Christopher Fuller
Christopher Fuller is a Emeritus Scientist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. His research characterizes processes and mechanisms of metal sorption reactions through field studies and lab experiments to better understand the metal transport and natural attenuation in mine contaminated systems and to better understand geochemical processes affecting bioavailability of metal contaminants to aquatic organisms.
Professional societies/affiliations/committees/editorial boards
American Geophysical Union
American Chemical Society
Geochemical Society
Professional Experience
Professional Studies/Experience
2019 - current: Scientist Emeritus
2018 - 2019: Research Hydrologist (Geochemistry), Hydrological-Ecological Interactions Branch, Earth Surface Processes Division, Water Mission Area, U.S. Geological Survey
1982 - 2017: Research Hydrologist (Geochemistry), National Research Program, Western Region, U.S. Geological Survey
1976 - 1982: Research Technician, Unversity of Southern California
Education and Certifications
Education
1976: BS Chemistry, SUNY Oswego
1982: MS Geology, emphasis in Marine Geochemistry, University of Southern California
Honors and Awards
Honors, awards, recognition, elected offices
May 1996: Editors Citation for Excellence in Manuscript Review for the Soil Science Society of America Journal
May 2003. STAR award for instrumental role in developing cooperative project with BLM at the Fry Canyon permeable reactive barrier demonstration site.
November 2006 Superior Service Award
October 2007. STAR award “Chris has done an outstanding job in age dating over 90 lake sediment cores collected from Great Salt Lake in a very short time frame to accommodate a Utah Water Science Center cooperator. This work was published in Applied Geochemistry.
June 2014 Superior Service Award
Science and Products
Constraints on the sedimentation history of San Francisco Bay from 14C and 10Be
Sedimentary record of anthropogenic and biogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in San Francisco Bay, California
A mini drivepoint sampler for measuring pore water solute concentrations in the hyporheic zone of sand-bottom streams
Similar rates of decrease of persistent, hydrophobic and particle-reactive contaminants in riverine systems
Effect of enhanced manganese oxidation in the hyporheic zone on basin-scale geochemical mass balance
Application of the surface complexation concept to complex mineral assemblages
Historical trends in organochlorine compounds in river basins identified using sediment cores from reservoirs
Distributions and fate of chlorinated pesticides, biomarkers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments along a contamination gradient from a point-source in San Francisco Bay, California
Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) study of "two-line" ferrihydrite structure: Effect of arsenate sorption and counterion variation and comparison with EXAFS results
Characterization of metal adsorption variability in a sand and gravel aquifer, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A
Geometry of sorbed arsenate on ferrihydrite and crystalline FeOOH: Re-evaluation of EXAFS results and topological factors in predicting sorbate geometry, and evidence for monodentate complexes
Pb2+ and Zn2+ adsorption by a natural aluminum- and iron-bearing surface coating on an aquifer sand
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 83
Constraints on the sedimentation history of San Francisco Bay from 14C and 10Be
Industrialization and urbanization around San Francisco Bay as well as mining and agriculture in the watersheds of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers have profoundly modified sedimentation patterns throughout the estuary. We provide some constraints on the onset of these erosional disturbances with 10Be data for three sediment cores: two from Richardson Bay, a small embayment near the mouth ofAuthorsA. VanGeen, N. J. Valette-Silver, S. N. Luoma, C. C. Fuller, M. Baskaran, F. Tera, J. KleinSedimentary record of anthropogenic and biogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in San Francisco Bay, California
Dated sediment cores collected from Richardson and San Pablo Bays in San Francisco Bay were used to reconstruct a history of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination. The sedimentary record of PAHs in Richardson Bay shows that anthropogenic inputs have increased since the turn of the century, presumably as a result of increasing urbanization and industrialization around the Bay Area. CoAuthorsW. E. Pereira, Frances D. Hostettler, Samuel N. Luoma, A. VanGeen, Christopher C. Fuller, R. J. AnimaA mini drivepoint sampler for measuring pore water solute concentrations in the hyporheic zone of sand-bottom streams
A new method for collecting pore-water samples in sand and gravel streambeds is presented. We developed a mini drivepoint solution sampling (MINIPOINT) technique to collect pore-water samples at 2.5-cm vertical resolution. The sampler consisted of six small-diameter stainless steel drivepoints arranged in a 10-cm-diameter circular array. In a simple procedure, the sampler was installed in the streAuthorsJohn H. Duff, Fred Murphy, Christopher C. Fuller, F. Triska, Judson W. Harvey, Alan P. JackmanSimilar rates of decrease of persistent, hydrophobic and particle-reactive contaminants in riverine systems
Although it is well-known that concentrations of anthropogenic radionuclides and organochlorine compounds in aquatic systems have decreased since their widespread release has stopped in the United States, the magnitude and variability of rates of decrease are not well-known. Paleolimnological studies of reservoirs provide a tool for evaluating these long-term trends in riverine systems. Rates of dAuthorsPeter C. Van Metre, Jennifer T. Wilson, Edward Callender, Christopher C. FullerEffect of enhanced manganese oxidation in the hyporheic zone on basin-scale geochemical mass balance
We determined the role of the hyporheic zone (the subsurface zone where stream water and shallow groundwater mix) in enhancing microbially mediated oxidation of dissolved manganese (to form manganese precipitates) in a drainage basin contaminated by copper mining. The fate of manganese is of overall importance to water quality in Pinal Creek Basin, Arizona, because manganese reactions affect the tAuthorsJudson W. Harvey, Christopher C. FullerApplication of the surface complexation concept to complex mineral assemblages
Two types of modeling approaches are illustrated for describing inorganic contaminant adsorption in aqueous environments: (a) the component additivity approach and (b) the generalized composite approach. Each approach is applied to simulate Zn2+ adsorption by a well-characterized sediment collected from an aquifer at Cape Cod, MA. Zn2+ adsorption by the sediment was studied in laboratory batch expAuthorsJ.A. Davis, J.A. Coston, D.B. Kent, C. C. FullerHistorical trends in organochlorine compounds in river basins identified using sediment cores from reservoirs
This study used chemical analyses of dated sediment cores from reservoirs to define historical trends in water quality in the influent river basins. This work applies techniques from paleolimnology to reservoirs, and in the process, highlights differences between sediment-core interpretations for reservoirs and natural lakes. Sediment cores were collected from six reservoirs in the central and souAuthorsP. C. Van Metre, E. Callender, C. C. FullerDistributions and fate of chlorinated pesticides, biomarkers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments along a contamination gradient from a point-source in San Francisco Bay, California
The distribution and fate of chlorinated pesticides, biomarkers, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surficial sediments along a contamination gradient in the Lauritzen Canal and Richmond Harbor in San Francisco Bay was investigated. Compounds were identified and quantified using gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Biomarkers and PAHs were derived primarily from weathered petAuthorsW. E. Pereira, F. D. Hostettler, J. B. RappWide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) study of "two-line" ferrihydrite structure: Effect of arsenate sorption and counterion variation and comparison with EXAFS results
Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements have been made on a suite of “two-line” ferrihydrite (FHY2) samples containing varying amounts of coprecipitated arsenate. Samples prepared at pH 8 with counter ions chloride, nitrate, and a mixture of both also were examined. The raw WAXS scattering functions show that “two-line” ferrihydrite actually has a large number of non-Bragg (i.e., diffuse sAuthorsG.A. Waychunas, C. C. Fuller, B.A. Rea, J.A. DavisCharacterization of metal adsorption variability in a sand and gravel aquifer, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A
Several geochemical properties of an aquifer sediment that control metal-ion adsorption were investigated to determine their potential use as indicators of the spatial variability of metal adsorption. Over the length of a 4.5-m-long core from a sand and gravel aquifer, lead (Pb2+) and zinc (Zn2+) adsorption at constant chemical conditions (pH 5.3) varied by a factor of 2 and 4, respectively. Pb2+AuthorsC. C. Fuller, J.A. Davis, J.A. Coston, E. DixonGeometry of sorbed arsenate on ferrihydrite and crystalline FeOOH: Re-evaluation of EXAFS results and topological factors in predicting sorbate geometry, and evidence for monodentate complexes
Manceau's (1995) reinterpretation of some of our EXAFS results (Waychunas et al., 1993) has been analyzed using both old and newly collected data in an attempt to clarify the nature of proposed monodentate and edge-sharing bidentate arsenate complexes on the ferrihydrite surface. It is shown that EXAFS analysis utilizing data with sufficient k-range does indicate the presence of relatively short AAuthorsGlenn A. Waychunas, James A. Davis, Christopher C. FullerPb2+ and Zn2+ adsorption by a natural aluminum- and iron-bearing surface coating on an aquifer sand
Pb2+ and Zn2+ adsorption was studied in batch experiments with material collected from a shallow, unconfined aquifer of glacial outwash sand and gravel in Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA. The aquifer solids contain primarily quartz (95% w/w), with minor amounts of alkali feldspars and ferromagnetic minerals. Pb2+ and Zn2+ adsorption experiments with various grain size and mineral fractions of the aquAuthorsJ.A. Coston, C. C. Fuller, J.A. Davis