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Zachary Hopkins

Zack Hopkins, Ph.D. is a Physical Scientist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center, Leetown Research Laboratory. 

He studies the fate, transport, and ecosystem exposure and effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). He develops analytical methods for targeted and non-targeted analysis of PFAS using liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry. His work leverages these methods for the analysis of PFAS in biological matrices (e.g., plasma and tissue), water, and soil.

Professional Experience

  • 2022 - present Physical Scientist, USGS-EESC, Kearneysville, WV

  • 2021 - 2022 Postdoctoral researcher, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

  • 2014 - 2021 Doctoral researcher, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

  • 2011 - 2014 Researcher, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University, 2021

  • M.S. Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2014

  • B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2012 

Science and Products

Non-USGS Publications**

Pétré, M. A., Genereux, D. P., Koropeckyj-Cox, L., Knappe, D. R., Duboscq, S., Gilmore, T. E., & Hopkins, Z. R. (2021). Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) transport from groundwater to streams near a PFAS manufacturing facility in North Carolina, USA. Environmental science & technology, 55(9), 5848-5856. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c07978
Dodds, J. N., Alexander, N. L. M., Kirkwood, K. I., Foster, M. R., Hopkins, Z. R., Knappe, D. R., & Baker, E. S. (2020). From pesticides to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances: an evaluation of recent targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry methods for xenobiotics. Analytical chemistry, 93(1), 641-656. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04359
Dodds, J. N., Hopkins, Z. R., Knappe, D. R., & Baker, E. S. (2020). Rapid characterization of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by ion mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). Analytical chemistry, 92(6), 4427-4435. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05364
Zhang, C., Hopkins, Z. R., McCord, J., Strynar, M. J., & Knappe, D. R. (2019). Fate of per-and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids in the total oxidizable precursor assay and implications for the analysis of impacted water. Environmental science & technology letters, 6(11), 662-668. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.9b00525
Hopkins, Zachary R., et al. "Recently detected drinking water contaminants: GenX and other per‐and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids." Journal‐American Water Works Association 110.7 (2018): 13-28. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1073
Hopkins, Zachary R., Sebastian Snowberger, and Lee Blaney. "Ozonation of the oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octocrylene UV-filters: Reaction kinetics, absorbance characteristics, and transformation products." Journal of hazardous materials 338 (2017): 23-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.05.016
Knappe, Detlef, et al. Occurrence of 1, 4-dioxane in the cape fear river watershed and effectiveness of water treatment options for 1, 4-dioxane control. NC Water Resources Research Institute, 2016. https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.20/34331/UNC-WRRI-478.pdf
Hopkins, Zachary R., and Lee Blaney. "An aggregate analysis of personal care products in the environment: Identifying the distribution of environmentally-relevant concentrations." Environment international 92 (2016): 301-316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.04.026
Hopkins, Zachary R., and Lee Blaney. "A novel approach to modeling the reaction kinetics of tetracycline antibiotics with aqueous ozone." Science of the total environment 468 (2014): 337-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.08.032

**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

  • Publications

    Non-USGS Publications**

    Pétré, M. A., Genereux, D. P., Koropeckyj-Cox, L., Knappe, D. R., Duboscq, S., Gilmore, T. E., & Hopkins, Z. R. (2021). Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) transport from groundwater to streams near a PFAS manufacturing facility in North Carolina, USA. Environmental science & technology, 55(9), 5848-5856. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c07978
    Dodds, J. N., Alexander, N. L. M., Kirkwood, K. I., Foster, M. R., Hopkins, Z. R., Knappe, D. R., & Baker, E. S. (2020). From pesticides to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances: an evaluation of recent targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry methods for xenobiotics. Analytical chemistry, 93(1), 641-656. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04359
    Dodds, J. N., Hopkins, Z. R., Knappe, D. R., & Baker, E. S. (2020). Rapid characterization of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by ion mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). Analytical chemistry, 92(6), 4427-4435. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05364
    Zhang, C., Hopkins, Z. R., McCord, J., Strynar, M. J., & Knappe, D. R. (2019). Fate of per-and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids in the total oxidizable precursor assay and implications for the analysis of impacted water. Environmental science & technology letters, 6(11), 662-668. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.9b00525
    Hopkins, Zachary R., et al. "Recently detected drinking water contaminants: GenX and other per‐and polyfluoroalkyl ether acids." Journal‐American Water Works Association 110.7 (2018): 13-28. https://doi.org/10.1002/awwa.1073
    Hopkins, Zachary R., Sebastian Snowberger, and Lee Blaney. "Ozonation of the oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octocrylene UV-filters: Reaction kinetics, absorbance characteristics, and transformation products." Journal of hazardous materials 338 (2017): 23-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.05.016
    Knappe, Detlef, et al. Occurrence of 1, 4-dioxane in the cape fear river watershed and effectiveness of water treatment options for 1, 4-dioxane control. NC Water Resources Research Institute, 2016. https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.20/34331/UNC-WRRI-478.pdf
    Hopkins, Zachary R., and Lee Blaney. "An aggregate analysis of personal care products in the environment: Identifying the distribution of environmentally-relevant concentrations." Environment international 92 (2016): 301-316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.04.026
    Hopkins, Zachary R., and Lee Blaney. "A novel approach to modeling the reaction kinetics of tetracycline antibiotics with aqueous ozone." Science of the total environment 468 (2014): 337-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.08.032

    **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.