Jeff Fitts

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Jeff Fitts, Ph.D.
Geochemist

Environmental Sciences Department
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Upton, NY 11973-5000

(631) 344-2777
fitts@bnl.gov

Research Interests

My research aims to develop and apply the basic scientific understanding necessary to minimize the environmental impacts and resources required to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions by safely sequestering carbon dioxide in geologic storage reservoirs,
synthesize engineered nanomaterials and safely exploit their unique properties,
treat polluted water resources and sustain soil health.

Within my scientific area of expertise as a geochemist, I study interfacial biogeochemistry (e.g., mineral-water, cell membranes) as a means to identify and understand processes that drive system behavior. I am currently investigating

precipitation/dissolution of carbonate minerals within potential flow-paths of geologic CO₂ storage reservoirs,
structure-reactivity relationship and catalytic activity of nanoparticles,
evolution of natural and amended iron minerals in soils.

My research takes full advantage of the unique synchrotron-based x-ray imaging spectroscopy and scattering methods at BNL's National Synchrotron Light Source, and I am actively involved in developing the next generation of these methods that will soon be available at NSLS II.

Select publications

Ellis, B.R., Peters, C.A., Fitts, J.P., Bromhal, G.S., McIntyre, D.L., Warzinski, R.P., Rosenbaum, E.J., Deterioration of a fractured carbonate caprock exposed to CO2-acidified brine flow. Greenhouse Gases: Sci. and Tech. 2011, 1 (3) 248-260. (pdf)
De Corte, S., Hennebel, T., Fitts, J.P., Sabbe, T., Bliznuk, V., Verschuere, S., van der Lelie, D., Verstraete, W., Boon, N., Bio-supported bimetallic Pd Au nanocatalysts for dechlorination of environmental contaminants. Environ. Sci. & Tech. 2011 45 (19), pp 8506–8513. (pdf)
Elzinga, E.J., Gao, Y., Fitts, J.P., and Tappero, R., Iron speciation in urban dust. Atmospheric Environment 2011, 45 (26), pp 4528-4532. (pdf)
Hennebel, T., van Nevel, S., Verschuere, S., De Corte, S., De Gusseme, B., Cuvelier, C., Fitts, J.P., van der Lelie, D., Boon, N., Verstraete, W., Palladium nanoparticles produced by fermentatively cultivated bacteria as catalyst for diatrizoate removal with biogenic hydrogen. Applied Microbiology and Biotech. 2011, 91 (5), pp 1435-1445. (pdf)
Johnson, A., Merilis, G., Hastings, J., Palmer, M. E., Fitts, J. P., and Chidambaram, D., Nanotechnology and Microbial Electrochemistry for Environmental Remediation. Electrochemical Society Transactions 2011, 33 (38), pp 103-112. (pdf)
Kumpiene, J., Mench, M., Bes, C. M., and Fitts, J.P., Assessment of aided phytostabilization of copper-contaminated soil by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and chemical extractions. Environmental Pollution 2011, 159, pp 1536-1542. (pdf)
De Gusseme, B., Hennebel, T., Christiaens, E., Saveyn, H., Verbeken, K., Fitts, J.P., Boon, N., Verstraete, W., Virus Disinfection in Water by Biogenic Silver Immobilized in Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membranes. Water Research 2011, 45 (4), pp 1856-1864. (pdf)
Chidambaram, Dev; Hennebel, Tom; Taghavi, Safiyh; Mast, Jan; Boon, Nico; Verstraete, Willy; Van Der Lelie, Daniel; Fitts, Jeffrey P., Concomitant Microbial Generation of Palladium Nanoparticles and Hydrogen to Immobilize Chromate. Environ. Sci. & Tech. 2010, 44 (19), pp 7635–7640. (pdf)
De Gusseme, B.; Du Laing, G.; Hennebel, T.; Renard, P.; Chidambaram, D.; Fitts, J. P.; Bruneel, E.; Van Driessche, I.; Verbeken, K.; Boon, N.; Verstraete, W., Biogenic cerium exhibits virucidal properties. Environ. Sci. & Tech. 2010, 44 (16), pp 6350–6356. (pdf)
Moreels, D.; Crosson, G.; Garafola, C.; Monteleone, D.; Taghavi, S.; Fitts, J. P.; van der Lelie, D., Microbial community dynamics in uranium contaminated subsurface sediments under biostimulated conditions with high nitrate and nickel pressure. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 2008, 15 (6), 481-491. (pdf)
Fthenakis, V. M.; Fuhrmann, M.; Heiser, J.; Lanzirotti, A.; Fitts, J.; Wang, W., Emissions and encapsulation of cadmium in CdTe PV modules during fires. Prog. Photovoltaics 2005, 13 (8), 713-723. (pdf)
Fitts, J. P.; Shang, X. M.; Flynn, G. W.; Heinz, T. F.; Eisenthal, K. B., Electrostatic surface charge at aqueous/alpha-Al2O3 single-crystal interfaces as probed by optical second-harmonic generation. J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109 (16), 7981-7986. (pdf)
Fitts, J. P.; Machesky, M. L.; Wesolowski, D. J.; Shang, X. M.; Kubicki, J. D.; Flynn, G. W.; Heinz, T. F.; Eisenthal, K. B., Second-harmonic generation and theoretical studies of protonation at the water/alpha-TiO2 (110) interface. Chem. Phys. Lett. 2005, 411 (4-6), 399-403. (pdf)
Rim, K. T.; Muller, T.; Fitts, J. P.; Adib, K.; Camillone, N.; Osgood, R. M.; Batista, E. R.; Friesner, R. A.; Joyce, S. A.; Flynn, G. W., Scanning tunneling microscopy and theoretical study of competitive reactions in the dissociative chemisorption of CCl4 on iron oxide surfaces. J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108 (43), 16753-16760. (pdf)
Camillone, N.; Adib, K.; Fitts, J. P.; Rim, K. T.; Flynn, G. W.; Joyce, S. A.; Osgood, R. M., Surface termination dependence of the reactivity of single crystal hematite with CCl4. Surf. Sci. 2002, 511 (1-3), 267-282. (pdf)
Fitts, J. P.; Brown, G. E.; Parks, G. A., Structural evolution of Cr(III) polymeric species at the gamma-Al2O3/water interface. Environmental Science & Technology 2000, 34 (24), 5122-5128. (pdf)
Fitts, J. P.; Persson, P.; Brown, G. E.; Parks, G. A., Structure and bonding of Cu(II)-glutamate complexes at the gamma-Al2O3-water interface. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 1999, 220 (1), 133-147. (pdf)
Bischoff, J. L.; Menking, K. M.; Fitts, J. P.; Fitzpatrick, J. A., Climatic oscillations 10,000-155,000 yr B.P. at Owens Lake, California reflected in glacial rock flour abundance and lake salinity in core OL-92. Quat. Res. 1997, 48 (3), 313-325. (pdf)

Invited Talks and Seminars

"Putting Interfacial Chemistry to Work for Civil & Environmental Engineering" Princeton University, Civil & Environmental Engineering Department, Princeton, NJ, April 19, 2011.
"Statistical Challenges Facing Pore-Scale X-ray Imaging Results" presented at the workshop on “Supercritical Carbon Dioxide-Material Interactions” Brookhaven National Lab, Upton, NY, March 23, 2011.
"Evaluating Geologic CO₂ Storage: How will geochemistry impact reservoir performance?" Stony Brook University Department of Geosciences Colloquium & Graduate Seminar, October 28, 2010.
“Unlocking the many faces of nanoparticle structure” presented to The Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET) is a part of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University, Belgium, September 14, 2010.
“Structure-catalytic activity relationship of biogenic Pd nanoparticles” presented at Goldschmidt 2010 in the session "Looking into the nanoworld using x-rays", Knoxville, TN June 15, 2010.
“Supporting remediation strategy design and implementation with synchrotron-based x-ray characterization tools ” presented at Northern Sweden Soil Remediation Center Spring Workshop, Lövånger, Sweden May 11, 2010.
“Basin-Scale Leakage Risks from Geologic Carbon Sequestration: Impact on CCS Energy Market Competitiveness” presented at DOE/EPA Collaborative Review – Tracking Geologically-Sequestered CO2: Monitoring, Verification, & Accounting (MVA), Simulation, and Risk Assessment, Pittsburg, PA March 23, 2010.
“Applying biogeochemical concepts to ensure that today's solutions don't become tomorrow's problems: Geologic CO₂ storage” presented at School of Earth and Environmental Sciences Colloquium, Queens College November 23, 2009.
“Synchrotron X-ray Microprobe: A Tool for Nuclear Forensics” Jeffrey Fitts, Michael Rosenthal, Barry Siskind, P. Northrup, meeting of U.S. NWAL laboratories, Washington, DC October 29, 2008.
“One Environmental Science User’s Perspective on Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy” Canadian Light Source Earth & Environmental Science Workshop, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada May 5, 2008.
“Center for Geologic Carbon Storage Science (CGCSS)” Presentation to EENS visiting committee during review of BNL Environmental Sciences Department, July 23, 2008.
“Advancing experimentally-based models of mineral-water interfaces” Presented at Geological Society of America Annual Meeting special session in honor of Prof. Gordon E. Brown Jr., October 29, 2007.
“EXAFS and SHG studies of mineral-water interfaces: applications and limitations” Presented at ‘Surface Reactions & Electrical Interfacial Layer: Experiments and Models - Towards a Common Basis’ sponsored by European Union ACTINET Opatija, Croatia October 9, 2007.
“Synchrotron-based investigations of biogeochemical transformations of priority contaminants in soils at DOE sties” Nuclear Summer School at BNL presented July 17, 2007.
“Biotransformations of engineered nanoparticles in the environment” Presented at CEMS Fall meeting Stony Brook University November 2, 2006.
“Synchrotron-based investigations of biogeochemical transformations of priority contaminants in soils at DOE sites” Nuclear Summer School at BNL presented July 18, 2006.
"Composition Of Microbial Communities Used For In Situ Radionuclide Immobilization: Natural Gene Transfer To Develop Resistance To Metal Toxicity" invited oral presentation at the ERSP PI meeting in Warrenton, VA April 3, 2006.
“Zeroing in on structure-reactivity relationships at aqueous/metal oxide mineral interfaces” Oak Ridge National Lab Chemical Sciences Division presented October 24, 2005.
"Charging behavior at water/single crystal oxide interfaces determined by optical second harmonic generation spectroscopy" invited oral presentation in the symposium "Applications of Physical Chemistry to Environmental and Biogeochemical Research" at the 229th ACS National Meeting in San Diego, CA, March 13-17, 2005.
“Illuminating Mineral-Water Interfaces” Geosciences Colloquium at Stony Brook University, December 9, 2004.
"Real-world contaminant behavior explored through studies of model systems" CEMS annual meeting, presented at Stony Brook University, May 14, 2004.
“EnviroSuite: Using State-Of-The-Art Synchrotron Techniques to Understand Environmental Remediation Science Issues at the Molecular Level” presented at Waste Management 2003 in Tucson, AZ February 26, 2003.