EPA/600/R-15/132 | August 2015 | www.epa.gov/research
United States
Environmental Protection
Aqencv
Engineering Technical Support Center
Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
Office of Research and Development
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
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EPA/600/R-15/132
August 2015
Engineering Technical Support Center Annual
Report Fiscal Year 2014
Technical Support and Innovative Research
for Contaminated Sites
by
Scott M. Bessler and John McKernan
Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division
Cincinnati, OH, and 45268
Project Officer: John McKernan
Office of Research and Development
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
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Notice/Disclaimer Statement
This report is intended to inform the public, remedial project managers, on scene coordinators, and Superfund
Technology Liaisons of progress at ETSC involved sites, cutting-edge remedial technologies, and ETSC
operations.
This document received two ORD internal peer reviews preceding the institutional clearance process.
Disclaimer: Mention of company trade names or products does not constitute endorsement by the Agency and are
provided as general information only.
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Abstract
The Engineering Technical Support Center (ETSC) was created in 1987 as one of a number of technical
support centers in the Technical Support Project (TSP) to provide engineering expertise to U.S. EPA
program offices and remediation teams working at contaminated sites across the United States. The ETSC
is operated within ORD's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) in Cincinnati, OH.
ETSC's mission is to provide site-specific scientific and engineering technical support to remedial project
managers (RPMs), on-scene coordinators and other remediation personnel at contaminated sites. ETSC's
mission allows the responsible local, regional or national authorities to work more quickly, efficiently and
cost-effectively, while also increasing the technical experience of the remediation team. Since its
inception, ETSC has supported countless projects across all EPA Regions in almost all 50 states and
Territories.
This report highlights significant projects that the ETSC has supported throughout fiscal year 2014.
Projects have addressed an array of environmental scenarios, including but not limited to remote mining
contamination, expansive landfill waste, sediment remediation by capping, and persistent threats from
abandoned industrial sites. A major component of affecting meaningful remediation lies in constructing
and testing new, innovative treatment technologies through pilot and field research. For example, ETSC
teams have gone into the field to spearhead projects that are at the cutting edge of remediation research in
the areas of bioremediation and ground water treatment, active sediment capping, in-situ stabilization, and
sustainable site cleanup. ETSC organizes and reports significant developments in environmental
engineering in the form of Engineering Issue Papers and peer-reviewed journal publications. ETSC has
also taken on a selection of newer initiatives that focus on integrating sustainability into communities and
land use plans. While ETSC's principal mission of bolstering technical expertise for site-specific
remediation at contaminated sites remains a central focus, ETSC teams are reaching out to support other
efforts in prevention thereby reducing EPA's burden from legacy sites in the future. NRMRL/LRPCD and
the ETSC have evolved continually to meet the demands, as well as scientific and engineering needs of
the EPA program offices and regional clients.
ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Foreword
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged by Congress with protecting the Nation's
land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the Agency strives to
formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability
of natural systems to support and nurture life. To meet this mandate, EPA's research program is providing
data and technical support for solving environmental problems today and building a science knowledge
base necessary to manage our ecological resources wisely, understand how pollutants affect our health,
and prevent or reduce environmental risks in the future.
The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) within the Office of Research and
Development (ORD) is the Agency's center for investigation of technological and management
approaches for preventing and reducing risks from pollution that threaten human health and the
environment. The focus of the Laboratory's research program is on methods and their cost-effectiveness
for prevention and control of pollution to air, land, water, and subsurface resources; protection of water
quality in public water systems; remediation of contaminated sites, sediments and ground water;
prevention and control of indoor air pollution; and restoration of ecosystems. NRMRL collaborates with
both public and private sector partners to foster technologies that reduce the cost of compliance and to
anticipate emerging problems. NRMRL's research provides solutions to environmental problems by:
developing and promoting technologies that protect and improve the environment; advancing scientific
and engineering information to support regulatory and policy decisions; and providing the technical
support and information transfer to ensure implementation of environmental regulations and strategies at
the national, state, and community levels.
This report highlights the happenings and accomplishments of the Engineering Technical Support Center
in fiscal year 2014.
Cynthia Sonich-Mullin, Director
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Acknowledgements
The ETSC would like to acknowledge the contributions from ORD scientists for their efforts in support of
ETSC's mission. The ETSC extends a thank you to our numerous clients in the Office of Science Policy,
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology
Innovation, and the EPA Regions, particularly the Superfund Technology Liaisons (STLs), the On Scene
Coordinators (OSCs) and their management for their patronage and financial support. The ETSC would
also like to recognize the exemplary support provided by our contractors this year, Battelle Memorial
Institute and RTI International. Finally the ETSC extends special thanks to everyone that provides
document reviews, responds to technical request phone calls, and provides all other manner of assistance.
iv|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Receiving Technical Support for Contaminated Sites 2
New in 2014: Technical Support Request SharePoint Site 3
Engineering Issue Papers 5
Biotransformation Pathways of Dimethylarsinic (Cacodylic) Acid in the Environment 5
Passive Samplers for Investigations of Air Quality: Method Description, Implementation, and
Comparison to Alternative Sampling Methods 5
Vapor Intrusion Pathway Screening for Soil Excavation Remedies 6
International Endeavors 6
China Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Collaboration 6
Vietnam 6
Selected FY 2014 Technical Support Projects 7
ETSC Impacts at Mining Sites 7
Black Butte Mine and Cottage Grove Reservoir (Region 10) 7
Carpenter Snow Creek Mining District (Region 8) 8
ETSC Impact at Landfill Remediation Sites 9
Lower Darby Creek; Clearview Landfill (Region 2) 9
ETSC Assisted Materials Management Sites 10
Oak Grove Village Well (Region 7) 10
Sustainability in the Community 11
San German Ground Water Contamination (Region 2) 11
Omaha Lead ASARCO Site (Region 7) 12
Emergency Response: Elk River MCHM Spill and Clarington, OH Well Pad Fire 13
National and Global Impacts of the ETSC 14
Summary 16
ETSC Contact Information: 17
v|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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List of Acronyms
ARRA American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
ASARCO American Smelting and Refining Company Inc.
BCR biochemical reactor
BLM Bureau of Land Management
CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act
COC contaminant of concern
CSCMD Carpenter Snow Creek Mining District
CSIA compound specific isotope analysis
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ET evapotranspiration
ETSC Engineering Technical Support Center
GWTSC Ground Water Technical Support Center
LRPCD Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division
MCHM 4-methylcyclohexane methanol
MIW mining-influenced water
NCEA National Center for Environmental Assessment
NPL National Priorities List
NRMRL National Risk Management Research Laboratory
OITA Office of International and Tribal Affairs
ORD Office of Research and Development
OSC On Scene Coordinator
OSRTI Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
OSWER Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
vi|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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OU operable unit
PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
PCB polychlorinated biphenyl
PCE perchloroethylene or tetrachloroethene
RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
RI, RI/FS remedial investigation, remedial investigation/feasibility study
RPM remedial project manager
SDS safety data sheet
STARS Site Technical Assistance Reporting System
STL Superfund and Technology Liaison
SVE soil vapor extraction
SVOC semi-volatile organic compounds
TCE trichloroethylene
TSC Technical Support Center
TTPC (Tri-n-butyl)-n-tetradecylphosphonium chloride
USGS United States Geological Survey
VI Vapor intrusion
VOC volatile organic compounds
vii|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Figure Legends
Figure 1. Engineering Technical Support Center Flowchart
Figure 2. SharePoint site homepage for the three Sustainable and Healthy Communities-related Technical
Support Centers.
Figure 3. Technical Support Center; technical assistance/support request form.
Figure 4. Chemical structure of DMA(V) (Agent Blue).
Figure 5. Black Butte Mine in the Upper Coast Fork Willamette River Watershed. Metal rich, mine
influenced water enters the Cottage Grove Reservoir increasing Hg concentration in sediments over time.
Figure 6. Mercury cycling in the Cottage Grove reservoir.
Figure 7. Location of the CSCMP site in MT.
Figure 8. Mine influenced water entering a stream.
Figure 9. Location of the Clearview Landfill and other sites associated with Lower Darby Creek.
Figure 10. Tree and shrub planting for the evapotranspiration cap.
Figure 11. Location of the Oak Grove Village Well site in MO.
Figure 12. Location of the San German Ground Water Contamination site in Southwest Puerto Rico.
Figure 13. Active air sampling canister (SUMA canister).
Figure 14. The extent of the Omaha Lead Superfund Site.
Figure 15. Pie charts illustrating technologies used at sites serviced and in which EPA regions the work
took place.
Figure 16. Word clouds depicting the most common remedial solutions and contaminants of concern.
Figure 17. Map of the lower 48 of United States, Alaska and Puerto Rico. Blue markers indicate sites
where ETSC has provided assistance.
viii|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Introduction
The ETSC is operated and staffed by ORD's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL),
Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division in Cincinnati, OH. Created in 1987, ETSC is part of
the Technical Support Project (TSP), a partnership between ORD and the Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (OSWER). The TSP consists of a network of Regional Forums, the Environmental
Response Team, and specialized Technical Support Centers. The Centers and Forums have evolved
through time as Agency needs have changed. Currently, there are 5 active TSCs in the TSP.
• Engineering Technical Support Center (ETSC) in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Ground Water Technical Support Center (GWTSC) in Ada, Oklahoma
• Site Characterization and Monitoring Technical Support Center (SCMTSC) in Atlanta, Georgia
• Superfund Health Risk Assessment Technical Support Center (SHRATSC) in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Ecological Risk Assessment Support Center (ERASC) in Cincinnati, Ohio
Each center has a specific focus of expertise and is staffed with engineers and scientists that are eager to
assist on the most difficult matters that are encountered at contaminated sites. ETSC's mission is to
provide scientific and engineering knowledge and expertise in soil, surface waters, sediment, and mine
remediation and technology to program offices and Regional clients for risk management decisions. The
ETSC provides site-specific assistance, technical support, and conducts targeted research for EPA
Regions and program offices. The center networks with EPA programs and other federal agencies to
deliver the latest methods, approaches, and technologies needed to characterize, remediate, and manage
risk at contaminated sites. Impacts across regions include but are not limited to: developing, evaluating
and demonstrating bioremediation and ground water treatment technologies; evaluating capping and
beneficial waste reuse technologies; providing engineering review and design assistance; recommending
proven, viable technologies; conducting focused research on the sustainability of selected site remedies;
and providing on-call technical assistance. In the past several years, ETSC staff have assisted in five-year
Superfund site reviews and technology optimization studies, and completed applied research projects that
support site-specific and more broadly applicable research for program office and regional technical
assistance requests.
ETSC is primarily staffed with scientists and engineers from the LRPCD. Additional assistance was
provided by other Divisions or ORD Laboratory personnel, as well as external contractors and
consultants. In FY 2014, ETSC responded to approximately 270 technical support requests from over
120 contaminated sites in all 10 EPA Regions, Territories (Puerto Rico) and internationally (Vietnam and
China). Seventy-five percent of the Superfund site requests were National Priority List (NPL) sites.
The following is an overview of how the ETSC carries out technical support, a small selection of its
written outputs, a select list of high impact technical support projects, and a visual breakdown of technical
support provided in fiscal year 2014.
1|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Receiving Technical Support for Contaminated Sites
The flow chart below provides a basic understanding of how ETSC addresses technical support requests
(Figure 1). Typically, the process begins with a problem encountered at a contaminated site. An RPM,
OSC or other decision-maker associated with the site contacts ETSC through their Regional ORD liaison
or can directly contact the ETSC Director. The request is logged in the ETSC Site Technical Assistance
Reporting System (STARS) database, and an EPA subject-matter expert is consulted simultaneously.
Once an EPA expert is identified, the request is then serviced by that individual through three general
channels of action: research, new technology or knowledge gap identification. Once the appropriate
contaminated site need is determined, the subject-matter expert undertakes the appropriate actions from
the flow chart below to address the contaminated site need. The expert then develops deliverables related
to the request that are sent to the client and the ETSC Director when completed. The feedback arrows
between RPM, OSC, STL and the center director signifies the timeliness and quality of the technical
assistance that helps the center to evaluate and provide better service to its clients.
RPM, osc, STL
Identifies a
Contaminated Site
Issue
ETSC Director
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Contaminated Site
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Figure 1: Engineering Technical Support Request Flow Chart
2|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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New in 2014: Technical Support Request SharePoint Site
In FY 2014, ETSC began construction of a Microsoft Office-based SharePoint site to catalogue and track
technical support requests submitted to the ETSC, GWTSC, and SCMTSC in a web-based environment.
The pilot process of the SharePoint site will be tiered; initially, technical support requests from the
STARS database will be imported into SharePoint and records made accessible to managers, RPM's,
OSC's and STL's. Secondly, a form to submit new requests will be made available to RPM's, OSC's and
STL's which will be routed to the center director and handled in a manner similar to that described in the
previous section (see Figure 1). The Technical Support Centers (TSCs) SharePoint site is permission-
based, meaning that users must be invited to the site. This serves to keep data on the site confidential, and
allows authorized users to view or edit requests.
Below is a screen shot (Figure 2) of the homepage of the TSC SharePoint site where users will begin their
request. Following the homepage, Figure 3 provides the actual form where requests will be entered by
RPM's, OSC's and STL's. The form collects valuable TSC data including the name and location of the
site, nature of technical support, and who is submitting. The site also has data entry fields for
contaminants encountered and types of contaminated media. Once the form is submitted, the SharePoint
site will notify the center director(s) and other personnel of the request and it will be serviced
appropriately.
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s provides a central location for submitting Engineering, Ground Water, or Site Characterization and Monitoring Technical Support Center (TSC) -• £, -• T> '
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capability to export SharePoint data into Microsoft Excel and perform their own analyses. We also plan
on a site module where RPM's, OSC's, STL's and ETSC personnel can collaborate on documents related
to technical support requests. When fully functional, we hope to service all technical support requests
through this single, user friendly site, eliminating the burden of email correspondence in recent years. We
expect this site to be fully implemented by FY 2016.
Figure 2. SharePoint site homepage for the three Sustainable and Healthy
Communities-related Technical Support Centers.
3|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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4|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Engineering Issue Papers
Engineering issue papers (EIPs) are prepared when gaps in existing knowledge on a technical subject are
found. To support office, RPM, OSC, or Regional decisions on what technologies to utilize at a
contaminated site, ETSC can review the current understanding of the theory, design and implementation
of various remedial or treatment technologies. EIPs are the product of an extensive literature review,
consultation with leading edge engineers and scientists, inside ORD, and in the contracting community.
Listed and described below are a selection of engineering issue papers that were initiated in FY 2014 and
targeted for completion in FY 2015.
Biotransformation Pathways of Dimethylarsinic (Cacodylic) Acid in the
Environment
Historically, Agent Blue or Dimethylarsinic (Cacodylic) Acid DMA(V) and its salts have been used as
herbicides and defoliants and became one of the most popular herbicides used worldwide in terms of
volume (Figure 4). It is estimated that during the 1970s and 1980s, 10 to 12 million acres were treated
annually with 2.1 million kg of monomethylarsonic acid MMA(V) and DMA(V) in
the United States. In 2012, the application of DMA was banned in the United States.
The use of DMA(V) was thought to lead to appreciable arsenic concentration in apples
and rice. In response to growing interest in arsenic remediation and DMA(V), ETSC
prepared an EIP summarizing the state of the science regarding the biotransformation
of DMA(V). The EIP was developed from peer-reviewed literature, scientific
documents, EPA reports, Internet sources, input from experts in the field, and other
pertinent sources. The EIP also includes a review of the current understanding of
biologically-mediated transformation of DMA(V) and its metabolites.
H3C
H3C
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Figure 4.
Chemical
structure of
DMA(V)
(Agent Blue)
Passive Samplers for Investigations of Air Quality: Method Description,
Implementation, and Comparison to Alternative Sampling Methods
Requests received by
ETSC for vapor
intrusion issues have
increased over the past
few years and led to
identifying a gap in
knowledge concerning
the newest technology to
assess and quantify exposure pathways. Traditional methods of quantifying indoor exposure to volatile
and semi-volatile organic compounds from vapor intrusion situations include energy intensive pumping
of indoor air through sorbents or canisters. While this method is effective, costs can sometimes prove
prohibitive. In an effort to disseminate information on more cost effective solutions, ETSC
commissioned an EIP summarizing the latest technology on less energy intensive and more cost effective
passive sampling techniques.
Vapor Intrusion
Contaminated Groundwater
5|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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The EIP summarizes the "state of the science" regarding the use of passive air samplers for investigating
subsurface vapor intrusion (VI) to indoor air. It also covers the basics of passive sampler design,
compares passive samplers to conventional methods of air sampling, and discusses considerations when
implementing a passive sampling program. The EIP also discusses field sampling and sample analysis
considerations to ensure data quality is adequate, and interpretations based on the passive sample data can
be supported.
Vapor Intrusion Pathway Screening for Soil Excavation Remedies
Related to the EIP above, this EIP provides information pertinent to monitoring soil excavation remedies
for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the subsurface, particularly with respect to using bulk soil
sampling to address future potential vapor intrusion (VI) risks. Bulk soil sampling and analysis is a
conventional method for assessing the completeness of soil excavation remedies, but information is
lacking on how to use soil sampling and analysis results to determine whether a soil excavation remedy
for VOC contamination has been completed to a degree that is protective of human health and the
environment.
International Endeavors
China Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) Collaboration.
EPA and Chinese officials are working on a collaborative effort to identify parallel environmental issues
in both countries and engage EPA and Chinese scientists to solve the problem together. There are six
projects in total. One is a collaboration with the ETSC that will provide additional information on metal
uptake in sediments.
Vietnam
Issues of pesticide and dioxin contamination have been encountered at historic U.S. military installations
in Vietnam. In FY 2014, ETSC collaborated with the Joint Advisory Committee for Vietnam, U.S. State
Department, U.S. Department of Human Health Services/Center for Disease Control, and internal EPA
entities ORD/NERL, and OITA to help guide in the selection of the best remedial solutions military sites.
The ETSC provided Vietnamese officials with presentations that outlined dioxin chemistry and
bioremediation techniques, and is preparing an EIP that summarizes the available scientific and technical
information on bioremediation techniques for dioxin.
6|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Selected FY 2014 Technical Support Projects
In FY 2014 alone, the ETSC received approximately 270 technical support requests from over 120
contaminated sites all across the U.S. and its Territories along with two international requests. Due to the
large volume of technical support requests received annually by the ETSC, only a selected number of
technical support projects will be discussed in the following sections. They are organized by four types of
work involved: mining, landfills, materials management, and sustainability and emergency response.
Each site includes the EPA Region from which the request originated.
ETSC Impacts at Mining Sites
Black Butte Mine and Cottage Grove Reservoir (Region 10)
The Black Butte Mine (BBM)1 is a historic
mercury (Hg) mine located in the Willamette
Valley of Oregon that was active between the
1890s and 1960s producing approximately
635,000 kg of Hg. The Cottage Grove
Reservoir is located 15 km downstream of the
mine site (Figure 5) and contains fish with Hg
concentrations above safe consumption levels.
Despite public health fish consumption
advisories that have been in place since 1979,
fishing (and fish consumption) remains a
popular reservoir activity. The site was added
to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 2010 in
part due to the local community's concern about
fish Hg levels in the reservoir. The vast
majority of the Hg that accumulates in the fish
is an organic form of mercury (methylmercury-
MeHg); however almost all of the Hg exported
from the mine site is inorganic Hg. Following
NPL listing of the site, an Optimization Review
was completed (2012), which highlighted the
main knowledge/data gaps at the site. One of
the main recommendations of the report was
to identify the variables controlling the
production of MeHg in the reservoir. Shortly
thereafter, Region 10 began working with
Black Butte Mine in the Upper Coast Fork Willamette River Watershed
Figure 5. Black Butte Mine in the Upper Coast Fork
Willamette River Watershed. Metal rich, mine influenced
water enters the Cottage Grove Reservoir increasing Hg
concentration in sediments over time.
1 http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=1001865 Accessed 7/24/2015
7|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Figure 6. Mercury cycling in the Cottage Grove
reservoir.
ORD scientists at the ETSC to develop a
team project that would address this critical
knowledge gap at the site. Field sampling in
support of this project was initiated in
February 2013. ORD and regional scientists
carried out a field study to understand what
environmental variables were responsible for
mercury speciation and subsequent uptake by
fish in the reservoir. The research team
developed a model that shows how seasonal
water level fluctuations and sulfur elemental
cycling within the reservoir can influence
how mercury is made bioavailable (Figure
6).
Carpenter Snow Creek Mining District (Region 8)
The Carpenter Snow Creek
Mining District Superfund Site
(CSCMD)2 lies in the Little Belt
Mountains of southern Cascade
County, MT (Figure 7). The site
encompasses approximately
9,000 acres with mine tailings,
waste rock and mine-influenced
waters present throughout the
district, due to the many inactive
and abandoned mines (Figure 8.)
The State of Montana's
Abandoned Mine Bureau
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The ETSC serviced a technical support request from the remedial project manager for assistance in mine
influenced water research. ETSC personnel performed consulting visits to the Big Seven mining area
within the CSCMD to aid in the design of a biochemical reactor (BCR) system suitable for the site. ETSC
researchers are currently conducting column testing to assess efficacy of a BCR system that could be
constructed in the field.
ETSC Impact at Landfill Remediation Sites
Lower Darby Creek; Clearview Landfill (Region 2)
The Lower Darby Creek Superfund site3
consists of three operational units in close
vicinity to the Philadelphia International
Airport and the John Heinz National Wildlife
Refuge (Figure 9). Clearview Landfill
operated from the 1950's to the 1970's and
was closed in the mid 1970's and various
businesses operated on the surface of the
landfill to the present day. The landfill
reportedly accepted a variety of wastes,
including municipal, demolition, and hospital.
The most significant contaminants detected at
the Clearview site include PCBs, PAHs,
heavy metals and pesticides. Moreover,
potential unacceptable risks to people or
ecological receptors were identified in surface
and subsurface soils, ground water and
consumption offish tissue from Darby and Cobbs Creek.
ETSC personnel are providing technical and financial support
for a green remediation project at the site. An
evapotranspiration cap, strategically planted with native
grasses, shrubs, and trees, is being installed in an attempt to
combine remedial techniques and ecological function at the
site (Figure 10). ETSC scientists are also providing assistance
with establishing a plant nursery on the site and providing
technical input at public meetings organized by community
action groups, EPA regional personnel, and ORD personnel.
Figure 10. Tree and shrub planting for The cover will not only provide protective containment of the
the evapotranspiration cap. historical waste at the site, they will sequester carbon
PHILADELPHIA
INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
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Figure 9. Location of the Clearview Landfill and
other sites associated with Lower Darby Creek.
3 http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0305521 Accessed 7/24/2015
9|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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(greenhouse gas implications) and create a wildlife habitat corridor that connects to the neighboring John
Heinz Refuge.
ETSC Assisted Materials Management Sites
Oak Grove Village Well (Region 7)
The Oak Grove Village Well site4 is a federal-lead
Superfund site that has an unattributed and undefined
trichloroethylene (TCE) ground water plume (Figure 11).
TCE has been detected in the Oak Grove Village
municipal drinking water well above the maximum
contaminant level (MCL) since 1986. Oak Grove Village
is a small rural community, with a population of about
420 people. It is adjacent to and northeast of the city of
Sullivan, Missouri, which has an approximate population
of 6,400. The site is underlain by dolomitic formations of
the Ordovician and Cambrian Age that lend themselves to
karst features including springs, sinkholes, and losing
streams. Regionally, the ground water flow direction is
parallel to the major surface-water drainages, which trend
north to northeast, causing the ground water flow in Oak
Grove Village and the city of Sullivan to vary from an
easterly direction to a northeast direction. However, due
to the karst terrain, ground water flow in the Oak Grove
Village/Sullivan area is complicated by the possibility of
fractures and subsurface conduits that run beneath the site.
Figure 11. Location of the Oak Grove
Village Well site in MO.
Through the ETSC, compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) is being performed on samples collected
from the site by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to locate and distinguish source areas. This
technique is novel, specific hydrogen isotope techniques are being developed as part of this project, and
the expertise is not readily available in Region 7. If successful, this technique has the potential to
identify individual contaminant sources from co-mingled source areas. Sampling was conducted in the
summer of 2014 by USGS with analytical support from the ETSC. The data analysis continues into FY
2015.
4 http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0700020 Accessed 7/24/2015
10|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Sit* Map
San German Groundnater Contamination SK»
Sustainability in the Community
San German Ground Water Contamination (Region 2)
The San German Ground Water
Contamination site5 (Figure 12)
consists of a ground water plume
with several potential sources of
contamination. The site is located
in the municipality of San German,
Puerto Rico. The San German
Urbano public water system
consists of seven wells and two
surface water intakes serving an
estimated population of 25,000
people. Industrial activity in the
area has contributed to
contamination of these wells, one
of which was ordered closed by
the Puerto Rico Department of
Health due to high levels of chemical
solvents in the water. Other wells
have shown lower levels of contamination during routine monitoring. Nearby manufacturing facilities are
believed to be sources of the contamination.
In FY 2014, ETSC, Region 2, and stakeholders have completed ground water
sampling and characterization for the site and are also utilizing state of the art
passive air sampling techniques to quantify chemical vapor intrusion in
homes and buildings at the site. To verify the passive air samplers, active air
sampling canisters are being deployed as well and will sample at the same
time (Fig 13). This study is ongoing through 2014 and data generated from
the project will be used in later publications and recommend remedial actions
at the site.
Figure 13. Active air sampling
canister (SUMA canister).
Appro*".*.* Sea*. n '«*••.
Figure 12. Location of the San German Ground Water
Contamination site in Southwest Puerto Rico.
5 http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0205957 Accessed 7/24/2015
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Omaha Lead ASARCO Site (Region 7)
Omaha Lead Site6 in Omaha, NE is one of the
largest urban Superfund sites in the United States.
The site was added to the NPL in 2003.
ASARCO operated a lead refinery from the
1870's until 1997 on the site. For 125 years,
smokestacks from the refinery released lead
containing particulates that eventually
contaminated 27 square miles of downtown
Omaha, NE (Figure 14). After the refinery was
shutdown, soil from residential and business
properties across east Omaha were sampled for
lead, and routinely found to exceed 2,500 mg/kg.
Clean up and removal actions on the site began in
1999 with child care facilities, and has continued
with 2600+ properties being remediated to date.
o
I © © IB (jT?) IS ©
Figure 14. The extent of the Omaha Lead Superfund
Site.
In FY 2014, ETSC partnered with NCEA
statisticians and epidemiologists to spearhead
an investigation of soil lead contamination and
remediation and its effects on educational and
social outcomes in urban communities. Results of this study are currently being analyzed, and EPA
numbered documents and peer-reviewed journal articles will eventually be prepared. Public/community
involvement in Superfund action is of central importance to the EPA, in the case of the Omaha Lead
Superfund site, questions of environmental effects of lead, and human exposure were encountered often.
In response to these community concerns, a Community Advisory Group (CAG) has been active at this
site since 2004. The CAG has worked with EPA to ensure the public and community have easy access to
site information. Two examples of this access are: 1) oversight personnel are present in the community,
and 2) a local office and phone number were established for community engagement. Community
awareness and EPA action has led to a steady decline in the number of children in the affected area
identified with elevated blood-lead levels. In recent years, EPA has committed approximately $25 million
in Recovery Act funds to significantly increase the pace of ongoing long-term soil cleanup and lead-based
paint stabilization activities. While EPA continues to work at this site, the funding will help expedite
implementation of the final cleanup approach for the site. ETSC anticipates long-term involvement at this
site as projected completion is five to ten years.
6 http://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0703481 Accessed 7/24/2015
12|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Emergency Response: Elk River MCHM Spill and Clarington, OH
Well Pad Fire.
ETSC supported the emergency response efforts at two large spill sites in Ohio and West Virginia. In
response to the Elk/Kanawha River 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCHM), ETSC personnel provided
mathematical equations and performed calculations that allowed the requestor (US EPA/NCEA) to
determine the lower odor threshold for MCHM in air. The equations were based on existing data from
West Virginia on environmental concentrations present from the uncontrolled release of MCHM.
ETSC played an advisory role in an emergency well pad fire in Clarington, OH which resulted in a large
fish kill downstream from the spill. ETSC provided safety data sheets to decision makers and provided
input on the development of an analytical method for (Tri-n-butyl)-n-tetradecylphosphonium chloride
(TTPC) spilled from the wellpad into the surrounding waterways. Region 5 laboratory personnel
developed the method eventually used to quantify TTPC in soils, water and sediment at and around the
site.
13|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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National and Global Impacts of the ETSC
In FY 2014, the ETSC received 270 unique technical support requests. One-hundred sixty of those
requests fulfilled Superfund related issues (62% of total sites serviced), and 76% of those Superfund sites
were listed on the National Priority List. The ETSC also serviced 15 RCRA, two Brownfields and three
international sites, including two sites in Vietnam and one in Canada. In 2014, the ETSC also provided
support to sites located in Alaska and Puerto Rico. A map of activities is available on the following page
(Figure 17).
Soil Vapor
Extraction
Bioreactor
11%
Document
Review
International.
Region 10, 2%
15%.
Region 9,
9%
Region 1,
5% .,. Region 2,
10%
Region 3,
10%
In-Situ
Stabiliza
Vapor
. / Intrusion Landfill
Pump and J Miti tion Design
Treat J% j%
6%
Region
7%
Nanomaterials
7%
13%
Region 6,
6%
Region 5,
15%
Figure 15. Pie charts illustrating technologies used at sites serviced and in which EPA regions
the work took place.
Categorization of ETSC activities illustrates that U.S. EPA Regions 5, 7, and 10 account for more than
half of the technical support requests to the Center, with Region 5 alone accounting for 15% of the total.
Metals, PCBs and chlorinated solvents are the most common contaminants involved in technical support
requests. In the past year, the most common remedial solutions applied at sites were bioremediation
techniques, ground water pump and treat systems, landfilling, and fate and transport modeling.
The pie charts and word clouds in Figures 16 and 17 illustrate
the breakdown of where ETSC work took place, the
contaminants of concern, types of contaminated media, and
remedial solutions applied at sites. Note that a single site could
have multiple remedial solutions, contaminants, and
contaminated media types.
asbestos
creosote
£-.Ssele1ni
I • .
:Jeaa
Figure 16. Word clouds depicting the
most common remedial solutions and
contaminants of concern.
sediment I ,-,. I •- "i ,'.
DiMMM§ip
Ifbf
if\ .,, AMD'"""*-""
-"'Oioxms/Dibenzofuran-
E
14|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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Oi
m
H
CO
o
CD
T3
O
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o>
CD
Figure 17. Map of the lower 48 of United States, Alaska and Puerto Rico. Blue markers indicate
sites where ETSC has provided assistance.
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Ji.
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Summary
The projects and investigations presented here are a selected sample of those being undertaken by the
ETSC. A number of these investigations have provided substantial results, and others are working toward
that end. The selected investigations provide insight into the unique role that ETSC plays as a bridge
between environmental remediation (as applied research) and innovative engineering research in ORD.
Firm examples of the impact and contributions the ETSC provides to clients in EPA Offices and the
Regions include:
1) Development, field evaluation, and demonstration of bioremediation technologies:
• Biochemical reactors for potential treatment option at metal-rich acid mine drainage sites
• Design and implement evapotranspiration covers for landfills and Superfund sites to assist in
remediating VOCs and other compounds from soil
2) Development, field evaluation, and demonstration of ground water treatment technologies:
• Design, develop and evaluate permeable reactive barrier technologies to slow or stop ground
water contaminants from escaping sites
• Provide state of the art spatiotemporal fate and transport ground water modeling to evaluate
existing systems or guide remedy selection
• Provide ground water pump and treat system design and optimization
3) Evaluate sediment capping efficacy, environmental impacts, and long-term sustainability.
4) Conduct analyses or studies to determine beneficial reuse of waste.
5) Provide engineering plan design reviews to ensure efficacy of selected site treatment or remedy, and
cost efficiency:
• Implement proven technologies when it is a viable solution, such as applications of in-situ
solidification, thermal desorption and in-situ chemical oxidation
6) Continue to provide timely and relevant technical support to contaminated sites:
• Research, evaluate or demonstrate new and innovative treatment technologies
• Provide expert assistance in a broad range of topics including life-cycle analyses (e.g.,
determining 'green footprint' and evaluating other sustainable practices and remedies)
Through its interdisciplinary background, the ETSC staff brings creative thinking to life by applying
innovative engineering research in real-world scenarios. In addition to the promise they inspire, these
innovations have the potential to produce long-lasting dividends and ultimately safer and healthier
communities.
16|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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ETSC Contact Information:
John McKernan; Director, ORD Engineering Technical Support Center
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Mail Stop 489A
Cincinnati, OH 45268
513.569.7415 (Office) 513.569.7676 (Fax)
McKernan.Johni@,epa.gov
17|ETSC Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014
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&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
PRESORTED STANDARD
POSTAGES FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT NO. G-35
Office of Research
and Development
(8101R)
Washington, DC
20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
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