CSS scientists supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Pesticide Programs are reviewing modeling data that evaluates the potential for transfer of chemical residues from pregnant and nursing  animals to fetuses and infants. The vast majority of data come from pharmaceuticals, but staff are reviewing some data from pesticides and other environmental contaminants as well. Staff are reviewing the data for measured concentrations in maternal blood and milk as well as fetal tissues in laboratory animals and humans. The objective of this work is to better understand the various models being developed and use this modeling data to help refine risk assessment for pesticides. 

Person walks through a field spraying a substance.
Credit: Arjun MJ, Unsplash

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Developing a Database for Ecosystem Service Models 

CSS scientists have been major developers and contributors to the online U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s EcoService Models Library (ESML) database since its inception in 2012. The ESML database contains detailed but concise descriptions of ecosystem service models to facilitate the selection of models by ecosystem scientists for a variety of management and research applications. The…

Installing Environmental Monitoring Stations

Our field crews installed/updated two environmental monitoring stations in remote locations in the Pacific Northwest. Multiple types of sensors were installed including air and soil temperature, precipitation, soil moisture and soil redox potential. These stations provide data for designing and evaluating soil remediation projects for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development. Installing…

Examining Cetaceans for Contamination and Pathogens

CSS has employee owners who are experts in monitoring cetacean health. Several CSS scientists supporting NOAA’s Centers for Coastal Ocean Science have recently conducted research and tests on marine mammals to explore uncommon behaviors and causes for strandings. View some examples of this research below. Microplastics are becoming increasingly abundant in coastal and marine environments.…