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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Welcome to the Columbia Environmental Research Center. Our research focuses on environmental contaminants and the effects of habitat alterations on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. 

News

Addressing Knowledge Gaps on the Potential Effects of Critical Minerals on Aquatic Life

Addressing Knowledge Gaps on the Potential Effects of Critical Minerals on Aquatic Life

A Tale of Two Islands and the Future of an Ocean Sentinel Seabird

A Tale of Two Islands and the Future of an Ocean Sentinel Seabird

EcoNews - Vol. 7 | Issue 2

EcoNews - Vol. 7 | Issue 2

Publications

Comparative evaluation of three extraction techniques: Validation of a novel approach for the determination of 51 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances in Graminaceous plants Comparative evaluation of three extraction techniques: Validation of a novel approach for the determination of 51 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances in Graminaceous plants

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 15,000 xenobiotic compounds that have permeated across the globe and are largely resistant to natural forms of degradation, resulting in their long-term environmental persistence. These compounds can bioaccumulate and cause toxicological effects in organisms living within PFAS contaminated ecosystems. Grasses and feedstocks...
Authors
Landon M. Keele, Morgan P. Davis, Chung-Ho Lin, Erin L. Pulster

A review of extraction techniques for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in graminaceous plants A review of extraction techniques for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in graminaceous plants

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a wide-ranging class of manufactured chemicals that are environmentally persistent. Due to their ubiquity and resistance to degradation, PFAS readily bioaccumulate in a variety of environmental matrices and elicit a range of toxicological impacts. Despite an increase in research into these compounds, there is a clear gap in consensus on...
Authors
Landon M. Keele, Morgan P. Davis, Chung-Ho Lin, Erin L. Pulster

Culturing emerging, imperiled, and poorly understood fishes Culturing emerging, imperiled, and poorly understood fishes

Most fish hatcheries and farms raise fish for food, to supply the bait and ornamental fish trades, or to create or enhance recreational and commercial fishing opportunities. Culture methods for these species are well established and are described in various chapters of this book. However, a growing number of facilities are responsible for cultivation of emerging, imperiled, or lesser...
Authors
James Candrl, Theo Smith

Science

From Stream to Spider: How PFAS Move Through Aquatic and Terrestrial Food Webs

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent synthetic chemicals that accumulate in the environment and living organisms. A USGS study examined how different PFAS compounds move through a stream ecosystem and are transferred from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. The findings documented that not all PFAS behave the same once they enter the environment, leading to differences in...
From Stream to Spider: How PFAS Move Through Aquatic and Terrestrial Food Webs

From Stream to Spider: How PFAS Move Through Aquatic and Terrestrial Food Webs

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent synthetic chemicals that accumulate in the environment and living organisms. A USGS study examined how different PFAS compounds move through a stream ecosystem and are transferred from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. The findings documented that not all PFAS behave the same once they enter the environment, leading to differences in...
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eDNA for Water-Quality Monitoring and Public Health Protection

eDNA for Water-Quality Monitoring and Public Health Protection

By analyzing genetic traces left behind in water, eDNA provides early warning signs of problems—helping managers respond faster, protect public health, and keep freshwater ecosystems resilient.
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