Perchlorate data for streams and groundwater in selected areas of the United States, 2004

Abstract

For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprodTo order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. AbstractThis report presents data collected as part of a reconnaissance study to evaluate the occurrence of perchlorate in rivers and streams and in shallow aquifers in selected areas of the United States. Perchlorate, a component in rocket fuels, fireworks, and some explosives is soluble in water and persists in soils and water for long periods. It is biologically active at relatively low-levels in the environment, and has been identified as an endocrine-disrupting chemical. The purpose of this reconnaissance was to determine the occurrence of perchlorate in agricultural areas of the Midwestern and North-Central United States and in arid Central and Western parts of the United States.Samples were collected from 171 sites on rivers and streams and 146 sites from wells during the summer and early fall of 2004. Samples were collected from surface-water sites in 19 states and from wells in 5 states. Perchlorate was detected in samples collected in 15 states and was detected in 34 of 182 samples from rivers and streams and in 64 of 148 groundwater samples at concentrations equal to or greater than 0.4 micrograms per liter. Perchlorate concentrations were 1.0 micrograms per liter or greater in surface-water samples from seven states and in groundwater samples in four states. Only one surface-water and one groundwater sample had concentrations greater than 5.0 micrograms per liter. Perchlorate concentrations in followup samples collected from 1 to 3 months after the initial sample were unchanged at four of five stream sites.

Habitability on Early Mars and the Search for Biosignatures with the ExoMars Rover

“…What about its distribution? We know from Earth that, once it has reached the soil, perchlorate can be very effectively dissolved and mobilized by water (Kalkhoff et al , 2010 ; Cull et al , 2014 ). It is, therefore, possible that sedimentary materials deposited under aqueous conditions ( i.e.…”

Bacterial growth tolerance to concentrations of chlorate and perchlorate salts relevant to Mars

“…Perchlorate salts on the Earth tend to result from industrial processes that produce explosives, herbicides, lubricants, paints and paper (Motzer 2001; Urbansky 2002). These salts can contaminate drinking water and be toxic to humans, through competition with iodine in the thyroid (Hooth et al 2001; Kalkhoff et al 2010; EPA 2011). Natural perchlorate salts have been detected in the very arid regions of the Atacama Desert and Antarctica (Kounaves et al 2010; Jackson et al 2015a).…”

Population-relevant endpoints in the evaluation of endocrine-active substances (EAS) for ecotoxicological hazard and risk assessment

“…However, the doses at which these endpoints respond in birds vary by orders of magnitude from 0.05 mg/L (in drinking water provided ad libitum to quail) for changes in thyroidal T4, 0.1 mg/L for thyroid histopathological effects, 500 mg/L for changes in thyroid weight, to 4000 mg/L for changes in tibia and femur length, which may have potential population relevance but is unclear. Additionally, the concentration of 4000 mg/L is above environmentally relevant concentrations (i.e., <1–5 µg/L; Kalkhoff et al ). Therefore, these observed changes in the thyroid‐mediated endpoints (i.e., T4, thyroid weight) following PRC exposure confirm a thyroid MOA but do not result in observable changes in population‐relevant endpoints.…”