastal watersheds. A multi-level, stepwise, iterative survey approach is being applied to multiple wetland classes at 100 probabilistically-selected coastal wetlands sites. Tier 1 provides information at the landscape scale about habitat inventory, land use, and environmental stressors associated with the watershed in which each wetland site is located. Tier 2, a rapid assessment conducted through a combination of office and field work, is based on best professional judgment and on-site evidence. Tier 3, an intensive site assessment, involves on-site collection of vegetation, water, and sediment samples to establish an integrated understanding of current wetland condition and validate methods and findings from Tiers 1 and 2. The results from this survey, along with other similar regional pilots from the Mid-Atlantic, West Coast, and Great Lakes Regions will contribute to a design and implementation approach for the National Wetlands Condition Assessment to be conducted by EPA's Office of Water in 2011. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.
Assessing impacts of unconventional natural gas extraction on microbial communities in headwater stream ecosystems in Northwestern Pennsylvania

PubMed Central

Trexler, Ryan; Solomon, Caroline; Brislawn, Colin J.; Wright, Justin R.; Rosenberger, Abigail; McClure, Erin E.; Grube, Alyssa M.; Peterson, Mark P.; Keddache, Mehdi; Mason, Olivia U.; Hazen, Terry C.; Grant, Christopher J.; Lamendella, Regina

2014-01-01

Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have increased dramatically in Pennsylvania Marcellus shale formations, however the potential for major environmental impacts are still incompletely understood. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed to characterize the microbial community structure of water, sediment, bryophyte, and biofilm samples from 26 headwater stream sites in northwestern Pennsylvania with different histories of fracking activity within Marcellus shale formations. Further, we describe the relationship between microbial community structure and environmental parameters measured. Approximately 3.2 million 16S rRNA gene sequences were retrieved from a total of 58 samples. Microbial community analyses showed significant reductions in species richness as well as evenness in sites with Marcellus shale activity. Beta diversity analyses revealed distinct microbial community structure between sites with and without Marcellus shale activity. For example, operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the Acetobacteracea, Methylocystaceae, Acidobacteriaceae, and Phenylobacterium were greater than three log-fold more abundant in MSA+ sites as compared to MSA− sites. Further, several of these OTUs were strongly negatively correlated with pH and positively correlated with the number of wellpads in a watershed. It should be noted that many of the OTUs enriched in MSA+ sites are putative acidophilic and/or methanotrophic populations. This study revealed apparent shifts in the autochthonous microbial communities and highlighted potential members that could be responding to changing stream conditions as a result of nascent industrial activity in these aquatic ecosystems. PMID:25408683
Characterization of habitat and biological communities at fixed sites in the Great Salt Lake basins, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, water years 1999-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albano, Christine M.; Giddings, Elise M.P.

2007-01-01

Habitat and biological communities were sampled at 10 sites in the Great Salt Lake Basins as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program to assess the occurrence and distribution of biological organisms in relation to environmental conditions. Sites were distributed among the Bear River, Weber River, and Utah Lake/Jordan River basins and were selected to represent stream conditions in different land-use settings that are prominent within the basins, including agriculture, rangeland, urban, and forested.High-gradient streams had more diverse habitat conditions with larger substrates and more dynamic flow characteristics and were typically lower in discharge than low-gradient streams, which had a higher degree of siltation and lacked variability in geomorphic channel characteristics, which may account for differences in habitat. Habitat scores were higher at high-gradient sites with high percentages of forested land use within their basins. Sources and causes of stream habitat impairment included effects from channel modifications, siltation, and riparian land use. Effects of hydrologic modifications were evident at many sites.Algal sites where colder temperatures, less nutrient enrichment, and forest and rangeland uses dominated the basins contained communities that were more sensitive to organic pollution, siltation, dissolved oxygen, and salinity than sites that were warmer, had higher degrees of nutrient enrichment, and were affected by agriculture and urban land uses. Sites that had high inputs of solar radiation and generally were associated with agricultural land use supported the greatest number of algal species.Invertebrate samples collected from sites where riffles were the richest-targeted habitat differed in species composition and pollution tolerance from those collected at sites that did not have riffle habitat (nonriffle sites), where samples were collected in depositional areas, woody snags, or macrophyte beds. Invertebrate taxa richness, pollution tolerance, and trophic interactions at riffle and nonriffle sites responded differently to environmental variables.Fish communities were assessed in relation to the designated beneficial use for aquatic life for each site. Fish-community sites in basins where agriculture and urbanization were prevalent consistently had poorer conditions than sites with forest and rangeland uses. Warm temperatures appear to be limiting most native fish species, and more introduced, warm-water fish species were present at sites with warmer temperatures. Ranges of environmental conditions where native species were present or absent were identified.The farthest-upstream site in each of the three basins had better ecological condition overall, as indicated by the integrity of habitat and the presence of more sensitive algae, invertebrate, and fish species than were observed at sites downstream. The farthest-downstream site in each of the three basins showed the poorest ecological condition, with more tolerant organisms present, degraded habitat and water-quality conditions, and a high degree of effects from agriculture, grazing, and urbanization. Of the mid-basin sites, the site most affected by urbanization had more degraded biological condition than the agricultural indicator site of similar basin size.
Hanford analytical sample projections FY 1998--FY 2002

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

Joyce, S.M.

1998-02-12

Analytical Services projections are compiled for the Hanford site based on inputs from the major programs for the years 1998 through 2002. Projections are categorized by radiation level, protocol, sample matrix and program. Analyses requirements are also presented. This document summarizes the Hanford sample projections for fiscal years 1998 to 2002. Sample projections are based on inputs submitted to Analytical Services covering Environmental Restoration, Tank Waste Remediation Systems (TWRS), Solid Waste, Liquid Effluents, Spent Nuclear Fuels, Transition Projects, Site Monitoring, Industrial Hygiene, Analytical Services and miscellaneous Hanford support activities. In addition, details on laboratory scale technology (development) work, Sample Management,more » and Data Management activities are included. This information will be used by Hanford Analytical Services (HAS) and the Sample Management Working Group (SMWG) to assure that laboratories and resources are available and effectively utilized to meet these documented needs.« less
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT XRF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Elvatech, Ltd. ElvaX (ElvaX) x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer distributed in the United States by Xcalibur XRF Services (Xcalibur), was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The field portion of the demonstration was conducted in January 2005 at the Kennedy Athletic, Recreational and Social Park (KARS) at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida. The demonstration was designed to collect reliable performance and cost data for the ElvaX analyzer and seven other commercially available XRF instruments for measuring trace elements in soil and sediment. The performance and cost data were evaluated to document the relative performance of each XRF instrument. This innovative technology verification report describes the objectives and the results of that evaluation and serves to verify the performance and cost of the ElvaX analyzer. Separate reports have been prepared for the other XRF instruments that were evaluated as part of the demonstration. The objectives of the evaluation included determining each XRF instrument’s accuracy, precision, sample throughput, and tendency for matrix effects. To fulfill these objectives, the field demonstration incorporated the analysis of 326 prepared samples of soil and sediment that contained 13 target elements. The prepared samples included blends of environmental samples from nine different sample collection sites as well as s
Baseline risk assessment of ground water contamination at the uranium mill tailings site near Durango, Colorado

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

Not Available

1995-02-01

This risk assessment evaluates the possibility of health and environmental risks from contaminated ground water at the uranium mill tailings site near Durango, Colorado. The former uranium processing site`s contaminated soil and material were removed and placed at a disposal site located in Body Canyon, Colorado, during 1986--1991 by the US Departments of Energy`s Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. Currently, the UMTRA Project is evaluating the nature and extent of ground water contamination at the site. This risk assessment follows an approach similar to that used by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The first step is to determinemore » what site-related contaminants are found in ground water samples. The next step in the risk assessment is to determine how much of these contaminants people might ingest if they got their drinking water from a well on the site. In accordance with standard practice for this type of risk assessment, the highest contaminant concentrations from the most contaminated wells are used. The risk assessment then explains the possible health problems that could result from this amount of contamination.« less
Detection of environmental DNA of Bigheaded Carps in samples collected from selected locations in the St. Croix River and in the Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amberg, Jon J.; McCalla, S. Grace; Miller, Loren; Sorensen, Peter; Gaikowski, Mark P.

2013-01-01

The use of molecular methods, such as the detection of environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA), have become an increasingly popular tool in surveillance programs that monitor for the presence of invasive species in aquatic systems. One early application of these methods in aquatic systems was surveillance for DNA of Asian carps (specifically bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and silver carp H. molitrix) in water samples taken from the Chicago Area Waterway System. The ability to identify DNA of a species in an environmental sample presents a potentially powerful tool because these sensitive analyses can presumably detect the presence of DNA in water even when the species is not abundant or are difficult to catch or monitor with traditional gear. Prior to research presented in this report, an initial eDNA surveillance effort was completed in selected locations in the Upper Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers in 2011 after the capture of a bighead carp in the St. Croix River near Prescott, WI. Data presented in this report were developed to duplicate the 2011 monitoring results from the Upper Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers and to provide critical insight into the technique to inform future work in these locations. We specifically sought to understand the potential confounding effects of other pathways of eDNA movement (e.g., fish-eating birds, watercraft) on the variation in background DNA by collecting water samples from (1) sites within the St. Croix River and the upper Mississippi River where the DNA of silver carp was previously detected, (2) sites considered to be free of Asian carp, and (3) a site known to have a large population of Asian carp. We also sought to establish a baseline Asian carp eDNA signature to which future eDNA sampling efforts could be compared. All samples taken as part of this effort were processed using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) according to procedures outlined in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Quality Assurance Project Plan with minor deviations designed to enhance the rigor of our data. Presence of DNA in PCR-positive samples was confirmed by Sanger sequencing (forward and reverse) and sequences were considered positive only if sequences (forward and reverse) of ≥150 base pairs had a match of ≥95% to those of published sequences for bighead carp or silver carp. The DNA of bighead carp and silver carp was not detected in environmental samples collected above and below St. Croix Falls Dam on the St. Croix River, above and below the Coon Rapids Dam and below Lock and Dam 1 on the Upper Mississippi River, and from two negative control lakes, Square Lake and Lake Riley. The DNA of silver carp was detected in environmental samples collected below Lock and Dam 19 at Keokuk, Iowa, a reach of the river with high silver carp abundance. The portion (68%) of environmental samples taken below Lock and Dam 19 that were determined to contain the DNA of silver carp was similar to that reported in the scientific literature for other abundant species. The DNA of bighead carp, however, was not detected in environmental samples collected below Lock and Dam 19, a reach of the river known to have bighead carp. Previous reported detections of the DNA of silver carp in samples collected in 2011 were not replicated in this study. Additional analyses are planned for the DNA extracted from the samples collected in 2012. Those analyses may provide additional information regarding the lack of amplification of bighead carp DNA and the lengths of the sequences of silver carp DNA present in samples taken below Lock and Dam 19. These additional analyses may help inform the use of eDNA monitoring in large, complex systems like the Mississippi River.
Integrated Stable Isotope - Reactive Transport Model Approach for Assessment of Chlorinated Solvent Degradation

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

Certification Program ETH Ethene GC Gas Chromatography GC-IRMS Gas Chromatography Isotope Ratio Mass Spectroscopy H Hydrogen IRMS Isotope...tool for attenuation of chlorinated solvents. The Demonstration Site was Operable Unit 10 at Hill AFB, Utah , a site where groundwater is impacted...techniques. The method involves extraction of the target compounds from environmental sample matrix, followed by separation of the compounds using gas
Flounder growth and production as indicators of the nursery value of marsh habitats in a Mediterranean lagoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franco, Anita; Fiorin, Riccardo; Zucchetta, Matteo; Torricelli, Patrizia; Franzoi, Piero

2010-11-01

Estuarine marshes are known as suitable nursery areas for many marine migrant fishes, such as flounder. The potential nursery value of such habitats was investigated in the Venice lagoon, by using growth and production of 0-group flounder as indicators. Size-frequency distribution analysis was performed on fish samples collected fortnightly, from March 2004 to June 2005, in two marsh sites, Dese and Tessera, differing in their origin and environmental conditions. Samples were mostly composed of juvenile individuals, belonging to 0- and 1-group cohorts (the latter being present in Tessera only). A higher total production, either annual or monthly, and faster growth of 0-group flounder was observed in Dese, associated to a higher ecological performance of 0-group individuals in this site, as indicated by the higher P:B ratio values. Dese is a site located in a marsh complex characterized by the relevant influence of a nearby river, and the observed higher potential nursery value of this marsh area with respect to the other is discussed in the light of the higher trophic status and other environmental conditions in this site. The production results were also compared to those from other estuarine environments commonly acknowledged as important nurseries for European flounder.
Bioassay criteria for environmental restoration workers

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

Carbaugh, E.H.; Bihl, D.E.

1993-01-01

Environmental restoration (ER) work at the U. S. Department of Energy Hanford Site posed questions concerning when to perform bioassay monitoring of workers for potential intakes of radioactivity. Application of criteria originally developed for use inside radionuclide processing facilities to ER work resulted in overly restrictive bioassay requirements. ER work typically involves site characterization or, excavating large quantities of potentially contaminated soil, rather than working with concentrated quantities of radioactivity as in a processing facility. An improved approach, tailored to ER work, provided soil contamination concentrations above which worker bioassay would be required. Soil concentrations were derived assuming acute ormore » chronic intakes of 2% of an Annual Limit on Intake (ALI), or a potential committed effective dose equivalent of 100 mrem, and conservative dust loading of air from the work. When planning ER work, the anticipated soil concentration and corresponding need for bioassay could be estimated from work-site historical records. Once site work commenced, soil sampling and work-place surveys could be used to determine bioassay needs. This approach substantially reduced the required number of bioassay samples with corresponding reductions in analytical costs, schedules, and more flexible work-force management. (Work supported by the US Department of Energy under contract DOE-AC06-76RLO 1830.)« less
Surface water sampling and analysis plan for environmental monitoring in Waste Area Grouping 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Environmental Restoration Program

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

Not Available

1994-06-01

This Sampling and Analysis Plan addresses surface water monitoring, sampling, and analysis activities that will be conducted in support of the Environmental Monitoring Plan for Waste Area Grouping (WAG) 6. WAG 6 is a shallow-burial land disposal facility for low-level radioactive waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a research facility owned by the US Department of Energy and managed by Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. Surface water monitoring will be conducted at nine sites within WAG 6. Activities to be conducted will include the installation, inspection, and maintenance of automatic flow-monitoring and sampling equipment and manual collection of variousmore » water and sediment samples. The samples will be analyzed for various organic, inorganic, and radiological parameters. The information derived from the surface water monitoring, sampling, and analysis will aid in evaluating risk associated with contaminants migrating off-WAG, and will be used in calculations to establish relationships between contaminant concentration (C) and flow (Q). The C-Q relationship will be used in calculating the cumulative risk associated with the off-WAG migration of contaminants.« less
Widespread occurrence of neonicotinoid insecticides in streams in a high corn and soybean producing region, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hladik, Michelle; Kolpin, Dana W.; Kuivila, Kathryn

2014-01-01

Neonicotinoid insecticides are of environmental concern, but little is known about their occurrence in surface water. An area of intense corn and soybean production in the Midwestern United States was chosen to study this issue because of the high agricultural use of neonicotinoids via both seed treatments and other forms of application. Water samples were collected from nine stream sites during the 2013 growing season. The results for the 79 water samples documented similar patterns among sites for both frequency of detection and concentration (maximum:median) with clothianidin (75%, 257 ng/L:8.2 ng/L) > thiamethoxam (47%, 185 ng/L: imidacloprid (23%, 42.7 ng/L: <2 ng/L). Neonicotinoids were detected at all nine sites sampled even though the basin areas spanned four orders of magnitude. Temporal patterns in concentrations reveal pulses of neonicotinoids associated with rainfall events during crop planting, suggesting seed treatments as their likely source.
40 CFR 761.340 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance... generate new waste. (c) Non-liquid PCB remediation waste from processes that continuously generate new...

40 CFR 761.340 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance... generate new waste. (c) Non-liquid PCB remediation waste from processes that continuously generate new...
40 CFR 761.340 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT... Accordance With Â§ 761.62, and Sampling PCB Remediation Waste Destined for Off-Site Disposal, in Accordance... generate new waste. (c) Non-liquid PCB remediation waste from processes that continuously generate new...
Selecting Performance Reference Compounds (PRCS) for Low Density Polyethylene Passive Samplers

EPA Science Inventory

Use of equilibrium passive samplers for performing aquatic environmental monitoring at contaminated sites is becoming more common. However, a current challenge in passive sampling is determining when equilibrium is achieved between the sampler, target contaminants, and environm...
Coastal Bacterioplankton Community Dynamics in Response to a Natural Disturbance

PubMed Central

Rappé, Michael S.

2013-01-01

In order to characterize how disturbances to microbial communities are propagated over temporal and spatial scales in aquatic environments, the dynamics of bacterial assemblages throughout a subtropical coastal embayment were investigated via SSU rRNA gene analyses over an 8-month period, which encompassed a large storm event. During non-perturbed conditions, sampling sites clustered into three groups based on their microbial community composition: an offshore oceanic group, a freshwater group, and a distinct and persistent coastal group. Significant differences in measured environmental parameters or in the bacterial community due to the storm event were found only within the coastal cluster of sampling sites, and only at 5 of 12 locations; three of these sites showed a significant response in both environmental and bacterial community characteristics. These responses were most pronounced at sites close to the shoreline. During the storm event, otherwise common bacterioplankton community members such as marine Synechococcus sp. and members of the SAR11 clade of Alphaproteobacteria decreased in relative abundance in the affected coastal zone, whereas several lineages of Gammaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and members of the Roseobacter clade of Alphaproteobacteria increased. The complex spatial patterns in both environmental conditions and microbial community structure related to freshwater runoff and wind convection during the perturbation event leads us to conclude that spatial heterogeneity was an important factor influencing both the dynamics and the resistance of the bacterioplankton communities to disturbances throughout this complex subtropical coastal system. This heterogeneity may play a role in facilitating a rapid rebound of regions harboring distinctly coastal bacterioplankton communities to their pre-disturbed taxonomic composition. PMID:23409156
Current levels and trends of selected EU Water Framework Directive priority substances in freshwater fish from the German environmental specimen bank.

PubMed

Fliedner, Annette; Lohmann, Nina; Rüdel, Heinz; Teubner, Diana; Wellmitz, Jörg; Koschorreck, Jan

2016-09-01

Under the German environmental specimen bank programme bream (Abramis brama) were sampled in six German rivers and analysed for the priority hazardous substances dicofol, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), heptachlor + heptachlor epoxide (HC + HCE), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCDD/Fs + dl-PCBs), and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The aim was to assess compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive environmental quality standards for biota (EQSBiota) for the year 2013, and to analyse temporal trends for those substances that are of special concern. General compliance was observed for dicofol, HBCDD and HCBD whereas PBDEs exceeded the EQSBiota at all sites. For all other substances compliance in 2013 varied between locations. No assessment was possible for HC + HCE at some sites where the analytical sensitivity was not sufficient to cover the EQSBiota. Trend analysis showed decreasing linear trends for HCB and PFOS at most sampling sites between 1995 and 2014 indicating that the emission reduction measures are effective. Mostly decreasing trends or constant levels were also observed for PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs. In contrast, increasing trends were detected for PBDEs and HBCDD which were especially pronounced at one Saar site located downstream of the industries and conurbation of Saarbrücken and Völklingen. This finding points to new sources of emissions which should be followed in the coming years. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Amalgam Electrode-Based Electrochemical Detector for On-Site Direct Determination of Cadmium(II) and Lead(II) from Soils

PubMed Central

Nejdl, Lukas; Kynicky, Jindrich; Brtnicky, Martin; Vaculovicova, Marketa; Adam, Vojtech

2017-01-01

Toxic metal contamination of the environment is a global issue. In this paper, we present a low-cost and rapid production of amalgam electrodes used for determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in environmental samples (soils and wastewaters) by on-site analysis using difference pulse voltammetry. Changes in the electrochemical signals were recorded with a miniaturized potentiostat (width: 80 mm, depth: 54 mm, height: 23 mm) and a portable computer. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated for the geometric surface of the working electrode 15 mm2 that can be varied as required for analysis. The LODs were 80 ng·mL−1 for Cd(II) and 50 ng·mL−1 for Pb(II), relative standard deviation, RSD ≤ 8% (n = 3). The area of interest (Dolni Rozinka, Czech Republic) was selected because there is a deposit of uranium ore and extreme anthropogenic activity. Environmental samples were taken directly on-site and immediately analysed. Duration of a single analysis was approximately two minutes. The average concentrations of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in this area were below the global average. The obtained values were verified (correlated) by standard electrochemical methods based on hanging drop electrodes and were in good agreement. The advantages of this method are its cost and time effectivity (approximately two minutes per one sample) with direct analysis of turbid samples (soil leach) in a 2 M HNO3 environment. This type of sample cannot be analyzed using the classical analytical methods without pretreatment. PMID:28792458
Detection of environmentally persistent free radicals at a superfund wood treating site.

PubMed

dela Cruz, Albert Leo N; Gehling, William; Lomnicki, Slawomir; Cook, Robert; Dellinger, Barry

2011-08-01

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) have previously been observed in association with combustion-generated particles and airborne PM(2.5) (particulate matter, d < 2.5um). The purpose of this study was to determine if similar radicals were present in soils and sediments at Superfund sites. The site was a former wood treating facility containing pentachlorophenol (PCP) as a major contaminant. Both contaminated and noncontaminated (just outside the contaminated area) soil samples were collected. The samples were subjected to the conventional humic substances (HS) extraction procedure. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to measure the EPFR concentrations and determine their structure for each sample fraction. Analyses revealed a ∼30× higher EPFR concentration in the PCP contaminated soils (20.2 × 10(17) spins/g) than in the noncontaminated soil (0.7 × 10(17) spins/g). Almost 90% of the EPFR signal originated from the minerals/clays/humins fraction. GC-MS analyses revealed ∼6500 ppm of PCP in the contaminated soil samples and none detected in the background samples. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrophotometry (ICP-AES) analyses revealed ∼7× higher concentrations of redox-active transition metals, in the contaminated soils than the noncontaminated soil. Vapor phase and liquid phase dosing of the clays/minerals/humins fraction of the soil with PCP resulted in an EPR signal identical to that observed in the contaminated soil, strongly suggesting the observed EPFR is pentachlorophenoxyl radical. Chemisorption and electron transfer from PCP to transition metals and other electron sinks in the soil are proposed to be responsible for EPFR formation.
Concentrations of selected organochlorine compounds in fish tissue in the Mississippi Embayment Study Unit : Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, 1995-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Femmer, Suzanne R.; Coupe, Richard H.; Justus, B.G.; Kleiss, Barbara A.

2004-01-01

Whole fish were collected at 52 sites during 1995-99 to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of selected organochlorine compounds in the Mississippi Embayment Study Unit. Samples were collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program. From 5 to 8 fish were collected at each site; the fish were composited, and an aliquot of the tissue was analyzed for 28 organo-chlorine compounds, which included pesticides, pesticide degradates, and polychlorinated biphenyls. The use of these organochlorine compounds has been discontinued or severely restricted within the United States, but the continued detection of these compounds or their degradates in the air, water, soil, and biota in national surveys, coupled with known environmental problems associated with these compounds (such as a long half-life and the propensity to accumulate in living tissue), is cause for continued interest in their environmental fate. At least one organochlorine compound was detected in every fish-tissue sample, and as many as 15 different compounds were detected in some. The most frequently detected com-pounds were the degradates of p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichlo-roethane (p,p'-DDT); p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) was detected in every sample above the method reporting limit, and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p'-DDD), was detected in 94 percent of the samples. Polychlorinated biphenyl compounds and dieldrin were detected in 83 and 78 percent of fish-tissue samples, respectively. Because these were whole fish samples, the results are not directly comparable to human health standards, which are based on fish fillets. Comparison of these results, however, to the guidelines for the protection of fish-eating wildlife indicates that concentrations of the p,p'-DDT degradates and toxaphene continue to be of environmental concern.
Contamination Mitigation Strategies for Long Duration Human Spaceflight Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Ruthan; Lupisella, Mark; Bleacher, Jake; Farrell, William

2017-01-01

Contamination control issues are particularly challenging for long-term human spaceflight and are associated with the search for life, dynamic environmental conditions, human-robotic-environment interaction, sample collection and return, biological processes, waste management, long-term environmental disturbance, etc. These issues impact mission success, human health, planetary protection, and research and discovery. Mitigation and control techniques and strategies may include and integrate long-term environmental monitoring and reporting, contamination control and planetary protection protocols, habitation site design, habitat design, and surface exploration and traverse pathways and area access planning.
1996 LMITCO environmental monitoring program report for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

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

NONE

1997-09-01

This report describes the calendar year 1996 environmental surveillance and compliance monitoring activities of the Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company Environmental Monitoring Program performed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Results of sampling performed by the Radiological Environmental Surveillance, Site Environmental Surveillance, Drinking Water, Effluent Monitoring, Storm Water Monitoring, Groundwater Monitoring, and Special Request Monitoring Programs are included in this report. The primary purposes of the surveillance and monitoring activities are to evaluate environmental conditions, to provide and interpret data, to verify compliance with applicable regulations or standards, and to ensure protection of human health and themore » environment. This report compares 1996 data with program-specific regulatory guidelines and past data to evaluate trends.« less
Chemical contamination of soils in the New York City area following Hurricane Sandy.

PubMed

Mandigo, Amy C; DiScenza, Dana J; Keimowitz, Alison R; Fitzgerald, Neil

2016-10-01

This paper presents a unique data set of lead, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in soil samples collected from the metropolitan New York City area in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Initial samples were collected by citizen scientists recruited via social media, a relatively unusual approach for a sample collection project. Participants in the affected areas collected 63 usable samples from basements, gardens, roads, and beaches. Results indicate high levels of arsenic, lead, PCBs, and PAHs in an area approximately 800 feet south of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Superfund site at Newtown Creek. A location adjacent to the Gowanus Canal, another Superfund site, was found to have high PCB concentrations. Areas of high PAH contamination tended to be near high traffic areas or next to sites of known contamination. While contamination as a direct result of Hurricane Sandy cannot be demonstrated conclusively, the presence of high levels of contamination close to known contamination sites, evidence for co-contamination, and decrease in number of samples containing measureable amounts of semi-volatile compounds from samples collected at similar locations 9 months after the storm suggest that contaminated particles may have migrated to residential areas as a result of flooding.
Determination of Organic and Inorganic Percentages and Mass of Suspended Material at Four Sites in the Illinois River in Northwestern Arkansas and Northeastern Oklahoma, 2005-07

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.

2008-01-01

The Illinois River located in northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma is influenced by point and nonpoint sources of nutrient enrichment. This has led to increased algal growth within the stream, reducing water clarity. Also, sediment runoff from fields, pastures, construction sites, and other disturbed areas, in addition to frequent streambank failure, has increased sedimentation within the stream and decreased water clarity. A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to characterize the increased turbidity by determining the organic and inorganic composition and mass of suspended material in the Illinois River from August 2005 through July 2007. Water-quality samples were collected at four sites on the Illinois River (listed in downstream order): near Viney Grove, Arkansas; at Savoy, Arkansas; south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas; and near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In general, turbidity, total suspended solids, suspended-sediment concentration, organic material concentration (measured as volatile suspended solids and ash-free dry mass), and chlorophyll a concentration were the greatest in samples collected from the Illinois River at Savoy and the least in samples from the most upstream Illinois River site (near Viney Grove) and the most downstream site (near Tahlequah) from August 2005 through July 2007. For example, the suspended-sediment concentration at the Illinois River at Savoy had a median of 15 milligrams per liter, and the total suspended solids had a median of 12 milligrams per liter. The Illinois River near Tahlequah had the least suspended-sediment concentration with a median of 10 milligrams per liter and the least total suspended solids with a median of 6 milligrams per liter. The turbidity, total suspended solids, suspended-sediment concentration, organic material concentration, and chlorophyll a concentration in samples collected during high-flow events were greater than in samples collected during base-flow conditions at the Illinois River at Savoy, south of Siloam Springs, and near Tahlequah. For example, the median turbidity for the Illinois River at Savoy was 3 nephelometric turbidity ratio units during base-flow conditions and 52 nephelometric turbidity ratio units during high-flow conditions. Organic material in the Illinois River generally composed between 13 and 47 percent of the total suspended material in samples collected from August 2005 through July 2007. Therefore, most of the suspended material in samples collected from the sites was inorganic material. Overall, the highest percentage of organic material was found at the Illinois River near Viney Grove and at the Illinois River near Tahlequah. The Illinois River south of Siloam Springs had the lowest percentage of organic material among the four sites. In general, the percentage of organic material was greater in samples collected during base-flow conditions compared to samples collected during high-flow conditions. The mean seasonal concentrations and percentages of organic material were the least in the fall (September through November) in samples collected from August 2005 to July 2007 from the four Illinois River sites, while the greatest concentrations and percentages of organic material occurred at various times of the year depending on the site. The greatest concentrations of organic material occurred in the summer (June through August) in samples from sites on the Illinois River near Viney Grove, at Savoy and south of Siloam Springs, but in the spring (March through May) in samples from the Illinois River near Tahlequah. The greatest percentages of organic material (least percentages of inorganic material) occurred in the summer in samples from the site near Viney Grove, the winter and summer at the site at Savoy, in the spring, fall, and winter (December through February) at the site south of Siloam Springs, an
Portable capillary electrophoresis-system for on-site food analysis with lab-on-a-chip based contactless conductivity detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gärtner, Claudia; Sewart, René; Klemm, Richard; Becker, Holger

2014-06-01

A portable analytical system for the characterization of liquid environmental samples and beverages in food control was realized. The key element is the implementation of contactless conductivity detection on lab-on-a-chip basis ensuring the system to be operated in a label free mode. Typical target molecules such as small ionic species like Li+, Na+, K+, SO4 2- or NO3-, organic acids in wine whose concentration and ratio to each other documents the wine quality, or caffeine or phosphate in coke were detected. Results from sample matrices like various beverages as water, cola, tea, wine and milk, water from heaters, environmental samples and blood will be presented.
Associations of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages with environmental variables in the upper Clear Creek watershed, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.; May, Jason T.; Wulff, Marissa

2012-01-01

Benthic macroinvertebrates are integral components of stream ecosystems and are often used to assess the ecological integrity of streams. We sampled streams in the upper Clear Creek drainage in the Klamath—Siskiyou Ecoregion of northwestern California in fall 2004 (17 sites) and 2005 (original 17 plus 4 new sites) with the objectives of documenting the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages supported by the streams in the area, determining how those assemblages respond to environmental variables, assessing the biological condition of the streams using a benthic index of biotic integrity (IBI), and understanding the assemblages in the context of biodiversity of the ecoregion. We collected both reach-wide (RW) and targeted-riffle (TR) macroinvertebrate samples at each site. The macroinvertebrate assemblages were diverse, with over 150 genera collected for each sampling protocol. The macroinvertebrate assemblages appeared to be most responsive to a general habitat gradient based on stream size, gradient, flow, and dominance of riffles. A second important habitat gradient was based on elevation and dominance of riffles. A gradient in water quality based on concentrations of dissolved ions and metals was also important. Models based on these 3 gradients had Spearman's rank correlations with macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition of 0.60 and 0.50 for the TR and RW samples, respectively. The majority (>50%) of the sites were in good or very good biological condition based on IBI scores. The diversity of macroinvertebrate assemblages is associated with the diversity of habitats available in the Klamath—Siskiyou Ecoregion. Maintaining the aquatic habitats in good condition is important in itself but is also vital to maintaining biodiversity in this diverse and unique ecoregion.
Burden of Disease from Toxic Waste Sites in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines in 2010

PubMed Central

Caravanos, Jack; Ericson, Bret; Sunga-Amparo, Jennifer; Susilorini, Budi; Sharma, Promila; Landrigan, Philip J.; Fuller, Richard

2013-01-01

Background: Prior calculations of the burden of disease from toxic exposures have not included estimates of the burden from toxic waste sites due to the absence of exposure data. Objective: We developed a disability-adjusted life year (DALY)-based estimate of the disease burden attributable to toxic waste sites. We focused on three low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Methods: Sites were identified through the Blacksmith Institute’s Toxic Sites Identification Program, a global effort to identify waste sites in LMICs. At least one of eight toxic chemicals was sampled in environmental media at each site, and the population at risk estimated. By combining estimates of disease incidence from these exposures with population data, we calculated the DALYs attributable to exposures at each site. Results: We estimated that in 2010, 8,629,750 persons were at risk of exposure to industrial pollutants at 373 toxic waste sites in the three countries, and that these exposures resulted in 828,722 DALYs, with a range of 814,934–1,557,121 DALYs, depending on the weighting factor used. This disease burden is comparable to estimated burdens for outdoor air pollution (1,448,612 DALYs) and malaria (725,000 DALYs) in these countries. Lead and hexavalent chromium collectively accounted for 99.2% of the total DALYs for the chemicals evaluated. Conclusions: Toxic waste sites are responsible for a significant burden of disease in LMICs. Although some factors, such as unidentified and unscreened sites, may cause our estimate to be an underestimate of the actual burden of disease, other factors, such as extrapolation of environmental sampling to the entire exposed population, may result in an overestimate of the burden of disease attributable to these sites. Toxic waste sites are a major, and heretofore underrecognized, global health problem. PMID:23649493
Biological assessments of Appalachian streams based on predictive models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlisle, D.M.; Hawkins, C.P.; Meador, M.R.; Potapova, M.; Falcone, J.

2008-01-01

We developed empirical models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages to assess the biological condition of 268 streams sampled from 1993 to 2002 in 7 major river basins in the Appalachian region of the USA. These models estimate the expected taxonomic composition at each site based on observed variation in taxonomic composition at reference sites. The index, O/E, is the ratio of the number of predicted taxa that were observed (O) to that expected (E) to occur at a site and is a measure of taxonomic completeness. We compared how O/E for each assemblage varied among major landuse settings and whether impaired assemblages were associated with particular physicochemical conditions. We also examined concordance among assemblages in their response to stress. Biological, chemical, and physical data were collected following consistent protocols. We used land-cover criteria, published data, and topographic maps to classify sites by major landuse setting. Fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages had been sampled at 73, 108, and 52, respectively, of the least disturbed sites used to establish reference conditions. The models accounted for a substantial portion of the natural variation in taxonomic composition across sites that was associated with biogeographic, climatic, and basin-scale factors and generally were unbiased across the range of environmental gradients observed in the region. Assessments at nonreference sites showed that impairment of fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages was most strongly associated with agriculture and urban land uses, whereas impairment of diatom assemblages was most strongly associated with mining in the basin. Concordance in assessments among assemblages was not strong. Assessments based on 2 assemblages differed in 28 to 57% of cases, and assessments were never concordant for cases where all 3 assemblages were sampled. Furthermore, only 1/2 of these cases would have been assessed as ecologically impaired had only 1 assemblage been sampled. Differences between observed and predicted frequencies of occurrence for individual taxa were generally consistent with known tolerances to environmental stressors and might aid in identifying causes of biological impairment. ?? 2008 by The North American Benthological Society.
Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2000. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

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

Rutherford, Phil; Samuels, Sandy; Lee, Majelle

2001-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2000 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, these operations included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials, under the former Atomics International (AI) Division. Other activities included the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities for testing of liquid metal fast breeder components at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned company-operated, test facility within Area IV. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, andmore » subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the previously used nuclear facilities and associated site areas. Large-scale D&D activities of the sodium test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year of 2000 continue to indicate no significant releases of radioactive material from Rocketdyne sites. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and other sites approved by DOE and licensed for radioactive waste. Liquid radioactive wastes are not released into the environment and do not constitute an exposure pathway.« less
Water-quality assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas; organic compounds and trace elements in bed sediment and fish tissue, 1992-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, L.F.; Anderholm, S.K.

1997-01-01

The occurrence and distribution of contaminants in aquatic systems are major components of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Bed-sediment samples were collected at 18 sites in the Rio Grande Valley study unit between September 1992 and March 1993 to characterize the geographic distribution of organic compounds, including chlorinated insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, and also trace elements. Two-millimeter-size- fraction sediment was analyzed for organic compounds and less than 63-micron-size-fraction sediment was analyzed for trace elements. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 33 percent of the bed-sediment samples. With the exception of DDT-related compounds, no other organochlorine insecticides or polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in samples of bed sediment. Whole-body fish samples were collected at 11 of the bed- sediment sites and analyzed for organic compounds. Organic compounds were reported more frequently in samples of fish, and more types of organic compounds were found in whole-body fish samples than in bed-sediment samples. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 91 percent of whole-body fish samples. Polychlorinated biphenyls, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, trans- nonachlor, and hexachlorobenzene were other organic compounds detected in whole-body samples of fish from at least one site. Because of the extent of mineralized areas in the Rio Grande Basin arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc concentrations in bed-sediment samples could represent natural conditions at most sites. However, a combination of natural conditions and human activities appears to be associated with elevated trace-element concentrations in the bed-sediment sample from the site Rio Grande near Creede, Colorado, because this sample exceeded the background trace-element concentrations calculated for this study. Fish-liver samples were collected at 12 of the bed-sediment sites and analyzed for trace elements. Certain trace elements were detected at higher concentrations in fish-liver samples than in bed-sediment samples from the same site. Both bed-sediment and fish-tissue samples are necessary for a complete environmental assessment of the occurrence and distribution of trace elements.
Environmental signatures and effects of an oil and gas wastewater spill in the Williston Basin, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Skalak, Katherine; Kent, D.B.; Engle, Mark A.; Benthem, Adam J.; Mumford, Adam; Haase, Karl B.; Farag, Aïda M.; Harper, David; Nagel, S. C.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Orem, William H.; Akob, Denise M.; Jaeschke, Jeanne B.; Galloway, Joel M.; Kohler, Matthias; Stoliker, Deborah L.; Jolly, Glenn D.

2017-01-01

Wastewaters from oil and gas development pose largely unknown risks to environmental resources. In January 2015, 11.4 M L (million liters) of wastewater (300 g/L TDS) from oil production in the Williston Basin was reported to have leaked from a pipeline, spilling into Blacktail Creek, North Dakota. Geochemical and biological samples were collected in February and June 2015 to identify geochemical signatures of spilled wastewaters as well as biological responses along a 44-km river reach. February water samples had elevated chloride (1030 mg/L) and bromide (7.8 mg/L) downstream from the spill, compared to upstream levels (11 mg/L and < 0.4 mg/L, respectively). Lithium (0.25 mg/L), boron (1.75 mg/L) and strontium (7.1 mg/L) were present downstream at 5–10 times upstream concentrations. Light hydrocarbon measurements indicated a persistent thermogenic source of methane in the stream. Semi-volatile hydrocarbons indicative of oil were not detected in filtered samples but low levels, including tetramethylbenzenes and di-methylnaphthalenes, were detected in unfiltered water samples downstream from the spill. Labile sediment-bound barium and strontium concentrations (June 2015) were higher downstream from the Spill Site. Radium activities in sediment downstream from the Spill Site were up to 15 times the upstream activities and, combined with Sr isotope ratios, suggest contributions from the pipeline fluid and support the conclusion that elevated concentrations in Blacktail Creek water are from the leaking pipeline. Results from June 2015 demonstrate the persistence of wastewater effects in Blacktail Creek several months after remediation efforts started. Aquatic health effects were observed in June 2015; fish bioassays showed only 2.5% survival at 7.1 km downstream from the spill compared to 89% at the upstream reference site. Additional potential biological impacts were indicated by estrogenic inhibition in downstream waters. Our findings demonstrate that environmental signatures from wastewater spills are persistent and create the potential for long-term environmental health effects.
Environmental Monitoring of a Titan 34D 5 1/2 Segment Solid Rocket Motor Static Firing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

concentrations. The sampling scheme called for three near - field sampling sites (AFAL Experimental Areas 1-90, 1-100, and the Receiving, Inspection and Storage...regeneration from acidic rainout. 4. Field -testing the Aerospace and AFESC/LLNL experimental HCI monitors. The firing was first attempted on 4 June...was designed to take advantage of the specified wind corridor, and provided for both near - field and far- field sampling of ground-level HCI

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