United States Office of Environmental
Environmental Protection Processes and Effects Research
Agency Washington DC 20460
EPA/600/M-88/024
December 1988
ENVIRONMENTAL
"-"1 PROCESSES
I & EFFECTS
RESEARCH
Information Guide
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This information guide was prepared under the direction of
Stephen Cordle, Office of Environmental Processes and
Effects Research. The text was prepcred by Katharine Lee
and Jay Bassin of Environmental Management Support, Inc..
Silver Spring, Maryland, from materials provided by the Office
of Environmental Processes and Effects Research,
Comments or questions regarding this report should be
directed to:
Stephen Cordle
Office of Environmental Processes and Effects Research
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (RD-682)
401 M Street, SW.
Washington, D.C. 20460
(202) 382-5940
Further information about the environmental processes and
effects research program at EPA can be obtained by con-
tacting the laboratories listed in the back of this report or by
contacting the Director’s Office at (202) 382-5950.
Copies of the report are available from:
Office of Research and Development
Distribution Unit
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
The Information in this document has been funded wl olly or in part by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency under contract number
68-02-4460 to Environmental Management Support, Inc. It has been subject-
ed to the Agency’s peer and administrative review, and it has been ap-
proved for publication as an EPA document.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES AND EFFECTS
RESEARCH
INFORMATION GUIDE
DECEMBER 1988
Office of Environmental Processes and Effects Research
Office of Research and Development
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
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I CONTENTS 1
INTRODUCTION 1
Organization 3
Program Definition 4
Environmental Processes 4
Environmental Effects 4
Assessment Methods 4
Technical Assistance and Technology Transfer 5
Funding 6
RESEARCH AREAS 7
Surface Water 7
Water Quality 7
Oceans and Estuaries 8
Great Lakes 9
Wetlands 10
Ground Water 10
Subsurface Processes 11
Models and Methods 12
Applied Research 13
Toxics and Pesticides 14
Bloassays 14
Transport and Transformation 14
Ecological Effects and Field Validations lo
Biotechnology 17
Risk Assessment 1 7
Hazardous Waste 18
Listing/Delisting 19
Predicting Environmental Concentrations 20
Land Disposal Assessment 20
Special Problems 21
Superfund 21
Air and Acid Deposition 22
Ozone 22
Acid Deposition 23
Global Climate Change 25
LABORATORIES 27
Environmental Research Laboratory - Athens 28
Environmental Research Laboratory - Corvallis 29
Environmental Research Laboratory - Duluth 30
Environmental Research Laboratory - Gulf Breeze 31
Environmental Research Laboratory - Narragansett 32
Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory - Ada 33
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I INTRODUCTION I
This guide describes the environmental
processes and effects research program at
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). It is EPA ’s responsibility to identify
environmental and human health risks of
various activities or substances and take
actions to reduce or manage these risks.
Congress has laid the framework for environ-
mental protection through the enactment of
laws giving EPA the authority to regulate and
control activities or substances having
potentially deleterious effects. Because
identifying harmful substances or activities
and solving pollution problems often require
investigation and research, EPA maintains an
active research program to support these
needs. As part of this programs research on
environmental processes and effects provides
the Agency with information on the behavior
and consequences of environmental
contaminants.
Process-oriented research examines the
physical, chemical, and biological factors
controlling the entry, movement, and fate of
pollutants in the environment. Environmental
effects research investigates the concurrent
effects on nonhuman organisms and ecosys-
tems. The results provide the scientific and
technological data and methods necessary
for understanding, predicting. and managing
environmental risks.
Together, this research increases our
understanding of what happens when pollu-
tants enter the environment. The research
results not only help to solve current contami-
nation problems but also provide the informa-
tion and methods necessary for anticipating
the environmental impacts of proposed
actions. Examination of the processes and
effects that led to past environmental
degradation helps to evaluate current risks
and propose ways to overcome or prevent
future environmental impacts. Through this
research, the program supports the regulatory
and enforcement programs in air, drinking
water, water quality, hazardous waste, Super-
fund, pesticides, and toxic substances. The
EPA program offices use environmental
processes and effects data to set policies,
standards, guidelines, and regulations and to
establish priorities. EPA regional offices and
the state and local regulatory agencies rely
upon the information and methods to regu-
late the disposal and management of pollu-
tants, and recommend remedial actions for
contaminated sites.
I
1
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Z
c i)
0
0
- Pollutant Legislative Mandates
C)
Catagories ________________________________________
0
DRINKING WATER • Safe Drinking Water Act z
OFFICE OF
° WATER WATER QUALITY • Federal Water Pollution Control Act
____________ (Clean Water Act)
0- i- ________
• Marine Protection, Research, and
Sanctuaries Act
- p
R OFFICEOF I
0 L AIR AND AIR • Clean Air Act
g G RADIATION
0 - R ____
C I) A
: 3 ________________ __________________________________________
M ___
5 .
0
OFFICE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES • Toxic Substances Control Act
F
PESTICIDES
F
AND PESTICIDES • Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
TOXIC Rodenticide Act
C SUBSTANCES
E
c
S _______ _________________
0 .
(b ___________
HAZARDOUS WASTE • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
OFFICE OF • Solid Waste Disposal Act
SOLID WASTE • Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments
AND
EMERGENCY SUPERFUND • Comprehensive Environmental Response,
RESPONSE Compensation, & Liability Act
0 ____________ • Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
a
(Q
a
3
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I NTRODUCTIQN
I ORGANIZATION I
EPA is organized into four major program
offices, 10 regional offices, and an office of
research and development. The program
offices (Figure 1) are responsible for particular
contamination problems and legal madates.
They set policy and issue guidelines and regu-
lations. Enforcement and compliance
activities are performed by EPA’s 10 regional
offices. The Office of Research and Develop-
ment (ORD) provides the scientific information
needed to support EPA’s regulatory and
enforcement programs. Environmental
processes and effects research is carried out
by ORD’s Office of Environmental Processes
and Effects Research (OEPER), one of seven
ORD offices (Figure 2). OEPER’s role is to
provide the Agency with information on pollu-
tant transport, fate, and effects in aquatic,
terrestrial, and ground-water environments
and to conduct related research on biotech-
nology, ecological risk-assessment, and
expert-systems. Research is conducted at, in
cooperation with, or under contract to
OEPER’s six environmental research laborato-
ries located across the country. A staff in
Washington, D.C., is responsible for planning
and integrating the overall research program.
Laboratories
Environmental Research Laboratory - Athens
Environmental Research Laboratory - Corvallis
Environmental Research Laboratory - Duluth
Environmental Research Laboratory - Gulf Breeze
Environmental Research Laboratory - Narragansett
Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory - Ada
FIGURE 2. Organizational chart of EPA’S Office of Research and Development and the Office of
Environmental Processes and Effects Research.
Office of Research and Development
Assistant Administrato J
I-- I
I Office of I I
I Technology I r Office of
I Transfer and Health
I Regulatory
I Support Research
(OTTRS) [ (OHR) ]
Office of
Environmental
Engineering
and Technology
Demonstration
(OEETD)
Office of
Environmental
Processes
and Effects
Research
(OEPER)
I Office of
I Office of
Office of I Health and Exploratory
Systems, and
Modeling, Environmental Research
Monitoring Assessment
Quality (OER)
Assurance (OHEA)
(OMMSQA)
[ Dlrecto j
r
Headquarters Staff
3
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INTRODUCTION
I PROGRAM DEFINI11ON
The Office of Environmental Processes and
Effects Research, through its laboratories,
conducts research on many types of environ-
mental contamination or degradation prob-
lems. While specific research topics tend to
change according to current environmental
problems, Agency priorities, and program
office needs, the overall scope of the
program remains centered around four
primary areas: environmental processes,
environmental effects, assessment methods,
and technology transfer. In addition to
carrying out applied research on current
problems, the laboratories also maintain the
capability to perform basic and long-term
research on core areas central to OEPER’s
mission.
Environmental Processes
To assess the risks of a particular pollutant
released into the environment, it is necessary
to understand what will happen to that
substance after its release, Will it stay where it
is or will it be transported by air or water to
other sites? If it moves, how fast and how far
will it move? Will it enter the food chain? Will
chemicals and compounds maintain their
integrity or react with naturally occurring
elements in the environment to form new
compounds? Will new compounds be more
or less toxic, more or less mobile? The answers
to these and other questions require funda-
mental research into environmental systems
and the behavior of particular chemicals and
compounds. Environmental processes
research looks at the interaction of chemical,
physical, and biological processes at levels of
detail ranging from the molecular to the eco-
system. Since natural environments are often
extremely complex and variable, scientists
must identify the critical steps and pathways
that explain or predict a particular phenome-
non, These relationships or predictions must
then be tested and verified under actual field
conditions.
Environmental Effects
The environmental effects of potentially
harmful substances or practices are studied to
develop the data needed to establish
standards, criteria, or guidelines for the pro-
tection or restoration of ecosystems and the
prevention of harmful exposure to pollutants.
For each potentially toxic substance or harm-
ful activity, a number of questions must be
answered. What organisms or ecosystem
functions are affected and at what concen-
trations? How does the substance act to
cause toxicity? Is this toxicity acute or
chronic? Is the toxicity increased or
decreased when the substance is mixed with
other toxic or non-toxic substances? Can
toxicity thresholds be compared between
species? What are the community or ecosys-
tem level effects? And what are the cumula-
tive impacts of certain widespread or long-
term activities? OEPER scientists are finding
answers to these questions by studying the
effects of various contaminants or activities on
surface and subsurface water quality, soils,
plants, animals, and ecosystems. This
research is essential for Identifying toxic
compounds, determining the impacts of
chemicals and toxic substances, and
performing risk assessments of proposed
activities.
Assessment Methods
The data obtained from OEPER’s basic
processes and effects research can not be
readily used by the Agency until it is put info
an environmental decision-making frame-
work. OEPER scientists incorporate this data,
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INTRODUCTION
along with other available scientific informa-
tion, into new or updated methods for
evaluating or predicting environmental
degradation. Methods include computer
models for predicting various processes and
effects, biological indicators and chemical
structure-activity relationships for assessing
toxicity, and sampling procedures for
determining the extent of contamination.
Models are also developed for use in assessing
the contamination potential of alternative
actions and thereby minimizing risks, or
evaluating restoration options. Risk assess-
ments rely heavily on specially designed
models and methods. While computer
models and methods can never fully explain
all the complexities and variations inherent in
natural environments, they can approximate
the important processes and effects and are
vital in making predictions and providing a
basis for decision making. They are integral
to the research program because they
enable application of the scientific data and
knowledge to real-world problems and
situations.
Technical Assistance and Technology Transfer
As an essential part of OEPER’s program,
technical assistance and support are
provided to EPA program offices, regional
offices, and other federal, state, and local
agencies. The results from research projects
may take the form of journal articles, reports,
computer programs, or handbooks. Research
products are often tailored for EPA’s program
offices or regional staffs for use in specific
regulatory programs. OEPER scientists provide
direct assistance in the form of consultation or
short-term studies on technical issues. Training
courses, conferences, seminars, and meetings
are used to describe and explain current
research topics; cooperation with information
centers and libraries helps provide up-to-date
information to the public.
Cyprus swamp near Tampa, Florida.
Proto 1988 Mary E. Ker,
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INTRODUCTION
I FUNDING
Environmental processes and effects
research at EPA is funded by congressional
appropriations. The allocation of these
research funds among ORD’s programs is
guided by committees There is a research
committee for each of the following six
program areas: hazardous waste and
Superfund; air and radiation; water; pesticides
and toxics; multimedia energy; and interdisci-
plinary support. These committees, which
have members representing ORD, program
offices, and regions, review research plans
from across ORD and recommend research
priorities and allocations of resources. OEPER’s
total budget for 1989 was approximately
$113.4 million (Figure 3).
In addition to directly funded research,
OEPER scientists cooperate with their
counterparts in other EPA offices, federal
agencies, universities, and professional and
trade associations. OEPER has cooperative
research programs with the Departments of
Agriculture, Interior, Defense, Energy, and
Commerce. Research laboratories often work
closely with neighboring universities.
I OEPER’s FY89 BUDGET ]
Support Services (5.0%)
Pesticides (5.2%)
Toxics (8.0%)
Air (11.8%)
fiGURE 3. The allocation of OEPER’s 1989 budget among the primary program areas.
Superfund (4.1%)
Drinking
Water Quality (11 .4%)
Acid Deposition (43.6%)
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I RESEARCH AREAS I
I SURFACE WATER I
OEPER plays an active role in helping EPA
protect the surface wafer environments of the
United States, Our rivers, lakes, streams, estu-
aries, and oceans are valuable resources, pro-
viding water for drinking, irrigation, industry,
recreation, fishing, transportation, and wildlife
habitat, However, when physically altered or
contaminated by pollutants, they may
become unsuitable for many uses and may
threaten human health. OEPER’s surface
water research program investigates the
transport and transformation of pollutants,
and develops methods for predicting the bio-
logical and environmental risks posed by
contaminants in surface water systems. The
primary research areas are water quality,
oceans and estuaries, the Great Lakes, and
wetlands. Surface water research is con-
ducted by the environmental research labor-
atories in Duluth, Minnesota; Athens, Georgia;
Narragansett, Rhode Island; and Corvallis,
Oregon.
Water Quality
To fulfill the Clean Water Act’s mandate
for ensuring surface water quality, EPA has
established a water quality based approach
to the permitting of pollutant discharges into
aquatic environments. OEPER supports this
approach by developing water quality criteria
for individual contaminants, developing
methods for determining the toxic compo-
nents and toxicity of complex effluents, and
predicting maximum safe chronic contami-
nant levels that can be maintained without
causing environmental degradation.
When EPA began its water quality pro-
gram, the emphasis was on ensuring that the
best available methods were used to treat
municipal and industrial effluents. Over the
years, the emphasis has shifted to an
environmental approach. The development
and testing of water quality criteria were a first
step in this direction and are still a large part
of OEPER’s water quality program. These
criteria set the maximum levels of specific
pollutants that can occur in surface water
systems. Final water quality criteria are written
only after research has been conducted on
how a specific pollutant will behave in surface
waters and its toxicity to aquatic life. Because
it takes considerable time to develop these
criteria, preliminary advisories may be issued
on chemicals of concern prior to the final
document. These documents are used by
States in setting water quality standards.
The second part of OEPER’s environmental
approach to water quality is research into
complex effluents. The water quality criteria
documents address single chemical toxicities,
but most effluents consist of mixtures of many
different chemicals and compounds. OEPER
scientists are identifying the toxic elements in
complex effluents and measuring complex
effluent toxicity. They are investigating the
persistence of these complex effluents in
aquatic systems and their potential to
accumulate in the food chain. Because
many aquatic contaminants eventually end
up in the sediments of rivers, lakes, and
estuaries, OEPER is developing sediment
toxicity data bases and sediment quality
criteria and determining how contaminated
sediments might endanger aquatic life,
As another progression in the water quality
based approach to permitting, OEPER plans
to develop methods that address the unique
characteristics of the receiving waters.
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RESEARCH AREAS
Decisions will no longer be based solely on
effluent toxicity, but will now examine the
ability of the receiving water to accommo-
date the effluent. Considerations may include
such parameters as existing contamination
levels, buffering capacity, temperature. flow
velocities, and other hydrologic characteris-
tics. OEPER has begun work on defining
ecoregions and developing indices of
biological integrity as a first step towards
integrating the natural conditions of aquatic
systems into the toxicity testing procedures.
Determining the behavior of the contami-
nants entering surface water systems requires
research into environmental processes,
including organic and abiotic chemical
transformations, photochemical processes.
metal sorptions and desorptlons, reduction-
oxidation reactions, and hydrolysis. Informa-
tion about these processes leads to the
development of models that can be used to
predict the fate and transport of contami-
nants. These predictions can, in turn, be used
in seffing water quality criteria, permit
conditions, or wasteload allocations.
Oceans and Estuaries
EPA is charged with regulating waste
disposal activities in oceans and estuaries. To
support the Agency’s programs, OEPER is
analyzing the impacts on the marine and
coastal environment from such sources of
contamination as industrial waste dumping,
sewage effluent discharge, dredged material
disposal, and discharge of oil-drilling fluids.
The oceans have historically been viewed
as too vast to incur significant degradation
from waste disposal activities, but degrada-
tion of marine environments is occurring.
Research into the processes affecting
contaminant fate and transport in marine
environments is used to develop predictive
models. Models are then combined with
toxicity methods and data to provide
methods for evaluating ocean disposal
impacts and making permitting decisions.
- , -
.
l .
Biologists from ERL -Narragansett collect marine
animals from the bottom of a bay. The animals are
kept In a wet laboratory where their larval
offspring are used in toxicity tests. Test data are
used in establishing water-quality and sediment-
quality criteria.
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RESEARCH AREAS
Estuaries and near-shore waters have
different pollution problems from those of the
open ocean because of their proximity to
land-based activities and discharges from
freshwater systems. These waters often
support large fishing industries and are used
extensively for recreation. Even today,
disc harge of sewage effluents into estuaries or
near-shore waters is a common practice
among coastal communities. OEPER is
studying the effects of ocean and estuarine
outfall discharges on marine and estuarine
biota and developing methods for assessing
the impacts or risks of contamination. The use
of specific organisms or environmental
conditions as indicators of contamination is
being investigated, and techniques to monitor
the biota as indicators of ecosystem health
are being developed.
An important consideration in all forms of
marine disposal is the potential for biological
assimilation and accumulation of contami-
nants from water or sediments. Considerable
effort is being devoted to discovering
exposure pathways and modeling the uptake,
metabolism, and transformation of contami-
nants In marine plants and animals, There
have been many cases where ocean or
estuarine contamination have resulted in the
contamination of fish and shellfish used for
human consumption.
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are unique not only
because of their size but also because of their
pollution problems, Industrialization and urban
development along the shores of the lakes
have resulted in considerable contamination
over the years. Very little was done to protect
the lakes from contamination until pollution in
several reached critical levels. Researchers
are studying the identity, fate, and transport of
these contaminants and their toxicity to
aquatic plants, fish, and benthic invertebrates,
Models are developed for predicting the
extent to which aquatic life will be exposed to
various toxic substances, Mass-balance and
food-chain models are developed for con-
taminants of Concern at specific localities.
The Great Lakes research program pro-
vides technical support and data to the Inter-
national Joint Commission, the Great Lakes
National Program Office, and the Great Lakes
States.
An oceanographer from the University of
Connecticut watches the deployment of his
monitoring instruments in Long Island Sound.
Temperature, salinity, direction and speed of water
currents, and density of suspended solid particles
are measured continuously by this equipment.
Instruments such as these provide data for the
National Estuaries Program of the U.S. EPA,
Environmental Research Laboratory, Narragansett,
RI.
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RESEARCH AREAS
Wetlands
EPA is concerned with defining the role of
wetlands in maintaining water quality and
environmental integrity. It has been argued
and assumed for years that wetlands play an
important role in filtering sediments, nutrients,
and anthropogenic substances from waters.
The degree to which this occurs in particular
wetlands is difficult to predict. since actual
measurements in different wetlands have
varied greatly. OEPER is currently developing
a standard comparative assessment system
for evaluating such water quality functions of
different types of wetlands. Work has also
begun on developing water quality standards
for wetlands.
OEPER is investigating the cumulative
effect of wetland loss. Realization of the
importance of wetlands in reducing flooding,
improving water quality, and providing wildlife
habitat has focused attention on the fact that
these ecosystems are disappearing at an
alarming rate, The continuing incremental loss
of wetlands throughout the country may result
in total loss of wetlands in some areas within
another decade or so. Other areas have
already lost over 90 percent of their original
wetlands. Each incremental loss may not
seem significant, but the cumulative impact
may be quite serious.
Legislation to partially offset wetland losses
due to dredge-and-fill activities is contained in
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. This law
allows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to
issue dredge-and-fill permits under some
circumstances if the permiffed party mitigates
the loss of wetlands by providing new wet-
lands or restoring altered wetlands. Because
EPA is charged with overseeing the Army’s
decisions on environmental impacts of
dredge-and-fill permits, OEPER is studying the
outcomes of past mitigation efforts in an
attempt to determine management practices
that will successfully offset losses. These
findings will be presented in a mitigation
handbook.
I GROUNDWATER I
The primary goal of EPA’s ground-water
program is the protection of underground
drinking water sources from harmful contami-
nants. Discovery of ground-water contamina-
tion in many parts of the United States has
caused considerable concern because of the
reliance on ground water as a source of
clean drinking water. The environmental
processes and effects research program in
ground water is studying the basic physical,
chemical, and biological processes operating
in subsurface environments and using this
information to develop methods for predicting
the transport and transformation of contami-
nants entering the subsurface. Such methods
are needed to assess the contamination
potential of various actions or to aid in solving
current contamination problems. The Robert
S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory
(RSKERL) in Ada. Oklahoma, focuses
specifically on ground-water research,
Substantial ground-water research is also
conducted at the environmental research
laboratory in Athens, Georgia.
Activities discussed here include
subsurface processes. models and methods
development, and applied research,
Ground-water research on land disposal
bannings leaking underground storage tanks,
and dioxin is described in the section on
hazardous waste research. Research that
addresses pesticide movement into the
ground water is described in the pesticide
research section.
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RESEARCH AREAS
Subsurface Processes
Predicting ground-water contamination
concentrations over time is a major objective
of ground-water research, Whenever a
pollutant is released into the soil or the subsur-
face, there is the potential for that pollutant
to eventually enter the ground water and
move to a point used for drinking water.
OEPER scientists are investigating how
particular subsurface processes act to affect
the movement and fate of contaminants.
OEPER’s research on subsurface processes
can be divided into three major areas:
hydrological, physical and chemical, and
biological.
Hydrological processes control the flow of
water and fluids through the subsurface. The
movement of ground water through relatively
homogeneous aquifers is now quite well
understood. In fact, there are more than 800
documented mathematical models describ-
ing subsurface fluid flow. These models work
quite well for homogeneous aquifers and
water soluble contaminants. However,
aquifers are rarely completely homogeneous
and there are a number of contaminants that
are either lighter or heavier than water and
whose movement can not be predicted using
standard flow models for ground water.
OEPER scientists are trying to understand how
these immiscible fluids behave so that their
movement can be traced. They are also
looking at the effects certain immiscible
contaminants might have on the physical
properties of the aquifer material, To obtain
accurate predictions from the flow models,
corrections must also be made for subsurface
physical and chemical heterogeneity.
Scientists are exploring new techniques for
obtaining unaltered samples of subsurface
materials, studying the effects of heterogene-
Ity on transport and transformation processes,
and developing techniques for determining
the number and placement of samples
needed to accurately describe complex
hydrologic systems. Hydrological processes
research provides new information for
updating and evaluating existing models and
developing new ones.
Research on physical and chemical
processes helps explain contaminant
behavior in the subsurface. Contaminants
moving through the subsurface may be
transformed through chemical reactions,
sorbed by subsurface particles, or changed
from a liquid to a solid state or vice-versa,
Abiotic transformation processes such as
sorption, hydrolysis, reduction, and volatiliza-
tion are of special interest. OEPER scientists
are studying these transformation processes
for specific metal and organic contaminants
and using the information to develop predic-
tive models. Some contaminants have
Columns are often used to understand and evalu-
ate the processes involved In the movement and
degradation of Contaminants in soils and ground
water.
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RESEARCH AREAS
recently been found to move faster through
the subsurface than conventional methods
would predict. OEPER researchers are
investigating several different processes that
may explain this phenomenon.
researchers are examining biotransformation
processes under oxygen-depleted conditions.
Researchers are also trying to learn how
human viruses are transported and how long
they survive in subsurface environments.
While the importance of microbial popula-
tions in breaking down organic contaminants
in surface systems has been known for some
time, subsurface microbial activity was not
well documented until recently. Initial
investigations into biological processes by
OEPER scientists focused on determining the
numbers of active microbes present. Current
research examines how these microbes might
act to transform or facilitate transport of
contaminants In the subsurface. Since many
subsurface environments are anaerobic,
A microbiologist at ERL-Athens counts populations
of microbes In a study of degradation of chemicals
in the environment.
Mcdels and Methods
A major objective of OEPER’s research
program for ground water is providing
computer models, sampling methods,
techniques and technical assistance to help
solve problems relating to ground-water
contamination. Predictive models are
particularly critical to evaluations of ground-
water contamination, because direct
measurement is extremely difficult, Mathe-
matical models allow for the rapid cinalysis
and prediction of complex processes or
scenarios with the measurement of a few key
variables. They are used in making regulatory
decisions, site selection evaluations, vulnera-
bility assessments, and evaluations of
proposed remedial actions. Ground-water
models are maintained in a data base at the
International Ground-Water Modeling Center
at Holcomb Research Institute, a part of Butler
University in Indianapolis, Indiana, The Center
updates and evaluates these models,
develops new user-friendly models, and offers
training courses in using the models, OEPER
also develops sampling methods for obtaining
the data needed to run the models.
In addition to the flow models, the OEPER
ground-water research program develops
models and methods to be used in assessing
the risks of ground-water contamination from
various sources. Models for predicting the
potential for pesticide movement into the
ground water are being developed along
with methods for screening pesticides for their
potential to migrate in various geographic
locations. Models and methods are also
j
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RESEARCH AREAS
developed to assess the risks of ground-water
contamination from the disposal or storage of
hazardous wastes. Ground-water models are
combined with other media models to
provide site-specific multimedia exposure
assessments.
Applied Research
Ground-water research at EPA also
addresses specific applications requiring an
understanding of subsurface processes. This
research is undertaken to help the Agency
solve problems related to ground-water
contamination. Current projects include
aquifer restoration techniques, methods for
evaluating the safety of underground
injection wells, and welihead protection plans.
OEPER is active in EPA’s effort to clean up
contaminated aquifers and is currently
evaluating the feasibility of several possible
restoration methods. One promising
technique involves manipulating the metabo-
lism of subsurface microbes to enhance the
biological degradation of contaminants.
Field testing of various restoration options will
provide information on cost-effectiveness.
Another application of OEPER’s research
on subsurface processes involves developing
methods for evaluating the safety of under-
ground injection wells. A large percentage of
the chemical waste generated in this country
is currently disposed of through injection into
deep wells, EPA is concerned over the safety
and suitability of underground injection as a
disposal method for hazardous wastes,
because of the possibility for ground-water
contamination. OEPER scientists are studying
methods for determining the integrity of
injection wells and the impact of the injected
fluids on subsurface geological materials.
They are also attempting to determine the
fate of wastes injected into deep wells and
the possibility of these substances
contaminating drinking water.
Welihead protection is another area
where the ground-water expertise of OEPER
scientists is being used. OEPER is providing
assistance to the States in developing plans
for protecting underground drinking water
sources from contamination. Recent
amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act
encouraged the development of comprehen-
sive programs to protect public water supply
wells. OEPER is contributing to these welihead
protection efforts by helping the States
develop welihead delineation models and
management strategies.
Test well used for the development and testing of
methods for evaluating the mechanical Integrity of
wells for the underground injection control pro-
gram.
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RESEARCH AREAS
I TOXICS AND PESTICIDES
It is EPA’s responsibility to assess the
environmental and human health threats
posed by the vast numbers of potentially toxic
substances released to the environment.
Pesticides, which include anything specifically
developed for controlling plant and animal
‘pests,’ are regulated under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide. and Rodenticide Act.
All other potentially toxic chemicals are
governed by the Toxic Substances Control
Act. The research conducted by OEPER on
toxics and pesticides supports these two
statutes. Both programs determine the effects
of toxic substances on aquatic and terrestrial
life, predict environmental fate and transport,
develop risk assessment methods, and
evaluate the potential impacts of current
biotechnologY practices. The majority of the
toxics and pesticides research is conducted
at the environmental research laboratories in
Gulf Breeze, Florida; Athens, Georgia; Duluth,
Minnesota; and Corvallis, Oregon.
Bioassays
One of the functions of the toxics and
pesticides program is to develop methods for
evaluating a substance’s toxicity and its
mode of toxic action. Bioassays provide a
rapid means of doing this. Developing
reliable bioassay techniques greatly enhances
EPA’s ability to evaluate a pesticide or syn-
thetic chemical for toxic effects. Bioassays
may be used to screen for acute toxicity,
various forms of subacute or chronic toxicity,
and carcinogenicity. Factors that influence
toxicity, such as contaminant concentration,
water temperature 1 and salinity are also
explored. Once a bioassay methodology has
been developed, it can be used by industry or
government regulators.
Organisms for use in bioassays are
selected on the basis of their sensitivity to
particular pollutants, ease of handling, and
similarity of response to other classes of
organisms. OEPER scientists rely heavily on fish
and other aquatic organisms for bioassays
because of their relatively short life cycles, the
ease of controlling their environment, and the
existing knowledge about them. Bioassays
are also developed for evaluating terrestrial
ecosystem toxicology and these focus
primarily on plant uptake. metabolism, and
translocation mechanisms and the identifica-
tion of sensitive wildlife life stages.
Tsansport and Transformation
To adequately assess the risks associated
with a particular toxic substance or pesticide,
EPA needs to know how that substance will
behave in different environments, Because of
Research assistant at ERL-Guif Breeze prepares for
toxicity tests with tn but yItir , a defouling agent.
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RESEARCH AREAS
the large numbers of toxic substances and the
variability of receiving environments, much
basic research is needed. Research focuses
on contaminant fate and transport processes
in water, soil, and sediments and the interac-
tions that occur between water and
sediments. OEPER scientists are developing
mathematical descriptions of fate and
transport processes that take into account the
molecular properties of the chemicals and the
characteristics of the receiving environments.
They are also developing data bases for
physical. chemical, and microbial rate and
equilibrium constants for use in risk
assessments.
Pesticides used in agricultural applications
are now being discovered in ground-water
samples from many States. To determine
what happens to pesticides after they are
applied and how they might be getting into
the ground water, OEPER scientists are
investigating the fate and transport processes
governing the movement of pesticides
through the soil and into the subsurface.
Chemicals developed for control of an
individual pest may also be toxic to a whole
set of similar organisms. Because they can
affect nontarget biota and pose human
health risks if present in sufficient quantities.
OEPER is investigating the interactions
between environmental processes 1 pesticide
characteristics, and agricultural usage. This
information is used to develop models on
pesticide transport, degradation, residuals,
and fate.
The transport and transformation informa-
tion obtained from OEPER’s research is used in
performing exposure assessments, which
evaluate the potential dangers to humans
and biota from a particular contamination
source. Exposure assessments determine
whether a given system or organism will be
exposed to the contaminant, and at what
concentration. They are an important part of
determining the overall risk of a substance or
action.
Scientists at ERL-Guif Breeze examine juvenile
sheepShead minnows following exposure to known
cancer-causing substances.
Project scientists at ERL- Athens collect soil samples
from peanut fields in south Georgia in a study to
determine the movement of pesticides from field
application into the plant root zone.
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RESEARCH AREAS
Ecological Effects and Field Validations
With the use of bioassays as indicators of
toxicity, information is often needed on the
comparative toxicology of different species.
That is, if a certain concentration of a sub-
stance is toxic to fish in a certain way, will that
same concentration produce similar types of
toxicity in other organisms? OEPER scientists
are developing a data base for interspecies
extrapolations.
Knowing the toxicity of a substance to one
or more of the organisms present in a particu-
lar environment is a first step in evaluating that
substance’s overall toxicity. However, it gives
lithe indication of the possible adverse effects
on aquatic or terrestrial ecosystem processes
or functions. Single-species test methods
often fail to define the hazard to community-
level support systems. It may be possible for a
substance to pose no immediate toxic threat
to specific organisms yet destroy the habitat
or food supply of these or other organisms, or
accumulate to toxic levels through the food
chain. Aquatic communities are being
studied to determine toxic effects to commu-
nities and bioaccumUlatiOn potentials,
Most predictions of adverse effects of
toxics and pesticides are derived from
laboratory experiments or mathematical
modeling. To validate these predictions, field
or microcosm tests must be performed,
Microcosms are small-scale representations of
field conditions that can be controlled in a
laboratory setting. These field and microcosm
tests improve the precision and predictability
of laboratory-derived methods, Chemicals
presumed to have specific toxic characteris-
tics based on laboratory work are tested to
determine whether these toxic characteristics
are correct and complete. Pesticides are
studied under actual use conditions to
ascertain effects to nontarget organisms in
terms of mortality, reproduction, and
population dynamics.
Measuring quail eggshell thickness as part of the
wildlife toxicology research program at ERL-
Corvallis.
ERL-Gult Breeze histologist and pathologist prepare
turtle tIssue for histopathology study.
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RESEARCH AREAS
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a relatively new and
rapidly growing science that has tremendous
potentials but may also have tremendous risks.
Genetically engineered microorganisms
(GEMs) are being developed to perform a
variety of functions--from protecting agricultu-
ral crops from frost to degrading hazardous
waste. Although the desirable attributes of
these GEMs cannot be denied, the possibility
for inadvertent long-lasting environmental
harm cannot be ignored.
Much of OEPER’s research on GEMs
focuses on the survival, fate, and effects of
genetically engineered microbes once they
have been released into the environment.
Researchers are exploring whether the new
organism will replace other beneficial
microbes, whether it will affect ecological pro-
cesses, and whether the potential exists for
transfer of genetic material between the GEM
and naturally occurring microbes. The data
bases and test methods that OEPER is devel-
oping will help to evaluate these
environmental risks.
Biological control agents (BCAs) are
studied in agricultural research as a means of
controlling crop pests without using harmful
chemical pesticides. BCAs include GEMs as
well as hormones, growth regulators.
pheromones, viruses, and other biological
substances. These BCAs are usually designed
to control a specific pest. OEPER is responsi-
ble for developing methodologies to evaluate
possible adverse environmental conse-
quences resulting from the use of these
substances. Bloassays are one means of
evaluating the effects of BCAs to nontarget
receptors or hosts. OEPER is also developing
test protocols for evaluating the effects of
BCAs on different types of susceptible
populations.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessments provide quantitative
estimates of the overall risk to human health
or the environment associated with proposed
or existing activities. They combine informa-
tion on the inherent hazards of a substance
with the potential for human or biotic
exposure. Risk assessments provide much of
the Justification for EPA’s decisions on specific
issues.
OEPER is actively involved in developing
the methods used in performing risk assess-
ments of toxic substances and pesticides. Risk
assessment methods require more than simple
processes and effects Information. Popula-
tion and community effects, and exposure
assessments are also needed. Knowing the
toxicity of a contaminant to one or more
Microcosms used at ERL -Corvallis to study the fate
and survival of recombinant bacteria on plants, in
soil, and in the insect digestive tract.
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RESEARCH AREAS
organisms in a particular environment does
not Indicate how the whole ecosystem will
respond, Since it is obviously Impossible to
test all organisms within an ecosystem, critical
systems and susceptible populations must be
identified. OEPER research examines more
closely how different organisms become
exposed to contaminants, how contaminants
I HAZARDOUS WASTE 1
Wastes are an unfortunate but very real
byproduct of our society. Inadequate
hazardous waste management in the past
has caused problems in many parts of the
country and will probably continue to haunt
us for years to come. Finding ways to
manage and dispose of wastes without
threatening the environment and human
health is a challenging problem. The
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of
1976 (RORA) was enacted in response to the
realization that solid waste disposal was a
major problem in this country and to a
move through food chains, and how they are
cycled in the community. Methods to predict
the resilience of various ecosystems is also
being studied. The models and methods that
are produced must then be tested and evalu-
ated in field situations. Uncertainties inherent
in the assumptions and predictions are being
quantified and incorporated into the models.
growing public concern about environmental
contamination and threats to human health.
Two of EPA’s primary responsibilities under
RCRA are to identify and list hazardous wastes
and to set standards for hazardous waste
generation. transportation, storage, treat-
ment, and disposal. OEPER’s research
program in hazardous wastes provides
methods for evaluating environmental
concentrations of wastes, predicting their
toxicity and bloaccumulation potential, and
evaluating land disposal banning decisions.
The hazardous waste research is conducted
at the environmental research laboratories in
Ada, Oklahoma; Athens, Georgia; Duluth,
Minnesota; and Corvallis, Oregon.
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RESEARCH AREAS
Listing/Delisting
EPA maintains lists of substances that
constitute hazardous wastes. Chemicals or
chemical mixtures are added or deleted from
the lists on the basis of their dangerous
physical properties, their toxicity, persistence,
and degradability in nature, and their
potential for bioaccumulatiOn, OEPER
researchers are developing methods for
rapidly predicting toxicity.
Evaluating toxicity involves complex
testing to determine exposure mechanisms,
the types of toxicity Involved, the short- and
long-term effects of exposure. critical concen-
trations, and environmental interactions.
Toxicological profiles are developed for fish
that help scientists understand what makes a
substance toxic and what the effects of that
substance will be in the environment. The
feasibility of using fish toxicology data to
predict human health hazards is also being
evaluated.
Most effluents are mixtures that may
contain more than one hazardous substance.
Knowing the toxicity of individual substances
may not adequately reflect the toxic effects
of mixtures. By studying the Interactions
between chemicals or chemical classes,
OEPER scientists are able to predict whether
multichemical toxicity will be less than
additive, additive, or more than additive.
Quantitative structure-activity relationships
(QSARs) are developed by OEPER researchers
to predict which chemicals or chemical
mixtures are likely to be hazardous. These
QSARs are derived from observed correlations
ERL-Duluth scientist Dr. Steven Bradbury is examin-
ing fish for physiological effects of toxic chemical
exposure.
The electron microscope, used to examine tissue
samples at The cellular level, is operated by ERL-
Duluth biologist, Doug Lothenbach.
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RESEARCH AREAS
between chemical structure and biological
activity. Evaluations of potential effluent
toxicity can then be made through chemical
analysis alone. This is tremendously helpful in
evaluating wastestreams containing many
chemicals and compounds. Toxicity research
provides the data to refine existing QSARs and
define new ones.
Predicting Environmental Concentrations
To adequately assess the risks associated
with hazardous wastes that escape or are
released into the environment, methods must
be developed to predict their fate and
transport and their expected environmental
concentrations. OEPER’s research focuses on
hazardous wastes entering the subsurface
from land-based treatment, storageS or
disposal sites. The possibility of ground-water
contamination is an immediate concern
because of the threats to human health.
Basic subsurface information on fate,
transport, and effects is applied to specific
hazardous wastes to determine what happens
to them in different subsurface environments.
The special problems of toxic metals and
complex organics are among those being
investigated. OEPER scientists use this
information to develop contaminant transport
models for use in evaluating hazardous waste
contamination problems and predicting
potential environmental concentrations.
Land Disposal Assessment
The most practical and least costly
method of waste disposal for most solid
wastes is landfills. However, some substances
do not belong in landfills because of their
potential for degrading the environment or
contaminating drinking water. The newly
reauthorized Hazardous and Solid Waste
Amendments require EPA to develop criteria
for determining whether land disposal of
hazardous wastes adequately protects
human health and the environment. They
also require EPA to determine whether certain
hazardous wastes should be banned from
land disposal altogether
OEPEP is evaluating all the currently listed
hazardous wastes in terms of specific
contaminant parameters and environmental
criteria to ascertain which should be banned
from land disposal. Parameters being
evaluated include hydrolysis rate constants
and partition coefficients for chemicals,
thermodynamic and sorption mechanisms for
metals, and transformation potentials for
organics. Biotransformation processes and
environmental characterization and assess-
ment methods are also being developed for
listed wastes. As there are over 450 hazardous
wastes listed, this constitutes a large effort.
The purpose is to provide standardized criteria
Sophisticated instrumentation, such as this gas
chromato graph/mass spectrometerS are used to
identifr and measure trace level environmental
contaminants.
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RESEARCH AREAS
that can be used in models for predicting the
fate and transport of hazardous wastes in
landfills, OEPER is also combining compatible
state-of-the-art models for various media
(water, air, runoff, leaching) to produce both
screening-level and more site-specific
multimedia exposure assessment packages.
These models can be used by the Office of
Solid Waste in supporting its land banning
decisions, appraising waiver requests, and
evaluating hazardous waste management
options.
special Problems
The presence of dioxin in the environment
is a serious problem because of its known
toxicity to humans and its apparent wide-
spread occurrence, Dioxin entered the
environment as a contaminant or byproduct
of some widely used chemicals and industrial
processes. Although dioxin-producing
procedures and dioxin contamination are
now strictly controlled, there are still problems
associated with previous contamination.
OEPER continues to investigate the fate and
effects of dioxin in the environment.
Researchers are studying the movement and
persistence of dioxin In soils and ground water,
the possibilities for enhanced biodegradation,
and photodegradatiofl processes, The
movement and persistence of dioxin in the
food chain are also being investigated.
Another hazardous Waste problem that
OEPER scientists are currently studying is the
contamination potential of leaking under-
ground storage tanks. Of the 1,5 million
underground storage tanks being used in the
United States to contain hazardous sub-
stances or petroleum products. 10 to 20
percent may be leaking and posing threats to
underground water supplies. OEPER is
determining the applicability and cost-
effectiveness of in situ remediation
techniques for removing contamination in the
unsaturated zone and ground water caused
by leaking storage tanks.
OEPER is also working on methods for
rapidly assessing the biological hazards
associated with contaminated soils, water,
and sediments. Cost-effective screening
bioassays that allow for quick assessments of
hazardous waste sites have been developed
and are being refined. These are used for
initial assessment and ranking of sites for
cleanup.
The Comprehensive Environmental
I SUPERFUND I
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980 (CERCLA) provides for the cleanup of
hazardous waste releases or hazardous waste
disposal sites posing human health or environ-
mental threats. The Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act (SARA), passed in
1986, provides for research in support of these
activities.
OEPER’s role in the Superfund program is
to conduct site and situation assessments of
Superfund sites and provide technical
assistance on problems related to hazardous
waste fate, transport, and effects. Processes
and effects information Is used to evaluate
how site-specific characteristics will affect
contaminant behavior and to determine the
environmental effects of particular contami-
nants. Once the extent of the problem is
understood, OEPER scientists help to develop
techniques and procedures for planning and
Implementing remedial measures.
The unique characteristics of contamina-
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RESEARCH AREAS
tion at some Superfund sites call for the
development of innovative cleanup and
monitoring methods. One remedial method
currently under investigation by OEPER is the
use of natural and engineered microorgan-
isms to biodegrade hazardous substances,
particularly in ground-water systems. OEPER
also assists in performing risk assessments and
evaluating the effectiveness of remedial
actions, All the OEPER research laboratories
provide assistance on Superfund problems.
OEPER is investigating the environmental
AIR AND ACID DEPOSITION
effects of three air pollution problems having
serious environmental degradation potential:
stratospheric ozone depletion and related
tropospheric ozone effects on crops and
forests, acid deposition, and global climate
change. Its research supports other work on
these problems being conducted by EPA’s
Office of Air and ORD’s Office of Modeling,
Monitoring Systems, and Quality Assurance.
The Corvallis, Oregon, environmental research
laboratory is OEPER’s center for air and acid
deposition research,
Ozone
There is undisputed evidence that the
atmospheric concentrations of source gases
important in controlling stratospheric ozone
levels continue to increase on a global scale
because of human activities. A reduction in
ozone concentration will result in increased
transmission of solar ultraviolet radiation.
Many adverse and serious effects of such an
increase in exposure to this radiation have
been identified, and the effects will continue
well Into the next century even with a vigorous
mitigation program. To establish responsible
regulation and mitigation options, we need to
know more precisely what the effects of
ozone depletion are likely to be.
A key challenge for EPA’s Stratospheric
Ozone Research Program is to target the
limited quantity of available resources on
those areas of scientific uncertainty that will
be useful to policy-makers in addressing this
issue, This will contribute to the success of the
Montreal Protocol and to compliance with
the conditions of the Clean Air Act. EPA will
act as the lead federal agency to (1) set
research goals in response to policy issues
regarding stratospheric OZone modification in
order to comply with the conditions of the
Montreal Protocol and the Clean Air Act, (2)
coordinate research to accomplish those
goals, and (3) synthesize the results of that
research effort. The research effort will take
place within agencies with the appropriate
mission, but EPA will continue to develop its in-
house human resources and research in order
to provide the appropriate guidance for
design and analysis in each research area to
address the conditions of the Montreal
Protocol in a timely fashion. OEPER will
manage EPA’s Stratospheric Ozone Research
Program.
Under the terms of the Montreal Protocol
and the Clean Air Act, EPA will Compile and
analyze data from in-house, national, and
international sources to produce a scientific
assessment of the effects of continued release
of gases that deplete stratospheric ozone and
will evaluate the controls that may be
needed. The “effects” research will address
three areas: health effects; ecological effects;
and welfare effects such as degradation of
natural resources, visibility impairment, and
materials damage. The data currently
available for the assessment are incomplete
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RESEARCH AREAS
and of highly variable quality. The coopera-
tion of other national and international
organizations is essential.
Risk characterization and scientific
assessment will be major components of EPA’s
stratospheric ozone research program. EPA
will formulate predictions regarding the
quantities and impact of continued release of
ozone-influencing substances into the
stratosphere. and the concomitant increase in
UV-B irradiance at the surface of the earth.
Trends in emissions of ozone-influencing gases
in the United States and around the world
need to be determined and monitored. EPA
will also address the nature, extent, and
severity of environmental impacts of
continued release of ozone-depleting
substances on the United States and other
countries. Tropospheric ozone effects on
crops and forests are also being studied to
provide the scientific basis for development of
secondary air standards.
Acid Deposition
Acid deposition has been blamed for a
decline in forest vigor and productivity in
several regions of the country and for the
biological decline or death of lakes and
streams. Acid deposition is a phenomenon
whereby atmospheric emissions of particular
compounds, especially sulphur and nitrogen
compounds, react with water vapor to form
acids. These acids can then be deposited as
rain, snow, or fog, or as dry particulates or
absorbed gases. This phenomenon occurs
regionally or downwind of industrialized
centers, which may be some distance from
the actual source. Long-range transport of
atmospheric pollutants has been well
documented in portions of the United States
as well as in many parts of Europe. OEPER
laboratories are responsible for conducting
research on the aquatic and terrestrial effects
of acid deposition.
OEPER’s aquatic effects research program
has three primary goals: to determine the
status and extent of surface water acidifica-
tion, to predict future change in surface water
quality, and to verify and validate these
predictions through experiments and
monitoring.
The National Surface Water Survey
provided baseline information on over 2500
lakes and 550 streams from regions of the
country believed to be most susceptible to
change from acid deposition. The survey
identified and characterized the number and
distribution of acidic and low-alkaline surface
waters and will provide information on normal
and seasonal variations in surface water
chemistry. This forms a statistical baseline for
detecting and measuring changes and rates
of change. OEPER scientists are using the
data to look at other Important aspects of
acidification, such as the relationship
ERL-Corvallis scientists working on slash pine ozone
exposure St udles for the National Park Service.
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RESEARCH AREAS
between existing biological populations and
chemical characteristics, and the importance
of hydrologic episodes in affecting acidity.
Long-term monitoring of surface waters at
selected sites across the country will allow
detection of minor changes in acidity. OEPER
researchers are also working on identifying the
processes that influence surface water
acidity, as well as the role of watersheds and
storm events.
Simulation and mass balance models are
used to predict the number of streams and
lakes in different regions that will become
acidic if present deposition rates continue,
increase, or decrease. Such quantitative
estimates are necessary for the Administrator
to use in advising Congress on target
deposition loadings that would result in various
rates of change. The accuracy of the model
predictions is being assessed in the Watershed
Manipulation Project, in which several test
watersheds are intentionally acidified and
then closely monitored and compared to
model predictions.
EPA’s forest effects research is a major
part of the multI-agency Terrestrial Effects Task
Group of the National Acid Precipitation
Assessment Program (NAPAP). Research Is
closely coordinated with that of the U.S. Forest
Service. Research Cooperatives have been
formed for each of four major forest types:
spruce/fir, southern commercial pine, eastern
hardwoods, and western conifers. In addition
to the four forest Research Cooperatives,
there is a National Vegetation Survey and an
Atmospheric Exposure Cooperative. OEPER’s
environmental research laboratory in Corvallis
Is responsible for coordinating results from all
these cooperatives and for assuring the
quality of all collected data.
Two major approaches are being taken to
assess the impact of acid deposition on
forests. The first is an epidemiological
approach in which researchers search large
geographic areas for patterns of forest
condition that may be related to atmospheric
deposition or other environmental patterns.
The second approach is physiological and
ecological and focuses on the effects of
particular environmental variables on tree
health and stand vigor.
Forest decline due to acid deposition is a
difficult process to assess, Visible symptoms
often can be confusing because the same
symptom may be caused by a variety of
conditions. Subtle loss of vigor can leave trees
more susceptible to death or decline from
disease, insect infestations, and other
environmental stresses. There are currently a
number of hypotheses regarding the effects
of airborne contaminants; Several have been
reasonably demonstrated for a particular
locale. It is altogether possible that there may
be a number of different mechanisms
operating to varying degrees on different
species and in different parts of the country.
The Field Exposure Research Facility used for Ozone,
SO 2 , NO 2 , and acid-fog research at ERL -Corvallis.
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RESEARCH AREAS
QEPER scientists are trying to discover the
processes by which airborne contaminants
can lead to forest decline, They are involved
in testing damage hypotheses, defining the
extent of the problem, and conducting
exploratory research.
The results of OEPER’s aquatic effects and
terrestrial effects research will be synthesized
and interpreted for inclusion in the NAPAP
Final Assessment, due in 1990.
Global Climate Chong
Increased atmospheric concentrations of
carbon dioxide and other radiatively
important trace gases (RITGs) have raised
concerns about climatic change and its
impacts on the environment. Many of these
potential ecological impacts and changes,
both beneficial and adverse, are poorly
understood. We are uncertain about the
degree of risk that specific geographic
regions or ecological systems might face from
these climatic changes. Possible conse-
quences include changes in air and water
quality, natural resource distribution and
quality, and land-use patterns, Characterizing
these risks, however, would bound the
problem and permit an evaluation of alterna-
tive management strategies to address these
changes.
OEPER is responsible for developing a
research program to address global climate
change concerns. A risk assessment/risk
management model will be used to structure
the program. The goals are (1) to assess the
probability and magnitude of changes in the
composition of the global atmosphere, and
the anthropogenic contributions to those
changes for the purpose of evaluating the
likelihood and magnitude of subsequent
climate change and (2) to assess the likely
extent, magnitude, and rate of regional
ecological changes as a function of
variability in climate for the purpose of
evaluating the environmental risks associated
with changes in the climate system.
OEPER has identified a number of
objectives for realizing these goals. The first
step will be to develop and improve budgets
for both anthropogenic and natural sources
of RuGs and investigate the feedback pro-
cesses by which climatic variability influences
sources of RuGs. Techniques and models
then need to be developed for estimating
fluxes and projecting concentrations and
spatial distributions of RITGs. Global-scale
changes will be related to regional-scale
changes by constructing a series of regional
atmospheric scenarios. The processes control-
ling ecosystem response to climatic variation
will be tested to improve predictive capabili-
ties. When the geographical relationship
between regional climatic change and
regional ecological change can be docu-
mented, comprehensive ecological monitor-
ing will be conducted in selected locations in
cooperation with other EPA and federal
agency monitoring programs, OEPER will
produce periodic scientific assessments in
conjunction with other federal agencies and
international research organizations, and
perform research to evaluate the conse-
quences of proposed mitigative and
adaptive policies.
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RESEARCH AREAS
U ,.
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4
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I RESEARCH LABORATORIES 1
OEPER’s six environmental research laboratories are located in key locations
across the country. Each is responsible for a particular segment of the overall
research program. Research is conducted either in house by teams of profes-
sional scientists and technicians or in cooperation with or through contracts to
universities, consulting firms, and other agencies.
ERL -Corvallis
ERL-Duluth
ERL-Narragansett
ERL -Athens
RSKERL -Ada
ERL-Guif Breeze
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LABORATORI ES
Environmental Research Laboratory - Athens
College Station Road, Athens, Georgia 30613
FTS 8-250-3134
(404) 546-3134
The Athens Environmental Research Laboratory conducts the basic and applied
research required to predict and assess the human and environmental exposures and
risks associated with conventional and toxic pollutants in water and soil ecosystems. The
major elements of this research are:
U Identifying and characterizing the physical, chemical, and biological pro-
cesses necessary to predict the fate and transport of pollutants in and across
environmental media and within organisms;
U Conducting theoretical and experimental laboratory and field investigations
to identify, characterize, measure, and predict pollutant and ecosystem prop-
erties and environmental factors that govern the extent of pollutant exposure,
impact, and risk:
U Developing techniques to predict probable environmental concentrations
and resulting human and environmental exposure and risk from chemical and
biological pollutants, using process-level scientific information, requisite data
bases, and decision software;
U Developing, testing, and documenting single-medium and multimedia man-
agement and control strategy methodologieS incorporating the requisite
exposure and risk assessment techniques formaffed for practical application
to regulatory problems faced by the Agency; and
U Applying, demonstrating, and transferring scientific information, protocols,
data bases, exposure and risk assessment techniques, and environmental
management methods to other ORD laboratories, program offices, regional
offices, and Federal, State, and local agencies.
The laboratory’s Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling distributes and supports
computer programs for selected models and provides training and assistance to users in
government, industry, and academia. It also provides expertW 1tneSS consultative, and
actual exposure assessment support to regions, States, and their consultants involved in
RCRA, Superfund, or other programs requiring such procedures.
FATE & TRANSPORT PROCESSES . RISK ASSESSMENTS • ENVIRONMENTAL CONCENTRATIONS . EXPOSURE ASSESSMENTS
ERL-ATHENS
MANAGEMENT & CONTROL METHODS • SOILS • SINGLE MEDIA & MULTIMEDIA MODELING • PESTICIDES
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LABORATORIES
Environmental Research Laboratory - Corvallis
200 SW. 35th Street, Corvallis, Oregon 97333
FTS 8-420-4601
(503) 757-4601
Research at the Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory is conducted on terres-
trial and watershed ecology and on multimedia ecological effects assessment for pollu-
tants and other environmental stresses. The research includes:
U Determining the effects of atmospheric pollutants, including acidic deposi-
tion, on forests, crops, watersheds, and surface waters;
U Determining the ecological effects of pollutant-induced environmental
changes, such as changes in climate and increased solar ultraviolet-B
radiation;
U Developing and testing methods to assess the toxic effects, food-chain con-
tamination potential, and overall environmental risk of toxic chemicals in wild-
life, vegetation, and soil components of terrestrial environments;
U Developing and testing methods for assessing the ecological impact of
human modification of wetlands and lakes and developing criteria and tech-
niques for functional restoration of these systems;
U Developing and testing methods to assess the ecological risk of introducing
novel biological organisms, such as those produced by genetic engineering,
into the terrestrial environment;
U Developing and testing methods to assess ecological hazards from contami-
nated areas, such as hazardous waste sites; and
U Defining and characterizing ecological systems and developing measures for
determining their ecological health, especially as affected by multiple envi-
ronmental stresses.
TERRESTRIAL AND WATERSHED ECOLOGY • ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTANTS • ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS • CLIMATE
__ ERL-CORVALLIS
ACIDIC DEPOSITION • OZONE • FOOD WEB CONTAMINATION • WETLANDS • ECOLOGICAL HEALTH • BIOTECHNOLOGY
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LABORATORIES
Environmental Research Laboratory - Duluth
6201 Congdofl Boulevard, Duluth, Minnesota 55804
FTS 8-780-5550
(218) 720-5550
The Environmental Research Laboratory-Duluth (ERL-D) is EPA’s nationwide resource
center of expertise on freshwater aquatic toxicology. The mission of ERL-D is to develop a
scientific basis for EPA to create environmental policies concerning the use of freshwater
resources. To accomplish this, ERL-D conducts the following programs of research, devel-
opment, and technical assistance:
U Determining which pesticide, toxic substance,, and hazardous waste concen-
trations are not harmful to freshwater aquatic life;
U Developing standard biological and chemical methods for use by other agen-
cies and research institutions;
U Developing models to predict or assess the impact of chemical and physical
pollutants on aquatic organisms
U Evaluating the ability of laboratory methods and models to predict the effects
of contaminants in the environment by conducting ecological field studies;
U Developing water quality criteria for single and complex mixtures of contami-
nants in freshwater ecosystems for the protection of aquatic organisms and
people who consume these organisms; and
U conducting surveillance for new chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosys-
tems. Analytical methodology using state-of-the-art equipment is developed
to identify and determine the amount of trace contaminants in water, fish,
and sediments.
The Duluth laboratory S responsible for the Great Lakes research program, which
measures, describes, and predicts the distribution, movement, fate, and effects of toxic
substances in near-shore “areas of concern” identified by the U.S/Canada Water Quality
Agreement. Emphasis is on in-place pollutants. The program also provides technical sup-
port and data to the International Joint Commission, the Great Lakes National Program
Office, and the Great Lakes States. ERL-D also maintains two research facilities in the
Great Lakes region. The Large Lakes Research Station at Grosse lie, Wisconsin is a center
for pesticide and toxic substance research, The Monticello, Minnesota Research Station
focuses on hazardous waste and wafer quality research.
FRESHWATER AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY • WATER QUALITY CRITERIA • CONTAMINANT EFFECTS • BIOASSAYS
__ ERL-DULUTH ____
- -— - ,. I
METHODS DEVELOPMENT • SEDIMENT CONTAMINATION • CONCENTRATION THRESHOLDS • GREAT LAKES
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LABORATORIES
Environmental Research Laboratory - Gulf Breeze
Sabine Island, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561
FTS 8-a 86-9011
(904) 932-5311
Research at the Gulf Breeze laboratory is directed toward providing the sdentific
information needed to formulate guidelines, standards, and strategies for managing haz-
ardous materials in coastal, estuarine , and marine environments, Elements of the
research program include:
U Developing principles and applications of environmental toxicology, includ-
ing toxic chemical exposure and effects on marine organisms and ecosystem
processes;
U Developing and evaluating factors and mechanisms that affect biodegrada-
tion rates and bioaccumulation potential in food webs;
U Developing and verifying methods and data that allow extrapolation from
laboratory observations to field situations, and from chemical structure to
potential toxicity and biodegradation rate;
U Determining effects of carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens on individuals
and populations of aquatic species;
U Developing aquatic species and test systems as indicators of environmental
and human risk from exposure to chemicals; and
U Developing methods to evaluate environmental risk from genetically altered
microorganisms, other products of biotechnology, and biological control
agents.
Technical assistance and emergency investigations are provided to EPA offices eval-
uating environmental threats posed by toxicants in the Gulf of Mexico and southern
Atlantic coast, as well as other locations.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY OF MARINE ORGANISMS • BIOTECHNOLOGY • BIODEGRADATION • BIOACCUMULATION
ERL-GULF BREEZE __
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS • BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS • POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON MARINE ORGANISMS & ECOSYSTEMS
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LABORATO RI ES
Environmental Research Laboratory - Narragansett
South Ferry Road, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882
FTS 8-838-5087
(401) 782-3000
The Narragansett Environmental Research Laboratory is the Agency’s center for
marine, coastal, and estuarine water quality research. The primary emphasis is on provid-
ing the scientific base for marine hazard assessment. The laboratory studies the effects of
estuarine and marine disposal and discharge of complex wastes, dredged materials, and
other wastes; develops water use designation and quality criteria for estuarine and
marine water and sediments; and conducts environmental assessments of ocean dis-
charges. A major portion of the research involves the development, evaluation, and
application of techniques and test systems for measuring and predicting the transport,
fate, and biological and ecosystem effects of complex wastes in estuarine and marine
systems. Specific research areas include:
U Developing toxicity testing methodologies for deriving site-specific and
national water quality criteria and marine hazard assessment;
U Using biomonitoring for on-site and in situ field assessments of biological
effects of single or combined point-source discharges:
U Quantifying the transport, transformation, and fate of pollutants in marine and
estuarine environments, conducting pollutant trend assessments, and quanti-
fying chemical contaminants in marine water, sediments, and biota;
U Developing and evaluating systems that predict the fate and ecological
effects of pollutants, primarily toxic chemicals, in natural marine ecosystems:
U Developing and evaluating techniques for relating marine discharges to pol-
lutant transport and transformation;
Li Developing and evaluating techniques for charaCterizing the processes and
mechanisms for accumulation and transformation of pollutants in tissues of
organisms; and
U Developing and evaluating techniques for determining the effects of pollu-
tants on benthic organisms.
The Narragansett laboratory maintains a field station in Newport, Oregon, which is the
west coast focal point for research and technical assistance on the mechanisms control-
ling the fate of waste materials discharged from municipal and industrial sources into
coastal waters and the impact of these discharges on the marine environment.
MARINE, COASTAL, & ESTUARINE CONTAMINATION • FATE & TRANSPORT PROCESSES • WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
ERLINARRAGANSETT
MARINE DISPOSAL & DISCHARGE ‘ MARINE ASSESSMENT METHODS • COMPLEX WASTES • BIOMONITORING
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LABORATOPJES
Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory
P.O. Box 1 198, Ada, Oklahoma 74820
FTS 8-743-20 1 1
(405) 332-8800
The Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory (RSKERL) is EPA’s center for
ground-water research and problems related to subsurface contamination. Current
research focuses on providing the necessary fate and transport data bases and support
to help the Agency:
Establish criteria for waste disposal activities to prevent contamination of
ground water or movement of contaminants through the subsurface to
points of withdrawal or discharge;
Assess the impacts of existing pollution on ground water at points of with-
drawal or discharge;
U Develop remedial actions for protecting and restoring ground-water qual-
ity that are neither unnecessarily complex and costly nor restrictive of
other land uses; and
U Regulate the production, use, and disposal of specific chemicals possess-
ing an unacceptably high potential for contaminating ground water
when released to the subsurface,
Much of the laboratory’s research is process oriented, focusing on the hydrologic,
abiotic, and biotic processes governing the fate and transport of contaminants in the
subsurface. Simulation models are developed based on soil and subsurface process
descriptions for describing and predicting the migration, dissipation, and transformation
of pollutants likely to be encountered in soil and subsurface environments under varying
conditions of environmental release, The use of natura’ soil and subsurface systems for
the attenuation and degradation of wastes is studied as a treatment option for both
point and nonpoint sources of pollution as welt as for remedial action in connection with
land-based spills or accidents and existing waste disposal sites.
RSKERL is also developing methodologies for aquifer restoration. A major research
objective is to demonstrate reliable and effective management of subsurface treatment
systems that are applicable to various climatic conditions, soil types, waste characteris-
tics, degrees of pretreatment, and other system variables. Applied research on specific
problems related to underground injection control, underground storage tanks, and land
treatment of hazardous wastes is also conducted. RSKERL has been instrumental in spon-
soring the International Ground-Water Modeling Center at Holcomb Research Institute in
Indianapolis, Indiana, and Delft, the Netherlands.
GROUND-WATER QUALITY • SUBSURFACE CONTAMINATION • SUBSURFACE FATE & TRANSPORT PROCESSES
RSKERL-ADA
GROUND-WATER INFORMATION & MODELING CENTERS • REMEDIAL ACTION • AQUIFER RESTORATION
33
*U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1 89/b48 163/87065
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