Welcome to USGS Contaminant Biology Program
The USGS Contaminant Biology Program investigates the effects and exposure of environmental contaminants to the Nation's living resources, particularly those under the stewardship of the Department of the Interior. This information helps to:
- Establish cleanup levels and restoration goals,
- Assess risk and damage to natural resources,
- Discern the role of contaminants in species declines and mortality, and
- Monitor changes resulting from restoration or natural processes.
Major research components of the program include:Chemistry, Toxicology, Contaminated Habitats, Integration and Assessment of Ecological Stressors
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Research Highlights
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| Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) as a fish-eating bird can be affected by mercury contamination in aquatic environments.
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Mercury Risks to Fish-Eating Birds in San Francisco Bay
Fish-eating birds are good indicators of mercury contamination and risk to wildlife in aquatic food webs. USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists estimate that between 13 and 22 percent of the waterbirds in San Francisco Bay are at high risk for harmful effects due to mercury concentrations, based on concentrations in blood or feathers. Breeding terns are likely to be even more at risk. Their blood mercury concentrations more than tripled during the pre-breeding time period of this study. Results were recently published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. For more information, contact Josh Ackerman at 530-752-0485 or jackerman@usgs.gov
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Determination of Total Mercury in Fillets of Sport Fishes Collected from Folsom Reservoir, California, 2006 by Thomas W. May and William G. Brumbaugh. (Download report (662 kB)) -
This report presents the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, done in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, to determine mercury concentrations in selected sport fishes from Folsom Reservoir in California. Fillets were collected from each fish sample, and after homogenization and lyophilization of fish fillets, mercury concentrations were determined with a direct mercury analyzer utilizing the process of thermal combustion-gold amalgamation atomic absorption spectroscopy. Read More >
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In the Spotlight
 Web Portal for Wildlife Toxicology Sites -
The Whole Wildlife Toxicology Catalog web portal is now
available.
The portal provides access
to over 25 wildlife toxicology sites and databases from government,
academia and non-profit organizations that deal with contaminant
monitoring, mortality incidents, acute and chronic toxicity data,
accumulation factors, toxicological reference values, interspecies
correlations, and more general wildlife toxicology literature. For additional information, recommendations and
suggested sites for the portal, contact Barnett Rattner.
More >
Featured Publication
 Elements in Mud and Snow in the Vicinity of the DeLong Mountain Regional Transportation System Road, Red Dog Mine, and Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska, 2005–06 (By William J. Brumbaugh and Thomas W. May) -
A small number of mud, road bed soil, and snow samples were collected in 2005 and 2006 to assess metal concentrations such as
cadmium, lead, and zinc, and loadings to areas adjacent to the DeLong Mountain Regional Transportation System (DMTS) road in northwest Alaska. Dispersal of mine ore wastes or concentrates by vehicles remain as a potential source of metals along the DMTS road,
contributing considerable metal loadings to the nearby terrain.
Download report (1.4 MB pdf)
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
