Contaminant Transport in the Hudson River Basin

My research uses detailed analysis of sediments to derive a historical perspective on organic and trace metal contaminants in aquatic environments. This work has grown out of research started at Lamont-Doherty in the early 1970s.

My collaborators and I have collected cores and ⁷Be-dated surficial sediment indicative of potential sources of contaminants as well as their transport pathways. We employ radionuclide, high resolution gas chromatography and trace metal analyses to characterize contaminant sources, and use these characterizations to trace the influence of atmospheric and point-source contaminant loadings to the Estuary and urban environment.

Much of my recent work in this area has taken advantage of urban lakes as archives of atmospheric deposition of particle-associated contaminants over the last 130 years. In addition, we constantly using our best dated cores to investigate the behavior and fate of new contaminants of concern such as surfactants (APOEs), flame retardants (PBDEs), anti-microbial agents (TCCs, TCS).

Related Publications

• Chillrud, SN, RF Bopp, HJ Simpson, J Ross, EL Shuster, DA Chaky, DC Walsh, CC Choy, LR Tolley and A. Yarme (1999) Twentieth century metal fluxes into Central Park Lake, New York City, Environ. Sci. Technol. 33, 657-662, 1999.
• Walsh, D.C., S.N. Chillrud, R.F. Bopp, H.J. Simpson. 2001. Refuse Incinerator Particulate Emissions and Combustion Residues for New York City during the 20th Century. Environ. Sci. Technol. 35, 2441-2447.
• Ladd, JW, R. Bell, E. Blair, H. Bokuniewicz, S. Carbotte, R. Cerrator, S. Chillrud, V. Lynn Ferrini, R. Flood, N.P. Maher, C. McHugh, F. Nitsche, W. Ryan, D. Stayer, J. Thissen. R. Versteeg (2002) Mapping the Hudson Estuary submerged lands. Clearwaters 32: 5- 7.
• Chillrud, S.N., S. Hemming, E.L. Shuster, H.J. Simpson, R.F. Bopp, J.M. Ross, D.C. Pederson, D. Chaky, L-R. Tolley, and F. Estabrooks (2003) Stable lead isotopes, contaminant metals and radionuclides in upper Hudson River sediment cores: implications for improved stratigraphy and transport processes. Chemical Geology, 199: 53-70.
• Ferguson, P.L., R.F. Bopp, S.N. Chillrud, R.C. Aller, and B.J. Brownawell (2003) Biogeochemistry of nonylphenol ethoxylates in urban estuarine sediments. Envion. Sci. Tech., 37(16): 3499 - 3506.
• Chillrud, S.N, D. Epstein, J. Ross, S. Ramstrom, D. Pederson, J.D. Spengler, and P. L. Kinney (2004) Elevated airborne exposures to manganese, chromium and iron of teenagers from steel dust and New York City's subway system. Environ. Sci. Tech., 38:732-737.
• Chillrud, S.N., R.F. Bopp, J.M. Ross, D.A. Chaky, S. Hemming, E.L. Shuster, H.J. Simpson, and F. Estabrooks (2004) Radiogenic lead isotopes and time stratigraphy in the Hudson River, New York. Journal of Water, Air, Soil Pollution, Focus 4: 469-482.
• Simpson, H.J., S.N. Chillrud, R.F. Bopp, E.L. Shuster and D.A. Chaky (2005). Major ion geochemistry and drinking water supply issues in the Hudson River basin, The Hudson River Estuary, J.S. Levinton and J.R. Waldman (Eds.), Oxford University Press. Chapter 7, pp. 79-96.
• Bopp, R.F., S.N. Chillrud, E.L. Shuster and H.J. Simpson (2005) Contaminant chronologies from Hudson River sedimentary records, The Hudson River Estuary, J.S. Levinton and J.R. Waldman (Eds.), Oxford University Press. Chapter 26, pp. 383-397.
• Yan, B., T A. Abrajano, R.F. Bopp, D.A. Chaky, L. A. Benedict, S. N. Chillrud (2005) Use of Molecular Ratios to Trace Saturated and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Inputs into Central Park Lake, New York City. Environ. Sci. Technol. 39, 7012-7019.
• Louchouarn, P., S.N. Chillrud, S. Houel, B. Yan, D. Chaky, C. Rumpel, C. Largeau, G. Bardoux, and R.F. Bopp (2007) Elemental and molecular evidence of soot- and char-derived black carbon inputs to New York City's atmosphere during the 20th Century. Environ. Sci. Technol., 41: 82-87
• Miller, T.R., J. Heidler, S.N. Chillrud, A. DeLaquil, J.C. Ritchie, J.N. Mihalic, R. Bopp, and R.U. Halden. Fate of triclosan and triclocarban in estuarine sediment. Submitted to Environ. Sci. Technol.