U.S. EPA Research and Development
Improvement Network &
      Science Walk

      Poster Abstracts
     December 1-4,1997

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    A number of individuals and organizations contribute to the
     research conducted by ORD. These organizations include
         other federal agencies, universities, and support
         contractors. The individuals identified under the
                        PREPARED BY:
    portion of each abstract are those in ORD who are contact
      points regarding the efforts describedin the abstract. If
    additional information is needed from individuals involved
    in the work but outside of ORD, their names and telephone
          numbers are available from the contact points.
Those of us involved in preparing this booklet thank all of our associates
who helped in the mechanics of putting it together. Particularly, we
thank Pat Burke who assembled the booklet into its final format, and
Randy Bacon who took Pat's efforts and turned them into what you now
have in hand.  Most importantly,  we want to thank all of the abstract
preparers who put up with our critiques, and hopefully constructive
criticisms, and willingly responded to our many telephone calls and E-
mails.

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  Improvement
Network Session
Poster Abstracts
           Printed on Recycled Paper

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1-1     MANAGING CHANGE IN ORD
           This poster will provide the central theme of Workshop II.
       PREPARED BY: Carol Finch, ORD, (202-564-6638)

1-2     COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM CHANGE: CHANGE FOR A
       PURPOSE
           Demonstrates management's commitment to long-term change by
       showing a timeline of management improvement activities. Highlights
       activities which began at Workshop I continuing through the implemen-
       tation of Workshop II. The timeline offers potential improvement
       activities to roll out after Workshop II.
       PREPARED BY:  Carol Finch, (202-564-6638), ORD

1-3     ORD COMMUNICATIONS FRAMEWORK
           Describes the activity that IOAA initiated as a commitment to
       developing a framework for a communications strategy. Also provides
       a hands-on demonstration using ORD's Intranet as an outreach strategy.
       PREPARED BY:  Carol Finch, (202-564-6638), ORD

1-4     MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
           The ORD Management Council worked on a wide variety of
       management issues, including those that fall into the five improvement
       areas. Accomplishments fall into categories of budgeting and planning,
       financial management, human resource management, information
       management, red tape, and infrastructure. The ORD Management
       Council has identified major goals for the next year that will continue
       to improve the overall management of ORD.
       PREPARED BY: Colleen Lentini, (202-564-6686), ORMA

1-5     OFFICE OF SCIENCE POLICY(OSP) WHO?
           The Office of Science Policy—the result of the reorganization of
       the old Office of Science Policy and the Office of Research and Science
       Integration—is a Headquarters office with many missions.  What are
       those missions and why should you care? Who are those OSP staff and
       why are they calling you? What improvements have we made this past
       year? Our on-screen slide presentation answers these questions and
       more!
       PREPARED BY:  Mary Ellen Radzikowski, (202-564-6757), OSP

ICD-6  CAREER DEVELOPMENT
           Career Development was identified as one of the "first five issues"
       at the 1996 ORD Organizational Change meeting.  Many concerns
       were identified including lack of information on career development

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        opportunities, lack of resources for training, and limited use of indi-
        vidual development plans. An action plan addressing career develop-
        ment improvements was prepared. The plan included improving the
        distribution of information on career development and a number of
        specific actions on individual development plans, resources, and
        management support for these activities.  Each ORD organization and
        the Human Resources Council have made significant progress in
        implementing the 1996 action plan. In fact, many activities have far
        exceeded the 1996 ideas. This poster group will highlight the many
        actions taken across ORD in the last year.
        PREPARED BY: Nancy Wentworth (202-564-6830), ORD Career
        Advancement and Development Workgroup

ICD-7  HUMAN RESOURCES COUNCIL (HRC) RECOMMENDATIONS
           ORD's HRC's Career Development Workgroup is recommending
        that ORD institute a comprehensive Career Development Program for
        all managerial, scientific and engineering, administrative, and secre-
        tarial employees by implementing a three-component Program  which
        includes: (1) Career Planning, (2) Training, and (3) Advancement
        Opportunities. A comprehensive and equitable Career Development
        Program will serve to prepare  ORD for the future by making the best
        utilization of the skills and interests of ORD staff and by identifying
        future needs of the organization. The HRC will brief the ORD  Man-
        agement and Science Councils on the recommended Program and
        present an overview of the recommendations at the 1997 Chance
        Workshop.
           It is recognized that career development is a joint responsibility of
        both the employee and ORD management. Each employee has the
        ultimate responsibility for his/her career development. However, ORD
        must provide the appropriate tools, and management must determine
        the needs of the organization and be held accountable for implementa-
        tion of the Career Development Program.
        PREPARED BY: Kelly Leovic (919-541-7717), NRMRL, Nancy
        Wentworth (202-564-6830), NCERQA

ICD-8  CAREERPOINT CAREER DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
           CareerPoint is a computer-based Career Development System
        which assists employees in understanding the career development
        process, evaluating strengths and preferences, identifying development
        areas, creating development goals, developing specific career develop-
        ment plans, and preparing for career discussions with their managers.
        An ORD-wide Test Panel was organized to determine if: (a) on an
        individual basis — was CareerPoint useful? and (b) as an organization

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        — should ORD provide it to all employees and promote its use?
        CareerPoint was installed in RTF, Cincinnati, Edison, Athens, DC,
        Duluth, and Las Vegas. An evaluation form was developed, the
        software was tested, and a review of the findings was presented to the
        ORD Human Resource Council. The test panel concluded that
        CareerPoint is a useful Career Development Tool which merits ORD-
        wide support to promote access to it for all ORD employees.
        PREPARED BY: Barry Goldfarb, (202-564-6741), ORMA

ICD-9  ORD'S TRAINING EXCHANGE ASSIGNMENTS
            ORD has developed and is implementing a training exchange
        program to allow ORMA and National Laboratories/Centers employees
        an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how the different ORD
        organizations operate. The program is designed to provide training in a
        variety of functions, including administration and resources manage-
        ment in ORD Headquarters and the ORD Laboratories and Centers. To
        date, one ORMA person has worked at NHEERL-RTP,  and one
        NRMRL person has worked with ORMA in Headquarters as part of this
        exchange program.
        PREPARED BY: Peter Durant, (202-564-6746), ORMA

ICD-10 ORD MENTORING PROGRAM
            The ORD Mentoring Program will provide opportunities for all
        ORD employees to receive individualized counseling and guidance.
        This assistance can enhance their proficiency and support their career
      •  development and professional growth. Mentoring can improve the
        effectiveness of the organization and the people in it. When successful
        mentoring takes place within any organization, a nurturing, learning
        environment develops and becomes part of the overall culture.
        Mentoring is typically implemented as a component of a comprehen-
        sive human resource program. The ORD program is designed to:
        increase recognition of people's knowledge and expertise; provide
        another mechanism for staff to develop and improve their knowledge,
        skills, and abilities; empower staff to customize their training and
        development activities along non-traditional lines; foster cooperation
        across ORD; enhance individual development and growth opportuni-
        ties; encourage greater communication and an open culture; provide
        employees with greater job satisfaction; and enhance career develop-
        ment.
        PREPARED BY: Jayne Ramsey, (202-564-6736), ORMA

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ICD-11  INCORPORATING A REVIEW OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT AS
        PART OF THE ORD MANAGEMENT REVIEW PROGRAM
           The process for conducting internal management reviews at ORD
        sites may be amended to include data gathering on career development,
        mentoring, performance standards, training, and Individual Develop-
        ment Plan activities. The review could look into the allocation of
        resources for training and other dimensions of career development such
        as promotions, implementation of the dual track system, and career
        development plans. The goal would be to identify successful practices
        and opportunities for improving career development activities.
        PREPARED BY: Steven Smith (202-564-6738), ORMA

ICD-12  OFFICE OF SCIENCE (OSP) POLICY ACTIVITIES
           The OSP has undertaken a number of activities relating to career
        and organizational development. Internal and external training/
        rotational assignments have been completed by many of the staff. The
        Office of Human Resources and Organizational Services provided
        coaching to managers and supervisors on the development and use of
        Individual Development Plans. From a larger perspective, OSP is
        working with organizational change/management consultants to
        address some of the issues attendant to the February 1997 merger of
        Office of Research and Science Integration and the original OSP.
        Activities have included three All  Hands Meetings on change issues,
        including a two-day workshop, selection of a "transition team" to chart
        the course of change, and a series  of coaching sessions for the leader-
        ship group. This effort will continue into mid-year 1998.
        PREPARED BY: Mary Ellen Radzikowski (202-564-6757), OSP

ICD-13  NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY (NERL)
        ACTIVITIES
           The NERL has undertaken a number of activities. NERL is
        developing a standard protocol entitled "Policy and Procedures for
        NERL's Orientation Program  for New Employees" for use by new hires
        to help them understand the organizational and administrative proce-
        dures of NERL and ORD. Also, NERL has established a long-term
        training program (with no grade-level restrictions) to aid employees in
        acquiring training necessary to enhance their careers. The new para-
        digm of conducting more in-house research requires that some Project
        Managers return to the bench — NERL has created a course on human
        exposure assessment to help employees in this transition.
        All NERL employees recently received an E-Mail inviting them to join
        NERL's Career Enhancement and  Development Improvement
        Workgroup (seven new employees volunteered). Areas identified for

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        future investigation are: career promotion pathways available for
        professionals not directly performing research (e.g., Quality Assurance
        Officers, Project Officers, etc.);  individual development plans' (IDPs')
        policy;  training opportunities (catalogue them and identify barriers);
        performance evaluation systems (these are not uniform across the
        NERL - does this effect employees promotional potentials?)
        PREPARED BY: Bob Graves (513-569-7197), NERL

ICD-14 NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
        (NCEA) ACTIVITIES
           The NCEA established a work group with representatives from
        each of its locations to develop solutions to the career development
        issues identified at the first Williamsburg conference. After looking at
        other group's follow-up actions, it was decided that NCEA would await
        the outputs of the ORMA activities on mentoring and the use of Career
        Point. Efforts to expand scientific training opportunities, develop
        individual development plans, improve upward mobility, and expand
        career progression options are continuing.
        PREPARED BY: Chon Shoaf (919-541 -4155), NCEA

ICD-15 NATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT RESEARCH LABORATORY
        (NRMRL) ACTIVITIES
           The NRMRL has done  a number of things to address career
        development concerns within the Laboratory. They conducted an
        analysis of travel utilization for administrative activities versus techni-
        cal travel which showed more money was going to technically related
        travel. They also looked at Individual Development Plans (IDPs), and
        decided that supervisors should let staff know that IDPs are available,
        and it is the staff's responsibility to initiate the IDP development. In
        addition, they designated a Laboratory Career Development resources
        person and established a new hire mentoring program.  Peer panel
        promotion guidelines were established for administrative positions
        from  GS-5 through GS-13 level, and science positions from GS-11
        through GS-15, and a flow chart documenting the processes was
        prepared.  The Laboratory is also investigating professional certifica-
        tions  for staff as a means of documenting staff qualifications and
        credibility.
        PREPARED BY: George Moore (513-569-7991), NRMRL

ICD-16 NATIONAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
        RESEARCH LABORATORY(NHEERL) ACTIVITIES
           The NHEERL established a NHEERL Action Team that prepared a
        draft career development plan that (1) defines what a viable career
        development program should strive to be; (2) states objectives of such a
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        plan; (3) defines several areas of concern; and (4) presents problems
        and solutions associated with each area of concern. A number of
        significant issues were discussed and decisions/conclusions made. A
        few of these are listed below.
        •   A commitment was made to hire for the Laboratory a Human
            Resource Coordinator who has expertise in career development
            activities.
        •   Division Directors will be encouraged to provide the opportunity
            to develop and to implement Individual Development Plans for all
            staff.
        •   Desirability of developing a long-term training and mentoring
            programs will be investigated.
        •   An effort will be made to identify in a user-friendly catalogue what
            kinds of course offerings on training and other career development
            activities are available to Laboratory staff.
        •   Establish a standing Career Development committee within
            NHEERL.
        More information on NHEERL's activities can be found on the ORD
        Career Development Intranet site (www.cin.epa.gov and then find
        ORMA).
        PREPARED BY: Steve Broderius (218-720-5574), NHEERL

ICD-17 NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND
        QUALITY ASSURANCE (NCERQA)
            A core group of staff from the Environmental Engineering Re-
        search Division initiated a Career Development Work Group that
        identified a cluster of issues for management's attention: lack of
        awareness of award and career development opportunities and
        policies in ORD and the Agency. Additional discussions with other
        NCERQA staff affirmed the  issues.  A number of actions were taken,
        including making Awards' manuals available and providing a report on
        awards made in the previous year to NCERQA employees. A Career
        Development workshop was conducted using the WorkPower Plus
        system from Career Systems Advantage, Inc."information. The
        workshop was well-received and could easily be used across ORD as a
        planning tool to encourage the development and use of individual
        development plans. It is likely that additional workshops will be held
        for NCERQA staff. The request for a system for tracking resources
        used for career development (travel  money, registration fees, and time
        of staff) and awards has been "put on hold" pending modifications to
        OMIS and resolution on questions of confidentiality of awards and
        career development information.
        PREPARED BY:  Nancy Wentworth (202-564-6830), NCERQA

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ICD-18 SCIENTIFIC/PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL (SIT) PROMOTION
        PROCESS
            ORD S/T Promotion Process — ORD has established a new
        process to provide promotion opportunities for its bench scientists and
        engineers. This provides an avenue for promoting ORD researchers
        who have world-class qualifications to promotions above the GS-15
        level (S/T scientists and engineers are compensated at levels similar to
        Senior Executive Service members). ORD has formed a Technical
        Qualification Board for reviewing and recommending promotions to
        the S/T level with an emphasis on internal ORD candidates.
        PREPARED BY:  Peter Durant (202-564-6746), ORMA

IR-19   REDUCING RED TAPE ORD-WIDE
            Red Tape emerged from the first Williamsburg Workshop as an
        item of significant concern to staff throughout ORD.  Since the
        Workshop, considerable attention has been paid at the local level to
        reducing red tape involved in transactions or processes where authority
        exists to make changes. The Red Tape Synergy Group was formed
        shortly after the Williamsburg Workshop.  Comprised of a member
        from each Laboratory, Center, or Office its purpose is to serve as a
        medium for exchange of information regarding local  successes. Its
        further purpose is  to provide a vehicle for raising issues to higher levels
        for resolution where authority for resolution does not exist locally.  To
        date, the Group has recommended that eleven additional delegations be
        made to lower levels of the organization.  The Group has served as a
        catalyst for raising issues regarding Responsibility Center Consolida-
        tion and Bank Card procedures as well. There are still a number of red
        tape issues, and some of these are likewise being addressed. However,
        the 1997 Survey data show Red Tape to still be a matter of significant
        concern. As part of this poster presentation, viewers  will be asked to
        note their comments and suggestions for further  work. The ORD-Wide
        Red Tape poster consists of three panels. The first gives background
        from Williamsburg I, the second depicts the work of the ORD-Wide
        Red Tape group, and the third lists remaining issues and solicits
        comments from the viewers. These posters were prepared by Richard
        Garnas, Ken Dawsey, and Mary Shaffran.
        PREPARED BY: Ken Dawsey, (850-934-9361), NCEA Red Tape

IR-20   REDUCING RED TAPE:  THE BACKGROUND ONE YEAR AGO
            Red Tape topped the list at ORD's first improvement workshop last
        year. Participants  from across ORD noted that a CYA culture exists
        with a general lack of trust, empowerment, or appropriate delegation.
        This condition has resulted in frustration and low morale for employees
        as well as a loss of research momentum. Participants' recommenda
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        ions for reducing red tape fell into five broad action areas: (1) re-
        delegate to lowest possible level; (2) review, evaluate, and revise ORD
        policies and procedures for value-added and accountability; (3)
        service-oriented ORE) organizations act as facilitators and not barriers;
        (4) communicate ORD rules; and (5) simplify Lab Implementation
        Plans and reduce information requests.
        PREPARED BY:  Richard Garnas, (702-798-2235), ORD Red
        Tape Workgroup

IR-21   NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY-WIDE
        IMPROVEMENT NETWORK (NERLWIN)
           The objective of the NERLWIN is to solicit ideas with openness
        (and amnesty), listen to issues, commit to working as partners to find
        solutions for making NERL and ORD more efficient and effective, and
        strengthen communications NERL-wide regarding the Williamsburg
        follow-on activities. Members advise and assist the Laboratory
        Director in developing effective policies, strategies, and programs for
        the five ORD-Wide Improvement Opportunities: integrating science
        with EPA mission, infrastructure and resources to support science,
        reducing red tape, improving communication,  and career advancement
        and development. It is our belief that participants at all levels is a key
        element in providing guidance and direction to NERL and ORD
        management in the implementation of these activities.
        PREPARED BY: Richard Garnas, (702-798-2235), NERL

IR-22   RED TAPE WORKGROUP
           The Red Tape Workgroup is comprised of 12 members represent-
        ing the Immediate Office of the Director, the Research and Administra-
        tive Support Division, the  Management Coordination Division, and
        each National Health Environmental Effects Research Laboratory
        Division. The Workgroup is charged with identifying problems caused
        by unnecessary red tape, searching for solutions, and recommending
        remedial action. This includes researching the background for each
        action item, making contact outside NHEERL  as necessary, understand-
        ing the requirements of ORD and/or the Agency versus that of
        NHEERL specifically. Thus far, the Workgroup has actively addressed
        the following eight administrative issues: delegations, signature
        requirements for ADP purchases, electronic forms, personnel actions,
        store stock requisitions, bankcards, hazardous  agent protocols, and
        professional services contracts. Recommendations for five of the eight
        areas have been implemented with the remaining three well underway.
        PREPARED BY: Debbie Andrews, (919-541-4911), NHEERL
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IR-23   NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
        (NCEA) RED TAPE REDUCTION
           Red Tape was identified as an impediment to producing research
        products and fulfilling the overall mission of NCEA in the first em-
        ployee survey conducted by ORD. After the Williamsburg I Workshop,
        NCEA formed an internal Red Tape Reduction Team with representa-
        tives from each NCEA Division. The Team first conducted an assess-
        ment of the red tape issues identified in the Williamsburg I Workshop
        to determine which issues were most important to NCEA. Then the
        assessment was distributed to all NCEA staff with a request for
        comments and suggestions on what are the most important red tape
        problems that interfere with getting their jobs done. Staff response
        pointed out several problem areas, many of which remain. Since that
        time NCEA has made some progress in reducing red tape. Internal
        steps have been taken within some NCEA Divisions to delegate
        responsibility further down the line or to make procedures more user-
        friendly. There is, however, much that needs to be accomplished in this
        area, and a long-term effort will be necessary to make substantial
        progress.
        PREPARED BY:  Joe DeSantis, (202-260-0436), NCEA

IR-24   REDUCING RED TAPE IN THE NATIONAL EXPOSURE RE-
        SEARCH LABORATORY (NERL): A SUMMARY OF ACCOM-
        PLISHMENTS
           At the conclusion of the ORD Improvement Workshop last year,
        NERL participants committed to reducing red tape in the following
        eight areas listed below:
        •   Review and revise the NERL delegations of authority.
        •   Work on an easy access electronic system.
        •   Involve NERL individuals in the review and revision of ORD
           policies and procedures: sole source justifications; lAGs, other
           vehicles; international travel; and bank card.
        •   Implement the two signature model and work with ORMA on  its
           implementation
        •   Revise lab notebook system to account for electronic information
           consistent with NERL policy.
        •   Ensure NERL project research plan includes QA, peer review, etc.
        •   Involve NERL managers in budget decisions.
        •   Use electronic signature wherever possible.
        PREPARED BY:  Richard Garnas (702-798-2235), NERL
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IR-25   INTEGRITY PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL (IPC): A PILOT AP-
        PROACH TO REDUCING RED TAPE
           The Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) requires us
        to maintain vigilancejn safeguarding the government's resources and to
        make improvements in our work processes while remaining responsive
        to our clients. What has evolved at NERL-Las Vegas since the Act's
        implementation is an IPC which is composed of local administrative
        specialists who wage war on unnecessary red tape by:  (1) recognizing
        and addressing potential or existing administrative obstacles; (2)
        establishing a reasonable schedule of internal self-assessments; (3)
        reducing duplications or illogical  steps in administrative processes; and
        (4) adding stability and confidence in support services. The IPC strives
        to develop issues for review; deliberate on potential improvements;
        decide on recommendations to forward for management consideration
        and implementation; and dissolve the focus on that particular issue and
        begin again.
        PREPARED BY: Richard Garnas (702-798-2235), NERL

IR-26   OFFICE OF RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRA-
        TION (ORMA) IN MOTION: MOVING TO CUT RED TAPE
           Over the past year, ORMA has worked to reduce red tape in
        internal ORMA processes, ORD-wide procedures, and at the Agency-
        wide level. While there have been several successes, ORMA looks
        forward to further improvements in FY 1998.
        PREPARED BY: Jim Morant (202-564-6681),  ORMA

IR-27   THE NATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT LABORATORY (NRMRL)
        RED TAPE
           The NRMRL, has been proactive in cutting red tape at both the
        Laboratory and the Division levels. At the Laboratory level, we
        carefully analyzed delegations with emphasis on acquisition and
        human resource functions. The goal was to identify opportunities to
        redelegate approvals to the lowest appropriate level. It was determined
        that there were many instances in which the Laboratory Director had
        the authority to delegate approval to a lower level. On April 10, 1997,
        the Laboratory Director dramatically enhanced delegations down to the
        Division Directors.  In the acquisition area, this included enhanced
        delegations for contracts, cooperative agreements and interagency
        agreements. In the Human Resource area, delegations were enhanced
        in the long-term training, overtime pay, time off awards and for other
        performance based actions. In addition, the Divisions were encouraged
        to cut red tape within their operations. One example of this was in the
        Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division (APPCD) which
        commissioned a cross division team to identify red tape cutting
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        opportunities. The team came up with a number of suggestions and
        recommendations. As a result, APPCD management has implemented
        major changes to current policies to eliminate unnecessary approvals
        and simplify cumbersome procedures.  Such changes included:
        elimination of computer purchase justification, delegation of SEE
        training to Branch Chiefs, eliminate need for branch level travel plans,
        and simplified leave procedures for PHS Corp Officers.
        PREPARED BY: Frank T. Princiotta, (919-541-2821), NRMRL

IC-28   OFFICE OF RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRA-
        TION (ORMA) COMMUNICATIONS
           Identifies the technological approaches taken by ORMA to
        enhance communications among ORD employees.
        PREPARED BY:  Cliff Moore (202-564-6513), ORMA

IC-29   OFFICE OF RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRA-
        TION (ORMA) INTRANET
           Identifies this technology as a tool for communications and
        explores the potential for this mechanism for ORMA and ORD.
        PREPARED BY:  Cliff Moore (202-564-6513), ORMA

IC-30   NATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT RESEARCH LABORATORY
        (NRMRL) COMMUNICATIONS PROJECTS
           The communications workgroup, with the full participation and
        cooperation of the  NRMRL staff and management and the hard work of
        the other four Laboratories improvement areas, would like to highlight
      .  the communication successes which have been developed or occurred
        over the past year.  These successes have included:
        •   An update of the E-mail system at each of the four Office  locations
           to allow trouble-free interaction;
        •   Subsurface Protection and Remediation Division's (Ada's) website
           is averaging over 1,000 "hits" a month;
        •   Senior staff meeting minutes are available to all the staff;
        •   Completion and follow-up of an informal NRMRL
           communications survey;
        •   Staff input was provided to improve the NRMRL monthly report;
        •   Development of an Internet and Intranet communications  strategy
           by the Technical Transfer and Support Division;
        •   The communications workgroup is developing an interactive list
           server to allow NRMRL staff to post improvement ideas to the
           workgroup;
        •   Nearly all staff are satisfied with the hardware and software
           capabilities provided on their personal computers according to the
           NRMRL communications survey.
        PREPARED BY:  Thomas Holdsworth (513-569-7675), NRMRL
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IC-31   NATIONAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
        RESEARCH LABORATORY(NHEERL)
           The NHEERL Communications Opportunity Workgroup, compris-
        ing of a representative from each Division within NHEERL, discussed
        the results of the Williamsburg ballot and then presented opportunity,
        areas from each respective Division. The Williamsburg communica-
        tions ballot items were prioritized by number of votes and arrayed to
        link local communication issues, NHEERL communication issues and
        to develop an implementation plan, which was then presented to and
        accepted by NHEERL senior management. Details of our approach
        and accomplishments are presented in this poster.
        We consider our work to be a multi-year opportunity process initiated
        at the 1996 Williamsburg Meeting and implemented through subse-
        quent meetings, conference calls, and video conferences.  Every
        NHEERL employee is encouraged to participate by volunteering
        comments on proposals, providing comments through amnesty boxes,
        and volunteering time in various opportunity areas. The collective
        willingness of all NHEERL staff to assertively participate in these
        improvements is reaping positive rewards for this Laboratory and its
        workforce.
        PREPARED BY: NHEERL Communications Improvement Group,
        James Harvey, Chair (850-934-9237)

IC-32   THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESS-
        MENT (NCSA): BUILDING COMMUNICATION LINKAGES
           Since the Williamsburg Workshop in 1996, NCEA has taken up the
        issue of improving communication as a critical development goal.
        Beginning with debriefings at each NCEA location and the formation
        of a Communications Improvement Workgroup, NCEA has been
        striving for effective communication linkages across the entire organi-
        zation. As examples:  a series of team building workshops proved a
        meaningful forum for reflecting on the diversity of interests and
        communication needs that exist in NCEA; the Technical Information
        Exchange seminars highlight recent project activities of NCEA scien-
        tists; the Director's Science Discussion Meetings have helped  improve
        understanding of technical  projects; and an entrepreneurial effort that
        resulted in an E-mail MOVE-NEWS newsletter kept the staff informed
        before, during, and after negotiations for a lease on new NCEA office
        space. To  a wider audience, the NCEA website serves as  a display case
        for the organization highlighting our goals, capabilities and products
        while linking to other helpful sites. Over twelve thousand accessions
        have been  made since going on line in May. Priority additions still in
        the formative stages include a technical expertise
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        directory (in cooperation with the NCEA Integrating Science Group),
        chat rooms, and other exciting features.  NCEA@Work, an on-line
        intranet site supplementing the public access web page, is expected to
        be completed in December, It will serve the day-to-day information
        needs of our staff as well providing important items of interest to the
        rest of ORD and EPA.
        PREPARED BY:  The NCEA Improving Communication Workgroup:
        Bob Frederick, Kim Hoang, David Cleverly, Joe Corbett, and Dave
        Oberlin, (202-260-0689), NCEA

IC-33   ENHANCING THE FLOW OF INFORMATION IN AND FROM
        THE NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY (NERL)
            The NERL is pursuing improvements in both internal and external
        communications through the use of the EPA Intranet and the EPA
        Internet. Four of the NERL Divisions, the Center for Exposure
        Assessment Modeling, as well as project specific areas such as the
        Microbiology Home page and the Atmospheric Modeling Initiative
        have a presence on the EPA Public Access Server. Since March of
        1997, the number of hits on NERL Web Sites has increased from
        approximately 30,000 per month to over 70,000 per month. The goal is
        to make public as much information as possible so that the research
        community and the general public can see and understand the work
        being performed by the NERL.
        Internally, the NERL has developed an Intranet presence designed to
        provide NERL employees and other interested parties information that
        will help them in their day-to-day jobs, as well as enhancing their
        ability to interact with their colleagues throughout the agency (http://
        www.cin.epa.gov/nerl/). Using a combination of Lotus Notes Applica-
        tions and regular HTML Coding, discussion databases have been
        created and an Ecosystems Intranet work site is being designed and
        created.  By placing the delegations of authority and other information
        on Lotus Notes servers deployed throughout the NERL, employees and
        others have real time access to data as it  is posted and subsequently
        amended.
        PREPARED BY: Rosemarie C. Russo and Christopher Byrne
        (706-355-8010), NERL

IC-34   NETWORKED ANALYTICAL DATA SYSTEMS (NADS)
            ORD is in the process of making data gathered on various pieces of
        scientific equipment and projects available on the Intranet through the
        NADS. Using Lotus Notes servers deployed at all ORD Sites, the goal
        is to have data generated made available in real-time. Currently,
        information  is available including the National UV Monitoring Net-
        work, EMAP, AFM Images, and other Microscopy Images. Included


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        on the NADS Intranet Site is an AVI Movie File of a Virtual Reality
        "Fly By" of Hunlic Acid on Graphite. In addition, there are discussion
        groups to allow for the free flow exchange of information ideas within
        ORD. The potential-tise of this technology will result in a better
        understanding of each others' work and provide a platform for the
        sharing and exchange of ideas and information.
        PREPARED BY: Rosemarie C. Russo and Christopher Byrne
        (706-355-8010), NERL

IRI-35  SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
           The Office of Resources Management and Administration coordi-
        nates the work of the Capital Equipment Committee to purchase
        scientific equipment (approximately $5M/year).  ORD created a capital
        equipment escrow to set aside resources needed by Laboratories to
        purchase scientific equipment costing $75K and above. Using these
        resources, Laboratories have been able to purchase new state-of-the art
        equipment and/or replace technically obsolete, aged equipment. As a
        result, scientific equipment was deleted from FMFIA material weak-
        ness report in FY 1995.  Nonetheless, ORD efforts to improve the
        condition of Laboratories' scientific equipment are continuing. Man-
        aged by Capital Equipment Committee to ensure optimum utilization,
        an average of $5.0M per year is provided to purchase scientific
        equipment costing $75K and above for Laboratories.
        PREPARED BY: Jason C. Choe (202-564-6729), ORMA

IRI-36  RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE: A PROGRESS REPORT
           At the first ORD Workshop in 1996, many resource issues were
        identified requiring clarification and data gathering.  All Laboratories/
        Centers/Offices formed work groups to work on these issues.  A cross-
        cutting look at resource/infrastructure issues that ORD has completed
        as well as some future plans are displayed in our progress report.
        PREPARED BY: Kay Waters (202-564-6727), ORMA

IRI-37  NATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT RESEARCH LABORATORY
        (NRMRL) RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORK
        GROUP
           The NRMRL Resources and Infrastructure Work Group examined
        the question of how to most effectively apply our fiscal and personnel
        resources and research infrastructure to conduct high-quality, signifi-
        cant,  in-house research. The approach used was:  (1) characterize the
        current condition, (2) envision a desired future state, (3) identify issues
        and obstacles, and (4) develop an action plan. To better understand our
        current condition and to frame a desired future state, preliminary
        benchmarking interviews were conducted with representatives of
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        several highly respected government and private research organiza-
        tions. Our current condition reflects our historical mixture of extramu-
        ral and in-house operations, and a management emphasis on extramural
        funding. In contrast, the interviews reveal that other research organiza-
        tions place a strong management emphasis on their people and their
        products. A significant transition will be required within NRMRL to
        change a primarily in-house, performance-based operation with a focus
        on people and products. Most aspects .of that transition appear to be
        under the control of ORD and NRMRL, management, and staff. A13-
        point future state was identified, and 23 actions are recommended. One
        key recommendation is to continually benchmark high-performance
        research organizations world-wide and identify and utilize practicable
        improvements to ORD and NRMRL research planning and execution.
        PREPARED BY: Frank Freestone (908-321-6632), NRMRL

IRI-38  LABORATORY IMPROVEMENTS
           The Office  of Resources Management and Administration coordi-
        nates about $7M a year to fund major repair and improvement projects
        (>$75K) for our Laboratories. These funds are allocated from the
        Agency's Building and Facilities Appropriation. Additionally, ORD
        allocates approximately $4M  per year from its S&T funds to support
        repair and improvement projects costing $75K or less. Our charts will
        display the funding as allocated by Lab for FY 1997, FY 1998 and FY
        1999.
        PREPARED BY: Jack Simmons, (202-564-6732), ORMA

IRI-39  TRAVEL: FY 1997
           Detailed review of travel by categories was prepared by all
        Laboratories/Centers/Offices in response to the specific request of
        ORD Workshop I. The categories included; training, scientific meet-
        ings, administrative, management, and others. This summary is
        provided to display how ORD spent its travel funds in FY 1997.
        PREPARED BY: Cliff Moore, (202-564-6513), ORMA

IRI-40  RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT SCIENCE:
        A NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY (NERL)
        SUMMARY
           During the  first ORD Improvement workshop one year ago, NERL
        participants committed to the  following improvement activities for
        resources and infrastructure to support science listed below:
        •   Reach agreement between Laboratory Director and scientists on
           definition of research.
        •   Influence and contribute to ORD definition of infrastructure.
        •   Define "core" research areas to sustain/protect.
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        •    Evaluate "acceptable" allocation of infrastructure; it must be
            protected.
        •    Maintain long-term stability (3-5 years) of infrastructure essential
            for strong research capability.
        «    Include travel and FTE allocations in infrastructure.
        »    Ensure that all teams/Pis are aware of their infrastructure
            allocations.
        •    Periodically adjust infrastructure to reflect dynamic nature of
            research.
        •    Ensure research infrastructure data are robust—resource simulation
            models.
        PREPARED BY:  Richard Garnas, (702-798-2235), NERL

IRI-41  RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (IR) TEAM
            The National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) IR
        Team developed an Infrastructure Definition that was appropriate for
        use in determining the essential types of support necessary to maintain
        the core capabilities of NCEA.  It then applied that definition in a
        careful review of the  FY 1997 budget and supplied that information to
        the Management Deputies for their review. The definition was and
        continues to be used in defining information to be included in the LIPS.
        Other improvements made by NCEA in this opportunity area include
        the following:
        •    Development of a Strategic IRM Plan to guide the acquisition and
            use of computer equipment and software to better serve staff needs
            both now and over a five-year time frame.
        «    Major immediate improvements in the purchase of PCs and
            software throughout the organization.
        •    Organizing the move to a new facility on 17th Street, including
            ordering furniture and equipment to meet individual needs and
            organizational effectiveness.
        PREPARED BY:  Joe Corbett, (202-260-7665), NCEA

IRI-42  NATIONAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
        RESEARCH LABORATORY (NHEERL) INFRASTRUCTURE
        OPPORTUNITY GROUP: 1997
            The "old" definition of infrastructure was  vague so the first task of
        the Infrastructure Opportunity Group (IOG) was to define  "Infrastruc-
        ture." Using guidance from the ORD Williamsburg I meeting, the
        major components  of the definition were determined. Included in the
        definition is support for training, travel, operating  expenses, staffing,
        and extramural resources. Next, through frequent conference call
        discussions with NHEERL divisional representatives, action plans to
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        address each of these components were generated. The plans were
        discussed with NHEERL management in June and fined tuned. The  -
        NHEERL definition has been disseminated to the other ORD Infra-
        structure Groups, and an ORD consensus in definition is being devel-
        oped. Discussions with NHEERL management about the implementa-
        tion of the action plans are underway.
        PREPARED BY: Elizabeth George (919-541-5036), NHEERL

IIS-43  GOAL TO IMPROVE THE INTEGRATION OF ORD SCIENCE
        INTO THE MISSION OF EPA
            The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL)
        made two commitments at Williamsburg I related to improving the
        integration of ORD science into the mission of the Agency. We have
        completed one of our commitments which was the installation of an
        ORD homepage @ HTTP://WWW/CIN.EPA.GOV/WORKGROUP as
        well as a chat room @ HTTP://WEBNT.CIN.EPA.GOV.4080 both of
        which have the complete electronic posting of all communications by
        the ORD workgroup dealing with the integration science issue. The
        chat room permits real time, electronic communication by up to 25
        people in EPA simultaneously on a topic of mutual interest. The second
        commitment was to facilitate a "State of Science Meeting" on a topic of
        mutual interest among ORD, the operating programs and regions.
        Some 37 potential topics have been identified by the participants and a
        round of priority setting voting has been completed within ORD.
        Media specific priority topics were also solicited from the research
        coordinating councils. The current topics of primary interest in ORD
        were "Disinfection-by-Products and Microbiological Risks in Drinking
        Water - Sources to Consumption" as well as Endocrine Disrupters. The
        workgroup could not reach consensus on the appropriate topic for the
        first "State of Science Meeting" or the primary purpose of the meet-
        ings. Some members felt the primary purpose of such a meeting was to
        improve research coordination among the ORD organizations. Others
        felt that the primary purpose was to improve technical communications
        among ORD, the operating programs and the Regions. Others felt that
        we needed an improved planning system, and these state-of-science
        meetings would be a first step in a series of improved research planning
        meetings. Other discussion issues included who should attend these
        meetings, ORD researchers, ORD grantees, outside experts, all of the
        above.
        PREPARED BY: John J. Convery, (513-569-7986), NRMRL
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IIS-44  NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY (NERL)
        IMPROVEMENTS IN INTEGRATING SCIENCE WITH EPA's
        MISSION       fe
           The NERL accomplishments in the area of integrating science
        with EPA mission include the creation of increased opportunities for
        interaction among NERL scientists at various sites and between NERL
        scientists and other ORD scientists and clients in the program offices
        and regions. This was done through the establishment of NERL home-
        pages on the Internet and Intranet and through participation in the
        establishment of the ORD-wide bulletin boards and chat rooms. A
        NERL research strategy was developed to summarize current research
        including links to other EPA programs and to identify major issues and
        client research needs. It also serves as a framework for areas of future
        research. In addition, NERL developed clear definitions of applied/
        basic research and short- and long-term research and held subject area
        workshops for resource planning attended by Human Exposure and
        Ecological Exposure lead scientists.
        PREPARED BY: Gerard N. Stelma, Jr. (513-569-7384), NERL

IIS-45  GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS ACT (GPRA):
        UTILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
           The GPRA comes into full implementation in FY 1999 requiring
        Federal Agencies to link program activity to performance.  GPRA gives
        the EPA an opportunity to better demonstrate how it is successfully
        achieving its mission. To do this, the Agency has identified 10 goals
        which contribute to its mission. Much of ORD's efforts contribute to
        achievement of Goal 8 to "provide sound science to improve under-
        standing of environmental risk.."  ORD also helps to achieve other EPA
        goals such as Clean Air  and Clean and Safe Water. This poster
        provides information abo.ut the GPRA requirements and what ORD has
        done to meet these requirements.
        PREPARED BY: David Kryak and Howard Cantor (202-564-6709),
        ORMA
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Science Walk Session
   Poster Abstracts
20

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S-01    UNRAVELING THE MYSTERY OF MECHANISMS FOR DIOXIN
        FORMATION IN COMBUSTION SYSTEMS
           NRMRL has been conducting research on the formation of poly-
        chlorinated dibenzodioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (diox-
        ins) in combustion systems. Use of NRMRL/APPCD combustors, field
        combustors, and mobile diesel vehicles has shown that dioxins form
        from incomplete combustion reactions in the presence of sufficient
        amounts of chlorine and catalytic surfaces. Dioxins most typically
        form in the cooling portion of combustion systems, from temperatures
        between 650°C to 300°C.  Catalytic surfaces are necessary to promote
        dioxin formation; these catalysts are usually transition metals, such as
        copper (Cu) and iron (Fe). This mechanistic work has developed two
        technologies that prevent formation of dioxins. The first, termed
        SICORE, involves high temperature sorbent injection to bind up
        hydrogen chloride (HC1) and chlorine (C12), making Cl unavailable to
        chlorinate the multi-ring dioxin structures. SICORE has been patented
        and an exclusive license has been granted to Nalco Fuel Tech to
        encourage commercialization. The second technology that prevents
        dioxin formation relies on a common pollutant, sulfur dioxide (SO2), to
        reduce levels of dioxin.  The effect of SO2 to reduce dioxin levels has
        recently been demonstrated at a field waste combustor where minor
        amounts of co-fired high sulfur coal greatly reduced dioxin formation.
        The effect of SO2 is likely responsible for the very low observed
        emissions from coal-fired power plants.  Research on this effect
        continues in order to identify the mechanism and promote this preven-
        tative approach.
           This research program aims to further understand the genesis  of
        organic pollutants as byproducts from combustion processes. Many of
        these pollutants, including dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocar-
        bons (PAHs), are extremely toxic  and environmentally persistent.
        Further understanding of mechanisms that promote formation of
        complex toxic organics from small, unburnt hydrocarbon fragments in
        the presence of surface catalysts will lead to methods for preventing
        formation of such pollutants.
        PREPARED BY: Frank T. Princiotta, NRMRL (919-541-2821) and
        Brian K. Gullett, NRMRL (919-541-1534)

S-02    BIOGENIC EMISSIONS
            National and regional biogenic emissions can make major contri-
        butions to total VOC emissions which result in ozone compliance
        problems. Ozone control strategies must produce NOx emission
        reductions in areas with high biogenic VOC emissions (biogenic
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         emissions are over half of all annual VOC emissions and are an even
         higher proportion during ozone episodes.) Without knowledge on
         biogenic emission contributions, Agency control strategies can very
         well focus on ineffective VOC-only reductions resulting in the waste of
         millions of dollars on VOC emission controls.  Recent field studies
         have validated the efficacy of the biogenic emissions model developed
         to allow for estimation of these emissions as a function of location and
         other factors.
         PREPARED BY: Frank T. Princiotta (919-541-2821), NRMRL

 S-03    FINE PARTICULATE MATTER FROM COMBUSTION
         SOURCES: PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND HEALTH EFFECTS
         CHARACTERISTICS
            Researchers at the National Risk Management Research Labora-
         tory (NRMRL) and the National Health and Environmental Effects
         Research Laboratory (NHEERL) are conducting a joint research project
         to improve the understanding of combustion source operations and
         health effects.  This work will help define the origins and mechanisms
         of adverse health impacts due to increases in ambient particulate levels.
         By combining the expertise and facilities of NRMRL's Air Pollution
         Technology Branch (APTB) on combustion source operations and
         emissions with that of NHEERL's Pulmonary Toxicology Branch
         (PTB) on damage  to lung function from exposure to particulate matter,
         it is hypnotized that a link between specific types of particulate sources
         and adverse health impacts can be determined.  This project is a clear
         case of how cooperative research involving diverse areas of expertise
         can improve the scientific understanding of complex issues.
         PREPARED BY:  Frank T. Princiotta (919-541-2821), NRMRL, and
         Daniel Costa, (919-541-2532), NHEERL

S-04    EXPOSURE FACTORS HANDBOOK
            The 1997 Exposure Factors Handbook provides a summary of the
         available statistical data on various factors assessing human exposure.
         Volume I, General Factors, includes an  introduction and discussion of
         variability and uncertainty and provides data for drinking water
        consumption, soil ingestion, inhalation  rates, and dermal factors
         including skin area and soil adherence  factors. Volume II, Food
        Ingestion Factors, provides data for consumption of fruits and veg-
        etables,  fish,  meats and dairy products,  homegrown foods, and  breast
        milk. Volume III, Activity Factors, provides data for human activity
        factors, consumer product use, and residential characteristics. Recom-
        mended values are provided for the general population and also for
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        various segments of the population who may have characteristics
        different from the general population. This document is an update of
        the Exposure Factors Handbook published in 1989 and it incorporates
        Science Advisory Board (SAB) review comments submitted in March
        1997.
        PREPARED BY: Jacquline Moya, (202-260-2385), NCEA

S-05    OVERVIEW OF TOXICITYASSESSMENTS FOR BORON
        USING NEW METHODOLOGIES
            The National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) has
        been involved in developing and evaluating several toxicity assess-
        ments for boron. These boron (B) assessments use innovative new
        methodologies for risk assessment. These methodologies include the
        benchmark dose and categorical regression analysis for boron, as well
        as innovative ways to look at uncertainty. Development of new
        assessments has involved work with the Office of Water (OW), the
        boron industry and WHO (World Health Organization) International
        Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS). These assessments based on
        new methods may reduce reliance  on default assumptions by providing
        mechanistic based data yielding a more quantitative and  biologically
        defensible human health risk assessment. AH of these assessments will
        provide a sound scientific basis for assessing the risk to Boron and
        reduce environmental risk based on the best available scientific
        information.
        PREPARED BY: Carolyn Smallwood, NCEA (513-569-7425)

S-06    ORD STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY OUT-
        REACH
           ORD expertise and science provide state and local government and
        communities innovation to improve environmental protection program
        effectiveness and reduce costs. OSP's region, state and local staff
        work to build capacity within national, state, and local government
        associations to work with their constituency to the advance the
        dissemination of ORD products to state and local  clients. The staff
        also provides a liaison between ORD and the Agency's Community-
        Based Environmental Protection (CBEP) initiative, state and local
        government policy, the Agency's environmental justice program, and
        other clients as opportunities at HQ arise. With cooperative agreements
        through OSP, ORD links with the Council of State Governments's to
        work on ecological monitoring and assessment, with the  National
        Association of Counties on EPA technical assistance tool evaluation,
        The National Governors Association on risk management, and with
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        Public Technology, Inc. on environmental information technology.
        OSP also supports the National Environmental Justice Advisory
        Council's Subcommittee on Health and Research. OSP seeks to link
        ORD labs and centers to the Agency's clients through these initiatives
        by identifying program links between the ORD research agenda and
        client concerns.
        PREPARED BY: Lawrence Martin, OSP (202-564-6497)

S-07    PARTICULATE MATTER - THEME OVERVIEW
            Recent epidemiology reports suggest an association between
        human mortality and morbidity and exposure to ambient air paniculate
        matter (PM). Concern stems from the impact not only on healthy
        individuals, but notably on potentially susceptible subgroups. Studies
        of ambient PM in the laboratory are complicated by the difficulty in
        obtaining adequate bulk samples of ambient PM to do inhalation
        studies. Thus as a preliminary approach, intratracheal instillation can be
        used to assess the overall toxicity and hazard. However, controversy
        exists as  to the appropriateness of intratracheal instillation (IT) of PM
        into the rodent lung as a surrogate for inhalation exposure. We have
        conducted a series of studies using inhalation and intratracheal instilla-
        tion to validate this approach and have confirmed by both methods that
        bioavailable metals associated with the PM may be integral to the
        toxicity observed. Further work with  intratracheal instillation, inhala-
        tion, and exposures involving real-time concentrated PM will further
        this effort to assess the effects of ambient PM on the health of normal
        and cardiopulmonary diseased rodents.
        PREPARED BY:  Kevin Dreher, (919-541-3691), NHEERL and
        Daniel L. Costa, (919-541-2532), NHEERL

S-08    ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS AND  PERSISTENT ORGANIC
        POLLUTANTS
            During the past several years concern has grown over exposure to
        chemicals that disrupt endocrine function. Many of the endocrine
        disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPS)
        such as the polyhalogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and
        biphenyls, DDT and DDE. The research efforts in the Experimental
        Toxicology Division area can be divided into several subsections:
        experimental and computational model development; pharmacokinet-
        ics; and interaction studies. While the research is divided into these
        categories,  considerable interactions are between areas. In  particular
        these studies focus on determining the shapes of the dose-response
        curves for EDCs at relevant exposures and the tissue levels associated
        with adverse effects.  Researchers in the Experimental Toxicology
        Division  have developed models of endocrine disorders such as
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        diabetes and endometriosis and other diseases.  Recent efforts have
        focused on the effects of EDCs and (POPS) in these animal models.
        Because humans are exposed to numerous EDCs and POPs, researchers
        are characterizing the effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of
        these chemicals in the animal models of endocrine diseases.  In
        addition, the researchers in ETD have developed quantitative structure
        activity relationship (QSAR), physiologically based-pharmacokinetic
        (PBPK) and biologically based dose response (BBDR) models for
        EDCs. The QSAR models for the different classes of EDCs developed
        by ETD researchers may provide a means of screening and prioritizing
        these chemicals for testing as required by the Food Quality Protection
        Act.  Furthermore, much of this research has been in support of the
        ongoing reassessment of the health risks of dioxins.
        PREPARED BY:  Michael DeVito (919-541 -0061), NHEERL

S-09    METHODS, MODELS AND SUSCEPTIBILITY
            The Experimental Toxicology Division (ETD) performs research to
        improve EPA's regulatory decisions and risk assessment process. This
        includes the development and application of toxicologic assessment
        methods and  the creation of predictive models, as well as performing
        research to support the first two steps in the risk assessment process
        (i.e.,  hazard identification and dose-response assessment). The
        research projects presented in this poster cover a wide range of issues,
        disciplines, approaches, media and pollutants, all of which contribute to
        and are relevant for improving risk assessment and regulatory policy
        decisions, by directly supporting a number of program offices. These
        offices include OAR, OAQPS, ORIA, GAP, OPPTS, OPP, OPTS,
        OSWER, and OW. The 16 research projects presented are divided into
        the following areas: 1) test methods development and refinement; 2)
        mechanistic and toxicokinetic research; 3) susceptible populations; and
        4) relationship between toxic  endpoints and disease.
        PREPARED BY: Ralph Smialowicz (919-541-5776), NHEERL

S-10    DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS, VOLATILE ORGANIC
        COMPOUNDS, AND ARSENIC
           The research projects included in this theme address issues
        primarily of interest to the Agency's Office of Water. Risk assessors in
        the Office of Water are in need of new data and approaches to substan-
        tiate the scientific basis of their risk estimates for priority disinfection
        by-products (DBPs) and arsenic, as mandated by the  Safe Drinking
        Water Act Amendments of 1996. The Amendments specifically direct
        the development of physiologically based pharmacokinetic models for
        DBPs along with research to enhance mechanistic understanding and
        improve capabilities to perform rodent to human extrapolations. New
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        regulations for DBFs are scheduled to be promulgated in 2002, and
        therefore, information regarding health effects and exposure will be
        needed to initiate negotiations in 2000. ETD research on DBFs has
        focused on volatile by-products, specifically the trihalomethanes
        (THMs), a class that includes the most prevalent DBFs in chlorinated
        drinking water. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) studied by
        ETD, which include other environmental contaminants in addition to
        the THMs, are also of concern for the Indoor Air, Urban Air and
        Superfund programs.
            The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) also requires the Agency to
        implement a final arsenic rule in 2001. ETD's arsenic research
        program addresses fundamental questions that underlie uncertainties
        about the health effects of arsenic in humans and which have been
        presented in the Arsenic Research Plan developed by the agency and
        submitted to Congress under the terms of the SDWA. Novel mechanis-
        tic data about the dynamic behavior of arsenic will provide the agency
        with better information to refine the risk assessment for this metalloid
        and to develop rational  and appropriate standards for human exposure.
        PREPARED BY: Rex Pegram (919-541-0410), NHEERL and David
        Thomas, (919-541-4974), NHEERL

S-ll    TRENDS IN INDICATORS OF EUTROPHICATION IN THE
        HUDSON-RARITAN ESTUARY
            Long-term monitoring of New York Harbor waters indicate that
        many areas of the Harbor have recently experienced dramatic improve-
        ments  in several conventional water quality indicators. These improve-
        ments  include Harbor-wide order-of-magnitude reductions in ambient
        coliform concentrations, and significant increases in dissolved oxygen
        (DO) concentrations in  the waters of the Inner Harbor. However, in
        contrast to these and other water quality improvements, some areas of
        the outer Harbor, in particular, Jamaica Bay, western Long Island
        Sound, and Raritan Bay, exhibit either no trend or a negative trend in
        several water quality indicators. For example, in some of these waters
        bottom average DO concentrations show a decreasing trend, while
        trends  in surface water DO concentrations are indicative of increasing
        supersaturation. Sites which exhibit the greatest top-to-bottom DO
        stratification, also exhibit high plankton activity, decreasing transpar-
        ency, elevated pH, and the highest average chlorophyll 'a' concentra-
        tions in the Harbor. While the increased algal activity, and the decline
        in related indicators suggest some areas of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary
        are experiencing increasing eutrophication, both nutrient loads and
        ambient nutrient concentrations have remained mostly constant over
        the past 20 years. The recent covariance of dissolved oxygen minima
        among very diverse and isolated areas of the Harbor strongly suggest
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        other factors, possibly meteorological, hydrologic, or oceanographic in
        nature, may be affecting water quality trends in some parts of the
        Estuary, calling into question the probable success of planned nutrient
        management efforts aimed at decreasing the occurrence of hypoxia in
        the Harbor.
        PREPARED BY: Marie O'Shea (908-321-4468), NRMRL

 S-12   IMPACT OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT ON WATER QUALITY
        TRENDS IN THE LOWER HUDSON RIVER
            Long-term trends in dissolved oxygen (DO) and total coliform
        bacteria concentrations are used to evaluate the impact of almost 60
        years of sewage abatement and treatment in the lower Hudson River
        near New York City (NYC). Although some water pollution control
        plants (WPCPs) have been in operation in the region since the 1930s,
        the most significant abatement of untreated sewage in the lower
        Hudson River has occurred since the late-1970s, when most of the
        existing plants were upgraded to secondary treatment, and additional
        plants were constructed.  From at least 1922 through the early 1960s,
        average summer DO percent saturation varied between 35-50% in
        surface waters and 25-40% in bottom waters. Beginning in the late
        1970s, DO concentrations generally increased through the 1980s and
        especially into the 1990s, coinciding with the upgrading of the 170 mgd
        North River plant to secondary treatment  in the spring of 1991.
        Average summer percent saturation in the early 1990s exceeded 80% in
        surface waters and 60% in bottom waters. In addition, summer DO
        minima have increased from less than 1.5 mg 1-'  in the early 1970s to
        greater than 3.0 mg H in the 1990s, and the duration of hypoxia during
        summer months has been reduced. Total coliforms also display strong
        declining trends from the 1970s into the 1990s, with declines attributed
        to plant upgrades, construction of two NYC plants (North River and
        Red Hook) in the mid-1980s, and improved operation of the sewer
        system. This paper will examine these and other changes to dissolved
        oxygen (DO) and coliform bacteria in the lower Hudson River, in
        response to recent improvements in both sewage capture and treatment.
        PREPARED BY: Marie O'Shea, NRMRL (908-321-4468)

S-13    CRITERIA FOR PAH EXPOSURE DETERMINED FROM
        SELECTED REFERENCE SITES AND STATISTICALLY
        SAMPLED SITES
          Exposure criteria are needed to provide universal references for
        assessment of streams. Reference values for naphthalene, associated
        with oil contamination, and benzo[a]pyrene, associated with
        combustion by-products, were determined for fish in Ohio streams by
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        measuring bile metabolites (Lin et al, 1996). The exposure criteria
        values were rounded up from the 0.90 fractile upper reference limit
        calculated according to the recommendations of the International -
        Federation of Clinical Chemistry. The exposure criteria were 0.3 u.g
        benzo[a]pyrene/mg protein and 50 jig naphthalene/mg protein for data
        obtained from statistically selected (REMAP) first through third order
        streams. In the Eastern Cornbelt Plains, 7.5% of the sites exceeded the
        benzo[a]pyrene and the naphthalene criteria values. For both types of
        metabolites, more than half of the rivers of concern sampled by the
        Ohio EPABiomonitoring Program exceeded the criteria values.  This
        method can be used to develop criteria of exposure for other
        contaminants to other wildlife and other ecosystems.
        PREPARED BY: Susan Cormier and E. Lin, NERL (513-569-7995)

S-14    A POTENTIAL MECHANISM OF ACTION FOR ARSENIC AS A
        CARCINOGEN: DNA METHYLATION ALTERATIONS
            The mechanism of action of the human carcinogen arsenic is not
        well understood.  Because arsenic is detoxified using an S-
        adenosylmethionine/methyltransferase pathway we hypothesized that
        arsenic exposure could affect DNA methylation. Human lung A549
        cells exposed to 0.08 to 2 M arsenite in vitro over a 2 week period
        acquired increases of up to 7-fold in cytosine methylation in a 5'-
        control region of the p53 promoter as confirmed by bisulfite modifica-
        tion technique of DNA sequencing and by Hpall restriction analysis.
        Using Sssl methylase to quantify CpG methylation, hypermethylation
        was shown was present globally throughout the genome. CMTase
        mRNA was increased in cells grown in the presence of arsenite as
        detected by RT-PCR, and  CMTase preparations isolated from arsenite-
        exposed cells had higher levels of activity per g protein. We conclude
        that changes in DNA methylation induced by arsenic could underlie  its
        mechanism of action as a  carcinogen.
        PREPARED BY: M. J. Mass, NHEERL (919-541-3514) and L.
        Wang, NHEERL (919-541- 0324)

S-15    IDENTIFICATION OF ANALYTICALLY PROBLEMATIC
        POLLUTANTS WITH A  NEW MASS SPECTROMETRIC
        TECHNIQUE
            Structural identification of environmental pollutants is often
        impossible even with the Agency's advanced analytical techniques. A
        high resolution mass spectrometric (HRMS) technique pioneered at
        BSD can identify pollutants that would otherwise be reported as
        "unknowns." The technique very accurately measures three exact
        masses and two relative abundances  for one ion and the ions weighing
        1 and 2 amu more. Together, these five values yield a unique elemental
28

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        composition. Two examples illustrate the power of this new technique.
        For a Superfund site sample, elemental compositions were determined
        for thje presumed molecular ion formed from each of 47 compounds
        corresponding to unidentifiable gas chromatographic peaks. These
        compositions, and tracking of the ions characteristic of
        alkylbenzothiazoles (at 20,000 resolution), confirmed that these
        compounds were benzothiazole derivatives from a nearby dye manu-
        facturing plant. In a second example, the new HRMS technique
        determined the elemental compositions of the molecular ion and 10
        fragment ions from several isomers, leading to identification of a series
        of alkylated cyanotetralins in well water from an area having an
        elevated incidence of childhood cancer.
        PREPARED BY: A. H. Grange, NERL (702-798-2137) and G. W.
        SovocooJ, NERL (702-798-2212)

 S-16    NON-PURGEABLE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
        RAPIDLY DETERMINED BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHYIMASS
        SPECTROMETRY USING DIRECT AQUEOUS INJECTION
            A number of analytical techniques are available for identifying and
        quantifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in aqueous media
        (e.g., purge and trap; headspace analysis). These approaches all
        involve preliminary steps to remove the analytes from the aqueous
        matrix. Some VOCs (i.e., "non-purgeables"), however, cannot be
        removed from water. The Environmental Sciences Division (NERL,
        Las Vegas) has developed a method that bypasses the need for all
        preliminary steps when analyzing water for VOCs. This method uses
        fused-silica gas chromatography via direct injection of the aqueous
        sample, coupled with determination by ion-trap mass spectrometry.
        This direct aqueous injection (DAI) method has been evaluated for 18
        non-purgeable volatile organic compounds of which nine have no EPA-
        approved method. Using internal standardization, the relative response
        factors and relative retention times for the 18 compounds were deter-
        mined. The precision of the technique was  19% and 13% (relative
        standard deviation) for the splitless and on-column injection, respec-
        tively. On average, DAI was also able to detect as few as 800 mol-
        ecules of analyte in every one billion molecules of water (800 ppb).
        PREPARED BY: Steven M. Pyle, NERL (702-798-2529) and Alvin B.
        Marcus, NERL (702-798-2324)

S-17    A ROTATED PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF TOTAL
        COLUMN OZONE OBTAINED FROM TOMS FOR 1984 TO 1989
           The global distribution of total column  ozone (3) is attracting great
        international attention as concerns over reduced global abundances
        escalate. Detection of a trend is an arduous task, made difficult by
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        numerous natural inter- and intra - annual fluctuations, many of which
        are not well understood. Accordingly, this study analyzes these natural
        variations (across all spatial and temporal scales) through the applica-
        tion of rotated Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to the 3 data
        derived from Version 6.0 TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer)
        for the period 1984-1989. Utilization of Kaiser's varimax orthogonal
        rotation allows delineation of eleven homogeneous subregions that
        together account for 74.08% of the total variance.  Each subregion
        displayed statistically unique 3 characteristics that were further
        examined through time series and spectral analysis, allowing identifica-
        tion of the probable phenomena (i.e. annual and semiannual cycles,
        QBO, ENSO, baroclinic waves) responsible for the variability of 3.
        PREPARED BY: Brian Eder, NERL (919-541-3994) and Sharon
        LeDuc, NERL (919-541-1335)

S-18    TECHNOLOGY TOOLS FOR CLEANER PRODUCTION:
        SEPARATIONS FOR REMOVAL/RECYCLE/REUSE AND GREEN
        ENGINEERING FOR CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS
            In four in-house projects, the Clean Processes and Products
        Branch, Sustainable Technologies Division, NRMRL, is developing
        and evaluating technologies for making industrial processes cleaner.
        The first project, Pervaporation for VOC Removal and Recovery,
        grew out  of a successful in-house study of the membrane technology
        applied to a surfactant-treated contaminated groundwater. After
        investigating several potential industrial applications, we identified
        solvent dehydration as the most promising and will begin bench work
        in FY 98.  Performance predictive software is also under development
        in-house. The second project is Temperature Swing Sorption for
        VOC Removal and Recovery. A potentially significant advance in the
        technology is being studied in the lab, with a pilot evaluation at a DOD
        paint spray booth planned for late FY 98. In the third project, Adsorp-
        tion for Metals Removal and Recovery, we are developing adsorbents
        to remove and recover metals from industrial streams. Target metals
        are nickel, copper, and lead found in metal finishing and primary
        metals industry process and waste streams.  The fourth project, Alter-
        native Oxidation using Photocatalysis, will develop an environmen-
        tally benign catalytic process for partial oxidation of hydrocarbons in
        the manufacture of commodity chemical oxygenates such as alcohols,
        aldehydes and ketones. The experimental process uses ultraviolet light
        and a titanium dioxide catalyst. Currently we are investigating multiple
        reactor configurations, deposition of a nanocrystalline catalyst film and
        additional catalysts and co-catalysts, such as iron and copper.
        PREPARED BY: Teresa Marten, NRMRL (513-569-7565)
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 S-19    ORD'S REGIONAL SCIENTIST PROGRAM
            The Regional Scientist Program fosters communication between
         ORD and the Regions. An ORD scientist, detailed to a Regional
         Office, provides expert advise to managers, develops applied science
         projects that utilize ORD research products, and communicates regional
         science needs to ORD's research planning process. The program builds
         science capacity in the Regions, brings regional experience into the
         laboratories, and provides professional development opportunities. The
         poster introduces the current Regional Scientists and describes their
         activities.
         PREPARED BY: John Miller, OSP (202-564-4896)

 S-20    SHOULD ORD CARE ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAMS ARE
         DOING?
         OSP's Regulatory Support Staff links ORD research and expertise with
         the Agency's regulatory process. Participating in that process helps to
         make EPA's programs, guidance, regulations, and reports more legally
         defensible. This poster details the activities regulatory support re-
         quires. Some of the activities in which OSP Regulatory Support Staff
         are involved require that they:
         •   review the tiering of policy and regulatory actions; the various tiers
            refer to the degree on internal EPA scrutiny given to each action,
            and the tiering is based on the significance of the action.
         •   conduct essentially a 'triage' on the new regulatory activities to
            assess the need for and level of ORD involvement, and help
            identify ORD experts for workgroups and participating when they
            have expertise. Recent efforts include review and participation on
            efforts associated with clean air act workgroups, recent pesticide
            regulations and recent solid waste regulations.
            analyze proposed and enacted legislation for its impacts on ORD's
            research program. Recent efforts include analysis of congressional
            inquiries on the clean air standards, the safe drinking water act, and
            the food quality protection act.
        Staff also respond to external (e.g., congressional) inquiries.
        PREPARED BY:  Ed Hanlon, OSP (202-564-6761)

S-21    THE ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF ESTUARIES IN THE GULF
        OF MEXICO
        The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with other
        federal agencies, initiated the Environmental Monitoring and Assess-
        ment Program (EMAP) in order to document the status and geographi-
        cal extent of the condition of the nation's ecological resources. Using a
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        standardized, probabilistic sampling design and standardized methods,
        the Estuaries component of EMAP (EMAP-E) launched a demonstra-
        tion project in 1991 to monitor the ecological condition of near-shore
        waters along the Gulf of Mexico coast. The Gulf of Mexico region
        covers estuarine systems from Rio Grande, Texas to Florida Bay,
        Florida. EMAP-E has conducted sampling surveys in the Gulf estuar-
        ies during the summers of 1991-1995. This poster highlights informa-
        tion about the ecological condition of estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico
        available from EMAP-E and other federal and state environmental
        programs. In FY'98, we will combine available information to provide
        an environmental "report card," assessing the overall ecological
        condition of Gulf of Mexico estuaries.
        PREPARED BY: Virginia Engle, John Macauley, and Kevin Summers,
        NHEERL (850-934-9200)

S-22    EPA'S SCIENCE POLICY COUNCIL
           Established in 1993 by the Administrator, the Science Policy
        Council (SPC) addresses significant science policy issues that go
        beyond regional and program boundaries. The SPC is chaired by the
        Deputy Administrator and is composed of senior managers from the
        programs, regions, and laboratories. Staff in ORD's Office of Science
        Policy support SPC activities, which currently include efforts in areas
        such as Cumulative Risk, Risk Characterization Implementation, Peer
        Review Issues, Cancer Guideline Implementation, and Social Science
        Issues.
        PREPARED BY: Kerry Dearfield, OSP (202-564-6486) and Ed
        Bender, OSP (202-564-6483)

S-23    THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
        SYSTEM (EIMS): IMPROVING ACCESS TO ORD'S DATA AND
        INFORMATION RESOURCES.
        The Environmental Information Management System (EIMS) stores
        and manages descriptive information (metadata) about data, projects,
        models, and documents used by Agency staff. The core of this system
        is a relational database containing both metadata and data. World Wide
        Web forms provide direct access to the metadata components of the
        system enabling anyone with an Internet browser to identify and find
        environmental information resources.  Thus far, the EIMS has been
        implemented for an ORD research program (ReVA), a regional office
        (Region 10), and a program office (OW's Surf Your Watershed Pro-
        gram). The continued development and application of EIMS within
        ORD is being coordinated by the recently formed ORD  Scientific
32

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         Information Management Coordination Board (SimCorB). SIMCorB is
         developing pilot projects to integrate EIMS with existing ORD pro-
         grams, such as EMAP, and to capture descriptive information about
         legacy data sets held by ORD. These projects are designed to develop
         the full potential of EIMS to become the inventory of environmental
         resources held by ORD.
         PREPARED BY: Robert Shepanek, NCEA (202-260-3255) and Gary
         Collins, NERL (513-569-7174)

 S-24    GENETIC DIVERSITY OF CENTRAL STONE ROLLER FROM
         THE GREAT MIAMI RIVER DRAINAGE BASIN, OHIO
            The response of a species to stress may depend on the genetic
         variability at its disposal.  Molecular approaches are useful for measur-
         ing genetic diversity within and among wild populations exposed to
        environmental stressors.  We have developed molecular tools for
        genetic analysis which generate a high number of loci in the absence of
        specific sequence information. These methods are well-suited for
        evaluating regional scale population diversity  and potential vulnerabil-
        ity. We applied these to assess the level of genetic variation in popula-
        tions of Central Stone Rollers (Campostoma anomalum) collected from
        tributaries of the Great Miami River in Ohio during the summer of
         1995 as a part of a Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assess-
        ment Program (REMAP) project. The results demonstrate that a trend
        exists towards a relationship between genetic diversity and stream
        order. Therefore, isolated populations farthest from main conduits or  in
        lower stream orders may be the most vulnerable to stressor exposure.  It
        is hoped that information pertaining to genetic diversity, when inte-
        grated with other metrics, will aid in making scientifically grounded
        decisions for resource management.
        PREPARED BY: R.N. Silbiger, S.A. Christ, A.C. Leonard, M. Garg,
        D.L. Lattier, T. Wessendarp, D.A. Gordon, A.C. Roth, M.K. Smith and
        G.P. Toth, NERL (513-569-7623)

S-25    EXPOSURE MONITORING IN TELEOSTS USING GLOBAL
        EXPRESSION OF TISSUE-SPECIFIC GENES AS MARKERS
            Expression of certain genes in aquatic organisms is the cellular
        "reaction" to environmental "action". We are using molecular biology
        tools to assess such reaction, or gene induction, in common carp
        (Cyprinus carpio). These methods will  provide a means for sensitive
        detection of the "first cellular event" in  response to environmental
        impact. The activation of certain genes may be correlated with classes
        of chemical compounds. Molecular approaches to exposure monitoring
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        are supported by the hypothesis that subcellular events resulting from
        the contact of an organism with chemical milieu are detectable far in
        advance of those effects observed at higher levels of biological organi-
        zation. We have, therefore, developed a method designed to identify, in
        any target tissue, genes which are expressed or suppressed as a function
        of chemical exposure. This method is currently being applied in
        conjunction with an in situ exposure monitoring scheme, using caged
        fish. It is expected to contribute substantially to the detection of
        pesticides and endocrine disrupting compounds in stream ecosystems.
        PREPARED BY:  D. Lattier and G. Toth, NERL (513-569-7419)

S-26    A MICROBIOLOGICAL SURROGATE FOR EVALUATION OF
        DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PLANT EFFICIENCY
            The emergence of waterborne pathogens, such as Cryptospordium,
        has prompted renewed interest in procedures for evaluating water
        treatment plant performance.  In this study, endospores of aerobic
        spore-forming bacteria were used as microbial surrogates for evaluating
        the efficiency of various unit processes in drinking water treatment. A
        method of assaying for the microbial surrogate is proposed.  Occur-
        rence data for various source waters and data from coagulation and
        disinfection studies will be presented. Evaluations of endospore
        removal will be compared with removals of turbidity and particle
        removal.  Seasonal removal data through a full-scale treatment plant
        and data from a pilot-scale plant will also be presented.
        PREPARED BY:  E. W. Rice, K. R. Fox, R. J. Miltner, D. A. Lytle and
        C. H. Johnson, NRMRL (513-569-7204)

S-27    COLLABORATIVE STUDY OF TWO METHODS FOR THE
        DETECTION OF ESCHERICIA COLI IN WATER
            A collaborative study was conducted to evaluate two methods for
        the detection of Escherichia coli in water.  The Agency approved 24
        hour EC-MUG procedure was compared with a rapid 4 hour glutamate
        decarboxylase (GAD) method. Nine samples representing four different
        sample types were examined.  Fourteen analysts from ten governmental
       •and two commercial laboratories participated in the study. A total of
        769 total coliform positive cultures were analyzed for the presence of
        E. coli. There was a 98% agreement between the two methods.
        Intel-laboratory variability was within accepted limits. Based upon
        these findings, the rapid GAD assay was equivalent to the standard 24
        hour, elevated temperature procedure.
        PREPARED BY: E. W. Rice and C.H. Johnson, NRMRL (513-569-
        7204) and J. W. Messer, NERL (919-541-1425)
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        benchmark dose approach, problem formulation for ecological risk
        assessments, and a framework for integrating cancer and noncancer risk
        assessment.
        PREPARED BY: William P. Wood, NCEA (202-260-1095)

 S-30   PCBs, THYROID HORMONES AND OTOTOXICITY IN RATS:
        CROSS-FOSTERING EXPERIMENTS DEMONSTRATE THE
        INFLUENCE OF POSTNATAL LACTATIONAL EXPOSURE
            Previous research has demonstrated the sensitivity of the develop-
        ing rat to the hypothyroxinic and ototoxic effects of perinatal exposure
        to Aroclor 1254 (A 1254). We tested the hypothesis that postnatal expo
        sure via lactation is the major cause of the ototoxicity by cross-
        fostering animals at birth. Primiparous rats (22-24/dose) received 0 or 6
        mg/kg A1254 (po in corn oil) from gestation day (GD) 6 to postnatal
        day (PND) 21. On the day of birth half of the treated litters and half of
        the control litters were cross-fostered, resulting in the following groups:
        CTRL/CTRL - controls; PCB/PCB - perinatal exposure; PCB/CTRL -
        prenatal exposure only; CTRL/PCB - postnatal exposure only. We
        assessed offspring at a number of ages for: plasma thyroid hormone
        concentrations, liver concentrations of PCBs, body weight, mortality,
        auditory  startle amplitudes, and auditory thresholds for 1 and 40-kHz
        tones. Circulating T4 concentrations were sharply reduced in the PCB-
        exposed group at GD21, and on PND 3,7,14 and 21 in the PCB/PCB
        and the CTRL/PCB groups. Smaller decreases in T4 were observed in
        the PCB/CTRL group on PND 3,7, and 14. Amounts of PCBs in the
        liver on PND 21 were similarly elevated in the PCB/PCB and CTRL/
        PCB groups, but not in the PCB/CTRL group. Auditory startle ampli-
        tudes were unchanged in all groups. A1254 exposure caused permanent
        hearing deficits (20 dB increase) at the low frequency (1 kHz) in the
        PCB/PCB and CTRL/PCB groups. These data demonstrate significant
        hypothyroxinic and ototoxic effects of postnatal lactational exposure to
        PCBs.
        PREPARED BY: K. M. Crofton, P.R.S. Kodavanti, E. C. Derr-Yellin
        and C. G. Nace, NHEERL (919-541 -2672)

S-31    INCREASED [H3JPHORBOL ESTER BINDING IN RAT CER-
        EBELLAR GRANULE CELLS AND  INHIBITION OF 4SCa 2+
        SEQUESTRATION IN RAT CEREBELLUM BY POLYCHLORI-
        NATED DIPHENYL ETHER CONGENERS AND ANALOGS:
        STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS
           Research in our laboratory has indicated that a prototypic ortho-
        substituted, non^coplanar polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener
        disrupts calcium homeostasis and second messenger systems in nerve
        cells in vitro. Other studies on the structure-activity effects of 24 PCB
36

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S-28    TOOLS FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION AND
        ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
            The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL)
        Systems Analysis Branch has developed a number of tools to assist
        users in incorporating environmental considerations and sustainable
        development concepts into the decision-making process. The tools
        range from completed computer programs to documented conceptual
        frameworks and methodologies. Thirteen tools are complete or
        currently under development. This poster highlights four of the tools:
        Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Tool for Reduction and Assessment of
        Chemical Impacts (TRACI), Pollution Prevention Progress (P2P), and
        Program for Assisting the Replacement of Industrial Solvents (PARIS).
        An accompanying publication ("toolbox") gives a synopsis and the
        current status of each of the tools, the capabilities and limitations of
        each tool, how and when the tools should be used, and how tools can be
        combined for enhanced application.
        PREPARED BY: Terri Hoagland, NRMRL (513-569-7783)

S-29    RISK ASSESSMENT FORUM
            The Risk Assessment Forum is a standing committee of senior EPA
        scientists charged with studying selected risk assessment issues. The
        Forum was established to promote Agency-wide consensus on difficult
        and controversial  risk assessment issues and to ensure that this consen-
        sus is incorporated into appropriate Agency risk assessment guidance.
        To fulfill this purpose, the Forum assembles Agency risk assessment
        experts in a formal process to study and report on issues from an
        Agency-wide scientific perspective. Forum activities range from long-
        term risk assessment guidelines development to one-time conferences,
        each designed to foster inter-office dialogue and, as appropriate,
        develop expert scientific consensus on important risk assessment
        issues.  Risk Assessment Forum products include: risk assessment
        guidelines, technical panel reports on special risk assessment issues,
        and peer consultation and peer review workshops addressing controver-
        sial risk assessment topics. ORD scientists play key roles in the
        Forum's activities. Forum work is managed by a staff lodged in and
        supported by the National Center for Environmental Assessment.
        Several ORD scientists participate in shaping and managing the
        Forum's agenda as Forum members while others participate on Forum
        technical panels, often leading these efforts.  Presently, the Forum is
        completing the Agency's first risk assessment guidelines for neurotox-
        icity risk assessment and ecological risk assessment and revisions to the
        earlier carcinogen risk assessment guidelines.  Efforts are underway to
        development further guidance on the use of Monte Carlo analysis, the
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         congeners suggested that those with chlorination substitution patterns
         favoring non-coplanarity were active in vitro, while those that were
         coplanar had littl|or no activity in vitro. The present experiments
         tested the hypothesis that coplanarity is a salient structural feature in
         the activity of the PCBs by testing the effects of related chemical
         classes such as the polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs) in which
         coplanarity is more difficult to achieve regardless of the degree and
         pattern of chlorinated.  Selected PCDEs and their analogs were
         predicted to be active in vitro, since they are non-coplanar in nature.
         Molecular mechanics calculations and conformational modeling
         supported the hypothesis that the potential for PCBs to assume a
         coplanar state plays a fundamental role in the activity of PCBs in
         nervous system cells in vitro.  PCB congeners that are active in the
         nervous system tend to be o/t/w-substituted and non-coplanar, which
         are structural characteristics normally associated with low
        arylhydrocarbon (Ah) receptor activity. The results of these studies
        suggest that potential health risk associated with exposure to PCB
        mixtures containing ortAo-substituted and non-coplanar congeners
        would underestimate risk associated with effects in the nervous system.
        PREPARED BY: R.S. Kodavanti, T.R. Ward, J.D. McKinney, C.L.
        Waller and H.A. Tilson, NHEERL (919-541-7584)   .

S-32    BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPAND AN ECOLOGICAL
        ASSESSMENT OF THE UNITED STATES MID-ATLANTIC
        REGION: AN ATLAS
            There is a growing public, legal, and scientific awareness that
        broader-scale views are important when assessing regional environ-
        mental quality.  In the past, the media has concentrated on dramatic
        events, focusing our environmental awareness on local or isolated
        phenomena such as cleaning up Superfund sites, stopping pollution
        from a drainage pipes, saving individual endangered species, or
        choosing a site for a county landfill. Today, our perceptions are
        changing. We realize-that humans and our actions are an integral part
        of the global ecosystem, and that the environment is complicated and
        interconnected with human activities across local and regional scales.
        We have begun to take a broader view of the world and of our place in
        natural systems. Technological advances in remote sensing and
        computing now make it possible to assess regional environmental
        quality, to envision where we hope to be in the future, and to identify
        the steps  we need to take to improve environmental quality. An atlas
        has been prepared  which takes advantage of these advanced technolo-
        gies and presents results of one of the first comprehensive, regional-
        scale environmental assessments.
        PREPARED BY:  Bruce Jones, NERL (702-798-2671)
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S-33    DEVELOPING A RISK ASSESSMENT OF PATHOGENIC
        SHRIMP VIRUS INTRODUCTIONS INTO THE UNITED STATES
            Worldwide and within the U.S., shrimp aquaculture has suffered
        substantial economic losses due to pathogenic viruses. Although these
        viruses pose no threat to human health, recent catastrophic outbreaks on
        U.S. shrimp farms, the appearance of diseased shrimp in U.S. com-
        merce, and new information on the susceptibility of shrimp and other
        crustaceans to these viruses prompted the Joint Subcommittee on
        Aquaculture (ISA; Office of Science and Technology Policy) to initiate
        a risk assessment of the introduction and spread of exotic shrimp
        viruses to the wild penaeid shrimp fishery and shrimp aquaculture
        industry in the Gulf of Mexico and southeastern coastal United States.
        The ISA appointed a federal interagency work group to assemble
        available information on the shrimp virus problem and prepare a
        preliminary report that is structured around the problem formulation
        phase of an ecological risk assessment. Here, we describe the highlights
        of the report, including the economic and management context of the
        problem, the management goal, and the overall conceptual model for
        the proposed risk assessment.  We discuss the potential effects of
        pathogenic viruses on penaeid shrimp and other species and the
        possible exposure pathways to wild shrimp in the context of penaeid
        shrimp life history patterns and other anthropogenic stressors and
        environmental factors that affect shrimp. Finally, we review responses
        to the report obtained from stakeholder meetings and future plans for a
        full risk  assessment.
        PREPARED BY: H. Kay Austin and William Van der Schalie, NCEA
        (202-260-5789)

S-34    NETWORKED ANALYTICAL DATA SYSTEMS (NADS)
        ORD is in the process of making data gathered on various pieces of
        scientific equipment and projects available on the Intranet through  the
        Networked Analytical Data Systems Initiative (NADS). Using Lotus
        Notes servers deployed at all ORD Sites, the goal is to have data
        generated made available in real-time. Currently, information is
        available including the National UV Monitoring Network, EMAP,
        AFM Images, and other Microscopy Images. Included on the NADS
        Intranet Site is an AVI Movie File of a Virtual Reality "Fly By" of
        Humic Acid on Graphite. In addition, there are discussion groups to
        allow for the free flow exchange of information ideas within ORD. The
        potential use of this technology will result in a better understanding of
        each others' work and provide a platform for the sharing and exchange
        of ideas  and information.
        PREPARED BY: Rosemarie C. Russo, Tom Prather, and Christopher
        Byrne, NERL (706-355-8010)
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 S-35   EPA's QA PROGRAM ON THE SUPPLIERS OF PROTOCOL
        GASES
            In  1992 EPA^National Exposure Research Laboratory initiated a
        nationwide QA program for EPA Protocol Gases. The program had
        three goals: increase the acceptance and use of Protocol Gases by the
        air monitoring community, provide a QA check for the suppliers of
        these gases, and to help the users identify suppliers who could consis-
        tently provide accurate certified Protocol Gases. In this QA program,
        which operates continuously, Protocol Gases are procured by EPA and
        the supplier's certification of the pollutant concentration(s) is verified
        by EPA. The results are published on EPA Technology Transfer
        Network's electronic bulletin board. If a supplier's concentration
        differs from the EPA values by more than 2.5%, the supplier is immedi-
        ately notified in writing. The results obtained for SO2, CO and NO
        Protocol Gases are described in this  paper.
        PREPARED BY:  Avis Hines, NERL (919-541-4001)

S-36    THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESS-
        MENT (NCEA): EPA's RISK ASSESSMENT OFFICE
           ORD's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA)
        serves as a national resource center for advancing the evolving science
        of human health and ecological risk assessment. Further,  the integra-
        tion of hazard; dose-response, and exposure data and models into a
        clear and useful risk characterization for use by federal and state
        agencies, the scientific risk community and the broader public and
        private sectors is a specific end-product of the Center.  NCEA occupies
        a critical position in ORD between (1) the researchers  in other ORD
        components who are generating new findings and data, and (2) the
        regulators in the EPA program offices and regions who must make
        regulatory, enforcement, and remedial action decisions. Thus,  NCEA is
        uniquely positioned to influence ORD's future research agenda to
        assure that it addresses research needs identified by risk assessments
        and to serve as consultants to the programs and regions on the use of
       science in environmental decision making. In support  of these func-
        tions, NCEA focuses its work  in three major areas:
       •   Development of assessment methodologies that reduce uncertain
           ties in current approaches
       •   Conduct assessments of contaminants and sites of national
           significance
       •   Provide guidance and support to risk assessors
       Other important goals of NCEA are to: 1) advance the integration of
       ecological risk assessment with human health assessment as a funda-
       mental approach in risk assessment activities; 2) act as a catalyst for
       advances in the science of risk assessment brought about by coopera


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        tion and an exchange of ideas among environmental health profession-
        als in the federal, state, industrial, academic, environmental, public
        interest, and international communities; and  3) fully characterize'the
        impacts on ecological and human systems whether they result from
        exposure(s) to single, complex, or multiple physical, chemical, biologi-
        cal or radiological stressors.
        PREPARED BY: Linda C. Tuxen, NCEA (202-260-5949)

S-37    HUMAN EXPOSURE AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES      ,
        DIVISION
            In addition to the recent ORD reorganization, NERL has recently
        reorganized to align the different divisions under ecological or human
        health in order to better support ORD's science mission. To support
        this structure this year NERL/RTP realigned its three divisions into
        one: The Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division. This
        includes one branch from the Las Vegas group. One of our major areas
        of expertise and emphasis is particulate matter (PM). Our PM team is
        collaborating with NHEERL in monitoring particulate matter near
        selected nursing homes in support of epidemiological studies concern-
        ing PM and mortality. Another area of active PM research is develop-
        ing the new Federal Reference Method monitors in conjunction with
        OAQPS.  The Exposure Methods and Monitoring Branch (EMMB) set
        up field sites on the Neuse River this past summer, in cooperation with
        the State of North Carolina, the U.S. Geological Survey, and NC State
        University to start testing for endocrine disrupters. EMMB are also
        working with the  state and other groups in EPA to determine what role
        HEASD will play in researching the Pfiesteria issue that is currently
        causing fish kills in North Carolina and Maryland.  Our mobile sources
        group and Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics branch are still active in
        monitoring auto emissions and determining the environmental impact
        from different types of automotive fuels.
        PREPARED BY: Deborah R. Mangis, NERL (919-541-3086)

S-38    CELL CULTURE METHOD TO DETERMINE CRYPTOSPO-
        RIDIUM PARVUM VIABILITY
            A practical, rapid, and inexpensive method to determine the
        .viability of low numbers of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts is
        deemed necessary to establish the risk of transmission of this organism
        in drinking water.  A cell  culture method has been developed to assess
        C.  parvum viability and infectivity in vitro.  Two methods, the enzyme-
        immunoassay (EIA) and fluorescence antibody test (FAT), were
        compared to detect cell infections resulting from this organism. A
        human adenocarcinoma cell line, HCT-8 (clone C10A), was infected
40

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         with varying doses (0-105 per well or chamber; >90% excystation rate)
         of surface-sterilized C. parvum oocysts produced in adult mice. The
         oocysts were allowed to excyst, and the sporozoites allowed to attach to
         host cells for 4 hr after which unattached parasites and cell debris were
         washed with RPMI1640. The infected cells were incubated at 37°C,
         5% CO2/95% air incubator for a total of 24 hr. Infected cells treated
         with human and rabbit anti-Cryptosporidium antibodies and infections
         detected colorimetrically or by fluorescence. Preliminary results
         showed that cells infected with about 200 oocysts can be detected by
         EIA and about 100 oocysts by FAT which are comparable to the
         conventional suckling mice assay used to assess C. parvum viability.
         PREPARED BY: Armah. A. de la Cruz, Ph.D., NERL (513-569-7224),
         and Hector E. Moreno, and James H. Owens, NRMRL (513-569-7882
         or 7235)

 S-39   PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE U. S.
        ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY-APPROVED
        MEMBRANE FILTER METHOD FOR TOTAL COLIFORMSAND
        ESCHERICHIA COLI IN DRINKING WATER
            Recent waterborne outbreaks have drawn attention to the reliability
        of the analytical methods used for monitoring drinking water. The
        performance characteristics of the U.S. EPA-approved membrane filter
        method for total coliforms (TC) and E. coli, respectively, were
        determined by the ASTM method.  Five isolates of each of the follow-
        ing four types of colonies were picked from 11 samples of wastewater-
        spiked or natural tap water and identified: mEndo sheen, MUG+ (E.
        coli); sheen, MUG- (TC); and nonsheen, MUG+ and MUG-
        (nontargets). The results showed that both media had low specificities
        and high false-positive rates for the target organisms. The false-
        positive organisms for mEndo agar were primarily Aeromonas, Vibrio,
        and fluorescent Pseudomonas species, while those for nutrient agar
        with MUG were fluorescent and other Pseudomonas species. In
        addition, mEndo agar had a high false-negative rate.  Because the EPA
        method failed with >40% of the isolates, it is unreliable for routine
        monitoring of drinking water.
        PREPARED BY: Dr. Kristen P. Brenner, NERL (513-569-7317) and
        Clifford C. Rankin, NERL (513-569-7306)

S-40    BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR SOUND ENVIRONMENTAL
        DECISIONS
           NCERQA will focus on its research programs—their relationship
        to the ORD Strategic Plans and how they enhance EPA's credibility as a
        scientific organization and help ORD achieve its goal of providing
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         national and international leadership in environmental science and risk
         assessment. The presentation will feature information on NCERQA's
         Research Progress Workshops Reports, Adopt-a-Grant program, STAR
         Reports, 1996 Research Abstracts, and 1997 Research Awards.
         PREPARED BY: Ronald Slotkin, NCERQA (202-564-6854)

 S-41    IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND UTILITY OF EPA'S MONI-
         TORING DATA
            The Environmental Monitoring Management Council (EMMC)
         brings together EPA's senior managers to promote Agency-wide
         policies on environmental measurement and monitoring. The EMMC,
         as a cross-Agency forum, has numerous initiatives underway that are
         designed to improve the quality of the data that serve as the basis for
         environmental decision making.  One initiative involves The Agency-
         wide Monitoring Strategy which will provide EPA with a plan for
         ensuring that EPA has the data needed to track and report progress
         toward achievement of environmental goals, compare the risks of
         environmental threats, identify emerging threats to human health and
         the environment,  and inform the public. The strategy will serve as the
         link between today's single-media, statute-driven monitoring programs
         and a more "holistic" multi-media approach to monitoring needed to
         support results-oriented planning and  the growing number of cross-
         media environmental initiatives.  A second initiative is the Perfor-
        mance-Based Measurement System (PBMS). PBMS is a framework
        for matching the analytical method used to the data requirements of
        specific measurement circumstances and, consequently, will lead to
        improvements in data quality. Rather than requiring that a specific,
        prescribed analytical method be used for a particular measurement,
        under PBMS, any method can be used provided that it is demonstrated
        to meet required performance standards. This approach will be more
        flexible and more cost-effective for the regulated community and will
        therefore encourage innovation in analytical technology. A third
        initiative is the Method Development Information System (MDIS)
        for tracking new measurement needs and method development products
        which will serve as a communication tool for the environmental
        monitoring community.  It will allow scientists and regulators in EPA's
        programs, the Regional Offices, and the states to notify the research
        and development  community of needs for new or improved measure-
        ment techniques and will track the progress of on-going research and
        development projects designed to meet their needs.  This Windows-
        based system is designed for desk-top use both as a reference library
        and as a communication tool. Portions of the system will be available
        to the public so that private sector research and development organiza
42

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         lions can be informed of trends in environmental measurement and
         EPA's measurement needs. Finally, EMMS has established the Na-
         tional Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC)
         as a voluntary association of state and federal officials organized for the
         purpose of fostering the development of nationally accepted standards
         for environmental laboratory accreditation. NELAC's goal is to
         achieve reciprocity among state laboratory accreditation programs in
         order to reduce the number of on-site laboratory inspections, eliminate
         duplication in laboratory proficiency testing, and establish a uniform
         national standard for environmental laboratory performance. NELAC
         adopted a full set of standards for the program in July of 1997 and will
         begin program implementation in 1998.
         PREPARED BY: Carol Finch, EMMC (202-564-6638), David
         Friedman, EMMC (202-564-6662), Sherry Hawkins, EMMC (202-564-
         6671), Jan Jablonski, EMMC (202-564-6663)

 S-42     A MODIFIED mTEC MEDIUM FOR MONITORING RECRE-
         ATIONAL WATERS
            The mTEC method, currently recommended by the USEPA for
         measuring E. coli, requires transferring membrane filters from the
         primary to a substrate medium after 24 hrs. incubation. The medium
        was modified by eliminating brom cresol purple and brom phenol red,
        and substituting 500mg/L of 5-bromo-6-chloro-3-indoyl-beta-D-
        glucuronide in the original formulation to eliminate the membrane
        transfer step. E. coli is identified by observing red colonies on the
        membrane after 24 hrs. incubation. The methods were compared using
        split surface water samples to determine if detection rates and specific-
        ity for E. coli differed. Comparison indicated E. coli detection rates of
        the two methods were not significantly different. The false positive rate
        of the original method was significantly greater than the modified
        method;  false negative rates of the two methods were not significantly
        different. The modified mTEC method measured the same E.  coli
        population as the original method  with greater specificity for the target
        organism.
        PREPARED BY: Bennett Smith,  NERL (513-569-7316) and Alfred P.
        Dufour, NERL (513-569-7303)

S-43    FRAMEWORK FOR CONDUCTING INTEGRATED
        ASSESSMENTS EXAMPLE - CONDITION OF THE
        MID-ATLANTIC ESTUARIES
            Research is being conducted to develop and evaluate a framework
        for conducting integrated assessments across spatial scales to address
        major environmental problems facing the ecosystem of the Atlantic
        coastal region of the United States. Three features common to almost
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        every environmental assessment are: (1) a link with policy or regula-
        tory questions and issues, (2) a value-added perspective to assessments,
        ranging from a formal, quantitative cost/benefit analysis of alternatives
        to a qualitative improvement in our understanding of potential impacts
        or effects, and (3) a synthesis and interpretation of scientific informa-
        tion to present it in an understandable format for the intended audience.
        These features have been translated into a sequence of steps that are
        being used to guide the development of the integrated assessment of
        environmental resources and serve as an initial framework. These
        steps: (1) identify what will be assessed through clear elucidation of
        management concerns  in the form of assessment questions of relevance
        to environmental managers; (2) identify the purpose of the assessment,
        e.g., evaluate the significance of a change of condition with a minimum
        uncertainty; (3) identify what is required to make the evaluation, e.g.,
        knowledge of the problem and natural resources, and (4) identify how
        the  evaluation will be implemented. The proposed framework has been
        exercised by applying it to the development of a State of the Region
        Report for Mid-Atlantic Estuaries.
        PREPARED BY: John Paul, Charles Strobe, Brian Melzian, John
        Kiddon, James Latimer, Dan Campbell, Don Cobb, and Barbara
        Brown, NHEERL (401-782-3088)

S-44    THE ECOLOGICAL CONDITION OF ESTUARIES IN THE GULF
        OF MEXICO
            The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with
        other federal agencies,  initiated the Environmental Monitoring and
        Assessment Program (EMAP) in order to document the status and
        geographical extent of the condition of the nation's ecological re-
        sources. Using a standardized, probabilistic sampling design and
        standardized methods, the Estuaries component of EMAP (EMAP-E)
        launched a demonstration project in 1991 to monitor the ecological
        condition of near-shore waters along the Gulf of Mexico coast.  The
        Gulf of Mexico region  covers estuarine systems from Rio Grande,
        Texas to Florida Bay, Florida. EMAP-E has conducted sampling
        surveys in the Gulf estuaries during the summers of 1991-1995.  This
        poster highlights information about the ecological condition of estuar-
        ies of the Gulf of Mexico available from EMAP-E and other federal
        and state environmental programs. In FY 98, we will combine avail-
        able information to provide an environmental "report card," assessing
        the overall ecological condition of Gulf of Mexico estuaries.
        PREPARED BY: Virginia Engle, John Macauley, and Kevin
        Summers, NHEERL (850-934-9200)
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 S-45   COMPARATIVE WATERSHED STUDY IN WESTERN LAKE
        SUPERIOR
            This study is designed to determine the effects of forest fragmenta-
        tion on streams in Watersheds draining to western Lake Superior and
        the role of wetlands in the surrounding watersheds in mediating these
        effects.  Characterization of all second and third order watersheds for
        size, mature forest cover, recent logging, and wetland coverage.
        Effects endpoints will include hydrology, sedimentation, water quality,
        nutrient transport and biotic community structure and function in
        streams.  Once the link between landscape structure and ecosystem
        function is established, watersheds will be classified and ranked by
        sensitivity to stressors or resilience of component ecosystems.  This
        will facilitate extrapolation of risk across watersheds in a given class as
        well as predictions of impacts of land-use changes on ecosystem
        function and structure in watersheds from a variety of
        hydrogeomorphic regions elsewhere in the Lake Superior basin.
        Ultimately this research will be used as a case study to test a conceptual
        model of watersheds sensitivity which could serve as a basis for
        watershed classification throughout the Great Lakes region. An overall
        framework for the study will be presented  along with preliminary data
        on fish community structure in the selected watersheds.
        PREPARED BY:  John Brazner, NHEERL (218-529-5207)

S-46    ASSESSING REGIONAL FOREST ECOSYSTEM
        VULNERABILITY TO RAPID GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
            We evaluated potential effects of future environmental change rates
        so rapid that species may not be capable of migrating fast enough to fill
        newly available niches, or of growing fast enough to complete life
        cycles. First, we developed a process-based model of tree seed trans-
        port that can operate at local to regional scales. It mimics differing
        agents of seed transport (wind, animals, running water), seed properties
        of species (mass and fall speeds, annual seed production, seed longev-
        ity, seed response to immersion in water, etc.) and effects of environ-
        mental properties (land uses, land cover patterns, topography, soils,
        etc.) which act to facilitate or reduce seed transport. We ran the model
        on a 200 X 200 m land use and land cover grid over areas approximat-
        ing 5 degrees of latitude and longitude, although other grid sizes and
        areas can be used.
            Second, we simulated forest growth by modifying Bugmann's
        ForClim forest succession model (Ecology 77:2055) to simulate tree
        species responses to summer drought in the Pacific Northwest, and to
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         run at several thousand points simultaneously. We tested the succession
         portion of the model by comparison with vegetation in the Pacific
         Northwest U.S. under present day climate, and the migration portion by
         comparison with Holocene vegetation reconstructed from fossil pollen
         data in the Midwestern U.S. The model calculated the potential seed
         transport across the 15 km between sites at which the succession model
         simulated the annual growth of different tree species and ages. With
         each time step, the migration simulator determined the seed species
         available to establish seedlings at each forest succession site, while the
         succession model determined which trees at each site were reproduc-
         tively mature and the quantity of seeds available for transport.
           We projected future vegetation with the model under AGCM-
         generated climate scenarios in the Pacific Northwest. The process of
         migration was relatively unimportant to forest dynamics and resulting
         carbon sequestration under a future warming because climate condi-
         tions benign to tree growth occur short vertical distances from deterio-
         rating ones in this mountainous region. In contrast, much more obvious
         effects on forest structure and composition were generated by climate
         change acting directly on the process of forest growth and succession.
         Delayed migration in response to rapid climate change may be much
         more important in flat or gently rolling terrain while forest succession
         is probably of similarly great importance in both flat and mountainous
         regions.
         PREPARED BY: Allen M. Solomon, NHEERL (541-754-4601)

S-47     THE EFFECTS OF OZONE ON CO2 FLUX FROM SOILS WITH
         PONDEROSA PINE AND BLUE WILDRYE IN COMPETITION
            Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) seedlings were planted
         with 3 densities of blue Wildrye grass (Elymus glaucus Buckl) and
         exposed to ozone to study the effects of plant competition and ozone on
         below-ground processes. CO2 flux was measured monthly from 1995
         through 1997, and soil active bacterial and fungal biomass were
        measured periodically over the three year period. Seasonal variation in
        CO2 flux from soil was high due to changing soil temperatures. By the
        end of the first exposure season, grass competition and ozone both
         increased CO2 flux from soil.  During the second exposure season, CO2
        flux from soil tended to be higher in ozone treated plots than in control
        plots.  During the third and current exposure season (1997), CO2 flux
        was not different among treatments. Soil organic matter (LOI) was
        higher in ozone treated plots than in control plots through out the study
        period. Active microbial biomass was increased in ozone exposed plots
        by the beginning of the 1997 exposure season. The results suggest that
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        ozone stress increases soil organic matter and soil CO2 flux, and alters
        soil microbial biomass. The extent to which these changes affect soil
        nutrienjtdynamics |s currently under investigation.
        PREPARED BY: Chris Andersen, NHEERL (541 -754-4601)

 S-48    SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF BIOMASS IN FORESTS OF THE
        EASTERN UNITED STATES
           Our goal was to produce a map of the biomass density and pools of
        eastern forests (hardwoods and softwood; encompassing 32 states and
        1991 counties) using new approaches for converting inventoried wood
        volume (Forest Service FIA data) to estimates of above and
        ground biomass. We estimated biomass density and pools from
        the FIA data by forest type and stand size-class for each county, and
        mapped the results using an overlay of the map of the forest resources
        of the US (Powell et al. 1993).  We developed functions between
        biomass expansion factors (BEF; ratio of aboveground biomass density
        of trees to merchantable volume) and stand volume. The BEFs ranged
        from >4 Mg m-3 for low volume stands to <1 Mg m-3 for high volume
        stands, and were statistically related to stand volume. Belowground
        biomass was estimated as a function of aboveground biomass from
        regression equations (Cairns et al. 1997). Average total biomass
        density for hardwood forests was 159 Mg ha-1, and ranged from
        56-234 Mg ha-1, and for softwood forests was 110 Mg ha-1 and ranged
        from 2-344 Mg ha-1. The average biomass density is about half that of
        mature forests. The total biomass for all eastern forests for the late
        1980s was estimated at 20 Pg, with highest amounts in the Northern
        Lake states, mountain areas of the Mid-Atlantic states, and parts of
        New England, and lowest amounts in the Midwest states. Our esti-
        mates are higher than those reported in other studies using the FIA data,
        and suggest that US forest contain more C and accumulate it at a faster
        rate than previously reported.
        PREPARED BY:  Sandra Brown,  NHEERL (541-754-4346)

S-49    PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OFF-CHANNEL
        LOTIC RIPARIAN HABITATS (ALCOVES) OF THE
        WILLAMETTE RIVER (OREGON, USA)
           Since European settlement of the Willamette River basin (~29,400
        km2) dramatic changes have taken place, altering the status of main
        channel riparian habitats. We initiated a research project to evaluate
        functional attributes of these systems with regard to the ecology of the
        river. Pilot studies of 1996 focused on the characteristics of 16 alcoves
        located on a 53 km reach of the river. Physical dimensions, human
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         impact and vegetation varied among the systems sampled. Results
         suggest that the mixture of hyporheic connectivity and ground water
         flow from surrounding agricultural sites combine with physical factors
         to determine attributes of these systems. Future work will evaluate fish
         utilization and ground water flow with respect to these habitats.
         Potential restoration of aggregate mining activities near the main river
         channel will benefit from an increased understanding of these existing
         off-channel sites.
         PREPARED BY: D. H. Landers, NHEERL (541-754-4427)

 S-50    MONITORING FORESTED RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEMS:
         WHAT IS THE WISEST APPROACH?
             Riparian forests are small, but widespread features of forested
         landscapes. Their contributions to water quality and aquatic and
         terrestrial habitats are critical to streams and forests. We developed a
         conceptual model that relates indicators of riparian forest structures to
         these three features. We compare characterizations of riparian areas by
        'multiple observational approaches including multiple resolutions of
         multispectral data (in 30m, 3m, and 1m pixels), fine resolution air
         photos, videography, and intensive ground measurements.  Our work
         focused on 90 probability sites within Northwestern Oregon. The
         results underscore that choices about observational methods must
         account for the scale of the relationships between ecological patterns
         and processes.
        PREPARED BY: Paul L. Ringold, S. Cline, NHEERL (541-754-4601)

S-51    FIELD VALIDATION OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC MARINE
        AMPHIPOD SEDIMENT TOXICITY TESTS WITH
        GRANDIDIERELLA JAPONICA
            Contaminated field sediments from Pearl Harbor, HI, Lauritzen
        Channel, CA, Black Rock Harbor, CT and Elliot Bay, WA were tested
        for toxicity using 10-day sediment toxicity tests with the amphipods
        Rhepoxynius abronius, Leptocheirus plumulosus, Eohaustorius
        estuarius, Corophium insidiosum, and Grandidierella japonica, and
        chronic (28-day) tests with L. plumulosus and G, japonica.  In all
        sediment tested, results of the 10-day sediment tests were similar
        among all species except C. insidiosum in terms of significant differ-
        ence from control sediments. Grandidierella collected from DDT-
        contaminated sediments from Lauritzen adapted to contaminants in that
        sediment. The 10-day and 28-day LC50's in terms of % contaminated
        sediment in the dilution series from Lauritzen and Black Rock Harbor
        indicated general concurrence among the species tested and between
        the 10- and 28-day tests as to the toxicity of the sediment.  Results of
        10-day and 28-day tests validate G. japonica as an appropriate test
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        species for sediment toxicity testing on the U.S. mainland, in Hawaii
        and potentially elsewhere where G. japonica is found, provided the test
        animals are cultured or collected from a population living in uncon-
        taminated sediment.
        PREPARED BY: J.O. Lambers.on, R.C. Swartz and RJ. Ozretich,
        NHEERL (541-867-4043)

 S-52   BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPAND THE ENVIRONMEN-
        TAL TECHNOLOGY CHOICES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
        DECISION MAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD
            The Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV) is a
        service of the Environmental Protection Agency designed to accelerate
        the development and commercialization of improved environmental
        technology through third party verification and reporting of perfor-
        mance. The goal of ETV is to provide purchasers, permitters and
        developers with objective and quality assured performance data. Since
        its inception in October 1995, ETV has designed 12 pilot projects to
        test a wide range of partner and procedural alternatives and to cover a
        broad range of environmental areas.  Although the 12 pilots began on
        different schedules, all will be operational in 1998. The first pilot, Site
        Characterization and Monitoring Technologies, verified 11 environ-
        mental technologies in 1996  and 1997. Thirty-five additional technolo-
        gies are presently in the verification process. ETV envisions verifying
        over 350 better, faster, cheaper technologies by the year 2005. ETV is
        managed by the Office of Research and Development with pilot
        managers from the National Risk Management Research Laboratory
        and the National Exposure Research Laboratory. The ETV poster
        exhibit for the ORD Williamsburg Workshop includes two posters.
        One poster is a map of the U.S. entitled ETV Pilot Partnerships
        highlighting the ETV pilots, their partner, the location of their partner
        organization and a brief description of the pilot activities. The other
        poster lists the ETV Team Pilot Managers, the partner organization
        Pilot Managers and the ETV  Program Coordination Director and
        Contacts with their telephone numbers. To learn more about ETV, see
        the ETV Web Site at: http://www.epa.gov/etv.
        PREPARED BY! Tina Maragousis Conley, NRMRL (202-260-2579)

S-53    BIOVENTING: LOW COST IN-SITU BIOREMEDIATION OF
        SOILS
           Bioventing is the delivery of gases to subsurface soils to promote
       •in-situ biodegradation of organic contaminants. Initially, bioventing
        was developed to remediate fuel-contaminated sites. Since fuels, such
        as diesel and jet fuel, are biodegradable by soil microorganisms if
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         sufficient oxygen is available, bioventing was developed to deliver
         oxygen by injecting air into the subsurface. Usually, the injection rate
         can be optimized to provide adequate oxygen while minimizing
         volatilization. Bioventing of fuel-contaminated sites has been studied
         extensively by EPA and others resulting in the technology being used
         widely and considered as "off the shelf." Using bioventing to attack
         other aerobically biodegradable compounds is currently under study
         including using bioventing to treat PAH-contaminated sites such as
         wood treating and manufactured gas plant sites.
           In recent years, the bioventing concept has been generalized so that
         other microbiologies harnessed to biodegrade more recalcitrant
         contaminants. Under development now at NRMRL is cometabolic
         bioventing and anaerobic bioventing. Cometabolism of chlorinated
         solvents such as trichloroethylene (TCE) can be accomplished by
         injection a specific cosubstrate, such as propane, and air. This gas
         mixture establishes the correct environment for the soil microorganisms
         to perform cometabolic destruction of TCE. Anaerobic microbial
         transformations may be desirable for treatment of highly chlorinated
         soil contaminants such as perchloroethylene (PCE), PCBs and DDT.
         By injecting nitrogen gas to displace soil oxygen and adding small
         amount of hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases, anaerobic dechlorina-
         tion of these compounds may be possible. Many dechlorinated
         compounds can then be destroyed by aerobic biodegradation via
         aerobic bioventing. Thus, sequential anaerobic-aerobic bioventing may
         be an effective treatment train.  Since the cost of bioventing of fuel
         contamination is so low ($5-$25/cu-yd), and variants on the technology
         such as those described above should not add significant cost, the
         bioventing research program at NRMRL is attempting to develop a
         general technology for use with a wide variety of soil types and
         contamination.
        PREPARED BY: Gregory Sayles, NRMRL (513-569-7607)

S-54    ENHANCED SOURCE REMOVAL
        The objective of the enhanced source removal project is to evaluate
        alternative and innovative technologies to extract non-aqueous phase
         liquids (NAPLs) from unconsolidated permeable formations. NAPLs
        serve as persistent sources of dissolved ground-water plumes at many
        contaminated sites, and are typically categorized according to their
        fluid phase density as light non-aqueous liquids (LNAPLs) or dense
        non-aqueous liquids (DNAPLs). Nine methods for in-situ NAPL
        extraction were evaluated at a contaminated site on Hill Air Force Base,
        Utah.  The contaminant was a complex mixture of organic wastes
        present as a residual LNAPL. Predominant components of the LNAPL
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         were jet fuel and chlorinated solvents. Adjuvants used to expedite
         LNAPL removal included surfactants, alcohol cosolvents, air, steam,
         and a macromolecuje.  Tests were conducted in 3 m x 5 m cells which
         were hydraulically isolated by interlocking sheet piles. Remedial fluids
         containing one or more of these adjuvants were flushed through a
         contaminated zone of each test cell. LNAPL content was estimated
         both before and after flushing using core sample analysis and partition-
         ing tracer tests.  In addition, concentrations of NAPL constituents in
         waste streams were monitored and used to estimate mass of contami-
         nant extracted.
            Because of their fluid phase density, DNAPLs have proven to be
         very difficult to locate and remediate. Therefore, the current focus of
         the project is an evaluation of the  technologies used at Hill AFB for
         removal of DNAPLs. This work is being performed at the Ground
         Water Remediation Field Laboratory, Dover AFB, Delaware.  In this
        case, perchloroethylene (PCE) will be released into double contained
        test cells to create a known DNAPL source. Ground water sampling
        and tracer tests will be used to estimate volume and distribution of
        DNAPL in test cells both before and after remediation. Multiple
        technology demonstrations will be conducted in each of two test cells at
        the site.  The first technology to be evaluated will be cosolvent-
        enhanced solubilization.
        PREPARED BY: Carl G. Enfield, NRMRL (513-569-7489) and A.
        Lynn Wood, NRMRL (406-436-8552)

S-55    IN-SITU PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS TO REMEDIATE
        GROUND WATER CONTAMINATED WITH  CHROMATEAND
        CHLORINATED SOLVENT COMPOUNDS: FULL-SCALE FIELD
        DEMONSTRATION
        Much of the current research on ground-water remediation has focused
        on the removal of contaminated water from the subsurface and treating
        it at the surface. While the removal of the contaminants is desirable,
        the costs often are prohibitive and rarely are contaminant concentra-
        tions lowered to the required regulatory levels. This has been particu-
        larly evident for standard "pump-and-treat" approaches. In-situ
    '    chemically reactive permeable walls or treatment zones are being
        considered as a low-cost and effective alternative for the restoration of
        contaminated soils, ground water and surface water  systems. The
        chemical form of the contaminant in question is transformed via
        oxidation-reduction and/or precipitation reactions to an immobilized
        and/or non-toxic form. The application of in situ approaches to
    .,    subsurface restoration efforts increase the emphasis on adequate site
       characterization and thorough understanding of the subsurface system
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        targeted for restoration and the geochemical mechanisms controlling
        contaminant transformations.
            Research into the use of zero-valent metals to remediate ground-
        water contaminated with mixed wastes (inorganic and organic) has
        been ongoing at the Environmental Protection Agency's National Risk
        Management Research Laboratory in Ada, Oklahoma (NRMRL-Ada)
        since 1991. The primary emphasis has been on inorganic contaminants
        such as chromate, arsenic, nitrate and sulfate, however we have also
        investigated the application of this technology for chlorinated organic
        compounds. Laboratory-based research at NRMRL-Ada conclusively
        demonstrated the effectiveness of using zero-valent metals to remediate
        chromate in ground water and this research was scaled up to pilot and
        full-scale demonstrations in September 1994, and June 1996, respec-
        tively, near an old chrome plating facility on the U.S. Coast Guard
        (USCG) Support Center near Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Perfor-
        mance monitoring results of the first year following installation of the
        full-scale barrier wall are presented and directions for future research
        involving this promising innovative technology are proposed.
        PREPARED BY: Robert W. Puls, NRMRL (405-436-8543)

S-56    ORD SCIENCE COUNCIL KNOW YOUR SCIENCE COUNCIL
        FY97 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
        ORD RESEARCH STRATEGIES AND PLANS
            ORD's Science Council is chaired by the Deputy Assistant
        Administrator for Science. Science Council members provide a
        balance between health and ecological research.  They  include the
        Associate Directors for Health and Ecology of ORD's National
        Laboratories and Centers; the Associate Director for Science in
        NCERQA; and the Associate Director for Science and the Director of
        OSP. The Science Council advises the AA and ORD's Executive
        Council on research and scientific issues with special consideration for
        strategic  planning and integration with Agency-wide goals. The
        Science Council serves as the principal forum for identifying, discuss-
        ing and providing advice on Agency scientific and technical issues, as
        well as work  environment and professional development for scientists.
        The Science Council manages the process for development and review
        of ORD research strategies and plans on high priority research areas
        and programs. Draft documents are available via the Internet at: http://
        www.epa.gov/ORD/resplans.  .
        PREPARED BY: Lisa Matthews, IOAA (202-564-6669)
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 S-57     EPA'S INTEGRATED RISK INFORMATION SYSTEM {IRIS} PILOT
          PROGRAM
               IRIS is an EPA data base containing Agency consensus scientific positions on
          potential adverse human^health effects that may result from chronic exposure to
          environmental contaminants. IRIS health assessments include the oral reference
          dose (RfD), the inhalation reference concentration (RfC}» and the cancer assessment
          for both oral and inhalation exposure. The Agency is conducting a pilot program to
          improve the scientific consensus and review process that precedes IRIS database
          entries. Under the pilot, EPAis testing improvements in (1) solicitation of scientific
          information from the public on chemicals under consMeration^) documentation in
        .  IRIS summariesand support documents, includjngne|i^Tcixlcorogical Reviews,'*
 „   _  " (3)^conducting external peerjev§w7 either by mail or^anelVe^|ing^a!iSJ*)
      *   streamlining final  Internal AgeWyeonsensus. The piloVincludes"ass^ment or '
          reassessment of the following 10 chemicals: bentazon, biryHiumrchlordane,
           ...       .       «" ,  ^V"  '*""  *        ^-^^"tJSMV 'V'-X*->^  4 C^f^^A^ > -I -
       -   chromium, cumene, methyl methacrylate, methylene dfphenyl diisocyanate,  - >
          naphthalene, tributyltin oxide, and vinyl chloride. Also, the IRIS discussion of
          arsenic carcinogenicity is being augmented. Both the existing and proposed new
          cancer guidelines (EPA, 1996) are being applied. The new IRIS flies and Toxico-
          logical Reviews are being made available as they are completed from summer 1997
          through winter 1998 on the new IRIS web site, http:/lww\v,epa.gov/iris. An
          evaluation of the pilot process and products is being used K> design standard
          operating procedures for EPA's long-term IRIS program". A revised and expanded
          IRIS program is being developed for 1998.      '      ?
PREPARED BY: A. Mills, NCEA (202-260-0569) & O. L. Foureman, NCEA (919-541-1183)

S-58     RESEARCH NEEDS FOR FUEL OXYGENATES
              The demands of the Clean Air Act for the use of oxygenated and reformulated
          gasoline ("oxyfuels") in areas with excessive carbon monoxide and ozone levels in
          ambient air have led to increased potential for environmental contamination from,
          and human exposure to, chemicals such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) used
          as fuel oxygenates. There have been increasing questions about the potential health
          and environmental impact from the use of oxyfuels.  However, the available
          information on conventional gasolines and on oxyfuels (and even the oxygenates
          themselves in some cases) is not sufficient to support quantitative assessments of the
          risks of oxyfuels in relation to conventional fuels. A complete assessment requires
          information on emissions, potential exposures, health and environmental effects,
          and the overall impact to air and water quality. To define and address  the research
          needed to respond to these questions, NCEA in cooperation with ORD laboratories
          and offices, as well as the Office of Air and Radiation and other program and
          regional offices, has coordinated development of an information and research needs
          document to support risk assessment and risk management efforts related to
          oxyfuels. "Oxyfuels Information Needs" (EPA Report No. 600/R-96/069) covers a
          broad range of research and analyses needed to improve the scientific understanding
         of environmental risks and benefits of oxyfuels relative to conventional fuels. More
         recently, a draft "Research Strategy for Oxygenates in Water" has been under
         development to address more specifically the issues related to oxyfuel contamina-
         tion of ground, surface, and drinking water. A workshop to review the draft
         "Research Strategy" was held in October (Workshop Draft will be available on the
         ORD/NCEA web page). An External Review Draft is expected to be released for
         public comment in January 1998.
PREPARED BY:   Michel Stevens, NCEA (919-541-4645)
                                    AU.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1997—650-273/61010

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