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National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Phone: 513-569-7418
FAX: 513-569-7680
E. Timothy Oppelt
Laboratory Director
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NRMRL
National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
Mission
Advance the scientific understanding
and the development and application
of technological solutions to prevent,
control, or remediate important
environmental problems that threaten
human health and the environment.
Vision
To be world leaders in developing
sound technological solutions for
reducing environmental risks.
Description
One of five national laboratories/centers
within the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Office of Research and
Development, the National Risk
Management Research Laboratory
(NRMRL) is headquartered in
Cincinnati, OH. Other NRMRL research
facilities are located in Research
Triangle Park, NC; Ada, OK; and Edison,
NJ. A Technology Coordination Office for
NRMRL is in Washington, DC.
Printed on Recycled Paper
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Land Remediation arid
Pollution iCcintrbl pi viSjbn
Mission
Advance the scientific understanding,
development, and application of
technologies and methods for
treating and remediating contaminated
land sites.
Description
The Land Remediation and Pollution
Control Division (LRPCD) is one of six
divisions within NRMRL. Through its
three branches LRPCD identifies,
develops, evaluates and
demonstrates methods, systems and
technologies to control or remediate
contaminated land sites and related
land areas. Legislation supported by
the division includes SARA, RCRA,
CWA, TSCA, and FIFRA. The Division
collaborates closely with other
NRMRL divisions and maintains a
close working relationship with trade
and professional organizations and
academia.
Research is conducted at the basic
level, including bench- and pilot-scale,
to provide new technologies and
treatment methodologies for
innovative solutions to current and
future land pollution problems. Field
evaluation of innovative technologies,
covering applied research,
demonstration, and verification
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programs are performed to ensure
that the environmental industry is
developing reliable and cost-effective
alternatives for the domestic, federal,
and international markets.
A strong technical assistance
capability for both Superfund and
non-Superfund contamination round
out the division's capability to provide
relevant support to EPA's Regional
and Program Offices, state regulatory
authorities, and other federal
agencies. The division conducts
program activities through a variety of
mechanisms including in-house
research; extramural research through
cooperative agreements with
. academia and nonprofit organizations;
interagency agreements with other
federal entities (e.g., USDA, DOE, US
Air Force); and contracts with
environmental consultants and
for-profit companies.
Division Director:
Robert A, Olexsey
Phone: (513) 569-7861
Fax:(513)569-7620
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Treatmenjt and Destruction
Branch (f D$)
MISSION
Develop, evaluate, and demonstate
cost-effective treatment strategies for
bioremediating hazardous waste
contamination encountered in soil,
sediments, industrial effluents, and the
atmosphere and oil contamination from
marine, estuarial, and freshwater spills.
Manufactured Gas Plant Site
Remediation
Since 1995, the Treatment and
Destruction Branch has been involved
in evaluating the effectiveness of
different biotreatment strategies for
treating PAH contamination in soil.
The most recent studies have involved
bench-, pilot-, and field-scale research
on PAH-contarninated soil from two
former manufactured gas plants.
Large samples of soil obtained from
each site are transported to EPA's fully
permitted Test and Evaluation Facility
in Cincinnati and homogenized. The
blended material is then available for
use in the separate processes.The
pilot-scale processes studied thus far
include land treatment, composting,
biopile treatment, and bioslurry.
Treatment trains consisting of one or
more of these processes will also be
studied. In addition, tertiary treatment
of previously biotreated soils including
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phytoremediation and abiotic
processes such as addition of
Fenton's Reagent will be investigated.
At the field scale, bioventing and
natural attenuation have been evalu-
ated. Additional field work to evaluate
land treatment, composting, and
phytoremediation will be carried out at
a former manufactured gas plant near
Cincinnati. This study is expected to
provide information on both cost and
performance.
Contaminated Sediments Treatment
Since 1996, the Treatment and
Destruction Branch has been
investigating cost-effective ways to
treat contaminated sediments.
Working with the Corps of Engineers,
studies are under way to
investigate ways to treat
contaminated sediments that are
currently retained in Confined
Disposal Facilities (CDFs). Cost-
effective treatment is needed to
reclaim existing CDF capacity which is
dwindling. A pilot-scale evaluation of
biotreatment strategies for contami-
nated sediments from the East River
in New York is currently under way.
Also, working with the Corps of
Engineers, plans are under way to
initiate field work at a CDF on the
shore of Lake Michigan. In other
studies, bench-scale tests are
evaluating innovative techniques for
encouraging the anaerobic
degradation of contaminated
sediments using either hydrogen or
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zero valent iron. In addition, work is
under way to develop new ways to
measure contaminant biodegradation
using isotope ratio mass spectrometry.
Natural attenuation is being given
increasing consideration as a
remediation option at sites in which
sediments do not need to be dredged
for navigation purposes. Field studies
are being initiated to investigate the
efficacy of natural attenuation at a
sediment site in Michigan, and
possibly two other sites. The results of
this field work will provide valuable
decision support information for site
owners/managers faced with
determining when natural attenuation
can be used.
Treatment Technology Development
The Treatment and Destruction
Branch is actively involved in
developing cost-effective in-situ
treatment strategies for remediating
contaminated sites. Most research
involves biotreatment processes,
although studies are also
investigating the use of Fenton's
Reagent as a polishing step. One of
the more successful technologies TDB
has been involved in developing is
bioventing.
Bioventing
Bioventing is an in-situ bioremediation
process that promotes aerobic
degradation of organic contaminants
in vadose zone soils. Air is pumped
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into the vadose zone where it spreads
throughout the subterranean
treatment area. Air flow must be at
such a rate that the oxygen supply
meets the demand of microorganisms
and minimizes volatilization of volatile
contaminants. NRMRL has been a key
developer of the bioventing process.
EPA has completed and is conducting
intensive field research projects
including a full- scale study to treat jet
fuel at Hill Air Force Base near Salt
Lake City, Utah, and a cold climate
study at Eielson Air Force Base near
Fairbanks, Alaska. Based on EPA's,
and other's field experience with .
bioventing, a design and operating
manual, Bioventing Principles.and
Practices, has been jointly prepared
by EPA and the U.S. Air Force.
Evaluation of Composting
Techniques for Effective Treatment of
Hazardous Waste
Bioremediation of contaminated soil in
static piles and windrow systems has
been shown to be an effective
technology for destroying certain toxic
chemicals. To ensure the proper use
of this technology an improved
process control is required to
ascertain pollutant degradation rates
and identify optimum operating
conditions for biodegradation of
various contaminants in differing soil
types. Studies using fully enclosed
reactors are collecting data on the fate
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of toxic chemicals during soil
composting. Research parameters of
interest include aeration, moisture
dynamics, heat production, and
physical and chemical properties of
the compost mixture. Optimum
temperature conditions may vary
depending on a number of conditions.
Aeration studies will investigate roles
of anaerobic and aerobic metabolism
in chemical degradation. The research
program will attempt to identify optimal
aeration rates and pile mixing
frequency for the most effective
conditions for biodegradation of
recalcitrant substrates. Emphasis will
be placed on diagnosing population
changes throughout the treatment
cycle and identifying microbial species
responsible for biodegradation of
contaminants.
Oil Spills Research
Since the 1989 grounding of the
Exxon Valdez tanker in Alaska, oil spill
remediation research has been
conducted by the Treatment and
Destruction Branch. A protocol was
developed for objectively testing the
biodegradation effectiveness of oil
spill bioremediation agents. A new
Most Probable Number method of
quantifying alkane and aromatic
degraders was also developed and
published. A respirometric microcosm
was constructed and used in
experiments defining minimum
nitrogen requirements for marine
shoreline bioremediation under tidal
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flow conditions. The first permit to
release crude oil onto a Delaware
beach was obtained for the purpose of
studying oil spill bioremediation under
controlled field conditions. Results
were definitive, and bioremediation
effectiveness was proven. A real
bonus from the project was the
establishment of a link between
laboratory research and the field with
respect to oil analyte biodegradation
rates.
More recently, investigations have
begun on freshwater and wetland spill
remediation. During the summer of
1999, another controlled spill will be
conducted to study bioremediation
along a river shoreline. A current study
jointly with the Tennessee Valley
Authority will investigate the
remediation of oil-contaminated
wetlands. Also planned is a study to
investigate the recovery of oil-
contaminated salt marshes.
Future plans call for studies involving
the biodegradation of non-petroleum
oil. One aspect will be to determine
the nature of any by-products formed
as these substances degrade in the
environment.
Branch Chief:
Laurel J. Staley
Phone: (513)569-7863
Fax: (513)569-7105
E-mail: staley.laurel@epamail.epa.gov
For more information about the TDB
Program, check out the Internet Web Site at:
http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/irpcd/tdb
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Remediation! and Containment
Branch {RC&)
MISSION
Develop a rigorous understanding of the
basic processes, capabilities, and
limitations of physical, chemical, and
biological approaches to destruction,
separation, or containment of
contaminants in soil and sediment
systems. Major technical areas
encompassed within this Mission are:
Lasagna™ Technology
The Lasagna™ process, so named
because of its treatment layers,
combines electroosmosis with
treatment zones that are installed
directly in the contaminated soil to
form an integrated in situ remedial
process. In the horizontal
configuration, electrodes and
treatment zones are placed in the soil
through a hydraulic fracturing
technique. Conceptually, the
Lasagna™ process would be used to
treat organic and inorganic
contaminants, as well as mixed waste,
completely in situ. A pilot test was
begun in FY97 to apply the process at
a TCE-contaminated site. Test cells
were established to study
bioremediation and dechlorination
using zero valent iron. A natural
attenuation control cell is also being
observed. Additional TCE degradation
field tests are being conducted on a
larger scale during 1998.
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Soil-Contaminant Interactions
In order to understand and predict the
success of various restoration or land
use scenarios, it is necessary to study
the mechanisms by which
contaminants move through or bind to
soils and sediments. Research in the
laboratory and at field sites is .
attempting to address the behavior of
organic and inorganic soil
contaminants in the environment. ,
Studies include separation kinetics for
a number of compounds preliminary to
application and refinement of models,
application of electroosmosis and
reductive dechlorination for
degradation of TCE, and use of
phosphate compounds and other soil
amendments (including sewage
sludge) for reduction of mobility and
bioavailability of metals such as lead
and cadmium.
Containment Systems
For years landfills and waste disposal
sites have relied on the use of
hydraulic control, liner materials, caps,
and covers for contaminant isolation
or containment. Work currently in
progress is evaluating the efficacy of
these engineered systems and the
applicability of newly developed
geosynthetic membranes, landfill
designs, and cover options. Water
balance covers, for example, allow
some surficial penetration of water
but rely on mechanisms such as
evapotranspiration to eliminate deeper
penetration which could potentially
mobilize contaminants contained at
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deeper levels in the subsurface.
Further work is required to address
the subject of submerged containment
systems that may be necessary for
control of sediments in coastal
regions.
Phytoremediation
Phytoremediation uses locally grown
plants and trees to enhance the
microbial degradation of contaminants
and/or hydraulically control
contaminant movement in soil and
aquifers. With plants, bioremediation
appears to occur primarily in the
rhizosphere (soil that surrounds the
roots of a plant) through a
combination of bacterial and fungal
activity whereby plants can degrade
organic pollutants indirectly by
supporting microbial communities,
With trees, contaminant removal
appears to proceed through a
combination of root zone degradation
and uptake whereby contaminants are
concentrated in the plant tissue. The
contaminants can then be removed
and disposed separately, leaving the
soil clean. Adequate quantities of soil
gas oxygen are required to ensure
that aerobic conditions enhance
rhizosphere degradation. Additional
research, complementing EPA's
efforts, continues to develop plant:
species that tolerate contaminants
and which show potential for
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contaminant destruction, removal, or
immobilization. Field studies are under
way in Oregon, Utah, Texas, and Ohio
to demonstrate and evaluate efficacy .
and cost.
Branch Chief:
John F. Martin
Phone: (513) 569-7758
Fax: (513) 569-7879
E-mail: martin.johnf@epamail, epa.go v
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SITE Management Support
Branch I
Mission
To provide engineering and scientific
assistance to EPA Regional Offices,
Program Offices, and others
associated with Superfund and RCRA
Corrective Action Sites. The Branch
addresses all areas of technology
involving remedial treatment.
Engineering Technical Support
Center
The Engineering Technical Support
Center (ETSC) is part of the Technical
Support Project, a joint effort by
OSWER, ORD, and the regions to
' provide technical assistance to
Regional Project Managers
implementing the Superfund program.
The ETSC responds to site-specific
requests from the regions to assist
with selection, evaluation, design, and
implementation of cleanup actions.
The range of assistance projects
covers technical reviews of work plans
and reports, screening of
technologies, conduct and oversight of
sampling and characterization,
treatability tests, technical input for
unilateral and consent orders, and
oversight of remedial action. Two to
three hundred assistance actions are
completed annually. ETSC also
provides technical support to the
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Program Office on program and policy
development related to cleanup
technologies and site remediation;
assistance is also provided fpr RCRA,
Brownfields, and voluntary cleanup
sites.
For more information about the Technical
Support Project, check out the
Internet Web Site at:
http://www.clu-in.com/tsp/tsp.htm
Superfund Technical Assistance
Response Team (START)
START provides in-depth, ongoing
technical support to remedial Project
Managers for Superfund sites. A
START project is a partnership
between Regional and ORD staff to
work cooperatively to accomplish
specific phases of work at the site,
such as technology screening through
remedy selection or Record of
Decision through post-remedy
monitoring.
START support is provided for highly
complex or high profile sites, potential
applications of innovative remedies,
and sites where remedial action is
expected to be costly or controversial.
Recent sites include a 400-square-
mile hardrock mining complex and
several wood treater sites with
multiple inorganic and organic
contaminants. START actions have
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assisted Regions in restarting stalled
remedial actions, selecting innovative
technologies, meeting strict timetables,
and achieving documented cost
savings.
Branch Chief:
Irish Erickson
Phone: (513) 569-7406
Fax: (513) 569-7676
E-mail:erickson.patricia@epamail.epa.gov
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Parti-.SITE Program
Introduction to the SITE Program
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) Superfund Innovative
Technology Evaluation (SITE)
Program was established by the
Agency's Office of Research and
Development (ORD) .and Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency
Response in response to the 1986
Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act, which recognized
a need for an "Alternative or
Innovative Treatment Technology
Research and Demonstration
Program." The SITE Program is
administered by ORD's National Risk
Management Research Laboratory,
headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The SITE Demonstration Program
encourages the evaluation and
implementation of (1) innovative
treatment technologies for hazardous
waste site remediation and (2)
monitoring and measurement of
environmental parameters related to
technology evaluations. In the SITE
Demonstration,Program, the
technology is field tested on
hazardous waste materials.
Engineering and cost data are
gathered on the innovative technology
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so that potential users can assess the
technology's applicability to a.
particular site. Data collected during
the field demonstration are used to
assess the performance of the
technology, the potential need for pre-
and post-processing of the waste,
applicable types of wastes and waste
matrices, potential operating
problems, and approximate capital
and operating costs.-At the conclusion
of a SITE demonstration, EPA
prepares an Innovative Technology
Evaluation Report, Technology
Capsule, and Demonstration Bulletin.
These reports evaluate all available
information on the technology and
analyze its overall applicability to other
site characteristics, waste types, and
waste matrices. Testing procedures,
performance and cost data, and
quality assurance and quality
standards are also presented.
SITE Program Manager:
Annette Gatchett
Phone: (513) 569-7697
Fax: (513) 569-7620
E-mail: gatchett.annett@epamail.epa.gov
For more information about the SITE
Program, check out the Internet Web Site at:
www.epa.gov/ORD/SITE
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Part 2: Contaminated
Sediments Program
EPA's recent National Sediment
Quality Survey reported that about
three-quarters of the watershed
sampling stations showed an interme-
diate or higher probability of adverse
effects on aquatic life or human
health. Aquatic sediments represent
the ultimate repository for many
contaminants in surface waters from
point and nonpoint sources. Removal
and/or treatment of the sediments
may be necessary in order to guaran-
tee the future health of the ecosystem.
Characteristics unique to sediments
(e.g., high moisture content, small
particle size, and significant organic
fraction) present numerous difficulties
for existing remediation technologies.
These characteristics, coupled with
the relatively low contaminant
concentrations and large volumes
requiring treatment, make the majority
of existing technologies impractical
from either an operational or
economic point of view. Research is
needed to evaluate the performance
of existing sediment management
options, including dredging, disposal,
and treatment. Research is also
needed to develop new sediment
management options for those
situations where current options are
either ineffective in adequately
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reducing risk or are not cost-effective.
LRPCD has selected four focus areas
for research on managing risks from
contaminated sediments. The first
area is improving our basic
understanding of the fate and
transport of contaminants in
sediments, specifically how intrinsic
processes influence risk. This area.
includes investigation of how natural
attenuation processes reduce the
health or environmental effects of the
contamination over time (dilution,
dispersion, microbial transformation,
deposition of clean sediments etc.).
The other three research areas
involve development and/or evaluation
of management approaches based on
the location of the sediments and
treatment/containment operations; in
situ, in confined disposal facilities, and
ex situ. Research is targeted
specifically at persistent contaminants,
including PAHs, PCBs, and metals.
Program Manager:
Dennis Timberlake
Phone: (513) 569-7547
Fax: (513) 569-7676
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E-mail address:
lastname.firstname@epamail.epa.gov
FAX: (513) 569-7105
Manufactured (MGP) Gas Plant
Treatment
Dick Brenner
(513)569-7657
Contaminated Sediments
Fred Bishop
(513)569-7629
Gregory Sayles
(513)569-7607
Carolyn Acheson
(513)569-7190
Paul McCauley
(513)569-7444
Bioventing
Gregory Sayles
(513)569-7607
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Compost Treatment
Carl Potter
(513)569-7231
John Glaser
(513) 569-7568
Paul McCauley
(513)569-7444
Oil Spill Program
Albert D. Venosa
(513)569-7668
John Haines
(513)569-7446
Land Treatment
Gregory Sayles
(513)569-7607
Carolyn Acheson
(513)569-7190
Bioslurry Treatment
John Glaser
(513)569-7568
Paul McCauley
(513)569-7444
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FAX: (513) 569-7879
Lasagna Technology
Hydraulic Fracturing
Michael Roulier
(513)569-7796
Biodegradation
Wendy Davis-Hoover
(513)569-7260
Soil Contaminant Interactions
Sorption Kinetics
Richard Griffiths
(513)569-7832
Metal Immobilization
James Ryan
(513)569-7653
Electrokinetics
Randy Parker
(513)569-7271
Containment Systems
Caps, Covers, Liners
David Carson
(513)569-7527
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Phytoremediation
Water Balance/Field Applications
Steven Rock
(513)569-7149
Plant Toxicity
James Ryan
(513)569-7653
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FAX: (513) 569-7676
Solidification/Stabilization
Remedial Design
Remedial Action
Edward Bates
(513)569-7774
Solidification/Stabilization
Radioactive Mixed Waste
Edward Barth
(513)569-7669
Solidification/Stabilization
Water Treatment Processes
PCB Destruction
Terry Lyons
(513)569-7589
Hazardous Waste Treatment
Site Characterization
Electrokinetic Processes
Tom Holdsworth
(513)569-7675
Thermal Processes
Marta Richards
(513)569-7692
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Soil Vapor Extraction and Related
Processes
Michelle Simon
(513)569-7469
SITE Program
Annette Gatchett
(513)569-7697
Contaminated Sediments Program
Dennis Timberlake
(513)569-7547
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