•f      1977
         c. 2
TD223.3
 G842                                        905R77106
                        GUIDELINES FOR THE POLLUTIONAL CLASSIFICATION

                             OF GREAT LAKES 11AR29R SEDIMENTS
                            U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

                                          REGION V

                                     CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

                                        April, 1977
                                                                J^-eSt,'. ;;;"J-j p|0or

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     Guidelines for the evaluation of Great Lakes harbor sediments, based on bulk


     sediment analysis, have been developed by Region V of the U.S. Environmental


     Protection Agency.  These guidelines, developed under the pressure of the need


     to make immediate decisions regarding the disposal of dredged material, have


     not been adequately related to the impact of the sediments on the lakes and are


     considered interim guidelines until more scientifically sound guidelines are


     developed.





          The guidelines are based on the following facts and assumptions:


          1.  Sediments that have been severely altered by the activities of


              man ?re most like?,y to have adv.rse environmental impacts.




 ^f        2.  The variability of the sampling and analytical techniques is


              such that the assessment of any sample must be based on all
 <~j

^°            factors and not on any single parameter with the exception of


              mercury and pqlychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's).




          3.  Due to the documented bioaccumulation of mercury and PCB's,  rigid


              limitations are used which override all other considerations.




     Sediments are classified as heavily polluted,  moderately polluted,  or nonpolluted


     by evaluating each parameter measured against the scales shown below.   The


     overall classification of the sample is based on the most predominant classifi-


     cation of the individual parameters.   Additional factors such as elutriate  test


     results,  source of contamination,  particle size distribution,  benthic macroin-


     vertebrate populations,  color,  and odor are also considered.   These  factors  are


     interrelated in a complex manner and their interpretation is  necessarily somewhat


     subjective.

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The following ranges used to classify sediments from Great' Lakes harbors are
                                 ^                             ,

based on compilations of data from over 100 different harbors since 1967.
                          NONPOLLUTED
                                          MODERATELY POLLUTED
HEAVILY POLLUTED
<5
<40,000
<1,000
<1,000
<4Q
<90
5-8
40,000-80,000
1,000-2,000
1,000-2,000
40-60
. 90-200
>8
>80,000
>2,000
>2,000
:60
>200
Volatile Solids (%)

COD (mg/kg dry weight)

TKN

Oil and Grease
 (Hexane Solubles)
 (mg/kg dry weight)

Lead  (mg/kg dry weight)

Zinc
The following supplementary ranges used to classify sediments from Great Lakes

harbors have been developed to the point where they are usable but are still

subject to modification by the addition of new data.  Ther.e ranges are based

on 260 samples from 34 harbors sampled during 1974 and 1975.
                          NONPOLLUTED
                                          MODERATELY POLLUTED    HEAVILY POLLUTED
Ammonia (mg/kg dry weight)   <75
Cyanide

Phosphorus "

Iron

Nickel

Manganese  "

Arsenic    "

Cadmium    "

Chromium

Barium

Copper
           n    n
           n    ii
           ii    ii
                     ii
<75
<0.10
<420
<17,000
<20
<300
<3
*
<25
<20
<25
75-200
0.10-C.25
420-650
17,000-25,000
20-50
300-500
3-8
*
25-75
20-60
25-50
>200
>0.25
>650
>25,000
>50
>500
>8
>6
>75
>CO
>50
*Lower  limits not established

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 The  guidelines stated below for mercury  and PCB's  are based  upon  the best avail-




 able information and  are subject  to  revision as new  information becomes available.








 Methylation of mercury at levels j> 1 mg/kg has been  documented (1,2).  Methyl




" mercury  is  directly available  for bioaccumulation  in the food chain.








 Elevated PCB levels in large fish have been found  in all of  the Great Lakes.  The




 accumulation pathways are not well understood.  However, bioaccumulation of PCB's




 at levels _>_ 10 mg/kg  in fathead minnows  has been documented  (3).









 Because  of  the known  bioaccumulation of  these toxic  compounds, a rigid limitation




 is used.  If the guideline values are exceeded, the  sediments are classified as




 polluted and unacceptable for open lake  disposal no matter what the other data




 indicate.




                                                     POLLUTED




                  Mercury                            >. * m8/kg dry weight




                  Total  PCB's                        j> 10 mg/kg dry weight




 The pollutional classification of sediments with total PCB concentrations between




 1.0 mg/kg and 10.0 mg/kg  dry weight will be determined on a case-by-case basis.








 a.   Elutriate test results.








      The  elutriate test was designed to simulate the dredging and disposal process.




      In  the  test, sediment and dredging site water are mixed in the ratio of 1:4




      by volume.  The mixture is shaken for 30 minutes,  allowed to settle for 1  hour,




      centrifuged, and filtered through a O.A5 y filter.   The filtered water (elu-




      triate water) is then chemically analyzed.
                                      -3-

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     A sample of the dredging site water used in the elutriate test is filtered




     through- a 0.45 y filter and chemically analyzed.









     A comparison of the elutriate water with the filtered dredging site water




     for like constituents indicates whether a constituent was or was not released




     in the test.









     The value of elutriate test results are limited for overall pollutional




     classification because they reflect only immediate release to the water




     column under aerobic and near neutral pH conditions.  However, elutriate




     test results can be used to confirm releases of toxic materials and to




     influence decisions where bulk sediu.^nt results are marginal between two




     classifications.  If there is release or non-release, particularly of a




     more toxic constituent, the elutriate test results can shift the classifi-




     cation toward the more polluted or the less polluted range,  respectively.









b.   Source of sediment contamination.








     In many cases the sources of sediment contamination are readily apparent.




     Sediments reflect the inputs of paper mills, steel mills, sewage discharges,




     and heavy industry very faithfully.  Many sediments may have moderate or




     high concentrations of TKN, COD, and volatile solids yet exhibit no evidence




     of man made pollution.  This usually occurs when drainage from a swampy area




     reaches the channel or harbor, or when the project itself is located in a




     low lying wetland area.  Pollution in these projects may be considered natural




     and some leeway may be given in the range values for TKN, COD, and volatile




     solids provided that toxic materials are not also present.
                                       -A-

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Field observations.          %









Experience has shown that field observations are a most reliable indicator




of sediment condition.  Important factors are color, texture, odor, presence




of detritus, and presence of oily material.








Color.  A general guideline is the lighter the color the cleaner the sediment.




There are exceptions to this rule when natural deposits have a darker color.




These conditions are usually apparent to the sediment sampler during the survey.









Texture.  A general rule is the finer the material the more polluted it is.




Sands and gravels usually have low concentrations of pollutants while silts




usually have higher concentrations.  Silts are frequently carried from pol-




luted upstream areas, whereas, sand usually comes from lateral drift along




the shore of the lake.  Once again, this general rule can have exceptions




and it must be applied with care.








Odor.  This is the odor noted by the sampler when the sample is collected.




These odors can vary widely with temperature and observer and must be used




carefully.  Lack of odor, a beach odor, or a fishy odor tends to denote




cleaner samples.








Detritus.  Detritus may cause higher values for the organic parameters COD,




TKN, and volatile solids.  It usually denotes pollution from natural sources.




Note:  The determination of the "naturalness" of a sediment depends upon the




establishment of a natural organic source and a lack of man made pollution




sources with low values for metals and oil and grease.   The presence of




detritus is not decisive in itself.




                                 -5-

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                                  \
     Oily material.  This almost always comes from industry or shipping activities.

    Samples showing visible oil are usually highly contaminated.  If chemical

    results are marginal, a notation of oil is grounds for declaring the sediment

    to be polluted.




d.  Benthos.




    Classical biological evaluation of benthos is not applicable to harbor  or

    channel sediments because these areas very seldom support a well balanced

    population.  Very high concentrations of tolerant organisms indicate organic

    contamination but do not necessarily preclude open lake disposal of the

    sediment^.   A moderate concentration of oligochaetes or other tolerant  organisms

    frequently characterizes an acceptable sample.   The worst case exists when

    there is a complete lack or very limited number of organisms.  This may

    indicate a toxic condition.




    In addition, biological results must be interpreted in light of the habitat

    provided in the harbor or channel.   Drifting r.and can be a very harsh habitat

    which may support only a few organisms.  Silty  material,  on the other hand,

    usually provides a good habitat for sludgeworms,  leeches,  fingernail clams,

    and perhaps, amphipods.  Material that is frequently disturbed by ship's

  .  propellers provides a poor habitat.
                                        -C-

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                                   REFERENCES




1.  Jensen,  S., and  JernelSv,  A.,  "Biological Methylation of Mercury in Aquatic


    Organisms,"  Nature,  223,  August 16, 1969 pp 753-754.




2.  Magnuson, J.J.,  Forbes,  A.,  and Hall,  R., "Final Report - An Assessment of


    the Environmental  Effects  of Dredged Material Disposal in Lake Superior -


    Volume 3:  Biological Studies,"  Marine Studies Center, University of


    Wisconsin, Madison, March, 1976.




3.  Halter, M.T., and Johnson, H.E.,  "A Model System to Study the Release of


    PCB from Hydrosoils and  Subsequent  Accumulation by Fish,"  presented to


    American Society for Testing and  Materials,  Symposium on Aquatic Toxicology


    and Hazard Evaluation,"  October  25-26, 1976, Memphis,  Tennessee
                                                  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                                                  Region 5, Library (PI -''"
                                                  77 West Jackson ?•:            :~
                                                  Chicago, IL  60t',

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