Keith C. Hackley, Ph.D.

Phone: 217-244-2396 • Fax: 217-333-4722
E-mail: hackley@isgs.illinois.edu

Major Responsibilities

• Conduct research in the area of applied isotope geochemistry which addresses problems concerning the state of Illinois
• To assist and/or implement new laboratory techniques for analyzing stable isotopes in sediments and aqueous phases
• To publish results in the form of technical reports and journal articles
• To answer questions from the public and assist with analyses of service samples

Current Research Projects

• Groundwater geochemistry and isotope geochemistry of the Mahomet Valley Aquifer to help understand the groundwater evolution, the age of the water and identify the major area of recharge for the aquifer
• Application of nitrogen and oxygen isotopes for determining dominant sources of nitrate in karst aquifers of southwestern Illinois
• Characterization and identification of the source of gas detected in soil above a gas storage field
• Investigation of techniques for determining the origin of sodium and Chloride in natural waters
• Application of isotope geochemistry to identify landfill leachate and methane
• Determination of the source of excess carbon dioxide in basements and surrounding soils

Research Interests

• Application of isotope geochemistry to environmental problems
• Groundwater geochemistry and isotope geochemistry
• Groundwater Dating
• Development of techniques for isotopic analyses
• Origin and migration of methane
• Origin and extraction of sulfur in groundwater, soils and coal

Professional Affiliations

• Geochemical Society
• Association of Ground Water Scientists and Engineers (AGWSE)