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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

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Filter Total Items: 54

Hydrological, geomorphological, and chemical effects of Hurricane Andrew on coastal marshes of Louisiana

Hydrological conditions are reported for the hurricane-induced storm surge at marsh sites in Terrebonne and Barataria Basins. There was a 6 hour or greater delay in the arrival of the storm surge at interior marsh sites compared to coastal locations. A water surge of about 1.5 m with a salinity of 10–15‰ was recorded at an intermediate salinity marsh site in Terrebonne Basin where...
Authors
Larry L. Jackson, A.L. Foote, Laurie S. Balistrieri
By
Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

The cycling of iron and manganese in the water column of Lake Sammamish, Washington

Processes controlling the distribution and mobility of Fe and Mn in Lake Sammamish, Washington, a seasonally anoxic lake, are deduced from a year‐long monthly study of physical, chemical, and biological parameters in the lake. Inventories of dissolved Mn and Fe in the bottom waters increase as the redox potential lowers with dissolved Mn inventories during stagnation being much larger...
Authors
Laurie S. Balistrieri, J.W. Murray, B. Paul
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

The biogeochemical cycling of trace metals in the water column of Lake Sammamish, Washington: Response to seasonally anoxic conditions

Total acid‐soluble and dissolved Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the water column of a seasonally anoxic lake (Lake Sammamish, Washington) were measured on a monthly basis during the course of a year. These data, in conjunction with Fe, Mn, sulfide, and nutrient data, are used to assess the biochemical processes controlling the distribution of trace metals in the lake...
Authors
Laurie S. Balistrieri, J.W. Murray, B. Paul
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Adsorption of selenium by amorphous iron oxyhydroxide and manganese dioxide

This work compares and models the adsorption of selenium and other anions on a neutral to alkaline surface (amorphous iron oxyhydroxide) and an acidic surface (manganese dioxide). Selenium adsorption on these oxides is examined as a function of pH, particle concentration, oxidation state, and competing anion concentration in order to assess how these factors might influence the mobility...
Authors
Laurie S. Balistrieri, T.T. Chao
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center

Geochemistry and occurrence of selenium: An overview

Selenium (Se) is both beneficial and toxic to animals, plants, and humans. Consequently, it is imperative to know its concentration in the environment and to understand the processes controlling its distribution. Determinations of Se concentrations in a variety of materials indicate that Se is widely distributed throughout the environment. The processes responsible for its distribution...
Authors
James M. McNeal, Laurie S. Balistrieri
By
Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Selenium adsorption by goethite

The adsorption of Se by goethite was studied as a function of time (10 min–24 h), temperature (295.5 and 303.5 K), pH (4–11), particle concentration (3–300 mg/L), total Se concentration (0.02–5 × 10−5 M), oxidation state [Se(IV) and Se(VI)], and competing anion concentration [(anion)/(Se(IV) = 0.25 to 50 000] in order to assess the influence of these factors on Se mobility. The data...
Authors
Laurie S. Balistrieri, T.T. Chao
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center

Science and Products

*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

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