Research

Chemical hydrogeology research at Virginia Tech focuses on making quantitative predictions about solute behavior in natural waters. This effort aims to answer three kinds of questions: 1) How are solutes released to water?; 2) Once released, what processes control solute movement?; and 3) What chemical, physical and biological processes affect the fate of solutes? We use field observations, laboratory experiments and numerical models to tackle challenging questions about solute behavior, with a practical goal of protecting water quality. Research results from our group have been published in leading journals in hydrogeology, low temperature geochemistry, and environmental science. Projects are supported by diverse funding sources, including NSF and other federal agencies, industry, non-profits, and private foundations.   Current projects include arsenic mobilization in groundwater, cycling of manganese, iron and trace elements in freshwater systems (see our research on the smart reservoir project, solute fluxes in the critical zone, and managed aquifer recharge.  For more information, contact Dr. Madeline Schreiber at mschreib@vt.edu.