Thomas E Imbrigiotta
Tom Imbrigiotta has worked for the USGS since 1977 in Indiana and New Jersey on groundwater contamination and sampling devices. He has served the USGS New Jersey Water Science Center as Water Quality Specialist, Supervisory Hydrologist, and Research Hydrologist, and became a Scientist Emeritus Hydrologist in 2019.
Research Interests
- Quantifying natural attenuation and enhanced bioremediation processes in contaminant plumes
- Chemical diffusion from fractured rock into boreholes
- Rock core sampling for volatile organic compound (VOC) contaminants in fractured rock aquifers
- Regenerated-cellulose dialysis membrane (RCDM) passive diffusion samplers for VOCs, inorganics, perchlorate, and explosive compounds in wells
- Sampling methods for organics in groundwater
Professional Experience
2005-2019 Research hydrologist and project chief of the NAWC Navy project at the former Naval Air Warfare Center in West Trenton, NJ. Conducted research for the Toxics Substances Hydrology Program and a Strategic Environmental Research and Development (SERDP) project at the NAWC fractured rock research site.
Helped develop and test a downhole packer tool and uphole closed-loop sampling device to measure diffusion rates from the rock matrix and biodegradation rates in the borehole.
2014-2016 Water Quality Specialist, NJWSC
2009-2014 Supervisory Hydrologist, Hydrologic Research Program section of the NJWSC
2003-2008 Project chief, Environmental Security Technology Certification (ESTCP) study developing a RCDM diffusion sampler for groundwater in wells
1997-2005 Senior hydrologist studying natural attenuation mechanisms in New Jersey aquifers contaminated with VOCs
1988-1997 Project chief and coordinator of an interdisciplinary research study of the fate and transport of chlorinated solvents in an unconfined sand-and-gravel aquifer at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program's national research site for chlorinated solvent contamination research in unconsolidated aquifers
1984-1988 Project chief for evaluation of methods for sampling organics in groundwater
1977-1984 Project chief for investigations of groundwater quality in Indiana
Education and Certifications
M.S. Water Chemistry, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, 1982
B.S. Chemistry, Oakland Univ., Rochester, Michigan, 1975
Affiliations and Memberships*
Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council, PFAS Team 2017-2019, Passive Sampler Team 2002-2010
American Chemical Society 1974-1990, 1999-2008
American Geophysical Union 1990-2008
American Society for Testing and Materials 1986-1988
Indiana Water Resources Assoc. 1980-1984 (Sec. 1982-1984)
Honors and Awards
USGS Award for RCDM sampler patent application, 2005
USGS Awards for sampling course development and presentation, 1987, 1990
Science and Products
Displacement of soil pore water by trichloroethylene
Hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of dunes and wetlands along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana
Comparison of downhole and surface sampling for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water
U.S .Geological Survey toxic substance hydrology program: Proceedings of the technical meeting, Monterey, California, March 11-15, 1991
Well-purging criteria for sampling purgeable organic compounds
Bibliography on sampling ground water for organic compounds
US Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program: Proceedings of the technical meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, September 26-30, 1988
Ground-water influences on wetlands at Indiana Dunes, Northwest Indiana
Field evaluation of seven sampling devices for purgeable organic compounds in ground water
Ground-water resources of the glacial outwash along the White River, Johnson and Morgan counties, Indiana
Hydrologic and chemical evaluation of the ground-water resources of northwest Elkhart County, Indiana
Studies of trace metals in the waters and sediments of Badfish Creek and Lake Wingra, near Madison, Wisconsin : Technical completion report
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 48
Displacement of soil pore water by trichloroethylene
Dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLS) are important pollutants because of their widespread use as chemical and industrial solvents. An example of the pollution caused by the discharge of DNAPLs is found at the Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, where trichloroethylene (TCE) has been discharged directly into the unsaturated zone. This discharge has resulted in the formation of a plume of TCE-contaminAuthorsR. L. Wershaw, G. R. Aiken, T.E. Imbrigiotta, M. C. GoldbergHydrogeology and hydrochemistry of dunes and wetlands along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana
The dunes and the wetlands along the southern shore of Lake Michigan are underlain by a complex aquifer system composed of unconsolidated glacial, lacustrine, and eolian deposits. Surficial dune, beach, and glacial lacustrine sands compose an extensive surficial aquifer. The underlying drift contains three major confined sand aquifers. Potentiometric and hydrochemical data are consistent with a cAuthorsRobert J. Shedlock, D.A. Cohen, T.E. Imbrigiotta, T.A. ThompsonComparison of downhole and surface sampling for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water
The relative precision and accuracy of sampling and analysis methods for the determination of trace concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water were compared. Samples were collected from a well containing nanogram‐per‐liter (ng/L) to microgram‐per‐liter (μg/L) levels of VOCs. A Keck helical rotor submersible pump was used to collect samples at the surface for analysis by puAuthorsM. E. Rosen, James F. Pankow, Jacob Gibs, Thomas E. ImbrigiottaU.S .Geological Survey toxic substance hydrology program: Proceedings of the technical meeting, Monterey, California, March 11-15, 1991
No abstract available.AuthorsD. A. AronsonByWater Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Reston Biogeochemical Processes in Groundwater LaboratoryWell-purging criteria for sampling purgeable organic compounds
The results indicate that 1) purgeable organic compound concentrations stabilized when three casing volume were purged in only 55% of the cases evaluated in this study, 2) purgeable organic compounds concentrations did not consistently follow the temporal variation of, nor stabilize at the same time as, the measure field characteristics, and 3) purging to achieve hydraulic equilibrium between casiAuthorsJ. Gibs, T.E. ImbrigiottaBibliography on sampling ground water for organic compounds
No abstract available.AuthorsJacob Gibs, T.E. Imbrigiotta, K.S. TurnerUS Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program: Proceedings of the technical meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, September 26-30, 1988
Crude oil floating at the surface of a shallow aquifer of glacial outwash, near Bemidji, Minnesota, is altered by geochemical processes. Hydrocarbons from the oil are attenuated by several reactions that include aerobic and anaerobic microbial degradation. These degradation reactions result in the development of geochemical facies in the shallow groundwater system. Groundwater most affected by theGround-water influences on wetlands at Indiana Dunes, Northwest Indiana
No abstract available.AuthorsRobert J. Shedlock, N. L. Loiacono, Thomas E. ImbrigiottaField evaluation of seven sampling devices for purgeable organic compounds in ground water
No abstract available.AuthorsThomas Imbrigiotta, Jacob Gibs, Thomas V. Fusillo, George R. Kish, J. J. HochreiterGround-water resources of the glacial outwash along the White River, Johnson and Morgan counties, Indiana
An 88-square-mile segment of the White River valley contains an unconfined sand and gravel aquifer ranging-from a featheredge zero, to 120 feet in saturated thickness. Hydraulic conductivity is 340 feet per day, and transmissivity is as much as 35,000 square feet per day. The aquifer, recharged primarily by precipitation, gains same recharge through interbedded till and outwash boundaries and throAuthorsZ. C. Bailey, T.E. ImbrigiottaHydrologic and chemical evaluation of the ground-water resources of northwest Elkhart County, Indiana
A 3-year study in northwest Elkhart County, Indiana, was done to (1) de-fine the general flow and quality of water in the outwash aquifer system, (2) determine if a well field proposed for a site at the Elkhart Municipal Airport would draw leachate from the Himco landfill, and (3) define the areal extent of the ground water affected by the landfill and an east-side industrial-park area.The outwashAuthorsThomas E. Imbrigiotta, Angel MartinStudies of trace metals in the waters and sediments of Badfish Creek and Lake Wingra, near Madison, Wisconsin : Technical completion report
No abstract available.AuthorsJoseph J. Delfino, Marianne A. Degelow, Thomas Imbrigiotta
*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