EPA542-N-97-C05
October 1997
Issue No. 27
agency Response
(51020
Overview of the Consortium
for Site Characterization
Technology
Energy Dispersive X-Ray
Fluorescence for Expedited
Site Characterization
ETV/CSCT Program
Solicitation
Expedited Site
Characterization (ESC) at
Soil Sites
Upcoming ETV/CSCT
Visitors' Days
The Applied Technologies
Newsletter for Superfund
Removals & Remedial
Actions & RCRA
Corrective Action
Overview of the
Consortium for Site
Characterization
Technology
As a pilot under EPA's Environmental
Technology Verification (ETV) Program,
the Consortium for Site Characterization
Technology (CSCT) was established to
increase the application of innovative site
characterization and monitoring technolo-
gies. The CSCT is one of 12 ETV pilots to
verify the performance of innovative
technical solutions to problems that threaten
human health or the environment. The
CSCT identifies, demonstrates, evaluates,
verifies, and transfers information about
innovative and alternative monitoring,
measurement, and site characterization
technologies through a defined process. As
an ETV pilot, the CSCT uses a third-party
verification organization to develop
demonstration plans, conduct evaluations,
and prepare technology evaluation reports.
This pilot uses the U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) National Laboratories at Oak
Ridge and Sandia.
The CSCT technology verification process
begins with the identification of user needs
expressed by the CSCT Board of Technol-
ogy Users, EPA regions, states, and other
verification organizations. Based on
identified user needs, the CSCT determines
the availability and appropriate level
of development of needed
technologies (all must be fully
mature and commercially
available), and invites
qualifying vendors to attend.
technology-specific confer-
This issue highlights the results of demonstrations of a
number of innovative technologies and processes for site
characterization at Superfund and other sites.
ences. The CSCT reviews vendor propos-
als and selects qualified participants to
work with the CSCT in developing test
plans. Field testing is conducted at two
sites, where "visitors' days" are held for the
public to view on-site demonstrations of
the selected technologies. Following field
tests, the CSCT prepares a verification
report and final report, including a formal
EPA verification statement for use by the
vendors and potential customers.
Technologies verified to date include the
Site Characterization and Analysis
Penetrometer System (SCAPS), the Rapid
Optical Screening Tool (ROST), and
energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence
(EDXRF). Two final reports, The Site
Consortium for Site
Caracterization Technology
Process
' Identify needs of user community
' Determine technology availability
' Determine appropriate level of
development
' Invite qualifying vendors to vendor
presentations
' Vendors submit simple proposals
' CSCT reviews proposals and selects
vendors
' Interested vendors work with
Verification Organization to develop
test plans
' Conduct field tests - two sites
' Prepare/review verification report
' Issue final report/EPA Verification
statement
' Conduct dissemination and outreach
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that
contains at least 50% recycled fiber
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Characterization and Analysis Penetrom-
eter System (SCAPS) Laser-Induced
Fluorescence (LIF) Sensor and Support
System (EPA/600/R-97/019) and The Rapid
Optical Screening Tool (ROST) Laser-
Induced Fluorescence (LIF) System for
Screening of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in
Subsurface Soils (EPA/600/R-97/020), are
available. The final report on EDXRF will
be finalized later this year.
CSCT verification statements, reports, and
other publications on site characterization
technologies are available on the ETV and
CLU-IN home pages. For more informa-
tion, contact Dan Powell (EPA Technology
Innovation Office) at 703-603-7196.
Energy Dispersive
X-Ray Fluorescence
for Expedited Site
Characterization
by Roger Henderson,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USAGE) has achieved considerable time
and costs savings in site characterization
by using a field-portable energy dispersive
x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) system in
conjunction with a global positioning
system (GPS). The combined system
enabled the USAGE to fully characterize
both the vertical and horizontal extent of
heavy metal contamination on eight firing
ranges at the Presidio of San Francisco
within five weeks, under a single field
mobilization. In contrast, the USAGE
estimates that a typical site characterization
approach using a fixed-based laboratory and
traditional investigation methods would
have required 2-3 field mobilizations spread
out over 1.5 years. The USAGE realized a
cost savings of $50,000-75,000 by using the
EDXRF/GPS approach.
Basic x-ray fluorescence analysis entails
the bombardment of soil samples by an x-
ray source, which results in an increased
excitement of atoms in the sample. Each
metal contained in the sample re-radiates
x-rays of a unique wavelength, and these
wavelength emissions are picked up by an
x-ray detector. At Presidio, the USAGE
used the Spectrace 9000 to analyze
multiple metals (lead, zinc, antimony.
copper, and barium) in each sample.
Developers of the Spectrace 9000
participated in a recent CSCT verification
project on which final results will be
issued later this year.
Field staff collected samples from a 40-ft.
x 40-ft. sampling grid at selected locations
based on information from historic maps.
traditional range usages, and experience
from other firing range sites, and located
specific sample points through use of a
portable GPS. The system produced
quantitative analytical results within 20
minutes of sample receipt and immediately
posted the results on computerized maps,
which dictated the vertical and horizontal
location of the following sample. This
process complied with decision criteria
requiring that each sample in which more
than 400 mg/kg of lead were detected be
followed by additional samples (each 1
foot deeper and 10-15 feet farther out than
the previous) until levels fell to less than
400 mg/kg.
The USAGE concluded this effort in
record time, and collected and analyzed
over 400 soil samples, which is far more
sampling than would have been completed
under traditional methods.
This iterative approach to site characteriza-
tion, coupled with on-site real time
analysis, provides distinct advantages over
traditional methods, including its extreme
flexibility for both sample collection and
analysis. At the eight Presidio firing
ranges, the USAGE completed site
characterization at a cost of approximately
$77,000, while a traditional approach may
have cost over $162,000. For more
information on the use of EDXRF/GPS
technology used at the Presidio, contact
Roger Henderson (USAGE, Sacramento
District) at 916-557-5378.
The USAGE is committed to informing.
encouraging, and supporting the consider-
ation and use of effective innovative
technologies for environmental investiga-
tion and remediation. Since 1989, the
USAGE Innovative Technology Advocate
Program has empowered USAGE districts
and divisions, laboratories, and the
Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste
Center of Expertise with direct responsibil-
ity for innovative technology development
and application. During fiscal year 1997.
the USAGE conducted more than 250
innovative technology projects under this
program. For more information on
innovative technologies within the
USAGE, contact Innovative Technology
Advocates Dr. Donna Kuroda at 202-761-
4335, Johnette Schockley at 402-697-2558,
or Jeff Breckenridge at 402-697-2577.
ETV/CSCT Program
Solicitation
This fall, the ETV/CSCT will issue a
technology needs statement on site charac-
terization and monitoring for consideration
in the 1998/1999 ETV/CSCT program. The
ETV/CSCT program seeks to accelerate the
development of environmental technology
through objective verification and reporting
of commercial-ready technologies. Twelve
ETV pilots, including the CSCT's efforts,
have been established or are being initiated;
the ETV/CSCT currently is planning
verification projects on sampling design
software, field extraction, and sampling
technologies during early 1998. Visit the
CLU-IN home page to view this CSCT
solicitation for vendor proposals, or contact
Steve Billets (EPA's National Exposure
Research Laboratory) at 702-798-2232. For
more information on the ETV Program.
visit the ETV home page at
http://www.epa.gov/etv.
Expedited
Site Characterization
(ESC) at Soil Sites
by Albert Bevolo, Ph.D.,
Ames Laboratory
Conventional site characterization
practice is typified by multiple field
investigations managed and performed by
various groups that focus on contaminant
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distribution using off-site analytical
services. The cost of this approach is
high, because it can takes year to accom-
plish compared to expedited site charac-
terization (ESC).
ESC is a proven methodology that utilizes
in-field decision-making, a dynamic work
plan, and real-time data acquisition and
interpretation. ESC incorporates several
key principles:
an experienced, multidisciplinary core
team of hands-on professionals that
plans the project and manages the field
investigations,
a dynamic work plan that uses on-site
data processing and interpretations by
these senior technical experts to ensure
effective decision-making,
a Phase I that focuses on the
hydrogeologic portion of the conceptual
site model (CSM) and utilizes multiple
Calendar
Environmental Clean Up Technologies
Conference: South Central Market-
place; November 13-14,1997; The
Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, LA;
800-783-3870, e-mail
joann.m.saville@cpmx.saic.com, or
the World Wide Web site http://
www.clu-in.com.
SuperfundXVIII; December 2-4,
1997; Sheraton Washington Hotel,
Washington, DC; 301-593-5500 or the
World Wide Web site http://
www.ejkrause.com/enviroshows.
Third Annual SEKDP Symposium;
December 3-5,1997; Washington
Hilton Hotel, Washington, DC; 703-
736-4548 or the World Wide Web site
http://www.hgl.com/serdp.
Bioavailability: Quantifying the Real
Toxicity of Common Soil Contami-
nants; December 11-12,1997;
Radisson Resort, Scottsdale, AZ;
508-481-6400, e-mail
inq@ibcusa.com, or the World Wide
Web site http://www.ibcusa.com/
conf/bioavailability.
methods, such as geophysical tech-
niques, borehole logging, and direct push
technologies (DPT), and
a Phase II, which begins only after the
hydrogeologic portion of the CSM is
complete, that focuses on the chemical
contaminant portion of the CSM.
Since 1993, the Ames Laboratory ESC
team, supported by the DOE Office of
Environmental Management (EM), has
implemented soil and ground-water
projects involving contaminants such as
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs), volatile organics, petroleum
products, dense non-aqueous phase
liquids (DNAPLs), pesticides, radioac-
tive isotopes, and RCRA metals. The
team's biggest success to date occurred
at the Savannah River Site (SRS) D
Area oil seepage basin assessment. This
project involved 13 contaminants, an
extensive hydrogeology investigation,
three on-site laboratories, and a 14-day
ground- water investigation, and resulted
in regulatory acceptance of ESC. Based
on these SRS results, DOE plans to use
ESC for all future SRS site assessments,
currently budgeted at $650,000,000.
The ASTM standard guide (PS 86-96)
contains a comprehensive explanation of
ESC. At several demonstration sites, ESC
has resulted in cost savings of 30-50%
and savings in time of 30-80%. Regula-
tors are accepting ESC because of DOE's
proactive, open strategy to involve them
and ESC's demonstrated ability to move
the cleanup ahead of schedule, while
providing for improved data quality to
support better remedial decisions.
Soil contamination was recently investi-
gated at the DOE Central Nevada Test
Area. Most of the surface structures had
been decommissioned, but surface and
subsurface drilling mud pits and shaker
pads were left for assessment. A geo-
physical investigation used electromag-
netic surface geophysical measurements,
combined with percussive electrical
conductivity probing, to optimize the
sampling strategy. Depth-specific mud
layers in covered pits and shaker debris
runoff could be located. Total petroleum
hydrocarbon (TPH) diesel and hexavalent
chromium (Cr) were the contaminants of
potential concern. Nearly 1,000 soil
samples were taken with percussive DPT
to depths of 20 feet in the sandy high-
desert soils over a period of 22 days.
One mobile lab tracked TPH diesel using
U.S. EPA Method 8015A. Early gas
chromatography (GC) results indicated
the presence of a motor oil component of
TPH. Having senior decision-makers in
the field made it easy to incorporate the
additional measurements. Eight sites
would have been misidentified as below
regulatory concern without consideration
of the TPH motor oil.
The second mobile lab tracked total Cr by
flame atomic absorption and x-ray
fluorescence and hexavalent Cr by wet
chemistry. The latter techniques allowed a
quick determination that eight sites with
high total Cr were actually below the
hexavalent Cr preliminary action level.
For additional information, contact Dr.
Albert Bevolo (Ames Laboratory, Ames,
IA) at 515-294-5414, 515-294-6963 (fax),
or e-mail bevolo@ameslab.gov.
Upcoming ETV/CSCT
Visitors' Days
The ETV/CSCT will sponsor three
visitors' days in various cities over the
coming months. As an ETV pilot
program, the CSCT focuses on increasing
the use of innovative characterization
technologies at contaminated sites. The
upcoming visitors' days will focus on
sampling design software, field extrac-
tion, and sampling technologies. Develop-
ers of commercially-ready, fully mature
technologies in any of these areas are
invited to contact Steve Billets (EPA's
National Exposure Research Laboratory)
at 702-798-2232 to inquire about submit-
ting proposals and participating in the
initial developers' conferences.
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r
Road Map to Understanding Innovative Technology Options for Brownfields Investigation and Cleanup (PB97144810) and
the companion Tool Kit of Information Resources for Brownfields Investigation and Cleanup (PB97144828) identify the
range of technology options and EPA resources available to brownfields stakeholders. Full text of these documents is
provided on the CLU-IN home page. Copies also may be obtained from the National Technical Information Service at
703-487-4650 for a cost of $25 and $35, respectively.
Vendor Field Analytical and Characterization Technologies System (Vendor FACTS), Version 3.0, is scheduled for release
in November 1997. Vendor FACTS is a searchable, electronic "yellow-pages" of field analytical technologies. The Vendor
FACTS database may be downloaded through the CLU-IN home page; for further information, contact the Vendor FACTS
help line at 800-245-4505.
EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is developing site-specific engineering guides to assess
and clean up brownfields sites. The guides will address three brownfields site types, as well as cost estimating techniques.
For more information, contact Joan Colson (NRMRL) at 513 569-7501.
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5102G)
EPA 542-N-97-005
October 1997
Issue No. 27
EPA TECH TRENDS
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