Faculty

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Research Interests:
Physicochemical processes applied to groundwater protection: chemical fate and transport, subsurface remediation of hazardous chemicals, and environmental risk assessment.
Bill’s research emphasizes the physico-chemical mechanisms that control the release of organic compounds from soil impacted by fuel-based NAPL (nonaqueous phase liquid) mixtures (e.g., gasoline, crude oil, coal tar liquids, etc.). Current research projects are investigating the source generation and groundwater impacts of ethanol and other bioalcohols used in reformulated gasoline and on the mobility of NAPLs in soils. This research is important for understanding how to respond to spills of fuels containing alcohols as well as establishing ultimate levels of clean-up of contaminants in soil that are based on quantitative assessments of risk to the environment.
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Selected Publications:
Ma, J., Luo, H., DeVaull, G.E., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2014), Numerical Model Investigation for Potential Methane Explosion and Benzene Vapor Intrusion Associated with High-Ethanol Blend Releases. Environ. Sci. Technol., 48: 474-481.
Ma, J., Nossa, C.W., Xiu, Z., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2013), Adaptive microbial population shifts in response to a continuous ethanol blend release increases natural attenuation potential. Environmental Pollution, 178: 419-425.
Ma, J., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2013), Microbial processes influencing the transport, fate and groundwater impacts of fuel ethanol releases. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 24: 457-466.
Ma, J., Rixey, W.G., DeVaull, G.E, Stafford, B.P., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2012), Methane Bioattenuation and Implications for Explosion Risk Reduction along the Groundwater to Soil Surface Pathway above a Plume of Dissolved Ethanol. Environ. Sci. Technol., 46: 6013-6019.
He, X., Stafford, B. P. and Rixey, W. G. (2011), Ethanol-Enhanced Dissolution of a Residually Trapped Synthetic Gasoline Source, Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, 31: 61–68.
Stafford, B. P. and Rixey, W. G. (2011), Distribution of Fuel-Grade Ethanol near a Dynamic Water Table, Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, 31: 55–60.
Ma, J., Xiu, Z., Monier, A. L., Mamonkina, I., Zhang, Y., He, Y., Stafford, B. P., Rixey, W. G. and Alvarez, P. J. (2011), Aesthetic Groundwater Quality Impacts from a Continuous Pilot-Scale Release of an Ethanol Blend. Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, 31: 47–54.
Stafford, B. P., Cápiro, N.L., Alvarez, P.J.J., and Rixey, W.G. (2009), Pore Water Characteristics Following the Release of Neat Ethanol onto Pre-existing NAPL, Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, 29, 93-104.
Cápiro, N. L., Da Silva, M.L.B., Stafford, B.P., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2008), Microbial community response to a release of neat ethanol onto residual hydrocarbons in a pilot-scale aquifer tank, Environmental Microbiology, 10, 2236-2244.
Gomez, D. E., de Blanc, P.C., Rixey, W.G., Bedient, P.B., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2008), Modeling benzene plume elongation mechanisms exerted by ethanol using RT3D with a general substrate interaction module, Water Resour. Res., 44, W05405, doi:10.1029/2007WR006184.
Shim, Y., Rixey, W.G, and Chellam, S. (2008), Influence of sorption on removal of tryptophan and phenylalanine during nanofiltration, Journal of Membrane Science, 323, 99-104.