International Journal of Soil, Sediment and Water

International Journal of Soil, Sediment and Water

Journal Volumes

Journal Volume

International Journal of Soil: Volume 1

Journal Volume

International Journal of Soil: Volume 2

Journal Volume

International Journal of Soil: Volume 3

Description

<h2>Mission of an Online, Open-Access, Peer-Reviewed Publication</h2> <p> The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a global leader in the development of science and engineering tools for environmental assessment and management. </p> <p>
<p> From a technical perspective, we encourage submittals addressing the full breadth of environmental science and engineering in the context of soil, sediment, and water. General areas of interest and importance include (but are by NO MEANS limited to—the maximum effectiveness of this journal will depend to a great extent on the breadth of topics addressed in its content) analytical methods (chemical, statistical, biological, field, laboratory), biogeochemical processes (chemical fate and effects, materials cycling, energy flow), risk analysis (ecological and human health), remediation and restoration, regulation, policy, and private sector perspectives. </p> <p> Examples of specific topics of immediate interest include environmental aspects of pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology products, biotechnology risks and benefits, effects of climate change on environmental behavior of chemicals, importance of environmental history in present and future condition of soils, sediments and waters, pharmacokinetic and toxicologic behavior of chemicals and chemical groups, microbial processes and environmental chemicals, chemical and environmental forensics, risks and benefits of emerging technologies and emerging chemicals, pollutant behavior in urban ecosystems, ecosystems aspects of soil, sediment and water in the context of human interactions with the biosphere. </p>

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 47

Open Access
Heavy Metal Characterization and Leachability of
NGUYEN, HUONG Thi Lan; Ohtsubo, Masami; Li, Loretta; Higashi, Takahiro; Kanayama, Motohei
Industrial wastewater, including both domestic and production waster, with high organic matter content, discharged into the To Lich and Kim Nguu Rivers has degraded the quality of sediments in the river system. The present study shows that sediments are heavily polluted with heavy metals (220 to 475 mg/kg for Cu, 260 to 665 mg/kg for Pb, 250 to 535 mg/kg for Zn, 2.5 to 40 mg/kg for Cd, 505 to 655 mg/kg for Cr, and 48 to 165 mg/kg for Ni). Total heavy metal concentration in the sediment was correlated with organic matter content for Cu, Pb and Ni while no correlation was found for Cd, Zn and Cr. The heavy metals were bound with sediment particles through phases such as exchangeable, carbonate, oxide, organic matter and residual. The percentage of each phase was different among metal types; the organic matter and the oxide were predominant for the group of Cu, Pb and Ni and the group of Zn and Cd, respectively, and each phase was almost equal for Cr. The EDTA caused high heavy metal leachability compared to water, acetic acid and nitric acid. Average potential leachability decreased in the order: Cd > Ni > Cr > Cu = Zn > Pb.
Open Access
Identifying, Scaling, and Evaluating Groundwater Restoration Projects as Compensation for Groundwater Injuries
Lane, Diana; Carney, Karen; Chapman, David
Restoration of natural resources is the ultimate goal of natural resource damage assessment (NRDA). According to the U.S. Department of Interior regulations for NRDA (43 CFR Part 11), Trustees of natural resources develop alternatives that will “restore, rehabilitate, replace, and/or acquire the equivalent of the injured resources.” Identification, scaling, and evaluation of groundwater restoration projects has proven challenging. This paper describes potential categories of groundwater restoration projects, including: 1) Generating clean water, 2) Conserving water, 3) Storing water for times of scarcity, and 4) Accessing new sources of water that were previously inaccessible or unusable. Examples of specific types of projects within these broad categories are provided, together with discussion of the particular challenges associated with scaling and evaluating these projects.
Open Access
Experimental and Biogeochemcial Modeling Studies on Arsenic Release in Soil Under Anaerobic Condition
Halim, Md. Abdul; Jinno, Kenji; Razzak, Abdur; Oda, Keita; Hiroshiro, Yoshinari
The identification of release mechanism of arsenic may assist in designing safe and effective remediation strategies, due to its severe toxicity effect for the human body. In this regards, investigations were carried out to observe the release of As from soil into water. It was found that As concentration increased with decreasing oxidation reduction potential. Arsenic concentrations demonstrated negative covariation with the concentrations of NO3&#; but strongly correlated with DOC and Fe concentrations. Batch leaching tests at different pH conditions showed a strong pH dependence on arsenic and iron leaching. A numerical simulation of arsenic transport model, coupled with microbially mediated biogeochemical processes was developed for describing the release of As in soil under reducing environment. The simulation concentrations of Mn, Fe and As were well matched those found experimentally. The results of this study suggested that the microbially mediated degradation of organic matter and reductive dissolution of Fe-oxyhydroxide are considered to be the dominant processes to release As in aquifers.
Open Access
PCB and Heavy Metal Soil Remediation, Former Boat Yard, South Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Martin, Michael; 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
Soil Reclamation of Abandoned Mine Land by Revegetation: A Review
(2010-01-01) Sheoran, V.; Sheoran, A. S.; Poonia, P.
Mining of mineral resources results in extensive soil damage, altering microbial communities and affecting vegetation leading to destruction of vast amounts of land. Reclamation is the process to restore the ecological integrity of these disturbed mine land areas. It includes the management of all types of physical, chemical and biological disturbances of soils such as soil pH, fertility, microbial community and various soil nutrient cycles that makes the degraded land soil productive. Productivity of soil can be increased by adding various natural amendments such as saw dust, wood residues, sewage sludge, animal manures, as these amendments stimulate the microbial activity which provides the nutrients (N, P) and organic carbon to the soil. The top soil gets seriously damaged during mineral extraction. The consequences of physical disturbance to the top soil during stripping, stockpiling, and reinstatement cause unusually large N transformations and movements with eventually substantial loss. Management of top soil is important for reclamation plan to reduce the N losses and to increase soil nutrients and microbes. Revegetation constitutes the most widely accepted and useful way to reduce erosion and protect soils against degradation during reclamation. Mine restoration efforts have focused on N-fixing species of legumes, grasses, herbs, and trees. Metal tolerant plants can be effective for acidic and heavy metals bearing soils. Reclamation of abandoned mine land is a very complex process. Once the reclamation plan is complete and vegetation has established, the assessment of the reclaimed site is necessary to evaluate the success of reclamation. Evaluation of reclamation success focuses on measuring the occurrence and distribution of soil microflora community which is regulated by interactions between C and nutrient availabilities. Reclamation success also measures the structure and functioning of mycorrhizal symbiosis and various enzymatic activities in soil. This paper includes physical, chemical and biological mine soil properties, their management to make soil productive, top soil management, vegetation of various species and assessment of effectiveness of reclamation.
Open Access
Influence of Pharmaceutical Effluent on the Physico – Chemical Behavior and Geotechnical Characteristics of Clayey and Silty Soils
Murugaiyan, Vijayarangam; Saravanane, Raman
Single soil – column studies were carried out to understand the influence of pharmaceutical effluent (industrial type) on the physico – chemical behaviour and on the index and strength properties of five soils (two commercial and three natural soils) due to artificial contamination extending to nearly 250 days period. Two modes of operation, two HRTs and two concentrations of effluents, were the parameters considered. The unique role played by the above ‘organic and toxic’ effluent in influencing the physico – chemical behaviour and the index properties of soils are highlighted. It is found that the strengths of the soils have reduced by about 20%, within the period of concentration. Great caution need to be exercised by Geotechnical Engineers and by the various industries, when an ‘organic and toxic’ effluent, is allowed to discharge on a soil mass, containing at least 35% of clay content, when such soil/(s) are to be used for Engineering purposes.
Open Access
Anthropogenic Influences on Geogenic Trace Elements and Contamination in Wash Sediments from Historical Mining Activities in the Carnation Wash System, Nelson, Nevada (USA)
Sims, Douglas Brian; Francis, Anthony
This study examines contamination from abandoned mine mill waste in the sediments of the Carnation Wash system, Nelson, NV. The Carnation Wash was chosen because only one milling site is located near the head of the wash system. This is the only mill facility located within the wash or surrounding area of the wash and therefore, this mill is the primary source for processed mine tailings in the Carnation Wash system. Contaminants from the precious metal extraction process (such as CN- and Hg) are mobile in the aqueous phase, however, geogenic trace elements have been shown to be mobilized as sorbed species on sediment transported by storm-water flow according to enrichment ratio modeling. The geogenic metals Pb, Ag, Cd, and Se, and the metalloid As, are released from native ores by the intensive use of CN- and Hg in the extraction of precious metals. This has resulted in a concentration of geogenic trace elements (Pb, Ag, Cd, Se, and As) in mine wastes that have been transported down gradient as much as 6000m from source areas. Trace elements (Pb, Ag, Cd, Se, and As) in sediments exceeded a threshold enrichment value of 1.5, which differentiates between natural erosion and release of these trace elements, and anthropogenically influenced trace element mobilization and transport in wash sediments.
Open Access
Chemical-Physical Treatments Of Marine Contaminated Sediments – A Comparison
Gente, Vincenzo; Geraldini, Serena; La Marca, Floriana; Gabellini, Massimo; Palombo, Francesco
Managing of sediments coming from dredging operations in ports, harbor areas and navigation waterways has to deal with huge quantities of highly contaminated material. As a matter of fact, due to routine operations, to the need of deepening fairways and ports and, eventually, to remediation activities, every year more than 200·106 m3 of dredged materials are produced throughout Europe. Chemical-physical treatments are generally used in order to separate a contaminated fraction from a clean one in order to reduce the quantity of sediments to be disposed of. Within this research work, carried out by the Department of Chemical Material Environment Engineering of Sapienza University of Rome and ISPRA (High Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), former ICRAM, sediments coming from a harbor area characterized by metal contamination have been treated adopting three different technologies: sieving, hydro-cycloning and flotation. Results show that sieving, hydro-cycloning and flotation are able to separate products in which metal contaminants generally present lower concentration compared to that of untreated dredged sediments. Nevertheless, in order to further reduce metal content in the cleaned fraction, the examined treatment cannot stand alone as a single step, but a multi steps or a combination of treatments have to be considered.
Open Access
Comparison of BTEX Attenuation Rates Under Anaerobic Conditions
(2010-01-01) Bruce, Lyle; Kolhatkar, Arati; Cuthbertson, James F
Over the last decade data have been published that demonstrate that natural attenuation of hydrocarbons in the subsurface is dominated by anaerobic processes. Some data have indicated that benzene is recalcitrant; some have shown it degrades but at a slower rate than alkyl benzenes (primarily TEX) under anaerobic conditions. Many natural attenuation studies have pointed to the sequential order of attenuation. This paper evaluated data from four sites in the Midwestern U.S. (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Missouri) that explain and contrast existing impressions. Although the actual attenuation rates varied from site to site, primarily dependent upon the relative availability of electron acceptors, data from these sites indicated that attenuation of BTEX compounds under anaerobic conditions is concurrent. The benzene attenuation rate appeared to be a function of the relative abundance of TEX. The ratios of attenuation rates between the compounds, however, appear to be relatively constant within certain brackets. For example, of the BTEX compounds, at the four sites in this study, toluene attenuated at the highest rate followed by benzene which attenuated at average rates between 70 and 80% of toluene, xylenes which attenuated at average rates between 60 and 70% of toluene (which may be dependent upon which xylenes are most abundant), and lastly ethylbenzene which attenuated at average rates 50 to 60% as high as toluene. These were observed at both natural and sulfate-enhanced attenuation sites.
Open Access
Lead in Soil - An Examination of Paired XRF Analysis Performed in the Field and Laboratory ICP-AES Results
Binstock, David A; Gutknecht, William F; McWilliams, Andrea C
A major aspect of lead hazard control is the evaluation of soil lead hazards around housing with lead-based paint applied to specific exterior surfaces. The use of field-portable X-ray fluorescence (FPXRF) to do detailed surveying, with limited laboratory confirmation, can provide lead measurements in soil (especially for planning and monitoring abatement activities) in a more timely manner than laboratory analysis. To date, one obstacle to the acceptance of FPXRF as an approved method of measuring lead in soil has been a lack of correspondence between field and laboratory results. In order to minimize the differences between field and laboratory results, a new protocol has been developed for field drying and sieving of collected samples for field measurement by FPXRF. To evaluate this new protocol, composite samples were collected in the field following both HUD Guidelines and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) protocols, measured after drying and sieving by FPXRF, and returned to the laboratory for confirmatory inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) analysis. Evaluation of study data from several diverse sites revealed no statistical difference between paired FPXRF and ICP-AES measurements when samples were dried and sieved to less than 250 µm particle size.