Publications by Simon Costanzo

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

Colonial National Historical Park natural resource condition assessment (Page 1)

Colonial National Historical Park natural resource condition assessment

Lookingbill T, Bentsen CN, Carruthers TJB, Costanzo SD, Dennison WC, Doherty C, Lucier S, Madron J, Poppell E and Saxby TA ·
28 June 2012

Colonial National Historical Park offers a vast array of cultural resources, notably the site of the first English settlement at Jamestown in 1607 and the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 that proved to be the last major campaign of the American Revolution. Four dominant habitat groupings are present within the Park, including forest, grassland, non-tidal wetland, and tidal wetland. Threats to Colonial NHP have been categorized into:

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Assessing Progress (Page 1)

Assessing Progress

Bob Graham, former Commission Co-Chair
William K. Reilly, former Commission Co-Chair
Frances Beinecke, former Commission Member
Donald F. Boesch, former Commission Member
Terry D. Garcia, , former Commission Member
Cherry A. Murray, former Commission Member
Fran Ulmer, former Commission Member ·
18 April 2012

The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling established by President Obama was tasked with determining the root causes of the April 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, evaluate the responses, and make recommendations to minimize the risk that such a disaster would ever happen again. This report by the Commission is a graded progress assessment of the Administration, Congress, and the Oil Industry on implementing those recommendations.

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The occurrence of antibiotics in an urban watershed: From wastewater to drinking water

Watkinson AJ, Murby EJ, Kolpin DW, and Costanzo SD ·
2009

The presence of 28 antibiotics in three hospital effluents, five wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), six rivers and a drinking water storage catchment were investigated within watersheds of South-East Queensland, Australia. All antibiotics were detected at least once, with the exception of the polypeptide bacitracin which was not detected at all. Antibiotics were found in hospital effluent ranging from 0.01-14.5 [mu]g L(-1), dominated by the beta-lactam, quinolone and sulphonamide groups.

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Is there a risk associated with the insect repellent DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) commonly found in aquatic environments?

Costanzo SD, Watkinson AJ, Murby EJ, Kolpin DW, and Sandstrom MW ·
2007

DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is the active ingredient of most commercial insect repellents. This compound has commonly been detected in aquatic water samples from around the world indicating that DEET is both mobile and persistent, despite earlier assumptions that DEET was unlikely to enter aquatic ecosystems. DEET's registration category does not require an ecological risk assessment, thus information on the ecological toxicity of DEET is sparse.

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Novel method for rapid assessment of antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from environmental waters by use of a modified chromogenic agar

Watkinson AJ, Micalizzi GR, Bates JR, and Costanzo SD ·
2007

We validated a novel method for screening Escherichia coli resistance to antibiotics in environmental samples using modified Difco MI agar (Becton Dickinson) impregnated with selected antibiotics (tetracycline, ampicillin, cephalexin, and sulfamethoxazole), termed MI-R. This method combines an existing rapid assessment technique for E.

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Occurrence and seasonal variations of algal toxins in water, phytoplankton and shellfish from North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia

Takahashi E, Yu Q, Eaglesham G, Connell DW, McBroom J, Costanzo SD, and Shaw GR ·
2007

A number of marine microalgae are known to produce toxins that can accumulate in shellfish and when eaten, lead to toxic and potentially fatal reactions in humans. This paper reports on the occurrence and seasonal variations of algal toxins in the waters, phytoplankton and shellfish of Southeast Queensland, Australia.

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Removal of antibiotics in conventional and advanced wastewater treatment: Implications for environmental discharge and wastewater recycling

Watkinson AJ, Murby EJ, and Costanzo SD ·
2007

Removal of 28 human and veterinary antibiotics was assessed in a conventional (activated sludge) and advanced (microfiltration/reverse osmosis) wastewater treatment plant (VJVvrTP) in Brisbane, Australia. The dominant antibiotics detected in wastewater influents were cephalexin (med. 4.6 gL(,)(-1) freq. 100%), ciprofloxacin (med. 3.8 [mu]gL(-1) freq. 100%), cefaclor (med. 0.5 [mu]gL(-1), freq. 100%), sulphamethoxazole (med. 0.36 [mu]gL(-1), freq. 100%) and trimethoprim (med.

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Ecosystem response to antibiotics entering the aquatic environment

Costanzo SD, Murby J, and Bates J ·
2005

Awareness of antibiotics in wastewaters and aquatic ecosystems is growing as investigations into alternate pollutants increase and analytical techniques for detecting these chemicals improve. The presence of three antibiotics (ciproffoxacin, norfloxacin and cephalexin) was evaluated in both sewage effluent and environmental waters downstream from a sewage discharge.

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Development of Indicators for Assessing and Monitoring Nutrient Influences in Coastal Waters (Page 1)

Development of Indicators for Assessing and Monitoring Nutrient Influences in Coastal Waters

Costanzo SD ·
2002

With increasing human pressures on coastal ecosystems, there is a need to develop better approaches to assess and monitor anthropogenic influences in these systems. The aims of this thesis were to a) develop indicators that describe and predict nutrient input effects, b) synthesise and interpret these indicators in assessment programs, and c) provide cost-effective methods for use in regular monitoring programs.

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