EHS Support’s Sediment & Risk Assessment Team recently contributed to the following journal publications:
Stark, Jordan, et al. July 2023. Topographic Drivers of Soil Moisture Across a Large Sensor Network in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (USA)
Water Resources Research Journal
Summary: Developed models of fine-scale variation in soil moisture based on data collected using low-cost custom-built soil moisture sensors deployed across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as part of a master’s thesis. While past work shows that below-canopy temperature varies dramatically based on topography, near-surface soil moisture was driven more strongly by elevation than local topographic position (ridge vs. valley) with a five-fold increase in moisture over the elevation range in the park. Slope also interacted with elevation to control moisture, with flatter areas having higher soil moisture than steeper areas.
Parker, Catharine, et al. May 2023. An Assessment of Southeast United States Headwater Tidal Creek Sediment Contamination Over a Twenty-Year Period in Relation to Coastal Development
Environmental Management
Summary: As sentinel habitats, 18 headwater tidal creeks throughout the Southeast were sampled for metals, PAHs, pesticides, PCBs, and PBDEs to assess sediment quality in relation to the level of urban and suburban development in the surrounding watershed.
McCue, Dana, Mancini, Ceil, et al. June 2023. Addressing Uncertainties in Potential Human Dietary Exposure to Mercury in the Watershed of the South River, Virginia, USA
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Summary: Numerous health advisories warn against consumption of mercury-contaminated fish species. Few studies have focused on other dietary sources of mercury and how to advise humans potentially exposed by this route. This manuscript describes studies of non-fish dietary items (livestock, poultry, and wildlife) conducted for the South River watershed and the actions taken to better explain the potential for human exposures to mercury in these non-fish dietary items.
