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
A simple method for calculating growth rates of petroleum hydrocarbon plumes
Inhibition of acetoclastic methanogenesis in crude oil- and creosote-contaminated groundwater
Monitored natural attenuation forum: A panel discussion
Re-evaluation of heat flow data near Parkfield, CA: Evidence for a weak San Andreas Fault
Topographically driven groundwater flow and the San Andreas heat flow paradox revisited
Inverse modeling of BTEX dissolution and biodegradation at the Bemidji, MN crude-oil spill site
Inhibition of acetoclastic methanogenesis in crude oil- and creosote-contaminated groundwater
Microbial ecology of a crude oil contaminated aquifer
Natural attenuation strategy for groundwater cleanup focuses on demonstrating cause and effect
Modeling consolidation and dewatering near the toe of the northern Barbados accretionary complex
Smectite diagenesis, pore-water freshening, and fluid flow at the toe of the Nankai wedge
Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil spill site: II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 88
A simple method for calculating growth rates of petroleum hydrocarbon plumes
Consumption of aquifer Fe(III) during biodegradation of ground water contaminants may result in expansion of a contaminant plume, changing the outlook for monitored natural attenuation. Data from two research sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons show that toluene and xylenes degrade under methanogenic conditions, but the benzene and ethylbenzene plumes grow as aquifer Fe(III) supplies arAuthorsB.A. Bekins, I.M. Cozzarelli, G.P. CurtisInhibition of acetoclastic methanogenesis in crude oil- and creosote-contaminated groundwater
Results from a series of studies of methanogenic processes in crude oil- and creosote-contaminated aquifers indicate that acetoclastic methanogenesis is inhibited near non-aqueous sources. At a crude oil-contaminated site, numbers of acetoclastic methanogens found close to crude oil were one hundred times fewer than those of hydrogen- and formate-utilizing methanogens. In laboratory toxicity assayAuthorsEan Warren, Barbara A. Bekins, E. Michael Godsy, Virginia K. SmithMonitored natural attenuation forum: A panel discussion
No abstract available.AuthorsBruce E. Rittmann, Fran Kremer, Barbara BekinsRe-evaluation of heat flow data near Parkfield, CA: Evidence for a weak San Andreas Fault
Improved interpretations of the strength of the San Andreas Fault near Parkfield, CA based on thermal data require quantification of processes causing significant scatter and uncertainty in existing heat flow data. These effects include topographic refraction, heat advection by topographically-driven groundwater flow, and uncertainty in thermal conductivity. Here, we re-evaluate the heat flow dataAuthorsP.M. Fulton, D.M. Saffer, Reid N. Harris, B.A. BekinsTopographically driven groundwater flow and the San Andreas heat flow paradox revisited
Evidence for a weak San Andreas Fault includes (1) borehole heat flow measurements that show no evidence for a frictionally generated heat flow anomaly and (2) the inferred orientation of ??1 nearly perpendicular to the fault trace. Interpretations of the stress orientation data remain controversial, at least in close proximity to the fault, leading some researchers to hypothesize that the San AndAuthorsD.M. Saffer, B.A. Bekins, S. HickmanInverse modeling of BTEX dissolution and biodegradation at the Bemidji, MN crude-oil spill site
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) solute transport and biodegradation code BIOMOC was used in conjunction with the USGS universal inverse modeling code UCODE to quantify field-scale hydrocarbon dissolution and biodegradation at the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program crude-oil spill research site located near Bemidji, MN. This inverse modeling effort used the extensive historical data compiledAuthorsH.I. Essaid, I.M. Cozzarelli, R.P. Eganhouse, W.N. Herkelrath, B.A. Bekins, G. N. DelinInhibition of acetoclastic methanogenesis in crude oil- and creosote-contaminated groundwater
The inhibition of acetoclastic methanogenesis in crude oil- and creosote-contaminated groundwater was studied. The crude oil and water-soluble components of creosote contributed to the inhibition of acetoclastic methanogens. Acetoclastic methanogenesis was much more susceptible to the toxic inhibition of crude oil and creosote than either hydrogen- or formate-utilizing methanogenesis. The effect oAuthorsE. Warren, B.A. Bekins, E.M. Godsy, V. K. SmithMicrobial ecology of a crude oil contaminated aquifer
Detailed microbial analyses of a glacial outwash aquifer contaminated by crude oil provide insights into the pattern of microbial succession from iron reducing to methanogenic in the anaerobic portion of the contaminant plume. We analysed sediments from this area for populations of aerobes, iron reducers, fermenters and methanogens, using the most probable number method. On the basis of the microbAuthorsB.A. Bekins, I.M. Cozzarelli, E. Warren, E.M. GodsyNatural attenuation strategy for groundwater cleanup focuses on demonstrating cause and effect
In the 20 years since cleanup of contaminated groundwater has been a high priority in the United States, recognition of both the scope of the problem and the technical difficulties involved has grown steadily. Estimates of the number of hazardous waste sites where groundwater may be contaminated vary between 300,000 and 400,000 nationwide [NRC, 1994]. Legislation passed in the 1980s by Congress anAuthorsBarbara A. Bekins, Bruce E. Rittmann, J. A. MacDonaldModeling consolidation and dewatering near the toe of the northern Barbados accretionary complex
At the toe of the northern Barbados accretionary complex, temperature and pore water chemistry data indicate that fluid flow is channeled along the décollement and other shallow thrust faults. We examine mechanisms that may prevent consolidation and maintain high permeability over large sections of the décollement. High-resolution bulk density data from five boreholes show that the décollement isAuthorsP. Stauffer, B.A. BekinsSmectite diagenesis, pore-water freshening, and fluid flow at the toe of the Nankai wedge
The presence of low-chloride fluids in the lowermost sediments drilled at Ocean Drilling Program Site 808, at the Nankai accretionary wedge, has been considered as prime evidence for long-distance, lateral fluid flow from depth. Here, we re-evaluate the potential role of in situ reaction of smectite (S) to illite (I) in the genesis of this low chloride anomaly. This reaction is known to be occurriAuthorsK. M. Brown, D.M. Saffer, B.A. BekinsProgression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil spill site: II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations
A multidisciplinary study of a crude-oil contaminated aquifer shows that the distribution of microbial physiologic types is strongly controlled by the aquifer properties and crude oil location. The microbial populations of four physiologic types were analyzed together with permeability, pore-water chemistry, nonaqueous oil content, and extractable sediment iron. Microbial data from three verticalAuthorsB.A. Bekins, I.M. Cozzarelli, E.M. Godsy, E. Warren, H.I. Essaid, M.E. Tuccillo