My main research interests are understanding and integrating the basic processes which control the fate and transport of contaminants in the environment, particularly in groundwater. Our current understanding of these processes, or lack thereof, limits our ability to predict natural fate and to plan and conduct appropriate remediation of contaminated sites. My current research has to do with transport and/or transformation of organic contaminants, including chlorinated solvents, or nutrients and dissolved organic matter.

Course Offerings

GLY 462/562 - Advanced Environmental Geochemistry
GLY 499 - Independent Study
GLY 501 - Elements of Geological Research
GLY 526 - Geology for Graduate Students
GLY 568 - Environmental Organic Geochemistry
GLY 599 - Supervised Teaching
GLY 633 - Graduate Research
GLY 700 - Thesis Guidance

Recent Former Students

Alexander daSilva, Dissolved reactive phosphate and dissolved phosphate at Woodlawn Beach, Buffalo, NY., M.A., 2018.
Rebecca Kiekhaefer, Field measurements to quantify the fate of trichloroethene (TCE) and degradation products in fractured sedimentary rocks, M.S. anticipated fall, 2018.
Michele Pugnetti, Trichloroethene and trichlorofluoroethene equilibrium competitive sorption to sedimentary rock from the Newark Basin, New Jersey., M.S., 2018. Environmental Hydrogeologist, Milan, Italy
Jonathan Brotsch, Trichloroethene (TCE) sorption to organic matter in sedimentary rocks of the Newark Basin. M.S., 2017. Chemical Technician at Goodyear Chemical
Nicholl Root, MA (2016) – Project title: Nutrient gradients with implications for plant dispersal in wetland soils Environmental Scientist at Kleinfelder
Sierra Anseeuw - MS (2014) – Thesis title: “Nitrate processing in two Western New York gravel streams.” Hydrogeologist II at Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc.
Valerio Barbarossa, A study of trichloroethylene (TCE) uptake and release rates from Borden, Ont. aquifer sediments through numerical modelling. M.S. 2014. Visiting researcher at Stanford
Augusto Merlo, A study of trichloroethylene (TCE) release rate from Borden, Ont. aquifer sediments through intermittent purging experiments. M.S. 2014. Georadar geologist at IDS Ingegneria Dei sistemi S.p.A.
Amie Whitlock - MA (2014) – Project title: “Experimental investigation into the effect of contaminant concentration on dual mode sorption of TCE on Borden, Ontario aquifer source rocks.”. GIS Specialist at Arcadis
David Carlone - MA (2013) – Project title: “A method to measure the release rate of TCE from sedimentary rock grains using a commercial purge.”; Currently employed by Geologist at AECOM.
Timothy Holling - MA (2013) – Project title: “Novel method for detecting sulfur hexafluoride sorption in materials with high organic carbon content.” Math and Science Instructor at Sylvan Learning Center
Star George - M.S. (2012) The sorption equilibrium coefficient of tetrachloroethene related to lithocomponent distribution and lithofacies of the Borden aquifer, Canadian Armed Forces Base Borden, Ontario, Canada. Currently Hydrogeologist at Intera Inc.
Zach Munger - MS (2012) – Thesis title: “Modeling nonlinear sorption of TCE in kerogen rich sorbents.”PhD (2016), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Currently Hydrogeologist at Geosyntec Consultants
Sungwook Choung - PhD (2011) – Sorption studies on the effects of thermally altered carbonaceous matter on fate and transport of volatile chlorinated organic chemicals. Senior Research Scientist, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI)

Recent Publications

Malzone, J. M., Anseeuw*, S. K., Lowry, C. S., and R.M. Allen-King, (2016), Temporal hyporheic zone response to water table fluctuations. Groundwater, 54(2), 274-285. doi:10.1111/gwat.12352
Maghrebi^, M., Jankovic, I., Weissmann, G. S., Matott, L. S., Allen-King, R. M., and A.J. Rabideau, (2015), Contaminant tailing in highly heterogeneous porous formations: Sensitivity on model selection and material properties. Journal of Hydrology, 531, 149-160. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.07.015
Weissmann, G. S., A. Pickel^, K. C. McNamara^, J.D. Frechette, I. Kalinovich*, R. M. Allen-King, and I. Jankovic, (2015), Characterization and quantification of aquifer heterogeneity using outcrop analogs at the Canadian Forces Base Borden, Ontario, Canada, Geological Society of America Bulletin, doi: 10.1130/B31193.1.
Matott, L. S., Z. Jiang, A. J. Rabideau, and R. M. Allen-King. (2015), Isotherm ranking and selection using thirteen literature datasets involving hydrophobic organic compounds, J. Contam. Hydrol., 177-178, 93-16, doi: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2015.03.011.
Allen-King, R. M., I. Kalinovich*, D. F. Dominic, G. Wang*, R. Polmanteer*, and D. Divine, (2015), Hydrophobic Organic contaminant transport property heterogeneity in the Borden Aquifer. Water Resourc. Res., 51(3), 1723-1743, doi: 10.1002/2014wr016161.
Maghrebi^, M., I. Jankovic, R. M. Allen-King, A. J. Rabideau, I. Kalinovich*, and G. S. Weissmann (2014), Impacts of transport mechanisms and plume history on tailing of sorbing plumes in heterogeneous porous formations, Advances in Water Resources, 73, 123-133, doi: doi:10.1016/j.advwatres.2014.07.007.
Choung*, S., L.R. Zimmerman*, and R.M. Allen-King**, B. Ligouis, and S. Feenstra. (2014), Heterogeneous carbonaceous matter in sedimentary rock lithocomponents causes significant trichloroethylene (TCE) sorption in a low organic carbon content aquifer/aquitard system. J. Contamin. Hydrol., 167, 23-31, doi: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2014.07.010.
Singh^, A., R. M. Allen-King, and A.J. Rabideau. 2014. Groundwater transport modeling with nonlinear sorption and intraparticle diffusion, Advances in Water Resources, doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2014.04.010.
Ritzi, Jr., R.W., L. Huang, R. Ramanathan, and R.M. Allen-King. 2013. Horizontal spatial correlation of hydraulic and reactive transport parameters as related to hierarchical sedimentary architecture at the Borden research site. Water Resour. Res., 49(4), 1901-1913, doi: 10.1002/wrcr.20165.
*Students & post-doctoral scholars
^Students of colleagues with significant support
**Corresponding author