United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4305)
EPA-823-N-96-005
Number 17
September/October 1996
&EPA Contaminated
Sediments News
9 Headquarters
Activities...
Document on
Bioaccumulation
Jesting and Interpre-
tation
Identifying 'Potential
Contributors'of -
Contaminants to
, Impacted Water
Bodies
3 ORD Activities.,,
'Predicting Ammonia
ToxicHyfrom Pore
Water Concentrations
JournalArticle
Series on Metal
Bioavailability
4 Regional
Activities...
BivalveSediment
ToxicKy.Test Method
Evaluation
SedimentAssess-
,ment: Corpus Christ!
Area Stormwater
Outfalls
Patrick Bayou Pol-
lutant Source Study
Creation and Analysis
of Freshwater Sedi-
ment Quality Values
Q Creature Feature
Q Announcements
CS News Is produced by EPA
OST to exchange information
on contaminated sediments
and'to Increase communica-
'ion among Interested parties.
To obtain copies of this report
or-to contribute information,
contact Jane Marshall Farrts,
EPA OST, mall code 4305, at
(SOS) 260-8897.
To be added to the,mailing
1st or to make changes to
your address, 'please fax your
'equest to Jane Marshall
Fam's at (202) 260-9830.
"ha views expressed In this -'
publication do not neces- •
sarily refleonhose ofEPA-OST.
EPA Progress on the Contaminated
Sediment Management Strategy
Purpose of the Strategy
EPA proposed its Contaminated
Sediment Management Strategy
in August 1994. "The purpose of the
Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA's) Contaminated Sediment
Management Strategy is: to describe
EPA's understanding of the extent
and severity of sediment contamina-
tion, including uncertainties about the
dimension of the problem; to describe
tfie Agency's cross-program policy
framework in which EPA intends to
promote consideration and reduction
of ecological and human health risks
posed by sediment contamination;
and to describe actions EPA believes
are needed to bring about consider-
ation and reduction of risks posed by
contaminated sediments." Addition-
ally, the fourth goal of the Strategy is
to develop and consistently apply
methodologies for analyzing contami-
nated sediments.
The Strategy is an Agency work plan
issued in support of EPA's regulatory
and policy initiatives and is Agency
guidance only. The Strategy does not
propose new regulation.
Progress on Responses
and Response to Public
Comments Document
Nearly 500 pages of comments were
received from 126 organizations on
the proposed Contaminated Sediment
Management Strategy. EPA's Office
of Science and Technology (OST)
within the Office of Water (OW) has
drafted a 375-page "Comment and
Response Document," which is being
reviewed by four EPA workgroups
that developed the Strategy. The chapters of
the "Comment and Response Document"
are organized to reflect the chapter
organization of the "Contaminated
Sediment Management Strategy."
The Comment Response Docu-
ment addresses a wide range of
comments concerning con-
taminated sediment as-
sessment, pre-
vention, abatement
and control, remediation, dredged material
management, research, and outreach.
Public Comments on the Strategy
The comments address legal, policy, and
technical issues. Major technical concerns
include the following:
• Uncertainties regarding the extent and
severity of the contaminated sediment
problem.
• The availability of methods to assess
contaminated sediment.
• Understanding of the sources of sedi-
ment contamination.
• The validity and use of numerical sedi-
ment quality criteria.
• The use of fate and transport models,
particularly for permitting programs
(404 permits, NPDES permits).
• The need for cost/benefit studies of
regulatory alternatives.
• Selection of appropriate remediation
technologies and development of new
ones (especially for decontamination).
• Appropriate handling and disposal of
contaminated dredged material.
• Additional research including Quantita-
tive Structure Activity Relationships
(QSARs), assessment methods, fate and
transport models, and causes of toxicity.
Continued on page 2
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INo. 17
ISepIember/October 1996
Preparation of New
Document on
Bioaccumulation Testing and
Interpretation
The presence of bioaccumulative sub-
stances in sediments may pose risks to
ja
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strategies to reduce point and nonpoint
source loadings of problem contami-
nants to impacted waterbodies.
To carry out the analyses, facility dis-
charges were estimated using the Toxics
Release Inventory and Permit Compli-
ance System databases. Then the dis-
charges were linked to fish consumption
advisories and contaminated sediments
sampling locations characterized by
similar problem chemicals within the
same river reach. Compliance and en-
forcement records of the potentially
contributing facilities were then com-
piled using OECA's Integrated Data for
Enforcement Analysis (IDEA) System,
evaluated, and mapped using ArcView.
The preliminary results identified 126
potential contributors of problem
chemicals to fish consumption adviso-
ries within the same river reach in 1993.
One hundred forty-six potential con-
tributors of problem chemicals to areas
containing elevated sediment contami-
nants were also identified for the same
year. Many of the identified facilities
were found noncompliant with their
water discharge permits; however,
more than 50% of facilities were dis-
charging within their permit limits.
Both compliant and noncompliant po-
tentially contributing facilities were
identified to some extent in all EPA
regions.
The next steps in the project include
data verification, facility list modifica-
tion, and prioritization by EPA head-
quarters and the regions. Identification
of possible linkages of other data types,
such as contaminated fish tissue links,
to point and nonpoint sources of con-
taminants (e.g., pesticide application
data), as well as estimation of potential
exposure of these contaminants to mi-
nority, poverty, and Indian tribal popu-
lations, are also under way. Out of
these activities, a list of possible short-
and long-term strategies will be de-
veloped that EPA could use to reduce
loadings of problem contaminants to
impacted waterbodies.
For further information on this project,
contact Catherine Fox at (202)564-4299
(phone) or fox.catherine@epamail.epa.
gov (e-mail).
No. 171
September/October 19961
ORD-Duluth
Predicting Ammonia Toxicity
from Pore Water
Concentrations
Ammonia is commonly present at de-
tectable concentrations in overlying and
interstitial water (pore water) in solid-
phase sediment toxicity tests, and it is
often desirable to discern ammonia tox-
icity from that caused by other contami-
nants. The University of Wisconsin-
Superior, in collaboration with ORD-
Duluth, conducted a series of experi-
ments to evaluate whether the bioavail-
ability of ammonia in sediments could
be predicted based on concentrations in
the interstitial water. The study com-
pared the toxicity of ammonia in water-
only exposures and spiked sediment
exposures with an oligochaete (Lum-
briculus variegatus), a midge (Chiro-
nomus tentans), and an amphipod
(Hyalella azteca). Exposures were con-
ducted in a specialized test system that
enabled the maintenance of target
concentrations. To enable direct
comparison of water-only and
spiked-sediment exposures, the
same test conditions (including
pH) were used for each. There
was good correspondence of
LC50 values between the wa-
ter-only tests and spiked-sedi-
ment tests (based on interstitial
water concentrations) for the
oligochaete and midge. H. azteca
seemed to avoid the spiked sediments
and were frequently observed in the less
contaminated overlying water, thus lim-
iting evaluation of the pore-water expo-
sure model for the amphipod. Overall,
at least for some benthic species, ammo-
nia bioavailability and toxicity can be
accurately predicted from ammonia con-
centrations in the interstitial water; how-
ever, the model might be less robust for
more epibenthic organisms, such as H.
azteca.
Continued on page 4
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INo. 17
^September/October 1996
ORD ACTIVITIES Continued from page 3
The full article describing these experi-
ments was published in Environ-
mental Toxicology and Chemistry
(Volume 15, Number 5, pp. 794-
801). For more information con-
tact Dave Mount at (218)720-
5616 or Gary Ankley at
(218)720-5603 at ORD-Duluth.
Journal Article Series
Metal Bioavailability
on
In January 1995, EPA staff scientists and
collaborators briefed the Agency's Sci-
ence Advisory Board concerning ap-
proaches for predicting the bioavail-
ability of cationic metals in sediments.
Included in the briefing was a proposal
for deriving sediment quality criteria
(SQC) for the metals cadmium, copper,
nickel, lead, and zinc. Based on informa-
tion presented at that meeting, a series of
14 journal articles has been developed
and submitted for publication in Envi-
ronmental Toxicology and Chemistry. The
papers deal with a range of technical
issues, including the use of metal acid
volatile sulfide (AVS) relationships
and/or interstitial water chemistry to
predict metal toxicity in short-term, life-
cycle laboratory studies with spiked
sediments and long-term (greater than 1
year) field studies with metal-spiked
sediments. Also included in the series
are papers describing key metal-binding
phases in addition to AVS in sediments
(e.g., organic carbon) and models and
associated data for predicting stability of
metal-sulfide complexes, for example, in
conjunction with bioturbation. The lead
manuscript in the series presents the
technical basis of, and a proposal for,
deriving SQC for metals, and the final
paper evaluates the proposed criteria
using more than 300 marine and fresh-
water samples collected in conjunction
with EPA's Environmental Monitoring
and Assessment Program.
The papers should be published in final
form toward the end of this calendar
year, or early in 1997. For further infor-
mation on the series, contact Gary
Ankley, (218)720-5603.
Region 6
Bivalve Sediment Toxicity
Test Method Evaluation
In FY95 the regional office funded de-
velopment of an acute standard toxicity
test method for the bivalve Mulinia
lateralis. This method was developed to
supplement existing marine sediment
toxicity testing methods with a method
using a representative Gulf of Mexico
species. This fiscal year the office has
contracted with Battelle to conduct a
method evaluation using the new 10-
day bulk sediment testing protocol.
This evaluation will involve comparing
the toxicity of several chemicals for the
bivalve and amphipods, conducting
water-only reference toxicity tests, con-
ducting spiked sediment toxicity tests,
and testing field-contaminated sedi-
ments. Several private and government
laboratories have been selected to par-
ticipate in this evaluation, including the
Regional Laboratory in Houston. The
Houston lab has already completed a
preliminary test to assess survival and
growth in commercially available artifi-
cial seawater versus natural seawater.
For more information contact Wanda
Boyd at (214)665-6696 or Philip Crocker
at (214)665-6644.
Sediment Assessment:
Corpus Christi Area
Stormwater Outfalls
The regional office participated on a
subcommittee to draft a scope of work
for a project entitled "Sediment Quality
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1
Assessment of Storm Drain Outfalls
and other Targeted Sites in the Corpus
Christi Bay National Estuary Program
Study Area." This project, which will
be initiated this fall, will involve collec-
tion of bottom sediments for assessing
benthic community, toxicity, and chem-
istry (sediment quality triad). Scien-
tists from the National Biological Ser-
vice, University of Texas Marine
Science Institute, and Texas A&M Uni-
versity will carry out the project, which
is funded for $150,000. For more infor-
mation contact Philip Crocker at
(214)665-6644.
Patrick Bayou Pollutant
Source Study
At the request of the regional office,
several industries are voluntarily par-
ticipating in a study to assess sources
and quantify loadings
of persistent and/or
bioaccumulative pol-
lutants. The indus-
tries are permitted
dischargers to
Patrick Bayou,
a tributary to
the Houston Ship
Channel located in
Deer Park, Texas. Recent
studies involving EPA, the
State of Texas, and the City of
Houston have found water quality
standards violations and a high degree
of sediment contamination in the
bayou. The study will involve sam-
pling of both process and pollutants of
concern, including dioxins, PCBs, HCB,
and mercury. The region is coordinat-
ing with industry and the state on the
design of the project. For more infor-
mation contact Philip Crocker at
(214)665-6644.
Capping of Contaminated
Sediments in San Diego Bay
EPA Region 9 recently permitted a novel
in situ capping project in very shallow
waters of San Diego Bay to remediate
sedimentheavily contaminated with
PCBs. The remediation project, to be
carried out under a Cleanup and Abate-
ment Order from the State of California,
will include construction of a subaqueous
containment berm, placing first a layer of
geotextile fabric over the area of existing
contamination, followed by an internally-
armored cap. This method was required
by the state to isolate the contamination
from the water column to protect various
wildlife such as the endangered California
least tern and burrowing organisms while
using the thinnest possible overall cap.
Project construction should begin by the
end of 1996. For more information contact
Brian Ross at (415) 744-1979.
No. 171
September/October 19961
Creation and Analysis of
Freshwater Sediment Quality
Values
Data from 34 studies in Washington State
and portions of Oregon were merged into
a single database to derive freshwater
quality values. Sediments from 245 sta-
tions were analyzed for several chemical
contaminants and were tested using at
least one bioassay. Bioassays tested in-
cluded Hyalella azteca, Daphnia magna,
and Chiranomus tentans mortality;
Ceriodaphnia dubia reproduction and
growth; and Microtox luminescence re-
duction. Adequate sample size and range
of response were available to derive AETs
for Hyalella and Microtox for organic-
carbon-normalized PAHs, pesticides and
PCBs, dry-weight-normalized metals,
phenols, and chlorinated phenols.
The ability of these AETs to predict re-
sponse in any bioassay at the sites in the
database was compared with other sedi-
ment criteria or guidelines (e.g., Ontario
Ministry of Environment and Energy
(OMEE)SedimentQualityGuidelines,
Environment Canada (EC) Interim Sedi-
ment Quality Values, Quebec's Sediment
Quality guidelines, EPA's proposed sedi-
ment criteria based on equilibrium parti-
tioning, and Ecology's marine sediment
management standards). Measures of
sensitivity (number correctly predicted to
be impacted/number impacted) and effi-
ciency (number correctly predicted/num-
ber predicted) were compared. A draft
report indicates that the dry-weight-nor-
malized organics values were consistently
more sensitive and efficient than the or-
ganic-carbon-normalized samples. The
Data from 34 studies
in Washington State
and portions of
Oregon were merged
into a single database
to derive freshwater
AETs for sediments
and to evaluate other
sediment quality
values
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|No. 17
ISeptember/October 1996
BASINS Workshops to Be Held in
FY'97
EPA's Office of Water will hold formal
training on the water quality model,
BASINS, in FY'97. One workshop will
FRESHWATER SEDIMENT VALUES
Continued from page 5
efficient than the organic-carbon-
normalized samples. The EC
Threshold Effects Levels (TELs) were
consistently the most sensitive (few-
est missed effects errors [Type II])
but the least efficient (most false
alarm errors [Type I]). The Hyalella
AETs were highly efficient, but were
also less sensitive. The draft report
will be available for public review in
the future. For more information
contact Brett Betts, Ecology, at
(360)407-6914, or John Malek, EPA,
at (206)553-1286.
Thh animal iw
Ihhaped burrow and fee*
fine particle* in current* pumped
through to burrow
(an I) name it?
tower on page 6
be held at each EPA regional office.
Stay tuned to CS News for exact dates.
BASINS is an integrated water quality
model that supports analyses of water
quality problems caused by point and
nonpoint source loadings. BASINS
makes use of several existing water
quality models.
533 Activities Timeline
October 22-23,1996.
Mercury In the Midwest. Cosponsored
by the EPA and EPRI. Allerton Hotel,
Chicago, Illinois. Contact Jeanette
Collins (312- 886-0152) or Karen Turner
(312-886-1437) of U.S. EPARegion5.
October 23-26,1996.
Sixth Biennial Watershed Management
Conference. Stateline, Nevada.
Sponsored by the University of Califor-
nia, Centers for Water and Wildland
Resources. For information call 916-752-
8070 ext. 133 or E-mail at cww@uc-
davis.edu.
November 17-21,1996.
Society of Environmental Toxicology
and Chemistry 17th Annual Meeting.
Washington, DC. Contact SETAC
office at (904) 469-1500.
December 2-5,1996.
Third Marine and Estuarlne Confer-
ence: The Interrelationship Among
Habitats and Their Management.
Atlantic City, New Jersey. Cosponsors
include the U.S. EPA, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, and New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protec-
tion. Contact Edward Ambrogio at
215-566-2758 or E-mail at
ambrogio.edward@epamail.epa.gov.
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1
Visit CS News On-Line!
Fiscal Year 1996 issues of CS News are
now available on Internet through
EPA's web site. Specifi-
cally, CS News is
accessible through
OST's home page
(http://
www.epa.gov/
OW/OST/). By
clicking on the
high-lighted
October CS News
the reader will "pull up" an In-
ternet version of CS News. This version
of CS News contains fewer graphics but
may be more easily viewed and printed
on most printers.
The Internet version of CS News has a
slightly different look, but is more easily
Wo. 171
September/October 19961
saved and printed in the new format.
New issues of CS News will appear on
EPA OST's homepage approximately 3
times a year.
New Video Released
A new video titled Wetlands Water
Quality Standards is available on loan.
The 28-minute production shows,
through a series of interviews, how
states and Indian tribes are using water
quality standards to protect wetlands
within their jurisdictions.
The video can be obtained from the fol-
lowing:
Wetlands Hotline: 1-800-832-7828
Water Resource Center: (202)260-7786
r-
Beginning in 1997 CS News will be primarily available via the INTERNET
at http://www.epa.gov/OW/OST/ (select Information).
If you would prefer to continue to receive CS News as a hard copy, please
send your request to:
Jane Marshall Farris, EPA Office of Science and Technology,
FAX (202) 260-9830 or E-mail farris.jane@epamail.epa.gov
or mail this form to:
Jane Marshall Farris, U.S. EPA MC4305,401 M St., SW, Washington, DC
20460
Name:
Organization:
Address:
L.
.J
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