United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4305)
EPA-823-N-97-Q07
Number 20
Winter 1998
SEPA Contaminated
Sediments News
2 Regional
Activities...
SedimentAssessment
and Remediation
Team Continues
Great Lakes Efforts
MovingMud
Documents Sediment
Assessmentand'
Remediation Program
Successes in Great
Lakes Basin
A. Environment
Canada Announces
Sediment Technol-
ogy Directory
5 Assessingthe
Toxicityand
Bioavailabilityof
PAH Mixtures in
Sediments
g Compiling Sedi-
ment Chemistry
and Toxicity Data
"7 Second Great
Waters Report to
Congress Published
g USGS Completes
Upper Mississippi
Assessment
1Q Creature Feature
1| ActivitiesTimeline
CS News is produced by the.
EPA Office ofSclencelahd
Technology (OST) to exchange
Information on contaminated
sediments and to increase
communication among
interested parties. To obtain
copies of this report or to
contribute information* contact
Jane Marshall Farr/s, EPA
OST, mail code 4305,401M
Street S.W., Washington, DC
20460 at (202) 260-8897.
To be added to the mailing list
or to make changes to your
address, please faxyour
request to Jane Marshall Farrls.
at(202) 260-9830.
ORD Contaminated Sediments
Conference Draws 230+ Attendees
More than 230 professionals from a variety
of governmental agencies and the private
sector attended a national conference on
the management and treatment of contami-
nated sediments, which was sponsored by
the EPA Office of Research and Develop-
ment.
The conference had two major purposes:
• To inform persons involved with the
clean up of contaminated sediments
about current cleanup options and
about ongoing research into the devel-
opment of new approaches and tech-
nologies.
• To obtain feedback from the partici-
pants about needed research and future
directions for the management and
treatment of contaminated sediments.
Held in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 13 and 14,
1997, the conference featured two dozen
speakers from EPA and other organiza-
tions, including the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Environment Canada, the Na-
tional Research Council, private sector de-
velopers, engineering firms and academic
researchers.
In an adjoining exhibit hall, 23 vendor
booths were open to the attendees for dis-
semination of information about technolo-
gies and discussion of case studies of sites
that have been remediated.
Presentation Topics
Presentations on May 13 were focused on
currently available technologies and ap-
proaches. The topics presented were:
U.S. EPA's National Sediment Quality
Survey.
Roles of the U.S.EPA and U.S .Army
Corp of Engineers.
Strategies and Technologies for Clean-
ing Up Contaminated Sediments (based
on a report by the National Research
Council).
Solving Great Lakes Contaminated
Sediment Problems.
A Perspective on Remediation and
Natural Recovery.
Case Studies, including Natural Re-
covery; In-Situ Capping; Brownfields
and Sediment Disposal at Indiana Har-
bor, East Chicago, Indiana; Environ-
mental Dredging and Disposal; In-Situ
Treatment; Ex-Situ Treatment Tech-
nologies (New York Harbor); and
FIELDS (Fully Integrated Environ-
mental Location Decision Support
System).
The second day of the conference was de-
voted to ongoing research, additional sys-
tems to facilitate decision making, and fu-
ture research directions. Presentations
were given on the following topics:
• Remediation Strategies and Demon-
stration of SEDTEC (a Directory of
Contaminated Sediment Removal and
Treatment Technologies) by Environ-
ment Canada. (See page 4 for details.)
Continued on page 2
-------
No. 20
\\lnterI998
ORD CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS CONFERENCE Continued from page 1
Demonstration of ADDAMS (Auto-
mated Dredging and Disposal Alter-
natives Modeling System).
U.S.Environmental Protection
Agency and U.S. Army Corps of En-
gineers Research Overviews.
Biological Research and Microbial
Dechlorination of PCBs.
Phytoremediation.
Treatment of Metal Bearing Solids
Using a Buffered Phosphate Stabiliza-
tion System.
Treatment by Thermal Desorption.
Treatment by a Solvent Extraction
Process.
Containment.
Panel Discussion
A panel of representatives from the fed-
eral government, academia, and a repre-
sentative from the Sierra Club discussed
future research needs and responded to
questions from the audience at the con-
clusion of the conference. Some of the
issues raised were stability of caps in a
turbulent environment, beneficial uses and
the marketability of dredged sediments,
the need for a framework to help evaluate
treatment options and the effort of the In-
ternational Joint Commission for the
Great Lakes Region, and the need to ad-
dress watershed management to reduce
further contamination of sediments from
point and nonpoint source discharges.
A conference proceedings is planned. For
more information, please contact Joan
Colson of the National Risk Management
Research Laboratory, (513) 569-7501
(e-mail: colson.j @epamail.epa.gov).
Activities
!l,,ff
Sediment Assessment and Remediation
Team Continues Great Lakes Efforts
EPA's commitment to cleaning up con-
taminated sediments remains strong.
Region 5's current Agenda for Action
lists contaminated sediments as a priority.
Formed by the Great Lakes National Pro-
gram Office (GLNPO) in 1994 to con-
tinue work begun under the Assessment
and Remediation of Contaminated Sedi-
ments (ARCS) Program, the Sediment
Assessment and Remediation Team con-
tinues to focus on the problem of con-
taminated sediments.
The Team's activities include:
• Performing and providing support for
sediment assessments throughout the
Great Lakes.
• Providing support for sediment-based
mass balance modeling and risk as-
sessment activities.
• Providing technical support toward
the selection and implementation of
remedial alternatives.
• Fostering partnerships among Great
Lakes stakeholders to promote sedi-
ment clean-up activities.
• Providing outreach and communica-
tions to the Great Lakes community
on contaminated sediment issues.
The Team works cooperatively with
states, EPA regions, and other federal
agencies to help address contaminated
sediment problems around the Great
Lakes basin. Team members also coordi-
nate with the EPA Region 5 Sediment
Team and Remedial Action Plan (RAP)
-------
and Lakewide Management Plan (LAMP)
activities to ensure resources are brought
to bear on the most pressing contami-
nated sediment problems.
Other Resources
GLNPO also has created a Sediment Da-
tabase, which contains all of the sediment
chemistry, toxicity, and benthic data gen-
erated by GLNPO-funded projects. Built
in Microsoft Excel™, the database em-
ploys a standard data-reporting format for
both laboratory and field data/This infor-
mation is available for any interested par-
ties.
Another major resource provided by
GLNPO is the services of the R/V
Mudpuppy, a 32-foot, flat-bottom boat
designed specifically for sediment sam-
pling in shallow rivers and harbors. First
used during the ARCS Program, and pro
filed in Contami-
nated Sediments
News issue 16, the
Mudpuppy is now
available to
GLNPO grantees
for use during
their projects. The
boat has already
been used in sedi-
ment assessments
at 19 Great Lakes
locations.
For more informa-
tion, please con-
tact Marc Tuchman, Sediment Team
Leader, U.S. EPA, GLNPO, at (312) 353-
1369 (e-mail: tuchman.marc@epamail.
epa.gov).
No. 20
Winter 1998
The R/V Mudpuppy on station in
the Great Lakes.
Moving Mud Documents Sediment Assessment and Remediation
Program Successes in the Great Lakes Basin
From 1993 through 1996, EPA's Great
Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO)
awarded $5.3 million in grants for 34
projects to 14 state, tribal, and federal
agencies and educational institutions to
address contaminated sediments through-
out the Great Lakes. These projects ex-
emplify the significant progress being
made toward restoring clean sediments, a
building block for a healthy, vibrant eco-
system. Thanks in part to these projects:
" • Much more is known about the na-
ture and extent of the sediment con-
tamination at many Areas of Concern
(AOCs), setting the stage for future
actions, including mass balance mod-
eling and remediation.
• New assessment technologies, such a
hydroacoustic profiling, are being re-
searched.
• Remedial treatment technologies are
being evaluated.
• Full-scale remediations are being de-
signed and demonstrated.
• Strong community partnerships be-
tween government, private industry,
and citizen groups are being formed
to plan for and carry out remediation
actions.
• Actual remediation, or "moving
mud," which refers to several options
including dredging and capping, will
soon be a reality at many AOCs.
A synopsis of the sediment grants pro-
gram is now available in a document
which focuses on those 34 projects. The
report, Moving Mud: Remediating Great
Lakes Contaminated Sediments, demon-
strates the impact of GLNPO resources
provided for sediment projects during the
4-year period. It illustrates the many as-
sessments that have been completed and
highlights new, innovative technologies
being developed to assess contaminated
areas. Moving Mud also focuses attention
on bridging the gap between assessment
and on-the-ground remediation, empha-
sizing the development of strong commu-
nity partnerships to plan and carry out
remediation actions.
For copies of the report, please contact
Brian Stage, U.S. EPA Great Lakes Na-
tional Program Office, at (312) 353-3565
(e-mail: stage.brian@epamail.epa.gov).
-------
No. 20
\Vinterl99S
Environment Canada Announces
Sediment Technology Directory
s % i n «> s vt K \ i C \
(Iremt Ijikei 20OO
Clt'tttiup 1'iinti
(.\»tu«K
As contaminated sediment removal and
treatment technologies have been devel-
oped, demonstrations of them have in-
creased in scope and complexity. Ini-
tially, demonstration projects involved
one dredging technology and one treat-
ment technology used on less than 1,000
cubic meters of contaminated sediment
over a 3-5 day period.
As each demonstration provided new
data and greater hands-on experience,
subsequent projects become more wide-
ranging and complex. A typical demon-
stration project today features up to 6 in-
terlocked technologies involved in the
removal and treatment of more than
10,000 cubic meters of material for up to
3 years.
Over time, the private sector, various
levels of government, academia, and
technology manufacturers and vendors
have requested information about re-
moval and treatment technologies. In re-
sponse, Environment Canada has pro-
duced the Sediment Technology
Directory (SEDTEC©). Environment
Canada also has begun providing project
management services.
The Directory
SEDTEC© is a user-friendly computer
software program which lists removal,
treatment, and support technologies for
contaminated sediment. Based on a
worldwide inventory of technology
manufacturers and vendors, SEDTEC©
originally was developed to provide out-
lines of technologies suitable for dealing
with contaminated sediment in the Great
Lakes Basin.
Its scope has been expanded to identify
suitable technologies for site-specific
needs, provide project case studies, and
list contacts for stakeholders, project
funding agencies, and technology manu-
facturers and vendors worldwide. The di-
rectory is helpful for anyone seeking in-
formation on sediment remediation
technologies.
SEDTEC© is available on CD-ROM or
3!/2-inch diskettes and costs Can$250.
Updates listing supplementary information
and related technologies are planned.
The Service
Through SEDTEC©, Environment
Canada also will provide:
• Problem delineation
• Data analysis
• Remedial options identification
• Cost evaluation
• Definition of project goals
• Funding negotiation and partnership
• Technology selection
• Environmental assessment
• Public consultation
• Formulation of scope of work docu-
ments
• Technology audits for implementation
• Follow-up
Workshops and Seminars
Besides project management advice, Envi-
ronment Canada will offer information
exchange and technology transfer
through workshops and seminars targeted
for specific interest groups. Related areas
of expertise that can be incorporated into
the training include:
• Pollution prevention specific to
remediation or evaluation
• Regulatory and corporate issues relat-
ing to liability
• Development of a range of solutions,
including phased strategies for
remediation
• Site-specific costs
• Implications of remedial activities.
For more information, contact Ian Or-
chard of Environment Canada at (416)
739-5874 (e-mail: ian.orchard@ec.gc.ca).
To purchase a copy of the directory, con-
tact Marianne Woods of the Ontario Cen-
ter for Environmental Technology Ad-
vancement, 63 Poison St., 2nd Floor,
Toronto, Ontario, M5A-1A4. Her phone
number is (416) 778-5264 (e-mail:
oceta@oceta.on.ca). The directory may
also be purchased online at http://
www.oceta.on.ca.
-------
Assessing the Toxicity and Bioavailability of PAH Mixtures in
Sediments: Science Advisory Board Consultation
No. 20
Winter 1998
Over the past 15 years, a research team
from the EPA Office of Water (OW) and
Office of Research and Development
(ORD) has investigated the toxicity and
bioavailability of sediment contaminants
to benthic organisms. As a result of this
effort, the EPA has proposed the guid-
ance document Technical Basis for De-
riving Sediment Quality Criteria for Non-
ionic Organic Contaminants for the
Protection of Benthic Organisms by Us-
ing Equilibrium Partitioning Theory
(EPA-822-R-93-011), which establishes
the foundation for developing sediment
quality criteria (SQC).
The Agency has developed SQC for the
pesticides dieldrin and endrin, and antici-
pates releasing these final documents in
1998. Individual criteria have also been
proposed for the polycyclic aromatic hy-
drocarbons (PAHs) acenaphthene,
fluoranthene and phenanthrene. However,
since PAHs invariably occur in the envi-
ronment as mixtures rather than as indi-
vidual chemicals, the research team has
continued to investigate the toxicity of
PAH mixtures in sediment.
Numerous efforts previously have sought
to address and estimate the toxicity of
PAH mixtures (Long et al., 1995; Barrick
et al., 1988). However, the resultant sedi-
ment quality guidelines have engendered
considerable controversy over such is-
sues as the correlative vs. causal relations
between dry weight sediment chemistry
and biological effects, the bioavailability
of sediment contaminants, the effects of
covarying chemicals and mixtures, and
ecological relevance. The EPA team con-
cluded, based on additional investigation,
that individual PAH criteria would not be
adequately protective of benthic organ-
isms or ecologically relevant.
An approach and methodology have been
identified which address the issues of
bioavailability and toxicity of PAH mix-
tures. The equilibrium partitioning theory
(EqP) provides an approach for identify-
ing and quantifying the bioavailable and
toxic fraction of PAHs. The EqP pre-
sumes that a chemical partitions into a
state of equilibrium between the sediment
organic carbon, the organism lipid,
and the pore water based upon the
fugacity of the chemical contaminant.
The application of this approach has
been validated in laboratory and field
experiments. Based on their water
column toxicity, PAHs are identified
as "narcotics." The study of narcotic
chemicals has revealed two properties
critical to developing a PAH SQC:
• The water-column toxicity of nar-
cotics is inversely proportional to
the octanol/water partition coeffi-
cient.
• The toxicity of narcotic chemical
mixtures is additive (i.e., the tox-
icity of the mixture is equal to the
sum of the toxicities of the indi-
vidual chemicals).
An empirical model which accurately
predicts the toxicity of PAH mixtures
has been developed by Dr. Richard
Swartz, formerly of EPA-Newport,
and his research team. It is based on
the combination and use of the EqP,
quantitative structure activity relation-
ships (QSAR), narcosis theory, and
concentration response models. This
model's application has been vali-
dated by comparison to the toxicity of
field-collected sediment samples for a
mixture of PAH chemicals. There was
an 86.6 percent correlation and no
significant difference between the
predicted and observed toxicity in
these PAH-contaminated sediments.
Thus, the EqP-based PAH model pro-
vides a method to address causality,
account for bioavailability and mix-
tures, and predict toxicity and eco-
logical effects. It applies to all nar-
cotic compounds and provides a
unifying synthesis of other guidelines.
The synthesis of these elements pro-
vides the foundation for a sediment
quality criterion for PAH mixtures.
Response from SAB
On May 13, 1997, the research team
delivered a presentation on "Assess-
ing the Toxicity and Bioavailability of
PAH Mixtures in Sediments" to the
Continued on page 6
-------
A'o. 20
Winter 199S
Matching Sediment Chemistry and Toxicity Data Are
Being Compiled to Evaluate the Predictive Ability of
Sediment Quality Guidelines
Over the past 7 years, MacDonald Envi-
ronmental Sciences Ltd. (MESL), the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration (NOAA), the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA), and the
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have
been involved in studies to develop nu-
merical sediment quality guidelines
(SQGs) for freshwater, estuarine, and ma-
rine ecosystems. These studies have been
implemented cooperatively with Environ-
ment Canada, the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency, and the Florida Depart-
ment of Conservation.
The SQGs have been used in a wide vari-
ety of sediment assessments in Canada
and the United States; however, many us-
ers have indicated the need to further
evaluate the predictive ability of SQGs
and develop additional tools for assessing
contaminated sediments. Therefore, we
are compiling an independent database
that can be used to further support sedi-
ment quality assessment.
Post-1993 Publications Needed
In order to develop this database, we need
to obtain matching sediment chemistry
and toxicity data including data from
laboratory toxicity tests or benthic com-
munity surveys conducted on field-col-
lected sediments or sediment spiking
studies from freshwater, estuarine, and
marine locations. Therefore, we would
like to take this opportunity to request
copies of any recent publications (post-
1993) that contain relevant information
that could be incorporated into the data-
base. Please let us know if the data are
available in an electronic format.
In addition, we would appreciate knowing
about any other relevant studies that you
may be aware of on effects of sediment-
associated contaminants. Please let us
know if you are interested in receiving
copies of any reports or publications that
are prepared during this study. We plan to
make the compiled database available in
1999 or 2000. Thank you in advance for
your consideration of this request.
For More Information
For more information, contact Donald D.
MacDonald, MESL, 2376 Yellow Point
Road, RR #3, Ladysmith, BC at
(250)753-1583 (e-mail: sffmesl®
island.net; L. Jay Field, NOAA, 7600
Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115,
(206) 526-6404, (e-mail: jayfe@hazmat.
noaa.gov; Jim Keating, U.S. EPA, 401 M
St. SW, MS4305, Washington, DC,
20460, (202) 260-3845 (e-mail: keating.
jim@epamail.epa.gov; and Chris
Ingersoll, USGS, 4200 New Haven Rd.,
Columbia, MO 65201 (573) 876-1819, '
(e-mail: chris_ingersoll@usgs.gov).
SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD CONSULTATION Continued from page 5
Science Advisory Board (SAB). The ob-
jectives of the SAB consultation were to
evaluate the proposed approach, identify
remaining issues which require further in-
vestigation, and determine whether it is
reasonable to pursue the development of
an SQC for PAH mixtures. The response
from the SAB was unanimously favor-
able. The SAB identified the proposed
approach as a "significant advancement
in the state of the science for evaluating
PAHs in sediments." SAB chairperson
Bill Adams summarized the consultation
by saying that "the research team is on
the right track. We agree that SQC for in-
dividual PAH compounds would be
underprotective in practice and that a
more meaningful SQC for PAHs should
be based on total PAH."
The OW/ORD team anticipates preparing
a first draft of a PAH guidance document
in 1997. Research and validation will
continue for the next 1-2 years to respond
to the identified research needs and un-
certainties. At that time, the guidance will
be updated, peer reviewed, and published.
For more information, contact Heidi Bell,
(202) 260-5464 (e-mail: bell.heidi
@ epamail.epa.gov); Ross Elliott, (202)
260-1311 (e-mail: elliott.ross@epamail.
epa.gov); or Mary Reiley, (202) 260-9456
(e-mail: reiley.mary @epamail.epa.gov).
-------
EPA Publishes Deposition of Air Pollutants to the Great Waters,
Second Report to Congress
No. 20
Winter 1998
In June 1997, EPA published its second
report to Congress on the atmospheric
deposition of pollutants to the Great Wa-
ters (EPA-453/R-97-011).
Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA)
provides the legislative basis for hazard-
ous air pollutant (HAP) programs directed
by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). In response to mounting
evidence that air pollution contributes to
water pollution, Congress included sec-
tion 112(m), "Atmospheric Deposition to
Great Lakes and Coastal Waters," in the
1990 CAA. Under this statute, EPA is re-
quired to periodically report to Congress
on the results of the program. Concurrent
with the second report to Congress, EPA
is to determine the adequacy of section
112 to prevent adverse effects to public
health and serious or widespread environ-
mental effects associated with atmo-
spheric deposition of hazardous air pollut-
ants to the Great Waters.
Future Directions
A list of future directions which EPA may
take to support CAA section 112(m) is
provided in the report's executive sum-
mary. Within that list are future actions
which may involve sediment monitoring
and sediment data analysis. They include:
• Perform exposure and effects studies
that will build on the recent Great
Lakes Water Quality Criteria, which
consider biomagnification. These
studies will be coordinated with an
integrated research strategy on the
persistent pollutants, their distribution
and concentrations, exposure routes,
and associated effects.
• Improve modeling efforts to estimate
atmospheric loadings to Great Wa-
ters. For example, adapt and apply
the comprehensive approach devel-
oped for the Lake Michigan Mass
Balance Model to additional water
bodies.
• Increase efforts to identify specific
emissions sources of atmospheric
deposition to the Great Waters, both
nearby and relatively distant from the
water body, to develop risk manage-
ment strategies, as well as investigate
the impact from cycling of pollutants
that are no longer used or manufac-
tured in the United States.
• Continue to promote pollution reduc-
tion in the Great Waters, including
identifying and quantifying, where
possible, economic impacts associ-
ated with exposure and effects indi-
cators such as fish advisories, habitat
decline, diminished species diversity,
fish kills, and declining or contami-
nated shellfish and fish populations.
Great Waters Defined
The water bodies collectively referred to
as the "Great Waters" in this report are
the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, Chesa-
peake Bay, and specific coastal waters
(i.e., defined in the statute as coastal wa-
ters designated through the National Estu-
ary Program and the National Estuarine
Research Reserve System). The contribu-
tion of atmospheric deposition to overall
pollutant loadings in the Great Waters
continues to be studied. Atmospheric
loadings of pollutants result from wet and
dry particle deposition, and through air-
water gas exchange. This report describes
monitoring and modeling studies relevant
to atmospheric deposition occurring at the
major water bodies,of the Great Waters.
Pollutants of concern to the Great Waters
have not changed since the first report to
Congress was published in 1994. The list
of 15 pollutants (see table) including pes-
ticides, metal compounds, chlorinated or-
ganic compounds, and nitrogen com-
pounds. These pollutants have been
selected based on information regarding
their health and environmental effects and
evidence that they are atmospherically
deposited to the Great Waters. Most are
bioaccumulative chemicals that persist in
the environment for long periods. Many
of these pollutants are listed as chemicals
of concern on toxics lists for individual
water bodies at the local and state levels.
More information on this report is avail-
able on the Internet at the EPA address:
http://www.epa.gov/oar/gr8water/.
The 15 Great Waters
Pollutants of Concern
Cadmium and cadmium compounds
Chlordane
DDT/DDE
Dieldrin
Hexachlorobenzene (HOB)
a-Hexachlorocyclohexane (a-HCH)
Lindane(g-hexaphlorocyclohexane:
g-HCH)
Lead and lead compounds
Mercury and mercury compounds
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (RGBs)
Polycyclic Organic matter (POM)
Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin(TCDD;
dioxins)
Tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF;
furans)
Toxaphene
Nitrogen compounds
-------
No. 20
\Vmterl99S
USGS Completes Sediment
Assessment Report of Upper
Mississippi River
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has
been monitoring the Upper Mississippi
River (UMR) since 1987 to document the
fate and transport of contaminants
associated with sediments.
The UMR is that part of the
river upstream of the
confluence with the Ohio
River at Cairo, IL. It con-
sists of a series of 26 navi-
gational pools created by a
lock and dam system extend-
ing from Minneapolis, MN to •
St. Louis, MO. The navigational
pools are shallow, lake-like areas which
trap and store large quantities of fine-
grained sediments during normal river
flows. Concern with the redistribution of
the river sediments arose after the flood
of 1993.
This project was designed to evaluate the
status of sediments in the UMR by:
• Measuring the concentrations of con-
taminants in sediments of the UMR.
• Evaluating the toxicity of sediments
collected from the river.
• Determining the bioaccumulation of
contaminants from UMR sediments
using field-collected and laboratory
exposed oligochaetes.
• Determining the benthic community
structure in fine-grained sediments
within the river.
Sediments are often a sink for water-
borne contaminants and a source of con-
taminants to the overlying water. Also,
sediments may accumulate significant
concentrations of contaminants even
when water quality criteria are met.
Sediment and Organisms Sampled
To conduct these assessments, sediment
samples and benthic organisms were col-
lected from 24 of the 26 navigational
pools in the river and from 1 pool in the
Saint Croix River. Two types of sediment
samples were collected from the pools.
One sediment sample was a composite of
15 to 20 sediment grabs along 1 to
5 transects across the down-
stream one-third of each pool
(B samples). The other sedi-
ment sample was a compos-
ite of grabs from 1 station
on 1 transect within each
pool (C samples). The latter
stations were selected based
on historical chemistry data
and the potential to collect oli-
gochaetes. Samples were not col-
lected from the main navigation channels.
Report Contents
Chapter 1 of this report describes whole-
sediment toxicity tests which were con-
ducted for 28 days with the amphipod
Hyalella. Chapter 2 describes the
bioaccumulation of contaminants from
sediments using field-collected oligocha-
etes and 28-day bioaccumulation studies
conducted in the laboratory with the oli-
gochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. Chap-
ter 3 assesses the benthic community in
all 24 C samples. Using the Sediment
Quality Triad approach, the status of
UMR sediments was assessed by inte-
grating sediment chemistry, laboratory
toxicity tests and benthic community
measurements.
Oligochaetes and Chironomids
The benthic community was dominated
by oligochaetes and chironomids in 14 of
the 23 sediment samples from the UMR
and the 1 sediment sample from Saint
Croix River. Fingernail clams comprised a
large portion of the community in 3 of the
samples and exceeded 1,000/m2 in 5 of
the samples. Total abundance values of
invertebrates ranged from 250/m2 (station
1C) to 22,389/m2 (station 19C) and were
comparable to previously reported values
of the UMR. The frequency of chirono-
mid mouthpart deformities was only 3
percent, which is consistent with the inci-
dence of mouthpart deformities from un-
contaminated sediments. Correlations be-
-------
tween benthic measures, sediment chem-
istry, or other abiotic parameters exhib-
ited few strong or significant correlations
indicating benthic communities are most
likely controlled by factors independent of
contaminant concentrations.
Sediment Quality Triad
The Sediment Quality Triad (Triad) is a
weight-of-evidence approach used to as-
sess the contamination of sediments by
integrating sediment chemistry, laboratory
toxicity testing, and benthic community
measures. Results from the Triad analysis
indicated 88 percent of the samples were
classified as not affected based on sedi-
ment chemistry, laboratory toxicity, and
benthic measures. These results are con-
sistent with the bioaccumulation study in
which concentrations of contaminants in
tissue were less than other U.S. sites that
the laboratory (the Environmental Con-
taminant Research Center in Columbia,
MO) has previously studied. In addition,
pools in about the lower third of the river
had lower sediment contaminant concen-
trations, less accumulation of contami-
nants in tissue, and greater taxa richness.
The results of the present study indicate
that the UMR is not severely contami-
nated compared to other sites that have
been studied in the United States. Pertur-
bations that may occur could be attrib-
uted to channelization, sedimentation
from surface runoff, or long-term
changes in the river's natural flow condi-
tions due to lock and dam construction.
This study conducted only a partial as-
sessment of the UMR sediments and in-
cluded no assessment of river water. Fur-
ther, this study was a one-time
assessment that was conducted after a
major flood event and does not evaluate
temporal or spatial variability of sediment
contamination within the pools. Future re-
search on, or management of, the Upper
Mississippi River should evaluate the limi-
tations of this study.
For More Information
This report is available on the Internet at
http://www.msc.nbs.gov/pubs/unir.html.
For copies of the report, specify report
number EPA 823/R/97-005 and contact:
U.S. EPA, National Center for Environ-
mental Publications and Information,
11029 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, OH
45242 (513) 489-8910.
No. 20
Winter 1998
1996 Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories Now Available
The 1996 update for the database, Listing
of Fish and Wildlife Advisories (LFWA),
is now available from the EPA.
This database includes all available infor-
mation describing state- tribal-, and feder-
ally issued fish consumption advisories in
the United States, the District of Colum-
bia, 4 U.S. territories, and the 12 Cana-
dian provinces and territories.
The number of advisories in the United
States rose by 453 in 1996 to a total of
2,193, representing a 26 percent increase
over 1995. The number of water bodies
under advisory represents 15 percent of
the nation's total lake acres and 5 percent
of the nation's total river miles. In addi-
tion, 100 percent of the Great Lakes wa-
ters and their connecting waters and a
large portion of the nation's coastal wa-
ters are also under advisory. The number
of advisories in the United States in-
creased for 4 major contaminants (mer-
cury, PCBs, chlordane, and DDT).
The 1996 version of the LFWA is PC-
based and is available to the public free of
charge on both 3.5 inch diskettes (EPA
document number EPA-823-C-97-004)
and CD-ROM (EPA document number
EPA-823-C-97-005). For copies contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Center for Environmental
Publications and Information
11029 Kenwood Road
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
(513-489-8190)
In addition, the database
may be downloaded from.
the Internet through the
URL: http://www.epa.gov/
OST/fishadvice/.For more
information concerning
the National Fish Con-
tamination Program, con-
tact: Jeffrey Bigler by phone at.
(202) 260-1305, fax (202) 260-8930, or
e-mail: bigler.jeff@epamail.epa.gov.
-------
No. 20
Winter 1998
Volume II: Risk Assessment and Fish
Consumption Limits Revised by EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce the
availability of the Second Edition of the
Guidance for Assessing Chemical Con-
taminant Data For Use in Fish Adviso-
ries Volume II: Risk Assessment and Fish
Consumption Limits (EPA 823-B-97-
009).
The document provides the states, tribes,
and other interested parties with the
methods recommended by EPA for cal-
culating consumption limits for reducing
health risks associated with contaminated
fish and shellfish.
The Second Edition provides new infor-
mation pertinent to selected chemical
contaminants, as well as updated guid-
ance on methods for developing fish
consumption advisories. Updated in-
formation is provided on mercury,
PCBs, PAHs, TBT, and arsenic.
The Second Edition is part of EPA's
four-volume series of documents devel-
oped to provide guidance to professionals
responsible for assessing the health risks
associated with exposure to chemical
contaminants in noncommercial
fish and shellfish. This manual is
the Second Edition of Volume II.
Volume I: Fish Sampling and
Analysis, First Edition was released
in September 1993, with a Second
Edition released September 1995.
Volume II: Risk Assessment and
Fish Consumption Limits was first
published in June 1994. Volume
III: Risk Management was pub-
lished in June 1996. Volume IV:
Risk Communication was pub-
lished in March 1995.
These guidance documents were
developed cooperatively with
state, federal, tribal and local gov-
ernment agencies. All four of
these documents should be used
together, as no single volume ad-
dresses all of the topics necessary
for developing fish consumption
advisories.
Copies of all four volumes may be ob-
tained by writing to the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency, National Cen-
ter For Environmental Publications and
Information, 11029 Kenwood Rd., Cin-
cinnati, Ohio, 45242, or calling 513-489-
8190. Volumes I, II, and III are available
on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/
OST/fishadvice.
For More Information
For questions related to the development
or use of this series of documents, please
call Jeffrey Bigler of the EPA Fish Con-
tamination Program at (202) 260-3051
(e-mail: bigler.jeff@epamail.epa.gov).
I was exposed to pore water in sediment quality
surveys, and after 48 noun this is what I look like.
(an you identify me?
eas aiajo asei|d snainjdowiioe
-------
No. 20
Winter 1998
February 9-13, 1998
1998 Ocean Sciences Meeting
Town & Country Hotel
San Diego, California
Designed specifically for oceanographers,
limnologists, meteorologists, and scientists
working in related areas. Subdisciplines for
the meeting are atmospheric sciences,
hydrology, estuarine sciences, limnology,
oceanography, and ocean technology.
Sponsored by the American Geophysical
Union and the American Society of Limnol-
ogy and Oceanography. Cosponsored by
the Acoustical Society of America, the
American Meteorological Society, the
Estuarine Research Foundation, the Marine
Technology Society, The Oceanography
Society, and the Virginia Institute of Marine
Science.
For details, contact:
American Geophysical Union
Phone: (800) 966-2481 or (202) 462-6900
Fax: (202) 328-0566
e-mail: meetinginfo@kosmos.agu.org
Web: http://www.agu.org
April 14-18,1998
SETAC -Europe 8th Annual Meeting
Bordeaux, France
"Interfaces in Environmental Chemistry and
Toxicology: from the global to the molecular
level."
For more information, contact:
SETAC-Europe
Av. E. Mounier 83
Box1, 1200
Brussels, Belgium
Phone: 32 2 772 7281
Fax: 32 2 770 53 86
e-mail: 100725.3525@compuserve.com
August 31 - September 3,1998
3rd International Conference on
Hydroscience and Engineering
Cottbus/Berlin, Germany
The conference will cover the latest ideas in
the field of hydroscience and engineering,
including the scientific aspects of modelling
(conceptual, physical-mathematical
models, field observations, computer
science application, and computer imple-
mentation).
Conference topics will include surface and
subsurface hydrodynamics; estuarine,
coastal, and nearshore processes; river
mechanics; reservoir management; erosion
and sedimentation modeling; pollutant
transport and dispersion in free surface and
ground water; data investigation and
uncertainty analysis; numerical methods
and techniques; parameter estimation and
control applications; software development
and model building; and management and
decision support systems.
Sponsors include the International Associa-
tion for Hydrological Sciences and the
International Research and Training Center
on Erosion and Sedimentation
For more information, contact:
Conference Secretariat
Brandenburg University of Technology at
Cottbus
Institut fuer Bauinformatik
Karl-Marx-Strasse 17
D-03044
Cottbus, Germany
Phone: +1-49-355-69-2262
Fax: +1-49-355-69-2262
e-mail: lfb@bauinf.tu-cottbus.de
Web: http://www.bauinf.tu-cottbus.de/
ICHE98/
October 5-7, 1998
Fifth International Conference on Remote
Sensing for Marine and Coastal Environ-
ments
San Diego Princess Convention Center
San Diego, California
Organized by ERIM. Sponsors include
NASA, NOAA/NESDIS. U.S. DOE Nevada
Operations and Remote Sensing Lab, GER
Corporations, RadarSat International, and
National Wetlands Research Center.
For details, contact:
ERIM Marine Conferences
Box 134001
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113-4001
Phone: (313) 994-1200 ext. 3234
Fax: (313) 994-5123
e-mail: wallman@erim.org
-------
Coming Soon: CSNews via SASD-NEWS E-mail
EPA Standards and Applied Science Division is developing a list-server (electronic mailing list service) called SASD-
NEWS. As a subscriber to the list server, you will be able to receive electronic copies of various Division publications
including newsletters (Water Quality Standards and Contaminated Sediment News) and other announcements and
information about upcoming meetings and programs.
Beginning with the next issue of Contaminated Sediments News, we are making copies available via e-mail to requesters
with an e-mail address. To become a subscriber to SASD-NEWS, please send a special e-mail message to
listserver@unixmail.rtpnc.epa.gov. The subject header of the message should be left blank or contain a few spaces, and
the body of the message should contain the following text: Subscribe SASD-NEWS.
Or, you may fill out the following form and mail it to: Jane Marshall Farris, Standards and Applied Science Division—
MC 4305, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Name:
Affiliation:
E-Mail Address:
Purpose: Subscribe SASD-NEWS
Note: Those who have requested CSNews as a hard copy will continue to receive it in the mail. CSNews will also
continue to be displayed on the Internet at http:www.epa.gov/OST/Events.
Unfted States
Environmental Protection
Agency (4305)
Washington, DC 20460
FIRSTCLASSMAIL
Postage and Fees Paid
EPA
G-35
Official Business
PenaltyforPrivate Use
$300
------- |