Geology Reports⌕ Search

Geology topics

Thomas Borch

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Borch.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2022

Nitrogen enrichment during soil organic matter burning and molecular evidence of maillard reactions

Wildfires in forested watersheds dramatically alter stored and labile soil organic matter (SOM) pools and the export of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Ecosystem recovery after wildfires depends on soil microbial communities and revegetation and therefore is limited by the availability of nutrients, such as nitrogen-containing and labile, water-soluble compounds. However, SOM byproducts produced at different wildfire intensities are poorly understood, leading to difficulties in assessing wildfire severity and predicting ecosystem recovery. In this work, water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) from laboratory microcosms of soil burned at discrete temperatures was characterized by ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to study the impacts of fire temperature on SOM and DOM composition. The molecular composition derived from different burn temperatures indicated that nitrogen-containing byproducts were enriched with heating and composed of a wide range of aromatic features and oxidation states. Mass difference-based analysis also suggested that products formed during heating could be modeled using transformations along the Maillard reaction pathway. The enrichment of N-containing SOM and DOM at different soil burning intensities has important implications for ecosystem recovery and downstream water quality.

Environmental Science and Technology↗
USGS2019

Radium accumulation in carbonate river sediments at oil and gas produced water discharges: Implications for beneficial use as disposal management

In the western U.S., produced water from oil and gas wells discharged to surface water augments downstream supplies used for irrigation and livestock watering. Here we investigate six permitted discharges on three neighboring tributary systems in Wyoming. During 2013-16, we evaluated radium activities of the permitted discharges and the potential for radium accumulation in associated stream sediments. Radium activities of the sediments at the points of discharge ranged from approximately 200-3600 Bq/kg with elevated activities above the background of 74 Bq/kg over 30 km downstream of one permitted discharge. Sediment as deep as 30 cm near the point of discharge had radium activities elevated above background. X-ray diffraction and targeted sequential extraction of radium in sediments indicate that radium is likely coprecipitated with carbonate, and to a lesser extent sulfate minerals. PHREEQC modeling predicts radium coprecipitation with aragonite and barite, but over-estimates the latter compared to observations of downstream sediment, where carbonate predominates. Mass-balance calculations indicate over 3 billion Bq of radium activity (226Ra+228Ra) is discharged each year from five of the discharges, combined, with only 5 percent of the annual load retained in stream sediments within 100m of the effluent discharges; the remaining 95 percent of the radium is transported farther downstream as sediment-associated and aqueous species

Environmental Science↗
USGS2017

Biogenic non-crystalline U(IV) revealed as major component in uranium ore deposits

Historically, it is believed that crystalline uraninite, produced via the abiotic reduction of hexavalent uranium (U (VI) ) is the dominant reduced U species formed in low-temperature uranium roll-front ore deposits. Here we show that non-crystalline U (IV) generated through biologically mediated U (VI) reduction is the predominant U (IV) species in an undisturbed U roll-front ore deposit in Wyoming, USA. Characterization of U species revealed that the majority ( ∼ 58-89%) of U is bound as U (IV) to C-containing organic functional groups or inorganic carbonate, while uraninite and U (VI) represent only minor components. The uranium deposit exhibited mostly 238 U-enriched isotope signatures, consistent with largely biotic reduction of U (VI) to U (IV) . This finding implies that biogenic processes are more important to uranium ore genesis than previously understood. The predominance of a relatively labile form of U (IV) also provides an opportunity for a more economical and environmentally benign mining process, as well as the design of more effective post-mining restoration strategies and human health-risk assessment.

Nature Communications↗
USGS2017

Rainfall-runoff of anthropogenic waste indicators from agricultural fields applied with municipal biosolids

The presence of anthropogenic contaminants such as antimicrobials, flame-retardants, and plasticizers in runoff from agricultural fields applied with municipal biosolids may pose a potential threat to the environment. This study assesses the potential for rainfall-induced runoff of 69 anthropogenic waste indicators (AWIs), widely found in household and industrial products, from biosolids amended field plots. The agricultural field containing the test plots was treated with biosolids for the first time immediately prior to this study. AWIs present in soil and biosolids were isolated by continuous liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed by full-scan gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results for 18 AWIs were not evaluated due to their presence in field blank QC samples, and another 34 did not have sufficient detection frequency in samples to analyze trends in data. A total of 17 AWIs, including 4-nonylphenol, triclosan, and tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate, were present in runoff with acceptable data quality and frequency for subsequent interpretation. Runoff samples were collected 5 days prior to and 1, 9, and 35 days after biosolids application. Of the 17 AWIs considered, 14 were not detected in pre-application samples, or their concentrations were much smaller than in the sample collected one day after application. A range of trends was observed for individual AWI concentrations (typically from 0.1 to 10 μg/L) over the course of the study, depending on the combination of partitioning and degradation mechanisms affecting each compound most strongly. Overall, these results indicate that rainfall can mobilize anthropogenic contaminants from biosolids-amended agricultural fields, directly to surface waters and redistribute them to terrestrial sites away from the point of application via runoff. For 14 of 17 compounds examined, the potential for runoff remobilization during rainstorms persists even after three 100-year rainstorm-equivalent simulations and the passage of a month.

Science of the Total Environment↗
USGS2012

Steroid hormone runoff from agricultural test plots applied with municipal biosolids

The potential presence of steroid hormones in runoff from sites where biosolids have been used as agricultural fertilizers is an environmental concern. A study was conducted to assess the potential for runoff of seventeen different hormones and two sterols, including androgens, estrogens, and progestogens from agricultural test plots. The field containing the test plots had been applied with biosolids for the first time immediately prior to this study. Target compounds were isolated by solid-phase extraction (water samples) and pressurized solvent extraction (solid samples), derivatized, and analyzed by gas chromatography&ndash;tandem mass spectrometry. Runoff samples collected prior to biosolids application had low concentrations of two hormones (estrone <0.8 to 2.23 ng L -1 and androstenedione <0.8 to 1.54 ng L -1 ) and cholesterol (22.5 &plusmn; 3.8 &mu;g L -1 ). In contrast, significantly higher concentrations of multiple estrogens (<0.8 to 25.0 ng L -1 ), androgens (<2 to 216 ng L -1 ), and progesterone (<8 to 98.9 ng L -1 ) were observed in runoff samples taken 1, 8, and 35 days after biosolids application. A significant positive correlation was observed between antecedent rainfall amount and hormone mass loads (runoff). Hormones in runoff were primarily present in the dissolved phase (<0.7-&mu;m GF filter), and, to a lesser extent bound to the suspended-particle phase. Overall, these results indicate that rainfall can mobilize hormones from biosolids-amended agricultural fields, directly to surface waters or redistributed to terrestrial sites away from the point of application via runoff. Although concentrations decrease over time, 35 days is insufficient for complete degradation of hormones in soil at this site.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2009

Biogeochemical redox processes and their impact on contaminant dynamics

Life and element cycling on Earth is directly related to electron transfer (or redox) reactions. An understanding of biogeochemical redox processes is crucial for predicting and protecting environmental health and can provide new opportunities for engineered remediation strategies. Energy can be released and stored by means of redox reactions via the oxidation of labile organic carbon or inorganic compounds (electron donors) by microorganisms coupled to the reduction of electron acceptors including humic substances, iron-bearing minerals, transition metals, metalloids, and actinides. Environmental redox processes play key roles in the formation and dissolution of mineral phases. Redox cycling of naturally occurring trace elements and their host minerals often controls the release or sequestration of inorganic contaminants. Redox processes control the chemical speciation, bioavailability, toxicity, and mobility of many major and trace elements including Fe, Mn, C, P, N, S, Cr, Cu, Co, As, Sb, Se, Hg, Tc, and U. Redox-active humic substances and mineral surfaces can catalyze the redox transformation and degradation of organic contaminants. In this review article, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of biogeochemical redox processes and their impact on contaminant fate and transport, including future research needs.

Environmental Science & Technology↗