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Christopher W. Sinton, Ph.D., R.G.

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Christopher W. Sinton, Ph.D., R.G.
Consultant

Christopher W. Sinton, Ph.D., R.G.

Consultant (212) 440-6708 Ithaca, NY csinton@integral-corp.com

Dr. Chris Sinton uses his broad, multidisciplinary background to help clients rapidly and accurately assess and solve a range of environmental issues. He has applied his extensive experience in project management and practical laboratory and fieldwork to remediation projects, site assessments, litigation support, and cost allocation. Dr. Sinton has particular expertise in the glass and ceramic industry and sustainability of materials and energy. He works closely with clients and counsel to develop data-driven solutions for complex, multifaceted projects.

Assessing Background Arsenic in Portland Harbor Sediment and Riverbank Soil

Poster

January 30 2025

Deep Decarbonization of Glassmaking

Resource

May 08 2023

Product Stewardship

Product Life Cycle Assessment Provide technical expertise in support of a product life cycle assessment for a common industrial feedstock.

Environmental Impact Assessment

Former Fertilizer Manufacturing Facility, Residential Yards Time-Critical Removal Action, Guanica, Puerto Rico Manage work plan and characterization of soil and sediment in support of removal action. Project planning involves health and safety, quality assurance, soil sampling, and stormwater source control. Use historical data to assess contamination of nearby water bodies.
Source Control and Sediment Cleanup of Manufacturing Site, Portland Harbor Superfund Site, Oregon Analyze sediment, groundwater, and porewater data in support of remedial design. Lead author of expert reports on historical contaminant sources in collaboration with staff and attorneys.
Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Cayuga Lake, New York Planned and managed sampling and analysis of sediments in the delta and floodplain downstream from a lead-contaminated CERCLA site to assess the potential impacts of lake sediment metals concentrations on ecosystems and human health.
Historical Industrial Site Evaluation, New York Conducted soil core logging and sampling at historical industrial sites in urban and rural settings. Used knowledge of regional geology to develop conceptual site model and establish background levels of contaminants. Field lead for sediment sampling survey in riparian area.
Risk Assessment, Umatilla Army Depot, Oregon Provided data management and analysis for risk assessment associated with CERCLA cleanup of metals and munitions in soil and groundwater.
Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Exposure, Butte Mine, Montana Provided data management and analysis for risk assessment associated for metals remediation at a CERCLA site.
Risk Assessment of PCBs, Metals, and Pesticides at the Lowry Landfill, Colorado Provided data management and analysis for risk assessment of volatile organic compounds, PCBs, metals, and pesticides associated with CERCLA site.
Former MGP Site, New York Oversaw site characterization activities to delineate impacts to soil and groundwater at former manufactured gas plant (MGP) in urban area.

Mining

Rare Earth Metal Market Evaluation, Global Delivered global market study on rare earth minerals for a market research firm and a client mining company. Reviewed pricing, worldwide sources, and production processes.
Evaluation of Heavy Metals Near Mine, Alaska Manage project team for long-term monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in media near a massive sulfide mine.
Evaluation of Metals in Sediment, Alaska Organized and executed the collection of surface sediment samples adjacent to ore concentrate loading facility.

Litigation Support

Former MGP Sites, New York Work with team to provide client with comprehensive expert reports on the operational history and environmental impacts of several former MGPs.
Litigation Support for Proposition 65 Compliance, California Evaluated heavy metals in soils in urban areas in litigation support for industrial facility. Developed narrative and graphical data presentations to help client find an equitable solution.
Litigation Support for PFAS in Groundwater, Colorado Wrote report on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in municipal water supplies in a region of PFAS-contaminated groundwater.

Water Management

Characterization of Heavy Metals in Groundwater, Industrial Site, Portland, Oregon Supported characterization of metals in groundwater in property adjacent to the Willamette River and compared results with background metal concentrations in sediment pore water.
Assessment of Health Hazards of Roadside Springs, Central New York State Managed multiyear water quality and user study of public roadside springs. Conducted analysis of dissolved metals/anions and bacterial contamination. Developed and implemented a survey of spring users.
Assessment of Manganese Sources in Municipal Watershed, New York Co-managed a team to sample and analyze surface water, groundwater, and sediment to determine sources of seasonal excess manganese in the watershed of a municipal water supply.

Climate Change

Carbon Sequestration Measurement of Forested Parcel, Ithaca College, New York Led a project team to assess baseline organic carbon pool in trees and soil in a 500+ acre forested land parcel. Work involved creating representative sample plots, measuring and identifying trees, and collecting and analyzing soil cores to support the development of an institutional carbon neutrality plan.

Materials Science

Improved Properties for Sintered Alumina Ceramics Managed a project to determine the characteristics of alumina ceramics made using a novel nano-coating process to disperse sintering dopants.
Improved Commercial Glass Melting Managed licensing contracts and workflow to develop a novel method of reducing the time to melt commercial soda-lime and borate glasses.
Development of Glass Compositions for Rapid Ion-Exchange Strengthening Worked with industrial partners to test novel glass compositions for rapid ion-exchange strengthening. Tested the compositions for high temperature viscosity, mechanical performance, and corrosion resistance to determine commercial viability.
Development of Low-Density Ceramic Tile Siding Managed a proof-of-concept project with client to develop highly porous, insulating ceramic tile for building cladding.
Ceramic Coating for Hydrocarbon Recovery Managed a project to develop a semi-continuous ceramic coating with high electrical resistivity for in situ hydrocarbon recovery at depth.

Waste Management

Corrosion of Silicate Glass Ceramics by Oxide Melts and Impacts on Glass Recycling Part of an international research team to address issues of transparent glass ceramics as refractory impurities in post-consumer recycled glass. Conducted high-temperature characterization of commercial glass melts and contaminants.
Feasibility Study for Shaped Aggregate from Waste Gypsum Team member of a project to determine the feasibility of using phosphogypsum, a waste product from phosphate ore processing, as a raw material to create a synthetic ceramic aggregate into a novel, interlocking shape.

Renewable Energy

Demonstration of Solar Water Pumping Systems for New York State Agriculture Led a team that installed and demonstrated the use of photovoltaics for powering off-grid pumps for surface and well water systems. The project was funded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Small Wind Demonstration System, New York Secured funding (NYSERDA) and led a team that installed a 50-kW wind turbine system on a farm. Organized public outreach to promote small wind as a source of renewable energy for agriculture.
Renewable Installer Insurance Assistance Program, New York Project manager working with regional solar/wind installers and the New York State Solar Industry Association to study insurance barriers for installers. Created guide (published by NYSERDA) for the insurance industry to better understand the renewable energy installer business and appropriately classify premiums.

Marine Science

Age and Origin of Seamounts, Galapagos Region Researcher in multiyear project to determine the nature of volcanic seamounts and drowned islands in the Galapágos region. Shipboard scientist on a 2010 research cruise that mapped and sampled seamounts in the northern region. Conducted radiometric (40Ar-39Ar) and geochemical analysis on recovered magmas.
Age of Submarine Seaward Dipping Lava Flows, Eastern Greenland Shipboard petrologist on Ocean Drilling Program 152 off the southeastern coast of Greenland. Conducted radiometric age analyses (40Ar-39Ar) of recovered magmas to determine evolution of magmatism.

Sang, Y., O. Pietz, E. Christiansen, L. Abu-Ali, C.J. Pollock, C.W. Sinton, R. Johnston, and M.C. Reid. 2024. Geochemical and hydrological controls on manganese in a weakly-stratified drinking water reservoir. ACS ES&T Water 4(10):4368–4378.

Sinton, C.W. 2023. Deep decarbonization of glassmaking. American Ceramic Society Bulletin 102(4):24–29.

Sinton, C.W., M. Olivieri, T. Perry, K. Stoddard, and R. Kresge. 2021. Potential health hazards of roadside springs: Results from Central New York. J. Contemp. Water Res. Educ. 173:29–41.

Sinton, C.W., F. Hauff, K. Hoernle, and R. Werner. 2018. Age progressive volcanism opposite Nazca Plate motion: Insights from seamounts and drowned islands on the northeastern margin of the Galápagos platform. Lithos 310–311:342–354.

Sinton, C.W., K.S. Harpp, D. Geist, E. Mittelstaedt, D.J. Fornari, and S.A. Soule. 2017. Banco Tuzo: An ancient Galapagos Island and potential stepping stone for species dispersal. Galapagos Research 69:9–17.

Sinton, C.W., L. Hill, and C. Zerbian. 2015. Evaluation of heavy metals in sediments downstream from the Ithaca Gun Superfund site. Northeastern Geoscience 33:1–11.

Sinton, C.W., K. Harpp, and D.M. Christie. 2014. An initial survey of the northeast seamounts of the Galápagos platform. In: The Galápagos: A Natural Laboratory for the Earth Sciences, K. Harpp, E. Mittelstaedt, D. Graham, N. d’Ozouville (eds.). American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC.

Mittelstaedt, E., S. Soule, K. Harpp, D. Fornari, C. McKee, M. Tivey, D. Geist, M.D. Kurz, C. Sinton, and C. Mello. 2012. Multiple expressions of plume-ridge interaction in the Galápagos: Volcanic lineaments and ridge jumps. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 13(5)1–35.

Sinton, C.W., A. Crawford, J. Seeger, L. Wondraczek, J. Deubener, and S. Misture. 2008. High-temperature reactions between soda-lime-silicate glass and lithium aluminosilicate glass-ceramics. Glass Technology 49(3):133–138.

Sinton, C.W. 2008. Nueva Directiva de la Industria del Vidrio en E.E.U.U.: Ahorro Energético. Ceramica y Cristal 141:40–41.

Sinton, C.W. 2006. Raw Materials for Glass and Ceramics: Sources, Processing, and Quality Control. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.

Sinton, C.W. 2006. Rare Earths: Worldwide Markets, Applications, Technologies, BCC Research, Inc., Norwalk, CT.

Sinton, C.W. 2005. Is there a place for renewable energy in ceramic and glass manufacturing? American Ceramic Society Bulletin 84(10):18–21.

Sinton, C.W. 2004. Glass and energy. pp. 1–10. In: Encyclopedia of Energy, C. Cleveland (ed.). Elsevier Science.

Carty, W.M., U. Kim, and C.W. Sinton. 2004. Selective batching for improved commercial glassmelting. American Ceramic Society Bulletin 83(10):28–32.

Sinton, C.W., and W.C. LaCourse. 2001. Experimental survey of the chemical durability of commercial soda-lime-silicate glasses. Materials Research Bulletin 36(13–14):2471–2479.

Carty, W.M., and C.W. Sinton (eds.). 2000. Science of Whitewares II. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.

Marek, D., and C.W. Sinton. 2000. Feldspar extraction and processing. In: Science of Whitewares II, W.M. Carty and C.W. Sinton (eds.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York.

Sinton, C.W., W.C. LaCourse, and M.J. O’Connell. 2000. Variations in K+ – Na+ ion exchange depth in commercial and experimental float glass compositions. Materials Research Bulletin 34(14):2351–2359.

Sinton, C.W., H. Sigurdsson, and R.A. Duncan. 2000. Geochronology and petrology of the igneous basement at the Lower Nicaraguan Rise, Site 1001, ODP Leg 165. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results 165:233–236.

Sinton, C.W., R.A. Duncan, M. Storey, J. Lewis, and J.J. Estrada. 1998. An oceanic flood basalt province within the Caribbean Plate. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 155:221–235.

Sinton, C.W., K. Hitchen, and R.A. Duncan. 1998. 40Ar-39Ar geochronology of silicic and basic volcanic rocks on the margins of the North Atlantic. Geological Magazine 135:161–170.

Sinton, C.W., and R.A. Duncan. 1998. 40Ar-39Ar ages of lavas from the southeast Greenland margin, ODP Leg 152, and the Rockall Plateau, DSDP Leg 81. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results 152:387–402.

Sinton, C.W., and R.A. Duncan. 1997. Ocean plateau volcanism and global ocean anoxia: Hydrothermal links at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. Economic Geology 92:836–842.

Sinton, C.W., R.A. Duncan, and P. Denyer. 1997. The Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: A single suite of Caribbean oceanic plateau magmas. Journal of Geophysical Research 102:15507–15520.

Alvarado, G.E., P. Denyer, and C.W. Sinton. 1997. The 89 Ma Tortugal komatiitic suite, Costa Rica: Implications for a common geological origin in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific region from a mantle plume. Geology 27:439–442.

Kerr, A.C., G.F. Marriner, J. Tarney, A. Nivia, A.D. Saunders, M.F. Thirlwall, and C.W. Sinton. 1997. Elemental and isotopic constraints on the petrogenesis and origin of Cretaceous basaltic terranes in Western Colombia. Journal of Petrology 38:677–702.

Sinton, C.W., D.M. Christie, and R.A. Duncan. 1996. Geochronology of Galápagos seamounts. Journal of Geophysical Research 101:13689–13700.

Sinton, C.W., D.M. Christie, V.L. Coombs, R.L. Nielsen, and M.R. Fisk. 1993. Near-primary melt inclusions in high anorthite plagioclase from the Galápagos Platform. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 119:527–537.

Coish, R.A., and C.W. Sinton. 1992. Geochemistry of mafic dikes in the Adirondack mountains: implications for late Proterozoic continental rifting. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 110:500–514.

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