title: A Comprehensive Analysis of Groundwater Quality in The Barnett Shale Region.
abstract: The exploration of unconventional shale energy reserves and the extensive use of hydraulic fracturing during well stimulation have raised concerns about the potential effects of unconventional oil and gas extraction (UOG) on the environment. Most accounts of groundwater contamination have focused primarily on the compositional analysis of dissolved gases to address whether UOG activities have had deleterious effects on overlying aquifers. Here, we present an analysis of 550 groundwater samples collected from private and public supply water wells drawing from aquifers overlying the Barnett shale formation of Texas. We detected multiple volatile organic carbon compounds throughout the region, including various alcohols, the BTEX family of compounds, and several chlorinated compounds. These data do not necessarily identify UOG activities as the source of contamination; however, they do provide a strong impetus for further monitoring and analysis of groundwater quality in this region as many of the compounds we detected are known to be associated with UOG techniques.
authors.affiliation: †Inform Environmental, LLC, Dallas Texas 75206, United States.|‡Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Zacariah L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Hildenbrand
authors.affiliation: ‡Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.|§Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Doug D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Carlton
authors.affiliation: ‡Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Fontenot
authors.affiliation: ‡Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.|∥Department of Biological Sciences, Tarleton State University, Stephenville Texas 76401, United States.
authors.forename: Jesse M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Meik
authors.affiliation: ‡Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Jayme L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.affiliation: †Inform Environmental, LLC, Dallas Texas 75206, United States.
authors.forename: Josh T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: §Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Jonathan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Thacker
authors.affiliation: §Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korlie
authors.affiliation: §Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: C Phillip
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Shelor
authors.affiliation: §Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Drew
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: §Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Akinde F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kadjo
authors.affiliation: ‡Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.|#Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Corey E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Roelke
authors.affiliation: ∇Department of Geography, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, United States.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Hudak
authors.affiliation: ¶Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States.
authors.forename: Taylour
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.affiliation: ¶Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States.
authors.forename: Hanadi S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Rifai
authors.affiliation: ‡Affiliate of the Collaborative Laboratories for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.|§Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Texas 76019, United States.
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Schug
mesh_terms: D000838:Anions / Q000032:analysis; D001965:Bromides / Q000032:analysis; D002712:Chlorides / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000032:analysis; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields / Q000737:chemistry; D013781:Texas; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D060753:Water Quality; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D000838:Anions; D001965:Bromides; D002712:Chlorides; D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008752:Methylene Chloride