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Energy and Environment Directorate

Christopher Thompson

Christopher Thompson

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PO Box 999
Richland, WA 99352
(509) 371-7145

Biography

Chris Thompson is a senior research scientist and team lead for the Characterization and Remediation Team in the Subsurface Science and Technology Group. He has over 25 years of research experience in the field of environmental chemistry. Since joining PNNL in 1994, his work has focused primarily on groundwater and sediment characterization at complex waste sites. He has extensive experience with standard methods for chemical analysis, and he currently manages the Environmental Sciences Laboratory, an in-house analytical center that serves a variety of research projects at PNNL. Dr. Thompson also conducts basic research on the interactions of high-pressure fluids with sediments to better understand the geochemical processes associated with carbon sequestration and enhanced oil and gas recovery. These investigations utilize novel instrument platforms that enable in situ spectroscopic monitoring of interfacial phenomena at temperatures and pressures relevant to subsurface environments.

Research Interests

  • Fate and Transport of Environmental Contaminants
  • Geologic Carbon Sequestration
  • Infrared and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
  • Supercritical Fluid Technology
  • Software Development (C++, C#, MATLAB, Python) and Data Acquisition

Education and Credentials

  • Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry, University of Washington
  • M.S., Analytical Chemistry, University of Washington
  • B.S., Chemistry, James Madison University

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • American Chemical Society

Awards and Recognitions

  • PNNL Outstanding Performance Awards (10)

PNNL Publications

2024

  • Thompson C.J., S.T. Mergelsberg, B.P. Rajan, P.F. Martin, S.N. Kerisit, and J.S. Loring. 2024. "Nanoscale Control Over Water-Film Thickness Using Temperature Modulation: Tuning Mineral Carbonation Reactivity." Environmental Science Nano 11, no. 4:1412-1416. PNNL-SA-192867. doi:10.1039/D3EN00884C

2023

  • Baker T.J., R.G. Tonkyn, C.J. Thompson, M.K. Dunlap, P. Koster Van Groos, N.A. Thakur, and M.J. Wilhelm, et al. 2023. "An infrared spectral database for gas-phase quantitation of volatile per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)." Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer 295. PNNL-SA-177601. doi:10.1016/j.jqsrt.2022.108420
  • Mergelsberg S.T., B.P. Rajan, B.A. Legg, L. Kovarik, S.D. Burton, G.M. Bowers, and M.E. Bowden, et al. 2023. "Nanoscale Mg-Depleted Layers Slow Carbonation of Forsterite (Mg2SiO4) When Water Is Limited." Environmental Science & Technology Letters 10, no. 1:98-104. PNNL-SA-178504. doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00866
  • Thompson C.J., I.I. Leavy, and S.R. Baum. 2023. Sample Preparation Method for Low-Level Total 129I Measurements by ICP-MS. PNNL-34976. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Sample Preparation Method for Low-Level Total 129I Measurements by ICP-MS

2022

2021

  • Kerisit S.N., S.T. Mergelsberg, C.J. Thompson, S.K. White, and J.S. Loring. 2021. "Thin Water Films Enable Low-Temperature Magnesite Growth Under Conditions Relevant to Geologic Carbon Sequestration." Environmental Science & Technology 55, no. 18:12539-12548. PNNL-SA-160459. doi:10.1021/acs.est.1c03370
  • Loring J.S., O. Qafoku, C.J. Thompson, A.S. Mcneill, M. Vasiliu, D.A. Dixon, and Q. Miller, et al. 2021. "Synergistic Coupling of CO2 and H2O during Expansion of Clays in Supercritical CO2-CH4 Fluid Mixtures." Environmental Science & Technology 55, no. 16:11192-11203. PNNL-SA-143713. doi:10.1021/acs.est.1c00275

2020

  • Loring J.S., E.D. Walter, D.W. Hoyt, and C.J. Thompson. 2020. Multimodal Instrument Platform for High-Pressure MAS-NMR and IR Spectroscopic Interrogation. PNNL-30427. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Multimodal Instrument Platform for High-Pressure MAS-NMR and IR Spectroscopic Interrogation
  • Mergelsberg S.T., S.N. Kerisit, E.S. Ilton, O. Qafoku, C.J. Thompson, and J.S. Loring. 2020. "Low Temperature and Limited Water Activity Reveal a Pathway to Magnesite via Amorphous Magnesium Carbonate." Chemical Communications 56, no. 81:12154-12157. PNNL-SA-154304. doi:10.1039/D0CC04907G
  • Placencia-Gomez R.E., S.N. Kerisit, H.S. Mehta, O. Qafoku, C.J. Thompson, T.R. Graham, and E.S. Ilton, et al. 2020. "Critical Water Coverage during Forsterite Carbonation in Thin Water Films: Activating Dissolution and Mass Transport." Environmental Science & Technology 54, no. 11:6888-6899. PNNL-SA-151291. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c00897

2019

  • Miller Q., D.A. Dixon, S.D. Burton, E.D. Walter, D.W. Hoyt, A.S. Mcneill, and J. Moon, et al. 2019. "Surface-Catalyzed Oxygen Exchange during Mineral Carbonation in Nanoscale Water Films." Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123, no. 20:12871-12885. PNNL-SA-141756. doi:10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b02215

2018

  • Loring J.S., Q. Miller, C.J. Thompson, and H.T. Schaef. 2018. "Experimental studies of reactivity and transformations of rocks and minerals in water-bearing supercritical CO2." In Science of Carbon Storage in Deep Saline Formations: Process Coupling Across Time and Spatial Scales, edited by P. Newell and A.G. Ilgen. 63-88. Cambridge, Massachusetts:Elsevier. PNNL-SA-129113. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-812752-0.00004-6
  • Miller Q., E.S. Ilton, O. Qafoku, D.A. Dixon, M. Vasiliu, C.J. Thompson, and H.T. Schaef, et al. 2018. "Water Structure Controls Carbonic Acid Formation in Adsorbed Water Films." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 9, no. 17:4988-4994. PNNL-SA-136469. doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b02162
  • Qafoku O., E.S. Ilton, M.E. Bowden, L. Kovarik, X. Zhang, R.K. Kukkadapu, and M.H. Engelhard, et al. 2018. "Synthesis of Nanometer-Sized Fayalite and Magnesium-Iron(II) Mixture Olivines." Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 515. PNNL-SA-131663. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2018.01.036

2017

  • Blake T.A., C.S. Brauer, and C.J. Thompson. 2017. The Infrared Spectroscopy of Equilibrium Mixtures of Vapor-Phase Water and Hydrogen Fluoride. PNNL-26427. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The Infrared Spectroscopy of Equilibrium Mixtures of Vapor-Phase Water and Hydrogen Fluoride
  • Li M., Y. Gao, W. Qian, L. Shi, Y. Liu, W.C. Nelson, and C.D. Nicora, et al. 2017. "Targeted quantification of functional enzyme dynamics in environmental samples for microbially mediated biogeochemical processes." Environmental Microbiology Reports 9, no. 5:512-521. PNNL-SA-120732. doi:10.1111/1758-2229.12558
  • Liu Y., C. Liu, W.C. Nelson, L. Shi, F. Xu, Y. Liu, and A. Yan, et al. 2017. "Effect of Water Chemistry and Hydrodynamics on Nitrogen Transformation and Microbial Community Functional Potential in Hyporheic Zone Sediment Columns." Environmental Science & Technology 51, no. 9:4877-4886. PNNL-SA-121316. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b05018
  • Loring J.S., D.H. Bacon, R.D. Springer, A. Anderko, S. Gopinath, C. Yonkofski, and C.J. Thompson, et al. 2017. "Water Solubility at Saturation for CO2-CH4 Mixtures at 323.2 K and 9.000 MPa." Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data 62, no. 5:1608-1614. PNNL-SA-122783. doi:10.1021/acs.jced.6b00999
  • McGrail B.P., H.T. Schaef, F.A. Spane, J.A. Horner, A.T. Owen, J.B. Cliff, and O. Qafoku, et al. 2017. "Wallula Basalt Pilot Demonstration Project: Post-Injection Results and Conclusions." Energy Procedia 114. PNNL-SA-121381. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.1716
  • McGrail B.P., H.T. Schaef, F.A. Spane, J.B. Cliff, O. Qafoku, J.A. Horner, and C.J. Thompson, et al. 2017. "Field Validation of Supercritical CO2 Reactivity with Basalts." Environmental Science & Technology Letters 4, no. 1:6-10. PNNL-SA-119127. doi:10.1021/acs.estlett.6b00387

2016

  • Bryce D.A., H. Shao, K.J. Cantrell, and C.J. Thompson. 2016. "Determination of Organic Partitioning Coefficients in Water-Supercritical CO2 Systems by Simultaneous In Situ UV and Near-Infrared Spectroscopies." Environmental Science & Technology 50, no. 11:5766-5773. PNNL-SA-115938. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b00641
  • Burant A.S., C.J. Thompson, G. Lowry, and A. Karamalidis. 2016. "New Linear Partitioning Models based on Experimental Water - Supercritical CO2 Partitioning Data of Selected Organic Compounds." Environmental Science & Technology 50, no. 10:5135-5142. PNNL-SA-115937. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b00301

2015

  • Loring J.S., J. Chen, P. Benezeth Ep Gisquet, O. Qafoku, E.S. Ilton, N.M. Washton, and C.J. Thompson, et al. 2015. "Evidence for Carbonate Surface Complexation during Forsterite Carbonation in Wet Supercritical Carbon Dioxide." Langmuir 31, no. 27:7533-7543. PNNL-SA-110896. doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01052
  • Loring J.S., J. Chen, P. Benezeth, O. Qafoku, E.S. Ilton, N.M. Washton, and C.J. Thompson, et al. 2015. "Evidence for Carbonate Surface Complexation during Forsterite Carbonation in Wet Supercritical Carbon Dioxide." Langmuir 31, no. 27:7533-7543. PNNL-SA-109630. doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01052
  • Schaef H.T., J.S. Loring, V.A. Glezakou, Q.R. Miller, J. Chen, A.T. Owen, and M. Lee, et al. 2015. "Competitive Sorption of CO2 and H2O in 2:1 Layer Phyllosilicates." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 16. PNNL-SA-101900. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2015.03.027
  • Yan S., Y. Liu, C. Liu, L. Shi, J. Shang, H. Shan, and J.M. Zachara, et al. 2015. "Nitrate bioreduction in redox-variable low permeability sediments." Science of the Total Environment 539. PNNL-SA-105761. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.122

2014

  • Dang X., J. Scotcher, S. Wu, R.K. Chu, N. Tolic, I. Ntai, and P. Thomas, et al. 2014. "The first pilot project of the consortium for top-down proteomics: A status report." Proteomics 14, no. 10:1130-1140. PNNL-SA-102713. doi:10.1002/pmic.201300438
  • Loring J.S., E.S. Ilton, J. Chen, C.J. Thompson, P.F. Martin, P. Benezeth, and K.M. Rosso, et al. 2014. "In Situ Study of CO2 and H2O Partitioning Between Na-Montmorillonite and Variably Wet Supercritical Carbon Dioxide." Langmuir 30, no. 21:6120-6128. PNNL-SA-101130. doi:10.1021/la500682t
  • McGrail B.P., F.A. Spane, J.E. Amonette, C.J. Thompson, and C.F. Brown. 2014. "Injection and Monitoring at the Wallula Basalt Pilot Project." Energy Procedia 63. PNNL-SA-107959. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.316
  • Schaef H.T., C.L. Davidson, A.T. Owen, Q.R. Miller, J.S. Loring, C.J. Thompson, and D.H. Bacon, et al. 2014. "CO2 Utilization and Storage in Shale Gas Reservoirs: Experimental Results and Economic Impacts." Energy Procedia 63. PNNL-SA-105772. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.819
  • Schaef H.T., J.A. Horner, A.T. Owen, C.J. Thompson, J.S. Loring, and B.P. McGrail. 2014. "Mineralization of Basalts in the CO2-H2O-SO2-O2 System." Environmental Science & Technology 48, no. 9:5298-5305. PNNL-SA-98605. doi:10.1021/es404964j
  • Thompson C.J., P.F. Martin, J. Chen, P. Benezeth, H.T. Schaef, K.M. Rosso, and A.R. Felmy, et al. 2014. "Automated High-Pressure Titration System with In Situ Infrared Spectroscopic Detection." Review of Scientific Instruments 85, no. 4:Article No. 044102. PNNL-SA-101170. doi:10.1063/1.4870411

2013

  • Loring J.S., H.T. Schaef, C.J. Thompson, R.V. Turcu, Q.R. Miller, J. Chen, and J.Z. Hu, et al. 2013. "Clay hydration/dehydration in dry to water-saturated supercritical CO2: Implications for caprock integrity." Energy Procedia 37. PNNL-SA-91508. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2013.06.463
  • Miller Q., C.J. Thompson, J.S. Loring, C.F. Windisch, M.E. Bowden, D.W. Hoyt, and J.Z. Hu, et al. 2013. "Insights into Silicate Carbonation Processes in Water-Bearing Supercritical CO2 Fluids." International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 15. PNNL-SA-89916. doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2013.02.005
  • Schaef H.T., Q. Miller, C.J. Thompson, J.S. Loring, M.E. Bowden, B.W. Arey, and B.P. McGrail, et al. 2013. "Silicate Carbonation in Supercritical CO2 Containing Dissolved H2O: An in situ High Pressure X-Ray Diffraction Study." Energy Procedia 37. PNNL-SA-85671. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2013.06.514
  • Shao H., C.J. Thompson, and K.J. Cantrell. 2013. "Evaluation of experimentally measured and model-calculated pH for rock-brine-CO2 systems under geologic CO2 sequestration conditions." Chemical Geology 359. PNNL-SA-93472. doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2013.09.021
  • Shao H., C.J. Thompson, and K.J. Cantrell. 2013. "Evaluation of Experimentally Measured and Model-Calculated pH for Rock-Brine-CO2 Systems under Geologic CO2 Sequestration Conditions." Chemical Geology 359. PNNL-SA-95769. doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2013.09.021
  • Shao H., C.J. Thompson, O. Qafoku, and K.J. Cantrell. 2013. "In Situ Spectrophotometric Determination of pH under Geologic CO2 Sequestration Conditions: Method Development and Application." Environmental Science & Technology 47, no. 1:63-70. PNNL-SA-87968. doi:10.1021/es3016793
  • Thompson C.J., J.S. Loring, K.M. Rosso, and Z. Wang. 2013. "Comparative Reactivity Study of Forsterite and Antigorite in Wet Supercritical CO2 by In Situ Infrared Spectroscopy." International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 18. PNNL-SA-93361. doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2013.07.007
  • Wang Z., A.R. Felmy, C.J. Thompson, J.S. Loring, A.G. Joly, K.M. Rosso, and H.T. Schaef, et al. 2013. "Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Investigation of Water in Supercritical CO2 and the Effect of CaCl2." Fluid Phase Equilibria 338. PNNL-SA-89926. doi:10.1016/j.fluid.2012.11.012

2012

  • Loring J.S., H.T. Schaef, R.V. Turcu, C.J. Thompson, Q. Miller, P.F. Martin, and J.Z. Hu, et al. 2012. "In Situ Molecular Spectroscopic Evidence for CO2 Intercalation into Montmorillonite in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide." Langmuir 28, no. 18:7125-7128. PNNL-SA-86500. doi:10.1021/la301136w

2011

  • Loring J.S., C.J. Thompson, Z. Wang, A.G. Joly, D.S. Sklarew, H.T. Schaef, and E.S. Ilton, et al. 2011. "In Situ Infrared Spectroscopic Study of Forsterite Carbonation in Wet Supercritical CO2." Environmental Science & Technology 45, no. 14:6204-6210. PNNL-SA-74249. doi:10.1021/es201284e

2010

  • Riley R.G., J.E. Szecsody, D.S. Sklarew, A.V. Mitroshkov, P.M. Gent, C.F. Brown, and C.J. Thompson. 2010. "Desorption Behavior of Carbon Tetrachloride and Chloroform in contaminated Low Organic Carbon Aquifer Sediments." Chemosphere 79, no. 8:807-813. PNNL-SA-47350.

2006

  • Huesemann M.H., T.J. Fortman, R.G. Riley, C.J. Thompson, Z. Wang, M.J. Truex, and B.M. Peyton. 2006. "Slow Desorption of Phenanthrene from Silica Particles: Influence of Pore Size, Pore Water, and Aging Time." In 20th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, and Water: Successes and Challenges published in CONTAMINATED SOILS SEDIMENTS AND WATER, 2006, edited by Calabrase, E. J.; Kostecki, P. T.; Dragun, J., 10, 1-24. New York, New York:Springer. PNNL-SA-48083.
  • Thompson C.J., R.G. Riley, J.E. Amonette, and P.L. Gassman. 2006. "Quantification of Volatile Organics in Soil Aging Experiments Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy." Applied Spectroscopy 60, no. 8:914-919. PNNL-SA-48221. doi:10.1366/000370206778062156

2001

  • Riley R.G., C.J. Thompson, M.H. Huesemann, Z. Wang, B.M. Peyton, T.J. Fortman, and M.J. Truex, et al. 2001. "Artificial Aging of Phenanthrene in Porous Silicas Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide." Environmental Science & Technology 35, no. 18:3707-3712. PNNL-SA-34512.
  • Wang Z., D. Friedrich, M.R. Beversluis, S.L. Hemmer, A.G. Joly, M.H. Huesemann, and M.J. Truex, et al. 2001. "A Fluorescence Spectroscopic Study of Phenanthrene Sorbed on Porous Silica." Environmental Science & Technology 35, no. 13:2710-2716. PNNL-SA-33334.

2000

Energy and Environment

Core Research Areas

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