USGS scientists use an automated accelerated solvents extractor to prepare soil samples from a confined animal feeding operation for analysis of antibiotics.

A liquid chromatograph coupled to a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC/MS/MS) that is used for the quantitative analysis of polar organic molecules, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

USGS scientists analyze water samples for pharmaceuticals at environmentally relevant concentrations with an LC/MS/MS instrument capable of detecting ultra-trace concentrations.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is one of several types of DNA-based methods used to detect genes (white bands in this picture) in bacteria. This method and others are being used to study the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and microbial contaminants.

Emerging contaminants can originate from a variety of animal- and human-waste sources such as this hog production facility.

Emerging contaminants can originate from a variety of animal- and human-waste sources such as this wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater discharges, such as this one in Arizona, were sampled by USGS scientists as part of a study of the persistence of selected emerging contaminants in streams receiving wastewater effluent.

USGS scientists sampled manures from confined animal feeding operations, such as this one in New York, as part of the Source Characterization Study.

Manures from confined animal feeding operations, such as this chicken house in Ohio, were sampled as part of the Source Characterization Study for Emerging Contaminants Project.

USGS field technicians retrieved samples from sewers for analysis of emerging contaminants as part of the Source Characterization Study for Emerging Contaminants Project.

The USGS conducted a study to determine the persistence of selected emerging contaminants in streams receiving wastewater effluent.

The USGS and its partners conducted a study to determine the temporal occurrence and persistence of emerging contaminants in an effluent-dependent stream (Santa Cruz River at Trico Road, near Maranna, AZ). Sampling were collected at different points during the daily fluctuations for the stream.