Leading the Way: Specialized Laboratory Contributions to Environmental Health
The Environmental Health Program features a Unified Core Technology Team comprised of multiple laboratories with specialized expertise that support the overall program research assessing actual and perceived risks from environmental contaminants and pathogens. Individual Core Technology Teams work closely with the Integrated Science Teams to ensure current and emerging techniques are being used to address environmental health issues. Their diverse capabilities include advanced methods for measuring chemicals in the environment and assessing their effects on both ecosystems and animal/human health, employing technologies from analytical chemistry, micro and molecular biology, and geospatial analysis to tackle pressing environmental challenges.
Unified Core Technology Team
The Environmental Health Unified Core Technology team uses advanced methods and technologies to explore a range of issues, from how chemicals affect ecosystems to the impact of pollutants on fish, wildlife, and human health. They analyze harmful substances and microbes in different environments, looking at their effects on living things, from DNA to entire populations. They also study water movement to see how these harmful factors spread and change. Additionally, they use geographical analysis to understand how the location of these stressors, different land types, potential sources, and exposure risks interact. This valuable information helps shape strategies and actions to improve environmental health.
Chemistry at the Forefront of Environmental Health Research
The Environmental Health Program features specialized laboratories dedicated to studying chemical impacts on health:
- Algal and Environmental Toxins Laboratory: This lab measures algal and cyanobacterial toxins and associated secondary metabolites, in environmental matrices utilizing both targeted and non-targeted approaches. With this data the scientists quantify known algal and cyanobacterial toxins and works to identify other secondary metabolites or co-occurring analytes which may promote or impede toxin production and HABs.
- Environmental Chemistry Core Technology Team: This lab employs advanced sampling and analysis techniques to assess the occurrence, fate, transport, and biological risk of legacy and emerging organic and inorganic chemicals across various environmental matrices. They combine routine analysis with custom methods. They are experts in the field of passive sampling which is a technique for sampling chemicals over extended periods of time and to provide a measure of the biological-relevant exposure of chemicals to aquatic life.
- Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory: Focused on trace-level organic pollutants, particularly pesticides., this lab uses state-of-the-art to track chemical exposure, uptake, and transformation across a wide range of matrices and assess their effects on biological (e.g. pollinators) and human health.
- Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory: This laboratory investigates the occurrence, fate, transport, and biological risk of organic chemicals. They develop methods and analyze for emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and tire-related chemicals (6PPD-quinone)
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Core Technology Team: With four laboratories across the country, this team uses advanced tools and techniques to measure PFAS in different environmental samples, aiming to understand how they move, behave, and affect health.
Assessing the Role of Microbiology in Environmental Health
Together, these teams combine microbiology and biogeochemistry to deliver valuable insights for enhancing environmental health and guiding stakeholders.
Michigan Bacteriological Research Laboratory (MI-BaRL): employs traditional and modern molecular techniques, such as cultivation, fluorescence microscopy, PCR, and next-generation sequencing, to study how microorganisms affect water quality and health for both wildlife and humans. The lab focuses on detecting pathogens, antibiotic resistance, and cyanotoxins in the environment
Microbial Biogeochemistry Core Technology Team: investigates the interactions of major biogeochemical cycles—carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and iron—with contaminants. They use isotope amendment techniques to measure microbial processes in sediments and water. Their analytical capabilities include mercury speciation and trace element measurement, providing a comprehensive understanding of contaminant dynamics.
Understanding Contaminant Fate and Movement in Water Resources
Biologically Active Core Technology: studies the occurrence and effects of complex chemical mixtures in surface and groundwater, essential for assessing water quality and availability in the U.S. This research addresses contamination from various chemicals, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and PFAS, especially amid rising population demands and climate change.
Hydrogeophysics Core Technology Team: applies advanced remote sensing (hydrogeophysical) tools to analyze hydrologic processes and geologic structure. They image water properties to track contaminant movement in groundwater, monitor soil moisture, quantify saltwater intrusion, and identify preferential flow paths. Additionally, they specialize in new field and analysis methods development. Their extensive hydrogeophyscal toolkit is unique across the USGS and their work as a CTT enhances our ability to forecast water quality and quantity changes while tackling urgent issues like PFAS transport and acid mine drainage.
Understanding Contaminants Through Geospatial Analysis
Geospatial Analyses and Application Core Technology Team (GAAT): team members stationed across the country use advanced tools to combine large amounts of geographic data with real-world observations, helping to track how contaminants move and their potential impacts on health. The team gathers consistent national data aiming to identify gaps and analytical needs and create clear communication tools for the public and stakeholders. They focus on understanding various health issues related to different contaminants, explore and generate new sources of data, and study emerging pollutants and pathogens to assess their risks to both people and aquatic ecosystems.
Examining Exposure Effects on Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems
These teams provide comprehensive insights into the effects of contaminants on wildlife, contributing essential data to inform conservation efforts and public health initiatives.
Behavioral Toxicology Core Technology Team: focuses on how contaminants affect animal behavior. Utilizing advanced methodologies, the lab measures behavioral changes and links these responses to population health and viability. This research enhances understanding of the ecological impacts of contaminants on aquatic wildlife.
Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and Disease Research Facility Core Technology Team: specializes in studying how diseases, contaminants, and other environmental stressors impact wildlife health. It uses captive bird colonies, such as American Kestrels and Japanese quail, to investigate disease resistance, immune challenges, and the effects of contaminants on immune function. The facility includes specialized enclosures and labs that allow researchers to simulate natural conditions while monitoring disease and contaminant-related outcomes like reproduction and immune response. Advanced laboratory capabilities support these studies by analyzing biomarkers, gene expression, and immune system indicators to better understand how diseases and contaminants affect different species under various environmental conditions.
Investigating the Effects of Environmental Pollutants Using Bioassays
These teams utilize bioassays to assess the impact of environmental pollutants on living organisms and ecosystems, offering valuable insights to support environmental health and inform resource management.
Functional and Molecular Bioassay Core Technology Team (FMBL): develops tests to evaluate how disease or chemical mixtures in environmental water or other sample types affect living organisms. These analyses compliment analytical chemistry and biological datasets. Analyses can include functional endpoints (like toxicity testing) or methods including custom designed quantitative gene expression analysis to detect both organisms and pathogens. If genetic data is not available, FMBL can also obtain that information via in-house high throughput sequencing methods. The lab conducts routine assessments for harmful effects, including toxicity and potential mutations caused by contaminants. Additionally, FMBL screens for endocrine-disrupting chemicals and studies their effects on organisms including fish at the cellular level.
Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry Laboratory: employs advanced techniques to analyze the effects of environmental stressors on cells and DNA integrity, providing insights into the overall health of ecosystems at the landscape level. This lab enhances the understanding of how environmental pollutants impact cellular functions and ecosystem dynamics.
The Unified Core Technology Team enhances scientific research within the Environmental Health Program and across all U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mission areas. By developing advanced methods, predictive models, and data visualization tools, they drive innovation and inform best practices. The team also promotes interdisciplinary collaboration by providing technical support and training programs that enhance research skills. Additionally, they translate complex scientific findings, supporting evidence-based decision-making. Through these efforts, Core Technology Teams significantly strengthen the scientific capacity of USGS, empowering research that addresses critical environmental health and other societal challenges effectively.
The Environmental Health Program features a Unified Core Technology Team comprised of multiple laboratories with specialized expertise that support the overall program research assessing actual and perceived risks from environmental contaminants and pathogens. Individual Core Technology Teams work closely with the Integrated Science Teams to ensure current and emerging techniques are being used to address environmental health issues. Their diverse capabilities include advanced methods for measuring chemicals in the environment and assessing their effects on both ecosystems and animal/human health, employing technologies from analytical chemistry, micro and molecular biology, and geospatial analysis to tackle pressing environmental challenges.
Unified Core Technology Team
The Environmental Health Unified Core Technology team uses advanced methods and technologies to explore a range of issues, from how chemicals affect ecosystems to the impact of pollutants on fish, wildlife, and human health. They analyze harmful substances and microbes in different environments, looking at their effects on living things, from DNA to entire populations. They also study water movement to see how these harmful factors spread and change. Additionally, they use geographical analysis to understand how the location of these stressors, different land types, potential sources, and exposure risks interact. This valuable information helps shape strategies and actions to improve environmental health.
Chemistry at the Forefront of Environmental Health Research
The Environmental Health Program features specialized laboratories dedicated to studying chemical impacts on health:
- Algal and Environmental Toxins Laboratory: This lab measures algal and cyanobacterial toxins and associated secondary metabolites, in environmental matrices utilizing both targeted and non-targeted approaches. With this data the scientists quantify known algal and cyanobacterial toxins and works to identify other secondary metabolites or co-occurring analytes which may promote or impede toxin production and HABs.
- Environmental Chemistry Core Technology Team: This lab employs advanced sampling and analysis techniques to assess the occurrence, fate, transport, and biological risk of legacy and emerging organic and inorganic chemicals across various environmental matrices. They combine routine analysis with custom methods. They are experts in the field of passive sampling which is a technique for sampling chemicals over extended periods of time and to provide a measure of the biological-relevant exposure of chemicals to aquatic life.
- Organic Chemistry Research Laboratory: Focused on trace-level organic pollutants, particularly pesticides., this lab uses state-of-the-art to track chemical exposure, uptake, and transformation across a wide range of matrices and assess their effects on biological (e.g. pollinators) and human health.
- Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory: This laboratory investigates the occurrence, fate, transport, and biological risk of organic chemicals. They develop methods and analyze for emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and tire-related chemicals (6PPD-quinone)
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Core Technology Team: With four laboratories across the country, this team uses advanced tools and techniques to measure PFAS in different environmental samples, aiming to understand how they move, behave, and affect health.
Assessing the Role of Microbiology in Environmental Health
Together, these teams combine microbiology and biogeochemistry to deliver valuable insights for enhancing environmental health and guiding stakeholders.
Michigan Bacteriological Research Laboratory (MI-BaRL): employs traditional and modern molecular techniques, such as cultivation, fluorescence microscopy, PCR, and next-generation sequencing, to study how microorganisms affect water quality and health for both wildlife and humans. The lab focuses on detecting pathogens, antibiotic resistance, and cyanotoxins in the environment
Microbial Biogeochemistry Core Technology Team: investigates the interactions of major biogeochemical cycles—carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and iron—with contaminants. They use isotope amendment techniques to measure microbial processes in sediments and water. Their analytical capabilities include mercury speciation and trace element measurement, providing a comprehensive understanding of contaminant dynamics.
Understanding Contaminant Fate and Movement in Water Resources
Biologically Active Core Technology: studies the occurrence and effects of complex chemical mixtures in surface and groundwater, essential for assessing water quality and availability in the U.S. This research addresses contamination from various chemicals, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and PFAS, especially amid rising population demands and climate change.
Hydrogeophysics Core Technology Team: applies advanced remote sensing (hydrogeophysical) tools to analyze hydrologic processes and geologic structure. They image water properties to track contaminant movement in groundwater, monitor soil moisture, quantify saltwater intrusion, and identify preferential flow paths. Additionally, they specialize in new field and analysis methods development. Their extensive hydrogeophyscal toolkit is unique across the USGS and their work as a CTT enhances our ability to forecast water quality and quantity changes while tackling urgent issues like PFAS transport and acid mine drainage.
Understanding Contaminants Through Geospatial Analysis
Geospatial Analyses and Application Core Technology Team (GAAT): team members stationed across the country use advanced tools to combine large amounts of geographic data with real-world observations, helping to track how contaminants move and their potential impacts on health. The team gathers consistent national data aiming to identify gaps and analytical needs and create clear communication tools for the public and stakeholders. They focus on understanding various health issues related to different contaminants, explore and generate new sources of data, and study emerging pollutants and pathogens to assess their risks to both people and aquatic ecosystems.
Examining Exposure Effects on Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems
These teams provide comprehensive insights into the effects of contaminants on wildlife, contributing essential data to inform conservation efforts and public health initiatives.
Behavioral Toxicology Core Technology Team: focuses on how contaminants affect animal behavior. Utilizing advanced methodologies, the lab measures behavioral changes and links these responses to population health and viability. This research enhances understanding of the ecological impacts of contaminants on aquatic wildlife.
Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and Disease Research Facility Core Technology Team: specializes in studying how diseases, contaminants, and other environmental stressors impact wildlife health. It uses captive bird colonies, such as American Kestrels and Japanese quail, to investigate disease resistance, immune challenges, and the effects of contaminants on immune function. The facility includes specialized enclosures and labs that allow researchers to simulate natural conditions while monitoring disease and contaminant-related outcomes like reproduction and immune response. Advanced laboratory capabilities support these studies by analyzing biomarkers, gene expression, and immune system indicators to better understand how diseases and contaminants affect different species under various environmental conditions.
Investigating the Effects of Environmental Pollutants Using Bioassays
These teams utilize bioassays to assess the impact of environmental pollutants on living organisms and ecosystems, offering valuable insights to support environmental health and inform resource management.
Functional and Molecular Bioassay Core Technology Team (FMBL): develops tests to evaluate how disease or chemical mixtures in environmental water or other sample types affect living organisms. These analyses compliment analytical chemistry and biological datasets. Analyses can include functional endpoints (like toxicity testing) or methods including custom designed quantitative gene expression analysis to detect both organisms and pathogens. If genetic data is not available, FMBL can also obtain that information via in-house high throughput sequencing methods. The lab conducts routine assessments for harmful effects, including toxicity and potential mutations caused by contaminants. Additionally, FMBL screens for endocrine-disrupting chemicals and studies their effects on organisms including fish at the cellular level.
Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry Laboratory: employs advanced techniques to analyze the effects of environmental stressors on cells and DNA integrity, providing insights into the overall health of ecosystems at the landscape level. This lab enhances the understanding of how environmental pollutants impact cellular functions and ecosystem dynamics.
The Unified Core Technology Team enhances scientific research within the Environmental Health Program and across all U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mission areas. By developing advanced methods, predictive models, and data visualization tools, they drive innovation and inform best practices. The team also promotes interdisciplinary collaboration by providing technical support and training programs that enhance research skills. Additionally, they translate complex scientific findings, supporting evidence-based decision-making. Through these efforts, Core Technology Teams significantly strengthen the scientific capacity of USGS, empowering research that addresses critical environmental health and other societal challenges effectively.