Water and the Soil

Soil/water interactions determine whether a septic system will drain properly, whether a basement will flood, and how successful a farmer?s harvest will be. This fact sheet summarizes how soil composition and management affect movement and storage of water in soil, including discussion of geographic, seasonal, and biological influences

Pesticides and Groundwater: A Guide for the Pesticide User

Many factors determine whether a pesticide will leach through soil and become a groundwater contaminant, including the pesticide?s chemical properties, the soil type, the depth to groundwater, and the pesticide management practices. This fact sheet provides ways to determine the level of risk of groundwater contamination and recommended applicator practices to minimize such risk

Nitrogen: The Essential Element

Although nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth, overuse of nitrogen fertilizers leads to groundwater contamination. This fact sheet discusses ways to fertilize crops, not groundwater, and provides information about various forms in which nitrogen appears in plants, soil, and water

Modern Agriculture: Its Effects on the Environment

This fact sheet provides an historical perspective on U.S. agriculture, from colonial days through the agricultural revolution and discusses impacts of intensive farming on soil and water resources

Nitrate: Health Effects in Drinking Water

Nitrate is one of the most common groundwater contaminants in rural areas. This fact sheet summarizes how nitrate affects human health, what types of people are most vulnerable, and what steps can be taken to minimize risk

Groundwater: What it is and How to Protect It

This fact sheet provides an overview of what groundwater is, how it moves, how it can become contaminated, and what steps can be taken to protect groundwater quality

Development of nanostructures for thermoelectric microgenerators using ion-track lithography

A novel fabrication process for nanostructures for thermoelectric microgenerators, based on a combination of a traditional silicon microfabrication techniques, electroplating and submicron ion-track nanolithography, is discussed. Ion-track etched polyimide nanotemplates (30–80 nm pore diameters) are used to grow Bi2Te3 nanowires by electroplating. The Bi2Te3 film’s microstructural and thermoelectric properties are reported