Barbara A. Bekins, PhD
I study biodegradation of groundwater contaminants. Presently I serve as research coordinator of a team studying a 1979 crude oil spill at the USGS study site near Bemidji, Minnesota. Studies at the site include the fate and bioeffects of oxyhdrocarbons formed during natural attenuation, controls on degradation rates, and use of biogenic heat to estimate degradation
EDUCATION
University of California, Santa Cruz, Ph.D., 1993, Hydrogeology
San Jose State University, M.S., 1988, Mathematics
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., 1975, Mathematics
EXPERIENCE
1990-present: Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division
2006-2008 Instructor, Stanford University, Solute Transport in Groundwater
1988-1993: Researcher and Instructor, University of California, Santa Cruz.
1979-1987: Computer Specialist, U. S. Geological Survey, Seismology Branch.
Project chief, system administrator and UNIX consultant for computer facilities monitoring earthquakes in real time.
1977-1978: Research Assistant, Stanford University Geophysics Department.
1976-1977: Mathematics Lab Director, Canada Community College.
1975-1976: Scientific Programmer, SRI International.
HONORS
Member, National Academy of Engineering, 2020
AGU Fellow, 2019
GSA Fellow, 2005
GSA Hydrogeology Division Birdsall-Dreiss Lecturer, 2003-2004
U.S. Geological Survey Meritorious Service Award, 2004
JOI/USSAC Distinguished Lecturer, 2002-2003
ARCS Foundation Fellowship, 1989-1990
University of California Regents’ Fellowship, 1988-1989
B.A. Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa
INTERNATIONAL OCEAN DISCOVERY PROGRAM PARTICIPATION
Exp. 366, Mariana Serpentine Mud Volcanoes, 12/2016-2/2017, Downhole Tools and Phys. Props.
Science Planning Committee, 2004-2007.
Leg 201, Peru Deep Biosphere, 1/2002-4/2002, Downhole Tools and Phys. Props.
U.S. Science Advisory Committee, 2000-2003.
Science Steering and Evaluation Panel, Earth's Environment, 1997-2000.
Leg 171A, Logging While Drilling, 12/1996-1/1997, Hydrologist.
Sedimentary and Geochemical Processes Panel, 1994-1996.
COMMITTEES
AGU Program Committee, 2013-2016
AGU Groundwater Technical Committee, Chair 2009-2010
National Research Council Panel on Intrinsic Remediation, 1997-2000.
JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARDS
Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation 2021-present.
Geofluids, 2007-2017.
Hydrogeology Journal, 1997-2000.
Ground Water, 1998-2003.
Geology, 1995-1998.
Science and Products
Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude-oil spill site . I. Geochemical evolution of the plume
Microbial populations in contaminant plumes
Distribution of microbial physiologic types in an aquifer contaminated by crude oil
Fluid budgets at convergent plate margins: Implications for the extent and duration of fault-zone dilation
Consolidation patterns during initiation and evolution of a plate-boundary decollement zone: Northern Barbados accretionary prism
Modeling solute-transport and biodegradation with BIOMOC
Assessment of natural attenuation of contamination from three source areas in the East Management Unit, Dover Air Force Base, Kent County, Delaware
A comparison of zero-order, first-order, and monod biotransformation models
Episodic fluid flow in the Nankai accretionary complex: Timescale, geochemistry, flow rates, and fluid budget
Ground water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota
Comparing zero- and first-order approximations to the Monod model
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 88
Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude-oil spill site . I. Geochemical evolution of the plume
A 16-year study of a hydrocarbon plume shows that the extent of contaminant migration and compound-specific behavior have changed as redox reactions, most notably iron reduction, have progressed over time. Concentration changes at a small scale, determined from analysis of pore-water samples drained from aquifer cores, are compared with concentration changes at the plume scale, determined from anaAuthorsI.M. Cozzarelli, B.A. Bekins, M.J. Baedecker, G. R. Aiken, R.P. Eganhouse, M.E. TuccilloMicrobial populations in contaminant plumes
Efficient biodegradation of subsurface contaminants requires two elements: (1) microbial populations with the necessary degradative capabilities, and (2) favorable subsurface geochemical and hydrological conditions. Practical constraints on experimental design and interpretation in both the hydrogeological and microbiological sciences have resulted in limited knowledge of the interaction between hAuthorsS.K. Haack, B.A. BekinsDistribution of microbial physiologic types in an aquifer contaminated by crude oil
We conducted a plume-scale study of the microbial ecology in the anaerobic portion of an aquifer contaminated by crude-oil compounds. The data provide insight into the patterns of ecological succession, microbial nutrient demands, and the relative importance of free-living versus attached microbial populations. The most probable number (MPN) method was used to characterize the spatial distributionAuthorsB.A. Bekins, E.M. Godsy, E. WarrenFluid budgets at convergent plate margins: Implications for the extent and duration of fault-zone dilation
Faults at convergent plate boundaries are important conduits for fluid escape, and recent evidence suggests that fluid expulsion along them is both transient and heterogeneous. For the Nankai and Barbados convergent margins, we have used numerical models to investigate the long-term partitioning of expelled fluids between diffuse flow and flow along connected high-permeability fault conduits. ForAuthorsD.M. Saffer, B.A. BekinsConsolidation patterns during initiation and evolution of a plate-boundary decollement zone: Northern Barbados accretionary prism
Borehole logs from the northern Barbados accretionary prism show that the plate-boundary decollement initiates in a low-density radiolarian claystone. With continued thrusting, the decollement zone consolidates, but in a patchy manner. The logs calibrate a three-dimensional seismic reflection image of the decollement zone and indicate which portions are of low density and enriched in fluid, and whAuthorsJ.C. Moore, A. Klaus, N.L. Bangs, B. Bekins, C.J. Bucker, W. Bruckmann, S.N. Erickson, O. Hansen, T. Horton, P. Ireland, C.O. Major, Gregory F. Moore, S. Peacock, S. Saito, E.J. Screaton, J.W. Shimeld, P.H. Stauffer, T. Taymaz, P.A. Teas, T. TokunagaModeling solute-transport and biodegradation with BIOMOC
No abstract available.AuthorsHedeff I. Essaid, Barbara A. BekinsAssessment of natural attenuation of contamination from three source areas in the East Management Unit, Dover Air Force Base, Kent County, Delaware
No abstract available.AuthorsL. J. Bachman, M.L. Cashel, B.A. BekinsA comparison of zero-order, first-order, and monod biotransformation models
Under some conditions, a first-order kinetic model is a poor representation of biodegradation in contaminated aquifers. Although it is well known that the assumption of first-order kinetics is valid only when substrate concentration, S, is much less than the half-saturation constant, K(s), this assumption is often made without verification of this condition. We present a formal error analysis showAuthorsB.A. Bekins, E. Warren, E.M. GodsyEpisodic fluid flow in the Nankai accretionary complex: Timescale, geochemistry, flow rates, and fluid budget
Down-hole geochemical anomalies encountered in active accretionary systems can be used to constrain the timing, rates, and localization of fluid flow. Here we combine a coupled flow and solute transport model with a kinetic model for smectite dehydration to better understand and quantify fluid flow in the Nankai accretionary complex offshore of Japan. Compaction of sediments and clay dehydration pAuthorsD.M. Saffer, B.A. BekinsGround water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota
Ground-water contamination by crude oil, and other petroleum-based liquids, is a widespread problem. An average of 83 crude-oil spills occurred per year during 1994-96 in the United States, each spilling about 50,000 barrels of crude oil (U.S. Office of Pipeline Safety, electronic commun., 1997). An understanding of the fate of organic contaminants (such as oil and gasoline) in the subsurface is nAuthorsG. N. Delin, H.I. Essaid, I.M. Cozzarelli, M.H. Lahvis, B.A. BekinsComparing zero- and first-order approximations to the Monod model
No abstract available.AuthorsBarbara A. Bekins, Ean Warren, E. Michael Godsy