Thomas Borch | Colorado State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Thomas Borch

Research paper thumbnail of Can Reactive Iron Preserve Organic Carbon during Permafrost Collapse?

Goldschmidt Abstracts

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Research paper thumbnail of Impact of redox chemistry on the fate and transport of arsenic and uranium at an abandoned uranium mine

Impact of redox chemistry on the fate and transport of arsenic and uranium at an abandoned uraniu... more Impact of redox chemistry on the fate and transport of arsenic and uranium at an abandoned uranium mine LYNDSAY D. TROYER1, THOMAS BORCH1,2,*, LANCE N. LARSON3 AND JAMES J. STONE3 1Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA 2Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA (*correspondence: borch@colostate.edu) 3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA

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Research paper thumbnail of Irrigation of wheat with select hydraulic fracturing chemicals: Evaluating plant uptake and growth impacts

Environmental Pollution

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Research paper thumbnail of Reusing oil and gas produced water for agricultural irrigation: Effects on soil health and the soil microbiome

Science of The Total Environment

Produced water (PW) is a major waste-product of oil and gas production that some consider a viabl... more Produced water (PW) is a major waste-product of oil and gas production that some consider a viable agricultural irrigation water source. However, the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons, toxic metals and potentially high salinity of PW may be deleterious for soil health. Thus, we irrigated wheat with minimally treated PW to investigate effects on soil health, wheat growth, and the soil microbiome. Irrigation treatments included control irrigation water (IW), 1% and 5% PW dilutions (1% PW, 5% PW), and a saltwater solution with salinity equivalent to the 5% PW dilution (SW). Wheat was irrigated three times a week, for a total of 2.1 L per pot by harvest. During wheat growth, we measured plant physiological parameters, soil electrical conductivity, as well as profiled soil microbial diversity by performing 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene analysis. Soil health parameters were measured after harvest, including chemical, biological, physical, and nutrient properties that were used to calculate an overall soil health index (SQI). SQI analysis revealed that the SW and 5% PW treatments had significantly reduced soil health as compared to the control. Furthermore, the 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that the microbial community membership and structure was significantly different between irrigation treatments, highlighting shifts in the soil microbiome which may impact soil biochemical cycling. Both the SW- and 5% PW-treated wheat had reduced yields as compared to the control. Our results indicate that irrigating wheat with minimally treated PW may result in yield decreases, as well as reducing both overall soil health and soil microbial community diversity. Future large-scale field studies are needed to determine the long-term soil health effects of PW on different soil types and crops.

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Research paper thumbnail of Hydrogeomorphic controls on soil carbon composition in two classes of subalpine wetlands

Biogeochemistry

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Research paper thumbnail of The generation and redistribution of soil cations in high elevation catenas in the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado, U.S

Geoderma

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Research paper thumbnail of Composition-Dependent Sorptive Fractionation of Anthropogenic Dissolved Organic Matter by Fe(III)-Montmorillonite

Soil Systems

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Research paper thumbnail of Organic coating on biochar explains its nutrient retention and stimulation of soil fertility

Nature communications, Oct 20, 2017

Amending soil with biochar (pyrolized biomass) is suggested as a globally applicable approach to ... more Amending soil with biochar (pyrolized biomass) is suggested as a globally applicable approach to address climate change and soil degradation by carbon sequestration, reducing soil-borne greenhouse-gas emissions and increasing soil nutrient retention. Biochar was shown to promote plant growth, especially when combined with nutrient-rich organic matter, e.g., co-composted biochar. Plant growth promotion was explained by slow release of nutrients, although a mechanistic understanding of nutrient storage in biochar is missing. Here we identify a complex, nutrient-rich organic coating on co-composted biochar that covers the outer and inner (pore) surfaces of biochar particles using high-resolution spectro(micro)scopy and mass spectrometry. Fast field cycling nuclear magnetic resonance, electrochemical analysis and gas adsorption demonstrated that this coating adds hydrophilicity, redox-active moieties, and additional mesoporosity, which strengthens biochar-water interactions and thus enh...

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Research paper thumbnail of Temporal characterization and statistical analysis of flowback and produced waters and their potential for reuse

The Science of the total environment, Jan 17, 2017

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) has allowed for the utilization of previously unattainable shale oil an... more Hydraulic fracturing (HF) has allowed for the utilization of previously unattainable shale oil and gas (O&G) resources. After HF is complete, the waters used to increase the facies' permeability return uphole as wastewaters. When these waters return to the surface, they are characterized by complex organic and inorganic chemistry, and can pose a health risk if not handled correctly. Therefore, these waters must be treated or disposed of properly. However, the variability of these waters' chemical composition over time is poorly understood and likely limits the applicability of their reuse. This study examines the water chemistry of a hydraulically fractured site in the Niobrara formation throughout the flowback period. Samples were collected every other day for the first 18days, then on a regular basis for three months. We identified HF fluid additives, including benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), alkyl ethoxylates (AEOs), and polyethylene glycols (PEGs), as well as geogenic com...

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Research paper thumbnail of Natural Attenuation of Nonionic Surfactants Used in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids: Degradation Rates, Pathways, and Mechanisms

Environmental science & technology, Jan 13, 2017

Hydraulic fracturing fluids are injected into shales to extend fracture networks that enhance oil... more Hydraulic fracturing fluids are injected into shales to extend fracture networks that enhance oil and natural gas production from unconventional reservoirs. Here we evaluated the biodegradability of three widely used nonionic polyglycol ether surfactants (alkyl ethoxylates (AEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), and polypropylene glycols (PPGs)) that function as weatherizers, emulsifiers, wetting agents, and corrosion inhibitors in injected fluids. Under anaerobic conditions, we observed complete removal of AEOs and NPEOs from solution within 3 weeks regardless of whether surfactants were part of a chemical mixture or amended as individual additives. Microbial enzymatic chain shortening was responsible for a shift in ethoxymer molecular weight distributions and the accumulation of the metabolite acetate. PPGs bioattenuated the slowest, producing sizable concentrations of acetone, an isomer of propionaldehyde. Surfactant chain shortening was coupled to an increased abundance of the ...

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

Nature Communications

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Research paper thumbnail of Downhole Transformation of the Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Biocide Glutaraldehyde: Implications for Flowback and Produced Water Quality

Environmental Science & Technology

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Research paper thumbnail of Complexation and Redox Buffering of Iron(II) by Dissolved Organic Matter

Environmental Science & Technology

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Research paper thumbnail of Spills of Hydraulic Fracturing Chemicals on Agricultural Topsoil: Biodegradation, Sorption, and Co-contaminant Interactions

Environmental Science & Technology

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Research paper thumbnail of Watershed-Scale Impacts from Surface Water Disposal of Oil and Gas Wastewater in Western Pennsylvania

Environmental science & technology, 2017

Combining horizontal drilling with high volume hydraulic fracturing has increased extraction of h... more Combining horizontal drilling with high volume hydraulic fracturing has increased extraction of hydrocarbons from low-permeability oil and gas (O&G) formations across the United States; accompanied by increased wastewater production. Surface water discharges of O&G wastewater by centralized waste treatment (CWT) plants pose risks to aquatic and human health. We evaluated the impact of surface water disposal of O&G wastewater from CWT plants upstream of the Conemaugh River Lake (dam controlled reservoir) in western Pennsylvania. Regulatory compliance data were collected to calculate annual contaminant loads (Ba, Cl, total dissolved solids (TDS)) to document historical industrial activity. In this study, two CWT plants 10 and 19 km upstream of a reservoir left geochemical signatures in sediments and porewaters corresponding to peak industrial activity that occurred 5 to 10 years earlier. Sediment cores were sectioned for the collection of paired samples of sediment and porewater, and ...

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Research paper thumbnail of Use of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection for complete separation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene metabolites and EPA Method 8330 explosives: influence of temperature and an ion-pair reagent

Journal of Chromatography a, Jan 2, 2004

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Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Ferrihydrite and Anthraquinone-2,G-Disulfonate on the Reductive Transformation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene by a Gram-Positive Fermenting Bacterium

Environmental Science Technology, 2005

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Research paper thumbnail of Troyer SI 2014

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Research paper thumbnail of Hydraulic fracturing surfactants

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Research paper thumbnail of Porsch Sup 2014

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Research paper thumbnail of Can Reactive Iron Preserve Organic Carbon during Permafrost Collapse?

Goldschmidt Abstracts

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Research paper thumbnail of Impact of redox chemistry on the fate and transport of arsenic and uranium at an abandoned uranium mine

Impact of redox chemistry on the fate and transport of arsenic and uranium at an abandoned uraniu... more Impact of redox chemistry on the fate and transport of arsenic and uranium at an abandoned uranium mine LYNDSAY D. TROYER1, THOMAS BORCH1,2,*, LANCE N. LARSON3 AND JAMES J. STONE3 1Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA 2Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA (*correspondence: borch@colostate.edu) 3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA

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Research paper thumbnail of Irrigation of wheat with select hydraulic fracturing chemicals: Evaluating plant uptake and growth impacts

Environmental Pollution

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Research paper thumbnail of Reusing oil and gas produced water for agricultural irrigation: Effects on soil health and the soil microbiome

Science of The Total Environment

Produced water (PW) is a major waste-product of oil and gas production that some consider a viabl... more Produced water (PW) is a major waste-product of oil and gas production that some consider a viable agricultural irrigation water source. However, the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons, toxic metals and potentially high salinity of PW may be deleterious for soil health. Thus, we irrigated wheat with minimally treated PW to investigate effects on soil health, wheat growth, and the soil microbiome. Irrigation treatments included control irrigation water (IW), 1% and 5% PW dilutions (1% PW, 5% PW), and a saltwater solution with salinity equivalent to the 5% PW dilution (SW). Wheat was irrigated three times a week, for a total of 2.1 L per pot by harvest. During wheat growth, we measured plant physiological parameters, soil electrical conductivity, as well as profiled soil microbial diversity by performing 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene analysis. Soil health parameters were measured after harvest, including chemical, biological, physical, and nutrient properties that were used to calculate an overall soil health index (SQI). SQI analysis revealed that the SW and 5% PW treatments had significantly reduced soil health as compared to the control. Furthermore, the 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that the microbial community membership and structure was significantly different between irrigation treatments, highlighting shifts in the soil microbiome which may impact soil biochemical cycling. Both the SW- and 5% PW-treated wheat had reduced yields as compared to the control. Our results indicate that irrigating wheat with minimally treated PW may result in yield decreases, as well as reducing both overall soil health and soil microbial community diversity. Future large-scale field studies are needed to determine the long-term soil health effects of PW on different soil types and crops.

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Research paper thumbnail of Hydrogeomorphic controls on soil carbon composition in two classes of subalpine wetlands

Biogeochemistry

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Research paper thumbnail of The generation and redistribution of soil cations in high elevation catenas in the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado, U.S

Geoderma

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Research paper thumbnail of Composition-Dependent Sorptive Fractionation of Anthropogenic Dissolved Organic Matter by Fe(III)-Montmorillonite

Soil Systems

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Research paper thumbnail of Organic coating on biochar explains its nutrient retention and stimulation of soil fertility

Nature communications, Oct 20, 2017

Amending soil with biochar (pyrolized biomass) is suggested as a globally applicable approach to ... more Amending soil with biochar (pyrolized biomass) is suggested as a globally applicable approach to address climate change and soil degradation by carbon sequestration, reducing soil-borne greenhouse-gas emissions and increasing soil nutrient retention. Biochar was shown to promote plant growth, especially when combined with nutrient-rich organic matter, e.g., co-composted biochar. Plant growth promotion was explained by slow release of nutrients, although a mechanistic understanding of nutrient storage in biochar is missing. Here we identify a complex, nutrient-rich organic coating on co-composted biochar that covers the outer and inner (pore) surfaces of biochar particles using high-resolution spectro(micro)scopy and mass spectrometry. Fast field cycling nuclear magnetic resonance, electrochemical analysis and gas adsorption demonstrated that this coating adds hydrophilicity, redox-active moieties, and additional mesoporosity, which strengthens biochar-water interactions and thus enh...

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Research paper thumbnail of Temporal characterization and statistical analysis of flowback and produced waters and their potential for reuse

The Science of the total environment, Jan 17, 2017

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) has allowed for the utilization of previously unattainable shale oil an... more Hydraulic fracturing (HF) has allowed for the utilization of previously unattainable shale oil and gas (O&G) resources. After HF is complete, the waters used to increase the facies' permeability return uphole as wastewaters. When these waters return to the surface, they are characterized by complex organic and inorganic chemistry, and can pose a health risk if not handled correctly. Therefore, these waters must be treated or disposed of properly. However, the variability of these waters' chemical composition over time is poorly understood and likely limits the applicability of their reuse. This study examines the water chemistry of a hydraulically fractured site in the Niobrara formation throughout the flowback period. Samples were collected every other day for the first 18days, then on a regular basis for three months. We identified HF fluid additives, including benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), alkyl ethoxylates (AEOs), and polyethylene glycols (PEGs), as well as geogenic com...

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Research paper thumbnail of Natural Attenuation of Nonionic Surfactants Used in Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids: Degradation Rates, Pathways, and Mechanisms

Environmental science & technology, Jan 13, 2017

Hydraulic fracturing fluids are injected into shales to extend fracture networks that enhance oil... more Hydraulic fracturing fluids are injected into shales to extend fracture networks that enhance oil and natural gas production from unconventional reservoirs. Here we evaluated the biodegradability of three widely used nonionic polyglycol ether surfactants (alkyl ethoxylates (AEOs), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), and polypropylene glycols (PPGs)) that function as weatherizers, emulsifiers, wetting agents, and corrosion inhibitors in injected fluids. Under anaerobic conditions, we observed complete removal of AEOs and NPEOs from solution within 3 weeks regardless of whether surfactants were part of a chemical mixture or amended as individual additives. Microbial enzymatic chain shortening was responsible for a shift in ethoxymer molecular weight distributions and the accumulation of the metabolite acetate. PPGs bioattenuated the slowest, producing sizable concentrations of acetone, an isomer of propionaldehyde. Surfactant chain shortening was coupled to an increased abundance of the ...

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

Nature Communications

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Research paper thumbnail of Downhole Transformation of the Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Biocide Glutaraldehyde: Implications for Flowback and Produced Water Quality

Environmental Science & Technology

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Research paper thumbnail of Complexation and Redox Buffering of Iron(II) by Dissolved Organic Matter

Environmental Science & Technology

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Research paper thumbnail of Spills of Hydraulic Fracturing Chemicals on Agricultural Topsoil: Biodegradation, Sorption, and Co-contaminant Interactions

Environmental Science & Technology

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Research paper thumbnail of Watershed-Scale Impacts from Surface Water Disposal of Oil and Gas Wastewater in Western Pennsylvania

Environmental science & technology, 2017

Combining horizontal drilling with high volume hydraulic fracturing has increased extraction of h... more Combining horizontal drilling with high volume hydraulic fracturing has increased extraction of hydrocarbons from low-permeability oil and gas (O&G) formations across the United States; accompanied by increased wastewater production. Surface water discharges of O&G wastewater by centralized waste treatment (CWT) plants pose risks to aquatic and human health. We evaluated the impact of surface water disposal of O&G wastewater from CWT plants upstream of the Conemaugh River Lake (dam controlled reservoir) in western Pennsylvania. Regulatory compliance data were collected to calculate annual contaminant loads (Ba, Cl, total dissolved solids (TDS)) to document historical industrial activity. In this study, two CWT plants 10 and 19 km upstream of a reservoir left geochemical signatures in sediments and porewaters corresponding to peak industrial activity that occurred 5 to 10 years earlier. Sediment cores were sectioned for the collection of paired samples of sediment and porewater, and ...

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Research paper thumbnail of Use of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection for complete separation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene metabolites and EPA Method 8330 explosives: influence of temperature and an ion-pair reagent

Journal of Chromatography a, Jan 2, 2004

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Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Ferrihydrite and Anthraquinone-2,G-Disulfonate on the Reductive Transformation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene by a Gram-Positive Fermenting Bacterium

Environmental Science Technology, 2005

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Research paper thumbnail of Troyer SI 2014

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Research paper thumbnail of Hydraulic fracturing surfactants

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Research paper thumbnail of Porsch Sup 2014

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