&EPA
MED in Review
www.epa.gov
EPA/600/N-10/003
Winter 2011
Research Events
United States Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Research and
Development
National Health and
Environmental Effects
Research Laboratory
Mid-Continent Ecology
Division, Duluth,
Minnesota
In this Issue:
Research Events
Featured Research
Current Events
Upcoming Events
New Publications
MED Seminars
Awards
People
CAGED FISH STUDIES Focus ON CONTAMINANTS OF EMERGING CONCERN
Team members with the Toxic Effects Characterization
Research Branch took to the field-or should we say
harbor-last summer in support of the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative. The overall goal of this research is to
develop and validate methods using in vitro cell based
systems (with field collected water samples) and caged fish
exposures that are suitable for detecting and monitoring
different classes of contaminants of emerging concern in the
Great Lakes. Site locations focused primarily on wastewater
treatment plant discharges and areas where endocrine
disrupting compounds may be present. Some of these sites
are currently monitored by the US Geological Survey, the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, US Fish and Wildlife
Service, and the University of St. Thomas.
Mike Kahl and Linnea Thomas,
Student Services Contractor, at
harbor landing
One of the primary goals
addressed this season was the development of an easily deployed
caged fish exposure system for studies ranging from 2 to 10 days
using sexually mature fathead minnows (Pimephalespromelas). A
preliminary study in July helped refine organism transport and
deployment techniques as well as containment and sampling
concerns. Four exposure sites were used for the definitive ten-day
fish exposure in September. They were the upper St. Louis River in
Fond du Lac, two sites near the Western Lake Superior Sanitary
District, and one site near the Superior Municipal Wastewater
Treatment Facility. Modified cages containing fish were secured to
each of the three buoys at each of the four exposure sites.
Deployment techniques developed last summer will be used at sites in the Great Lakes
including New York, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in 2011 and 2012.
Contact: Michael Kahl (218) 529-5179.
Linnea Thomas
MED in Review Editor
Mary Ann Starus
(218)529-5075
starus.maryann@epa.gov
MED in Review Design
SES3 Contract
GS-35F-4594G
Task Order 1524
Fond du Lac site
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division Duluth, MN
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R/VLAKE EXPLORER //WORKS IN LAKE MICHIGAN'S GREEN BAY
MED researchers in the Ecosystem Assessment Research (ECAR) branch conducted a
shakedown science cruise for the R/V Lake Explorer II in Lake Michigan's Green Bay
August 23-27. The ship was recently transferred to MED from NOAA and is being
retrofitted to support MED research activities. This cruise provided a first full scale
operational test to evaluate the existing science configuration and identify additional ship
outfitting needs. We also deployed and tested a new in situ nitrate analyzer (SUNA, from
the Satlantic Corp.). The principle of detection for the nitrate analyzers is based on a
characteristic NO3 UV absorption spectrum. The nitrate analyzer adds a nutrient
component to our current tow system that monitors physical and biological parameters; it
can make nutrient measurements at a frequency of every two seconds while being towed
up and down through the water column. This will provide high-resolution data and
spatially connect and extend fixed-station discrete depth sampling forNOS.
Lake Explorer II underway
Photo courtesy of John McDonough, Escanaba
Sunrise in Escanaba
Photo courtesy of John McDonough
The primary research objective for the cruise was to conduct a high-resolution survey using
continuous towing technology along approximately 365 km of nearshore (<30 m depth) in
Lake Michigan's Green Bay. The data (270,000 records consisting of multiple fields) provide
geo-position based information on variability along the nearshore to be analyzed with respect
to landscape characteristics of the adjacent coastal watersheds. The Green Bay tow covered a
large portion of Lake Michigan, and complements a survey (1100 km) in September 8-15
from the R/V Lake Guardian (also an ECAR research activity). Both the August and
September tow surveys 1) complete an initial field program for developing a nearshore
monitoring program across the Great Lakes and 2) supported the 2010 Coordinated Science
and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) effort to sample Lake Michigan. The EPA Great Lakes
National Program Office's CSMI will promote a coordinated comprehensive sampling of each
Great Lake on a five-year rotational cycle by various
bi-national government agencies. The Lake Michigan
sampling completed the first round of organizational attempts in this effort. The August and
September surveys also were concurrent with the first National Coastal Condition Assessment
(NCCA) for the Great Lakes conducted by the Office of Water (with technical support from MED).
The tow surveys provide an alternate comparison to the NCCA fixed-station (45 sites) sampling of
Lake Michigan's nearshore region (<30 m depth or within 5 km from the shoreline).
ECAR staff participating in the Green Bay cruise included Tim Corry, Anne Cotter, Andrew Just
(summer student), Sam Miller, Jill Scharold, Jon Van Alstine, and Peder Yurista.
Contact: Jack Kelly (218) 529-5119.
Peder Yurista
MED PAPER HIGHLIGHTED IN Tax Sci
Hornung, M.W., SJ. Degitz, J.J. Korte, J.M. Olson, P.A. Kosian, A.L. Linnum, and J.E. Tietge. Inhibition of thyroid hormone release
from cultured amphibian thyroid glands by methimazole, 6-propylthiouracil, and perchlorate. lexicological Sciences 118:42-51.
A recently published paper from the Division is the subject of a "Highlight" article in the September 2010 issue of Toxicological
Sciences. Papers selected to be highlighted generally are considered by the editorial staff of the journal to be exceptionally timely and of
great importance to the broad toxicology community. The work by Hornung and co-investigators presents ongoing efforts to develop
assays that can be used to test chemicals for thyroid hormone disruption using thyroid gland explant cultures from Xenopus laevis
tadpoles. These assays are similar to high-throughput, cell-culture-based assays in that they are conducted in 96-well plates, and, yet, like
the in vivo tadpole, the cultured thyroid gland retains the functional components necessary for thyroid hormone synthesis and secretion.
In the highlighted editorial by Dr. Martin van den Berg, he states that"... the development of an in vitro/ex vivo assay with a thyroid
gland that has kept its functional integrity and natural response to TSH, would be a significant step forward for the screening
methodology of potential thyroid toxicants." These authors are continuing work with this assay, investigating structure-activity
relationships for chemicals that can disrupt thyroid hormone synthesis and release and, are collaborating with NRMRL scientists to
investigate the applicability of this assay as a tool to identify thyroid-hormone-disrupting activity in environmental water samples.
Contact: Mike Hornung, (218)529-5236, hornung.michael(g)epa.gov.
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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Featured Research
MED SCIENTISTS ADVANCE ADVERSE OUTCOME PATHWAYS
Ecological risk assessors face increasing demands to assess more chemicals, with greater speed and accuracy, and to do so using fewer
resources and experimental animals. New approaches in biological and computational sciences may be able to generate mechanistic
information that could help in meeting these challenges. However, to use mechanistic data to support chemical assessments, there is a
need for effective translation of this information into endpoints meaningful to ecological risk-effects on survival, development, and
reproduction in individual organisms and, by extension, impacts on populations.
These issues are addressed in an article authored by a group of MED scientists following a year's worth of spirited discussions about
how ecotoxicology research fits into the newly emerging push to move toxicology testing away from standard whole-organism testing
toward the use of more in vitro testing methods to evaluate chemical hazard. The paper, "Adverse outcome pathways: A conceptual
framework to support ecotoxicology research and risk assessment," addresses issues and approaches that may be unique to
ecotoxicology, and are not addressed in the National Research Council's (NRC) 2007 Report, "Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A
Vision and a Strategy," which is focused on new approaches to toxicity testing in the context of protecting human health.
In this paper, the MED authors discuss the adverse outcome pathway (AOP), which is a conceptual construct that portrays existing
knowledge concerning the linkage between a direct molecular initiating event and an adverse outcome at a biological level of
organization relevant to risk assessment. The practical utility of AOPs for ecological risk assessment of chemicals is illustrated using
five case examples. The examples demonstrate how the AOP concept can focus toxicity testing in terms of species and endpoint
selection, enhance across-chemical extrapolation, and support prediction of mixture effects. The examples also show how AOPs
facilitate use of molecular or biochemical endpoints (sometimes referred to as biomarkers) for forecasting chemical impacts on
individuals and populations. The concluding sections of the paper include discussion of how AOPs can help to guide research that
supports chemical risk assessments and advocate for the incorporation of this approach into a broader systems biology framework.
Since the publication of the NRC's report in
2007, there has been a continual scientific
dialogue regarding how new emerging
technology will help shape the conduct of
toxicology in the future, and the AOP
concept has been a part of this discussion.
For example, the AOP concept was an
organizing theme for a SETAC-sponsored
Pellston Workshop titled "A vision and
strategy for predictive ecotoxicology in the
21st century: defining adverse outcome
pathways associated with ecological risks,"
held in April 2009. The workshop,
co-chaired by Dan Villeneuve (MED),
considered approaches for developing and
defining AOPs based on either consideration and review of the extant scientific literature or reverse engineering and biological
network inference employing "omics." It also considered the application of AOPs and mechanistic information to address some
long-standing challenges in ecotoxicology, including: 1) translating effects on individuals to potential population outcomes, 2)
understanding the biological basis of complex concentration-duration-response relationships, and 3) species extrapolation. Results of
this SETAC workshop are summarized in a series of journal articles in the January 2011 issue of Environmental Toxicology and
Chemistry (Volume 30, No. 1) and were the basis of special sessions at SETAC North America, Society of Toxicology, and SETAC
Europe annual meetings (2009-2010). Gary Ankley, Matt Etterson, Mike Hornung, John Nichols, and Dan Villeneuve participated in
the workshop, presented at the technical sessions, and/or contributed to the papers.
The potential utility of the AOP concept in supporting the development and acceptance of credible alternatives to whole animal testing
in ecotoxicology was a prominent topic at the HESI-sponsored International Workshop on Development of Alternatives to Chronic
Ecotoxicity Tests held in June 2009. Such alternative approaches are of particular interest in Europe in response to REACH legislation
that calls for replacement, refinement, and reduction of animal use in research and toxicity testing. Dan Villeneuve and
Continued on next page...
Adverse Outcome Pathway
Toxicant
Chemical
Properties *
Macro-Molecular
Interactions
Recepton'Ligand
Interaction
DNA Binding
^Protein
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/
*
Cellular
Responses
Gene
Activation
Protein
Production
Altered
Signaling
Protein
Depletion
Organ
Responses
Altered
Physiology
Disrupted
Homeostasis
Altered Tissue
Development
or Function
i
/ Y
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Anchor 1
(initiating event)
Organism
Responses
Lethality
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Development (
Impaired
Reproduction
Cancer
Population
Structure
Recruitment
Extinction
*
\y
Anchor 2
(adverse outcome atthe
organism- or population -level)
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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ADVERSE OUTCOME PATHWAYS - CONTINUED
Teresa Norberg-King (MED) were invited to provide plenary presentations on the AOP concept and the state-of-the-science in aquatic
toxicity testing with fish. AOP case studies were used to focus discussions regarding potential assays, endpoints, and computational
approaches that may ultimately prove predictive of ecological hazard.
These issues were the focus of the 2010 fall meeting of the Northland Chapter of the Society of Toxicology held in St. Paul, MN in
October. Speakers included Mel Anderson, one of the primary authors of the NRG Report on Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century;
David Dix, of USEPA's National Center for Computational Toxicology; James McKim of CeeTox, Inc. who discussed alternative in
vitro methods to in vivo toxicity testing; and Mike Hornung who presented the highlights of the AOP paper.
Most recently a workshop was held by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Washington, DC on
December 7-10, to discuss "Using mechanistic information in forming chemical categories to fill data gaps for regulatory purposes." In
this workshop the AOP framework was the guiding tool for discussions on how to approach linking structure activity relationships to
endpoints used for regulatory purposes. MED was well-represented at this meeting. Chris Russom was one of the organizers of this
workshop, and Gary Ankley, Mike Hornung, Pat Schmieder, and Dan Villeneuve also participated.
MED scientists continue to provide leadership in the application of the AOP concept to support the transition to a more
mechanistically-based paradigm in ecotoxicity testing and ecological risk assessment.
Contact: Mike Hornung (218) 529-5236, Dan Villeneuve 529-5217.
Reference: Gerald T. Ankley, Richard S. Bennett, Russell J. Erickson, Dale J. Hoff, Michael W. Hornung, Rodney D. Johnson, David
R. Mount, John W. Nichols, Christine L. Russom, Patricia K. Schmieder, Jose A. Serrano, Joseph E. Tietge, and Daniel L. Villeneuve.
2010. Adverse outcome pathways: A conceptual framework to support ecotoxicology research and risk assessment. Environmental
Toxicology and Chemistry 29:730-741.
SETTING LEVELS OF CONCERN FOR ATRAZINE EXPOSURES TO FRESHWATER PLANT COMMUNITIES
Atrazine is one of the most extensively used herbicides in the United
States, principally for pre-emergent treatment in corn cultivation.
Atrazine enters natural freshwater systems primarily in rainfall-driven
runoff, resulting in highly variable and episodic aquatic exposures
(see Figure) that depend on spatial and temporal rainfall distribution,
atrazine application patterns, topography, and soil properties. Such
highly variable exposures are in marked contrast to exposures in the
toxicity tests typically used for aquatic risk characterizations, leading
to uncertainties in estimated effects. Furthermore, even if toxic
effects on individual plant species can be adequately estimated for
these variable exposures, it is uncertain what level of such effects
should be considered a level of concern (LOG) for an entire aquatic
plant community.
In cooperation with the Environmental Fate and Effects Division
(EFED) of the Office of Pesticide Programs, MED developed an
assessment methodology that addresses the above issues and provides
EFED with the means to specify whether atrazine exposures observed
in monitoring efforts exceed an LOG for aquatic plant communities.
The general approach was to first use the effects of atrazine on plant
growth rates in single-species laboratory tests to calculate an index
that describes the average expected severity of toxicity (the "Plant
Assemblage Toxicity Index," or PATI) across an assemblage of
aquatic plant species, for any atrazine exposure time-series. An LOG
for this index was then specified based on experimental ecosystem
studies regarding the effects of atrazine on aquatic plant communities.
PATI values for field sites of concern can then be compared to this
effects-based LOG to make risk management decisions.
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A review of single-species plant toxicity tests using
atrazine was conducted and used to estimate
concentration/effects relationships for the growth rates of a
wide variety of species in a large and diverse set of studies.
For any specified atrazine concentration, the instantaneous
value for PATI is equated to the average expected
reduction in growth rate across a selected assemblage of
these species. This provides two improvements over the
species sensitivity curves (SSDs) often used in aquatic risk
assessments - it uses a continuum of effect levels, rather
than a single one such as an EC50, and it represents an
integration over an entire species assemblage, rather than
just addressing a single species representing a specified
sensitivity level (e.g. 5%) in the assemblage.
Continued on next page...
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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ATRAZINE EXPOSURES - CONTINUED
The instantaneous PATI values are in turn averaged over a designated
time period to obtain an average PATI value that characterizes the
severity of toxicity in any exposure time-series of interest. Such a
simple averaging is possible because rapid recovery of plant growth
rates from atrazine exposure results in very little carryover of toxicity
from day to day. This also represents an improvement over typical
aquatic risk characterization methodology in that it provides a
chemical-specific treatment of the time-dependence of toxicity, so that
effects of time-variable exposures can by more rigorously and
appropriately addressed.
CL
0.6 1 2 5 10 20 50 100
Plant Assemblage Toxicity Index
An LOG for PATI was developed based on an extensive set of
experimental ecosystem studies with atrazine that were reviewed and
compiled by EFED, with each experimental treatment being
categorized as to whether effects on the aquatic plant community were
large enough to be of concern. This binary categorization
(1 for effect, 0 for no effect) was necessary because the
diverse nature of these studies precluded any consistent
quantitative measure of effect. PATI values were
calculated for each experimental ecosystem treatment and a
binary regression of the effect categorization versus PATI
was conducted. The adjacent figure shows such a
regression, demonstrating both the correlation of effects
with PATI value (although considerable overlap does
occur) and the regression line representing the probability
of observing an effect in such a collection of experimental
ecosystems at a particular PATI value. In this example, the
LOG is set to the PATI value at which this probability is
50%.
Additional work by EFED has converted this PATI-based
LOG into a concentration-based LOG that is more
convenient for regulatory purposes. However, in either
form, this methodology provides an effective means to
more completely and rigorously use existing
ecotoxicological data to characterize risks, and has
applicability for risk assessments for other chemicals.
Sensitivity analyses have demonstrated little variation in
risk characterizations due to uncertainties in the
single-species toxicity data used or from the averaging
period selected, with the main source of variation for risk
estimates being due to the composition of the experimental
ecosystem data. Contact: Russ Erickson (218) 529-5157.
NITROGEN REMOVAL POTENTIAL OF THE NATION'S RIVERS AND STREAMS
Nitrogen (N) export to the Gulf of Mexico has increased dramatically from the 1950s, and is correlated
with an even greater increase in N fertilizer application in the Mississippi River Basin. In addition to the
impacts on the gulf, water quality throughout the Mississippi River Basin has been degraded by excess
nutrients, and most states in the Basin have significant river miles impaired by high nutrient
concentrations and are not fully supporting aquatic life uses. The recent EPA Wadeable Streams
Assessment indicated that excess nitrogen was the most pervasive stressor impacting the condition of US
streams.
The EPA Action Plan for Reducing, Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of
Mexico suggests two basic approaches to reducing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico: 1) reducing N export
from streams draining the Mississippi River Basin and 2) restoration of watershed processes that enhance
nitrogen retention and/or removal within the Basin. There are three factors regulating N export from
watersheds: influx of N from atmospheric and terrestrial sources, in-stream processing (e.g., nitrification/denitrification), and long-term
storage. The first approach recommended in the Action Plan, reducing export, may be achieved by simply reducing N inputsby
reducing the amount of fertilizer runoff from agricultural lands to receiving streams. Reducing N export may also be achieved by
in-stream processing of N, or by increasing long-term storage as buried sediments in-stream channels and adjacent riparian areas. The
second approach, restoration of processes, is a targeted approach incorporating all three regulating factors.
Critical to estimating N removal potential of streams is the calculation of N uptake velocity (Vf), the theoretical rate at which N moves
through the water column to the stream substratum. Uptake velocity may be estimated by mass balance of N inputs and outflows, or as
a function of stream depths, stream velocity, and N uptake over a stream reach. Either approach must also account for the inverse
relationship between Vfand N availability.
Continued on next page...
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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NITROGEN REMOVAL POTENTIAL- CONTINUED
Approach
Phase I: Potential N removal based on existing monitoring data: Mississippi River Basin
Stream chemistry and physical attributes collected from streams and rivers sampled as parts of EPA's Wadeable Streams Assessment
(WSA) and the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) on great rivers were paired with estimated hydrology,
land cover data, and atmospheric N deposition. Total N input, export, and uptake were modeled for each site based on stream N
concentrations, widths, and depths. N yields were estimated by dividing N export by watershed area. Nitrogen removal potential was
estimated as the difference between N inputs and N exports (Figure). (Product: Hill, B.H., D.W. Bolgrien, 2011. Nitrogen removal by
streams and rivers of the Upper Mississippi River basin. Biogeochemistry 102:183-194).
Total N input (A, kg ha-1 yr-1) and yield (B, kg ha-1 y-1) in Upper Mississippi River Basin streams
and rivers. Nitrogen removal is the difference between N inputs and N yield.
Phase II: Potential N removal using enhanced monitoring data: Mississippi River basin (2012) and
Phase III: National-scale estimate of potential N removal by streams and rivers (2013) [in collaboration with EPA Office of Water]
Phases II and III of this project are similar to Phase I in that they rely on data collected during the Office of Water's national survey of
rivers and streams. The survey used in these phases is the 2008-2009 National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) of 900
wadeable streams and 900 non-wadeable rivers in the conterminous US. Chemistry, hydrology, land cover, atmospheric N deposition,
and the calculation of N export, yield, and removal are the same as in Phase I.
In addition to these measures and estimates, microbial enzyme activities will be measured on sediments and biofilm collected from
these 1800 sites. Contact: Brian Hill (218) 529-5224.
Current Events
DIVISION STAFF ATTEND 2010 ESRP CONFERENCE
Several Division staff attended the annual conference of ORD's Ecosystem Services Research Program. The
conference was held in Las Vegas in October. Brian Hill, David Bolgrien, Ted Angradi, Russell Kreis, Mark Rowe,
Tom Hollenhorst, and Janet Keough attended. Brian Hill contributed to a presentation on nitrogen services, and all
participated in discussions associated with indicators of services and other aspects of the program. Contact: Janet
Keough (218) 529-5025.
ANNUAL POSTER SOCIAL
The Division held its fifth annual Poster Social on December 1. Twin Ports Freshwater Folks co-hosted the event,
which featured 18 posters presented at meetings in 2010. The social was well-attended, with lively scientific
discussions with the authors and co-authors. Contact: Dan Villeneuve (218) 529-5217.
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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Upcoming Events
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE WORKSHOP
The Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) is sponsoring a February 2011 invited workshop entitled "Moving
bioaccumulation assessments to the next level: Progress made and challenges ahead." The goals of this workshop, which will be held
in Washington, DC, are to review the state-of-the-science of bioaccumulation assessment methods, determine research needed to
advance these methods, and identify barriers to incorporation of new data and methods into governmental regulatory activities.
Specific topics will include integration of modeled predictions with laboratory measurements, extrapolation of bioaccumulation data
from the laboratory to the field, prediction of ADME process from in vitro systems, and communication of scientific advancements to
the risk assessment community. Division scientists are helping to organize this meeting. NHEERL also is providing a grant to support
travel for non-federal employees. Included among the invited participants are EPA employees from several program offices including
the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
Contact: Dr. John Nichols (nichols.john@epa.gov), (218) 529-5160.
PLANNING A ST. Louis RIVER ESTUARY SUMMIT, FEBRUARY 7-8, 2011
The Division is part of an organizing team for a workshop on integration of research information into
management decisions for the St. Louis River Estuary. Located on the border between Minnesota and
Wisconsin, the Estuary is the largest on the Great Lakes. At the present time, the Estuary is an "Area of
Concern" designated by the Great Lakes Binational Program under the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement. The Estuary is also a "hot-spot" for invasions of exotic species from ballast water. There are
interests in chemicals of emerging concern and their effects, since the Estuary receives discharge from the
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District facility. Also, the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research
Reserve, the second NERR in the Great Lakes, was designated by NOAA in 2010. The NERR occupies
several key parcels of land owned by the State of Wisconsin along the St. Louis River Estuary. Many organizations are interested in
the Estuary, and many of them are conducting studies or actively managing or restoring it. The workshop will offer a forum for
integration and collaboration among scientists and managers, and will be held on February 7-8, 2011 at the University of Wisconsin -
Superior. Beyond serving as an organizing party, the Division will be contributing posters on our research on the Estuary and platform
presentations. Contact: Janet Keough (keough.janet(S)epa.gov), (218) 529-5025.
Photo by Tom Duffus
New Publications since August 15, 2010
Angradi, T.R. and T.M. Jicha. 2010. Mesohabitat-specific
macro invertebrate assemblage responses to water quality
variation in mid-continent (North America) great rivers.
Ecological Indicators 10:943-954.
Ankley, G.T., K.M. Jensen, M.D. Kahl, E.J. Durhan,
E.A. Makynen, J.E. Cavallin, D. Martinovic, L.C. Wehmas,
N.D. Mueller, andD.L. Villeneueve. 2010. Use of chemical
mixtures to differentiate mechanisms of endocrine action in a
small fish model. Aquatic Toxicology 99:389-396.
Collette, T.W., Q. Teng, K.M. Jensen, M.D. Kahl, E.A. Makynen,
E.J. Durhan, D.L. Villeneuve, D. Martinovic-Weigelt,
G.T. Ankley, andD.R. Ekman. 2010. Impacts of an
anti-androgen and an androgen/anti-androgen mixture on the
metabolite profile of male fathead minnow urine.
Environmental Science & Technology 44:6881-6886.
Erickson, R.J. 2010. Toxicity Relationship Analysis Program
(TRAP) Version 1.21. Online,
http://www.epa.gov/med/Prods Pubs/trap.htm.
French, J.B. Jr., R.S. Bennett, and R. Rossmann. 2010.
Mercury in the blood and eggs of American kestrels fed
methylmercury chloride. Environmental Toxicology and
Chemistry 29:2206-2210.
Haring, H.J., K.A. Blocksom, M.E. Smith, T.R. Angradi,
M.C. Wratschko, B. Armstrong, D.W. Bolgrien, and
J.M. Lazorchak. Sediment toxicity in mid-continent great
rivers (USA). Published online, DOI
10.1007/S00244-010-9592-4. Archives of Environmental
Contamination and Toxicology.
Hill, B.H. and D.W. Bolgrien. 2011. Nitrogen removal by
streams and rivers of the Upper Mississippi River basin.
Biogeochemistry 102:183-194.
Hoffman, J.C., G.S. Peterson, A.M. Cotter, and J.R. Kelly.
2010. Using stable isotope mixing in a Great Lakes
coastal tributary to determine food web linkages in young
fishes. Estuaries and Coasts 33:1391-1405.
Continued on next page...
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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PUBLICATIONS - CONTINUED
Hornung, M.W., S.J. Degitz, J.J. Korte, J.J. Korte, L.M. Korte,
J.M. Olson, P.A. Kosian, A.L. Linnum, and J.E. Tietge. 2010.
Inhibition of thyroid hormone release from cultured amphibian
thyroid glands by methimazole, 6-propylthiouracil, and
perchlorate. Toxicological Sciences 118:42-51.
Martinovic-Weigelt, D., R.-L. Wang, D.L. Villeneuve, B.C.
Bencic, J. Lazorchak, and G.T. Ankley. 2011. Gene
expression profiling of androgen receptor antagonists
flutamide and vinclozolin in zebrafish (Danio rerio) gonads.
Aquatic Toxicology 101:447-458.
Miller, D.H., R.G. Kreis Jr., W.-C. Huang, and X. Xia. 2010.
Application of a lower food web ecosystem productivity model
for investigating dynamics of the invasive species
Bythrotrepes longimanus in Lake Michigan. Biological
Invasions 12:3513-3524.
Richards, C. 2010. EPA research strengthens Great Lakes
restoration initiative. ORD fact sheet, EPA/600/F-11/001,
online, http://www.rtord.epa.gov/ordfactsheets/index.cfm.
Salinas, K.A., L. Higgins, L.B. Anderson, A.D. Benninghoff,
D.E. Williams, C. Walker, M.J. Hemmer, and J.A.
Serrano. 2010. Identification of estrogen-responsive
vitelline envelope protein fragments from rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) plasma using mass spectrometry.
Molecular Reproduction & Development 77:963-970.
Spehar, R.L., L.T. Brooke, T.P. Markee, and M.D. Kahl.
2010. Comparative toxicity and bioconcentration of
nonylphenol in freshwater organisms. Environmental
Toxicology and Chemistry 29:2104-2111.
Stanley, J.K., A.J. Kennedy, J.D. Farrar, D.R. Mount, and
J.A. Steevens. Evaluation of reduced sediment volume
procedures for acute toxicity tests using the estuarine
amphipod Leptocheirusplumulosus. Published online,
DOI: 10.1002/etc.333. Environmental Toxicology and
Chemistry.
Trebitz, A.S., C.W. West, J.C. Hoffman, J.R. Kelly,
G.S. Peterson, and LA. Grigorovich. 2010. Status of
non-indigenous benthic invertebrates in the
Duluth-Superior harbor and the role of sampling methods
in their detection. Journal of Great Lakes Research
36:747-756.
MED Seminars
September 28
Dr. Lisa Wainger, U. of MD, Chesapeake Biological Lab,
Solomons, MD
Risk-adjusted social benefit metrics for prioritizing restoration
investments
September 29
Dr. Jose Serrano, EPA/MED
Cellular biomarkers of traumatic brain injury in humans and
animals: Correlation to endocrine disruption research at MED
October 6
Dr. Gil Veith, International QSAR Foundation
QSAR and the wonderland of predicting chemical hazards
October 13
Dr. Julieta Werner, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON
Cell lines as models to study pulp and paper mill effluents
October 20
Dr. Scott Lynn, MI State University, East Lansing, MI
Hypoxia: A novel form of endocrine disruption
October 27
Dr. Randall Hicks, UM Duluth Biology, Duluth, MN
Research in the cause of corrosion in the Duluth-Superior Harbor
November 3
Hongbo Ma, NRC Post-doc, EPA/MED
Evaluation of ecotoxicity of manufactured metal oxide
nano particles
December 8
Chuck Madenjian, USGS
Great Lakes Science Center,
Ann Arbor, MI
Lake trout population dynamics
in the northern refuge of Lake
Michigan: Implications for future
rehabilitation
January 12
Dr. Mark Rowe, EPA/MED/Grosse lie, MI
Estimating effects of bio fuels production scenarios on
aquatic ecosystem services for the Future Midwestern
Landscapes study
January 26
Dr. Phil Cook, EPA/MED
Amphibole fiber toxicology: Then and now
February 2
Pamela Shubat & Helen Goedon, MN Dept. of Health
Carlie LaLone, EPA/MED
Prioritization strategies related to Pharmaceuticals in the
environment
February 9
Dr. Robert E. Hecky, UM Duluth Biology & Large Lakes
Observatory, Duluth, MN
Paleolimnological application of carbon and nitrogen stable
isotopes to reconstruct the productivity history of African
and North American Great Lakes
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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Awards
Sig Degitz and Joe Tietge received silver medals for their work on the Endocrine Disrupter Screening Program's
Tier 1 Screening Battery Validation Team. This award, submitted by OCSPP, recognized the work of 20 individuals
in ORD and OCSPP, "In recognition of exceptional leadership and scientific contributions towards the
development, validation, and regulatory acceptance of the Tier 1 Screening Battery for EPA's Endocrine Disrupters
Screening Program." This work was the culmination of several years of effort by MED staff, who developed a
fish-based screen for estrogen and androgen activity and an amphibian-based screen for thyroid activity. Sig and Joe
both want to thank the MED staff who have been involved in these projects and to acknowledge the outstanding
efforts and scientific contributions that enabled this success.
People
STAFF CHANGE
Karis Boerner has accepted a new position as Program Analyst with NHEERL Program Operations Staff.
Her new duties include managing the NHEERL Working Capital Fund, coordinating Freedom of Information
Act requests for NHEERL, and assisting with budget formulation. Karis is co-located here in Duluth in room
152,x5035.
GUEST WORKER
^^m
Karis Boerner
Patrick Collins is here as the US Fish and Wildlife Service's St. Louis River Conservation Coordinator. The
temporary position was created through an Interagency Personnel Agreement (IPA) between the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The IPA began in August of 2010 and is scheduled to
run through July of 2011. Collins works in a cross-disciplinary role to bring FWS programs and funding
opportunities to bear on local issues within the St. Louis River Area of Concern, largely focused on habitat
related Beneficial Use Impairments. Being co-located at MED provides opportunities for inter-agency
coordination such as the up-coming St. Louis River Estuary Summit, an opportunity for collaboration
between research scientists and resource managers working locally on issues related to the lower St. Louis
River ecosystem. Collins received his undergraduate (BS in biology and BAS in teaching life science,
1987) and graduate degrees (MS in biology, 1991) from the University of Minnesota Duluth and has lived in
Duluth since 1983. He is in room 152, x5171.
w-
Pat Collins
NEW POST-DOCS
Brent Bellinger is from Milwaukee's south side but went to Vincent High (for any state basketball
people). He received his undergrad degree from UW - Stevens Point in limnology/fisheries and
biology in 2002, doing a semester in the South Pacific and a winterim ecological course in Costa Rica.
For grad school he went to Michigan Tech and worked on estuarine algal biofilm biopolymer
characterization, a collaboration with the University of Essex in England where the field site, the Colne
Estuary, is located. Brent also did research on tributaries to Lake Tanganyika. He graduated in 2006
with his PhD and moved to West Palm Beach, FL to work as a post-doc through the U of Florida with
the South Florida Water Management District. He did field research in the Everglades on periphyton
biogeochemistry, and used explicit ecological and biological measures in addition to biomarkers to
assess the impacts of active management of eutrophic regions in the Everglades. Brent is now part of
the Ecosystem Services Research Program working for Dr. Brian Hill as an EPA post-die. The goal is to apply his biogeochemical
background in wetlands and "real" estuarine environments to systems around the great lakes, putting that information into an
ecosystem services perspective which will hopefully influence management and restoration decisions. Brent is in room A200, x5247.
Brent Bellinger
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division
Duluth, MN
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NEW POST-DOCS - CONTINUED
Kellie Fay
Kellie Fay was born and raised in Appleton, WI and earned her BS degrees in chemistry and molecular
biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She worked for the Wisconsin DNR and the Forest
Service for a couple of years before starting graduate school in Seattle at the University of Washington.
Ten years and two kids later, she has returned to the Midwest with a MS in oceanography and a PhD in
environmental toxicology. Her oceanographic research involved modeling greenhouse gas emissions from
the Amazon as well as the denitrification of ocean water from the Arctic subcontinental shelf. Her
toxicological research involved wood smoke toxicity, nanotoxicity (quantum dots), and the development
of in vitro alternatives using isolated mouse hepatocytes. Although her dissertation research involved
mammalian systems, she is happy to be doing her post-doc work in ecotoxicology. Kellie is working in
John Nichols' lab as an EPA post-doc using isolated trout hepatocytes to support the modeling of chemical
metabolism and bioaccumulation in fish. She is in room A106, x5159.
Dr. Theodore (Ted) W. Valenti joined the Ecotoxicology Analysis Research Branch as an NRC
postdoctoral research associate in October. Ted received a BA from Hamilton College, Clinton, NY in
2001 and continued his education at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, where he earned his MS, focusing
on aquatic ecotoxicology in the laboratory of Dr. Donald Cherry in 2004. As a Hokie, he developed
methods for assessing the effects of various stressors to early life stages of freshwater mussels
(Unionidae) and also investigated the effects of acid-mine drainage on watersheds impacted by coal
mining. For his PhD education, he worked with Dr. Bryan Brooks at Baylor University, Waco, TX and
was the first student to graduate from The Institute of Ecological, Earth, and Environmental Science
(TIEEES) in May of 2010. His doctoral research focused on site-specific water quality and refining
ecological risk assessments for ionizable contaminants with a particular emphasis on Pharmaceuticals
and personal care products. In addition, he also conducted research and published several papers on
harmful algal bloom (HAB) species and the use of behavior as an alternative sublethal endpoint for toxicity tests. Ted's NRC funding
at the MED is provided by the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and he will focus on aspects of sediment risk assessments. He is
working under Branch Chief Dale Hoff and is currently mentored by Dave Mount. He is in room 140, x 5214.
Ted Valenti
GRO INTERNS
Last summer MED hosted two students under the EPA GRO program (Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Student
Fellowships).
Elizabeth Medlock worked in the Toxic Effects Characterization
Research Branch on integrated
toxicological approaches for assessing the
ecological risks of dexamethasone in the
environment. She created a poster on the
topic as part of her report to DePauw
Uuniversity (Greencastle, IN) about her
internship. Dan Villeneuve was her advisor,
and Carlie LaLone her mentor.
Elizabeth Medlock
Casey Stephenson worked in the Ecosystem Assessment
Research Branch, with Anett
Trebitz as advisor and Joel
Hoffman as mentor. Casey looked
at how different fish species use
shallow water habitats in the St.
Louis River, and gave a
presentation to the branch on her
research. She attends Ft. Lewis
College in Durango, CO.
Casey Stephenson
NEW SEE
Brucette Zirn, new Senior Environmental Employee, is working with Stephanie Warhol in the Program
Operations Branch, acting as primary backup for secretarial duties, handling property management, front desk,
"etc." Brucette, named after her father, is an Illinois native who fell in love with the Northland and Lake
Superior after attending Northland College from 1972-76, receiving a BA in biology with environmental
studies minor. She has two children, Silas and Rachel, and a menagerie of animals: three black cats, one Welsh
Corgi, one box turtle, and one cockatiel. Brucette loves to vegetable garden, kayak, and walk, and loves movies
and books. She was on a PBS cooking show twice, for her signature dish Chicken Brucetta, and for Garden
Lasagna. Brucette is in Room 142, x5012.
Brucette Zirn
MED in Review
Mid-Continent Ecology Division Duluth, MN
10
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