United States
                            Environmental Protection
                            Agency
                           Office of Water
                           (WH-585)
            EPA-823-N92-001
            Number 9
            August t993
                           Contaminated
                           Sediments  News'
               Science Advisory Board Reviews
                      Inland Testing Manual
 On July 7-8, 1993, EPA's Science
 Advisory Board (SAB) met in
 Washington, DC, to review the draft
 document, Evaluation of Dredged
 Material Proposed for Discharge in
 Inland and Near Coastal Waters -
 Testing Manual (Inland Testing
 Manual). The Inland Testing Manual
 is a joint U.S. Army Corps of Engi-
 neers-EPA document that will
 provide national guidance on evaluat-
 ing potential contaminant-related
 environmental impacts of proposed
 discharges of dredged material into
 waters of the U.S.              "  "

 The charge to the SAB requested that
 the review should focus on the
 adequacy of the technical methods
"and their organization in the Inland
  Inside this issue...

  Headquarters Activities	2

  Regional Activities	5

  Focus: Sediment Toxicity
         Bioassays...	....6

  Creature Feature	8

  ORD Activities	:.	8

  Relevant Publications	;..11
   oEWV  Evaluation of Dredged Material
   fEBj   Proposed For Discharge in Inland
   SSL.  and Near Coastal Waters-Testing
   •"•"-   Manual (Draft)
         Inland Testing Manual
 Testing Manual. The SAB's report is
 expected to be transmitted to the EPA
 Administrator in October. The
 workgroup of 20 Corps and EPA
 headquarters, field, and research staff
 who generated the current draft will
 reconvene to address both field and
 SAB comments this fall.

 Issues discussed by SAB during the
 review included: phytotoxicity testing,
 the "reference sediment" approach used
 in the document for comparing test
 results, testing for microbial pathogens,
 "Tier IV" chronic and field studies,
 bioaccumulation tests, sampling
 guidance, and the STFATE mixing
 zone model. For more information
.contact Mike Kravitz at (202) 260-8085.
                                     Contaminated Sediment
                                       Activities Timeline
 July 20-22. Assessment and Management
 Seminar. Sponsored by USAGE and
 USEPA. Holiday Inn, Ann Arbor, ML
 Contact Larry Bird at (601) 634-4148.

 September 12-17. 9th International
 Conference on Heavy Metals in the
 Environment, Toronto, Canada. Contact
 Heavy Metals Secretariat, CEP Consult-
 ants Ltd., 26-28 Albany St., Edinburgh
 EH13QH, U.K.

 September 19-24. 1st International
 IAWPRC Conference on Diffuse (NFS)
 Pollution: Sources. Prevention, Impact-
 and Abatement, Chicago, IL. Contact Dr.
 Vladimir Novotny, IAWPRC Conference,
 Marquette University, at (414) 288-3524.

 October 2-7. Water Environment
 Federation Annual Conference, Anaheim,
 CA. Contact Maureen Novotne, WEF, at
 (703) 684-2400.

 October 4-7. QA Challenges:  Bridging
 Science and Compliance, San Francisco,
 ".A. 9th Annual Meeting of the Society
 of Quality Assurance. Contact SQ A
 Headquarters at (703) 914-0835.

 October 17-20. 20th Annual Aquatic
 Toxicity Workshop, Quebec City, Quebec.
 Contact Peter Campbell. FAX: (418) 654-
 2562.

 November 13-14. ASTM.  Sediment
 ^oxicology Subcommittee meeting.
 Westin Galleria, Houston, TX.  Contact
 Chris Ingersoll at (314) 875-5399.

 November 14-18. 14th Annual Meeting.
 'ociety of Environmental Toxicology and
 ".hemlstiy. Westin Galleria, Houston,
TX. Contact Philip Dorn, Shell Develop-
ment Company, at (713) 493-7213.
                                                                         Recycled/Recyclable
                                                                         Printed on paper that contains
                                                                         at least 50% recycled fiber

-------
  EPA  Headquarters
       National Sediment
 Contaminant Source Inventory

EPA's Contaminated Sediment
Management Strategy calls for the
development of an inventory of point
and non-point source discharges of
contaminants which lead to the
formation of contaminated sediments.
The Office of Science and Technol-
ogy initiated work on the National
Sediment Contaminant Source
Inventory (NSCSI) almost a year ago
and is now preparing a report that
will identify and rank chemicals,
geographic areas, and industries of
concern which contribute to the
formation of contaminated sediments,
as well as demonstrate the usefulness
of this information in selected appli-
cations to characterize the potential
extent and management of contami- •
natcd sediments.

Selected uses of the NSCSI include:

1)  incorporation of the data in the
    National Sediment Inventory to
    identify relationships and data
    gaps between pollutant dis-
    charges and sediment quality
    information;

2)  in effluent guidelines develop-
    ment to aid in the selection of
    industries and pollutants for
    regulation;

3) in permitting, to aid in the
    identification of areas and '
    chemicals of concern for the
    development of permits to protect
    sediment quality; and
4) in enforcement to identify
   sources
   potentially
   responsible
   for sediment
   contamina-
   tion and/or
   fish advisories.
A draft report detailing the methodol-
ogy and applications of the NSCSI,
specifically point source discharges,
will be available this fall. Investiga-
tion of non-point source discharges
(urban, agricultural and atmospheric)
will take place this fall and whiter.
Both reports will be peer reviewed
before release to the general public.

For more information contact
Catherine Fox at (202) 260-1327.

Office of Wastewater
Enforcement and Compliance

Sediment Quality-Based NPDES
Permit Limits

One component of EPA's Draft
Contaminated Sediment Management
Strategy addresses prevention of
sediment contamination. EPA
believes .that one way to prevent
sediment contamination through the
implementation of NPDES permit
limits. Sediment quality at a given
site can be specified by establishing
chemical-specific sediment quality
criteria.  EPA is currently developing
the capability to derive chemical-
specific effluent limitations that will
protect sediment quality.

Sediment Quality-Based Modeling

The ability to identify point sources
of sediment contamination and to
determine what decreases in pollutant
loadings are needed to protect sedi-
 ment quality is essential to meet water
 quality standards through effluent
 limitations. A number of existing
 water quality models are quite helpful
 in understanding sediment dynamics
 in specific waterbodies, but they may
 be too complex for routine use by
'regulatory authorities for deriving,
 sediment quality-based effluent
 limits. To meet the need for a sedi-
 ment quality-based modeling proce-
 dure that is sophisticated enough to  be
 scientifically sound, yet simple
 enough for routine regulatory use, the
 Office of Wastewater Enforcement
 and Compliance (OWEC) is support-
 ing test applications and modifica-
 tions of EPA's SMPTOX3E model.
 SMPTOX3E is a one-dimensional,
 steady-state mass balance model that
 predicts particulate and dissolved-
 phase toxic chemical concentrations
 in the water column and bedded
 sediments based on loadings data.

 Lake Charles, Louisiana, Test
 Application

 The SMPTOX3E model was applied
 at an industrial site near Lake
 Charles, Louisiana. An industrial
 plant at the site discharged four
 hydrophobic organic
 chemicals-hexachlorobenzene(HCB),
 hexachlorobutadiene  (HCBD),
 hexachloroethane (HCE), and 1,2,4-
   G$New$te produced by Etffc'
   on contaminated sediments
   and to Increase eomitmniea-
   tfonamorcg interested parties.
   To obtain copies of this re-
   port orio contribute inf orraa-
   tlon> ooittaet Beverly Bakery
   EPA HO, at (202)a6p-7037,

-------
                               Study Site at Lake Charles, Louisiana
trichloroethane (l,2,4-T)-through an
effluent/cooling water canal into
Bayou d'Inde, a tributary to the
Calcasieu River Estuary. The pur-
pose of the field application was to
test the ability of the SMPTOX3E
model to describe chemical concen-
trations in the water column and
bedded sediments resulting from
effluent discharges. The model
required Site-specific information
•including flow and loading input,
physical transport parameters, and
information on kinetic processes.  ;
Field data were .available for effluent
and ambient toxic chemical concen-
trations, including tissue residues in
selected resident biota. These field
data were not acquired for the pur-
pose of supporting the model test
application, but to support validation
of a proposed EPA protocol for
assessment, criteria development,  and
control of bioconcentratable contami-
nants in surface waters.
Given data uncertainties and assump-
tions in the modeling framework,
modeling results were reasonably
consistent with both water column
and sediment observed concentrations
in Bayou d'Inde and with water
column observed concentrations in
the canal. There were large inconsis-
tencies between model results and
observations of toxic chemical
concentrations in the canal sediments.

Two hypotheses, based on anecdotal
data, may explain the discrepancy
between the model results and
observed concentrations in the canal
sediments. • The first hypothesis is
that there may be an undocumented
ground-water source of chemicals to
the canal. Anecdotal reports indicate
that historically large quantities of
wastes were landfilled near the canal.
Given that large amounts of water are
flushed through the relatively  small
canal, a significant ground water
                loading could
                elevate sediment
                concentrations
                substantially with-
                out noticeably
                affecting water
                column concentra-
                tions. An analysis
                of the model com-
                ponents showed that
                water column
                concentrations in
                the canal would be
                quite insensitive to
                chemical concentra-
               .tions in the bedded
                sediments.

                The  second hypoth-
                esis for explaining
                the disequilibrium  ..
                in the canal is that
                the observed
sediment concentrations in the canal
have not had sufficient time to ,      ,
recover from historical wastewater
loadings, which reportedly were
orders of magnitude higher than
present levels.  This hypothesis _could
not be confirmed because no histori-
cal loadings data were .available.

Conclusions from the Test Application

Two of the major conclusions drawn
from the SMPTOX3E test application
at the Lake Charles site are as follows:

First,'any future test site applications,
and accompanying'data collection,.
should focus on attempting to vali-
date the model process mechanisms.
For example, emphasis should be
placed on validating that the model
, correctly reflects the controlling
sediment partitioning  mechanisms
and provides reasonable representa-
tion of water column responses to a

-------
range of hydraulic conditions. The
characteristics of the site and the
available data should determine
whether steady-state and/or time
variable models would be most
appropriate for this validation. A
time-variable model is appropriate
when temporal disequilibrium exists
between external loadings and
sediment concentrations.

Second, in the Lake Charles test
application, steady-state model results
were consistent with observed data
for areas where chemical concentra-
tions were assumed to be in equilib-
rium with present loads. Conse-
quently, steady-state models, such as
SMPTOX3E, are well suited for
effluent permitting purposes where
the objective is to determine the long-
term average effluent loading re-
         quired to maintain sediment quality
         criteria. Any steady-state model used
         for permitting purposes should be
         based on the same scientific prin-
         ciples and should contain the same
         process mechanisms as those models
         field-validated in more extensive test
         site applications.

         Future Actions

         OWEC is planning to support a
         second model test application on the
         Blackstone River, which runs through
         Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
         The Blackstone River receives
         discharges from a number of indus-
         trial and municipal sources and has
         documented problems with metals
         contamination of sediments. The test
         application will include both time-
         variable and steady-state
                     (SMPTOX3E) models. It will focus
                     on validating that the model correctly
                     characterizes the controlling metals-
                     partitioning mechanisms and reason-
                     ably predicts water column responses
                     to loadings from effluent discharges.

                     In the future, OWEC plans to make
                     the SMPTOX3E model and accompa-
                     nying sediment quality-based permit-
                     ting guidance available to permit
                     writers and the general public.  This
                     package will provide permit writers
                     with the tools they need to address
                     the prevention of sediment contami-
                     nation and protection of sediment
                     quality through the NPDES program.

                     For more information on sediment
                     quality-based NPDES permitting, call
                     Greg Currey, OWEC, at (202) 260-
                     1718.
            i—
      Advecttan
                Photolysis
                  •4—
                   Decay
       Dlspottlon
                   Decay
                            Loads and Flows:
                            1) Point Source
                            2) Non-Point Source
                            3) Tributary
                 I
                . ni
                 .H
   Chemical on
Paniculate Organic
Carbon (ug/kg O.CJ
                               .c
                               o
                               I/I
Koc
                                                 Atmosphere
                                                                 	1
                                                                  Advection
  Chemical in
Dissolved Phase
     (ug/l)
   Chemical on
Paniculate Organic
Carbon {ug/kg 6.C.)
                                                       Koc
                                                                                       Photolysis
                                                                                        Decay
                                                                                                Dispersion
                                                                              Water Column
                Chemical in
              Dissolved Phase
                   (ug/l)
                                                                                        Decay
                                                                              Active Sediment
                                       SYMPTOX3E Conceptual Framework

                                                       4

-------
  Regional Activities
REGION 6

The Region is overseeing a project to
assess ambient water and sediment
quality for the Houston Ship Channel
System, focusing primarily on its
tributaries.  This supplementary
environmental project (SEP) is being
conducted by the City of Houston as
required by a Consent Decree be-
tween the City  and EPA for past
discharge permit violations.  The
project will include sediment sam-
pling for priority pollutants, TOC,
AVS, and grain size at approximately
35 sites.  Toxicity testing using
Ampelisca and mysids will be con-
ducted to assess
cumulative toxic
impacts of
sediments.
Dioxin will also
be analyzed at
several of these
sites. The
results will be used to determine the
contaminants of greatest risk to
aquatic life and human health.  For
more information contact Philip
Crocker at (214) 655-6644.

REGION 9

Region 9 and EPA's Environmental
Research Laboratory (ERL) in
Newport, Oregon, are now in the
process of completing an Ecological
Assessment of pesticide-contami-
nated sediments in Richmond Harbor
(United Heckathorn Superfund Site)
located in San Francisco Bay. At this
site, the California State "Mussel
2.3.7.8-Tetrachloro-
  dibenzodioxin
                                                          DDT
                                       H
                                            CI
                                       H
                                            Cl
                                       Dieldrin
Watch" Program
has measured
the highest
bioaccumulated
levels of DDTs
and dieldrin
ever recorded
since the
program started.
The Ecological
Assessment
included: (1)
bulk sediment
toxicity testing;
(2) benthic infauna community
analyses; (3) bioaccumulation testing;
and (4) chemical analyses of surface
waters, sediments, and tissues of
benthic organisms, fish, and shellfish
collected by trawls. A major goal of
this study was to determine the
predictive relationships between
sediment contaminant concentrations
and concentrations in other media.
This relationship will allow the
determination of a sediment clean-up
concentration that will result in the
attainment of protective contaminant
levels in fish and shellfish tissues.
Results to date include the finding
that the DDT sediment concentrations
necessary to achieve criteria for
protecting human health and fish-
eating birds were about 10-fold lower
than those required to protect the
benthos in this relatively shallow and
enclosed harbor. For additional
information, contact Andrew Lincoff
(Region 9) at (415) 744-2245, Dr.
Henry Lee (ERL) at (503) 867-4042,
or Dr. Brian Melzian (Region 9) at
(415)744-1161.

Recently, Region 9 worked with the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps), South Pacific Division, Los
Angeles District and San Francisco
District to publish Regional Imple-
mentation Agreements for the Ocean
Dumping Program. The agreements
provide specific guidance on sedi-
ment sampling, testing, and reporting
for ocean dumping projects in Cali-
fornia. Comments were due to the
Los Angeles District by June 30,
1993, and comments were due to the
San Francisco District by July 12,
1993. To receive copies of these
agreements, contact Tiffany Welch
(Corps Los Angeles District) at (805)
641-1127, Wade Eakle (Corps San
Francisco District) at (415) 744-3036,
or Patrick Cotter (EPA Region 9) at
(415)744-1163.

In the future the
U.S. Navy plans to
home-port
many ships at
its San Diego
Bay facilities
because of base
closures along the
west coast. Rear Admiral F.K.
Holian (Commander Naval Base)
holds quarterly meetings with federal
and state regulatory and resource
agencies to discuss the Navy's
projects. Region 9 and the Corps' s
Los Angeles District participate in
these meetings to coordinate on the
Navy's dredging projects. The
quarterly meetings provide the Navy
with early comments on its proposed
dredging projects. This successful
strategy also keeps the resource and
regulatory agencies advised of the
Navy's priority projects to meet their
base realignment schedule. For
additional information, contact Dan
Muslin (Navy San Diego) at (619)
532-3403, Patrick Cotter (EPA
Region 9) at (415) 744-1163, or
David Zoutendyk (Corps Los Ange-
les District) at (619) 455-9414.

-------
                      FOCUS:
                         Sediment
                           Toxicity
                              Bioassays
          Summary of Round Robin Testing of
             Draft USEPA National Sediment
                  Toxicity Test Methods
EPA's Office of Science and Tech-
nology is developing test procedures
for measuring the toxicity and
bioaccumulation of contaminated
sediment with freshwater, estuarine,
and marine invertebrates. As part of
this development process, the draft
methods are being
evaluated, in part,
via round robin
testing. The
freshwater acute
toxicity test
methods for the
amphipod
Hyalella azteca
and the midge
Chironomiis
tentans were tested in a round robin
design with up to 11 government
research laboratories, environmental
consultants, and universites partici-
Chironomus tentans
pating. The assays were evaluated in
two phases, including a water-only
reference toxicant (KC1) exposure for
4 days and a whole sediment 10 d
exposure using reference and con-
taminated field sediments. The
preliminary evaluation of inter-
laboratory variance showed the draft
methods to be very promising.
Measured coefficients of variation
were similar or better than those
reported for other effluent toxicity or
chemical methods. The results will
be presented in the national methods
document and presented at the
Annual Meeting of the Society of
Environmental Toxicology and
Chemistry, Houston, Texas, in
November 1993. For more informa-
tion on the results of the round robin
testing.contact Dr. Allen Burton at
(513)873-2201.
     U.S. Army Corps of
       Engineers Host
 Workshop: "A Developmental
    Paradigm for Sediment
     Toxicity Bioassays"

On June 16-17, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers held a workshop to
discuss a paradigm for developing
sediment toxicity bioassays. Work-
shop participants included scientists
and program staff from EPA and
Corps research laboratories, Regional
and District offices, and Headquarters
offices. Scientists associated with
contract laboratories, universities, and
Environment Canada also attended
the workshop.  Workshop participants
discussed various phases in the
process of bioassay development for
regulatory program use.  Phases
included such activities as initial
scoping by test proponents, labora-.
tory research, evaluation by multiple
laboratories, final test protocol
development, and protocol evaluation
by regulating agencies. A Corps of
Engineers Technical note is being
developed on this process. For more
information contact Tom Dillon at
(601) 634-3922.

-------
     Meeting Held to Discuss
         Statistical  Issues
         Related to Use of
   Whole Sediment Bioassays

 On June 2, a meeting was held in
 Washington, DC, to discuss statistical
 guidance for the standard toxicity and
 bioaccumulation tests that are being
 developed for the Agency.  Individuals
 writing the freshwater and marine
 manuals met with EPA program office
 staff to discuss how the tests will be
 used in the various programs. Specific
 program office testing needs addressed
 at the meeting included: (l)'Office of
 Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
 (sediment toxicity and
 bioaccumulation), (2) Office of Pollu-
 tion Prevention and Toxic Substances
 (sediment spiking), (3) Office of
 Pesticide Programs (bioaccumulation,
 sediment spiking), (4) Office of
 Emergency and Remedial Response
 (Superfund; toxicity and
 bioaccumulation, spiked sediment-
 bioaccumulation), (5) Office of Solid
 Waste (toxicity and bioaccumulation),
 and (6) Office of Wastewater Enforce-
 ment and Compliance (toxicity and
 bioaccumulation, sediment spiking-
 bioaccumulation). Three case studies
 were discussed:

 1)  comparison of a contaminated
    sediment to a reference or control
    sediment,

 2)  spiked-sediment toxicity tests, and

 3)  bioaccumulation tests.

 Statistical guidance in the manuals will
 include (1) power of the test  and
 number of replicates, (2) minimum
 detectable differences, (3) hypothesis
 testing, (e.g., ANOVA), (4) point
 estimates (e.g., LC50), and (5) kinetics
 for bioaccumulation tests. The statisti-
cal guidance for interpretation of test
results is currently being incorporated
into the freshwater and marine manuals
scheduled for completion in October.
  For more information, contact Tom
  Armitage at (202) 260-5388.
     EPA/Corps of Engineers
  Technical Panel Convened to
    Evaluate Use of Amphipod
   Bioassays for Evaluation of
        Sediment Toxicity

 On June 18, a technical panel of
 experts selected by EPA and the U.S.
 Army Corps of Engineers met in
 Denver, Colorado to discuss the use
 of amphipod bioassays for evaluating
 the toxicity of dredged material. The
 panel included scientists from a
 number of different laboratories who
 have worked on the development of
 amphipod bioassay protocols, con-
 tractors who conduct amphipod
 bioassays, and program managers and
 staff from several EPA and Corps
 offices. The panel was convened to
 discuss potential interfering effects
 such as ammonia and hydrogen
 sulfide toxicity, and sensitivity to
 grain size in amphipod bioassays.
 Panel members supported the contin-
 ued use of the amphipod bioassays
 for evaluation of sediment toxicity,
 and data were presented to show that
 amphipod laboratory toxicity test
 results correlate well with environ- -
 mental effects observed in the field.
 However, it was noted that the
 amphipod laboratory tests are
 probably not sufficiently sensitive
 to predict some unacceptably adverse
 effects in the field.  It was determined
 that adequate data describing poten-
 tial interfering effects are available to
 provide acceptable ranges  of test
 application conditions for a number
of amphipod species. Standard
amphipod toxicity test method
protocols to be completed
by EPA this year will include
this information. For more infor-
mation, contact Tom Armitage
at (202) 260-5388.
   Standardization of National
       USEPA Methods for
   Measuring the Toxicity and
       Bioaccumulation of
      Sediment-associated
       Contaminants with
    Freshwater Invertebrates

 A draft USEPA manual describing
 procedures will be completed in
 October for testing freshwater organ-
 isms to evaluate the toxicity or
 bioaccumulation of contaminants
 associated with whole sediment.
 Toxicity methods are outlined in the
 manual for two organisms, the amphi-
 pod Hyalella azateca and the midge
 Chironomus tertians.  Toxicity tests
 are: (1) conducted for 10 d in 300-mL
 chambers containing 100 mL of
 sediment and 175 mL of overlying
 water, (2) overlying water is renewed
 daily, (3) organisms are fed during the
 tests, and (4) endpoints monitored are
 survival and growth. Bioaccumulation
 methods are outlined in the manual for
 the oligochaete Lwnbriculus
 variegatus. Bioaccumulation tests are:
 (1) conducted for 28 d, (2) overlying
 water is renewed daily, (3) test organ-
 isms are not fed, and (4) methods are
 described for determining bio-
 accumulation kinetics during 28-day
 exposures. Performance-based criteria
 are used to determine acceptability of a
 test. Performance criteria include: (1)
 survival of control organisms  at the
 end of a test, (2) response of test
 organisms to reference toxicants, (3)
 size of the test organisms at the start
 and end of a test, (2) maintenance of
 sediment and water quality characteris-
 tics during a test. For more informa-
 tion, contact Tom Armitage at (202)
260-5388.

-------
     ORD Activities
ERL-Narragansett/Newport

ERL Narragansett/Newport is cur-
rently working on the following
sediment research issues:

Extrapolation from Laboratory
to Field Effects:  Case Studies
with Contaminated Sediments

Segment toxicity to the amphipod
Eohaustoriits estuarius and the
abundance of benthic amphipods were
examined along a sediment contami-
nation gradient on theLauritzen
Channel, Santa Fe Channel, and
Richmond Inner Harbor area of San
Francisco.

Toxicity and the abundance of
amphipods, except Grandidierella
japonica, were inversely related to
sediment contamination by dieldrin
and the sum of
DDT metabolites
(SDDT). The
maximum concen-
trations of dieldrin
and ZDDT in
toxic units were
0.018 and 9.43,
respectively,
indicating that
EDDT was the
dominant
ecotoxicological factor. For more
information contact Faith Cole at
(503) 867-4023.

Fish Reproduction

Investigators are determining the
reproductive effects of sediment
toxicants on winter flounder
(Pleuronectes americanus) and
killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus).
The approach includes:
•  The effects
   of coplanar
   PCBson
   reproduction
   (field and
   laboratory
   studies);

•  Dioxin
   dietary
   uptake and
   reproductive effects;
»  Incorporation of reproductive
  • data into demographic models to
   predict population effects;

•  Other biomarker responses-
   immune suppression, DNA ad-
   ducts, calcium cycling, and cell-
   to-cell communication and their
   relation to reproductive failure.

Results to date include the following:

•  Coplanar PCBs reduce egg
   reproduction in killifish, and

•  Decreased gonadotrophin (a
   pituitary hormone that controls
   oocyte growth and maturation)
   has been observed.

For more information call Diane
Black at (401) 782-3096.

Accumulation and Trophic
Transfer of Sediment-
Associated Contaminants

Investigators are elucidating the
relationships between chemical
contaminants in sediments and
organisms at various trophic levels.
These studies have included:

•  Laboratory food-chain studies
   with field-collected sediments
   that investigate the relationships
   between sediments, polychaetes,
   and lobsters with respect to
   dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans,
   and PCBs (including the coplanar
   congeners);
•  The relative importance of
   sediment versus food exposures;

•  BSAF measurements;

•  Changes in contaminant ratios
   with food chain level; and

•  TEF calculations.

For more information call Richard
Pruell at (401) 782-3091.
         Creature
          Feature
   This creature spends part of its life
   inside grasshoppers and beetles
   (sometimes humans if you're
   unlucky) before settling down in
   a nice freshwater puddle or
   stream.  Answer on p. 11.

-------
EWIAP at ERL-Narragansett

EMAP activities through ERL-
Narragansett include:
•  Virginian Province monitoring
   since 1990,
•  NY/NJ Harbor R-EMAP Project,
•  DE/MD Inland Bays Project,
•  New Bedford Superfund
   remediation monitoring design,
•  Interaction in design of National
   Estuary Program monitoring, and
•  Joint assessment with Chesa-
   peake Bay Program.

Results from 1990 Virginian Prov-
ince are available (95 percent confi-
dence intervals)
Benthic community
•   16-30 percent of province area
   degraded
Sediment toxicity
•  3-13 percent of area with survival
   <80%
•  24-40 percent of area small
   systems (<260 km2) with survival
   <80%
Sediments contaminants
•  27-45 percent of area with at least
   one metal >ER-L
•  2-12 percent of area with at least
   one metal >ER-M
•  8-16 percent of area with at least
   one pesticide >ER-L
•  0-2 percent of area with at least
   one pesticide >ER-M

The 1991 data will be available
shortly.  For more information call
John Paul, ERL-Narragansettj
at (401) 782-3037.
             ASTM  UPDATE
The ASTM Subcommittee E47.03 on Sediment Toxicology met
Tuesday, April 27, and Wednesday, April 28, 1993, in Atlanta,
Georgia, during the 3rd Annual ASTM Symposium on Environ-
mental Toxicology and Risk Assessment. Ballot results on stan-
dards were discussed during the Subcommittee meeting for:

(1) Terminology (control sediment,water, pore water);
(2) Revisions to E1383 (freshwater invertebrate toxicity); Annex
    4 on Daphnia and Ceriodaphnia on Diporeia;
(3) Polychaete testing;
(4) Earthworm testing;
(5) E1525-93 (Sediment design); and
(6) Statistical guidance.

Subcommittee ballots are pending for (1) Invertebrate
bioaccumulation (not reballoted since spring 1991) and (2) Fish
bioaccumulation (not reballoted since spring 1992). The activities
of the following Task Groups were also discussed: (1) E1391-90
(Sediment collection, manipulation), (2) Sediment resuspension,
(3) Reference toxicants, (4) Echinoderm and oyster testing, and (5)
Bacteria testing.

Betsy Southerland of the USEPA Office of Science and Technol-
ogy is interested in balloting proposed USEPA methods for fresh-
water and marine toxicity and bioaccumulation sediment testing.
These USEPA manuals should be balloted after the next Subcom-
mittee meeting.

The next Subcommittee meeting will be Saturday, November 13
(AM/PM) and Sunday, November 14 (AM, if necessary), 1993,
before the 14th  annual meeting of SET AC at the Westin Galleria
in Houston, Texas. Contact Chris Ingersqll at (314) 875-5399,
FAX (314) 876-1896, if you would  like more information con-
cerning the Subcommittee meeting or the activities of the Subcom-
mittee.

-------
   Hazardous  Substance Research

     Center/South  and  Southwest

The Hazardous Substance Research Center/South and Southwest held its serai-annual
meeting of the Scientific-Advisory and Training and Technology Transfer Committees at
Georgia Institute of Technology on February 1-3,1993. The Center, which is a consortium
composed of Louisiana State University (LSU), Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT), and
Rice University (Rice), focuses its research efforts on contaminated sediments and dredged
materials, as well as hazardous materials problems unique to EPA Regions 4 and 6.  Re-
search results generated by the nine basic research projects and one technology transfer
project during the first year of funding were presented.

The currently funded research projects, by university, are:

•  Mobility and Transport of Radium in Sediment and Waste Pits, LSU

•  An Investigation of Chemical Transport from Porous Contaminated Sediment through
   Porous Containment Structures, LSU

•  Pollutant Fluxes to Aquatic Systems via Coupled Biological and Physicochemical Bed-
   Sediment Processes, LSU

•  Contaminant Transport Across Cohesive Sediment Interfaces, GIT

•  Investigation on the Fate and Biotransformation of Hexachlorobutadiene and Chlo-
   robenzenes in a Sediment-Water Estuarine System", GIT

•  Development of an Integrated-Optic Interferometer for'InSitu Monitoring of Volatile
   Hydrocarbons, GIT

•  Bioremediation of Contaminated Sediments and Dredged Material, Rice

•  Role of Panicles in Mobilizing Hazardous Chemicals in Urban Runofff, Rice, and

•  Effect of Natural Dynamic Changes on Pollutant-Sediment Interactions, Rice.

The technology transfer project, Fostering Pollution Prevention in Mid-Sized Firms:
Strategies for More Effective Technology Transfers, is being conducted by researchers at
Georgia Tech.

The Center receives its funding primarily from USEPA's Office of Research and Develop-
ment. The Project Officer is Dr. Dale Manty. For more information about the Center and
its projects, contact Rosalind Segesta in care of the Hazardous Substance Research Center,
College of Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; phone (504)
388-6770, FAX (504) 388-5990.
                                  10

-------
                     Relevant Publications
             Remediation Document  is Available

        This document, Selecting Remediation Techniques for Contaminated Sedi-
        ment, June 1993, (EPA-823-B93-001), was developed by the USEPA
        Sediment Oversight Technical Committee with assistance from the Office of
        Research and Development's Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory. It is
        intended to assist federal and state remedial managers, local agencies,
        private clean-up companies, and supporting contractors in the remedial
        decision-making process at contaminated sediment sites.

        The Remediation document contains an appendix with a summary of
        Superfund RoDs from 1982-1989. An updated and comprehensive listing of
        RoDs for sites with contaminated sediment from 1989-1992 is available
        through EPA Regional hazardous waste libraries or the national RoDs
        database. For more information, contact Bev Baker at (202) 260-7037.
          Recent Products from the Corps of Engineers'
      Environmental Effects of Dredging Technical Notes

EEDP-01-27. A Computer-Assisted Expert System for Interpreting the Consequences of
Bioaccumulation in Aquatic Animals (COBIAA) (Nov. 1992)

EEDP-01-28. Risk-Based Testing of Dredged Material for Aquatic Disposal Evaluations (Dec. 1992)

EEDP-01-29. Determining the Developmental Status of Sediment Toxicity Bioassays (Dec. 1992)

EEDP-04-15. New Technique for Sediment/Organism Equilibrium Partitioning Studies (Dec. 1992)

EEDP-04-16. The KOC of Nonpolar Organic Compounds in Sediment (Dec. 1992)

EEDP-04-17. Critical Body Residue (CBR) Approach for Interpreting the Consequences of
Bioaccumulation of Neutral Organic Contaminants (Dec. 1992)

EEDP-06-17. Documentation of the DYECON Module for ADDAMS: Determining the Hydraulic
Retention and Efficiency of Confined Disposal Facilities (Dec. 1992)

EEDP-06-18. Documentation of the SETTLE Module for ADDAMS:  Design of Confined Disposal
Facilities for Solids Retention and Initial Storage (Dec. 1992)

For information on the Technical Notes, including additions to the distribution list, contact Dr. Robert
M. Engler, Manager, Environmental Effects of Dredging Programs, at (601) 634-3624.
              •spsoqojd popnijoid
                                      11

-------
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency (WH-585)
Washington, DC 20460

Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300


-------