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Number 1
August 1989
Contaminated Sediments News
Progress Report on EPA Sediment
Contamination Oversight Committees
The Office of Water Regulations and
Standards (OWRS) formed two Agency-
wide committees last summer to iden-
tify, coordinate and provide guidance on
activities relating to the assessment and
management of sediments contaminated
with toxic chemicals: a Sediment Over-
sight Technical Committee and a Sedi-
ment Oversight Steering, or Policy
Committee. The goal of these Commit-
tees is to facilitate decisions made at
various stages in the management
process such as 1) assessing sediment
contamination, 2) deciding on the need
for and type of management action, and
3) evaluating types of remediation (if
relevant).
In addition to this newsletter, the Sedi-
ment Oversight Committees are cur-
rently engaged in a number of projects.
Two of note are 1) compilation of sum-
maries of EpA Program Office activities
related to ountaminated sediment is-
sues, including specific statutes under
which these activities fall (EPA Program
Summary Document), 2) Preparation of
a Sediment Classification Methods
Compendium which describes the vari-
ous methods used to evaluate sediment
contamination, including their advan-
tages, limitations, and existing applica-
tions.
CS News is produced by EPA-
OWRS to exchange relevant infor*
mation on contaminated sediments
and to increase communication
among interested parties. To ob-
tain copies of this report or to con-
tribute information, contact Mike
Kravitz, EPA-HQ at (202) 475-8085.
Sediment Activities
Around the Country
EPA
Criteria & Standards Division
On Feb 2-3,1989, the Sediment Criteria
Subcommittee of the Environmental
Effects Transport and Fate Committee
of the Science Advisory Board (SAB)
met to review the appropriateness of the
Equilibrium Partitioning (EP) Approach
method for generating sediment criteria
for nonionic contaminants. The SAB
findings will be published in a report
which is expected to be available this
summer.
The Criteria & Standards Division (CSD)
prepared a briefing document for the
SAB to provide pertinent information
and data on the EP Approach. This
document is available from Chris Zarba
at (202) 475-7326.
Superfund
A draft report, "Nature and Extent of
Ecological Effects at Superfund Sites"
is available from Craig Zamuda (202)
382-2763. This report presents an
overview of the extent of contamination
at selected Superfund sites throughout
the country .
Contaminated Sediment
Activities Timeline
Oct 27-28,1988 SAB Review of the
Apparent Effects Threshold (AET)
Approach.
Feb 2-3,1989 SAB Review of the Equili-
brium Partitioning (EP) Approach.
Apr 16-18,1989 13th American Society
of Testing Materials Symposium on
Aquatic Toxicology and Risk Assess-
ment. Atlanta, GA.
Jun 1,1989 SAB Briefing on U.S. EPA
Sediment Classification Methods
Compendium.
May 30-Jun 2,1989 International
Association for Great Lakes Research.
University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Jul 11-14,1989 CoastalZone 89: The
Sixth Symposium on Coastal and Ocean
Management. Charleston, SC.
Aug 29-31,1! 989 EPA Criteria &
Standards Division planning meeting for
Sediment Criteria and Bioassay Develop-
ment for FY 90. Newport, OR.
Sep 18-21,1989 Oceans 89: The
Global Ocean. Seattle, WA.
Oct 8-12,1989 10th Biennial
International Conference of the Estuar-
ine Research Federation. Baltimore,
MD.
Oct 9-13,1989 8th International Ocean
Disposal Symposium. Dubrovnik, Yugo-
slavia.
Oct 16-19,1989 National Symposium
on Water Quality Assessment, U.S.
EPA. Fort Collins, CO.
Oct 28-Nov 2,1989 10th Annual
Meeting of the Society of Environmental
Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).
Toronto, Canada.
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Office of Research and Development Region V
(ORD)-Headquarters
Sam Williams of EPA ORD is currently
compiling a list of all sediment research
being conducted by the Office of Re-
search and Development. For a copy,
contact Sam Williams at (202)382-5980.'
ORD-Duluth
The Duluth lab is currently studying the
uptake of dioxin and dibenzofurans in
fish from Lake Ontario sediments. A
mathematical model is also being devel-
oped which will relate the contamination
of sediments to measured effects (toxic-
ity).
Other projects include a joint study with
the Great Lakes National Program Of-
fice (GLNPO) to conduct sediment tox-
icity studies on the Fox River in Wiscon-
sin, identification of causes of sediment
tpxicity, development of sediment crite-
ria for metals, and development of
chronic toxicity methods with several
benthic species.
Region I
Region I, in conjunction with the New
England Division of the Corps of Engi-
neers (NE-COE), has developed proto-
cols for testing dredged material within
the framework of the existing National
Ocean Dumping Guidelines. These
protocols will standardize chemical and
biological testing of dredged material
for permit applicants &ho wish to dis-
pose of the material in open waters.
The region received agency concur-
rence on the protocols in June and
expect an operating program in place
by September. A QA/QC program is
being phased in for labs participating in
the testing of the sediments for ocean
disposal permits. For more information
contact Dave Tomey at (617) 565-
4425.
In a coordinated effort between EPA
and the NE-COE, a pilot project is un-
derway to evaluate the feasibility of
dredging and disposing of PCB con-
taminated sediments in New Bedford
Harbor. New Bedford Harbor is the
largest Superfund site in Region I, con-
sisting of 18,000 acres of estuary, har-
bor and bay highly contaminated with
PCBs and heavy metals.
Region V is part of an inter-agency task
force studying the effects of disposed
dredged material at confined disposal
facilities (CDFs). A pilot study of model-
ing and field studies at a Saginaw Bay
CDF is underway (by ORD-Grosse He)
to determine if biota inhabiting the out-
side dike walls are accumulating con-
taminants as a result of leakage of
PCBs through the dike wall. The first
year field effort (1987) focused on es-
tablishing a methodology for sampling
PCBs. [This report is available from
Marc Tuchman at (312) 886-0239.] The
second year field effort quantified the
release of PCBs through water quality
sampling and biomonitoring.
Region V has completed an overview of
state sediment programs in the region.
They are currently working with the states
to develop an inventory of contaminated
sediments. Eventually the region wants
to develop consistent assessment and
prioritization protocols and develop site
specific remedial options for sites with
contaminated sediments.
A settlement has been reached be-
2
property adjacent to the
harborwhich have PCB
concentrations greater
than 10,000 ppm will
also be treated using
the on-site extraction
process.
Region X
In February, Region X sponsorec
workshop with the WA Departmenl
Ecology on developing sublethal bio.
says on the polychaete Neanthes.
The State of Washington is currently c
veloping state sediment quality stc
dards. Several methodologies, irtcli
ing the Apparent Effects Threshc
(AET) Approach and the Equilibrii
Partitioning (EP) Approach, are bei,
considered as the technical basis I
these standards. Final regulations a
expected to be promulgated by Ji
1990.
U.S. Geological
(USGS)
Surve
tween the Outboard Marine Corporator, ?? Ge°lo9f" Division of USGS co
(OMC) and EPA Region V which sets ectsandanalvzes thousands of sample
forth remedial actions to be taken at the stream sediments annually, as we
OMC Waukegan Harbor Superfund site ?!!aT?leSJrom estuaries and offshor<
This site is heavily contaminated with
PCBs both on land and in the surround-
ing harbor. The remedial actions involve
removing any harbor sediments with
PCB concentrations greaterthan 50 ppm.
Sediments in the harbor slip area with
PCB concentrations greater than 500
ppm will be treated on site using a low
temperature thermal extraction process
called Taciuk. Those harbor sediments
which have PCB concentrations between
50 ppm and 500 ppm will be placed in
containment cells. Sediments on the
CONTAINMENT CELL
CROSS SECTION
SOIL
CLAYTU.
SCURRY WALL/
MONITORING WELL
The geochemical data from thes
samples are stored in the RASS (Roc
Analysis Storage System) data base
which contains the chemical composi
tion of approximately 700,000 sample:
of sediments, rocks, soils, plants, an<
water from the United States (identifiec
by state, county, and latitude and longi
tude). The Water Resources Division o
USGS also collects samples of strearr
sediments for a variety of their pro
grams, two of these being the Nations
Water Quality Assessment Prograrr
(NAWQA), and the Toxic Substances
Hydrology Program.
Stream sediment
data from these pro-
grams are stored in a
data base called
WATSTORE, or in
RASS. Another
USGS data base,
NURE (National Ura-
nium Resource E-
valuation), contains
(continued on p. 3)
SYNTHETIC LINER
EXTRACTION WELL
I
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ecu
Cl
concentration
data for a broad
array of trace ele-
ments in nearly
one million water
and sediment
samples col-
lected over ap-
proximately 65%
of the U.S. and
Alaska between
1975 and 1980.
A "Guide to Ob-
taining USGS In-
formation"
(USGS Circular 900, revised 1986) can be obtained free upon request from:
Books and Open-File Reports Section, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center,
Box 25425, Denver, CO 80225.
American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM)
Toxicology Subcommittee Voted on Methods for
Conducting Toxicity Tests
lit
Army Corps of
Engineers
3
The New England Division
of the Corps of Engineers
held a symposium in De-
cember to present the sum-
mary of findings of the Disposal Area
Monitoring System (DAMOS) project from
the past 3-4 years. Topics included cap-
ping work at disposal sites, tiered ap-
proaches for monitoring potential impacts
of dredged material, disposal site man-
agement, and a review of field verification
programs.
The New England Division is currently
assembling a monograph of capping
operations at disposal sites. In addition,
they are determining the feasibility of dis-
posal options at the New Bedford Harbor
Superfund site; disposal options include
CDFs as well as confined aquatic disposal
cells.
NOAA
The ASTM E47.03 Sediment Toxicology Subcommittee prepared several docu-
ments designed to standardize approaches for collecting, processing, and test-
ing the toxicity of sediments. The first two documents were approved by the sub-
committee and await consideration by the full committee. The remaining docu-
ments will also be submitted for review. To receive information on ASTM contact
Chris Ingersoll at (314) 875-5399.
Documents:
1. Proposed Guide for Conducting Solid Phase 10-d Static Sediment
Toxicity Tests with Estuarine and Marine Invertebrates. (Task group
chairs: Janet Lament son and Rick Swartz, US EPA, Newport, OR).
2. Proposed Guide for Conducting Solid Phase Sediment Toxicity
Tests with Freshwater Invertebrates. (Task group chairs: Marcia
Nelson, Chris Ingersoll, and Jim Dwyer, USFWS, Columbia, MO).
3. Proposed Guide for Sediment Collection, Storage, Characterization,
and Manipulation. (Task group chairs: Allen Burton (Wright State
University, Dayton, OH) and Peter Landrum (NOAA, Ann Arbor, Ml).
4. Proposed Guide for Designing Sediment Toxicity Tests. (Task
group chairs: John Scott (SAIC, Narragansett, Rl), Charles Pittinger
(Proctor and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH), and Jim Dwyer.
5. Invertebrate Bioaccumulation Sediment Testing Methods for Fresh-
water and Marine Environments. (Contact: Peter Landrum).
6. Fish Bioaccumulation Sediment Testing Methods for Freshwater and
Marine Environments. [Contact: Mike Mac (NFC-GL, USFWS, Ann
Arbor, Ml) and Usha Varanasi (Northwest and Alaska Fisheries
Center, USFWS, Seattle, WA)].
Edward Long of NOAA is presently work-
ing on a document that will 1) present de-
scriptions of chemical contaminants
measured as part of NOAA's National
Status and Trends Program (NS&T), and
2) summary tables of toxicity threshold
values for these chemicals in the sedi-
ment, for various sediment quality assess-
ment approaches and biological end-
points. Chemical data at NS&T sites and
a number of known "hotspots" will be
compared to the threshold values. This
work, which is expected to be finished by
the er J of the year, will allow us to gage
the toxicity of known chemical concentra-
tions in the sediment.
The Office of Marine Assessment of
NOAA has recently produced two docu-
ments relating to sediment contamination
and their associated biological effects.
The first document portrays geographical
and temporal trends in concentrations of
contaminants in sediment and biota, and
the prevalence of selected measures of
biological effects in San Francisco Bay.
The second report evaluates candidate
measures of biological effects for the
NS&T Program. These reports are avail-
able from Ed Long at (206) 526-6338.
A list of ongoing research projects in ma-
rine contaminated sediments is available
through NOAA. To obtain a copy of this
list, contact Bill Conner at (301) 443-8823.
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J*
*
Selected Available Literature
o Briefing Report to the Science Advisory Board on the Equilibrium Partitioning
Approach to Generating Sediment Quality Criteria, 1989. Contact Chris Zarba at
(202) 475-7326.
o NOAA Tech Memorandum: NOS/OMA 45. 1989. An Evaluation of Candidate Measures of
Biological Effects for the National Status & Trends Program. Edward Long and Michael
Buchman. 105 pp. + appendices. Contact Ed Long at (206) 526-6338.
o Nature and Extent of Ecological Effects at Superfund Sites, 1989. (Available in draft).
Contact Craig Zamuda at (202) 382-2763.
o Briefing Report to the Science Advisory Board on the Apparent Effects Threshold Ap-
proach, 1989. Contact Catherine Krueger at (206) 442-1287.
o Comparisons of Bioassays for Assessing Toxicity in Puget Sound, 1988. Contact
Catherine Krueger at (206) 442-1287.
o Contaminated Sediment Criteria Report, 1988. Contact Catherine Krueger at (206) 442-1287.
o Interim Sediment Criteria Values for Non-ionic Organic Contaminants, 1988. Contact Chris
Zarba at (202) 475-7326.
o NOAA Tech Memorandum: NOS/OMA 41. 1988. Status and Trends in Concentrations of
Contaminants and Measures of Biological Stress in San Francisco Bay. Edward Long, et
al. 268 pp. Contact Ed Long at (206) 526-6338.
o Sediment Quality Values Refinement: 1988 Update and Evaluation of Puget Sound AETs,
1988. Contact Catherine Krueger at (206) 442-1287.
o Workshop Proceedings - Toxic Sediments: Approaches to Management, 1988. Contact Sally
Valdes-Cogliano at (202) 382-5871.
o An Overview of Sediment Quality in the United States, 1987. Contact Howard Zar at
(312)886-1491. r ;f •=• ^
o Pilot Confined Disposal Facility Biomonitoring Study: Channel/Shelter Island Diked
Facility, Saginaw Bay, Bay City, Ml, 1987. Contact Marc Tuchman at (312) 886-0239.
o Policy Implications of Effects-based Marine Sediment Criteria, 1987. Contact Dexter Hinkley
at (202) 382-2783.
o Development of Sediment Quality Values for Puget Sound, 1986. Contact Catherine Krueger
at (206) 442-1287.
EPA Sponsors Symposium on
Monitoring Issues
On October 16-19,1989, the Assessment and Watershed Protec-
tion Division of US EPA will sponsor a National Symposium in Fort
Collins, Colorado to focus on water quality monitoring issues, par-
ticularly those of importance in the western U.S. For more infor-
mation contact Jim Plafkin at (202) 382-7005.
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