Emerging Contaminants In the Environment
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 "Emerging contaminants" can be broadly defined as
any synthetic or naturally occurring chemical or any microorganism that is
not commonly monitored in the environment but has the potential to enter the
environment and cause known or suspected adverse ecological and(or) human
health effects. In some cases, release of emerging chemical or microbial
contaminants to the environment has likely occurred for a long time, but may
not have  been recognized until new detection methods were
developed. In other cases, synthesis of new chemicals or changes in use and
disposal of existing chemicals can create new sources of emerging
contaminants.
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Research is documenting with increasing frequency that many chemical and microbial constituents that
have not historically been considered as contaminants are present in the environment on a global
scale. These "emerging contaminants" are commonly derived from municipal, agricultural,
and industrial wastewater sources and pathways. These newly recognized contaminants represent a
shift in traditional thinking as many are produced industrially yet are dispersed to the environment
from domestic, commercial, and industrial uses.
The major goal of the Emerging Contaminants Project is to
provide information on these compounds for evaluation of their potential threat to environmental and
human health. To accomplish this goal, the
research activities of this
project are to: (1) develop analytical methods to measure chemicals and
microorganisms or their genes in a variety of matrices (e.g. water, sediment, waste) down to trace
levels, (2) determine the environmental occurrence of these potential contaminants,
(3) characterize the myriad of sources and source pathways that determine
contaminant release to the environment, (4) define and quantify processes that determine their
transport and fate through the environment, and (5) identify potential
ecologic effects from exposure to these chemicals or microorganisms. Project
research on emerging contaminants is being conducted within these five areas. The following links
provide more detailed information.
- Analytical Methods Development
- Environmental Occurrence
- Sources and Source Pathways
- Transport and Fate
- Ecological Effects
Emerging Contaminant Headlines
Meetings and Conferences
New Publications
Upcoming Publications
- Fate of trace organic compounds during vadose zone soil treatment in an onsite wastewater system: Conn, K.E., Siegrist, R.L., Barber, L.B., and Meyer, M.T., Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (IN PRESS).
- WhatÕs in your floodwater?: Kolpin, D.W., and Hornbuckle, K., in Mutel, C.F., ed., A Watershed Year--Anatomy of the Iowa Floods of 2008, Iowa City, University of Iowa Press (IN PRESS).
Newly Published
- Antidepressant pharmaceuticals in two U.S. effluent-impacted streams--Occurrence and fate in water and sediment, and selective uptake in fish neural tissue: Schultz, M.M., Furlong, E.T., Kolpin, D.W., Werner, S.L., Schoenfuss, H.L., Barber, L.B., Blazer, V.S., Norris, D.O., and Vajda, A.M., 2010, Environmental Science and Technology, doi:10.1021/es9022706 (Advanced Web release).
- Comparing wastewater chemicals, indicator bacteria concentrations, and bacterial pathogen genes as fecal pollution indicators: Haack, S.K., Duris, J.W., Fogarty, L.R., Kolpin, D.W., Focazio, M.J., Furlong, E.T., and Meyer, M.T., 2009, Journal of Environmental Quality, v. 38, no. 1, p. 248-258, doi:10.2134/jeq2008.0173.
- Contaminants of emerging concern--Introduction to a featured collection: Battaglin, W.A., and Kolpin, D.W., 2009, JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, v. 45, no. 1, p. 1-3, doi:10.1111/j.1752-1688.2008.00299.x.
- Biodegradation of 17β-estradiol, estrone and testosterone in stream sediments: Bradley, P.M., Barber, L.B., Chapelle, F.H., Gray, J.L., Kolpin, D.W., and McMahon, P.B., 2009, Environmental Science and Technology, v. 43, no. 6, p. 1902-1910, doi:10.1021/es802797j.
- The occurrence of antibiotics in an urban watershed--From wastewater to drinking water: Watkinson, A.J., Murby, E.J., Kolpin, D.W., and Costanzo, S.D., 2009, Science of the Total Environment, v. 407, no. 8, p. 2,711-2,723, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.11.059.
- Predator avoidance performance of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) following short-term exposure to estrogen mixtures: McGee, M.R., Julius, M.L., Vajda, A.M., Norris, D.O., Barber, L.B., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2009, Aquatic Toxicology, v. 91, no. 4, p. 355-361, doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2008.12.002.
- Waste-indicator and pharmaceutical compounds in landfill-leachate-affected ground water near Elkhart, Indiana, 2000-2002: Buszka, P.M., Yeskis, D.J., Kolpin, D.W., Furlong, E.T., Zaugg, S.D., and Meyer, M.T., 2009, Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 82, no. 6, p. 653-659, doi:10.1007/s00128-009-9702-z.
- Fate of sulfamethoxazole, 4-nonyphenol, and 17β-estradiol in groundwater contaminated by wastewater treatment plant effluent: Barber, L.B., Keefe, S.H., LeBlanc, D.R., Bradley, P.M., Chapelle, F.H., Meyer, M.T., Loftin, K.A., Kolpin, D.W., and Rubio, F., 2009, Environmental Science and Technology, v. 43, no. 13, p. 4843-4850, doi:10.1021/es803292v.
- Reproductive health of bass in the Potomac, USA drainage--Part 2. Seasonal occurrence of persistent and emerging organic contaminants: Alvarez, D.A., Cranor, W.L., Perkins, S.D., Schroeder, V., Iwanowicz, L.R., Clark, R.C., Guy, C.P., Pinkney, A., Blazer, V.S., and Mullican, J.E., 2009, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 28, no. 5, p. 1084-1095, doi:10.1897/08-417.1.
- Gene and antigen markers of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli from Michigan and Indiana river water--Occurrence and relation to recreational water quality criteria: Duris, J.W., Haack, S.K., and Fogarty, L.R., 2009, Journal of Environmental Quality, v. 38, no. 5, p. 1878-1886, doi:10.2134/jeq2008.0225.
- Reproductive health of bass in the Potomac, USA, drainage--Part 1. Exploring the effects of proximity to wastewater treatment plant discharge: Iwanowicz, L.R., Blazer, V.S., Guy, C.P., Pinkney, A.E., Mullican, J., and A., A.D., 2009, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 28, no. 5, p. 1072-1083, doi:10.1897/08-433.1.
- Antidepressants at environmentally relevant concentrations affect predator avoidance behavior of larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas): Painter, M.M., Buerkley, M.A., Julius, M.L., Vajda, A.M., Norris, D.O., Barber, L.B., Furlong, E.T., Schultz, M.M., and Schoenfuss, H.L., 2009, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 28, no. 12, p. 2677-2684, doi:10.1897/08-556.1.
- Occurrence and removal of pharmaceutically active compounds in sewage treatment plants with different technologies: Ying, G.G., Kookana, R.S., and Kolpin, D.W., 2009, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, v. 11, no. 8, p. 1498-1505, doi:10.1039/b904548a.
Select Information on Emerging Contaminant Research Outside the Toxic Substances Hydrology
Program
- Endocrine Disruptor Research,
Contaminant Biology Program, USGS
- Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Pharmaceuticals and
Personal Care Products (PPCPs) as Environmental Pollutants, National Exposure Research Laboratory,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Pharmaceuticals in the Environment, Information for
Assessing Risk (PEIAR) Project, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Antibiotic/Antimicrobial
Resistance, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Materials of Emerging Regulatory Interest Team
(MERIT), Emerging Contaminants Directorate, Department of Defense (The official DoD source
for emerging contaminants information)
- EU-Project Poseidon, Assessment of
Technologies for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Sewage and
Drinking Water Facilities to Improve the Indirect Potable Water Reuse, European Union
- Environmental Risk Assessment of
Veterinary Medicines in Sludge (ERAVMIS), International Office for Water
More Information
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