Dr. Anthony Rizzuti
Assistant Professor of Environmental Science
Department of Chemistry
School of Natural Science & Mathematics

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EDUCATION:

B.S., 1992
Geology, University of South Carolina
M.S., 1995
Environmental Geology, University of South Carolina
Ph.D, 2001
Environmental Geology, University of South Carolina

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Environmental science, Environmental geology; coal and peat petrology; organic sedimentology; modern coal-forming environments (peat-containing swamps, marshes, and wetlands); hydrology of peat containing wetlands; peat resources and utilization; hazardous waste and groundwater remediation utilizing organics; using peat-containing wetlands to assess and monitor environmental, chemical, industrial, and agricultural pollution; using organic material (peat in particular) to remediate these various types of pollution; recycling organic agro-industrial wastes into products that also remediate these various types of pollution; bioremediation.V

HONORS & AWARDS:

1983-1986 Deans List
1984-1993 Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society
1993-present Geological Society of America
1995 & 1996 Outstanding Instructional Assistant Nomination
1996 Texaco Foundation Fellowship Award
1997 Vinton Gwinn Award for Outstanding Teaching
1998 Mack Gipson Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research
2000-present South Carolina Academy of Science
2000 Sigma Xi Outstanding Research Paper
2001 College of Science and Mathematics Dissertation Fellowship
2003-present South Carolina Association of Environmental Professionals
2006-present American Chemical Society

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

1992-1997            Summer Field Assistant, Amoco Short Course, Okefenokee Swamp, GA
1992-1997            Teaching Assistant, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
1996-1997            Summer Research Assistant, University of South Carolina
1998-2001            Research Assistant, University of South Carolina
2001-2002            Post Doctoral Research, University of South Carolina
2002-present         Assistant Professor, Claflin University, Orangeburg, SC

PUBLICATIONS

Refereed Publications:

• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., & Nguyen, D.D. (2008) Evaluating peats for their capacities to extract methyl tertiary butyl ether from contaminated water using solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography. J. Environ. Sci. Health, Part A; A43(2), 132-143.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., (2004) Using hydraulic conductivity and micropetrography to assess water flow through peat-containing wetlands. International Journal of Coal Geology; 60(1), October, 1-16.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., Hunt, P.G., & Ellison, A.Q.  (2002) Retention of nitrogen and phosphorous from liquid swine and poultry manures using highly characterized peat types. J. Environ. Sci. Health Part B; B37(6), 587-611.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Eltayeb, S., Cohen, A.D., Stack, E.M., Liu, J., & Durig, J.R., (2001, actually published in 2003) Using highly characterized peats to extract heavy metal ions from contaminated water.  Int. Peat J.; (11), 3-13.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., Hunt, P.G., & Vanotti, M.B.  (1999) Evaluating peats for their capacities to remove odorous compounds from liquid swine manure using headspace “solid- phase microextraction”.  J. Environ. Sci. Health Part B; B34(4), 709-748.
•   Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D, Hunt, P.G., Vanotti, M.B.  (1998) Testing of peats for removal of odors from liquid swine manure.  J. Environ. Sci. Health, Part A; A33(8), 1719-1739.
• Eltayeb, S., Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., Stack, E.M., Liu, J., & Durig, J.R.  (1998) The use of natural and altered peats for the adsorption of the BTEX components of gasoline in water. Int. Peat J.; (8), 3-12.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., & Stack, E.M.  (1996) Effects of irradiating peats on their ability to extract BTEX and cadmium from contaminated water.  J. Environ. Sci. Health; A31(8), 1917-1949.

Abstracts and Non-Refereed Publications:

• Nguyen, D.D., & Rizzuti, A.M., 2007.  Extracting heavy metals from contaminated water using soybean hulls and rice hulls. 59th Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, October 24 – October 27, Greenville, SC.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Nguyen, D.D., 2007.  Utilizing soybean and rice hulls as activated carbons to remove heavy metals from contaminated water. 233rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, March 25 – March 29, Chicago, IL.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Nguyen, D.D., & Cohen, A.D., 2006.  Using gas chromatography with solid-phase microextraction to evaluate peats for their capacities to extract methyl tertiary butyl ether from contaminated water. 231st American Chemical Society National Meeting, March 26 – March 30, Atlanta, GA.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Cohen, A.D., 2005.  Evaluating peats for their capacities to extract methyl tertiary butyl ether from contaminated water using gas chromatography with solid-phase microextraction.  GSA Abstracts with programs, 2005 Annual Geological Society of America Meeting October 16-19, Salt Lake City, Utah, 37(7), p. 454.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Rogers, L.N., 2005.  Analyzing lead content in drinking water using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. 229th American Chemical Society National Meeting, March 13 – March 17, San Diego, CA.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Rogers, L.N., 2004.  Using solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography to assess trihalomethane content in water. 227th American Chemical Society National Meeting, March 28 – April 1, Anaheim, CA.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., Hunt, P.G., Ellison, A.Q., & Vanotti, M.B. 2003.  Removing odorous compounds and retaining nitrogen and phosphorous from liquid swine and poultry manures using highly characterized peats: A possibility of producing superior odorless fertilizers.  GSA Abstracts with programs, 2003 Annual Geological Society of America Meeting November 2-5, Seattle, WA, 35(6), p. 312.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Rogers, L.N., 2003.  Analyzing water for trihalomethane content using solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography.  55th Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, November 16-19, Atlanta, GA.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., Hunt, P.G., Ellison, A.Q., & Vanotti, M.B. 2002.  Using highly characterized peats to remove odors and retain nitrogen and phosphorous from liquid swine and poultry manures: A possibility of producing superior odorless fertilizers.  GSA Abstracts with programs, 2002 Annual Geological Society of America Meeting October 27-30, Denver, CO, 34(6), p. 190.
  Cohen, A.D., Williams, T., & Rizzuti, A.M., 2001.  Peat Bay: An archive of late Holocene changes and anthropogenic impacts at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina.  GSA Abstracts with programs, 2001 Annual Geological Society of America Meeting November 1-10, Boston, MA, 33(7), p. 133.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Cohen, A.D., 2000.  Assessing water flow through peat-containing wetlands using hydraulic conductivity and micropetrography.  GSA Abstracts with programs, 2000 Annual Geological Society of America Meeting November 9-18, Reno, NV, 32(7), p. A287.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Cohen, A.D., 2000.  Using hydraulic conductivity and micropetrography to assess water flow through peat-containing wetlands.  17th Annual Meeting of The Society For Organic Petrology, September 17-20, Bloomington, IN, 17, pp. 72-75.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Cohen, A.D., 2000.  Combining hydraulic conductivity with micropetrography to assess contaminant transport through peat-containing wetlands.  2000 Annual South Carolina Academy of Science Meeting, March 31, Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC, Bulletin of the South Carolina Academy of Science, 62, p. 80.
• Rizzuti, A.M., Cohen, A.D., Hunt, P.G., & Vanotti, M.B., 2000.  Using headspace “solid-phase microextraction” to evaluate peats for their capacities to remove odorous compounds from liquid swine manure.  49th Annual Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America Meeting, March 23-24, Charleston, SC, 32(2), p. A69.
  Rizzuti, A.M., & Cohen, A.D., 2000.  Hydraulic conductivity and micropetrography as tools for assessing contaminant transport through peat-containing wetlands. 49th Annual Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America Meeting, March 23-24, Charleston, SC, 32(2), p. A69.
• Rizzuti, A.M., & Cohen, A.D., 1995. Irradiating peat: What effect does this have on its ability to extract BTEX and cadmium from contaminated water?  GSA Abstracts with programs, 1995 Annual Geological Society of America Meeting, November 6-9, New Orleans, LA, 27(6), p. A88.
• Cohen, A.D., Stack, E.M., Rizzuti, A.M., Eltayeb, S., Liu, J., & Durig, J.R., 1995.  Properties of peats as media for remediation of water contaminated with metals and/or gasoline-derived hydrocarbons.  GSA Abstracts with programs, 1995 Annual Geological Society of America Meeting, November 6-9, New Orleans, LA, 27(6), p. A139.
• Cohen, A.D., and Rizzuti, A.M., 1997, Using Headspace “Solid-Phase Microextraction” Analysis to Test Peats for Removal of Odorous Compounds from Liquid Swine Manure: Final Report to USDA/ARS, Coastal Plains Research Center (Order # 40-4620-7-69), 31 pp.
• Rizzuti, A.M., and Cohen, A.D., 1996, Literature Search Related to Odor Removal and Pollution Effects Resulting from the Swine Production Industry, Final Report/USDA/ARS, 90 pp.
• Rizzuti, A.M., and Cohen, A.D., 1996, CRIS Progress Report, USDA, Testing of Peats for Removal of Odors from Hog Farm Effluents, 20pp.
  Cohen, A.D., and Rizzuti, A.M., 1996, Testing of Peats for Removal of Odors from Hog Farming Effluents: Final Report to USDA/ARS, Coastal Plains Research Center (CRIS 6657-13000-005-06 S), 110 pp.

Current Funding:

South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, Undgraduate Research. April 1, 2007 – December 7, 2007.  “Utilizing Soybean Hulls to Extract Phenols and Chlorophenols from Contaminated Water”.