vvEPA
Application
Receipt Date:
May 11, 1990
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Exploratory
Research
Washington. DC 20460
EPA/600/M-90/007
March 1990
Research and Development
ANNOUNCEMENT
Request for Applications
NPIR-004-90
Innovative Restoration Technologies for
Treatment of Heavy Metals at Superfund Sites
SUMMARY: The purpose of this Request for Applications
(RFA) is to solicit proposals which will result in the
development of innovative cost effective methods for the
treatment of heavy metals at Superfund sites. Treatment in this
announcement refers to removal of heavy metals from the site.
The research and development projects being solicited are
envisioned to be completed within two years, and the effort
should result in a practical end product with the potential
application to remove heavy metals at Superfund sites.
Biological techniques which utilize genetically engineered
microorganisms can be included in this solicitation but will
require the proposer to provide any special clearances needed
for such projects.
DATES: The original and eight copies of the application must
be received no later than the close of business, May 11,1990,
to be considered.
ADDRESSES:
The applications must be sent to:
Grants Operations Branch (PM-216F)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC 20460
Application Kits may be obtained from:
Research Grants Staff (RD-675)
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
or by calling on (202) 382-7445
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Donald F. Carey (telephone (202) 382-7445)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
As a consequence of unforeseeable accidents, past neglect, or
lack of knowledge of sound environmental management
practices, certain locations within the United States have
become contaminated with heavy metals. These contaminants
have permeated and adsorbed onto soils, diffused into
interstitial saturated zones, dissolved into ground waters and
migrated to subsurface aquifers.
In many instances these contaminants have exhibited physical
and chemical properties which make them difficult to remove
from the environment. They may exist in subsurface deposits
difficult to access; they may strongly adsorb on soil structures
and be only slightly soluble in the aqueous phase; and they
may be extremely toxic even in dilute aqueous concentrations.
Problems have already been encountered during the inspection
of sites under investigation, and available technology has not
been very effective in providing solutions for all of the
situations encountered.
II. Scope
Research and development efforts which employ physical,
chemical and biological techniques for the treatment of heavy
metals are solicited. In addition techniques which promote
mobilization of such contaminants for the purpose of making
them more amenable to subsequent treatment are solicited.
The research must be an effort to do more than to merely
demonstrate a particular technology that is already being
applied. Efforts should be made to further extend the
application to other types of soil or mixtures of heavy metals
where a technology has previously been successfully
demonstrated with single contaminants in sandy soils. Methods
for treatment of complex mixed wastes containing heavy
metals including those that are relatively insoluble are of
particular interest.
The topics listed below are provided as examples only and are
not meant to be all inclusive.
• Physical methods for subsurface mixing to enhance
mobilization and mass transfer of heavy metals
• Treatment applications: soils and sludges
• Improvement in nutrient and chemical reagent delivery
systems for biotreatment or chemical methods for heavy
metals removal
• Improvements in heavy metal reaction product recovery and
separation systems
III. Mechanisms of Support
Assistance under this RFA will be through the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Research Grants Program
and thus limited to non-profit research organizations and
educational institutions. Responsibility for the planning,
direction, and execution of the proposed research will be solely
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that of the applicant. Approximately 1.5 million dollars will be
available from fiscal year 1990 funds and it is estimated that 7
to 10 proposals will be supported. This RFA is for a single
competition with a deadline of receipt o1 May 11, 1990 for
applications.
IV. The Application
Each application will consist of APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL
ASSISTANCE forms (standard forms 424 and 424A), separate
sheets providing the budget breakdown for each year of the
project, curriculum vitae for the principal investigator, abstract
of the proposed project, and a project narrative. All certification
(drug free work-place,etc.) forms must be signed and included
with the application. Attachments, appendices or other
materials included in addition to those identified above will not
be forwarded to the reviewers. Application forms, instructions,
and other pertinent information are contained in the Federal
grant application kit.
V. Special Instructions to the Applicants
A. Proposals must be for research which does not
include:
1. Large demonstration projects.
2. State-of-the-art or market surveys.
3. Preparation of materials and documents such as
process designs or instruction manuals.
B. Treatment technologies to be considered in
this RFA must meet the following
requirements:
1. The net result of the technology must be the removal of
the heavy metals from the site to reduce their toxicity
and concentration in soil and subsurface water.
Processes in which the net result is to transfer
contaminants between media or to immobilize a
contaminant in situ are not acceptable.
2. Providing the technology meets the definitions in
statement 1, efforts which improve only a portion of the
overall process such as improving mass transfer or
reaction steps which limit the process are acceptable.
3. In all technology to be considered the soil phase must
remain in place through mechanical devices which
promote local mixing of the soil may be incorporated in
the process.
4. Processes in which ground water is used to add
chemical and biological agents or to remove products
of subsurface reactions at the surface are permissible.
5. "On-site" or "pump-and-treat" processes where heavj
metals are removed from contaminated water afte
being brought to the surface are acceptable.
C. Proposals must include:
1. Clearly stated hypotheses and relevant experimenta
questions.
2. Definition of data and analyses needed to scientifically
evaluate the hypotheses and questions.
3. No more than a total of 35 pages (regular size type - no
smaller than elite, single or double spaced, standard 8-
1/2" x 11" pages) one side only including application
forms and all enclosures, covers or attachments.
Proposals exceeding 35 pages will not be reviewed.
A letter of transmittal is not necessary. If one is
furnished it must not be attached to every copy of the
proposal. If a letter of transmittal is attached to every
copy of the proposal it will be counted as page 1 of the
proposal.
4. A budget of $200,000 or less for the project period
which should not exceed two years in duration.
5. CVs or resumes not exceeding 2 pages for each
principal investigator, focusing on education, positions
held and most recent or related publications.
6. Identification "RFA NPIR-004-90" printed in the upper
right-hand corner of the EPA assistance applications
form. The absence of this identifier from an application
absolves EPA of any responsibility if it is not reviewed
along with the other applications responding to this
RFA.
VI. Application Review
All applications in response to this solicitation will be
reviewed at a single meeting of a scientific peer panel which
will evaluate and rank each proposal according to its scientific
merit as a basis for recommending agency approval or
disapproval. The panel will consider:
• quality of research plan (including theoretical and/or
experimental design, originality, and creativity),
• qualifications of the research team,
• availability and adequacy of facilities and equipment, and
• appropriateness of the proposed budget.
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
BULK RATE
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT No. G-35
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA/600/M-90/007
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