Proceedings of the Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a global leader in the development of science and engineering tools for environmental assessment and management. As a center for research, education, service and outreach, the University has, for more than a decade, hosted the Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy. This colloquium is a “must attend” for academics, students, regulatory authorities, policy makers, and the private sector. The Conference is particularly noteworthy for its success in bringing practitioners and analysts from across the globe to share experiences and contribute to the deliberations. Through 2004, conference proceedings were published annually in the hardcover series Contaminated Soils. Now, the University is building on the success of the Annual Conference and the Proceedings series and publishing presented papers from the conference in an open access format. Starting with Volume 11, manuscripts are available both as individual papers or as part of the complete proceedings for that year. Volume 11 includes manuscripts presented at the 21st Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water, held October 17-20, 2005. Volume 12 includes manuscripts presented at the 22nd Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water held October 16-19, 2006. Volume 13 includes manuscripts presented at the 23rd Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water held October 15-18, 2007. Volume 14 includes manuscripts presented at the 24th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water held October 20-23, 2008. Volume 15 includes manuscripts presented at the 25th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water, and Energy held October 19-22, 2009 Volume 16 includes manuscripts presented at the 26th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy held October 18-21, 2010 Volume 17 includes includes manuscripts presented at the 27th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water, and Energy held October 17-20, 2011
The Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water is a yearly event hosted in October at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The proceedings are an open access annual international publication on the scientific and technical information, data and critical analysis in the areas of Analysis, Site Assessment, Environmental Fate, Environmental and Human Risk Assessment, Remediation and Regulation as applied to contaminated soils, sediments, water and energy. Manuscripts that have been presented at the conference both as poster or platform presentations may be submitted to be included in the conference proceedings for that year. The conference includes the following topics. Analysis - basic analytical problems, with assessment of contaminated soil, sediment or water, and development and evaluation of innovative laboratory techniques and standards. Site Assessment – application and development of field sampling techniques, statistical design, sample collection and handling. Environmental Fate – The movement and partitioning of contaminants and breakdown products in soil, sediment and water, including chemical and physical influences and the mathematical representation of contaminant movement. Environmental and human risk assessment issues – analysis of exposure assessment and health effects to humans and the environment, and risk characterization of sites including remedial actions. Regulation – regulatory programs, policies and legal considerations including numerical standards of cleanups (action levels, maximum concentration levels, cleanup levels), approaches used by the regulatory community, legal issues pertaining to regulatory actions and statutes and private sector transactions. The above general areas include more specific topics presented at the Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy: Acid Mine Drainage Analysis Bioremediation Biotechnology Chemical Oxidation Remediation Practices Combination of Remediation Technologies Environmental Fate Environmental Forensics Environmental Modeling Heavy Metals Innovative Technologies Legal Issues MTBE Munitions and Explosives of Concern Perchlorate Pesticides Phytoremediation Regulatory Remediation Risk Assessment Site Assessment Sustainable Remediation Vapor Intrusion

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 186

Open Access
Floater/Sinker Site Assessment Complicated By Asbestos
Merritt, Clifford A.
This paper is a case study of how soil and groundwater investigations were conducted at a site containing building asbestos and having access limitations. While previous evaluations of site conditions utilized time-consuming conventional soil borings and monitoring well procedures, continuing investigations necessitated more advanced screening techniques. Since the principal site contaminants are hydrocarbons (both light and dense), Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) and Ultraviolet Induced Fluorescence (UVIF) technologies were chosen to evaluate subsurface conditions. The first round of CPT/UVIF testing indicated groundwater contamination may have extended under the plant buildings which led to building asbestos removal and structural demolition. The second round of CPT/UVIF field work completed in four days appears to have successfully delineated the hydrocarbon contamination.
Open Access
Soybean Derived Fuel Liquids As Additives For Middle Distillate Transportation Fuels
Mushrush, George W.; Mose, Douglas G.; Bauserman, Joy W.
Biodiesel liquids are increasingly being used as blending stocks with middle distillate ground transportation fuels or as a fuel itself. However, an upper limit of 20% biodiesel is common for a soy derived biodiesel blending stock with petroleum diesel fuels. It is important for operational consideration to look at the many problems this could present. Among the more important considerations are storage stability, filterability, temperature ranges, fuel compatibility, oxidative stability, and induced instability reactions. We compare the soy methyl esters to the untreated soy cooking oil for compatibility with petroleum fuels.
Open Access
Index
Open Access
PCB And Heavy Metal Soil Remediation, Former Boat Yard, South Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Martin, Michael E.; Richards, Marc J.
PCB and Heavy Metal Soil Remediation, Former Boat Yard, South Dartmouth Massachusetts. Michael E. Martin & Marc J. Richards, Tighe & Bond Consulting Engineers. Heavy metals have been added to marine paint for more than 100-years to protect boats from biological, chemical and physical degradation. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were added to marine paint starting in the 1940’s to give the paint better adhesive properties and to provide anti-corrosion protection from moisture, chemicals and flames (approximately 2% composition of paint). The nature of the contamination at this project Site was primarily heavy metals and PCBs in soil and heavy metals in sediment. The source of soil contamination was from marine paint chips from repainting and maintenance activities conducted at the boatyard since the early 1900s. The source of sediment impacts is believed to be stormwater discharges to the Apponagansett Bay from routine boatyard activities, including power washing of boats. The overall goal of the soil remediation was to reduce PCB and metals exposure point concentrations at the Site to levels that do not pose a risk to human health and the environment. The work had to be conducted during the winter months, so the remedial and construction activities did not interfere with daily marina operations. This paper describes the remediation activities performed at the Site to achieve the overall remediation goal, which included: the chemical treatment of soil to stabilize the soil (bind leachable lead), excavation and off-site disposal of impacted soils and the construction of a multi-layer asphalt cap containment system to restrict access to residual PCBs and heavy metals. Additionally, this paper will discuss the applicable environmental regulations governing the remediation. As a measure to minimize the potential for future contamination, this project also included the construction of a boat wash/washwater collection system to prevent future paint chip debris from entering the environment.
Open Access
Effects Of Soil Matrix And Aging On The Dermal Bioavailability Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In The Soil
Turkall, Rita M.; Skowronski, Gloria A.; Abdel-Rahman, Mohamed S.
The potential health risk from exposure to chemically contaminated soil can be assessed from bioavailability studies. The aims of this research were: (a) to determine the dermal bioavailability of contaminants in soil for representatives of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon class of chemicals, namely, benzo(a)pyrene and naphthalene, and (b) to examine the relative contribution of soil matrix and chemical sequestration in soil with time (“aging”) on their bioavailability. In vitro flow-through diffusion cell studies were performed utilizing dermatomed male pig skin and radioactive chemicals to measure dermal penetration. Volatilization of naphthalene was predominant in reducing the amount of chemical available for dermal penetration. Immediate contact with either of two soils reduced volatilization, however, only the soil with higher clay content resulted in reduced penetration. Aging in higher sand content soil and higher clay content soil further reduced skin penetration by 23 and 70 fold, respectively, versus naphthalene in the absence of soil. Benzo(a)pyrene penetration was reduced >88% following immediate contact with either soil with further reductions occurring after aging. While aging in either soil reduced the dermal penetration of both naphthalene and benzo(a)pyrene, the effect on naphthalene was much greater. The results of this study suggest that the bioavailability from dermal exposure to the polycyclic aromatic chemicals examined can be significantly reduced by soil matrix and aging in soil, resulting in reduced potential health risk following dermal exposure.
Open Access
Application Of Electrochemical Techniques For The Remediation Of Soils Contaminated With Organic Pollutants
Ferrarese, Elisa; Andreottola, Gianni
Direct Current Technologies (DCTs) are remediation techniques for contaminated soil, in which an electrical field is created in the polluted medium by applying a low-voltage direct current across electrodes placed in the ground. This study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of using DCTs for the remediation of different organic contaminants from various types of fine grain soils and sediments. For this purpose, a one-dimensional experimental setup for bench scale testing was assembled and several laboratory tests were performed. The experimental setup included an electrochemical cell, two stainless steel plate electrodes, a stabilized DC generator and tanks for the pore fluid collection. Two types of soils contaminated by diesel fuel and river sediments polluted by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were considered in the investigation. In the experiments, the contaminant removal was evaluated under the influence of the electric current generated by a constant potential difference (0.5-6 V/cm) for a fixed period of time. The results showed that a high efficiency of organic pollutant removal could be achieved via electrochemical methods. About 90% contaminant removal was achieved for PAH-contaminated sediments after a one month treatment, while the diesel fuel contaminated soils resulted in about 45-55% TOC removal and in 70-85% TPH removal. The main factors influencing the process seem to be the process duration and the soil mineralogy, especially the iron content of the treated medium. On the opposite, the applied voltage seems to have a limited influence on the contaminant removal efficiency, good results being achieved with specific voltages as low as 1 V/cm. The results suggest that DCTs can be effectively used for the mineralization of many organics with low energy expenditure, especially in very fine soils, like clays, which are often more difficult to treat with conventional chemical methods, because of their low permeability and high sorption capacity.
Open Access
Chemical Characteristics of Sediment of the Lower Hackensack River, New Jersey
Konsevick, Edward; Bragin, A. Brett
The sediments of the Lower Hackensack River provide a record of contamination from ongoing and historical processes in a highly urbanized watershed in northern New Jersey. This estuarine river runs through suburban and small cities in its northern, freshwater reaches; passing south through 8,500 acres of wetlands known as the Hackensack Meadowlands to its mouth at Newark Bay. The goal of this review is to depict the environmental quality of this ecosystem using data derived from sediments collected in 2003 during a Fishery Resource Inventory. This study replicated a similar inventory conducted in 1988, allowing for elucidation of spatial and fifteen-year trends. In the sediments, heavy metal concentrations, grain size distribution and carbon content were analyzed. Based on sediment guidelines published by NOAA in 1995, the estuary is in “poor” ecological condition; the average concentration of one contaminant, mercury, exceeds the ERM (ERM is the median concentration of a contaminant observed to have adverse biological effects in the literature values examined). It is also apparent that enrichment of mercury and other metals occurs in the Hackensack River north of the mouth of Berry’s Creek, a major tributary known for its legacy of industrial contamination. In addition to this spatial trend, a good predictor of metal concentrations in the sediments appears to be the amount of organic matter present; preservation of organic matter in the river increases as tidal influence is diminished. The sulfate/sulfide cycle, driven by the reaction between seawater and the organic matter, appears to be the primary mechanism. Between 1988 and 2003, the average sediment concentrations were reduced significantly for cadmium (71%), chromium (63%), copper (73%) and lead (22%); zinc concentrations remained approximately the same (mercury was not analyzed in 1988). These results suggest a natural attenuation process at work, as burial preserves sulfide rich contaminated sediments.
Open Access
Effects Of Soil Matrix And Aging On The Dermal Bioavailability Of Hydrocarbons And Metals In The Soil: Dermal Bioavailability Of Soil Contaminants
Turkall, Rita M.; Abdel-Rahman, Mohamed S.; Skowronski, Gloria A.
The potential health risk from exposure to chemically contaminated soil can be assessed from bioavailability studies. The aims of this research were: (a) to determine the dermal bioavailability of contaminants in soil for representatives of hydrocarbon classes of chemicals, namely, volatiles (toluene) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [benzo(a)pyrene] as well as for heavy metals (arsenic, mercury, and nickel, respectively, as arsenic acid, mercuric chloride, and nickel chloride); and (b) to examine the effects of soil matrix and chemical sequestration in soil with time (“aging”) on their bioavailability. In vitro flow-through diffusion cell studies were performed utilizing dermatomed male pig skin and radioactive chemicals to measure dermal penetration. The volatility of toluene reduced the amount of the chemical available for dermal penetration. With soil contact, the penetration of toluene was 16-fold to 21-fold less than toluene without soil. Benzo(a)pyrene penetration was decreased faster in soil with a higher clay content than one with more organic carbon. The soil matrix as well as aging in soil lowered the dermal penetration of the metal compounds by 95-98%. This study provided evidence that the bioavailability from dermal exposure to the chemicals examined can be significantly reduced by soil matrix and aging in soil.
Open Access
Remediation Of A Clay Contaminated With Petroleum Hydrocarbons Using Soil Reagent Mixing
Schifano, V.; Thurston, N.
Soil reagent mixing (SRM) is a remediation technique whereby powder or slurried reagents are delivered and mixed in-situ or ex-situ with contaminated soils or sediments by augers or other types of soil mixers. This paper summarises the work carried out for a laboratory treatability study of SRM on clayey soil samples contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon compounds from a petrol filling station site in Kent, UK. The study examined the effects of mixing binder reagents on the total soil and leachate concentrations of hydrocarbons. Quicklime, hydrated lime and ordinary Portland cement, in a number of different formulations, were used in the study. Furthermore, the addition of gypsum to some reagent formulations was evaluated in an attempt to improve the strength of the binder/soil mix. Temperature and evolution of volatiles were monitored during the mixing of soils with the reagents. The mixing of soil with binder reagents resulted in changes in physical and physico-chemical properties of the clay, and in significant decreases in total soils and leachate concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbon compounds. The mechanisms responsible for the decreases in concentrations were examined. Significant increases in the remoulded strength of the clay were observed upon addition of certain binder formulations.
Open Access
Accumulation Of Heavy Metals By Cucumber And Brassica Juncea Under Different Cultivation Conditions
Takeda, Ryuji; Sato, Yukiko; Yoshimura, Rumi; Komemushi, Sadao; Sawabe, Akiyoshi
Pollution by heavy metals from industries, the storage of polluted wastes, and agricultural fertilizer pose a serious threat to human health. These pollutants may pass into the soil where plant uptake or leaching to groundwater can contaminate the food chain. Phytoremediation is the technique that removed contaminants in environment by plants, and is researched in world, recently. This process, termed evapotranspiration, is responsible for moving contamination into the plant shoots as well. Because contamination is translocated from the roots to the shoots, which are harvested, contamination is removed while leaving the original soil undisturbed. Some plants that are used in phytoextraction strategies are termed "hyperaccumulators", which are plants that achieve a shoot to root metal-concentration ratio greater than one. Brassica juncea is known as Pb hyperaccumulator well. And cucumber is well used to understand transportation mechanism of heavy metals. Because the sap of cucumber is easy to collecting. We focused to whether the temperature related to the transportation of heavy metal. Cucumber and Brassica juncea were used to this research. These plants were cultivated under hydroponics with Pb (60 to 600 ppm). The cultivation temperature has been changed from 8 degrees to 30 degrees for 96hours. We measured Pb concentration and GSH concentration and protein concentration every 24 hours. Pb concentration was measured by AAS after ashed with microwave system, GSH and protein concentrations were measured after crushing with liquid nitrogen by HPLC. As for the cucumber, at 25 degrees the amount of absorption of lead was the maximum. However as for Brassica juncea, at 12 degrees the amount of absorption of lead was the maximum. This result shows that the accumulation time of the heavy metal is different in each plant. And it was shown that GSH and the protein related closely to the accumulation of the heavy metal and the cultivation temperature.