Kristin R. Robrock, Ph.D.

Dr. Robrock is an environmental engineer and microbiologist specializing in biodegradation and the fate of chemicals in the environment. She focuses on emerging contaminants, chlorinated solvents, in-situ bioremediation, and analytical chemistry. During her Ph.D. work, Dr. Robrock studied the degradation of the flame retardants Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) by aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to better understand the fate of these chemicals in the environment.

Before entering graduate school, Dr. Robrock worked for Hart Crowser, Inc., where she assisted with a dredging project involving the removal of PCB-contaminated sediment. She has also been a teaching assistant for an undergraduate-level environmental engineering course and a graduate-level environmental biological processes course.

Robrock KR, Coelhan M, Sedlak DL, Alvarez-Cohen L. Aerobic biotransformation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) by bacterial isolates. Environ Sci Technol 2009, in press.

Zeng X, Simonich SL, Robrock KR, Korytár P, Alvarez-Cohen L, Barofsky DF. Development and validation of a congener specific photodegradation model for PBDEs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2008; 27(12):2427–2435.

Robrock KR, Korytar P, Alvarez-Cohen L. Pathways for the anaerobic microbial debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Environ Sci Technol 2007; 42(8):2845–2852.

He J, Robrock KR, Alvarez-Cohen L. Microbial reductive debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Environ Sci Technol 2006; 40(14):4429–4434.

Presentations

Robrock KR. Biotransformation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers by aerobic bacteria. IWA/GRA Micropol & Ecohazard, San Francisco, CA, June 2009.

Robrock KR. Aerobic biodegradation of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) by PCB-degrading bacteria. Norcal SETAC Conference, Berkeley, CA, May 2008.

Robrock K, Alvarez-Cohen L. Degradation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers by aerobic PCB-degrading organisms. Poster presentation, NIEHS Superfund Basic Research Program Meeting, Durham, NC, 2007.

Robrock KR. Biodegradation of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. California Water Environment Association Student Night, Oakland, CA, March 2007.

Robrock KR, Korytar P, Alvarez-Cohen L. Anaerobic microbial degradation pathways for seven environmentally relevant PBDE congeners. Poster presentation, 107th General Meeting for the American Society for Microbiology, Toronto, Canada, 2007.

Robrock KR, He J, Korytar P, de Boer J, Alvarez-Cohen L. Degradation of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) by Dehalococcoides Species. Poster presentation, Groundwater Resources Association Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater, Concord, CA, 2006.

Robrock KR. Anaerobic Microbial Debromination of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. Association for Environmental Health and Sciences West Coast Conference, San Diego, CA, March 2006.

Robrock KR, He J, Korytar P, de Boer J, Alvarez-Cohen L. Degradation of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers by Dehalococcoides Species. Poster presentation, 106th General Meeting of American Society for Microbiology, Orlando, FL, 2006.

Robrock KR. Anaerobic Microbial Debromination of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. Dioxin 2005 Conference, Toronto, Canada, August 2005.

Investigated the sources of heavy metals for an urban lake contaminated with lead and other metals. Quantified the amount of lead present in the lake and yearly depositional patterns. Calculated the lead contamination from direct urban runoff and aerial deposition from an adjacent roadway from historical and present automobile use. Investigated other potential sources of lead from nearby residential, military, and industrial uses and determined the total lead input from all sources of runoff in the watershed.

Analyzed contamination scenarios for PCE in dry cleaning facilities, determining the quantities of PCE that could be released to sewers from various disposal methods. Quantified potential releases to the subsurface through leaking sewer pipes.

Compiled anaerobic biodegradation rates for a cap design of contaminated lake sediments and calculated the range of expected half-lives. The contaminants of interested included BTEX, PAHs, chlorinated benzenes, phenol, and PCBs.