Simon R. Poulson
BA University of Cambridge 1985, PhD The Pennsylvania State University 1990
Environmental and stable isotope geochemistry
Dept. of Geological Sciences, MS-172
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NV 89557-0138
(775) 784-1104
Research Interests:
My current research interests are strongly focused upon environmental contaminant geochemistry, and in particular, applying stable isotope techniques to studying the behavior of ground water contaminants. Stable isotope geochemistry has an important role to play in understanding the behavior of environmental contaminants, as it can provide insight as to the various chemical, physical, and biological processes controlling the behavior of the contaminant. Hence, stable isotope geochemistry is of great value when studying the remediation of environmental contaminants, whether it be effected by engineered treatment or by natural degradation. Moreover, stable isotope geochemistry can provide information as to the original source of the contamination, so it can also be used to help prevent further contamination by controlling the original source of the problem, once this source is identified.
The most well-known application of stable isotope geochemistry to study contaminant behavior is using N and O isotopes to study nitrate contamination in ground water. More recently, C, H, and Cl stable isotope analysis has been applied to the study of environmental organic contaminants such as monoaromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) and chlorinated solvents (trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, chloroform). However, the technique has possible future application to almost any organic contaminant of concern, including other gasoline components, gasoline additives such as MTBE, pesticides, and explosive munitions such as TNT. Stable isotope geochemistry also has possible application to the study of the complex biogeochemical behavior of inorganic contaminants such as selenium, which is a contaminant of particular concern in the arid states of the western U.S.
Selected Publications:
• Poulson S.R. and Drever J.I. (in review) Stable Isotope (C, Cl, H) Fractionation during Vaporization of Trichloroethylene. Submitted to Environ. Sci. Tech.
• Harrington R.R., Poulson S.R., Drever J.I., Colberg P.J.S. and Kelly E.F. (1999) Stable Carbon Isotope Systematics of Monoaromatic Hydrocarbons: Vaporization and Adsorption Experiments. Organic Geochem. (in press).
• Poulson S.R., Colberg P.J.S. and Drever J.I. (1997) The Toxicity of Heavy Metals (Ni, Zn) to Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Geomicrobiology J., 14: 41-49.
• Poulson S.R., Drever J.I. and Colberg P.J.S. (1997) Estimation of KOC Values for Deuterated Benzene, Toluene, and Ethylbenzene, and Application to Ground Water Contamination Studies. Chemosphere, 35: 2215-2224.
• Poulson S.R., Drever J.I. and Stillings L.L. (1997) Aqueous Si-Oxalate Complexing, Oxalate Adsorption onto Quartz, and the Effect of Oxalate upon Quartz Dissolution Rates. Chem. Geol., 140: 1-7.
• Poulson S.R. (1996) Equilibrium Mineral - Fluid Stable Isotope Fractionation Factors in Graphitic Metapelites. Chem. Geol. (Isotope Geosci. Section), 131: 207-217.
• Poulson S.R., Chamberlain C.P. and Friedland A.J. (1995) Nitrogen Isotope Variation of Tree Rings as a Potential Indicator of Environmental Change. Chem. Geol. (Isotope Geosci. Section), 125: 307-315.
• Poulson S.R., Ohmoto H. and Ross T.P. (1995) Stable Isotope Characteristics of Waters and Gases (CO2, CH4) from the Overpressured Moore-Sams and Morganza Fields, Louisiana Gulf Coast. Appl. Geochem., 10: 407-417.
• Poulson S.R. and Schoonen M.A.A. (1994) Variations of the Oxygen Isotope Fractionation Between NaCO3- and Water due to the Presence of NaCl at 100 — 300°C. Chem. Geol. (Isotope Geosci. Section), 116: 305-315.
• Poulson S.R., Kubilius W.P. and Ohmoto H. (1991) Geochemical Behavior of Sulfur in Granitoids During Intrusion of the South Mountain Batholith, Nova Scotia, Canada. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 55: 3809-3830.