Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Ph.D.
Isabelle Cozzarelli is a Research Hydrologist (Scientist Emerita) with the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
Dr. Isabelle Cozzarelli retired as a Senior Research Scientist and currently serves as a Scientist Emerita affiliated with the Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center and the Reston Biogeochemical Processes in Groundwater Laboratory. Isabelle uses a combined field and laboratory experimental approach to investigate biogeochemical processes in shallow groundwater and surface water environments that affect water availability. She uses a multi-disciplinary and multi-scale approach to study processes in environments stressed by anthropogenic inputs of biodegradable carbon, such as crude oil, landfill leachate, and oil and gas wastes.
Professional Experience
2020-present: Research Hydrologist, USGS, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Reston, VA, USA
2017-2020: Research Hydrologist, USGS Water Mission Area Headquarters, Reston, VA, USA
1985-2017: Research Hydrologist, USGS National Research Program, USGS, Reston, Virginia, USA
1983-1985: Research Assistant, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. University of Virginia, Environmental Sciences-Geochemistry, 1993
M.S. University of Virginia, Environmental Sciences-Geochemistry, 1986
B.S. University of Rochester, Geomechanics, 1983
Affiliations and Memberships*
2016-present: Adjunct Faculty, Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech
Honors and Awards
2024: Senior Scientist (ST), Federal Government
2023: Friend of Water-Rock Interaction & Applied Isotope Geochemistry Award, International Association of Geochemistry
2017: USGS Meritorious Service Award
2005: Elected GSA Fellow
2005: USGS Superior Service Award
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 21
Filter Total Items: 34
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 117
Organic contaminant transport and fate in the subsurface: evolution of knowledge and understanding Organic contaminant transport and fate in the subsurface: evolution of knowledge and understanding
Toxic organic contaminants may enter the subsurface as slightly soluble and volatile nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) or as dissolved solutes resulting in contaminant plumes emanating from the source zone. A large body of research published in Water Resources Research has been devoted to characterizing and understanding processes controlling the transport and fate of these organic...
Authors
Hedeff Essaid, Barbara Bekins, Isabelle Cozzarelli
Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern in landfill leachate of the United States Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern in landfill leachate of the United States
Landfills are commonly the final respository for a heterogeneous mixture of waste from residential, commercial, and industrial sources. The use of landfills as a means of waste disposal will likely increase as the global population increases and nations develop. Thus, landfills receiving such waste have the potential to produce leachate containing numerous organic chemicals including...
Authors
Dana Kolpin, Jason Masoner, Edward Furlong, Isabelle Cozzarelli, James Gray, Eric Schwab
Arsenic cycling in hydrocarbon plumes: secondary effects of natural attenuation Arsenic cycling in hydrocarbon plumes: secondary effects of natural attenuation
Monitored natural attenuation is widely applied as a remediation strategy at hydrocarbon spill sites. Natural attenuation relies on biodegradation of hydrocarbons coupled with reduction of electron acceptors, including solid phase ferric iron (Fe(III)). Because arsenic (As) adsorbs to Fe-hydroxides, a potential secondary effect of natural attenuation of hydrocarbons coupled with Fe(III)...
Authors
Isabelle Cozzarelli, Madeline Schreiber, Melinda L. Erickson, Brady Ziegler
Using chromate to investigate the impact of natural organics on the surface reactivity of nanoparticulate magnetite Using chromate to investigate the impact of natural organics on the surface reactivity of nanoparticulate magnetite
Chromate was used as a chemical probe to investigate the size-dependent influence of organics on nanoparticle surface reactivity. Magnetite–chromate sorption experiments were conducted with ∼90 and ∼6 nm magnetite nanoparticles in the presence and absence of fulvic acid (FA), natural organic matter (NOM), and isolated landfill leachate (LL). Results indicated that low concentrations (1...
Authors
Andrew Swindle, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Andrew Elwood Madden
Spatial and temporal migration of a landfill leachate plume in alluvium Spatial and temporal migration of a landfill leachate plume in alluvium
Leachate from unlined or leaky landfills can create groundwater contaminant plumes that last decades to centuries. Understanding the dynamics of leachate movement in space and time is essential for monitoring, planning and management, and assessment of risk to groundwater and surface-water resources. Over a 23.4-year period (1986–2010), the spatial extent of the Norman Landfill leachate...
Authors
Jason Masoner, Isabelle Cozzarelli
Hydrogeologic characterization and assessment of bioremediation of chlorinated benzenes and benzene in wetland areas, Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. Superfund Site, New Castle County, Delaware, 2009-12 Hydrogeologic characterization and assessment of bioremediation of chlorinated benzenes and benzene in wetland areas, Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. Superfund Site, New Castle County, Delaware, 2009-12
Wetlands at the Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. Superfund Site (SCD) in New Castle County, Delaware, are affected by contamination with chlorobenzenes and benzene from past waste storage and disposal, spills, leaks, and contaminated groundwater discharge. In cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey began an investigation in June 2009 to...
Authors
Michelle Lorah, Charles Walker, Anna Baker, Jessica Teunis, Emily Majcher, Michael Brayton, Jeff Raffensperger, Isabelle Cozzarelli
Contaminants of emerging concern in fresh leachate from landfills in the conterminous United States Contaminants of emerging concern in fresh leachate from landfills in the conterminous United States
To better understand the composition of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in landfill leachate, fresh leachate from 19 landfills was sampled across the United States during 2011. The sampled network included 12 municipal and 7 private landfills with varying landfill waste compositions, geographic and climatic settings, ages of waste, waste loads, and leachate production. A total of...
Authors
Jason Masoner, Dana Kolpin, Edward Furlong, Isabelle Cozzarelli, James Gray, Eric Schwab
USGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development USGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development
Significant quantities of water are present in hydrocarbon reservoirs. When brought to the land surface during oil, gas, and coalbed methane production, the water—either naturally occurring or injected as a method to enhance production—is termed produced water. Produced water is currently managed through processes such as recycling, treatment and discharge, spreading on roads...
Authors
Mark Engle, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Bruce Smith
Size-dependent reactivity of magnetite nanoparticles: a field-laboratory comparison Size-dependent reactivity of magnetite nanoparticles: a field-laboratory comparison
Logistic challenges make direct comparisons between laboratory- and field-based investigations into the size-dependent reactivity of nanomaterials difficult. This investigation sought to compare the size-dependent reactivity of nanoparticles in a field setting to a laboratory analog using the specific example of magnetite dissolution. Synthetic magnetite nanoparticles of three size...
Authors
Andrew Swindle, Andrew Elwood Madden, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Mourad Benamara
A mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN A mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN
Secondary water quality impacts can result from a broad range of coupled reactions triggered by primary groundwater contaminants. Data from a crude-oil spill research site near Bemidji, MN provide an ideal test case for investigating the complex interactions controlling secondary impacts, including depleted dissolved oxygen and elevated organic carbon, inorganic carbon, CH4, Mn, Fe, and...
Authors
Gene-Hua Crystal Ng, Barbara Bekins, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Mary Jo Baedecker, Philip Bennett, Richard Amos
Insights into biodegradation through depth-resolved microbial community functional and structural profiling of a crude-oil contaminant plume Insights into biodegradation through depth-resolved microbial community functional and structural profiling of a crude-oil contaminant plume
Small-scale geochemical gradients are a key feature of aquifer contaminant plumes, highlighting the need for functional and structural profiling of corresponding microbial communities on a similar scale. The purpose of this study was to characterize the microbial functional and structural diversity with depth across representative redox zones of a hydrocarbon plume and an adjacent...
Authors
Nicole Fahrenfeld, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Zach Bailey, Amy Pruden
11.12 - Volatile hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates 11.12 - Volatile hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates
Petroleum hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates are among the most commonly occurring and widely distributed contaminants in the environment. This chapter presents a summary of the sources, transport, fate, and remediation of volatile fuel hydrocarbons and fuel additives in the environment. Much research has focused on the transport and transformation processes of petroleum hydrocarbons and...
Authors
Isabelle Cozzarelli
Filter Total Items: 13
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 21
Filter Total Items: 34
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 117
Organic contaminant transport and fate in the subsurface: evolution of knowledge and understanding Organic contaminant transport and fate in the subsurface: evolution of knowledge and understanding
Toxic organic contaminants may enter the subsurface as slightly soluble and volatile nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) or as dissolved solutes resulting in contaminant plumes emanating from the source zone. A large body of research published in Water Resources Research has been devoted to characterizing and understanding processes controlling the transport and fate of these organic...
Authors
Hedeff Essaid, Barbara Bekins, Isabelle Cozzarelli
Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern in landfill leachate of the United States Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern in landfill leachate of the United States
Landfills are commonly the final respository for a heterogeneous mixture of waste from residential, commercial, and industrial sources. The use of landfills as a means of waste disposal will likely increase as the global population increases and nations develop. Thus, landfills receiving such waste have the potential to produce leachate containing numerous organic chemicals including...
Authors
Dana Kolpin, Jason Masoner, Edward Furlong, Isabelle Cozzarelli, James Gray, Eric Schwab
Arsenic cycling in hydrocarbon plumes: secondary effects of natural attenuation Arsenic cycling in hydrocarbon plumes: secondary effects of natural attenuation
Monitored natural attenuation is widely applied as a remediation strategy at hydrocarbon spill sites. Natural attenuation relies on biodegradation of hydrocarbons coupled with reduction of electron acceptors, including solid phase ferric iron (Fe(III)). Because arsenic (As) adsorbs to Fe-hydroxides, a potential secondary effect of natural attenuation of hydrocarbons coupled with Fe(III)...
Authors
Isabelle Cozzarelli, Madeline Schreiber, Melinda L. Erickson, Brady Ziegler
Using chromate to investigate the impact of natural organics on the surface reactivity of nanoparticulate magnetite Using chromate to investigate the impact of natural organics on the surface reactivity of nanoparticulate magnetite
Chromate was used as a chemical probe to investigate the size-dependent influence of organics on nanoparticle surface reactivity. Magnetite–chromate sorption experiments were conducted with ∼90 and ∼6 nm magnetite nanoparticles in the presence and absence of fulvic acid (FA), natural organic matter (NOM), and isolated landfill leachate (LL). Results indicated that low concentrations (1...
Authors
Andrew Swindle, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Andrew Elwood Madden
Spatial and temporal migration of a landfill leachate plume in alluvium Spatial and temporal migration of a landfill leachate plume in alluvium
Leachate from unlined or leaky landfills can create groundwater contaminant plumes that last decades to centuries. Understanding the dynamics of leachate movement in space and time is essential for monitoring, planning and management, and assessment of risk to groundwater and surface-water resources. Over a 23.4-year period (1986–2010), the spatial extent of the Norman Landfill leachate...
Authors
Jason Masoner, Isabelle Cozzarelli
Hydrogeologic characterization and assessment of bioremediation of chlorinated benzenes and benzene in wetland areas, Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. Superfund Site, New Castle County, Delaware, 2009-12 Hydrogeologic characterization and assessment of bioremediation of chlorinated benzenes and benzene in wetland areas, Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. Superfund Site, New Castle County, Delaware, 2009-12
Wetlands at the Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. Superfund Site (SCD) in New Castle County, Delaware, are affected by contamination with chlorobenzenes and benzene from past waste storage and disposal, spills, leaks, and contaminated groundwater discharge. In cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey began an investigation in June 2009 to...
Authors
Michelle Lorah, Charles Walker, Anna Baker, Jessica Teunis, Emily Majcher, Michael Brayton, Jeff Raffensperger, Isabelle Cozzarelli
Contaminants of emerging concern in fresh leachate from landfills in the conterminous United States Contaminants of emerging concern in fresh leachate from landfills in the conterminous United States
To better understand the composition of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in landfill leachate, fresh leachate from 19 landfills was sampled across the United States during 2011. The sampled network included 12 municipal and 7 private landfills with varying landfill waste compositions, geographic and climatic settings, ages of waste, waste loads, and leachate production. A total of...
Authors
Jason Masoner, Dana Kolpin, Edward Furlong, Isabelle Cozzarelli, James Gray, Eric Schwab
USGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development USGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development
Significant quantities of water are present in hydrocarbon reservoirs. When brought to the land surface during oil, gas, and coalbed methane production, the water—either naturally occurring or injected as a method to enhance production—is termed produced water. Produced water is currently managed through processes such as recycling, treatment and discharge, spreading on roads...
Authors
Mark Engle, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Bruce Smith
Size-dependent reactivity of magnetite nanoparticles: a field-laboratory comparison Size-dependent reactivity of magnetite nanoparticles: a field-laboratory comparison
Logistic challenges make direct comparisons between laboratory- and field-based investigations into the size-dependent reactivity of nanomaterials difficult. This investigation sought to compare the size-dependent reactivity of nanoparticles in a field setting to a laboratory analog using the specific example of magnetite dissolution. Synthetic magnetite nanoparticles of three size...
Authors
Andrew Swindle, Andrew Elwood Madden, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Mourad Benamara
A mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN A mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN
Secondary water quality impacts can result from a broad range of coupled reactions triggered by primary groundwater contaminants. Data from a crude-oil spill research site near Bemidji, MN provide an ideal test case for investigating the complex interactions controlling secondary impacts, including depleted dissolved oxygen and elevated organic carbon, inorganic carbon, CH4, Mn, Fe, and...
Authors
Gene-Hua Crystal Ng, Barbara Bekins, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Mary Jo Baedecker, Philip Bennett, Richard Amos
Insights into biodegradation through depth-resolved microbial community functional and structural profiling of a crude-oil contaminant plume Insights into biodegradation through depth-resolved microbial community functional and structural profiling of a crude-oil contaminant plume
Small-scale geochemical gradients are a key feature of aquifer contaminant plumes, highlighting the need for functional and structural profiling of corresponding microbial communities on a similar scale. The purpose of this study was to characterize the microbial functional and structural diversity with depth across representative redox zones of a hydrocarbon plume and an adjacent...
Authors
Nicole Fahrenfeld, Isabelle Cozzarelli, Zach Bailey, Amy Pruden
11.12 - Volatile hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates 11.12 - Volatile hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates
Petroleum hydrocarbons and fuel oxygenates are among the most commonly occurring and widely distributed contaminants in the environment. This chapter presents a summary of the sources, transport, fate, and remediation of volatile fuel hydrocarbons and fuel additives in the environment. Much research has focused on the transport and transformation processes of petroleum hydrocarbons and...
Authors
Isabelle Cozzarelli
Filter Total Items: 13
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government