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

Technology Innovation News Survey

Entries for January 16-31, 2024

Market/Commercialization Information
F -- BPA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION SERVICES (COMBINE)
U.S. Department of the Army, National Guard Bureau, Raleigh, NC
Contract Opportunities on SAM.gov W9124224Q0012, 2024

This is a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 562910. The U.S. Department of the Army's North Carolina Army National Guard (NCARNG) intends to establish a Master BPA to facilitate the procurement of continuous Environmental Remediation Services. Throughout the year, NCARNG experiences spills of fuel, oil, hydraulic fluid, etc. The times, locations, and size of these spills are unknown. North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC) 15 requires immediate cleanup and mitigation of all spills. NCARNG intends to issue a 5-year Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with a commercial vendor to provide clean-up and mitigation services when required. The contractor shall be prepared to provide services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year as required. The contractor shall at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS. The Period of Performance of the BPA shall be five years. Annual BPA reviews shall be conducted, and the requirement shall be validated with the end user each year. Offers are due by 10:00 AM EDT on March 12, 2024. https://sam.gov/opp/7358122671dd4c8db5d427939e045492/view


F -- MULTIPLE AWARD ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES (MAES 2024) MULTIPLE AWARD TASK ORDER CONTRACT (MATOC) (PRESOL)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division, Baltimore, MD
Contract Opportunities on SAM.gov W912DR24R0003, 2024

When this solicitation is released on or about March 11, 2024, it will be competed as a partial small business set‐aside under NAICS code 562910. USACE intends to issue a solicitation for a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) that will encompass a wide range of environmental services in the general areas of environmental cleanup and environmental quality at various military and non-military locations. It will be solicited as unrestricted full and open competition with a small business reserve. It is anticipated that a target of 10 IDIQ contracts will be awarded under this RFP to include a target of 6 small business contracts. The shared capacity will be $500M across all contracts. All work to be acquired under the contract will be accomplished by the issuance of individual Firm-Fixed-Price task orders. The ordering period will be for 5 years with an option for an additional 2 years. The minimum guarantee for each contract is $5,000. Programs supported include the Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program; Formerly Utilized Defense Sites Program; Operational Range Assessment Program; Base Realignment and Closure Program; Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program; EPA Superfund Program; and International and Interagency Services - Environmental program, and a variety of other military and civilian clean up and environmental quality programs. The MATOC will provide environmental services to support USACE and its customers primarily within the assigned mission areas of the North Atlantic Division and may occasionally be called upon to provide support to other customers within the contiguous United States and outside of the contiguous United States. The MATOC will not include OCONUS work, except for in Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. There is no solicitation at this time. https://sam.gov/opp/dd01d19c0f1a4ea08995b2c7fe90a149/view


F -- OPTIMIZED REMEDIATION CONTRACT (ORC) AT VANDENBERG SFB (VSFB). THIS REMEDIATION WILL INVOLVE INSTALLATION RESTORATION PROGRAM (IRP) AND MILITARY MUNITIONS RESPONSE PROGRAM (MMRP) SITES BASE WIDE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, Los Angeles, CA
Contract Opportunities on SAM.gov W912PL24R0014, 2024

When this solicitation is released on or about April 5, 2024, it will be competed as a full and open competition under NAICS code 562910. USACE intends to issue a solicitation for the maintenance of established remedies, optimization at applicable sites, and achievement of site-specific objectives. The Contractor shall undertake Environmental Remediation activities to achieve Performance Objectives at 32 Installation Restoration Program sites and 28 Military Munitions Response Program sites. The proposed procurement will use the "Best Value Tradeoff Process," in accordance with FAR 15.101-1, wherein offerors will submit both technical and price proposals. The award may be made to other than the lowest-priced offer based on an evaluation of the proposals against the solicitation's evaluation criteria. There is no solicitation at this time. https://sam.gov/opp/c1ecb692ea2c439bb46390f23521945f/view


F -- R10 UPPER COLUMBIA RIVER SAMPLING AND REMOVAL ACTION TECHNICAL SUPPORT (PRESOL)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, Lenexa, KS
Contract Opportunities on SAM.gov 68HE0724R0014, 2024

When this solicitation is released on or about March 1, 2024, it will be competed as a total small business set‐aside under NAICS code 562910. EPA Region 7 will be seeking the services of an experienced firm to provide Sampling and Removal Action Technical Support services within the Upper Columbia River Site. The primary focus of this requirement will be on residential properties within the Town of Northport that are affected by commingled contamination from smelter operations. The objective of this contract is to reduce the human health risk of exposure to lead and arsenic by removing contaminated soils from the assigned properties within the greater Northport Area, and to provide necessary sampling support at the Upper Columbia River Site as needed. To achieve this, work includes: 1) an additional round of voluntary soil sampling at properties that have not been previously sampled; 2) complete a removal assessment and prioritization of properties for cleanup using data obtained during the current and previous sampling events; and 3) conduct time critical removal actions at the properties identified for cleanup. The contractor shall be required to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Remediation will be conducted pursuant to CERECLA as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Action, and National Contingency Plan requirements. EPA anticipates issuing a firm-fixed-price contract consisting of a one-year base period and three one-year option periods. Estimated dollar value for this procurement is between $25M - $30M. There is no solicitation at this time. https://sam.gov/opp/3b9bf0ac64f04b41a50b4d54c0568552/view



Cleanup News
PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE ANATOMY OF AN OIL BRINE PLUME REMEDIATION NEAR POPLAR, MONTANA: A CASE STUDY
Davis, A., B. Kamark, N. Sims, M. Roth, and J. Mocko.
Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation 44(1):83-100(2024)

The Biere oil production well near Poplar, Montana, leaked brine and LNAPL to the shallow alluvial aquifer for several years before its final closure in 2002. Since 2008, 2.5 billion L of brine have been removed (~90% of the original Cl mass). However, Cl has not reached background levels due to the reservoir of solutes entrained in the Bearpaw bedrock remnant from the lateral dense aqueous phase liquid flow across the alluvial/bedrock interface. After the removal of ~100,000 L of product since 2006, residual LNAPL is now confined to 2.2 ha (5.5 acres), a decrease from the original 2.7 ha (6.6 acres) areal extent by 17%. The initial ~7.5 m thick product is stable at a maximum of ~1 m, however, LNAPL has infiltrated into fine-grained clay/silt units, forming a smear zone in lenses 10 to 20 m bgs. Ongoing remediation has successfully mitigated benzene groundwater impacts over the last 14 years, with the area of the benzene plume decreasing by >99% (at the 5 µg/L) level from the maximum ~140 ha in 2002. Based on the mass removal to date, the asymptotic trends in solute concentrations, unpotable background groundwater quality, absence of a source/receptor pathway, lack of beneficial groundwater use, duration of mitigation with no obvious future accrual in benefit, and the availability of institutional controls, it appears that the remedial strategies employed since 2006 have met their cost/benefit goals.

IN-SITU SOIL REMEDIATION AT LOW PERMEABILITY SITES USING THE HYDRAULIC/PNEUMATIC FRACTURING (FRACIN) APPROACH
Lhotsky, O. AquaConSoil 2023, Prague, Czech Republic, 12-14 September, 19 slides, 2023

A study tested Frac-In technology, which enables in situ soil remediation at low-permeability sites that are difficult to remediate using conventional technologies by applying hydraulic/pneumatic fracturing. It can be used to inject strong chemical oxidants in combination with oxygen-release compounds to enhance the rate of aerobic biodegradation, and the injection of chemical reductants combined with organic substrates to enhance the rate of anaerobic biodegradation. The technology was tested at two sites in the Czech Republic. A pilot test was conducted at a chlorinated ethenes-contaminated site with a complicated heterogeneous geology The contamination was fixed in low-permeable sandy clays in saturated and unsaturated zones. Remediation consisted of ISCR (using milled cast iron and sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron) and Enhanced Reductive Dechlorination (ERD) (using dried whey). A second pilot test was conducted at a site contaminated with a mixture of solvents, predominantly 1,2-DCA, chloroform, and dichloromethane in groundwater. Remediation consisted of ISCO using a sodium and potassium persulphate mixture with different activation processes. Full-scale remediation using the Frac-In technology was conducted at the Duchcov site, where a heterogeneous, poorly permeable quaternary aquifer was contaminated mainly with hexavalent chromium and chlorinated ethenes. Similar to the first pilot test, ISCR (using milled cast iron, microscale iron, and sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron) combined with ERD (using glycerol) was utilized as the remediation technology. Long-term groundwater monitoring in the first pilot revealed that ISCR was the dominant degradation process during the first few months after injection, followed by a significant increase in the amount of dechlorinating bacteria and the degradation of most of the contamination in both the saturated and unsaturated zones. A significant increase in the hydraulic permeability of the aquifer along with good distribution of the injected remediation agents was observed at the second site. A mean decrease of 62% in VOC concentrations was observed four months following the injection. Injections at the Duchcov site triggered the inorganic chemical reduction of both the hexavalent chromium and chlorinated ethenes and a gradual increase in dechlorinating bacteria. https://aquaconsoil.com/assets/Session-3b9_Ondrej_Lhotsky.pdf

WETLAND+® TECHNOLOGY: TREATMENT OF HCH CONTAMINATED WATER BY A PASSIVE BIOLOGICALLY BASED REMEDIATION SYSTEM
Mernik, M., P. Hrabak, and P. Brucek. 14th International HCH & Pesticides Forum, 21-24 February, Zaragoza, Spain, 23 slides, 2023

The first prototype of Wetland+, an innovative technology based on constructed wetlands for the treatment of pesticide-contaminated waters, was installed at the Hajek repository in the Czech Republic, where between 3,000-5,000 tonnes of HCH isomers and chlorobenzenes (ClB) were historically deposited. The remediation system is based on four steps. The drainage water from the Hajek repository enters the sedimentation tank where dissolved Fe (in concentration >20 mg/L) should precipitate and sediment. The first reactive stage is a PRB filled with Fe chips, where water is deoxygenated and converted to a reduced state. Subsequently, HCHs are partially dechlorinated, and ClBs are formed. The second reactive step is a biosorption unit, where HCH compounds are sorbed and subsequently degraded by microorganisms. This unit contains a mixture of peat, crashed stones, loamy soil, and wooden chips. The final step is the aerobic wetland, where the plant root system purifies the water, and the concentration of HCHs and their daughter products decrease below specified limits. Since 2021, the full-size Wetland+ system has been running in test mode on a 130 x 70 m area, where the efficiency of each stage is gradually improving. The wetland plants are growing and the contribution of the wetland remediation step to the overall contaminant removal is increasing. The input to the system is drainage water with a flow of 1-3 L/s, and HCH and ClB concentrations of 50-260 µg/L and 100-1300 µg/L, respectively. During the first 14 months of operation, due to the system's tunning, the contaminant removal efficiency gradually increased to nearly 100% for ClB and 97 % for HCH. Operation of the Wetland+ led to a significant decrease in HCH mass discharge to the Ostrovsky Creek from an initial 24 g/day to 0.8-0.9 g/day. https://www.hchforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Block_7_1_Cernik.pptx.pdf


Demonstrations / Feasibility Studies
DEVELOPMENT, EVALUATION, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OF BMPS FOR OPTIMIZING REMOVAL OF PAHS, PCBS, PFAS, AND METALS FROM STORMWATER AT DOD SITES
Simonich, S.M., R. Hilliard, and B. Parker. SERDP Project ER18-1230, 121 pp, 2022

The overall goals of this project were to develop (1) innovative stormwater control and treatment technologies that improve stormwater management, prevent sediment recontamination, and add to the existing water supply and (2) watershed modeling of new stormwater control processes that focus on sediment-related contaminants to provide information on the efficiency needed and the number of systems deployed to prevent sediment recontamination and increase stormwater harvesting. Four specific tasks of this project were as follows: (1) Improve lab-scale mechanistic understanding of the fate and transport of PAHs, PCBs, PFASs, Cu2+, and Zn2+ through commercially available stormwater sorbents (bioswale soil, GAC, Biochar Basic™, EarthLite™, and RemBind®). This Task was further extended to accommodate requests to include stormwater from DOD site Willow Grove and additional sorbent analysis (Calgon). (2) Improve lab-scale, mechanistic understanding of the fate and transport of heavy metals, PAHs, PCBs, and PFAS through vegetated bioswales containing native grasses, broadleaf plants, and their associated microbial communities. (3) Conduct field-scale testing using results of the above tasks to investigate the fate and transport of PAHs, PCBs, PFAS, heavy metals, nutrients, total solids, and organic carbon in three types of Green Infrastructure BMPs for multiple storm events in the field and use the results of the lab-scale studies to design, deploy and evaluate a novel treatment train at field-scale, under a variety of storm intensities and environmental conditions. (4) Develop a new module for improving the simulation of plant-water-soil interactions for standard water quality parameters and sediment-associated PAHs, PCBs, and PFAS in EPA's Storm Water Management Model and validate the improved model for multiple storm events using the field experiment data collected in Task 3. The Final Report describes the research conducted to complete all Tasks and details of specific subtasks. https://serdp-estcp-storage.s3.us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2024-01/ER18-1230%20Final%20Report.pdf?VersionId=4qoIeUrWobFSg5MrJIbQh3jGAdanpn04
Executive Summary: https://serdp-estcp-storage.s3.us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2024-01/ER18-1230%20Executive%20Summary.pdf?VersionId=tDFg.bxDelLanHRYxXVNISkgmmte1fEB


INTEGRATED ADVANCED MOLECULAR TOOLS PREDICT IN SITU CVOC DEGRADATION RATES: FIELD DEMONSTRATION
Kucharzyk, K.H., F.K. Murdoch, J. Wilson, M. Michalsen, F.E. Loffler, R.W. Murdoch, J.D. Istok, P.B. Hatzinger, L. Mullins, and A. Hill.
Environmental Science & Technology 58(1):557-569(2024)

Data was collected from cVOC-contaminated aquifers to assess the potential of biomarker genes (qPCR) and proteins (qProt) measurements to predict degradation rates of cVOCs. At the benchmark study site, the rate constant for degradation of cDCE extracted from monitoring data was 11.0 ± 3.4/yr, and the rate constant predicted from the abundance of TceA peptides was 6.9/yr. The rate constant for VC degradation from monitoring data was 8.4 ± 5.7/yr, and the rate constant predicted from the abundance of TceA peptides was 5.2/yr. At other study sites, the rate constants for cDCE degradation predicted from qPCR and qProt measurements agreed within a factor of 4. Under the right circumstances, qPCR and qProt measurements can be useful to rapidly predict rates of cDCE and VC biodegradation, providing a major advance in effective site management.


DELINEATION OF A PFOA PLUME AND ASSESSMENT OF DATA GAPS IN ITS CONCEPTUAL MODEL USING PLUMESEEKER™
Ozbek, M., N. Voorhies, L. Howard, R. Swanson, and T. Fox.
Groundwater 62(1):44-59(2024)

PlumeSeeker was applied at Lakehurst, the naval component of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey to demonstrate how the cost of delineating the migration pathway of a PFOA plume can be minimized by adding nine new sampling locations and samples from two existing wells to achieve a 70% reduction in plume uncertainty. In addition, using available site data in three different scenarios identified conceptual site model data gaps in the source area and in the interaction between the Manapaqua Branch and groundwater, where the observed high concentration in this area could have resulted from a combination of groundwater migration and induced infiltration.


EVALUATION OF PASSIVE VAPOR DIFFUSION SAMPLERS TO QUANTIFY ACETYLENE, ETHENE, AND ETHANE IN GROUNDWATER
Wang, H., R. Yu, D.T. Adamson, R. Iery, and D.L. Freedman. Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation [published online 6 February 2024 before print]

A study compared the quantification of acetylene, ethene, and ethane using passive vapor diffusion (PVD) samplers versus conventional low-flow groundwater collection. Samples were collected from eight to 13 monitoring wells at three sites that show potential for biotic and abiotic TCE degradation in fractured rock aquifers. Method reporting limits (MRLs) for the PVD samplers were 0.25 µg/L for acetylene (0.0094 µM) and 0.28 µg/L for ethene and ethane (0.0099 and 0.0092 µM, respectively); the MRLs for conventional low-flow groundwater samples were ~40% higher. For two of the sites, the maximum concentrations of acetylene, ethene, and ethane obtained with the PVD samplers were comparable to the conventional low-flow samples. The detection frequency for these gases with the PVD samplers was also comparable to conventional low-flow groundwater sampling. At one site with higher levels of acetylene (maximum of 13 µg/L), the concentrations from the PVD samplers were ~2 fold higher than those with conventional low-flow groundwater sampling. Based on robust detection of acetylene, ethene, and/or ethane, TCE degradation is likely occurring at the sites. The use of PVD samplers can reduce the possibility of false negative results and provide another line of evidence to support natural attenuation.



Research
PREVENTION OF SEDIMENT RECONTAMINATION BY IMPROVED BMPS TO REMOVE ORGANIC AND METAL CONTAMINANTS FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF
Luthy, R., Y. Cho, S. Struck, and C. Higgins. SERDP Project ER18-1145, 370 pp, 2022

This final report focuses on protecting water quality and preventing sediment recontamination by developing and showing proof-of-concept for engineered media filters to treat stormwater runoff at DoD facilities. In this study, black carbon (BC), i.e., biochar and regenerated activated carbon (RAC), and zeolite amendments were evaluated in engineered stormwater media filters to remove dissolved metals and trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) such as PCBs, PAHs, PFAS, and hydrophilic pesticides and corrosion inhibitors. Specific objectives include assessing BC- and zeolite-amended engineered media mixtures to remove dissolved contaminants; developing performance curves with kinetic and flow rate design parameters; evaluating engineered media filters under intermittent wetting/drying periods and saturation levels; modeling long-term contaminant removal performance of engineered media filters; and developing a technical design manual for improved stormwater control measures and recommended field demonstration testing for future studies. Results demonstrate that BC- and zeolite-amended engineered media filters successfully remove total suspended solids and a suite of dissolved metal and organic contaminants while maintaining adequate hydraulic conductivity. Filter design performance tables accounting for media- and contaminant-specific removal summarize expected filter performance across a range of site and filter design parameters. Long-term modeling demonstrates that BC-amended engineered media filters may last decades, at which point the filter lifetime is expected to be governed by hydraulic performance and clogging. https://serdp-estcp-storage.s3.us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-09/ER18-1145%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf?VersionId=A8S6EzaP4F_uEMe7PzDrOGLz8hKZZemF
Executive Summary: https://serdp-estcp-storage.s3.us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-09/ER18-1145%20Executive%20Summary.pdf?VersionId=1QR8OXepUH_VZiFBosJYgjYlLDu0dH9Z
Guidance: https://serdp-estcp-storage.s3.us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-09/ER18-1145%20-%20Guidance%20Document%20-.pdf?VersionId=iDmXyhYpw8Mwk6U5Wi9J4IPEnOag35M.
Fact sheet: https://serdp-estcp-storage.s3.us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-10/ER18-1145%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf?VersionId=IrF8tpcfJbLdQ.NBcAvgFOLjPwB7lwOh


REDUCTIVE DEFLUORINATION OF PFAS IN AFFF IMPACTED WATERS
Witt, S. ǀ 2023 Great Lakes PFAS Summit, 5-7 December, virtual, 46 minutes, 2023

Micelle-accelerated reductive defluorination is introduced as a novel solution for permanent PFAS destruction. The presentation focuses on technology demonstration in AFFF-impacted waters. Multiple case studies are presented, and scalability and limitations of the technology are discussed. https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/play/WEDkAdKQ2GfARqbqmVuX661tSoSqAHp0GRR3KCOXfhW2qUHwx38EFBme0mEK_EZfcrOLMW7FyeNOC5IJ.MkaIfYN_bJF8AzDe?canPlayFromShare=true&from=share_recording_detail&continueMode=true&componentName=rec-play&originRequestUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fus06web.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2Fz4SpCOT8D6TLEBmldKw7GEHp3_7q3jF_xK8AG3ao2uOojbuChx4VUwQR6KsDaHOD.DqupoxXGtQTeT3Sl


RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) AND PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN AQUEOUS LANDFILL SAMPLES
Zhang, H., Y. Chen, Y. Liu, J.A. Bowden, T.M. Tolaymat, T.G. Townsend, and H.M. Solo-Gabriele. Chemosphere 329:138541(2023)

A study evaluated the relationships between physical-chemical properties (bulk measurements, oxygen demand components, and metals) and PFAS concentrations in different types of aqueous landfill samples collected from 39 landfill facilities in Florida. The samples included leachates from landfills that receive different waste types, such as municipal solid waste incineration ash, construction and demolition debris, and municipal solid waste. Additional aqueous landfill samples were sourced from treated landfill leachate, gas condensate, stormwater, and groundwater from within and near the landfill boundaries. Results showed significant correlations (p < 0.05) between ∑26PFAS and alkalinity (rs = 0.83), total organic carbon rs = 0.84), and ammonia (rs = 0.79) for all leachate types. Other physical-chemical parameters significantly correlated (rs > 0.60, p < 0.05) with PFAS were specific conductivity, chemical oxygen demand, and to a lesser extent, total dissolved solids and total solids. For gas condensates, PFAS was significantly correlated with TOC. Stormwater and groundwater, within and near the landfill boundaries, had considerably lower PFAS levels and a minimal correlation between PFAS and physical-chemical parameters. Although PFAS concentrations and physical-chemical parameters and their correlations varied between different types of aqueous landfill samples, results suggest that physical-chemical properties can be useful indicators of relative PFAS concentrations within a leachate type.


EVALUATION OF STRATEGIES TO REMEDIATE MIXED WASTES AT AN INDUSTRIAL SITE IN BRAZIL
Barreto, P., M. Lemes, J. Jimenez, E.E. Mack, J. Henderson, and D.L. Freedman.
Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation 43(3):93-107(2023)

A study evaluated remediation strategies, including aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation and chemical reduction and oxidation at an industrial site in Brazil contaminated with at least 26 chemicals, six of which are present in the ppm range: chlorobenzene (CB), 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB), 4-nitrotoluene (4-NT), 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT), 4-isopropylaniline (4-IPA), and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA). Other chemicals of concern include 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2- and 3-nitrotoluene (NT), and 1,4-dioxane. In microcosms prepared with site soil and groundwater, aerobic biodegradation of CB, 1,2-DCB, 2-NT, 3-NT, and 4-NT was demonstrated, while the dinitrotoluene isomers, 1,2-DCA, and 1,4-dioxane were recalcitrant. 2,6-DNT, 2,4-DNT, and 4-NT were readily reduced to amino-toluenes under anaerobic conditions by microbes with lactate as the electron donor or using zero-valent iron. Amino-toluenes were amenable to chemical oxidation and/or aerobic biodegradation, which suggested a sequential treatment strategy may be the most effective remediation approach, consisting of aerobic biodegradation, followed by anaerobic reduction (abiotic or biotic) and then aerobic biodegradation and/or chemical oxidation. This approach was the most effective in a continuous flow column experiment using site soil. Batch tests with mixtures of contaminants and groundwater exposed to chemical oxidation revealed modest to no inhibitory effects. While these mixtures may slow the biodegradation rate, a remediation strategy that incorporates aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation is achievable. https://ngwa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gwmr.12607


PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES AND MERCURY IN ARCTIC ALASKA COASTAL FISH OF SUBSISTENCE IMPORTANCE
Fraley, K.M., C.R. Hamman, T.M. Sutton, M.D. Robards, T. Jones, and A. Whiting.
Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 42(11):2329-2335(2023)

Fish species of subsistence and recreational importance were collected from nearshore Beaufort and Chukchi Sea, Alaska habitats and assessed for PFAS and total mercury concentrations [THg]. Multiple PFAS compounds were present at low levels (<3 μg/kg) in the muscle tissue of inconnu, broad whitefish, Dolly Varden char, Arctic flounder, saffron cod, humpback whitefish, and least cisco. In addition, [THg] levels in these fish were well below levels triggering local fish consumption guidelines (<170 μg/kg). Initial results indicate no evidence of the Alaska Arctic nearshore fish species examined as an avenue of PFAS or Hg exposure to people who harvest them. The sources and trends of these contaminants in the Arctic require further investigation.


EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF TRANSITION FROM POROUS TO FRACTURED ROCK MEDIA ON 3D FIELD-SCALE DNAPLS CONTAMINATION
Kim, T., W.S. Han, S. Yoon, P.K. Kang, J. Shin, and M.J. Nam.
Journal of Hazardous Materials 462:132711(2024)

A study developed a 3D high-resolution subsurface characteristic (HSC) numerical model to assess the migration and distribution of subsurface DNAPL. Diverse field data were utilized for realistic model representation, including lithologic, hydrogeologic, petrophysical, and fracture information from both in situ observations and lab experiments. The model integrates hydrogeologic characteristics of both porous (unconsolidated soil [US] and weathered rock [WR]) and fractured rock (FR) media distinctly affecting the migration of DNAPL to capture DNAPL behavior within US, WR, and FR as well as at the boundary between the media, simultaneously. In the 3D HSC model, hypothetical 100-year DNAPL contamination was simulated, quantitatively analyzing its spatiotemporal distributions by momentum analyses. Twelve sensitivity scenarios examined the impact of WR and FR characteristics on DNAPL migration, delineating significant roles of WR. DNAPLs primarily resided in WR due to low permeability and limited penetration into FR through sparse inlet fractures. The permeability anisotropy in WR was most influential in determining DNAPL fate, surpassing the impacts of FR characteristics, including rock matrix permeability, fracture aperture size, and fracture + rock mean porosity. This study first attempted to apply the field-data-based multiple geological media concept in the DNAPL prediction model. Consequently, the field-scale effects of WR and media transitions, often overlooked in evaluating DNAPL contamination, were underscored.



General News
NOVEL RESEARCH ON PFAS ADSORPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Punnell, K., M. Vanderkooy, and A. Pham. SERDP & ESTCP Webinar Series, February 2024

This webinar features DoD-funded research efforts to develop adsorptive technologies for PFAS removal. The first presentation discusses the development of a polymer-stabilized powdered activated carbon and a polymer-stabilized ion exchange resin for use as injectable particulate amendments for PFAS adsorption in situ. The second presentation features research on in situ PFAS immobilization via activated carbon barriers. https://serdp-estcp.mil/webinars/details/fc25954c-58e2-428d-98cc-5b350299ee77/novel-research-on-pfas-adsorptive-technologies


LINES OF EVIDENCE FOR EVALUATING LNAPL AND DISSOLVED-PHASE PLUME-STABILITY AT PETROLEUM SITES
Johnson, W. ǀ AEHS 39th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy, 16-19 October, Amherst, MA, 19 slides, 2023

This presentation highlights the application of HRSC tools and methods to evaluate LNAPL and dissolved-phase plume stability, exposure, and site closure within the expanding science of plume stability and exposure characterization. The presentation also outlines evolving, multi-discipline techniques to characterize LNAPL bodies and dissolved-phase groundwater plumes, with an emphasis on the application of HRSC tools. Source material includes references to previously published/presented concepts and data sets focus on the role of HRSC. Case studies and references to existing LNAPL guidance documents are incorporated to develop the role of HRSC in LNAPL science, site characterization, and low-risk site closure. Combining HRSC natural mass removal data to evaluate source-area toxicity, plume stability, and exposure for petroleum releases can reduce life-cycle costs while continuing to safeguard human health and the environment. https://s3.amazonaws.com/amz.xcdsystem.com/A51108D5-FA2F-2B6D-01D92AC0F42DCE3B_abstract_File23333/Handout_140_1019043159.pdf


THE SHIFTING RESEARCH LANDSCAPE FOR PAH BIOREMEDIATION IN WATER ENVIRONMENT: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS ON THREE DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT
Xia, M., B. Chen, G. Fan, S. Weng, R. Qiu, Z. Hong, and Z. Yan.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research 30:69711-69726(2023)

A bibliometric analysis on the three-decade (1990-2022) development of PAH bioremediation in the water environment was conducted from temporal and spatial dimensions using CiteSpace. A total of 2,480 publications were obtained from the Web of Science core collection database to explore the basic characteristics, hotspots, and prospects of the research. Results showed that the bioremediation/biodegradation of PAHs in water environments has attracted researchers' attention since 1990 and continues to gain traction. China and the U.S. were the major contributors in this research area, while at the institutional level, the Chinese Academy of Sciences produced the most research results. However, international cooperation across regions was lacking in the field. Environment Science and Technology, Chemosphere, Applied and Environment Microbiology, Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Environment Pollution were the five most cited journals. The field has experienced three major stages, each with distinct research hotspots, including the initial stage (1990-1994), mechanism investigation (1995-2000), and application exploration (2001-2010; 2011-2022). Finally, research perspectives were proposed, covering bioavailability, immobilization, and viable but nonculturable bacteria.


LONG TERM GROUND WATER MONITORING USING LSTM ALGORITHM FOR ANOMALY DETECTION
Soni, J. ǀ The Remplex Virtual Global Summit, 14-16 November, 21 slides, 2023

This presentation focuses on the development of an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-based anomaly detection model, leveraging the capabilities of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models. The proposed LSTM-based approach enables the detection of anomalies in sensor readings, allowing for the early identification of abnormal contamination levels in various analytes. By training the LSTM model on historical data of normal sensor readings, it learns the patterns and regularities inherent in the groundwater contamination data. Subsequently, the model evaluates real-time sensor measurements against these learned patterns, classifying deviations as anomalies and indicating potential issues. The strength of LSTM lies in its ability to capture long-term dependencies and extract meaningful features from the sequential nature of the data. By considering the historical context and relationships between previous sensor readings, the LSTM model can effectively differentiate between normal variations and true anomalies, enabling proactive intervention and mitigation measures. Successful implementation of the proposed LSTM-based anomaly detection model will provide groundwater-contaminated sites with a reliable tool for continuous monitoring of groundwater contamination. The timely detection of anomalies can facilitate prompt response and remedial actions, minimizing the potential spread of contamination and mitigating risks to the environment and public health. The algorithms were demonstrated based on datasets from the Savannah River Site F-Area. https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/2023-11/Remplex%20Submission%2081%20%20390.pdf


USING HIGH RESOLUTION MASS SPECTROMETRY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FORENSICS FOR NEW AND EMERGING PFAS FROM INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION AND USE SITES
Strynar, M., J. McCord, AND J. Bangma. Los Angeles Metropolitan Mass Spectrometry (LAMMS) Meeting, virtual, 67 minutes, 2024

This slide presentation describes tools used from published literature along with case studies demonstrating findings using non-targeted analysis (NTA) techniques for the discovery of novel PFAS compounds. In addition, some treatment of limitations of these approaches and thought of future remaining obstacles are addressed. Recently, NTA for the discovery of novel PFAS in environmental and biological media has been shown to be valuable in multiple applications. Classical targeted analysis of PFAS using LC-MS/MS is still lacking in a more holistic understanding of the PFAS burden in most samples, and NTA fills at least a portion of this data gap. This is demonstrated through a series of tell-tale PFAS characteristics, including characteristic mass defect range, homologous series, characteristic fragmentation patterns, and case studies. This compilation of resources will help with the entry and advancement of the science. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbwghyjlkx0



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