Journal Issue: International Journal of Soil: Volume 3, Issue 1
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2010-01-01
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Comparison of Naphthalene Ambient Air Sampling & Analysis Methods at Former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Remediation Sites
Fortune, Alyson; Gendron, Leo; Tuday, Michael
Naphthalene is a contaminant of concern at former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) and other property redevelopment sites across the country. A major component of coal tar waste and a possible human carcinogen (EPA Group C), naphthalene is a chemical that may adversely affect human health at remediation sites. Due to its boiling point and vapor pressure, naphthalene can exhibit both volatile and semi-volatile characteristics; therefore the question can arise as to how to properly measure naphthalene in ambient air. Two commonly applied methods of measuring vapor phase naphthalene include EPA Method TO-15, which utilizes whole air sampling in passivated stainless steel canisters; and EPA Method TO-13A, which utilizes high volume sorbent based sampling with polyurethane foam/XAD resin cartridges. Analytical differences between these two methods will be discussed, keeping reference to naphthalene’s unique chemical & physical properties. This case study will present weekly data spanning a twelve month period (December 2006 – December 2007) from co-located EPA Method TO-15 and TO-13A ambient air samples at the perimeter of two MGP cleanup remediation sites. Distinct trends are noted and discussed in this paper when comparing the concentration results from the two methods.
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.
AAI Compliant Regulatory Database Searches: Some Are More Equal Than Others
Fullmer, David; Blauvelt, Robert
The 2002 Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act or BRERA curtailed the Federal government’s ability to seek damages and recover costs from property owners under certain sections of CERCLA. These enforcement bars against innocent landowners, contiguous property owners, and prospective purchasers were promulgated to encourage Brownfields redevelopment. However, as a condition of the liability protections offered under BRERA, a prospective purchaser must perform All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) in accordance with rules developed by USEPA (40CFR Part 312) and commercialized by ASTM in its 1527-05 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments. A major component of the AAI due diligence process is compliance with 40CFR Part 312.26: Review of Federal, State, Tribal and local government records. EPA requires that a long list of permit records and spill records be examined for the subject parcel and other sites within defined radii. Given the extensive and complex nature of both Federal and state record-keeping systems, a number of data management companies have emerged that specialize in assembling and summarizing publicly available environmental information. Usually combining these records within a GIS format, these companies are able to quickly and cost-effectively provide very useful maps and data tables, often combining them with other required components of Part 312 (aerial photographs, historical topographic maps, etc.). In order to compare the completeness of these data base searches, we selected a well known Superfund site in the northeastern US and ordered regulatory database searches from three specialty providers: Environmental Data Resources, Inc (EDR); BBL Environmental; and Environmental FirstSearch (FirstSearch, InfoMap). While each company offered a package that claimed to meet 40CFR Part 312.26 requirements, there were some disparities in quality, format and timeliness of deliverables, responsiveness to follow-up questions, and available geographic coverage. Our comparison of each data package is summarized and validated against our own search of the same EPA records. Recommendations are provided for those environmental professionals that frequently depend on data base service companies to help ensure that they are using the most current and reliable information available.
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.
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.