Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Ph.D.
(She, Her, Hers)Isabelle Cozzarelli is a Research Hydrologist with the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
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.
Work Assignment
As a research hydrologist in the Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center I conduct long-term research on the fate and geochemical effect of organic contaminants in surface and subsurface environments. I use a combined field and laboratory approach in a variety of hydrogeologic environments in order to meet these objectives. I am currently a principal investigator for projects at unconventional oil and gas (UOG) drilling and disposal sites, the Bemidji, MN crude oil spill site and landfill-leachate and wastewater affected sites. My research at these sites focuses on the long-term evolution of biogeochemical zones in the aquifers and the natural attenuation of contaminants. The impact of chemical heterogeneity and the availability of electron acceptors on the extent of biodegradation have been a major thrust of my work. I have also studied aquifers affected by creosote and gasoline releases, with an emphasis on understanding the fate of metabolites in shallow aquifers.
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
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
Anaerobic methane oxidation in a landfill-leachate plume
Sustainability of natural attenuation in contaminated aquifers depends on the availability of electron acceptors
Microbially mediated alteration of iron mineral phases in contaminated sedimentary aquifers
Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude-oil spill site . I. Geochemical evolution of the plume
Progression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil spill site: II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations
Natural attenuation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the leachate plume of a municipal landfill: Using alkylbenzenes as process probes
Alteration of reactive mineral surfaces by ground water
Geochemical and microbiological methods for evaluating anaerobic processes in an aquifer contaminated by landfill leachate
Geochemical heterogeneity of a gasoline-contaminated aquifer
Iron reduction in the sediments of a hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer
Ground water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota
Simulation of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation processes at a crude oil spill site
Science and Products
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Anaerobic methane oxidation in a landfill-leachate plume
The alluvial aquifer adjacent to Norman Landfill, OK, provides an excellent natural laboratory for the study of anaerobic processes impacting landfill-leachate contaminated aquifers. We collected groundwaters from a transect of seven multilevel wells ranging in depth from 1.3 to 11 m that were oriented parallel to the flow path. The center of the leachate plume was characterized by (1) high alkaliAuthorsEthan L. Grossman, Luis A. Cifuentes, Isabelle M. CozzarelliSustainability of natural attenuation in contaminated aquifers depends on the availability of electron acceptors
No abstract available.AuthorsIsabelle M. CozzarelliMicrobially mediated alteration of iron mineral phases in contaminated sedimentary aquifers
No abstract available.AuthorsJ.S. Herman, A.L. Mills, Isabelle M. CozzarelliProgression of natural attenuation processes at a crude-oil spill site . I. Geochemical evolution of the plume
A 16-year study of a hydrocarbon plume shows that the extent of contaminant migration and compound-specific behavior have changed as redox reactions, most notably iron reduction, have progressed over time. Concentration changes at a small scale, determined from analysis of pore-water samples drained from aquifer cores, are compared with concentration changes at the plume scale, determined from anaAuthorsI.M. Cozzarelli, B.A. Bekins, M.J. Baedecker, G. R. Aiken, R.P. Eganhouse, M.E. TuccilloProgression of natural attenuation processes at a crude oil spill site: II. Controls on spatial distribution of microbial populations
A multidisciplinary study of a crude-oil contaminated aquifer shows that the distribution of microbial physiologic types is strongly controlled by the aquifer properties and crude oil location. The microbial populations of four physiologic types were analyzed together with permeability, pore-water chemistry, nonaqueous oil content, and extractable sediment iron. Microbial data from three verticalAuthorsB.A. Bekins, I.M. Cozzarelli, E.M. Godsy, E. Warren, H.I. Essaid, M.E. TuccilloNatural attenuation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the leachate plume of a municipal landfill: Using alkylbenzenes as process probes
More than 70 individual VOCs were identified in the leachate plume of a closed municipal landfill. Concentrations were low when compared with data published for other landfills, and total VOCs accounted for less than 0.1% of the total dissolved organic carbon. The VOC concentrations in the core of the anoxic leachate plume are variable, but in all cases they were found to be near or below detectioAuthorsRobert P. Eganhouse, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Martha A. Scholl, L.L. MatthewsAlteration of reactive mineral surfaces by ground water
Two different investigations of shallow sandy aquifers inform our thinking about the role of reactive iron minerals in hydrogeological systems. Ground water in a number of settings has been described as having elevated concentrations of dissolved iron in anoxic portions of contaminant plumes (e.g. Baedecker et al., 1993; Lyngkilde and Christensen, 1992), and the coupling of microbial reduction ofAuthorsJanet S. Herman, Aaron L. Mills, Isabelle M. CozzarelliGeochemical and microbiological methods for evaluating anaerobic processes in an aquifer contaminated by landfill leachate
No abstract available.AuthorsI.M. Cozzarelli, J.M. Suflita, G.A. Ulrich, S.H. Harris, M. A. Scholl, J.L. Schlottmann, S. ChristensonGeochemical heterogeneity of a gasoline-contaminated aquifer
The scale of biogeochemical reactions was studied in a physically and chemically heterogeneous surficial Coastal Plain aquifer contaminated by a gasoline spill. The physical heterogeneity of the aquifer is manifested in two hydrologic units, a shallow local aquifer of perched water and a regional sandy aquifer. Over the studied vertical interval of 21.3 ft (6.5 m), concentrations of reactive speciAuthorsIsabelle M. Cozzarelli, Janet S. Herman, Mary Jo Baedecker, Jeffrey M. FischerIron reduction in the sediments of a hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer
Sediments sampled at a hydrocarbon-contaminated, glacial-outwash, sandy aquifer near Bemidji, Minnesota, were analyzed for sediment-associated Fe with several techniques. Extraction with 0.5 M HCl dissolved poorly crystalline Fe oxides and small amounts of Fe in crystalline Fe oxides, and extracted Fe from phyllosilicates. Use of Ti-citrate-EDTA-bicarbonate results in more complete removal of crysAuthorsM.E. Tuccillo, I.M. Cozzarelli, J.S. HermanGround water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota
Ground-water contamination by crude oil, and other petroleum-based liquids, is a widespread problem. An average of 83 crude-oil spills occurred per year during 1994-96 in the United States, each spilling about 50,000 barrels of crude oil (U.S. Office of Pipeline Safety, electronic commun., 1997). An understanding of the fate of organic contaminants (such as oil and gasoline) in the subsurface is nAuthorsG. N. Delin, H.I. Essaid, I.M. Cozzarelli, M.H. Lahvis, B.A. BekinsSimulation of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation processes at a crude oil spill site
A two-dimensional, multispecies reactive solute transport model with sequential aerobic and anaerobic degradation processes was developed and tested. The model was used to study the field-scale solute transport and degradation processes at the Bemidji, Minnesota, crude oil spill site. The simulations included the biodegradation of volatile and nonvolatile fractions of dissolved organic carbon by aAuthorsHedeff I. Essaid, Barbara A. Bekins, E. Michael Godsy, Ean Warren, Mary Jo Baedecker, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli - News
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