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

Pulsed Biosparging of a Residual Fuel Source Emplaced at CFB Borden
Lambert, Jennifer M; Yang, Tianxiao; Thomson, Neil R; Barker, James F.
Biosparging enhances both aerobic biodegradation and volatilization, and is commonly applied to residual hydrocarbon source zone remediation. This technology was applied in pulsed mode to a known source of gasoline contamination in order to quantify the extent of remediation achieved in terms of both mass removed and reduction in mass discharge into groundwater. The gasoline source was created by injecting about 40 L of gasoline with 10% ethanol in small volumes from 24 injection points below the water table in 2004. The downgradient plume is still being monitored and the source area was cored in 2007. In 2008, a 3-point biosparge system was operated with an airtight cover to capture and monitor off-gases. Of the hydrocarbons in place, about 80% of pentane, 50% of hexane, but only about 4% of the aromatic hydrocarbons were volatilized and removed. CO2 and O2 monitoring in the off-gas confirmed limited biodegradation of hydrocarbons.
Determination of Oral or Dermal Benzene Exposure from Contaminated Soils
Abdel-Rahman, Mohamed S.; Turkall, Rita M.
Soil contamination with dangerous, toxic chemicals remains one of the most difficult problems in this era. Health risk assessments often do not consider the amount of chemicals in soil that are absorbed and their disposition (kinetics). The aim of these studies was to compare the extent to which adsorption to either a sand or clay content soil affects the kinetics and manner which benzene is subsequently handled in orally or dermally exposed rats. Dermal exposure increased absorption half-lives (t1/2) by 25, 60 and 44-fold compared with oral exposure to benzene alone, or in the presence of sandy or clay soil, respectively. The elimination t1/2 following dermal versus oral exposure were increased about 2-fold in benzene alone and sandy soil groups, while in the clay soil group the increase was 13-fold. The area under the blood concentration versus time curve (AUC) of benzene in the presence of either soil was increased after oral and decreased after dermal exposure compared with exposure to benzene alone. The urinary recovery, 48 hours following dermal exposure to benzene alone, was 3-fold greater than following oral exposure. Tissue distribution after all oral exposures resulted in the highest concentrations of radioactivity in gastric contents > stomach > fat > duodenum > adrenal. The highest tissue concentrations of radioactivity after dermal exposure to benzene alone were kidney > liver > treated skin; however, after exposure in the presence of either soil the highest tissue concentrations were treated skin > kidney > liver. The results of these studies reveal that the presence of sand or clay content soil produced qualitative and quantitative differences in the disposition of benzene in the body following oral or dermal exposures. These differences will impact the risk assessment of benzene.
Berry's Creek: A Glance Backward and a Look Forward
Wright, Victoria A.; Blauvelt, Robert P.
Berry’s Creek is a tidal tributary in Bergen County, New Jersey between the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, which extends almost seven miles from its discharge into the Hackensack River upstream towards its origins just south of Teterboro Airport (Figure 1). The approximately 12 square miles of the Berry’s Creek watershed (about 8% of the total Hackensack River watershed) includes numerous marshes, channels, wetlands, and drainage ditches that serve as habitat to hundreds of plant and animal species (USEPA et al., 2005). Widely recognized as one of the keys to the sustained ecological viability of the Meadowlands, Berry’s Creek and its associated canals also hold the distinction of being one of the most contaminated waterways in northeastern U.S (USEPA, 2008a).In 1929 the F.W. Berk Company (later known as the Wood-Ridge Chemical Company) opened its doors as a mercury reclamation and recovery center. This facility would process spent or off-spec fungicides, pesticides, batteries, thermometers, dental amalgams, and other mercury containing wastes and remove or recover the mercury for re-sale or reformulation into new products (USEPA, 2006). By 1974, when operations at its 40-acre site ceased, the plant had changed owners and names several times and some estimates have indicated that up to 270 tons of mercury could have been discharged into portions of Berry’s Creek, but the actual amount of mercury released from point sources on the Creek is unknown (i.e., could be more or less). Based on one study, at its peak operation, between two to four pounds of mercury were being released into Berry’s Creek every day (NJDEP, 1992). Additional investigations are ongoing that will provide further data on the validity of these estimates. In 2005, USEPA completed its Framework Document for Berry’s Creek (USEPA et al., 2005), which attempts to establish the guidelines for the characterization and investigation of the mercury and other heavy metal contamination present in Berry’s Creek sediments. Critical to the success and effectiveness of these upcoming characterization activities is an understanding of not only how the contaminants were released but also the most probable (and implementable) remedial alternatives available for the waterway. Our presentation provides both a historical perspective on the discharges into Berry’s Creek and establishes an ecological framework in which to consider and carryout future cleanup actions.
Background Versus Risk-Based Screening Levels - An Examination of Arsenic Background Soil Concentrations in Seven States
Vosnakis, Kelly A.S.; Perry, Elizabeth
Arsenic is often present in soils naturally or from historical anthropogenic activities. Arsenic is commonly a constituent of potential concern at environmental remediation sites, even where there is no reason to suspect a release. Site risks are frequently driven by arsenic, and risk-based screening levels below background are not uncommon. However, determining whether arsenic concentrations are consistent with background typically requires an extensive background data set. The ability to gain access to representative background locations owned by third parties is problematic at best in any characterization study. Consequently, many sites undergo characterization and potentially remediation for arsenic concentrations in soil that may in reality be representative of background (natural or anthropogenic). This study examines a large soil arsenic background data set to provide insight on typical concentrations of arsenic that are naturally occurring or represent anthropogenic background. Between 1995 and 2001, over 1,600 background soil samples were collected from 189 sites in Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Samples were collected using strict Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures under a United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Superfund Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) and were analyzed by USEPA-approved laboratories. All data were verified and 10% underwent detailed data validation. Arsenic concentrations in samples retained for statistical analysis ranged from 1.1 mg/kg to 89 mg/kg. Data are evaluated by state and by geology and are compared to USEPA and state risk-based screening levels (RBSLs). Some standard background threshold values (BTVs) are derived for each state and distinct geology. The BTVs are greater than RBSLs. This extensive, regional data set should be considered by all stakeholders involved in relevant risk-based decisions related to arsenic in soils. The consideration of this data set and the BTVs may aid in the appropriate identification of arsenic in soils below typical background concentrations. In turn, the use of BTVs may aid in identifying where risks are truly elevated relative to background, and thus where remediation may or may not be appropriate.
Air Quality and the Public Trust
Anderson, Norman
This paper puts forward a practical strategy for protecting and improving our air quality by combining three inter-related political concepts: 1) ethical principles underlying a well-ordered democratic society; 2) the role of the State as guardian of the public trust; and 3) the importance of citizen action in defining the nature of this trust and ultimately ensuring its protection. It is not intended to be a rigorous legal or philosophical argument. Rather, from the perspective of a public health advocacy organization, it is intended to serve as a useful initial framework within which to consider an agenda to promote healthy air quality. It uses the specific example of outdoor wood boilers to illustrate why this framework is needed and how it can provide useful guidance.
Ambient and Landfill-Impacted Groundwater Quality in the Hudson Valley of Southeastern New York State
Parisio, Steven J; Giordano, Jeremy; Knoth, Eva; Rodriguez, Sean; Rispoli, Michael
A large amount of groundwater quality monitoring data has been collected in connection with solid waste landfills regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Although sampling personnel and analytical laboratories are different for each site, a high degree of uniformity in methods is assured by state regulations which govern environmental monitoring at the landfills. In this study, data for selected parameters was pooled from upgradient, presumably uncontaminated, monitoring wells installed in different rock formations at a large number of sites in order to characterize regional variability in ambient groundwater quality. Parameters selected for this study are those considered to be most useful in detecting landfill-derived groundwater contamination and include alkalinity, ammonia, arsenic, chloride, chemical oxygen demand, hardness, iron, manganese, total phenols and total dissolved solids. Comparisons are made with data from monitoring wells downgradient of the landfills and with other available data sets. Emphasis is placed on whether parameters exceed applicable water quality standards in ambient groundwater and whether the parameters selected are reliable indicators of landfill-derived groundwater contamination. This study should be particularly useful in cases where topography, property boundaries or other site constraints make it impossible to site a valid upgradient monitoring point or where groundwater quality impact assessments must be made using a single monitoring point.
Thoughts on Manufacturing Changes in the US Petroleum Industry: Implications for Age-dating, Calculating Weathering Indices and Hydrocarbon Fingerprinting
Wade, Michael J.
Techniques for the hydrocarbon fingerprinting and age-dating of petroleum contamination in environmental matrices are undergoing major advancements in the environmental forensic community at the present time. Techniques that were reliable in the past to age-date gasoline may not be that reliable in the reality of today's modern refinery practices. Within the forensics community, age-dating of gasolines undergoes routine application using a variety of approaches. Not so for distillate fuels. Age-dating of distillate fuels is experiencing a major debate within the forensics community. Forces working to expand the use of hydrocarbon degradation models from soils to other matrices may have pushed the most widely-used age-dating approach too far, creating the current two-sided debate. Moreover, a newly-emerging problem with age-dating of distillate fuel contamination is outlined, examined, and discussed. It is recommended that the forensics community critically examine age-dating and environmental weathering calculation techniques to a degree that currently is missing.
BIOSCREEN, AT123D and MODFLOW/MT3D a Comprehensive Review of Model Results
(2010-01-01) Cecan, Liliana; Schneiker, Robert A
The Domenico equation is commonly used to evaluate long term risks associated with contaminated groundwater. Numerous groundwater models are based on it, including BIOSCREEN and BIOCHLOR. This paper compares the results from BIOSCREEN, AT123D and MODFLOW/MT3D groundwater models. Results from the AT123D and MODFLOW/MT3D models indicate that BIOSCREEN significantly under estimates contaminant mobility and thus exposure risks. This was unexpected as BIOSCREEN results are commonly assumed to be extremely conservative. In fact BIOSCREEN did produce the highest downgradient concentrations; however it took unreasonable long periods of time to achieve them. Such lengthy time periods are not typically evaluated as part of a risk evaluation. Even more surprisingly BIOSCREEN produced the same peak concentration for all contaminants and for all aquifer types tested. Both contaminant concentration and travel times from AT123D and MODFLOW/MT3D models were almost identical. Furthermore these results varied with contaminants and aquifer properties as expected. The influence of biodegradation was also evaluated. Inclusion of conservative biodegradation rates made BIOSCREEN the least conservative model by far. This is because the lengthy travel times produced by BIOSCREEN provide a longer period of time over which biodegradation works.
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.
Off-Grid Photovoltaic System in a Temperate Climate Greenhouse in Virginia
(2010-01-01) Mose, Douglas G; Mandes, Evans; Metcalf, James
Most buildings require power produced by fossil fuels, the extraction and consumption of which contaminate our environment. The Virginia Center of Basic and Applied Science (CBAS, INC) constructed a building in a remote forested area as a plant and fish nursery (and living space for staff) to be operated by solar electrical power. Comfortable summer interior temperature is facilitated by an open design, 15,000 cubic foot interior, ceiling fans, many large windows and doors, with a large sun-screen eave off the 1000 square foot south-facing roof. Comfortable winter temperature is possible because the building has no tree-shade, thick well-insulated walls and roof, a low number of air changes per hour, and when necessary the surrounding forest provides wood stove heat. The energy challenge of the research was to develop a system facilitating 24-hour and year-round use (primarily for lights, fans, pumps, heaters and staff living requirements) that did not need to be connected to the local electrical utility company. On average, the facility uses 3-4 kilowatt hours per day. The solar power is captured by 8 solar panels which charge a bank of deep-cycle batteries, which in turn generate the power for the facility. The complete system (solar panels, charge controller, batteries, DC-to-AC inverter, 110-to-220 transformer) cost about $10,000, about 5% of the total facility cost.