&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA/600/F-92/003
February 1992
Announcement
Request for Applications
ENG-01-92
Improved Pump-and-Treat
Processes for Remediation of
Superfund Sites
Background
Many hazardous waste sites have been placed on
the National Priority List for cleanup or remediation
under Superfund. A wide variety of contaminants can
be found at these sites which over a period of time
may enter subsurface aquifers and endanger the
nation's water supplies.
Organic chemicals are contaminants of particular
concern because they occur in large quantities at the
waste sites and may be toxic at low concentrations.
These substances include chlorinated and non-chlori-
nated solvents (e.g., trichloroethylene and benzene),
preservatives and pesticides (e.g., creosote and lin-
dane), and wastes from the manufacture of explo-
sives, PCBs, and other industrial processes. A common
characteristic of these contaminants is that they are
difficult to remove from hazardous waste sites using
current technology. These organic compounds often
occur as separate liquid phases with densities differ-
ent from that of water, and their movement may be
largely decoupled from that of the groundwater. Many
of these compounds are not amenable to biodegrada-
tion by naturally occurring microorganisms. Although
the treatment of choice is most often extraction from
the subsurface followed by surface treatment (pump-
and-treat), the majority of pump-and-treat systems fail
to meet their design goals or to remediate the site to
the level desired. The major problems with pump-and-
treat, invariably relate to the difficulty in extracting
contaminants from the subsurface. Surface treatment
of contaminants once they are removed from the
subsurface is not always easy, but on the whole this
part of the techEPA/600/R-92/028ology is much better
developed than the technology for removing contami-
nants from the subsurface. New techniques are needed
to enhance the effectiveness of pump-and-treat tech-
nology.
Scope
The purpose of this RFA is to solicit proposals that
will result in the development of cost-effective meth-
ods to enhance the effectiveness of pump-and-treat
remedial actions at Superfund sites. Remedial actions
as used in this announcement include the use of
chemical or physical agents to improve the efficiency
of contaminant extraction, direct extraction of sepa-
rate-phase liquids, and more effective pumping sys-
tems for removing dissolved contaminants. The
research and development projects being solicited
should result in products which have the potential for
application to improving the efficiency of pump-and-
treat technology.
The areas listed below are examples of appropriate
research topics for the proposals being solicited but
are not meant to be all inclusive.
Chemical or physical agents to enhance con-
taminant removal from the subsurface.
Properties of multiphase fluid systems related to
the ability to remove the fluids from the subsur-
face.
Subsurface processes affecting pump-and-treat
systems.
Site characterization methods to better define
the spatial and temporal distribution of subsur-
face contaminants.
Development and testing of simulation models to
design and evaluate pump-and-treat systems.
Printed on Recycled Paper
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Exclusions and Limitations
To be considered in this RFA, projects to improve
the effectiveness of pump-and-treat must meet the
following requirements:
1. The emphasis of the research must be on im-
proving the efficiency with which hazardous sub-
stances can be extracted from the subsurface.
Projects whose primary emphasis is to immobi-
lize contaminants in the subsurface will not be
considered.
2. Research, whose primary emphasis is on im-
proving the treatment of hazardous materials
once they are brought to the surface, will not be
considered. Projects that include surface treat-
ment may be considered if the surface treatment
is an integral part of a system for improving the
efficiency of contaminant extraction from the
subsurface, e.g., separation and reuse of chemi-
cal agents used to enhance contaminant re-
moval.
3. Technologies to remove hazardous materials
using chemical or biochemical transformation
processes will only be considered if the transfor-
mation enhances the efficiency of removal of the
contaminants from the subsurface.
Mechanisms of Support
Assistance under this RFA will be provided by a
research grant administered through EPA's research
grants program. The applicant will be responsible for
planning, directing, and executing the proposed re-
search. Support under this program is limited to non-
profit research organizations and educational
institutions.
Approximately $1.0 million will be available from
fiscal 1992 funds, and it is estimated that about 5 or 6
projects will be supported. Each project will be sup-
ported for a period of up to 2 years at no more than
$100,000 per year. This RFA is for a single competi-
tion with a closing date of May 15,1992.
tion are contained in the federal grant application kit
obtainable from:
Research Grants Staff (RD-675)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-7473
Special Instructions
1. The project narrative section of the application
must not exceed twenty-five 81/2x11 inch,
consecutively numbered pages of standard type
(10 characters per inch), including tables, graphs,
and figures. Attachments, appendices and refer-
ence lists for the narrative section may be in-
cluded but come under the 25-page limitation.
The SF-424 and other forms, itemized budget,
resumes, and the abstract are not included in
the 25-page limitation.
2. Biographical sketches or resumes must not ex-
ceed two pages for each principal investigator
and should focus on education, positions held,
and most recent or related publications.
3. Project periods will be for a maximum of 2 years.
4. Applications in response to this RFA must be
identified by printing "RFA ENG-01-92" in item
10 on the face page of Form 424. The absence
of the above identifier from an application ab-
solves EPA of any responsibility if it is not re-
viewed along with the other applications
responding to the RFA.
Application Review
All applications will be reviewed at a single meeting
after the closing date, by a scientific peer review panel
that will evaluate and rank each proposal according to
its scientific merit as a basis for recommending Agency
approval. The panel will consider:
The Application
Each application will consist of the APPLICATION
FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FORM (Standard
Forms 424 and 424A) and separate sheets providing
the budget breakdown for each year of the project,
curriculum vitae for the principal investigators, ab-
stract of the proposed project, and a project narrative.
All certification (drug-free workplace, etc.) forms must
be signed and included with the application. Applica-
tion forms, instructions, and other pertinent informa-
the quality of research plan including theoretical
or experimental design, originality, and creativity
the qualifications of the research team
the availability and adequacy of facilities and
equipment
the appropriateness of the proposed budget.
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Application Submission Staff Contact
To be considered, the original and eight copies of Administrative questions relating to this solicitation
the application must be received no later than the may be directed to Louis Swaby on (202) 260-7473.
close ot business on the closing date. The applica- Technical questions should be directed to Stephen
tions must be sent to: Schmelling on (405) 332-8800, ext. 434.
Grants Operations Branch (PM-216F)
Grants Administration Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
For overnight express mail, the address is:
Grants Operations Branch (202) 260-9266
Grants Administration Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
499 South Capitol Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
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United States Center for Environmental Research BULK RATE
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EPA/600/F-92/003
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