Prof. Michael (Iggy) Litaor

Prof. Michael (Iggy) Litaor
Professor
Research Group Leader
Phone
972-54-6780076

The main research activities in the hydro-geochemistry lab are: (1) The design, testing and implementation of constructed wetland for the treatment of organic-rich effluents such as wineries & olive mill wastewaters. We developed a new design of mobile vertical-flow constructed wetland to reduce COD, N & P concentrations to levels allowed for reuse as irrigation waters; (2) Factors and processes of salinity in altered wetland soils. This study involves a detailed characterization of water flow and salinity dynamics in the altered wetland soils, Hula Valley Israel; (3) Assessment of the current fertilization practices in the altered wetland soils and their impact on soil quality and waterways. The focus of the study is the construction of 3D stochastic simulation model that would allow making uncertainty analysis for precision farming; (4) Phosphorus capture, recycling and utilization for sustainable agriculture and a clean environment using water treatment residuals (WTR). This work deals with sustainable agricultural techniques while conserving P fertilization, capturing P leachates from soils to waterways and recycling alum waste, (5) The Impact of ornithogenic inputs on phosphorous transport from altered wetland soils to waterways in East Mediterranean ecosystem. This study evaluate the impact of > 45,000 wintering Eurasian Grus on the Agmon Hula ecosystem, and (6) assessment of the impact of treated OMW used as irrigation water on soils and plants. In this study we will use proximal soil survey techniques and various soil analyses to determine the potential harmful effects of treated OMW on the pedosphere.

CV

Education
Ph.D., 1986 University of Colorado, Boulder CO, USA, In geochemistry

Academic and research positions

2010 - present, MIGAL, Head of the Hydrogeochemistry Lab.
2008–Present, Professor in Tel Hai College.
1996–2008, Associate Professor in Tel Hai College, Upper Galilee, Israel.
1986–1990 Postdoctoral fellow, Institute of Arctic & Alpine Research University of Colorado, Boulder.
1995–1996 Adjunct Prof., University of Colorado, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
1990–1995 Senior soil scientist, EG&G working in Rocky Flats Plant (RFP) on the fate and transport of radionuclides (Pu, Am & U) in soils.

 

Scientific Publications

Nutrient status in alpine soils of the Colorado Front Range using the nitrogen/phosphorus ratio index

M. Iggy Litaor; T. R. Seastedt; L. C. Sackett
Soil Science Society of America Journal 2008 Volume 72 Issue 6 Pages 1628-1636
2008

Topographic controls on snow distribution, soil moisture, and species diversity of herbaceous alpine Vegetation, Netwot Ridge, Colorado

M. I. Litaor; M. Williams; T. R. Seastedt
Journal of Geophysical Research G: Biogeosciences 2008 Volume 113 Issue 2
2008

Hydrogeological characterization of an altered wetland

M. I. Litaor; G. Eshel; R. Sade; A. Rimmer; M. Shenker
Journal of Hydrology 2008 Volume 349 Issue 03-??? Pages 333-349
2008

Overestimation of phosphorus adsorption capacity in reduced soils: An artifact of typical batch adsorption experiments

S. Brand-Klibanski; M. I. Litaor; M. Shenker
Soil Science Society of America Journal 2007 Volume 71 Issue 4 Pages 1128-1136
2007

Hydrological control of phosphorus mobility in altered wetland soils

M. I. Litaor; G. Eshel; O. Reichmann; M. Shenker
Soil Science Society of America Journal 2006 Volume 70 Issue 6 Pages 1975-1982
2006

Redox reactions and phosphorus release in re-flooded soils of an altered wetland

M. Shenker; S. Seitelbach; S. Brand; A. Haim; M. I. Litaor
European Journal of Soil Science 2005 Volume 56 Issue 4 Pages 515-525
2005

Sorption characteristics of phosphorus in peat soils of a semiarid altered wetland

M. I. Litaor; O. Reichmann; A. Haim; K. Auerswald; M. Shenker
Soil Science Society of America Journal 2005 Volume 69 Issue 5 Pages 1658-1665
2005

The biogeochemistry of phosphorus across an alpine topographic/snow gradient

M. I. Litaor; T. R. Seastedt; M. D. Walker; M. Carbone; A. Townsend
Geoderma 2005 Volume 124 Issue 01-??? Pages 49-61
2005

The geochemistry of phosphorus in peat soils of a semiarid altered wetland

M. I. Litaor; O. Reichmann; K. Auerswald; A. Haim; M. Shenker
Soil Science Society of America Journal 2004 Volume 68 Issue 6 Pages 2078-2085
2004

Washout of accumulated testosterone in a watershed

L. S. Shore; O. Reichmann; M. Shemesh; A. Wenzel; M. I. Litaor
Science of the Total Environment 2004 Volume 332 Issue 02-??? Pages 193-202
2004

Comparison of ammonium lactate, sodium bicarbonate and double calcium lactate methods for extraction of phosphorus from wetland peat soils

E. Otabbong; P. Leinweber; A. Schlichting; R. Meissner; M. Shenker; I. Litaor; A. Sapek; S. Robinson; A. Niedermeier; H. Hacin; J. R. Otabbong
Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section B: Soil and Plant Science 2004 Volume 54 Issue 1 Pages 12-???
2004

Spatial analysis of phosphorus sorption capacity in a semiarid altered wetland

M. I. Litaor; O. Reichmann; M. Belzer; K. Auerswald; A. Nishri; M. Shenker
Journal of Environmental Quality 2003 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 335-343
2003

Spatial analysis of selected soil attributes across an alpine topographic/snow gradient

M. I. Litaor; T. Seastedt; D. Walker
Landscape ecology 2002 Volume 17 Issue 1 Pages 71-85
2002

Plutonium contamination in soils in open space and residential areas near rocky flats, Colorado

M. I. Litaor
Health Physics 1999 Volume 76 Issue 2 Pages 171-179
1999

Plutonium loading on soils of residential areas and open space adjacent to Rocky Flats, Colorado

Litaor M. I
Health Physics 1999 Volume 76 Pages 171-179
1999

Particle and plutonium mobilization in macroporous soils during rainfall simulations

J. N. Ryan; T. H. Illangasekare; M. I. Litaor; R. Shannon
Environmental Science and Technology 1998 Volume 32 Issue 4 Pages 476-482
1998

The behavior of radionuclides in the soils of Rocky Flats, Colorado

M. I. Litaor; G. Barth; E. M. Zika; G. Litus; J. Moffitt; H. Daniels
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 1998 Volume 38 Issue 1 Pages 17-46
1998

Fate and transport of plutonium-239 + 240 and americium-241 in the soil of Rocky Flats, Colorado

M. I. Litaor; G. R. Barth; E. M. Zika
Journal of Environmental Quality 1996 Volume 25 Issue 4 Pages 671-683
1996

Plutonium association with selected solid phases in soils of Rocky Flats, Colorado, using sequential extraction technique

M. I. Litaor; S. A. Ibrahim
Journal of Environmental Quality 1996 Volume 25 Issue 5 Pages 1144-1152
1996

Plutonium in the environs of the former rocky flats plant

E. P. Hardy; P. W. Krey; M. I. Litaor; L. Allen
Health Physics 1996 Volume 71 Issue 5 Pages 796-797
1996

The influence of pocket gophers on the status of nutrients in alpine soils

M. Iggy Litaor; R. Mancinelli; J. Halfpenny
Geoderma 1996 Volume 70 Issue 1 Pages 37-48
1996

A comprehensive appraisal of 241Am in soils around Rocky Flats, Colorado

M. I. Litaor; L. Allen
Health Physics 1996 Volume 71 Issue 3 Pages 347-357
1996

The influence of pocket gophers on the status of nutrients in Alpine soils

M. Iggy Litaor; R. Mancinelli; J. C. Halfpenny
Geoderma 1996 Volume 70 Issue 1 Pages 37-48
1996

Assessment of free-flowing soil solution using zero tension samplers

M. H. Nachabe; T. H. Illangasekare; M. I. Litaor; G. R. Barth
Models for assessing and monitoring groundwater quality. Proc. symposium, Boulder, 1995 1995 Volume 227 Pages 67-74
1995

Comprehensive appraisal of 239+240Pu in soils around Rocky Flats, Colorado

M. I. Litaor; D. Ellerbroek; L. Allen; E. Dovala
Health Physics 1995 Volume 69 Issue 6 Pages 923-935
1995