Research
Borch Lab Inventions
Over the years we have developed new methods and invented new measuring devices.
Current Projects
Fire Research
Impact of Forest Fires on Soil Organic Matter
Wildfire activity in the western U.S. has increased in frequency and severity throughout the past decades. These fires impact the physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of soils. Specifically, fire exposure can alter the composition of soil organic matter (SOM) which serves as important nutrients for microbes and vegetation. Here, we study how fires change SOM to determine what nutrients are available after fires to foster revegetation and microbial regrowth within burned forests. We use “pyrocosms” (in neighboring image) to simulate wildfire burns and assess changes in SOM using a fleet of instrumentation such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Structural Fire Emissions of the Wildland Urban Interface
Structural Fires at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI): Emission Factors Inventories and Implications is a joint project between the CSU Mechanical Engineering Department and the Borch Lab. Our goal is to create a database of anthropogenic material emissions commonly found at the WUI interface, which we will use advanced analytical chemistry techniques to characterize and classify. Essentially, we ask, “What emissions are released from burning a couch? A Tesla? A motorhome?”
More About Structural Fire Emissions of the Wildland Urban Interface
Wildfire regimes are changing, resulting in more WUI fires and the loss of homes and businesses. Understanding these sources of novel atmospheric pollution emissions is a critical knowledge gap. We hypothesize that these contaminants play a sizable role in atmospheric pollution from WUI wildfire burning, which can have adverse human health effects.
Our group uses advanced analytical chemistry techniques to approach, characterize and classify these (sometimes novel) chemical compounds. Some of the instruments that we use include IC, HR-GC/HR-MS, Triple Quad MS, HPLC, GC-MS, and 21 T FTICR-MS, in targeted and non-targeted analyses. With this data, we will publish databases of chemicals from emissions to better track, understand, and prevent atmospheric pollution and inform the environment and public health.
Water Research
Produced Water Toxicity and Chemical Characterization
The water that exists in oil and gas (O&G) reservoirs and is brought to the surface during resource extraction, called produced water (PW), is the largest volume waste stream associated with O&G extraction, with over 3 trillion liters produced annually in the U.S. Because of its origins in O&G reservoirs, PW contains elevated levels of toxic petroleum hydrocarbons, salts, heavy metals, naturally occurring radioactive materials and any remaining drilling, stimulation or well maintenance chemicals. Many water-scarce western states can take advantage of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) which permits PW to be released to the environment for agricultural uses if it is “of good enough quality.“ Some states, including California, also permit releases of this water, after minimal treatment, for use in agriculture. The requirements for releasing this water are not clearly defined through permissible concentrations, however, and the locally and temporally varying composition of PW discharges is largely unknown.
Reuse Potential for Produced Water
Produced water is a byproduct of the oil and gas industry. Common management strategies include deep well injection and evaporation ponds, which increase seismicity, groundwater contamination, and volatiles into the atmosphere. Projects in the Borch group look into treatment options, reuse potential, and crop health. High resolution mass spectrometry, metabolomics, technoeconomic analyses, toxicity studies and greenhouse studies have allowed in depth studies to understand the impact of produced water reuse.
More About Reuse Potential for Produced Water
One study looked at a treatment train including reverse osmosis and nanofiltration as potential treatment options for unconventional produced water. In this study a wide variety of organics and inorganics were analyzed with high resolution mass spectrometry techniques. Then this was compared with acute toxicity tests to see the reduction the treatment train has on toxicity and the produced water constituents.
From there, a greenhouse study was done to look into conventional produced water, a typically higher quality wastewater. Irrigation was done with untreated conventional produced water. Soil and crop analyses were done to understand the impact conventional produced water has on crops after one growing season. Analyses included metabolomics, metal analysis, organic analysis, agronomic trait measurements, soil heath measurements, and soil microbial and metagenome analysis.
Due to the success of a greenhouse study, this prompted a project furthering conventional produced water analysis. Numerous wells in eastern Colorado were examined for a larger sample size. In this study, the water quality was examined using high resolution mass spectrometry. Then technoeconomic analysis and acute toxicity analyses were employed to elucidate the impact conventional produced water could have on various end users, like crop and cattle irrigation.
A larger scaled field study was started in Orla, Texas to investigate the use of produced water as an irrigation water, with onsite treatment. Soil heath and water quality parameters are being measured in this on-going project.
Soil Research
Controls on Soil Organic Matter Sorption on Mineral Surfaces
In moist soils, short-range ordered minerals such as iron oxyhydroxides are strong predictors of carbon storage. Therefore, understanding the interactions between organic carbon and iron under various conditions is key to accurate carbon modeling and comprehensive knowledge of nutrient cycling. We have evaluated the impacts of temperature, hydrology, and redox conditions on carbon storage, organo-metal complexation, and iron bioavailability. Investigating these systems involves multiple approaches, including sample collection in mountain wetlands, chromatography and batch experiments in the laboratory, and a host of analytical techniques such as synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry, ion chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy.
The Contribution of Micropredatory Interactions to Soil Organic Matter
Soil organic matter (SOM) is a source of nutrients for microorganisms and plants, and it acts as a binding, stabilizing material that improves water penetration and prevents erosion. It is a major carbon repository, and therefore a major actor in the carbon cycle. Accordingly, the study of SOM formation processes, composition, and degradation is of paramount importance for soil health management as well as for understanding Earth’s carbon cycle, a prerequisite for addressing climate change. It is now known that the remains of dead soil microbes are the main starting material from which SOM is formed. However, how these remains are generated has not been explored deeply. We hypothesize that predatory interactions between microbes are central to necromass production, and thus to carbon sequestering in soil. We will qualitatively and quantitatively measure the contribution of micro-predators to necromass production and its transformation over time under ecological regimes of increasing community complexity. The study will also address the effect of major stressors imposed on soils by human activities like sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics and increased temperatures.
Polymer Additives Research
Metabolic Transformation of Inhaled/Ingested Rubber Additives
Humans come in contact with rubber products every day, and we value those products for their longevity, versatility, and stability. However, the additives used in those rubber products can be concerning for human and ecological health. For example, road runoff containing rubber additives such as 6PPD from tires have been known to be toxic to aquatic life for years. Humans can come into contact with these additives in a number of ways: they can be present in foods grown near highways, or can even be inhaled from the air of climbing gyms. To better understand the effects that exposure to these compounds can have on people, we need to study the metabolic transformation that occurs to these additives once they are inside the human body. Here, we propose combining transcriptomic analysis with high resolution mass spectrometry to understand the metabolic transformation pathways these additives take, and help predict toxicity.
Characterizing Polymer Degradation, Additive Release, and Additive Degradation in Agricultural Plastics
Plastic mulches are used worldwide due to their low cost, easy application, and efficacy in keeping the ground wet and warm. However, a whole season of UV exposure can cause these mulches to become brittle and later fragment, making removal challenging. To combat this, biodegradable mulches have been becoming more popular in recent years. However, due to the challenges that come with measuring polymer changes in a complex matrix like soil, true degradation of these mulches is difficult to characterize. Additionally, the additives used in these mulches are for the most part uncharacterized, and their ability to degrade in soil is unknown. Because certain plastic additives such as BPA are known to have harmful human health effects, it is important to understand their fate in the soil that is used to grow our food. Additionally, metal catalysts that may be present in these plastics such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic can greatly impact soil health. In this project, we seek to characterize the true biodegradation and additive release from these plastic mulches with high resolution mass spectrometry and MALDI-TOF.
PFAs Research
Electrochemical Degradation of PFAS
How do you eliminate one that is nicknamed the “Forever Chemical”? The forever chemical in question is PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Matt works on closing the mass balance for the complete degradation of PFAS. The way in which Matt degrades PFAS is through oxidation in a controlled electrochemical cell. He looks to optimize the system from the point of electrode materials and analyzing degradation performance through LC-MS/MS.
Pyrolysis-Induced Transformation of Per- and Poly- Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Biosolids
Sewage sludge (biosolids) is a nutritious soil amendment used in agriculture – but it also contains pollutants that were not eliminated in the water treatment facility, which can leach into crops and groundwater. PFAS, known as “forever chemicals”, are a problematic example of such pollutants. Our research explores the efficiency of anoxic thermal treatment (pyrolysis) in destroying these notoriously stable chemicals. By combining high-sensitivity quantification of a wide selection of PFAS with non-targeted identification of thousands of related compounds and transformation products, we provide an unprecedentedly thorough understanding of PFAS fate during pyrolysis. The biochar produced in the pyrolysis process is a valuable commodity in multiple industries, from farming to cosmetics; our study will help determine the safety of this product, and inform PFAS destruction efforts for a cleaner future.
Ultra-Short and Short Chained PFAS Removal with Surface Modified Biochars
PFAS, or forever chemicals, are present in numerous types of water, from surface waters to groundwater. Short and ultra-short chained PFAS are especially mobile and difficult to remove. As we try to find a solution for treating contaminated waters, we want to investigate potential sustainable solutions. Biochar has proven to be a successful sorbent in past research, and by surface modifying biochar, can allow for increased sorption and treatment of contaminants present in the water. In this current project, we hope to determine the sorption capabilities of surface modified biochars on short and ultra-short chained PFAS removal.