Laurie S Balistrieri
Laurie is a Research Chemist at Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. Since joining the USGS in 1986, her career is devoted to studying environmental geochemistry. She specializes in metal cycling in aquatic environments with a current focus on the toxicity of metal mixtures to aquatic life.
Laurie worked as a chemical oceanographer in the School of Oceanography at the University of Washington early in her career, and did various coastal and open-ocean cruises. Her research at that time examined the adsorption of metals onto synthetic metal oxide phases and natural particles, and she helped with porewater work on organic matter diagenesis. When she joined the USGS, Laurie continued her adsorption research and got involved in field studies that examined the behavior of metals in terrestrial ecosystems. She studied carbon cycling in wetlands in Louisiana, metal cycling in numerous natural and pit lakes in the Northern United States, the composition of hydrothermal vents in Yellowstone Lake and their effect on lake chemistry, and the behavior of contaminants resulting from historical mining activities in numerous river basins in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Washington, and Vermont.
Professional Experience
Presently Research Chemist, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Grafton, Wisconsin.
Education and Certifications
M.S. - Oceanography, Univ. of Washington, School of Oceanography
Affiliations and Memberships*
Technical Advisory Group to Department of Interior on issues related to the Upper Columbia River Basin
Science and Products
Expanding metal mixture toxicity models to natural stream and lake invertebrate communities
Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation project: 2. Comparison of four modeling approaches
Predicting the toxicity of metal mixtures
A framework for quantitative assessment of impacts related to energy and mineral resource development
U.S. Geological Survey environmental health science strategy — Providing environmental health science for a changing world
USGS Environmental health science strategy: providing environmental health science for a changing world: Public review release
Assessing time-integrated dissolved concentrations and predicting toxicity of metals during diel cycling in streams
Zinc isotope investigation of surface and pore waters in a mountain watershed impacted by acid rock drainage
Effects of simultaneous climate change and geomorphic evolution on thermal characteristics of a shallow Alaskan lake
Introduction to pathways of metal transfer from mineralized sources to biorecptors
Impacts of historical mining in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin
Fractionation of Cu and Zn isotopes during adsorption onto amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide: Experimental mixing of acid rock drainage and ambient river water
Science and Products
Expanding metal mixture toxicity models to natural stream and lake invertebrate communities
Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation project: 2. Comparison of four modeling approaches
Predicting the toxicity of metal mixtures
A framework for quantitative assessment of impacts related to energy and mineral resource development
U.S. Geological Survey environmental health science strategy — Providing environmental health science for a changing world
USGS Environmental health science strategy: providing environmental health science for a changing world: Public review release
Assessing time-integrated dissolved concentrations and predicting toxicity of metals during diel cycling in streams
Zinc isotope investigation of surface and pore waters in a mountain watershed impacted by acid rock drainage
Effects of simultaneous climate change and geomorphic evolution on thermal characteristics of a shallow Alaskan lake
Introduction to pathways of metal transfer from mineralized sources to biorecptors
Impacts of historical mining in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin
Fractionation of Cu and Zn isotopes during adsorption onto amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxide: Experimental mixing of acid rock drainage and ambient river water
*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