Owen

Education

Research Interests

Our research seeks to understand the factors that control the fate, transport, and uptake of nutrient and contaminant metals in soils, natural waters, and engineered systems. Understanding these processes at the fundamental level is essential to solving critical modern societal problems, including managing and remediating polluted sites, providing safe food and clean water to a growing population, improving nutrient metal uptake by crops or other plants, and sequestering carbon in agroecosystems.

Publications

Plant and Microbial Exudates
Doydora, S.A., Baars, O., Cubeta, M.A., and Duckworth, O.W. (2024) Using manganese oxidizing fungi to recover metals from electronic waste, Minerals, 14, 111.

French, K.S., Chukwuma, E., Linshitz, I., Namba, K., Duckworth, O.W., Cubeta, M.A., and Baars, O. (2024) Inactivation of siderophore iron chelation by the fungal wheat root symbiont Pyrenophora biseptata, Environmental Microbiology Reports, e13234.

Doydora, S.A., Baars, O., Harrington, J.M., and Duckworth, O.W. (2022) Salicylate coordination in metal-protochelin complexes, Biometals, 35, 87–98.

Andrews, M.Y., Carbone, I., Binder, A., Breakfield, N., Duckworth, O.W., Francis, K., Harris, S.L., Kinkel, L., Leach, J., Maloney, G., Miclaus, K., Shank, E. A., Stulberg, E., Young, C., Yu-Su, S. (2020) Agriculture and the Microbiome. Issue Paper 68. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), Ames, Iowa.

Rai, V., Fisher, N., Duckworth, O.W., and Baars, O. (2020) Extraction and analysis of structurally diverse siderophores in soil, Frontiers in Microbiological Chemistry and Geomicrobiology, 11:581508.

Duckworth, O.W. (2020) Microbial Exudates in The Encyclopedia of Water: Science, Technology, and Society, Maurice, P.A., (ed.). doi.org/10.1002/9781119300762.wsts0006

Saad, E.M., Sun, J. Chen, S., Borkiewicz, O.J., Zhu, M., Duckworth, O.W., and Tang, Y. (2017) Siderophore and organic acid promoted dissolution and transformation of Cr(III)-Fe(III)-(oxy)hydroxides. Environmental Science and Technology, 51, 3223–3232.

Duckworth, O.W., Markarian, D.S., Parker, D.L., and, Harrington, J.M. (2017) A Two-Column Flash Chromatography Approach to Pyoverdin Production from Pseudomonas putida GB1, Journal of Microbial Methods, 135, 11-13.

Andrews, M.Y. and Duckworth, O.W. (2016) A Universal Assay for the Detection of Siderophore Activity in Natural Waters. Biometals, 29, 1085-1095.

Andrews, M.Y., Santelli, S.M., Duckworth, O.W. (2016) Digital Image Quantification of Siderophores on Agar Plates. Data in Brief, 6, 890–898.

Andrews, M.Y., Santelli, S.M., Duckworth, O.W. (2016) Layer Plate CAS Assay for the Quantitation of Siderophore Production and Determination of Exudation Patterns for Fungi. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 121, 41-43.

Harrington, J.M., Duckworth, O.W., and Haselwandter, K. (2015) The fate of siderophores: Antagonistic environmental interactions in exudate-mediated micronutrient uptake. Biometals, 28, 461-472.

Kraemer, S.M., Duckworth, O.W., Harrington, J.M., and Schenkeveld, W. D. C. (2015) Metallophores and trace metals biogeochemistry. Aquatic Geochemistry, 21, 159-195.

Akafia, M.M., Harrington, J.M., Bargar, J.R., and Duckworth, O.W. (2014) Metal hydroxide dissolution as promoted by structurally diverse siderophores and oxalate. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 141, 258-269.

Duckworth, O.W., Akafia, M.M., Andrews, M.Y., and Bargar, J.R. (2014) Siderophore-promoted dissolution of chromium from hydroxide minerals. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 16, 1348-1359.

Kruft, B.I., Harrington, J.M., Duckworth, O.W., Jarzecki, A.A. (2013) Quantum mechanical investigation of aqueous desferrioxamine B metal complexes: Trends in structure, binding, and spectroscopy. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 129, 150–161.

Harrington, J.M., Parker, D.L., Bargar, J.R., Jarzecki, A.A., Tebo, B.M., Sposito, G. and Duckworth, O.W. (2012) Structural dependence of Mn complexation by siderophores: Donor group dependence on complex stability and reactivity. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 88, 106–119.

Harrington, J.M., Bargar, J.R., Jarzecki, A.A., Roberts, J.G., Sombers, L.A. and Duckworth, O.W. (2012) Trace metal complexation by the triscatecholate siderophore protochelin: Structure and stability. Biometals, 25, 393-412.

Saal, L.B., and Duckworth, O.W. (2010) Synergistic dissolution of manganese oxides as promoted by siderophores and small organic acids. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 74, 2021-2031.

Bi, Y., Hesterberg, D. L., and Duckworth, O.W. (2010) Siderophore-promoted dissolution of cobalt from hydroxide minerals. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 74, 2915-2925.

Kim, D., Duckworth, O.W., and Strathmann, T.J. (2010) Reactions of aqueous iron-DFOB (Desferrioxamine B) complexes with flavin mononucleotide in the absence of strong iron(II) chelators. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 74, 1513-1529.

Smits, M.M., Herrmann, A. M., Duane, M., Duckworth, O.W., Bonneville, S., Benning, L., and Lundström, U. (2009) The fungal-mineral interface: Challenges and considerations of micro-analytical developments. Fungal Biology Reviews, 23, 122-131.

Duckworth, O.W., Bargar, J.R., and Sposito, G. (2009) Coupled biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese as mediated by microbial siderophores. BioMetals, 22, 605-613.

Duckworth, O.W., Bargar, J.R., Jarzecki, A.A., Oyerendi, O. Spiro, T.G., and Sposito, G. (2009) An Exceptionally stable cobalt(III)–desferrioxamine B complex. Marine Chemistry, 113, 114-122.

Kim, D., Duckworth, O.W., and Strathmann, T.J. (2009) Hydroxamate siderophore-promoted reduction of nitroaromatic contaminants by iron(II). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73, 1297-1311.

Duckworth, O.W., Holmström, S.J.M., Peña, J., and Sposito, G. (2009) Biogeochemistry of iron oxidation in a circumneutral freshwater habitat. Chemical Geology, 260, 149-158.

Duckworth, O.W., Bargar, J.R., and Sposito, G. (2009) Quantitative-structure activity relationships for aqueous metal-siderophore complexes. Environmental Science and Technology, 43, 343–349.

Duckworth, O.W., Bargar, J.R., and Sposito, G. (2008) Sorption of ferric iron from ferrioxamine B to synthetic and biogenic layer type manganese oxides. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 72, 3371-3380.

Peña, J., Duckworth, O.W., Bargar, J.R., and Sposito, G. (2007) Dissolution of hausmannite in the presence of the trihydroxamate siderophore desferrioxamine B. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 71, 5661-5671.

Duckworth, O.W. and Sposito, G. (2007) Siderophore-promoted dissolution of synthetic and biogenic layer type Mn oxides. Chemical Geology, 242, 500-511.

Duckworth, O.W., and Sposito, G. (2005) Siderophore-manganese(III) interactions I. Air-oxidation of manganese(II) promoted by desferrioxamine B. Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 6037-6044.

Duckworth, O.W., and Sposito, G. (2005) Siderophore-manganese(III) interactions II. Manganite dissolution promoted by desferrioxamine B. Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 6045-6051.

Duckworth, O.W., and Martin, S.T. (2001) Surface complexation and dissolution of hematite by C₁-C₆ dicarboxylic acids at pH = 5.0. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 65, 4289-4301.

Contaminants and Environmental Chemistry
Li, Y., Zhi, Y., Broome, S.W., Knappe, D.R.U., and Duckworth, O.W. (2024) Composts Amendment Inhibit the Bioavailability and Plant Uptake of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Lettuce-Soil Systems, Environment International, 186, 108615.

Alvarado, T.R., Austin, R.E., Bradley, P.J., Eaves, L.A., Fry, R.C., George, A., Gray, K.M.,
Osborne, J.A., Stýblo, M, Vinson, D.S., and Duckworth, O.W. (2024) Geologic Predictors ofDrinking Water Well Contamination in North Carolina, PLOS Water, 3(1): e0000194

Hu, J., Wang, Z., William, G., Dwyer, G., Gatiboni, L., Duckworth, O.W., Vengosh, A. (2024) Evidence for the accumulation of toxic metal(loid)s in agricultural soils impacted from long-term application of phosphate fertilizer, Science of the Total Environment, i907, 167863.

Balogun, F., Aiken, M., Namayandeh, A., Duckworth, O.W., Polizzotto, M.L., (2023) Dissolved organic carbon diminishes manganese oxide-driven oxidation of chromium, Chemosphere, 344, 2023, 140424.

Duckworth, O.W., Austin, R.E., Alvarado, T.R., and Bradley, P.J. (2023) Susceptibility Maps of Geogenic Contaminants in Chatham County, NC, in The Geology of the Carolina Terrane in Chatham County, NC – Results of New Geologic Mapping by the NC Geological Survey, 8th Carolina Geological Society Field Guide, 88-100.

Soares, M.B., Duckworth, O.W., Styblo, M., Cable, P.H., and Alleoni, L.R.F. (2023) Pyrolysis temperature and biochar redox activity on arsenic availability and speciation in a sediment, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 460, 132308.

Peel, H.R., Balogun, F.O., Bowers, C.A., Miller, C.T., Obeidy, C.S., Polizzotto, M.L., Tashnia, S.U., Vinson, D.S., and Duckworth, O.W. (2022) Towards Understanding Factors Affecting Arsenic, Chromium, and Vanadium Mobility in the Subsurface. Water, 14, 3687.

Duckworth, O.W., Polizzotto, M.L., and Thompson, A. (2022) Bridging Soil Chemistry and Environmental Health Science to Tackle Soil Contaminants, Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10:981607.

Gillispie, E.C., Matteson, A.R., Duckworth, O.W., Neumann, R., Phen, N., Polizzotto, M.L. (2019) Chemical variability of sediment and groundwater in a Pleistocene aquifer of Cambodia: implications for arsenic pollution potential. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 245, 441-458.

Scheibener, S.A., Rivera, N.A., Hesterberg, D., Duckworth, O.W. and Buchwalter, D.B. (2017) Trace element release from coal fly-ash and incorporation into aquatic food webs. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 36, 2991–2996.

Rivera, N.A., Hesterberg, D., Kaur, N., and Duckworth, O.W. (2017) Chemical Speciation of Potentially Toxic Trace Metals in Coal Fly Ash Associated with the Kingston Fly Ash Spill. Energy and Fuels, 31, 9652–9659.

Gillispie, E.C., Austin, R.E., Rivera, N.A., Bolich, R., Duckworth, O.W., Bradley, P., Amoozegar, A., Hesterberg, D., and Polizzotto, M.L. (2016) Soil Weathering as an Engine for Manganese Contamination of Well Water. Environmental Science and Technology, 50, 9963–9971.

Gillispie, E.C., Sowers, T.D., Duckworth, O.W., and Polizzotto, M.L. (2015) Soil pollution due to irrigation with arsenic-contaminated groundwater: Current state of science. Current Pollution Reports, 1, 1-12.

Rivera, N.A., Kaur, N, Hesterberg, D., Ward, C.R., Austin, R.E. and Duckworth, O.W. (2015) Chemical composition, speciation, and elemental associations in coal fly ash samples related to the Kingston ash spill. Energy and Fuels, 29, 954-967.

Kang, J., Heitman, J.L., Amoozegar, A., Duckworth, O.W., and McLaughlin, R.A. (2015) Transport of dissolved polyacrylamide in a clay loam soil. Geoderma, 243-244, 108-114.

Kang, J., McLaughlin, R.A., Sowers, T.D., Duckworth, O.W., Amoozegar, A., and Heitman, J.L. (2013) Turbidimetric determination of anionic polyacrylamide in soil extracts. Journal of Environmental Quality, 42, 1902–1907.

Biominerals
Soares, M.B., Duckworth, O.W., and Alleoni, L.R.F. (2023) The role of dissolved pyrogenic carbon from biochar in the sorption of As(V) in biogenic iron (oxyhydr)oxides, Science of the Total Environment, 865, 161286.

Whitaker, A.H., Austin, R.E., Jones, J.L., Michel, F.M., Peak, D., Thompson, A., and Duckworth, O.W. (2021) The Structure of Natural Biogenic Iron (Oxyhydr)oxides Formed in Circumneutral pH Environments, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 308, 237-255.

Field, H.R., Whitaker, A. H., Henson, J.A. and Duckworth, O.W. (2019) Sorption of copper and phosphate to diverse biogenic iron (oxyhydr)oxide deposits. Science of the Total Environment, 697, 134111.

Whitaker, A. H., Amor, M., Peña, J., Duckworth, O.W. (2018) Chromium Uptake and Reduction in by Biogenic Iron Oxides Assemblages. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 20, 1056.

Whitaker, A.H. and Duckworth, O.W. (2018) Cu, Pb, and Zn Sorption to Bacteriogenic Iron Oxides Formed in Circumneutral Environments. Soil Systems, 2, 18.

Almarez, N., Whitaker, A.H., Andrews, M.Y., and Duckworth, O.W. (2017) Assessing Biomineral Formation by Iron-oxidizing Bacteria (FeOB) in a Circumneutral Creek. Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education, 160, 60-71.

Duckworth, O.W., Rivera, N.A., Gardner, T.G., Andrews, M.Y., Santelli, C.M., and Polizzotto, M.L. (2017) Morphology, Structure, and Metal Binding Mechanisms of Biogenic Manganese Oxides in a Superfund Site Treatment System. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 19, 50-58.

Sowers, T.D., Harrington, J.M., Polizzotto, M.L., Duckworth, O.W. (2017) Sorption of Arsenic to Biogenic Iron (Oxyhydr)oxides Produced in Circumneutral Environments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 198, 194–207.

Droz, B., Dumas, N., Duckworth, O.W. and Peña, J., (2015) Structure and sorption reactivity of biogenic MnO₂ precipitated by bacterial and fungal cultures. Environmental Science and Technology, 49, 4200-4208.

Nutrient Biogeochemistry
McLamore, E., Duckworth, O.W., Boyer, T.H., Bhadha, J., Marshall, A.M., Call, D.F., Guzmán, S. (2023) Phosphorus Monitoring Must be Rooted in Sustainability Frameworks Spanning Material Scale to Human Scale, Water Research X, 19, 100168.

Zhi, Y., Paterson, A.R., Call, D.F., Jones, J. L., Hesterberg, D., Duckworth, O.W., Poitras, E.P., and Knappe, D.R.U. (2022) Mechanisms of Orthophosphate Removal from Water by Lanthanum Carbonate and Other Lanthanum(III)-Containing Materials, Science of the Total Environment, 820, 153135.

Zhi, Y., Call, D.F., Grieger, K., Duckworth, O.W., Jones, J. L., and Knappe, D.R.U. (2021) Influence of Natural Organic Matter and pH on Phosphate Removal by and Lanthanum Release from Lanthanum-Modified Bentonite, Water Research, 117399.

Doydora, S., Gatiboni, L., Grieger, K., Hesterberg, D., Jones, J.L, McLamore, E.S., Peters, R., Sozzani, R. Van Den Broeck, L., and Duckworth, O.W. (2020) Accessing Legacy Phosphorus in Soil, Soil Systems, 4, 74.

Zhi, Y., Zhang, C., Hjorth, R., Baun, A., Duckworth, O.W., Knappe, D.R.U. A., Call, D.F., Jones, J. L., and Grieger, K. (2020) Emerging Lanthanum (III)-containing Materials for Phosphate Removal from Water: A Review Towards Future Developments, Environment International, 145, 106115.

Roper, W.R., Grossman, J.M., Israel, D.W., and Duckworth, O.W. (2020) Rhizobium leguminosarum Strain Combination Effects on Nodulation and Biological Nitrogen Fixation of Vicia villosa, Applied Soil Ecology, 156, 103703.

Sowers, T.D., Wani, R., Coward, E.K., Fischel, M.H.H., Betts, A.R., Douglas, T.A., Duckworth, O.W., and Sparks, D. L. (2020) Spatially-resolved carbon interactions with iron phases across a permafrost chronosequence. Environmental Science and Technology, 54, 2951-2960.

Abit, S.M., Vepraskas, M.J., Duckworth, O.W., and Amoozegar A. (2013) Dissolution of phosphorus into pore-water flowing through an organic soil. Geoderma, 197–198, 51-58.

Wu. L., Osmond, D.L., Graves, A.K., Burchell, M.R., and Duckworth, O.W. (2012) Relationships between nitrogen transformation rates and gene abundance in riparian buffer soils. Environmental Management, 50, 861-874.

Surface Chemistry
Park, M., Kim, H.-J., Kim, K.-S., Duckworth, O.W., and Komarneni, S. (2012) Hydronium-promoted equilibrium mechanism for the alkali metal cation exchange reaction in Na-4-mica. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116, 18678–18683.

Perry, T.D., Duckworth, O.W., Kendall, T.K., Martin, S.T., and Mitchell, R. (2005) Chelating ligand alters the microscopic mechanism of mineral dissolution. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 127, 5744-5745.

Perry, T.D., Duckworth, O.W., McNamara, C.J., Martin, S.T., and Mitchell, R. (2004) The effects of the biologically produced polymer alginic acid on macroscopic and microscopic calcite dissolution rates. Environmental Science and Technology, 38, 3040-3046.

Duckworth, O.W., Cygan, R.T., and Martin, S.T. (2004) Linear free energy relationships between dissolution rates and molecular modeling energies of rhombohedral carbonates. Langmuir, 20, 2938-2946.

Duckworth, O.W., and Martin, S.T. (2004) Dissolution rates and pit morphologies of rhombohedral carbonate minerals. American Mineralogist, 89, 554-563.

Duckworth, O.W., and Martin, S.T. (2004) Role of molecular oxygen in the dissolution of siderite and rhodochrosite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 68, 607-621.

Duckworth, O.W., and Martin, S.T. (2003) Connections between surface complexation and geometric models of mineral dissolution investigated for rhodochrosite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 67, 1787-1801.

Martin, S.T., Schlenker, J.C., Chelf, J.H., and Duckworth, O.W. (2001) Structure-activity relationships of mineral dusts as heterogeneous nuclei for ammonium sulfate crystallization from supersaturated aqueous solutions. Environmental Science and Technology, 35, 1624-1629.

Education
Overbay, A., Heitman, J.L., and Duckworth, O.W., (2023) The BESST REU: promoting soil science learning and shifts in attitudes towards science, Natural Sciences Education, 52, 1–12.

Andrews, M.Y., Whitaker, A. H., Sowers, T.D., Duckworth, O.W. (2020) Soil and Water Iron Microbes in North Carolina (SWIMNC) Outreach: Positive impact of combining classroom and field experiences to promote learning and shift attitudes. Frontiers in Education, 4, 151.

Duckworth, O.W., Grunden, A.M., Ojiambo, P., Andrews, M.Y., and Cubeta, M.A. (2017) Revisiting Graduate Student Training to Address Agricultural and Environmental Societal Challenges. Agricultural and Environmental Letters, 2:170019.

Duckworth, O.W., Franzluebbers, A.J., and Gardner, T.G. (2015) Biogeochemical Processes Underpin Ecosystem Services in Soil Ecosystem Services, Stromberger, M.E., Lindbo, DL., Comerford, N.B. (eds.). doi:10.2136/2015.soilecosystemsservices.2015.0024

Duckworth, O.W., Heitman, J.L., and Polizzotto, M.L. (2014) Soil water: From molecular structure to behavior. Nature Education Knowledge, 5(8), 1.

Harrington, J.M., Gardner, T.G., Amoozegar, A., Andrews M.Y., Rivera, N.A., and Duckworth, O.W. (2013) A workshop to facilitate the development of learning modules for 6-12 grade science classes based on biogeochemical research. Natural Sciences Education, 42, 75-84.

Duckworth, O.W., and Harrington, J.M. (2012) Student Presentations of Case Studies to Illustrate Core Concepts in Soil Biogeochemistry. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education, 41, 35-43.

Teaching
Soil and Environmental Biogeochemistry (SSC 442), each Spring Semester
Soil Chemistry (SSC 521), Spring 2008, 2021, and 2022
Current Topics in Soil Science (SSC 620), Spring 2014

Professional Service and Activities
Fellow, Soil Science Society of America, 2023

Outstanding Associate Editor, Soil Science Society of America Journal (SSSAJ), 2021

Chair, University Research Committee, 2019-2020

Chair of the Soil Chemistry Division of the Soil Science Society of America, 2017

RTI International Faculty Scholar, 2016

Associate Editor for Soil Science Society of America Journal, and Review Editorial Board Member of Frontiers in Soil Processes

Associate Editor for Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2011-2023.

Severed on proposal review panels for four national funding agencies and two national user facility

Served as a reviewer for four federal funding agencies (including four NSF programs), three private foundations, a state funding agency, two national user facilities, >30 peer-reviewed journals, and a book chapter

Co-organized 14 symposia at national or international conferences

Member of the American Chemical Society, American Geophysical Union, Geochemical Society, and Soil Science Society of America