Matthew S. Varonka, Ph.D.
Matthew Varonka is a Research Chemist with the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
Matthew works in the Eastern Energy and Environmental Laboratory (EEEL), which is involved in a variety of research goals relating energy and the environment. Matt graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in chemistry and went on to earn a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Georgetown University before joining the USGS in 2010.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 15
Data on the Effects of Oil and Gas Wastewater Components on Microbial Community Structure and Function
Oil and gas (OG) wastewaters are commonly disposed of by underground injection and previous research showed that activities at a disposal facility in West Virginia affected stream biogeochemistry and sediment microbial communities downstream from the facility. Microorganisms can control the fate and transport of organic and inorganic components of OG wastewater highlighting the need to characteriz
Chemistry Data from Southern Florida Canals Collected in Support of the Aquatic Cycling of Mercury in the Everglades Project
Several canals in southern Florida run from Lake Okeechobee through the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) and feed water to the northern Everglades. Agricultural and water-management practices affect the water quality of these canals. Fertilizers added in the EAA flow into the canals and are transported to treatment areas which remove much of the phosphorous in the water, but are not as effective
Organic Analysis of Oilfield Wastewater from the Williston Basin, North Dakota
The organic composition of produced waters (flowback and formation waters) from the Bakken Formation and the Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota were examined in this study in order to aid in the remediation of surface contamination due to spills during transport and help develop treatment methods for recycling. Twelve produced water samples were collected from wells in the
Filter Total Items: 20
Organic geochemistry and toxicology of a stream impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater disposal operations
Water and sediment extracts samples were analyzed for extractable hydrocarbons by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using an Agilent (Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA, USA) 7890 series GC and 5975 electron ionization (EI) mass selective detector (MSD) operated in scan mode. Agilent ChemStation software was used for data acquisition and analysis (version E.02.00.493 on GC/MS computer
Authors
William H. Orem, Matthew S. Varonka, Lynn M. Crosby, Karl B. Haase, Keith A. Loftin, Michelle L. Hladik, Denise M. Akob, Calin Tatu, Adam C. Mumford, Jeanne B. Jaeschke, Anne L. Bates, Tiffani Schell, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli
Geogenic organic contaminants in the low-rank coal-bearing Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer of East Texas, USA
The organic composition of groundwater along the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in East Texas (USA), sampled from rural wells in May and September 2015, was examined as part of a larger study of the potential health and environmental effects of organic compounds derived from low-rank coals. The quality of water from the low-rank coal-bearing Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer is a potential environmental concern and
Authors
Jayeeta Chakraborty, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem, Robert B. Finkelman, William Manton
Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture
Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis more
Authors
Elliott P. Barnhart, Katherine J. Davis, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem, Alfred B. Cunningham, Bradley D. Ramsay, Matthew W. Fields
Geochemistry of formation waters from the Wolfcamp and “Cline” shales: Insights into brine origin, reservoir connectivity, and fluid flow in the Permian Basin, USA
Despite being one of the most important oil producing provinces in the United States, information on basinal hydrogeology and fluid flow in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico is lacking. The source and geochemistry of brines from the basin were investigated (Ordovician- to Guadalupian-age reservoirs) by combining previously published data from conventional reservoirs with geochemical resul
Authors
Mark A. Engle, Francisco R. Reyes, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem, Ma Lin, Adam J. Ianno, Tiffani M. Westphal, Pei Xu, Kenneth C. Carroll
Atmospheric particulate matter in proximity to mountaintop coal mines: Sources and potential environmental and human health impacts
Mountaintop removal mining (MTM) is a widely used approach to surface coal mining in the US Appalachian region whereby large volumes of coal overburden are excavated using explosives, removed, and transferred to nearby drainages below MTM operations. To investigate the air quality impact of MTM, the geochemical characteristics of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) from five surface mining sites i
Authors
Laura Kurth, Allan Kolker, Mark A. Engle, Nicholas J. Geboy, Michael Hendryx, William H. Orem, Michael McCawley, Lynn M. Crosby, Calin A. Tatu, Matthew S. Varonka, Christina A. DeVera
Relationships between water and gas chemistry in mature coalbed methane reservoirs of the Black Warrior Basin
Water and gas chemistry in coalbed methane reservoirs of the Black Warrior Basin reflects a complex interplay among burial processes, basin hydrodynamics, thermogenesis, and late-stage microbial methanogenesis. These factors are all important considerations for developing production and water management strategies. Produced water ranges from nearly potable sodium-bicarbonate water to hypersaline s
Authors
Jack C. Pashin, Marcella R. McIntyre-Redden, Steven D. Mann, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem
Organic substances in produced and formation water from unconventional natural gas extraction in coal and shale
Organic substances in produced and formation water from coalbed methane (CBM) and gas shale plays from across the USA were examined in this study. Disposal of produced waters from gas extraction in coal and shale is an important environmental issue because of the large volumes of water involved and the variable quality of this water. Organic substances in produced water may be environmentally rele
Authors
William H. Orem, Calin A. Tatu, Matthew S. Varonka, Harry E. Lerch, Anne L. Bates, Mark A. Engle, Lynn M. Crosby, Jennifer McIntosh
The effect of coal bed dewatering and partial oxidation on biogenic methane potential
Coal formation dewatering at a site in the Powder River Basin was associated with enhanced potential for secondary biogenic methane determined by using a bioassay. We hypothesized that dewatering can stimulate microbial activity and increase the bioavailability of coal. We analyzed one dewatered and two water-saturated coals to examine possible ways in which dewatering influences coal bed natural
Authors
Elizabeth J.P. Jones, Steve H. Harris, Elliott P. Barnhart, William H. Orem, Arthur C. Clark, M.D. Corum, Julie D. Kirshtein, Matthew S. Varonka, Mary A. Voytek
Non-USGS Publications**
Orem, W.; Varonka, M.; Crosby, L.; Haase, K.; Loftin, K.; Hladik, M.; Akob, D.M.; Tatu, C.; Mumford, A.; Jaeschke, J.; Bates, A.; Schell, T. Organic geochemistry and toxicology of a stream impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater disposal operations, Appl. Geochem., 2017, 80, 155-167.
Barnhart, E.P.; Davis, K.J.; Varonka, M.; Orem, W.; Cunningham, A.B.; Ramsay, B.D.; Fields, M.W. Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture, Int. J. of Coal Geol., 2017, 171, 69-75.
Hall, M. D.; Brimacombe, K. R.; Varonka, M. S.; Pluchino, K. M.; Monda, J. K.; Li, J.; Walsh, M. J.; Boxer, M. B.; Warren, T. H.; Fales, H. M.; Gottesman, M. M. Synthesis and Structure-Activity Evalution of Isatin-β-thiosemicarbazones with Improved Selective Activity toward Multidrug-Resistant Cells Expressing P-Glycoprotein, J. Med. Chem., 2011, 54(16), 5878-5889.
Wiese, S.; Badiei, Y. M.; Gephart, R. T.; Mossin, S.; Varonka, M. S.; Melzer, M. M.; Meyer, K.; Cundari, T. R.; Warren, T. H. Catalytic C-H Amination with Unactivated Amines through Copper(II) Amides, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2010, 49(47), 8850-8855.
Varonka, M. S.; Warren, T. H. Three-Coordinate N-Heterocyclic Carbene Nickel Nitrosyl Complexes, Organometallics, 2010, 29(4), 717-720.
Varonka, Matthew S.; Warren, Timothy H.; Dugan, Thomas R.; Cowley, Ryan E.; Holland, Patrick L. “β-diketiminate Precursors HLMe,Me3 and TlLMe,Me3 (LMe,Me3 = 2,4-bis(2,6-mesitylimido)pentyl),” Complexes of Bulky β-Diketiminate Ligands, in Inorg. Synth. 2010, 35, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA.
Varonka, M. S.; Warren, T. H. S-Nitrosothiol and Nitric Oxide Reactivity at Zinc Thiolates, Inorg. Chem., 2009, 48(13), 5605-5607.
Varonka, M.S.; Warren, T.H. S-nitrosothiol and nitric oxide reactivity at β-diketiminato zinc thiolates, Inorg. Chim. Acta, 2007, 360(1), 317-328.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 15
Data on the Effects of Oil and Gas Wastewater Components on Microbial Community Structure and Function
Oil and gas (OG) wastewaters are commonly disposed of by underground injection and previous research showed that activities at a disposal facility in West Virginia affected stream biogeochemistry and sediment microbial communities downstream from the facility. Microorganisms can control the fate and transport of organic and inorganic components of OG wastewater highlighting the need to characterizChemistry Data from Southern Florida Canals Collected in Support of the Aquatic Cycling of Mercury in the Everglades Project
Several canals in southern Florida run from Lake Okeechobee through the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) and feed water to the northern Everglades. Agricultural and water-management practices affect the water quality of these canals. Fertilizers added in the EAA flow into the canals and are transported to treatment areas which remove much of the phosphorous in the water, but are not as effectiveOrganic Analysis of Oilfield Wastewater from the Williston Basin, North Dakota
The organic composition of produced waters (flowback and formation waters) from the Bakken Formation and the Three Forks Formation in the Williston Basin, North Dakota were examined in this study in order to aid in the remediation of surface contamination due to spills during transport and help develop treatment methods for recycling. Twelve produced water samples were collected from wells in the - Multimedia
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- Publications
Filter Total Items: 20
Organic geochemistry and toxicology of a stream impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater disposal operations
Water and sediment extracts samples were analyzed for extractable hydrocarbons by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using an Agilent (Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA, USA) 7890 series GC and 5975 electron ionization (EI) mass selective detector (MSD) operated in scan mode. Agilent ChemStation software was used for data acquisition and analysis (version E.02.00.493 on GC/MS computerAuthorsWilliam H. Orem, Matthew S. Varonka, Lynn M. Crosby, Karl B. Haase, Keith A. Loftin, Michelle L. Hladik, Denise M. Akob, Calin Tatu, Adam C. Mumford, Jeanne B. Jaeschke, Anne L. Bates, Tiffani Schell, Isabelle M. CozzarelliGeogenic organic contaminants in the low-rank coal-bearing Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer of East Texas, USA
The organic composition of groundwater along the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in East Texas (USA), sampled from rural wells in May and September 2015, was examined as part of a larger study of the potential health and environmental effects of organic compounds derived from low-rank coals. The quality of water from the low-rank coal-bearing Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer is a potential environmental concern andAuthorsJayeeta Chakraborty, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem, Robert B. Finkelman, William MantonEnhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture
Many coal beds contain microbial communities that can convert coal to natural gas (coalbed methane). Native microorganisms were obtained from Powder River Basin (PRB) coal seams with a diffusive microbial sampler placed downhole and used as an inoculum for enrichments with different nutrients to investigate microbially-enhanced coalbed methane production (MECoM). Coal-dependent methanogenesis moreAuthorsElliott P. Barnhart, Katherine J. Davis, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem, Alfred B. Cunningham, Bradley D. Ramsay, Matthew W. FieldsGeochemistry of formation waters from the Wolfcamp and “Cline” shales: Insights into brine origin, reservoir connectivity, and fluid flow in the Permian Basin, USA
Despite being one of the most important oil producing provinces in the United States, information on basinal hydrogeology and fluid flow in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico is lacking. The source and geochemistry of brines from the basin were investigated (Ordovician- to Guadalupian-age reservoirs) by combining previously published data from conventional reservoirs with geochemical resulAuthorsMark A. Engle, Francisco R. Reyes, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. Orem, Ma Lin, Adam J. Ianno, Tiffani M. Westphal, Pei Xu, Kenneth C. CarrollAtmospheric particulate matter in proximity to mountaintop coal mines: Sources and potential environmental and human health impacts
Mountaintop removal mining (MTM) is a widely used approach to surface coal mining in the US Appalachian region whereby large volumes of coal overburden are excavated using explosives, removed, and transferred to nearby drainages below MTM operations. To investigate the air quality impact of MTM, the geochemical characteristics of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) from five surface mining sites iAuthorsLaura Kurth, Allan Kolker, Mark A. Engle, Nicholas J. Geboy, Michael Hendryx, William H. Orem, Michael McCawley, Lynn M. Crosby, Calin A. Tatu, Matthew S. Varonka, Christina A. DeVeraRelationships between water and gas chemistry in mature coalbed methane reservoirs of the Black Warrior Basin
Water and gas chemistry in coalbed methane reservoirs of the Black Warrior Basin reflects a complex interplay among burial processes, basin hydrodynamics, thermogenesis, and late-stage microbial methanogenesis. These factors are all important considerations for developing production and water management strategies. Produced water ranges from nearly potable sodium-bicarbonate water to hypersaline sAuthorsJack C. Pashin, Marcella R. McIntyre-Redden, Steven D. Mann, David C. Kopaska-Merkel, Matthew S. Varonka, William H. OremOrganic substances in produced and formation water from unconventional natural gas extraction in coal and shale
Organic substances in produced and formation water from coalbed methane (CBM) and gas shale plays from across the USA were examined in this study. Disposal of produced waters from gas extraction in coal and shale is an important environmental issue because of the large volumes of water involved and the variable quality of this water. Organic substances in produced water may be environmentally releAuthorsWilliam H. Orem, Calin A. Tatu, Matthew S. Varonka, Harry E. Lerch, Anne L. Bates, Mark A. Engle, Lynn M. Crosby, Jennifer McIntoshThe effect of coal bed dewatering and partial oxidation on biogenic methane potential
Coal formation dewatering at a site in the Powder River Basin was associated with enhanced potential for secondary biogenic methane determined by using a bioassay. We hypothesized that dewatering can stimulate microbial activity and increase the bioavailability of coal. We analyzed one dewatered and two water-saturated coals to examine possible ways in which dewatering influences coal bed naturalAuthorsElizabeth J.P. Jones, Steve H. Harris, Elliott P. Barnhart, William H. Orem, Arthur C. Clark, M.D. Corum, Julie D. Kirshtein, Matthew S. Varonka, Mary A. VoytekNon-USGS Publications**
Orem, W.; Varonka, M.; Crosby, L.; Haase, K.; Loftin, K.; Hladik, M.; Akob, D.M.; Tatu, C.; Mumford, A.; Jaeschke, J.; Bates, A.; Schell, T. Organic geochemistry and toxicology of a stream impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater disposal operations, Appl. Geochem., 2017, 80, 155-167.Barnhart, E.P.; Davis, K.J.; Varonka, M.; Orem, W.; Cunningham, A.B.; Ramsay, B.D.; Fields, M.W. Enhanced coal-dependent methanogenesis coupled with algal biofuels: Potential water recycle and carbon capture, Int. J. of Coal Geol., 2017, 171, 69-75.Hall, M. D.; Brimacombe, K. R.; Varonka, M. S.; Pluchino, K. M.; Monda, J. K.; Li, J.; Walsh, M. J.; Boxer, M. B.; Warren, T. H.; Fales, H. M.; Gottesman, M. M. Synthesis and Structure-Activity Evalution of Isatin-β-thiosemicarbazones with Improved Selective Activity toward Multidrug-Resistant Cells Expressing P-Glycoprotein, J. Med. Chem., 2011, 54(16), 5878-5889.Wiese, S.; Badiei, Y. M.; Gephart, R. T.; Mossin, S.; Varonka, M. S.; Melzer, M. M.; Meyer, K.; Cundari, T. R.; Warren, T. H. Catalytic C-H Amination with Unactivated Amines through Copper(II) Amides, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2010, 49(47), 8850-8855.Varonka, M. S.; Warren, T. H. Three-Coordinate N-Heterocyclic Carbene Nickel Nitrosyl Complexes, Organometallics, 2010, 29(4), 717-720.Varonka, Matthew S.; Warren, Timothy H.; Dugan, Thomas R.; Cowley, Ryan E.; Holland, Patrick L. “β-diketiminate Precursors HLMe,Me3 and TlLMe,Me3 (LMe,Me3 = 2,4-bis(2,6-mesitylimido)pentyl),” Complexes of Bulky β-Diketiminate Ligands, in Inorg. Synth. 2010, 35, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, USA.Varonka, M. S.; Warren, T. H. S-Nitrosothiol and Nitric Oxide Reactivity at Zinc Thiolates, Inorg. Chem., 2009, 48(13), 5605-5607.Varonka, M.S.; Warren, T.H. S-nitrosothiol and nitric oxide reactivity at β-diketiminato zinc thiolates, Inorg. Chim. Acta, 2007, 360(1), 317-328.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.