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At least 1,009 records · Page 56Linked to original sources
USGS2016

Concentration trends for lead and calcium-normalized lead in fish fillets from the Big River, a mining-contaminated stream in southeastern Missouri USA

Lead (Pb) and calcium (Ca) concentrations were measured in fillet samples of longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) and redhorse suckers (Moxostoma spp.) collected in 2005–2012 from the Big River, which drains a historical mining area in southeastern Missouri and where a consumption advisory is in effect due to elevated Pb concentrations in fish. Lead tends to accumulated in Ca-rich tissues such as bone and scale. Concentrations of Pb in fish muscle are typically low, but can become elevated in fillets from Pb-contaminated sites depending in part on how much bone, scale, and skin is included in the sample. We used analysis-of-covariance to normalize Pb concentration to the geometric mean Ca concentration (415 ug/g wet weight, ww), which reduced variation between taxa, sites, and years, as was the number of samples that exceeded Missouri consumption advisory threshold (300 ng/g ww). Concentrations of Pb in 2005–2012 were lower than in the past, especially after Ca-normalization, but the consumption advisory is still warranted because concentrations were >300 ng/g ww in samples of both taxa from contaminated sites. For monitoring purposes, a simple linear regression model is proposed for estimating Ca-normalized Pb concentrations in fillets from Pb:Ca molar ratios as a way of reducing the effects of differing preparation methods on fillet Pb variation.

Missouri↗
USGS2016

Investigation of total and hexavalent chromium in filtered and unfiltered groundwater samples at the Tucson International Airport Superfund Site

Potential health effects from hexavalent chromium in groundwater have recently become a concern to regulators at the Tucson International Airport Area Superfund site. In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled 46 wells in the area to characterize the nature and extent of chromium in groundwater, to understand what proportion of total chromium is in the hexavalent state, and to determine if substantial differences are present between filtered and unfiltered chromium concentrations. Results indicate detectable chromium concentrations in all wells, over 75 % of total chromium is in the hexavalent state in a majority of wells, and filtered and unfiltered results differ substantially in only a few high-turbidity total chromium samples.

Arizona↗
USGS2018

Organochlorine chemical residues in Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) eggs from Greater Washington, DC USA

Northern Cardinal eggs from six neighborhoods near Washington DC were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides and PCBs. All compounds were detected more frequently and at higher concentrations in more heavily urbanized neighborhoods. DDT (mostly as p,pʹ -DDE) was detected in all neighborhoods. p,pʹ -DDT was typically 0.5‒16 ng/g (ww) in most suburban neighborhoods but was not detected (< 0.1 ng/g) in more rural areas; however, p,pʹ -DDT was 127‒1130 ng/g in eggs from two suburban Maryland nests and comprised 65.7% of total p,pʹ -DDT isomers in the most contaminated sample, indicating recent exposure to un-weathered DDT. Total chlordane (sum of 5 compounds) was 2‒70 ng/g; concentrations were greatest in older suburban neighborhoods. Total PCB (sum of detected congeners) was < 5‒21 ng/g. Congener patterns were similar in all neighborhoods and resembled those typical of weathered mixtures. Results indicate that wildlife remains exposed to low concentrations of legacy contaminants in suburban neighborhoods and that cardinal eggs can be used to monitor localized contamination.

District of Columbia, Maryland↗
USGS2018

Chronic toxicity of 4-nonylphenol to two unionid mussels in water-only exposures

Limited studies indicate that mussels are generally insensitive to organic chemicals; however, these studies were conducted in acute or short-term exposures, and little is known about the chronic sensitivity of mussels to organic chemicals. We evaluated the chronic (28 days) toxicity of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) to two commonly tested species of mussels: fatmucket ( Lampsilis siliquoidea ) and rainbow mussel (Villosa iris). By the end of the 28 days chronic exposures, mean survival was ≥93% in all treatments, but the mean dry weight and biomass of mussels at the highest exposure concentrations were significantly reduced relative to the control. The 20% effect concentrations were similar between the two species. When compared to all other tested species, fatmucket and rainbow mussels are among the top four most sensitive species to 4-NP. However, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chronic water quality criterion of 6.6 μg 4-NP/L should protect the two mussel species.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS2018

Resilience in environmental risk and impact assessment: Concepts and measurement

Different resilience concepts have different assumptions about system dynamics, which has implications for resilience-based environmental risk and impact assessment. Engineering resilience (recovery) dominates in the risk assessment literature but this definition does not account for the possibility of ecosystems to exist in multiple regimes. In this paper we discuss resilience concepts and quantification methods. Specifically, we discuss when a system fails to show engineering resilience after disturbances, indicating a shift to a potentially undesired regime. We show quantification methods that can assess the stability of this new regime to inform managers about possibilities to transform the system to a more desired regime. We point out the usefulness of an adaptive inference, modelling and management approach that is based on reiterative testing of hypothesis. This process facilitates learning about, and reduces uncertainty arising from risk and impact.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS2019

Effects of the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin on southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) tadpole behavior

Neonicotinoid insecticides are highly water soluble with relatively long half-lives, which allows them to move into and persist in aquatic ecosystems. However, little is known of the impacts of neonicotinoids on non-target vertebrates, especially at sublethal concentrations. We evaluated the effects of the neonicotinoid clothianidin on the behavior of southern leopard frog tadpoles ( Rana sphenocephala ) after a 96-h exposure at 6 concentrations, including 0 (control), 0.375, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0, 6.0 µg/L. We quantified total displacement, mean velocity, maximum velocity, and time spent moving of tadpoles for 1 h post-exposure. Total displacement and mean velocity of tadpoles decreased with clothianidin exposure. Maximum velocity decreased linearly with concentration, but there was no relationship between time spent moving and clothianidin concentration. Our results suggest exposure to clothianidin at sublethal concentrations can affect movement behavior of non-target organisms such as tadpoles.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS2019

Lead exposure of red-shouldered hawks during the breeding season in the central Appalachians, USA

Lead is toxic to humans and wildlife. Most studies of lead exposure of raptors focus on the winter, non-breeding season when they scavenge heavily. We evaluated blood lead concentrations (BLCs) of red-shouldered hawks (Buteo lineatus) during the non-scavenging season in the eastern United States. BLCs of 53 of 70 hawks were above the limit of detection ( x¯ = 9.25 µg/dL ± 19.81; ± SD). Adult hawks had higher BLCs ( x¯ = 12.86 µg/dL ± 24.72) than did nestlings ( x¯ = 3.25 µg/dL ± 2.62; p ≤ 0.001, χ2 = 13.2). There was no difference in BLCs of adult hawks among physiographic provinces but there were differences between urban and non-urban settings (p = 0.04, χ2 = 4.2). Soils and invertebrate hawk prey also had quantifiable lead concentrations. Our work shows that red-shouldered hawks are exposed to lead when not scavenging, and suggests pathways by which these birds may be exposed.

Central Appalachians↗
USGS2020

Sensitivity of warm water fishes and rainbow trout to selected contaminants

Guidelines for developing water quality standards allow U.S. states to exclude toxicity data for the family Salmonidae (trout and salmon) when deriving guidelines for warm-water habitats. This practice reflects the belief that standards based on salmonid data may be overprotective of toxic effects on other fish taxa. In acute tests with six chemicals and eight fish species, the salmonid, Rainbow Trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), was the most sensitive species tested with copper, zinc, and sulfate, but warm-water species were most sensitive to nickel, chloride, and ammonia. Overall, warm-water fishes, including sculpins (Cottidae) and sturgeons (Acipenseridae), were about as sensitive as salmonids in acute tests and in limited chronic testing with Lake Sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens ) and Mottled Sculpin ( Cottus bairdi ). In rankings of published acute values, invertebrate taxa were most sensitive for all six chemicals tested and there was no trend for greater sensitivity of salmonids compared to warm-water fish.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS2014

Trace elements in seep waters along Whitewood Creek, South Dakota, and their toxicity to fathead minnows

Whitewood Creek, located in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota, has a long history of contamination from mining activity. Gold exploration began in the 1870s, and has continued since that time. Whitewood Creek received direct releases of tailings from 1870 to 1977 from Gold Run Creek in Lead, SD. It has been estimated that approximately 100 million to 1 billion tons of mining, milling, and ore processing wastes have been released by mining activity in the last century in to Whitewood Creek, the Belle Fourche river, and the Cheyenne River (Fox Consultants, Inc. 1984). Tailings deposition has altered the geomorphology of Whitewood Creek, and deposits up to 4.6 m. deep, have become stabilized by vegetation. Several other streams in the Black Hills also have been adversely affected by mining operations (Rahn 1996). As water leaches through rock strata that are disturbed by surface and subsurface mining, it dissolves inorganic elements and carries them to the groundwater. Groundwater movement through the extensive tailings deposits in the Whitewood Creek valley enter the creek at various seeps along its downstream course to the Belle Fourche river, and the Belle Fourche River itself, which empties into the Cheyenne River and eventually into Lake Oahe.

South Dakota↗
USGS1996

Accumulation of chlorinated benzenes in earthworms

Chlorinated benzenes are widespread in the environment. Hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene and all isomers of dichlorobenzenes, trichlorobenzenes, and tetrachlorobenzenes, have been detected in fish, water, and sediments from the Great Lakes. This paper describes a long-term (26 week) experiment relating the concentrations of chlorinated benzenes in earthworms to 1) the length of exposure, and it describes three 8-week experiments relating concentrations of chlorinated benzenes in earthworms to 2) their concentration in soil 3) the soil organic matter content and, 4) the degree of chlorination. In the 26-week experiment, the concentration of 1,2,4 - trichlorobenzene in earthworms fluctuated only slightly about a mean of 0.63 ppm (Fig. 1). Although a statistically significant decrease can be demonstrated over the test (Pearson correlation coefficient, r = -0.62 p < 0.05), the decrease was minor. Hexachlorobenzene in earthworms showed a cyclical trend that coincided with replacement of the media, and a slight but statistically significant tendency to increase from about 2 to 3 ppm over the 26 weeks (r = 0.55, p < 0.05). Concentrations of both trichlorobenzene and hexachlorobenzene in earthworms increased as the concentrations in the soil increased (Fig. 2), but leveled off at the highest soil concentrations. The most surprising result of this study was the relatively low concentrations in earthworms compared to those in soils. The average concentration of each of the six isomers of trichlorobenzene and tetrachlorobenzene in earthworms was only about 1 ppm (Table 2); the isomeric structure did not affect accumulation. The concentration of organic matter in soil had a prominent effect on hexachlorobenzene concentrations in earthworms (Fig. 3). Hexachlorobenzene concentrations decreased steadily from 9.3 ppm in earthworms kept in soil without any peat moss added to about 1 ppm in soil containing 16 or 32% organic matter.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS1997

Toxicity of Abate to green frog tadpoles

Green frog tadpoles were exposed to a 96hr toxicity test using Abate4E, the formulation for temephos used in mosquito control. Concentrations ranged from 0 (control) to 10 uL/L. Concentrations as low as 2.60 uL/L reduced activity for several hours after exposure but had negligible effects after 24 hr, presumably because the temephos had degraded during that time. The LC50 for Abate was 4.24 uL/L. Butyrlcholinesterase activity, which is known to be more sensitive than acetylcholinesterase (AChE), declined with concentration of Abate with a significant depression bserved between controls and the lowest concentration used of 1.86 uL/L. However, AChE activity increased with concentration of temephos. Temephos must be converted to its sulfone form to reach maximum toxicity and tadpoles may be inefficient in metabolizing the parent compound. Hence, temephos may have stressed the tadpoles, causing them to release more acetylcholine and AChE. Toxic levels were above expected ambient concentrations found during mosquito control operations.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS1997

Toxicity of stormwater treatment pond sediments to Hyallela azteca (Amphipoda)

Stormwater wetlands are created to contain runoff from human developments and are designed to retain contaminants such as heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, silt, pesticides, and nutrients before the runoff enter natural waterways. Because of this design, stormwater wetlands have a potential of becoming toxic sinks to organisms utilizing the wetlands for habitat. We conducted a 10-day sediment bioassay on Hyallela azteca as part of a larger study on the possible hazards of stormwater wetlands to aquatic invertebrates. Water and sediments from 10 wetlands separated into reference, residential, commercial, and highway land uses were used. No differences in survival were observed among land use categories, possibly because the ratio of acid volatile sulfides/simultaneously extractable metals (AVS/SEM) was > 1.0 for all of the ponds tested; values > 1 in this ratio are indications that toxic metals may not be bioavailable. Survival and growth rates correlated positively with AVS.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS1997

Aromatic hydrocarbon pathology in fish following a large spill into the Nemadji River, Wisconsin, USA

On June 30, 1992, a train accident resulted in a rail car releasing 114,000 L of a complex mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons into the Nemadji River, a tributary of Lake Superior near Superior, Wisconsin (Table 1). Although the majority of the spilled material evaporated, damage to aquatic life was extensive. Several thousand fishes were killed and an inestimable number were exposed to low concentrations (< 5 mg/L) of the chemical concentrate for several weeks (Allen 1993). Fishes that survived the spill were examined within 7 days of exposure to determine the extent of injury when compared to fishes collected from the reference site. The liver, spleen, gill, and head kidney were examined for histopathology. Blood was collected to determine the severity of liver damage reflected by the presence of the serum enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and d - glutamyl transferase).

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS1997

Mercury residues in south Florida apple snails (Pomacea paludosa)

Mercury concentrations in the sediments of south Florida wetlands have increased three fold in the last century (Rood et al. 1993). Because south Florida is home to many endemic and endangered species, it is important to understand the potential impacts of mercury in this ecosystem's food web. Recent research by Malley et al. (1996) has shown mollusks to be sensitive indicators of methyl mercury which can reflect small differences in background methyl mercury concentrations. In this study, we attempted to determine if the apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) or its eggs are good indicators of bioavailable mercury. Then, using the apple snail as an indicator, we attempted to determine geographic differences in the concentrations of mercury in south Florida.

Florida↗
USGS1997

Dramatic fluctuations in liver mass and metal content of eared grebes ( Podiceps nigricollis ) during autumnal migration

Adult eared grebes exhibit threefold fluctuation in body mass and up to a fivefold variation in liver weight during the course of their annual breeding and migratory cycle. Concentrations of 20 metals or metalloids were quantified in the liver from eared grebes obtained at three phases of their annual cycle: newly arrived migrants (July-August-September), staging (October-November), and immediate post-migration (December-January). Values for twelve elements (Al, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn) that were detected in more than one-half of the samples were low. Hepatic concentrations of elements known to be toxic to free-ranging birds (e.g., Cd, Hg, Pb, Se) were well below known effect thresholds. No differences in metal concentrations were observed between newly arrived migrants and staging birds despite the large increases in body and liver mass. However, in the immediate post-migration period after body and liver mass have rapidly declined, Al values decreased, whereas Se and Zn concentrations actually increased. Total liver burdens of elements tended to be greatest in staging grebes compared to other collection periods, and paralleled changes in body and liver mass. The need for temporally- and physiologically-matched reference birds, and at least knowledge of circannual organ mass fluctuations, appears to be a requirement for ecotoxicological exposure assessments in species such as the eared grebe. Generation of additional avian toxicity data from controlled dosing studies during potentially vulnerable phases of their annual cycle (e.g., molt, post-migration) seems warranted. Although it is commonly accepted that hepatic metal concentrations are principally affected by contaminant exposure, we have shown differential alterations related to the stage of the annual cycle. Our findings may be of broad significance, as well as of immediate importance in resolving the cause of the die-off of approximately 150,000 eared grebes (perhaps 7% of the North American population) at the Salton Sea in 1991-1992.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗