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Results for “Environmental Technology Letters”

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32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2022

Using carbon, nitrogen, and mercury isotope values to distinguish mercury sources to Alaskan lake trout

Lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ), collected from 13 remote lakes located in southwestern Alaska, were analyzed for carbon, nitrogen, and mercury (Hg) stable isotope values to assess the importance of migrating oceanic salmon, volcanic activity, and atmospheric deposition to fish Hg burden. Methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in phytoplankton (5.0–6.9 kg L –1 ) was also measured to quantify the basal uptake of MeHg to these aquatic food webs. Hg isotope values in lake trout revealed that while the extent of precipitation-delivered Hg was similar across the entire study area, volcanic Hg is likely an important additional source to lake trout in proximate lakes. In contrast, migratory salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) deliver little MeHg to lake trout directly, although indirect delivery processes via decay could exist. A high level of variability in carbon, nitrogen, and Hg isotope values indicates niche partitioning in lake trout populations within each lake and that a complex suite of ecological interactions is occurring, complicating the conceptually linear assessment of the contaminant source to the receiving organism. Without connecting energy and contaminant isotope axes, we would not have understood why lake trout from these pristine lakes have highly variable Hg burdens despite consistently low water Hg and comparable age-length dynamics.

Alaska↗
USGS2023

Can preserved museum specimens be to be used to reconstruct fish mercury burden and sources through time?

To evaluate the utility of preserved fishes for reconstructing historical and spatial patterns of mercury (Hg) exposure, we experimentally tested the stability of Hg concentrations and Hg stable isotope ratios under standard museum practices of specimen preservation. We found that loss of unidentified constituents during preservation changed Hg concentrations in fish muscle. Fish reared in the lab with minimal Hg exposure were susceptible to exogenous contamination with inorganic mercury (iHg) when preservative fluids were intentionally spiked or iHg leached passively from contaminated wild fishes in the same container. This contamination impacted Hg isotope values of total Hg, but the conservative nature of MeHg allows us to quantitatively correct for iHg contamination. Our findings validate the potential to use fishes from the world’s museums to generate spatiotemporal baselines for the Minamata Convention on Mercury, but we indicate precautionary strategies to maximize inference strength. Selecting the largest specimens of a target species helps dilute any iHg contamination. Specimens should be drawn from lots that were not comingled with fishes from other collections, to minimize risk of iHg transfer among fish with different contamination histories. Focusing on low-lipid species will enhance the comparability of Hg concentrations between historical and contemporary collections.

Environmental Science and Technology Letters↗
USGS2023

Establishing an in vitro model to assess the toxicity of 6PPD-quinone and other tire wear transformation products

The tire wear transformation product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ) has been implicated as the causative factor for broad scale mortality events for coho salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Highly variable sensitivity to 6PPDQ in closely related salmonids complicates efforts to evaluate the broader toxicological impacts to aquatic ecosystems. Our goals were to (1) validate the large range of in vivo species sensitivities reported for coho, Chinook, and sockeye salmon and (2) develop an in vitro platform for assessing 6PPDQ toxicity. In vivo studies confirmed the acute sensitivity of juvenile coho (12 h LC 50 = 80.4 ng/L) and demonstrated that sockeye salmon were not vulnerable to mortality. Chinook salmon were sensitive to 6PPDQ mortality at initial concentrations >25 μg/L, ∼10-fold greater than reported environmental measurements. In vitro , the coho salmon cell line CSE-119 was acutely sensitive to 6PPDQ (metabolic EC 50 = 7.9 μg/L, cytotoxicity EC 50 = 6.1 μg/L). Analogous Chinook (CHSE-214) and sockeye salmon (SSE-5) cell lines were nonresponsive in both assays, and rainbow trout RTG-2 cells began showing metabolic effects at 68 μg/L (EC 5 ). Recreation of species-specific 6PPDQ sensitivity in vitro implicates conserved modes of action in CSE-119 that could be utilized for mechanistic studies of 6PPDQ toxicity and screening of other PPD transformation products.

Environmental Science and Technology Letters↗
USGS2023

Mercury isotope values in shoreline spiders reveal transfer of aquatic mercury sources to terrestrial food webs

The transfer of aquatic contaminants, including mercury (Hg), to terrestrial food webs is an often-overlooked exposure pathway to terrestrial animals. While research has implemented the use of shoreline spiders to assess aquatic to terrestrial Hg transfer, it is unclear whether Hg sources, estimated from isotope ratios, can be successfully resolved to inform site assessments and remedy effectiveness. To examine aquatic to terrestrial Hg transfer, we collected shoreline spiders ( Tetragnatha spp.) and aquatic insect larvae (suborder Anisoptera) across a mosaic of aquatic and shoreline habitats in the St. Louis River and Bad River, tributaries to Lake Superior. The fraction of industrial Hg in sediments was reflected in the δ 202 Hg values of aquatic dragonfly larvae and predatory fish, connecting benthic Hg sources to the aquatic food web. Shoreline spiders mirrored these aquatic Hg source signatures with highly positive correlations in δ 202 Hg between tetragnathids and dragonfly larvae ( r 2 = 0.90). Further assessment of different spider taxa (i.e., araneids and pisaurids) revealed that differences in prey consumption and foraging strategies resulted in isotope differences, highlighting the importance of spider taxa selection for Hg monitoring efforts.

Minnesota, Wisconsin↗
USGS2024

Evidence of long-range transport of selenium downstream of coal mining operations in the Elk River Valley, Canada

Expanding coal-mining operations in the Elk River Valley (British Columbia, Canada) have increased total selenium (Se) concentrations in the transboundary Lake Koocanusa (Canada and United States), but the spatial extent of Se transport from the Elk River Mines is unknown. We evaluated multiple lines of evidence of long-range transport of Se at five sites downstream of the mines relative to a site unaffected by the mines. First, all mine-affected sites had increasing trends in flow-normalized Se concentrations between 2005 and 2021 (35–89%), while no trend was observed at the unaffected site between 2005 and 2017. Second, all mine-affected sites had elevated annual mean Se concentrations and 5-year mean annual loads (2013–2017) by up to an order of magnitude relative to the unaffected site. Third, Se concentrations and the magnitude of the concentration trend generally decreased with distance downstream from the mines while loads increased, which is consistent with the downstream transport of the bulk of the Se load from the mines with smaller contributions from other sources. These results provide multiple lines of evidence that Se from the Elk River Mines is transported over 575 river kilometers and may pose risks to aquatic life in the transboundary Columbia River.

Elk River Valley↗
USGS2015

Application of a microfluidic quantitative polymerase chain reaction technique to monitor bacterial pathogens in beach water and complex environmental matrices

Microfluidic quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MFQPCR) and conventional quantitative polymerase chain reaction methods were compared side by side in detecting and quantifying 19 genetic markers associated with Escherichia coli and select bacterial pathogens in algae, beach sand, and water from Lake Michigan. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Shiga toxin-producing E. coli , Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni , and Clostridium perfringens were among the pathogens tested. Of the pathogenic markers, eaeA that encodes intimin in EPEC was detected in all sample types: water (5%), detached/floating algae (42%), exposed/stranded algae (43%), sand below exposed algae (27%), and nearshore sand with no algae (22%). Other pathogenic markers, however, were detected sporadically. Despite comparable results from the two methods for the genetic markers tested in this study, the MFQPCR method may be superior, with the advantage of detecting and quantifying multiple pathogens simultaneously in environmental matrices.

Indiana↗
USGS1993

Distribution and mode of occurrence of selenium in US coals

Selenium excess and deficiency have been established as the cause of various health problems in man and animals. Combustion of fossil fuels, especially coal, may be a major source of the anthropogenic introduction of selenium in the environment. Coal is enriched in selenium relative to selenium's concentration in most other rocks and relative to selenium in the Earth's crust. Data from almost 9,000 coal samples have been used to determine the concentration and distribution of selenium in US coals. The geometric mean concentration of selenium in US coal is 1.7 ppm. The highest mean selenium value (geometric mean 4.7 ppm) is in the Texas Region. Atlantic Coast (Virginia and North Carolina) and Alaska coals have the lowest geometric means (0.2 and 0.42 ppm, respectively). All western coal regions have mean selenium concentrations of less than 2.0 ppm. In contrast, all coal basins east of the Rocky Mountains (except for several small basins in Rhode Island, Virginia, and North Carolina) have mean selenium values of 1.9 or greater. Generally, variations in selenium concentration do not correlate with variations in ash yield, pyritic sulphur, or organic sulphur concentrations. This may be the result of multiple sources of selenium; however, in some non-marine basins with restricted sources of selenium, selenium has positive correlations with other coal quality parameters. Selenium occurs in several forms in coal but appears to be chiefly associated with the organic fraction, probably substituting for organic sulphur. Other important forms of selenium in coal are selenium-bearing pyrite, selenium-bearing galena, and lead selenide (clausthalite). Water-soluble and ion-exchangeable selenium also have been reported. ?? 1993 Copyright Science and Technology Letters.

Environmental Geochemistry and Health↗
USGS2021

Alpine glacier reveals ecosystem impacts of Europe's prosperity and peril over the last millennium

Information about past ecosystem dynamics and human activities is stored in the ice of Colle Gnifetti glacier in the Swiss Alps. Adverse climatic intervals incurred crop failures and famines and triggered reestablishment of forest vegetation but also societal resilience through innovation. Historical documents and lake sediments record these changes at local—regional scales but often struggle to comprehensively document continental-scale impacts on ecosystems. Here, we provide unique multiproxy evidence of broad-scale ecosystem, land use, and climate dynamics over the past millennium from a Colle Gnifetti microfossil and oxygen isotope record. Microfossil data indicate that before 1750 CE forests and fallow land rapidly replaced crop cultivation during historically documented societal crises caused by climate shifts and epidemics. Subsequently, with technology and the introduction of more resilient crops, European societies adapted to the Little Ice Age cold period, but resource overexploitation and industrialization led to new regional to global-scale environmental challenges.

Geophysical Research Letters↗
USGS2015

Vulnerabilities and opportunities at the nexus of electricity, water and climate

The articles in this special issue examine the critical nexus of electricity, water, and climate, emphasizing connections among resources; the prospect of increasing vulnerabilities of water resources and electricity generation in a changing climate; and the opportunities for research to inform integrated energy and water policy and management measures aimed at reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience. Here, we characterize several major themes emerging from this research and highlight some of the uptake of this work in both scientific and public spheres. Underpinning much of this research is the recognition that water resources are expected to undergo substantial changes based on the global warming that results primarily from fossil energy-based carbon emissions. At the same time, the production of electricity from fossil fuels, nuclear power, and some renewable technologies (biomass, geothermal and concentrating solar power) can be highly water-intensive. Energy choices now and in the near future will have a major impact not just on the global climate, but also on water supplies and the resilience of energy systems that currently depend heavily on them.

Environmental Research Letters↗
USGS2026

A fresh perspective - Advancing fish immunotoxicology in a complex world

Understanding how environmental changes affect the health of organisms and ecosystems is complex, but recent interdisciplinary advances and the recognition of immune function as a dynamic mediator offer exciting progress. Environmental immunotoxicology in teleost fishes is evolving beyond cataloguing stressors towards a mechanistic, integrative framework that leverages omics, in vivo tracking and cross-disciplinary modelling. However, knowledge gaps in immune mechanisms, toxicokinetics and multi-stressor interactions remain. The present work highlights these gaps, advocating for immune function as both a mechanistic lens and an integrative health indicator. Such a framework can improve predictive risk assessments, management strategies and our understanding of contaminant effects on resilience, disease susceptibility and population viability. While challenges remain, the field is poised for significant growth through collaborative innovation and advancing technology.

FEBS Letters↗
USGS2014

Using constructed analogs to improve the skill of National Multi-Model Ensemble March–April–May precipitation forecasts in equatorial East Africa

In this study we implement and evaluate a simple 'hybrid' forecast approach that uses constructed analogs (CA) to improve the National Multi-Model Ensemble's (NMME) March–April–May (MAM) precipitation forecasts over equatorial eastern Africa (hereafter referred to as EA, 2°S to 8°N and 36°E to 46°E). Due to recent declines in MAM rainfall, increases in population, land degradation, and limited technological advances, this region has become a recent epicenter of food insecurity. Timely and skillful precipitation forecasts for EA could help decision makers better manage their limited resources, mitigate socio-economic losses, and potentially save human lives. The 'hybrid approach' described in this study uses the CA method to translate dynamical precipitation and sea surface temperature (SST) forecasts over the Indian and Pacific Oceans (specifically 30°S to 30°N and 30°E to 270°E) into terrestrial MAM precipitation forecasts over the EA region. In doing so, this approach benefits from the post-1999 teleconnection that exists between precipitation and SSTs over the Indian and tropical Pacific Oceans (Indo-Pacific) and EA MAM rainfall. The coupled atmosphere-ocean dynamical forecasts used in this study were drawn from the NMME. We demonstrate that while the MAM precipitation forecasts (initialized in February) skill of the NMME models over the EA region itself is negligible, the ranked probability skill score of hybrid CA forecasts based on Indo-Pacific NMME precipitation and SST forecasts reach up to 0.45.

Environmental Research Letters↗
USGS2020

Wind, sun, and wildlife: Do wind and solar energy development “short-circuit” conservation in the western United States?

Despite the trade-offs between renewable energy development, land use, humans, and wildlife, wind and solar development continues to transform the southwestern US into a green energy landscape. While renewable energy reduces carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels, many studies have emerged on the associated ecological and social impacts of this technology. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the nexus between wildlife conservation and energy development in the western US since 2010. We revisit pertinent ecological concepts and questions presented in earlier reviews to assess how far the field has progressed in mitigating negative effects. Specifically, we ask, what density or design of development maximizes energy benefits while minimizing negative effects on wildlife, whether the results of previously-deficient before-after control-impact studies are now more readily-available, and ultimately, can the impacts of renewable energy development on wildlife be mitigated? We also provide a case study on the federally-protected Desert Tortoise, a conservation-reliant species in the Desert Southwest US, to highlight efforts to mitigate the negative effects of renewable energy development. Our review concludes that successful mitigation is possible via use of spatial decision support tools, applying novel wildlife deterrence and detection systems developed for existing installed facilities, and incorporating impact studies that provide managers with conservation metrics for evaluating different future development land-use scenarios.

Environmental Research Letters↗
USGS2026

Opportunities and challenges for incorporating lithium-ion batteries into geophysical power systems

Batteries play a critical role at seismic and other geophysical stations in ensuring that the equipment receives uninterrupted power to make continuous observations of the Earth. Often sited in remote environments under a wide range of environmental conditions, these stations have almost ubiquitously used conventional lead‐acid batteries. However, recent advances in rechargeable lithium‐ion battery technology have led to the development of lithium‐iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that can replace lead‐acid batteries in energy storage systems. In the past three years, LFP battery production has grown over an order of magnitude, reducing their cost and increasing their availability. In this article, we examine the benefits and challenges associated with incorporating several types of LFP batteries into the power systems of geophysical stations. We review how fundamental differences in battery chemistry enable LFP batteries to weigh less than half of comparable lead‐acid batteries and may have longer service lives but have the added complexity of being managed by an integrated battery monitoring system (BMS) microcontroller. Through a controlled heat chamber experiment, we demonstrate that LFP batteries can be ideally suited for use in high‐temperature environments by offering longer service lives than lead‐acid batteries. However, for safety reasons, the BMS prevents most LFP batteries from being charged at temperatures <0°C, which complicates their use in colder regions and can lead to equipment damage if the charging system is not appropriately designed for this battery type. Finally, we address some of the unique challenges associated with adopting lithium batteries, including unexpected substantial (≤14 W) power consumption from the BMS, safety concerns, and shipping restrictions. It is our goal to help inform station operators and geophysicists about potential benefits and issues that can arise from using LFP batteries at seismic and geophysical stations in a range of environments.

Seismological Research Letters↗