Multiphase flow, transport, reaction and biodegradation

Toxic contaminants and naturally occurring substances found in the subsurface can exist in multiple phases, and undergo complex reactions including biodegradation. A comprehensive and quantitative understanding of the processes controlling the fate and transport of subsurface contaminants is necessary to develop policies and strategies for managing water-quality conditions in different land use and environmental settings. Numerical models that simulate flow, transport, and reactions are useful tools for understanding the fate of chemicals in the subsurface when used in conjunction with field and laboratory studies. The research efforts of this project consider flow and chemical behavior in the saturated and unsaturated zones. We cover a broad range of contaminants including petroleum hydrocarbons, actinides, chlorinated solvents, creosote compounds, and agricultural chemicals. Using the same basic techniques, we also conduct research on the role of groundwater flow in transporting heat and chemicals along active faults. Members of this project develop and use numerical models, conduct field studies, and perform laboratory experiments, to understand flow, transport, and reactions of chemicals in the subsurface. These chemicals can include anthropogenic contaminants as well as naturally occurring species such as nutrients, terminal electron acceptors, reactive minerals and surfaces. The specific goals of our subsurface research are to:

1. Quantify the physical, chemical, and biological processes controlling chemical fate in the environment.
2. Test competing hypotheses for explaining observed chemical distribution and behavior.
3. Help characterize the mass balance of a chemical and its byproducts in a system.
4. Compare chemical fate in different hydrologic settings; and,
5. Test the impact of different management/remediation scenarios on water quality.

For additional information, see project home page.

REPORTS PUBLISHED 1994-2004

Constantz, J.E., and Essaid, H.I., 2004, The influence of ground water on stream restoration following dam removal: Proceedings of the American Water Resources Association Conference on Riparian Ecosystems and Buffers, Olympic Valley, California, June 2004, CD-ROM, sec. P, p. 1-5.

Curtis, G.P., Fox, P., Kohler, M., and Davis, J.A., 2004, Comparison of in situ uranium KD values with a laboratory determined surface complexation model: Applied Geochemistry, v. 19, p. 1,643-1,653. (on-line summary plus)

Davis, J.A., and Curtis, G.P., 2003, Application of surface complexation modeling to describe uranium (VI) adsorption and retardation at the uranium mill tailings site at Naturita, Colorado: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Report NUREG CR-6820. (on-line abstract or on-line report in pdf format, 691 kb)

Davis, J.A., Meece, D.E., Kohler, M., and Curtis, G.P., 2004, Approaches to surface complexation modeling of uranium(VI) adsorption on aquifer sediments: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 68, p. 3,621-3,641. (on-line summary plus)

Herkelrath, W.N., and Delin, G.N., 2004, Water-soil interaction and solute transport at a crude-oil spill site, in Wanty, R.B., and Seal, R.R., II, eds., Water Rock Interaction, v. 2, Proceedings of the Eleventh International Symposium on Water, Saratoga Springs, New York, July 2004: New York, A.A. Balkema, p. 1,527-1,530.

Fulton, P., Saffer, D., Harris, R., and Bekins, B.A., 2004, Re-evaluation of heat flow data near Parkfield, CA: Evidence for a weak San Andreas Fault: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 31. (on-line abstract)

Rittmann, B.E., Kremer, F., and Bekins, B.A., 2004, MNA Forum: A panel discussion: Remediation Journal, v. 14, no. 2, p. 155-160.

Warren, E., Bekins, B., Godsy, E., Smith, V., 2004, Inhibition of Acetoclastic Methanogenesis in Crude Oil- and Creosote-Contaminated Groundwater: Bioremediation Journal, v. 8, p. 1-11.

Bekins, B.A., 2003, 2004 Birdsall-Dreiss lecturer named: GSA Today, v. 13, no. 8., p. 26.

Curtis, G.P., 2003, Comparison of approaches for simulating reactive solute transport involving organic degradation reactions by multiple terminal electron acceptors: Computers and Geosciences, v. 18, no. 3, p. 319-329. (on-line abstract)

Essaid, H.I., I.M. Cozzarelli, R.P. Eganhouse, W.N. Herkelrath, B.A.Bekins, and G.N. Delin, 2003, Inverse modeling of BTEX dissolution and biodegradation at the Bemidji, MN crude-oil spill site, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, v. 67, pp 269-299. (on-line abstract)

Ge, S., Bekins, B.A., Bredehoeft, J., Brown, K., Davis, E.E., Gorelick, S.M., Henry, P., Kooi, H., Moench, A.F., Ruppel, C., Sauter, M., Screaton, E., Swart, P.K., Tokunaga, T., Voss, C.I., and Whitaker, F., 2003, Fluid flow in sub-sea floor processes and future ocean drilling: EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union, v. 84, p. 145, 151-152.

Herkelrath, W.N., and Kharaka, Y.K., 2003, Hydrologic controls on the subsurface transport of oil-field brine at the Osage-Skiatook petroleum environmental "B" site, Oklahoma in Kharaka, Y.K., and Otton, J.K., eds., Environmental impacts of petroleum production: Initial results from the Osage-Skiatook petroleum environmental research (OSPER) Sites, Osage County, Oklahoma: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4260, p. 113-123. (to access on-line report in pdf format - 7MB)

Saffer, D.M., Bekins, B.A., and Hickman, S., 2003, Topographically driven groundwater flow and the San Andreas heat flow paradox revisited: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 108, no. B5, p. 12-1 - 12-14. (on-line abstract)

Warren, E., Bekins, B.A., Godsy, E.M., and Smith, V.K., 2003, Inhibition of acetoclastic methanogenesis in crude oil- and creosote-contaminated groundwater: Bioremediation Journal, v. 7, p. 139-149.

Bekins, B.A., I.M. Cozzarelli, E. Warren, E. M. Godsy, 2002, Microbial ecology of a crude-oil contaminated aquifer, in Thornton, S.F., and Oswald, S.E., eds., Natural and Enhanced Restoration of Groundwater Pollution: International Association of Hydrological Sciences, IAHS Red Book Series no 275, p. 57-63. (on-line abstract)

Ge, S., Bekins, B.A., Bredehoeft, J., Brown, K., Davis, E.E., Gorelick, S.M., Henry, P., Kooi, H., Moench, A.F., Ruppel, C., Sauter, M., Screaton, E., Swart, P.K., Tokunaga, T., Voss, C.I., and Whitaker, F., 2002, Hydrogeology program planning group final report: JOIDES Journal, v. 28, no. 2, p. 24-29. (on-line journal with article - pdf format)

Herkelrath, W.N. and Kharaka, Y.K., 2002, Hydrologic controls on the subsurface transport of oil-field brine at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research "B" Site, Oklahoma, in Sublette, K.L., ed., Proceedings of the 9th International Petroleum Environmental Conference, October 22-25, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 12 p. CD-ROM format. (on-line report in pdf format)

Saffer, D.M., and Bekins, B.A., 2002, Hydrologic controls on the morphology and mechanics of accretionary wedges: Geology, v. 30, no. 3, p. 271-274. (on-line abstract)

Bekins, B.A., Cozzarelli, I.M., Godsy, E.M., Warren, Ean, Essaid, H.I., Tuccillo, M.E., 2001, Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil site II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, v. 53, p. 387-406. (on-line abstract)

Bekins, B.A., Rittmann, B.E., and MacDonald, J.A., 2001, Natural attenuation strategy for groundwater cleanup focuses on demonstrating cause and effect: EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 82, no. 5, p. 53. (on-line report)

Brown, K.M, Saffer, D.M, and Bekins, B.A , 2001, Smectite diagenesis, pore-water freshening, and fluid flow at the toe of the Nankai wedge: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v.194, no.1-2, p. 97-109. (on-line abstract)

Cozzarelli, I.M., Bekins, B.A., Baedecker, M.J., Aiken, G.R., Eganhouse, R.P. and Tuccillo, M.E., 2001, Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude-oil spill site; I. Geochemical evolution of the plume: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, v. 53, p. 369-385. (on-line abstract)

Dillard, L.A; Essaid, H.I; Blunt, M.J, 2001, A functional relation for field-scale nonaqueous phase liquid dissolution developed using a pore network model: Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, v. 48, no.1-2, p. 89-119. (on-line abstract)

Herkelrath, W.N., and Delin, G.N., 2001, Long-term monitoring of soil-moisture in a harsh climate using reflectometer and TDR probes, in Dowding, C.H., ed., Proceedings of the Second International Symposium and Workshop on Time Domain Reflectometry for Innovative Geotechnical Applications: Evanston, Illinois, Northwestern University, Infrastructure Technology Institute, September 5-7, 2001, p. 262-272.

Stauffer, P., and Bekins, B.A., 2001, Modeling consolidation and dewatering near the toe of the northern Barbados accretionary complex: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 106, p. 6,369-6,383. (on-line abstract)

Bekins, B.A., 2000, Groundwater and microbial processes theme issue - Guest editor's preface: Hydrogeology Journal, v. 8, no. 1, p. 2-3. (on-line preface)

Haack, S.K., and Bekins, B.A., 2000, Microbial populations in contaminant plumes: Hydrogeology Journal, v. 8, p. 63-76. (on-line abstract)

National Research Council, 2000, Natural Attenuation for Groundwater Remediation, National Academy Press. (on-line report)

Bekins, B.A., Baehr, A.L., Cozzarelli, I.M., Essaid, H.I., Haack, S.K., Harvey, R.W., Shapiro, A.M., Smith, J.A., Smith, R.L., 1999, Capabilities and challenges of natural attenuation in the subsurface: Lessons from the U.S. Geological Survey Toxics Substances Hydrology Program, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 of 3--Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 37-56. (on-line abstract)

Bekins, B.A., Cozzarelli, I.M., Godsy, E.M., Warren, E., Tuccillo, M.E., Essaid, H.I., and Paganelli, V.V., 1999, Chemical and physical controls on microbial populations in the Bemidji Toxics site crude-oil plume, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 of 3--Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 133-142. (on-line abstact)

Bekins, B.A., Godsy, E.M., and Warren, E., 1999, Distribution of microbial physiologic types in an aquifer contaminated by crude oil: Microbial Ecology, v. 37, p. 263-275. (on-line abstract)

Cozzarelli, I.M., Baedecker, M.J., Eganhouse, R.P., Tuccillo, M.E., Bekins, B.A., Aiken, G.R., Jaeschke, J.B., 1999, Chemical and physical controls on microbial populations in the Bemidji Toxics Site crude-oil plume, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3--Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 123-132. (on-line abstract).

Curtis, G.P., Cozzarelli, I.M., Baedecker, M.J., and Bekins, B.A., 1999, Coupled biogeochemical modeling of ground water contamination at the Bemidji, Minnesota crude oil spill site, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 of 3--Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p.153-158. (on-line abstract)

Delin, G.N, and Herkelrath, W.N., 1999, Long-term monitoring of unsaturated-zone properties at the Bemidji crude-oil spill site, in Morganwalp, D.W., ed., U.S. Geological Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 143-152. (on-line abstract)

Essaid, H.I., 1999, USGS SHARP Model, in Bear, J., Cheng, A.H.-D., Sorek, S., Ouazar, D., and Herrera I., eds, Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers - Concepts, Methods and Practices: Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, p. 213-247.

Godsy, E.M., Warren, E., Cozzarelli, I.M., Bekins, B.A., Eganhouse, R.P., Determining BTEX biodegradation rates using in situ microcosms at the Bemidji Site, Minnesota: Trails and tribulations, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 of 3--Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 129-168. (on-line abstract)

Herkelrath, W.N., 1999, Impacts of remediation at the Bemidji oil-spill site in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3 of 3--Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 195-200. (on-line abstract)

Saffer, D.M., and Bekins, B.A., 1999, Fluid budgets at convergent plate margins: Implications for the extent and duration of fault zone dilation, Geology, v. 27, no. 12, p. 1095-1098. (on-line abstract)

Warren, E., Bekins, B.A., Godsy, E.M., 1999, Inhibition of acetoclastic methanogenesis by crude oil from Bemidji, Minnesota, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Buxton, H.T., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999--Volume 3--Subsurface Contamination from Point Sources: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, p. 223-230. (on-line abstract)

Bekins, B.A., Warren, Ean, and Godsy, E.M., 1998, A comparison of zero-order, first-order, and Monod biotransformation models: Ground Water, v. 36, p. 261-268.

Delin, G.N., Essaid, H.I., Cozzaretti, I.M., Lahvis, M.H., and Bekins, B.A., 1998, Ground water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota: U.S.Geological Survey Fact Sheet 084-98, 4 P.

Essaid, H.L., and Bekins, B. A., 1998, BIOMOC, A multispecies solute-transport model with biodegradation: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 97-4022, 112pp.

Essaid, H.L., and Bekins, B.A., 1998, Modeling solute-transport and biodegradation with BIOMOC: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet FS-095-98. (on-line pdf document available)

Moore, J.C., Klaus, A., et al., 1998, Proc. ODP Init. Repts., 171: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program).

Saffer, D.M. and Bekins, B.A., 1998, Episodic fluid flow in the Nankai Acceretionary Complex: Timescale, geochemistry, flow rates, and fluid budget: J. Geophys. Res., v. 103, n. B12, p. 30,351-30,370.

Bachman, J.L., M.L. Cashel, and B.A. Bekins, 1997, Assessment of natural attenuation of contamination from three source areas in the East Management Unit, Dover Air Force Base, Kent County, Delaware, Administrative Report, prepared for Dover Air Force Base.

Ball, W.P., Curtis, G.P., and Roberts, P.V., 1997, Physical/chemical processes affecting the subsurface fate and transport of synthetic organic chemicals, in Ward, C.H., Scalf, R.M., and Cherry, J. eds., Subsurface restoration: Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI, p. 27-58.

Bekins, B.A., Warren, Ean, and Godsy, E.M., 1997, Comparing zero and first order approximations to the Monod Model, in Alleman, B.C and Leeson, Andrea, eds., In Situ and On Site Bioremediation: v. 5, Battelle Press, Columbus, Ohio., p. 547-552

Dillard, L.A., Essaid, H.I., and Herkelrath, W.N., 1997, Multiphase flow modeling of a crude-oil spill site using a bimodal permeability distribution: Water Resources Research, v. 33, no 7, p. 1617-1632.

Reinhard, M., Curtis, G.P., and Barbash, J.E., 1997, Natural chemical attenuation of halogenated hydrocarbon compounds via dehalogenation, in Ward, C.H., Cherry, J.A., and Scalf, M.R., eds., Subsurface Restoration: Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, MI., p. 397-409.

Dillard, L.A., Essaid, H.I., and Herkelrath, W.N., 1996, Multiphase flow modelling at the Bemidji, Minnesota, crude-oil spill site using geostatistical simulation of soil hydraulic properties, in Morganwalp, D.W. and D.A. Aronson, eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 20-24, 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4015, v. 2, p. 679-687.

Essaid, H.I., Baedecker, M.J., and Cozzarelli, I.M., 1996, Use of simulation to study field-scale solute transport and biodegradation at the Bemidji, Minnesota, crude-oil spill site, in Morganwalp, D.W. and Aronson, D.A., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program--Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 20-24, 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Water- Resources Investigations Report 94-4015, v. 2, p. 621-630.

Kohler, M., Curtis, G.P., Kent, D.B., and Davis, J.A., 1996, Experimental investigations and modeling of uranium(VI) transport under variable chemical conditions: Water Resources Research, v. 32, no. 12. p. 3539-3551.

Murphy, F., and Herkelrath, W.N., 1996, A sample-freezing drive shoe for a wireline piston core sampler: in Morganwalp, D.W., and Aronson, D.A., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 20-24, 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Water- Resources Investigations Report 94-4015, p. 369-374. (on-line abstract)

Murphy, F., and Herkelrath, W.N., 1996, A sample-freezing drive shoe for a wireline piston core sampler: Ground Water Monitering and Remediation, v. 16, no, 3, p. 86-90. (on-line abstract)

Bekins, B.A., Godsy, E.M., and Goerlitz, D.F., 1995, Modeling steady-state methanogenic degradation of phenols in groundwater at Pensacola, Florida, in Morganwalp, D.W., and Aronson, D.A., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program: Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 20-24, 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4015, v. 2, p. 843-850.

Bekins, B.A., Godsy, E.M., and Warren, E., 1995, Toxicity effects on methanogenic degradation of phenol in groundwater: Proceedings of the 1995 Environmental Protection Agency Symposium on Bioremediation of Hazardous Wastes: Research, Development, and Field Evaluations, Aug. 8-19, 1995, Rye Brook, New York: Environmental Protection Agency EPA/600/R-95/076, p. 18-19.

Bekins, B.A., McCaffrey, A.M., and Dreiss, S.J, 1995, Episodic and constant flow models for the origin of low chloride pore waters in a modern accretionary complex: Water Resources Research, v. 31, p. 3205-3215.

Essaid, H.I., Bekins, B.A., Godsy, E.M., Warren, E., Baedecker, M.J., and Cozzarelli, I.M., 1995, Simulation of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation processes at a crude-oil spill site: Water Resources Research, v. 31, p. 1753-1770.

Curtis, G.P., and Reinhard, M., 1994, Reductive dehalogenation of hexachloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, and bromoform by anthrahydroquinone disulfonate and humic acid: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 28, no. 13, p. 2393-2401.

Essaid, H.I., 1994, Simulation of flow and transport processes at the Bemidji, Minnesota, crude-oil spill site: Proceedings of the EPA-USGS sponsored Symposium on Intrinsic Bioremediation of Ground Water, Denver, Colorado, Aug. 30 - Sept. 1, 1994: Environmental Protection Agency EPA/540/R-94-515, p. 121-134.

Essaid, H.I., Herkelrath, W.N., and Dillard, L.A., 1994, Field and modeling studies of multiphase fluid flow at the Bemidji, Minnesota crude- oil spill site, in Dutton, Alan R., ed., Toxic Substances and the Hydrologic Sciences: American Institute of Hydrology, Minneapolis, MN, p. 52-68.

Herkelrath, W.N., Essaid, H.I., and Dillard, L.A., 1994, Multiphase fluid distributions in a shallow water-table aquifer contaminated by crude oil, in Dracos, TH., and Stauffer, F., eds., Transport and Reactive Processes in Aquifers, Proceedings of the IAHR/AIRH Symposium, Zurich, Switzerland, April 11-15, 1994: Rotterdam, Netherlands, A.A. Balkema, p. 537-542.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT, CONTACT:
Hedeff I. Essaid
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, MS 496, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email: hiessaid@usgs.gov
Telephone: 650-329-4581

Barbara Bekins
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, MS 496, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email: babekins@usgs.gov
Telephone: 650-329-4691

Gary P Curtis
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, MS 496, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email: gpcurtis@usgs.gov
Telephone: 650-329-4553

William N. Herkelrath
U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd, MS 496, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email: wnherkel@usgs.gov
Telephone: 650-329-4625

 For information on additional projects in the National Research Program, see Indexes to NRP projects and bibliographies