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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. EPA Technology Innovation and Field Services Division

Phytotechnology Project Profiles

Phytoremediation at Bofors-Nobel Superfund Site in Michigan
Last Updated: Fall 2004
Site Information                                                      
Site Name, Location:   Bofors-Nobel Superfund Site, Muskegon, MI, United States
Site Type:   Not Available
Is this a Federal
Superfund Site?
  Yes
ROD Date, if applicable:   07/16/1999
Is this a Federal or
Military Site?
  No


Project Information                                                      
Project Name:   Phytoremediation at Bofors-Nobel Superfund Site in Michigan
Scale:   Pilot/Field Demonstration
Project Status:   Complete
Project Start Date:   October 1999
Project Completion Date:   2002
Media Treated:  
Media Qty. Geology Comments
Soil Soil is sandy and tends to dry out quickly.
Ground Water Groundwater 6 feet below ground surface.
Contaminants Treated:  
Contaminant Initial
Concentration
Depth Media Comments
Acetone Soil
Acetone Ground Water
Arsenic Soil
Arsenic Ground Water
Tetrachloroethene Soil
Tetrachloroethene Ground Water
Vinyl chloride Soil
Vinyl chloride Ground Water
Toluene Soil
Toluene Ground Water
Zinc Soil
Zinc Ground Water
Aniline Soil
Aniline Ground Water
3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine Soil
3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine Ground Water
Benzene-toluene-ethylbenzene-xylene (BTEX) Soil
Benzene-toluene-ethylbenzene-xylene (BTEX) Ground Water
Benzidine Soil
Benzidine Ground Water
Xylene Soil
Xylene Ground Water
Azobenzene Soil Azobenzene (CAS# 103-33-3)
Azobenzene Ground Water Azobenzene (CAS# 103-33-3)
Phytotechnology Mechanism(s):   Phytoremediation
Phytoextraction
Rhizodegradation
Phytodegradation
Plants and other Vegetation Used:   Hybrid Poplar
Norway Maple
Hackberry
Honey Locust
Eastern Red Cedar
Black Hills Spruce
Jack Pine
Bur Oak
White Willow
Planting Description:   115 trees (including 9 species, and 3 different "treatments") where planted in both contaminated sludge and uncontaminated soil in 15 replicate plots. Treatment 1: deep boreholes were drilled in the sludge, and backfilled with a sand/compost mixture, trees where then planted in the backfilled material; Treatment 2: the trees were planted directly in the sludge; Treatment 3: the trees were planted in uncontaminated soil.
Planting Area:   20 acres
Climate:   Temperature range: -15 to 99 F; Elevation: 644 feet; Mean annual precipitation: 32.6 inches; Growing Season: 5/24 to 9/24
O & M Requirements:   Cutting down any tree species that does not survive in the contained area (already been completed). Trees were maintained throughout the study on an irrigation system and were fertilized yearly. Trees were sprayed as need with insecticide and with a repellant to control browsing. Maintenance personnel conducted monthly tree health evaluations.
Performance Data:   The tree species that clearly showed the best performance, as judged by high rate of survival, as well as good vigor and growth rate are: hackberry, honey locust, and bur oak. Certain species that were under-represented in the study also showed strong performance, including: Black Hills spruce and jack pine. Species with fair performance were: Norway maple, hybrid poplar, and white willow. Eastern red cedar did poorly the first 2 years, but seemed to improve by the third growing season. The poplar and willow are riparian species with little tolerance to drought and showed signs of stress in the uncontaminated soil treatment - the soil is very sandy and tends to dry out quickly.
Cost of the Phytotechnology Project:   Estimated total remedy cost can be from about $15 million up to $30 million.
Comments:   Planted some vegetation as a pilot to see if vegetation grows in order to identify species for future phytoremediation at the site in 1999. Phytoremediation full scale still in design. Phytoremediation is not the main goal of the remedy. The main goal is containment using the underground barrier (slurry) wall, with phytotechnology as an enhancement.

Point(s) of Contact                                                                      
    John Fagiolo
USEPA
United States
Telephone: (312) 886-0800
E-mail: fagiolo.john@epa.gov

Ari Ferro
National Director
ENSR/AECOM
7041 Old Wake Forest Road, Suite 103
Raleigh, NC United States
Telephone: 919-872-6600
E-mail: aferro@ensr.aecom.com

Information Source(s):   Green, Cynthia; Ana Hoffnagle. 2004. Phytoremediation Field Studies Database for Chlorinated Solvents, Pesticides, Explosives, and Metals.
http://clu-in.org/download/studentpapers/hoffnagle-phytoremediation.pdf

Superfund Site Progress Profile: Bofors Nobel, Inc.
http://cfpub.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0502372

Ari Ferro, Phytokinetics, Inc. Fax to Ellen Rubin, EPA on October 4, 2004

EPA. 2005. Use of Field-Scale Phytotechnology for Chlorinated Solvents, Metals, Explosives and Propellants, and Pesticides. EPA 542-R-05-002.
http://www.epa.gov/tio/download/remed/542-r-05-002.pdf

Associated Vendor(s) or Consultant(s):   Phytokinetics
 

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